[PureInsight.org] There was a man by the name of Bai Daoist who lived during the Southern Song Dynasty. He was well known in the capital city for his profound supernormal abilities and was greatly admired by Emperor Song Lizong (the 14th emperor of the Song Dynasty, 1224 to 1264). According to records, he utilized his Daoist supernormal abilities before the princes, dukes, and chancellors to summon heavenly fairies. At the time, the princes, dukes, and chancellors were enjoying an evening feast. As they were merrily drinking away, a great many auspicious clouds suddenly emerged in the sky above the front courtyard. Everyone looked up to see four dignified-looking immortal women descending on clouds. Everyone was astonished and stopped drinking momentarily. As they were watching the immortal women float down to the courtyard, an auspicious light flashed, and the immortal women turned and began to float back up to heaven.
At this moment, only Bai Daoist could be heard angrily stamping his foot saying, “What a pity! What a pity!” The dinner guests asked him what he meant. He responded, “Ladies and gentlemen, somebody among us developed a lustful thought towards the immortal women, so they did not come. I had originally requested they bring the Lady Queen Mother’s celestial wine. Is that not a pity?” Upon hearing this, all the officials at the banquet were silent. As everyone remained awkwardly silent, the clouds and mists outside dispersed, and the immortal women vanished from sight.
In the story, Bai Daoist used his supernormal abilities to summon the fairies, but unexpectedly someone among those present at the banquet had a lustful thought, causing the fairies to return to heaven. It can be seen how harmful and detestable lust is. Cultivators must remove this human attachment. Some atheists ask, “Why do gods not manifest before me and allow me to see them clearly?” If I responded, I would say, “If people do not eliminate their atheistic thoughts, if they do not eliminate their sexual lust and other dirty thoughts, then it is very difficult to see gods.”
Chinese version: http://big5.zhengjian.org/node/155183
pureinsight.org