The Bodhisattva’s Journey: An Interview with Saint Ivan

This interview was recorded on July 5, 2020, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. It features Saint Ivan, a representative of the Bodhisattva Realm, who sought deliverance through the teachings of Practitioner Su. Saint Ivan shares his journey from a life of early childhood sorrow to his eventual attainment of the Bodhisattva path, reflecting on the profound compassion of the Buddha and the transformative power of Buddha recitation.

Saint Ivan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Above the clear skies of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, a magnificent, colossal lotus of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss has blossomed. It is composed of us, the celestial beings. I am Saint Ivan, a representative of the Bodhisattva Realm. Today marks the final day of this week's Thrice Yearning Ceremonies. From the first level of the heavens all the way up to the twenty-eighth, and throughout the Four Sacred Realms, we are filled with immense joy during every one of these grand Dharma assemblies.

The Perspective from the Heavens

In the heavenly realms, one cannot see the levels higher than one's own. We live our lives in the heavens quite comfortably. Because of our past practices, we have achieved our current status in the heavenly path. It is the result of our own efforts, and it is very easy to become self-satisfied—this is the common sentiment among celestial beings. After suffering in the human world, we endured rigorous practice to attain these results. I, Saint Ivan, am a Bodhisattva of the Bodhisattva Realm, and I too went through a long period of arduous practice to reach today's achievements. I once believed my meditative concentration was excellent and my foundation in Buddha’s teachings was profound. For all of this, I must express my deepest gratitude to my former abbot and the true spiritual friends I encountered.

My choice today was prompted by hearing that in the human world, there is a Practitioner Su whose Dharma talks are truly extraordinary. He can guide beings—including celestial beings—to rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I, Saint Ivan, listened to Practitioner Su's lectures with a sense of curiosity. After hearing him speak, I realised he is no ordinary person. The more I listened, the more I savoured the depth of his words. I observed his speech, his conduct, and his heart. Truly, the world calling him 'Practitioner Su' is not an exaggeration at all; he is truly a Buddha come to this world! Every day, as Practitioner Su performs Chao Du through his Dharma Body, I was initially captivated by the six-syllable name. The profound compassion contained within the sacred name he chanted shook my heavenly palace! I could hardly believe it, as I had considered my own practice to be so advanced, and I even had my own disciples and followers.

The Universal Vow of Compassion

Saving beings depends on Causal Conditions. If there is an affinity, one seizes the opportunity to save them; if there is no affinity, I would simply let them be and let them drift. However, I heard Practitioner Su say that every single being must be saved. Practitioner Su never misses a single Buddha; he treats every person as a Buddha, doing his utmost to save as many as he can. I have come to understand that the habits of beings are difficult to change. In terms of practice, it is clear that to truly achieve success, one must have a true spiritual friend, good Causal Conditions, a heart of renunciation, and—as Practitioner Su says—a true understanding of the suffering of human life. Only then will one have the perseverance to achieve success.

A Childhood of Sorrow

Saint Ivan is my original name. I was born into a Christian family, the only child. My father was a pastor who often went out to host evangelical meetings and frequently held gatherings for believers' families at our home. In the eyes of others, my father was a holy priest, wise and helpful. Yet, my mother would hide in her room every day, weeping. After seeing a doctor, it became clear that she had developed depression after giving birth. No matter how my father treated her, she would always cry and make a scene, and our home was shrouded in a heavy, stifling atmosphere. At first, my mother would just cry in silence, and when my father's fellow believers came to visit, she would hide in the room. Eventually, fewer and fewer people came to our house. I often heard my parents arguing fiercely, and in the end, my father would always slam the door and leave.

I was only five years old at the time. Sometimes, I wanted to bring water to my mother, but I often risked being beaten, as I would inevitably be struck when my mother was inexplicably angry. One day, my father returned and told me he had taken a long leave from the church to stay home and care for my mother. At first, he patiently looked after her, but after six months, her condition had not improved. My father told me he was going to take me to a relative's house, as he did not want my growth to be emotionally scarred. He took me to see a good friend of his, whose wife was a Chinese woman whom I called 'Auntie'. At that time, she smiled at me with kindness, though even at my young age, my eyes must have already revealed my anxiety and fear. This Auntie was beautiful but had a slight limp. My father told me, 'Auntie is a very good person, don't worry, just stay at her house for now. Daddy will go home to focus on taking care of Mommy, and when she recovers, we will come to pick you up together. You can go to school here and must listen to Auntie.' When my father left, I shed tears without even realising it.

The Sound of the Wooden Fish

At such a young age, I already knew how terrified I was when my parents were not by my side! What was I to do in such a strange environment? The fear in my heart made me silent and withdrawn. Fortunately, Auntie Huang had no children of her own. She was very patient with me, always smiling as she held my small hand, giving me food, keeping me company, and talking to me. Gradually, I began to interact with her and became like a child in her home; she treated me as if I were her own. Every morning before dawn, I would wake up because I missed my parents and could not sleep. One day, before the sun had risen, I heard a sound—a rhythmic tapping on wood: 'tap, tap, tap.' I followed the sound to a room, pushed open the door, and found Auntie tapping on a wooden instrument. I sat quietly in a chair and listened to her recite the Sutras. After she finished, she told me this wooden instrument was called a 'wooden fish'. She said she woke up very early every day to recite the Universal Gate Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, and she told me that if I couldn't sleep in the future, I could join her in reading the Sutras. I was overjoyed! Even as a small child, I understood the hearts of adults. Although Auntie was beautiful, she had not given birth to children. During the days I stayed at her home, she treated me like her own, giving me delicious food and buying me new clothes. I felt that she truly loved me. A few days later, Auntie became even happier, and I gradually accepted her care, followed her advice, and began to learn to read and write.

The Truth of Impermanence

Time passed quickly, and nearly a year had gone by. Every morning, I would follow Auntie in reading the Sutras and learning. One day, she told me that in a few days, it would be the biggest festival for the Chinese people—the Lunar New Year. I wore my new clothes, new shoes, and a new hat, sitting at the door waiting for someone to appear. Every night after dinner, I would sit at the entrance. I waited for three days, then a week, but my father never appeared. I could not help but run to Auntie's side, crying loudly, asking her, 'Why hasn't my father come yet? Why hasn't he appeared? Does he not want me anymore?' Auntie did not speak; she just hugged me. At such a young age, I already understood the suffering of being human.

Being an adult has its hardships; being a child has its helpless sorrows. The pain of family affection and the suffering of separation seemed to force me to grow up. I begged Auntie to tell me the truth about what had happened to my parents. Kind-hearted Auntie could not help but shed tears. I kept asking, and finally, she told me that my parents were no longer in this world. Because of my mother's depression and my father's repression, he had also fallen ill, and they had both passed away one after another. Auntie hugged me and said, 'Child, don't worry. Auntie will stay with you and love you until you grow up.' I cried for a long time and asked the heavens: Why am I a child that no one wants? Auntie said to me, 'Child, if there is worry and fear in your heart, you can recite the sacred name 'Namo Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva'. When you feel lonely, recite this name, and a force will support you to move forward bravely.'

A Life Dedicated to the Dharma

I took Auntie's advice to heart and began reading the Sutras with her. I loved accompanying her to visit temples, especially enjoying their tranquillity. Auntie took me to visit many temples, and my heart became increasingly settled. When I was eleven years old, Auntie met a master who asked me if I would like to go to the temple to play. I agreed immediately, and Auntie also consented to me living in the temple. I shaved my head, became a little novice, and began my path of practice. The abbot and the senior brothers in the temple took great care of me, allowing me to learn the Buddha's teachings by their side. Seeing the suffering of the world and the terror of impermanence made me realise more clearly that for a human, the only path is practice; there is no other choice. Because I had suffered from a young age, I was particularly caring toward the younger novices who had just joined. I understood their hearts and diligently guided each one, accompanying them as they grew. Having tasted the helplessness and sorrow of humanity, I treated every fellow practitioner and every volunteer Bodhisattva who came to the temple with compassion.

At night, I was even more diligent, reading the Sutras and studying many texts to delve deeply into their meanings. In the temple, I spoke very little; in my heart, I would recite the name of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and I often gazed upon her image. Every day, I demanded of myself that the experience of suffering from my youth should be used to help others stop suffering. I practiced diligently, wanting to achieve success to repay the kindness of my parents' upbringing. Although they were no longer in the world, I would always be grateful to them, and this motivation kept me from being lazy. The abbot and senior brothers were all happy to teach me, and I listened to their instructions and worked hard to put them into practice. The sacred name of Avalokiteshvara was always in my heart. When I left the human world at the age of sixty-two, I was still reciting her name. I saw the image of the Bodhisattva, arrived at the Bodhisattva Realm, and became a Bodhisattva. In the blink of an eye, over one thousand eight hundred years have passed in the human world.

A Celebration in the Heavens

Recently, more celestial beings have seized the opportunity. Whenever they see Practitioner Su leaving the temple to attend to matters, they dance in the sky to welcome and follow him. Scattering flowers in the sky to celebrate is also a good omen, congratulating Practitioner Su on the imminent fulfilment of his vows. All nine realms have heard the news: Namo Amituofo has come to the forefront. To save beings and to transform the Dharma of the Age of Dharma Decline into the True Teachings, Practitioner Su is the only one in the universe doing this. At the auspicious time, we—the celestial beings of the twenty-eighth heaven, the Four Sacred Realms, the Arhats, the Bodhisattvas of the Bodhisattva Realm, and the Buddhas of the Buddha Realm—all arrived at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia to chant the Buddha's name and seek Spiritual Deliverance. Countless celestial beings filled the sky above the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. We first performed a celestial dance for Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, dancing together to create vibrant colours and a Western great lotus, celebrating this precious moment together. We saw the Buddha-light, we saw the Buddha, and we saw Practitioner Su, as well as the Venerables and lay practitioners. To express the gratitude in our hearts and the magnificent Causal Conditions, we chanted the Buddha's name in the sky. The compassion of the Buddha and Practitioner Su shook all the Dharma Realms, and we were filled with endless praise for this act. We responded with joyful celestial dances. The Western lotus, formed by all the celestial beings, hung in the sky for a long time, just so Practitioner Su could see us. We saw Practitioner Su as we had wished, and Practitioner Su saw us. The Venerables and volunteer lay practitioners were all joyful, and we were equally delighted. We saw the compassionate Namo Amituofo in the Buddha hall once again, radiating Buddha-light and manifesting auspicious signs.

In all of this, Saint Ivan has gained an awakening: everything is a matter of the laws of karma and cause and effect. 'Give rise to all roots of goodness and achieve the fruit of Bodhi'—Goodness, Goodness, Goodness! It has played its part. By chanting the Buddha's name, we attain Buddhahood. I am grateful to the Buddha, grateful to Practitioner Su, and grateful to the Venerables and volunteer lay practitioners of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. With your leadership in chanting the Buddha's name, we are on our way to attain Buddhahood.

Namo Amituofo."

This interview message was recorded by the Buddhist disciple Shi Haliang.