The Ancient Demon's Journey to the Western Land

This is a record of an interview with Mo Zhou, an ancient demon who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon his existence spanning 6.3 billion trillion years. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on March 16, 2026.

Mo Zhou speaks:

"Haha, Mo Zhou has appeared! Buddha is compassionate. May I ask, how many years have I, Mo Zhou, been wandering on Earth? In my mind, I see 'ten thousand years'. Have I really been on Earth for that long?"

"I am a very, very old demon, an ancient demon of the Dharma Realm, with an age of 6.3 billion trillion years. That is quite a significant number. But I truly do not know how long I have been on Earth; ten thousand years passed in the blink of an eye."

A Deep Affinity with the Middle Kingdom

"I especially love staying in China because I feel a particular 'Chinese flavour'. Perhaps it is because of my deep karmic affinity with the Chinese people and this land. When I first arrived on Earth, although people were very different from now—still in a primitive state—I immediately took a liking to this precious land of China. I felt this land was vast, which made my heart feel expansive. It was beautiful, with mountains and rivers, and had everything I could want. I never wanted to look for another place. So, I stayed in China for ten thousand years."

"Where did I stay? China is so large, and I have been to many places, but my base has always been in Jiangxi. Jiangxi seems like an unremarkable province now, located in the southeast of China. It has no ocean on its borders and no particularly towering mountains, but it has many rivers and streams."

The Demon's Palace and the Pursuit of Excitement

"I took root in this land, which seemed quite fertile. My ambition was not small, but I knew this place was unremarkable, so my demon palace would not be particularly conspicuous either. People like big mountains and waters, and many demons are the same. I just stayed quietly in this place; it is warm, neither cold nor hot. I stayed on the mountainside of a mountain where the seasons are like spring, which is very comfortable and suitable for my demon body."

"I, Mo Zhou, have always loved excitement. By 'excitement', I mean I love being shocked by sensory experiences, so I love using my unique Dharma arts to change everything around me."

"Initially, in the ancient era, there wasn't much I could do, and the energy I obtained generally came from the mountains and rivers. At that time, people's range of activity was small, and the Jiangxi area was sparsely populated and unremarkable. I waited quietly and patiently in this place, always feeling that there would be a chance for development later. Sure enough, I waited for several thousand years."

A Life-Changing Encounter with the Buddha

"Over the course of thousands of years, I slowly discovered that there were more and more people in this place. The more people there were, the happier I, Mo Zhou, became, because I could gain pleasure and excitement by controlling them. This was my greatest joy."

"Now, let me interject with something that recently shocked me greatly. I, Mo Zhou, have lived for 6.3 billion trillion years—I have to think about this number again. The Buddha said I am 6.3 billion trillion years old, so I remembered it; otherwise, how would I know I have lived for so long? I had no concept of it at all. Honestly, having lived for such a long time, an old demon of my age must have experienced the Big Bang of the universe, as well as various major and minor events like the explosions of major planets and interstellar wars in the Dharma Realm. As an ancient demon, I have experienced quite a lot, but at this moment, something shocking happened—something unprecedented, and something that changed my entire demon life."

"This event was meeting the Buddha. It is not that I have never met a Buddha before; before I became a demon, I seem to have lived on a planet with a Buddha. But that is a fleeting memory; the country at that time was quickly infiltrated by demons, and our character was polluted. After the Buddha left, I lived for so long and never saw a Buddha again, nor did I feel the warmth of the Buddha or the Buddha-light."

The Choice to Follow the Light

"After 6.3 billion trillion long years, I have thought of the Buddha more than once. After I became a demon, deep in my heart, I even secretly missed the days when there was a Buddha. But I dared not speak of it. I tried hard to suppress this longing deep in my heart, telling myself that I could not have such thoughts again. Once I became a demon, I had to focus on being a good demon. If I kept thinking of the Buddha, that would be going against the demon way, and I could be discovered at any time. If my demon identity was exposed, I would have nowhere to go. I didn't want to take such a big risk. So, I settled down to be a demon and dared not think of the Buddha again."

"After such a long time, I actually reunited with the Buddha. This time, I could feel that the Buddha had come. I felt the whole land, including my demon palace and demon cave, was illuminated by the Buddha-light. This made me feel a little scared at first; I didn't know if I would be far away from the Demon Realm, but the Buddha-light was so warm and firm. I deeply felt that the Buddha had come. I didn't want to give up this once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity, so I calmed down and asked my inner self: 'Do I want to follow the Buddha?' I had a very firm answer in my heart: 'Yes, I want to follow the Buddha.' Well, even if I give up my demon identity, it's no big deal. I've been a demon for so long, I've had enough; I don't want to be a demon anymore."

Arrival at the Western Land of Dharma Nature

"So, this time when the Buddha shone brightly, I chose to follow the Buddha-light. I instantly shifted space and arrived at a place called the Western Land of Dharma Nature. Ah, my heart immediately settled down, and I looked at everything around me with great peace and stability. The Western Land of Dharma Nature is a Buddha-land I have not encountered in billions of trillions of years. I have become so unfamiliar with the Buddha, yet when I saw the Buddha again, it was so familiar. And this time, I was particularly lucky: not just one Buddha appeared, but two—one is Namo Amituofo, and one is Practitioner Su."

"Namo Amituofo, I have heard of you, but the long-standing memories of the demon crowds pushed everything about the Buddha deep into my heart. Practitioner Su is the first Buddha I have heard of, and I was on Earth at the time. I didn't expect that when I chose a planet to live on, I actually chose the right one. Earth looks so small, yet at this very moment, it has attracted the Buddha to reside here. Perhaps this is the karmic affinity between me and the Buddha, which made me take a fancy to Earth and settle down here."

The Inconceivable Salvation of All Beings

"My affinity with China must be because I also have an affinity with the Buddha. When Practitioner Su brought Namo Amituofo to China and shone brightly, I was saved by this opportunity. Thinking back on this affinity, it is truly inconceivable! Practitioner Su brought the twelve golden lights of Amituofo and covered the entire land with his countless billions of manifestations. In an instant, the entire land seemed to have a layer of skin scraped off; this layer was full of sentient beings and demon crowds, and they were all transferred to this precious land of the Western Land of Dharma Nature."

"Such a thing is truly hard to believe. I, Mo Zhou, have lived for so long, but this is the first time I have seen it with my own eyes. I have indeed heard of such things, but I have never seen them with my own eyes. Not many demons can be so truly convinced that the Buddha's skills are so profound, so great, and so vast. Demons have not seen it, so they generally cannot believe it or imagine it. Because such a world, such mind-capacity, and such compassion are too far away from our world. Our world is so dark and narrow, so how could we imagine that the Buddha's great heart and capacity could perform such a shocking act of saving the world?"

A Tremendous Blessing for All

"The Chinese people are truly too lucky. There are many beings in the spiritual realms who have been here for ten thousand years, of the same age as me, or even longer. Some are not human; they are the spirits of the earth, spirits in the soil, spirits in water molecules—every molecule is full of spirits! Not just humans, but these water vapour molecules, biological spirits, animal spirits, etc., are all receiving the opportunity for salvation under the illumination of the Buddha-light at this very moment. I am deeply happy for them."

"I am such a special demon because I have a deep affinity with the Buddha. At the moment the Buddha arrived, I actually forgot about myself and my many demon palaces and demon children and grandchildren in an instant. When I decided to follow the light to the Buddha-land, I was not forced to go, nor was I directly taken there. I actually had the leisure to step into the golden light with a joyful heart. What was I thinking at the time? Did I have no desire to protect my demon palace and my demon children and grandchildren at all?"

"Come to think of it, that is indeed the case! I, Mo Zhou, am a demon who still has good roots. At the moment I met the Buddha, my intuition told me that I wanted to follow the Buddha, not be a demon. Therefore, at that moment, all my past deeds as a demon were no longer important to me. I didn't feel that all of this was fake or illusory; I just felt that I could let them go. Where they go, whether they wither or are caught by the laws of karma—none of this is something I can interfere with. If my demon children and grandchildren are willing to follow me, I would be very happy to have them follow me to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, but I will not force them, nor will I try to persuade them."

"Now that I have settled down in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I feel it is necessary to share my life story with them, to share all my current decisions, and what I have seen and heard. They need to know what an old demon has experienced, and then decide for themselves whether to go to the Western Land of Dharma Nature. In fact, many have already followed me and come here with the Buddha-light. They had no choice; they were brought here directly by Practitioner Su. This can be considered their tremendous blessing. As little demons or demon children and grandchildren, they didn't need to create such heavy karma, and they were directly brought to the Buddha-land to enjoy it. Haha, it is truly their tremendous blessing!"

"The Buddha has saved us with such great compassion, sparing us from so much retribution that we would have otherwise had to endure! If you were to continue with your attachments, continuing to perform evil deeds to control people without ever encountering the Buddha, the weight of that karma would be impossible to bear. If you continue to descend from demon grandchildren to demon children, to Demon Kings, and finally to ancient demons and old demons, the karma created is immeasurable and boundless—it is beyond counting. Therefore, you can stop right now. Please, you must believe in yourselves; believe that you are Buddhas.

As Practitioner Su has said, at this very moment, we have shed our demon bodies to become Buddhas. This is a rare and precious opportunity, difficult to encounter in millions of years. I urge everyone to grasp this firmly; you must not turn back. For those children who have already reached the Western Land of Dharma Nature, please work hard to counsel your companions who are still on Earth. Tell them: 'You are living such a wonderful life, your energy is always so abundant, and you can always be satisfied. What more is there to desire for the sake of this demon body?' There is nothing! You cling tightly to your identity in the Demon Realm, but in truth, everything is false. Do not think that demon beings do not have to face retribution, do not have to undergo the cycle of rebirth, and can remain demons for a long, long time. That is truly a fantasy. No matter how long you remain a demon, there will come a day of reckoning. What benefit is there in that? There is absolutely no benefit. In the end, it is nothing left. You might even be crushed under the deep mountains, leaving your entire spirit to wither away, becoming a spirit that suffers with no one to save it, or perhaps you will wither into the earth, where for millions of years, no one will ever see you. Such a life is not easy to bear!

The Path of Surrender

Today, the Buddha has given us a clear path with great compassion, and that is to surrender. We are not surrendering to ordinary people, but to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. With such a good opportunity, I believe that everyone, with a wise decision, should know how to choose.

Having spoken for so long, let me talk about my own sphere of influence back in China! You must all be interested in the deeds of this ancient demon. I have said before that I am a demon who loves to pursue excitement, so the demon children, grandchildren, and Demon Kings who followed me mostly shared my character—they wanted to satisfy the demon body and control everything around them to achieve spiritual satisfaction. I tried my best to let my demon children and grandchildren have their own realms to play in, and I did not interfere too much with what they did; as long as they did not violate the rules of our family or the Demon Realm, it did not bother me.

A History of Chaos and Influence

My sphere of influence spanned many provinces in southern China, including Guizhou, Guangdong, Fujian, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Hunan. These provinces were all within my territory, which also meant that my demon children and grandchildren had been stationed there for many years.

Speaking of excitement, the character of Mo Zhou—that is me—has both a side of Goodness and a side of evil. But as a demon, especially an old demon, I certainly cannot say that I have a side of Goodness; I can only say that I am evil, but not an entirely evil demon. How can I say this? Think about it, China has had many exciting events since ancient times. For example, there were battlefields in many different regions, and people everywhere fought for land, and even dynasties fought for the world, launching countless wars. These wars actually involved many demon beings, and I, Mo Zhou, am a perfect example.

War is a matter that is extremely stimulating to the senses. The slaughter on the battlefield is so stimulating; the way two armies meet and cross paths with strategies, creating all kinds of friction, is also very stimulating. I, Mo Zhou, was in the midst of it. When a war broke out, I was actually quite aware of every detail in the decision-making process, which is how I was able to control the direction of the war. As for who won or lost and how things turned out, we demon beings were all involved.

The Spectator of War

Although our power was not always very great, war is certainly not something that can be decided by human effort alone. The laws of karma and cause and effect are at work, and with the participation of us demon beings, it is even more complex. In fact, whether demon beings participate or not is already within the laws of karma. I, Mo Zhou, have a rather sinister hobby: I particularly love to see the grand scenes of two armies slaughtering each other. To me, this is a way to stimulate my senses.

My demon children and grandchildren are just like me. Therefore, many times, when the war was not yet intense, we would go to the scene to add fuel to the fire, making both sides fight even more fiercely. We would also specifically choose one side to help, causing the other side to be defeated sooner. This was also our selfishness.

As an old demon who has stayed on Earth for over ten thousand years, I have witnessed countless wars and scenes of slaughter. So, which side did I usually choose to stand on? Honestly, I would choose to stand on the side that was relatively more virtuous, helping them defeat the side that was evil. Therefore, by virtue of this bit of Goodness, I have been able to live here all this time. Although I am already an old demon of 6.3 billion-billion-trillion years, truthfully, if I had not entered samadhi, I could have been dragged away by the laws of karma at any time.

A Flicker of Hope

I chose to settle down on Earth peacefully, not because I was not afraid of the laws of karma, but because I still had a bit of faith in my bones, believing that there would be a day when I could turn things around. Thus, I naturally became a demon with a bit more Goodness.

When standing on the side of justice, although my power was not great, I did help many righteous sides achieve victory. Regardless of who died or was injured in the war, there were still countless casualties, but for the righteous side, such a war could reduce more wars in the future, which was relatively easy for me to handle.

My demon children and grandchildren are just like me; they all love being on the battlefield. Not only do they like to watch with their demon eyes, but they also love to immerse themselves in it, feeling the immense shock of the scene. This is a feeling and habit I have had for a long time.

Since the beginning of Chinese history, wars have been constant, and they even existed until a few decades ago. But in the last few decades, China has entered an era of peaceful and stable development. It has been at least thirty years since I last saw a war, right? I don't remember exactly how many years it has been, but anyway, since I stopped seeing wars, I have gradually become indifferent to seeking excitement. Of course, I still continue to do other small things to satisfy my needs.

The Regret of the Cultural Revolution

I remember that in the last century, wars became fewer, and there were no so-called changes of dynasties. After the founding of the new China, everyone developed together under the leadership of Chairman Mao and the subsequent chairmen and premiers, promoting economic and technological progress. And my so-called excitement began to be invested in the topics valued by Chinese leaders. If I could participate in them, adding my own touch and influencing the direction of the country, I also felt it was very exciting.

I remember that after the founding of the new China, a series of reform activities were carried out, including what was then called the Cultural Revolution. At that time, I, Mo Zhou, committed a huge mistake. Looking back now, it really makes me tearful.

The Cultural Revolution, as the name suggests, was to abolish the products of the old era that the Chinese leaders considered outdated one by one. This included the most precious Buddha statues, sutras, and the classic books of all the benevolent thoughts in traditional Chinese culture. As long as it was related to cultural tradition, it was ordered to be banned or even destroyed by the leaders at that time.

Therefore, much of what the soldiers and people did at that time was slandering the sages and the Buddha, which was truly unbearable to witness. I, Mo Zhou, was really too foolish at that time; I actually forgot the Buddha. Not only did I forget, but I even participated in the act of destroying the Buddha’s teachings. Fortunately, I did not truly participate in much, but I did indeed participate in part of it. Thinking about this now, I am truly filled with remorse.

A New Beginning in the Western Land

Oh, Buddha! What the Chinese people lack most is Buddhist education. Buddhist education is so important. The Chinese people live such bitter lives, and besides the heavy participation and mischief of us demon beings, it is because they lack true Buddhist education. Of course, there is also the interference of demon beings in this.

I really cannot understand why I committed such a huge mistake in the beginning, but thinking about it more is useless. It is better to let everything go and start over. Alright, I, Mo Zhou, have decided not to recall these things from the past anymore. Speaking of them is just to talk about the regrets and repentance buried deep in my heart, to honestly report to the Buddha everything I have done, and to tell the Buddha my inner voice: 'From now on, I will turn over a new leaf, follow your footsteps forever, and will never walk the path of the demon again.'

At this moment, I am already sitting peacefully on a lotus seat in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and all the past is like an illusion, just as the Buddha said. But what shocks my heart more now is definitely no longer seeking excitement. These things only bring evil, not Goodness, and no amount of excitement will only bring pain to others. For Mo Zhou now, the most satisfying thing in terms of perception is watching the countless manifestations of Practitioner Su, circling over the earth countless times, saving layers upon layers of sentient beings and demon beings.

I never thought that what I liked to do before were all destructive things, but now seeing that many beings can be saved—whether they are demon beings or beings in the spiritual realms—my heart feels that this is the true Dharma-joy and satisfaction. This is vastly different from the excitement I longed for before!

The Power of the Buddha-Light

Speaking of my demon palace, looking back now, I find that more than half of my old lair has been taken away by the Twelve Lights of the Buddha and the countless manifestations of Practitioner Su. I cannot say that all the demon palaces have been taken away and razed to the ground, because my sphere of influence was so large in the beginning. Layer upon layer of demon palaces, some buried under the ground, under deep mountains, under rivers, and some are still intact. I sincerely hope that under the powerful Chao Du of Practitioner Su, they can be taken by Practitioner Su to the Western Land of Dharma Nature one by one, whether they are demon palaces or demon caves.

As for Practitioner Su's method of Chao Du, it also amazes me greatly. I never thought that the power of the Buddha-light would be so strong! The Twelve Golden Lights and the countless manifestations are truly working in perfect harmony! Practitioner Su can manifest countless and countless, infinite manifestations, and each manifestation can play a great role, directly causing the magnificent demon palaces to instantly become flat ground, with nothing left. Everything instantly becomes nothing left. Namo Amituofo."

At that time, I truly believed that the demon palaces I had painstakingly constructed over ten thousand years were so real, so solid, and something I could be immensely proud of. Yet, under the brilliant power of the Twelve Lights and the countless manifestations of the Buddha, they were reduced to nothing in a single heartbeat. If only I could have realised this truth earlier, perhaps I would have understood sooner that the only truly exciting and desirable pursuit is to act as a Buddha to save people and demons alike. This is the only path that holds real, lasting value—the only work that can truly save immeasurable and boundless beings!

The Thin Line Between Buddha and Demon

Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su were absolutely right: the difference between a Buddha and a demon lies in a split second of thought. One thought of pure Goodness makes one a Buddha; one thought of evil makes one a demon. When a demon generates even the slightest spark of compassion and a genuine desire to save others, they instantly transform into a Buddha. This is a natural, effortless process, because the Buddha’s nature is inherently one of salvation.

Demons have merely lost this desire to save others for a time, having had their inherent Goodness covered and confused by their own delusions. It is only because they thought too much and became trapped in their own confusion that they descended into the state of a demon, committing such monstrous sins. In truth, as long as one can turn around in a single thought and be willing to give and help others, that demon immediately becomes a Buddha.

A Message to My Demon Kin

My demon children and grandchildren, do not be too discouraged. The destruction of your demon palaces is actually a wonderful thing! I have even seen many demon palaces in the surrounding provinces being taken away by Practitioner Su’s countless manifestations, which makes me feel a profound sense of relief.

When I was expanding my sphere of influence, I once ventured deep into the high mountains, some even four or five thousand metres high in the frozen, snowy peaks. There were also my demon palaces and hidden dens throughout the Sichuan area. But at this very moment, I do not take any of this to heart. Because all of this is false. What does it matter if I possess countless demon palaces? Having countless demon children and grandchildren only represents the magnitude of the negative karma I have accumulated; it is nothing to be proud of.

The True Meaning of Buddha-Actions

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to say a few words to my vast number of demon children and grandchildren, and to the people on the land of China: Now that I have come here, the scope and perspective I see are completely different. As an old demon, having lived for so long, this is the first time I have truly understood what Buddha-actions are. I have finally learned that people can turn away from evil and return to righteousness, that they can become a Buddha, and that demons can do the same.

People controlled by demons, I look at you and feel a deep sadness and sorrow for you. You do not truly wish to be controlled by demons; it is just that your own mental notes have involuntarily come into sync with the demons. In such a situation, being controlled by demons is a natural consequence. If everyone has the opportunity to learn true Buddhist education, which teaches us to return to purity and absolute Goodness, then the demon crowds will have no opportunity to invade people's bodies.

Take me, for example: although I had no interest in directly controlling people's thoughts or actions—I was only interested in major national affairs and exciting events, which was my specialty—I could still very accurately know what people were thinking and use that to judge whom to control and how to steer events toward certain results.

A Final Confession and Gratitude

Demon Zhou has now turned away from evil and returned to righteousness. I know that everything I did was caused by my own personality and habits, which created a body full of sins. For the sake of the excitement and satisfaction of a demon body, I ultimately harmed immeasurable and boundless beings. Now, Demon Zhou has shed the demon body and is wholeheartedly following the Buddha to learn; I will no longer have any other thoughts. Demon Zhou is grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for their compassion, and grateful for all these Causal Conditions.

Namo Amituofo.

Demon Zhou