Reflections on the Nature of Conflict: An Interview with the Spirit of Lu Su

The Weight of a Commander's Choices

I am Lu Su. In my past life, I was single-mindedly devoted to assisting Zhou Yu and Sun Quan, driven by a desire to make a name for myself amidst the chaos of a fractured world. However, when I look back at the suffering of the common people, I feel deep shame. I cannot claim to have been a commander who truly cherished the lives of the masses.

Because of the counsel I provided during my lifetime, many wars were ignited. I spent a mere twenty-some years in the human world, conquering lands and accumulating heavy karmic debts through the slaughter of war. In return, I was sentenced to hundreds of years of torment in the hells. My worldly achievements, which I once held in such high regard, left absolutely no lasting trace.

The Lesson of the Centuries

After drifting as a spirit for hundreds of years and witnessing the rise and fall of dynasties, I have come to understand a profound truth. The only way to ensure a nation's long-term stability and prosperity is through the principle of harmony. All nations should coexist in mutual prosperity; launching wars is the most disastrous strategy of all. In the eyes of the laws of karma and cause and effect, war is the very cause of a nation's eventual destruction.

Rather than dwelling on my own insignificant life story, I hope that people today will not repeat my mistakes. These are the heartfelt words I offer only after experiencing the depths of the hells and the ghost realm. I hope they can help people awaken and truly recognise the nature of competition and war.

A Life Driven by Ambition

Namo Amituofo. I am Lu Su. In truth, I was merely an ordinary person. Yet, later generations have placed me in the same rank as Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu, a thought that fills me with trepidation. My devotion to assisting Zhou Yu and Sun Quan was twofold: it was my means of survival, and it was my path to achieving fame in a turbulent era. Facing the life and death of the world's people, I have no face to claim I was a leader who protected them.

Since entering the ghost realm, I have wandered through the Jiangdong region. Having seen the many facets of human life, I now realise that the fame and status I once sought were entirely meaningless. The people of China generally share the same heart I once had—a desire to serve the country, yet mixed with the selfish ambition to stand out above others. Having lost my father at a young age, I was determined to succeed, and that era of chaos provided the perfect opportunity. I was skilled at reading people and observing the political landscape. I knew how to cater to the needs of my superiors, integrating their hidden goals into long-term plans and policies. Though I never explicitly stated their true intentions, my masters saw that my advice aligned perfectly with their desires. As I gained their trust, my status rose until I became a commander, doing my utmost to assist Zhou Yu and Sun Quan.

The Karmic Consequences of Counsel

Because of my advice, many wars were launched, and many alliances were formed. After the Battle of Changban, my relationship with Liu Bei’s Shu Han regime became very close, but this also meant that our joint efforts created immense karmic debt through the killing of countless soldiers and civilians. I participated in all of it. Although I did not need to personally wield a blade on the front lines, the verbal karma I created was terrifyingly heavy. A few words from me could influence the policies of both Eastern Wu and Shu Han, leading to massive casualties in conflicts against Cao Wei. Whether they were from our country, our allies, or the enemy, the loss of life was staggering.

This killing karma sent me to the hells. I endured the torments of the tongue-ripping and dismemberment hells. Fortunately, during my life, I had also advised that we should help the people, as they were my own countrymen. Beyond the grand strategy of military expansion, I had genuinely wanted to reduce the suffering of the people in the villages and regions near the front lines. This sincerity shortened my sentence in the hells, and I was soon released into the ghost realm. Perhaps King Yama wanted me to learn the true meaning of life. I died in my forties during a time of war; I was not long-lived, but that was common for people in those days.

The Illusion of Dynastic Glory

I passed away only a few years after my work in Jiangdong. After my time in the hells, my spirit returned to the region, drifting through the familiar landscapes. The mountains and rivers remained, but the dynasty had changed; the north was now ruled by the Jin. The people of the Southern Song lived lives that seemed similar, but the systems, laws, and culture were a world of difference from the Eastern Wu era. I was shocked. I had wanted to see the flourishing of the Eastern Wu empire, only to find it had long since vanished.

I observed that I had spent eight or nine hundred years in the hells. The passage of time stunned me; I had lived only forty-six years in the human world, yet I spent centuries in torment. I understand now that this was the lesson King Yama intended for me. My worldly conquests and the killing karma I created in twenty years resulted in centuries of suffering, while my achievements left no mark at all. Most tragically, even after eight hundred years, the people of China were still caught in the chaos of war. The emperors were unable to truly protect the people, retreating to the south while the palace indulged in music and dance, a stark contrast to the life-and-death struggles on the front lines.

The Path of Harmony

As a commander, I needed a comprehensive understanding of the war to align with my master's ambitions. However, when the leaders are ignorant of the front-line reality, their decisions only multiply the casualties. Living on the same land, I watched as dynasties rose and fell. Every so often, a northern regime would invade, destroy the southern power, and take its place, only to be destroyed by the next northern regime. Perhaps this is the nature of the laws of karma and cause and effect. I have come to understand that the only way to ensure a nation's longevity is through harmony. Harmony is the foundation of human interaction, and in terms of karma, it is the basis for mutual survival. When applied to nations, it is the foundation of their existence. All nations should coexist; war is the cause of national destruction. Today, if a great power destroys another, it cannot escape the same fate in the future. War is the seed of a nation's end.

The Influence of Dark Forces

I wandered the Jiangdong region for centuries. As the political centre shifted north, I naturally followed, continuing to observe the situation in China. Though dynasties changed, competition and war became the collective karma of the entire nation. People died and were reborn, continuing the cycle of struggle. After brief periods of stability, new challenges would arise. The root cause is that people do not believe in the laws of karma and cause and effect; they do not believe that victory today leads to defeat tomorrow.

Now, as I listen to the teachings in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, my understanding of China has become much clearer. I have come to realise that sentient beings in the human world cannot truly master their own lives. Why has China been at war for over two thousand years? Beyond collective karma, it is also the result of control by demon crowds. Practitioner Su is now working to reintroduce the Buddha’s teachings to China, diligently performing Chao Du for every corner of the land. The most important beneficiaries are not just the spirits, but the demon crowds that have controlled the Chinese people for millennia. They have had a profound influence on the character of the people. Competition and war have become second nature, and military strength is seen as the only way to build a powerful nation. The truth is the opposite: war is the cause of destruction.

A Call to Awakening

My own obsession with martial power and strengthening the state led to the suffering of the people in Jiangdong, which is why I died of illness at forty-six. Looking back, my illness was the result of karmic creditors from many lifetimes being awakened by my killing karma. In an era of war, one is either killed or dies because of the karma of killing. This is my greatest lament for the people of China.

Fortunately, we have encountered a great practitioner in this life who is not protecting the country through war, but saving all spirits through the Buddha’s teachings. I have a deep Buddhist affinity with Practitioner Su, just as all the fourfold assembly at the temple do. I have already been saved and reside in the Dharma-Nature Land. Now that I have the chance to speak, I hope the people of China will not repeat my mistakes. I held great power on the front lines, and my end was centuries of suffering in the hells and a millennium in the ghost realm. I hope the Chinese people will wake up and truly resolve to learn the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Though the transmission of the Buddha’s teachings is currently blocked in China, I believe Practitioner Su will bring about a transformation. If the people are willing to learn anew, to truly understand the nature of competition and war, and to understand the laws of karma and cause and effect, change is possible.

"Namo Amituofo abides at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia" is not just a slogan; it is a call to all the people and spirits of China. As long as you resolve to follow the Buddha in saving China, the nation need not suffer the pain of collective karma. These are the heartfelt words I offer after my experiences in the hells and the ghost realm. I hope they help the Chinese people find clarity. I am grateful to Amitabha Buddha and Practitioner Su for saving me and giving me this opportunity to speak.

Namo Amituofo.