That's difficult to say. If the possessed person's conception of the Dharma is incorrect, or his or her mental attitude is bad, then no one can help. I know a few people ─ lay people as well as monks and nuns ─ like this in Taiwan. Some of them actually use these spirits, or perhaps I should say, the spirits use them. These people can be quite influential. They have a lot of power and influence over others because they can usually fulfill people's desires. They can quench people's thirst for wealth, fame, success or power, or give them temporary relief from their life burdens.

STUDENT:

Some so-called teachers claim that they can take your bad karma away from you so that you can live a less burdened life. I thought that one's karma was one's karma and couldn't be given or taken away.

SHIH-FU:

It is possible to take someone's karma away, but only for a short time. It's like owing someone money when you are in a tight squeeze. Someone can pay for you, temporarily getting you off the hook, but you still owe the money. In the end, you are responsible for your own karma. Only when your practice is extremely deep and your mind and world-view changes does your bad karma, in a sense, go away. The effects of your previous karma will still manifest, but you will no longer see it as suffering.

STUDENT:

I always thought that Sangha members (here used in the narrow sense of monastics) would be immune to interference from external spirits because they take vows and live pure lives in holy places. Aren't there all kinds of Dharma protectors to help monks and nuns?

SHIH-FU: