The Seven-Year-Old's Observation of Life

This is a record of an interview with the 154th Venerable, Juehuo, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon his life approximately 980 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on August 23, 2019.

Venerable Juehuo speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Juehuo. Looking back at my life nine hundred and eighty years ago, I remember the sky as a brilliant, azure blue, completely devoid of clouds. Suddenly, a black crow flew across, becoming the absolute focal point of the entire panorama. Once the crow had passed, the sky returned to its original state of pure, unblemished blue. It was so clean, so pristine, so utterly pure. My heart expanded in resonance with that vastness, feeling calm and entirely free of dust—it was a heart of absolute purity.

My mother called out from the kitchen, 'You are staring at the scenery outside the window again! Hurry up and wash your hands so we can eat.' I shouted back, 'Yes! I heard you!'"

The Warmth of a Mother's Kitchen

"The dining table was laden with dishes, all prepared by my mother alone. Her culinary skills were truly exceptional; everyone who tasted her cooking had nothing but praise. My father, in particular, was a huge fan. He found it impossible to get used to the food sold by vendors outside, so he insisted that every day, when he went out to work, he must take the meals my mother had prepared. He would always say, 'Nothing beats your cooking, my dear!' Whenever my mother heard this, a look of pure happiness would bloom on her face, and I could see a sweet, glowing warmth in her heart.

I would eat heartily, shovelling the food into my mouth until my stomach protruded, round and firm like a ball. I felt so satisfied. After finishing, I would pack the remaining dishes into boxes, place them into a basket, and call out to my mother, 'Mother, I am heading out now!' She would reply, 'Alright! Don't be back too late!' and I would answer, 'I know!'"

A Small Act of Kindness

"The basket of delicious food I carried was intended for the orphans in the town—those poor, lonely children who had no parents to look after them and relied entirely on the charity of the townspeople to survive. Ever since I discovered their existence, I had made it a habit to bring them the meals my mother prepared. Watching them eat with such relish brought me immense joy.

'Hurry! Hurry! The big brother is here! The big brother is here!' The group of children would spot me from afar and run over with excitement, knowing I had brought them food. I would take the boxes out of the basket one by one, along with the bowls and chopsticks my mother had provided, and watch as they tucked in with such happiness. Once they were full, they would neatly stack the bowls and chopsticks back into the basket for me to take home to my mother, so she could prepare fresh meals for them again the next day."

The Frenzy of the Marketplace

"I usually liked to wander for a while before heading home, carrying that basket as I strolled. One day, I found myself on a bustling street I had never visited before, quite a distance from my usual path. The street was filled with an overwhelming array of goods, and vendors were shouting at the top of their lungs, aggressively promoting their wares. I was completely dazzled. Suddenly, a large hand grabbed me, and a voice boomed, 'Child! Don't you want to look at these shoes? They would surely suit you perfectly!' It was the shoe merchant. I shook my head and told him, 'No thank you, I don't have a single coin on me.' The moment he heard I had no money, he didn't say another word and immediately let me go.

A few steps later, a woman shouted at me, 'Little brother, don't you want to buy some needles and thread to take home for your mother?' I waved my hand at her and made a gesture indicating I had no money. She immediately lost interest and turned to solicit other customers. The street was truly chaotic. Every vendor was fighting for business. I even saw two umbrella sellers arguing loudly: 'I saw him first!' 'He came to my stall first!' 'I was the one who convinced him to buy!' They were arguing until their faces turned red with rage. I quickly hurried through that crowded, noisy street, desperate to escape that chaotic space and return to the familiar, quiet wilderness. I took a deep, long breath. Phew! That was the first time I had ever encountered such disorder."

The Weariness of Survival

"I sat down on the grass and reflected on what I had just seen. A deep sense of sorrow welled up in my heart. 'People have to live like this just to survive,' I thought. 'Many of those women selling vegetables—their voices couldn't have been that loud naturally. They must have trained themselves to shout like that just to attract customers, losing their gentle, refined appearance in the process. And all those people arguing over business—surely no one wants to live such a noisy, frantic life. They do it just to earn a mouthful of food, forcing themselves to live in such exhaustion.'

Then I thought about the merchants who had tried to get my money. To entice me, they had praised me as if I were an emperor, treating me with such warmth and kindness, complimenting me from head to toe. But the moment they realised I had no money, they instantly ignored me, treating me as if I were invisible, as if nothing had happened. The stark contrast in their attitude left a deep impression on me. I realised that to survive, people must master the weaknesses of human nature, using various techniques to win over hearts. These merchants had to cultivate a 'silver tongue,' capable of describing an ugly woman as a beauty or a dead fish as a live one, just to make customers happy enough to open their purses. Wow! Why is life so complicated and exhausting? Yet, why do people love living here so much?' I lay on the grass, talking to myself. At seven years old, I was simply full of curiosity about this world."

The Performance of Social Life

"By the time I returned home, it was already dusk. Upon entering, I didn't see my mother in the living room, so I guessed she must be in the kitchen preparing dinner. Just as I thought this, the aroma of her stir-frying drifted through the air. I took a deep breath and said, 'It smells so good!' My stomach, as if awakened by the scent, began to rumble.

I ran quickly to the kitchen. My mother was busy, and seeing me, she called out, 'You're back! Come and help! Your father said he is bringing a friend home today, so I need to make the meal extra special.' Hearing this, I rolled up my sleeves to help. Seeing some vegetables that needed cleaning, I took them to the water bucket and began to pick and wash them. Watching my mother's busy back, another thought struck me: 'Did Mother marry Father just to cook for him? She just finished cooking lunch before I left, and now she is busy with dinner. After a night's sleep, she will have to wake up early to cook breakfast and prepare Father's lunchbox. Why is Mother cooking every single day? Is this what every woman does after marriage?'

My mother suddenly turned around, seeing me lost in thought while washing the vegetables, and said, 'What are you thinking about now? I need those vegetables, hurry up!' Seeing her anxious expression, I sped up my work so she could get them into the pot. After helping in the kitchen for a while, the feast was finally ready! My mother collapsed onto a chair, completely exhausted, her body limp, sweat still streaming down her face. Seeing her struggle, I quickly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe her brow. As I did, she remembered, 'I must take a bath before your father returns. This is his friend's first time visiting; we must look presentable. Dressing too casually would make your father lose face.' She rushed into the room to wash up.

Watching her rush, I thought, 'Mother just finished working, and now she is rushing to bathe and change. Why is life so troublesome? If a guest comes, must we dress up? Aren't everyone's bodies the same? Doesn't this guest dress casually at home?' I took the opportunity to play in the courtyard while waiting for Father. There was a patch of mud there—my personal paradise. It was meant for a vegetable garden, but because Father was too busy to tend it, it became my playground! After playing for a while, I heard the laughter of Father and his friend approaching. Father was home! I ran into the house and shouted, 'Mother! Father is back!' Mother emerged from the room, still smoothing her hair. When she saw me, she cried out, 'Why are you so dirty?' I looked at myself; I was covered in mud from head to toe. Mother said nervously, 'What should we do? Your father is back. If his friend sees you like this, he will say we haven't taught our child well.' I told her calmly, 'Mother, don't worry! I will tell the uncle that I got dirty playing in the mud. I'm sure he will understand!' Father and his friend reached the door. Mother hurried to greet them, and Father introduced her: 'This is my wife.' Mother greeted the friend politely and added, 'And this is my... little son.' Seeing Father's expression, I knew what he was thinking, so I quickly told his friend, 'Uncle! I was just playing in the mud outside, which is why I am so dirty. Please excuse me.' Father's friend laughed and said, 'Your son is very polite. Children at this age are just so innocent and cute.' I laughed along with him—not because what he said was funny, but because the sight of my parents' nervous expressions was so amusing."

Father invited my uncle to join us for the meal. Upon seeing the table full of delicacies, my uncle couldn't help but exclaim, 'Wow! What a magnificent feast! The aroma is incredible; your culinary skills are truly remarkable!' Father immediately replied to my uncle, 'My wife cooked this herself.' Hearing this, my uncle turned to Mother and praised her, 'Your skills are truly excellent!' Mother replied modestly, 'It is just a simple meal; I hope you don't mind.' When I heard Mother say this, I felt puzzled. 'Mother was just in a frantic rush, meticulously designing every single dish, so why is she now calling it just a simple, casual meal?' Being a person is truly complicated. I knew Mother had told me that one must be humble, as it is a virtue, but such deliberate behavior felt so unnatural to me. After my uncle left, I asked Mother, 'Why didn't you tell him that this was a meal you spent so much time and effort preparing?' Mother patted my head and said, 'Silly child! If you said that, would the guest even feel comfortable eating? It is like when you spend your own money to buy something for someone; would you tell them exactly how much blood, sweat, and tears it cost you to earn that money?' I nodded, realizing there was indeed some logic to her words.

The Power of a Single Sentence

One day, I took my basket of vegetables to the street as usual to feed the group of children. Some had grown up and moved away, while others were still quite young. Those who had left were around my age, roughly in their teens. We still frequently gathered in the village to chat about our lives. When I heard that they had all found work and were using their own earnings to help others, I felt so happy. One of them, whom we called Brother Li, told me, 'During those days when we were most helpless and suffering, we truly felt like we couldn't go on. Many times, we wondered: what is the actual value of this life? Why do we need to struggle so hard to maintain it? Even if this world lost a few of us, it wouldn't change anything at all—it would be like removing a grain of sand from a pile or scooping a cup of water from the ocean; no one would even notice. So why should we live in this world with such hardship? Why not just die early so we wouldn't be a burden to society? That was truly how we felt back then. But do you know why we didn't choose to end our lives?' I asked curiously, 'Why?' Brother Li continued, 'Because you once said something to us: "Although I don't know what the meaning of life is, I know that as long as I am alive, I will use my own hands to help one more person. That way, I will not have lived in this world in vain!" Even though you didn't say it in a serious tone, as if you were just joking, we all took it to heart. We remembered those words, and they became the greatest motivation for us to keep living. We told ourselves that in the future, we must be like you—using our own lives to help the lives of others, so that life is not just lived for oneself, but for the many who need our help. Even if we only live for twenty or thirty years, the meaning and value of such a life would already surpass the value of living for a hundred years just for oneself.' Hearing Brother Li say this, I felt deeply moved. I had never imagined that a sentence I said unintentionally could become the motivation that kept everyone going. Seeing their growth became a whetstone for my own character; I wanted to learn from their resilience and, even more, from their spirit of gratitude and giving back to society.

A Shift in Perspective

Ever since hearing Brother Li's sharing, I began to dedicate myself to doing Good and helping others. Now, I approach these acts with a different state of mind—no longer from my own perspective, without plans or preconceived notions; everything exists in a state of no-mind and naturalness. In the past, I would keep track of my good deeds in my mind, but now, no matter how much I do, it is like ripples in water, quickly vanishing from the surface of the river without leaving a trace.

When I was eighteen, Brother Li came to my home to visit. After many years, his appearance had changed so much that I almost didn't recognize him. Brother Li asked, 'How have you been all these years?' I replied, 'I am still creating the value of life.' Brother Li smiled and nodded. Seeing his smile, I realized he had truly changed. I asked curiously, 'You have changed so much—you are cheerful, positive, and your face glows. What have you been doing all these years?' Brother Li told me, 'I came to see you today specifically to share this with you. I have started to learn the Buddha’s teachings, probably starting about three years ago! Once I encountered the Dharma, I held onto it tightly. The Dharma is truly magnificent, and through the process of learning it, I have seen the true meaning of living in this world. So many suffering beings still do not know how to escape. Only by truly understanding the truth of the universe and knowing that there is a Western Land of Ultimate Bliss can one know to seek the bright path of rebirth in the Western Land.' Hearing Brother Li say this, it seemed the Dharma had helped him immensely. Seeing my curiosity, Brother Li began to teach me, using the simplest and clearest way to introduce the majestic power of Amitabha Buddha to me.

The Path of Deliverance

At that time, the Causal Conditions for me to learn the Buddha’s teachings were ripe. I followed Brother Li into the temple to practice, and after entering at eighteen, I never left. I vowed to follow Amitabha Buddha throughout my many lives to save countless suffering spirits. In this life, I had also been doing good and helping others, but previously I did not understand that the matter of life and death is the most important, and that escaping the cycle of samsara is the truly vital life event. Now that I have learned the Dharma, I understand that I must counsel people to seek rebirth in the Western Land and let go of everything in this world to truly help them achieve liberation. I followed the Buddha's teachings, changed myself, and cultivated my heart. Over several years, my appearance changed significantly. With my humble strength, I sailed a solitary boat, traveling everywhere to spread the Dharma wherever I went. I remained accustomed to wearing a tattered robe, using my most sincere self to save sentient beings, accompanied by a heart of sincerity, no-self, and compassionate vows in my practice, until the moment of my passing when I achieved rebirth in the Western Land. Namo Amituofo.

The Light of the Buddha

In the void, sentient beings were lined up, dense as fine sand, immeasurable and boundless. Every spirit was a suffering soul that had been wandering for many kalpas, unable to see a future in the cycle of samsara. Now, they finally waited for the magnificent Causal Conditions, and Practitioner Su arrived.

Practitioner Su appeared like a golden lotus, carrying immeasurable golden light, suddenly manifesting above the universe. The spirits shouted loudly, 'The Buddha is here! The Buddha is here!' Practitioner Su and the boundless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas behind him shouted, 'Chanting the Buddha's name does not mean death! Chanting the Buddha's name does not mean death!' The spirits chanted in unison, 'Namo Amituofo! Namo Amituofo! Namo Amituofo!' Practitioner Su extended his hand and swept it, and a beam of golden light cleared away the spirits one by one, leading them away from the space where they had been trapped for so long, heading toward the place of the Buddha of Immeasurable Light.

A Call to Save the World

The sea of suffering is boundless, and every spirit is waiting in agony for the moment to leave suffering behind. Without the Buddha’s teachings for salvation, who could escape the cycle of the six realms of existence? Not knowing how to let go of the world, not knowing how to release attachments, they hold firmly to their own stubbornness, drinking bitterness and eating poison, never finding a moment of peace. With the immeasurable Wisdom, virtue, and auspicious characteristics of a Buddha, Practitioner Su teaches and counsels the masses: 'You must leave, you must leave, do not cling to suffering anymore.' Now, all spirits in the spiritual realms know they wish to escape. Practitioner Su’s Chao Du has never ceased for a single day. Regardless of where his physical body is—whether in Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Japan—the time for Chao Du never varies by place or time. It must coincide with the time of the void, meeting with the masses, becoming one. His Dharma Body and transformation bodies are in the hundreds of millions, together delivering countless suffering beings.

Now, those who wish to join the ranks of those saving the world are waiting for the Causal Conditions to join together. There is no Buddha, no self, no distinction of demons; all are merged into one, a single entity without difference, truly exerting the greatest power to save all spirits in spaces not yet reached. Are you willing to join this heavenly team to save the world? Those who are willing should make the vow to follow this path, exerting their own strength, practicing diligently and working hard in this world. In just a fleeting moment, you will achieve rebirth in the Land of Immeasurable Life, forever leaving the sea of karma, and attaining supreme happiness.

Gratitude to my Buddha for his compassion. Gratitude to Practitioner Su for his compassion.

Namo Amituofo.

This interview message was recorded by the chief writer, disciple Shi Fajing.