Never Departing from the Buddha-Name: The Journey of Venerable Benxin

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Benxin, 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 and his path to awakening. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing, on July 3, 2018.

Venerable Benxin speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Benxin. After many lifetimes of being reincarnated, I have finally regained a human body. In this life, I was granted the ability to see my past, and I now kneel before the Buddha in deep repentance.

A Mother's Unending Devotion

My father passed away in an accident when I was very young. My mother raised me alone, living a life of extreme hardship and toil, all to ensure I had enough to eat and could grow up safely. I came into this world burdened with illness; I suffered from severe shortness of breath, especially in the dead of night. Because of my condition, my mother never had a single night of peaceful sleep since the day I was born. She would rise multiple times every night just to check if I was still breathing.

During the day, besides working to survive, she travelled everywhere seeking medical help for me. I once witnessed my mother kneeling before a famous doctor, kowtowing and begging him to heal me. She swore she would spend her entire life repaying his kindness. When the doctor refused and kicked her aside, she continued to plead. My heart ached for her. I wept until my face was soaked in tears, and I bravely walked over to help her up. I held her and said, 'Mother, I am unfilial. I do not want you to worry anymore. I will surely get better.'

The Healing Power of the Buddha-Name

When I was six years old, whenever I felt low, I would draw images of Namo Amituofo and weep before them, begging Him to help my mother. I began to chant 'Namo Amituofo' quite naturally. Whenever I chanted this holy Buddha-name, my physical pain would ease. To spare my mother from worrying about my health, I never let the name 'Namo Amituofo' leave my heart. From that day on, I did not suffer a single illness for three years.

At the age of ten, I suddenly experienced severe shortness of breath in my sleep and fell into a deep coma for a long time. While unconscious, my spirit felt as though it were bound in chains, suffering intensely. I was surrounded by the karmic creditors I had accumulated over many lifetimes. They hung my spirit in mid-air, binding me with ropes and tormenting me without mercy. It was not just one group; wave after wave of these beings appeared. Some threw me into water, making it impossible to breathe. Others used poisons that damaged my throat and nasal passages. Just as I was enduring this agony, I suddenly remembered the name 'Namo Amituofo.' I summoned all my strength to shout it out loud, and only then did I finally wake up.

A Vow to Seek the Dharma

I slowly opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was my mother’s aged face, filled with such sorrow and grief that I could not help but shed tears. I said to her, 'Mother, I am unfilial.' With red, swollen eyes, she comforted me, saying, 'It is alright, as long as you are safe.' I told my mother that I had committed various sins in the past, which was why I was suffering such retribution in this life. To repent before my karmic creditors, I decided to dedicate my life to the Buddha’s teachings. My mother understood that this was the path I had to take. Though her heart was heavy with reluctance, she supported my decision for the sake of my life.

I bid farewell to my mother and set out alone to find the temple I had seen in my dreams. The hardships of the journey were immense, but I endured them all; they were nothing compared to the sacrifices my mother had made for me. Three months later, I found the temple. I stepped inside with great joy. The Master saw me and immediately said, 'Child, you have suffered.' From that day on, I began my practice in that temple.

The Discipline of the Temple

While my fellow practitioners were still asleep, I was already up and working. To keep myself alert, I gathered many sharp stones and placed them on the ground outside my room. Every morning, I would step barefoot onto these sharp stones; the pain in my feet was enough to keep me awake and ready to begin my day of practice.

Every day, I chopped large amounts of wood to store in the woodshed for the temple's needs. Then, I would go to the kitchen to pound rice and cook meals. After we all finished our meal, I would go up the mountain to plant vegetables. I tended to those crops with all my heart so that we would have enough food to supply the entire temple.

I was also responsible for washing the laundry. Every day, I carried basket after basket of dirty clothes to the river. Whenever my body felt exhausted, I would visualise the Buddha-name flowing clearly through my body with every beat of my blood. This allowed me to recover my energy in the shortest possible time.

The Awakening of the Six Roots

In the temple, I never allowed my hands to rest. If I finished my work early, I would sneak outside the main hall to participate in the evening chanting. Whenever I joined, I felt immense gratitude, kneeling outside the door to thank the Buddha for His grace.

One day, the abbot walked over to me and asked, 'How have these past two years been for you in the temple?' I replied, 'I have only two words: gratitude.' The Master smiled and nodded. The next day, he asked some of the practitioners who were dozing off during the lectures to go out and work, so that I could go inside to listen. When I found out, I rushed to the Master and said, 'I am illiterate and do not understand the sutras. Sitting inside will only make me doze off. It is better to let me work and keep my body moving. Please let the others continue to listen. I am grateful to you, Master.' That night, I knelt before the Buddha, repenting for my past sins and making a vow to spend my life saving sentient beings.

I especially cherished the time when I carried water, as I would pass by the lecture hall. I would prick up my ears to listen carefully to the Master’s teachings. Even hearing just one or two precious sentences made me feel satisfied, and I would faithfully follow the teachings in my daily life. Whenever I encountered difficulties, those few words of wisdom were exactly what I needed to resolve them.

The Call to Deliverance

One day, while I was weeding the backyard, the Master approached from a distance. I heard his soft footsteps and stood up to wait for him. He asked if I knew which sutra was being taught in the hall. I was confused by the question, but I calmed my heart and replied that Master Ruhui was explaining the Shurangama Sutra. The Master said, 'Exactly. Do you know that over these years, the faculties of your six roots have been opened? This is the result of your vows and your diligent efforts. Continue this purification, and it will restore more of your abilities, storing up merit to save sentient beings.' I was stunned by his words; before I could even express my gratitude, he had already walked away.

After the Master’s guidance, I truly felt different. Everything I saw brought me new insights. I, who was once illiterate, began to read the sutras. I could open any page and understand the truths being conveyed to the world.

One day, while preparing a meal in the kitchen, I suddenly saw visions of sentient beings suffering. I realised that every day I lived, immeasurable and boundless beings were in agony. I had to seize the time to help them leave suffering behind.

A Life Dedicated to the Buddha

The Master was waiting for this moment of my awakening to let me begin teaching the Dharma. I felt some fear, but for the sake of all beings, I gathered my courage and sat before the lecture table to open the sutra. Unexpectedly, I was able to explain every sentence in the simplest language, and the other masters were full of praise. Soon after, the Master took me to lecture everywhere, helping those lost in the world to break through delusion and attain enlightenment, teaching them to let go of all attachments and chant the Buddha-name to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land.

I returned to my mother’s home to visit her, only to find that she had already passed away. Her grave was right beside the house, as if she had been waiting for my return. I knelt before her grave, thanking her for her nurturing grace in this life, and said, 'Mother, I have found myself. In this life, I will surely use my abilities to help all beings transcend the cycle of birth and death.'

I spent my life proclaiming the Buddha’s teachings, helping people understand the importance of transcending samsara. My final lecture was completed at the very last moment of my life. As I closed the sutra, the Buddha-light and golden lotus appeared. With a steady heart, I chanted the name of Namo Amituofo, one phrase after another, and returned to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Following the Compassion of Practitioner Su

In the Western Pure Land, I have watched Practitioner Su’s work of deliverance with great admiration. I followed other Venerables to enter Practitioner Su’s feet to help him recover from his foot injury. In these days, as Practitioner Su delivers beings throughout the universe, I follow closely behind to learn. True deliverance requires immense compassion and vow-power to reach such a vast universe.

Su Fo's countless billions of manifestations reach every planet, allowing those with karmic affinity to be bathed in the Buddha’s light and saved. The name 'Namo Amituofo' is spread throughout the entire universe. Recently, the deliverance of a 'black hole' brought a surprise: a group of highly spiritual practitioners who had been practicing outside the universe for millions of years, not knowing how to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Through Practitioner Su’s deliverance and the calling of the Buddha-name, their true hearts were awakened. They successfully entered the black hole and returned to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, where they now offer their gratitude to Practitioner Su.

Practitioner Su’s descent into this world, even in this degenerate age, remains untouched by the 'Five Turbidities and Evil World.' With a pure heart and good intentions, he diligently practices to realise the Dharma Body and save all spirits. I hope this compassion and vow-power will stir more people to follow his example, learning the Buddha’s compassion and mind-capacity to save all beings.

Finally, I see my mother still waiting for me in her space. I beg Practitioner Su for his compassion to open her space, allowing her to enter the 'Western Dharma-Nature Land' to listen to the Dharma and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. My mother’s name is Huang Meiniang. I am grateful for Practitioner Su’s compassion. Namo Amituofo."