The Boy Who Brought the Dead Fish to Life

This article presents an interview with the 999th Venerable, Qingxian, who lived approximately 2,200 years ago. Having sought deliverance through the Buddha’s teachings, he now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This testimony was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on January 1, 2019.

Venerable Qingxian speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Qingxian. In the time of my human life, there was a king of immense cruelty who found his only joy in killing. Whenever he was in a foul mood, he would order the execution of countless lives—sometimes animals, and at other times, the very guards who served him. The people lived in constant terror, fearing that a single misstep would lead to the executioner's blade. The civilians despised him, for he would frequently seize their livestock for his own pleasure, leaving them with no means to survive. Unable to resist, the people eventually turned to a vegetarian diet. They stopped eating meat entirely, hoping that if they had no livestock to raise, the king would have nothing left to plunder. They sought only to live without the constant shadow of fear hanging over their heads.

The Awakening of a Nation

Once the people began to eat a vegetarian diet, they discovered the profound benefits of such a lifestyle. Gradually, they began to encounter the Buddha’s teachings. Those who once possessed volatile tempers became gentle and calm after adopting a vegetarian diet and studying the Dharma. Others, who had suffered a lifetime of misfortune, found that their luck turned around as soon as they began to perform good deeds and practice the Buddha’s teachings. The benefits of practicing the Dharma spread from the villages to the towns, and eventually throughout the entire nation. Everyone began to explore the Buddha’s teachings, and truly, their lives underwent a transformation. Because their hearts had turned toward Goodness, their destinies began to change.

The one who first propagated the Dharma to the people was not some great Venerable, but a boy of less than ten years old—myself, Qingxian. From a young age, I followed my grandfather in practicing the Dharma. I did not understand much of the world, but I understood the Dharma. My greatest skill was the constant chanting of Namo Amituofo. Once, I even tumbled from a mountain peak all the way to the valley floor, yet I remained completely unscathed, without a single scratch. This was entirely due to my uninterrupted chanting. When this story spread, the people were filled with admiration and began to follow me to learn the Buddha’s teachings.

A Challenge in the Imperial Palace

The news of the people’s faith soon reached the ears of the tyrannical king. He was furious. 'So, this is why the livestock has been disappearing! It is because everyone has turned to vegetarianism and the study of the Dharma! A fine boy this Qingxian is—bring him to me!'

The king specifically summoned me to the imperial palace to teach the Dharma. It was said that I, despite my young age, could speak of the Dharma in a way that left people in awe. Some described my ability as being able to 'make a dead fish come alive' or 'turn the square into the round.' The king wanted to see for himself what kind of formidable person this legendary Qingxian was. He summoned me to the palace, declaring, 'If you can convince me, I will not only reward you handsomely, but from this day forward, I too shall become a vegetarian and study the Dharma! However, if you fail to move me, you shall face the penalty of decapitation!'

The members of the royal court whispered among themselves, 'What kind of skill could this child, who looks barely ten, possibly have? The king has invited him here today just to send him to his death!' I stood before the king with a playful smile on my face. That was simply my nature; no matter how grave or difficult the situation, I remained cheerful, acting as if nothing were the matter.

The Truth of the Spirit

The king had a servant bring out a tray. When the lid was lifted, there lay a dead fish. The king told me, 'Use this fish to teach me the Dharma! I want to hear how you can make a dead fish come alive. If your explanation is reasonable, I will believe in the Buddha!' I looked at the king and said, 'The fish is not dead. Is it not still swimming right beside you?' The king looked left and right, then turned to look behind him, shouting, 'Nonsense! Where is there a fish swimming beside me?'

I replied, 'This fish was alive just moments ago, and it was you, Your Majesty, who gave the order to kill it. Although the fish's body is dead, its spirit is not. Naturally, it has come to seek revenge against the one who killed it—which is you, Your Majesty!' The king grew nervous. He had never imagined that a fish would know who killed it, let alone seek revenge. He hurriedly asked, 'How do you know this?' I answered, 'You asked me to teach the Dharma, and I told you the fish is not dead. The fish’s body has the limitations of life, but the Buddha’s teachings tell us that the soul of the fish is neither born nor destroyed. Today, I am here to teach you that the fish’s spirit is alive. You have created the cause of killing, and you must surely bear the fruit of that retribution. This fish, which possesses a high level of spiritual awareness, has truly come to seek retribution. It is right here beside you. Moreover, it is not just this fish; there are immeasurable and boundless livestock surrounding you, all waiting to seek their own retribution.'

The Fisherman’s Fate

The king’s heart began to race, though he tried to maintain a composed exterior. He asked, 'How can you make me believe that this fish is truly seeking revenge?' Upon his question, I began to tell him a story of cause and effect: 'Once, there was a fisherman who loved to catch fish. His skill was the best in the village; no one could compare to him, and so he caught many fish every day. He thought that in his old age, he could live in comfort with the money he had earned. But before he reached old age, his body began to itch, and it emitted a thick, fishy stench. People said it was the fish coming to seek retribution! The fisherman itched so intensely that he scratched his skin from morning until night, until he bled and oozed fluids. He even shoved his fingers down his own throat, clawing at it because his throat itched incessantly. In the end, he died a miserable death, not only covered in blood but with his fingers stuck in his throat, just like the fish he used to catch, with the hook caught in its mouth.'

Hearing this story of karmic retribution, the king was truly terrified. I told him, 'If you do not believe me, you may ask an attendant to stand beside you and smell your body. If there is a fishy stench, it is proof that the fish has indeed come to seek retribution.' The king grew even more anxious, for he realized that in his life, he had killed not just one fish, but thousands upon thousands. How could his body not smell of fish? He immediately asked me, 'Tell me quickly, what method can save me? As long as I do not have to die as miserably as that fisherman, I am willing to do anything!' I replied, 'I ask that you begin today to eat a vegetarian diet, chant Namo Amituofo, and propagate the Buddha’s teachings.' Upon hearing this, the king exclaimed, 'This child has truly spoken in a way that leaves me no choice but to believe in the Buddha! Remarkable, truly remarkable!'

A Life of Practice

The people of the nation were deeply moved. No one had been able to sway the king, yet I had truly made the 'dead fish come alive' and brought the king to the Buddha. From that day on, the king not only shed his cruel nature but also began to eat a vegetarian diet and chant the Buddha’s name. He built temples throughout the country and used the Buddha’s teachings to govern the state. The national character changed, and the country enjoyed peace and prosperity, with favourable weather and bountiful harvests.

Although I understood the benefits of the Buddha’s teachings, I had not yet shed all of my own habits. Therefore, at the age of eleven, I entered a temple to practice, with the sole purpose of purifying myself until not a speck of dust remained. Any habit or personality trait that hindered my path to becoming a Buddha, I sought to eliminate, bit by bit, through practice.

Under the strict daily guidance of my master, I worked hard to refine myself. Practice is nothing more than compassion, mind-capacity, and Patience. With compassion and mind-capacity, one can naturally attain the perfection of Patience, and with Patience comes the skill of Meditation. After twenty years of practicing the Buddha’s teachings, I attained Awakening. This allowed me to use Wisdom to freely deliver beings of various capacities. No matter how difficult the problem, under the light of the Buddha’s teachings, it is but a trivial matter. Living in this world, the only great matter is rebirth in the Western Pure Land; everything else is insignificant.

Gratitude to Practitioner Su

I have used Wisdom to deliver sentient beings for decades, using the Buddha’s teachings to resolve their doubts and guide them to break through delusion and attain enlightenment. At the time of their passing, I have led many beings to return together to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The great compassion and vast mind-capacity of Namo Amituofo created the magnificent Buddha-Dharma and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, allowing beings to return to the West and leave suffering behind. Practitioner Su has truly learned all of the Buddha’s conduct; she has learned to be exactly like Namo Amituofo. Practitioner Su’s mind-capacity is such that she delivers those at the level of Equal Enlightenment above, and those in the hells below. Now, she even utilizes her Dharma Body to perform Chao Du throughout the universe and the Milky Way. There is no one in this world who could learn to be so like a Buddha; only Practitioner Su can do this, which fills me with the utmost respect.

I have made a vow to support Practitioner Su, to assist her in continuing to propagate the Buddha’s teachings in this world, and to save the spirits that pervade the entire Dharma-realm and empty space. Practitioner Su, in her compassion, opened my space, allowing me to deliver sentient beings throughout the universe and to propagate this magnificent Buddha-Dharma within my own space, so that all beings in the universe may understand the importance of seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land. The golden light spreads throughout the universe, taking immeasurable and boundless beings back to the West. Every day is a magnificent and rare day; it is truly a moment difficult to encounter in millions of years. I am grateful for the compassion of Namo Amituofo, and I am grateful for the compassion of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."