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| True Sign of Amitabha Confirmed
If you haven't read the previous entry, you should do so now and see why this follow-up entry was written.
About 9 days later, as it's been said, my uncle was the one to have the dream about my grandpa. I should note, since his passing, NO ONE has dreamt of him. My uncle recalled the dream very clearly...
My grandpa was sitting in a living room while the family was in the kitchen. My uncle saw this young gentleman... so young and healthy. My uncle did not recognize him by appearance, but totally knew, "HEY! that's grandpa!" He knew as if he recognized his own wife. That's how it's said... when someone has gone with Amitabha, they will return in a dream and the appearance is young and different, but you will know it's them.
My grandpa was wearing shorts (he NEVER wore shorts though). But in the dream, my uncle took notice of grandpa's legs and they were totally healthy (my grandpa had skin cancer in the legs and they were all deteriorated and blackened). From the way my uncle described my grandpa's appearance, from his hair to his face, was that of when he was very young as grandpa's children and my grandma eventually confirmed.
My grandpa demonstrated spiritual psychic ability and predicted that the television would turn on. then he predicted which shows would come next. then my Uncle expressed, "okay okay, I believe you!"
Then my grandpa went on and made a VERY VERY powerful prediction. You don't just dream about these predictions nor can they be conjured up from imagination. It's so powerful, we just can't tell you what the prediction is. But when I heard about this prediction, I was very shocked because it has a correlation with what I've been planning or thinking in my life. And I feel that that prediction has something to do with me, or maybe not.
The dream ended. NOW... WHY DID MY UNCLE GET THE DREAM AND NOT MY GRANDPA'S DIRECT CHILDREN OR MY GRANDMA?
I'LL TELL YOU WHY...
Out of allllll of us... only... i repeat.. ONLY my uncle did not believe, after all the events that took place with my grandpa's passing, that Amitabha came and took my grandpa away. He was the only skeptic that someone like my grandpa could ever at such a last minute, get Amitabha to come and get him. ISN'T THAT SOMETHING???
ALL that people say about what generally, commonly, happens when a person goes with Amitabha, has completely been fulfilled as it's been said. | | |
| True Sign of the Buddha, AMAZING!
I wanted to share this extraordinary story with anyone that comes across this blog. Perhaps it will give you good confidence, or it will give you resolve, or something you can keep in your heart when the time comes.
Not many of you know, but I grew up in a Buddhist family, and attended Catholic school for many years in my childhood, but I was always Buddhist primarily.
My grandpa recently passed away. However, the story of his passing amazed me, my family, and certainly reaffirmed my faith in the Buddha.
My grandpa was suffering from many illnesses. He had troubles with his lungs, kidneys, a pacemaker in his heart, skin cancer on both his legs, cataracts in both eyes, and other minor illnesses. During the past year, he was bedridden. He could only walk enough to go to the restroom, sit up long enough to eat, took a ton of pills a day, and slept through his days. About a month or so ago, he was hospitalized because of his legs and further troubles in his body. He required constant nursing and attention.
And just two weeks ago, I received a call from my mom. She said the whole family was at the hospital and my grandpa was waiting to pass away. He had massive internal bleeding. At the rate of his bleeding, and with his medical conditions, transfusions or other procedures would not help and he was basically at his end. So he was bleeding internally until death.
I rushed over to the hospital to watch my grandpa during his last hour. Now, before I continue, you should know a bit about my grandpa. He was a very, very simple man. He did not care much for religion or spirituality. As much as my dad always tried to get him to go to the temple or recite even Buddha's name, my grandpa would never do it. He always ate meat, never went to the temple, didn't do anything religious--let alone practice, nor did he ever read a single sutra. In a sense, he was the only non-buddhist in the family.
As I was in the hospital, I saw my dad do something pretty amazing. Because my grandpa knew he was about to die, I suppose this was the time to finally do it. My dad told my grandpa to recite Amitabha Buddha's name, keep reciting it, don't attach to anything else in this world anymore. He told him to recite the Buddha's name, and go with the Buddha and NO ONE ELSE.
NOTE: In Buddhism, there is the Sutra on Amitabha Buddha, which tells of that Buddha's particular vows. This Buddha has a vow that if a man or woman single-mindedly, with one heart, recites His name EVEN ONCE, upon their death, he will come to them and take them to [what Earthly people term in English--Western Land of Ultimate Bliss], where these beings in My World shall no longer suffer, enjoy eternal bliss, cultivate, and never fall into the hells, never fall into the earthly realms where beings suffer, and ultimately attain Bodhi.
That is why Buddhists recite Amitabha Buddha's, so that they no longer have to reborn into the world and suffer the woes of greed, desire, selfishness, and illness, or animal realms, or ghostly, or hells, or even the limited lifespans of heavens. To fully escape, rebirth into realms of karma and desire, go with the Buddhas, where you are happy forever.
Anyway, back to the story. So my grandpa, for the first time in his life... he recited the Buddha's name, fully, outloud, even with his massive internal bleeding. With his minimal strength, he recited syllable for syllable with my dad. Two hours later, roughly around noon, my grandpa was still alive, and still reciting Amitabha Buddha with my dad. By now, he should have passed.
My grandpa closed his eyes for a while. As my brother noticed intently, he saw as if my grandpa was seeing something, but eyes shut. In just a few minutes, my grandpa opens his eyes wide, and says, "oh... Buddha came."
My dad told my grandpa, "Just go with Buddha. Don't go with anyone else. Don't stay here. okay?" Grandpa remained silent.
Moments later, randomly, Grandpa said outloud, "fake...aiya ... everything in this world is fake..."
In my head I thought, "That's Buddha philosophy...I wonder what Buddha said to him..."
Several hours had passed, and my grandpa was still alive, reciting with my dad, syllable for syllable. It was 6pm, well-beyond his expected passing. Everyone decided to go home with the exception of my dad and aunt. NOTE: This was Friday.
On Saturday, I heard interesting news. My dad, his sisters, and my grandma were visiting Grandpa. They told me that they have never seen this side of Grandpa. He was so lively, vibrant, laughing so hard with so much energy. Ever since his bedriidden state, he never laughed, barely smiled, barely talked. He hadn't energy. But Saturday, he was laughing so hard and loud with the family. Doctors say he stopped bleeding too. My dad and aunts and even grandma said, "Your grandpa never displayed so much love and affection, EVER," (because he was hard-headed, stubborn, and a MAN--didn't like to show emotions--never smiled and laughed so much even with his wife, my grandma. This was a moment for my grandpa's immediate family, to share, once in their lifetime, an unguarded moment of my grandpa, to have so much affection from him. To them, it's as if he had a chance to share a truly happy memory with this family.
Sunday, he was talking normally. On occasion, my dad or aunts would help recite Amitabha Buddha's name with Grandpa. One night, he would even recite by himself, all night long... never sleeping. Finally on Monday, Grandpa was tired and slept all day, but as soon as he woke, he would be reciting Amitabha Buddha's name again.
Here is something interesting. His cataracts were gone. His eyes, you could see the flesh and everything, no haze. Even grandpa spoke in amazement, "Wow, I can see so clearly!" You know how cataracts work... they don't just disappear without surgery. When he had cataracts, and in the hospital, he could not even see his own hand. We would put our faces up to his face, 2 feet away, he could not recognize anyone unless they spoke. But by Sunday, he was spotting the nurse, my aunties, my grandma, dad, from 8 ft away!
By midweek, grandpa was still alive, and still reciting Amitabha Buddha's name. My aunts thought he rambled as he would occasionally say he saw people from his past... people that died a long time ago. He would detail things so clearly. I should also note that my grandpa may be ill, but everything he spoke about was so clear and "normal".. not like some delusional hallucinating maniac. We had many conversations with grandpa during that week and he spoke so clearly and with such awareness.
To test out the truth if Amitabha Buddha came or not to my grandpa, my dad did a test and asked Grandpa, "Dad... When you saw Amitabha Buddha, did he tell you when he was going to come back and get you to take you away?" (It's generally known that if Amitabha comes to you near your death, he will tell you when you will pass)
Promptly, grandpa replied, "the day after tomorrow."--(Upcoming Friday). I remember this conversation clearly because I was sitting 6ft from my grandpa.
My dad also asked, "Have you seen Amitabha more than once so far?"
Without a slip or pause, "Of course! He came a few times again. We even had lunch together. By the way, I'm a vegetarian now," my grandpa replied with such conviction.
My aunts then followed suit and asked in accordance with details from what the Sutra says, "Dad, have you seen a lotus yet?"
With such promptness again, "Yep."
"What color was the lotus?"
Grandpa replied, without having to think or stutter, "RED, with light red, and white" (this is the red lotus platform that people sit on when they rebirth in Amitabha's Land, according to the sutra). How on earth does he know this???
I should note, the first few days since the first Friday, grandpa ate minimally. But since Wednesday, he did not eat at all. By Thursday, he did not drink anything at all.
I don't recall which day, but around midweek, my grandpa also mentioned to my dad, "Don't worry about anything. Buddha does not lie at ALL! Everything is fine. I don't even have any more illnesses. I'm not bleeding anymore either"
How on earth does my grandpa come up with this? The doctors mentioned privately that he stopped bleeding. I should also add that my grandpa was NOT taking any medication since Friday, and yet, all his vital systems were in tact and fully functional. He was peaceful and sufficiently comfortable throughout. I was pretty amazed already, especially with the cataracts completely gone!
Friday, Grandpa passed away at noon exactly, in complete stillness, peace, and comfort... no big breaths. He passed in his sleep. If you remember as mentioned earlier in the blog, Grandpa spoke out saying that the Buddha came, at approximately noon, around then.
Amitabha Buddha came to my grandpa, gave him exactly 7 days to say goodbye, literally SEE his family one last time, enjoy the last happy times with the family, and to our assumption, even see the people that he knew during his lifetime (hence, the ghosts of the past, etc). He enjoyed exactly 7 days free from illness to the amazement of the doctors and nurses; comfortable; happy; and shared something with his son, daughters, and wife, that was once never shared--that happy moment of affection and happiness; and passed comfortably in sleep.
My dad went to the temple the day following the funeral and was chatting with some of the old monks who were also good friends to my dad. My dad was discussing about what had happened with my grandpa and the last 7 days and Amitabha.
They said, "Oh, this is no surprise AT ALL." They continued to tell my dad that it happens like this practically every time when someone leaves to Amitabha's Land. They asked my dad, "Did he stop eating and drinking anything during his last few days before passing?" My dad replied, "YES! That's right, he did. He stopped eating by Wednesday and drinking any liquids by Thursday... he simply did not wish to eat, no matter what we offered..."
The monks told my dad that having been at the temple for so many years, they have heard so many stories and even seen their own colleagues, who have been devout cultivators and practitioners that have recited the Buddha's name for many years, that what my Grandpa's last seven days was the exact same procedure that's been witnessed in many many other instances.
The person passing is first visited first by the Buddha near their death. Buddha confers the prediction of the precise time of their actual death in which the Buddha will come to take them away, and they do NOT eat or drink during the last few days (because they are to prepare for their passing and the body is fully clean, and upon death, the body is still clean and unsoiled by the bowels); and they pass in sleep and comfort, almost silently. It is always a peaceful passing.
They also asked my dad if anyone has dreamt of Grandpa since his passing. No one has deamt of him so far. It is common for those who have passed, to come back in a loved one's dream, sometimes asking for help, conveying a message, etc. No one dreamt. The monks said, "of course not, he's probably still up there with his luggage and registering!" (they said that lightly and humorously to note that Grandpa obviously went with Amitabha and he JUST GOT THERE... since 1 day in time there is about 100+ years on earth). They added, normally, one that has reborn in Amitabha's "Pure Land / Land of Ultimate Bliss" will come back to the family in a dream, sitting on lotus, in full meditation posture, with a new appearance--though you will "know" it's them, to tell you that he is okay and there, safe, happy, and in peace).
SUPPLEMENTAL
In terms of ghosts appearing in dreams...When my grandFATHER passed away 10+ years ago, he visited my grandMOTHER in a dream and told her to give my cousin a gold necklace he had hidden away in the closet. My grandmother never knew about that necklace, found it in the closet in a box as told in the dream, and gave it to my cousin. He also appeared in my mother's dream asking for help, and so my mother recited the "Sutra on the Vows of Earthstore Bodhisattva" (it's been said that recitation of this sutra for dying/dead can help them from the 5 evil destinies) for my grandfather during the 49 days after his passing. By the 48th day, he came back in a dream to my mom to thank her, his appearance was bright and clean and pure, as opposed to a dark, cloudy, murky, tainted image during the first dream.
That is why Buddhists recite Amitabha Buddha's name, so that upon death, they wish for Amitabha Buddha to take them away, and never have to return to the realms of suffering or any of the evil destinies. Basically, upon death, Buddha will come and still ask you where you wish to go, and that's when you tell Him that you wish to go with Him! The Buddha will not interfere with your free will and has no reason to force you. So if you still have attachments, for example, you family, loved ones, money, career, etc, you may not be so easy to leave this world because you might end up telling him you'd rather stay here and play with your stupid earthly possessions.
Basically, when reciting Amitabha Buddha's name, you have to really let everything go, and only care to go with Amitabha. That is what, in Buddhism, "single-mindedness" is. It means you call out Amitabha Buddha's name with one heart, one mind, sincere heart and mind, not 50% Buddha, 25% money, 25% sex.
That is why this is such an amazing story. A man that never believed and never practiced, hard-headed, upon his deathbed, was able to put down all desires, materials, people, life, the world, HIS EGO, everything. And all that was left for him to do was move on, and go to the Buddha. And he did just that.
Even if Buddha came, when Buddha asks us where we wish to go, we might end up saying, "wait wait! i gotta take care of my stocks! my wife! my kids!" Well, Buddha will only grant your wish and allow you to go back to the world, reborn as human, enjoy your money, be reunited with your family in future lives. That's why it's so hard in actuality. We screw it up in the end, not Buddha.
And in the case of my grandpa, VERY RARE. Dharma teachers always warn you to never wait to cultivate. Never wait to recite Buddha's name. Once you are on your deathbed, it may be too late. You might not have the consciousness to concentrate or recite. You may die sooner than you would expect. You may die in such pain that you cannot even think about reciting Buddha.
But as the Sutra says, and how my grandpa's passing is a living testimony of its truths, "IF A MAN OR WOMAN CAN RECITE MY NAME SINGLEMINDEDLY even once..."
Basically, when a person can recite Buddha's name without any attachments... seriously, sincerely, concentrate on the Buddha's name, or even Kwan Yin Bodhisattva's name, or any Buddha or Bodhisattva... recite with such concentration... not like recite in your heart but you're also thinking about what time dinner is... but really, you can put everything down, and recite, and really prove sincerity that you can recite in such single-mindedness, I GUARANTEE It-- you will get results.
If you wish to recite Amitabha Buddha's name, for yourself, for a loved one, a friend, or whatever, recite:
NaMo Amitabha Buddha
(pronounced as: Na (Nadia) Mo (Mochi ice cream) Ah-mee-tah-bah Buddha
"NAMO" is often iterated before a Buddha/Bodhisattva's name because it means to "TAKE REFUGE UNDER".
Recite often, recite a lot.
If someone has already passed, you should recite NAMO Amitabha Buddha for the loved one, or recite Namo EARTHSTORE BODHISATTVA for them for 49 days following death. You may also recite the Earthstore Sutra before an image of Earthstore Bodhisattva for the loved one at least 7 times within the 49 days after passing. Earthstore Bodhisattva made vows in the past to save beings who have fallen into the hells or evil destinies, especially those who suffer heavy karmic retributions and died from untimely death or illness. Recite his name for those who have passed at least 10,000 times.
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| Protest Beijing 2008 = American Ignorance and Hypocritical SHAME
Americans protest China for Beijing 2008 with such self-righteousness ignorance and shame.
If China does not deserve the Olympics for 2008 because of their past UNJUST occupation of Tibet,
then the USA DID NOT DESERVE the Olympics for DECADES and all of our Olympics were a sham and we should not be getting the Olympics in the future!
Why?
How about the USA bullying of Asian countries after WWII, such as Thailand and the Philippines? The USA bullied and cornered Thailand into importing U.S. tobacco, forcing Thailand to lift their smoking ban. After that, Thailand's lung cancer rate sky-rocketed the illness into being a MAJOR national health problem in Thailand.
How about the UNJUST invasion and OCCUPATION of Iraq? Haven't we concluded that there was no WMD? Have we not realized that the war was unjust? And isn't there a big scandal and inquiry about the USA military's HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS during the war on terror and Iraq with prisoners and such?
What about the other bullying and occupation of the US on other foreign nations over history?
The Dailai Llama and the idiots protesting China should protest AMERICA for our wrongful bullying and UNJUST occupations and human rights violations in the world.
And we all know that it's been exposed how the CIA teamed up with Dalai Llama to stir up the FREE TIBET commotion since day 1. America has been trying to stir up trouble in Russia, China, and other nations for decades!
Especially now, with China on the economic rise and with an Olympic economic surge, the USA is scared shitless and would do anything to stir the fire.
IGNORANT AMERICA, WAKE UP! AMERICA AIN'T SO CLEAN! AMERICA AIN'T SO HOLY! AMERICA AIN'T SO INNOCENT!
PUNISH CHINA? THEN PUNISH THE USA TOO. DON'T PULL THAT DOUBLE-STANDARD IGNORANT BULLSHIT WITH ME! | | |
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IN 1992.... Because of Bush senior and the Republicans,...
We had a deficit.
We had a weakened dollar.
We had a recession.
We had horrible government spending.
We had POOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES.
We had more enemies overseas.
Bill Clinton promised CHANGED, and he brought it! You know it! The Clinton's turned it all around. EACH OF THOSE LISTED ABOVE, were turned around to form a prosperous nation and era.
2008... Because of Bush junior and the Republicans
We have a deficit.
We have a weakened dollar.
We are entering a recession.
We have horrible government spending.
We have POOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES.
We have more enemies overseas.
Election theme is "CHANGE". Hillary Clinton is the candidate. We have a chance to put the Clinton's back in the White House. They have the proven track record, experience, plans, connections, and ideas.
I am not going to take the chance with Barack Obama. Like all politicians and candidates, Obama has a fancy speech to make us feel hopeful and comfortable in voting for him. BUT...
the difference is that The Clinton's have a proven track record, the experience, and detailed ideas and plans. Obama just states the obvious and intends to bring change... but without experience, without detailed ideals and plans... I am not gambling this time. We can't afford it. We're entering a recession and even further turmoil. | | |
| The Clinton's have PROVEN prosperity in the nation when they were in the white house. They cleaned up the old Bush's mess. Jobs were plenty. Life was better with the Clinton's.
We already made the mistake of not voting for Gore, and look what happened, TWICE we voted for Bush Jr.
We need a Clinton in the White House again to clean up the mess.
AMERICA! We have a chance to put a Clinton in the White house again. We threw out our chances with Gore, but now Hillary Clinton is running.
We have another chance! So vote Hillary Clinton!
We have had years of turmoil and trouble during the Bush administration, and we see it now. We really cannot afford to take another chance by voting for inexperience, lack of plans, and deviation from the Clinton's proven wisdom and prosperity. I don't care how fancy Barack Obama talks. It's just sweet talk. The Clinton's have a proven track record.
We were prosperous during the Clinton days. Let's bring those happy times back! ... So that we can GET A JOB! So that we can have HEALTH CARE! So that we can be at PEACE with FRIENDS around the world. So that we can be HAPPY.
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