Reflections on Spiritual Attachment and the Path to Rebirth

This interview was recorded on August 9, 2022, at the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. The speaker is the late Venerable Master Chin Kung, who, having departed the human world, now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. In this session, he reflects on his life’s work, the hidden reality of spiritual attachments, and the necessity of resolving karmic obstacles to ensure a successful rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Venerable Master Chin Kung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Chin Kung, an old monk who reached the age of ninety-six. For sixty years, I dedicated my life to lecturing on the Pure Land teachings, with the sole hope that the Dharma lineage of the Pure Land would endure. The Buddha’s teachings are vast and profound. I immersed myself in the Sutra, Vinaya, and Abhidharma, seeking to integrate their meanings and bridge the wisdom of the past and present. My only wish was to infuse what I had realised, learned, and known into the hearts of others, whether in simple or deep ways. At the simplest level, it is for the elderly to believe in and practice the single phrase 'Namo Amituofo' throughout their lives, and at the moment of death, to call upon the holy name of Namo Amituofo with a sincere heart, seeing Him arrive on a lotus to lead them to the West. At the deepest level, it is to enter the treasury of the Sutras and exhaustively understand the principles. No matter what questions practitioners raised, I could always provide an answer. Through such conduct, I hoped to guide many scholars and intellectuals into the great ocean of the Ultimate Vow of Namo Amituofo."

The Ocean of the Ultimate Vow

"The Buddha’s teachings are as vast as the boundless universe; how could my sixty years of study ever reach their end? What I learned and knew was merely a single ladle of water taken from the great ocean of the Buddha’s Ultimate Vow. The respect and admiration from my followers and Dharma protectors were things I held in my heart, yet, imperceptibly, a sense of arrogance arose. I thought that, surely, no one could surpass me. I knew that one should not be attached to appearances, but in the very moment of knowing that, I was already attached. To speak of not being attached was already too late.

The name 'Chin Kung' is known across the world. When people speak of the Pure Land, my image often appears, as if I represent the Pure Land. This is wrong! It is entirely wrong! Only Namo Amituofo can represent the Pure Land. People believe I fulfilled my duty and that my image is deeply rooted in the hearts of the masses, but they have forgotten that all teachings must ultimately return to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss within the ocean of the Ultimate Vow of Namo Amituofo. This is not merely talk on paper; I hope that sentient beings will truly make the vow to enter the West and achieve actual success. By 'actual success,' I mean the ability to truly enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. In this regard, I had a deficiency. Sentient beings were not able to enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss in this lifetime through listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma. The result was that the Pure Land teachings were cast aside—difficult for the masses to reach—which deviated from the original intention of delivering beings from suffering and guiding them to rebirth in the West."

A Chance for Repentance

"Now, my physical body has decayed, and my spirit should have faced its karmic retribution. However, I was saved by Practitioner Su—Buddha Su—who rescued my spirit from the suffering of karmic retribution. At this moment, residing in the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I have been granted the compassionate grace of the Buddha to repent. I hope to tell the public about the times I experienced spiritual attachments while I was in the human world and the nature of those situations. I will speak of what I know.

The matter of spiritual attachment is not often mentioned in Buddhist education, which has left many practitioners viewing it as if it were covered by a mysterious veil, or even categorising it as mere superstition. In truth, this is because the subject involves the spiritual realms. If one does not understand it deeply, one might speak inaccurately and mislead the public, thereby obstructing the correct knowledge and views of those studying Buddhism. That would be a grave sin. Thus, it is rarely mentioned, but that does not mean it does not exist. Spiritual attachment is as common as breathing. What the human eye sees is merely the points, lines, and planes before us, and the specific physical space we inhabit. In reality, space is not limited to this. Space is vast and boundless. The spaces that the human eye cannot see are far, far greater than the visible space."

The Truth of Space and Mind

"The matter of space was not ignored in the past teachings of the Buddha; it was mentioned, but people could only grasp it intuitively, finding it difficult to truly internalise. Of course, in the infinite meaning of the Buddha’s teachings, how could this piece be missing? Thus, Shakyamuni Buddha spoke of the nature of space in the 'Flower Adornment Sutra' as much as could be said. Those who could understand would understand, and those who could not would at least know that such spaces exist. Regarding the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings, unless one is of the highest capacity and can realise everything in a single moment, one must still take it step by step, eventually reaching a full understanding. It all comes down to the word 'emptiness'—'empty, empty, empty.' Who can truly achieve this? Only those who are truly 'empty' can know the truth of reality. Space is not empty. I, Chin Kung, am ashamed; I thought I was empty! I falsely believed I was empty. How could I have known that the reality is not so? Not only is there something, but there is quite a lot. There are Dharma, principles, and events, each occupying a place in the heart. How can such a heart be empty? I thought I was without defilement, but how could I be without it? There was fame, and fame defiled the heart; there was profit, and profit defiled the heart; there was power, and power defiled the heart. In such a state, how can one say there is nothing? Not only is it not 'nothing,' it is 'all there.' In my daily life, I was merely shifting appearances and changing my words, thinking that was enough.

For the Pure Land, listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma is not enough. One must also practically change one's ways, change one's personality, practice with one's body and mind, repent, resolve conflicts, and perform Chao Du. Only then can one resolve conflicts with karmic creditors, ensure that one is not obstructed by karma at the moment of death, and chant the Buddha’s name smoothly to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is the reason why I did not enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss upon my death; that is to say, I left this world with a body that could not be the master due to the karma of spiritual attachments. Now that these words are spoken, my heart feels a bit more at ease."

The Reality of Spiritual Attachment

"The public is not unfamiliar with my biography, as I often spoke of my life during my lectures. However, I never mentioned the matter of spiritual attachments. At first, it was because I did not know or understand, and later, although I knew, I could no longer be the master. Now that I am able to speak, I must speak, and I will tell it exactly as it is.

The scope of spiritual attachment is very broad. So-called 'attached spirits' refer to beings from the spiritual realms—spirits without bodies, or beings from the ghost realm, including hungry ghosts. It also includes the karmic creditors of one's past lives, parents, teachers, and even beings from the demon realms or other worlds. Any of these can attach to a human body; that is what we call spiritual attachment.

Now that I am a spirit without a body, I can feel the freedom of not having one. Only now do I realise that the 'Chin Kung' of the past thought he had achieved 'no-self,' but in fact, I see clearly now that there was still a 'self.' Because the body was a part of me, a part of my 'self.' Now that I have no body, can I be without a 'self'? In my view, I have not yet achieved 'no-self.' There is still a 'self,' and I am still attached to the idea that 'I am Chin Kung.' In truth, the current Chin Kung is merely a name, but there is still a heart, and the heart is also a 'self.' Therefore, I have not yet let go of my name or my heart; there is still a 'self.' One cannot realise one's true nature if there is a 'self.' Many people understand this principle, but how many can actually do it? It is truly not easy!

Attached spirits are, as the name suggests, beings that attach to the body. Since I have no body now, spiritual attachment cannot exist; there is no issue of attachment. But when I was alive and had a body, was there an issue of spiritual attachment? I must honestly tell everyone: there was indeed an issue of spiritual attachment. However, I never publicly mentioned this before. How can I explain this so that everyone understands?

As long as there is a thought, there is spiritual attachment. Regardless of whether the thought is good or evil, once a thought arises, there is a vibration. This vibration is a kind of amplitude. Once this amplitude is generated, it spreads inward and outward. Inwardly, it causes the body to vibrate; outwardly, it causes the space outside the body to vibrate. Spiritual beings and ghost realm beings are scattered throughout the entire space, which exists in overlapping layers. The vibrations generated by these thoughts, depending on the strength of the thought power and the degree of purity and goodness of the person who issued the thought, can penetrate different spaces, allowing the beings in those spaces to receive the vibration. If there is a karmic affinity, they will respond. Good thoughts and good vibrations easily receive good responses; evil thoughts and evil vibrations easily receive evil responses. This is very logical. This is why the Buddha’s teachings often admonish everyone to think good thoughts, look at good things, and speak good words. This is especially true for practitioners, who must possess such skills, as people often equate practitioners with purity; they should live out and present a good example of purity and goodness. Whether the response is good or evil, if there are beings who follow the vibration and attach to the body, that is what we call spiritual attachment. They can attach to the surface of the body or enter the body through the pores of the skin. If they cause functional obstacles to the cells of the internal organs, it will lead to aging or disease.

Think about it: from childhood until now, how many thoughts have you produced? It can be said that there are countless, incalculable thoughts. Does this mean that there are countless, incalculable attached spirits already existing in the body, perhaps even existing in layers within the body? Yes, these attached spirits continue to increase with the growth of one's thinking and age, eventually occupying the entire body. The attached spirits themselves have their own thinking and thoughts, and combined with whether there is a relationship of debt-repayment or gratitude-repayment regarding karmic cause and effect, it forms the question of whether you can still be the master. To be the master means to be able to act according to the will of your true self.

Spiritual attachment can also represent karmic cause and effect. Therefore, every person must experience the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death, which indicates that everyone has the karma of spiritual attachments on their body. Those who are pure and good, those who are without thoughts, and those who have realised their true nature are transparent and free of attachments. They are not bound by birth, aging, sickness, and death, which is equivalent to having no problems with birth, aging, sickness, and death. This is the state that people yearn for. How can one be without thoughts, without vibrations, and not trigger the generation of karmic attachments, so that one can be free from the problems of birth, aging, sickness, and death? I ask you all: can this be done? Yes, through the practice and purification of the Buddha’s teachings, one can achieve purity and goodness, without thinking, without thoughts, and without vibrations, so that one does not trigger karmic attachments. The answer is out: what kind of person can have a body that does not age, does not get sick, and whose spirit does not die? The answer is those who have realised their true nature, those who have realised their true nature and attained Buddhahood. This is the state of a great practitioner. The Buddha’s teachings have always emphasised that all sentient beings have Buddha-nature and true self, and all can attain Buddhahood. Yes, this is true in principle, but in practice, sentient beings in the Dharma-Ending Age have heavy spiritual obstacles. How many people can remove their karma and obstacles, achieve purification, and even reach the state of 'not a single thought arising' to realise their true nature and attain Buddhahood? I admit that I am not one of them, and I must also admit that Practitioner Su, Buddha Su, is one of them!

Before an infant can interact with the outside world, it has no thinking or thoughts; it only reacts to the needs of the body. At that time, the state of body, mind, and spirit is pure and good. Later, when it interacts with the outside world, vibrations begin, triggering karma, and karma begins to be produced. Therefore, infants should receive education in purity and goodness from the moment they are born, so that their thinking and thoughts are not polluted by evil, which can prevent suffering caused by the manifestation of negative karma. This is why the earlier Buddhist education begins, the better.

Among all the methods that can achieve purity and goodness, none is better than chanting the Buddha’s name—chanting 'Namo Amituofo.' One can chant until the body, mind, and spirit are pure and good, without any thinking or thoughts arising. This depends on the practitioner's skills. If one could teach a newborn infant to chant this single phrase 'Namo Amituofo' from beginning to end, this child might soon be able to realise their true nature and become omniscient and omnipotent. For those who are more heavily polluted, it will take a great deal of effort to chant this single phrase 'Namo Amituofo' until they reach purity and goodness, without thinking or thoughts.

Now, for me to look back at the state of my body before I passed away is to face my own past. Using myself as a mirror, I hope to alert everyone. This can also be considered an opportunity for me, at this moment, to repent and dissolve my karma. A spirit without a body is indeed much lighter. The state of the spirit can be the master at this time, free from the obstacles of physical attachments. It is indeed a wise move to communicate with the spirit at this time. But how many people in the world have such skills? By communicating with the spirit, one can know the difference between the state of this spirit now and when it had a body. The spirits of most people after death are still in the same state as when they were alive with a body—still in a state of aging, sickness, and decay, unable to be the master. A portion of people’s spirits after death can cast off the attachments and control of their former bodies, allowing the spirit to be the master. I suppose I belong to the latter! I can be considered one of the lucky ones, and it can also be considered the result of my practice while I was alive.

When I was born, my parents were still alive. Later, I received education in private schools and middle school, experienced days of fleeing, grew up in the chaos of war, and learned patience and endurance. I experienced the death of my father and the separation from my mother. Later, I went to Taiwan, which could be considered a farewell to my previous days, and I began a new life.

Practitioner Su—Buddha Su—during my lifetime, had many times called back my body-soul, consciousness-soul, and life-soul, which had been driven out of my body by attached spirits, and placed them in the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, so that my soul would have a home and not wander and suffer outside the body. From that time on, I truly faced the topic of the three hun souls and seven po souls. Otherwise, in my previous lectures, I had not mentioned this part. This does not mean that the three hun souls and seven po souls do not exist. I also learned that the three hun souls and seven po souls are closely related to the spiritual attachments of the body. This part is a portion of the Buddhist education for the fourfold assembly at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, taught by Amitabha, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Buddha Su. Extending this, it means that in daily life, especially during old age and sickness, one needs to communicate with, resolve conflicts with, invite, and perform Chao Du for the attached spirits and karmic creditors. Only then can one reduce or avoid the interference of attached spirits and karmic creditors before death, which makes it difficult to continue chanting the Buddha’s name and leads to the result of being unable to be reborn in the West. This is also the reason why there are many people chanting the Buddha’s name, but those who are reborn in the West are so rare. Buddha Su, through many trials, tests, and studies, has realised her true nature. She has put in some effort in this area, practically resolving and performing Chao Du for sentient beings, and integrating the problems of the three hun souls, seven po souls, and attached spirits. Only by using compassion and vow power to practically perform Chao Du for sentient beings can one break through space, come and go to the West freely, and be able to lead deceased spirits and sentient beings into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Everything I have said above was not unknown to me before I passed away, but this matter involves the cognition and education of the Buddha’s teachings and cannot be explained in a few words. Also, because I was concerned that discussing these things would be classified as talk of spirits and ghosts, which would damage the standing of the Buddha’s teachings and my own position, I did not mention these things externally. I did not expect that the problem of the rarity of those reborn in the West in the current Pure Land teachings would appear here. I was never stingy with the Dharma, but because I did not fully understand this matter, I did not mention it. Now, having experienced and learned it personally, I am able to sort out the current concepts. It is truly late!

If I could have made this public while I was alive, even if I were questioned or criticised, I could have borne it, and it would have been of great help to rebirth in the Pure Land. If one looks at the bright side, it is not too late to say it now. Those who have the affinity and blessings, who hear it, see it, and believe it, can still be saved; those who have the affinity but no blessings, who hear it and see it but cannot believe it, can also plant a seed in their Alaya consciousness. I believe that my Buddha is compassionate and will also have the opportunity to let this seed be irrigated, sprout, and grow strong, eventually attaining the Buddha-fruit of rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Those who are fortunate can have their wish fulfilled in this lifetime; otherwise, they can also have their wish fulfilled in some future life. I look forward to this and bless everyone!

One more thing: Amitabha Buddha is at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre; this is what I, Chin Kung’s spirit, have personally seen and heard.

Namo Amituofo.

Shi Chin Kung, with folded palms.

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

August 9, 2022, 4:26 PM."