The Demon's Path to Rediscovering His Original Nature

This interview was recorded on September 1, 2021, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. It features the testimony of a demon known as Gangqiang, who was responsible for spreading the pandemic. After being subdued by the immense light of the Buddha-land and the power of Practitioner Su, he underwent a profound transformation, repenting for his past actions and receiving the Dharma name Shi Yuanzhen.

Demon Gangqiang (Shi Yuanzhen) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Gangqiang. Ever since I entered the Demon Realm, I have grown increasingly powerful, for there are far too many people in this world who resonate with my 'strength.' Beyond the Demon Realm, how many powerful magnetic fields exist in this universe? This magnetic field is nothing other than 'personality.' Who does not have a personality? As long as there is a 'strong' heart within, we can scatter our 'demon children and grandchildren' upon them. Hahaha—"

"Beyond the existence of our Demon Realm within the hearts of humans, we also exist within the animal kingdom, the plant kingdom, in stones, in the clouds, and even among celestial beings. What I speak of is that most subtle part within the heart. As long as the heart is not completely transparent—as long as there is even a tiny shadow of darkness—we can insert ourselves into it."

The Pandemic as a Grand Stage

"The global pandemic—hahaha—can be said to be the grand stage upon which we perform. 'Fear' is precisely the purpose for which we brought about this pandemic. Does everyone not believe themselves to be good, strong, and perfect? Then why be afraid? Hmph! It turns out that everyone's 'perfection' is merely their own definition, a way of looking at themselves. From the perspective of our Demon Realm, this body that you consider perfect is riddled with holes and sores. With just one such hole, we can break in and stir things up thoroughly."

"This time, bringing the pandemic into the human body was meant to wake everyone up, to let everyone know that 'death' is right before their eyes. No matter how strong you are, or what status you hold, as long as there is a stain within you, you cannot escape our demonic grasp."

The Arrogance of the Demon

"Humanity is arrogant, and we love arrogance as well. I held my head at a forty-five-degree angle while spreading the pandemic, doing so with great relish, preparing to bring humanity a 'great death,' a great elimination. It is quite normal, is it not? Survival of the fittest—this is a natural theory."

"I am Gangqiang, having entered the Demon Realm twenty thousand years ago, so I understand the human heart all too well. Under my gaze, nothing can be faked. I led my 'demon children and grandchildren' in; some occupied the respiratory tract, some the airways, and some the heart, leaving people not only struggling to breathe but also filled with extreme fear."

The Encounter with the Buddha-Land

"I cast a wide net, preparing to ensnare many people; I never expected that interference would appear. This I would not allow, and I had never encountered it before! When the source of the interference appeared, I charged toward it without hesitation! This place in the universe is called a 'Buddha-land,' and I heard it had subdued many 'demon crowds.' Hmph!"

"So what? I am not afraid. I will not be subdued, for I have seen too much! Since ancient times, many practitioners with great abilities have still been caught by us through the tiny black stains in their hearts. This time, I was not afraid either. I rushed forward quickly, wanting to destroy everything. Unexpectedly, upon reaching the boundary of the Buddha-land, the positive energy was immense, the light was immense. I paused. I knew this energy was different. With a fierce gaze, I charged forward with all my might. I knew I could surely find the stain in human nature; there had to be a weakness here."

Trapped in the Light

"Before I could even react, boundless Dharma protectors surrounded me layer by layer. I could not get close to the one everyone here calls Practitioner Su. I was even trapped, struggling violently to break through, but in the end, I was sucked away—sucked into a space filled with bright light. This light made it impossible for me to open my eyes, for I had always been in darkness. I did not know where this space was. I began to crash about violently, cursing with foul language, wanting only to escape."

"I, the majestic Demon Gangqiang, had never failed before. Ah, ah, ah—I cannot get out! I cannot get out! Who dares to lock me in here! No matter how I shouted, I could not leave this bright space."

Rediscovering the Original Nature

"From crashing about, I moved to sitting in sullen anger. Day after day passed. The light shone upon me constantly, and to my surprise, I became calmer with each passing day, though there remained a sense of unwillingness in my heart. Seeing that the other 'demon crowds' had all undergone a transformation, I finally softened my stance. When I softened, my state of mind and my appearance began to recover—recovering into the original 'me' that had not been polluted. To me, this was an inconceivable thing, and it reminded me of the past."

"Twenty thousand years ago, the environment I lived in was very simple; it was a pure planet. Everyone on the planet lived in peace, without contention, so life could last a very long time. We produced the next generation through cell division, living with transparent bodies in a natural environment. Young cells made the whole body look very active. As time passed day by day, the cells would gradually dry and wither, until finally, there was no strength left to move, and one would lie flat on the ground, returning to the earth. Everything on the planet nurtured life in such a natural way."

The Arrival of the Strangers

"I was a life form that had been formed for about three hundred and fifty years. One day, a large shadow suddenly appeared in the sky over our living area, followed by a 'bang'—a massive impact. The force of the impact caused our area to shake violently. Our planet had never encountered such a thing, and everyone could not help but gather to see. After the round object crashed, it took a long time before two life forms emerged. We could not understand their language, but through gestures, we could tell they had accidentally fallen onto our planet. Because their flying craft was severely damaged by the impact, they had to find time to repair it before they could return to their own planet."

"They did not look like us. Upon arriving on our planet, they found a place suitable for them to live. After some time, they gradually became accustomed to life on our planet. We were one with the earth, naturally absorbing the earth's energy to survive, but they needed to eat to have energy, so they had to search the land for food they could consume. The earth was also very kind to these two foreign guests, willing to 'let go of its body' to provide nutrients for them."

The Spark of Emotion

"Time passed day by day, and they had been here for quite a while. The people of the planet treated them like family. Although we had been together for a long time, we still did not understand them well. They possessed a magnetic field very different from ours, and the electrical waves emitted by their bodies were also different from ours."

"Once, while wandering the planet, I accidentally got close to them and suddenly felt one of the life forms emit a very different electrical wave toward me. She approached, wanting to know me and spend time with me. I did not think much of it and revealed a very friendly smile."

"At that smile, I felt her electrical waves toward me become even more intense. After receiving such waves, I did not know how I should respond. From that time on, at the same time every day, I would naturally go to the place where we met, and we would transmit electrical waves to each other."

The Tragedy of Jealousy

"This feeling made me happy, but also a bit strange. Not knowing what to do, I asked those around me how to handle this. They all shook their heads, indicating they had never experienced such things. The meetings happened every day, and a feeling of fear began to grow in my heart. Finally, I mustered the courage to ask the Elder about what was happening. Although the Elder had never experienced such things, he was knowledgeable about many matters. The Elder said, 'If this situation continues, our planet will face a catastrophe.' I was shocked. Could I be the one causing disaster to the planet?"

"I kept the Elder's words in mind, but I never expected that I would be unable to restrain myself from meeting her. The electrical waves that occurred when we met made me very happy; I could never let go of that feeling. Time passed, and one day she did not appear at our usual meeting place. I felt a sense of loss I had never known before. Ever since my body began emitting those unusual electrical waves, my originally transparent body had started to turn grey."

"After not seeing her for several days, I felt the color of my body begin to darken. In my gloom, I walked around and unexpectedly received a familiar electrical wave nearby. Looking ahead, it was her. She was meeting someone else on the planet, and the magnetic field she emitted was even stronger than when she met me. Anger arose in my heart. This emotion occurred in me for the first time, causing my whole body to become scorching hot and red. I left quickly and submerged my body in water to cool down."

The Fall into the Demon Realm

"From then on, I became very heavy. I did not know why I had become this way, nor did I know what to do next. My heart was constantly circling her shadow. Every day I still waited for her in the same place, but she never appeared again. Unable to bear it, I ran to the place where I had last met her. Unexpectedly, she was indeed there, exchanging strong electrical waves with another person. I became angry again and exploded. I did not expect that this impulsive explosion would injure her and that person, and also harm many people on my planet. I died in this explosion."

"I burned myself and lost my life, returning as a spirit. When I discovered that I had injured so many villagers, my heart was filled with sorrow. In that space, I saw that girl; she was actually a demon woman sent to destroy our planet. I was angry and remorseful, searching everywhere for her, wanting her to pay the price for harming our planet. I searched for thousands of years without giving up, and in the end, the heart of anger sucked me into the Demon Realm. I had actually become a demon! In the Demon Realm, I continued to roam, seeking revenge, making myself more and more 'strong.' After I found her, I used demonic power to press her into a mountain. Only when I saw her suffering did my heart gradually calm down. After entering the Demon Realm, I could not turn back. I continued to roam, making myself more and more demonic, and I stayed in the Demon Realm for twenty thousand years, until I arrived here due to the Causal Conditions of spreading the pandemic."

Gratitude for Deliverance

"Here, the light is boundless, illuminating my soul. I am remorseful; I want to find that originally transparent 'me' again. Being able to see my past again, I am very grateful. I am grateful for these Causal Conditions, grateful to the Buddha and Practitioner Su."

The Buddha gave Demon Gangqiang the Dharma name 'Shi Yuanzhen.'

Participating in the Dharma Assembly

"Every day here, the Western Trinity and the pure ocean-wide assembly of Bodhisattvas are receiving beings with endless light. Seeing them all transparent and bright makes me think of my planet. Looking at my planet, because of that disaster I caused, there are not many people left now, and my heart feels a bit sad. Now that I am here with Namo Amituofo, I am doing very well. I hope that one day they, too, will have the opportunity to come here."

"Practitioner Su's Chao Du shines toward the ten directions; even many outer planets and the Milky Way benefit from it. Many beings have been saved because they saw Practitioner Su's Buddha-light."

"After listening to the scriptures, I finally realized that everyone is in the cycle of rebirth. I was the same in the past. Now that I have come to Namo Amituofo, I finally have the opportunity to make vows to go to the Western Pure Land and end the cycle of rebirth. The Buddha is so compassionate, and Practitioner Su is so compassionate. I finally understand why so many demon beings come to seek refuge; it turns out the Buddha truly treats everyone equally. After hearing the principles in the scriptures, I deeply repent. For what I have done in the past, I do not know how to make amends. I want to continue listening to the scriptures and realising the truth. Thank you to the Buddha and Practitioner Su for saving this sentient being who created so much karma."

Shi Yuanzhen (Demon Gangqiang)

Namo Amituofo.