The Demon's Lament: A Victim of Human Experimentation

This is a record of an interview with Lin Shunyang, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life approximately eighty years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Li Jiaxian, on March 16, 2020.

Lin Shunyang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Lin Shunyang. While I may not be the great demon, I am certainly famous within the Demon Realm. In the world of humans, most beings are merely wearing a layer of human skin, while their heart is far worse than that of wild beasts. For the sake of their own interests, they disregard the lives of others. As long as they can secure their own power, they will stop at nothing, secretly committing acts of total destruction.

I was one of those victims, and even now, I dare not look back at the past. I do not wish to speak of it, for it is a memory that cuts through the heart like a blade. I grew up in a modest, happy family, living a life free from worry. But heaven has unpredictable storms, and war erupted everywhere. The chaos left everyone in a state of constant panic. The elders of my village packed up their belongings and fled, and we did the same. I followed my parents, carrying our luggage, fleeing our home. Unexpectedly, halfway through our journey, my parents caught a severe cold. We were forced to sleep in the open, and unable to find a doctor, they passed away one after another. Suddenly, my entire world turned dark and void of light.

A Childhood Shattered by War

Heavens! I was only a ten-year-old child, not knowing where to go or what to do. I cried until I lost consciousness. Fortunately, a kind-hearted uncle and another man helped me bury my parents. I knelt on the ground and kowtowed to thank them for their mercy. From that day on, I became a helpless orphan. Without a goal, I followed the refugees, moving forward, living a life where I never knew if I would have the next meal.

I do not know how much time had passed when a kind-hearted man finally took me in. There were many other orphans like me. He gave us good food and clothes, allowing us to live without worry. At the time, I was so grateful to him for taking us in during such a defiled world. We orphans were very listen-oriented; we followed every word he said. One day, he told us he would take us to a fun place, and we were all very excited. He brought us to a mysterious location. The moment we arrived, I felt a chill run down my spine. I whispered to him that I wanted to leave, but he glared at me with such ferocity—it was the first time I had seen him angry, and I was so terrified I dared not make a sound. He left us with a single sentence: 'Stay here for a few days, and I will come back for you.' He then walked away without looking back. Suddenly, I did not know what to do. We were all separated and taken to different places.

The Copper Walls of Agony

I was taken to a place that felt like it was surrounded by copper walls and iron barriers. My entire body was covered in goosebumps. In that cold, sterile space, apart from three meals a day, there was nothing. I do not know how long I stayed there, but eventually, a pungent, acrid smell filled the air, making it hard for me to breathe. After some time, our skin began to swell, fester, and ooze pus. The pain was unbearable. Eventually, my throat and oesophagus also began to rot, making it impossible to eat. That experience of suffering! It turned out that the man who had 'kindly' taken us in had sold us to the Japanese soldiers who were invading China at the time. They used our bodies to research biological weapons and bacteria, intending to use these weapons to launch a war and control the people of every nation.

What terrifying people! Why did they want to rule China and dominate the entire world? They would stop at nothing, researching biological bacteria to harm humanity, using human bodies for their experiments! At that time, being eroded by these bacteria, I was no longer recognisable as a human being. My whole body was festering, and the pain was beyond words. I thought to myself: How can there be such vicious people in the world, using human bodies for experiments? As my suffering intensified, I hated that man who had pretended to be kind, and I hated the Japanese soldiers who invaded China even more. Hatred filled my consciousness. At the moment I finally drew my last breath, a powerful force sucked me away, and I arrived at the side of the Demon King.

From Victim to Demon

I worked hard to learn from the Demon King, and in the fastest time possible, I became his right-hand man. I specialised in controlling ambitious scientists who would stop at nothing to research human bacteria, as well as corporations with endless greed. I made them work until they were so exhausted they could barely move, yet they were forced to continue. We also controlled those who were ambitious and greedy for wealth; we could enter their mind and manipulate them. This time, participating in the destruction of humanity and the spreading of bacteria alongside our Demon King was only the beginning. Why did our Demon King go to investigate Practitioner Su? Why did they go and never return?

I also came to investigate, never expecting that there truly exists in this world a peaceful, auspicious energy that can subdue the demon crowds. So many demons have been subdued by Practitioner Su. He radiates light, and there is a peaceful power within him; even I was subdued by this force. After listening to the Dharma in the Dharma-Nature Land, I finally understood that all laws of karma and cause and effect are the result of Causal Conditions created in the past. After listening to the Dharma here, I no longer wish to seek revenge. I am grateful to Namo Amituofo, and I am grateful for the compassion of Practitioner Su, who has given me this opportunity to change your ways.

Namo Amituofo."

This interview was recorded by the Buddhist disciple Li Jiaxian.