The Burden of Responsibility and the Path to No-Self

This is a record of an interview with Chang Yung-fa, the former chairman of the Evergreen Group, who sought deliverance 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 as a global entrepreneur and his ongoing spiritual practice. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on October 1, 2019.

Chang Yung-fa speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Chang Yung-fa. Before I departed from the human world, I served as the chairman of the Evergreen Group. In that life, I was a man who took full responsibility for everything that bore the Evergreen name; if it was a matter concerning the company, I was the one who saw it through to the very end. My appearance was nothing extraordinary, but the attitude of responsibility I brought to my work—that was the true key to my success in business.

The world is filled with a vast array of people, each with their own unique character. It is precisely because we live alongside so many different types of individuals that we are able to see our own distinct qualities. If I were standing before you today to deliver a lecture on the philosophy of entrepreneurial success, I could speak for hours. My life experiences would serve as a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to manage a business. But that is not why I am here. Today, I speak to you from the perspective of a practitioner of the Buddha’s teachings. I want to discuss what it truly means to be a successful person.

The Paradox of the 'Self'

Living in this world, to truly live without a 'self' is an incredibly difficult task. Yet, if you are a practitioner of the Buddha’s teachings, this is something you must achieve. To have no self might seem like you are always suffering a loss—you are always yielding to others, always willing to give everything away, and always prioritising the benefit of others above your own. Think about it—it is like water. If you want it to curve, it curves; if you want it to be straight, it becomes straight. If you pour it into a round vessel, it becomes round; if you pour it into a square container, it becomes square. To be as natural and at ease as water, to follow conditions with perfect fluidity, and to truly have no self—if you can achieve this, you have already completed more than half of your spiritual practice.

Although I was a major entrepreneur, I am not yet a truly successful practitioner, because I still have a 'self.' I once thought that after arriving in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I had thoroughly transformed myself. To my surprise, when I was brought into this body, that familiar 'me' from the past returned. I am still accustomed to having a 'self.' It feels as though living in this world makes having a 'self' the most natural thing in the world. Even when I do not want to have a 'self,' it emerges quite naturally. Having gone through this process, I have realised that once you possess a physical body, letting go of the self is not an easy feat at all.

A Mission Beyond the Self

I have always been a person with a profound sense of mission. When someone entrusts me with a task, I never do it half-heartedly. In fact, I often treat the tasks of others with even greater seriousness than my own, because my credibility is on the line. Now, Practitioner Su has entrusted me with such an important mission. I do not do this for my own sake, but for the sake of immeasurable and boundless beings.

In the process of fulfilling this mission, I have observed that I still feel frustrated when I fail to complete a task perfectly. This is the nature of this body, and it is also the deeply ingrained habit of my own character. It acts as a barrier, hindering my ability to move forward. I must constantly examine myself, looking for the specific points where I have gone wrong. Once I identify these errors, I must strive to change them. For the sake of the propagation of the Buddha’s teachings, I must work even harder to overcome these obstacles. Only then will I have the opportunity to create magnificent Causal Conditions.

Namo Amituofo."