The Bond of Brotherhood and the Path to Liberation

This is a record of an interview with the Venerable Wuche, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life approximately 1,300 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on January 2, 2019.

Venerable Wuche speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Wuche. Looking back at the life I led thirteen centuries ago, it feels like a dream, yet the lessons remain etched in my heart forever. I remember a day when my brother was playing by the pond. He took a long stick and began thrashing the water, laughing wildly as the fish darted about in a panic. I walked over to him, my heart heavy with compassion, and said, 'Brother, these fish have spirits too. Please, do not torment them like this.' He glared at me, threw the stick aside, and stormed off. Once he was gone, I knelt by the water and began chanting Namo Amituofo for all the sentient beings in that pond, taking refuge for them and urging them to chant so they might escape the cycle of rebirth and never again suffer in the animal realm."

A Childhood Defined by Duty and Devotion

"When I returned home, I found his shoes on the floor and knew he had wandered off to the fields again. I was ten years old, and he was twelve. Though he was my elder, he suffered from severe mental instability from a young age, and it fell to me to care for him. He often felt humiliated by my presence, resenting that his younger brother had to look after him. Despite his anger, I could not abandon him. We were all we had in this world.

Our mother had passed away from illness shortly after I was born, leaving our father to raise us alone. When I was five, our father had to leave for a distant land to find work. He left us a small sum of money, warning me to be frugal, as it would only dwindle and never grow. He did not say when he would return; he only charged me with one task: to look after my brother. As the days turned into months, our funds began to vanish. I had to find work, but I could never leave my brother's side. If I did, he would inevitably cause trouble. Once, he threw stones at our neighbour's house while I was distracted. I was terrified of the damage, but the neighbour was kind. I learned then that I had to be his shadow, or our lives would fall into ruin."

The Weight of Poverty and the Light of the Dharma

"As the food in our home grew scarce, I once asked my brother what we should do. In a fit of rage, he threw his bowl of thin porridge to the ground and roared, 'If there is nothing to eat, then we shall not eat! It is of no consequence!' I watched him, my heart aching, and knelt to scrape the spilled porridge from the dirt with a spoon, putting it into my mouth. It was a precious meal, even if it contained only a few grains of rice.

I rose before dawn every day to chop wood on the mountain while he slept, always rushing back before he awoke. But one morning, the house was empty. I ran through every place he frequented, calling his name until my voice grew hoarse, but there was no answer. As the sun climbed higher, my exhaustion deepened. I dragged myself back home, and there, sitting in a chair with a gentle smile, was my brother. Beside him sat an elderly monk."

A Turning Point in the Dharma

"I was so relieved I nearly collapsed. I bowed respectfully to the monk, 'Namo Amituofo.' The monk looked at me and said, 'This Bodhisattva was about to jump into the river when I encountered him. He was muttering that he did not want his younger brother to suffer. His karmic creditors are clouding his mind and spirit. You must teach him to chant Namo Amituofo and perform good deeds to resolve these grievances.' I was deeply grateful for his guidance and asked how we might begin our practice.

From that day on, I led my brother in chanting every day. The monk suggested we visit the temple to listen to the scriptures. I was worried my brother would cause a scene, but I was desperate to save him. A miracle occurred. As soon as we entered the temple, bathed in the Buddha-light, his state of mind cleared. He looked at me and said, 'You have suffered so much these years.' I was stunned. He then fell silent, listening intently to the Dharma. It happened time and again; I became certain that he was not in control of his own mind—he was being manipulated by unseen forces."

Twenty Years of Diligent Practice

"To save him, I practised even more diligently. Whenever we were at the temple, he was calm, allowing me to focus on the teachings. Over three years, my practice deepened until I could see the karmic creditors clinging to his head. They were everywhere. Sometimes a woman’s voice would speak through him, sometimes a young boy, sometimes an old man. He was like a puppet, tormented by these beings. I spent every day speaking to them, urging them to let go of their hatred. They often lashed out at me, but I endured their attacks, continuing to chant Namo Amituofo.

Because my brother was willing to listen to the scriptures, his creditors began to understand the laws of karma and cause and effect. As he bowed before the Buddha, I saw the Buddha-light gently take some of them away. His own sincere repenting softened their fury. For twenty years, we travelled to the temple daily. My only goal was to help him chant one more 'Namo Amituofo' while he was clear-headed and to accumulate merit to dedicate to all beings. After twenty years, he was truly transformed. The karmic creditors had diminished significantly. It was the result of his own sincerity and the compassionate blessing of Namo Amituofo. Twenty years prior, I had made a vow: if my brother could be fully restored, I would immediately become a monastic to save all beings."

A Shared Vow of Salvation

"When he finally regained his clarity, he knelt before me, thanking me for my care. I stopped him, saying, 'The conditions of our lives have led us here. I have decided to enter the temple to practise, and you must now learn to live on your own.' He replied, 'If the master is willing to accept me, I wish to practise in the temple as well.' To my surprise, the compassionate master agreed. We cherished every day in the temple as if it were our last. The suffering we had endured became the fuel for our diligent practice, and we vowed to attain success in the Buddha’s teachings to save others.

At forty-eight, I left the temple to become a dignified bhikshu, travelling to spread the Dharma, while my brother did the same. It was the Buddha’s teachings that saved us, and we used those same teachings to help others. I passed away at ninety-eight and returned to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, where my brother was already waiting for me. I am so grateful to Namo Amituofo for his compassion, allowing us to be liberated from our karma and to serve as messengers of the Buddha to save sentient beings. Namo Amituofo."

A New Chapter in the Dharma Realm

"Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body permeates the entire Dharma Realm, and the universe is filled with spirits waiting for his deliverance. His salvation team is the greatest in the universe; never before has such a vast assembly of monastics been seen, filling the space of the Dharma Realm. They are all cosmic Bodhisattvas who have taken refuge in the Buddha’s gate.

Today, a new group of cosmic Bodhisattvas has joined us—beings who had karmic affinities with my brother and me in past lives. Among them were those who once controlled my brother’s mind and held deep grudges against me. Today, I sincerely resolved these conflicts with them, and they have chosen to chant Namo Amituofo and join our salvation team. For a thousand years, they waited in the void for revenge, but after listening to Practitioner Su’s teaching, they realised they had only caused themselves more suffering. Seeing me today, they decided to wipe away a millennium of hatred with a single 'Namo Amituofo,' surrendering to Amitabha and joining this magnificent team. I am deeply grateful for the compassion of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."