Reflections on My Past: A Master's Honest Confession

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Venerable Master Chin Kung, who sought deliverance 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 journey toward repentance. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on August 29, 2022.

Venerable Master Chin Kung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. In my process of self-reflection, I must address the aspect of greed, which encompasses wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep. I have spoken of wealth and lust before; now, let us continue with the subject of 'fame,' which includes reputation, status, and power.

The Illusion of Fame and Status

To the people of this world, 'fame' represents the self—it is seen as the fruit of one's own hard work. However, one must realise that it is also the result of blessings cultivated in past lives. Being able to enjoy such blessings in this lifetime is a privilege, but one must be extremely careful not to create further negative karma. Yet, this is incredibly difficult to achieve. Most people who possess fame, profit, and status inevitably create more negative karma. And what of me? My sixty years of giving Dharma talks is not a short period. From the time I began spreading the Dharma overseas, to my return to Taiwan, and then setting out again to foreign lands—in all these travels, I lectured wherever I went, hoping that the Buddha’s teachings would take root and flourish. Consequently, many people came to know me, and it was inevitable that this would bring me recognition, affirmation, and even praise. I constantly reminded myself: 'Do not let this fame and profit cloud your mind.' These are the ways of the world. Since I have become a monastic, my Six Roots must be pure. These accolades were merely the by-products of spreading the Dharma; I must never become attached to them or feel self-satisfied. Throughout this journey, there was never a shortage of recognition. No matter which country I visited, there was always encouragement and affirmation. Some nations even bestowed titles and status upon me. But now that I am old, these things no longer seem important. At times, I would even ask lay practitioners or volunteers to help me decline or soften the impact of certain invitations and meetings.

The True Nature of the Pure Land Societies

If the things one does while holding a title are merely for the sake of blessings, then the heart is already attached to something. Only when one acts without a self-centred mind can it be considered true merit. Over these sixty years, I have travelled to many places. Some devotees formed Pure Land societies because the organisational structure and staffing were modern and easily accepted by the public, consisting of lay practitioners, volunteers, and professionals. The name 'Pure Land Society' was chosen by Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, who compiled The Infinite Sutra. It is very well-suited for the modern era. I wanted everyone to know that the Buddha’s teachings are an education, not a religion. I wanted to change people's perceptions of those who study Buddhism, so that after coming into contact with it, their worship would transform into genuine respect, and they would realise that Namo Amituofo is irreplaceable.

A Warning to the Monastic Community

Regarding fame and profit, I must warn the monastic community: you must be extremely careful! Often, in the midst of our thoughts and intentions, arrogance arises unconsciously. Once arrogance arises, the heart is no longer pure, nor is it good. The Buddha’s teachings are teachings of the heart; if you give rise to improper thoughts, you are violating the Dharma. Monastics, in particular, must be vigilant! You may unconsciously develop arrogance from the admiration and support of devotees and Dharma protectors. If you give rise to pride and arrogance, then you are ruined! And what does 'ruined' mean? It means you have already created negative karma.

Simplicity in Daily Life

As for food, before I became a monastic, I did eat non-vegetarian food. After becoming a monastic, I adopted a vegetarian diet, so I am not picky about food, I do not waste it, and my diet is quite simple. Regarding sleep, it is also fine. Of course, I need to rest, but once I am rested and refreshed, I prepare to give Dharma talks. Perhaps in this aspect, I have not created much negative karma.

The Fire of Anger

Next, I will strengthen my reflection on 'anger.' This is closely related to one's personality. Some people have a heavy tendency toward anger, which easily attracts demon crowds and Asuras to attach to them. This is very logical because 'like attracts like.' In such moments, the ones who suffer are yourself and those around you. Anger always hurts others, but in truth, it hurts oneself the most. Moreover, once the fire of anger arises, it burns down the forest of merit! In my youth, I was hot-tempered and would sometimes get angry. As I grew older, I stopped getting angry; there was nothing worth getting angry about. Furthermore, everyone was performing their duties well. Even if I did not visit them, the Pure Land societies and colleges were able to manage themselves well. Their workplaces were clean and orderly, which makes it easier to inspire people. If someone comes once and wants to come again, then you have succeeded. Therefore, regarding anger, I personally feel I was doing alright. But for the general public, this is something that must be faced very seriously! Especially for monastics—you must understand the suffering of sentient beings regarding birth, aging, sickness, and death, and their inability to control their own fate. If you can see through this, it is less likely that you will harbour resentment, and you will be better able to endure hardship.

The Regret of a Lifetime

Next is 'delusion'—that is, ignorance, which leads one into the animal realm. Beings in the animal realm live according to the natural reactions of their bodies; they cannot flexibly change like the human brain, which can shift according to circumstances. This is also where the human world easily creates negative karma. The greatest regret in my heart is that I was unable to come forward in time during my final days to clarify the situation and rectify the circumstances. At that time, Namo Amituofo repeatedly urged and instructed me. The Buddha was at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, allowing Practitioner Su, the Pure Land Learning College, the Pure Land societies, and everyone else to come and see the Buddha, to have the opportunity to heal their illnesses, be saved, and achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land. At that time, I was foolish—truly foolish—and did not accept the Buddha’s suggestion. I truly let the Buddha down, and I let everyone down!

The Danger of Arrogance

Regarding 'arrogance'—this is a very easy trap to fall into, and one must be extremely careful! As soon as a thought arises where you feel you are superior to others, arrogance has sprouted. Whether you notice it or not, you have already created karma. Perhaps you have put in a great deal of effort to achieve what you have, but you must still remain humble and modest. After all, there is always someone better; there is always a higher authority.

In this lifetime, I never stopped reciting the Sutras; I was persistent because I knew that rebirth in the Western Pure Land was of the utmost importance. Yet, others were unable to learn this. Giving Dharma talks is very important, but those who lecture must not be careless. When others perceive that you have certain talents and begin to respect you, you must be careful. Unconsciously, arrogance will sprout and grow in your heart. If you can discover it, you can stop it in time; even if you discover it, some cannot stop it. In this regard, I believe what Practitioner Su has done can serve as a model for everyone. That is to say, he does everything himself, does not rely on others, and works for sentient beings. He works continuously, and even when he stops, he is still performing Chao Du, using visualisation to save beings. This is truly commendable. He has no spare time for himself; his heart is truly filled only with sentient beings.

He came to save sentient beings. He has no arrogance, not even a hint of airs. Although I once treated him in such a way... alas! Although I once hurt him, he was not harmed. Not only did he not blame me, but he even said, 'A teacher for one day is a father for life.' Hearing these words makes me feel ashamed. In fact, I now understand that having such a student should be a source of joy for a teacher. It was I who lacked the mind-capacity and the magnanimity, which is why I acted as I did before. Therefore, arrogance truly creates the karma of hell. Going to hell is deserved; I cannot deny this part.

The Burden of Doubt

Next, 'doubt'—this is a common ailment for everyone, especially when you see something you deem impossible happening right before your eyes. This doubt arises. I do not deny that when I first received reports from Practitioner Su about the things that happened when he invited spirits to resolve conflicts or perform Chao Du to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I was indeed astonished. This astonishment included doubt: 'How is this possible?' Although I knew in my heart that Practitioner Su had a 'foundation'—meaning he was a person of practice and virtue in past lives, which could be seen from his actions in this lifetime—I never expected these things to appear. I never expected that the ancestral masters of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss would come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to help Practitioner Su invite the many attached spirits from his body and send them to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. To say this out loud sounds like a fantasy. How many people could believe it? At that time, when Practitioner Su reported these things to me, I did not give him a positive response. I was indeed suspicious, as such things had never happened before. Have you ever heard of the ancestral masters of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss coming down to the human world to invite spirits for everyone? No! Therefore, I gave rise to doubt.

The Weight of Slander

Speaking of slander, I am truly ashamed! I cannot say that I am without responsibility. Although I did not slander him directly, the phrase 'practising supernatural powers' was spread, which indeed triggered many people to react and slander Practitioner Su. Later, many events directly confirmed that this statement was wrong. Would the ancestral masters of the West come to help someone who 'practises supernatural powers' to invite spirits? They would not. Practising supernatural powers involves the attachment of spirits, doing things and saying things according to the external power of those spirits. However, every single thing Practitioner Su has done was not because of spiritual attachment; it was all done through natural instinct and his own ability. When the Six Roots come into contact with the Six Dusts, after purification, the nature of the Six Roots naturally manifests. That is instinct. Especially for those who have realised their true nature, the nature of their roots is the manifestation of natural ability through practice. That is what is called supernatural power. It is not added by external forces, but cultivated through purification.

Fortunately, Practitioner Su continued to walk forward firmly, which is why he has his current abilities and achievements. He can perform Chao Du through visualisation and has the ability to use countless manifestations to deliver immeasurable and boundless beings to rebirth in the Western Pure Land, or to the Heavenly or Human realms. These things must be done step by step; they cannot be achieved overnight. Without the previous efforts and actual skills, it would be impossible to have the results of today.

And these results are not for his own use, but are used for sentient beings. This is correct! This is how Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest in the human world. They do not come, act, or speak for their own private gain, but hope to help sentient beings leave suffering and gain happiness. They come, act, and speak to help sentient beings achieve rebirth in the West. Therefore, I did indeed create verbal karma in this regard, and my thoughts were also wrong. Thus, doubt is also a reason for entering hell to suffer. This is also the reason why people of the world unconsciously create negative causes and subsequently suffer punishment in hell. Fortunately, Practitioner Su did not stop his purification and practice because of my actions at that time. He continued to move forward, continued to grow, and continued to save sentient beings together with Namo Amituofo. This can reduce my sins. If he had stopped because of this, my negative karma would be far greater than this! Therefore, Namo Amituofo asked me to reflect, and I have simply mentioned these parts.

A Final Plea for Truth

Now, looking back, I must add one more part: one must be truly sincere toward Namo Amituofo! I have not yet achieved total sincerity. Although I explained 'sincerity' during my lectures, in those days before my passing, my three souls were helped by Practitioner Su to condense into one, allowing me to be the master. My three souls returned to the temple every day to listen to the teachings of Namo Amituofo, and with the help and supplementation of Practitioner Su, I discovered that my sincerity was insufficient. I could not summon true sincerity; I did not have total faith in the Buddha. That is why I did not open my mouth to tell everyone about Namo Amituofo being at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I committed this great mistake, blocking everyone from coming to the temple to be close to Namo Amituofo, to seek the Dharma, and even to invite spirits and perform Chao Du, which would have helped them increase their chances of rebirth in the Western Pure Land. In short, I should be responsible for this matter; there is no doubt about it. Fortunately, my spirit still has the opportunity to openly repent to everyone! I hope that those who hear this can believe me; this can also be considered a way to reduce my sins a little.

Very well, let my self-reflection end here. That is all for today. Namo Amituofo."

Shi Jingkong, with palms joined.

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

August 29, 2022, 11:13 AM.