The Power of Buddha Law

(Clearwisdom.net) There is a story from Buddhism that goes like this: In ancient India, there was strict separation of the social classes. The lowest and poorest class was the Sudra race, which was looked down upon by others. Most of them were servants or slaves, performed the hardest, most difficult work and were often abused.

In Sravasti City, there was a Sudra (the lowest of the four Hindu castes) named Niti. His job was to carry manure for people - the last job that anyone wanted to do. He was an honest, kind person and rarely spoke more than necessary.

Shakyamuni once observed Niti when he was in meditation. Niti's karma had almost been paid off, so it was the time for him to break away from the sea of misery. Shakyamuni and Ananda went to the city of Sravasti. They came to the street where Niti lived, and Shakyamuni asked him, "Niti, do you want to become a monk? Do you want to break away from the sea of misery?"

Niti said with shame, "You are so honorable and respectful. Even your disciples are from royal families. I am such a low class person, how can I be compared with them? How do I have the fortune to be a monk and free of pain?"

Shakyamuni said, "Buddha Law is like pure water. It can wash away all the dirt. No matter what is on the earth, once it is washed by the pure water, it becomes brand new. Buddha Law is like a flame. It can burn everything. No matter what it is, once it is touched by the sacred fire, it becomes pure immediately. Buddha Law is most fair. It does not distinguish rich from poor. Any person, as long as he believes in Buddha, wants to escape the pain, and cultivates diligently, can become a monk."

Niti was deeply moved by Shakyamuni's words. He followed Shakyamuni to his residence, had his hair cut and became a monk. He listened to Shakyamuni's teachings and cultivated with a calm mind, and gradually became enlightened. Not only was he able to understand the Law that Shakyamuni taught, but he was also able to act accordingly. Soon he was enlightened to the Arhat level.

Many people with regular everyday thoughts could not accept the fact that Niti had become a monk. How could a low class person become a monk and be materially supported by the people? They could not take it, so they went to ask the king to tell Shakyamuni not to take Niti as his disciple.

The king rode in his carriage to Shakyamuni's residence, and was surprised to see a monk who walked in and out of a stone. When he saw Shakyamuni, he saluted him, then folded his palms and asked Shakyamuni, "The person who reported to you of my arrival has a lot of supernormal capabilities. May I know his title?"

With a smile, Shakyamuni said to the king, "The King of Prasenajit, you came here for a reason. You wanted to ask me why I will save the person whom you thought was the lowest person. But I don't care whether a person is rich or poor. They are all the same in my eyes. That monk you asked for was Niti, and he has reached the Arhat level. The person you saw just now is him."

After Shakyamuni's explanation, the king praised his mighty virtue, the boundless benevolence of the Buddha Law and his actions to save people.

From this story we can realize that the Buddha Law is the most profound Law in the universe. It has boundless, unlimited wisdom, and infinite power. Buddha Law can transform a humble servant into an Arhat with marvelous miraculous powers. Buddha Law can save people regardless of their nationality, religious beliefs, race, and wealth. The benevolence of Buddha Law is everywhere. For a thousand years, people thought that Shakyamuni taught them the Buddha Law, but Shakyamuni said that he hadn't taught one bit of Law in his life.

Then, what is Buddha Law? Shakyamuni told his disciples that his Law couldn't save people at the Dharma ending period. At that time, the Holy King Who Turns the Wheel, the King of all kings of the universe, would come down to earth using Maitreya's name to spread Dafa and save people. Today, the manifestation of the Udumbara flower, an auspicious and supernatural flower that blossoms once every three thousand years (according to Huilin Phonetics and Interpretation, a Buddhist scripture), indicates that the Holy King Who Turns the Wheel has appeared in the human world to rectify the Fa. The three principles of Truthfulness, Benevolence, Forbearance are the characteristic of the universe, the spirit of the universe, the ultimate truth of the Buddha Law, and the foundation of the Buddha's Fa.

The spread of the universe's Buddha Law brings the earth-shaking and immense graciousness of the Buddha to the human world, and great fortune and wonderfulness to human beings. Many Chinese people have begun to understand the preciousness of the Buddha Law, the mighty virtue of righteous belief in the Buddha Law, and the protection that the Buddha Law offers to its believers. People benefit from repeating "Falun Dafa is Good" and "Truthfulness, Benevolence, Forbearance is Good." Some have had their illnesses healed and regained health, some have had their karma resolved and regained happiness, some have escaped danger or even death, and some have avoided disasters. The Buddhists talk about saving all sentient beings, and helping people to know the Buddha Law is the best way to save them. Clarifying the truth and cultivating benevolence allow the cultivator help the world and save people. This is the real reason why practitioners continually clarify the truth about Falun Dafa to people, even risking their lives with the threat of being arrested, beaten, or persecuted.

Perhaps the collapse of social morals and the deterioration of humans' righteous thoughts make it difficult to be a good person. Rarely will people understand a good person, believe him, or follow him. Because there are too many false things, the real things are also misunderstood or incorrectly interpreted by people. People even doubt the existence of someone who just wants to help others without asking for anything in return.

Actually, Falun Gong cultivators are truly cultivating benevolence, and are able to give up their lives in order to safeguard the Fa. They will do anything to help sentient beings, without self-interest. True benevolence is natural. Falun Gong practitioners save people with no conditions attached, they do this at any cost, and want no fame for their actions. Their minds are decent and pure, completely different from everyday human notions. If these practitioners ever have any pursuit, it is to help sentient beings become kind and to be saved. They want sentient beings' hearts to move towards kindness.

A person's life in the universe is tiny. Human abilities are weak when confronted with disasters. Only when people believe in Buddha Law and rely on the boundless power of the Buddha Law, can they escape disasters and be saved. The Buddha Law is pure water that washes away the dirt. The boundless Buddha Law can save people from difficulties. The purpose of spreading Buddha Law is to save sentient beings. Everyone has his Buddha nature. Sincerely reciting "Falun Dafa is Good" and "Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance is Good" is the manifestation of your belief and respect for Buddha. You will experience the enormous graciousness of Buddha Law. When you truly believe in the Buddha Law, how can Buddha not save you?

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2008/7/21/182217.html

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