A Fluke Or A Fruit Of Merit?

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CASE STUDY

Dear Luang Phaw whom I respect the most,

A good friend of mine recommended the Dream In Dream School to me in February 2006, and I have been a student of the school ever since. I’ve developed a complete faith in Luang Phaw after I visited the temple and had a chance to join the meditation retreat. I have made merit with Luang Phaw since then.

After I joined the temple I have many chances to share experiences and different stories with other temple goers (kalayanamitra). One of those was about the power of merit and Luang Pu Wat Paknam. I would like to include this story along with my story.

Below is a story of a young gentleman in his own words.

A friend of my uncle coerced me to come to the temple in 1998 when I was out of job and had noting to do. I was completely speechless when I saw the very serene and clean environment at the temple. Nonetheless, I thought to myself, this temple is good only for its clealiness and large numbers of members. I never wanted to come back. A week later, I was dragged the temple again. My uncle took me to Pun-Ya hall to pay respect to the gold image of Luang Pu. My uncle told me the devinity of Luang Pu. I didn’t believe in it so I closed my eyes and silently made a challenge to Luang Pu: “I was forced to come here. I don’t have any faith in you and I don’t even know you. I’ve only heard of your name but have no belief in your supernatural stories at all. If you are real, why don’t you bless me with a winning lotto. I’ll buy a lotto worth no more than 10 bath.”

I came back home and asked a neighbor to buy a lotto for 10 baht. I had no clue what number to choose and randomly picked number 55. In the evening, my neighbor brought me the winning money. I was a bit surprised. I came to the temple again with my uncle and went to pay respect to Luang Pu. I silently talked to him “I still had no faith in you. I think it is a fluke that I won the lotto. If you want me to have faith in you then bless me with a new job within 7 days. I will not step into this temple if I don’t get a job in 7 days.”

I kept thinking about this for the next 6 days, there was no job offer thus far. I realized that I hadn’t really applied for a job and chances were I would not get a job. This means that I would not have to go to the temple again, which made me a little happy.

On the seventh day, I got up at noon. I had nothing to do and was bored. I went in to my uncle’s bedroom and picked up Phra Mahasirirajadhatu (an amulet). I held the amulet in my hand, closed my eyes and talked to Luang Pu “it has already been 7 days and nothing has happened yet. I guess there is no supernatural power and Luang Pu is not so devine after all.” I gave up the thought of getting a job and vowed to myself not to go to the temple again. In the evening of the same day, a female friend of mine stopped by and complained, “Why did you hang up the phone so quickly? We haven’t settled about your job offer yet. Why didn’t you call back? Luckily, our manager is a kind person, and he wants you to start working tomorrow.”

I was really surprised and confused. I asked her “what happened?” She said I called her boss. I met her boss before but never got acquainted with him. Her boss told her that I called and talked about several matters including my job. He was about to tell me to come in tomorrow and start the job, but I had hung up the phone. I was completely surprised and asked her again if her boss really talked to me. I asked her several times to point that she got annoyed. She told me for the last time, “Yes, it was you who talked to my boss. I was there and heard what you said.” I asked her “what time did I call?” She said it was about 1 pm. I tried to put everything together and it dawned on me that I was holding the amulet and talking to Luang Pu at that time.

Surprised as I was, I told my friend that I did not call her boss. I don’t even have his number and I had never gotten acquainted enough with him to make a personal phone call. My friend got mad and thought I was teasing her. She cut the conversation short by telling me “If it was not you, then who was it? I don’t want to talk to you anymore. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

What happened to me was a miracle that changed my life. From a person who had no faith to a person of faith. I now come to the temple every Sunday. I am a volunteer in a group at the temple that makes sure that activities and ceremonies run smoothly.

This is the story of this young gentleman. I was very amazed and moved by the story and wanted to ask Luang Phaw about the story. Now I have a chance to put this story in with my own story about my father who just passed away.

My father is Chinese. He immigrated to Thailand in 1946. He started working at a store on Sam-peng road and later settled down at Su-pan-bu-ri province. He married my mother and started his own business. After they have 2 children together, my father had a mistress. She was my mother’s elder sister. My mother was miserable but stayed with him for the sake of the children. My fathers expanded his business line to include reselling farm produces. He opened a potato factory. We were doing better financially. Then my father had another mistress who was a worker in the factory. He thought she would be a great help with the factory operation.

My father had 6 children with my mother, 3 with the first mistress, and none with the last mistress. We all live in the same house.

My father couldn’t careless about Buddhism when I first joined the temple. Later I got the DMC satellite dish hooked up at our home. Whenever I picked him up, I would play a cassette tape about Dhamma or case study in my car. In the car he could not really do anything but listened to the tape. When I noticed that he was getting more comfortable listening to Dhamma. I told him about the casting of Buddha images at the cetiya. He agreed it was a good thing to do. I asked him to make merit with the 238 temples and other merits. He rejoiced in all merits.

My father was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2001 and was under the care of a doctor. During that time I became acquainted with a young friend from the temple. She would drive us from the hospital to the temple so that my father would have the opportunity to make merits.

Two days before my father passed away, he asked, “What is the special ceremony? How come there are several thousands of golden Buddha images.” The next day, he said he dreamed of lighting 3 incenses and was about to pay homage to the Buddha but he woke up. He was reaching for the incenses but couldn’t find them. I told him it was good to dream of the Buddha and that he will get well soon.

The night before his death, the young friend coordinated the monk visitation to my father bedside at the hospital. I wanted him to take refuge in the Buddha during his last moment of life. He was suffering when the monk came in. I wanted to cry but held my tears and reminded my self of Luang Phaw’s teaching of not to cry. I asked the relatives to talk about all merits our father made. We helped him hold a saffron robe and let him make a wish. We have gather his money and donation from all of us to make merit with 238 temples in the south of Thailand, to donate to the fund to build a parking lot, pledge a donation to the teacher monk. We helped him present the donation to the monk before he died. I gathered all our relatives and let the monk led us to meditate. After meditating, the ICU nurse told us we could go see our father for the last time. He died at the age of 80.

I have joined the temple for only 1 year but have made all merits the best I could. I donated 100,000 bahts to the construction of the crystal pillars, and afterwards with an additional of 30,000 baths. My relatives and I have pledged donation for the casting of 12 Buddha images. We have pledged donation in all merits that Luang Phaw has asked.

I am 44, married with 1 son. I have some problems with my married life. My husband is a drinker. He likes to go to clubs and does like to come to the temple. Recently I got a physical checkup and was diagnosed with a deteriorated liver even though I don’t drink, smoke, nor eat pickled food. The doctor was unable to find the cause.

Questions:

1. My father saw thousands of Buddha images in his dream. He wanted to pay respect to them by lighting three incenses. However, when he woke up, he couldn’t find the incenses. What does it mean? Is it his afterlife destination?

2. Before my father passed away, did he receive the merits? Did he have a clear mind or dull mind? Where did he go after death? Did he have any message for us? Did he receive merit that we dedicated to him? What kind of merit does he want the most now? How do I make contact with him?

3. What kamma caused all of his three wives and children to live in the same house? Why did the second wife and the third wife not get along? Why did the third wife was not praised and loved as others did?

4. The young man that experienced the miracle of Luang Pu Wat Pak Nam. Please explain how did it happen. How did he win the lottery? What made him select the number 55? Is it because of his merit in the past or because of Luang Pu power?

5. Who was talking on the phone with the boss? How did it happen since the man didn’t call the boss?

6. Challenging the power of Luang Pu may make people believe in his power, but on the other hand it also disrespects to him. Is it a wrongdoing? If so, what should we do to resolve it?

7. What kamma caused to have a liver failure? Will I live long enough to accrue merit, take precept and meditate so I can follow the group to the end of cycle of existence?

8. How did my husband, my son and I perform perfection with the team in the past? Will my family be a Dhammakaya family? Does my son have an ordination merit with the team in the past? Will he have a chance to ordain for life or not?

9. How did my good friend and I relate to each other in the past? How did she perform perfection with the team in the past? Why does she love doing kalyanamitta work? What would be the benefit of being a kalyanamitta?

10. What kamma causes my kalyanamitta friend to be in the family that conflicts on politics and religions? They believe that following politics affair is the way to help our nation. What should she do to help her family and herself?

Luang Phaw's Dream

I closed my eyes, dreamed and woke up with these answers.
When you tell anybody the story like a tale, it will make anyone know more about retribution (Law of Kamma)

1. Your father saw thousands of Buddha images and wanted to pay respect to them by lighting three incenses. However, he woke up and couldn’t find the incense. This is because his mind was meritorious. It was the good afterlife destination. It will bring him to a good place.

2. Since your father had a clear mind, he passed away as if he slept and woke up in the middle of his heavenly golden mansion in the third phase of Tavatimsa(the 2nd level of heaven). It was a result of his merit that you persuaded him to do during his final years. This was also because he followed the principle that you suggested him to do. Although he was suffering due to the illness but he kept his mind clear and bright. He might not understand what the merit is and did not accrued merit in the past. But the merit he did before he passed away brought him to heaven.

He received merit that you dedicated to him. He wants all merit.

You can contact him only if you attain Dhammakaya.

3. All three wives of your father and their children have to live in the same house because in the past they were born in the society that believed in polygamy. Moreover, they used to have the same husband or they were husbands who had many wives living in the same house. This becomes the arrangement of their lives.

The second wife and third wife do not get along. This is because they do not have things in common and do not agree with each other. But they do not have any joint retribution from their past.

The third wife was not loved and praised as other wives were. This is because in the past she offered the donation without respect. When she donated, her donation was not fine and delicate. She also did not appreciate others when they did merit. So she became a third wife and did not get respect.

4. The man experienced miracle and power of Luang Pu Wat Pak Nam because he has the meritorious relationship with Luang Pu Wat Pak Nam in the past. In addition, in the past, he made “Salakabhatta” merit (merit through sweepstake) and made a wish to have a good luck. This kamma showed its effect in this life.

5. The voice on the phone was due to his merit that he made with Luang Pu Wat Pak Nam in the past. It was also due to the power of Luang Pu Wat Pak Nam.

6. To challenge the power of Luang Pu Wat Pak Nam may increase his faith but it also shows disrespect. He will have retribution by having an obstacle when he pursues perfection with Luang Pu. For example, others who do not have faith in Luang Pu will prevent him from doing merit with Luang Pu.

To correct this, he should not do it again. He should pursue perfection with full strength and accrue all merit. He should make a resolution to be freed from this retribution.

7. You have liver failure because of your animal-killing kamma in the past. Your boss told you to kill animal to prepare food for his guests.

You should do all kinds of giving, observe precepts strictly, meditate and free animal and fish.

8. You, your husband and your son used to perform perfection as a provision support of the team in the past. You can have a Dhammakaya family someday. Although you still cannot persuade your husband to go to temple, you should make a wish to have Dhammakaya family whenever you do merit.

In the past, your son was ordained for a short time with the team.

9. Your friend who urges you to do merit with the team was your kalyanamitta in the past. You both pursued perfection together with the team.

She used to pursue perfection with the team. In last Buddha era, she was a noble man who had thought about getting ordained but got married instead. She also has a sexual misconduct kamma in the past. Thus, she became a woman in this life.

She loves doing this work. This is because when she was a man who could not get ordained for life, he then became a provision support of the team. Later, he got ordained for a short period.

10. Your friend was born in the family, which has conflict in politics and religions, especially in politics. This is because in the last Buddha era, she was a man. Before he met the team, he did not understand the team and prohibited others to learn dhamma with the team. In addition, he had violent quarrel with people who had opposite opinion. Also, in many past lives, she did not make a resolution to be in Dhammakaya family who has right view.

As a result, she was born in that family. In this life, she should do all kinds of merit and make a resolution frequently to have Dhammakaya family. When the merit shows its effect, the situation will be better. After that, she can be a kalyanamitta (good friend) to them.

You meet the group again in this life. You should strongly intend to pursue perfections fully in every merit and make wishes to follow the group to the special merit circle of Tusita (the 4th level of heaven), in the Bodhisattva area. Do not allow yourself to stray.