The Filial Devotion of Venerable Meng Da

This is a record of an interview with the 568th Venerable, Meng Da, who lived approximately 1,500 years ago. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing, on January 30, 2019.

Venerable Meng Da speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Meng Da. In my time, I was known as a filial son; there was no one in the entire town who could compare to my devotion to my parents. My life was defined by the deep, unwavering love I held for those who brought me into this world, and I strove every day to honour them through my actions and my heart.

A Miracle of Birth

My parents had long yearned for a child to keep them company, but as they aged, they had received no such blessing. Just as they were about to abandon the dream of having a family, my mother unexpectedly became pregnant, and I was born. My mother’s health was frail, and she had no milk to feed me. Our neighbours, possessing great compassion, allowed my parents to come to their home to milk their goats for me. My parents cherished this precious goat milk deeply; they could not bear to waste even a single drop, treating every portion as a gift of life.

Both of my parents were blind and had lived in darkness since birth. My grandparents had assumed my father would never find a partner, yet he unexpectedly met my mother. They fell in love with genuine sincerity and entered into marriage. Even after they were wed, their affection remained intense, and they cherished one another deeply. After more than thirty years of marriage, when my father first heard the news that my mother was pregnant, he was so overjoyed he felt as if he could fly. He cared for my mother meticulously every day, ensuring she was well-nourished so that I could be born safely into this world.

The Weight of Poverty

Our family was desperately poor. Many kind-hearted people wanted to offer financial relief, but my parents did not wish to become a burden on society. They relied on their own abilities, living frugally and saving every penny. When I was born, the additional expense placed a tremendous burden on them. My father had to go out to work, earning a meagre wage to support our family of three.

Because my father was blind, no one wanted to hire him. He searched for months without success. To keep the three of us alive, he searched tirelessly, willing to do any work within his capability, no matter how difficult. However, the impermanence of life often catches us unprepared. By the time my mother received the news, my father had already passed away. He had been saving his rations and travelling everywhere to find work, eventually collapsing from exhaustion on a rarely travelled road. No one discovered him until a woman passed by and saw his body lying on the road, exposed to the scorching sun. When she tried to wake him, she found he was already at death's door. My mother could not accept this reality and, in a frenzy of grief, tried to rush out of the house to find him. Our neighbours stopped her, fearing she would fall and injure herself. Concerned that she might do something desperate, they took turns visiting us, caring for my mother and me.

A Childhood of Sacrifice

Even as a toddler crawling on the floor, I sensed that something terrible had happened. Seeing my mother listless and haggard, I knew I had to stay quietly by her side and not disturb her. Sometimes, when I saw her weeping bitterly, I would snuggle close to her, hoping to offer a little warmth. The neighbours, witnessing this tragic scene, could not help but shed tears, lamenting the cruelty of fate and the fragility of our existence.

As time passed, my mother’s mood gradually stabilised, and I grew year by year. At seven years old, though I was small and lacked the strength of an adult, I begged our neighbours to teach me how to work so I could support my mother. The first skill I learned was repairing worn-out shoes, a craft mastered by an elderly neighbour who taught me his trade, hoping I could use this skill to earn a living and provide for my mother.

At first, there was no business. I would often sit on the street, lost in thought. Watching the sun rise in the east and set in the west, day after day passed without a single customer. Thinking of my mother at home, I knew I could not afford to be idle. To find clients, I began approaching passersby. Whenever I saw someone whose shoes were falling apart, I would kneel before them and beg them to let me repair their footwear. Many people would simply kick me away, cursing me viciously. Some even stomped on my face, calling me a shameless child. Despite the insults, I did not give up; I continued to seek out shoes to mend, hoping only to earn enough money to buy medicine for my mother.

Devotion in the Cold

Sometimes I could mend five pairs of shoes in a day; other times, none at all. Even in the bitter cold, without warm clothing, I continued to work. My mother, suffering from illness, was often bedridden and unaware of what I was doing outside. Whenever I returned home, I would immediately run to her room to care for her. At night, I would sit by her bedside, leaning against the frame to rest. If she turned or made the slightest sound, I would immediately rise to check on her, fearing she was in pain or needed my help.

When the weather was cold, I would hold my mother in bed, using my own body heat to warm her until she was comfortable. When it was hot, I would fan her until she fell asleep. Sometimes, when she could not sleep at night, I would tell her stories until dawn. Once she drifted off, I would prepare a simple meal for her before heading out to work again. Though I lived a life unlike other children, I never felt it was a hardship. Filial piety was my duty. Being born as my mother’s child was our karmic affinity, and I felt no resentment—only profound gratitude. I was grateful to have the blessings to care for her while she was alive and to repay the kindness of my birth.

The Encounter with the Dharma

My business gradually improved because I mended every pair of shoes with genuine sincerity. Some people, intending to mock me, would bring me shoes that were beyond repair, demanding I fix them. To fulfil their requests, I would stay up late after my mother fell asleep, lighting a candle to work. No matter how long it took, I would always deliver a pair of shoes that satisfied the customer. Eventually, even those who had looked down on me began to respect my work ethic.

As my business grew, my mother’s illness worsened. I could no longer go out and had to stay by her side constantly. If customers were willing to let me take their shoes home, I could earn a little money there. One day, I rushed out to find a doctor because my mother was failing. I ran as fast as I could, but I accidentally bumped into a tall stranger. I apologised profusely, but he would not let me go, demanding I kowtow in apology and pay him compensation. I had only a small amount of money, intended for the doctor. As I knelt and begged him to spare me, a monk appeared. The monk said to the man, 'This boy took advantage of you in a past life, and now you have met again. This has stirred up your hidden memories, which is why you treat him with such malice. You must know that this relationship will continue into the next life. If he kowtows to you now, in the next life, you will be the one kneeling and begging for mercy. When will this cycle of karmic retribution end?' Hearing this, the man’s anger subsided, and with the encouragement of others, he turned and left without taking my money.

Rebirth in the Western Pure Land

I knelt to thank the monk for his intervention and then ran to fetch the doctor. After taking the medicine, my mother’s condition stabilised. Knowing she might leave this world at any moment, I dared not leave her side. One night, I remembered the monk and thought he might be able to save her. The next morning, I went to the temple. The monk was already waiting at the door. He introduced me to the Buddha’s teachings and instructed me to go home and teach my mother to chant the name of Namo Amituofo, explaining that this was the only way to save her and guide her to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

I followed his instructions, teaching my mother about Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land. I chanted by her side 24/7, hoping she would be liberated from the suffering of life and death. My mother, knowing my filial heart and how much I had sacrificed, did not want me to continue suffering for her sake. She developed a strong desire to leave this world and focused her mind on chanting. She prayed for the Buddha’s blessing to take her, and three days later, she passed away amidst the sound of chanting. The room was filled with the fragrance of lotus flowers, and auspicious signs appeared in the sky. I knelt and kowtowed, thanking the Buddha for His compassion. I vowed to study the Buddha’s teachings to save all sentient beings, helping them leave suffering behind and gain happiness.

A Vow to Save All Beings

After my mother’s funeral, I packed my bags and went to the temple to practise. I knew life was precious and fleeting, so I did not slacken for a moment. I tempered my body and my character, purifying this defiled vessel until it was transparent and white, so that I could wield the highest Wisdom to save others. My efforts moved Namo Amituofo to grant me His compassionate blessing, and after fifteen years of practice, I realised my true nature. I travelled everywhere to spread the Dharma, using Wisdom and compassion to save beings, wishing for all to chant Namo Amituofo and be reborn in the Western Pure Land, forever leaving the sea of karma behind.

In that lifetime, I never forgot the Buddha’s grace or the vow I had made. I fulfilled my vow completely, and at the end of my life, I rode a lotus flower to the West. Now, Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body is working powerfully in the universe to perform Chao Du. I have also received Practitioner Su’s compassion, allowing me to open spaces for beings with karmic affinity to be saved. The universe radiates with various colours—the light emitted by beings at different levels. Beings are scattered throughout the Milky Way, dense and countless. Among them, those with karmic affinity to me are boundless. I follow the six-character name, working hard to save them, unable to bear their suffering for even a moment. I cherish this precious time for Chao Du and am grateful to Practitioner Su for giving me this opportunity. I will never fail her kindness. Namo Amituofo."