[102] How Niànfó Practice Led To Four Healing Sessions Within Dreams
念佛梦中四次得医治
My dear father was diagnosed with stage 1 of prostate cancer in 2016, and later with stage 4A of nasopharyngeal (nasal) cancer, just before Chinese New Year in 2017. The prostate cancer was dealt with solely by surgery, needing no other treatments. Thankfully, the cancer cells did not spread beyond the prostate. Nasal cancer treatment consisted of 33 sessions of radiotherapy and six sessions of chemotherapy. This year is the fifth year of his recovery and the doctor has given him a clean bill of health.
我父亲在2016年被诊断患上第一期前列腺癌。无独有偶，父亲在2017年春节前又确诊患上第4a期鼻咽癌。前列腺癌治疗全靠手术摘除，无需接受任何其他治疗。让我们全家感到庆幸的是癌细胞并没有扩散开来。鼻咽癌的治疗就复杂多了，我父亲得接受共33次的发射性疗法以及6次的化学药物疗法。今年是他康复的第五年，医生也诊断了癌症并无复发。
Unfortunately, he has to deal with the side effects of radiation, having breathlessness, giddiness, oral dryness, hearing loss, increasing difficulties in swallowing, hypothyroidism and neck muscle stiffness. He usually wakes up four times in the night for urination and oral rinsing as oral dryness could become serious and cause dry coughing.
癌症虽治愈，但鼻咽癌治疗的副作用却挥之不去：气喘、晕眩、口干咽干、耳背、吞咽困难、甲减和项部肌肉逐渐紧绷。我父亲每晚都需起床夜尿四次，同时因口干咽干严重导致干咳，所以不得不用特制的漱口水漱口以保持空腔的湿润。
Fortunately, upon our introduction of mindfulness of Buddha (念佛: Niànfó) to him, he has cultivated the good habit of practising it daily whenever he is free, while walking or seated, before sleep, and in the morning when he wakes up.
庆幸的是在太太和我向父亲介绍了念佛法门后，他从此慢慢培养起每日念佛的好习惯。无论行住坐卧、睡前或晨起，他都不忘执持阿弥陀佛名号。
After attending Bro. Shi’an’s classes since early 2023, it suddenly dawned upon me that my father’s time is running out fast. I therefore requested for two scrolls with Āmítuófó’s (阿弥陀佛) picture, giving one to my father for hanging it in his bedroom, as a reminder to Niànfó as often as possible, (with the other scroll for me and my wife). Before passing the scroll, we introduced and explained the Repentance Verse (忏悔文) and the Dedication Verse (回向偈) to him. He was very receptive, and has been reciting them, with the first before Niànfó (for settling the mind), and the latter after Niànfó (for directing the meritorious virtues [功德] created).
2023年年初开始上时安师兄的净土课后，我突然意识到父亲在世的时日或许已经不多。我于是向时安师兄索取两份阿弥陀佛佛像的卷轴：一份送给我父亲提醒他要时时念佛，另一份我就挂在家中书房。不仅如此，太太和我也逐一和他解释念忏悔文和回向文的目的和作用，他都一一接受。至此，他都会先念一遍忏悔文把心安住下来后才开始念佛，念佛后再把功德回向给一切众生。
Repentance Verse
Of all my past created evil karmas,
all by beginningless greed, anger and delusion,
from my body, speech and mind as arisen,
now before the Buddha I seek repentance.
忏悔文
往昔所造诸恶业，
皆由无始贪瞋痴，
从身语意之所生，
今对佛前求忏悔。
Dedication Verse
May these meritorious virtues, adorn the Buddha’s Pure Land [so as to be born there], repay the four weighty sources of kindness [which are our parents, the Triple Gem (Buddhas, Dharma, Saṃgha), society (country) and all sentient beings] above, and relieve suffering of the three paths [of hell-beings, hungry ghosts and animals] below. If there are those who see or hear this, may all give rise to the Bodhi Mind [(Bodhicitta) which is the aspiration to attain Buddhahood while guiding all sentient beings to the same goal], and at the end of this one retribution body [that is karmically subject to suffering], be born in the Land Of Ultimate Bliss [which is Āmítuófó’s Pure Land] together.
回向文
愿以此功德，庄严佛净土，
上报四重恩，下济三途苦。
若有见闻者，悉发菩提心，
尽此一报身，同生极乐国。
After my father hung up the scroll on 12 May 2023 in the day, he had an extraordinary experience that night and in the early morning of 13 May. During this period, whenever he practised Niànfó till he fell asleep, upon ‘waking up’ within a dream, someone came to his bedside, using his palm to soothe his chest and stomach in a clockwise direction. While doing so, he would ask in Cantonese (as we are Cantonese), ‘Where do you feel discomfort? Are you feeling better now?’ As my father was ‘asleep’ in the dream, he did not open his eyes to catch a glimpse of this person or answer. After really waking up and falling asleep again, he had the same experience three more times, making it a total of four times! [See Note 1]
我父亲在2023年5月12日上午把卷轴挂上了。在当晚和13日的清晨，他就经历了非比寻常的体验。他每每念佛入睡后，就会梦到有一「人」来到床边，轻轻地用手掌，顺时钟方向，在他的胸至腹部来回轻抚，同时用广东话（我们是广府人）问到：「你哪里不舒服啊？现在好一点吗？」 我父亲在梦中是睡着的，所以并没有睁开眼睛看看究竟是何「人」，也没回答这「人」的问题。他在这一晚连续睡醒，总共经历了四次这样的体验！（见备注1）
The amazing thing was that, in my father’s own words, ‘I woke up the next day, with about 80% of my breathlessness gone, feeling fresh and fit the whole day.’ When he recounted the above amazing experience to the family, he was in tears of joy, showing his strong Faith in Āmítuófó and Niànfó! [See Note 2]
最振奋人心的是我父亲亲口说：「我第二天起身时，感觉气喘症状大大减轻了80%，而且一整天都感到精神爽朗、健康。」他叙述自己的经历时热泪盈眶，对于阿弥陀佛和持名念佛的信心大增。（见备注2）
I also asked him about his experience of seeing auspicious clouds and light (祥云瑞光) before 2017. After completing his walking Niànfó one morning then, when he walked back into his bedroom, he was greeted with this extraordinary scenery at the window grille, ‘similar’ to the scenery at Taiwan’s Ālǐshān (阿里山). There were mountains covered in a very beautiful sea of clouds (云海), with amazing and soothing lights. Amongst the clouds, he could see pointed roof tops of temples dotted here and there. The entire scenery lasted for about 10 seconds before it gradually faded away. [See Note 3]
我也乘机询问他在2017年前见到祥云瑞光的经历。我父亲在一次早晨经行念佛后，走到卧房门口时，竟在窗花上看到了犹如台湾阿里山的景色。眼前高山峻岭，云海袅绕，柔光四溢。我父亲还在云海当中看到了寺庙的尖顶屋瓦参差其中。这一画面景致维持了约10秒后渐渐消失。（见备注3）
Námó Āmítuófó : KC Leo
15 May 2023
南无阿弥陀佛 : 廖锦钊
2023年5月15日
Notes:
备注：
[1] As the only special practice done before sleeping was Niànfó, the unseen comforter and healer should be Āmítuófó’s manifestation. Although there was no affinity to see him directly yet, there was however affinity to receive his comforting and healing, repeatedly too. As the auspicious healing was not experienced before, it seems that recitation of the two verses above helped to inspire even more sincere Niànfó, thus connecting to Āmítuófó more firmly.
因为睡前的特别动作仅有念佛，抚慰和治疗者应该是阿弥陀佛的化身。虽然未有因缘见到祂，但却有因缘能连续接受了祂四次的抚慰和治疗。有鉴于是首次经历如此殊胜的体验，念忏悔文和回向文似乎有助增强持名念佛的至诚心，也更明确地接应上阿弥陀佛。
[2] Āmítuófó is also known as the Unsurpassable Great King Of Healers (无上大医王). With sincere mindfulness of his name, connecting to his blessings, thus eliminating karmic obstacles (消业障) that cause sickness and pain (病痛), healing can occur.
阿弥陀佛又名「无上大医王」。诚心持佛名号，感应道交，就能消除病痛业障，身体自然康复。
As taught by Śākyamuni Buddha (释迦牟尼佛) in the Sūtra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of Amitābha Buddha’s Fundamental Esoteric Spiritual Mantra《佛说阿弥陀佛根本秘密神咒经》,
犹如释迦牟尼佛宣说的《佛说阿弥陀佛根本秘密神咒经》提及：
‘If there are sentient beings, who hear this said about Amitā[bha] Buddha’s inconceivable meritorious virtues, with joyful enthusiasm, and sincere minds recite [his name: Āmítuófó], with profound faith untiringly, thereupon manifesting on their bodies, they will receive incomparable bliss… Perhaps attaining the fruit of avoiding that pursuing by suffering of sicknesses from past karmas. Perhaps transforming short lifespans, to attaining lengthened lifespans.’
「若有众生，闻说阿弥陀佛不可思议功德，欢喜踊跃，至心称念，深信不懈，于现在身，受无比乐。… 或得果免宿业所追病患之苦。或转短命，得寿延长。」
However, it should be noted that due to the nature of beings in this defiled land (秽土) being subject to ageing, sickness and death (老病死), there is a limit to possible healing and lengthening of life now and here, while complete and lasting healing is possible upon reaching Āmítuófó’s Pure Land later, with attaining of immeasurable life (无量寿) there too.
应当注意的是，由于投生在娑婆世界秽土的众生都会经历老病死，治愈和延寿是有限度的，而往生阿弥陀佛极乐净土，方能痊愈且得无量寿。
[3] Due to sincere Niànfó, that seen at the window should be a glimpse of Pure Land, which inspired even greater Faith in Niànfó.
因为坚持至诚念佛，在窗花上看到的景象应该是极乐净土。看到这样的瑞相后，更能增强信心继续持名念佛。
Related Article:
Usage Of Āmítuófó’s Picture Scroll:
https://purelanders.com/2022/05/12/buddha-picture-placement-for-the-dying
