The Dharma Body Deliverance: An Interview with Master Shandao

The Unity of the Pure Land and Zen Paths

I, Shandao, was born during the Tang Dynasty, a golden age for the Buddha’s teachings. It is with great humility that I accept the title of the Second Patriarch of the Pure Land school, bestowed upon me by later generations of disciples. In that era, the Zen school was flourishing while the Pure Land path was less prominent. Yet, my own karmic affinity led me into the vast ocean of the Pure Land teachings.

I have come to realise that while Zen has its unique brilliance and the Pure Land path has its own clarity, they are ultimately one. They both return to the same source: the heart. Zen teaches us to realise our true nature and attain Buddhahood, while the Pure Land path guides us to find our original, true self. We are all of the same family, emerging from the same source. It is only because our minds shift that we fall into the cycle of rebirth, creating distinctions between wisdom and ignorance, superiority and inferiority. These differences in the mind lead to differences in our physical forms and obstruct our spirits, manifesting in a myriad of appearances.

Each being must bear the weight of their own karma. Therefore, even a Buddha cannot simply carry the karmic burden of all beings. This is the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Those who follow it find peace; those who go against it face unrest. This reality highlights the vital importance of Buddhist education, which guides people to walk the righteous path and align themselves with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

The Radiance of Practitioner Su

Practitioner Su, now seventy-six years of age, has dedicated thirty years to the study of the Buddha’s teachings. From an early stage, she realised her true nature while living as a lay practitioner. Although she may appear no different from others to the ordinary eye, those with clear vision can immediately perceive the difference in her energy field and bearing. Those who have opened their inner eyes can even see the light emanating from her body. For those with the spiritual sensitivity of a sage, this light is clearly recognised as the Buddha-light.

Every practitioner, regardless of the method they follow, radiates light of varying brightness and breadth depending on the depth of their purification and the strength of their meditative concentration. What I see in Practitioner Su is a body that is transparent, radiating a golden light as bright as that of a Buddha, extending boundlessly. This is not something that can be faked by human effort; it is the natural result of a practitioner’s inner cultivation. The title of Practitioner Su is truly well-deserved.

Practitioner Su holds no attachment to this name, yet sentient beings rely on it to receive salvation. In the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I see Practitioner Su’s heart as clear and still as a mirror, as firm as a mountain. She shares the same heart and vows as Namo Amituofo, working tirelessly to save beings. With a physical body that has realised its true nature, she carries out the work of saving others. I pray that all students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre may soon realise their true nature. By taking on the suffering of beings and helping the karmic creditors of her students leave suffering behind, she teaches through her own actions. She is truly a Great Teacher, helping the spiritual growth of all her students.

Addressing the Global Pandemic

Recently, the global pandemic has filled people’s hearts with fear. To prevent the spread of the virus, international travel has been restricted, and people’s livelihoods have been severely impacted. Many nations have seen drastic changes in their way of life. Most significantly, human life itself is under great threat. In this Age of Dharma Decline, beings who once squandered their lives without understanding the preciousness of the human body now find themselves surrounded by crises, with even national medical systems unable to cope, leading to widespread panic and anxiety.

This is the collective karma of nations and their people, and a test for the entire global environment. Looking back at Chinese history, when such situations occurred, those who fell ill often passed away without warning. It was difficult to stop until the time of the collective karma had passed and the number of casualties matched the karmic debt. Only then would the suffering naturally cease, but often at the cost of severe political instability and the loss of countless lives.

The Power of Dharma Body Deliverance

Beyond this, there is another way. If a great, capable sage appears in the world, their immense merit and virtue can transform and offset the negative energy and debt of this collective karma. How fortunate are the living beings of this time! Practitioner Su has appeared in this world, dedicated to the Pure Land path, exclusively chanting the name of Namo Amituofo, and focusing on the practice of the Infinite Life Sutra. By following these teachings, she has realised her true nature, sharing the same heart and vows as Namo Amituofo.

Through her Dharma Body deliverance, she saves immeasurable beings. Her selfless, no-self, and no-mind virtue has moved Namo Amituofo to truly abide at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. During this pandemic, in the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, she relies on the great power of Namo Amituofo. Using her ability for Dharma Body deliverance, she opens up spaces from various eras. Together with the spiritual salvation team of the temple and the patriarchs and venerable masters of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, she enters these spaces to save the spirits trapped within.

This includes the regions affected by the current pandemic, such as mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and Australia. Wherever the salvation team goes, they bring the Buddha-light and the Buddha-name. Spirits still trapped in those past spaces, including those who have perished in this pandemic, receive the purification of the Buddha-light. Their defilements are extinguished, their goodness is nurtured, and they gain positive energy. Under our guidance, they leave those spaces, enter the Buddha-light, and are reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss or the human and heavenly realms.

Opening the Layers of Time

The matter of space and time has been mentioned by patriarchs and venerable masters throughout history, but often only in passing. This is because they focused on the present and the resolution of immediate karmic creditors, rather than exploring the beings from past lives whose spirits remain trapped in the spaces they were attached to. These spaces have been layered upon one another for over ten million years, ever since the first spiritual interactions began. No one had ever used Dharma Body deliverance to save the beings within these spaces until now.

Practitioner Su is the only one who, under the blessings of the Buddha, has explored these spaces. She uses the Buddha-eye and the Buddha’s power to open them, allowing us to enter and rescue the spirits connected to us by karmic affinity, thereby relieving the suffering of beings. Upon entering these layered spaces, I saw many disciples and followers from past eras still sitting in meditation, reciting sutras, prostrating to the Buddha, or even kneeling in pilgrimage with great devotion. They have existed in these spaces for thousands of years, continuing to do the same things. When they saw me appear, bringing the Buddha-light and the Buddha-name, they stopped what they were doing and became aware.

I immediately invited them to chant the name of the Buddha together. In a very short time, we led them out of those spaces. Practitioner Su, the salvation team, and the various patriarchs and venerable masters have already brought forth beings from their respective spaces—including the spirits of mountains, rivers, plants, trees, dust, and both sentient and insentient beings—all chanting the Buddha-name together. This scene, witnessed at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, was magnificent. It covered the entire temple and the surrounding space. One could hear the Buddha-name and feel the Buddha-light shaking the earth, scattering in all directions, and illuminating the entire field. At that moment, all were one, with no distinction between self and others. Everyone knelt in gratitude, thanking the Buddha for His grace, and entered the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss together. It was a deeply moving scene. Immeasurable beings have been saved, and many who passed away during this pandemic have also been delivered.

Restoring the Right Path

Purifying and delivering the spirits in these spaces is equivalent to purifying the land we inhabit now. It weakens or resolves the causes of the collective karma that created the pandemic, thereby mitigating or preventing the manifestation of its consequences. This is the fundamental way to help resolve the pandemic. Without a practitioner of true virtue and skill, it would be difficult to achieve this, or to turn the tide of the current environment, the human heart, and the erratic movement of the universe. By using the great energy of the True Teachings and the name of Namo Amituofo, we can resolve this situation, turning from the wrong path back to the right one. This allows the power of righteous virtue and conduct to manifest in the world, causing the pandemic and disasters to fade and eventually be resolved.

Apart from the fourfold assembly of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the spiritual realms are all aware of this. Yet, few in the human world believe it. Practitioner Su continues to lead everyone in this work silently and actively during the ceremonies. It is of immense help in resolving the pandemic. Once the pandemic is mitigated or resolved, international travel restrictions can be lifted, and people’s lives can return to normal. This is a result that everyone eagerly hopes for. I, Shandao, along with the patriarchs and venerable masters of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, have joined this salvation team. We hope that everything will be fulfilled soon, for it is the greatest blessing for all living beings.

Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.