A Thirty-One Trillion-Year-Old Demon's Path to Awakening

This is a record of an interview with Mo Tanna, a primordial demon who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Queensland, Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon his existence spanning 310 trillion years. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on April 28, 2025.

Mo Tanna speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Mo Tanna, the primordial demon from the Dharma Realm who has existed for 310 trillion years, and I am here to be interviewed today. Can you guess what the most common sound is in this place? We are currently at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Some of you may be familiar with this centre, while others may find it entirely new. Regardless, please remember this: the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre on Earth is the place where Namo Amituofo abides. Keep this point firmly in your heart, and you will be on the right path.

The Sound of Deliverance

What is the one phrase that beings here hear most often? Can anyone answer? That is correct—it is 'Namo Amituofo.' This six-character name is the most frequent sound heard at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. The Buddha-name is broadcast here twenty-four hours a day without interruption. We beings in the Western Land of Dharma Nature hear the same sound; the chanting of 'Namo Amituofo' resonates for us twenty-four hours a day as well. The people here—the fourfold assembly—have a tacit understanding that before every meal, they chant the Buddha-name ten times. We often hear these 'ten chants of the Buddha-name.' I tell you, whenever we in the Western Land of Dharma Nature hear these ten chants, we automatically press our palms together and begin chanting Namo Amituofo ourselves. This is a wonderful reminder; it keeps us from forgetting Namo Amituofo and reminds us old demons how we came to live such stable, bright lives in the Western Land of Dharma Nature: it is because Namo Amituofo saved us.

The Strength of the Buddha-Vow

Yes, that is exactly how it is! To the Demon Kings who are currently casting spells against Practitioner Su, I must say: 'Do not let your pride prevent you from turning back. Do not simply say that Practitioner Su is merely a practitioner in the human world, or that he is just an ordinary man. We old demons are all tall and powerful, yet we are being subdued by him? Do not forget who stands behind Practitioner Su—it is Namo Amituofo!' Therefore, you demon crowds should be secretly glad and fortunate for this powerful combination. If Practitioner Su had not made his Great Vow to save the demon crowds, Namo Amituofo would not be able to intervene; if Namo Amituofo were not behind him, with his Buddha-light shining everywhere as a pillar of support, Practitioner Su might not be able to save so many old demons. It is precisely because of this combination that the number of demon beings saved is immeasurable and boundless. To put it in my own words, it is a 'total sweep'—ha!

Wherever the Buddha-light shines, the demon beings touched by it enter the light and head toward the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This happens quickly, but experiencing it is even faster! The power of the Buddha’s teachings is truly visible. This has caused many old demons in the Dharma Realm to appear; some want to resist, some want to defend and protect the Demon Realm, and some even cast spells against Practitioner Su. I remember when I first entered a deep meditative state and heard about Practitioner Su's various actions, I also had the thought of casting spells to deal with him. Fortunately, I did not act on it, or the collective karma I would have created would have been immense! Therefore, I now urge those demon crowds who are still casting spells against Practitioner Su: he is currently giving Dharma talks, so stop your stubbornness. You know in your hearts what the consequences will be. Although Practitioner Su has a human body, and we old demons thought he could not withstand our spells, the facts prove that the Buddha-heart can withstand all attacks from the demon crowds. His physical body is covered in wounds, yet he insists on saving us. Every being in the Western Land of Dharma Nature sees this clearly.

A World of Spiritual Clarity

The Western Land of Dharma Nature is a spiritual world composed of the Buddha-heart, the Buddha-vow, and the true self; therefore, it is extremely sensitive. Every being here is refreshed and clear-headed; no one is drowsy or muddled. Even when we take a brief rest, we close our eyes for only a moment before opening them again. From this, you can see the vast difference between a polluted world and a pure one! I say these things today to remind those demon crowds and old demons who are still casting spells: please stop. No matter how much you cast, you will only deplete your own demonic power and create heavy karmic retribution. Any old demon with a bit of understanding should know this. The Buddha is not someone you can treat lightly. The Buddha comes to save sentient beings, and we are among those beings. Any old demon who understands even a little bit of the Buddha’s teachings should know this.

This is a universal phenomenon. For all demon crowds, the ultimate destination of their spirits is either to wither away or to be consumed by the laws of karma and cause and effect; however, there is now a new path—the path of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This is a brand-new opportunity for life. The past is clear, and now is a time for a fresh start; this is a precious beginning. In my 310 trillion years, this is the first time I have encountered such a situation.

A Message to My Descendants

By saying this, I am also telling all the demon crowds who hear my words. 310 trillion years is not a short time. I have many descendants, whether they come from my own lineage or from other old demons. As long as you have the opportunity to hear what I say, listen and obey; you will not go wrong. I am an elder in the Demon Realm, so it is inevitable that I will say a few extra words to my juniors; do not think I am nagging. Sometimes I do not want to speak, but this time I was specifically called upon by Namo Amituofo, so I must speak. Where should I begin? Let us start with the 'small life of a demon.' I will tell it as quickly as I can.

I am a life from a previous era. After withering away underground, during a certain opportunity 310 trillion years ago, a large amount of energy suddenly appeared underground and seeped in from the surface. There are many types of energy, both positive and negative. What entered that time was negative—the energy of demon nature. This land was truly thoroughly polluted. The demonic energy was extremely powerful; as soon as it poured into the ground, it awakened those lives that had already withered—and I was one of them. When I emerged from the ground to the surface, there were naturally beings on the surface to receive and raise us little lives. Every day they gave us some energy, just like humans raising children, feeding them so they could slowly grow up. We grow by relying on energy; that is how it is on our planet.

Therefore, I was a demon from childhood. At first, I was a 'demon grandchild,' then I grew into a 'demon child,' and eventually I became a 'Demon King.' Along the way, I had no choice and no room for change; I could only accept the external environment and education. So, I can say I was a demon through and through. Demons raised in such an environment do not know what 'Goodness' is. Robbing, stealing, scheming, fighting, competing in strength, and competing in intellect—these are all our instincts. Whoever wins survives, and the loser is devoured or eliminated. In short, I grew up until I became a Demon King. To be a Demon King, one must have ability; without ability, one cannot lead the demon children and grandchildren. What is my ability? My eyes and ears are extremely sensitive; I never forget what I have seen, and I remember clearly what I have heard. In terms of the Buddha’s teachings, this sensitivity of the senses needs to be purified. But I was not purified; I was polluted from the moment I was born. Negative energy entered my six roots, but why did I still have such abilities?

The Trap of the Senses

Truth be told, it is because in my past lives, I worked hard on my eye and ear roots, so they were particularly sensitive. Consequently, when I saw good things, I would discard them; when I saw bad things, I would take them in. This is the characteristic of demon beings. When the ears hear good words, they just pass by, but when they hear bad words, they remember them particularly clearly. The Buddha’s teachings educate us: 'Do not look at what is bad; do not let it enter your eye consciousness. If you must look, look at what is good. Even if you see something bad, you must have the Wisdom to turn it into something good.' This truly requires considerable Wisdom and cultivation to achieve. But we demon beings do not do that. As for the ears, the Buddha’s teachings say: 'Even if you hear bad words, you must know how to shift your thoughts and turn them into Goodness.' Only then can you transform invisible power into tangible reality. I fully believe that the Buddha’s teachings indeed have this energy and ability. But in real life, do people really possess this ability? I entered a deep meditative state to observe, and recently I saw someone who has this ability: Practitioner Su. As for others... it seems their ability needs strengthening. That is why there is a reason he can subdue so many demon beings.

When you become a Demon King, everyone treats you with respect. But if you lack real strength, you will soon be struck down. Without true ability, you cannot last long; eventually, you will be overthrown, and someone else will take your place. The Demon Realm is like this, but the Buddha’s teachings are not. The Buddha’s teachings are based on compassion; even toward the worst beings, the Buddha uses the most compassionate and wise methods to guide them, hoping to help them so that they may eventually become Buddhas. Such a heart and Wisdom are truly admirable! I did not believe such power existed in this world before, because I had never seen or heard of it. But now I deeply feel the Buddha’s compassion and impartial equality; this is the power that can truly deliver demon beings. To put it bluntly, this is like an 'arbitrator' in the universe. Without such ability or cultivation, one cannot pass the demon’s barrier, nor can one realize one's true nature. Those who have realized their true nature can certainly subdue demons.

The Truth About Demonic Attraction

Therefore, everyone at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre must know: if you are attacked by demons one day, do not blindly think that demons are all evil. Instead, first reflect on yourself and see if you have similar thoughts or ideas in your heart. Are you not firm enough, which is why you are being swayed and why your demon nature is manifesting? Demon nature is not something that cannot be seen. In this world, who does not have demon nature? Who is not greedy? Who does not get angry? Who is not deluded? And the most deluded are those addicted to the love between men and women. I tell you: many people are addicted to women because they are possessed by a 'female demon'! I have seen this with my own eyes, and I want to warn everyone. If the other person were just an ordinary woman without that kind of attraction, you might not be interested. But if she is possessed by a female demon, her attraction becomes particularly strong. Even if she looks ordinary or has some flaws, strangely enough, you will be attracted to her. This is called 'fatal attraction'! Please keep your heads clear! If a man falls for such a woman, be careful—the man himself becomes a target for the female demon to suck his energy! So, I am telling you this problem. Once you know, you will understand the truth of the matter and know what to do. Be smarter; do not be attracted by the fleeting illusions before your eyes. It is not easy to embark on the path of practice and chanting the Buddha’s name, only to have it all destroyed in the end! This is truly not worth it. These words are not from Practitioner Su; they are from me—an old demon of 310 trillion years. You might as well listen to them!

At this moment, in the Land of Dharma Nature, there is no one around me with a bad heart, no one who is like a demon; on the contrary, they are closer to the Buddha than people are. Because there is Buddha-light shining there at all times, under such conditions, one might soon be able to attain the Buddha’s path. That is what I think, although I do not know if it can be realized, but this is my wish, and I hope to achieve it soon. However, I also understand that I have done so many harmful things; how could it be so simple? It is just that, hearing Practitioner Su speak, it sounds quite easy.

The Master of Dharma

Practitioner Su is a master of giving Dharma talks; he really is a master. Whatever he says comes naturally, and it is all Dharma. Moreover, he says clearly what should be said and does not say what should not be said. He does not keep in his heart what should be let go of, because what is kept in the heart is an obstacle. He has already realized his true nature; what kind of practice does he still need? His practice is the deliverance of sentient beings. Strangely, it feels as if I am the one practicing, which is why I have such an understanding. It is shameful to say, but I was a practitioner in my past life. How did I end up becoming a demon in this lifetime? Such things are actually not uncommon. In the world of practice, such situations happen often. Because there are knots in the heart, if one does not have the opportunity to meet a Buddha, Bodhisattva, or true spiritual friend to guide and stop those improper thoughts and anger, one easily falls into the demon path and is absorbed by the Demon Realm.

In fact, when improper thoughts arise—whether it is greed, delusion, doubt, or arrogance—if one can immediately meet a Buddha, Bodhisattva, or true spiritual friend to correct them, that would be good. Although the scene might not be very pleasant at the time and the words might not be easy to hear, think about it: in the entire universe, in the entire world, only Practitioner Su can do such a thing. Only he can make the demon beings on your body, the demon beings in your heart, and even other beings, truly convinced. Once they are truly convinced, it is easy to invite them to leave. As a former monastic, I would call Practitioner Su’s behavior in the spiritual realm 'doing the opposite of the norm.'

Generally speaking, a Venerable should be respectful to followers, and Venerables should treat each other with courtesy. But the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is very special; such a way of shouting to stop and teaching requires true cultivation to do. If one does not have the cultivation but wants to teach people this way, everyone would have run away long ago, ha! But if you choose to leave at this time, you are the one who will suffer the loss. Do not do that; smart people should be even smarter! We can also read your hearts. If someone really wants to leave here, there is only one outcome. If Practitioner Su is still in the human world and has not returned to the Western Pure Land, you still have hope of being guided by him to the West. But once Practitioner Su returns to the West, based on what I see now, no one will be able to reach the West. I am telling the truth! Do not let these words go in one ear and out the other; be careful and vigilant. This cycle of rebirth is no joke.

The Reality of Rebirth

You may ask: 'Why are you a demon being, yet you say such things?' Because I see that in the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies, almost every being who comes to seek Chao Du is a being in the cycle of rebirth. Are demon beings not among them? The suffering endured by demon beings is extremely intense. Their personalities are strong, so strong that they create great evil. Is this not a being in the cycle of rebirth? Another verifiable fact is: in people’s Alaya consciousness, they can actually see their past appearances. Many people were once part of the Demon Realm. It does not necessarily have to be a demon of the Dharma Realm; there are many demon beings on Earth and in the heavens beyond the heavens, and they are actually very close to humans. There are also demons from other realms, which are everywhere. Demons from other realms are those demon beings from worlds with very strange appearances; they really exist. In the human memory bank, one can indeed see that almost everyone has been a demon being. Therefore, many people have been attacked by the Demon Realm, and there are causal conditions for it. If they attack you, it means they have a connection with you. This connection may come from a past life or this lifetime. But in any case, there is no meeting without a connection, and they will not bother you casually. So, in the end, you have to blame yourself; do not blame the demon beings. If you can be as upright and selfless as Practitioner Su, demon beings will not dare to trouble you. Even if they cast spells to attack your body, they have their own purposes, and the laws of karma will not let them go. Although I almost did such a thing myself...

I just mentioned the situation on my planet; where was I? After becoming a Demon King, I took over the demonic group force established by the previous Demon King. It can be considered lucky that I did not create too much negative karma and had the foundation of such a group. Until the end of the 310 trillion years, that is, in the last 100 trillion years, I began to have a thought: I did not want to stay in the Demon Realm anymore. Honestly, I have seen enough, and I have said enough. Perhaps I was able to stay in the Demon Realm by luck without being taken away by the laws of karma because I was still of some use. The older I got, the more I wanted to stop; I really did not want to do these things anymore. Seeing some demon children and grandchildren being too impulsive, I reminded them: 'Restrain yourselves! Everything will eventually return to you. Good things will, and bad things will too. If you take making others suffer as your ability in the Demon Realm, then in the end, all the suffering will return to you. Then how will your suffering be calculated? Can you really bear it?' The smart demon beings who listened to my words at least stopped doing it, which is not bad; after all, they could still listen to a little advice. So, in these last 100 trillion years, I have spent my time this way. This mood is like when someone in the human world is preparing to retire; they have some deep feelings or set some reasons for themselves to leave their work.

By the way, 'work' is actually a huge dyeing vat, and it pollutes very quickly. Fortunately, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, everything done is as a volunteer; it is unconditional giving, unconditional receiving, and then unconditional letting go, letting go again, and handing it over to sentient beings—especially merit. Merit is like the gold and silver treasures of the human world. The more virtuous a practitioner is, the more powerful their merit is. Merit cannot be bought with wealth; it cannot be exchanged.

A Final Resting Place

Returning to the topic, at that time, I also wanted to find a place to be quiet. This seems to be a subject that old demons face in the later stages of their lives, just like the elderly in the human world; when they get old, they do not like to move as much and want to stay in one place. Practitioner Su is eighty years old, yet he still speaks and walks with such energy every day; how many beings in the human world envy that! We beings in the Demon Realm see it and also feel it is truly extraordinary.

The human body, honestly, is a very troublesome existence. But it is also a good place for sentient beings to live, including the karmic creditors on one's own body. This body is so useful, which is a good thing for demon beings, but for true practice, it is truly 'losing the wife and the army'—it is not worth it at all! So I have said many cautionary words today. I said whatever came to mind, lest I miss something in the end, which would be a pity. You might think it is 'the same old story,' but for us, this is not just casual talk; this is the first time a spiritual life has encountered such a situation.

Furthermore, I wanted to find a place to live in seclusion and settle down. 100 trillion years is not a short time, and this is also the homework for old demons: where should I enter a deep meditative state? I finally found a position in the corner of a wall; this is a way of seclusion often used by us old demons—it is not easily disturbed. Most demon beings look for places to meditate deep in the earth or in other vast spaces, but few old demons think of such corners. I bid farewell to the high-profile, prominent role I had in the Demon Realm—the demon being.

Now that I have come to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, some might think I am old and my memory has degenerated? Actually, no. Here, I receive the illumination of the Buddha-light, my body and mind are cleansed of filth, my Goodness grows, and my spirituality is getting better and better. After coming to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, you will know that the universe is so large and there are such special places. You will see a large group of beings going up and down, constantly revolving; so are they humans or ghosts? At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, talking about 'ghosts' is not taboo at all—there are ghosts and spirits everywhere. Even if you really meet one, you will not feel anything, because the environment here is just like that. Some demon beings will react to seeing certain people or hearing certain words, but I no longer have any discriminations.

A Call to Action

I want to say to my demon children and grandchildren: if you can listen to what I say, I believe that the principles, Truth, and righteous path of the universe will definitely have the power to let you see with your own eyes how Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su deliver demon beings. If you are a modern person, especially a monastic, if you do not have the opportunity to hear these things, it is truly a pity. Because I was also a monastic in the past, and it was precisely because I did not have the guidance of a true spiritual friend at that time that I fell into the Demon Realm. So here, I also want to appeal to all monastics: even if you have heard of the most profound Dharma methods, if you do not actually practise them, it is just 'hearing without use.' The demons that control people will use people’s eyes to see things; this is a way of manipulation. Even if a person is not directly controlled by a demon, they may be used by demon beings with ulterior motives to do evil things. In this situation, it is best for people to keep their distance. Practitioner Su has also said: 'Do not listen to the demons.' Practitioner Su possesses great Wisdom and can stabilize the hearts of demons and the hearts of sentient beings.

So, how can we save the human world? Although the human world is the most intelligent of all things, it is still difficult to resist the pull of karma. With karma, it is difficult to realize one's true nature. Therefore, we old demons, as well as other demon beings, are now in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, desperately chanting the Buddha’s name, prostrating to the Buddha, and listening to the sutras, hoping that we can soon Awaken and realize our true nature. Awakening is very important. In the past, I have heard of examples of 'Awakening into a demon' in the Demon Realm. What does this mean? It means that bad ideas are mistakenly taken as Awakening and continue to develop. Bad thoughts should not be thought about any further; while good thoughts should be firmly held onto. This is also the core of the way of survival on Earth. If all sentient beings can live a good life, this planet will naturally become flourishing and full of vitality. The life we are living now in the Western Land of Dharma Nature is a pure, free, and good life; it is a life of practicing to become a Buddha.

I hope that the demon beings who hear this interview will stop! Do not continue any longer. Or, hand over the bodies you possess to Namo Amituofo to use, so that your spirituality can be elevated. This is truly an excellent method, and it is thanks to Practitioner Su that he could think of it! Because of this, we have no other way but to be more diligent and work harder in the Land of Dharma Nature, to achieve success soon and repay the Buddha’s kindness.

Namo Amituofo

Mo Tanna"