The Boy Who Absorbed the Spirits

This is a record of an interview with Lin Lingzhi, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his subsequent journey through the realms of samsara. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on February 10, 2023.

Lin Lingzhi speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. First and foremost, I must express my deepest gratitude to Practitioner Su. Without Practitioner Su, it would have been impossible for us to ever reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Even if the Buddha had waited for us for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, we would likely still be wandering aimlessly through the various realms, unable to return to our true home in the West. My heart is overflowing with gratitude for Practitioner Su, and of course, I must also offer my eternal thanks to Namo Amituofo. It is because of the great compassion of Namo Amituofo in establishing the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss that all sentient beings have the opportunity to find liberation and leave suffering behind. I speak on behalf of sixty fellow hell guards when I say: we are profoundly grateful to Namo Amituofo, to Practitioner Su, and to all the Causal Conditions that brought us to this moment of salvation."

A Childhood Defined by Shadows

"I am Lin Lingzhi. From the very moment I was born, my human body was riddled with illness. My parents, desperate to see me healthy, were constantly travelling everywhere, seeking out renowned physicians and healers, hoping for some miracle that would allow me to live a normal life. Yet, throughout the process of seeking treatment, a strange and recurring phenomenon persisted. No sooner would one ailment be cured than another would manifest in its place. I suffered from a collection of bizarre and inexplicable diseases, which served not only to torment me but to break the hearts of my parents as well.

Many people in our village whispered that I had come into this world simply to collect a debt from my parents. Even if that were true, my parents could never bring themselves to abandon me. They continued to care for me with unwavering devotion, day after day, until I grew older.

When I was only one or two years old, my parents noticed something peculiar. I would often laugh to myself, making strange gestures as if interacting with someone invisible. By the time I was two or three and had begun to speak, I was frequently engaged in deep conversation. Yet, when my parents looked, they saw only me. They had no idea who I was talking to, or why I seemed so preoccupied with unseen companions."

The Misunderstood Conversations

"This phenomenon never ceased. One day, my father could no longer contain his curiosity and asked, 'Lingzhi, who on earth are you talking to?' I replied quite simply, 'There are so many people who want to speak with me. Different people come every single day.' My father was terrified by my response. He rushed to find my mother, exclaiming, 'What are we to do? Lingzhi’s illness has clouded his mind. He is rambling, claiming that people are visiting him daily, which is why he is always talking to himself. Which doctor should we take him to now?' My mother, however, remained calm. 'How can you believe the words of a child?' she said. 'He is still young; he will grow out of it. There is no need to worry.'

Seeing that my mother was not concerned, my father eventually set his mind at ease. He convinced himself that this was merely a part of my development, or perhaps because I lacked playmates, I had created an imaginary world to occupy my time. Thus, they stopped paying attention to my constant chatter. No matter how long I spoke to the air, they would simply watch, choosing to ignore it entirely.

However, my condition only grew more severe. While children of my age were out playing with friends, I had no desire to interact with anyone. I remained solitary, yet I was never truly alone. I would often tell my parents, 'There are many big brothers and sisters here playing with me, and even some who are younger than I am.' By the time I was ten, there had been no improvement. In fact, I began making strange gestures toward empty space, leaving everyone around me completely baffled."

The Futility of Rituals

"Eventually, I stopped sleeping at night, as that was when my energy was at its peak. Seeing me grow thinner and more frail, my parents began asking around, desperate to find someone who could diagnose this illness. One day, a distant relative visited our home. Upon seeing my state, he told my parents that I was possessed and that they must immediately find a Taoist practitioner to save me. My parents, now quite frantic, asked if he knew anyone capable of such a task.

They spent a great deal of money to bring a Taoist to our home. The moment he saw me, he declared, 'I must perform a ritual for this child immediately. He is being haunted by ghosts, and he has brought many spirits with him to play.' My parents were pale with fear and begged him to save me. I watched as the Taoist drew numerous talismans, pasting some on my body and others on my bed. He even performed rituals over my favourite clothes. Finally, after making me drink a bowl of talisman water, he announced, 'It is done! I have driven all those ghosts away. The child should return to normal now.'

After collecting his payment, the Taoist left, looking quite satisfied. My parents stared at me, waiting for a change. I looked back at them, and they smiled, joyfully exclaiming, 'That Taoist was truly powerful! He has cured our Lingzhi. Look at how normal he seems now.' My parents were happy, and I said nothing. I chose not to tell them that two female spirits were standing right behind them—spirits that had followed the Taoist back to our home and, for some reason, had refused to leave.

Once I realised that my parents would worry, I stopped speaking to the spirits in their presence, but in truth, I continued to chat with them constantly. My parents truly believed the Taoist had successfully cured me. I kept my silence, content as long as they were no longer burdened by worry for my sake."

The Burden of the Vessel

"My eyes could see spirits with ease, and they, in turn, found it very easy to find me. They could speak to me directly or enter my body at will. This is why my body was always riddled with illness; there were simply too many spirits entering me, creating a severe imbalance of yin and yang. I suffered from frequent colds, total exhaustion, and fevers that would not break. As I grew older, my vision became even clearer. I could see that everyone was just like me—constantly being darted in and out of by spirits—but most people were unaware of it because they could not feel them.

I also saw that once these spirits entered a human body, that person was inevitably influenced. The more a person was possessed, the less they knew of their own actions. I could see that every movement they made was actually being directed by the spirits within them, not by their own will. I felt this was a truly grave matter. But what could I do to help everyone avoid being haunted? I did not want to use the Taoist’s method, as that would only harm the spirits. But beyond that, what other options did I have?

I began to think about this every single day. Eventually, I decided to use my own body as a vessel to absorb these spirits. I would let them all enter me so that they would stop bothering others. I told no one what I was doing; I carried out this plan in complete secrecy. Because I spoke to them, the spirits listened to me quite naturally. They entered my body in wave after wave, and I used the food I consumed to feed them.

My actions would surely have made others think I was insane, but I was motivated by a simple, pure desire to help people. I did not want to harm the spirits, and in my simple mind, this was the only way I could think of to help everyone. But how long could my foolish method last? Within three years, my body completely collapsed."

The Final Sacrifice

"My legs were the first to fail. I could clearly see that my entire leg—from the outer skin to the muscles and meridians within—was filled with spirits. They occupied every inch, leaving no space at all. Even when my body had reached such a state, I continued to use it to nurture these spirits. Later, I lost my sense of smell, and food lost all its flavour. There were simply too many spirits influencing my physical form, and many of my bodily functions were on the verge of failing entirely.

At the age of fifteen, I took my final breath. I saw my parents grieving for me, but I actually wanted to tell them, 'Now that I am gone, you will no longer have to worry about me.' After I passed away, my spirit left my body. Do you know where I went? I ended up becoming a ritual object used to summon spirits.

My life was truly absurd, but my heart was genuinely set on helping others, even at the cost of my own life. Therefore, even though this was the final result, I had no complaints; it was a path I had chosen willingly. It was precisely because of this sincere heart that, decades after I had been trapped within that ritual object, a powerful force suddenly shattered it. Only then did I have the opportunity to escape that space, where I was subsequently taken by the hell guards.

When I stood before King Yama, I thought I had committed some terrible crime. Fortunately, that was not the case; it was my compassionate heart that gave me the chance to serve as a hell guard. It was only when I saw Practitioner Su delivering sentient beings in hell and heard the Dharma talks that I realised how truly foolish I had been. I had used my own body to absorb spirits, sacrificing myself, yet I had failed to truly save them.

Seeing Practitioner Su perform Chao Du, I finally understood what Wisdom truly is. Perhaps it was because I lacked the Causal Conditions to encounter the Buddha’s teachings earlier that I had resorted to my own misguided methods to help beings. Now, I understand. I have begun listening to the sutras and learning the skills of Practitioner Su. I have been very diligent in my practice within the hells, and that is why I have finally been given the opportunity to be included in the list of those Practitioner Su is leading to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

I am grateful for the compassion of the Buddha. I am grateful for the compassion of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

Lin Lingzhi bows in reverence.

Namo Amituofo.