Translated By Tony Qin
One of the founders of the International Buddhist Temple in Vancouver, Canada, Ms. Julia Jennie Wang, passed away in mid-April 2010. During her illness, Venerable Guan Cheng recited the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra for her daily, invoking the Bodhisattva to bless her and extend her life.
Seven Years of Extended Life
In mid-April 2002, Ms. Wang was diagnosed with cancer, and doctors estimated that she had only two years to live. As one of the fellow leaders of the International Buddhist Temple, Venerable Guan Cheng made a sincere vow to recite the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra for her daily, praying for the Bodhisattva’s protection and a seven-year extension of her life. Why seven years? At that time, her son still had three years left in high school, followed by four years of university, totaling seven years. Additionally, her eldest daughter had just completed her degree, while her youngest daughter was still in her second year of university. If Ms. Wang were to pass away, the pain of losing their mother might affect her children’s education.
A few days later, at 6:15 in the morning, as Venerable Guan Cheng was bowing to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva in prayer for Ms. Wang’s longevity, the moment he closed his eyes he had a dream. In the dream, Ms. Wang’s late mother appeared, joyfully telling the Venerable, “You have done well! Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva has already granted your request!”
As it turns out, from 2002 to 2009, Ms. Wang indeed lived seven more years. She tirelessly continued her life’s work as if she were not ill, silently dedicating herself to the construction and fundraising efforts of the International Buddhist Temple. During this time, she witnessed her second daughter graduate from university and celebrated her eldest daughter’s marriage in 2006. In 2009, Ms. Wang flew to Philadelphia to attend her son’s university graduation, where he graduated with top honors and academic scholarships.
One More Year of Extended Life
In June 2009, exactly seven years later, Ms. Wang’s illness returned. Doctors in Canada and the U.S. all said she had only a month to live. The hospital had given up on treatment, and all they could do was wait for her to pass. Venerable Guan Cheng again sincerely prayed to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva for her recovery, and another miracle occurred!
Mr. Chen, a devout lay disciple of the Kṣitigarbha Dharma in Hong Kong, called to check on Ms. Wang and mentioned knowing the directors of two major hospitals in Shanghai. He immediately arranged for Ms. Wang to be admitted to Renji Hospital and Shanghai Cancer Hospital. However, due to her critical condition, the hospital directors hesitated to admit her, concerned about the risks of long-distance travel from Vancouver to Shanghai.
In his effort to persuade them, Mr. Chen was in constant communication with the hospital directors over the phone. Time was of the essence. That same day, Venerable Guan Cheng recalls Mr. Chen telling him in amazement, “While I was discussing Ms. Wang’s case with you and the hospital directors in the conference call, something miraculous happened in my office. The sky had been overcast and drizzling all morning, but as we were discussing Ms. Wang’s admission, a bright beam of sunlight suddenly pierced through the clouds and shone directly onto my desk. That instant, I felt an overwhelming sense of joy and clarity, and even my speech flowed out effortlessly. It was incredible.”
Venerable Guan Cheng could sense that this was the blessing of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva; the divine joy sent into Mr. Chen’s heart allowed him to successfully persuade the hospital directors to admit Ms. Wang! Without the Bodhisattva’s blessings, how else could a hole have opened in the dark clouds for sunlight to shine on Mr. Chen’s desk?
As a result, the hospital in Shanghai not only accepted Ms. Wang for treatment but also sent a management team, nurses, and an ambulance to the airport to pick her up. The benevolent Mr. Chen even flew from Hong Kong to Shanghai to assist with the hospital admission process. After more than a month of treatment, Ms. Wang gradually recovered and was discharged, a true miracle! From August to December, while recuperating in Shanghai, she spent her days leisurely, chanting sutras in devotion and sightseeing around the city. She also frequently called the International Buddhist Temple to remotely manage its construction and day-to-day affairs. In mid-December, she flew to Los Angeles to attend her youngest daughter’s wedding before returning to Shanghai to continue her recovery.
The Final Transition
From 2002 to 2010, Ms. Wang lived an additional eight years. For the first five years, she was living like a normal person, only experiencing a mild onset of her illness in the last three years, and even then, without much pain. Originally, doctors said she would only live two more years, but she lived for another eight!
In April 2010, Ms. Wang’s condition deteriorated, and she was readmitted to the hospital in Shanghai. Her son called Venerable Guan Cheng in Vancouver, who immediately prayed to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva for her protection. This time, the Venerable did not ask for an extension of life. Instead, he prayed, “If Ms. Wang’s life is at its end, may the Bodhisattva immediately guide her to the Western Pure Land, and spare her any suffering during her final moments.” And a miracle happened! The timing was remarkable; just about five minutes later, her son called to inform him that his mother had passed away peacefully while chanting the Buddha’s name.
Afterward, Venerable Guan Cheng offered this teaching:
Some may ask, “Ms. Wang accumulated so much merit in building the temple, so why did she only live to sixty?”
The length of a person’s life is influenced not only by immediate causes but also by past karmic conditions. It should be noted that many eminent monastics and great masters did not necessarily live long lives. For example, Shakyamuni Buddha’s own mother passed away shortly after his birth and was reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. The Venerable Maudgalyāyana was killed by heretics in his middle age. Master Kumārajīva’s famous disciple, Sengzhao, passed away at thirty-one. The founding patriarch of the Tiantai School, Master Zhiyi, was reborn in the Western Pure Land at fifty-nine. In more modern times, Master Fafang, who was proficient in Chinese, English, Sanskrit, and Pali, and deeply versed in both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, passed away at forty-eight.
In truth, the length of life is not what matters most. What is most important is living a life of meaning and value— pursuing the path of enlightenment, striving for the benefit of all, and endeavoring to uplift every sentient being on earth. Whether you live to be a hundred or to be sixty, in the vast timeline of the universe, it is but a flash of lightning. If one lives a wasted life of indulgence and idleness, then even a hundred years is meaningless. On the other hand, if one lives actively and wholeheartedly, working tirelessly for the betterment of one’s family, society, and country, even living only thirty or forty years can be of infinite meaning and value!
