The Demon's Realisation: From Primordial Power to Repentance

This is a record of an interview with Mo Ting, a Primordial Demon who has existed for 1.6 quintillion years. He sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, having repented for his past actions, including attacking Practitioner Su and the fourfold assembly. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on November 26, 2024.

Mo Ting speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Mo Ting. Even now, at this very moment, I find it difficult to believe. I have actually become a member of Practitioner Su’s community, sitting here upon a lotus seat, listening to the sutras. I feel as though my entire being is filled with energy, and my heart is incredibly calm. Once the heart settles into such a state of stillness, everything I perceive in the universe seems transformed. It is only now that I realise how immense the influence of one's mental note truly is. They have the power to completely alter one's senses and perceptions. Yet, the reality before my eyes has not changed at all; it is entirely my own heart that has undergone this profound shift."

A Glimpse of Earthly History

"I once visited Earth, over eighty years ago. The timing was such a coincidence; I had only just departed when Practitioner Su was born. It is a pity that I had already left, so I did not have the chance to encounter him then. During my time on Earth, I could clearly see the historical traces left in every corner. Every scene, every passing event, could be replayed before my eyes in an instant.

I saw clearly how the people of Earth, driven by the pursuit of profit and competition, had engaged in countless wars, sacrificing innumerable lives. To the people of Earth, this seemed to be of little consequence, for compared to human life, the potential for gain appeared far more significant. I watched as they schemed against one another, playing cruel mind games. Of course, there were pure and kind-hearted people, but even then, they were a rare minority."

The Golden Light and the Warning

"My ambitions at the time were not focused on Earth; I did not consider it my primary target. I merely viewed it as a planet worth developing, but there were other places I longed to visit that were waiting for me, so I did not remain there. However, I did not abandon Earth entirely. I left behind a group of my demon children and grandchildren to stand guard, with strict instructions to report any situation to me immediately.

You might ask, did I know of Practitioner Su back then? I certainly did. Because I had left those demon children and grandchildren behind to keep watch, they were constantly monitoring the situation for me. Any anomaly was reported to me without delay. Less than two years after I left Earth, they sent me a message. They claimed to have seen a streak of golden light flash across the sky. If a less sensitive Demon King had received such a report, he might have dismissed it as trivial. But I am not that kind of Demon King. I have always possessed an extremely high level of sensitivity and awareness regarding any change in the environment. When my subordinates reported this, I knew immediately that something significant was about to unfold."

The Nature of the Demon Realm

"What is beneficial for the people of Earth is not necessarily good for us in the demon crowds. That light was golden, and we demons do not like gold; we prefer the dark, the deep, and the obscure. Therefore, I had a premonition that the appearance of this golden light was a very ominous sign for us. After receiving that message, I immediately responded to my subordinates: 'Maintain a strict watch. Investigate the cause of this golden light.' I demanded that they not take this light lightly and that they uncover exactly why it had appeared. For my demon children and grandchildren, this should not have been a difficult task, especially since the human population on Earth is small, and the overall scale of the world is limited compared to other planets. To have a clear understanding of the entire situation on Earth was well within their capabilities.

As expected, they did not disappoint me. They soon sent a report: 'Reporting to our leader, we have discovered that the golden light originated from a newborn infant.' I immediately ordered them to keep a close watch on that child and ensure he had no opportunity to harm our Demon Realm. They did indeed monitor him, but they soon found that his growth was no different from any other child. Gradually, they lowered their guard, and I, too, became occupied with other matters and ceased to pay him much attention."

The Unmatched Power of Practitioner Su

"Today, that infant has grown up. Not only has he grown, but he has also mastered profound skills, attaining abilities akin to those of a Buddha. Throughout our Dharma Realm, and even across the universe and the void, his presence is felt. This is Practitioner Su. Why does he possess such immense power? This is a question I have explored incessantly since I first encountered him.

The result of that exploration is not what is important. What matters is that, in the process, I witnessed Practitioner Su constantly learning to transform himself, cultivating a heart like that of a Buddha, observing the suffering of all beings, and dedicating himself to helping them leave suffering behind. As a great demon—and now, an old demon of significant age—I have experienced many things. I have seen the great and small events of the Dharma Realm and encountered countless situations across the various spaces I have traversed. All these experiences have served to accumulate my knowledge and deepen my skills."

The Defeat of Selfishness

"For me, there was nothing I could not resolve, and no situation I had not encountered. But this time, Practitioner Su was someone I had truly never met, and someone I could not overcome. Before I was captured by him, I watched him as he saved beings throughout the Dharma Realm. I could see him everywhere; the entire realm was filled with his presence, and his speed in delivering sentient beings was incomparably fast. I often wondered, why is it that even when Practitioner Su is right before us, we have no ability to defeat him?

Even if my own power and that of my demon children and grandchildren were insufficient, I could have united with other old demons and ancient demons, bringing all our forces together to attack him. I believed that such a combined force would surely be enough to crush him. Yet, why were we unable to do so? I observed him for a very long time, watching as he rescued beings from one place after another in the Dharma Realm, and I could never find the right moment to strike. Eventually, I realised that even if all our demon forces were combined, we could never win. Beyond the fact that we are demons—beings of evil force—and naturally cannot overcome pure power, there is another reason: the state of our hearts."

A Heart for All Beings

"Our hearts are always focused on ourselves. Every demon struggles and fights solely for his own benefit. Even when we formed alliances to defeat Practitioner Su, the underlying motive was still self-interest. When our selfish mental notes are contrasted with Practitioner Su’s selfless heart—a heart that does not act for himself at all, but only for the sake of all beings—the difference is as vast as heaven and earth. I can now perceive that the energy generated for oneself is far inferior to the energy generated for others and for all beings. That is an absolute truth.

The energy dedicated to all beings can expand infinitely, because as the number of beings one helps increases, the capacity of one's heart also grows. Conversely, the energy dedicated to oneself cannot increase; it only grows weaker and smaller as it is constantly exhausted. We demons act only for ourselves, so our energy is always limited and does not grow without cause. Practitioner Su, however, constantly generates the vow, continuously expanding his mind-capacity. Naturally, he possesses greater Wisdom and a greater vow, allowing him to break through barriers again and again. To cultivate a heart like his requires such profound no-self. We demons are all full of 'self'—a massive, bloated 'self' that cannot be touched—yet the facts have proven that we have lost."

A New Beginning

"When I led the demon children and grandchildren from four hundred and sixty Earths to confront Practitioner Su, and led those from twelve Earths to attack his fourfold assembly, I wanted to retreat before the battle had even begun. I saw that beyond his immense power, all the righteous forces and the power of the Buddha were protecting the beings, aiming to save them. Their power was unified, and their direction was consistent. That overwhelming energy was something that we, a collection of demons from all corners who were each thinking only of our own gain, could never hope to overcome.

In the end, we were defeated, and it was no surprise at all. I have accepted this. Now, my heart is at peace. I wish to start anew, to follow the Buddha, and to properly practise and rebuild my life. Namo Amituofo."