Changing Form

        They were remarkable photos and can be seen with a statement by the Buddha Master denying he had done anything special in the book Learning from Buddha. See FIGURE 96 on page 244 for the image in this book and the words that always accompany the photographs.

        When He showed me the photos I remember laughing and saying, “But I saw you do this ten years ago.” He asked me to explain and I told him the story described below. He then asked me to tell that story at the Grand Dharma Assembly in Hong Kong that would be held in March to release His sutra Imparting the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra. A poster printed with the two contrasting photos and how they came into being was also going to be revealed to the thousands of disciples who would attend.

        The following is from my Hong Kong speech:

        “I thought for some time, just which great Bodhisattva is my Buddha Master? Then I had a shocking experience that I have not shared publicly. I actually saw my Dharma King Master drastically change His appearance in a very short period of time. Even though my Buddha Master had predicted that He would on such and such a day take on the negative karma of others and would not be available to meet the public, I was not prepared for what I saw. He appeared on the predicted day looking very ugly and old—His face was bloodied as if He had just been severely beaten. His eyes were swollen and half closed! There were many people standing around, but they seemed to be accepting of this condition. I had been thinking that, because of His accomplishments in both exoteric Buddhism and esoteric Buddhism and the Five Vidyas, my Master must be a Buddha, but how could this be true when He looks so old and decrepit? I could barely stand looking at my beloved Dharma King Master when He was like this. Remember, at that time we did not know that our Dharma King Master was a Buddha. In less than an hour, I looked again, and my Buddha Master had changed to a beautiful young man. I was shocked. Oh, my God. How could this be? My Master is a Buddha! What I was thinking is true! He is not just a Bodhisattva, but a Buddha. I looked around, but no one else was shocked or showing any reaction at all to what had just happened. I looked again at my Master and He just smiled. He put His finger to His mouth and quietly said “shhh” and I realized that no one else had seen this transformation, but I knew this fact about the Buddha. I was not to tell anyone. I had seen my Buddha Master totally transform His appearance before everyone knew about this ability. Now because of the fact that the Buddha Master’s ability to change His appearance from old to young is known internationally, I can tell you all what I experienced, and you will be able to see photos similar to what I saw. Amitabha!”