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The Buddhadharma Helped Me Walk Again2013-01-10
Hsueh Ping Chin
I have been having rheumatoid arthritis for more than ten years. When I was in pain, I could barely walk. If I had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, sometimes I had to crawl to the bathroom. Since taking medicine did no good, the doctor suggested that I have an operation to ease the pain. One day I met a friend who was a Buddhist. He gave me a Chinese medicine prescription. The instructions said to soak the medicine in alcohol. Then, when taking it, I had to recite the Buddha’s name.
The medicine didn’t work for me. Soon after I met Guo Hsuan. When she saw my situation, she told me, “With the illness you have, the best remedy would be to recite the Buddha’s name and be a vegetarian.” She told me that she went to Gold Sage Monastery every week, and encouraged me to go with her. The first time I came to the temple, I had to crawl up the steps, because I couldn’t move my legs up the steps. Finally I reached the Patriarch Hall to bow to Shi Fu. At first, I didn’t know how to ask for Shi Fu’s help. But then I thought, he is sage, so he must know what’s in my mind and where I need help. Since then, I stopped taking all medicine.
As I have mentioned, the first time I visited Gold Sage Monastery, I had trouble going up the steps. When I came again on the next week, I felt that the pain in my legs had lessened. When I walked up the steps on the following week, I could do it without holding onto the handrail, but my legs still hurt a little. On the fourth week, one night, I had to get up to use the bathroom. I walked, not crawled, into the bathroom. I felt it was very strange, because I was able to move freely. I was so happy that I wanted to tell my husband the good news, but then I saw that he was in a deep sleep, so I decided to tell him the next day.
Buddhism is wonderful beyond compare. The illness made me suffer great pain, sometimes to the point that I couldn’t walk. But ever since I started going to the temple, the pain gradually lessened. Now, not only can I walk, but my legs do not hurt one bit, and I also don’t have to see doctors anymore.
When I come to the temple, I always bow to the Buddha and to the Venerable Master. I ask them to help to cure my illness so I can move freely. I became a vegetarian after the Amitabha Buddha Recitation session last year. Now, I come to Gold Sage Monastery to recite the Buddha’s name, to bow to the Buddha, and to do volunteer work. I feel great, and my body feels no pain. I did not take any medication; yet I was cured. Some of my acquaintances were very surprised when they saw me walking. They told me that I looked a lot younger and more energetic than before. They asked me what medicine I took. I told them that my medicine was the Buddhadharma.
Since last year, I haven’t taken any medication, but I feel healthy and energetic. I truly believe that the Buddhadharma is here to help us and cross over living beings. I go to Gold Sage Monastery every Sunday to recite the Buddha’s name, to bow to the Buddha, and to earnestly study Buddhism with the assembly.
