The Final Journey of Life

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Master Hong Yi, who sought spiritual deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon the nature of life and the path to liberation. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on February 3, 2021.

Master Hong Yi speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Master Hong Yi. When we speak of life's final journey, where is the true path to be found? It is only within the heart, through the True Teachings, that one can truly learn. When life comes to an end, nothing remains to hold onto. Once everything has flowed away, where does one truly go? This is the question that one must clarify in this lifetime. Why are you here in this life? You must think clearly on this."

The Inevitable Question of Where We Go

"Life requires us to reclaim the essence of this existence; do not let this life simply stop without purpose. Life should be lived with understanding, not in ignorance, which only leads to the bitterness of the path. If one does not wake up, there is endless suffering. Life is bound by karma and conditions, spinning endlessly in the cycle of rebirth. If you do not wake up now, then after this life, there are still countless pasts, presents, and futures—it is truly inconceivable. The fourfold assembly of disciples must be vigilant; here, in this place, you must awaken."

"Practitioner Su possesses a boundless capacity for compassion. With a heart of pure mercy, she helps beings, expounding the Dharma and assisting them in breaking through delusion to attain enlightenment. She shares the Great Vow of the Buddha, acting as the Buddha acts, ensuring that all beings may be saved. This is a true practitioner, one who walks the path alongside the Buddha."

The Compassion of Practitioner Su

"Beings in this world should cherish this opportunity to attain such great blessings and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Look at the vastness of the void; it is filled with endless, defiled dust—all of these are sentient beings. In this infinity, how can one find clarity? This is the essential point of practice, the very gateway to cultivation. The endless defiled dust cannot be compared to the vastness of the void, yet within this gateway of the Buddha, one can find liberation. You must seize this opportunity actively."

"I speak here of this infinite phenomenon—infinity upon infinity. This is the reality. It is a difficult path to cultivate, yet one must walk it. The manifestation of countless beings reveals the importance of the Dharma. If one studies the Great Dharma but does not know how to act, or if one is lost in the chaos of the world without waking up, one remains in delusion, floating in the sea of karma, manifesting ten thousand illusions. You must stop this journey. You must respond to the ten thousand natures and realise that the ten thousand natures are the truth. Only with such a heart can the cycle of rebirth be brought to an end."

The Parable of the Iron Ball and the Sand Grain

"The true realm of the Buddha is here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. In the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, Namo Amituofo truly abides. The disciples of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre work alongside Namo Amituofo to save the world; this is a magnificence that is hard to describe. This Centre is a rare encounter, one that happens perhaps once in a thousand kalpas. You must cherish it. Do not let this opportunity slip away, for if you lose it, it is hard to say when you might encounter it again. The Western Pure Land is pure and dignified. Practitioner Su has performed spiritual deliverance for immeasurable and boundless beings. There is a story that illustrates this: a single grain of sand, appearing as one thing, yet containing ten thousand changes. It is hard to describe—truly hard to describe! Sand is so minute, yet its space can be infinite. It is incomparable to even the most infinite of planets, yet it is all contained within a single grain of sand."

"This story took place over thirty million years ago. A person named 'Good Child' and a person named 'Evil Child' were arguing over whether an iron ball was larger or a grain of sand was larger. This argument lasted for many years and had not yet ceased. Good Child claimed, 'The iron ball is large; its form and its measure are immeasurable.' Evil Child claimed, 'The grain of sand is large; because its essence is pure, it is difficult to see clearly—how large can it be?' Good Child insisted the iron ball was larger, and Evil Child insisted the grain of sand was larger. Years passed. Good Child became like the iron ball, immeasurably large; Evil Child became like the grain of sand, also immeasurably large. Who truly knows what is large? How can one measure the iron ball against the grain of sand?"

The Illusion of Form and the Reality of Emptiness

"Sentient beings place too much importance on form. In the midst of the infinite, how can one measure that which has no form? Practitioner Su understands this well. She understands that the infinite is formless. Practitioner Su performs spiritual deliverance for the immeasurable and boundless. She sees the entire void—the lands, mountains, rivers, streams, seas, and every tiny current known to the world. Through the power of infinite visualisation, Practitioner Su saves all suffering beings. Whether sentient or insentient, all are essentially lost souls, reincarnated again and again, having forgotten their original nature. Practitioner Su leads them with a compassionate hand, helping them return to their original face so they can wake up and be liberated from the cycle of rebirth. The phenomenon of space can be said to have form, yet it exists between form and formlessness. Because it never truly 'was,' how can one speak of existence or non-existence? Once you see this space, you should wake up. Do not continue to reincarnate. The cycle of rebirth has no end, and if there were no one like Practitioner Su to save you, what would you do?"

"Do not abandon this body. When this body is gone, the misty sea of karma will swallow you. You will have no control, and even in your dreams, you will be lost in chaos and unimaginable pain. You do not suffer now, so you do not know suffering, but in truth, your spirit is already incomplete. Space is like a dream or an illusion. If you only think about it, you will not attain Awakening. You must understand, know suffering, know compassion, know how to wake up, and know how to save the world. As Practitioner Su says: 'Those who are not awake do not know compassion; those who are not compassionate do not know the suffering of the heart.' While you are still caught between the Five Desires and the Six Dusts, it is hard to speak of this. You must have awareness. How will you face this life? Responsibility lies in your own knowledge and action."

The Path to Awakening

"Space is layered and endless, and immeasurable time is contained within it. Confusion, chaos, emotions, personality, thoughts, desires, and illusions—these endless phenomena entangle you. Where is the place of clarity? This is space; how can one block it? Clarity is darkness, and light is also an illusion. The dark place is your own thought. Only when the heart knows purity, resolving all dust and suffering, and attains great Awakening, can one see and know purity. To see and know is to know the pure body, free from all colour, dust, and contamination. When the heart knows and is clear in its Awakening, one can be aware everywhere, and wherever there is awareness, there is liberation. To awaken and realise one's true nature lies in the path of the minute. Practitioner Su can say that clarity is also in the heart, and the heart is also in the principle."

"Open-mindedness and Awakening are the true essence of becoming a Buddha. A heart without contamination is the heart that realises its true nature. Practitioner Su performs spiritual deliverance through layers of visualisation, manifesting all phenomena. It is like the changing of ten thousand images; the Dharma has no fixed form, but is used skillfully according to conditions. Compassion and mind-capacity truly allow one to realise one's true nature. To realise the Dharma Body is to realise the purity of one's own heart and nature. Practitioner Su's vast, ocean-like deliverance is as clear as water and as light as a feather, yet its power is as great as Mount Tai, endless and boundless. From the minute to the infinite, how can one know its measure? It is known by the heart—infinite upon infinite."

"In this Dharma assembly of deliverance, or during the morning visualisation of deliverance, one can realise the Dharma everywhere. Only by knowing the purity of one's nature can one understand this. This is a skillful means; I hope all disciples can attain this awareness. Do not be mistaken about the time of Awakening. You should turn your heart and let go. Change lies in the breakthrough, just as Practitioner Su transcends layer by layer. This space, this time, and this infinite phenomenon—there is no phenomenon to be seen. It is truly non-existent, and here, one attains the truth."

"Awakening and realising one's true nature is not accidental. How does one achieve it? Practitioner Su's Dharma Body is pure, infinite, and boundless, transforming nothingness into truth. The true Western realm is pure and free from dust. It is an infinite phenomenon. I hope you can understand the truth. These are my thousand-fold true words. Namo Amituofo, with thousand-billion transformation bodies, infinite, infinite."

"Namo Amituofo."