From the Scholar’s Desk to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Ban Zhao, the celebrated Eastern Han historian and scholar. Having sought Spiritual Deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, she now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon her life approximately 1,900 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on April 1, 2026.

Ban Zhao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Ban Zhao. The person I am now is no longer the Ban Zhao of the past. I sit upon a lotus seat within the Western Land of Dharma Nature, listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma, and chanting the Buddha-name of Namo Amituofo. My heart is incomparably at ease, and I am filled with joy as I spend this precious time here. I have only just arrived, but the joy in my heart is beyond words.

In my life, I was a scholar. Since arriving here, I have discovered that there are immeasurable and boundless numbers of Chinese people from all walks of life—emperors, generals, and commoners alike—all gathered here under the seat of Namo Amituofo, learning the Buddha’s teachings and studying the most precious Wisdom and Universal Principles of the universe.

A Scholar’s Humble Realisation

It is no exaggeration to say that I was a scholar. As a woman in that era, I was regarded as a gifted lady. I earned this title because I read extensively from a young age and inherited the task of completing the great historical work, the Book of Han, which my brother Ban Gu had begun. Because I was well-versed in astronomy, geography, history, and culture, I was considered a woman of immense learning. Yet, here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I have become the most humble Ban Zhao. All the knowledge I once possessed, including the Book of Han that I was so proud of, seems so insignificant when compared to the Universal Principles, Truth, and the Right Path of the Buddha’s teachings.

There is also a very interesting development: here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I have sensed the presence of my second brother, Ban Chao. It turns out he was guided to this Buddha-land even earlier than I was. My brother was a famous diplomat and military strategist in history; he spent decades in the Western Regions before returning to the Central Plains. We were very close as children, growing up happily among piles of books while following our father’s guidance. Now, my brother is here, too, listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma on a lotus seat in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. He has been here for over a month and is much more purified than I am. He has changed so much; he is a completely different person from the fierce, brilliant, and courageous Ban Chao I once knew. I almost did not recognise him. Of course, after so much time, we have both experienced so much in our respective worlds.

The Divergent Paths of Siblings

His fate was truly more tragic than mine. I say this because he spent decades fighting in the Western Regions, committing many cruel acts of killing to maintain the stability of the borders. He was a man of strong character, and for decades, he lived a life where he killed without blinking, becoming accustomed to such days. After he passed away, my brother Ban Chao endured long periods of torment in the hells before returning to the lands of the Western Regions as a lonely spirit. My fate was completely different from his; he followed the path of the warrior, while I followed the path of the scholar. I grew up happily under the love of my father and brothers, absorbing knowledge from various fields. I was naturally gifted and learned quickly; I could easily grasp everything my brothers understood and could even draw inferences about other matters. My father was often proud to have such a highly educated daughter.

After I married, I never intended to make scholarship my life's purpose. Although I possessed more knowledge than other women, I always thought I would be a good wife who supported her husband and raised children. Unexpectedly, my husband passed away only a few years after our marriage, when I was still a young woman in my teens! I lamented the impermanence of life and had no desire to remarry, which was not exactly praised by society at that time. Consequently, I threw myself into historical research. This change stemmed from my eldest brother, Ban Gu, who was the author of the great work, the Book of Han. Unfortunately, he was caught up in political strife at a young age, suffered torture in prison, and soon departed from the human world. Our family lost this great talent, and under the emperor’s decree, I, Ban Zhao, stepped forward to complete my brother’s unfinished legacy. I accepted this task readily, knowing that this important mission had already been established in my heart.

A Life Dedicated to History

My life as a scholar was quite smooth and pleasant. The Book of Han was a massive project, and I truly poured my heart and soul into it. The emperor hired me to work in the national library, where I buried myself in the compilation of the work. It was a monumental book involving important knowledge from ancient and modern times, both domestic and foreign, rather than just a historical narrative. Because I was fortunate enough to grow up following my father and brothers, I had learned much about astronomy, geography, and history. Thus, with the right timing, place, and people, I successfully completed the latter part of this great work. Although this life left me feeling a bit lonely, my total dedication to this masterpiece allowed me to forget everything—forgetting the fatigue and bitterness of body and mind, forgetting the pain of losing my family. I focused entirely on my research among the books, and my heart remained peaceful and joyful.

I was indeed fortunate to receive the help of many learned people at the time, and I have always been grateful for this. I am grateful for the emperor’s trust and for the support of the people of that era. The Book of Han was not written solely by the Ban siblings; I believe credit should go to the many scholars like me who worked together and contributed so much effort. I was merely the one leading the project, which is why my name has been passed down through history. Many others like me, who were equally erudite and possessed stable minds and analytical abilities, were the reason this great work came into existence.

To be honest, I lived a mundane life, not as legendary as people say. I had my own personality and habits, but because I devoted most of my energy to editing, writing, teaching, and academic work, I did not have much time to overthink things for myself. That state of mind was peaceful and joyful.

The Turning Point: Encountering the Dharma

Ban Zhao lived for over seventy years. In my later years, I gained the recognition of the Empress Dowager and provided many strategies for governing the country, which were adopted. This was because the Empress Dowager trusted me and knew my knowledge was of great help to the governance of the state. I dare not say how well I did; I simply worked diligently and did what I could. Having studied all the worldly knowledge of that life, now that I have arrived in the Western Land of Dharma Nature and have a thorough understanding of everything here, I cannot help but lament that I met the Buddha’s teachings so late. The Dharma had just been introduced to China during my era, and I did not have a deep affinity with it then. But now, a wonderful change has occurred in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I, Ban Zhao, have officially transformed from a scholar focused on the teachings of Confucius and Mencius into a devout practitioner of the Buddha’s path. The profound Wisdom of the Dharma and the high energy it brings have left me admired immensely.

Although it took many years to return to the embrace of the Dharma, even as a spirit in the spiritual realms—having survived until now in the space of books due to my attachment to learning—I feel it is not too late. This is truly when my Buddhist affinity has matured. This transformation from a scholar to a practitioner of the Buddha’s path is something that surprises and delights me.

What is surprising is that these changes are beyond what ordinary people can imagine. Who would have thought that a person could become a Buddha? And what is a Buddha? A Buddha is a follower of the Universal Principles and one who can penetrate all the truths of the universe. The Buddha’s heart is the purest, most Good, most compassionate, and flawless; this is how I perceive the Buddha. And Practitioner Su, who has realised his true nature and attained Buddhahood in the human world, follows the footsteps of Namo Amituofo, practising step by step, completely not clinging to the self, changing his habits, and ultimately attaining the realisation of his true nature and the perfection of the five eyes.

The Joy of Deliverance

What brings me immense joy is that I have finally seen the true Truth, recognised the Buddha, and learned that one must chant this name, "Namo Amituofo," to be liberated from the suffering of the cycle of reincarnated in samsara. Although I did not enter the hells to suffer retribution like my brother after I died, life as a spirit was not easy. Without freedom or the ability to be autonomous, I drifted aimlessly, living in a daze. There are immeasurable and boundless souls like me across the land of China who, after death, are trapped in the spaces they occupy and cannot escape. Only a few spirits with high spirituality and purity can travel back and forth in the spiritual world; I, Ban Zhao, was just a spirit among a pile of books, without great suffering but also without joy, passing that time in a dull and boring way. Now that I have arrived in the true Buddha-land, my heart has finally opened. I know I have a direction and a goal, and my soul is no longer dark and lost.

I have told myself that all the worldly knowledge I once possessed was merely discourse created for the people of the world; it did not truly explain the Universal Principles, Truth, and the Right Path that can help people escape the suffering of life and death. Only now, as I flip through the Infinite Life Sutra (The Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra) here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, can I truly appreciate the profundity of the Dharma. The profound Wisdom of the Dharma lies in the fact that when a person can reach a state of selflessness, no-self, and no-thought, they can attain the state of realising one's true nature and attain Buddhahood, and can even use their skills to help immeasurable and boundless beings.

The Truth of the Universe

There are so many beings trapped in these spaces; I really did not know before. History spans thousands and tens of thousands of years, and there are souls trapped within it for just as long. The space of books I occupied actually had many beings with me, but because we were not in the same space, I was completely unaware of them. Now that I have arrived in the Western Land of Dharma Nature and see the truth of all things, I cannot help but lament that human life is nothing more than this—a short few decades exchanged for such a long time—a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand years of life in these spaces. All of this is illusory; it is not real. No matter how high one’s status or how great one’s achievements were during life, only when the Buddha comes to the world, with Namo Amituofo and the cooperation of Practitioner Su in the human world, is it possible to deliver these beings one by one, giving them the opportunity to be reincarnated or to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Moreover, the Buddha can establish a Buddha-land. As long as one’s heart and vows are in sync with the Buddha, just like Practitioner Su, one can establish the Western Land of Dharma Nature with the help of Amitabha Buddha. That is why such a magnificent feat can be achieved, leading immeasurable and boundless beings into this Buddha-land.

Today, on the land of China, the most moving sight is Practitioner Su, accompanied by countless manifestations and Namo Amituofo, carrying the twelve rays of Buddha-light to perform Chao Du across the land. By now, many in the spiritual realms know of this, and all beings are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Amitabha Buddha and Practitioner Su. Time and again, the Buddha’s light shines down, taking away batch after batch of a vast number of beings. Once they enter the light and arrive in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, they no longer miss their past lives. Everyone here was once a part of this five-thousand or ten-thousand-year history, suffering greatly within it. This was because they had not encountered Buddhist education, which led them to remain lonely, wandering spirits. But now, their fate has been completely reversed. Too many beings have relied on this magnificent and rare opportunity to finally shed their identity as suffering spirits.

A Future of Service

The vastness of the Western Land of Dharma Nature reveals the breadth of Practitioner Su’s pure heart, which can accommodate so many immeasurable beings and demon crowds. Among them, deliver demonic beings is the most special and arduous task. In the past, I never believed in or acknowledged the existence of demons, but now, looking out, I have witnessed with my own eyes Practitioner Su deliver demonic beings on the land of China—a feat rarely seen in thousands of years. At the same time, many demons are casting spells to attack Practitioner Su, causing him to feel waves of intense pain in his body, whether he is giving lectures or performing at a Dharma assembly. Yet, Practitioner Su has no attachment to his body, allowing him to continue the work of deliverance steadily. This is the greatness of the Buddha-actions.

I have realised this now, and I hope that I, too, can be as selfless and without self as the Buddha, with a heart dedicated only to helping beings. Everything that has happened, beyond the surprise and joy, has truly made me very grateful that I could be in such a brilliant era and receive the Buddha’s salvation to arrive in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I do not want to go anywhere else; I just want to stay here and learn the true Buddhist education from Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. In the future, I must chant the Buddha-name to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and attain Buddhahood there. Only then will my life be truly complete, and only then will I have the opportunity to help immeasurable and boundless beings just like the Buddha. As for the past, whether it was the family affection or the scholarship I was once attached to, I have now completely let go of it all, focusing entirely on doing the Buddha-actions alongside the Buddha.

This is my true wish at this very moment.

I am grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. I bow and kowtow to the Buddha or Bodhisattva to express my gratitude.

Ban Zhao"