The Arhat’s Rebirth: From the Fall of Shang to the Pure Land

Shi Yuansheng, formerly known as Shang Jue, was a prince of the Shang Dynasty who spent three millennia in the Arhat realm after a life of intense ascetic practice. Seeking ultimate deliverance, he eventually encountered the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su. This interview was recorded on July 6, 2020, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, where he now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Shi Yuansheng (Shang Jue) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su. Over three thousand years ago, while I was in a deep meditative state, my spirit left my physical body. After traversing various heavenly realms and the vast Dharma realms, the state I most yearned to reach was the Arhat realm. In my understanding of practice at that time, one had to completely overcome the physical body. I was exceptionally strict with my physical form; even when I was thin as a rail, I forced myself to eat very little. I believed that food entering the stomach would instantly cloud my clear energy field and lead to a state of drowsiness. While this is a natural physiological function, it was a great obstacle to my practice. Under my rigorous standards, such things were simply not permitted. At midnight, to ensure my spirit remained sharp and alert, I would rest by sitting in meditation without ever lying down. Even in the dead of night, I could perceive the slightest movement in the surroundings—the sound of animals brushing against the grass was crystal clear to my ears. I could discern the distance of the sounds and whether the creatures were fierce, hurried, restless, or gentle; I could grasp the nature of the world around me with absolute clarity."

A Life of Seclusion and Discipline

"I lived every moment in a state of constant, trembling vigilance. Since I had chosen this path, I knew I had to be diligent. Each morning, I would consume a simple bowl of thin rice porridge—barely containing a grain of rice—along with a quarter of a steamed bun, which would have to last me four days. At noon, I ate a mixture of grains, brown rice, and wild vegetables to satisfy my hunger. After midday, I would not eat again. This was how I began my practice. Once I truly attained the benefits of meditation, I shifted to eating only once in the morning, dedicating the rest of my time to Zen and meditative concentration. In my simple thatched hut, there was only a square table, a wooden stool, and a meditation cushion woven from coarse grass.

My thoughts were focused solely on diligent practice. I refused to dwell on the past; those tragic memories made me isolate myself from the world. I vowed never to step back into the dust of worldly life. In that era, my identity was a secret, so I had to change my name and live in seclusion in the mountains. My original name was Shang, and my second name was Jue. Recalling those events from three thousand years ago is the most sorrowful memory of my life. I was a descendant of the Shang Dynasty. The political situation was already unstable, and within the imperial palace, we were oblivious to the world outside. At eighteen, I was learned in both literature and martial arts. My father, the King, had arranged for me to marry a suitable princess, and we had a son; life was secure. Then, one day, a minister rushed in to report that the Zhou army was attacking and had reached the city gates. If the gates fell, the Shang Dynasty would be in peril. Upon hearing this, my father clutched his chest, unable to breathe. The princes and the ladies of the palace were immediately scattered, carrying simple bags, fleeing in all directions. I was sent toward the southwest. My wife had taken our child to visit her family, and in the chaos, I could not reach them in time. Five days into my flight, I heard that my father had been forced to abdicate and was assassinated. The news was heart-wrenching, like the sky collapsing. I cannot describe the pain. In the middle of the night, I hid in an abandoned house and wept bitterly. The soldiers and attendants with me wept as well. I did not know where to go in the face of this fallen kingdom. A month later, my companions, suffering from exhaustion and malnutrition, began to fall ill with colds."

The Pain of Parting

"I decided to disband the group, allowing everyone to return to their homes. Despite their loyalty, I insisted. When I announced my decision, some knelt in gratitude, while others begged to stay. I remained firm, telling them that if they did not leave, I would slip away in the night. They all knelt, many offering their last possessions—heirlooms or jade pendants—for me to sell to survive. They had tried their best to find food for me, always giving me the most nutritious portions. I was deeply moved. I patted their shoulders and said, 'Stay! I will survive on my own two hands and feet.' We parted ways, and I knew it was a final farewell. It was another moment of heart-wrenching separation.

The first night after we parted, I stayed by a desolate graveyard. My state of mind had changed; it was calmer, or perhaps one could say my heart had died. I was no longer Shang Jue, but a wanderer. In my despair, I walked into the mountains. My clothes were in tatters, and I had not bathed or changed for ages. My shoes were so worn that I was walking on the mud. My feet were cut by the grass, but I felt no pain—the agony of the fallen kingdom far outweighed any physical suffering. Eventually, I collapsed from exhaustion. When I awoke, I found a practitioner sitting upright beside me. He had a long white beard, and there were fruit pits scattered nearby. I tasted sweetness in my mouth; he had clearly helped me. When I opened my eyes, I watched him for a long time before he slowly opened his. He said only, 'Transcend the world!' His words calmed my heart. I sat up and imitated his meditation posture. I was amazed that he could sit until nightfall without moving, regardless of the wind or movement around us."

Training the Body and Mind

"I did not sleep that night, observing him. In the biting cold of midnight, I covered myself with large leaves and brushed away insects. I was restless, but the practitioner remained motionless. Insects crawled on him, dew dripped on his head, and the wind howled, yet he did not stir. The next morning, my stomach growled loudly. Only then did he open his eyes, stand up, and begin to gather wild vegetables. I followed him instinctively. He boiled the vegetables and ate them without changing his expression. I tried to eat them, but the bitter, astringent taste made me gag. With no water, I ate fruit, but the juice was difficult to swallow, and I began to cough. He laughed and said, 'If you cannot taste the flavor, you can still use it to nourish the body for practice.' After a few days, I adapted. I realized he was training me to maintain a heart of practice in any environment, no matter how harsh. I learned to minimize the sensations of the body.

Once, we went to the city. The aromas of food filled the air, and I was tempted. An old man saw my hunger and offered me a steamed bun. I broke it in half and offered some to the practitioner, but he did not move. He did not say a word, but I understood: to practice, one must cut off even the most basic desires for food. We returned to the mountains. Through repeated training, my heart became more settled. I stopped reacting to external stimuli. My meditation became stable, and I began to perceive the changes in the world—first through my ears, then my nose, then my consciousness. Layer by layer, my perceptions deepened. My eyes became clear, and my six meridians felt connected. My body became like an energy field, until finally, my spirit left the body. I began to travel through the heavens and entered extraordinary spaces, each with different light and colours. I knew I had reached the heavenly realms, where I saw other practitioners meditating."

The Arhat Realm and the Call of Compassion

"These practitioners were similar to me, meditating alone in various spaces. This was the Arhat realm. By the time I could see this realm, I had been practicing for nearly twenty years. The practitioner who led me had reached the twenty-seventh heaven. Seeing him still meditating there gave me great encouragement. I decided to settle in a thatched hut on Mount Song. I lived there, and in my meditative state, I would leave my body for weeks or months at a time, enjoying the bliss of practice. At the age of sixty-two, I reached the Arhat realm and finally let go of this physical body. I spent three thousand years in the Arhat realm, diligently practicing, with perhaps two thousand more years to go.

But ever since Practitioner Su opened the Four Sacred Realms and the heavenly realms, the sound of Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks could be heard everywhere. Every day, during the Chao Du, I could see Practitioner Su arriving with boundless golden light, moving swiftly toward higher realms. The six-character name, Namo Amituofo, traversed space. It was the first time I heard such a compassionate sound; it vibrated through my spirit, stirring memories of past lives. The trauma of the Shang Dynasty was still stored within me. I was afraid that change would bring instability, so I observed. Each time Practitioner Su passed the Arhat realm, the Buddha-name washed over me, and the warmth of the Buddha-light shone through my heart. During a magnificent Dharma assembly, I finally let go of my attachment to the Arhat realm and followed the celestial beings and the Four Sacred Realms."

Gratitude and Deliverance

"We were overjoyed to see the brilliant golden light and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The temple was packed with beings. Many spirits could not hide their joy, chanting the Buddha’s name in unison. Countless beings were filled with gratitude. Practitioner Su, I am ashamed! My thousands of years of diligent practice did not lead to true Awakening. Although I could see the spaces, I could not help the suffering beings within them. I did not see their pain until Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body arrived, extending boundless compassion. I am completely convinced. I knelt before the Buddha and Practitioner Su in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to express my gratitude. Beings throughout the Dharma realm see the magnificence of this place and are filled with awe and thanks.

I am now in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, sharing in the joy, surrounded by colourful lotuses and birds that sing with the sound of the Buddha. This realm is inconceivable and beautiful beyond words. I am practising diligently before the Buddha, learning the vast mind-capacity of the Buddha and Practitioner Su. The Buddha has given me the name Shi Yuansheng. I am deeply grateful."

Recorded by the disciple Shi Faxin.

Namo Amituofo.