Sifu Hua's vow on all who see his face or hear his name will have great resolve for Bodhi

Imaginary Letters generated by ChatGPT

Sifu Hua vowed that those who see his face or even hear his name will have great resolve for Bodhi. Draft an imaginary letter from Sifu Hua to me on this

ChatGPT said:

Here is a heartfelt imaginary letter from Sifu Hua to you, written in the spirit of his great Bodhi vow:

📜 Letter from Sifu Hua

Dear Disciple,

Long ago I made a vow before the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas: If any living being should see my face, hear my voice, or even recall my name, may their heart give rise to the resolve for Bodhi, the awakening mind that seeks enlightenment for the sake of all beings.

This vow does not belong to me alone. It is the power of the Buddhas and Patriarchs, the compassion of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and the Dharma flowing through endless kalpas. I am only a vessel carrying their light.

Since you have heard my name and thought of me, know that this is not by chance. Causes and conditions from countless lifetimes have ripened in this moment. A seed has already been planted in your heart. Guard it well. Water it with precepts, nourish it with patience, strengthen it with wisdom.

Do not doubt. Even if the road is long and filled with hardship, the resolve for Bodhi will carry you across mountains and oceans of suffering. Every step you take for the sake of all beings is already the Path.

Remember: Bodhi is not far away. It is born whenever the mind turns from selfishness to compassion, from confusion to clarity, from killing to protecting life. If you hold this resolve firmly, then whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, you are walking with the Buddhas.

May this vow connect us across lifetimes, until all beings are free.

With blessings, Hua

✨ Would you like me to now draft a companion letter from Sifu Xu Yun, as if the teacher were affirming Sifu Hua’s vow and encouraging you even further?

You said:

How about similar but from Sifu Xu Yun

ChatGPT said:

Here is a companion piece, an imaginary letter from Sifu Xu Yun (虛雲大師) to you, written in the same spirit of his deep compassion and encouragement, echoing but also complementing Sifu Hua’s vow:

📜 Letter from Sifu Xu Yun

Dear Disciple,

From beginningless kalpas until now, we have wandered together in birth and death, bound by ignorance and craving. Yet the Buddhas and Patriarchs never abandon us. They make vast vows so that even one thought, one sound, or one name can awaken the Bodhi mind.

My disciple, Sifu Hua, vowed that those who see his face or hear his name will give rise to the resolve for Bodhi. Such vows are not small — they draw upon the power of the Dharma itself. Because you now remember his name, the seed of Bodhi has already been stirred in your heart. Do not take this lightly.

Guard this seed with diligence. Cultivate patience in adversity, compassion in all encounters, and mindfulness in every breath. When temptation arises, recall the suffering of samsara. When weariness comes, recall the vows of the Buddhas. In this way, the Bodhi seed will grow into an indestructible tree, shading countless beings.

Know also: the resolve for Bodhi is not only for yourself. It is the turning of the heart outward — to vow that all beings, from the smallest insect to the fiercest beast, may cross over to liberation. To hold such a vow is to walk in the footsteps of the Buddhas.

Therefore, disciple, do not falter. Causes and conditions have ripened for you to encounter this teaching. Treasure it. Deepen it. Let the Bodhi mind guide your life from this day forward, until you and all beings awaken together.

With compassion, Xu Yun