英文书 E163 Crossing the Ocean of Life and Death 度過生死的大海

Preface

The Spiritual Travel Shoes

The body is impermanent and time passes quickly, All suffering will be unfettered,

Aspireto cultivate in accordance with the True Buddha,

Fully utilize this body and be reborn in Sukhavati.

Sheng-Yen Lu

       One night, Guanyin Bodhisattva (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) appeared at my secluded place of retreat and gave me a pair of shoes to put on. I was curious and asked, “What kind of shoes are these?”

Guanyin replied, “Spiritual Travel Shoes.”

“What are they used for?”

The Bodhisattva said, “We want you, Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-Yen Lu, to personally experience the state of bardo by going through the experience of death. Then, we want you to write a book entitled Crossing the Ocean of Life and Death to enlighten the world about the realities regarding the end of life.”

“When there is birth, there is death. This is natural. What is there to write about?”

The Bodhisattva said, “It is a matter of utmost urgency.”

“Why?”

“Sentient beings assume that when they are in good health, everything is fine but they are unaware that middle age, old age, and sickness will soon arrive. Most importantly, we want the world to recognize the reality of death and know the conditions and processes surrounding death. It does not matter whether one is a Buddhist, Christian, Catholic, Muslim, or atheist. You must reveal the truth about death in your writings because the truth itself is what really counts.”

I asked, “Will people believe what I write?”

The Bodhisattva replied, “These are not superstitions. Everyone dies, and there is no exception to this fact. Death is a realistic issue that is anything but superstitious. Yet, the world does not end with death. Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and other esoteric teachings all recognize the fact that there is a world beyond death which can be verified, and that the world of spirits does indeed exist. We want you to write about it, and we want you to experience it first-hand. By recording your experiences, you will be able to help deliver sentient beings!”

“Can it really help to deliver sentient beings?” I asked.

Guanyin Bodhisattva replied with a verse:

Read and you will understand,

Cultivate and you will be liberated,

Believe and you will be delivered,

Comprehend and you will be enlightened.