The Dark Secrets of the Imperial Harem

The Path of the Tathagata

Namo Amituofo's compassionate teachings for Lay Practitioner Zhuo:

March 31, 2020

Teachings from Namo Amituofo:

You carry the heavy burden of the Tathagata's work upon your shoulders. Follow Practitioner Su and walk the middle path. Everything you do is for the sake of the Tathagata; therefore, the work of the Tathagata must be performed with the heart of the Tathagata. You must embody the countenance, the appearance, the original heart, and the reality of the Tathagata. Let there be only the voice of the Tathagata in your speech, and see all beings as the Tathagata. Remember only the original vows of the Tathagata, and follow the Tathagata in all your actions.

Like a celestial maiden holding a silken thread in the heavens, you hold a precious vase from which divine light shines. Why do you insist on entangling yourself in old habits? Originally, you were not stained by anything. Life after life, for a hundred generations, these layers have piled up like solid rock. Your attachments bind your heart, making it difficult to find true freedom. You must learn to loosen your grip and let go.

When the Great Dharma is before your eyes, you must remain clear-headed. Why do you allow yourself to suffer from your own self-created delusions? Life is often like a dream, filled with intoxication and confusion. When you awaken, you will see the truth. When the body no longer feels, the mind no longer reacts, and your awareness becomes even brighter, you will finally be able to let go of your own self and achieve the state of the Tathagata.

Namo Amituofo.

The Hidden Spirits Within

We invite the beings residing within the body of Lay Practitioner Zhuo, who have manifested in her likeness, to come forward.

Venerable Faxin: We respectfully invite the beings who have manifested as Lay Practitioner Zhuo to appear.

(The beings are hiding within her hair.)

The Beings: We have been hiding within the thicket of her hair. Who told her to keep cutting her hair shorter and shorter? Now we have less and less of a place to dwell! We love it most when she has a sharp tongue, when the fires of anger burn in her heart, and when her hair stands on end from rage. At those moments, the beings throughout her body begin to stir. Some strike her chest, others knock upon her head, making her feel completely unwell. It is precisely then that I take command of her body and coordinate the other beings within her.

As an Empress, the beings within her respect me greatly, for the aura I radiate is extraordinary. When she walks, it is I; when she sits, it is I; when she eats, it is I; and when she loses her temper, it is most certainly I. How could I allow others to question me or speak ill of me? I could even strike the table in my fury. My eyes are sharp; I know who is sincere toward me and who is false. This was the way of survival in the imperial harem. I have no intention of forgiving her, nor will I let her off easily. If it were not for her, the Emperor would have trusted me most. If it were not for her, the harem would not have been stirred by such a wave of reform. Many who suffered in that upheaval are here with me within her body, and none of us can forgive her. If things did not go her way, not only the consorts but even their families would suffer. Everyone resented her, yet no one dared to defy her.

The Vengeance of the Past

When the Emperor was ill, I invited a Taoist priest to perform rites to dispel the misfortune in the palace. Later, a straw effigy filled with needles and covered in talismans was discovered in the Emperor's bedchamber. She persuaded the Emperor to point the finger at me. I wanted to defend myself, but I did not know how. My position as Empress was cruelly stripped away. I harboured deep resentment. From that moment on, my temper changed completely—from gentle to violent, from docile to erratic. No one came to care for me, and no one respected me. I cursed her, I went mad, and in the end, I truly lost my mind! I do not even know how I died. She did not meet a good end either; she died miserably, and eventually, she was replaced by a more beautiful woman in the Emperor's favour. No one stays on top forever, and she did not either. In the end, her heart was filled with the same injustice as mine. This is the retribution of the present life. After death, she fell into the hell of the nail-bed, the hell of the heart-piercing, and the hell of being hung upside down. However, I will not stop here. I control her head, causing her thoughts to be chaotic, and I can make her feel oppressed in her heart. I lead the other beings to seek revenge together. This cannot be blamed on me; it is the result of the cruelty she inflicted upon me in the past.

The Opportunity for Liberation

Venerable Faxin: Now that Lay Practitioner Zhuo has entered the Buddha’s gate and is doing her utmost for the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the habits within her are still being adjusted. In the past, no one taught her, but she is now helping to perform Chao Du for all of you. Could you not give yourselves a chance to be liberated and stop seeking karmic retribution?

The Beings: Liberation? I do not need liberation. For eight lifetimes, it has been this way. I only want to watch her die in agony. I did not expect that she would now be under the protection of the Buddha, making it very difficult for us to strike.

Venerable Faxin: The Buddha protects her, but He is also protecting you. The cycle of karmic retribution is not worth it. I believe you also miss your former selves—that simple heart that was not filled with hatred. This heart still exists; you only need to be willing to let go.

The Beings: I know you are good people, but the profound memory of that pain makes it impossible for me to let go. I cannot forget the injuries that occurred scene after scene in the past.

Venerable Faxin: The Buddha will warm your heart. You have suffered for a long time, as have the beings within Lay Practitioner Zhuo. Now that you have encountered the Buddha, I hope that everyone can start anew.

(The beings remain silent, their hearts filled with sorrow.)

We shall write a memorial tablet for all of you.

Memorial Tablet: For the 1,123 beings from the past imperial harem who were harmed and are now within the hair, head, eyes, chest, and heart of Lay Practitioner Zhuo. Representative: Wei Yingzhou (Seeking restoration, peace of mind, and purification). (To be admitted to the Western Land of Dharma Nature at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.)

Namo Amituofo.