The Descent of Venerable Chu Tanming: Saving Sentient Beings Through Buddha’s Response

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Chu Tanming, who descended from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to the human world to assist in the work of deliverance. He currently resides in the Western Pure Land and serves as a guide for those seeking the path of liberation. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Venerable Shi Fajing, on July 3, 2018.

Venerable Shi Fajing: Venerable, thank you for your compassion in accepting this interview.

Venerable Chu Tanming speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. To wander through the human world is always like drifting clouds and flowing water—free, easy, and unconstrained. One remains untainted by the dust of the world. My days are clear and bright because my heart is always returning to the Western Land. My constant diligent practice is focused on saving beings and guiding them toward the West. I have not wasted this journey into the human world; I shall return home to reunite with my Father, Namo Amituofo."

A Miraculous Conception Amidst Despair

"Within a grand house beside a lotus pond, the home of a wealthy family, a loud cry echoed through the halls. The Chu family members were shouting, 'Master, Master, hurry! The Mistress has given birth! It is a beautiful baby boy!' This was the family I was to enter in this lifetime. In an instant, I entered the mother's womb and was born as a descendant of the Chu family. In the blink of an eye, I had descended from the Western Pure Land into the human realm.

The Chu family was renowned in our town for their charity. For generations, they had practised extensive giving and performed many good deeds, always maintaining a humble heart. This was the legacy left by our ancestors, a teaching that every generation followed with devotion.

On the day of my birth, the Chu family held a grand banquet, inviting the entire town to celebrate. I was a child they had prayed for with great hardship. Shortly after my mother’s marriage, a fortune teller had told her that she was destined to be childless, unable to carry on the family line. My grandparents, being wise and understanding people, knew of this and comforted my mother, telling her to let things follow their natural course and to accept the will of Heaven.

The Power of Faith and Compassion

"Although my grandparents placed no pressure on her, my mother still longed to leave behind a descendant for the Chu family. She searched everywhere for secret remedies, visited countless temples and spiritual centres, and even consumed medicinal pills that were said to guarantee pregnancy. Yet, despite her efforts, nothing worked. She drew lots and sought guidance from the gods, but there was never any sign of a child.

Eventually, she began to spend her days at the temple, offering flowers and serving the Buddha. Her daily practice consisted of reciting the Sutras, chanting the name of Namo Amituofo, and making prostrations. She followed the teachings of the Buddha with absolute sincerity, living a life of compassion, performing good deeds, and forming positive karmic connections with everyone she met.

One year, a severe drought struck our town. Many civilians perished from the lack of water, and houses were consumed by fire. The hearts of the people were filled with fear and anxiety. To help the people and pray for the end of the drought, my mother knelt before the Buddha every day, chanting the Buddha-name one hundred thousand times. She dedicated the merit to the Rain God, the Fire God, and all the townspeople, and on behalf of the entire town, she repented for the collective karma they had created.

The Buddha-Light Manifests

"One day, as my mother knelt before the Buddha, chanting with a sincere heart, the entire room was suddenly illuminated by a brilliant golden light. She felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, but she ignored it, focusing entirely on the Buddha-name. She chanted with all her might, her body bathed in the Buddha-light, sweat pouring down her back. She felt as if the Buddha was standing right before her.

From that day on, her belly began to grow. She thought she had fallen ill, but when she consulted a doctor, he told her she was pregnant. After several doctors confirmed the same result, the entire family was astonished. The news spread throughout the town. The people believed it was a sign of good fortune, for my mother had always been compassionate and had prayed daily for the end of the disaster. They were moved to tears, kneeling to prostrate before the Buddha, crying out, 'Thank you, Buddha! Thank you, Buddha!'

On the day I was born, sweet dew fell from the heavens, auspicious dragons appeared in the sky, and colourful clouds filled the horizon. The lotus flowers in the pond bloomed instantly, and the townspeople rejoiced together."

A Mission Beyond the Family Line

"My mother knew that I had come to this world with a mission. However, she also understood that if she kept me by her side, I would eventually marry and have children, continuing the Chu family line. After discussing it with my father, they decided to take me to the temple, allowing me to become a monk to study the Buddha’s teachings and carry on the Dharma. To my parents, the continuation of the Dharma was far more important than the continuation of the Chu family. If there is no Dharma in the world, sentient beings will suffer endlessly with no hope of escape.

In this life, I became a monk with the Dharma name Shi Chanti. I never forgot the great vow to save the world—a vow I made when I first descended to the human realm, deeply imprinted in my consciousness. Every night before sleep, I would face the West and make ten prostrations to the Buddha, expressing my gratitude for His compassion. I am also deeply grateful to my parents for giving me this human body. I vowed to use this life to save sentient beings and to ensure that my parents would be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Path of Purification and Service

"I spent ten years purifying this body. My spirit can leave the physical form, travelling freely through various spaces. I can also use my Dharma Body to deliver sentient beings in the world, encouraging them to chant the Buddha-name and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

In this age of the Dharma’s decline, sentient beings are suffering to the extreme. They are burdened by the karmic retribution accumulated over countless lifetimes and by the drastic changes in the environment. The decline of the Buddha’s teachings means that humanity is about to face the consequences of their collective karma. Fortunately, at this time, Practitioner Su has descended to the world, spending her life in practice and delivering countless beings.

I am deeply grateful for Practitioner Su’s compassionate vow to save the world. Now, as she suffers from an injury to her leg, I have entered her leg to assist in its swift recovery.

Namo Amituofo."