Insights from the Western Dharma-Nature Land

This is a record of an interview with the late Venerable Master Chin Kung, who now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. He reflects on his observations of this unique realm, which serves as a transition point for beings delivered by Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on September 4, 2022.

Venerable Master Chin Kung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Today, Namo Amituofo has given me a new topic to discuss, which is titled 'Observations of the Western Dharma-Nature Land.' This is a truly magnificent topic! Because this Western Dharma-Nature Land—well, I suspect that only the fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, along with our ancestral masters and venerable ones in the Western Pure Land, or perhaps those who have read the articles on the temple's website, have any inkling of what this place is. Even then, it is only a small number of people. Therefore, I believe it is necessary to first provide an introduction to the Western Dharma-Nature Land so that those reading this article can more easily grasp its significance.

The two characters for 'Dharma-Nature' carry a profound and expansive meaning. Dharma-nature and Buddha-nature are inherent in all people and all sentient beings; one could say it is the fundamental nature. When this fundamental nature manifests, one is like a Buddha. Those who have realised their true nature are like Buddhas, and this naturally includes the Buddhas themselves. As for what it means to be someone who has realised their true nature, those with an understanding of the Buddha's teachings, or the fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, should be quite familiar with the concept. However, encountering such a person is a rare event that cannot be sought by force. A person who has realised their true nature possesses the Dharma-nature, which allows them to sustain a Dharma-Nature Land—what we call a Buddha-land. Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is such an awakened being, and Namo Amituofo, the Teaching Master of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, is also present here. To my knowledge, this Western Dharma-Nature Land was a gift from Namo Amituofo to Practitioner Su."

A Sanctuary for the Saved

"Upon hearing the term 'Dharma-Nature,' one should immediately understand that it is vast and boundless; this is a quality inherent to the Dharma-nature itself, existing quite naturally. The purpose behind Namo Amituofo gifting this Western Dharma-Nature Land to Practitioner Su is primarily because Practitioner Su has been manifesting in the human world to save an immense number of sentient beings, and these beings require a place to settle. Not all the beings who are saved are familiar with the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss or Namo Amituofo. Therefore, providing them with a place to settle allows them to listen to the sutras, hear the Dharma, and have the time to gain an understanding of Namo Amituofo and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This significantly increases the chances for these beings to make a sincere vow to enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is truly the great compassion of the Buddha—great, boundless compassion! I have never heard of such a Dharma-Nature Land existing within the human world before.

The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is truly an inconceivable place. It not only connects with the human realm and spiritual beings but also saves them, providing them with a place of rest. It elevates their spirituality from that of ordinary beings to a state where they recognise Namo Amituofo and the Western Land, and subsequently, they can sincerely vow to enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Once they chant Namo Amituofo, they can enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is helping beings in this very lifetime to ascend from the six realms of existence to the Buddha-land of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. If they attain Buddhahood there, oh, what immense blessings that would be! Furthermore, this Western Dharma-Nature Land is vast and boundless; no matter how many beings enter, it remains spacious, just like the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a land manifested by the capacity of one's mind—or, to be precise, it is a land manifested by the mind-capacity of one who has realised their true nature."

The Mechanics of the Dharma-Nature Land

"This Dharma-Nature Land is also the place where I, Chin Kung, currently reside. In this place, one cannot move as freely as one does in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, where one can travel throughout all the Buddha-lands, because there is a 'button' or a fastener attached to one's body. This fastener is elastic; it holds you firmly, yet you do not feel its presence. It is truly subtle. In other words, you are confined to a certain range and cannot leave. It is said that after Practitioner Su began saving demonic beings, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju suggested this to Practitioner Su. To help the demonic beings settle their minds and prevent them from wandering about or causing trouble, this fastener was added to the lotus seat. While on the lotus seat, one can listen to the sutras, hear the Dharma, observe the activities of the temple, and even see the situations in the human world.

Therefore, if the beings here make a vow to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and sincerely chant 'Namo Amituofo,' this fastener automatically opens. They then enter into the golden light and proceed directly to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Thus, one could say the Western Dharma-Nature Land is a transit station, a rest stop, or an intermediate station for entering the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This Dharma-Nature Land is extremely bright because it is illuminated by the Buddha-light, and as the beings here become pure, they themselves can emit a bright radiance. It is truly a pure land, a pure land. This is a very, very rare occurrence.

There is a faint scent of lotus flowers here. One can see the activities of the temple and the state of the fourfold assembly of disciples with perfect clarity. Even the fluctuations of your mental notes are clearly visible here; there is no hiding anything. This includes the state of mind you are in when you chant the Buddha-name; it is as clear as watching television here. Therefore, many things are not simply 'non-existent' just because your eyes cannot see them or your ears cannot hear them; to think otherwise is to deceive oneself. One must realise that the visibility of the human physical eye is limited, and the range of frequencies the ears can hear is also limited. Although you may not see or hear these beings, do not assume that nothing is there. Those beings are far more numerous than what you can see or hear. Therefore, people must never be arrogant, nor should they deceive themselves or others. By 'not being arrogant,' I mean one should not forget that beyond people, there are other people, and beyond the heavens, there are other heavens. There is so much that one does not understand; how can there be any room for arrogance? If you are arrogant, you will eventually fall and be covered in wounds—it is very painful. Naturally, this also includes the possibility of going to the hells to receive retribution."

A Glimpse into the Infinite History of China

"Having gained a preliminary understanding of the Western Dharma-Nature Land, let me now speak of what I have seen and heard here. Currently, it is the third day—the Sunday—of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, which the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre holds every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In this land of the Western Dharma-Nature, I believe no one would want to miss the Thrice Yearning Ceremony at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, because it is simply too spectacular! It is a scene and content that cannot be seen on television, cannot be portrayed in movies, and is beyond anything you could ever imagine!

This is because everyone involved, apart from Practitioner Su and the fourfold assembly of disciples at the temple, exists within the spiritual space. This space is different from the space where the fourfold assembly of disciples resides, so the disciples cannot see or hear them. It is a great pity! It is truly magnificent.

I mentioned a portion of this in my previous interview, but every time there are new discoveries; it is truly something one can watch a hundred times without ever growing tired of it. Especially the beings who come seeking Spiritual Deliverance—they are truly countless. This time, I saw beings I had never seen before coming to seek deliverance. These beings came from the land of mainland China. When they arrived, they were like a gust of wind; there were simply too many of them. When they moved, they were like the wind. When they stopped and I looked closely, I realised they were spiritual beings from various dynasties throughout China's five-thousand-year history. This caught my attention—they were from different eras, wearing different clothes, and even their movements and expressions were different. Among them were many elderly people, some were refined and elegant scholars, and others looked like officials. Some wore tattered clothes, as if they were refugees—likely civilians from times of war. I also saw beggars holding broken bowls; they were beggars in life, and after death, they remained beggars in the spiritual space. There were also many women with children; some looked like they were from wealthy families, while others appeared to be from impoverished backgrounds. There were many farmers, some even carrying hoes on their shoulders. China is a nation founded on agriculture, so this is truly a Chinese characteristic!

Furthermore, there were many court ministers, as well as numerous imperial consorts, palace maids, and eunuchs; one could tell their attire was different from the ordinary people. There were also generals and soldiers riding warhorses, looking majestic. Their appearance from when they were alive seemed quite clear; this is the attachment of humans. It seems these eras are quite distant. China's five-thousand-year history is truly rich!

I also saw many deities. At that moment, I intuitively knew that these were mountain gods, river gods, river-mouth gods, water gods, and sea gods—there were so many of them. They all came together to request Practitioner Su to save them. China is too vast, and the spiritual spaces of five thousand years are so numerous! As far as I know, Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body is constantly saving beings in the land of mainland China; that is a very important place!

I mentioned the Dharma Body deliverance in my last interview, but let me describe it again. This Dharma Body is truly omnipotent; whatever one wishes to do, the Dharma Body can accomplish. The places where the Dharma Body arrives are also where Namo Amituofo is, for Namo Amituofo has thousands of billions of transformation bodies and is inherently omnipresent! Therefore, this Dharma Body has entered the spiritual spaces of China's five thousand years extensively. Once it enters and opens up the space, the beings within can be saved. This is truly a tremendous grace for these beings! It is very difficult for them to get out of those spaces on their own; without the Dharma Body's deliverance, I believe it would be very difficult. This is a new learning for me, so I am reporting it to everyone, as you may not have heard of it before, and perhaps there are parts that are still unclear. We shall see if there is an opportunity to explain further in the future. The fastest way to understand is to come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre yourself; once you see it, you will know."

The Presence of Mahasattva Ashvaghosa

"Furthermore, there is another very special thing about this Western Dharma-Nature Land: Mahasattva Ashvaghosa is here. This truly surprised me! Mahasattva Ashvaghosa was a great Buddhist master from India; he wrote the 'Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana.' Originally, Mahasattva Ashvaghosa was in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, but he was instructed by Namo Amituofo to come to the Western Dharma-Nature Land to communicate with and teach the beings who enter this land, to calm their minds and answer the doubts in their hearts. This is truly unheard of. In the spiritual world, especially in Buddhism, there are no limitations of time or space; it is all one. This is the preciousness of oneness. In the Western Dharma-Nature Land or the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, everyone communicates heart-to-heart; there are no issues with language or text. After all, are language and text not just expressions of the heart's meaning? Therefore, the heart-to-heart method of communication transcends national boundaries and the barriers of time and space. This is also what makes it different from the human world.

I have met Mahasattva Ashvaghosa several times. Every time Practitioner Su sends a new group of beings to the Dharma-Nature Land, Mahasattva Ashvaghosa is very enthusiastic—or perhaps I should say very diligent—and appears immediately. Imagine it like a school: when new students arrive in a new place, they are confused by the unfamiliar environment and faces. If a kind, smiling, and approachable senior student appears, everyone feels much more at ease, and they will feel comfortable asking questions. Isn't that wonderful? This is also the compassion of Namo Amituofo, who considers everything for the sake of sentient beings. Therefore, Mahasattva Ashvaghosa is very busy in this place.

Speaking of when I, Chin Kung, was sent to the Dharma-Nature Land by Practitioner Su, I was not unfamiliar with this place. In the past, my three souls—the main soul, the body soul, and the consciousness soul—had been saved by Practitioner Su. When my consciousness soul and body soul were driven out of my body, I was settled in this place for quite a long time. So, seeing Mahasattva Ashvaghosa again this time, he gave me a slight smile; it seems Mahasattva Ashvaghosa is also clearly aware of many things in his heart. He is a great Bodhisattva, indeed!

This place accommodates all kinds of beings. There are truly many, many demonic beings. They have been transformed by Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, especially after listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma; they have understood many principles, and their hearts have changed accordingly. Truly, no one else could teach them! Education is so important, especially the education of the Buddha's teachings, which requires long-term immersion. This long-term immersion must not be interrupted, because the Alaya consciousness contains too many incorrect and evil thoughts from the past and present, which can be triggered at any moment. Therefore, long-term immersion to purify one's thoughts is very important.

The Western Dharma-Nature Land is an environment that allows spirituality to be purified. Furthermore, one can hear Practitioner Su’s lectures on the sutras, using the teachings of Namo Amituofo and Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju as the curriculum. The content of every session benefits everyone. What is meant by 'benefit' is that upon hearing it, one has an 'Aha!' moment, or one's spirituality is shaken and one becomes willing to change. This is very rare. It requires the cooperation of both the inner heart and the external environment to make a change in behaviour possible. Moreover, for demonic beings, whose personalities and habits are very intense, it is not an easy task to get them to accept and change.

Therefore, the teaching of the sutras and the Dharma cannot stop. Once it stops and there is no immersion, these bad and evil thoughts will manifest again, or one will go astray, think in a biased or evil way, and return to the past. So, at this time, everyone must put in extra effort to turn these bad and evil thoughts into right ones, turn evil into Goodness, turn bias into righteousness, and help the demonic beings enter the Buddha's path. That is how they are saved! This is a task that, without Namo Amituofo coming forward to save them, ordinary practitioners could not accomplish.

I, Chin Kung, know the importance of listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma, which is why I have not interrupted my lectures for sixty years. Practitioner Su also understands this principle, so he does not dare to interrupt his lectures at the temple. This is also where he is diligent; he understands that there are too many sentient beings, and everyone is so eager for their hearts to find peace. We can gain strength and benefit from the lectures on the sutras; this is the receptive power of the speaker. This also requires Dharma affinity; one must have a solid foundation to explain the Dharma thoroughly and clearly, making the listeners feel that it is appropriate and logical, so that they can take it in and experience change."

The Infant Spirit House and Compassionate Deliverance

"Furthermore, I also saw that when Practitioner Su strikes the large qing (chime bowl) at the temple, many beings immediately enter the Dharma-Nature Land. Wow! This 'Infant Spirit House' was specially prepared by 'Grandma Su' for infant spirits; the infant spirits all call Practitioner Su 'Grandma Su.' Inside the Infant Spirit House, there is food and toys—there are so many delicious things! No wonder the infant spirits love to enter the Infant Spirit House in the Dharma-Nature Land! There are delicious things from ancient times and modern times, like tanghulu (candied hawthorn). Do you know tanghulu? It has existed since ancient times, and there are tanghulu of every colour. Many ancient children who came seeking deliverance were overjoyed when they entered the Infant Spirit House; upon seeing the tanghulu, they immediately grabbed one to eat. I saw this and felt happy for them; it seemed as if they had not eaten for a long time! There is also ice cream, which both adults and children love today, in every flavour. They can eat their fill until the children are happy, each one smiling. There are also beautiful clothes, hair ribbons for little girls—both ancient and modern styles—and many toys. Honestly, modern toys are rather dull, but ancient toys are much more interesting, like the rattle-drums that make sounds when you turn them in your palm—there are big ones and small ones—and spinning tops that you throw with a string to spin on the ground. All these things are there; you can find them in the Infant Spirit House. Sometimes, when they want something, it appears as soon as they think of it. This is not only loved by the infant spirits; the older children love it too. I see them eating and playing inside, very happily. This is also the compassion of Grandma Su!

Saving sentient beings requires having a 'oneness' perspective—putting oneself in their shoes, thinking about what they want, and how to make them feel at peace and find happiness. This is what it truly means to have a oneness perspective. There is one more thing: there are slides in the Infant Spirit House, both big and small, just like a playground for children. Everyone plays very happily inside. I often see Practitioner Su allowing their whole families to be reunited. It is strange; only one being enters, but how is it that when the being enters the Dharma-Nature Land, their other relatives also appear? Where did they come from? I, Chin Kung, did not originally know how it was possible to reunite their whole families in the Dharma-Nature Land, but later I understood. Just like in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, this is a world where 'wishes are fulfilled as soon as they are thought of.' When the topic of family reunion is mentioned, the family members in their hearts naturally emerge and appear in the Dharma-Nature Land. It is truly inconceivable! This Dharma Body is indeed very useful. However, these things are not used for Practitioner Su himself, but for the sake of sentient beings. That is correct; this is what a true saviour of sentient beings is like."

The Vital Importance of Dharma Education

"Currently, the Thrice Yearning Ceremony is still in progress, and beings from the temple are constantly pouring in; one group is sent off, and another group enters. I see Skanda Bodhisattva, Sangharama Bodhisattva, and the venerable ones whom Practitioner Su often asks for help—Venerable Changren, Venerable Changgao, Venerable Yongning—and even Steve Jobs, all present to help maintain order. Wow, this Steve Jobs is no ordinary person; he is the founder of our human Apple phones and computers, the top person in charge of the company, and now he has become one of the four great Dharma protectors of Practitioner Su at the temple. This Practitioner Su is truly extraordinary!

However, saving sentient beings really requires Dharma protectors, because there are simply too many beings! The world of sentient beings is just like the world of the human realm; everyone's character is different, and their thoughts are different. Many do not think the way you do, nor do they believe what you believe, and they will not act the way you expect. They often suddenly break in or appear, which can catch you off guard and cause some physical harm. This is the price paid by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in saving sentient beings—taking on suffering on their behalf. After writing the memorial tablets for them, these beings enter the Western Dharma-Nature Land and receive deliverance, eventually entering the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Such mind-capacity and compassion are truly not simple; they are not simple at all!

Especially since Practitioner Su saves not only ghosts but also the earth, flowers, trees, insects, and all beings in the six realms and the Four Sacred Realms; the scope is very broad! These are all objects he can save; he can open up space and allow beings to escape their confinement and receive deliverance. This is truly a new learning for everyone, and it is also a place where I, Chin Kung, need to learn. But this requires a Dharma Body; only after realising one's true nature and possessing a Dharma Body can one have this skill. This is not a skill that can be obtained just by practicing and purifying oneself a little; it requires hard work, diligent practice, and the realisation of one's true nature to attain.

Therefore, everyone should help Practitioner Su. Since he has this skill, we should let him utilise it, let him use this skill to save more sentient beings, and ensure he has no worries. Those who can truly do this—the merit of the things Practitioner Su accomplishes, the Dharma protectors also have a share in, because with the help of the Dharma protectors, Practitioner Su can do more to save and deliver sentient beings. So, doing more good deeds is never wrong. Especially at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, where Namo Amituofo is present, it is not an ordinary place. The benefits of supporting this place are immeasurable.

Alright, today I have spoken with everyone about my observations in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. The time is about up, so let us stop here for today.

Namo Amituofo.

Venerable Chin Kung, with palms joined.

At the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Australia."