1322：Appreciation to the Guru’s Compassionate (maitrī and karuṇā) Blessings and Rescue

Prostrations to His Eminence Vajra Guru Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, the Lineage gurus, Dharma Protector Achi, and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I am Wang Shi Han from Group Eight, and my Dharma name is Hui Nǚ Drolma; my husband is Yao Zhi Xi from Group Seven, and his Dharma name is Gong Chu Ding Kai; my daughter is Yao Luo Fu from Group Eight, and her Dharma name is Hui Pei Drolma; my uncles are Zhang Zhi Rong and Zhang Zhi Liang, both from  Group Seven; my aunts are Zeng Li Wen from Group Eight and Zeng Shu Ling from Group One; my female cousins are Zhang Shao Yu from Group Eight and Zhang Yu Zhen from Group One; my male cousins are Zhang Bo Yao and Zhang Chao Wei, both from Group Seven. I am grateful to His Eminence Vajra Guru Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche for bestowing me the opportunity to hereby praise the guru for how he has helped my husband, my daughter, and me, and to be grateful to the guru for bestowing my daughter the name of Yao Luo Fu as well as the opportunity of taking refuge and learning Buddhism.

Since childhood, I have been the one who is frightened of pain and unable to endure it (in Taiwanese, ‘sik-pi’). Whenever I heard others share the hardships and pain of delivery, I would instinctively feel fear and recoil in my heart. My husband, out of mercy, agreed with me not to give birth. Therefore,  the matter of‘having a baby’ was never part of our life plan.

Yet it seemed that what I feared was exactly what arrived! A few years ago, my husband and I each had a special and deeply memorable dream that compelled us to begin reconsidering and confronting this matter. One day, I had an extremely clear dream. In the dream, I was at home having a meal with my mother and husband when suddenly I heard a knock at the door. I went to open it and saw a child of about two or three years old standing there. He said to me, ‘I want to come to your home.’ I asked him, ‘Where are your dad and mom?’ The child simply looked at me quietly, without answering. I looked up and saw that it was raining outside, so I invited him in to join our meal. After eating, I walked him to the door and reminded him, ‘Remember to quickly go find your dad and mom; don’t wander around.’ Afterwards, I woke up. I did not mention this to my husband, regarding it as just a random dream.

However, not long after, my husband also had a similar dream. He dreamed that when returning home from work, he saw the peaceful, sleeping figure of a child at home, and the entire scene made him feel extremely warm. When my husband mentioned this dream to me, I, still in avoidance, deliberately pretended not to understand, for my heart remained full of fear and resistance toward having a baby. It was not until one Sunday, during a puja, that as I recalled these two dreams, I suddenly heard His Eminence Vajra Guru Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche on the Dharma throne expounding to the assembly: ‘Do not avoid the fate that is destined to come.’
 
That sentence of expounding seemed to strike directly into my heart. In that moment, I suddenly realized that if this was a fate I was meant to face, I should summon the courage to take responsibility and confront it. Upon returning home, I knelt before the mandala at our house and implored the guru, the Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas that: ‘If in this lifetime there truly is a fate to have a child, I am willing to face and take responsibility, to properly care for and guide him. The disciple does not implore that this child will be exceptionally intelligent or outstanding; I only pray that he will have the fate to learn Buddhism in this lifetime and ultimately be liberated from reincarnation.’
 
Soon, after about one or two months, on October 6, 2022, I discovered that I was pregnant. Although I had been constantly preparing myself in my heart to be brave, when I actually saw the two lines, I still felt a little fear toward the upcoming experiences of pregnancy, delivery, and the things after the child was born. I was uncertain whether I could be a good mother, have the capability to care for a child properly, or endure the pain of delivery.

Just under all these pressures, that Sunday (October 9, 2022), Rinpoche expounded on ‘Scroll 55, “The Buddha Speaks of Dwelling in Womb Assembly for Ananda” (Chapter 13)’ of the Ratnakuta Sutra. Rinpoche expounded more clearly than scientific knowledge on the causes leading sentient beings to be conceived and the process of pregnancy, including the suffering experienced by both the child and the mother, all the way to birth. Although the technology is advanced now, prenatal check-ups can only show the fetus’s movements in the womb through various instruments, and the rest involves tests to see whether the child is healthy, without knowing which behaviors might increase the fetus’s suffering. In contrast, the guru expounded on the entire pregnancy process in detail, including every weekly change in the fetus’s appearance and feelings, as well as the mother’s physiological and psychological changes, what should and should not be done, and so on, which is like an extremely detailed instruction manual. As long as I followed the teachings,  I would just be fine, and  I, who was originally afraid, could be fully calm. I am truly and deeply grateful to the guru.
 
Except for the basic hospital check-ups and routine treatments at the Glorious Jewel Chinese Medicine Clinic, I refused to undergo any other pregnancy examinations. The attending doctor immediately said to me, ‘If you don’t do these examinations, what if something happens to the child and it cannot be detected in time?’ I then asked, ‘If a problem is found, how would it be handled?’ The doctor replied, ‘Then an abortion could be performed in early pregnancy to minimize the harm to the mother’s body.’ It sounded like advice meant for the mother’s benefit, but if I had not taken refuge in Rinpoche, I might truly have followed the doctor’s suggestion. Taking a deep breath, I told the doctor, ‘It’s alright. I do not need these examinations. Whatever the child’s condition, I will carry him to term and care for him. Thanks for your advice.’ From that moment until delivery, the doctor gave me no other recommendations anymore.
 
I, who was originally filled with fear toward pregnancy and delivery, gradually developed courage and calmness through the guru’s teachings and compassionate (maitrī and karuṇā) blessings. This also allowed me to deeply realize that as long as one relies on the guru and acts by following the teachings, even for the most difficult and frightening challenges, one can face them with strength and courage under the guru’s compassionate (maitrī and karuṇā) protection and blessings.

During my pregnancy, I dreamed three times of the incomparably wondrous process of Rinpoche compassionately (maitrī and karuṇā) bestowing me blessings. The first was in early pregnancy, in a dream, the guru placed his hand on the top of my head to bless me. At that moment, I felt a warm current spreading from the top of my head throughout my entire body, and when I woke, my body still felt exceedingly warm. The second was in mid-pregnancy. One day, due to work, I had arranged with my cousin to travel north the next day. That night, I dreamed that the guru was standing outside our house, and under light rain and wind in the sky, the guru said to me loudly, ‘You’re pregnant and still getting caught in the rain? And even exposing yourself to the wind?’ I immediately woke up, shocked, and answered, ‘The disciple is wrong!’ My heart was racing when I woke, and my husband, who had been startled awake by me, listened to my description and helped to check the weather. Indeed, Taipei was relatively cold and rainy, and I quickly canceled the trip that day. That week, during my routine treatment at the Glorious Jewel Chinese Medicine Clinic, the doctor, after taking my pulse, told me that I had a slight wind-cold condition and advised me to always bring an extra jacket and a hat whenever I went out, regardless of the temperature. The third was in late pregnancy. I dreamed of the guru standing by my bed, holding a treasure vase and chanting mantras; after chanting mantras, the guru bestowed me twice the nectar water to drink. I am truly and deeply grateful to the guru for ceaselessly blessing me, for otherwise, with my frail body, I would have suffered a lot during the pregnancy.

At over 39 weeks of pregnancy, I began experiencing regular uterine contractions around three or four in the morning. After discussing with my husband, we decided to go to the obstetrics and gynaecology department. Upon examination, the doctor said I had not yet dilated and estimated that it would likely happen at least one or two more days later, and not happen so soon. After a moment, the doctor added, ‘I would have preferred to have you come back tomorrow, but since your uterine contractions are very regular, it is up to you whether to be admitted to the hospital now.’After we decided to be admitted, when I reached three centimeters of dilation, the doctor said, ‘Pregnancy at over 39 weeks is relatively long and may involve a problem of excessive meconium. If the labor process is prolonged, the fetus could inhale meconium, which may cause the fetus’s suffocation. Artificial rupture of membranes is needed to check, and it can also help accelerate the labor process.’ Thus, the artificial rupture of membranes was performed, and it turned out that there was truly excessive meconium. By noon, the doctor also informed us that labor had stalled and recommended a caesarean section.

At that moment, my husband looked online and learned that after an artificial rupture of membranes, if the baby is not delivered within a certain time, the baby could be in life-threatening danger. Only in that critical moment did we suddenly realize our complete incapability; the only one we could believe and rely upon was the guru. My husband quickly gave me the precious nectar pill bestowed by Rinpoche to take and implored the guru to bless the baby and me in my womb so that the delivery could be smooth. At the same time, I also remembered hearing a Dharma brother share that during her labor, the guru had expounded to her that she could say to the baby in her womb: ‘If you don’t come out, Rinpoche is going to spank you!’ Then, following this, I also said to the baby in my womb, ‘If you don’t come out, Rinpoche is going to spank you!’

Afterwards, the frequency and intensity of labor pain increased significantly. The doctor performed another examination and suddenly, with a tone of surprise, said, ‘Hm? She’s about to give birth!’ That afternoon, less than half an hour after entering the delivery room, our daughter was born naturally and smoothly. During the labor, I did not smell any blood; after my daughter’s birth, we even smelled a scent of sandalwood. We knew this was entirely due to the guru’s blessings and protection; otherwise, we would have been completely at a loss, and the delivery could never have gone so smoothly. From the onset of labor pain to the birth, the entire process took less than 13 hours. I am grateful to Rinpoche!
 
During the postpartum confinement period, we brought our daughter for the first time on a Saturday to sign up to seek an audience and implore the guru to bestow her a name. After the guru held our nearly two-week-old daughter and bestowed compassionate (maitrī and karuṇā) blessings, our daughter showed an extremely joyful smile. Looking at her, the guru also smiled. The child was truly more aware of the guru’s compassion (maitrī and karuṇā) than we were.
 
Since Luofu’s birth, she has continuously received the guru’s compassionate (maitrī and karuṇā) blessings, which are too numerous to recount. On January 3 of this year (2026), I took Luofu to the Glorious Jewel Cafe Shop at Dazhi area for a meal and was fortunate to encounter the guru. On January 5, I received a message from our group leader conveying Rinpoche’s warning: ‘Do not take Luofu out on January 7 and 8. She should not go to school either. Going out will make her sick.’ I am grateful for Rinpoche’s compassionate (maitrī and karuṇā) blessings, which allowed Luofu to avoid illnesses suffering beyond our imagination. It turned out that during those two days, a cold-front-level air mass arrived, accompanied by sudden rainfall, and the temperature dropped sharply; the guru had foreseen this in advance. Later, we read news reports that the dramatic temperature changes around January 8 led to the pediatric department being filled with patients with emergency treatment, further deepening my realization of the guru’s compassionate (maitrī and karuṇā) protection and blessings. Truly, listening to and following the teachings is right.
 
I am grateful to the guru for establishing the Glorious Jewel Chinese Medicine Clinic. During the early stages of my pregnancy, I suffered from severe morning sickness, sometimes even waking up at night to vomit, and was unable to sleep. Fortunately, under the regulation using Chinese medicine, I experienced significant improvement. Before Luofu turned one, she had atopic dermatitis, which was also treated at the Chinese Medicine Clinic, and she has now fully recovered. I am grateful to the guru for importing safe, non-toxic Japanese foods, allowing us to supplement sufficient protein, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients our bodies need. Examples include the energizing toyu, apple juice, perilla drink, kamiizumi water, goji berries, and so on. From pregnancy, through postpartum confinement, and up to now, we have never had to worry about the nutritional condition of Luofu or me. Especially recently, after frequently seeing news reports about infant foods, seaweed, and other products on the market containing heavy metals and various food safety issues, I more deeply understand why the guru works diligently to manage the Japanese Food Shop. Even infant foods can have problems, showing how difficult it is in this era to safely consume non-toxic food.

I am grateful that there is a Fashion&Beauty shop where we can purchase products，such as shampoo, body wash, and skincare items, with natural ingredients that are safe for both pregnant women and babies to safely use, and we never have to worry that our child may be exposed to harmful substances. Besides, I would also like to share with you that the day after the delivery, I was able to sit on the bed without using any cushion. Seeing this, the doctor was exceedingly surprised and even told the nurse, ‘Look, she can sit without a donut cushion, and she must have a high pain tolerance!’ I replied, ‘But I don’t feel much pain!’ Only after the doctor’s explanation did I know that normally, within a week after the delivery, women need to sit on a donut-shaped cushion to avoid direct contact, which will put pressure on the birth wound. Because I immediately applied the Bao Yuan Gao after delivery, my recovery was extremely fast, even making the doctor say it was incredible. In addition, there are units such as the Glorious Jewel Cultural and Historical Education Association, which allow children to be nurtured in history and culture from a young age, as well as cafe shops, vegetarian cuisine, brunch places, the cake shop, the jewellery shop, the antique furniture shop, and more. These provide a lifestyle environment that is free from toxins in food, clothing, shelter, transportation, education, and recreation, enabling children to grow healthily and also giving us more time to learn Buddhism calmly. I am grateful to the guru.
 
How fortunate we are to have taken refuge in His Eminence Vajra Guru Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, receiving the guru’s compassionate (maitrī and karuṇā) protection and teachings, both through precious teachings in the Buddha Dharma and in all aspects of life. Yet, foolish as we were, it was not until I was 33 weeks pregnant that we thought of registering to seek an audience on Saturday to make offerings and express our gratitude to the guru. The guru compassionately (maitrī and karuṇā) pointed out that my husband and I lacked the mind of making offerings and reverence, and we even had no mind of gratitude; under Rinpoche’s protective umbrella, we, as a couple, were living good days safely, but we didn’t consider repaying the benevolence and used a mindset of seeking protection to learn Buddhism. The guru also instructed us that we could not make offerings, nor support the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche and the Buddhist Center. We are grateful for the guru’s continuous blessings, and for compassionately  (maitrī and karuṇā) pointing out our faults, giving us the opportunity in this lifetime to correct ourselves, deeply reflect, and repent! Without the reverence aroused from the heart, we naturally had no mind of making offerings; believing by ourselves that simply attending the pujas and placing the offerings in the offering box just mean we have made offerings; I am grateful to the guru for, in June of that year, again granting my husband and me the opportunity to make offerings and accumulate resources for learning Buddhism. We will definitely cherish this opportunity to the utmost, and whenever we have the opportunity, we should draw close to the guru as much as possible. (Please refer to Article No. 1221 on the Traces of Liberating Beings for details.)
 
I am grateful for the guru’s incomparable benevolence. In this lifetime, I have no way to repay it but to practice by following the teachings and to make the vow to be reborn in the Pure Land, so as to repay the benevolence of the guru, the Buddha, my parents, and sentient beings. I pray that we all can rely on the guru to get liberated from reincarnation in this lifetime, and further pray for His Eminence Vajra Guru Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s good health, longevity, and auspiciousness; the Dharma wheel turns unceasingly; his Buddha Dharma activities flourish; his Dharma lineage spreads eternally; all at the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche are perfect and smooth, benefiting all sentient beings. I thank all fellow believers and Dharma brothers for listening patiently. 

 

                                                   Respectfully written by disciple Wang Shi Han, Group Eight, 

 on March 15, 2026

« Previous - Traces of Liberating Beings - Next »

Updated on March 18, 2026