The Awakening of a Demon King

This interview documents the transformation of Mo Zhaohe, a demon king who once terrorised the galaxy and the human world, after he sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Recorded on June 15, 2022, by Venerable HaiZe, this account details his journey from a life of deep-seated resentment to his eventual purification and reunion with his family under the guidance of Practitioner Su.

Venerable Yuansheng (formerly the Demon King Mo Zhaohe) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Whether you call me a demon of China or a demon of the Milky Way, I am a demon king who traverses both realms. I was born in China, and my soul manifests in the form I held during my life: a slender figure, dressed in long robes, holding a folding fan, and wearing a scholar's cap. This is the appearance of my soul.

My name is Mo Zhaohe. I appear before you in this guise to show you that even someone who looks refined can harbour a demon nature within. Do not be deceived by appearances; this is the 'blind spot' of people in this world, where they are most easily fooled. In truth, I am not entirely 'evil'—especially in this era where human hearts are selfish and already somewhat corrupt. However, I have the ability to make those who trust me even worse. Thus, calling me a demon is quite accurate, and I have many 'demon children and grandchildren' under my command."

The Deception of the False Monastic

"In the past, I looked down upon monastics who preached one thing but did another—those who appeared pure and detached but were internally polluted and breaking the Precepts. They deceive the world, and the world is willing to be deceived. It is a case of 'one is willing to beat, and the other is willing to be beaten.' But for such people to speak of liberation from the cycle of reincarnation is a fantasy; they only sink deeper. If they encounter us, we assist them, and the result is either the hells or the Demon Realm. It is no coincidence that there are many monks and Taoists at the gates of the hells and within the Demon Realm. If one cannot overcome their own personality and bad habits, yet attempts to lead the masses to liberation, it is an impossibility. This is the consequence of monastics failing to recognise their true faces and failing to fulfil their responsibilities—a common phenomenon in China.

In the Milky Way, there are many practitioners from Earth and other planets who seek the Truth. Their meditative concentration allows their spirits to leave their bodies and travel to the void of the galaxy, seeking places to cultivate and absorb energy to maintain the clarity of their spirits. But can they truly achieve their goal? Many of these practitioners are obstructed by demon kings like us who understand Chinese cultivation and have infiltrated the galaxy. Their practice is interrupted, and they become spirits floating in the galaxy—neither dead nor alive. Their essence is not dead, but they appear as if they are, unable to act, floating in the void, not knowing where to go."

A Tragic Origin and the Path to Vengeance

"I grew up during the Ming Dynasty, about five hundred years ago, in a scholarly family. We were a simple family of five: my parents, an elder sister, a younger brother, and myself. My father was a private tutor, and my mother was a beloved teacher's wife. We children studied Confucian classics alongside my father's students. My mother was a devout Buddhist who often visited the temple to offer incense, and we followed her in becoming close to the masters there. My mother was elegant and refined, a perfect match for my father's gentle nature. They were a couple envied and blessed by all.

Yet, because of my mother's humility and respect toward a master at the temple, that very master—who was revered by the followers—developed improper desires for her. Unable to control himself, he drugged my mother under the guise of 'Buddha water' and defiled her. This caused a massive scandal; the master was expelled from the temple, and my mother died in deep depression. From then on, my view of monastics changed completely. My father, consumed by grief and longing for my mother, soon passed away as well.

Our beautiful home was shattered. I never married, and my hatred for temple masters could not be extinguished. After I died, that resentment led me into the Demon Realm. I specialised in targeting monastics whose hearts and actions were inconsistent. With my powerful demonic abilities, I could project my soul into the galaxy. With my sharp awareness and sensitivity to monastics, I understood the actual state of practitioners on Earth and in the galaxy, and I carried out my revenge. Practitioners who reach the galaxy usually have deep meditative concentration and pure spirits. If there is any hidden pollution in their spirits, we see it clearly, amplify it, and make it impossible for them to break through. We then absorb their energy, causing their souls to wither and float away as wandering spirits in the stars."

The Intervention of Practitioner Su

"The brilliance of Practitioner Su lies in the fact that many of these spirits—ancient souls of Chinese practitioners from thousands of years ago—are being saved. When Practitioner Su uses his countless manifestations to enter the galaxy and deliver these spirits, they wake up as if from a dream, searching for a place of rest. Some, upon seeing the golden light of Practitioner Su and hearing the name of Namo Amituofo, awaken instantly. Through the blessing of the Buddha-name and Buddha-light, they quickly rediscover their past selves. Those with high spiritual quality immediately decide to follow Practitioner Su into the golden light of Namo Amituofo, thus achieving Chao Du. These are incredibly fortunate souls; their opportunity is the result of past cultivation and their karmic affinity with Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su finally manifesting.

These recent changes in the floating spirits caught our attention, as such a thing had never happened before. To us demon kings, this was an anomaly that could threaten the survival of the demon crowds. Upon investigation, we discovered it was the work of Practitioner Su, an awakened being from the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Using the countless manifestations only an awakened being possesses, he leads a salvation team composed of demons he has subdued and transformed into the galaxy, bringing the energy of golden light and the Buddha-name to save beings."

The Confrontation at the Temple

"We decided to go to the temple to investigate. For demon kings who travel between Earth and the galaxy, finding the temple was easy. We had heard of Practitioner Su's rise. He had not only performed Chao Du for the galaxy but also for China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, and the mountains and oceans of Australia. Most famous was his ability to subdue demons. I wanted to see him myself. He was not just a headache for the demons of the galaxy; he was the number one enemy of the demons on Earth. I had never heard of a practitioner who could subdue so many demons.

We found Practitioner Su at the temple. He appeared to be a simple, approachable practitioner—hard to associate with someone who could trouble the Demon Realm. This was a truly awakened being with deep inner power. We entered the temple with the consensus to enter his body to investigate and stop him from further Chao Du in the galaxy. We saw many demons already gathered before him, using magic to cloud his vision. But Practitioner Su remained unaffected, continuing the Dharma assembly. We charged toward his eyes, but we could not enter. The impact was significant, and Practitioner Su noticed our presence. He calmly said, 'There are beings coming in; write it down and invite them to leave.' Before we knew what happened, we were drawn in by the sound of the qing and placed into the Western Dharma-Nature Land, where we now reside."

Reflections on the Thrice Yearning Ceremony

"Everything happened so fast. When I found myself unable to move on a lotus seat, I realised we had been subdued, just like many of our predecessors. I refused to believe it and struggled, but the more I struggled, the tighter I was bound. Finally, I gave up. I had no other choice but to accept what had happened. As I calmed down, the sound of the Buddha-name from the assembly stirred memories of my mother and me at the temple—memories I had suppressed for so long. In this peaceful environment, it had a healing effect. I stopped running and let the past surface. I felt the compassion of Namo Amituofo entering my heart through the Buddha-name, healing my long-standing trauma. Gradually, I became peaceful, immersed in the Buddha-name.

Upon arriving at the temple, the first things I saw were the towering Skanda Bodhisattva and Sangharama Bodhisattva. I knew then that this was no ordinary temple. It had been a long time since I had seen such a scene—both Dharma protectors present, and a Thrice Yearning Ceremony being held. Even more astonishing was witnessing the Western Trinity—Namo Amituofo, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva—radiating golden light, along with the pure ocean-wide assembly of Bodhisattvas.

I was truly shocked. I never thought that as a demon king, I would see the extremely bright and virtuous Namo Amituofo and the Bodhisattvas. This is something many Buddhists seek but never see. My demon nature was weakened by more than half the moment that thought arose. The assembly was packed with souls seeking Chao Du from Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. I even saw flying saucers and spacecraft from the galaxy; they must have come to seek energy. Under the arrangement of the Dharma protectors, everyone entered the memorial tablets or the golden light quickly and orderly. They were truly saved! A faint voice arose in my heart: 'This is a real Dharma assembly!' I also saw Practitioner Su emitting countless manifestations from his body—far more spectacular than the seventy-two transformations of Sun Wukong! In an instant, my vision was filled with countless Practitioner Sus, scattering in different directions to deliver beings, including those in the galaxy. I sighed; Practitioner Su is a true practitioner who can withstand the tests of demons and cannot be shaken. Such practitioners are classified as those who have become Buddhas, and they are respected and accepted by us demons."

A Family Reunion in the Dharma-Nature Land

"Practitioner Su performs Chao Du through the Buddha-name with incredible speed and power. When the chanting ends, the countless manifestations return to his body, completing the Chao Du of the Dharma Body. I had never seen such a scene. It is no wonder Namo Amituofo appears and resides here. During my time at the temple, I have discovered that this is indeed the True Teachings of Buddhism. In this age of the Dharma's decline, demons roam the world, and almost no place can escape the demonic eye or the destruction of magic. This place is truly worthy of the full support of the Buddhist community. It is absurd for a demon king to say this, but it is the truth I have felt after participating in the assemblies, listening to the sutras, and being purified by chanting the Buddha's name. Namo Amituofo."

Note: Practitioner Su, in his compassion, could not bear that the parents of the demon king Mo Zhaohe were innocent victims who suffered. He asked Venerable HaiZe to receive information and write down where his parents were, intending to guide their spirits to the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, where the family could reunite, listen to the Dharma, and when the conditions are ripe, vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, forever escaping the suffering of samsara.

The information received by Venerable HaiZe is as follows: Mo Zhaohe (Venerable Yuansheng) (Kneeling): Original name: Lü Zhaohe. Father: Lü Yunshan, searching for his wife in the ghost realm. Mother: Lü Shi Haoniang, still depressed in a space. Venerable HaiZe then interviewed Mo Zhaohe again: 'I am Mo Zhaohe. As Practitioner Su read my interview draft, I was listening intently. Suddenly, Practitioner Su said, "Find his parents; they are innocent victims. Let the whole family reunite." Upon hearing this, I immediately knelt, my heart pounding uncontrollably. Is this real? When the Venerable wrote down my original name—Lü Zhaohe—and my parents' names without hesitation, I was astonished! Then, when he wrote down where they were, I could hardly believe it. Even I did not know where they were, and even if I did, I could not save them! When Practitioner Su read their names and locations—Father: Lü Yunshan, searching for his wife in the ghost realm; Mother: Lü Shi Haoniang, still depressed in a space—my heart ached. After Practitioner Su struck the qing and said, "Please come to the Dharma-Nature Land, let them reunite," my parents appeared before me. I could not believe my eyes, yet they were standing right there. Before they could even realise what was happening, two lines of hot tears slid down my cheeks. I shouted, "Father! Mother! It is your child, Zhaohe!" They looked at me and called me "Zhao'er"—my childhood nickname, used only by my parents. My father looked at my mother and cried, "Wife, you have truly appeared! I have searched for you so bitterly!" My mother called to my father, "Husband, I never thought I would see you again!" Our souls, separated for so long, had a chance to meet again! I quickly told my parents that it was Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su who saved us, making our reunion possible. My parents immediately knelt with me. The three of us, reunited in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, bowed to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su in gratitude!'