A tour in China for a group of Malaysians turned tragic when the bus they were travelling in plunged down a ravine. This happened in the north-eastern Shanxi province of China on 2 nd June 2006. Four people died and several others suffered serious injuries. Three of the deceased had their bodies cremated in China and their ashes brought back to Penang.

The ashes of Ooi Hoay Chin and Heah Hooi Suan were interred in San Sheng Dian of Than Hsiang Temple on Saturday, 10 th June 2006 following a simple ceremony conducted by the Abbot of Than Hsiang Temple, Venerable Wei Wu. Venerable Wei Wu gave a Dharma talk on the Cause and Effect to the more than 200 people present.

In his Dharma talk, Venerable Wei Wu said that the teaching on Cause and Effect is the most fundamental Buddhist Teaching. He told the story of how Yuan Liao Fan was able to change the life predicted for him by doing thousands of meritorious deeds. Venerable Wei Wu taught that Cause and Effect operates in the past, present and future:

“If you wish to know your past, look at your present effects;
If you wish to know your future, look at your present actions!

Venerable Wei Wu taught that it was due to their collective karma that the group of people was in the bus that rolled down the ravine. It was due to their individual karma that each suffered varying degrees of injuries and death. The Tibetan Teachings on Karma taught that the relationship between Cause and Effect is certain. In order to have good karma in future, Venerable Wei Wu said we have to sow the seeds of meritorious actions now by practising the Five Precepts of not killing, not taking the not given, not committing sexual misconduct, not giving false speech, and not taking intoxicants; or the Ten Precepts:

1. Abstention from killing
2. Abstention from taking the not given
3. Abstention from sexual misconduct
4. Abstention from false speech
5. Abstention from slander
6. Abstention from harsh speech
7. Abstention from idle speech
8. Abstention from coveting
9. Abstention from malice
10. Abstention from wrong view.

After the Dharma talk, chanting of prayers took place, after which, the ashes of Ooi and Heah were taken to San Sheng Dian and interred there.