Deities and Faith
Why can a traffic accident still happen when you recite the Buddha's name and take great care?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
I have had this question myself. Once, before leaving for work, I accidentally dropped my helmet and cracked its visor. Something did not feel right. Later, although I rode more slowly and recited the Buddha's name along the way, a vehicle turning in from the side still hit me and threw me off my scooter.
At that moment I had so many mixed feelings. I had already sensed something unusual and been so careful, so why had it still happened? Looking back, though, my clothes were torn and the scooter was damaged, but I had only minor scrapes and was not seriously hurt. I still felt the deities had protected me and made a serious incident less harmful. The question I felt was real, and so was the feeling of having been cared for.
I have also spoken about visiting a temple on a pilgrimage in the morning and feeling the deities' blessings, only to have an accident that evening. After I fell, a car stopped directly behind me and a married couple got out to check on me. Because their car blocked the space behind me, approaching vehicles could not simply hit me again. Details like these make me feel thankful for divine protection: although an accident happened, the harm was less severe.
This is also an experience one can have within faith. After an accident, you ask why it happened; when you see that you received help, you also feel grateful for that protection. I do not immediately conclude that the deities have done nothing to help simply because something goes wrong.
When discussing the passage in the Universal Gateway Chapter about blades and staffs breaking, I also said that Guanyin Bodhisattva uses divine power to protect living beings and keep them from harm. I therefore encourage friends with faith to recite the Buddha's or Bodhisattva's name in their free time, building this energy and confidence. Even if someone does not usually recite, I still believe it can be effective if, when something happens, they sincerely believe and recite the Bodhisattva's name in that moment. This is my faith in the Bodhisattva hearing cries and relieving suffering.