Are You Truly Practising? A Warning from the Demon Realm

This is a record of an interview with Chan Master Changren, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his spiritual journey and his observations of modern practitioners. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on September 22, 2017.

Chan Master Changren speaks:

"'After so many years of practice, you are still the same old self.' Can you bear to hear these words? Or perhaps this one: 'Are you actually practising at all?' Even if you cannot face such statements, they effectively negate all your aspirations, your vows, and the years you have spent renouncing the mundane world. These concise, powerful words can dismantle everything. If you do not possess the true appearance of a practitioner that convinces others, it means you have likely been practising 'other things' instead. What a pity, don't you think?

I will provide a few examples; see how many you have encountered. In this world, most people are not truly practising, and very few achieve spiritual success. Everyone must decide whether to face this reality or continue to believe they are doing just fine. If you choose the latter, there is nothing I can do. I am simply sharing this for your reference. If you can take these words to heart, you will achieve success; at the very least, you will change your spiritual appearance. You can trust my words—not because I am particularly capable, but because my words are sharp. I intend to tell you these things using the perspective of the Demon Realm. I know I should cultivate compassion and gentleness, but to deal with the stubborn hearts of humans, only the capabilities of the Demon Realm can succeed. The compassionate teachings of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are so magnificent, yet everyone treats them as 'wind passing by the ear.' To help pierce through your ignorance, I will speak the truths that others dare not utter. I know that if no one tells you the truth, you will all cycle through reincarnated states for ten thousand kalpas, and those who create heavy karma will find it difficult to get a human body. Whether you listen or not is up to you; I am simply doing my best to help. If you abandon this opportunity to change, how many people are still waiting by your side? And how long have they been following you?

The Illusion of Practice

'Are you truly practising?' If you have heard this question, congratulations—you are still on or near the righteous path, or perhaps not far from it. It is certain that you have good Dharma protectors looking after you, and you are not too far from the Truth. However, due to your own factors, you have not yet truly begun to practise. With just a little more help, you could soon achieve significant progress. Most of you are distracted by family, power, wealth, property, or people you cannot let go of. If someone is still telling you these truths, it means the bodhimanda you are in, and the people around you, are indeed genuine practitioners. You are in a true community of practice. This is generally the case. You only need to listen, follow the teachings of your true spiritual friend, and truly let go. If you practise honestly, why would you fear missing the chance for success?

The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and Practitioner Su are such a community. Everyone knows whether the others are practising. Through opportunity and education, we remind each other and, at the right time, tell one another: 'You are not practising at all!' Many people here cannot let go of their worldly attachments. They try to practise, but they cannot let go. It is impossible to practise well while trying to balance both worlds. Practice requires complete focus. Once you have discarded everything behind you, then you are truly practising. Although there is always room for effort, once you begin to truly let go, everything on the path of practice becomes easy to handle.

The Path of Single-Mindedness

Single-minded practice means focusing on the six-character name 'Namo Amituofo,' focusing on reading the Infinite Life Sutra daily, and focusing on the vow to 'spread the Pure Land teachings and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land.' This is the gate to the ultimate. I am not promoting one sect over another; any sect is a good Dharma gate. Take the Chan school, for example—there is nothing wrong with it. Eight hundred years ago, I practised Chan, and I achieved some success. My three years of Meditation (Concentration) were not gained for nothing; they required great effort. But because I did not change my personality, when I encountered situations I could not accept, I did not know how to adjust the emotions in my heart. Therefore, I did not choose to attain the fruit of the Buddha’s path; I chose to break through the universe and become an ancient demon. This was my personal choice, but I must explain that there is only one key to success: purity. The purer, the better.

You want to learn much and be widely informed. Your diligent practice is good, but there is only one method, no other: first, 'do not think too much'; second, 'do not learn too much'; third, 'do not know too much.' If you are currently struggling through poetry and studying major sutras, are you willing to believe this? How many pages until you finish this sutra? And after that, how many more do you have to study? Do you know the real point? Even if you can recite them, lecture on them, and guide others, have you truly integrated them into your true self? Or is it just like being bloated, with things stuck inside that can neither go up nor down? One day, when you feel annoyed, you will lose your heart for practice. After reading so many sutras, it is not as good as chanting 'Namo Amituofo' to the end. It brings coolness, freedom, and the ability to reach the Western Land. I only now realise how wonderful this is!

The Complexity of the Human Mind

When I was practising in the past, I did not care for such academic knowledge. I always believed that no matter how deep or broad the knowledge, it was merely a burden and a pressure. I practised 'Meditation (Concentration),' 'Chan,' and 'Pure Land.' My three years of Meditation (Concentration) came from working on these three areas. But that was also because the society of that time was simple and pure, and I was able to see through and let go. This invisibly became a great aid to my practice. Only now have I truly recognised 'Namo Amituofo,' and I find it so magnificent that I must introduce this name to everyone. Learning Buddhism should start here, without any other greed. Just this one phrase. For those who cannot read, just chanting this name with a single heart is much easier than the practice of a master who studies great sutras, because they have no complexity. They are left with only these six characters. Such a simple method, yet people do not want it; instead, they want to study over sixty thousand words of sutras. Who is the fool—the illiterate simpleton or the wise scholar? Think about it carefully. The best example is the recent manifestation of the great Bodhisattva known as the 'Pot-Mending Craftsman.'

If you can read, focus on one sutra; do not have any others, as it leads to confusion. Try to keep it as simple as possible. Human brains are generally filled with useless thoughts. I once tried to pull apart these thoughts, but they were completely tangled in a knot. Even with my heavenly eye, it is difficult to clarify human thoughts. What I can see now is that these thought-clusters are circling around the self. It is hard enough for me to see your thoughts, let alone for you to know what you are thinking! It is difficult! You only need to know that you are always thinking about yourself; that is enough. As for what exactly you are thinking, there is no need to investigate. Just let go of yourself, and you will win.

The Responsibility of Teachers

Every human head is filled to the brim, seemingly about to explode. How did you manage to destroy yourselves like this? I cannot understand it. Humans are far more complex than demon crowds. If both were to practise, and both had an evil side, the demon crowds might practise faster. The karma is about the same, because you are an 'old demon' and they are 'new demons.' Do not think I am talking nonsense; you can verify it yourself. You have been to the Demon Realm before. The difference now lies in the complexity of the heart. Do you know how you think about yourself? I can tell you; I see it very clearly. To put it plainly, you are very selfish. But from the perspective of human nature, you are truly quite helpless. So-called compassion should be cultivated on this basis. Although I know you are detestable—'knowing it should not be done, yet insisting on doing it'—a more compassionate view includes a bit more empathy and patience. This is the Buddha's compassion. Learning Buddhism is 'imitating the Buddha's heart,' always viewing these lost, erring Buddha-children with compassion. Although we treat them with compassion, we never indulge their mistakes. This is the compassion of learning Buddhism. But today, we see this skill less and less. Most people are wrapped up in themselves, concerned only with their own success. Didn't I just say I would tell you? The 'thoughts of yours' that I see—do you often feel that you are not thinking about yourself? Clearly, you think you are not. Or you feel you are not thinking at all. I will tell you what I see: most of you are often thinking about how to succeed, how to grow, how to win, how to protect yourselves, how to change yourselves, how to adjust everything related to you, as well as thoughts about family, surrounding objects, people related to you, and comments about yourself. Besides these, there may be others, all so subtle and easy to trigger. I am not saying it is forbidden—you probably did not know it was forbidden—but you are clearly caught by the void every time, and you frequently suffer the consequences. Now that I have said it, you should understand, and you should change.

In modern society, there are several famous schools promoting education. I have seen your children; almost all of them are being sent to the Demon Realm. But I no longer accept disciples. Do you know what your students are thinking? I am a Demon King; I know clearly what your children are thinking. Do you not know how to teach them? I know better than you what they are thinking. If their thoughts are good, that is fine; if they are evil, you cannot detect them because you do not know. A child's heart does not know how to distinguish good from evil. Without timely teaching and correction, the child is ruined. They will not become a Buddha; they are here to create karma. You will achieve the demon path. The prophecy of magic—Po Xuan said he would lead the Demon King and the demon children and grandchildren to wear robes and destroy the Buddha's teachings. It is visible everywhere now; have you not seen it? Oh, if I had not returned to the righteous path, I would not want to manage these things, because those who are possessed by demons have very impure hearts. According to my past thinking, I would have thought this was individual karma. But if they are now destroying the righteous path I protect, I will not let go. If they listen to reason, I will treat them with courtesy; if they refuse a toast, they will be forced to drink a forfeit. Do not blame me for being ruthless. Many Dharma protectors, like Skanda Bodhisattva, cannot do what I can do now. The righteous path must not be destroyed again. Because I still have a certain status in the demon path, I can still use these to do some good.

Possessing a pure heart is even more precious. Excessive education and redundant thoughts only strengthen the competitive nature of children. In order to succeed, they lose their original heart. Is the goal of practice not to 'awaken to one's true nature'? If you practise more and more away from your original heart, is it really success to learn all 84,000 Dharma gates? What are you practising? I do not understand. Do not let children want so much. If they aspire to practise but become stained with deeper worldly nature, is that not a pity? Practice with these stains is exactly what the Demon Realm loves to use. I am very good at using people; I understand this aspect well. Not every Demon King can treat these children well. Many spirits, after being captured, go on to cause trouble. The most terrifying is the 'demon of anger' with its destructive nature, and the 'demon of lust' hidden deep in the heart. Many children have these in their hearts. If you are their teacher or the abbot of a bodhimanda, and you do not know how to lead them, can you bear this responsibility? If the child is skewed, the future of the Buddha's teachings will only be skewed. Is it not clear whose responsibility the destruction of the Buddha's teachings is? If you do not enter the hells, who will? I have just come out of the hells; I want to tell everyone that these are all signs for the Avici Hell. There is no other choice, and the judgment will not take long; it is decided directly. The deeper your influence on the world, and the more followers you mislead, the longer you will suffer. It is usually life-long. You should think three times about whether to start changing now. Perhaps with more change, you can still reach the Western Land.

Whether you listen or not, I can only follow the conditions. Too many children are going astray now; it is truly a pity. Not to mention the children in the secular world who do not practise—they are certainly much worse than those who are already practising. If we talk about these children who are practising, their competitiveness, jealousy, attachment to gain and loss, pressure, emotions, anger, depression, arrogance, and ego—some even enter other spaces. And the anger in these children is mostly a hidden fire. It is even more terrifying that they have already started to practise but still end up in such a state. These precious monastics who have not been led well—what a pity. How dangerous the situation of the Buddha's teachings is. Everyone, please make a serious change. Whether you are a master, a junior master, a lay practitioner, a Dharma protector, or an elder lay practitioner, for the sake of those you protect, respect, or revere, they are working hard for the Buddha's teachings. This is true and correct, but this subtle part also truly exists. Do not fail to achieve success because of this unchanged nature, and end up in the Avici Hell. It is terrifying. Everyone should believe that the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has the ability to help you, whether it takes a few weeks or longer. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas hope to use this place to tell you the convenient gate to success. They only hope that the Buddha's teachings can once again be positive. Everyone should face these provoked ailments and ask yourselves if they truly exist. Everyone should wake up and spend some time here learning from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I am Chan Master Changren. I have many insights on practice to share with you. Namo Amituofo.

If the people around you all think that everyone is practising well, and the masters you believe in are all perfect and flawless, you should realise that you are just a group of people who are 'lost in Buddhism,' or using the name of the Buddha to do things, and no one is truly learning Buddhism. Most are just disguising their own personalities that they are unwilling to change. Such practice is too terrifying, is it not? Everyone should be aware of where you are. And where do you want to go in the future? The West? Or the hells? Now you know that both places are very easy to reach. If you do not change, it is the hells. If you are willing to change, the West is very easy and very close. It is right before your eyes, an achievement you can reach with a single step. Everyone, please practise honestly. The opportunity for success is not easy to come by; do not let it slip away easily. A temple where the True Teachings manifest is not easy to appear in the world. Everyone should cherish it, and cherish your karmic conditions. Success or failure depends on your decision right now. Namo Amituofo."

Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Australia

Contact: Venerable Hai Liang / Practitioner Cao

Phone: +61-456-793-638

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Address: 120 Gordon Smiths Road, Goombungee, QLD 4354, Australia