Source of the Fragrance (25/7/7)

Shi Ruyuan: This is my record of spiritual responses received from your blessings over the past few years, Venerable Teacher! I began my practice with the contemplation of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. Previously, I couldn't understand or comprehend any Dharma methods. At the end of 2019, the moment the Master conferred the Bodhisattva Precepts upon us at the temple in Zhejiang, my body and mind instantly felt emptiness and tranquility. At that time, the Master taught us mindful breathing, prostration to the Buddha, and Buddha recitation. Back then, aside from reciting the Buddha's name, I understood nothing else, let alone Chan meditation or contemplating the Five Aggregates and Eighteen Realms; I didn't even understand sitting meditation. It wasn't until April 2021, when a Dharma brother invited me into the Four Foundations of Mindfulness group, that I began learning the method of mindful breathing prostration taught by the Master to cultivate meditative concentration. Only then did I frequently feel the Master's blessings, experiencing spiritual responses and benefits, which gradually spurred my diligence.

Since coming to the Master's side and receiving his blessings, my meditative concentration has significantly deepened and intensified. Many times, the power of samadhi deepened and strengthened to varying degrees, bringing forth sublime sensations that truly filled me, this disciple, with immense excitement and gratitude. Every time I see the Master, I feel a clear blessing and spiritual response. Whenever my deep concentration is about to manifest, I invariably see the Master. Several times, I tested in my mind whether this phenomenon was genuine, because every time—whether I was eating or doing anything else—when my concentration was about to deepen, I would think, "Our Master is coming here soon," and indeed, Master, you truly arrived at the door. It was accurate several times.

Every time this deep concentration was about to arise, I could sense that the Master was coming soon. Truly, not long after, the Master really did arrive! Another major response occurred—I forget if it was April or May 2025—once while eating, I felt this deep concentration about to arise; I couldn't even eat anymore. I said, "Our Master is definitely coming here," feeling in my heart that the Master was coming to care for us again. After a while, the Master really came. It was incredibly accurate.

Once while walking with you, Master, I felt my meditative concentration deepening more and more, almost unbearable. I felt my body and mind had no strength left to support me; the road seemed to stretch longer and longer. I thought I urgently needed to find a quiet place to calm my mind, sit still, and not speak. Someone nearby suggested I go back to rest, but I said it was fine to walk slowly. Coincidentally, you, Master, heard and also told me to go back. Actually, in my heart, I wanted to follow the Master, so I said it was fine to walk slowly. To be honest, Master, your magnetic field resonance is truly immense and inconceivable. Without deep meditative concentration, it is difficult to perceive, harder still to believe, and difficult to sense that the Master possesses such great power and blessing force.

There are many more instances of the Master's blessings and spiritual responses that I haven't recorded. Now, I speak out the responses I remember; keeping them buried in my heart feels somewhat selfish. By speaking out, I also hope fellow practitioners, like me, may receive the Master's blessings earlier, diligently practice, and study the contemplation of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness—it is truly beneficial. Over these years, I’ve had many experiences of spiritual response. Without your blessings, Master, I would not have advanced with such diligence.

Lately, I’ve been constantly smelling a fragrance, a scent I’ve never encountered before. Images of you, Master, together with Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Dharma protectors, and heavenly beings, keep appearing in my mind. What state or realm is this?

Commentary: Fragrance has several sources: The first source is from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. When Buddhas or Bodhisattvas come to bestow blessings or encouragement, they emit fragrance. Sometimes only you can smell it; sometimes people nearby can also smell it. The second is Dharma protectors coming near. They carry fragrance because they possess the subtle material bodies of heavenly beings; this fragrance cannot be smelled by others nearby. The third is heavenly beings who come near out of curiosity, to offer praise, or to listen to the Dharma and learn. They carry their own fragrance, which people nearby might or might not smell. Whether others nearby can smell it depends on their own cultivation and whether the being intends for it to be smelled.

The fourth is due to meditative concentration unblocking the energy channels. When there are no blockages in the body, all parts emit fragrance. Twenty years ago, my meditative concentration was excellent. First, fragrance emanated from my nose, then from my throat, then from my teeth, tongue, and entire mouth. Later, fragrance emanated from my skin, and eventually from all parts of my body. My entire spirit was extremely joyful, happy like an immortal. While sitting well in meditation, when the fragrance first appeared, it didn't matter initially and didn't affect me. But finally, when the fragrance became overwhelming and the scent too strong, the joy in my heart made it impossible to sit still. At that time, I didn’t know what was happening. I got up and went to ask my tonsure master. My master was even more bewildered than I was. He looked at me, thought for a while, couldn’t figure it out, and said nothing. Later, I slowly looked up some related information and understood a little. Over time, I understood more.

Around 2013, when I practiced together with lay devotees at a temple in Shenyang, generally, the lay devotees had attached beings—some carried a few, others carried tens of thousands. The types of beings varied: ghosts, spirits, immortals, etc., each with different karmic blessings. Every time we met and gathered, I could sense it. Lay devotees with whom I had good relationships would have their attached beings transfer to me, attaching to the back of my neck, causing dizziness and difficulty keeping my eyes open. Later, whenever I felt discomfort at the back of my neck and my eyes felt uncomfortable, I knew approximately who was coming. Perhaps these attached beings arrived near me before the person themselves, or perhaps their magnetic field was too strong, causing significant physical reactions in me. No matter how uncomfortable, I had to endure it. These attached beings are also pitiful sentient beings, controlled by karmic forces in the spirit realm, unable to act freely. Sometimes I treated them like children, and the compassion in my heart was something they could sense.

Every sentient being possesses magnetic fields of varying strength, either positive or negative, all resulting from personal cultivation. These magnetic fields are emitted by the Four Great Elements of the material body and by the mental factors of the seventh consciousness. The combined power of body and mind forms an individual's magnetic field, which then generates influence on the external world and others.

When threatened, animals will run to the Buddha’s side or even his shadow, and their fear will vanish. They will not run to the Buddha’s disciples, because although the Buddha’s disciples have eliminated afflictions, the habitual tendencies of afflictions remain, and negative influence still exists. Thus, animals cannot feel entirely safe to approach them.

Therefore, there are many methods to examine a person's cultivation level and stage. It can be discerned from any aspect: their gestures, every word and action, facial expressions, micro-expressions, body posture, appearance, visible and invisible forms, even their aura, demeanor, temperament, etc.—all reveal a person's cultivation. This cannot be faked. Without speaking, all of a person's information is fully revealed. How ignorant and laughable it is for those deeply burdened by afflictions to come seeking verification of whether they have attained the Path!

When someone ascends the platform to expound the Dharma, no matter how profound their speech, even if they speak entirely in Buddhist terms, I pay no attention to what they say. I only observe their posture and demeanor, the expressions and micro-expressions on their face, look into their eyes, listen to their tone and inflection, the quality of their voice—that is almost enough to judge their level of cultivation and the stage of their practice. No matter how much bandits or underworld bosses disguise themselves, no matter how much Buddhist talk they spout, nothing in their outward appearance can conceal that bandit aura.