Practitioner Su and the Miracle of Rain

The Hidden Causes of Suffering

Five years ago, Practitioner Su led the fourfold assembly of monks, nuns, and lay practitioners back to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. At that time, the nation was suffering under the weight of a severe and unrelenting drought, while the COVID-19 pandemic cast a shadow of fear across the entire world. People were deeply attached to their own personalities and desires, living in a state of profound selfishness. They did not realise that the physical body is merely a temporary vessel, and they suffered greatly in their pursuit of worldly satisfaction.

In Australia, the consumption of meat, particularly beef, is widespread. Because animals possess their own spiritual nature, the act of killing them for food creates a heavy karmic burden. The resentment of the slaughtered cattle, along with the spirits of many other animals, lingered in the atmosphere. These spirits acted as a barrier, obstructing the natural cycles of weather and resulting in the karmic retribution of a prolonged drought.

The Compassionate Path to Relief

Namo Amituofo, in His infinite wisdom, understood that this suffering arose because the human world lacked proper Buddhist education. Out of great compassion, Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su began to educate the people on the importance of chanting the Holy Name, "Namo Amituofo." They taught the public that they must change their personality traits and, most importantly, they taught the spirits residing in the surrounding space to chant "Namo Amituofo" as well.

The Holy Name "Namo Amituofo" contains the supreme power of the Universal Buddha, whose Dharma-body pervades the Dharma-realm. It possesses:

• Great Majestic Spiritual Power: The ability to transform the environment and clear away obstacles.
• Great Meritorious Power: The capacity to accumulate virtue and resolve karmic debts.
• Great Fearless Power: The strength to overcome all forms of suffering and attachment.

By chanting this Holy Name, the very fabric of space can be opened. The compassionate Namo Amituofo radiates a brilliant, soft, and gentle light. Practitioner Su communicated with the spiritual realms, praying for rain and earnestly counselling the resentful and suffering spirits in the air and on the earth to let go of their hatred. By relying on the power of Namo Amituofo, they sought to protect all beings—humans, animals, plants, insects, and the earth itself—from the agony of drought and to resolve this great disaster.

A Test of Faith and Endurance

During those difficult days, Practitioner Su dedicated herself to teaching the spirits of the deceased—including ghosts, animal spirits, plant spirits, and the spirits of the land—to chant the Holy Name. This was a period of immense personal sacrifice. Even while suffering from spiritual attachments and attacks that caused her skin to break out in rashes, pus, redness, swelling, and extreme pain, and even as her hair began to fall out, she remained steadfast. She continued to teach the spirits of the land, the animals, and the plants to chant "Namo Amituofo" without pause.

There came a moment when the spirits finally emitted a faint, collective chant of "Namo Amituofo." Shortly after, a few drops of rain fell from the sky, followed by a light drizzle. The spirits were astonished and filled with joy. Bathed in the light of Namo Amituofo and encouraged by the constant support of Practitioner Su, they continued to chant. Their transformation was remarkable:

• Initial Hesitation: Many spirits did not know how to chant or were initially unwilling.
• Growing Faith: They gradually came to believe in the power of the Holy Name.
• Active Participation: They progressed from whispering the name to chanting it loudly and proactively.

The Miracle of Rain and Healing

As the chanting intensified, the sky finally erupted with lightning and thunder, followed by a torrential downpour that effectively ended the drought. This miraculous event provided the life-giving water needed to nourish the earth. The parched land began to sprout green shoots, and the people, relieved of the burden of the water crisis, found their smiles returning once more. Their lives were fundamentally improved by the return of the rain.

Meanwhile, the physical suffering of Practitioner Su began to subside. Through the constant process of inviting the attached spirits to leave and receiving the healing grace of Namo Amituofo, her skin gradually recovered, and her hair began to grow back thicker than before. In the unseen realms, the spirits of cattle, pigs, chickens, geese, fish, and many other animals—who had previously covered the sky in their resentment—were reconciled. Under the mediation of Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su, they let go of their hatred, accepted the Chao Du, and found peace. The resolution of this drought was not only due to the merit of the spirits chanting the Holy Name but also because the souls of the slaughtered animals were finally saved and liberated from their suffering.