The Blood-Stained Vengeance of the Demon Lin Tianliang

This is a record of an interview with the plague demon known as Tu Sha, whose original name was Lin Tianliang. He sought deliverance 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 life and the trauma of the Nanjing Massacre approximately 84 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on August 9, 2021.

Tu Sha speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. For all these years, the hatred in my heart has been immeasurable! I have harboured such a burning desire for every person of Japanese descent to vanish from the face of the earth. I would grit my teeth and chant to myself: 'Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Unforgivable!'

A Life Shattered by War

I am a Chinese man, and I lived in Nanjing. My home was once a place of such happiness and fulfilment! I was a father to three beautiful daughters. My eldest was fifteen, the second was thirteen, and my youngest was eleven. They all inherited my wife's beauty; they were all stunning, graceful, and possessed an extraordinary temperament. Every day, my wife and I would watch our three children grow, and our hearts were filled with joy. These three precious daughters were so filial to us. They had no intention of marrying; they wanted to stay by our side forever to care for us in our old age. Whenever I heard them say this, my wife and I felt so comforted. All the hard work of raising them was worth it; they were so obedient and kind to us.

My parents lived with us as well. They were elderly—my mother was seventy-five and my father was eighty-nine—and my wife and I took care of them. My elder brother had originally offered to look after them, but his work was far too demanding. I worried that if they lived with him, they would be neglected because he was never home. When the elderly need help, there must be someone there to assist them. I felt it was better for my wife and me to care for them; it would be more intimate, and my parents would be more comfortable. So, I brought them to live with us. They were so happy. My three daughters would often make them laugh until their sides ached, and they would spend every day chatting with them. Although our family was not wealthy, we lived a life of immense happiness.

The Unforgettable Horror

Everything I just described exists only as a memory of happiness in my mind. Every time I recall it, my hatred grows deeper, because that group of Japanese soldiers destroyed my home! I will never, ever forget the sight of them harming my wife and three daughters right before my eyes! At the time, I was bound tightly with ropes. They deliberately performed their cruelty in front of me, wanting me to witness the expressions of agony and hear the wailing of my wife and children. My daughters kept crying out to me for help, screaming, 'Daddy, save me! Daddy, save me!' But I could not save them. I kept shouting, 'Let go of my daughters! Let go of my wife! You scum! You human scum!' When those monsters saw my panic, my rage, and my fury, they became even more excited. Not only did they violate my wife and daughters, but they also began to inflict cruel, violent acts upon them. If I could have broken free from those ropes, I would have charged over and killed every single one of them! Watching my wife and daughters being bullied until the very end, seeing their bodies pierced by countless knife wounds—they all died with their eyes wide open in injustice. I let out the most piercing cry of my life, using every ounce of my strength to try and stand up to attack those Japanese soldiers, but I could not break free. Seeing my intense hatred and agitation, they all mocked me, calling me a fool. Finally, they dragged me out and threw me into a massive pit. There were many others in that pit, and I was piled on top of the crowd, buried alive. I cannot forget the agony of the soil suffocating me, preventing me from breathing. But I endured it. I was waiting for death, and I swore that after I died, I would find those monsters and take my revenge!"

The Path of the Demon

"After I died, I became a demon. I called myself 'Tu Sha'—the Slaughterer. Since the Japanese soldiers slaughtered us Chinese people, I, the demon Tu Sha, would slaughter the Japanese! I controlled their minds, forcing them to live in lives of promiscuity, violence, and the pursuit of base desires. Many of them committed suicide; it was I who made them kill themselves. This was what I loved to see, but that was only the prelude. Even this pandemic was just a minor irritation to them. The real show is yet to come!

I was determined to participate in this pandemic. I wanted to wipe out as many Japanese people as I possibly could! Up until now, I have successfully caused over two hundred thousand people to be infected. If I had not been captured and brought here, even more people would have fallen ill. Every single day, more people would have been caught in my web!

Today, I heard that Practitioner Su was going to save the world from this pandemic. I also saw that Practitioner Su had gone to a Japanese hospital to observe the situation a few days ago. This made me suddenly alert to the crisis. I knew I had to act quickly to stop Practitioner Su so that she would not ruin my plans. All Japanese people deserve to die; not one should be left alive! This was the goal I set for myself after becoming a demon: I was determined to make the Japanese people disappear from the face of the earth forever!

After saying all this, my heart actually aches. My children, my wife, my parents—they all died such tragic deaths at the hands of the Japanese. It was not just us; so many families suffered the same fate. At that time, there were screams and wails everywhere, like a living hell on earth. Those ruthless, heartless Japanese did not treat us as human beings at all. How could I ever let them go?

Oh, Buddha! Is what I have done wrong? Please, tell me!"

The Deliverance of a Family

Tu Sha (Lin Tianliang) was eventually brought to repentance. His family members—his father Lin Gaoqun, mother Lin Huang Sulian, wife Liang Mingjuan, and daughters Lin Mengting, Lin Xuan, and Lin Xiaojun—were all saved from the suffering realm by Practitioner Su and guided to the Western Land of Dharma Nature.

A Testimony of Gratitude

Lin Tianliang (Tu Sha) speaks:

"Thank you, thank you, thank you to Namo Amituofo, and thank you to Practitioner Su!

Our family of seven all wept uncontrollably. In an instant, when I saw my parents, my wife, and my daughters appear before me, they were still covered in blood and wounds. I was so heartbroken that I wept. Then, in another instant, Practitioner Su restored their bodies, and we were so moved that we embraced one another. I rushed to check on my elderly parents, and they both told me they were fine, that everything was alright now. I also quickly looked at my wife and daughters; they were crying so hard they could not speak, but they used their gestures to let me know they were safe. I held them tightly once more. To be reunited with them again—I am truly so happy!

I immediately told my parents, my wife, and my daughters: 'It was the Buddha who saved us! It was the Buddha! Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su! Quickly, kneel down and show your gratitude to the Buddha!' Our whole family knelt and kowtowed to express our gratitude to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. I, Lin Tianliang, will absolutely repay the Buddha's grace.

Gratitude to Namo Amituofo! Gratitude to Practitioner Su!"

Lin Tianliang