Purification and the Path to True Nature

This interview was recorded on September 18, 2022, at the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Venerable Master Chin Kung, who sought deliverance and now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, continues his discourse on the vital necessity of spiritual purification in our modern, turbid world.

Venerable Master Chin Kung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Today, we shall continue with the topic previously assigned by Namo Amituofo: 'Purification and Pollution.'

The Necessity of Realising One's True Nature

We have previously dedicated some space to discussing the realisation of one's true nature. Why must we begin with this? It is to ensure that everyone understands what it means to realise one's true nature and the immense benefits that follow. This understanding serves as a powerful catalyst to drive people toward learning the Buddha’s teachings, entering into practice, and even aspiring to renounce the household life to become a monastic. Every practitioner possesses a unique Dharma affinity. The environment and the people one encounters in this lifetime will inevitably influence one's future choices and learning. One of the primary goals of Buddhist practice is to recover one's true nature.

Recovering one's true nature requires a process of purification. Can everyone accept, face, and break through the challenges inherent in this process? That is where true progress lies. When you enter into practice, will your heart be swayed by external circumstances? When you encounter trials, can you face them and overcome them? These factors will all influence the fruits of your practice.

The Urgency of Rebirth in the Western Pure Land

Realising one's true nature is a goal of practice, but it is not something one can achieve simply by wishing for it; it requires significant effort. In this limited lifespan, it is not guaranteed that one will succeed. However, regardless of whether one achieves this, the most secure path is to first make a vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. If you have not yet realised your true nature but successfully reach the Western Pure Land, you will have the benefit of infinite light and infinite life—time enough to continue your practice. Those who are fiercely diligent may realise their true nature and attain Buddhahood sooner; those who are slower may rest and then continue their studies. If one carries karma to the Western Pure Land and enters the Land where Sages and Ordinary Beings Dwell Together, it will take approximately twelve kalpas to complete one's studies and attain Buddhahood. This is an incredibly long time. It is far better to practise diligently and fiercely while in the human world. Although the human world is a Five Turbidities and Evil World, making it difficult to achieve success, one can attain results much faster here than by waiting until one reaches the West.

Of course, there are beings of the Western Pure Land who see sentient beings in the human world suffering and therefore vow to descend to save those with whom they have karmic affinity, guiding them to rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Once these beings descend, their fate depends on their own efforts. Some succeed and return to the West early; others become lost, rolling in the cycle of rebirth and unable to return; still others encounter predecessors who have also descended from the West to give them a helping hand, allowing them to return. In any case, for a Pure Land practitioner in this lifetime, whether or not they are a being from the West, and whether or not they return to the West, the most important thing is to ensure that this spirit lives a meaningful life. As for me, Chin Kung, now residing in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I accept interviews daily. It seems I can still make some contribution to the human world, which is quite wonderful. From ancient times to the present, I believe I am the only one to have such a blessing.

The Modern Crisis of Pollution

Let us speak further on the matter of 'purification.' In truth, whether one studies Buddhism or not, it is a necessity. Our current society is heavily polluted. Everyone chases the satisfaction of external desires, and in doing so, they neglect what their hearts truly need. Spiritual emptiness and anxiety cannot be filled by material goods from the outside world. They require the education of the Buddha’s teachings, the strength of spiritual support, and the practice of recovering one's true nature to achieve genuine satisfaction and peace of mind. Modern technology has shortened the distance between nations and between people, with much communication and exchange relying on the internet. If this information is used to propagate, promote, and learn the Buddha’s teachings, then it is feasible and helpful to humanity; it is one of the methods of purification. However, if one becomes addicted to games or websites that are harmful to the body and mind—satisfying physical desires while sinking into them day and night, affecting one's normal rest and work—then that is not good. That is pollution; it is creating karma, and one will surely reap the bitter fruits.

The Invisible Control of Demon Crowds

To my knowledge, many children, teenagers, and adults today, once addicted to computers, cannot control themselves. This leads to physical harm and a constant stream of social, family, and personal problems. The most undesirable consequence is being controlled by demon crowds, sometimes even leading to death. When I say this, you might think, 'How could it be like this?' Indeed, I, Chin Kung, also feel this way. The situation as it has developed is truly like a wildfire—once it starts, it is difficult to contain.

The demon crowds have indeed entered online games, using the internet to control the fragile hearts of people, satisfying their desires and spiritual needs, causing them to lose correct judgment and normal daily routines, and leading them to ignore interactions and learning with those around them, which causes their behavior to deviate. Most terrifyingly, their thoughts also go astray. They fight and kill, seeing blood and light; seeing blood earns points, and their scores grow exponentially. In other words, by exploiting people's desire to satisfy their urge to win, they become addicted and trapped. They are fundamentally under the control of the Demon Realm, unable to extricate themselves. Their daily routines become abnormal; they become thin and ill, wasting their studies, homework, and work, leaving their parents worried and helpless. Furthermore, they become disrespectful to teachers and elders, often leading to many arguments. In truth, many people have already lost the ability to control themselves.

The Path to True Purification

These social and family problems repeatedly affect the individual, the entire society, and even the whole country. When we speak of this, the scope of the involvement is very broad. This is pollution, and it requires purification—the purification of the heart, the purification of Buddhist education, and the simultaneous practice of inviting spirits and Chao Du. The more severe the situation, the more one needs the help of purification. Looking at the current state of society, many parents may seek help from mental health experts or other channels. If one is under the control of demon crowds, these forms of help are limited; most people are helpless in this regard. You can invite Namo Amituofo to help, to see if the demon crowds, karmic creditors, or attached spirits can be invited out through the process of inviting spirits. Of course, while asking for Namo Amituofo's help, one must also restore normal daily routines. This requires actual action to bring about change; it cannot be changed by mere words.

Purification is of the utmost importance. Only by obtaining purification can one have a sound personality and a healthy body. Therefore, when the body or mind is subjected to various forms of pollution, one must rely on purification to restore its purity so that the body and mind can function as they were intended. This requires significant effort. Through practice, one must carry out true reform and purification from within the heart, reforming the body and mind simultaneously. Only by working on the body, mind, and spirit all at once can one achieve a truly thorough change. In this regard, I, Chin Kung, have seen the changes in the demon crowds sent into the Dharma-Nature Land after being invited out. It is truly hard to believe, yet it has truly happened. After the demon crowds are sent to the Western Dharma-Nature Land, they are bathed in the Buddha-light and nurtured by listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma. Their inherent good nature gradually reveals itself. Without the environment of the Demon Realm, their demon nature cannot manifest, so they are able to properly accept the purification of the Western Dharma-Nature Land, washing away the pollution of the Demon Realm. This is how such results are achieved, allowing the demon crowds to turn from evil to good. This is the situation with the demon crowds. Since they can achieve this, the demon crowds, karmic creditors, and attached spirits within human beings can also do so. It all depends on whether one has the Dharma affinity and the blessings, and whether one has the opportunity to come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

The Sanctuary of Hsiang Kuang

Coming to this temple, there is an environment for purification, the illumination of Buddha-light, the teachings of Namo Amituofo and Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, the care and guidance of Practitioner Su, and the help and protection of the Dharma protectors. We hope to give people the opportunity to correct their deviated behaviors and to provide their polluted hearts and minds with the chance for purification. If that happens, the person is saved. Saving one person is saving one Buddha.

If one can come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the one saved is absolutely not just the person themselves; the greatest beneficiaries are the karmic creditors, attached spirits, and beings of the Demon Realm within them. You must understand that deviations in thought or behavior are often things one cannot master oneself. Why can you not master yourself? Because your three souls—the main soul, the consciousness soul, and the body soul—especially the main soul, are trapped by karmic creditors and attached spirits. You cannot be the master; at these times, your body is controlled by them, and you cannot make your own decisions. This is very common, yet people are unaware of it. I, Chin Kung, did not understand this very well before; I heard about it intermittently and only knew a partial picture. It was only after arriving at the Western Dharma-Nature Land that I gained a deeper understanding.

Here in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, there is no distinction between day and night; it is bright at all times. This is a world of light, identical to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This world is truly wonderful. Sentient beings who come here are certainly able to be transformed, and their hearts and minds can receive immense purification. In particular, the warmth, brightness, and purity brought by the illumination of Buddha-light are extremely important for the purification of the hearts and minds of sentient beings; it has a very powerful purifying effect, and listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma is even more so. If one understands the causes and consequences of things and knows what one should do, the heart can become settled.

The Importance of Letting Go

Therefore, entering the temple from the secular world is entering a pure environment from a polluted one. Many people need such a change—in fact, it cannot be said to be just 'many people'; every single person needs this change. If you want to realise your true nature, you need it. It just depends on whether you can come. Those with insufficient Dharma affinity cannot come; those who do not believe cannot come; those with insufficient willpower and persistence cannot come. Therefore, the fourfold assembly of disciples who are currently at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre know how lucky they are—truly lucky! If one lacks the blessings and the help of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, it is truly not an easy thing to continue practising here. One would be taken away by karmic creditors halfway through. There are far too many people who cannot see through things and cannot let go! Therefore, for a teacher or master to find a successor is not something that can be easily obtained. If one is found, one must cultivate them well!

Furthermore, if one wishes to enter into practice, one must let go of worldly emotions, family, parents, children, spouses, and so on; otherwise, they are all obstacles. Practice requires purification; one must let go until it is clean, without a trace of pollution. One must be empty to realise one's true nature. Practitioner Su often reminds everyone of this, but it seems not so easy to achieve because people are accustomed to relying on and helping each other. Yet, practising to realise one's true nature is one's own business; no one can replace you. In the Pure Land school, besides relying on oneself, one must also rely on the blessing of Namo Amituofo’s Buddha-power. However, if one encounters people who only believe in the Buddha but not in themselves, or who do not believe in the Buddha but only in themselves, this is because there is still a 'self.' As long as there is a 'self,' one is polluted. One needs to purify quickly, let go of the 'self,' let go of the past, let go of the family, and let go of all kinship. Only then can one achieve success in practice.

This is not being heartless; it is seeing the truth of reality clearly so that one can realise one's true nature, save oneself, and then save others. Regarding family kinship, children, parents, and teachers will all be beings you save in the future. But before you have realised your true nature, if you cannot see through it and cannot let go, you will eventually sink together with everyone else and fall into the cycle of rebirth. No one can save anyone; you cannot even save yourself, so how can you talk about saving others? It is not like the spirit of Practitioner Su, who can go to hell if they say they will, and do whatever needs to be done. Such skills are likely only possessed by Practitioner Su at present. Of course, such skills and abilities are not something you can have just because you say so; they require the process of practice and purification. You must absolutely stay away from the secular environment to be able to do it, and you must have perseverance, determination, belief in yourself, and belief in the Buddha. Most importantly, you must have the guidance of a true spiritual friend.

The Need for Consistent Practice

I, Chin Kung, know this myself. In the past, I met everyone on the screen every day, or whenever I opened the computer, I could listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma whenever I wanted. If I wanted to hear the Buddha-name, I could hear it as soon as I turned on the Buddha-name machine. Under such convenient circumstances, I was purified at the time, but once I left, or once I entered into work or family life, I returned to my original state. This means the pollution had not yet been purified. If there had been purification, one would be able to see that one's personality had changed—one would be more smiling because one understands some principles, understands that many things are illusory, and does not need to be too calculating. One would be more compassionate toward everyone, would not only think of oneself, and would care about the people around one. At the very least, one would do one's own part well, not let family worry, and not let parents or teachers worry. If one is a practitioner, then one must be diligent. Fierce diligence is what a practitioner should do to achieve the effect of purification; otherwise, under the condition of deep pollution, purification is like gently wiping away some dust from the surface, or even being unable to remove the dust at all. How can one talk about purification then?

There is a saying: 'The master brings you through the door, but the practice is up to the individual.' When I, Chin Kung, was in the world, I saw too much of this! At first, people felt that studying Buddhism was very good, and they threw themselves into it with great enthusiasm. Later, when they encountered some trials and could not overcome their own personalities or the requests of their families, they lost their resolve. Once they retreated, if they returned, one could see that the purification they had practised before had been polluted again. Returning to practice and seizing the opportunity to diligently purify is the best, but many are still in a state of advancing and retreating; it all depends on whether the result is progress or retreat. Teachers and true spiritual friends all know that maintaining purity is extremely important.

The Final Responsibility

Practice does not mean you do not want anything; rather, after purification and recovering your true nature, you must return to save the sentient beings with whom you have karmic affinity. These beings include parents, teachers, karmic creditors, and family members from this lifetime or past lives. Even if you do not have the opportunity to realise your true nature in this lifetime, if your practice is successful and you are reborn in the Western Pure Land as you wish, then your family members, parents, teachers, and the family and karmic creditors from your past lives all have a karmic affinity with you. One day, when you attain the path, they will all have the opportunity to be saved. In the end, you must achieve success yourself first; otherwise, in the six realms of rebirth, who can save whom? Everyone is too busy to care for themselves. This is my, Chin Kung’s, deep realisation. Even when I was in the world, surrounded by the fourfold assembly of disciples, when I left the human world, it was my own spirit that had to face it alone: 'Born alone, die alone, go alone, come alone; one bears the suffering and joy oneself, and there is no one to replace you.' It is truly so. No matter how many monastics, lay practitioners, and volunteers are around you chanting the Buddha’s name, the one facing all of this is still your own spirit.

You must understand that all things are illusory. Do not be attached to them. Once you take them as real, it is ruined; you will be deceived by them, thinking they are real, and suffer. In fact, what is there in the illusory world that does not change? Everything is changing at all times. Do birth, aging, sickness, and death not happen to your own body? No one can replace you. Unless, through purification and inviting spirits, you allow the cells and beings in your body to have the opportunity to receive the illumination of Buddha-light, allowing the cells and beings to find peace, your body will not feel better. If the cells in your body are polluted and the karmic creditors and attached spirits do not have the opportunity to receive purification, then everything will proceed according to karma, according to the wishes of the karmic creditors, attached spirits, and even the beings of the Demon Realm. They will do whatever they want, making you feel pain, soreness, or itching. Human beings are very fragile; do you have the ability to fight against them?

In short, purification cannot be achieved in a day or two, and pollution was not caused in a day or two. Therefore, once you find a place and a true spiritual friend that can help you purify, you must seize the opportunity to get close and learn, be persistent, practise diligently, and find your true nature—this is the most important thing. Realising one's true nature is rare in this day and age, so once you find it, it is not an easy thing! Therefore, I, Chin Kung, hope that everyone in the Pure Land societies and Pure Land Learning Colleges will have the opportunity to come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to get close to Namo Amituofo and to get close to the one who has realised their true nature, Practitioner Su. This will be of the greatest help to everyone's practice and the fulfillment of the wish to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is also my, Chin Kung’s, expectation for everyone. I did not tell everyone this while I was alive and did not achieve this part; now that I have this opportunity after passing, I am telling everyone quickly. You must be fast.

In practice, good Dharma affinity is hard to come by. Most importantly, when your own mind is not yet settled and there is a possibility of change at any time, once you have grasped the correct direction, you must go straight ahead and not consider too much. Believe in yourself, and believe in me, Chin Kung. Come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre once; you will have immense gains. Use your heart to experience it carefully. Here, Namo Amituofo is with everyone.

Alright, I, Chin Kung, will stop here for today.

Namo Amituofo.

Shi Chin Kung, with palms joined.

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