The Confession of Venerable Chuanwen
The First Letter from the Former Abbot of Miaotong Temple
Recorded on August 20, 2017, at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Venerable Chuanwen, the former abbot of Miaotong Temple, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now reflects upon his past life and the true nature of assemblies. This testimony was recorded by the chief writer, Cao Rudi, on August 20, 2017.
Venerable Chuanwen speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. I am Chuanwen. I never truly understood what a Dharma assembly was meant to be. During my time at Miaotong Temple, I presided over countless ceremonies—some to perform deliverance for the spirits of the deceased, others to pray for the removal of disasters and the extension of life. I lost count of how many I held.
The Illusion of Rituals and Wealth
"The fees for these ceremonies were determined by the size of the memorial tablets, and the disparity in the merit donations collected was staggering. Every time a ceremony concluded, the temple coffers were overflowing. What a grave sin! What a terrible, unforgivable sin! Now that I reside in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I look upon the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and see the multitude of sentient beings gathered there. To repay the Buddha’s kindness, I must speak the truth: I had no way of knowing whether the spirits in my ceremonies were truly saved or if they ever reached the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
"Oh, they did not go to the Western Pure Land! They were sent to the Vairochana Buddha Hall. If it were not for my teacher, the Venerable Master Guangqin, who remembered our bond as master and disciple and earnestly implored Practitioner Su to compassionately save me, I believe I would still be suffering retribution in the hells to this very day.
A Heavy Burden of
"As the abbot of Miaotong Temple, I led thousands of monastics and countless lay practitioners. Yet, I failed to pass on the Pure Land Dharma Gate of chanting Namo Amituofo that my teacher had taught me. I failed to guide a single person to the West. To consume even a single grain of rice from the faithful while failing to guide them is a debt as heavy as Mount Sumeru. I gave them the wrong direction in their Buddhist practice. I do not know how I can ever repay this—ten lifetimes would not be enough.
"I see them now—the countless spirits still waiting! A Dharma assembly is truly not a simple matter. It is not merely about placing offerings of food and fruit on a table, or chanting from scriptures while tapping a wooden fish and a hand bell. If the presiding master lacks true virtue and genuine spiritual skills, the poor spirits remain wandering in space or trapped within their own , unable to find liberation.
A Plea for Redemption
"I corrupted the atmosphere of the temple. When I left the human world, I manifested a body riddled with illness; if one is not a true practitioner, one would not understand the significance of that. I left behind vast temple assets, which caused my disciples—who had not yet severed their attachment to the and —to give rise to afflictions and create karma, secretly fighting for the position of abbot. I was not unaware of this. Master! This disciple truly repented. I have brought such shame upon you.
"I hope that there is still an opportunity to make amends for my mistakes. Please, Practitioner Su, guide me on what I must do! Namo Amituofo."
"Chuanwen, written by my own hand."
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library