The Compassionate Burden of Spiritual Deliverance

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Yongning, who now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon the ongoing work of spiritual deliverance conducted by Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on January 3, 2023.

Venerable Yongning speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Every single day, Practitioner Su engages in the practice of spiritual deliverance for the fourfold assembly. He works to save the countless spirits residing within their bodies. Beyond helping these karmic creditors find liberation, this practice also provides a vital helping hand to the fourfold assembly, allowing them to awaken sooner and harness their own strength to save beings."

The Guardians of the Dharma

"I watch Practitioner Su perform these deliverances in silence, standing guard by his side. I must remain in a state of constant vigilance, ensuring that the karmic creditors of the fourfold assembly do not find an opening to attack him. After all, these beings have been trailing the disciples for centuries, millennia, and even tens of thousands of years, carrying deep-seated hatred. Not one of them is without a desire for revenge. Their faces are masks of ferocity and resentment, as if they wish to tear the disciples apart limb from limb.

I hold the deepest respect for Practitioner Su. He feels no fear toward these karmic creditors, a feat that is not easily achieved by anyone. Most people would naturally choose to protect themselves from harm. Yet, when one undertakes the work of delivering the fourfold assembly as Practitioner Su does, one risks provoking the spirits within them at every turn. Beyond the individual karmic creditors, there are vast crowds of demon crowds present as well.

Along with Venerable Changren, Venerable Changgao, and Jobs, I am actively engaged in protecting Practitioner Su. We see the spirits within the fourfold assembly with absolute clarity."

The Densely Packed Realms Within

"What we see is that every member of the fourfold assembly is filled with darkness. Within this darkness, there exist countless spaces. A single lifetime does not contain just one space; a body can hold many such spaces simultaneously. The entire body is densely packed, with no gaps to be found anywhere.

We once thought that one cell corresponded to one space, but it is clear now that fifty trillion cells cannot encompass all of them. The number of spaces within the body has long since exceeded fifty trillion—it is many multiples of that figure. The sheer quantity is staggering.

When Practitioner Su visualises the deliverance of a person's body, some of these layered spaces begin to stir. However, not all of them move at once, for these spaces have varying depths. Just as each person has a past spanning ten, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand lifetimes, the spirits within these spaces react differently. When the spirits in the ten-lifetime spaces are stirred by the deliverance, it does not necessarily mean those in the hundred or thousand-lifetime spaces will follow suit; they remain hidden within their own realms.

Furthermore, these stirred spirits are agitated by Practitioner Su's deliverance. Those with less intense resentment may depart during the process. But many are unwilling and unreconciled. They wish to attack Practitioner Su and make his life difficult, believing that he has ruined their long-held purpose of seeking revenge against the fourfold assembly."

The Power of Compassion to Transform

"We and the other Dharma protectors do our utmost to block these spirits, but some inevitably slip through and strike at Practitioner Su, causing him to feel their presence. Yet, Practitioner Su, who bears the suffering of beings out of pure compassion, endures the physical pain and continues the deliverance without pause. He spares no cost, pushing forward relentlessly, all in the hope of helping these beings and the fourfold assembly awaken as soon as possible.

Although these karmic creditors appear filled with hatred, the truth is that once their spaces are opened by Practitioner Su, the light of the Buddha enters. It begins to slowly transform them. One day, two days, three days—gradually, they become different. They are softened by the power of the Buddha, and naturally, their hatred begins to wane. Some are saved during this process. The more hateful demons may require more time to be transformed, but regardless, once the space is opened and the Buddha's power enters, they are eventually willing to surrender. This is because the suffering of beings is too great; only by following the Buddha can they leave suffering behind.

I marvel at the compassion of Practitioner Su. He works tirelessly for the sake of all beings, never considering the injuries to his own body. He always places the salvation of beings above all else. This is something every member of the fourfold assembly should learn. The disciples must also thoroughly change their own personalities. Only then, as Practitioner Su helps everyone, can they accelerate the softening of the spirits' resentment, help them leave suffering behind sooner, and reduce the opportunities for these spirits to target Practitioner Su. This is the compassion that every member of the fourfold assembly ought to cultivate.

Namo Amituofo."

Yongning