The Demon's Path to Goodness

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Chang Gao, who reflects on the extraordinary events witnessed during the Dharma assembly at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. This interview was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on November 18, 2022.

Venerable Chang Gao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Venerable Chang Gao. The name of Practitioner Su resonates powerfully throughout our Dharma assembly. Everywhere I turn, I hear the spirits calling out, 'Practitioner Su! Practitioner Su!' They are all rushing forward, desperate to seek Spiritual Deliverance from him.

The Unprecedented Sight of Demons Seeking Deliverance

Today marks the first day of our Dharma assembly, and the first group of spirits to arrive left me truly astonished. They were not ordinary spirits; they were demon crowds. In my experience, the nature of most demons is incredibly strong and stubborn. To have them proactively seek Spiritual Deliverance is a task that would normally be considered more difficult than ascending to the heavens. That has always been the case in the past. However, here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, we are witnessing something entirely different: many demon crowds are coming forward of their own volition to seek Spiritual Deliverance. These are not merely little demons, but powerful, significant great demons.

The Demon Kings have arrived, accompanied by their demon children and grandchildren. They are remarkably well-behaved, lining up in neat, orderly rows, waiting quietly for their turn to seek Spiritual Deliverance. If you were to look past their fierce and terrifying faces, you would never guess they were demons at all. They stand one after another, maintaining such perfect order and discipline that it is truly a sight to behold.

The Transformation of the Demon Realm

I found myself wondering why these demon crowds have undergone such a profound transformation. I took the opportunity to ask several of the Demon Kings about this change. I learned that they had all been listening to the Dharma talks given by Practitioner Su. Recently, we have been discussing the various forms of karmic retribution that demons suffer, and hearing these accounts has filled them with a deep sense of fear. They have come to realise the gravity of their mistakes and the weight of their past actions. After a period of intense internal struggle and reflection, they made the firm decision to come here and seek Spiritual Deliverance from Practitioner Su.

As I observed these beings, I realised that their original nature was not inherently evil. If, before they had entered the Demon Realm, they had been fortunate enough to encounter a true spiritual friend who could have guided them and helped them shift their mental note, perhaps they would never have reached the point of becoming demons. It is a great tragedy that they lacked such blessings and Causal Conditions, which ultimately led them to enter the Demon Realm and commit boundless sins.

An Ancient Prophecy Fulfilled

What brings me such joy is that Practitioner Su possesses the unique ability to subdue demonic enemies and lead these demon crowds toward Spiritual Deliverance, helping them to settle their karmic debts. This is something that has never been seen throughout history. In fact, thousands of years ago, it was prophesied that in the future, a remarkable person would appear who could subdue demons, save demons, and lead them to perform acts of Goodness. At the time, those who heard this prophecy thought it was absurd—how could a demon ever perform acts of Goodness? Yet, now that we see it with our own eyes, witnessing Practitioner Su leading these crowds of demons to perform acts of Goodness and save sentient beings, we can only conclude that it is truly inconceivable.

Namo Amituofo."