The Circle of Compassion

This is a record of an interview with the Venerable Mingjue, 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 2,100 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on January 25, 2019.

Mingjue speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Mingjue. Two thousand and one hundred years ago, I lived in a world that felt both vast and incredibly lonely, a place where the true nature of existence was obscured by the heavy veils of worldly illusion. I remember the night it all began—the night the veil was lifted from my eyes. Countless images were overlapping in my mind, a chaotic and heart-wrenching tapestry of suffering that I could not initially decipher. Suddenly, a young boy appeared before me in my dream. He waved his hand, and the scene cleared instantly, revealing the stark reality of the universe. I saw immeasurable and boundless sentient beings, all trapped in the depths of profound suffering, crying out in a silence that only the heart could hear. In a heartbeat, the vision vanished, and I awoke, trembling in the cold darkness. Looking out at the worldly realm before me, I finally understood that in the spaces we cannot see, there are so many beings enduring such profound agony, waiting for the light of the Dharma to reach them."

The Weight of a Mother's Attachment

"I rushed to my mother’s room, knocking frantically until she rose, groggy with sleep and heavy with the fatigue of a life lived in anticipation. 'Mother, the sentient beings are suffering! They are suffering so much!' I cried out, my voice trembling with the urgency of what I had witnessed. She rubbed her eyes, looking at me with confusion, unable to grasp the intensity of my revelation. I tried to describe the dream, the faces of the suffering, and the weight of their collective sorrow, but she simply patted my head and dismissed it as a mere nightmare. She returned to her bed, falling back into a deep, dreamless slumber, but I could not rest. I knew I had to find the truth for myself, for the vision had burned itself into my very soul.

My father was a wealthy merchant, constantly travelling to amass fortune, leaving my mother and me in a grand, empty house that felt more like a gilded cage. We had servants for every task, yet my mother lived only for his return. She spent her days purchasing endless supplies of rouge, fabrics, and ornaments, trying to adorn herself for a man who was rarely there. I once opened a room in our home and found it overflowing with unused treasures, a testament to her desperate need to be worthy of his affection. 'Why do you keep buying these?' I asked. She replied, 'I must prepare myself to be the most beautiful for your father.' It broke my heart to see her wither away in his absence, only to bloom briefly when he announced his return. She lived entirely for him, a shell of a person waiting for a shadow, her existence defined by the impermanence of his presence."

The Boy Who Understood the Heart

"I often wandered outside, seeking companionship among the local children, but they were forbidden to play with me. Their parents feared the liability of a wealthy merchant's son, treating me as if I were made of fragile glass. One day, a boy approached me—the same boy from my dream. 'Why do you not stay away like the others?' I asked. He looked at me with a depth that defied his years and said, 'Because I understand the suffering in your heart.' No one had ever seen past my fine clothes and expensive toys, but he saw the profound loneliness that defined my existence. He saw the void that no amount of wealth could fill.

We sat beneath a great tree, talking for the entire day. He was an orphan, living hand-to-mouth, yet he possessed a peace I had never known. He told me he had been starving on the streets when he heard a monk chant, 'Namo Amituofo.' That single Buddha-name had been his lifeline, a beacon of hope in the darkest of nights. A compassionate monk had shared his food with him and taught him the Dharma, explaining that the hardships of this life were merely a tempering process. 'To leave suffering behind,' the monk had said, 'one must learn the Buddha’s teachings. This life is a training ground; once you pass through it, the sky opens wide.'"

The Circle of Fate

"The boy had been on the brink of despair, but the Dharma gave him a new life. He told me, 'Only after learning the Buddha’s teachings did I realise the preciousness of a human body, the depth of human suffering, and the necessity of liberation from samsara. Knowing the impermanence of life, I cherish this Buddha-name even more.' He drew a semicircle on my palm and said, 'This is a circle, and it is also fate. I have drawn only half; the other half awaits your completion.' I ran home, my heart racing, the path feeling longer than ever before. I knew that my life had changed forever.

When I told my mother I was leaving to practise in a temple, she was bewildered, suggesting I see a doctor. I showed her my palm, though she saw nothing. 'I have found my direction,' I told her. 'The other half of the circle is the vow to save sentient beings. I have formed a connection with the Buddha, and I must now fulfil it.' She did not understand, but she let me go, returning to her sleep. I entered the temple, and as the bell tolled, I made my vow: to extinguish all bad habits, to sever greed, anger, and ignorance, and to liberate all beings from the ocean of suffering. I was seventeen when I shaved my head and became a monk, dedicating my life to the pursuit of enlightenment."

A Final Deliverance

"Years later, I returned to my childhood home to find my mother on her deathbed. My father had taken a new lover, and the news had shattered her, leaving her a hollow shell. She did not even recognise me. I stayed by her side for seven days, chanting and explaining the Dharma with every ounce of my being. I watched as she finally let go of the attachment to my father that had consumed her entire life. She began to chant the Buddha-name, and in her final moments, she was guided by Namo Amituofo to rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It was the greatest gift I could ever give her.

My own journey continued with a singular focus: to save all beings. When my circle was finally complete, I ascended upon a white lotus to the Western Pure Land. Yet, my vow did not end there. I wished to save not only human beings but all spirits throughout the universe. Knowing that Practitioner Su had suffered a leg injury, I entered her leg to assist her in spreading the Dharma. It has been my greatest honour to be guided by Practitioner Su in the work of Chao Du across the universe. Every second spent in this work is precious. I follow Practitioner Su’s example, moving forward without hesitation. I have seen the magnetic fields of the universe transform through the pure, good thoughts brought by her daily deliverance. The universe is gradually becoming peaceful. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for her powerful deliverance, which allows so many beings to leave suffering behind. Namo Amituofo."