The Essence of Buddha-Nature

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Changgao, who shares profound insights regarding the nature of the Buddha and the true state of the human condition. This interview was conducted at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. It was recorded by the disciple Shi Faxin on January 13, 2020.

Venerable Changgao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Every single day, the vast universe undergoes countless transformations. These changes occur across every dimension of space, within the diverse forms of the Dharma Realm, and even in the most minute, hollowed-out voids of existence. Consider a space no larger than a copper coin; within that tiny area, there exist subtle particles, air factors, and the very history of the time and space to which that coin belongs. Boundless, immeasurable spaces are constantly orbiting around us, yet the human world remains largely unaware of them. It is precisely because of this lack of awareness that we frequently absorb these spaces into our own bodies. We become a vessel for the multiplication of fifty trillion beings, layered upon one another again and again.

I am currently dedicated to researching and uncovering the nature of these open spaces within the human body. Every one of these spaces possesses its own voice; each has its own inner thoughts it wishes to express, and each carries its own deep-seated attachments. Imagine fifty trillion cells, each with its own distinct personality, all housed within this single human form. They can be quite orderly, but most of the time, they are in a state of extreme turbulence—a turbulence that shifts rapidly and fluctuates in intensity. When we see others and think of them, that is turbulence. When we see ourselves and contemplate our own state, that is also turbulence. All sentient beings are in a state of constant flux. When love enters the equation, the frequency of this turbulence becomes nearly impossible to calm. We love this body, we love these material objects, and we love everything in this world that we cannot ultimately take with us. At what moment is the body ever truly at rest? What do the faces of these various spaces look like? What do they look like when they have a distinct personality? And what is the appearance of a mind that is single-mindedly holding the Buddha-name?"

The Turbulence of the Human Condition

"If you look at existence horizontally, you can see its boundless manifestations. However, if you only look straight ahead, you see nothing but what is directly before your eyes. No one has ever explained the truth of the universe and the state of the human body so clearly, which is why everyone is trapped, seeing only their own physical form. They worry that this body is sick, that it is crippled, or that it is approaching death. Their hearts are filled with fear and helplessness, unable to find a solution. The self that we see under our own gaze is, in reality, nothing more than a tiny particle that is fundamentally invisible to the void. These tiny particles exist and collide with one another in an endless cycle of life. In truth, there is no birth and no death. Our original face has always existed, whether in the form of a tiny particle, the size of a cow, or as vast as the earth and the sky.

Where is our true self? Where is our original nature? If we remain forever lost in confusion, it is difficult to see the light. This is why learning the Dharma is so vital today. The Buddha’s mind-capacity covers us, protects us, and allows us to see the truth of everything clearly amidst the illusions of this world. The ant is a Buddha; the Earth Mother is a Buddha; every person in the human world is a Buddha; and those in the Demon Realm are no different. We are all originally Buddhas. Naturally, we must learn the Dharma, rediscover our Buddha-nature, and assist every other Buddha in finding their way back to their original face. Buddha, Buddha, Buddha, Buddha. A single Buddha-name can resolve all existence, all kalpas, and all things.

Namo Amituofo."