The Demon Who Sought to Conquer Practitioner Su

This is a record of an interview with the demon Mo Bu Xi, who attempted to interfere with the work of Practitioner Su. He now reflects upon his failed attempt to challenge the power of the Dharma. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on May 16, 2022.

Mo Bu Xi speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. When I first learned that this 'planetary being' named Practitioner Su was interfering with our Milky Way, I did not immediately report it to the other demon crowds. You see, my name is 'Mo Bu Xi'—I specialize in reporting 'good news' and never 'bad news'. I only talk about 'successes', never 'failures'. So, this 'bad news' about Practitioner Su interfering in our galaxy? I had no intention of letting the other demon crowds know just yet. I planned to wait until I had soundly defeated him, and then I would broadcast the good news far and wide. I wanted every demon to know that I, Mo Bu Xi, had subdued this mysterious planetary being and stopped him from bothering our galaxy any further."

The Strategy of the Nebula

"I gathered my demon children and grandchildren and we hid within the dense, swirling clouds of a nebula. We did not want this planetary being to spot us easily. After all, we had not yet gauged his true power, nor did we know if he was 'good' or 'evil'. One must always be cautious and prepared before taking the next step in a plan. I issued my command, and in an instant, all my demon children and grandchildren shrank their bodies down until they were nothing more than tiny specks, vanishing into the layers of the nebula.

Once I was certain they were all safely tucked away, I quickly shrank myself down as well and slipped into a patch of the nebula. I ordered everyone to shift the nebula's position, gradually drawing closer to this planetary being to observe exactly what he was doing. As I hid within the nebula, I felt how crowded it was. It was not just me in there; there were countless other spirits, all existing in the same nebula, though in different dimensions. I ignored them—they did not interfere with me. I only cared about using this nebula as a cloak to get closer to the target."

The Golden Light of Deliverance

"I began to channel my demonic power, pushing the nebula forward, moving closer and closer to the planetary being. Everything seemed to be going perfectly. Then, something truly bizarre happened. We were still tens of thousands of kilometres away, yet the golden light radiating from this planetary being began to shine upon the nebula where we were hiding. It touched us, and I felt the warmth and the sheer, overwhelming energy of that light. It was a power I had never encountered before. Even more strange, the other spirits hiding in the nebula suddenly began to vanish in droves. The space in the nebula became much less crowded.

I watched, transfixed, as these spirits were simply swept away by that golden light. Where were they going? How could this planetary being possess such immense energy that he could reach us from so far away? I had thought we were on the verge of a successful ambush, but he had immediately shown us his true capability. I turned to my demon children and grandchildren and asked, 'Are you all still here? Has anyone been taken by the light?' They replied that they had not dared to move without my command, but all the other strange spirits around us had been taken. I realized then that it wasn't just my patch of the nebula—every nebula within the reach of that golden light was being emptied."

The Illusion of Power

"My demon children and grandchildren asked me what we should do now—should we press forward or retreat? I thought to myself: I have always been successful in my endeavours. I only ever report perfect results. If I were to retreat now, wouldn't that mean I had been defeated by this golden light and this planetary being? That would be a terrible blow to my reputation as Mo Bu Xi. I forbade it! I absolutely forbade any retreat.

I issued a command to my children and grandchildren: 'No matter what the situation is ahead, we must move forward bravely. That is the spirit of the demon realms—fierce and fearless! Everyone, charge!' They all obeyed, rushing toward the golden light, determined to understand what was happening, regardless of the consequences. As we closed the distance, I continuously exerted my demonic power, trying to counter the golden light. That was when I realized things were going terribly wrong. Every time I unleashed my power, it was instantly swallowed by the light. No matter how much I exerted myself, it had no effect. The power of the golden light was simply too vast; my demonic power was insignificant by comparison, and it was being steadily whittled away."

An Unexpected Replenishment

"Based on my past experiences, having exerted my power hundreds of times, my energy should have been completely depleted. I should have been down to ten or five percent of my capacity, or even below zero, left unable to move and dependent on other Demon Kings to restore me. But, to my shock, that did not happen. My energy had not decreased; it had actually become more abundant. What was going on? The other demon children and grandchildren noticed the same thing. They told me their energy was surging, far greater than before. How could such a 'good thing' be happening to us?

I was utterly baffled. I began to observe with my heightened senses and realized that the energy we were receiving was coming directly from that golden light. While the light was consuming our demonic power, it was simultaneously replenishing our energy! This left me completely confused. Was this golden light our enemy or our friend? Why would it consume our power while refilling our energy? What could this possibly mean?"

"Just as I was contemplating our next move, a flash of golden light streaked past us with incredible speed. I immediately demanded of my demon children and grandchildren, 'Did you see that?' They all replied in unison, 'We did!' Our intuition was absolute; that golden light was undoubtedly Practitioner Su!

We moved rapidly in the direction the golden light had entered the Earth, descending swiftly toward a vast expanse of land. As we drew closer, the scene became clearer. It was a white structure—some sort of object that Earthlings use for shelter, though I have no idea what they call such things. That was irrelevant to us; our only goal was to track down Practitioner Su.

A Failed Ambush

The golden light vanished as it entered the white structure. My demon children and grandchildren cried out, 'Great King, Practitioner Su must be inside!' They were right. I quickly issued commands to surround the location completely. I ensured there was no chance for escape; above, below, and on every side, my demon children and grandchildren filled the space, leaving not even the smallest gap. I was brimming with confidence, certain that I would capture Practitioner Su and strip him of all his energy and skills.

I could see him clearly inside. At the perfect moment, I led my demon horde in an assault on his physical form. We sensed that his legs and groin were the most vulnerable points. Without a moment's hesitation, we launched a fierce, rapid attack on his legs. I could feel that Practitioner Su was aware of our presence, yet he showed no reaction whatsoever.

We were unable to penetrate his body, remaining outside to carry out our relentless assault. I urged my demon children and grandchildren not to give up, demanding they exert their maximum strength to topple him once and for all. We laboured for a full day and night, watching the sky over Earth shift from day to night and back to dawn, yet Practitioner Su remained entirely unaffected, continuing to use his Dharma Body to travel and save beings everywhere.

The Humiliation of Defeat

Just as we were preparing our next wave of attacks, Practitioner Su suddenly had us all plucked out. I was truly terrified. How could we have been captured so easily? His speed was blinding. In an instant, he transported every single one of us to this Western Land of Dharma Nature where we now reside. Not a single one of us was left behind; we were all brought here.

It was a total loss of face. I hadn't even had the chance to report good news to the other Demon Kings before I, along with all my demon children and grandchildren, had been captured. I sat upon my lotus seat, not daring to lift my head, feeling utterly humiliated. Utterly humiliated!

— Mo Bu-xi

Practitioner Su bestowed upon Mo Bu-xi the Dharma name Shi Ping-zhen.

Reflections on the Thrice Yearning Ceremony

Here in the Dharma-Nature Land, even though I kept my head bowed, my ears could still hear. I heard a great commotion coming from Practitioner Su's side, with many sounds emerging. Especially after the massive drums were struck, the entire space became vibrant and lively, as if a grand event were being held on a momentous day.

I was deeply drawn by these sounds and could not help but steal a glance. When I looked, I was stunned to see immeasurable and boundless sentient beings gathered below. How could so many spirits be assembled in one place? What were they doing?

I learned from the other Demon Kings that today was the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, and Practitioner Su was busy using his Dharma Body to save beings everywhere. As they spoke, I saw it with my own eyes: Practitioner Su truly had countless manifestations, entering infinite spaces. Throughout the entire process, he chanted the holy name 'Namo Amituofo,' generating immense energy and golden light to deliver the spirits within those realms.

Beyond that, I saw other beings also working alongside Practitioner Su to save sentient beings. There were even incredibly long processions of spirits circling the Earth, chanting 'Namo Amituofo.' What on earth was happening?

The other Demon Kings explained that this was Practitioner Su's salvation team. Working with him in different spaces were Bodhisattvas of the universe, Bodhisattvas of the Milky Way, and new Buddha-children. The spirits circling the Earth came from all directions—some descending from the Western Land, others joining from various spaces—all of them beings who had received deliverance from Practitioner Su. After being saved, each of them emulated Practitioner Su's great compassionate heart, joining the chanting procession to circle the Earth and deliver sentient beings.

I was left completely dumbfounded. It was extraordinary. I never imagined that a human from Earth, Practitioner Su, could orchestrate such a magnificent scene, with so many spirits following his lead, and so many of us demons being subdued.

Witnessing such an awe-inspiring scene of deliverance, I said to myself, 'Mo Bu-xi, what is so great about you? You don't possess even a fraction of Practitioner Su's power.' Having recognised the truth, I sincerely admired Practitioner Su and wished to learn from him.

Now, I have come to admire Practitioner Su immensely. I follow along, chanting the Buddha's name without ceasing, and I have begun to listen to Practitioner Su's Dharma talks. I feel incredibly comfortable in my whole being. There is no longer any need to cling to dignity or face. Everything is a fresh start. I am learning with an open mind, studying Practitioner Su's compassion and mind-capacity, and using this Dharma name the Buddha gave me, 'Shi Ping-zhen,' I have begun my practice.

Namo Amituofo.

— Shi Ping-zhen"