The Dragon King's Plea for Rain

This is a record of an interview with the North Sea Dragon King, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He reflects upon the spiritual state of the Australian land and his efforts to bring rain to the region. This interview was recorded on September 27, 2020.

The North Sea Dragon King speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Practitioner Su, with such boundless and profound compassion, descended personally to the North Sea Dragon Palace to perform Chao Du for the countless beings residing within my domain. My subjects—the infinite number of creatures of the deep—are filled with such immense, overwhelming joy. We are all deeply indebted to Practitioner Su for this act of supreme mercy. It is a grace that we will never forget."

The Burden of the Drought

"Regarding the reason Practitioner Su came to my palace today: it was to request rain for the parched, dry land of Australia. Goombungee, in particular, is the sacred place where the Buddha resides. It should be a land of gentle breezes and timely rain, where the seasons are always like spring. Seeing so many living beings perish from the lack of water has been heart-wrenching for me. As the North Sea Dragon King, I have tried time and time again to guide the clouds, carrying the moisture of the North Sea, toward the Australian soil. I have prayed that I could bring even a little rain to nourish the earth and sustain the life that struggles there."

The Black Hole of Collective Karma

"However, every time those clouds, heavy with the moisture of the North Sea, reach the skies above Australia, a powerful, invisible force immediately sucks all the water away. I see it clearly—it is the collective karma of the living beings on this land. It acts like a black hole, draining every drop of moisture before it can fall. It is a terrifying sight to behold. This karma must be overturned before I can exert my full power; otherwise, it remains incredibly difficult for the rain to reach the soil of Australia. The weight of this collective karma is truly immense."

A Promise of Gratitude

"Practitioner Su has helped me by performing Chao Du for so many of my subjects in the Dragon Palace. I will certainly repay this kindness. I will continue to try to bring rain to this land, no matter the difficulty. I also ask the beings living on this Australian soil to continue chanting Namo Amituofo and to maintain good thoughts. Only through the power of the Buddha can this cycle of suffering be broken. Namo Amituofo."

Note: Within the North Sea Dragon Palace, the countless lobsters, shrimp, crabs, schools of fish, and other deep-sea creatures and aquatic beings who received the Chao Du from Practitioner Su have had memorial tablets inscribed for them. They have now entered the Western Land of Dharma Nature at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.