The General Who Became a Grain of Sand

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of General Li Guoheng, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life and his long confinement within the depths of the Heilongjiang River. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on December 11, 2020.

General Li Guoheng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am a spirit from the Heilongjiang River. I have been trapped within those waters for over two thousand years since my death. You might ask, 'Why did you not leave?' It was not a matter of choice; I was utterly unable to leave. I simply lacked the power to escape that watery prison on my own.

The name 'Heilongjiang' is known throughout the world, but while people know the name, who truly knows of the countless spirits trapped within its depths? I am one of those spirits. Today, no one remembers me, and I do not recognise the modern world. I have lived only within the space of my own memory, perpetually replaying the final moments of my life in the world. I remember being forced back by enemy troops to the very edge of the river. One more step and I would fall into the dark water. I could not advance, and I could not retreat. Suddenly, a long blade slashed across my neck. I saw my own blood spraying into the air, felt my centre of gravity vanish, and fell backward into the river. I died a violent death, becoming a lonely spirit with nowhere to go, drifting in the river for centuries.

The Arrogance of a Conqueror

I was a great general. My history of repeated victories filled me with an arrogant air. Having studied martial arts since childhood, I possessed formidable skills. My mind was sharp, and I could always devise tricks that caught my enemies off guard, allowing us to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. In several desperate situations, I used my wits to turn the tide, ultimately emerging as the victor and returning home in glory. After so many triumphs, I became convinced that I was invincible—that I would never know the taste of failure.

I grew increasingly haughty. If someone lacked status or rank, I would not even grant them the honour of speaking to me. I felt that everyone respected me and obeyed my every command. It never occurred to me that anyone would dare to defy me, let alone plot against me in the shadows. My personality offended many, but I was oblivious to it. Even if I had known, I likely would not have cared. I did not need to rely on them; with my power, they should have been the ones currying favour with me. So, I continued to act exactly as I pleased, regardless of who I offended.

The Fatal Trap

I always believed I would remain a champion, but during my one hundred and thirty-sixth military campaign, I encountered a catastrophe. My forces were pushed back step by step until we were completely annihilated. That defeat was the first time I had ever tasted failure, and it was to be the final battle of my life.

This disaster was not due to a tactical error on my part, but because there was a traitor in my ranks. Someone who despised my arrogance had secretly contacted the enemy and used a 'beauty trap' to ensnare me. Women were my weakness; a single word or a glance from the right woman could shake my heart. Because of this, I had spent my life—forty-six years—avoiding them entirely. But the woman they brought before me was a beauty such as I had never seen. Her charm was overwhelming, and her talents were even more captivating. She understood military strategy and could converse with me with such ease that I was completely disarmed. My mind was filled with thoughts of her; my heart was conquered. I was no longer focused on the war. Though I had a flicker of caution, telling myself not to let my guard down, I sank deeper and deeper into the trap, thinking that since I had always won before, I would surely defeat the enemy this time as well.

Betrayal and Retribution

In truth, I never truly possessed her. She always found a way to slip through my fingers, only to lure me back again. That night, I thought I had finally won her heart, but she had drugged my wine. I fell into a deep, heavy sleep. While I was unconscious, she stole the secret plans for my campaign. When I awoke, she was lying in my arms, dishevelled and tender, acting as if we had spent the night together. I assumed I had simply forgotten the events of the evening and held her close, smug and satisfied, completely unaware that my secrets had been exposed.

When the battle began, we were immediately surrounded. We were all shocked—how had they discovered our movements? In a very short time, my soldiers were all killed. I was the last one left, but they did not intend to let me live. They wanted me to witness the total destruction of my army, to make me deeply feel the sting of my defeat. Finally, they slashed my neck, and I died in the Heilongjiang River.

From General to a Grain of Sand

I never allowed myself to be a failure, yet I was utterly defeated by a woman. After my death, I first went to the hells to suffer retribution. My competitive nature had cost countless lives, and my sins were heavy; I had to pay for them. I endured torture—dismemberment, the extraction of my heart and brain, and being crushed—every day spent in agonising wails. I suffered for nearly twelve hundred years before I was finally released from the hells, only to become a tiny grain of sand at the bottom of the Heilongjiang River.

I rolled back and forth on the riverbed, but no matter where I went, I was still in the river. On the surface, I was just a grain of sand, but in my own mind, I was still a great general. I was still living in my own space, still fighting, still struggling for my lost glory.

Deliverance by Practitioner Su

When the Dharma Body of Practitioner Su came to the Heilongjiang River to perform Chao Du, the entire river—from the surface to the banks and the deep bottom—was purified over and over again. When I was illuminated by the golden light of Practitioner Su, my space was opened. When I saw myself as nothing more than a grain of sand, I was filled with remorse and sorrow. I wept aloud. I, a dignified general who had won a hundred battles, had been reduced to a mere grain of sand! I knew that Practitioner Su could save me. I did not want to be sand anymore. I immediately followed the golden light of Practitioner Su, shed the shell of the sand grain, returned to my form as a general, and left that past space behind.

I am repenting for the sins I committed in my past. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for saving me. I hope that all the spirits suffering in the Heilongjiang River can be saved, so that sentient and insentient beings alike attain perfect wisdom. Namo Amituofo."