The Child Who Saw the Future

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Huitao, 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 approximately 2,113 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing, on January 15, 2019.

Venerable Huitao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Huitao. Even here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the Buddha is always receiving beings, guiding them home. I often look upon the golden statue of Namo Amituofo, seeing His compassionate hands extended to welcome all spirits. I once tugged at my mother’s sleeve and told her, 'Mother, I want to learn from the compassion of Namo Amituofo; I want to stand ready at all times to receive and guide sentient beings.'

A Simple Life of Devotion

My parents were honest, hardworking people living in a quiet, rural village. They had never seen the great cities of the world, nor did they harbour grand desires or worldly dreams. Every day, they lived simply, focusing their hearts on chanting Namo Amituofo. When I was born, my grandparents were still with us, and they were the ones who truly led our entire household into the practice of the Dharma. My father had a younger brother—my uncle—who lived with us. He had no intention of marrying; his only goal in life was to chant the Buddha-name and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

My grandmother, determined to raise me with a pure heart, kept me by her side from the moment I was born. She watched over me with such care, ensuring I was never tainted by the negative habits of the world. Whenever I showed a hint of a stubborn temper, she would correct me immediately, instructing me to kneel before the Buddha and chant Namo Amituofo ten times in repentance. Even at three years old, under their guidance, I was already like a little monk, with every thought focused on Namo Amituofo."

The Power of the Buddha-Name

"Children who chant are naturally beloved by adults. Compared to the other children in the village, I brought the most joy to the elders because, no matter whom I met, I would greet them with 'Namo Amituofo.' When the villagers heard this sacred name, they would naturally break into smiles, praising me for knowing how to chant at such a young age and predicting that I would surely achieve something extraordinary in the future.

When I was seven years old, I woke up before dawn from a dream that felt more real than life itself. I saw our entire village being swallowed by a massive ocean. Every house was visible, and I saw the villagers struggling in the rising waters, crying out for help. Some of the elderly had already drifted away, their lives extinguished, while children were still screaming for their parents. I saw houses submerged, dogs desperately trying to escape, and chickens floating on the surface. The sky was a dark, oppressive grey, and the rain continued to pour. As the water rose, no one had the strength to hold on, and one by one, they perished. In the end, not a single life remained in the village; it was a scene of utter desolation. Just as the vision began to fade, I noticed something strange: my own family’s home was missing. It should have been right next to the Li family’s house, but it had simply vanished. I tried to look closer, but the vision vanished instantly."

A Mission to Save the Village

"I could not fall back asleep. I sat cross-legged on my bed, chanting quietly, the images still vivid in my mind. When the sun finally rose and my family began to wake, I went straight to my grandmother and told her everything. She did not look surprised. She simply told me, 'Do not speak of this everywhere, or you will cause unnecessary panic.' Her tone made it clear she already knew. When I asked if she had foreseen it, she nodded. She said, 'What we can do now is perform more good deeds and chant more to help the village avoid this disaster. The more we do, the less suffering the villagers will have to endure.'

I understood clearly that if this disaster occurred, the entire village would be destroyed. To protect our home and our neighbours, I followed my grandmother’s lead. We chanted diligently, performed acts of generosity, and dedicated all our merit to the villagers. To make our chanting even more effective, I took all my pocket money and bought bags of sweets. Whenever a child in the village was willing to chant, I would give them a sweet. These children loved sugar, and seeing my stash, they immediately followed my lead. I told them, 'Chanting can eliminate disasters and keep your families safe.' I asked them to go home and tell their parents about the power of Namo Amituofo. For an entire month, I spread the sacred name everywhere. Whether it was a beggar on the road or a neighbour, I would teach them to chant Namo Amituofo whenever I had the chance."

The Turning of the Tide

"Soon, the sound of chanting began to echo throughout the village—a phenomenon never seen before. Every household began to chant, knowing that Namo Amituofo could protect their loved ones. The power of the Buddha-name was truly immense; it acted as a shield, repelling the dark forces that had intended to bring calamity upon us. Gradually, the village became peaceful, with bright, sunny days and no signs of the impending disaster. I knew the karmic calamity had been resolved through the collective chanting of the villagers. I knelt on the ground, offering my deepest gratitude to the great compassion of Namo Amituofo.

Just as I felt the heavy burden lift from my heart, I saw another vision—this time of a plague spreading in a distant, impoverished village. The people there were dying one by one, and the entire village was left empty. No one dared to enter to handle the remains, and the air was thick with the stench of decay. Beyond that, I saw another land torn apart by war. People were fleeing in terror; mothers were running with children in their arms, the elderly were being trampled by the panicked crowds, and families were desperately pushing carts filled with their few remaining belongings. I sat on my bed, my heart aching. In that moment, I deeply realised that the suffering of sentient beings is endless and difficult to save completely."

The Path of Renunciation

"My grandmother knocked on my door, and I was surprised to see she was already awake. She asked, 'Have you seen the visions?' I nodded solemnly. She told me, 'Disasters arise from the human heart. It is the hearts of the people that we must save.' I understood then: if everyone holds goodness in their hearts and chants honestly, disasters will not occur. But if hearts are wicked, selfish, and indifferent to the lives of others, disasters are inevitable.

The next day, I gathered my family in the main hall and announced, 'For the sake of all sentient beings, I have decided to become a monk!' My family was shocked, but my grandmother remained calm. She walked over, patted my shoulder, and said, 'Compassionate child.' The next day, I packed my bags to enter the monastery. My family was heartbroken, unable to bear the thought of me leaving at such a young age. They feared the house would lose its laughter and the village would lose a chanter. But my grandmother silenced them: 'If those who practice the Dharma only think of themselves, then no one will be left to save the world! We must contribute to sentient beings when we have the ability. Huitao’s compassionate renunciation is to save others; it is our family’s blessing. If I were not so old, I would have taken this path myself. The suffering of beings requires us all to exert our strength!' Hearing this, my family ceased their mourning. As they watched me walk away, my mother said, 'The Buddha has taught Huitao well. With Huitao becoming a monk, sentient beings will be blessed."

A Life Dedicated to the Dharma

"After entering the monastery, I had more visions. This time, they were not of disasters, but of me teaching the Dharma to the world before those disasters could occur. I saw families listening to the sutras, their hearts filled with compassion, helping and loving one another. The fighting, calculation, and competition faded, and society became stable. This vision inspired me to practice even more diligently. I made a great vow: throughout my many lives, I would follow the Buddha to save the world, dedicating my heart to the service of all beings.

Fifteen years later, I began to travel, teaching the Dharma just as I had seen in my visions. For the sake of sentient beings, I walked thousands of miles alone. There was no fatigue, no weariness—only the constant drive to save others. This body was no longer mine; it was merely a tool for delivering beings. When this tool could no longer move, I gave my final teachings to my disciples, sat alone on a large rock, chanted the Buddha-name, and was reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

A Final Reflection

"Practitioner Su gives lectures every day, constantly urging beings to let go of their attachment to the body. For the sake of this body, immeasurable spirits are suffering in space. The Dharma Body of Practitioner Su performs Chao Du throughout the entire Dharma-realm and empty space, and the space of the universe has been opened by Practitioner Su. Truly, there is a living Buddha here saving the world. If you can take in even one sentence of the Truth spoken by Practitioner Su and follow the teachings to change yourself, you will have saved your own wisdom-life. The Buddha cannot save those who willingly choose to fall into the cycle of rebirth; even if they suffer endlessly in samsara, the Buddha is powerless to help them. I urge the people of this world to cherish the life you have left. While you are strong, practice diligently. Do not let your soul fall into the five paths of rebirth. Only the Western Pure Land is the true liberation from life and death. Namo Amituofo."

Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing.