- Bestowing Wealth upon Monks
- 1 On the third day of March 1904, Sahng-jeh-nim, Hyung-yul, and many other disciples traveled to Geum-sahn Temple. At Sahng-jeh-nim’s order, Jung Tae-hwahn bore a chest on his back.
- 2 When they arrived at the temple, Sahng-jeh-nim locked the chest. On the lock was the image of a dragon. He placed the chest in front of the Maitreya statue and said,
- 3 “People will come from all provinces to see Me and put money into this chest; the monks, both masters and novices, will use the money to eat and live.”
- A Work of Renewal Before the Maitreya Statue
- 4 On another occasion, when Sahng-jeh-nim went to Geum-sahn Temple to conduct a work of renewal, He called to the monks, “Hey, you rogues! Hey, bald heads!”
The monks came out with their heads lowered, saying, “Yes, yes?”
- 5 Jeung-san Sahng-jeh-nim―Maitreya Buddha―thundered at the monks, “Why are you not offering prayers here?”
- 6 The monks stood in lines, knocking their wooden gongs and chanting, “Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.” Sahng-jeh-nim then conducted a work of renewal.
- A Caution to Those Who Transgress
- 7 On April 8, Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday, Sahng-jeh-nim again went to Geum-sahn Temple with Hyung-yul, Ho-yun, and some other disciples to do a work of renewal.
- 8 Many people who had come for the ceremony in honor of the Buddha’s birthday were walking toward the roofed gate that contained the statues of the Four Celestial Kings. Suddenly, a gigantic serpent emerged from the top of one of the statues.
- 9 With its tongue darting, the serpent proclaimed, “Those who have stolen others’ belongings, those who have stolen others’ food, those who have any transgressions―step aside!” Then, it blocked the entrance.
- 10 Some people backed away and others walked past carefully.
- 11 The serpent said, “The one who stole balls of thread from people for whom she wove cloth and with it made clothes for herself―step aside!” And the serpent stripped a woman of her clothes.
- 12 People were greatly frightened by this and whispered things such as, “Only right-minded people can come here. Those with corrupt minds cannot.”
- 13 They called the serpent “Dragon-horse.”
- 14 Meanwhile, a voice called out for Hyung-yul. He and the other disciples looked around and found that Sahng-jeh-nim was standing on top of the Maitreya Shrine.
- 15 Sahng-jeh-nim said, “A person with transgressions cannot come here to offer prayer.”
- 16 People later said, “The Four Celestial Kings do not allow people with transgressions to enter.” People who had done something wrong would not go there.
- (JSD Dojeon 9,21)
