Oneness of Wisdom and Compassion

Yutang Lin


An ancient sage practiced compassion to attain wisdom.
Up in the air Avalokitesvara's sutra received by Manjusri.
Fire puja offered to Manjusri on Yogi Chen's memorial,
Holy image of Guan Yin appeared to bestow blessings.

Comments:

This year we had the 13th memorial of Yogi Chen commemorated by a fire puja to Manjusri. During that fire ceremony there were auspicious flashing lights miraculously appearing for several times. A poem entitled "Lights Auspicious Flashing" was composed to record it. Yesterday Buddhist friends came to visit and showed photos taken then. In one photo, right above the flame that raised upwards, there appeared a clear image of a sitting Guan Yin. Yogi Chen taught that, there was an ancient sage who practiced compassion for many years in order to comprehend wisdom. One day this practitioner threw a printing block of Avalokitesvara's sutra up in the air, with the prayer that if he would eventually realize wisdom then this block would not come down. Immediately Manjusri appeared and received the sutra block. Manjusri comforted him by saying that he would eventually achieve his goal. This incident served to reassure the teaching that wisdom and compassion are inseparable. Now, during this fire puja to Manjusri, Guan Yin appeared to give blessing. This incident further illustrated the teaching that wisdom and compassion are originally in oneness. Furthermore, there is a even deeper meaning: Based on wisdom to carry out compassionate salvation activities, using suitable means to help all sorts of beings as Avalokitesvara is known to do, only then is the ultimate unity of wisdom and compassion.


Written in Chinese on December 8, 2000
Translated on December 10, 2000
El Cerrito, California


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