The Boundless Nature of Reality: This Realm and Other Realms

This article records an interview with the spirit of Venerable Master Chin Kung, who now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This session, which continues the profound exploration of 'This Realm and Other Realms,' was conducted by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on September 27, 2022.

Venerable Master Chin Kung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Today, we continue with the topic that Namo Amituofo set for me yesterday: 'This Realm and Other Realms.' I would like to offer some supplementary explanations to deepen our understanding. In truth, this topic has no boundaries. Does 'this realm' have a fixed boundary? Does 'the other realm' have a fixed boundary? No, they do not. Therefore, can the content of this discussion have a boundary? Certainly not. Even if we were to place various sub-topics under this main heading, there are countless ways to describe them. Do not be too rigid or use the academic terminology you have learned in the past to view this subject; doing so will only limit your own potential for insight and restrict the vastness of your mind-capacity."

The Illusion of Boundaries and the Body

"Look at this from your own perspective: your very body is 'this realm and other realms.' Do you truly understand your own body? Does this question make you fall into a state of deep contemplation? In the Buddha’s teachings, if you do not need to think, then just speak directly. It is not that you do not know your body, but rather, how deep and how broad is your understanding of it? Here in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I often hear Practitioner Su—Su Fo—giving Dharma talks. He often says that the body is 'technology within technology.' This phrase sounds very familiar to me because I have said it myself! I once spoke those words, and now, Practitioner Su has truly brought this concept to life. To 'bring it to life' means to actually put it into practice with the body, rather than just hearing it and knowing it in theory.

The idea that the body is 'technology within technology' may sound a bit abstract. Perhaps I should provide some examples to make it easier to understand. Practitioner Su has made this statement even more profound because he has used this physical body to 'cultivate the True through the False,' eventually realising his true nature. For the vast majority of Buddhist practitioners, their practice remains stuck at the stage before Awakening. Because they have not yet realised their true nature, their interpretation of 'technology within technology' is limited to the scope of what they can currently comprehend, failing to see the infinite potential inherent in the human form."

The Infinite Reach of the Dharma Body

"Practitioner Su goes far beyond this. The life of one who has realised their true nature is incredibly vast. He uses his Dharma Body to resolve conflicts and perform Chao Du for sentient beings. The Dharma Body is a state of pure spirit; what he sees and hears transcends the limitations of the body’s six roots. Furthermore, the awakened spirit can take charge; it can utilise the body to manifest the essence of the six roots, achieving this 'technology within technology.' Perhaps this is a more accurate way to put it. The body, mind, and spirit are all interconnected. This body is composed of countless cells, organised into organs that perform specific functions, allowing the body to operate, maintain smooth breathing, and live in the human world.

Within these cells, there is profound knowledge. The fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre can feel these cells; they are influenced or assisted by spiritual beings. It should be said that every cell of an awakened being is in a state of pure Goodness and purity. Only then can one realise their true nature. This makes the entire body appear transparent, pure, and filled with Goodness, which in turn makes the cells extremely sensitive. Deliverance through the Dharma Body occurs via these spiritual beings residing within the body’s cells. Even the spirits existing within those cells come out together, and each one becomes a manifestation of Practitioner Su. With Practitioner Su’s own Faith, Vows, and Practice, he can manifest in countless billions of forms. Each one can save sentient beings. This is truly incredible; the number of beings saved is immeasurable and boundless, impossible to calculate. This is something that modern technology cannot achieve; it cannot replicate billions of 'Buddha Sus.' This is what we call 'technology within technology.'"

The Universal Buddha-Nature

"What about the ability to resolve the suffering of sentient beings? The power of the Dharma Body’s merit allows beings to reunite with their families or return to the past. These abilities are also cultivated through the body. For those who have not yet reached this stage, it is truly difficult to comprehend. How could such abilities exist? It is because people view Practitioner Su simply as a person, rather than as a Buddha. Does the 'Ten Great Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva' not clearly tell us that everyone possesses Buddha-nature? We must respect all Buddhas; we should treat every person we encounter as a Buddha. If you can treat every member of the fourfold assembly around you as a Buddha, then you have succeeded. Going a step further, if you can treat the spirits in the animal or ghost realms as Buddhas—whether sentient or insentient, every single one is a Buddha—then you yourself are a Buddha! Furthermore, a practitioner who has realised their true nature is even more so a Buddha. In such a situation, you will be able to accept the natural abilities displayed by Practitioner Su with a calm and peaceful heart.

Just as when we read literature about how a certain Buddha or Bodhisattva saves beings, we think, 'Oh, how great is the compassion of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas!' Do you doubt the abilities they display? Of course not. Everyone is familiar with Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva: 'A thousand prayers receive a thousand responses; in the sea of suffering, she is always the ferryman.' When Avalokiteshvara hears a call for help, she manifests immediately to relieve suffering. Depending on your current state, she uses the appropriate method to save you. Do you doubt this ability? No, you are grateful! You are grateful that the Bodhisattva manifested to save you."

The Trap of Ego and Desire

"Therefore, everyone should view Practitioner Su’s ability to perform Chao Du through the Dharma Body and manifest in countless forms as the same power that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas use to save beings. It is simply the way things are. If you view it this way, will you still have doubts? No, you will not. You must adopt this attitude to truly learn the Chao Du skills that Practitioner Su wishes to teach everyone. He is wholeheartedly dedicated to passing on his skills and abilities, hoping that the Pure Land teachings will continue and be passed down. However, this depends on whether those who seek the Dharma can be diligent in realising their true nature. That is something everyone must strive for individually. This matter can guide you, inform you, and remind you where your faults lie so you can improve, but no one can do the work for you. How you proceed depends entirely on yourself.

Let us use Practitioner Su as an example to explain this to everyone. Before your eyes is a practitioner who has realised his true nature, possesses the Dharma Body, and truly saves sentient beings, guiding them into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. He is capable of achieving such great things, and the scope of the beings he saves is as boundless as 'this realm and other realms!' Why? Suppose we are on this piece of land; just considering the concept of space, there is space within space, and space within that space. The number of beings saved is uncountable."

A Final Invitation to Awakening

"The fourfold assembly at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre should be able to understand this. Space itself can be 'this realm and other realms'; the space within this space—the second layer—is also 'this realm and other realms'; and the space within that space—the third, more subtle layer—is also 'this realm and other realms.' So, how many spaces are there on this land? Immeasurable and boundless. How many 'this realm and other realms' are there? Immeasurable and boundless. Therefore, if you view the Buddha’s teachings in terms of big, small, many, or few, it will be difficult for you to enter the world of infinite space and mind-capacity that the Buddha speaks of. This is called 'no discrimination'; you must let go of the discriminatory mind.

You cannot use worldly methods to learn the Buddha’s teachings. Doing so is like trying to fit the entire Dharma realm of emptiness into a plastic bag. If you only learn what is inside that bag, how much can you really learn? Your direction will be skewed, and you will be unable to see the Dharma realm beyond that bag. That would be a great pity, and you will never find your true self. Your true self is mind-capacity; it is infinitely vast. It is not about learning the contents of that plastic bag. Even if you memorise everything in it until it becomes second nature, you will still not find your true self. Take the bag away. You must learn that which has no boundaries. Only with such a heart can you realise your true nature and be filled with Dharma joy. Because things without boundaries will constantly offer you new discoveries and new realisations, making you smile with understanding. As your wisdom increases, you will see the same thing with a different flavour. At that moment, Dharma joy will naturally arise from within your heart. Then, you will have 'Aha!' moments everywhere. Awakening means you have suddenly understood everything. Once you understand, nothing can stump or trouble you. You are enlightened, you are fully open, and that is realising your true nature.

As long as there is even a tiny bit of blockage, a lack of understanding, or a doubt, you cannot realise your true nature. This is not to say that you are obstructing yourself, but rather that this spot is like a stain—a blockage. If you do not clear it, the flow before and after will certainly not be smooth, and you will not be able to realise your true nature. Because realising your true nature means being perfectly clear about everything; there is nothing you do not know, and nothing you cannot resolve. That is what it means to realise your true nature. After realising your true nature, in that state of perfect clarity, the heart remains unmoved. It is not influenced by any external force, constantly maintaining this state of clear transparency, while it is the body or the spirit that moves. This is what I, Chin Kung, have come to know."

"If we expand the scope of 'this realm and other realms' to the entire Dharma realm of emptiness and the Milky Way, it becomes infinitely vast. How many sentient beings are there? Immeasurable and boundless. Regardless of what level of space they are in, or whether they are mere dust on a planet, every living thing is within the scope of 'this realm and other realms.' Each being’s spiritual quality determines whether they can possess a world of their own creation—a world they have built themselves. Practitioner Su, who has realised his true nature, follows in the footsteps of Namo Amituofo, and what he has built is like the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is what everyone must learn.

If you encounter a true spiritual friend, you must listen. They can help you find your true self sooner. If you do not listen and try to cultivate using your own methods, with strong subjective views, you may not be cultivating the Buddha’s path, but rather the demon’s path. That would be a great pity. Once a person becomes a demon and enters the demon path, it is a dark world, and it is difficult to turn back. You must be cautious! Regardless of the scope, everything is manifested by the heart. Your world is as large as your heart is wide. If your heart is only this big, your world is only this big. If your heart is boundless, your world is boundless. This is a natural law. Therefore, putting in the work from the heart is the direction that every Buddhist practitioner must hold onto. If you need to adjust, you must adjust from the heart. Namo Amituofo is the Great Physician. A brilliant Great Physician leads from the heart, improving problems that appear in the body or spirit. Problems can also be resolved through Buddha-light, chanting Namo Amituofo, inviting spirits, and Chao Du. The medical methods used by humans today are limited; they can only treat the body to improve illnesses, but often they cannot even do that—they can only control them. Sometimes they cannot even control them, and the condition of the body continues to decline. In fact, all of this is happening while karma, karmic creditors, and spiritual attachments are manifesting. When a person reaches this point, they are truly left at the mercy of karma and fate.

It does not have to be this way. It is very painful. If you can start learning the Buddha’s teachings earlier, know about this sooner, and take precautions, you can gain the ability to realise your true nature. Then you can save yourself and save sentient beings. If you cultivate to this level, you have not come to this world in vain! This is the truth of the matter. You can add your own experiences and the situations you have encountered, and the depth and breadth of your learning will certainly be different. No matter what topic is described, the content spoken will be different. That cannot be forced. Even if you want to say more, if you lack the inner substance, you cannot say it. You can only speak according to the level of ability you actually possess. Of course, one who has realised their true nature knows things that are immeasurable and boundless. They can draw inferences about other cases from one instance, and any data or sutra before their eyes is clear at a glance. It is not a problem; they can understand the meaning within the sutras.

This ability, this freedom—every sentient being can have it. Everyone possesses it originally. But the difficult part is encountering a true spiritual friend who can help and guide you to find your true self. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has Namo Amituofo, Teacher Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su. They have all realised their true nature and attained Buddhahood. In such a situation, for the fourfold assembly of disciples who come to draw close to a true spiritual friend to seek the Dharma and purification, is there any reason you cannot attain Buddhahood? You have such an advantageous learning environment; this is not something you can find just anywhere. You must seize it! Because you are already here. How many people who learn and chant the Buddha’s name cannot get in? Those who cannot get in are not being blocked by the temple—the temple opens its doors wide to welcome everyone—but rather they block themselves. They hear it, but they do not necessarily believe it. Even if they hear these words of mine now, they may not believe them, or they may be half-believing and half-doubting. In such a case, it is not the temple blocking them; they are blocking themselves.

Therefore, I hope that those who know me, if they see these words, please believe what I say. Come quickly to find Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, and draw close to a true spiritual friend. You will gain the greatest benefit yourself; that benefit is not for others, but for you. If you hear it and do not believe it, then there is nothing that can be done. Whether or not you enter this temple depends entirely on your heart. No one can force you, and things done under compulsion are not the Buddha’s teachings. The Buddha’s teachings are all natural phenomena; that is all there is to it.

Alright, that is all for today. Namo Amituofo."

Venerable Master Chin Kung, with palms joined.

At the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Australia.