關於 祖先牌位要每天上香嗎 ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

《過端午》

疫情席捲了各行各業。昨日和在法國的朋友聯繫，是一對定居巴黎的中國夫妻，先生原本以導遊維生，因為疫情關係，從去年初先生再也沒有工作機會，忍了半年不是辦法，一個人回大陸找看看有沒有賺錢機會，妻子在巴黎還有份算穩定的薪水，加上法國政府的補助，她及孩子三人便留在巴黎，如今一家分隔兩地，不知何時生活才能回復穩定。在這樣的時局，不論是個人或是公司，若平時沒有一些預備金，突如其來的災難總是讓人措手不及。

疫情之下，對我們這既算是寺廟，又算靈骨塔的模糊單位，相對來說，影響算是小的。以靈骨塔的角度來看，生老病死之事，每天都會發生，我們當然不可能停止服務，有服務便有收入。不過若以寺廟角度看，我們是受到一些影響的。除了原本預定要安放牌位，紛紛取消外，今年的端午節，也是我們有史以來，第一次決定關起廟門，大家放假。這對一直很堅持「服務精神」的老闆來說，還真是例外中的特例決定了。

在這條山路上，我們一直是號稱最具服務精神的寺廟(其實就三間廟，要拿第一很容易)，客人想幾點來，有什麼事，我們總是二話不說，公告的開放時間像似參考用的，有時客人看了時辰，早上七點就想來領回親人靈骨，那我們就得六點半上班；客人若會晚進塔，當然我們也是等到他到為止。據說最晚我們老闆等過一位從美國飛來台灣的靈骨，因為班機都是半夜抵達，進塔時間當然在半夜，只好等。若事前先預約時間，都可以理解，最受不了的是有些禮儀公司，覺得我們都在，常常在我們下班前一小時，打電話來說：「今天等我們一下喔…」這時候若下班後另有事也得取消。因為我們實在配合得太無怨無尤，客人總會希望自己能有那麼一點特例，例如像最近這樣，政府都已經宣布寺廟暫停開放，就是會有少數客人，帶著供品跑來看看能不能祭拜，雖說這裡是半露天的開放空間，雖說你們才五個人，但只要有二組以上客人同時間跑來，很容易群聚就集滿戶外十人的上限啊！

我們這幾天就不斷在電話裡、在現場跟客人溝通，今年情況特殊，暫停開放，請大家多多理解…講不聽的乾脆恐嚇，有警察巡邏(這是實話)，會有罰款(這是半威脅)。其實規定是死的，情、理、法之間總需要拿捏，有一天一大早我一到公司，就看到有二位苦主在門口等著，想要祭拜。不論我怎麼解釋，她就是苦著一張快哭出來的臉說「不好意思，我想進去可以嗎？」只有二位不能進去嗎？二位當然沒有所謂群聚感染問題。最困擾的應該是若有其他人來了看到，我們又該如何說服拒絕呢？也因此端午連假這幾天，我們索性決定大門深鎖來應對。不過那天清晨的二位苦主，經過半小時溝通未果，我還是讓她們進去了，因為她們看起來實在太「苦」了，有什麼話想說，還是盡情發洩一下比較好。

如此這般，自從疫情緊張以來，我們金紙的業績，三天有二天掛蛋！只能慶幸台北空汙問題因此獲得緩解？！不過處於什麼職務，只能盡其在我，身為廟婆，針對燒不燒金紙議題，我不想讓「環保意識」困擾自己。讓金紙有機會流通(老闆會比較開心)，也讓祭拜者心安(客戶會開心)，這些都是寺廟需要的正向循環，是廟婆的份內事。所以我們今年正式推出了「代拜」的服務，所謂「代拜」其實就類似福袋的概念。每一份祭拜的供品套組包含了豐富的綜合金銀財寶箱、象徵補庫的庫錢等等，以及精選的鼎泰豐粽子三顆，登記參加匯款後，我們會請出牌位、上香代為秉告：「今年情況特殊，但子孫心意到了，請來領收吧！」每一份代拜的金紙也都寫清楚了領收人及陽世子孫名字。習慣燒金紙的信徒最擔心的就是金銀財寶被閒雜人等領走了，祖先沒收到！上了香後，最重要的是還要拍照，然後一一傳給客人。怎麼傳？當然是用Line傳，順便藉此收集Line的客戶名單！啊！廟婆的一點小心思！

既然是代拜，種種過程更馬虎不得，因為每個過程都代表寺方的服務品質與用心。有些我們熟悉的客人，我們知道他的親人喜歡什麼？習慣拜什麼？只要不難達成的，我們會盡量主動安排，諸如喜歡喝茶的、要一杯熱牛奶的、習慣拜素食等等。點點滴滴很多細節，完全不輸當年我每一份親手包予你們的福袋，大多客人都會很感激你貼心的服務，但當然也有客人質疑你代拜的價值，質疑真的有燒金紙嗎？拍照不夠可不可以實況轉播等等，各式各樣服務業，總之都要面對百百種的客人。開了大門，你要迎接地不僅是投緣的客人，不投緣的，努力看看是否能變投緣，真不行，也只好隨緣了。

這是我們今年第一次嘗試廣發宣傳代拜服務，才五十組就把我們員工連同老闆四個人，累得各個腰痠腿疼。忙完後算一算，大約是去年同期金紙收入的三分之一。還有很多改進空間，例如事前準備的SOP需要建立，Line管理的客群不夠多，將來若客群更多(廟婆有信心，此類服務需求只會越來越大)，要怎麼讓流程更順暢、管理客群等等。時代總是不斷在改變，各行各業無不尋思怎麼經營才更符合人的需求！不只是書店，你們應該沒想過寺廟也怕沒人來、也講服務、也要算營業額吧！不然你們說，我的薪水該從哪來呢？

我與阿早結婚前那些年，因為瞞著父母辭掉工作北上專業寫作，心中特別有罪惡感，那時又窮又孤獨，家裡也還有負債，我只能過著孤絕的生活，過年也沒有回老家，總是一個在台北小套房，吃著冷凍食品，年節時特別孤單，天氣一冷，想著父母還在夜市裡頂著寒風賣衣服，我躲在台北寫作，也沒寫出什麼名堂，我不敢回家，怕看了父母的辛苦，會抗拒不了去上班的念頭，我只能狠著心，自私地想再拼一拼，這種矛盾的心情難以向他人訴說，只是不斷啃噬著我的心，有家不敢回，未來一片茫然，每到過年，我就會發作憂鬱症，每一年我都覺得自己熬不過春節，後來是一群作家朋友，我們會在過年前約一個時間，找家館子吃火鍋，叫一桌菜，六七個人一起「圍爐」，年長的作家好友把我當妹妹，還會給我紅包。
那時我知道，有愛就是家，即使大家不是家人，也能吃團圓飯。

與阿早結婚後，第一年她還沒跟家人出櫃，但阿早就帶我回家吃年夜飯，阿早媽媽為人慷慨，當然以禮相待，但還是私下問我：「你結婚了嗎？」我搖頭說沒有，她有點納悶地說：「你們怎麼都不結婚？」我心裡吶喊著：「其實我們兩個已經結婚了，只是不敢告訴你！」2011年，因為我們在報紙上出櫃，消息透過親戚輾轉傳到阿早媽媽耳中，那年回家時，婆婆對我們的關係完全了然，也全然接受，將我當作家裡一份子，還讓我到祖先牌位前上香，當天有婆婆的好友姊妹來訪，問起我為何沒回家過年，婆婆立刻說：「他們倆自己有一個家啊，我等於多了一個女兒。」當下我心裡感動莫名。
這之後幾年來，我真的多了一個家，婆婆跟阿早的兩個弟弟，他們待我如家人，我身體不好，婆婆細心為我熬湯燉補，甚至連我的生日，她都幫我慶生，幾次檢查開刀，她也都安慰我鼓勵我。我與阿早因為出櫃，都跟自己的原生家庭變得親近，也跟對方的家人關係友好。

2017年，期待婚姻平權法案順利推動，我想，同志成家，除了是愛情生活的實踐，更是將來進一步向家人出櫃的最好方式，「身為同志也可以擁有自己的家庭」，這一個過去同志不敢奢望的夢想，即將可能實現，等到同婚合法後，同志可以輪流跟自己的伴侶回家，方式可以自行決定，面對親友逼婚，可以理所當然地說：「我已經結婚了！」但願過年不再成為拆散戀人的殘酷節日，而會是值得祝福、令人期待，真正的團圓日。

最後在此我想對隻身在外、或無家可歸的朋友們說，無論你與家人關係如何，感情狀況怎樣，年節的氣氛或許使你感傷，或許你也如我過去那樣，因著外面的歡慶樂聲感到格外淒涼，正在孤獨、悲傷的情緒裡，人都是孤獨的，但人也並不只能孤獨，但願我的文章能夠給予你一點點溫暖，撐下去，終究你會找到生命的力量，足以抵抗節慶帶來的反差，有一日能夠從這樣的孤獨中體會到，無論多麼孤絕的生命，都有屬於你的位置，只要可以去愛人，這份孤獨就絕不悲哀，反而充滿力量。

【玳瑚師父客人見證】 《不過八月十五的預言》
The Prophecy: Not Beyond Mid-Autumn (English version below)

文 / 李季謙 女士 Written by Ms. Lee Ji Qian

撥電給玳瑚師父的那一天下午，我乘坐的德士，正駕駛在中央快速公路上。那是2006年中秋節的前兩個星期，記憶猶新。眼看我外婆的病情每況愈下，我迫切地想知道外婆還能活多久。那時的我從事空服員的工作，我擔心萬一外婆過世，我在國外無法第一時間趕回來看她最後一面，怎麽辦?

在車上，我不斷祈求玳瑚師父告訴我外婆的壽命還有多久。他不肯，他說做師父的其中一個避忌就是不算壽命，因爲很多人嘴巴說無所謂，知道答案後，心裡卻會七上八下，家人甚至會責怪師父嚇人。那時，外婆已皈依在蓮生活佛門下，我告訴師父家裡只有我和外婆是皈依的佛教徒，我很希望外婆過世時，我能夠為她做臨終關懷八小時，引導她往投極樂。

在電話的另一端，師父沉默許久，一句話也不說。我想慘了，如果師父不肯告訴我，我該如何是好？如何向公司請假？

「不過八月十五。」

什麽，師父，你說什麽？中秋節八月十五？師父，我都還沒告訴你外婆的生辰，你只知道她的名字和生肖，就能斷定嗎？

師父重覆說了一遍，並溫馨地告訴我到時遇到任何問題時，儘管撥電給他。就這樣，我們的通話結束了。

農曆八月十四的早上，在中央醫院復診時，醫生說外婆的血壓忽然降低，需要入院輸血。我便為外婆辦理入院手續，和照料外婆的女傭一直陪伴在外婆左右。幾個星期來，飛行穿梭與五大洲之間，熬夜時差，加上多次帶外婆來往醫院，每一次都花好幾個鐘頭在醫院等待，身心已疲憊不堪。我看著在病床上的外婆，輸血後她氣色開始好轉，醫生說一切穩定。外婆知道我很累，屢勸我回家休息。但師父的預言一直懸挂在我心中，本想留下來陪外婆一晚，但那天的入院來的突然，我沒準備任何衣物。那時的我住在兀蘭，離新加坡中央醫院很遠。我先生在一旁也勸我回家好好休息，才有更好的精神繼續和外婆說佛法及一同唸佛。

我猶豫著。師父為我做的預言從來沒有錯過。但外婆氣色之佳，是近幾個月從未曾有的。我這幾個月，也一直都有修法回向給外婆，可能奇跡出現了吧！

于是，農曆八月十五的淩晨一點二十分左右，我回家了。

早上十點二十分，女傭打了通電話給我。她不大會說英文，只是很情急地說外婆想見我，要我快點來醫院。我天真地以爲是外婆睡醒後，想見我。

早上十點四十五分，表姐打電話給我，哭著說外婆已過世了。那時的我，腦海裡立刻浮現師父所說的「不過八月十五。」 連半天都過不了。我的心一直往下沉。爲什麽我問了師父卻又不淨信他的話？爲什麽我沒有把師父的預言告訴我的家人？爲什麽我就不能在醫院熬多一天？生死皆天定，我怎麽不自量力地以爲自己那點修法回響就能改寫外婆的生死呢？原來人說死前的迴光返照是這麽一回事！天啊！我竟然那麽不孝，讓外婆過世時，身邊只有一個女傭，一個親人都沒有！

在醫院撥打電話給師父時，他很快就接聽了。第一句話一說完，我已泣不成聲了。師父說他一早起床，就不斷地有我外婆和我的影子，他知道事情不出他預料中，因此一直在等待我的電話。師父不但沒有怪我不夠相信他，還提醒我要為外婆做的佛事，也開導我說八月十五是月圓圓滿之日，外婆在這日離去也象徵她的一生已圓滿，她十多年的病業終于還清了，從病苦中解脫了，我應該為她高興。師父知道我性格衝動，再三叮嚀我在外婆停柩期間，勿和家人起衝突。

這也是我第二件遺憾的事。我那時學佛尚淺，包容、平等對待和處事圓融的道理，我無法實踐。我不但在外婆的遺體前爲了她的生後事，向家人耍狠，在喪禮上，因爲不苟同他們的做法，脾氣更是一「發」不可收拾。說什麽佛教徒，真是貽笑大方！我怎麽就沒有好好學師父那般的度量呢？

外婆過世後的那七天裡，家人陸續都夢到她回來和他們敍舊。唯獨我沒有。我很納悶。外婆臨終前，唯一想見的人是我，爲何卻沒托夢給我？她不是有話跟我說嗎？（其實是我多想在外婆面前跟她說萬萬個對不起。）想著，想著，我想到師父常教我在睡前的結界法，保護自己在睡夢中不被鬼魅魍魎干擾盜氣，出國在外也能平安。我睡前也必定會結界，這法非常實用也有真實的法力！

那晚，在紐約的酒店裡，我冒了一個險，沒行結界法。當晚，我就夢到自己在兒時住家附近（也是外婆的舊家）的停車場。我不知不覺走到一輛米色的「馬賽地」旁邊，低頭一看，咦，是外婆，穿著那熟悉的衣裳，坐在駕駛座位上。我叫她，以廣東話問：「婆婆，妳會駕車啊？」（外婆生前沒有駕駛執照）　她轉頭，跟我說：「幫公公皈依吧！」 我答：「皈依啊？好啊！」

我就猛然醒來了，趕緊看時間，是清晨五點多。師父曾說在早上五點至七點之間做的夢是真實的。我梳洗後，即刻撥長途電話給在新加坡的師父。外公已過世十多年，在夢裡，外婆要我為外公皈依時，我已知道他尚未投胎，生前沒聽聞過佛法，更別説往生極樂了。而當外婆提到皈依時，我心裡的直覺說她指的是皈依我們的根本上師，蓮生活佛，絕非他人。最神的是，夢裡外婆的車和家人在喪禮中焚化給她的，是一模一樣的！

師父在電話中花了一個鐘頭的時間，耐心地教導我。他說我得先回到外婆生前的居所，向那裡的祖先牌位請示外公是否真的想皈依蓮生活佛。除了攜帶外公生前愛吃的食物，我也得先上香供養家門外供奉的天公、土地神和門神，祈求祂們允許我外公的魂魄入屋。

回囯後的隔天，我和兩位表姪女一起到外婆家，一一跟著師父的指示照做。我們三人上了香，跪在祖先牌位前，呼叫外公時，不可思議的事情發生了！刹那間，我們三人同時感覺到有股強烈的陰氣從我們背後的大門進來，再看到一個黑影從我們身旁快速地飃過，到祖先牌位的供桌上，頓時，我們全身都起了雞皮疙瘩。卜杯請示外公是否要皈依蓮生活佛時，連續得了三個聖杯！我的夢是真實的！師父教的真管用！

當下，我既讚嘆又感恩玳瑚師父，是他引我皈依蓮生活佛。在他之前，我根本沒聼過蓮生活佛的盛名。因爲我的皈依，我好幾個家人也皈依。師父常說死人的眼睛是雪亮的。外公生前非常疼愛我，沒想到，我和外婆的皈依也會讓他想向佛了！我是多麽的雀躍啊！我讚嘆師父那麽好眼光，有福份，一生只皈依一個上師，而且是一位已開悟成佛的上師，怪不得師父的本領那麽了得。我更感恩他不辭辛勞地廣揚佛法，讓我們這些門外漢能學到人生最大的一件事到底是什麽。

我是一個差勁的弟子，脾氣又不好，兩次被師父「停學」，每一次長達半年，更曾被沒收所有的筆記和課本。但在「停學」期間，師父仍慈悲教導我如何處理外婆的生後事。可能你覺得他是修行人，是玄學師父，不給他錢，他仍然應該幫你消災解厄，給他錢，他更要幫你逢凶化吉。我的看法卻是，自己的問題本來就應該自己解決。沒有人是「應該」幫你的，師父也不是一個你能用錢買的人，更不可以因爲師父沒有幫你這一次或看法不一，便因「愛」成「恨」，來個「秦始王燒書」 般地把過去師父幫過自己的恩都忘得一乾二淨，再來個翻臉不認「師」。這般無情無義的人我看的實在太多了。

這兩天趕緊將這篇個人見證寫完，並翻譯，已此供養玳瑚師父為他的「生日」禮物。農曆八月十五是玳瑚師父皈依真佛之日。他常說這一天才是他真正的生日，皈依學佛前的日子懵懂無意，虛度光陰，貴為佛子後，自己才真正「活」起來，成爲有智慧有貢獻的能人。兒子的事業這麽有意義，我想師父的父母一定會以他為榮。

如果你也像我一樣，曾經請示過師父，卻在信與不信之間進退兩難，希望我這篇文章能給你一點啓發，更盼你不會有我這般的遺憾。

祝大家中秋節快樂。

我在此也誠心地祝玳瑚師父「生日」快樂。謝謝您在無止境的萬難中，仍堅持帶給我們光明。我祈禱，願您的一生有如今晚的月輪一樣地美麗、圓滿、吉祥，願您早日修成正果，速登彼岸。阿彌陀佛。

-----------------------------

It was one afternoon in the year 2006, 2 weeks from the Mid-Autumn Festival. I was travelling along the Central Expressway in a cab when I made a call to Master Dai Hu. The memory was still fresh. My grandmother's health was deteriorating by the day, and I desperately wanted to know how much longer she could hold on. I was working as a flight attendant at that time, and the fear was that I might be overseas and not able to see her the final time when she breathed her last.

During the taxi ride, I pleaded incessantly for Master Dai Hu to answer my burning question. He refused. He said that as a Master, it was a taboo to predict one's life span because the answer would drive many towards anxiety and hysteria, even when they seemed nonchalant initially. At that time, my grandmother had already taken refuge under Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, and I told Master Dai Hu that since my grandmother and myself were the only Buddhists who had taken refuge in the family, I really hoped to provide some form of hospice care, and perform the proper rites during the crucial 8-hour time window after her passing to guide her towards rebirth into the Pure Land.

There was total silence on the other end of the line for a long time. Master Dai Hu did not utter a single sound. I was doomed, I thought to myself, if Master refused to tell me, what should I do? How could I apply for leave of absence from my employer?

"It would not be beyond the fifteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month". Finally the silence was broken.

What, Master, what did you just? You meant the Mid-Autumn Festival? But I had not even tell you the birth date and time of my grandmother. You only knew her name and Chinese Zodiac Sign, how could you be so sure?

Master Dai Hu repeated his prediction again, and told me warmly that I could call him anytime if I encountered any problem. With that, our conversation ended.

This was the fourteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month. The doctor told me that Grandma's blood count suffered a drastic drop, and had to be admitted to hospital for a blood transfusion. After I had done the paper works for the admittance, I stayed with her, together with her maid. I was totally physically and mentally exhausted. Flying around the world had taken its toll on me, with the late nights and jet lags, not to mention the many hospital trips I made with Grandmother over the past few weeks and every hospital visit spanned over a few hours. I looked at Grandma who was lying on her hospital bed. She looked much better after the blood transfusion and the doctor said all was well. Grandma knew I was washed out and kept asking me to go home and rest. Master Dai Hu's prediction was constantly on my mind. I had wanted to stay for one more night to accompany Grandma but the hospital admission that day was unexpected and I did not prepare any overnight bag. I was staying at Woodlands at that time and it was far from SGH. My husband who was by my side advised me to go home to rest too as he felt that I needed to be in a better condition to continue sharing the Dharma and reciting the Buddha's name with Grandma.

I hesitated. Master's predictions for me always rang true. But my Grandma looked quite good, something which I have not seen in months. Furthermore, I have been doing spiritual practices and dedicating the merits to her. Perhaps a miracle had happened!

At about 120am on the fifteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month, I went home.

My phone rang at 1020am. It was the maid. She was not really conversant in English but told me anxiously that Grandma wanted to see me, and asked if I was on the way. I naively shrugged it off, thinking it might just be Grandma wanting to see me after her sleep.

Another phone call came in at 1045am, the sobbing and muffled voice of my cousin on the other end, telling me that Grandma had passed away. At that very moment, the words of Master "Not beyond the fifteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month" reverberated through me. My heart sank to the rock bottom. Why did I ask Master for his prediction when I was not prepared to have complete faith in him? Why had I not told this prediction to my family members? Why could I not just stay in hospital with Grandma for that one more night? Life and death are both predestined. How could I think so highly of myself and believe that meagre merits from my spiritual practice was sufficient to rewrite her fate? Now I realized the truth in the saying that a person before his or her imminent death would look as if he or she is well. Goodness gracious! I was so unfilial to had left Grandma alone, on her death bed with no family member but only the maid beside her!

I phoned Master Dai Hu at the hospital and he answered very quickly. Once the first words were spoken, I had already broken down in sobs. Master said that he woke up early that morning with a premonition. He kept "seeing" images of my Grandma and myself, and knew in an instant that his prediction had prevailed and had been waiting for my call. Not only did Master not reprimand me for not having enough faith in him, he even reminded me on the list of things to do for Grandma's funeral. He counseled me, saying that for Grandma to bade this world farewell on the fifteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month, it signified that she had lived a full and complete life, and that her karmic debt of suffering from illnesses the past 10 over years had finally been repaid. He said I should be glad that Grandma had been released from her pains and sufferings. Master was well aware of my rash temperament, and reminded me many times not to squabble with the family members during the funeral wake.

This has to be the other regrettable thing in this episode. My understanding of the Dharma was shallow then, and I did not practice the ways of endurance, equality, and did not consider the feelings of others in handling things. Not only did I pressurize my family members over the arrangements of Grandma's funeral, my bad temper flared uncontrollably during the funeral as I was not in agreement with the rest of the family members. All this talk about being a Buddhist turned me into a laughing stock! Why could I not learn from Master, who was and still is always so magnanimous and gracious?

During the seven-day period after Grandma's passing, many family members dreamed of her continually. I was the only one not to have seen her in my dreams. This was very puzzling for me. At the time of her passing, Grandma was calling out for me. Why did she not appear in my dreams? Did she not have anything to say to me? (Truthfully, I wanted very much to say a million sorry to her in person). As I was pondering over this matter, I remembered a demarcation method taught to me by Master, to protect myself against spirits stealing my life essence and disrupting my sleep, and to stay safe while I was overseas. This demarcation was something I always did before going to bed, and it really proved itself as a useful and powerful Dharma practice.

That night, in my hotel room in New York, I took a risk and forgo the demarcation procedure before I slept. That very night, I dreamed of Grandma! I was at the car park, near my childhood residence (also near Grandma's previous residence). I was walking along a pavement and ended up beside a cream-coloured Mercedes Benz. I looked down, and there she was! My Grandma was wearing her usual clothing and seated in the driver's seat. I called out to her and asked in Cantonese, "Grandma, you know how to drive?" Grandma did not have a driving license when she was alive. She turned to speak to me, "Help your Grandfather to take refuge!" I answered, "Take refuge? Ok!"

I jolted out from sleep, and hurriedly looked at the clock. It was five plus in the morning. Master once said that dreams occurring between 5am - 7am were real. I washed up, and called Master who was in Singapore immediately. My Grandfather has been dead for more than 10 years. In my dream, when Grandma wanted me to take refuge for Grandfather, I knew then that Grandfather had yet to go through reincarnation. He did not hear the Dharma during his lifetime, so he could not have been reborn into the Pure Land. When Grandma spoke of taking refuge, my intuition told me that she was referring to our Root Guru, Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, whom we took refuge in, and no one else. The next amazing thing was that the car in which Grandma was seated in the dream looked exactly the same as the one the family members burnt as an offering to her during the funeral!

Master spent an hour on the phone with me, patiently guiding me. He said I needed to return to my Grandma's house and seek answers from the ancestors at the ancestral tablet if my Grandfather really wanted to take refuge in Living Buddha Lian-Sheng. Other than preparing my Grandfather's favorite snacks, I had to offer incense and other offerings to the Jade Emperor, the Earth Deity as well as the Door Guardians, who were enshrined outside my Grandma's home, and request for smooth entry of my Grandfather's spirit into the house.

A few days upon my return to Singapore, I went to my Grandma's house, together with my two nieces. I followed Master's instruction to the tee. The three of us offered incense, knelt down in front of the ancestral tablet and called for my Grandfather. Something extraordinary happened next! In the flash of an eye, the 3 of us felt a strong Yin energy coming in from the main door, and witnessed a black shadowy figure slid past us in speed, and onto the ancestral tablet. Momentarily, our hair stood on end and all of us felt goosebumps on our skins. When I threw the divination blocks and asked if it was Grandfather's wish to take refuge in Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, the answer was positive with three consecutive yes! My dream was real after all! The method which Master taught really worked well!

Instantly, I was in awe, and at the same time, extremely grateful to Master Dai Hu. He was the one who guided me to take refuge in Living Buddha Lian-Sheng. Before that, I never hear of Him. Because of my taking refuge, a few of my family members followed suit. Master often said that the dead had the brightest eyes. Grandfather doted on me very much when he was alive, and never did I expect Grandfather to follow my Grandma and I in taking refuge and seek the Dharma. I was totally elated! I praised Master for his foresight, and his great fortune of taking refuge in a one and only one Guru Master, one who had attained perfect Enlightenment. It is no wonder that Master Dai Hu has such great skills too. I am also grateful for his relentless pursuits to propagate the Dharma, enabling layman like us to learn, understand and prepare for the biggest event of our life.

I am a lousy disciple with bad temperament. Twice, I was booted out by Master and not allowed to learn from him for as long as 6 months. My notes and books were confiscated. However, even when I did not see Master during those periods, he showed compassion and guided me through the ordeal of my Grandma's passing. Perhaps you might think that it is his duty as a spiritual practitioner and Chinese metaphysicist to show compassion and help others in need even if no money is paid to him, and if money is paid, all the more he should help the clients out of their troubles.

My take on this: We must take responsibility for our own problems. No one owe us any form of help or assistance. And Master Dai Hu is definitely not someone you can buy with money. If he does not render his help to you or both of you have a different opinion on certain issues, you cannot go from having admiration to bearing resentment towards him over that. I have seen too many ungrateful people who erase all the memories of the good that Master had once done for them, pretty much like how Emperor Qin burnt the books, with no trace left and turned their backs on Master, like they had never known him.

Over the last two days, I rushed to complete this testimonial as a present to Master Dai Hu on his "birthday". It was this auspicious day, the fifteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month, that Master Dai Hu took refuge in True Buddha and became a Buddhist. He often said that this day felt more like his real birthday. Before learning the Dharma and taking refuge, he led a life of meaningless existence, squandering away youth and time. Only when he became a Buddhist did he truly come to life, begin to live in wisdom and gain great ability, while making useful and meaningful contributions to the society. With such a noble career, I guess his parents must be very proud of having a son like him.

If you are to be in my shoes one day, having asked Master for advice but still teetering on the border and unsure if you should believe him, I hope my story will inspire you and not let you suffer the same regrets as I did.

Wishing everyone a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.

And I genuinely wish Master Dai Hu a "Happy Birthday". Thank you for bringing the Light to us, despite the endless obstacles you constantly battle. I pray that your life will be as beautiful, complete and auspicious as the full moon tonight. May you soon attain the fruit of perfect and complete Enlightenment. Amituofo.

www.masterdaihu.com/the-prophecy-not-beyond-mid-autumn/