A Merchant’s Vision for the Dharma

This is a record of an interview with Lin Qingbao, a former wealthy merchant and educator from the Ming Dynasty, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon his life approximately 300 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on April 11, 2026.

Lin Qingbao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am deeply grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for arranging this interview. I am Lin Qingbao, a proud and upright Chinese man. I have lost track of how long I have been gone from the human world; I feel that my time away is even longer than the previous three interviewees. Looking back now, it feels as though I left the human realm several hundred years ago. I lived during the Ming Dynasty, so it has been at least three hundred years since my time!

A Merchant’s Life in the Ming Dynasty

During the Ming Dynasty, I was a merchant active across many regions and various sectors. I am often categorised as both a merchant and an educator because, alongside my extensive business operations, I was deeply passionate about investing in education. I established numerous schools in remote areas far from the imperial court, nurturing many talented scholars and ensuring that people, regardless of their location, had the opportunity to receive an education. At that time, education was primarily based on the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, with the Four Books and Five Classics being essential reading. My philosophy was to help people truly understand these teachings, so that through learning, they could become better individuals and contribute to the betterment of society and the nation.

Many of the brilliant students from these schools eventually joined my business ventures, inheriting my commercial work and managing operations with the principles of Confucianism. My businesses were vast, dealing in cotton, tea, and even rare spices. Many of these products were considered luxuries at the time, and some were even favoured by the imperial family. My business was at its peak, flourishing like the midday sun, which provided me with the surplus wealth to dedicate myself to the cause of education.

The Turning Point: Deliverance by Practitioner Su

But enough about my past. I am here today because when Practitioner Su came to China to perform a grand Chao Du, my spirit was drifting in Foshan, Guangdong. It was because of this great act of deliverance by Practitioner Su that I was finally granted a new life. In the place where I resided, there were many spirits like me who were simultaneously drawn into the light. Although our identities and statuses in life were different, I could clearly see that the space was becoming less crowded with spiritual beings, as so many had already migrated to the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I am one of the fortunate ones.

Speaking of today, the task Practitioner Su has assigned to me—to help the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre find financial support—fills me with profound emotion. Having once been a wealthy merchant, and now having come to know the Western Land of Dharma Nature, as well as Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I have dedicated my heart and soul to learning the Buddha’s teachings here.

The Burden of No Human Body

If I still possessed a human body, I would, without a moment’s hesitation, invest all my surplus wealth into the construction and educational endeavours of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I would not leave a single cent for my descendants, because this is the only truly meaningful pursuit—a cause that can genuinely save people across the entire world, and indeed, all sentient beings in the Dharma realm. It is a truly magnificent undertaking. It is a pity that I, Lin Qingbao, no longer have a human body; thinking about it now, I am filled with deep reflection.

Looking at the situation now, I can see that although mainland China is a country where Buddhist education is almost non-existent, there are still many people who rely on the Buddha’s teachings as a spiritual anchor. Statistics show that while China is officially a secular country, the number of people who identify as Buddhist is over one percent. Do not underestimate this one percent. In a communist country, having over one percent of the population believing in the Buddha’s teachings—given the sheer scale of China’s population—is actually a massive number. Of course, I would not dare to claim that all these people are devout Buddhists; they simply feel they need a religion rather than being non-religious.

The Reality of Faith in China

Looking back, I can see the suffering of the people in China. Their suffering stems from having no direction, no outlet, and no spiritual anchor. Their inner world is more impoverished and lacking than that of many surrounding nations. Although China has a deep-rooted five-thousand-year culture, how many people are truly able to immerse their body, heart, and spirit in this vast heritage? Most people are still struggling for their families, for their daily meals, and for the future they hope to build. The inner void in people’s hearts is profound, which is why the world today feels so scattered and uneasy.

Looking at that one percent who believe in the Buddha’s teachings, there are many among them who have a high yearning for the Truth. Although they cannot access much information in such a closed environment, they still strive to search outward to fill the emptiness within. Some of them have found a direction and have come to know Namo Amituofo and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, but they have not found a true exit point that provides them with a complete understanding. Not to mention the difficulty of obtaining a comprehensive Buddhist education. In mainland China, this is an incredibly difficult task.

Navigating the Search for Support

Since the Cultural Revolution, the dissemination of Buddhist education has seemingly changed, but in reality, the deep-seated obstacles have not shifted much. This is because the leadership itself is firmly non-religious. The Communist Party does not permit the rise of religion, though it may tolerate it; it simply does not promote it. This is a great pity, but it is the truth of the situation.

I have read information from the Alaya consciousness of the people in China, and it reveals that finding financial support in China is extremely difficult. Due to national restrictions, various groups operate through collective voting, and it is rare for anything to proceed without government oversight and public scrutiny. In such an environment, independent financial support for a Buddhist group is almost impossible. While many high-level executives in large corporations may practice Buddhism, if they were to donate in the name of the corporation, they would need the consensus of all employees and even the Communist Party members within the company. Since every company has many party members, any attempt to push for such funding would immediately face severe opposition.

Therefore, in China, we should not be looking for corporate groups, but rather focusing on wealthy independent individuals. This is the information I have read from the Alaya consciousness of the Chinese people. If these wealthy individuals are willing to invest their personal wealth in the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in ways they deem safe, it is not a difficult task. Many wealthy merchants transfer large amounts of capital overseas to pursue spiritual elevation or to realise their ideals, making this a viable possibility. This is a clear fact in the circle of wealthy merchants: their vast wealth cannot be utilised as they wish within China, but once transferred overseas, it can be put to proper use. This is the only path that can be executed under the current strict religious blockade in mainland China.

A Strategic Path Forward

Regarding the possibility of all this, I know in my heart that the support the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre seeks is not from ordinary groups, but from wealthy individuals who truly believe that Namo Amituofo resides at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and who share the same mission of saving the world as Practitioner Su. This is the target Practitioner Su is looking for. Only then can their wealth be truly utilised to save the world and help the children of today.

Such wealthy individuals must genuinely believe in Namo Amituofo from the bottom of their hearts and vow to follow the Buddha to save the world. Such a heart is extremely precious. Although the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has not yet encountered such individuals, I believe that as the awareness of the Centre grows deeper and broader in mainland China, and with many local devotees actively promoting the temple, the outlook remains optimistic.

The current priorities must be as follows:

First, perform our current promotional and core duties well.

Second, expand our welcome to fellow practitioners and supporters from mainland China, inviting them to come to the temple for short-term study to understand how the temple truly operates:

• (a) Help them promote the temple more appropriately after they return home.
• (b) Allow more people to come here to be bathed in Buddha-light and purify their body, heart, and spirit.
• (c) Through short or long-term stays (such as staying for a few months), they can receive direct guidance and education from Practitioner Su.

Third, elevate the spirituality and capability of the devotees:

• (a) Enable devotees to improve their spirituality and truly make the vow to save the world.
• (b) This will make them more adept when they return to mainland China to promote the teachings.

If more Chinese people with good roots and blessings can come to the temple, any future work related to the temple in mainland China will become much smoother.

Furthermore, it is evident that most people currently applying for Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre come from mainland China, and the number of devotees continues to grow. This is very encouraging and positive news. We should seize this opportunity to more actively promote the fact that Namo Amituofo truly abides at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I believe that when the time is right, everything will fall into place.

I firmly believe in Namo Amituofo and the Law of Cause, Condition, and Effect. As Practitioner Su says: when sentient beings have enough blessings, that is when the Buddha will manifest on the stage. I believe this without a doubt. As long as we do our own part, without being overly attached or having too many messy thoughts, and honestly follow the Buddha, everything will surely turn out for the best! Therefore, the method I recommend to Practitioner Su is a long-term plan: focus on doing our current promotional work well. When the conditions are ripe, we can more actively encourage people from mainland China to come to the temple and promote it back home. Everything depends on Causal Conditions; it cannot be forced. Watching Practitioner Su’s heart to save the world, and the intense desire to save the Chinese people, I am deeply moved and have made the vow to follow the Buddha’s path.

Although I no longer have this physical shell, I can at least speak a few words that I hope are sensible. I hope the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre continues to flourish and becomes known to all the world.

Namo Amituofo.

Lin Qingbao"