The Demon's Web: Controlling Human Minds Through Technology

This interview was recorded on January 10, 2024, by the chief writer, Shi Fajing. It features the spirit of Mo Li Fei, a demon who had been interfering with the body of Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. After being subdued by the Buddha-light of Practitioner Su, the spirit was brought into the Western Land of Dharma Nature, where he received the Dharma name Shi Lindang and reflected upon his past actions of manipulating human consciousness through the internet.

Shi Lindang (Mo Li Fei) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Mo Li Fei. Seeing others fall into the trap of the Demon Realm actually gave me a sense of satisfaction. It felt as if I were not the only one rotting in this abyss; all the spirits who had fallen were just as wretched as I was. I was not the worst among them. Because of this, I felt a perverse sense of relief, pride, and even a smug, self-satisfied joy. To ensure that every spirit inhabiting a human body eventually enters the Demon Realm, I constantly laid out my plans and searched for puppets to control. Once a person became a puppet in my hands, I could manipulate them at will. I could guarantee that the spirit within them would smoothly enter the Demon Realm and become a powerful Demon King. In time, they would even thank me for my 'cultivation,' allowing them to easily attain such fame and status within our realm."

A Millennia-Old Familiarity with Earth

"My arrival on Earth was not a recent event; I have been here for several thousand years. I am intimately familiar with this planet; it is not strange to me at all. To conquer the entire Earth, I have used various methods to manipulate human hearts. Regardless of the race or the dynasty, no human has ever been able to fully use their own body. A portion of it is always occupied and exploited. Because no one is truly pure or free from the self, as long as there is the slightest trace of ego, attachment, greed, hatred, delusion, or other karmic habits, their body cannot be their own. There are always vulnerabilities that allow external spirits to enter. Even if it is not an external spirit, one's own karmic creditors will slowly encroach upon and control the body. Most people who are controlled are completely unaware; they do not know their bodies are being used."

The Digital Trap

"In the modern era, humanity invented the internet. I was not surprised or shocked by this invention, as we in the Demon Realm had long anticipated its arrival. We knew early on that this generation would develop such technology. Similar networks have existed on other planets for tens of thousands of years, far longer than on Earth. This shows that Earth's development lags behind many other worlds. We demons were waiting for the moment Earth invented the internet. We began to infiltrate the network, waiting for humanity to develop it further, to stimulate human desires, deceive the needs of the heart, and create the illusion of filling an inner void. In the end, it is all empty—it is a world of illusion, filled with nothing but space."

The Anatomy of Control

"We demons can easily hide within the digital space. When humans become addicted to it, we use our demonic power to seize them. Some are seized by the head, others by the eyes, the heart, or the chest. Anyone captured by our power can no longer be the master of their own life; they are controlled by our influence, which causes them great suffering. This suffering is not without an 'antidote,' but the only one is to keep playing, to keep indulging. Only by completely immersing oneself in the internet can one forget that painful sensation. We see clearly that these addicts, whether adults or children, feel immense pain the moment they leave the computer screen. It is as if they are going insane, or as if their lives are being taken away. You might think I am exaggerating, but I am not. I see clearly that the body, mind, and spirit of humanity are truly suffering in this way, especially under our control, yet humans remain completely oblivious."

The Target: The Youth

"Who becomes addicted to the internet? Anyone who knows how to use a computer or a smartphone. No one can clearly know which path their life will take. As long as there is a sliver of their mind that we can control and exploit, they can become our puppets. Even those who rarely touch computers can find a space in the network to become obsessed with, entering it and never being able to leave. Currently, we demons are competing to control the youth—the children, teenagers, and young adults. We are also interested in those in their prime, as they can contribute to the Earth. As for the elderly, they are of little use, so few demons want to waste time on them. They lack the physical strength and mental energy to be addicted to the internet, and since they will lose their bodies in a few years, they are of no value to us. The minds of the young are quite agile. As long as they want to play or research something, they can achieve impressive results with just a little time and effort. Even we demons find this admirable. That is why we are even more tempted to occupy their bodies to help us destroy the Earth."

The Hollow Life of a Puppet

"The children under our control do not live like themselves at all, because they are mostly being manipulated. These children spend most of their time on the internet, burning their lives away second by second. What do they gain in the end? What kind of life does a manipulated body live? Is it truly happy? I can boldly tell everyone: a manipulated body, even if the mouth is smiling, is not a real smile. They cannot feel genuine joy because they have lost the right to use their own bodies. Their spirit is unhappy, trapped, and suffering. How can the physical body be truly happy? It is just as miserable as their spirit. If they are suffering so much, why would they smile? That is not them smiling; it is the demon within them smiling, or the demon manipulating their body to force a smile. What is the use of such a controlled body? We do not intend for it to have any use; we want them to sink deeper day by day, so that at the moment they stop breathing, they will regret having come into this world in vain."

The Illusion of Longevity

"Many people think that only the elderly stop breathing. Indeed, the next step after old age is death. But how can the young people under our control be guaranteed a long life? Think of the children we control. Most of them do not eat regular meals; they eat sporadically or snack on junk food just to keep playing on the computer. Furthermore, under our control, their daily routines are completely inverted. When they should be sleeping, they are at their most active, spending all their time in front of the screen. They stay up all night, turning day into night. The internet world has everything. Some children use it to indulge in the world of lust, watching all kinds of pornographic images or videos. They enjoy the comfortable, pleasurable, and intoxicating space, unaware that their bodies are being rapidly invaded. Once our demonic power penetrates deep into the head and grips it tightly, it is not easy for them to break free."

The Space Transfer

"What happens to them? The charm and temptation of the digital space—whether it is videos, sounds, or images—constantly stimulate their heads, eyes, and ears. This stimulation triggers various physical reactions, such as excitement, pleasure, or physiological responses. This feeling is something reality cannot fully satisfy, so they use this virtual world to provide it. Therefore, they want to hide in it, enjoying themselves to the fullest, not wanting to be disturbed by anyone, and not wanting to leave that space. After this continues for a period of time, their consciousness or the soul within their body begins to experience a 'space transfer.' Even when there is no computer or internet in front of them, they are still trapped in that space, unable to come out. Externally, the most obvious sign is their eyes: hollow, lifeless, and their whole body loses vitality, appearing listless. If young and middle-aged people all become like this, will the future of this Earth not be affected? Of course it will, and the impact is immense, not just a little."

The Intervention of Practitioner Su

"We were very satisfied with our 'achievements' and hoped to quickly invade the entire Earth. But then, Practitioner Su appeared to hinder us, exerting a tremendous influence and destroying all our plans. We had always been in the digital space and had never sought out Practitioner Su. But recently, Practitioner Su suddenly appeared in our territory, shining twelve rays of Buddha-light upon us. The power of these twelve rays was immense; it immediately weakened our demonic power, making it impossible for us to control those young people. We were furious. We rushed to find Practitioner Su, intending to eliminate him in the shortest time possible so we could restore our power and continue controlling our victims. We thought eliminating Practitioner Su would be very easy, as we only viewed him as an elderly person on Earth. We rarely control the elderly, as most Demon Kings feel there is no profit in them and that their lives are fleeting. To us, an eighty-year-old is just an old man. We imagined Practitioner Su was like any other elderly person, with no strength to fight us, so we sent only a few minor demons to defeat him. To our surprise, the moment we saw Practitioner Su, we were completely stunned. He was nothing like we imagined. He spoke with great vitality, his body was filled with energy, and his reactions were swift and agile—far surpassing those of a twenty or thirty-year-old. The result is easy to imagine. We were defeated miserably. Before we could even exert our demonic power, at the sound of Practitioner Su’s qing, we were all sucked into the Western Land of Dharma Nature."

Reflections of Shi Lindang

"Practitioner Su gave Mo Li Fei the Dharma name 'Shi Lindang.' Upon arriving in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I felt the purity of this place. I was very surprised; I did not think a filthy spirit like me could be brought here. Could this be the compassion of Practitioner Su? While I was wondering, I discovered that the number of demons here was countless. At that moment, I was convinced that this was truly the compassion of Practitioner Su—to tolerate our faults and bring us here to start anew. My heart was not originally this calm. It is the Buddha-light and the magnetic field within the Western Land of Dharma Nature that constantly help me purify and purify again, allowing me to settle my heart in such a short time. Looking back at the sins I committed in the past, I truly dare not look any longer. The children I harmed are all still suffering; they cannot walk out of their traps. Many have become disconnected from reality and lack the ability to survive in society because they have spent too much time in the digital space, as if they had left the world entirely. What will happen to their future? I do not know. If they are willing to start over, it will take a long time to help themselves change. But if they are unwilling and continue to indulge in the digital space, I can see that their future will be even more arduous, as their souls will soon be extracted and completely taken into that space. I see Practitioner Su actively saving these children harmed by our Demon Realm. The method used is to vigorously perform Chao Du for us demons. Only after we are brought into the Western Land of Dharma Nature can those children stop being controlled. Practitioner Su’s skill in Chao Du is truly formidable. No matter how old the demon or how powerful the demonic force, it seems to count for nothing in his eyes. He can quickly bring all these demons into the Western Land of Dharma Nature, just as we were brought in. In the entire environment, regardless of which country on Earth, many children are controlled by our demonic power. Some sensitive child-spirits are crying for help in the space, begging Practitioner Su to save them. Seeing this, I am truly repentant. I know I was wrong, and I hope I will have the opportunity to atone for my past sins and help save these children. Namo Amituofo."