From a Grain of Salt to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Chu Ching-chung, a spirit who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life as a salt farmer and his subsequent spiritual journey spanning approximately eighty years. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on April 25, 2021.

Chu Ching-chung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Chu Ching-chung. I never imagined I would have the chance to speak here. You see, I was the spirit of a grain of salt. When I existed in the form of salt, I spent my days under the scorching sun. My life was simple: I would stretch out my salt body, letting the sun bake me until I was bone-dry. When we were all spread out across the salt fields, a rake would gather us into little mounds, like small mountains. Then, people would scoop us into baskets, carrying two on a shoulder pole, and haul us away to be packed and sold."

The Endless Cycle of Salt

"Regardless of the type of salt, our ultimate fate was always to be consumed by humans, only to be expelled as waste. My spirit would be expelled along with it, and quite naturally, I would find myself drawn back into the form of salt again. Sometimes, if I remained in a human body for a long time, my spirit would flow through their system along with the dissolved salt. I never knew how long that would last. Eventually, the person would pass away, and when their body lost its breath, we spirits would depart through their seven orifices—the eyes, ears, nostrils, or mouth. Once I left the body, I would return to the salt, and that was my life. People with high blood pressure should really eat less salt; if we enter their bloodstream, we increase the pressure on their vessels, causing their blood pressure to rise. That is the reason why those with hypertension are advised to limit their salt intake.

I have lost count of how many lifetimes I spent as salt—from coarse salt to fine salt, and even sea salt. I was always salt. I never expected to find a way out of this suffering, let alone encounter Practitioner Su. I never imagined that the power of the Buddha’s teachings could be so profound. Practitioner Su helped me transform, shedding my salt form and restoring me to my original human shape. To me, this is truly a monumental event."

A Simple Life in the South

"When I was alive, I was a rough man, making a living by selling salt. My family owned a vast salt field, passed down from my grandfather to my father, and then to me after my father passed away. We had three sons in our family. My eldest brother was a scholar, so my father sent him to study. My second brother was a natural businessman, so he went into trade. I was the third son—I wasn't good at books or business, so my father gave me the salt fields. I was tall, strong, and had a hearty appetite; I could eat three bowls of rice in one sitting. Fortunately, living in the south, we had people who farmed, people who fished, and people who harvested salt, so we never worried about having enough to eat.

Since I was a child, I watched my grandfather channel seawater into the irrigation ditches. The water would flow into the individual salt pans, and after several stages of filtration, evaporation, and adding more water, the sun would dry it out until the grains of salt appeared. We would gather the salt, harvest it, and carry it away with our poles. This was the life of a harbor man; we lived by the sea and relied on it for our livelihood. In the old days, salt was a luxury that only the wealthy could afford. It wasn't until later in Taiwan that salt production became widespread, allowing every household to have it. Nowadays, salt is used for everything from cooking to cosmetics—things we never could have imagined in my time. Our minds were straightforward, our lives were simple, and I was a very honest, humble man. My father helped me find a wife, a woman as straightforward as I was. She was a hard worker, and we had three boys and two girls. In the countryside, children didn't need to be scholars; being able to work was what mattered. It was all manual labor, relying on the heavens. The southern sun was perfect for salt-making, but salt fields feared the rain. During the summer rainy season, we had to remember to lay down waterproof tarps, or we would have to stop work. If the rain came, the salt would dissolve, and that would be a terrible waste!"

The Transition to Spirit

"I was always a direct person, getting along well with my neighbors and being honest in my business. I sold salt to wholesalers, who would package it for retail shops. Everyone did their part, and life was steady. If the harvest was good, we would share some with relatives and friends, as everyone needed salt for cooking, and they were always happy to receive it.

When I turned sixty, everyone celebrated my birthday. I reflected on my life; I wasn't a big boss, but I had guarded the salt fields and lived a disciplined, law-abiding life. One day, while turning the salt, I fell, and my legs became unsteady. Fortunately, my children knew the process, so I handed the work over to them; it was time for me to retire. I hadn't done anything to harm my conscience in this life. One day, I took my cane for a walk to the salt fields. When I returned and lay down to rest, I saw the salt fields in a bountiful harvest, shining brightly under the sun. I felt a sense of comfort. As I smiled, I suddenly smelled the thick scent of the salt fields, and I realized that my spirit had left my body and merged with that vast expanse of salt. I had become one of the grains of salt. From that moment on, I was separated from my family, living the life of salt. It was something I never could have imagined. I think about seventy or eighty years have passed since then, haven't they?"

The Light of Deliverance

"We grains of salt often saw beams of golden light sweeping across the space. I wondered, 'What is this light? How can there be such a bright light in the darkness?' I saw many, many spirits drifting in the space, all touched by this radiance, swept up and entering the light. I kept thinking: 'What is inside that light?' Recently, before dawn, the light became even brighter. And then, it was incredible—I saw Namo Amituofo, along with Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva. Everyone who saw them immediately knelt down. Some pious people had spent their whole lives chanting the names of Avalokiteshvara or Namo Amituofo. I hadn't chanted, but I was a kind person with a good heart. Although I was a rough man, my wife chanted to Avalokiteshvara and was a vegetarian, and I followed her lead. My eldest brother used to say I had good roots. I visited the local temples of Guanyin, Mazu, and the Wang Ye deities, always offering incense money. My wife always said that doing good deeds brings good rewards. Perhaps that is why I was able to see Namo Amituofo, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.

I had forgotten I was a grain of salt because I am no longer salt now. Recently, I was drenched by a heavy rain, and I lay on the ground, completely exhausted and unable to move. Salt fears water most of all; when the rain came, my whole body began to dissolve, so I could only lie there. I never expected to see the Buddha-light at that moment. After being bathed in the Buddha-light, it was like magic—the light contained energy that brought my spirit back to life, and I felt strength returning to my entire being. Then, I felt a vibration, and my spirit was restored to my human form. I looked at myself and wondered how such a thing could happen. Could it be that Namo Amituofo had manifested spiritually to cause such a great change? Before I could even react, a force carried me into the Buddha-light, and I arrived here—at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This temple is truly dignified, more so than any temple I ever saw in the world. I realized then that it was a good thing my wife had encouraged me to do good deeds, for that is why I have this opportunity today."

A Debt of Gratitude

"I was arranged to sit on a lotus seat in a realm, waiting for this interview. Here, I can listen to Practitioner Su give Dharma talks, and I learned that this beautiful, radiant land is called the Western Dharma-Nature Land. It is a wonderful place, specifically created by the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre for beings who have been saved. After listening to the teachings, we can chant 'Namo Amituofo' and make a vow to enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is the temple of Namo Amituofo. After the interview, Practitioner Su will lead us into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I know that the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is the place many deceased beings long to go. With Namo Amituofo there, we will not suffer, and I will never have to worry about becoming salt again! It all feels like a dream; the changes have been so fast!

Listening to the Dharma talks here, I finally understood that those bright lights I saw every morning were the Dharma Body of Practitioner Su coming to Taiwan, even to our southern region, to perform Chao Du and emit Buddha-light. The reason we were able to see Namo Amituofo recently was because of the drought in Taiwan; Practitioner Su invited Namo Amituofo, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva to pray for rain and perform deliverance. We were spirits drifting in space; if Practitioner Su had not opened up space for us, we would have remained trapped there forever. In other words, I would have spent my entire existence as a grain of salt. In that sense, Practitioner Su is our great benefactor. I know I am not the only one with this experience; many other grains of salt like me have also been restored to human form, and they too have had their space opened for deliverance. I believe that under the protection of Namo Amituofo, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, everyone will go to a good place. The best place is the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am truly grateful to Namo Amituofo, grateful to Practitioner Su, and grateful to everyone."

Namo Amituofo.