From Maitreya's Path to the Western Pure Land: A Warning from Venerable Changzhao

This interview was recorded on September 3, 2018, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Venerable Changzhao, who sought Chao Du at the centre, shares his journey from his life as a practitioner of the Maitreya Pure Land path to his current residence in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The interview was conducted by Venerable Haize.

Venerable Changzhao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I have arrived."

Venerable Haize: "Could you please tell everyone, Venerable Changzhao, as you were a practitioner of the Maitreya Pure Land Dharma Gate during your life, how did you eventually arrive at the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss?"

Venerable Changzhao: "Certainly. I will speak the truth. I hope this can serve as a warning to the followers in the world who trusted me, and to those who wish to practise the Maitreya Pure Land Dharma Gate."

A Life Devoted to the Dharma

"I was born in Kaohsiung. From a very young age, I felt a deep affinity for religion, the Buddha’s teachings, Taoism, and Confucian thought. I devoured countless books on these subjects. By the age of seventeen, I had already become a lecturer for I-Kuan Tao. I was well-versed in Buddhist terminology, the meanings of various concepts, and the scriptures. I spent a significant period of my life diligently studying the Tripitaka. After receiving guidance from the Venerable Yin Shun, I decided to focus exclusively on the Maitreya Pure Land Dharma Gate. Consequently, I delved even deeper into Buddhist classics and the treatises on consciousness-only. I made a solemn vow to be reborn in the Tushita Inner Court, the Maitreya Pure Land.

I eventually married, had children, and engaged in business, but my pursuit of the Truth never wavered. In fact, through the experiences of life—witnessing the joys and sorrows of human existence and the inescapable laws of karma and cause and effect—the desire to ordain as a monastic never left my heart. Finally, at the age of fifty-three, I entered the monastic life. My greatest hope was to pass on what I had learned to the younger generation. With the support of many, we built a Maitreya bodhimanda, providing a place of True Teachings for followers who wished to understand the Maitreya Pure Land. I gave Dharma talks and taught classes; my following grew, and the Dharma affinity became increasingly magnificent. As the Maitreya bodhimanda was completed, the followers were enthusiastic, for my lectures brought them Dharma joy and a sense of confidence that they could find liberation in this life. Because of this, I became even more diligent, never daring to slacken."

The Hidden Shadow of Attachment

"However, when I was around fifty-eight years old, I had a strange experience in a dream. I was at the temple during its construction, inspecting the site, when I saw scaffolding about to collapse. A child was standing directly below it. I rushed forward to pull the child to safety, but I could not escape in time; the scaffolding collapsed and pinned me down. I woke up in a state of terror. After that, I often felt weak, easily fatigued, and sometimes experienced a tightness in my chest. Eventually, I lost the ability to walk. It was as if that one soul and one spirit of mine had been trapped by the scaffolding in that dream. This was what caused my physical health to decline steadily. For a long time, I mistakenly believed that I was bearing the suffering for sentient beings.

It was only later that I realised the truth. As the abbot of the temple, I had developed subtle seeds of greed and selfishness. Outsiders did not know this, and because I had such extensive experience in teaching Buddhist studies, I understood the problems of my followers well. Yet, no one could see the bottom of my heart, where a subtle greed for wealth and a desire for personal legacy had taken root. I hoped that this bodhimanda, which I had built with such hard work, would be like a family business that I could pass down to future generations to manage and continue the spreading of the Dharma. Originally, I had maintained the precepts strictly, knowing that the bodhimanda belongs to the ten directions and should be used for the ten directions. But over time, things changed. Public and private interests became mixed. The Buddha’s teachings must be completely pure and selfless. Because my thoughts were no longer upright, my spiritual obstacles manifested. My karmic creditors were able to seek revenge, and in that dream, they trapped my soul and spirit, which is why my body began to suffer from illness."

From the Hells to the Western Pure Land

"After I passed away, the monastics and followers all assumed that I had been reborn in the Tushita Maitreya Pure Land. In reality, I had not. Because my heart was tainted with turbidity, I could not go to the Maitreya Pure Land; instead, I went to the hells to suffer retribution. It was only then that I understood that because my mental notes had deviated, I had to face such a hellish consequence. The laws of karma and cause and effect cannot be taken lightly, not even by a single drop! Especially for those who serve as abbots or hold important positions, one must be extremely careful! My example should serve as a mirror for everyone. Regardless of which Dharma Gate you practise, or which Buddha-land you vow to go to, you cannot be selfish, and you cannot have a gambling mentality—not even in the slightest. Otherwise, not only will you fail to reach the Buddha-land you vowed to go to, but your spiritual obstacles will manifest, you will fall ill, and you will have to suffer retribution in the hells. It is absolutely terrifying! You must be cautious in your speech and actions! You must uphold the precepts!

Later, because there were members of the fourfold assembly at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre who had previously attended my lectures, they knew I had passed away but did not know where I had gone. They mentioned my name, and thanks to the compassion of Practitioner Su, who called out my name, I was rescued from the hells and brought into the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This is the bodhimanda of Namo Amituofo in the West. After I spent some time here repenting and listening to the Dharma, I received the compassion of Practitioner Su, who chanted Namo Amituofo to send me into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Only then was I able to escape the hells and have this opportunity today to reveal these heartfelt words."

A Warning and a Vision for the Future

"The Western Pure Land and the Maitreya Pure Land are both Pure Lands, and both require practice and purification to enter. I am filled with shame; my practice became impure, and I lost the opportunity to be reborn in the Maitreya Pure Land to be close to Maitreya Buddha. Yet, today, I have been saved and have entered the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am so grateful for the great compassion of Namo Amituofo! I am so grateful to Practitioner Su!

Today, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia is preparing to build the Amituofo Village. I praise the great heart and vast capacity of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. By using this method to gather and lead sentient beings who have a karmic affinity with the Western Pure Land to come and reside there, they are providing an environment where people can learn and receive the compassionate light of Namo Amituofo that shines everywhere. When they leave this world, they will have the excellent opportunity to be delivered by Practitioner Su to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Everyone must know to cherish this! Building the Amituofo Village requires everyone to offer their heart, to contribute money and effort, and to have the vow to serve and benefit all beings, working together to complete this Western family. Here, I hope that in our Buddhism, regardless of which sect or faith one practises in the world, we are all originally one family. We should accept and tolerate one another. In order to escape the suffering of the cycle of rebirth, we must make the vow to seek rebirth in the Pure Land. Only then will we not have wasted our lives in this world. Namo Amituofo."