Jovial Little Angel

By sister initiate Lien, Ilan, Formosa
(originally in Chinese)

"Papa! Papa!" When I heard my child utter these words for the first time, I was a bit amazed, and wondered, "Is it possible that a child less than a year old knows how to say Papa?" When my husband, a brother initiate, came home and heard my story, he was overjoyed. The very first words that his small child uttered were Papa! However, after a few days of careful observation, we found that the child often put his little hands on Master's photo on the wall and gazed at Master while saying "Papa!" He was calling Master "Papa"!

When I became pregnant with our child, I began listening to Master's Buddha's Chanting tape and videotaped lectures, as well as some sweet and soft music every day. It was my most sincere wish then that our child would practice the Quan Yin Method with us in the future. Eventually, our child was born, and grew up day by day. Our favorite pastime was taking him out for a stroll in the evening, sometimes to the park to watch the beautiful flowers and plants, sometimes to the seaside to listen to the ocean waves, or sometimes to the forest just to be with Mother Nature. Occasionally, when we had work to do at the local center, we would also bring him along to gain experience. All of our relatives and friends noticed the ethereal elegance of our child, who had been a vegetarian even while in his mother's womb. Determined to raise the child the best I could, I quit my job and devoted myself entirely to being a mother. I played games with him every day, hoping that he would have a happy childhood.

When he grew a little bigger, I let him watch some educational cartoon films, and told him inspirational stories; he even learned how to play the audiotapes himself. After the book Master Tells Stories was published, it became his beloved bedtime storybook. In our home, Master's Buddha's Chanting is constantly playing, and soft music is also always echoing in the background. For quite a while, he was so fascinated by the spiritual songs that he listened to them for several weeks without getting bored. Under such an intense influence, he showed great interest in painting and music, and also acquired the habit of reading.

Beginning from his infancy, we often meditated by his bedside when he was sleeping. If he woke up occasionally, he would not disturb us; he seemed to acknowledge the right of his parents to meditate. Now and then, he might mischievously touch us for a brief moment, and then go out to play by himself, though there were also times when he would sit with us for a short while. When he was only five going on to six, he requested initiation and received half initiation. Since then, our whole family has been able to meditate happily together.

Of course, a child inevitably makes mistakes. If it is a minor mistake, I counsel him patiently and then he improves. When he makes a grave mistake, I tell him to bring his cushion and repent before Master's photo. I then ask him what mistake he committed, and tell him to always remind himself not to repeat the mistake again. I always feel that he is smarter and more understanding than his peers. As parents, we often chat with him and spend intimate time with him. Therefore, he tells us his problems, instead of hiding them in his heart. Though he is shy and introverted by nature, he is also cheerful, optimistic, and very resolute. His social interactions in school are very good, and his classmates often come and play at our house.

We often remind him, "Spiritual cultivation and meditation always come first, as does moral conduct. Next in priority are health and artistic endeavors. As for school work, just do your best." We even prepared a daily review checklist to help him remind himself at any moment. Sometimes, we read and explain Master's aphorisms to him, and then ask him to express his opinion, or let him explain their meaning. In this way, we hope we can help him walk smoothly on the spiritual path. Occasionally, he will also remind us of what we have done wrong; he is really a good fellow initiate for us.

On the long journey of spiritual practice, he is a little angel bringing much joy and color into our lives. Compared to other children not engaged in spiritual practice, he is noticeably more elegant and pure. He is refined in demeanor, pure at heart, and stable in character. Now and then, under the influence of his schoolmates, he might show some negative traits, but after we explain and analyze the pros and cons with him, he can always understand and promptly rectify himself. We firmly believe that, as long as we can give him a favorable environment, and bring him up in accordance with Master's teachings, our son will naturally walk on the right path. We are extremely grateful to Master for bestowing on us such a lovely little angel. From him, we have learned many lessons. May God bless him to be always pure and innocent at heart, and stay forever with the Quan Yin Method.