The Ancient Echo of Namo Amituofo

This is a record of an interview with He Yinda, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life approximately 5,813 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on July 26, 2018.

He Yinda speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am He Yinda. I was born 5,813 years ago in what is now Northeast China. That land was a true Pure Land. People lived in harmony, without the petty squabbles or competition between self and other that you see today. We only knew how to care for and help one another.

A Life in Harmony with Nature

When the weather turned cold, we would drill wood to make fire. We would huddle together, chatting and warming ourselves. Sometimes, we would sing together—simple melodies, yet they warmed our hearts. We would sing about the events of the day, describing our experiences through song. Sometimes we would laugh until our sides ached, and other times we would weep openly. It was a raw, genuine expression of our feelings. No one would judge you; even if you were afraid and ran away, no one would look down on you, because everyone knew that one day, they might face the same situation themselves. Because of this, everyone was optimistic and cheerful. Adults and children alike always wore smiles on their faces—even the birds and flowers seemed to be smiling.

No one would ever shoot or kill animals or birds. Although we ate meat, it was only from animals that were injured or dying. They would walk up to us on their own, revealing their wounds or simply passing away. If an animal was injured, whether it was a tiny bird or a massive bear from the deep mountains, we would grind simple herbs, spread them onto large leaves, and bind them to the wound with flexible tree branches. Some animals would leave once they were bandaged; others, unable to walk, would be cared for by us daily until they recovered or passed away. If they died, we would bow respectfully before consuming their bodies. We were one with nature. Even when we suffered casualties from storms or disasters, though we were sad, we never harboured resentment toward the heavens, for no one can predict what life will bring.

The Shadow of the Unknown

The people of our tribe were tall and robust. The men were sturdy, the women were strong, and even the children were healthy and vigorous. This open-minded, unpretentious nature and our physical stature were a grace left to us by our ancestors—a legacy that can still be seen in some today. This life continued for a very, very long time. But then, I do not know when it started, the number of people in our tribe began to dwindle. Sometimes, someone would simply be gone when we woke up the next day.

Usually, if someone was harmed, we could find them or at least discover their remains. But this time, those who went missing left no trace—not even a body. This caused panic, yet we could not find the cause. It happened most often to the children and the elderly. Some men would stay awake all night to guard their homes and families, but they would fall into an inexplicable sleep. When they woke, the children and elderly were already gone. In this state of unrest, negative rumours began to spread—some said a demon was eating people, or that some mysterious power was silently carrying them away.

The Dawn of the Buddha-Name

There was a child in our tribe who was usually quiet and kept to himself, but he could see things others could not—a fact known only to his parents. One day, he told them that the air was filled with a black mist. At night, it would cover people, lulling them into a deep sleep before carrying them away. Because the elderly and children had weaker life-force, the black mist found it easy to take them. His parents immediately told the rest of the tribe. But because we were naturally kind and trusting, we had no ability to resist or defend ourselves against such a thing. We had no choice but to helplessly beg the heavens for help.

We agreed to gather every morning at dawn and every evening before sunset on an open space on the hillside, kneeling to pray. Finally, one morning, as we were sincerely pressing our palms together in supplication, a brilliant, bright ray of light appeared in the sky, illuminating the earth. At the same time, beautiful celestial music began to play, singing 'Namo Amituofo.' A Great Buddha appeared in the sky. We believed this was Namo Amituofo, who had heard our cries and come to save us, to lead us away from fear so we would no longer lose our families. We followed the celestial music and sang the Buddha-name 'Namo Amituofo' together. This continued for quite a while before the music and the Great Buddha gradually faded.

A New Daily Practice

This happened for seven days, every single morning. During those seven days, no one went missing. We became even more devout. As more people joined, our chanting grew louder, for we believed that the louder we chanted, the more effectively we could drive the demons away. After those seven days, although the celestial music and the Great Buddha no longer appeared, we did not dare to slacken. We continued to gather every morning and evening to chant Namo Amituofo loudly. We believed Namo Amituofo would protect us. Pregnant women, in particular, believed that if their unborn children began chanting Namo Amituofo from the womb, they would be protected and grow up safely. The children and elderly were even more convinced that Namo Amituofo could save them from disaster, so they chanted with even greater diligence.

From then on, no more disasters occurred in our tribe. We returned to our optimistic, cheerful, and free-spirited ways. More importantly, we now had the constant companionship of Namo Amituofo in our lives. Morning and evening chanting became our daily practice. The elderly, in particular, found such peace of heart that they chanted even more diligently.

The Final Journey

One day, an elder who was highly respected by everyone was chanting Namo Amituofo loudly in front of us. He then breathed his last, but he did so with a smile on his face. The child who could see the unseen actually witnessed the same Great Buddha, Namo Amituofo, appearing in golden light and bringing a lotus flower to receive the elder. Even the elder’s body emitted light. The child described what he saw with great joy, and we all believed him. From then on, the villagers chanted Namo Amituofo even more fervently. When someone—or even an animal—was about to pass away, we would remind them to chant Namo Amituofo and chant along with them. Because of the sincere and kind nature of our village, we were often blessed with a peaceful end; everyone passed away with a smile, free from worry or suffering.

This is a true story from 5,800 years ago in Northeast China. That child who could see was me, He Yinda. From the moment I saw the elder being received by Namo Amituofo, I made it my goal to one day follow Namo Amituofo to that other world, just as the elder had. It must be a beautiful place. I hoped my wish would be fulfilled soon. Finally, one day during morning practice, I saw Namo Amituofo again. The Buddha knew my wish and brought a lotus flower to receive me—a beautiful, soft, pale yellow, which was my favourite colour. I am so grateful to the Buddha for granting my wish!

A Message for the Modern World

In the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I see that modern humans no longer possess that sincere, selfless, and carefree smile of the past. It is rare to see anyone reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. The only one I see who can do this is Practitioner Su! And Practitioner Su does more than that. Although he bears the suffering of beings and could easily depart for the Western Pure Land, he courageously faces the intense pain in his legs so that beings with karmic affinity can be saved. Thus, I joined the 'Leg Protection Action' for Practitioner Su, a Venerable of the Western Pure Land.

Today, Practitioner Su can finally walk, but this has not diminished his Dharma Body’s ability to perform Chao Du. In fact, after this experience with his legs, his vision has become even more profound and thorough. The scope of his deliverance now extends beyond the Earth and the ten directions of the worldly realm; it reaches throughout the entire Milky Way. Practitioner Su, in his compassion, has opened the space-time of the era in which we Venerables lived, allowing the beings of that time who had karmic affinity to be saved and given the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The power of vows is infinite, and the salvation of suffering beings is boundless. With the blessing of Namo Amituofo, the inconceivable and rare power of Dharma deliverance is also boundless!

Namo Amituofo."