Standing Out from the Sands of Samsara

This is a record of an interview with Ri Cheng, 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 410 years ago. Recorded by the disciple Shi Fajing on March 27, 2019.

Venerable Ri Cheng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Ri Cheng. I was born into a family of humble farmers, a lineage that had been bound to the soil for generations. My ancestors were tenant farmers, perpetually caught in a cycle of toil, renting land from wealthy landlords who were constantly devising new methods to extract every possible ounce of profit from our labour. My ancestors lived in a state of constant, fervent prayer, beseeching the heavens for favourable weather so that our crops might thrive, which was the only way we could hope to meet the exorbitant demands of our landlords. They lived with extreme, almost painful, frugality. By the time of my grandfather, they had finally managed to save enough to purchase a small, modest plot of land of their own. It was a moment of profound, life-altering relief—we were no longer beholden to the whims of those who sought to exploit our sweat and tears.

A Legacy of Generosity and Compassion

My grandfather was a man of deep, intuitive understanding. Having endured the bitterness of depending entirely on the heavens for survival and the crushing, suffocating weight of land rent, he possessed a heart of immense compassion. He decided that half of every harvest would be sold to sustain our family, while the other half—beyond what we needed for our own survival—would be given away to the impoverished villages nearby. He even rented out his own land to struggling farmers at a nominal price, allowing those families to become self-sufficient. He taught my father through his own actions that if one has the capacity, one must give back to society. My father, in turn, raised us with the same spirit of Generosity, ensuring that the seeds of Goodness were planted deep within our heart-fields.

I was the youngest of five brothers. From the time we were small enough to walk through the furrows, we were trained in the art of farming. As our family began to practise this path of Goodness, our harvests became increasingly abundant, as if the earth itself were responding to our kindness. Every season, we would load our ox carts with vegetables and fruits, delivering them to our neighbours and even travelling to remote areas where families were suffering from a lack of resources. We saw the joy in their eyes, and that joy became our own.

The Choice of a Different Path

Our family business grew, and my father bought more land, often lending it to the poor without asking for any rent at all. He became known throughout the town as a great benefactor. Yet, my father never sought fame or recognition; he simply wanted to alleviate the suffering of the poor. I shared his heart completely. No matter how exhausting the work was, I never felt the burden, for every day was dedicated to ensuring that those in need had food to eat. I also offered the finest of our produce to the local monastics, seeking to support the Buddha's path. These acts of merit brought me great blessings, though my brothers chose a different path. Once they received their share of the land, they built houses, sold them for profit, and became wealthy. They spent their days in pursuit of pleasure, eventually marrying and settling down into lives of material comfort.

Though I had no personal savings, I was the wealthiest among the five brothers in spirit. My brothers possessed great material fortune, yet they lacked the joy and freedom that I experienced every day. As I worked in the fields, exposed to the relentless wind and sun, my face began to age prematurely. My father once asked if I had considered my own future, perhaps suggesting it was time to settle down. I told him, 'I wish to travel and see the world.' Though he hoped I would marry, he did not oppose my desire. He believed that Causal Conditions would guide my path, and he trusted in the wisdom of the universe.

The Epiphany of the Red Sand

After the final harvest, I left the home I had lived in for sixteen years. I packed my bag and set out alone. The beauty of nature was overwhelming. I noticed that every tree was unique—some tall, some short, even those of the same species grew in different forms. It was just like humanity; children born of the same mother grow up to be entirely different. I began to realise that different Causal Conditions and different blessings lead to different appearances. Humans, trees, and all things are not so different; the variations are merely external manifestations of their inner state.

I began to feel a sense of oneness with all things. I no longer saw a flower as just a flower or grass as just grass. I saw the loneliness of a single wildflower and the struggle of a cluster of flowers, each straining to stand tall and show its beauty. I felt the sadness of the withered petals that had failed to bloom. Everything has a spirit! I reached down and grabbed a handful of sand. At first glance, every grain looked the same, but upon closer inspection, I saw they were all unique. Among the yellow sand, there was one single red grain. It stood out. I picked it up, and it suddenly twitched. A gust of wind blew, and it was swept away, lost forever. That brief encounter gave me a profound insight: 'Life is not within one's control.' If one cannot make a clear decision for one's own life, one will be like that grain of sand, blown away by the winds of fate to a place where one does not belong, crying out in struggle with no one to save you.

The Monk's Wisdom

A monk sat by a large tree, having witnessed my realisation. He stood and approached me. I was startled, not having noticed him. He said, 'You did not see me, just as you look at this ancient tree. Its trunk is vast, and you only see the side before you. If you do not walk around it, you cannot see all three hundred and sixty degrees of its form. Perhaps the side you see is the most beautiful, and it leaves a good impression in your heart. Even if you later see the less attractive sides, you will not think it ugly. Life is the same. If you focus on the good, every day is a good day, every year a good year, and every moment the most beautiful moment.'

Guided by his words, I thought back to the red grain of sand. It was not uniformly red; it had flecks of yellow and white. But from the angle I saw, it was red, and that uniqueness was why I had picked it out. Because of that, it had left the pile of yellow sand to begin a different journey. Life is the same. If one drifts with the mundane, one is like the pile of yellow sand—indistinguishable and destined to fall into the cycle of samsara. But if one can 'stand out' like that red grain, one can live a life of different meaning in this brief existence.

A Life Transformed

After six months of travel, I decided to settle my heart. I stepped into a monastery, and every step I took toward those gates began to build a new life. I anchored my heart in the Buddha's path, engaging in diligent practice—chanting the Buddha's name, performing prostrations, and reciting the Sutras. I was determined to grasp this fleeting human body and use this precious life to save sentient beings.

After eight years of practice, I returned home. My father was still working in the fields. I stood before him and bowed respectfully. He looked up, startled, and cried out, 'Ri Cheng!' Tears of joy streamed down his face. He could not believe that the son he had not seen for eight years stood before him. He was grateful that he had let me go, for now, I had the capacity to save beings. I taught the Dharma to my father and the villagers. All those I had once helped became my followers, listening to the Dharma. The compassionate Namo Amituofo saved them from their suffering. I am so grateful for the encounters in my life that allowed me to stand out from the dust of the world, to lead sentient beings out of the sea of suffering in the six realms of existence, and to chant the Buddha-name to attain rebirth in the Western Land.

The Infinite Compassion of Practitioner Su

The Earth turns every second, and all spaces are constantly changing. Countless beings are tossed about in the cycle of life and death. Who has escaped? Looking around, no one can truly leave; no matter how many times the Earth turns, they continue to suffer in space. I am so fortunate that Practitioner Su has brought the six-character name. Through the Dharma Body, he delivers countless spaces, allowing these suffering spirits to see a bright light and escape. Batch after batch, they follow the golden light of Practitioner Su, relying on their own vows and blessings to reach the Western Land, the heavenly realms, or the human world. Such magnificent scenes are happening in the void every single day.

Practitioner Su manifests in countless billions of forms every day to save all spirits. If human eyes could see this, they would surely be filled with awe. Every day, I learn from Practitioner Su's mind-capacity and compassion. If I can get a human body again in the future, I will surely follow the example of Practitioner Su, seeking out the Dharma Body to save countless suffering spirits. I am deeply grateful for the compassion of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."