A follower was going to get a driver’s license very soon; he went to ask for blessings from Rinpoche.

The disciple asked Rinpoche eagerly, “Rinpoche, would you please bless me to pass the driving test without a hitch this time?”

Rinpoche said, “Hum (Well)! No problem, I’ll give you the blessing. Hai! By the way, how many driving tests have you ever sat for? Or is it the first time?”

The disciple grumbled in response, “No! Rinpoche, I’ve already attended it for four times. I’m experienced in having a driving test now, but I’ve got no idea why I‘ve failed every time. If it was not a slight shovelling on the pavement during driving, it was my knocking-down of a garbage bin for no reason at all, or the driving-through a yellow light as there’s not enough time (to stop the car), … ,in short, I‘ve come across retardant every time. Hence, I’ve to trouble Rinpoche this time to give me special blessing so that I can overcome all difficulties and pass the driving test successfully.”

Rinpoche said gently, “Hum! I’ll give you further blessings. It’s an upgrade version! Hai! It’s that you’ll soon be promoted to be a fairy after getting the driving-license. Hum! I also need to do the preparation for blessing other people as a lot of them are going to die soon! Hai! You’ve attempted to get a driving license for four times but all were unsuccessful, so it’s believed that there’re problems with your piloting skills. If you’re barely given a pass under the circumstances that there’re deficiencies in your piloting skills, you’ll be allowed to drive a car quickly on the road. By the time, it’s not only you who will die, but also many other passersby as well as citizens will die with you together simultaneously!”

One day, a follower who always attended cultivation practices in the Centre waited behind silently until all the other dharma brothers had left. He had ascertained that there were only Rinpoche and his attendant on-site before he asked for blessings from Rinpoche. Rinpoche had already known that this disciple was currently a serving police officer ---- a plainclothes detective.

The disciple implored earnestly to Rinpoche, “Rinpoche, could you please give blessings to my good ‘partner’ who has gone through fire and water with me over a long period of time?”

Rinpoche pretended not to understand what he meant and said with a mercy face, “Hum?! You’ve brought a new worshipper with you today? Ok! Yes, there’s no problem. Ask him to come up so that I can give him blessings.”

At that moment, he drew a pistol from his lumbar quickly. The metal case of the pistol looked bright and shiny showing that it had always been wiped and cleaned by its owner. It also meant that the owner cherished it very much!

Rinpoche joked in a relaxing way, “Hum?! Are you going to shoot and kill me? Just tell me the part of my body you’d like to shoot so that I can uncover the clothing there first. It doesn’t look good to have a hole in the Dharma robe after all!”

The disciple offered the pistol honourably at the same time when he tried to explain hurriedly, “No, definitely not. Disciple has absolutely no intention to do any harm. I’d only like to beg for Rinpoche’s blessings for my pistol which is my closest ally.”

Although Rinpoche had had an insight into the request in the mind of the disciple at the very beginning, the multifarious as well as weird worldly desires of sentient beings did always make Rinpoche, whose wisdom is as deep as an ocean,  at a loss whether to cry or to laugh. (Rinpoche answered,) “Hum?! Give blessings to your pistol. Would you like me to bless that it can shoot at a thief/gangster or miss that? Well! If I’m going to bless that you can hit the target at every shot so as to shoot all the thieves dead. In that case, Rinpoche will also violate the precept by assisting you to break the commandment of not killing (any sentient beings); if I bless that you miss the criminal, you’ll have neglected your duties and it’ll be difficult for you to explain it to your superiors by the time. What do you think I should do?”

Hearing this, the disciple, whose mind was filled with earnest expectations, was like being poured with a bucket of cold water. He was speechless.

Finally, Rinpoche comforted him, “Hum?! Don’t be frustrated, I’ll always give you my blessings.” Having finished his words, Rinpoche took a clean handkerchief out and wiped the pistol gently with it in person, he then said, “All right! It’s now as clean as a new pin! I hope that your mind (mind=soul) inside can also be quiet and peaceful!”

A follower had requested to make an urgent appointment with Rinpoche for a number of times in the last few days. However, Rinpoche was too busy to receive him. This day, he came to the Centre again. Seeing Rinpoche, he immediately headed forward and said hastily, “Rinpoche, I’ve received a notification from the government recently saying that I’ve to pay a fine of three hundred thousand dollars in foreign currency (converted to more than three million HK dollars) and now the deadline is also approaching. If the payment is overdue, it’s laid down officially by the government that there’ll be an increase of the fine; interest surcharges; additional handling fee etc. and one may even be sent to court. I hereby solicit Rinpoche to have pity on me and grant me immeasurable blessings so that I can be fled from the dragnet of the government and dodged to avoid the suffering of money loss.”

Having listened to the unceasing flow of grievances from the disciple, Rinpoche asked him, “Hum! Have you received the notice of penalty from the government yet?”
He answered affirmatively, “Yes, Rinpoche, I have. I’ve already got the notice from the government by registered mail. It’s written that I have to pay (the fine).”

Rinpoche continued to ask him, “Hai! What’re you planning to do now?”
The disciple declared his intention right at the outset, “To be honest, I’m not going to pay this sum of money! That’s why I’m here today to beg for Rinpoche’s blessings so that I don’t need to suffer from any financial loss.”

Rinpoche said, “Fine! Your main (intention) is not paying the fine, isn’t it? Well, that’s easy! I suggest giving me the notice so that I can pay it for you (remark: Where can Rinpoche get such a large sum of money?).”
The disciple answered happily without taking time to think, “Really? It’s certainly the most practical and direct blessings!”

Rinpoche said fretfully, “Oh! Do you think it’s workable like that? What you have in mind currently is merely asking Rinpoche to cover for you when you’re in trouble. (You hope that) Rinpoche can keep the rain and wind out so that you can stay clear of the blast. Is there really such unbelievably good affair in the world? The government does not pick citizens at random and punish them carelessly. You should introspect about yourself carefully so as to find out what on earth you’ve done that lead to a recovery of fine by the government instead of solely asking for blessings to escape from the law. Learning Buddhism with such a mentality is not the Right View!”