The Choice Between Tushita and the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Master Hsu Yun, 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 spiritual journey and the distinction between Tushita and the Western Pure Land. Recorded by the disciple Venerable HaiZe on November 21, 2019.

Venerable Master Hsu Yun speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Hsu Yun. Here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, in a single moment, I can traverse all the Buddha-lands. Everything is one, and one is everything. From the Western Pure Land, I can see all the Buddha-realms. Because I can manifest countless bodies, all times are one time, and one time is all time.

Even though I manifest these bodies, my true self remains before the Buddha, listening to the Dharma. Whatever my manifested bodies encounter, my true self knows clearly; whatever my true self hears, my manifested bodies are aware of. My true self and my manifested bodies are one, not two. Two is one, one can be two, or even many. It can be infinite, because it arises from the heart and the mind. It is the action of the mind in a state of no-mind and no-thought.

The Realisation of Vows

After one has realised their true nature and attained a state of non-action, how can one's vows be realised? Because there are no limitations, even though the mind's intent is formless, its actions can be truly real! The heart can be infinitely vast; whatever the heart vows, it can manifest. This is the action within non-action. Because those who have realised their true nature can transform into ten thousand forms without a fixed mind, they can have infinite manifestations.

My true self and my manifested bodies are interconnected and interpenetrating. The actions of the manifested bodies are the same as the true self, and the true self can also command the manifested bodies to do anything. Everything I encounter in the Western Pure Land arises from the heart, and even the four lands are distinguished by the heart. The emptiness of no-mind can manifest any illusory existence, and this original emptiness is the truth.

I, who am without a self, listen to the Dharma before the Buddha. I am Hsu Yun. Practitioner Su, Namo Amituofo."

Practitioner Su remarked: "I am interviewing Venerable Master Hsu Yun. His meditative concentration is so profound that he could listen to a single sutra in Tushita Heaven while two or three months passed in the human world. His meditative concentration is truly exceptional. He had sought rebirth in Tushita Heaven, yet he eventually came here from Tushita, and with a single recitation of the Buddha-name, he went to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Let us ask him to speak with us."

Venerable Master Hsu Yun received this message simultaneously in the Western Pure Land. He understood Practitioner Su's intention: to let the masses know the difference between Tushita and the Pure Land. This is Hsu Yun's personal demonstration.

The Nature of Deep Samadhi

"If one enters the meditative concentration of samadhi, there is truly no distinction between time and space! Between coming and going, although this world and other realms may seem different, to the heart, there is no difference. At that time, it was called a single moment or a single sutra, while in the other realm, it was two or three months; this is merely the difference in time caused by different spaces. However, one only has one body. When the spirit leaves the body, if it is protected, the body remains peaceful and cannot be harmed by external forces. Naturally, the body and this space merge into one. In the extremely subtle particles of the air, within the body's deep samadhi, the very faint breathing is enough to maintain the body's elements of earth, water, fire, and wind.

This is why those who have attained pure, thoughtless concentration do not need food after entering samadhi. When they wake, they are in a state of pure, thoughtless concentration, and they can maintain the body's functions with very little or no food. I possessed this deep concentration, and I could come and go freely regarding life and death. At any time or place, manifesting whatever external environment I chose, I was truly at ease with conditions. In my practice in the human world, I attained deep samadhi and was not bound by the karma of life and death. Life and death were the same to me; I could live and die freely in the human world, as life and death are merely different names.

The Path to Tushita

With such abilities, I knew the suffering of beings and felt compassion for all spirits. Because of my Dharma affinity and the power of my vows, I sought rebirth in the Inner Court of Tushita, hoping to join the ranks of future Buddhas and assist in completing my vow to attain Buddhahood. I did not choose to chant the Buddha-name to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

While in the Inner Court of Tushita, I was unable to reach the Western Pure Land. But if one is in the Western Pure Land, one can traverse all Buddha-lands in a single moment. One can manifest bodies to simultaneously visit all Buddha-lands, including the Inner Court of Tushita, to make offerings to all Buddhas, accumulate merit and virtue, and attain Buddhahood rapidly. This is the magnificence of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss established by Namo Amituofo. If one attains Buddhahood in the Western Pure Land, one's vow to descend to the world and save beings can be fulfilled much faster!

The Guidance of Practitioner Su

In my state as a spirit without a physical body in the Inner Court of Tushita, I had no way to chant the Buddha-name to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. Looking around, I saw only one person in the human world: Practitioner Su. At that time, people called him Practitioner Su, and he could freely lead people to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Because of this, I came to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, where I was practising. Under the clear, insightful gaze of Practitioner Su, amidst the continuous chanting of the Buddha-name by the fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Centre, the Buddha appeared before my eyes. I chanted the Buddha-name along with the masses, and with the help and guidance of Practitioner Su, I was reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss with a single recitation of the Buddha-name.

I am grateful to Namo Amituofo! I am grateful to Practitioner Su! We all know that a human life is so short, yet Practitioner Su has, over thirty years, demonstrated the same vow and practice as Namo Amituofo. His Pure Land achievements have allowed him to realise his true nature and use his Dharma Body to save the world and deliver beings. The number of those he has helped to be reborn in the West is immeasurable and boundless; I am just one of them. In fact, although Practitioner Su manifests in a human body, he is truly the Buddha-heart returned to the world to respond to the needs of the time. Only then could he possess such deep concentration and the ability to realise his true nature. It is truly not easy to manifest the Dharma Body! Such a Dharma Realm is rare and difficult to encounter. If you are fortunate enough to meet it, you must draw close and learn, and grasp this magnificent Dharma affinity. If this affinity is allowed to slip away easily from your hands and heart, you will lose a great benefit! You will lose the rare opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land in this lifetime.

A Warning for the Five Turbidities

With my level of practice, I still needed to ask for Practitioner Su's help to chant the Buddha-name and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. What then of those who do not have my level of practice? This is not me boasting of my own greatness; it is because I feel deep sorrow for the achievements of the Pure Land in this Dharma-ending Age. These are truly the words of the World-Honoured One! Practitioners of other schools and sects should truly reflect on what they should do. Many elites of the Buddha's gate spend their entire lives dedicated to the transmission of their specific school or sect, but if they do not rely on the two powers of the Pure Land—the arising of self-power and the assistance of Namo Amituofo's power—how can they realise their true nature in this environment of the Five Turbidities and Evil World? If they do not realise their true nature, where will their spirits go? Even if they realise their true nature, where will their spirits return? Only by chanting the Buddha-name can one be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Namo Amituofo, until one reaches the Buddha-realm, enters the ranks of the Buddhas, and can act according to the Buddha-heart and fulfill the Buddha's vows.

Although I had the appearance of having realised my true nature, I lacked the reality of it. Although I had the concentration to enter Tushita, I did not chant the Buddha-name to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, and the time to attain Buddhahood and save beings seemed far away. Practitioner Su possesses both the appearance and the reality of having realised his true nature. He uses the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi to attain concentration, delivers beings to the West, and travels freely back and forth to the Western Pure Land. This is truly rare and not easily encountered; he is a Buddha! Everyone should cherish this! You should learn his practice! You should protect and support him! This is to continue the wisdom-life of Namo Amituofo and transmit the Dharma lineage of the Pure Land.

Namo Amituofo.