The Demon's Chain: A Journey from Darkness to Awakening

This is a record of an interview with the spirit known as Mo Lian, who sought Spiritual Deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his existence as a cosmic demon approximately 6.3 billion years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing, on December 13, 2023.

Mo Lian speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Mo Lian. I have lived through death and rebirth over five thousand times, fifty thousand times, fifty million times... yet in which of those lives was I truly awake? For sixty-three billion years, I have cycled through endless deaths and rebirths, yet not once did I achieve true clarity. This cycle continued until I became a demon and entered the universe. It is only now, at this moment, that a transformation has finally occurred.

The Agony of Endless Samsara

What does it feel like to stop the cycle of rebirth? Before coming here, I truly could not have answered that, for I had not stopped for far too long. Whether a spirit does good or evil, the suffering remains the same—the agony of being unable to escape, the inability to find liberation. In the Dharma assembly here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I heard Practitioner Su calling out to the 'karmic creditors, ancestors, and teachers of many lifetimes' of so many people. I began to think: how many karmic creditors and ancestors have I accumulated over my countless lifetimes? They surely have not yet attained liberation. When this thought arose, a wave of profound sorrow washed over me. If I had only strived to become a Buddha over these past sixty-three billion years, perhaps they would have had a chance at salvation. Instead, I became a demon. Not only did I fail to save them, but I also created even more sins.

I once told myself: 'If I cannot become a Buddha, then I shall become a great demon!' Those were words spoken out of extreme disappointment in the Buddha’s teachings. When I uttered those words, I committed the very acts that bound me to samsara. The greatest victim of my choices was myself. I feel a deep sense of remorse for the innocent beings I harmed, who, to this day, have yet to find liberation.

The Lost Practitioner of Bidebo

Before I became a demon, I lived on the planet Bidebo. I possessed a human body identical to those on Earth. That planet has been gone for billions of years now. When I had that human body, I was a practitioner. We were all confined to a secluded place for rigorous practice, completely cut off from the world to avoid all interference. In such an environment, our hearts should have been pure, but mine was not. The reason was that my own personality had chained my heart. I could not let go of this body; I was still struggling and fighting within myself over what the body desired and cared about. I often harboured negative thoughts.

I was obsessed with whether I could gain my master's approval. I would constantly observe the practice of others and compare myself to them. If they were better than me, I would grow angry at myself and try to imitate them. In the end, I completely lost my original self; I no longer knew what I was practising for. I could never settle my heart because I was terrified of losing, terrified of failure. When I saw what others had, I wanted it immediately. But how could such things be obtained just by wanting them? I could not calm down to think; I only wanted to be faster, to take bigger steps to keep up, or even to surpass them.

The Illusion of Diligence

To outsiders, I appeared to be a very diligent practitioner. I performed every task more assiduously than anyone else. But if one looked into my heart, I was not practising at all. I was merely chasing shadows, working hard on external matters while my inner world remained in chaos. I became worse, filled with jealousy, comparison, and a desperate desire for speed and dominance. My practice yielded no results; I only saw my body aging. Facing this, I grew frustrated, then angry. My thoughts became extreme, negative, and filled with a demon nature. In my distorted perception, I believed the Buddha was biased—that despite my efforts, He did not bless me, but instead helped those who were not as diligent as I was.

My mental state made my appearance ugly, and I could no longer chant the Buddha-name with sincerity. My heart became increasingly restless. In the end, desperate for achievement, I chose the methods of demonic paths to strengthen my abilities. I fell into the demon path and became a demon. My erroneous thoughts and wrong methods led to disastrous results. Yet, at the time, I did not reflect on myself. I blamed the Buddha, believing He had failed to bless me. My negative thoughts pushed me toward becoming a demon. My character indeed contained a demon nature; even in such a pure and tranquil environment, I could not remove it. The root cause was that I could not see my own personality flaws and errors, and I viewed the practice of the Buddha’s teachings through a distorted lens.

The Path of Vengeance

My master tried to counsel me many times, but once the mind is controlled by demons, even words of encouragement can be heard as accusations or mockery. Especially when I saw my master encouraging others, I felt a bitter resentment that only deepened my negativity. Consequently, I ignored all of my master’s teachings, allowing my negative thoughts to take control and interfere with my pure heart. After becoming a demon, my heart was filled with hatred. My goal was to become a 'great demon,' to possess immense power and status in the Demon Realm, and to satisfy my cravings for fame, status, and power. More importantly, I wanted revenge. I was unwilling to accept that I could not become a Buddha, so I sought to destroy.

I went everywhere doing evil. I used my 'demon chain' to bind the impure and unrighteous thoughts of others, making them unable to break free. They quickly became like walking corpses because their hearts were chained by me. I did not want any practitioner to succeed, nor did I want the Buddha’s teachings to spread, so I constantly engaged in destruction. Wherever the Buddha’s teachings exist, there are demons. This is inevitable, for as long as the heart has not fully become a Buddha, there is still a demon nature. This nature attracts us demon crowds, waiting for the opportunity to occupy and exploit the hearts of those who study the Buddha’s teachings. If they cannot become Buddhas, they are destined to become demons.

The Confrontation with Practitioner Su

After hearing of Practitioner Su’s achievements, I immediately shifted my target to him, determined to attack with all my might. My demon chain was not only meant to bind Practitioner Su’s heart but also his Dharma Body, so that he could no longer use it to save sentient beings. I was jealous of his success—something I had failed to achieve after half a lifetime of practice. To defeat him, I sent all my 'demon children and grandchildren' to attack. I was certain that if I could capture Practitioner Su, I would be the victor. I arrived with a heart full of arrogance, observing the routines of this Buddha-land, waiting for every opportunity to strike.

In the end, I failed. I failed because my demonic power could not compare to the Buddha’s power. I was evil, and Practitioner Su’s power was righteous. No matter how much confidence I had, or how many plans I made, I could not win. I was sent into the Western Dharma-Nature Land.

A New Beginning

Practitioner Su gave me the Dharma name 'Shi Kai He'.

Shi Kai He (formerly the Demon Chain) shares his reflections after participating in the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies:

What is the purpose of studying the Buddha’s teachings? Why should one study them? After observing Practitioner Su’s practice and the way he delivers sentient beings, I felt deeply ashamed. Only then did I understand what true practice is. The greatest difference between me and Practitioner Su is that my practice was for myself, while his is sincerely for the sake of all beings. This difference is vast. No matter how many thousands or tens of thousands of years I practised, I could never compare to even a year of Practitioner Su’s practice, because my mental notes were wrong.

Studying the Buddha’s teachings requires selflessness; it requires letting go of the 'self.' When one studies from the perspective of the self, wanting to help and benefit oneself, one can never succeed. Upon realising this, I looked back at my past self with profound regret and repented for the sins I had committed. I am grateful for the Causal Conditions that brought me here to Practitioner Su, where the Buddha truly resides to teach sentient beings. Seeing Practitioner Su manifest the results of true practice fills me with admiration and joy.

Watching Practitioner Su use his Dharma Body to deliver sentient beings—no matter which space they inhabit—as long as the Causal Conditions are ripe, they can obtain deliverance through Su Fo's countless billions of manifestations. On the day of the Dharma assembly, boundless numbers of spirits and demons appeared. Many came voluntarily to seek Spiritual Deliverance, while many demon crowds came to attack. I saw Practitioner Su without a trace of fear, radiating twelve rays of Buddha-light, instantly delivering all the spirits before him, while simultaneously delivering countless more throughout the Milky Way and the universe.

Seeing Practitioner Su’s power, I realised this is the best example of how to study the Buddha’s teachings. I did not waste this life by coming to this world. I praise Practitioner Su, yet I lament for myself. I lament that I did not properly utilise my hard-won human body, caring only for what my body desired. In the end, not only did I fail to achieve, but I also fell into the demon path, becoming a great demon who committed boundless sins. I repent with all my heart. I now vow to follow Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su to begin my study of the Great Dharma anew.

Namo Amituofo.

Shi Kai He"