The Drunken Sage and the Awakening of Fan Jin

This is a record of an interview with the Venerable Fan Jin, who lived approximately 1,900 years ago. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing, on February 9, 2019.

Venerable Fan Jin speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Fan Jin. Looking back at my life, it feels like a dream that has finally awakened into the light of the Buddha's compassion.

A Rainbow and a Mysterious Encounter

A rainbow once stretched across the East and West villages, its seven colours—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet—forming a magnificent arch. I was standing on the vast grassland, admiring its beauty. I could see tiny, ethereal fairies of different colours dancing upon the light. It was truly fascinating! Realising that time was slipping away, I picked up my wooden bucket and headed toward the river to fetch water.

When I reached the riverbank, I saw an old man sitting there. He was holding a wine cup, scooping up river water and drinking it alone. Seeing me with my bucket, he asked, 'Are you here to join me for a drink?' I looked at him; he appeared intoxicated, yet there was no scent of alcohol. He was drinking only river water, yet he was completely immersed in his own imagined drunkenness. I asked him, 'Why do you drink river water as if it were wine?' He replied, 'Others are drunk, but I am sober. While the world is muddled, I alone am awake!'

Reflections in the Water

The old man took another sip of river water and continued, 'I see my reflection in the water. It ripples and sways, my face distorted and unclear. Is it truly me, or someone else? I seek clarity but find none; I seek to see the truth but remain in the dark. This reflection in the water, this world—it is all but a land of illusions.' I asked him, 'How can you claim to be the only one awake?' He answered, 'The world is an illusion, and I am not deluded. Those who are lost find it hard to wake up. Fortunately, the Buddha is here to help, assisting an old man like me to awaken and leave suffering behind.'

I pressed him further, 'How can you tell that I am not yet awake?' He replied, 'One who is awake must engage in the work of salvation, broadly delivering all beings connected by karmic affinity. If one speaks of awakening but remains in the shadows, they are not truly awake.' At that moment, the old man set down his cup and pulled a string of prayer beads from his pocket, gifting them to me. 'These beads will lead you to the sound of the Buddha's name,' he said. 'Let the chanting be continuous. Even if you were to drink wine, you would remain sober; even in the midst of turbidity, you would remain pure.'

The Reality of the Dream

I accepted the beads and chanted, 'Namo Amituofo,' to thank him. I told him, 'From this day forward, I shall gradually become clear, for the Buddha's name will never leave my heart. I am grateful for this encounter, and I hope we shall meet again.' With that, I carried my bucket and left the riverbank.

'Ah Jin! Wake up! It is time to eat!' My mother’s voice called out from the house. I rubbed my eyes and looked around. It had been a dream. I had fallen asleep while playing on the grass. Yet, the dream felt so incredibly real. I hurriedly reached into my pocket—there was a string of prayer beads! They were identical to the ones the old man had given me. I was shocked, overjoyed, and filled with questions. I ran into the house and asked my mother, 'Mother! How did these prayer beads get into my pocket?' She examined them, 'I have never seen these beads before. Whose could they be?' Even she did not know. Looking out from our home, there was no one living for ten miles; there was only the vast grassland. It was impossible for anyone to have lost them, let alone for them to appear in my pocket. Remembering the river from my dream, I ran back toward it, despite my mother calling out, 'Ah Jin! Where are you going before you have even eaten?'

The Message on the Stone

I ran until I was out of breath, searching for the old man. I walked along the entire bank, but he was nowhere to be found. Just as I was about to give up, I noticed a large stone by the water. On it were the words: 'Namo Amituofo.' I touched the stone; the characters had been written with cinnabar mixed with wine. The ink was not yet dry—it must have been written just moments ago. I looked around again, but there was no one. I knew in my heart that the old man had written it.

On the way home, I kept the holy name of Namo Amituofo in my heart. It brought me such peace and joy! When I arrived home, I shared the story of the dream, the old man, and the beads with my mother. She found it inconceivable. Looking at my appearance and the way I wore the beads, she said, 'You are surely connected to the Buddha in this life!'

The Coming of the Great Monk

That evening, my father returned from work and told me, 'I heard that a great monk is coming to our village to give lectures. He travels everywhere, teaching the Dharma, and everyone who hears him holds him in high esteem. He should arrive in two days. I will take you to hear him speak!' I was overjoyed. Not only had I received the prayer beads, but I would soon hear a great monk teach the Dharma. I was ecstatic, constantly chanting, 'Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo!'

Though I had never seen Amitabha Buddha, I had been drawing images of Him since I was three years old. This had always surprised my parents, who suspected I might be an eminent monk reborn. They had already reached a consensus: if I wished to study the Buddha's teachings, they would support my path of practice.

A Recognition of the Old Man

Two days later, my father and I went to the large tree where the monk was to speak. A crowd had already gathered, waiting in anticipation. Everyone was smiling, as it was rare for a monk to visit our area. When the great monk appeared, I let out a gasp of surprise. Though I was sitting at the back, the monk heard me. 'Who made that sound of surprise?' he asked. The crowd looked at each other, whispering, 'Did someone make a sound? Did the monk mishear?' I stood up and shouted, 'The old man!' My father nervously pulled me down, 'How rude! That is a great monk; you must call him Master!' I looked at my father, confused, 'Father, he really is the old man!' The crowd burst into laughter, and the old monk coughed twice, restoring silence.

The monk's teaching was deeply moving. People exclaimed at the inconceivable nature of the Buddha's teachings. One said, 'If I had heard this earlier, I would not have had so many children to suffer for!' Another said, 'If I had known Amitabha Buddha sooner, I would not have followed so many other beliefs and made such a mess of my life!' Finally, I spoke up: 'I am fortunate to hear the Dharma now. I know the value of the Buddha's teachings and the importance of letting go of the self to help others. I will believe only in Namo Amituofo for the rest of my life. I will not follow other religions, I will not marry, and I will not have a house full of children. Thank you, Master, for teaching us so that I and everyone here can know such precious Dharma.' The crowd envied me, 'This child has such blessings! To understand the Dharma at such a young age—unlike us, who married and now regret it.' The old monk told everyone, 'While you are still strong, strive to chant the Buddha's name and study the teachings. Those who are married can use the Dharma to lead their families; those who are unmarried can focus on the practice and serve the public. Regardless of who you are, as long as you have this physical body, you can practice diligently and seek rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss in this very life.' Everyone felt relieved and thanked the monk for his compassion.

The Meaning of the Beads

After everyone left, I approached the monk and asked, 'Master, are you the old man?' He replied, 'Little Bodhisattva, why are you so attached to the old man?' I took out the prayer beads and said, 'The old man gave these to me. I want to thank him.' The monk looked at the beads and said, 'The beads are for steadying the mind. Using each bead to help focus on chanting the Buddha's name—that is the true meaning of holding them. If you hold the beads while thinking only of the old man, you lose the purpose of his gift.' Hearing this, I understood. I stopped asking if he was the old man; keeping my mind on Amitabha was all that mattered.

The Decision to Renounce the World

I practiced diligently every day, chanting the Buddha's name into my heart. For two years, I carried the beads everywhere, reminding myself never to forget the Buddha's name. One day, I met the old man in a dream again. I held a cup and scooped up river water, just as he did. I raised the cup to thank him: 'It has been two years. I use this cup to express my gratitude for helping me see the clear within the turbid and gain wisdom from my confusion. When the river is still, the heart is pure; when the water is clear, the heart is bright. Having seen the reflection in the water for these two years, I realise that life is but an illusion that vanishes when the light fades. I will seize every moment to seek liberation, no longer lost in the illusions of this world. It is better to awaken everyone than to be awake alone. I have decided to renounce the world and practice, using this illusory body to awaken the sentient beings who are still lost.' The old man laughed three times: 'Hahaha! Sentient beings are blessed! Sentient beings are blessed!' With that, he drank his water and wandered away.

The Journey to the Temple

The next day, I packed my bags and bid farewell to my parents. They were happy for me; to renounce the world and practice is a great blessing. They were proud to have raised a child willing to serve all beings. I knelt before them, thanking them for thirteen years of care, and promised that I would surely attain Buddhahood and save all sentient beings.

After leaving home, it took me three months to reach the temple. My straw sandals were worn through, my body was covered in dust, and my hair was dishevelled. As I arrived, a little novice came out to lead me to the old monk. 'The Master has been waiting for you,' he said. I asked in surprise, 'How did he know I was coming?' The novice replied, 'The Master told me to come out and meet you when the sun was at its zenith. And indeed, you appeared at the gate exactly at that time!' I was filled with admiration; the Master was truly a practitioner of the highest order.

After a long walk to the Master's quarters, the novice knocked on the door. The Master spoke: 'Walking for three months is precious for the path of the heart. The sound of chanting washes away the dust of the mind. The turbid water gradually clears, and eventually, one will see the light. Do not forget this journey; sentient beings are the only priority.' I understood that practice must be for the sake of all beings, and I thanked the Master for his compassionate guidance.

Cultivating the Mind

I wrote the character for 'Heart' on my bed, constantly reminding myself not to forget my initial resolve, my compassion, and my Bodhi mind. Practice is about cultivating the mind—steadying it, nurturing it, and finding wisdom within it. All phenomena arise from the heart, and all things are settled by the heart. For nearly twenty years, I have been adjusting this heart, purifying it until it is clear and transparent, using this pure body to deliver sentient beings.

I have followed the teachings throughout my life, feeling the suffering of all beings and saving them wherever I go, leading them to leave suffering behind and be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss!

Practitioner Su views all sentient beings as himself, vowing to save the endless suffering of the world. He finds the Dharma Body within his own nature, manifesting in countless forms across various spaces to rescue all spirits. All infinite spaces merge into one, existing only within the true self.

Practitioner Su demonstrates the suffering of modern beings to inspire compassion in the masses. His ability to break through layers of obstacles lies in his sincere Bodhi heart, putting sentient beings first, with no thought of 'self.' I admire Practitioner Su's powerful practice in saving immeasurable beings from the cycle of birth and death. I follow his example every day, hoping to learn even a fraction of his skills and nurture a heart of great compassion. I am grateful for Practitioner Su's compassion. Namo Amituofo."

Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing.