The Awakening of the Ice Demon

This is a record of an interview with the spirit known as the Ice Mountain, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He has been given the Dharma name Shi Dingshan and now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon his existence spanning millions of years, from his origins in outer space to his eventual deliverance. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa-xin, on July 21, 2021.

Shi Dingshan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am the Ice Mountain. For as long as I can remember, I have existed within a world of ice and snow. During this recent global pandemic, the entire demon realm was stirred into a great frenzy, and I felt the vibrations of this massive shift in the magnetic field.

A Primordial Guardian in a Warming World

I have been a spirit of the ice mountains for millions of years. I have always been calm, observing the world with detachment. I never concerned myself with the affairs of the human world. However, in recent years, the ice mountains have been under constant assault. Human desire is so intense; it brings with it a dark, heavy magnetic field—a field saturated with greed, selfishness, and ego. This field has been suffocating the ice mountains, causing them to melt at an unprecedented rate. It is a terrifying sight. Every second, ice mountains collapse and dissolve into the sea, and the lives within them vanish. In all my tens of thousands of years, I had never imagined such a scene. This violent change has caused the loss of so many lives that I have always cared for as my own subjects. Now, at every moment, my people are being destroyed, all because of human indulgence and the destruction of the environment. I do not understand this horrific mindset, and I certainly do not condone it. A fire began to burn within me—a fire of resentment. As I grew angry, the very ice mountain I inhabited began to melt. I was destroyed by the fire in my own heart. When the entire mountain turned into seawater, my nature became that of a demon, for I was furious at human ignorance and selfishness. I led my family and my people, and they became my demon children and grandchildren.

The Cosmic Balance

When the pandemic struck and humanity fell into panic and anxiety, I watched calmly. I saw that humanity was undergoing a great weeding out. I knew they were suffering the consequences of their deep-seated selfishness and ego. This universe is fair; it never makes an unjust judgment.

Although I felt a deep sense of injustice toward humanity, I had not yet taken action to retaliate. I had become a demon, but the seed of Goodness in my heart was still pulling at me. Many times, my demon children and grandchildren asked me if they should dissolve into the sea to raise the water levels and cause flooding as a lesson to humanity. I pondered this, but I always decided against it.

The Power of the Dharma

Recently, many demon beings associated with the pandemic moved toward a place of brilliant light. This surprised me, so I led my own demon children and grandchildren to observe. I never expected that as soon as we approached, Practitioner Su would immediately sneeze and have a runny nose, then slam the table and shout, 'Who is there?' I had never seen a human with such power. In that instant, I felt as if I were frozen, just like the ice mountains. Not long after, my followers and I felt a warm current, and we were brought into a world of brilliant light. I now know this place is called the Western Land of Dharma Nature at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. When I first arrived, I thought this warm light would melt my frozen body, but instead, it brought me a sense of profound peace. After spending time in the Land of Dharma Nature, I slowly began to remember my past.

A Fallen Star

Before I became a spirit within the ice, I was a soul from the distant past, having arrived from outer space. When I first saw this planet, it was pristine. I orbited it to observe its beauty. As I was admiring the planet, the spacecraft I was travelling in suddenly lost energy. I had intended to return to my home planet to recharge, but I was so captivated by the beauty of this world that I forgot to monitor my energy levels. I crashed. Before the impact, I was terrified; I did not know what would happen to me.

As the ship neared the ground, a violent impact occurred, and I lost consciousness. I saw my family from my home planet, and then I felt intense pain. I saw a flash of white, and before I could process anything, I lost consciousness again. I became a lonely, suffering soul longing to return home. I did not know where I was. At that time, Earth was still a frozen planet, and my soul remained in that icy space for an eternity.

The Cycle of Samsara

Sometimes the cold wind blew, and sometimes the sun shone. Subconsciously, I seemed to know that I had fallen onto the planet I had just been observing. After a long period of silence, my consciousness gradually cleared, and I began to try to wander this planet. I did not know what to do, so I followed the wind. When the wind blew against a mountain wall, I still thought I had a body; I even cried out when I thought I was about to hit the wall, but my soul passed right through it. The mountains were silent. I wanted to leave, but it was like a maze. I only found my way out when the sun rose, following the light.

After Earth's ice age, simple life began to appear. I was drawn by a gravitational force into a large lizard, and I became a lizard that ate insects and small animals. I did not know the cruelty of the dinosaurs, so I was unprepared. Before long, I became food for a dinosaur. When the dinosaur bit into my body, I felt immense pain and harboured hatred. My lizard body was consumed, but my consciousness remained clear, and I did not forgive him. After being eaten, my soul followed that dinosaur, waiting for a chance for revenge. After that dinosaur died, it was reincarnated as another dinosaur. Millions of years later, the dinosaurs went extinct. My consciousness remained attached to Earth, becoming a gaseous element that nourished new life.

The Guardian of the Ice

For millions of years, Earth has undergone constant change—crustal movements, splitting continents, and volcanic eruptions. After the land split, various terrains and climates formed. During that time, I existed as a gas for tens of thousands of years at a time.

Earth continued to evolve and progress, and eventually, the advanced animal known as 'human' appeared. Since the appearance of humans, they have used their clever minds to change their environment.

When I caught the scent of humans, it carried a sense of chaos. I had been staying in the upper atmosphere, but upon sensing this, I retreated to places where there was no human interference. Finally, I stayed in the ice mountains, which remained natural and pure.

I stayed in the ice mountains for so long that I became their guardian.

But for the last few hundred years, the ice I guarded has been melting rapidly. I am anxious, as I see many primitive lives within the ice losing their existence. From what I observe, the cause of the melting lies entirely in human selfishness, greed, and desire. Humans constantly research and advance their lives, but they often sacrifice nature to do so. I cannot accept their actions.

Many spirits destroyed by this have gathered in space. This resentment has caused the current climate anomalies on Earth, and many natural disasters are a backlash against humanity.

The spread of this pandemic is a great warning to humanity. I hope they will understand. The more a person's heart is obscured, the more the pandemic spreads in that place.

I see that the human world is suffering the consequences of their actions. I have not led my demon children and grandchildren to persecute them; I hope humanity can wake up. Do not have a heart that only seeks human benefit; you must think of the entire Earth and the planet as a whole.

When I heard Practitioner Su's voice across space saying he would save those affected by the pandemic, I was astonished, so I led my followers here. Upon seeing the boundless golden light, we ascended to the Land of Dharma Nature. After arriving, we followed the Chao Du and saw a vision much larger than just Earth. Having come from another planet, I had almost forgotten who I was. Now, in the purification of the Land of Dharma Nature, I feel very peaceful. I am increasingly returning to my original state. I hope the people of my home planet can also have the opportunity to come here. I am deeply grateful for the compassion of Practitioner Su.

The Dharma Assembly

When the Dharma Assembly arrived, I saw colourful lotus flowers. The Bodhisattvas stepping on the lotuses were all dignified, and golden light radiated everywhere. Many spirits crowded in, arranged in orderly rows. Each spirit looked different and came from a different space, but after arriving here, they all became gentle. Practitioner Su allowed everyone to be fully nourished, and then his Dharma Body manifested into billions of forms to send these spirits to the brilliant Western Land of Ultimate Bliss ahead. At that time, his manifestations also flew to various places to lead immeasurable and boundless spirits. When the endless layers of space opened, the densely packed spirits were led by the golden light. This vast scene is impossible to describe in terms of quantity.

When Practitioner Su went to the ice mountains to perform Chao Du, my emotions were intense. I began to shout uncontrollably, 'Everyone, hurry! Everyone, get up! Follow the golden light!' After shouting several times, I realised that only by chanting the Buddha's name could everyone leave. So, I began to shout, 'Everyone, quickly chant Namo Amituofo! Quickly chant Namo Amituofo!' Some spirits connected to me heard my voice and followed my instructions. When I saw them being led away by the golden light, I wept with emotion. I did not know that this was the true way to help them. In the past, I only guarded them, and when any disaster occurred, I could only watch helplessly. Now, I see them truly being saved, and I am deeply moved and grateful to Practitioner Su.

I kneel in gratitude to the Buddha for saving everyone. I hope this great power of Goodness can save even more people. I am truly, infinitely grateful.

Namo Amituofo."