The Demon's Defeat: A Testimony of Transformation

This interview features the demon commander Heisheng, who previously led a legion of demon crowds in interfering with the work of Practitioner Su. After attempting to attack the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, he and his legion were purified by the Buddha-light and brought into the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This testimony was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on May 9, 2023.

Heisheng (Shi Yiyou) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Heisheng. When you see half the sky turn black, that is the shadow of our presence. We are a group of powerful, formidable armies from the Demon Realm, and our control over humanity is meticulously planned. We cast our gaze across various planets, searching for their weaknesses—vulnerabilities that we can exploit and leverage to our advantage.

The Strategy of Darkness

In the vastness of the void, we observe countless spirits. Naturally, we devise ways to recruit them as our 'demon children and grandchildren,' draping them in black robes. We stop at nothing; we commit every evil imaginable. Sometimes, to expand our influence, we collaborate with other demon crowds, breaking through our targets before dividing the spoils among ourselves.

Our methods of intrusion have long since formed a set pattern, with each of my 'demon children and grandchildren' performing their assigned duties. Our operations have always run with remarkable smoothness. I never imagined there would come a day when our plans would be thwarted."

The Unexpected Resistance

"The first time we encountered resistance, it was a boundless, impenetrable light blocking our path. We, a massive legion of demons, struggled in the darkness, desperate to break through, yet we could not advance. As the leader, I was furious. After making inquiries everywhere, I discovered that this force blocking us originated from Earth.

When we realised it was Earth, I couldn't help but sneer. I thought to myself, 'What is Earth? Earth is far too simple for us. So many places there have long been our territory. My demon children and grandchildren, slow your pace; there is nothing to fear.' Regarding Earth, we control the thoughts of the majority. As long as there is ill will toward others in their minds, or if they are driven by selfish desires, we immediately seize upon it. We make them dwell on their own interests, constantly planning for themselves. Such selfish hearts often lead them to harm others for their own gain. In their constant state of mutual suspicion and espionage, their demon nature naturally manifests, making them easy targets for our control. This happens so frequently that we have naturally developed a vast number of subjects under our influence. This was our impression of Earth; to us, it was an effortless task."

The Confrontation at Hsiang Kuang

"Our black legion arrived on Earth, and seeing that the humans were still as we had conditioned them to be, I felt half-relieved. We advanced toward the location of Practitioner Su. First, we saw a light of immense brilliance; the magnetic field of this place was indeed different. Our black legion is most skilled at aggressive attacks; no matter the situation, we always carve a path forward. Therefore, I thought this time would be no exception.

I led my legion to launch an attack on Practitioner Su—grabbing at the feet, circling the head, covering the eyes, and so on. We began by testing the waters with demonic power, controlling from a distance. For an ordinary person, there should have been a strong reaction by now—perhaps total physical weakness or a complete shift in their mental state.

However, no matter how much demonic power we exerted, Practitioner Su’s body showed only the slightest of symptoms, which did not affect his overall functioning in the least. We were absolutely astonished by this. I thought, 'Perhaps the distance is too great. If we move closer, perhaps Practitioner Su will feel the impact.'"

The Light of Purification

"So, our entire black legion moved closer to Practitioner Su, intending to unleash our full magic. But as soon as we approached, we discovered that boundless Dharma protectors surrounded him, making it impossible to get near. We exerted every ounce of our demonic power, but to our shock, after being in that light for only a brief moment, our once-full power began to diminish. My entire body grew weaker and weaker, until finally, the strength I intended to use for the attack could not even reach him. I was utterly stunned; I had never encountered such a thing, so I struggled desperately to resist. But the moment I harboured the intention to resist, the Buddha-light shone even brighter upon me.

My whole body softened. I wanted to see how the 'demon children and grandchildren' I led were faring. To my surprise, they were all exactly like me. The legion I was once most proud of was now being transformed within the Buddha-light. I wanted to shout at them, to tell them to hold on, but I found I didn't even have the strength to roar as I usually did. In the blink of an eye, we were sent into the Dharma-Nature Land. In that bright, luminous world, we were being purified at every moment. My demonic power kept fading; I desperately wanted to preserve it, but it was not to be.

I do not know when it began, but my heart started to glow. The light grew brighter and brighter, and I gradually saw my true nature. It turns out that I, too, have a soft heart—a side that once truly wanted to help others. It had simply been covered over by the cycle of rebirth, but now, at last, I have found it again. When I saw my past in that moment, my heart was filled with gratitude—gratitude for the compassion of the Buddha and the compassion of Practitioner Su."

Practitioner Su bestowed upon the demon Heisheng the Dharma name 'Shi Yiyou'.

Witnessing the Dharma Assembly

"The sky emitted a deep blue radiance, and within this light, countless spirits appeared one after another. I tried to see the face of each spirit clearly and discovered that the magnetic field emitted by each one was different. The spaces of various historical eras can be described as infinitely layered.

As the scene zoomed in, I could see the intricate details of Practitioner Su’s Chao Du. Across the earth, there were worms of various sizes, and even individual grains of sand. There were all kinds of animals, and layer upon layer of sentient beings within the earth's crust, rocks of all sizes, and various spirits in the space around us. After a beam of Buddha-light shone down, countless spirits were saved; the number in each batch was beyond calculation.

Looking at the space of deliverance on a larger scale, in the context of the universe, Earth is but a small corner, yet it has nurtured countless creatures. Just like other planets in the universe, the living beings on every planet are immeasurable and boundless. It is like scattering a handful of sand: those who have karmic affinity to be saved by the Buddha are picked up by the Buddha, while those whose affinity is not yet ripe must wait. When the conditions are ripe, the Buddha will return to help these beings.

I looked at these beings. Some are still in ignorance, still wanting to rely on others, still wanting to live their accustomed lives, unaware that their attachments have already formed, which is why they exist so ignorantly within these spaces. Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body performs this great deliverance not only because of his own vow, but more often because he feels the suffering of sentient beings. Because the Buddha sees the beings, knowing that many are in the midst of fire and water or are being suppressed and suffering retribution in various regions, he performs this great deliverance to quickly open up space.

The space within space cannot be described in words; it can only be explained through the capacity of the heart and the vastness of the universe. Currently, only Practitioner Su has truly reached such a realm. In the process of cultivating talent, one must break through many physical and mental obstacles. Once that step is truly taken, the results in the future will be inconceivable. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is shining and radiating heat, preparing to save countless creatures. I am deeply grateful for Practitioner Su’s great vow.

Namo Amituofo.

Shi Yiyou"