Deities and Faith
How has faith changed Master Shengyuan's fear of death?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
Faith has indeed reduced my fear of death. In the past, thinking of leaving meant not knowing where I would go. Now that I have become involved in spiritual practice, the thought that deities and Buddhas might accompany, care for, and guide me gives me something more to rely on. It feels different from before.
At five years old, I was already wondering where I would go after I died. Gradually learning about spiritual practice helped me face the fact that everyone experiences birth, aging, illness, and death. Faith gives me a sense that life is more than this present stretch and that after leaving this world, I may not be alone. That feeling of peace matters a great deal to me.
As for whether I can attain the fruition of spiritual practice in this lifetime, I have also said that the final judgment must wait until the end. What I can attend to now is my present conduct: doing well what I can and cherishing those with whom I can still spend time. Faith gives me strength to face life and makes me feel even more strongly that the things I need to learn and put into practice should begin now.