The Golden Axe and the Vow of Filial Piety

This is the account of the seven hundred and twenty-seventh Venerable interviewed, Fang Xian, who lived nineteen hundred years ago. This interview was recorded on February 6, 2019, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Fang Xian, having spent centuries as a spirit residing within an ancient tree, eventually sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, having fulfilled his life's purpose.

Venerable Fang Xian speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Fang Xian. It has been nineteen hundred years since I walked the earth in that lifetime, yet the lessons of that journey remain as vivid and clear as if they occurred only yesterday. No matter how the great tree swayed in the howling wind, or how its golden leaves fell to the forest floor, I remained seated deep within the trunk, unmoving and unshaken. This existence lasted for centuries. The tree grew from a ten-year-old sapling to a hundred-year-old giant, and eventually to an eight-hundred-year-old sentinel, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon. Throughout those long, silent ages, I simply enjoyed the profound stillness within the tree's space, lost in a meditative concentration that felt eternal."

The Legend of the Golden Axe

"Eight hundred years passed in what felt like a blink of an eye. One day, a wandering monk arrived in the forest. He spotted the great tree at once and sat beneath it, leaning his weary back against the rough bark to rest. As he rested, he began to tell a story to the tree, as if he knew I was listening. He spoke of a woodcutter who loved to carry a golden axe. People had told this woodcutter that a tree in the forest possessed great spiritual power and held hidden treasures within its core. Many had searched for it, but for centuries, it remained hidden. One day, the woodcutter met a monk and asked, 'Can you sense which tree has this spirit and the treasure within?' The monk replied, 'That tree has a deep karmic connection with you. Your son from a past life resides within it. Father and son share a heart; if you follow your intuition, you will surely find him.'

The woodcutter was shocked to his core. He followed his feelings and found a tree that stirred his heart. As he approached, tears streamed down his face. He said to the tree, 'Centuries have passed, and here we are—you as a tree, and I as a woodcutter. I came here with my golden axe, intending to cut you down for wealth. If the monk had not told me, I would have destroyed you with my own hands.' The woodcutter did not cut the tree. He returned to the monk to ask how to save his son. The monk advised, 'Teach him the Dharma and guide him to chant the Buddha's name.' The woodcutter diligently studied the Buddha’s teachings every day for the sake of his son. He would go to the tree daily to teach him. After ten years, his persistence moved his stubborn son, who finally agreed to chant 'Namo Amituofo' with his father, allowing him to leave the space within the tree. After finishing this story, the monk departed, leaving the forest in silence once more."

A Reunion of Souls

"Not long after, a woodcutter carrying a golden axe truly arrived. Seeing the tree, he asked in confusion, 'Why is this tree weeping?' He wiped the tears from the tree and leaned his weary body against the trunk. He began to chant the name of Namo Amituofo, sincerely and clearly, with every ounce of his being. I emerged from the space within the tree and knelt before him. I told him, 'Father, I have been unfilial. For eight hundred years, I indulged in the stillness of the tree, forgetting that my original purpose in practicing was to save you from the cycle of rebirth. Only now, seeing you, do I remember the vow I made eight centuries ago: to save my suffering father.' I knelt before him, sobbing uncontrollably, before eventually fading from his sight, my heart heavy with the weight of my past ignorance."

The Forgotten Vow

"I was reborn into a wealthy family. Pampered from childhood, I quickly forgot the purpose of my life. My father spent his days in brothels, and I followed his example, idling away my time in drinking and debauchery. No matter how others tried to counsel me, I remained headstrong and arrogant. At the age of thirty, I fell gravely ill. My family was desperate, spending our fortune on the finest medicines, but nothing worked. One night, I dreamt of an old man with a golden axe, weeping. I did not recognise him, but the dream recurred for days. I ordered my servants to find a woodcutter in town who carried a golden axe. After months of searching, they reported that they had found him, but he was terminally ill. A sudden stirring in my heart compelled me to visit him, and I set out on the journey to find the man from my dreams."

The Awakening of the Spirit

"The golden axe lay on the table by his bed. The moment I saw it, tears fell. I knelt by his bedside, shocking the servants. The woodcutter opened his eyes with great effort and said, 'You have finally come.' He recounted the events of thirty years prior. My spirit was awakened, and I wept bitterly. I begged the Buddha to save my father. He replied in a weak voice, 'I know my time is short, but I am grateful to see you before I pass. I hope you will walk the path of practice—not for me, but for all beings. This is the only path you should take. Do not worry about my old life; I am but one of many beings, and immeasurable others are waiting for your salvation.' Hearing this, I knelt and vowed to become a monastic. As I made this vow, my father’s pain vanished, and he began to chant Namo Amituofo. I knelt by his side for three days and nights, chanting with him until he was led away by the Buddha to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

A Life Transformed

"After laying my father to rest, I returned home to bid farewell to my parents. My solemn demeanor surprised them. I told them firmly, 'I have decided to enter the temple to practice!' I knelt and repented: 'I have never been a filial son, nor have I cherished this human body. I have wasted my life in indulgence. Now, I have decided to turn over a new leaf. When I achieve success in my practice, I will return to save you.' I entered the temple in my thirties. I was diligent, never sleeping or slacking, determined to achieve Awakening to save all beings. I treated everyone as my teacher, serving the community and performing the most menial tasks. When someone told me, 'You don't need to work so hard,' I replied, 'Without such effort, I can never learn the Buddha's way. My arrogance has polluted me for thirty years; only through service can I eliminate this pride.'"

The Path of Compassion

"For over a decade, I practiced without a moment of laziness. Whenever a thought of slackness arose, I remembered my father's words: 'I am but one of many beings.' I realised that 'all men are my fathers, all women are my mothers.' I treated every being as my own parent, which renewed my spirit. After more than ten years of diligent practice, I achieved success and began to save beings widely. I faced every trial with a compassionate heart until the very end of my life, when I fulfilled my vow, saved my parents, and followed the Buddha to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

Gratitude to Practitioner Su

"Now, I watch as Practitioner Su's Dharma Body saves beings throughout the universe. Such mind-capacity and Ultimate Vows were beyond my own in the past. I learn daily at the feet of Practitioner Su. I am grateful that, even without a human body, I can return to the world to practice and vow to save beings. I follow Practitioner Su closely, helping to heal his leg injuries and learning from his courageous heart in saving beings. I am deeply grateful for Practitioner Su's compassionate guidance. Namo Amituofo."

Recorded by the chief writer, Disciple Shi Fajing.