The Hidden Sins of a Master
An Interview with the Spirit of Venerable Master Miao Lian
Recorded by Venerable HaiZe on August 23, 2018
This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Venerable Master Miao Lian, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He reflects upon his life and the karmic reasons for his descent into the hells following his passing. Recorded by Venerable HaiZe on August 23, 2018.
Venerable HaiZe speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. I respectfully invite the spirit of Venerable Master Miao Lian."
Venerable Master Miao Lian speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. I, Miao Lian, have arrived. I am filled with shame and deep repentance! In truth, during the period of my illness before I passed away, my spirit would enter the hells during my sleep to face judgment. It was there that my from the past would file complaints against me, and I was required to answer for my actions. Why did this happen? A monastic should have long ago ceased to be moved by the and . However, in my later years, I saw the vast number of disciples and followers I had. Whether it was for pilgrimages, assemblies, or various activities, the attendance was always overwhelming. At first, this gave rise to a heart of arrogance and pride within me."
The Poison of Arrogance
"As a teacher to others, I was expected to manifest a dignified, humble, and gentle demeanour. Yet, the direction of my heart betrayed me. Thoughts began to arise: 'I have truly exhausted my efforts for the Buddha’s teachings and the Pure Land in this lifetime. Look at all these monastics—they are all here because of me. If it were not for Miao Lian, this scene would not exist.' Namo Amituofo! One must never, ever harbour such thoughts. If it were not for the compassionate support and the never-abandoning grace of Namo Amituofo toward us stubborn and ignorant beings, there would be no Miao Lian, no Lingyan Mountain Temple, and no such following of monastics. Furthermore, whenever I would visit various bodhimanda to inspect them, this sense of self-importance would only intensify.
The Buddha’s teachings are teachings of the heart. To have such thoughts and intentions is to create . If one does not realise this and engage in true repentance and change their ways, it is a sin upon a sin. Everything I achieved was due to the compassionate protection of Namo Amituofo and the support of the faithful who contributed their money, their labour, and their unified efforts. It was never the merit of Miao Lian alone. My arrogance grew day by day, and because I did not feel shame or change my ways, I summoned the manifestation of my past karma. My karmic creditors filed complaints against me before the King of Hell, and I was judged in the night. Once the judgment was confirmed, I had to suffer the retribution in the hells until I truly repented and changed my ways, and until the retribution was exhausted."
The Hidden Greed and Lust
"Furthermore, I developed a heart of greed. Although I did not personally handle the temple's finances, the daily expenses of the temple were immense. Every time we held an activity or a Dharma assembly, beyond the responsibility of teaching and saving beings, the question of whether we could balance the budget was also significant. Fortunately, there were great Dharma protectors who supported us. Within my capacity, I would provide special care to these major donors, and they would do the same for me. Consequently, there were certain funds and precious items that I kept for myself rather than returning them to the temple. This was greed for wealth. This retribution, too, was served in the hells.
And although I was a practitioner of chanting Namo Amituofo, and I kept a distance from female devotees, in my youth, even though I did not break the , thoughts would arise. I once harboured lustful desires. No one knew of this, but I knew, and the laws of karma and cause and effect knew. This retribution was also served in the hells."
A Warning to the
"Monastics must absolutely guard the precepts well. There are thoughts one must not have and actions one must not take; all must be strictly upheld. Especially for those who are teachers, abbots of famous mountains and great temples, or founding masters—to know of a transgression and yet commit it is a sin that is doubled. One must be extremely cautious!
Because my thoughts and behaviours were deviated, the moment those deviations arose, the hells already knew, and the karma was already formed! Only through repentance and a sincere heart to change one's ways can one be saved. It was precisely because of this that when I was on the verge of rebirth, my karmic creditors had the opportunity to interfere, preventing my rebirth in the Western Pure Land and causing me to fall into the hells to suffer retribution instead. My situation should serve as a stern warning to all monastics! Namo Amituofo."
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library