Everything Returns to Emptiness

This interview was recorded on December 20, 2022, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Venerable Master Chin Kung, who now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, offers his reflections on the ultimate truth of existence. Through his spiritual presence, he provides guidance to those seeking deliverance and explains the path to rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Venerable Master Chin Kung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The topic Namo Amituofo has given me today is 'Everything Returns to Emptiness.' This theme represents the absolute truth of reality. It is not limited to any specific location; whether it is the Earth, this world or others, the vastness of the void, or the galaxies—these four words apply everywhere. There is no distinction between the present and the future.

The Illusion of Material Effort

Why do I say this? Look at the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies held at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. The immeasurable and boundless beings who come seeking deliverance are diverse. They are not limited to the six realms or the Four Sacred Realms of Earth; they come from this world and others, from the void, and from across the galaxy. They originate from different spaces and possess different forms, yet the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre allows these disparate spaces to coexist simultaneously.

Regardless of their spiritual quality—whether they possess high spirituality or exist in a darker, more diminished state—these beings have their own lifespans. If we use Earth years as a standard for understanding, some beings may live and die within a single day, while others live for days, years, decades, centuries, millennia, or even tens of thousands of years. In my interviews with beings from various spaces, I have even encountered those who have existed for hundreds of millions of years. Yet, what remains of all the efforts they exerted during their lifespans? If they could take their achievements with them, or if their worldly desires were truly satisfied, would they still need to come to the temple to seek deliverance from Namo Amituofo or Practitioner Su? This proves that no matter what kind of being you are, when you transition from one life to the next, you cannot take anything with you. Everything returns to emptiness!

What We Can Truly Carry

The only things that follow you are your spirit and your karma. Can your spirit carry the efforts of this lifetime? Whether it is fame, wealth, status, or the hard work you put in—did you bring these with you to the temple to seek deliverance? No, you could not. Everything returns to emptiness! Only the spirit arrives at the temple, and the only difference lies in the quality of each spirit. Therefore, we must realise that regardless of which level of space you inhabit—whether you are a human on Earth, a practitioner, a being in the six realms, or even one of the Four Sacred Realms—the one thing we must all do is focus on what we can actually take with us. Let go of what you cannot carry! What can you take? Your true self can be taken, and your karma can be taken. This resonates with what we often discuss: learning the Buddha’s teachings, practice, and finding one's true self.

The Path to Awakening

Learning the Buddha’s teachings and practice is about purification. What is the purpose of this purification? It is to recover the true self that everyone originally possesses. This true self exists in every realm, every space, and every being I have mentioned. Therefore, the common goal for everyone is to find this true self. Once you have truly recovered your true self and attained Buddhahood, you no longer need to come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to ask Namo Amituofo or Practitioner Su to guide you to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Instead, you can help the beings with whom you have karmic affinity to leave suffering behind and gain happiness. That is the true work to be done!

The Rarity of True Spiritual Friends

Do beings know that they possess a true self and can attain Buddhahood? Many beings are completely unaware of the existence of the true self, let alone that they possess one. Others are chaotic, ignorant, or muddled; if you speak to them of the true self, they cannot understand or experience it. Even beings with sufficient blessings and higher spirituality, who might understand or experience it, often lack the ability to recover it. We speak of using the false to cultivate the true. While in the human realm with this physical body, if we tell people about the true self and they awaken to its importance, they may be willing to let go of everything—to put down all worldly entanglements, purify themselves, and focus single-mindedly on recovering their true self. Such a being is incredibly blessed and has the opportunity to reclaim their true self. It depends on whether they have the Dharma affinity to receive guidance in this lifetime. Their good roots have already manifested, but they still require the Dharma affinity to encounter a true spiritual friend who can lead and instruct them. If all these conditions are met, it is very possible that the true self is right before their eyes, waiting to be found! I would congratulate such a person on being able to perfect and accomplish the Buddha-way in this very life.

The Urgency of Practice

But how many such people are there? The facts prove that they are extremely rare. Firstly, it is not easy for good roots to manifest in this Five Turbidities and Evil World. Secondly, it is difficult to find a true spiritual friend who can help you realise your true nature! Thirdly, even if you find a true spiritual friend, is your lifespan sufficient to allow you to practise diligently and recover your true self? Therefore, one must be fiercely diligent! We must be fiercely diligent not only because we know the suffering of beings and cannot bear to see them sink, but also because our lifespans are limited. It is very possible that your life will end before you have realised your true nature, and this lifetime will have been wasted. If you have found a true spiritual friend who can help you realise your true nature, and you know you must be fiercely diligent, and you have a good environment for practice, then put in the effort! Do not waste a single second; this is of the utmost importance! Among all beings in the entire universe, the entire void, the entire galaxy, the entire Earth, and the entire Dharma Realm, how many have such an opportunity to recover their true self? It is rare! Far too rare!

The Preciousness of Hsiang Kuang

Narrowing the scope from the entire universe, the void, the galaxy, and the Dharma Realm down to the fourfold assembly at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, you possess all the conditions necessary to realise your true nature. You are truly the rarest of the rare. Because Namo Amituofo is here, along with Teacher Xia Lianju and Practitioner Su, and because there are immeasurable and boundless Dragon and Heaven Dharma Protectors guarding everyone, you will not find a second place with such external conditions and environment. You should realise how enviable and precious your current status is! Now, it depends on you. Have you made the great vow to realise your true nature? Are you able to be diligent, and can you maintain that fierce diligence? Of course, to recover your true self, you must overcome your own problems; this is your own homework, and no one can replace you. Whether it is Namo Amituofo, Teacher Xia Lianju, or Practitioner Su, they can all see the problems of every member of the fourfold assembly and can tell everyone how to improve and recover their true self. The question is whether you can do it. The great path to the true self is waiting for you to embark upon it, but can you walk? Are you willing to move forward, taking one step at a time, and set foot on this path of the true self? That depends on you.

The Light of the Buddha

As I, Chin Kung, am now just a spirit, being able to express my views and have them transformed into text for those with karmic affinity to see is already a great fortune! How many spirits like me are silently practising, silently chanting Namo Amituofo, while their spirituality remains stagnant, relying solely on the Buddha to reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss? Only here, in the Buddha-land, can one receive the illumination of Buddha-light and attain purification, giving the spirit a chance to ascend. This is the magnificence of Buddha-light. Why go to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss? Beings are truly suffering too much. Practitioner Su uses her Dharma Body to perform Chao Du, helping to relieve the suffering of many companions. Everyone sees this and also wishes to be relieved of their suffering. Some beings with high spirituality are stuck in their current state and cannot ascend further, so they seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. There, with Infinite Life and Infinite Light, Namo Amituofo is constantly giving Dharma talks 24/7. One day, they will be able to realise their true nature and attain Buddhahood; it depends on how each person practises in the West. The Buddha fulfills all the wishes of beings. As long as you have the request and the vow, and it is in accordance with the Dharma, Namo Amituofo’s great compassion will fulfill your wishes, whether in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss or here. It all depends on whether you can do it.

Letting Go of the Transient

So, what kind of life will you lead in this period of your existence? What kind of practice is meaningful? You must do the things that allow you to recover your true self, and you must do the things that help you be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Let go of everything else! 'All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows; like dew and like lightning; thus should you view them.' This is a very famous verse from the Diamond Sutra, which everyone is familiar with. This is the truth of reality. Everyone must understand this and apply it to themselves; otherwise, it is just a verse you can recite fluently, but it will not be applied to your own life and will have no effect. Using the false to cultivate the true is a conditioned phenomenon, and chanting Namo Amituofo—having the intention to chant—is also a conditioned phenomenon. However, you must still do these things because they are worth doing and necessary. They are meant to help you fulfill your wish to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and even to recover your true self. These are all extremely important matters.

The Richness of Emptiness

Once you have recovered your true self, you will find that you have nothing, and your heart is empty, yet you are so rich, joyful, and filled with Dharma joy. Everything is empty, yet if you wish to know something, you will naturally know it, because you have found your Prajna true self. Prajna is knowing nothing, yet knowing everything! When you look back at the past, you will truly see that 'all conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows; like dew and like lightning; thus should you view them.' Where are the things you pursued at the time—the status, the position, the wealth, or the emotions? When life ends, everything returns to emptiness; you cannot take any of it with you!

The Importance of Merit

If you are actively working to elevate your spirituality in your practice, or even aiming to realise your true nature and be reborn in the West, is the method you are using in accordance with the Dharma? If it is, it can elevate your spirituality and help you realise your true nature and be reborn in the West. If it is not, it will not help. In other words, before you recover your true self or are reborn in the West, as long as it benefits the masses and helps everyone learn the Buddha’s teachings, practise, and recover their true self, then the giving, doing good, and serving the public to accumulate merit are all worth doing. Only by accumulating the blessings and merit from everything you do can you achieve the elevation of your spirituality and realise your true nature to be reborn in the West. Therefore, these things must be done. Helping others is helping yourself; letting go of all entanglements is achieving yourself. Only after achieving yourself will you have the ability to achieve others. You must understand this clearly. Because everyone’s karmic affinity and abilities are different, the things they can do and the things they do will be different, but the goal of elevating spirituality and realising your true nature to be reborn in the West is the same.

The Necessity of Dharma Affinity

To be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, one 'cannot be reborn in that land with few good roots, blessings, and causal conditions.' Therefore, if you have made the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, it means your good roots have already manifested, and you must be able to sustain them continuously. Furthermore, you must have sufficient blessings and merit, and have a true spiritual friend who can help and guide you. Only when the causal conditions are complete can you go to the West. If you can come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and find Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, they can help you heal illnesses, resolve conflicts with karmic creditors, invite spirits, and deliver sentient beings, thereby fulfilling your wish to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss; in terms of practice, they can help practitioners realise their true nature and join the ranks of Amituofo’s salvation and deliverance. This Dharma affinity is truly magnificent!

The Path of Renunciation

Furthermore, if your karmic affinity for practice is complete, renouncing the household life is even more magnificent. Renouncing the household life is to become a teacher of celestial beings and an Acharya! To truly recover your true self in this Five Turbidities and Evil World without practising and without entering the path of renunciation, frankly speaking, is extremely difficult. Renouncing the household life allows for the purity of the six roots, and all the precepts and the environment can help you purify yourself. Without purification, you cannot find the true self. Of course, the various pollutions of the past must be purified; this is the effort you must make through diligence. There is no such thing as getting something for nothing in this world. Once you have renounced the household life and let go of all entanglements, once you have recovered your true self, there is so much you can do!

The True Reality

Sentient beings are suffering too much. Even beings with high spiritual quality, are they not suffering? Yes, they are in a state of meditative concentration, finding joy within that state, but they have not recovered their true self, so it is still not ultimate. Even the Four Sacred Realms, if they want to further elevate their spirituality, must return to the human world to practise and accept tests to ascend. Even reaching the highest Buddha-realm of the Four Sacred Realms does not mean they have realised their true nature, nor can they reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. They still have to return to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to participate in the Dharma assembly and ask Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su to perform Chao Du to guide them into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Therefore, the fourfold assembly at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre should know how precious their situation is! In this world, only realising the true nature is real; recovering the true self is the only thing that is truly real. Everything else is empty; everything truly returns to emptiness!

The Two Primary Goals

There are two key points in what I have just said. First, in your current practice, you must look forward; your primary goal must be to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Second, you must be able to recover your true self. Everyone must move towards these two goals. Rebirth in the West is the priority. If you realise your true nature, you will naturally be able to master your own destiny and return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Your current situation, in order to achieve this goal, involves various problems that you must overcome; this is what we call practice.

At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, there are Namo Amituofo, Teacher Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su who can help everyone practise to realise their true nature and perform Chao Du for rebirth in the West. This is also what the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is currently doing. Performing Chao Du for beings to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is the focus of the temple’s work. Every day, Practitioner Su spends a great deal of time visualising the deliverance of beings on Earth and in the vastness of the Dharma Realm. Needless to say, during the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies, the number of beings delivered every hour and every day is immeasurable and boundless. And this is not just in Australia; in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Southeast Asia—including Singapore and Malaysia—and back to Australia, there are immeasurable and boundless beings existing everywhere in the land, the oceans, and the spaces. Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body, with countless manifestations, performs Chao Du, and at any given moment, immeasurable and boundless beings are receiving deliverance. This has been spoken of too many times, and it is an indisputable fact.

The Mission Continues

The number of demonic beings subdued and helped is also immeasurable and boundless. We hope they can be purified, acknowledge their past mistakes, and be able to raise the vow to be reborn in the West. Therefore, everything the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is doing now is helping beings relieve their suffering and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Furthermore, whether you are a monastic, a lay practitioner, or a volunteer, the hope is to be reborn in the West. Even the monastics—the Bhikshus and Bhikshunis—can recover their true self and continue to pass down this Pure Land Dharma lineage, the methods of visualisation, the Dharma Body Chao Du for beings to enter the West, and the methods for recovering the true self, helping more people with karmic affinity move towards these two goals! This is also what I, Chin Kung, hope for now.

Previously, I gave Dharma talks for sixty years, also moving towards these two goals of rebirth in the West and realising the true nature. But I am truly ashamed; how many people have been reborn in the West? To say none would not be an exaggeration, and to say some would be a stretch. The so-called 'some' were only achieved with the help of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. Furthermore, regarding renouncing the household life to practise and recover the true self, even I myself did not realise my true nature. To say this is truly embarrassing, but I have said it, which shows how difficult it is to realise the true nature! But Practitioner Su has done it, and she has even invited Namo Amituofo to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Now, as a spirit, I have nothing to hide; I am just using the fastest way to say what I can, so that everyone can grasp the key points of practice.

Life is limited. What you can do, do it quickly. Do not waste your life pursuing external things and the satisfaction of desires. Those things cannot be taken with you, and in the end, everything returns to emptiness. Do not spend your time and life on things you cannot take with you. What you must do is focus on what you can take. After realising the true nature, everything also returns to emptiness, but this emptiness is filled with everything and knows everything; it is different from the emptiness of external things that cannot be taken. The difference is too great; everyone must understand this clearly.

Alright, I, Chin Kung, will stop here today. I hope everyone can take these words to heart, and that they will be of help to you.

Namo Amituofo."