The Great Vow of Practice

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Hong Guang, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life approximately 785 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on July 23, 2018.

Venerable Hong Guang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Hong Guang. My mother held my left hand, while my right hand held my younger brother, Hong Liang. On her back, she carried my youngest brother, Hong Xi. We all stood there, watching our father’s back as he walked further and further away. His figure grew smaller and smaller until he finally vanished from our sight. That was the decision my father made for his life: he had chosen to renounce the household life and become a monk.

A Mother’s Sacrifice and Support

My mother’s eyes were filled with tears, pained by the departure of her husband. Yet, she was the one who supported him the most. She knew that Father had always harboured a grand vow to save the world. He had only married my mother out of obedience to my grandparents. Even after they were wed, his longing to renounce the world never faded. Three days before their wedding, he had bravely told her the truth, letting her know that one day, he would surely embark on the path of practice.

My mother was just like my father; she was a practitioner of the Buddha’s teachings. We lived in poverty, and she worked alongside my aunt to care for my ailing grandparents. Mother understood the suffering of life deeply and yearned for liberation. Because of this, she could empathise with Father’s decision. In fact, her desire for liberation was even stronger than his. She, too, wished to become a nun, but because the three of us children had already been born, she set aside her own aspiration to care for us. She took the burden of our upbringing upon her own shoulders, fulfilling Father’s wish to renounce the world and save sentient beings.

Growing Up in the Light of the Dharma

Mother lived a life of practice within our home. She taught us three brothers the Buddha’s teachings, hoping that we would all one day become monks and vow to save all beings. Every day, we would kneel quietly behind the home altar, reciting the Sutras with her. Many times, we witnessed golden light suddenly manifesting before us, which deepened our conviction that the Buddhas truly exist in this world.

We three brothers did not know much about the outside world, as we spent most of our time sitting in meditation before the Buddha. Only occasionally would Mother take us out to guide us in witnessing the hardships of life. Whenever we went out, Mother would carry some money, teaching us the practice of Generosity. If we saw a beggar on the roadside or an elderly person in need, she would have us give our money to them. Although the amount was small, we learned the heart of giving.

The Return of Master Hongru

When I was ten years old, I saw my father return to our village to give a lecture. In those five years, he had become a monk of great dignity, known by the Dharma name Hongru. When Master Hongru saw Mother bringing us three brothers to listen to his teaching, he pressed his palms together in greeting, but he did not look directly at her, treating her with the same respectful distance he showed all female lay practitioners.

Watching the dignity and majesty of Master Hongru as he taught the Dharma, I felt a deep sense of admiration. My father had truly let go of everything worldly. He practised diligently within the Buddha’s gate, just as he had always approached everything in life—with a serious, unyielding commitment to complete what he had set out to do. The lecture was magnificent. Through his words, I understood more clearly the illusory nature of life, and a heart to save the world arose within me. I hoped that I, too, could one day propagate the Buddha’s teachings just like Master Hongru, so that every household could understand the importance of believing in and practising the Buddha’s path.

A Family United in the Dharma

At the age of twelve, I renounced the household life alongside my eleven-year-old brother, Hong Liang. Life in the monastery was so pure and grounded; every day, we were nourished by the Dharma. There were many fellow practitioners who shared the same grand vow to save the world, all working diligently before the Buddha. The cohesion of our monastic community was strong, and we strove together toward our goal of salvation. When we gathered to chant the Buddha’s name, one could hear the earnestness of our vows in every sound. Each of us practised to attain fruit, truly striving to help all beings.

Three years later, Mother and my youngest brother, Hong Xi, also renounced the world to practise. In this lifetime, our Causal Conditions brought us together as a family, and together we became monastics. I am deeply grateful for the compassionate arrangements of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Assisting Practitioner Su

Practitioner Su’s feet were severely injured due to the work of delivering sentient beings. I came from the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss into Practitioner Su’s feet, hoping to use my own energy to help heal those wounds. Upon entering her body, I felt a continuous, inexhaustible stream of energy being generated. It is the immense energy produced by the holy name of Namo Amituofo, which is constantly repairing the injuries. Whether in the blood, the meridians, the internal organs, or even within the bones, the sound of the Buddha’s name resonates. Every part of her body is in a state of pure meditative concentration.

I am grateful for Practitioner Su’s compassion in delivering the beings of the universe. Many planets connected to me by karmic affinity have followed the Buddha-light to the bright Western Land of Ultimate Bliss under her deliverance. What left the deepest impression on me was a yellow planet. The beings on this planet had a bright yellow hue, and they emitted a faint yellow light. The size of the light represented the energy within each being; those with higher energy had larger, brighter lights, while those with lower energy were dim and faint. This group of beings were all those I had once saved. They had reached a point in the universe where they were diligent practitioners, seeking the stillness of practice within their yellow world. At that time, they had no desire to be reborn in the Western Land and chose to continue living in the universe. Thousands of years passed. Now, they have finally seen the Buddha-light once again, and moved by the six-character name, they knelt and begged Practitioner Su to guide them to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am grateful to Namo Amituofo for His compassionate refusal to abandon us, and I am grateful to Practitioner Su for her compassionate salvation."

Namo Amituofo.