The Demon of Strange Ways

This is a record of an interview with the spirit known as Yi Fang, an ancient demon associated with the epidemic, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. This account reflects upon his origins and early life experiences. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on March 16, 2020.

Yi Fang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Yi Fang, the 'Strange Demon.' If you look at the character 'Yi' (異), you will see that it shares a structural similarity with the character for 'field' (田). Within that field, there is the character for 'ten' (十). This signifies that the core of my nature lies in the differences—the divergence in how one perceives people, events, and objects, which in turn dictates the path of one's actions. Those who are born with unique talents often manifest differently from the general public. My personality was always distinct; my thoughts were erratic and rapid, my reactions sharp, and my methods unconventional. I possessed a swift ability to learn, but more importantly, I harboured a subtle, defining trait: I was courageous in the face of challenge, preferred to walk alone, sought to control everything, and refused to be constrained. I craved absolute freedom. That, in essence, is the hallmark of the 'Strange Demon.' Because I valued freedom above all else, I frequently broke away from the norms of society, which often left me as an outsider, a fringe dweller in the eyes of others."

A Pampered Childhood and the Seeds of Wisdom

"I grew up in a wealthy, prominent family. As my parents were older when I was born, they doted on me incessantly. My grandparents, though already in their eighties, were remarkably healthy. My father often attributed their longevity to their consistent practice of Giving (Generosity). They were steadfast in performing good deeds and frequently donated medicine to the local temple. The good fruit of these actions was evident in their long and healthy lives. During my formative years, I grew taller and stronger than the other children, largely because I was so well-fed. I have vivid memories of my life between the ages of three and six; I was constantly praised by the adults around me. Despite my young age, I possessed a high level of Wisdom (Prajna) and an inexhaustible supply of energy. Whenever the adults shared their thoughts with me, my mind would immediately spark with alternative perspectives. Sometimes I would pose these questions to my father, and other times I would simply ponder them myself, finding the process deeply amusing. For instance, when I observed my grandparents' enthusiasm for Giving, I wondered: 'How is it that the more they give away, the wealthier they seem to become?' It was only after asking my father that I learned the truth: that Giving of wealth leads to the acquisition of wealth."

The Lesson of the Cane

"When I was five, my father took me to see a performance. I watched the clown on stage tumbling and flipping, and upon returning home, I immediately taught myself to walk on my hands. I spent my time in the courtyard, circling and somersaulting. When I tried to walk normally, I could only manage a few steps before I would revert to walking backwards or flipping over. The household servants would watch and laugh, indulging my whims. One day, however, I went to the private school and walked on my hands right up to the teacher. Before I knew what was happening, he struck me twice with a bamboo cane. It was the first time I had ever been hit, and the first time I truly understood the meaning of pain. From that day on, I began to walk properly, driven by the fear of being struck again. Having been spoiled since birth—with every need met before I could even ask—I had gradually developed some poor habits. Yet, after that change, I began to realise that what I had previously considered 'right' was not necessarily so; it was often just a manifestation of my own selfish thinking."

A Life of Wandering

"Time passed quickly, and my grandparents passed away one after another. By the time I was twenty, I was naturally optimistic and prone to laughter. I discovered something strange about myself: I had no interest in women, especially the pampered daughters of wealthy families. My mother frequently begged matchmakers to find me a wife, but I found none of them appealing. One day, the most persistent matchmaker, Granny Wang-Yao, came to our house. She smiled at me and said, 'Young Master! The match I have found for you today is one you will surely like. The families are well-matched, and she is beautiful. You are an only son, and she is an only daughter; your personalities are remarkably similar.' With that, she left. Her words piqued my curiosity. Similar to me? What exactly was my personality? I found myself thinking, 'How troublesome! Why must the world be divided into men and women?' I wanted to get to the bottom of it."

The Beggar's Secret

"Recalling that the young lady lived in a neighbouring village, I decided to pay a visit to the Chen family. Before the sun reached its zenith at noon, I arrived. In the back courtyard, I climbed the wall, hoping to sneak in, when I heard a voice calling out: 'Miss! Miss! Do not climb so high, come down at once!' I looked up, and there on the wall was the very daughter of the Chen family. Our heads bumped together, and we were both startled. We spoke of our inner thoughts and decided to become friends instead of pursuing marriage. My heart felt free, no longer bound by expectations. Upon returning home, I told my parents that I had met the young lady and that we had both decided against the marriage. After informing my parents, I decided to strike out on my own. My elders tried to persuade me, asking why I would choose to wander when I could live as a young master at home, but I ignored them. I packed a light bag and bid my parents farewell. Knowing my nature, they did not hinder me. I headed south, beginning a life of wandering. I carried only ten taels of silver, wanting to test my ability to adapt to the outside world. To my surprise, the money was gone within days, and I was left starving. I found an inn and asked the proprietor to hire me to wash dishes and clean. He looked at my soft hands, shook his head, and said, 'Hands like these cannot do rough work. Leave at once!' I told myself firmly: 'Do not underestimate me.' I said to him, 'Give me three days. Let me try washing dishes for three days without pay, and you can see for yourself if I am capable of this work.' Seeing my sincerity, he agreed. On the first day, I broke ten bowls, and he demanded compensation. By the second night, I hadn't broken a single one. By the third day at noon, there were no more bowls left for me to wash. My speed and efficiency grew, and the proprietor, impressed, said, 'Start working tomorrow.' I stayed for three months, and he grew very fond of my diligence, often saying I was worth two men. But I decided to move on. He gave me extra silver, and I left, happily carrying the steamed buns he had prepared for me as I walked toward the next village."

"I resolved to head to the back mountain the following evening to uncover the truth of the legends. As the sun began to set the next day, I prepared some water and a small amount of dry rations. Carrying these on my back, I set out, determined to open the mountain gate. Following the instructions the old beggar woman had given me, I performed the nine prostrations and sat silently on the ground to wait. Soon after, many men from the village arrived at the same spot. They also performed the nine prostrations and sat down to wait. However, most of them lacked the patience and eventually left. By the time deep night fell, I was the only one remaining.

The weather turned chilly, but I endured the biting wind as it lashed against me. I stood up, performed the nine prostrations once more, and sat back down. Suddenly, a beam of light shone upon me, growing brighter and brighter. I looked up and saw the gate swinging open. I dashed inside, and the moment I turned my head, the gate slammed shut behind me. At that moment, I thought to myself: 'Since I am here, I shall settle in.' I began to examine everything inside the mountain gate. Every single object was crafted from pure gold—the tables, the chairs, the cups, and even the candlesticks were all gleaming with a brilliant golden light. Furthermore, the ground was carpeted with gold coins. As I walked through the sea of coins, I was shocked to discover several sets of human skeletons. Seeing these remains filled my heart with terror; these were likely the bones of those the beggar woman had warned me about—people who could enter but never leave, eventually perishing within.

The Waterfall of Awakening

Just then, I heard the faint, delicate sound of flowing water. I followed the sound, walking until I reached the very end, where I found a waterfall. This stream was the source of the falls. I jumped into the water, and my entire body felt as though it had been jolted into a state of total awakening.

When I rose, I saw that I was standing before a vast, golden forest. It was so beautiful, so magnificent! I sat on a large rock beside the waterfall to rest my eyes and calm my spirit. Yet, when night fell, everything changed. The colors vanished, and there was not a sliver of moonlight—only absolute, suffocating darkness. That memory of darkness has haunted me for a thousand years. In a past life, I had become a monk, only to be betrayed by my fellow practitioners and cast into the Demon Realm. The resentment in my heart could not be extinguished. I realised then that everything here was a manifestation of spirits.

The Return of the Demon King

As I pondered this, a voice echoed through the air: 'Master! You have finally returned. You are our Demon King. You told us that you would leave for a while and then come back. You said you would go to repay those who had been kind to you in the past. You also told us that when you returned, you would bring a gold coin as a token of your promise.' I reached into my pocket and pulled out a gold coin. My subjects cried out, 'We are your people, and we have followed your instructions.' The people we control are those with strong subjective consciousness, those who desire to be different from others and crave the power to control everything. We satisfy their every whim, making them unable to leave us, and they become our subjects. If they want freedom, we give them the illusion of freedom.

A Choice Between Destruction and Deliverance

At this time, we were awaiting the Demon King's instructions because we were boarding the 'destruction ship' of the current pandemic. Because there are so many selfish people in the world, the demon kings of various realms are currently competing to seize and occupy the bodies and minds of humanity. I furrowed my brow. I thought that we should turn the tables, perform well, and seize this opportunity to destroy humanity—this was the moment for the Demon Realm to dominate. However, hearing the Dharma talks given by Practitioner Su awakened my conscience. I decided to bring my subjects to listen to the Dharma, to change their views so they would not end up like me—wandering the edge of existence for a thousand years, caught between good and evil, forever drifting and uncertain. We decided together to seek the teachings. Once we made this choice, the darkness began to lift, and light gradually returned. I am the Yifang Demon of the Demon Yifang realm, and I have brought my 'demon children and grandchildren' to take refuge in the Buddha’s gate and rely upon the Buddha.

The Words of Namo Amituofo

The Buddha gave the instruction: 'Your Dharma name shall be Shi Wuzhen.'

This interview message was recorded by the chief writer, the Buddhist disciple Shi Hailiang. Namo Amituofo."