Inspiring Story of Chanting Buddha 57 - How can one attain Buddhist fruits without sowing the Seeds

(English and Chinese subtitle) 不種佛因焉得佛果, written by venerable laywoman Kanzhi Lin 林看治居士 (1906-1992 AD)
Subtitles:
Everything that has a cause must has an effect.
The law of cause and effect is absolutely correct without a hair out of place. Just like sowing melons, you will reap melons, and sowing beans, you will reap beans.
The same is true for those who wish to be reborn in the Bliss World, where the cause of chanting the Buddha's name leads to the fruit of ascending to the West;
If you don't plant Buddhist cause, even though you have good knowledge to help you with chanting, it is still unreliable, and obstacles are prone to occur when you are reborn. Let me give you a fact to prove it.
In 1950, a lotus fellow, Ms. Wan, told me that a fellow villager from Northeast China, who was over 80 years old, was about to die and asked for help in chanting.
I asked her: “Does this person usually believe in Buddhism and chant Buddha?”
Wan said: "No, he used to be the leader of the World Wide Ethical Society.
P3.
After I advised him to chant the Buddha so that he is able to be reborn in the West, he realized the benefits of the West and asked for help in chanting the Buddha. Would you please help me find some lotus friends tomorrow to help me with chanting.”
The next morning, I went to his small house behind the park, together with three of my Lotus friends and Laywoman Wan.
At first sight of the aged man, with his white hair and silver whiskers dressed in white, he was lying on his bed, dying, with only an elderly lady beside him.
Then, we instantly began to chant the holy name, Namo Amitabha, unstop until noon. Laywoman Wan took us to her house, where we were warmly entertained for vegetarian lunch. In the afternoon, we went back and continued chanting until dusk.
P5.
The next day, Wan came again: "Lin, the gentleman we chanted Buddha's name for him yesterday has been listening to the Buddha's name for a whole day. Now he is sober and can also chant Buddha in his mind." He also said that Amitabha would come to pick him up at noon tomorrow, and he will leave at twelve o'clock. Would you please invite a few more lotus friends to his home tomorrow morning to chant Buddha and see him off to the West?" I immediately promised. Out of curiosity, I ran to several lotus friends that night to publicize that he had foreseen the time of rebirth, and invited them to come together to help chanting tomorrow to see the auspicious phenomena that he ascends to the West.
At ten o'clock the next morning, a dozen lotus friends devoted themselves to chanting for him, and prayed to Amitabha to mercifully guide this old gentleman to be reborn in the Western Bliss World.
P7.
The old gentleman smiled broadly and said easily, "Amitabha will be here to pick me up in ten minutes." As he spoke, he glanced at everyone, expressing his gratitude to everyone for praying for him.
Who would have thought that at this critical moment when the saints and mortals were separated, an obstacle came. His son agilely burned a pile of letters and other things prepared in front of the old man, and it was all burned out within a minute.
The old gentleman smiled broadly and said easily, "Amitabha will be here to pick me up in ten minutes." As he spoke, he glanced at everyone, expressing his gratitude to everyone for praying for him.
Who would have thought that at this critical moment when the saints and mortals were separated, an obstacle came. His son agilely burned a pile of letters and other things prepared in front of the old man, and it was all burned out within a minute.
P9.
His wife couldn't help but rushed forward, stretching out her nervous hand and touching her husband's face
, and cried: "If you go to the West and leave me alone, how will I live?"
Wan immediately stepped up and stopped her and said: “I've told you that when your husband is about to ascend to the West, you mustn't cry and miss him, or touch his body. Have you forgotten?"
When it was exactly at twelve o'clock, the old man opened his eyes wide and said, "Amitabha, I'm not going to the West. If I go to the West and leave my wife alone, what would she do? So, I'm not going."
At this time, the lotus friends were desperately chanting and couldn't help but felt sorry for him. Although extremely disappointed, we continued chanting for another half an hour.
Looked at the old gentleman, his speech was incoherent and his mental state had become chaotic.
P11.
Everyone sympathized with him and lamented for him. We each went home. At about 9 pm that night, Wan came to my home and asked me to chant Buddha for him again. I asked, "How is the old gentleman going?" She said, "He was distracted and his body was deteriorating. He was probably in a lot of pain, but he still hoped to hear people chant the Buddha."
So, I went with Wan again.