Karmic Hindrances and Diseases

Yutang Lin


Could an accidental tragedy or acute illness be rescued in time?
Would the medical diagnosis and treatment be appropriate?
Individual results vary miles apart due to karmic conditions.
Repenting and accumulating merits to purify origin of hindrances.

Comments:

Whether an acute illness or accidental tragedy could be rescued in time or not, whether the physician's diagnosis and treatment would be appropriate or not, both are dependent on each individual's situation and opportunity. Same disease and identical treatment do not necessarily yield same results; some would be cured while others would not. Thus it is understood that the deciding factor is not within the grasp of worldly approaches. In accordance with Buddhist teachings and based upon experiences gained through years of devoted practices, all kinds of suffering due to illness or hindrances are understood as results of past karmas. In order to become free from such suffering basically one should adopt some repentance practice such as the Thirty-five Buddha Repentance Ritual or chanting mantras like The Six Syllable Mantra of Avalokitesvara, The Hundred Syllable Mantra of Vajrasattva, or the Great Compassion Mantra to reduce the karmic debts. In addition, one should also engage in Dharma related activities that would accumulate merits, such as recitation of Sutras, practice of Sadhanas, releasing lives, alms giving, making offerings to the Three Gems, printing Buddhist books for free distribution, etc., to compensate for past blunders. Over the years I have prayed for many people with many inspirational results. Some cases of sickness or other kinds of suffering were reduced in severity or cured through prayers. Some needed additional merits accumulated to overcome. Those cases that I had personally witnessed included mental disorders, haunting by ghosts, or chronic diseases. As to how Buddhas and Bodhisattvas bestowed their blessings I have no idea, and yet merely based on my sincerity and voluntary service in praying for others there have been many cases of effective inspirations. In case of victims haunted by ghosts, they would be treated as mental patients by psychiatrists, and there could be no cure by medicine. Nevertheless, through dedication of Buddhist merits and liberating rituals for the ghosts the victims could return to normal without taking medication. I hope that people would pay attention to cultivating their own intentions, thoughts, speeches and actions in the direction of returning to original purity so that all their karmic hindrances would be eradicated, and consequently they would stay forever free from all kinds of suffering.

Written in Chinese and translated on April 13, 2000
El Cerrito, California


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