The Demon Queen's Surrender

This article records the testimony of the demon queen Maya-na, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. After her failed attempt to interfere with the work of Practitioner Su, she was transformed and now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This interview was recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on April 11, 2022.

Demon Queen Maya-na (Shi Jinglian) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Maya-na. By hearing my name, you can tell that I am a female demon. After all, what male demon would choose a name as delicate as 'Maya-na'? I am of mixed heritage, which has allowed me to delve into both Eastern and Western cultures. I must admit, I was deeply curious about a practitioner from Taiwan—an Eastern nation—choosing to establish the headquarters of the Pure Land school in Australia, a land so deeply rooted in Western culture. I had heard that Buddhism in Taiwan is incredibly vibrant, with massive temple complexes and a steady stream of talented individuals spreading the Dharma. That is their local culture; it is easy to survive there, and it is widely accepted. But for Australia? Taiwan is a foreign land. For a Taiwanese person to gain a foothold here is no small feat, let alone to build a place like the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre—a bodhimanda that makes the demon realms tremble with fear. This piqued my interest immensely.

The Burden of Arrogance

Although I am a demon queen, I do not strike out at people lightly. I only target specific individuals: those who are arrogant, self-important, and prone to grandiosity. These people often believe that by inflating their own status, they can attract attention and validation. In reality, their hearts are deeply unsettled. They chase external recognition to support their fragile sense of self-worth. My own father was a merchant who arrived in China during the late Qing Dynasty. He saw my mother’s beauty, violated her, and thus I was born. I lived with him for a time, witnessing his arrogance and his utter disregard for my mother. Eventually, my mother fled with me, raising me alone through immense hardship. The persecution my father inflicted upon her left me with a deep, burning resentment toward such arrogant men. I never married. Because I was of mixed blood, I was exceptionally beautiful. I would use my appearance to lure arrogant men, letting them taste the agony of wanting something they could never possess. When I died, this mindset followed me into the demon realm, where my demon nature flourished. I made it my mission to let arrogant people get what they wanted, only to snatch it away at the last moment to crush their spirits.

The Power of Practitioner Su

Arrogance and self-inflation are everywhere—in every industry, every family, and every school. Even in religious circles, such characters exist, though they rarely dare to be too ostentatious. Buddhism, in particular, demands that one look inward. Those who are overly boastful usually remain confined to a small corner; they cannot expand their territory. However, Practitioner Su is known throughout the spiritual realms. In just a few years, he has become the one practitioner whom the demon crowds fear above all others. We demons have no interest in Buddhism, but we were fascinated by how this one man could subdue so many of our great demon lords. What kind of special ability did he possess? That, at least, was something that caught our attention.

We agreed to meet at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. The moment I touched the energy field of this place, I realised it was different from anywhere else. The energy was powerful, yet filled with compassion. I looked at the fourfold assembly of disciples—they had their emotional entanglements, but Practitioner Su? He had not a single trace of worldly emotion. As a lay practitioner in the human world, that alone told me everything I needed to know. It was no wonder he could subdue so many demons. Most human conflicts, and the reasons why the demon realms intervene, are inextricably linked to emotions. Emotion occupies a significant place in human survival, yet it is also the very thing that prevents humans from finding true peace of mind. It is the weakness we demons exploit most easily. We can make a mountain out of a molehill, causing even the most talented and promising people to stumble and fall. A true practitioner should be free of such emotions, but most cannot cut them off completely. They carry shadows of attachment, and those are the handles we use to grab them. We usually don't even bother looking at such practitioners.

The Attack on the Heel

But this Practitioner Su was different. There was no scent of emotion or selfishness in him—only an abundance of compassion and wisdom. He was a true practitioner, the likes of which I had not encountered in a very long time. After listening to one Dharma talk, we decided to go further and investigate his physical form. Before we left, a demon king warned me: 'Do not treat Practitioner Su like an ordinary practitioner.' I didn't take it to heart at the time, but now I had to be cautious. Recently, rumours had spread that many demon kings had attacked Practitioner Su’s feet, hoping to stop him from performing his Buddha-work, but none had returned. We led our demon children and grandchildren to attack his heel directly, as it is a vital point for supporting the body. If we could invade it, we would make it impossible for him to stand, making every step a struggle and causing him to lose his balance. The severity of the symptoms would depend on how deep we could penetrate. If we only entered the skin, the effect would be minor—just enough to make the muscle painful when touching the ground. But if we reached the bone or the nerves, it would cause deep, aching, and heavy pain.

We launched our attack in two waves. The first wave of vanguards entered his body, but they were met with a vibrating force that sent them flying backward. We realised it was the 'backlash' of Practitioner Su’s Vajra shield. Just before the first wave touched him, the second wave infiltrated the same spot! Finally, a small portion of our demon crowd managed to enter his heel. For us, this was a successful strike. Though the number of demons who entered was small, it was enough to make Practitioner Su feel pain and struggle to walk. We had succeeded! We wanted to push deeper into the bone, but the muscle layer of the sole seemed to have a protective barrier that blocked us. We remained in the muscle, and for several days, Practitioner Su suffered from the pain in his foot.

The Final Deliverance

Then came 'that day.' Practitioner Su was once again inviting the spirits residing in his feet to leave. We had successfully evaded this many times before, which is why we had managed to stay so long. We retreated deep into the muscle, thinking we would just wait until the ceremony was over. To our shock, we were suddenly frozen—completely unable to move. This had never happened before. Shortly after, my name was called. There was no time to think; as the great chime bowl sounded, we were all swept away into the Dharma-Nature Land. That was the end of our interference with Practitioner Su.

The Dharma-Nature Land was a world we had never encountered. Everywhere, the elegant fragrance of lotus flowers drifted through the air. I have always disliked scents, as many demons use them to invade others' bodies, stimulating desires and allowing us to control them. But the lotus fragrance here was pure. It made one feel relaxed without triggering any impure desires. I did not reject it; instead, I felt it was a form of healing. We sat on our lotus seats, thinking of nothing, for there was nowhere else to go. It felt quite good to just sit there in silence.

Practitioner Su gave the demon queen Maya-na the Dharma name 'Shi Jinglian'.

Shi Jinglian (Maya-na) speaks:

Reflections on the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies

I have experienced a peace and serenity here that I have never known before. There is no disregard, no comparison, no struggle, and no desperate craving for the satisfaction of desires. This is the first time I have truly felt a 'pure land.' This Thrice Yearning Ceremony was my first time participating in such a Dharma assembly. Previously, I had kept my distance from such events, but this experience completely changed my perception. I witnessed the reality of how the Buddha’s teachings Chao Du sentient beings.

The entire hall was shimmering with golden light, which instantly dissolved the defences in our hearts. During the ceremony, I could see many different dimensions, each filled with different beings. Some emitted different colours of light. Beings from the heavenly realms shone with a brighter radiance, while those from the netherworld appeared grey and dim. The light of the demon realm was dark and black. The golden light emitted by Namo Amituofo and the beings of the Western Pure Land covered the entire venue, radiating even into the sky. Countless beings who had come to the assembly entered this golden light and were Chao Du.

Practitioner Su’s countless manifestations, during each session of the ceremony, led his famous salvation team on a grand mission. Some rushed into the sky, while others spread to different countries—not just Australia, but China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. In a very short time, they brought back countless beings, placing them into the golden light and the memorial tablets. It was truly inconceivable!

Over the three days of the Dharma assembly, every session was packed, yet every being was Chao Du and sent away. They were the lucky ones. I felt that we, too, were among those fortunate ones. Practitioner Su brought a transformation to our lives. As I sit here in the Dharma-Nature Land, I am just like everyone else, quietly listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks.

Shi Jinglian

Namo Amituofo."