An Interview with SHC:
A Victim of Sexual Abuse whose Courageous Voice Roars
By Cheng Yew Chung
August 31 2012
To many new initiates of True Buddha School, the name SHC or Siew Har Chong would not
ring a bell. However, to those like myself who spent the last twenty to thirty years actively
involved in True Buddha School, we will recall how Madam Chong had filed a lawsuit against
Sheng-yen Lu in the year 2000, accusing Lu for alleged sexual misconduct. The lawsuit
caused a stir and many newspapers reported the story. To avoid being summoned in court,
Sheng-yen Lu escaped by announcing his retreat. When I first read SHC's article posted on
www.shcstory.com, I could sense the truth in her words, but at the back of my mind I
struggled with her so called revelation, always debating whether her story was the whole
truth, half-truth or pure fabrication? It was tough for me to embrace her words.
At that time I found it hard to fathom that Living Buddha Liansheng, Sheng-yen Lu, a True
Buddha to me, would commit such hideous acts of sexual abuse. I naturally felt that Miss
Chong was slandering Lu. Lu also hinted that Madam Chong had secretly accepted money
from other Buddhist organizations with the evil intention of defaming Lu. Like most students
innocent of Lu's true behavior, we were really mad at Miss Chong's allegations.
I have been giving service of propagation through my True Buddha comics and my
translation of Lu's books into English through the years. Yet, a rude awakening came upon
me when a meeting between myself and Lu over one dinner in September 2010 let me see,
first hand, how Lu was not the person he had claimed to be. He was rude, moody, petty, and
angry. Later, when I found out through a trusted friend how Lu's ex-wife, Shimu Lu Lixiang,
had privately disclosed that everything about the sexual allegations was true. Only then I
realized these sexual offenses were not SHC’s fabrication, and actually involved many other
women. It was a big cover up. When I reread Miss Chong's account of her sexual experience
with Lu, and compared it with Lu's recent discourse on Twin Body practice, I instinctively
knew that Miss Chong had once been Lu's consort.
I truly admire Madam Chong's courage to file a lawsuit against Lu, and felt that Lu's escape
from USA in the name of retreat was a cowardly act. Lu was certainly no buddha as he
always claims to be.
I started reading Lu’s books in 1976, took refuge with Lu in the late eighties, and officially
left True Buddha School in August 2011. A year later, in August of 2012, I emailed Madam
Chong and asked if she would grant me an interview. I received a quick reply that she would
be happy to grant me one. Here’s the interview where she shall explain and describe to us in
details what happened between herself and Sheng-yen Lu in the nineties.
Cheng: Madam Chong, I hope this email finds you well. Thank you for granting me this
interview. I hope you don't mind I ask some pointed questions as I want this interview to be
as informative and candid as it can be.
SHC: Thank you for the interview. For the past ten years I have received many letters of
encouragement as well as mockery, but I always speak my mind. It’s really up to you to
believe what you want to believe. I am not asking for anything in return. I only want
everyone to learn the truth about Sheng-yen Lu, and not end up as foolish as me. Maybe
your questions also echo some of the questions in people's minds. Go ahead and ask
anything you wish.
Cheng: Are you residing in USA now?
SHC: Yes. In New York.
Cheng: Don’t mind I ask how old are you now? You said you have children. How many are
there?
SHC: I am fifty-three. I have already revealed so much through my story, revealing my age
is really no issue. I have two sons and one daughter, and they have gotten married. I have six
grandchildren, and soon seven. Thanks for asking.
Cheng: Aren't you afraid that someone may harass or harm you?
SHC: Of course I am afraid. I am afraid of all the strange noises outside my house. At times
I suffer from insomnia.
Cheng: Did anyone attempt to hack into your computer?
SHC: I received emails warning me not to slander their Master Lu, and these people had
attempted to hack into the website to take it down. They also threatened to kill me.
Cheng: How did you survive in USA since 2000?
SHC: My first job in the States was working as a helper in a restaurant in Seattle. I bumped
into some Lu's followers there. I can tell they recognized me, but we said nothing. I was
fearful then. Later, I changed job and worked as a housekeeper with a hotel, and realized
some of my coworkers were also Lu's followers. I was naturally afraid. Later I followed my
boss to work as a home and office cleaner. My husband does not speak English, and
remained unemployed. Later, we enrolled in a short course in patient care [conducted in
Mandarin], and worked as caretakers for Chinese patients. However, there was the constant
fear of bumping into Lu's followers in Seattle, and we decided to move to New York. In New
York, while working as a cashier in a convenient store, I was apprehensive of meeting Lu's
followers. Eventually, I decided to stay home and worked as a nanny for other families, and
have been doing so for the past eleven years. I am taking care of my grandchildren now in
between some nanny jobs.
Cheng: Have you thought of retuning to Malaysia?
SHC: Never cross my mind to return. I don't want to leave USA. I am waiting for another
chance to file a new lawsuit against Lu. I also dare not return to Malaysia, as Lu has the
most followers there. It’s very easy to get rid of a person in Malaysia.
Cheng: When you filed your case against Sheng-yen Lu, he escaped instead. How did you go
through those days?
SHC: I was enrolled into the witness security program, and stayed in a temporary, secure
holding area. I was filled with fear, and suffered great mental stress. My life, everything, was
turned around, and the stress was unbearable… Sheng-yen Lu escaped. The law
enforcement side eventually closed my case. The US attorney suggested that I get my own
lawyer, and so I did. I let my lawyers do their job, and waited. They told me not to do
anything.
Frankly, I didn't know how I could have survived those days. While in the temporary holding,
I found myself in a strange environment with no Chinese, living with all female occupants of
African American and white ethnic groups. Some young, some elderly, and some with
children. My English was poor, and I preferred keeping to myself in a corner. Sometimes,
when there was a group meeting, I would get an interpreter. I was constantly in fear and
worry. My mind was filled with thoughts of my loved ones, intertwined with images of Sheng-
yen Lu bombarding me, constantly reminding me of the hideous truth that hid behind his
smile. My devotion of mind and soul had all vanished. The feeling of betrayal was beyond
description, and cannot be put into words…How could I possibly face my loved ones?
Cheng: How long did you stay in the secret holding area under the witness security program?
SHC: I stayed for several months until Lu’s escape. The law enforcement officials decided
not to press charges against Lu as he was no longer in USA, and thus posed no threat to
me. So they let me leave.
Cheng: Are you saying that Lu actually escaped while you were still under protection?
SHC: Yes.
Cheng: You mentioned in your article that guns were kept in the Ling Shen Ching Tze
Temple. Aren’t you afraid that someone may want to silent you someday?
SHC: It is easy to acquire guns in the States, and completely legal to own one. The late Fang
Qing died because of a gun-shot wound inflicted on her neck, so I was naturally very
cautious.
Cheng: Some have accused you for trying to raise money through your website by playing
the sympathy card. What do you think of this comment?
SHC: No such thing. Never cross my mind to do so. In New York, I once met the chairman
of the Malaysia Association of America (MAA), and he once thought of planning a protest in
the streets of New York against True Buddha School and Sheng-yen Lu, but later felt that
this might cause more trauma to me. My intention of pressing charges against Sheng-yen
Lu was so that Lu can be arrested, so that Lu’s evil side would be exposed. Subsequently,
the chairman suggested that I post my story online, so that everyone can learn about him
just as well. It took me one year to pen my story, ‘True Exposition of True Evil Facts of the
True Buddha School’s Founder Living Buddha Sheng-Yen Lu’.
I worked as a nanny during the day, and had time only at night to write my story. Whenever I
could not sleep, and received more inspiration, I would wake up and continue writing. Every
sentence bears my tears. Trying to complete a cohesive sentence was challenging for me. I
hope everyone can understand what I wrote.
Subsequently, there was an increase in readership, and they gave me many suggestions,
including the hope that someone can help with the legal fees, so that I can continue to press
charges against Sheng-yen Lu in the future. Taking that advice, I uploaded my legal fee
statement on my website three years ago, but till date no one has come forward to help. But
it really doesn’t matter now. I believe many are aware of the true face of Sheng-yen Lu, and
I hope they would not be as ignorant as me. How foolish I was!
Cheng: As your children grew up, how did they react to this matter?
SHC: My children are aware of the matter, but I am unsure how much they really know. They
never bring it up, like it never happened. Well, I am glad they still love me.
Cheng: What about your husband? How is he coping these days?
SHC: To him it’s been a thorn. He’s still with me, but there are times he will burst out and tell
me how stupid I was, and his words cut like a knife. I had to swallow my pride, and kept to
myself.
Cheng: When did your husband first learn of your Twin Body practice with Sheng-yen Lu?
SHC: After I decided to file charges against Lu, I called my husband from the States and
informed him.
Cheng: Was he so mad that he wanted to teach Lu a lesson?
SHC: You are asking about his initial reaction? I could not see his facial reaction over the
phone. I was afraid and shameful at that time. I wasn’t sure how I related the story to him,
but his voice seemed frozen, and he chided me for not informing him earlier of such grave
matter. The rest I couldn’t recall. All I knew was he was really mad, but he said nothing of
teaching Lu a lesson.
Cheng: How did your husband cope with the reality of the matter? You wrote that Sheng-yen
Lu told him in his face about your bad conduct.
SHC: When my husband arrived in the States, he kept to himself for a long time. It was
fortunate that the secretary of my lawyer was with him throughout the ordeal, and it was she
who brought my husband to meet Sheng-yen Lu at the Rainbow Villa in Seattle. I was
unaware of their meeting, until my husband returned and handed me a letter Lu passed to
him. He only said this to me, ‘Why?’
I could not face him. I was ashamed of myself. I didn’t know how he coped with all the things
that were happening around us, but it was only later that I found out through conversation
with the lawyer’s secretary and also my husband that my husband said nothing throughout
his meeting with Sheng-yen Lu, while Lu handed him a letter I wrote, whose content shocked
my husband. Sheng-yen Lu had the cheek to lie to my husband, telling him what sort of a
bitch I was. Lu’s words stabbed my husband’s heart, yet he was too tired to say anything
despite his anger. He knew instinctively this Sheng-yen Lu was really a bad ass.
Cheng: May I ask what was the letter about?
SHC: I wrote several letters to Lu. The one mentioned was a letter of gratitude that Sheng-
yen Lu requested from me when I was preparing to return to Malaysia. The content of the
letter included some words of gratitude and some sentences describing our relationship,
which was subsequently blacked out.
I remembered once during a consultation, Sheng-yen Lu told me I was his wife in a previous
lifetime, and wanted me to be his wife in our future lives. He wanted me to pen this
commitment in a letter, and instructed me to pass the letter to him during mealtime. When
Sheng-yen Lu walked out of the library [canteen is inside the library building], I handed him
the letter, and this was witnessed by many. That was my first letter. No wonder Lu boasted
he received many love letters from women, as he had secured them through his Casanova
ways, and used these letters as his defense. Lu is really despicable!
***Frankly, I really admire the fact that Madam Chong has a husband who loves her so
deeply, as I can’t imagine the mental stress he had to endure. Madam Chong had written
about the things told to her husband by Lu, and how the facts were twisted. I wonder if any
man could have remained by her side after all these. Madam Chong is fortunate to have a
husband who stood by her.***
Cheng: Can you ever let go of the hurt that Lu inflicted upon you?
SHC: I don’t know. It’s just that I don’t cry as often now. Yet, I can’t help it when I reply you
today. I do dream of Lu sometimes, but I would say nothing to him in the dreams, and he
would also avoid me. I would keep a safe distance between Lu and myself even in my dreams.
Cheng: Many people don’t buy your story. First, they don’t know about you, and they
suspect your motive in doing all these. Some even bought into the idea planted by Lu
insinuating that you are a devil in disguise to create chaos in his teachings.
SHC: I have already spoken and written about my true account, and all I hope is that no one
end up as superstitious and foolish as me, for the price is a lifetime of regret! There is
nothing I can do about what people choose to believe.
Cheng: Lu insinuated that you have accepted money from other religious groups to cause
damage to him, and claimed to be the victim instead. What is your view regarding this?
SHC: He can say what he likes. I can’t do a thing about what he wants to say. He answers to
his karma. I am very clear what kind of an animal he is, so what is all the talk about
compassion and Buddhahood?
Cheng: Do you think Lu’s successor, second patriarch Master Lian-ning has got something
on Lu?
SHC: Maybe! Everyone who wants to meet Lu for consultation, and practically all letters to
Lu must be vetted and arranged by Lian-ning, including the decision to close the door to the
consultation room. So Lian-ning certainly knows many things about Lu.
Cheng: What kind of a person is he?
SHC: He is addicted to power, and often reprimands the monks and nuns in the temple.
Perhaps this display of authority is necessary since he is the supervisor of the temple, but I
am aware that no one likes him in the temple, and most would keep a distance from him.
Cheng: I heard Lu has a disciple called Lotus Bao Er who had cheated many of their money.
Sheng-yen Lu trusted this person. What’s your view regarding this?
SHC: This proves to me that Sheng-yen Lu has no supernatural powers as he so claims. The
first photo posted on this webpage(http://www.shcstory.com/photos.html) is Bao Er, who
was spotted wearing shorts. She always wore shorts when she came to the temple. I have
never seen her involved in any practice sessions, yet she was given the title of a senior
instructor by Lu. It caused a stir, and many found it hard to accept.
Cheng: You said that you had contracted herpes simplex virus through Sheng-yen Lu.
Someone wrote online why didn’t you sue Lu using your herpes medical report. Basically,
they are suspicious of your motive. What is your view regarding this comment?
SHC: It never occurs to me that you can actually file a lawsuit with a herpes report. I had
uploaded the report online to let everyone know that Sheng-yen Lu has herpes as well, and if
he goes for herpes test, he would carry the same virus as I have, because I got it from him.
My apologies. I speak my mind, and if there is anything unclear you can always ask.
......More please go to the following website:
http://shcstory.com/mystory.html
