Reuniting with My Disciple in the Human World

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Chongjing, who sought Chao Du 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 approximately 1,900 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on December 23, 2018.

Venerable Chongjing speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Chongjing. From my vantage point in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I looked down upon the worldly realm and saw the immeasurable and boundless suffering of sentient beings. So many are unable to return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, remaining trapped in the cycle of reincarnation, enduring endless pain, or wandering in spaces from which they cannot escape. I found that I could no longer remain in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss simply enjoying a life free from suffering. The cries of these beings kept calling out to me. I made a vow: I would return to the human world once more to save beings.

A Miraculous Arrival

The doctor had diagnosed that the child in my mother’s womb had no heartbeat and advised that the pregnancy be terminated. Just as the doctor prepared to proceed, a flash of golden light swept through the room, and suddenly, the mother’s belly began to move. She cried out, 'Stop!' The doctor was startled and asked, 'Madam, what has happened?' My mother, filled with astonishment and joy, touched her belly and exclaimed, 'My child is moving! My child is moving!' The doctor could not believe it. He checked the pulse again and insisted, 'The child still has no heartbeat. Are you certain it is the child moving?' My mother replied, 'I have been chanting Namo Amituofo incessantly, begging Namo Amituofo to help me save this poor child. I have not stopped chanting, and I have not stopped praying. Suddenly, I felt the movement. I believe with all my heart that it is my child!'

The entire family was stunned by this miracle. My grandmother was the most moved of all, declaring, 'Namo Amituofo is truly responsive! If my grandson is born safely, I will dedicate my entire life to upholding the Buddha’s teachings!' Inspired by her vow, the rest of the family joined in, promising, 'Yes, yes! If the child is born safely, we will all chant the Buddha’s name with sincerity!'

The Arrival of the Soul

Namo Amituofo fulfilled their wishes, and I was born safely. On the day of my birth, the Su household was bustling with activity. My grandmother had prepared red tangyuan the night before to share with everyone, and the house was packed with relatives and friends. I was the protagonist of the day, the only grandson of the Su family, and everyone awaited my arrival with bated breath.

The midwife entered the room, and soon after, the room was filled with my loud, clear cry. Everyone shouted in unison, 'He is born! He is born!' My grandmother, overjoyed, was the first to rush into the room. The midwife had already cleaned me, and my grandmother could not wait to hold me. My father, looking on, asked with concern, 'Why is the child shedding tears?' My grandmother laughed, 'Oh, that is just me! I am so moved that I am crying, and my tears have fallen onto his face!' The midwife told her, 'The child is healthy and plump, and his cry is very strong, but I do not know why—he has no heartbeat.' My grandmother was not surprised at all. She looked at me and told the midwife, 'He is definitely a Buddha who has come to us!' Everyone was deeply touched. As they held me, my presence naturally inspired them to chant, and everyone who held me would unconsciously whisper, 'Namo Amituofo.'

A Life Dedicated to Deliverance

From the moment I was born, my grandmother donated a large sum of merit money to the temple, and whenever the temple needed help, she gave with a generous heart. The whole family began to chant the Buddha’s name diligently. Even as a child, I was different from others. My eyes were bright and piercing, as if I could see through everything, and my skin was pure and clear, without a trace of worldly defilement. I ate little and slept little, requiring very little care from my mother. Even if I were left alone in a room, I could sit quietly for the entire day.

One day, my mother took me out of the house for the first time. She did not understand what was happening to me. From the moment we stepped outside, my eyes were fixed on the world before me, and tears streamed down my face. In truth, from the moment of my birth, my heart was always chanting the Buddha’s name. I was not a being of this world; I had merely borrowed the body of the child in my mother’s womb. The original child had died in the womb, and I had entered at the last moment, restoring life to the body and replacing the soul. My body had no heartbeat because I did not bring a heart to this world. This life was not lived for myself; it was lived solely for the mission of saving beings.

The Abbot’s Recognition

I saw the suffering of my parents and my grandmother. Although they wore smiles on their faces, I alone knew the pain in their hearts. When my mother held me, it appeared as though she was caring for me, but in reality, I was chanting for her. I wanted to tell her, 'This world is not worth becoming emotionally attached to. Your suffering stems from your deep attachments to everyone; your heart is always fluctuating, never at peace.' I chanted, allowing my mother’s heart to gradually calm down. Only when she was still could she feel the exhaustion of her own physical body. Eventually, she would fall asleep, while I continued to chant for her.

As I grew, when I was five years old, my mother took me to a temple to offer flowers and fruit. I looked at this familiar temple; the scenery remained the same, but the people had changed. While my mother was paying respects to the Buddha, I walked through the temple grounds. In the distance, a great monk approached. I was not mistaken—this monk was the youngest little novice who had been under my tutelage in my previous life. Now, he was the abbot of this temple! It turned out that eighty years had passed since I had returned to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The abbot was over ninety years old, but I recognized his face instantly. A true practitioner, even in old age, retains the same youthful Dharma-nature as before.

I bowed respectfully to the abbot. He stopped in his tracks and looked at me with great seriousness. When I looked into his eyes, I knew he had been practicing diligently all these years. As I expected, after looking at me for a long time, he knelt before me: 'Master, please accept your disciple’s three bows. I am not mistaken—you are truly my Master!' I nodded, praising him for his successful practice, as he was able to see my true self at a glance. I took his hand and told him, 'Pass on these skills well to the younger generation. The Buddha’s teachings require successors.'

A Vow to Stay Longer

The abbot had originally intended to pass away and return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss in a few days, but he had encountered me, his Master, who had descended from the West to be reborn as a five-year-old boy. Deeply moved by my compassion, he made a vow to be like me—not seeking his own enjoyment in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, but focusing solely on the liberation of beings. Thus, he decided to stay in the world for another twenty years to teach a new group of disciples and save more suffering beings. He wanted to bring new blood into the Buddha’s teachings so that more beings could leave suffering behind.

One of these new disciples was me. When I entered the temple to practice, I was a seven-year-old boy. The abbot treated me with great respect, but I told him, 'Treat everyone equally.' The abbot understood my meaning; this was the same teaching I had given him when I was in the world previously. From that day on, the abbot treated me with the same attitude and teaching methods as he did the other novices.

The Final Return

Upon entering the temple, I became the most diligent practitioner. Every time I opened or closed my eyes, I saw only the suffering of beings. I had no time for myself; I was constantly striving for the sake of others. Although I had not forgotten my past memories, I was in a new body and still had to practice diligently to manifest my past skills. My progress was rapid, and by the age of twenty, I had already attained the same ability to save beings as the abbot. In truth, I was already an awakened being.

I quietly delivered sentient beings, needing neither food nor sleep. I used this body as a vessel for my soul, saving spirits at every moment. This body also served as a tool for me to lecture on the sutras and teach the world, allowing people to awaken from their delusions through listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma. When the abbot reached the age of one hundred and twenty-five, I told him, 'Master knows you have done your best. You are over a hundred years old, and your body has reached its limit. Return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and continue your practice!' After bowing respectfully, the abbot chanted the Buddha’s name and returned to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. His body vanished, leaving behind only a leaf on which he had written that he was passing his mantle to the next disciple—not to me, but to another excellent student. This was my lesson to my disciple: the Buddha’s teachings require many virtuous people to carry them forward.

I lived this life to its absolute limit, returning to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven to reunite with my disciple, the abbot. I did not waste my return to the human world; I saved immeasurable and boundless beings and led them to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Even after returning, my heart remains concerned with the suffering of those in the world. Therefore, I decided to return to the human world once more, entering the leg of Practitioner Su to support him in saving beings. I am also grateful for the grace of Practitioner Su, who has helped me deliver spirits throughout the universe.

The space of the universe is a space I am familiar with. In the past, I used my Dharma Body to perform Chao Du in the universe, saving one group after another, with more waiting to be saved. For the sake of these beings, I am cautious and diligent every day. As long as Practitioner Su opens the space for me, I immediately take immeasurable and boundless beings out of that space. I seize every second, hoping that more beings can leave suffering behind as soon as possible. I cherish this magnificent Causal Condition to save beings and am deeply grateful for the Ultimate Vow and compassion of Practitioner Su. I offer my most sincere bows of gratitude. Namo Amituofo."