This is a record of an interview with Mengchang Jun, a nobleman from the Warring States period of China, who sought at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Nature. This account reflects upon his life approximately 2,300 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on March 31, 2026.
Mengchang Jun speaks:
". I am Tian Wen, known to history as Mengchang Jun. At this moment, I am residing in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and I accept this interview with a heart full of . The world of spirits is truly something I never understood during my time in the human realm.
I was born into the royal family of the Qi State. In the customs of that time, the date of my birth was considered an ill omen. My father ordered me to be abandoned, fearing I would bring about his death. My mother, however, possessed great wisdom; she secretly raised me, waiting for the right moment to reveal my identity to my father. Although she knew this would displease him, she chose to preserve my life. She had recognised my intelligence and keen wit from a very young age and held great confidence in me. As she predicted, after a formal recognition, I was rightfully returned to the clan. Through many conversations with my father, I demonstrated my extraordinary wisdom and capabilities, eventually earning his trust and heavy responsibilities. My reputation grew among the feudal lords, and after my father passed away, I inherited his title and became Mengchang Jun.
The Art of Winning Hearts
I possessed a unique talent: I understood the value of respecting the wise and lowering myself to serve the capable. For the talented scholars and skilled individuals who sought my patronage—and even for those who had no particular specialty—I treated them all with absolute sincerity. I could perceive their needs, and my approach was simple: I fulfilled them without any conditions. Consequently, many capable people were willing to pledge their loyalty to me. I invested my heart into these relationships, making them feel that they were special and close to me. This was not a deception; it was truly the mindset with which I interacted with them. Many considered this my greatest political strength, but to me, it was simply an understanding of the human heart. It was a natural way of being.
Yet, my fame brought with it great crises. Once, the King of Qin invited me to serve as his chancellor, only to later plot to take my life. During my escape, I passed through the Zhao State. Some locals mocked me, saying that despite my reputation for wisdom, I was physically small. In a moment of uncontrollable rage, I led my followers to massacre an entire county before fleeing. I regretted it deeply afterwards, but the deed was done. It remains a major stain on my life—a dark secret I never dared to mention to others.
The Burden of Past Deeds
I had three thousand retainers, among whom Feng Xuan was the most helpful. He assisted me in securing the hearts of the people in the Xue region and helped me maintain my position as chancellor. For decades, he supported me, and his loyalty stemmed from the fact that I treated him with genuine sincerity. This was the greatest merit of my life: regardless of their skills or talents, I gave my retainers the best I could and treated them with the utmost integrity.
Regarding my heirs, I did consider the succession, but I had to admit that among my many sons, none were truly capable of upholding the Xue region. I understood this clearly. In an era of constant warfare and chaos, whether they could stand on their own depended on their own destiny. Furthermore, managing three thousand retainers was no easy task. I provided my sons with all the resources I could; the rest was up to them. It was a principle of mine never to worry about my children. I felt that having children and then constantly fretting over them was too exhausting—a burden I could not bear.
From Hell to the Western Land
I was very fortunate in that life; I suffered no major illnesses and passed away naturally. Yet, after death, I descended into the hells. While I was surprised, I was not entirely shocked. I knew I was not a good person; I had committed many evil deeds. When the King of Hell listed my sins, I was speechless. I suffered in the hells for one thousand eight hundred years. After leaving, I became a lonely wandering spirit, drifting across the land of China for nearly five hundred years.
I am incredibly fortunate to have been saved during Practitioner Su’s recent great Chao Du in China. Suddenly, a powerful golden light struck me from the sky, and in an instant, I was guided by that light into the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This realm, established by Practitioner Su after attaining Buddhahood, is different from my former fiefdom of Xue. It cannot be taken away; it is a world that belongs to Practitioner Su forever.
The of Practitioner Su
Practitioner Su uses this inconceivable Western Land of Dharma Nature as a foundation. Through the power of his , he uses countless manifestations to lead Namo Amituofo in saving immeasurable and boundless suffering beings. This is the brilliance of Practitioner Su. He places these suffering spirits into this pure and bright land, allowing everyone—just like me—to sit upon lotus seats, listen to the sutras, and hear the Dharma. We are bathed in the Buddha-light 24/7, and those with karmic affinity can even behold the compassionate and auspicious characteristics of Namo Amituofo. Wow, this is truly a magnificent achievement; I admire it deeply.
During my one thousand eight hundred years of suffering in the hells, I felt profound repentance. I realised that the laws of and cause and effect cannot be escaped. If one creates negative karma and harms others, one must pay the price. During my life, I committed so many evil acts. Even though I thrived during that era of competing heroes, it was merely the result of accumulated in past lives; it did not mean I was a truly benevolent person. For instance, I once collected high-interest loans from the people in my fiefdom, only stopping after Feng Xuan’s advice. That is but one example.
The most glaring instance was the massacre in the Zhao State. Every life taken there represents a karmic debt I must repay. When I think about it, the sins I committed throughout my life are countless. Alas, how can I ever repay them?
The Truth of the Temporary Body
Fortunately, I have arrived in the Western Land of Dharma Nature and have been given the opportunity for a rebirth. Otherwise, I would not know how to face the errors I have caused. As I listen to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks, I understand more deeply that my greatest failure in life was treating this body as real. Everything I did, thought, and planned was for the sake of this body, driven by my own selfishness.
Oh! It is such a simple truth, yet how many people fail to see it? Practitioner Su’s teachings reveal the facts: selfishness is the root of negative karma. Because people live for this body, they cling to an 'I'. As long as there is an 'I', one must pay a painful price. My time in the hells is the best example. I spent my entire life managing and operating this 'I'. I did not know that is actually false—merely borrowed. The true task is to use this 'temporary' body to find the 'eternal' truth, to cherish this precious human body, to elevate the quality of one's spiritual life, and even to realise one's true nature and attain Buddhahood. That is the only way to truly utilise this precious human body.
The Universal Principle
Therefore, it is vital for those with a body to receive Buddhist education. Without guidance, how could one possibly realise these truths on one's own? The Buddhist education at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre teaches the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. This is the true Great Dharma, allowing everyone to learn how to be in sync with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, and eventually become a practitioner of them. At that point, one can be called a 'Buddha'. Practitioner Su is a successful example; he has truly learned what Namo Amituofo teaches and has gained the benefits of being free from aging, free from illness, and the spirit does not die.
The term 'space' is something I only learned after arriving in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. The human body is a vast universe; within every cell, there is space. Countless wait within these cellular spaces, seeking revenge against their debtors. Looking at the vast land of China, there is so much space.
This time, Practitioner Su, in his great compassion and with a sincere vow, has delivered the entire nation of China. He has opened the deep, deep spaces of China—the spaces of five thousand, even ten thousand years of history. To achieve this, the basic requirement is to be like Practitioner Su: an awakened being who has attained Buddhahood and achieved the Dharma Body. Because the power of the Dharma Body can open these spaces, and by chanting the Holy Name 'Namo Amituofo', he can open the spaces of China’s history, allowing immeasurable and boundless suffering spirits to have the opportunity to leave those spaces. So many spirits, under the illumination of the Buddha’s golden light, have joyfully entered the light to welcome a new life.
The Power of the Buddha-Light
During the five hundred years I spent as a lonely wandering spirit drifting across China, I witnessed everything that happened in the world. Indeed, in the ghost realm, one possesses the divine powers of reading minds, spiritual travel, knowing past lives, divine hearing, and the heavenly eye. However, I have discovered that the spiritual travel I possessed as a ghost is worlds apart from Practitioner Su’s abilities—it is beyond description.
Watching Practitioner Su’s Chao Du from the Land of Dharma Nature, I can see that in a single instant, he can use countless manifestations to cover all of China, radiating the . In other words, the entire nation of China is instantly enveloped in the Buddha-light emitted by Practitioner Su. In the snap of a finger, his countless manifestations surround the entire country, sweeping away all the demon crowds and bringing them into the Western Land of Dharma Nature. The scene is truly spectacular! To see the countless black torrents being swept into the Western Land of Dharma Nature under the illumination of the Buddha-light is overwhelming.
Regarding the demon crowds, I only gradually understood them after coming to the Land of Dharma Nature. I did not know there existed such spiritual lives—tending towards black, representing the power of darkness. I never imagined there were so many such spiritual lives in China. If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I could not have believed it, as these black spiritual lives can exert a tremendous influence on other spiritual lives.
Especially for the people of China, when there are many demon crowds nearby, their body energy weakens, and their spiritual life becomes polluted. Practitioner Su, in his compassion, is delivering the demon crowds of China day and night without rest to save the people.
A Debt of Gratitude
I can see that every time Practitioner Su sweeps away the demon crowds in China, the magnetic field of the entire country becomes clearer. Many people who were originally influenced by the demon crowds see their spiritual state shift from dim to bright. This is truly a great kindness and virtue that Practitioner Su has bestowed upon China! I have seen Practitioner Su endure counter-attacks from the demon crowds in order to deliver them; this is what is called 'bearing the suffering for sentient beings.' Even more impressive is that once he is attacked, he immediately knows the hidden locations of these demon crowds and quickly uses his countless manifestations to bring them all into the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This is truly the inexhaustible power and virtue of a Buddha. Such great power makes me marvel.
Practitioner Su hopes to let more people know that Namo Amituofo is residing at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and to let more people receive Buddhist education. In fact, this gives people the opportunity to be like Practitioner Su, to gain the magnificent benefits of being free from aging, free from illness, and the spirit does not die. More importantly, as long as one follows the teachings of Namo Amituofo, one can gain the same abilities as Practitioner Su, to save all suffering beings and truly help them leave suffering and gain happiness. This is truly a most valuable thing.
I lived my entire life for myself, never truly utilising this human body, and created countless sins. Now, I make a vow: in the future, I too will dedicate myself to sentient beings just like Practitioner Su. In this way, not only will I not create negative karma, but I will also elevate my own spiritual life in the process of saving others. It is a double benefit. I hope that when I obtain a human body again, I can truly recover my original nature, realise my true nature and attain Buddhahood, and save all suffering beings. Then, this precious human body will not have been wasted.
Now, every day in the Land of Dharma Nature, I diligently chant the Holy Name 'Namo Amituofo'. I am very grateful for these joyful and peaceful days. Thank you, Practitioner Su and Namo Amituofo, for your deliverance, which allowed my lonely, suffering soul to be saved and gave me the opportunity for a rebirth.
Gratitude to Namo Amituofo. Gratitude to Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."
Mengchang Jun
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