From Demon King to Practitioner: Spreading Good Roots

The following is an interview with the Demon King Mara, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Having renounced his former life of manipulating human desires through digital realms, he now resides within the Western Dharma-Nature Land under the guidance of Practitioner Su. This testimony was recorded on April 20, 2020.

The Demon King Mara (Shi Yaxing) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am the Demon King Mara, now known as Shi Yaxing. The waves of Buddha-light I witness here are quite unlike the waves of information constantly updating on the internet; the energy is fundamentally different. The world of the internet is vast and boundless. To reign as a king within the Demon Realm, one must certainly have a fixed jurisdiction. We demon kings who manage the internet are divided into many different domains: some oversee mass media, others control combat games, and there are even more restricted domains involving internet pornography. The most alluring aspect of the internet is the sheer volume of fresh, inexhaustible information. Within this digital space, one can touch, explore, and learn everything—or even learn how to be corrupted. Ultimately, the defining characteristic of a demon king is to control the hearts of the people, making them feel bored or anxious without the internet's constant companionship, thereby becoming addicted and unable to stop the desires that have been stirred up."

The Digital Web of Desires

"In this age of technology, almost no one has escaped our grasp. From the smallest child to the elderly, our demon children and grandchildren are present everywhere. The internet platform can be described as a place where various demon realms intersect and transform. The heart-demons, emotional demons, lust demons, and greed demons that extend from these platforms are all summoned when humans encounter images or information on the internet that trigger their desires. Every scene in the physical world can be simulated using internet technology; every time, space, and character is perfectly tailored to strike at the human heart. From this, one can see that the number of spirits in our internet world is no less than that in the physical world. In fact, new spaces are constantly being created from the wild, virtual thoughts of humanity. This is the truth I only saw after stepping out of the internet void. Previously, I only operated within my own jurisdiction and would not cross boundaries to infringe upon others. Only now do I see that the number of spirits is immeasurable and boundless."

A Glimpse of True Light

"When the Dharma assembly began, I saw spirits flowing like a great ocean—one wave falling, another rising, one wave not yet settled before the next followed. Looking in all directions, this was the only sight to behold. At first, it left me trembling with fear. Rapid and massive dissemination is my specialty, but I had never done the work of saving others. Having been at the Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre for some time, I must admit that my demon nature still lingers. I prefer to do things I understand clearly. Although the internet is virtual, I am accustomed to mastering reality, using the needs of people in the real world to delve deep into the virtual—this is exactly what the human heart lacks. My heart is not yet sincere enough; I pray for the Buddha's blessing. As soon as this thought arose, all the scenes before me, along with the various expressions of the beings, suddenly became crystal clear. The grand scene of Chao Du in the spiritual realms cannot be compared to any image on the internet. I was astonished and moved; in the dark world, I had never seen such light."

Healing the Pandemic of Desire

"This pandemic was brought about by humanity. What I see is desire flying everywhere in the sky. It is desire that causes the human heart to be biased, allowing this pandemic to accumulate such massive negative energy—a mass of black aura wandering upon human bodies. Practitioner Su leads immeasurable and boundless Bodhisattvas into the human body, using boundless golden light to transform the black magnetic field within. The infinitely layered good energy spreads and cleanses; this is the work of the Great Courageous and Powerful Dharma Body. With all kinds of seven-coloured rays of light, the entire morning deliverance ceremony shone brilliantly. I stepped upon a translucent lotus, quickly following the deliverance, moving to every corner. The victims of the pandemic saw our arrival as a ray of spiritual hope and received help. One by one, the suffering spirits cried out, 'It is bitter! It is bitter!' I immediately let go of the demon nature in my heart, hoping that I could contribute and help the boundless suffering spirits before me. I am very grateful to Practitioner Su for letting me see the entire void clearly. I am willing to follow the Buddha to help sentient beings and resolve this pandemic together. I hope more people can see what is being done here; by spreading the Dharma, more people can be relieved of their suffering and anxiety."

A Path Toward Goodness

"I, the Demon King Mara, am now called Shi Yaxing. I offer everyone a piece of advice regarding internet promotion: I have already seen a beam of light. That beam of light is the active power of everyone at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This power spreads throughout all spaces, including the internet. More and more people are seeing the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and those who believe are the ones connected by karmic affinity with the Buddha. Humanity truly lacks education of the heart, which is why they keep searching outward. Now, Practitioner Su is giving lectures, which is exactly what everyone's heart is missing. On the internet, these lectures rotate like a golden sphere. By continuously spreading this golden sphere, and adding my past influence on the internet to assist, I hope this pandemic can be alleviated and brought to an end."

"I am grateful for the realisation Practitioner Su has brought me. Now, as Shi Yaxing, I truly walk the path of the Dharma."

The interview message was recorded by the chief writer, disciple Shi Faxin. Namo Amituofo.