The Ancient Demon's Return to the Shore

This interview was recorded on February 5, 2024, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. It features Mo Niwen, an ancient spirit who has existed in the demon realms for 201 billion years. Having witnessed the magnificent light of Namo Amituofo and the transformative power of Practitioner Su, he has sought deliverance and now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land.

Venerable Huai En (Mo Niwen) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. My name is Mo Niwen. I have existed in the demon realms for 201 billion years. That is not a short duration; in fact, it is quite extensive. These eons have accumulated moment by moment, and the time I have gathered is time I have exchanged with my very life.

A Life of Deep Meditation

My age in the demon realm is 201 billion years. After about 150 billion years, I spent almost all my time in deep meditative concentration, not concerning myself with the affairs of the demon world. I can remain in this state for vast stretches of time, only emerging when necessary. This current emergence was prompted by Practitioner Su’s act of subduing the demons. This is how many ancient demons live today. We have gained a certain understanding of the universal principles, the Truth, and the reality of existence. Even though we are demons, we have come to recognise the Buddha’s teachings. We realise it is time to stop, to let go completely, and to live in seclusion—much like how Chinese people in their twilight years might seek a quiet, reclusive life. Most of us have developed a perspective on life that leads us to abandon fame and profit, seeking a place where no one will disturb us. The demons who have lived the longest eventually reach this state.

Spiritual life is neither born nor destroyed. If this current demonic existence does not end—if we do not transition to another path or face the retribution of cause and effect—our age will simply continue to accumulate. I am in this state. I do not wish to know my future too clearly; it is a fascinating thing. When this demonic life will end, I have not specifically researched or looked into it. If I were to study it, I would fall into the trap of 'existence' and lose my purity. By not looking, by not researching, and by remaining in a state of following conditions, the truth naturally emerges. In fact, while in meditation, I already saw the appearance of Practitioner Su. This was a natural manifestation.

The Three Shining Stars

I have always stayed in China. From my time in the human realm, through my death and entry into the demon world, these 200 billion years have seen me witness many things and encounter many beings. Recently, while in meditation, I saw three stars appear in the sky over Australia. I had never seen them before, but now these three stars are incredibly brilliant. I knew in my heart that an extraordinary being must have appeared. Because I maintain an attitude of following conditions—knowing what I know and not forcing what I do not—I did not look further. However, I soon noticed that the light of these three stars was not fading; it was growing brighter. This is a rare occurrence, and it caught my attention. I woke up shortly thereafter, but I remained calm, using the minimum amount of energy to maintain my state of stillness.

I originally intended to investigate, but at that moment, the younger demons of the demon realm came to find me. In the past, it was the ancient demons who would wake me; this time, I was already awake. When I am awake, I do not refuse to listen to them. I heard the Demon King and others describe the recent dynamics of the demon realm, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and Practitioner Su—whom even the ancient demons find difficult to resist. They spoke of the attention being paid to the Chinese demon crowds and the power of the Twelve Lights. This piqued my curiosity. Who is this person who can manifest such power in the age of the Dharma’s decline and remain unafraid of the interference of the demon crowds? This indicates a profound meditative concentration, the only way to withstand such attacks.

The Presence of Namo Amituofo

When I heard the word 'Australia,' I connected it to what I had seen in meditation. I entered meditation again to look, and it was so familiar. The scene I had seen appeared, and it was incredible. I saw the Buddha, so tall and majestic, emitting golden light. I then learned that Namo Amituofo’s Dharma Body is residing here. Of course, I know who Namo Amituofo is, and I know that Practitioner Su has manifested in this world. Although he bears the surname Su, his spirit is neither born nor destroyed. We demons look at a person’s past by looking at their spirituality. I could clearly see the sacred origin of Practitioner Su, which is why the sky manifested such bright stars.

In the demon realm, there is a legend that every being has a 'destiny star' in the heavens. This star changes according to the being's experiences. If a life ends, the star loses all light. When the spirit begins a new life, the star shines again. If the life is good, it shines brightly; if the fate is unfortunate or filled with disaster, the star appears dim. Based on my observation of the stars, I saw that these three stars were shining brilliantly throughout this period. There must be some energy sustaining them, preventing them from dimming. This indicates that their spirituality is extremely bright and radiant. This is very rare. But knowing that a Buddha has appeared in the world, it makes perfect sense. Only the energy of a Buddha can keep stars shining constantly, with inexhaustible energy. Because the Buddha-heart is unmoving and inherently bright, the Buddha’s lifespan is infinite—without birth or death. The Buddhas have realised their true nature and attained Buddhahood; their spirituality is constantly in deep meditation.

The Natural Law of Buddha-Light

Since the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is where Namo Amituofo resides, it is naturally supplied with the energy of Namo Amituofo. How could there be a lack of energy? Coupled with the fact that Practitioner Su himself is filled with positive energy, it is no wonder this place shines so brightly. The demonic energy and power of the demons who enter this place are halved. This is because the Buddha-power and Buddha-light are so radiant here. This is the natural law. Often, we follow the natural law; the smartest demons are those who do not 'hit a wall.' If the Buddha can make such phenomena occur in the sky, how could demons hope to use their own power to diminish that light or stop its emission? This is undoubtedly challenging the natural law, and naturally, we would be the ones to fail. This is why Practitioner Su has continuously subdued the demons of the Earth, the universe, the Milky Way, the heterodox paths, the alien realms, and even the Chinese demon crowds.

There are indeed our 'demon children and grandchildren' in the dark clouds of the sky. They love to fly into the sky and charge into the clouds. They are very mischievous; they tell the clouds, 'Whatever shape you are, I want you to change into this!' The clouds fear these demons, so they change accordingly. That is why the clouds in the sky are often so varied, taking on all sorts of shapes—sometimes with demons hiding inside. This time, they said they wanted to ride the clouds to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to see what kind of person could disrupt the ecology of the Chinese demon realm so thoroughly.

To be honest, I have been observing this place for some time. I thought that the elders of the demon realm should not set a bad example or engage in pointless resistance. So, when the demon children suggested it, I said, 'Very well! Let us go to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.' Everyone was truly convinced. I led the ancient demons, the Demon Kings, and the demon children and grandchildren, and we leaped into the sky, riding the clouds toward the Centre.

The Sound of the Buddha-Name

Before we even arrived, we received the vibration of sound waves in space. Upon reaching the temple, we heard the chanting of the Buddha-name. In truth, what we can hear exceeds what the physical ears can perceive, and what we see exceeds the spatial scenes visible to the physical eyes. When we entered the temple, our demon nature was significantly weakened, including my own.

Often, we do not look back on the past. In the last 100 billion years, I have not participated in demonic affairs. Looking back, I am a native Chinese demon. Before the 5,000-year history of China, archaeologists have analysed that many humans were active on this land long ago. Being human is truly difficult. To study and analyse these things requires a sharp mind or an interest in the spiritual realms; otherwise, many would flee.

Where there is a physical body, there is death, but the spirit always exists. These spirits are high-level spirits, filled with spirituality and profound wisdom. These are the ancestors of China. Often, they give their descendants a direction to seek the answer to the eternal Truth. This is what the ancestors wanted to teach future generations, hoping it would be passed down. The Chinese have always been eager to learn and respect their teachers, believing that teachers can resolve doubts and carry the responsibility of transmission.

The Rise and Fall of Dynasties

'Etiquette' is also very important to China. Of course, it already existed in our demon realm at that time; even the demons were influenced by etiquette, so the demonic deeds we did then still had some measure of restraint. However, as human nature changed, despite the constraints of etiquette, human desire became boundless—greed for more, the need for more. When desires could not be satisfied, many wars broke out. These wars were exactly when we demons found it easiest to exert our influence. The more volatile and turbulent people’s spirits and emotions were, the more the energy they emitted became the very thing we demons relied on for survival. That is why so many demons would appear. Only the side with 'Righteous Qi' could withstand the invasion of demonic energy. In such situations, they would become the victorious nation, able to promote these etiquettes once again, leading to the many prosperous dynasties in Chinese history where people lived in peace and enjoyed bountiful harvests.

When the Righteous Qi grew thin, people’s behaviours and thoughts underwent many mutations. If no positive force appeared to correct these deviations, and the mutations continued, how could war be avoided? This war seemed to doom the other side, as the nation where the demon nature erupted would win through violence, and the people would live in misery. Such alternating cycles of good and evil, and the changes of dynasties, connect to form the 5,000-year history of China.

The Great Master Xuanzang

When the Buddha’s teachings were introduced from abroad, and later when the Great Master Xuanzang went to the Western Regions to seek scriptures, although we demons caused many disturbances, this respectable and admirable virtuous one was truly a Buddha come to earth. He was completely fearless. Instead, he held firm faith, casting his own life aside, focused only on striving for the transmission of the True Teachings and the Dharma-lineage of China. Such a person is an object of respect for us demons. On his journey to the Western Regions, he endured many hardships. Of course, with such sincerity and effort for the Buddha’s teachings, he inevitably received the blessings and salvation of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Many supernatural events not recorded in the 'Records of the Grand Historian' occurred at that time. However, the Master was very compassionate and did not wish to dwell on his own experiences, not wanting people to divert their attention from the brilliance of the Buddha’s teachings, so many things were not mentioned or were lightly passed over. In fact, if one were to describe them, they were quite spectacular. What happened then was a confrontation between demons and the Buddha, and in the end, it showed that the Buddha indeed surpassed the demons. Thus, the Master succeeded in his journey to the Western Regions. This is why, from ancient times to the present, many ancestral masters and virtuous ones have been able to subdue the demon crowds through their virtue, spirit, and vow-power.

The Master spent many years learning Sanskrit at that time. On the return journey, because the Master had already subdued many demons, when he returned to the Central Plains from the Western Regions, many demons had already become his Dharma protectors, ensuring the return journey went smoothly. This is not recorded in 'Journey to the West' or in history. However, although 'Journey to the West' is a mythological story, it is somewhat similar. Aside from the Master, the characteristics and personalities of the characters in it are actually possessed by demons. Each character encountered different demons, and of course, they were all subdued by the Master. This is also true; I was a participant in it at the time.

Reunion in the Age of Decline

Why do I call the Great Master Xuanzang 'Master'? Because from the time the Master set out from the Central Plains—then Xi'an—to the Western Regions, I was one of the demons causing interference. But the Master was often able to use his Buddha-teachings to instruct us, explaining the great principles, letting us know our mistakes and the laws of karma. Coupled with the many times the Buddha helped us, the Buddha-light weakened our demonic energy, and we later took the Great Master Xuanzang as our Master. At that time, the Master subdued many, many demons. These demons all respected the Master’s virtue and his spirit of sacrificing himself for the Dharma. On the journey back to Xi'an, under our protection, the road was peaceful. I never expected that 1,400 years later, we would meet the Master again at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. He is now the venerable Teacher Xia Lianju, an eminent monk who has reincarnated to return to the human world, specifically to compile the 'Infinite Life Sutra'! This is the Master’s specialty! Without the Master, who could have accomplished this? So the Master is now residing at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. The three stars I mentioned earlier: one is Namo Amituofo, one is the Master—the Great Master Xuanzang, now Teacher Xia Lianju—and the third star is Practitioner Su, the physical Buddha who has subdued the demon crowds this time. This is the actual situation observed from the celestial phenomena.

This is a very, very special event. In celestial phenomena, as long as one star is shining, it indicates that something special will happen in that area. Now, three stars are shining in the sky simultaneously. Ah, it turns out to be this great event currently encountered by the demon realm: Practitioner Su subduing the demon crowds through the Twelve Lights gifted by Namo Amituofo.

A Call to Surrender

Having said this, any experienced ancient demon knows what to do; there is no need for pointless resistance. When I was subdued on the Master’s journey to the Western Regions, my demon spirit was already 201 billion years old. At that age, I was still moved by the Master’s virtue and became a protector. Meeting the Master again, of course, I returned to that path. Taking this opportunity, I have also brought my demon children, grandchildren, and the Demon King to surrender.

With the Master presiding here, and Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su coming forward to subdue the demons, one must know that this is a rare and precious event. For demons who know the Buddha, the outcome of a confrontation between Buddha and demon is obvious, especially with three Buddhas present at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This is why wherever Practitioner Su has gone—whether it be Earth demons, extraterrestrial demons, Milky Way demons, universe demons, alien realm demons, or heterodox paths—they have all been defeated like a collapsing mountain.

Now that Practitioner Su has turned to subdue the Chinese demon crowds, the outcome is predictable. But within the laws of karma, if there were no such affinity, how could the demons receive salvation? The most arduous work is Practitioner Su’s. Without his physical body in this world and the manifestation of his Dharma Body emitting the Twelve Lights, subduing countless demons and saving countless beings, everyone might still be living their old lives—without the chance to enter the Western Dharma-Nature Land and inevitably facing the terrifying retribution of cause and effect. Namo Amituofo, the Master, and Practitioner Su are compassionate; they save demons and subdue them without harming them.

Gratitude and Transformation

Of course, I also took this opportunity to pay respects to the Master. The Master, in his wisdom, knew of our arrival and remained seated, nodding during the Dharma assembly. I then led the vast crowd of demons—the ancient demons, Demon Kings, and demon children who have had an affinity with me over these 200 billion years—toward the Twelve Lights manifested by Practitioner Su. Naturally, space changed, and we entered the Western Dharma-Nature Land.

That day was the Thrice Yearning Ceremony. Among the many beings, the demons I led occupied only a small part of the space, but the Master still saw us, which makes me very grateful. This time has truly and thoroughly changed us. Through the act of subduing demons by Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, the Master led us out of the demon realm and onto the Buddha’s path. This can be considered a continuation of our previous Dharma affinity; the connection is truly inconceivable. We must be grateful for the great compassion of the Buddha, the Master, and Practitioner Su. The number of demons saved is not trivial; it is very, very large. After all, the ancient demons, Demon Kings, and their respective followers who have followed me—if they were to gather on the clouds above the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, they could cover half the sky. That is a very, very large number. In such a situation, the light of the temple naturally shines brilliantly. No wonder the light of the temple can be seen from beyond the sky, penetrating into the universe and the Milky Way. This is a very, very special event.

The Glory of China

China, oh China, to be able to nurture these two—the Master and Practitioner Su! In the 5,000-year history of China, the Master took his physical body to the Western Regions to seek scriptures, and after returning to China, he promoted the Buddha’s teachings, creating the glorious peak of the Tang Dynasty in the history of Chinese Buddhism. And the appearance of Practitioner Su in the current age of the Dharma’s decline is not accidental. I might add that the simultaneous existence of the Master and Practitioner Su is not unique to this time. During the Tang Dynasty, when the Master was present, Practitioner Su was also there. As a disciple, Practitioner Su was extremely respectful to the Master and was also the historically famous 'Great Master Kuiji.' Today, I take this opportunity to reveal the past relationship between the Master and Practitioner Su; this is also an opportunity connected by Dharma affinity. The many glorious records of Chinese Buddhism created by the two are still continuing today, which is very respectable and admirable.

At this moment, in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I have received the compassion of Namo Amituofo, the Master, and Practitioner Su. Without the Buddha, how could so many demons and beings be subdued so easily? This shows how blessed the land of China is!

A Crisis of the Heart

China has suffered various traumas in modern times, leaving it scarred, and the changes in the human heart are immense. Regarding China, despite the destruction and current loss of ethics and morality, the chaos in male-female relationships, and the rampant materialism, it is a mainstream global economic power, a political power, and a leader in military strength. These external advantages did not come from nothing; there were many political figures who smoothed over the injuries China had previously suffered and continuously expanded outward, leading to the existence of today’s world power. In fact, there were demons pushing this, making people’s hearts feel empty and hollow. People do not feel this crisis, but the Buddha-realm and the demon path are very sensitive to it. The ability to see clearly is not possessed only by the Buddha; demons have it too, though their ability is not as thorough as the Buddha’s.

For the demon realm, it is clear that this is a time for demons to flourish, because almost every Chinese citizen has a mindset of climbing upward, pulling others down to get ahead, and competing. Since the previous cultural destruction, the pain of the great disaster has affected the hearts of these citizens, and everyone has developed this habit. This is a huge crisis—the first crisis for China to stand in the world. We can see that in the near future, there will be internal movements in China... These things, if said, might cause unease, so I will stop there.

Before this happens, the only way is to use the education of the Buddha’s teachings to boldly enter the hearts of the Chinese people, letting them understand how much of what they do is against their conscience and will lead to bitter retribution. In this lifetime, because people have the 'delusion of the intermediate state' and do not know what they did in the past, they only see this life. But in fact, everyone has created much collective karma in the past and must endure the pain of this era. The Buddha’s teachings speak of cause and effect very thoroughly. Now, China can only rely on the education of the Buddha’s teachings, the education of cause and effect, and this opportunity to purify the human heart to let people know to stop inappropriate behaviour.

The Vulnerability of the Youth

Including what I just mentioned, many children are required to learn from birth. Especially the children of high-ranking officials, they are accustomed to being required to recite, compare, and get ahead. Every mindset is one that we demons possess. In such a situation, how could demons give up such a great opportunity? Of course, we enter their bodies, control their hearts, and absorb the negative and intense energy from them. This is what demons love most. Ancient demons have dark energy. In China at this time, many small demon children and grandchildren can well absorb the demonic energy from these people and strengthen their own demonic power. After these small demons grow up, the places they exert their power are also in China. At that time, there will be no ancient demons like us who know to show mercy and leave a way out for others—which is also leaving a way out for oneself.

The new generation of demon children often only care about charging forward to satisfy their desires. The harm that demons grown in such conditions do to humans cannot be underestimated. Because they know how to exploit human weaknesses, they know how to use modern technology—whether it is the internet or mobile phones—and they know how to exploit the weakness of modern parents who treat their children as treasures, controlling the children, which is equivalent to controlling the parents’ hearts. Even if these parents are poor, they will try every means to satisfy their children’s needs, hoping they will not fall behind and can compete with others to get ahead. But at the same time, because of everyone’s competition, these poor children lose at the starting line, so their desire to compete and fight is even stronger, and the demon nature to get ahead is very strong. Many are already targets we have identified. Of course, the demon children will help them stand in society, have status and position, and what they do will naturally benefit the country’s competition; but later, this person also becomes one of the demons—a good target for us to absorb. Currently, among the demons in China, many are such figures who entered the demon realm this way. This is a complex society, a complex country, where people are defensive and distrustful of each other, let alone talking about believing in the Buddha or Bodhisattvas. This is a very sad thing, but it is also something we demons are happy to see.

A Hope for Salvation

At this moment, I, Mo Niwen, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, seem to see the hope of saving China—not 'seem to,' but 'definitely' see the hope of saving China. This is my heartfelt word spoken in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This is not what a demon should say; how could a demon point out these key points and tell everyone this? We should be helping demons gain strength, letting them know how to increase our demonic power and prestige. But at this moment, I have no desire to do so. This is perhaps the compassion of the Buddha, the Master, and Practitioner Su, which has eliminated my demon nature. Having had my good nature revealed, the words I have spoken have a high degree of credibility.

If the Chinese people have the blessings to hear these words and can follow them, that is you saving yourselves; it has nothing to do with me, Mo Niwen. Whether it is the people of China or the demons, what kind of life you live next has no influence on me, but in my conscience, I feel I must speak the truth. Especially now, accepting the interview at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the audience for my words is not just demons and humans, but even the Buddha, the Master, and Practitioner Su can hear them. I cannot let my demonic retribution add on lying or evil speech, can I? So everything I say is the truth.

Mo Niwen

The Buddha gave Mo Niwen the Dharma name 'Huai En' (Cherishing Grace).

Reflections on the Thrice Yearning Ceremony

At the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, I also greatly admired Practitioner Su’s actions. He comes from the Western Pure Land, so he naturally possesses sharp faculties, able to see the suffering of beings in an extremely short time and make rapid responses to save them. I see many members of the Hsiang Kuang salvation team; to us elders of the demon realm, they are not unfamiliar. Seeing their current magnificent appearance, dignified countenance, and their work in saving beings alongside Namo Amituofo, the Master, and Practitioner Su, I also feel very respectful and applaud them. They are truly worthy of being transformed and educated after meeting Namo Amituofo, the Master, and Practitioner Su. It is too successful! Practitioner Su, your education of the salvation team is too successful. We have every reason to believe that the demons you have subdued now will also have the opportunity to become high-quality spiritual beings like the current salvation team, able to save beings together with Namo Amituofo, the Master, and Practitioner Su. Because they have eliminated much of their own sins, it is possible to reveal a dignified appearance. I have reason to believe that many demons in the Dharma-Nature Land will also be like this in the future.

Namo Amituofo’s Buddha-name and the Twelve Lights are so magnificent; I saw them at the Thrice Yearning Ceremony. Because this Buddha-name and the Twelve Lights also followed Practitioner Su’s countless manifestations to many places and corners of the Earth—China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Japan, and Australia. Especially China, which is truly a country saved by Practitioner Su’s efforts. The Buddha-name follows the Buddha-light, penetrating into the ground, into the crevices, and even into the deep ocean and the depths of the seabed. The shining of the Twelve Lights in the sky goes without saying; the demons touched by the Twelve Lights are sent to the Western Dharma-Nature Land, and the beings touched by the Twelve Lights are also sent to the Western Dharma-Nature Land.

This piece of land is truly a miracle of the spiritual realm. Once they enter this place, everyone turns from evil to good, no longer having their previous evil forms or evil words, replaced by a calm and gentle heart. Just as the words I am speaking now are quite stable, without any so-called demon nature or anger inside.

In the 200 billion years I have spent in the demon realm, I have seen the prosperity and failure of Chinese Buddhism. When it declines to the extreme, there is reason to believe that things will turn around at the extreme, and I hope that the Buddha’s teachings can flourish again in China. After all, the bloodline of the ancestors still flows in every piece of land in China. Although the Buddhist temples in China are currently in need of repair and the monastics are weak, the brilliance of the Buddha’s teachings of the past can no longer be seen today. During the peak of the Tang Dynasty, although many historical sites, cultural relics, and Buddhist scriptures were left behind, they have now been destroyed. These must all bear karma. Regardless, the destruction caused by these predecessors must have involved us demons. Now is truly a good time to withdraw.

I hope the demons in China can hear my advice. What Namo Amituofo, the Master—the Great Master Xuanzang, now Teacher Xia Lianju—and Practitioner Su are doing now is truly for the sake of saving demons. I hope everyone can understand the painstaking efforts and compassion of Namo Amituofo, the Master, and Practitioner Su. The path of surrender is a bright path, which can stop the demonic deeds in everyone’s hands and lead everyone into the Buddha-land, living a completely different life. Just as I, Mo Niwen, am speaking these words calmly while being interviewed, it is also thanks to the purification of the Buddha-light shining on me in the Dharma-Nature Land these past few days that I can speak them.

Practitioner Su’s body is, after all, a physical body, and he has feelings and reactions to the magic spells cast by demons, and his body will react. The attacks of demons all require bearing karma, and the retribution is very bitter. Namo Amituofo is constantly reminding everyone; the Buddha is a speaker of truth and will not tell lies. Later, if these demons who cast spells obtain a human body, they will suffer extreme pain, which is caused by the act of attacking Practitioner Su. Once the cause is planted, the retribution will not disappear; when the conditions mature, the retribution will manifest itself. At that time, it will be very painful, unlike now where you can receive the salvation of Namo Amituofo, the Master, or Practitioner Su!

Well, I wish everyone well, and I will stop here. As for how much you take in, it depends on your own blessings and affinity. I will stop here.

Huai En