Namo Amituofo. I am Avalokiteshvara. Practitioner Su, your dedication and hard work are truly commendable. Because Namo Amituofo truly abides at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, and because of your presence, Practitioner Su, all sentient beings here are bathed in a brilliant Buddha-light. They are able to enjoy the boundless and grace that Namo Amituofo bestows upon everyone. In truth, the Buddha has never perceived any difference between Himself and other beings. It is only because sentient beings perceive a distinction—believing that the Buddha is the Buddha and they are merely beings—that these discriminations and hierarchies arise. When one lets go of these false , one realises that the Buddha-heart is the heart of all.
The Influence of the Buddha's Presence
The sutras state: Where the Buddha walks, in every city, town, and village, all are transformed by His influence. The world becomes harmonious, the sun and moon shine clearly, and the winds and rains arrive in their proper seasons. Disasters and plagues do not arise, the nation is prosperous, the people are at peace, and the weapons of war are rendered useless. This peace occurs because the Buddha is present, and where the Buddha is, the people's hearts are settled. Because Namo Amituofo is the Universal Buddha, His majestic power and merit naturally influence and embrace all sentient beings. However, we must understand that all beings are bound by their own laws of and cause and effect. While the Buddha cannot simply erase the karma of sentient beings, He can teach them, guiding them to transform their own karma through their own practice.
The Oneness of Compassion
Practitioner Su, in your great compassion, you have observed that the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, along with the surrounding areas of Goombungee and Toowoomba, are suffering from a lack of water. You have felt a deep desire to seek rain to quench the thirst of all beings. This is the manifestation of your perspective of oneness—the understanding that all beings and yourself are one entity. Even though the temple itself has sufficient water and you personally face no such hardship, you see the suffering of the creatures and the land that lack water. You feel their pain as your own, and thus you seek to bring relief. Although rain can only fall when the Causal Conditions of the beings are ripe, you have previously led the sentient beings in chanting the Buddha-name to transform their karma, and that prayer was successful. Therefore, you seek to do so again.
The Ritual of the Three Incense Sticks
Because your Buddha-heart is so sincere and urgent, today, during the , you have joined with Avalokiteshvara, Mahasthamaprapta, the vast assembly of pure Bodhisattvas, the patriarchs and venerable masters, and countless external Bodhisattvas from the cosmos and protectors. Together, you have placed three sticks of incense into the heavenly furnace in front of the temple. These three sticks of incense represent the Heavens, the Earth, and all sentient beings. They also represent our collective heart and intention. We earnestly beseech the Heavens and the Jade Emperor to have compassion for all suffering beings. We pray for the early arrival of sweet rain to save the multitudes. Every day that the rain falls earlier is one less day that these beings must endure the suffering of drought.
A Call for Harmony and Relief
Looking at the current celestial signs, the natural timing for rain might not be immediate. However, because of your compassionate request, Practitioner Su, and because you have led the earthly creatures of Goombungee to unite their hearts and chant the Buddha-name of Namo Amituofo together, the situation may change. The grace of the Buddha is boundless; He cannot bear to see sentient beings wailing in the midst of such suffering. Avalokiteshvara and the entire assembly of Bodhisattvas look forward to seeing the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas and the deities of rain respond in time. We hope they will bring the rain to end this drought and assist all beings in leaving their suffering behind. Namo Amituofo.
