A Message from the Beyond: Reflections of Chang Yung-fa

The spirit of the late Chang Yung-fa, founder of the Evergreen Group, sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This interview, recorded on July 30, 2018, captures his reflections during the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies.

Venerable HaiZe: "May I ask, should I address you as the former Chairman Chang, or as the President?"

Chang Yung-fa speaks: "Of course, you must write 'President.' While it is true that one should be humble and modest, if you write 'former Chairman,' no one will pay any attention to me. So, just write 'President'! Although these worldly titles are of no use to me now, since I am still dealing with worldly affairs, these labels must still be put to use. Given my current state, calling me 'Lay Practitioner Chang' would actually be more appropriate."

The Radiance of the Dharma Assembly

"Today is already the second day of the Dharma assembly, and the venue is already packed with countless spirits who have arrived. Seeing the empty seats at the venue yesterday, my heart truly ached! Such a magnificent Dharma assembly—the entire site was illuminated by the golden light of the Buddha. The sky over Taipei was clear yesterday. Do you all know? What people in the sky thought was merely sunlight was, in fact, the Buddha-light shining upon Taipei, shining upon the north, shining upon all of Taiwan, and shining throughout the void. It is only because Practitioner Su held the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies on the eleventh floor of the Chang Yung-fa International Convention Centre that Namo Amituofo, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva were all present at the scene!"

"The Buddha-light radiating from their very bodies already covered the entire earth. Added to that were the Bodhisattvas of the pure ocean-wide assembly, as well as the thirteen ancestral masters of the Pure Land school and many other patriarchs and venerable masters, all of whom were also radiating light. When you were at the venue and Practitioner Su chanted the names of these ancestral masters, the very masters you were bowing to were also radiating light. Even I, the humble Chang Yung-fa, had light radiating from my own body! Standing here, I feel how truly insignificant I am! There are many here whom you are very familiar with; even the Old Master Guang Qin from Tucheng is present at the assembly."

The Consequences of Anger and the Path of Practice

"Over these past few days, I have been writing these letters. When I saw your situations and lost my temper, the light on my body dimmed and became a bit darker. Practice is something you cannot fake in the slightest. Therefore, I will not lose my temper today. I will speak properly and see if you will listen. Those who can hear what I say are blessed; if you put it into practice, you will gain immense benefits. You can eliminate disasters, resolve difficulties, and ensure your safety. More importantly, you will know to make vows so that in the future, you can come to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, just like me, and have light radiating from your body."

"As for those who do not listen, or those who treat these words as if they were wind blowing past their ears—those who are stubborn and think this is all a lie—then let them follow their own fate. They will not receive the light and blessings of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. They will hit walls when they are meant to hit walls, and they will complain and lament when they are meant to—blaming the heavens and the earth, yet never once reflecting on whether they themselves were in the wrong! Enough, I will not preach anymore. If my temper flares up again in a moment, I might say something harsh, and my light will dim again. It is not worth it; it is not worth it at all."

A Message to Family and the Value of True Practice

"Ah, Mei! I have written so many letters; you should take a look at them too! You have always known my heart. Whether it is truly me, Chang Yung-fa, speaking, you should know after reading them! It is just that I do not know if these letters will ever reach your hands. After passing through these layers of screening, I wonder when my children and my family will be able to see them! My anxiety is of no use. After these days of waiting and disappointment, I have learned to follow conditions. If there is no fortune and no affinity, then I must simply follow the conditions as they are."

"I am very busy. Having said all this, many more spirits have arrived at the venue, and I must take responsibility for maintaining order. This is a role I fought for; otherwise, there are so many spirits who wish to cultivate this fortune! I only wish that those empty seats at the venue could have been filled by my family, or that our employees from the Evergreen Group could have come to participate! Ah! Such a thought is selfish; one must not have such a small mind-capacity. I should instead say that I hope many people with good fortune can come to participate in the Dharma assembly. Practitioner Su, the Venerable, and the lay practitioners are true practitioners. They do not know how to promote themselves; they are honest, down-to-earth practitioners. That is why they possess the skills they have today—the ability to help people heal their illnesses and send sentient beings to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. In the underworld and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, they are extremely famous, yet in the human world, very few people know of them. Chang Yung-fa has always had extraordinary insight and foresight, which is how I was able to create the Evergreen enterprise and the Evergreen Group. If I were still alive, I would do everything in my power to support the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre!"

Namo Amituofo.