The Reunited Companions of the Dharma
An Interview with the Spirit of Dharmaratna of Ancient India
Recorded at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia
This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Dharmaratna, an ancient Indian monk who lived approximately 2,000 years ago. He sought Spiritual Deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia and now resides in the Western Land of Nature. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on March 10, 2026.
Dharmaratna speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. I am Dharmaratna, and at this moment, I find myself surrounded by several wise guides. From the past until now, I have always known Namo Amituofo, and today, I have come to know another wise guide: Practitioner Su. These two teachers are currently in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, delivering lectures and resolving the confusion of all beings. They are teaching the truly perfect Buddhist education—a path that people all over the world, whether in China or India, should deeply absorb and truly put into practice in their hearts.
A Shared Mission Across Time
As an Indian monk two millennia ago, I travelled across mountains and rivers with the venerable elder Kāśyapa Mātanga to reach Luoyang during the Han Dynasty in China. Looking back at the journey from West to East, and all that we encountered, one might wonder why my fellow practitioner and I felt such a strong calling to propagate the Dharma in China. In truth, we have always shared a profound and inseparable Dharma affinity with the Great China region. Elder Kāśyapa Mātanga had a premonition of this; he knew his life’s mission long before the Han Emperor Ming sent his envoys. He was prepared for the mission to the Central Plains long before the call came.
The Revelation of the True Identity
Now, here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, everything has become crystal clear. My closest companion, the elder Kāśyapa Mātanga—with whom I studied the sutras and endured the hardships of the journey to the Central Plains—is none other than the radiant Practitioner Su standing before me! Like Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su emits a golden light that illuminates countless beings. Many have gained the opportunity for liberation from the cycle of rebirth because Practitioner Su carries the light of Namo Amituofo and the twelve Buddha-lights to save them. When I reflect upon these causal conditions, it is truly inconceivable! Two thousand years have passed, yet Practitioner Su’s heart has never changed. Although he manifests now in the form of a female lay practitioner to save beings, I recognised that dignified Dharma countenance and spirit the moment I saw him. That unchanging heart dedicated to saving all beings is what moved me so deeply upon our reunion."
Oh my, how did I end up talking so much? I did not intend to simply recount the story of my own life as Zhu Falan. Instead, I find myself speaking of the great deeds of Elder Kasyapa Matanga, and the work we accomplished together in harmony. But truly, what does it matter? The reason I came to the Central Plains to spread the Dharma and became widely known to the world is, of course, ultimately due to the gift brought to me by Elder Kasyapa Matanga. My own wisdom was shallow; I merely possessed a better ability to understand and digest the philosophy of the sutras through written text, and my linguistic skills were somewhat stronger. One could say that I was slightly superior in worldly scholarship, while Elder Kasyapa Matanga was the true elder possessing great Wisdom.
The Indispensable Bond
Just as Practitioner Su often says, 'Without Namo Amituofo, there would be no Practitioner Su today, and there would be no Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre today.' I, too, can loudly proclaim: 'If there were no Elder Kasyapa Matanga, there would be no Zhu Falan.' Had that been the case, the era when the Buddha’s teachings spread eastward from India to the Han Dynasty might not have been the Eastern Han period at all. Perhaps someone else would have undertaken this task, or perhaps the opportunity would have been delayed indefinitely.
There is no need to dwell on such thoughts now. At this very moment, I carry a heart of utmost sincerity before Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, wishing to follow them once more to learn the true Great Dharma. The true Great Dharma is the heart of genuine that seeks to 'save oneself and save others, to save countless beings, and to never act for one's own sake.'
The Path to True
In the past, Zhu Falan truly lacked the broad-mindedness and the depth of cultivation of the Elder. Although I considered my own practice to be decent, I ultimately lacked the opportunity to attain the ultimate perfection and accomplish the Buddha-way. To accomplish the Buddha-way, one must be like Practitioner Su—completely transparent, bright, pure, and luminous from the inside out. Only then can one truly realise one's true nature and attain Buddhahood. Only then, as an awakened being with a , can one carry out the great vows to save countless suffering beings.
My own practice throughout my life was not poor, but I was unable to penetrate to the realm of a Buddha like Practitioner Su—that level of absolute, flawless purity. My deeds during my lifetime, including settling in Luoyang with the Elder to preside over the White Horse Temple and overseeing the translation of many sutras—all these merits of spreading the Dharma and benefiting beings allowed me to ascend to the Arhat realm of the Four Sacred Realms after my death.
A Reunion Across Millennia
I have remained in that Arhat realm for... let me count—it must have been about one thousand nine hundred or two thousand years in human time, from the Eastern Han until today. Meanwhile, Practitioner Su, who was then Elder Kasyapa Matanga, embarked on a path entirely different from mine. His current cultivation achievements fill me with such admiration, respect, and that I once had such an excellent guide and companion.
If the world were to place us together, please remember: I, Zhu Falan, will always be the humble student of Elder Kasyapa Matanga. This is a point everyone must keep firmly in their hearts.
Speaking of the time Elder Kasyapa Matanga and I spent at the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, building the temple and presiding over the translation work, we held a very favourable impression of the Chinese people at that time. We felt immense Dharma-joy in our hearts for having the opportunity to bring the magnificent Buddha-teachings into China.
The Legacy of the White Horse Temple
Under the Elder’s guidance, I quickly became competent in translation work and served as his capable assistant. The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters, which we translated together, remains the only one among the many early sutras that has been passed down to this day as the first to arrive in China. During the Eastern Han period, many Chinese people were deeply moved after reading this simple yet profound and wisdom-filled sutra. Indeed, there were quite a few who shaved their heads, left their homes, and came to reside at the White Horse Temple.
At that time, Elder Kasyapa Matanga was the first abbot of the White Horse Temple, and I assisted him, managing all the internal and external affairs. We lived days filled with Dharma-joy, happiness, and ease. Looking back at this past life from the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I am truly filled with gratitude. The deep karmic affinity I forged with Practitioner Su back then has led to this very moment, where I have the opportunity to be moved to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, this Buddha-land. I know that the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is my future home. I have always kept the Buddha in my heart, but I did not do well enough; I lacked the ability to purify myself completely to the point of realising my true nature, attaining Buddhahood, and saving all beings as Practitioner Su does.
The Difference in Mind-Capacity
People often ask: 'Zhu Falan studied under his teacher, Elder Kasyapa Matanga, for a lifetime. Why did his teacher go on to become a Buddha and a Sage, while he remained only in the Arhat realm?' Although I had escaped the six realms of rebirth, it was ultimately not the ultimate and perfect Buddha-way.
In my path of practice at that time, I leaned more towards sitting in meditation and cultivating the mind—in other words, my inner approach was more like that of a practitioner. Elder Kasyapa Matanga, however, had already mastered both and Hinayana sutras while in India, and he truly and steadfastly applied them in his daily life. He was a true Mahayana practitioner!
At that time, Mahayana Buddhism was not yet as widespread in India as Hinayana, which was more commonly seen. The Elder was indeed someone who had cultivated exceptionally well in the Indian Buddhist society and had made significant contributions to establishing Mahayana Buddhism. This was the area where I, Zhu Falan, failed to learn from him in time. Therefore, the various learning opportunities I have now on the Western Land of Dharma Nature serve to compensate for the deficiencies I had back then. The difference between a Hinayana practitioner and a Mahayana practitioner is specifically manifested in the size of one's 'mind-capacity.' Elder Kasyapa Matanga then, and Practitioner Su now, possess a mind-capacity so boundless that every thought is dedicated to saving all suffering beings. Compared to them, the Zhu Falan of that time was truly far behind.
A Witness to Unprecedented Deliverance
At this very moment, I see that there are so many beings across the vast regions of China—from emperors and generals to soldiers and commoners, and even the various spirits in space, birds, beasts, and earthly creatures—who, under Practitioner Su’s great vows, have received the opportunity for deliverance through the Twelve Lights to the Western Land of Dharma Nature. Such an opportunity is rare and hard to encounter! I stayed in the Arhat realm for such a long time, yet I never heard of such vast deliverance occurring anywhere.
In truth, I knew long ago that Practitioner Su was saving beings—saving vast, boundless numbers of beings. He can freely traverse so many spaces, Dharma realms, galaxies, heavens beyond heavens, alien worlds, and demonic realms. With the help of the , he brings infinitely layered beings back to the Western Land of Dharma Nature and seats them on lotus pedestals, yet the Land of Dharma Nature never appears crowded. This level of cultivation skill is something everyone has a responsibility to learn, including me, Zhu Falan. I knew this back then, but the Causal Conditions had not yet matured, so I did not descend to the human world to explore this matter.
Now, it is precisely because I heard that such a magnificent scene of deliverance was taking place across the vast regions of China that I was compelled to descend to the human world to witness my teacher’s true cultivation with my own eyes. I never expected that by looking, I would save myself as well. This, too, must be the arrangement of Causal Conditions. I followed these conditions to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and from here, the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss shall be my home.
A Call to the Four Sacred Realms
I know that Practitioner Su has also saved immeasurable and boundless beings of the Four Sacred Realms. Even now, there are many beings in the Four Sacred Realms who are not satisfied with their current state of practice. Many wish to break through, break through, and break through again, yet they have no teacher to turn to, and they may not have the opportunity to know the true Great Dharma, to know Namo Amituofo and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, or to know the Pure Land Dharma Gate. Their level of practice is very high; it is just that their methods of cultivation differ slightly.
If you have the opportunity, please do not forget these beings of the Four Sacred Realms. Many of them also wish to attain the ultimate, perfect accomplishment of the Buddha-way and have the opportunity to save immeasurable and boundless beings. The key to this lies in 'saving all suffering beings.' If they cease to be Hinayana practitioners and turn towards the Mahayana mindset, they will surely be able to receive the of Namo Amituofo, recognise the Great Dharma sooner, and follow Practitioner Su back to their old home in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is what many holy beings of the Four Sacred Realms long for.
People of China, you truly possess tremendous blessings. Since the time Elder Kasyapa Matanga and I introduced the Buddha-teachings to China, about two thousand years have passed. Along this journey, although the Buddha-teachings in China have seen times of prosperity and times of decline, please be certain that if the heart has the vow, the Buddha-teachings will surely continue to flourish in the Chinese regions.
What I know now is that there are not many people left in the vast regions of China who believe in the Buddha. Under the current policy environment, the various ideologies and education that people learn and are exposed to have long since excluded the existence of the Buddha-teachings. The extent to which the Buddha-teachings in China have been damaged, decayed, and destroyed is not insignificant. However, today, only the country of China—wherever there are Chinese people, wherever there are descendants of the Yellow Emperor—is the place with the greatest opportunity to inherit the lineage of the Buddha-teachings. Although I, Zhu Falan, came from Tianzhu, which is modern-day India, I can clearly understand that the Dharma affinity in India is far less profound than the vows and aspirations found in China and the Chinese-speaking world.
Namo Amituofo.
As the largest nation in the Greater China region, China must hold the final line of defence for the Buddha’s teachings. We cannot allow the Dharma to be lost. A life without the Dharma is one of profound suffering, and a nation without the Dharma has no way to achieve long-term stability and peace. This is a fundamental truth that all people in this world must come to realise! Watching the way the Buddha’s teachings are being suppressed in China today truly causes me immense pain. Yet, I place my full faith in the arrangement of Causal Conditions. I believe in the magnificent Dharma affinity of Namo Amituofo residing at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, and in the vast, all-encompassing Ultimate Vow of Practitioner Su to save countless suffering beings. The Buddha’s teachings will certainly bloom and bear fruit in China once again, and they will surely rise to save immeasurable and boundless suffering beings—this is an absolute certainty. I urge everyone to think clearly, observe the situation with wisdom, and actively strive forward with unwavering determination. Do not count the consequences, do not seek personal rewards; just focus on your diligent practice. This is the most important advice I, Zhu Falan, can offer you in my lifetime: the Dharma lineage must never be broken, and the heart of every practitioner must never be without the aspiration to realise one's true nature!
The Perilous Path of the Modern Era
If there are no awakened beings remaining in this world, who will be left to uphold the great vow of propagating the Dharma? In the world today, the demon path is rampant, and magic is prevailing. Do you truly have such confidence that, without having realised your true nature and attained Buddhahood, and without the ability to subdue the demon crowds, you can successfully propagate the Buddha’s teachings? Can you truly manifest the presence of Namo Amituofo in this world as Practitioner Su has done? Even if you think you can propagate the Dharma, who among you can truly know if what you are spreading is the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way?
The Heavy Burden of the Fourfold Assembly
Therefore, to the fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, your mission is truly arduous and of the utmost importance. Forget about yourselves! Your physical bodies are not precious at all. At this critical moment, when the vast Dharma lineage must be transmitted to the world and these essential Buddha’s teachings must be preserved, how could your bodies still be considered valuable? They are worth nothing! The most important task in today’s society is to allow those who do not know the Buddha’s teachings to plant the , and to enable all those who have karmic affinity with the Buddha to be liberated from the cycle of rebirth and achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land. This is the fundamental duty that the fourfold assembly must never forget.
A Call to Awaken and Save the World
If you still possess the heart to realise your true nature, attain Buddhahood, and save beings, you must constantly maintain your awareness. Look at Namo Amituofo, who has descended to reside in this world. Look at Practitioner Su, who, at the age of eighty-two, continues to work day and night, delivering lectures to resolve the confusion of beings and performing to save the immeasurable and boundless demon crowds and beings in the spiritual realms. This is a task of such immense difficulty and greatness. If the fourfold assembly does not stand up, and if this rare opportunity—difficult to encounter in millions of years—is severed because of your inaction, the you will bear will be far too heavy to carry!
The Rarity of This Moment
Namo Amituofo is residing here to save the Earth and the infinitely layered beings beyond this world. This is an event that is difficult to encounter in millions of years. Perhaps you have been deceived by your own physical bodies, which is why you cannot grasp the urgency and importance of this matter as I do at this very moment. If you do not possess this urgent heart to save the world, how will the Buddha’s teachings ever be passed on? This is a matter of the utmost seriousness, and I, Zhu Falan, sincerely hope that you will treat it with the gravity it deserves. You must absolutely stop being slack in your practice, living day by day without making any real progress. To do so is to truly fail the earnest teachings of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. They perform Chao Du and invite spirits for you every single day, yet you show no improvement! The teachings of the Buddha and the guidance of Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju—thousands of such lectures are placed before you. Every single one is meant to ignite the spark within your heart, to keep that fire burning until the moment the starlight appears, until the moment of Awakening, and until the day you attain Buddhahood.
Keeping the Inner Light Burning
You must illuminate the light within your hearts at this very moment. If you notice it dimming, you must practice even more diligently to make it shine brightly once again. The starlight that has already been ignited must be allowed to continue radiating its light and heat. You must not stop until the day of Awakening, until the day you can save the countless suffering beings. I, Zhu Falan, look upon the various forms of suffering in this world and cannot help but sigh with relief that there is still a place called the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Only this place can cultivate those who have realised their true nature. Fourfold assembly, have you considered how incredibly fortunate you are? Without this place, you would be nothing more than children wandering in the six realms of rebirth. Wandering is a terrifying fate. Do not think that you can leave this place and still practice, or that you can avoid the cycle of rebirth and the suffering of the lower realms. That is impossible! If you betray the Buddha’s gate after enjoying all the benefits provided here, the you will create is a debt you will never be able to repay.
A Final Plea
I advise you all: put down your attachment to the sensations of your physical bodies! Honestly and diligently chant "Namo Amituofo" until the very end, and you will be one with the Buddha. If every member of the fourfold assembly can achieve Buddhahood in this way, then I believe there is truly great hope for the immeasurable and boundless beings to be saved. I hope you will truly take my words to heart. In your daily life, you should listen to the teachings of Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su. Beyond that, there is no need to listen to anything else. Very well, that is all. I hope you will all attain Buddhahood soon and follow the Buddha to save all suffering beings.
Namo Amituofo.
Zhu Falan
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Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
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