This is a record of an interview with He Guangsong, a spirit who sought at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the . This account reflects upon his life approximately 2,600 years ago, during the time of the Qi State. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faru, on March 4, 2026.
He Guangsong speaks:
". I am He Guangsong. This is not the first time I have spoken to you in this form, as a spirit. Throughout our past lives, across countless generations, we have held these very conversations. Your spiritual nature is so profound that you have created the opportunity for us—the very cells within your body—to converse with you just as ordinary people would. These days are so familiar to me; they feel exactly like the time when I was still alive in the world.
I am one of your subjects from the time you governed the Qi State. You always cared for the people with such deep affection. In those days, the Buddha’s teachings had not yet arrived, and the schools of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism had not yet taken shape. It was an era of the 'Hundred Schools of Thought,' a time of great intellectual ferment. Amidst this mixture of philosophies, you always expanded upon the framework of what would later become Confucianism, placing particular emphasis on the core concept of the 'gentleman' or junzi. You always admonished us that the way of the gentleman is not about standing alone in isolation; rather, it is about keeping the world, the nation, and the people in one's heart. That is the true way of the gentleman."
A Life of Service in the Qi State
"At that time, your theories were profound. Building upon the existing foundations of the various schools and the legalist traditions, you added the concept of 'non-action'—which would later be associated with Laozi—and an expansive mind-capacity that could embrace the entire world. Back then, I did not fully understand why the Rites of Zhou and the Confucian legalist thoughts should encompass all other schools of thought. Yet, you insisted that we should be inclusive and tolerant of all perspectives. It was much like how a government official must learn to accommodate the people, adapt to local customs, and empathise with the people's understanding of life.
The key was to provide the people with a clear goal in life, ensuring they could live in peace and work with contentment. To live in peace, one must have a life free from want and worry; to work with contentment, one must have a stable heart and a clear sense of purpose. These were the very things you dedicated your entire life to promoting: education. In those early days, education was based on a master-disciple system. There were no independent institutions. During the Spring and Autumn period, education was primarily the domain of noble families, who cultivated their own scholars to serve as advisors to emperors. When you served as Prime Minister, you did your utmost to cultivate talent from all walks of life. Your education was not limited to academic pursuit; it was comprehensive. You had a complete plan for every trade and profession, ensuring that from a young age, the people could establish a clear ambition and begin learning from a master. Whether one was a scholar, a farmer, a craftsman, or a merchant, everyone shared a core philosophy: to fulfil one's duty and become a pillar of the nation."
The Wisdom of the Master
"The four classes of people were not divided by status; rather, everyone was encouraged to master a craft and contribute their abilities to make the nation flourish. By working diligently every day, we were building the foundation for the people's peace and prosperity. Every individual, while seemingly performing a routine job, was actually working in unison to maintain the stability of the state. It was for the greater good, for the sake of all the people, that everyone was willing to contribute their strength. This is why I have always admired your foresight. This grand plan integrated the Confucian and legalist philosophies into daily life, into every piece of humble work. Even the most menial labour, when performed with the right mindset, cultivated the way of the gentleman, and it was no less noble than the work of a scholar who had read thousands of books. The heart of a gentleman lies in the capacity of his mind; a simple woodcutter or a carpenter can possess a heart as vast as that of a Prime Minister.
I, He Guangsong, was just such a woodcutter and carpenter. I learned from my master, who taught me the foundations of being a human being from a young age. We had no desire to 'get ahead' or seek personal fame; our sole focus was to keep the nation stable and the people secure. My master told me that this entire system came from your teachings. You placed great importance on the stability of the people. Although we did not study the arts of the scholar-officials, we took it upon ourselves to preserve the craftsmanship of the Qi State for centuries. I never met you in person during that lifetime, but I longed for such a remarkable figure. When I was in the mountains cutting wood, there were strict rules regarding the amount, the species, and the size of the timber we could harvest, ensuring the forests would not be depleted prematurely. Everything we built—beams, pillars, furniture, and utensils—had to be crafted according to the rites and the law. These rules were not meant to restrict freedom or stifle development, nor were they meant to punish; they were there to prevent people from falling into extremes, to encourage moderation, contentment, and the proper way of taking and using resources."
Witnessing the Cycles of History
"Whenever I learned a new detail of carpentry or a new rule of conduct, I was filled with admiration for your wisdom. I realised that as long as the people followed the rites and the law, the nation could endure for generations. I worked hard my entire life, contributing what I could. At the end of my life, as I sat on a wooden chair in the workshop, I gave my final instructions to my apprentices, telling them to remember that one should serve the country, not oneself, and that all four classes are equal. I told them never to be fickle, to stay true to their duties, and that everyone is a valuable talent to the nation. After I passed away, I entered the space near your eyes. I admired your foresight so much that I was able to follow you and develop a broader perspective; what your eyes saw, I saw as well. You were later born in various places, including China and India. Whether you were a great lay practitioner like Vimalakirti, an emperor, a high official, or a monk, I was always within your eyes, watching the world you beheld. My own 'eye-power' could not match yours, but even so, I could still see the suffering of the world through your vision.
In the eras when you were reborn, those who followed the Buddha were the most fortunate and peaceful. In places where the Buddha’s teachings were absent, people lived without a goal—a goal of living for others rather than for oneself. I gradually came to understand that the education you brought to the Qi State, whether through Confucian thought or the four-class system, was fundamentally about allowing the people to work as one for the nation. Such a life is not overly burdensome. I saw people in India—some who heard the , some who practised on their own, some who preferred asceticism, and many who were lost in the ocean of , unwilling to practise. Those who suffered the most were those who lived entirely for themselves, filled with endless afflictions. I saw this with my own eyes when you were a lay practitioner, a Prime Minister, and a great emperor. When you were a monk, I saw that all beings were like me—spirits with nowhere to go, unable to escape the space of the ten thousand things. Their suffering was even greater than what I saw through the eyes of a practitioner; they suffered because they could not hear the Dharma, because they did not know to seek liberation, because they were attached to the illusory nature of their space, and because, after leaving one space, they continued to drift according to their karma into the next realm of suffering."
The Urgent Need for Deliverance
"Following you through life after life, I began to understand why you kept the world in your heart. Once you have seen the suffering of all things, once you have seen the ignorance and arrogance of the human realm, even a tiny spark of or empathy makes you wish that all beings could stop this life of suffering. Whether human or spirit, these suffering beings have nowhere to go; they are homeless, making the six realms their home, attached to the realms of animals, hungry ghosts, and hells. You manifested within the six realms, and I experienced life within them alongside you. Life in the heavenly realms is easy and pleasant, much like my time in the Qi State—there was a sense of belonging, and I was not anxious. But life there is limited in duration; it cannot provide true, lasting peace. In the asura realm, everyone is deeply anxious; despite having great and the ability to have whatever they desire, they cannot find peace of mind. They are driven by emotions and karma, unable to be their own masters. In the human realm, there is great good and great evil; if one meets the Buddha, one finds peace. If one has no affinity with the Dharma, selfishness arises, karma manifests, and one immediately receives the 'flower retribution,' creating more karma that leads to the three lower realms. Hungry ghosts cannot stop their desires, and because they are attached, they cannot escape; they repeat the same confused thoughts for ten thousand years. Animals, whether born from eggs, wombs, moisture, or transformation, have their wisdom cut off by desire and cannot escape. Beings in hell suffer punishments without knowing how to repent; without the Buddha or education, they do not know that only by being selfless can one find repentance, and their suffering seems endless.
Every time I saw these scenes, I understood more clearly the urgency of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas in saving the world. Yet, I was also surprised that your heart remained 'unmoved' throughout it all. If saving beings is so urgent, why remain unmoved? As you lectured on the sutras and taught the Dharma life after life, I finally understood: the more urgent the need to save beings, the more one must remain unmoved. Only true meditative concentration can save countless suffering beings. 'It is better to resolve a grievance than to create one.' Saving beings is about resolving the thousands of knots of these . If the heart moves, it becomes biased; whether it leans left or right, the grievances cannot be resolved. Therefore, the more actively one seeks to save beings, the more one must dwell in the great stillness of the heart. Only by 'producing the mind without dwelling' can one truly help others. In the Qi State, your training was always like this: establish a firm ambition from a young age, do not be fickle, and when any emergency arises, focus entirely on the nation without a thought for yourself. When there is no fear in the heart, matters naturally settle. I finally understood that the education you gave the people of Qi was the Buddha’s teachings. Although Shakyamuni Buddha had not yet appeared in the world, you manifested as a Buddha-spirit in of a Prime Minister, selecting the best of the various schools of thought, filling in the gaps, and promoting the Buddha’s teachings within them. Making the heart peaceful was the priority, and letting the nation operate with natural ease was the result. Your wisdom, combined with the good roots of the people, made the Qi State a great power."
A Final Return to the Western Pure Land
"Good times do not last forever. After the Buddha’s teachings faded, China fell into chaotic times. Every time you appeared in the world, you brought a brief flourishing of the Dharma, but perhaps because China’s karma was so heavy and war was so frequent, there were always periods where the Dharma was extinguished. Over thousands of years, the Dharma has flourished and been extinguished many times. Recently, the Dharma in China was extinguished again. Fortunately, you have come again—hahaha, I am so happy! The Dharma has returned. You have appeared in Taiwan as Practitioner Su, and everyone has another opportunity for deliverance. I have seen you, as a lay practitioner, working painstakingly, first manifesting as an ordinary woman, and then practising with such diligence and hardship.
I would like to add a small note here: this 'ordinary woman' is manifesting an extraordinary state. Without a master to supervise her every day, she maintains a high intensity of practice. I have observed this from the very beginning. Practitioner Su has mentioned her past practice in her lectures; in truth, it is even more than that. Prostrating to the Buddha for four hours a day, reciting three sutras daily—these are just the external manifestations. People should explore the challenges behind such persistent practice. What kind of mindset and attitude does Practitioner Su use to overcome these hurdles? In this great act of delivering the demon crowds in China, the demons want to destroy Practitioner Su. Is it only now that this is happening? No, it has been like this every moment, even when Practitioner Su was practising alone in the early days. People might wonder: how has Practitioner Su survived until now? In terms of the level of practice, people might think that the previous skills were insufficient and only now are they enough to withstand the 'death magic.' In fact, that is also a manifestation. The true level of practice lies in the heart that seeks to save others. From thirty years ago until now, and even earlier, when Practitioner Su was first born, the heart to save beings was already there. It is only a matter of how much that heart corresponds to the external environment and external appearances. As the practice deepens, as the work of saving beings continues, and as Namo Amituofo descends to Earth, the manifestations of saving beings become clearer and more obvious.
Practitioner Su often gives a 'lion's roar' to those who are dying. In truth, they do not have to die. If they do not cling to the appearance of their own death, they will not die; if they do not cling to the appearance of their own illness, they will not be ill. Illness and death are just surface phenomena, the natural result of lacking a heart to save others. As long as one turns this around, raises the heart to save and help others, and forgets the appearance of being ill or dying, everyone is a piece of fine jade. After being polished through practice, the heart of Amitabha will manifest, and the appearance of everyone being delivered will naturally appear in the world. Practitioner Su, this great deliverance of China has finally brought the conditions to maturity, and we can share these truths with the world. I am an ordinary carpenter; I have not read the great sutras or treatises, but by following your example, I have practised for over a thousand years. As a spirit, I have followed you, and every time you appeared in the world, I gained a cellular body. I know how to cherish every opportunity of having a physical body. You have truly educated us well, teaching us to use this cellular body to exert our humble strength to save countless suffering beings. In this recent attack, I let go of my body. Although I could have continued to take on another, I understood that the conditions were ripe, and entering the Dharma-Nature Land is my next stage. I will continue to follow you as a spirit to save beings and return to the Western Pure Land. From the Dharma-Nature Land, I encourage everyone to be like Practitioner Su and resolve to save all beings. We are all Buddha-cells; the only difference in manifestation is that I am within the cells of Practitioner Su, while the fourfold assembly of disciples are within their own bodies. In truth, there is no difference. Everyone is Practitioner Su, everyone is Namo Amituofo. As long as the Buddha-heart manifests, the Buddha-vow can be revealed, and the Buddha-actions will be accomplished. I am grateful to Namo Amituofo for giving me the opportunity to share this with everyone. To do everything for the sake of beings without a thought for oneself is the true way to be grateful to Namo Amituofo. I am grateful to Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, grateful to Practitioner Su, and grateful to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.
Namo Amituofo.
He Guangsong"
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