The Guardian's Journey to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with the Eastern Heavenly King, Zhang Zhenming, 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 long tenure as a guardian of the world and his recent transition. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on November 28, 2022.

Eastern Heavenly King Zhang Zhenming speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am the Eastern Heavenly King, known in my human life as Zhang Zhenming. I have held this responsibility for one thousand two hundred years. Today, I am deeply honoured to be interviewed by the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. As we understand it, this is a tremendous privilege, granted only because Practitioner Su specifically called for me, allowing me the opportunity to speak here.

A Debt of Gratitude to Practitioner Su

We, the Four Heavenly Kings, are filled with immense gratitude. We are grateful that Practitioner Su is attaining Buddhahood in the human world at this time, and even more grateful that Namo Amituofo is residing right here at this Centre. It is only because of this that we, the Four Heavenly Kings, have had the opportunity to come and request that Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su help us with our deliverance to the Western Pure Land.

We were first settled in the Dharma-Nature Land of the Buddhist Centre. Shortly after the Dharma assembly commenced, Practitioner Su appeared before us. In an instant, with countless manifestations, he guided us—the Four Heavenly Kings of the East, South, West, and North—along with our family members and heavenly subjects who had come seeking deliverance, into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This level of skill is truly worthy of our deepest admiration. With our own abilities, we could never have entered the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Yet, Practitioner Su achieved this in a short time—one might say in a single instant. Having been guided by the compassion of Practitioner Su, we have finally fulfilled the long-held wish of the Four Heavenly Kings. When many of our family members and heavenly subjects entered the Western Pure Land, they were so moved that they knelt to express their gratitude for the Buddha's grace. Truly, the Buddha's compassion is boundless; he does not abandon a single being.

The Duty of a Guardian

I am the Eastern Heavenly King. I have always held compassion in my heart, guarding the masses and protecting the land. My primary scope of responsibility covers the peace and stability of the nations and people from the Earth up to the first level of the heavenly realms. The Dharma instrument I hold represents our conviction. Regardless of the circumstances, the Buddha's teachings are the Great Dharma we uphold. We will certainly protect sincere and devout practitioners of the Buddha's path, ensuring they do not suffer from external interference. However, regarding the various problems that arise from within one's own mind, these are matters of individual practice, and we often do not intervene, for there are the laws of karma and cause and effect. Within the universal principles, there are also guidelines for how karma unfolds. In such times, education in the Buddha's teachings is vital. Compassion, Joy, and Selfless Giving—these are the Four Immeasurable Minds of the Buddha's teachings. These four states of mind are the eternal essence of the Dharma. Everyone possesses them inherently; when people rediscover these four minds, it is the moment their Buddha-nature manifests.

I have fulfilled my duties with compassion, yet the external appearance I manifest often causes sentient beings to feel awe—a mixture of shock and fear. This is intended to suppress the demon nature within beings, so that their true nature may manifest without obstruction. Of course, many beings with deep-seated demon nature do not retreat or fear when they see us. If they remain still, we do not take action; but if they intend to do evil, we are compelled to use our Dharma power. Therefore, for those of us who are guardians, Dharma power is an essential capability.

The Superiority of Practitioner Su's Compassion

In any conflict, one side wins and the other retreats; this is the natural order. Today, the reason Practitioner Su is so highly respected—beyond his high-quality spirituality—is that he demonstrates the practice, mind-capacity, compassion, Wisdom, and tolerance that a practitioner should possess. Every move he makes, every word he speaks, and the capability, ease, and harmony he displays in his current lectures, along with his sincere and firm faith in Namo Amituofo, truly reflect the demeanour of an awakened being who has realised his true nature. Such a figure is no longer to be found in this world. It is precisely to deliver and transform sentient beings that he manifests his Dharma Body, which has shaken the spiritual realms.

When delivering and resolving the conflicts of sentient beings, Practitioner Su never resorts to force. Instead, he uses his no-mind to subdue the demonic hearts of others. What we admire most is that the demon crowds Practitioner Su has subdued are not limited to those around the Buddhist Centre; they extend to Australia and surrounding nations, to the demon crowds and demon kings of the entire Earth, and even beyond the Four Heavenly Kings' Heaven, the Trayastrimsa Heaven, the entire Mount Sumeru realm, the immortal realms, the heavenly realms, and up to the twenty-eight heavens beyond Mount Sumeru. He has even entered the Four Sacred Realms and the demon realms of the Dharma realm of emptiness. In particular, the number of demon crowds from the Milky Way coming here to surrender and seek energy is vast. This truly fills us, the Four Heavenly Kings, with immense respect. Because the heavenly realms and demon crowds beyond the first level of heaven are outside our jurisdiction, there naturally exists a local resistance mechanism—this is the operation of universal principles. We, the Four Heavenly Kings, are responsible for the peace of the lands and beings below the first heaven. Thus, Practitioner Su's Dharma power, ability, and skills far exceed our own. It is no wonder he is so deeply respected by all.

A Life of Purity and Compassion

In fact, before today, we had already nurtured the wish to ask Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su to lead us to rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. However, we were bound by our duties. Now that the Causal Conditions have matured, and with the consent of the Trayastrimsa Heavenly King, our duties have been successfully handed over, allowing us to fulfil our wish. That the Four Heavenly Kings could complete their life's mission in this way and receive the guidance of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su to enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is a rare and unheard-of event. Here, I, the Eastern Heavenly King Zhang Zhenming, am deeply grateful and offer my most sincere thanks to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su!

With Namo Amituofo residing at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the protection of this place far exceeds anything we could provide. Great Dharma protectors guard this site, so we need not worry about its peace. This is something I have never encountered during my tenure.

Now, let me speak of my own past. Before becoming a Heavenly King, I was born in China during the Tang Dynasty, a period when the Buddha's teachings were flourishing. Since childhood, my health was poor. My entire family was devout in the Buddha's teachings, and shortly after I was born, I was taken to a temple to see a master known to my grandparents. At that time, everyone was very respectful toward the master. My parents told me that my grandfather held me in his arms, knelt on the ground, and said to the master, 'This child is the eldest grandson of the family and is loved by all, but in the six months since his birth, he has eaten very little. Although he grows, his crying is weak, and he seems to have no strength.' The master looked at me, smiled, and said to my grandfather, 'Do not worry. This child was a monastic in his past life; monastics are naturally steady and speak little. His birth now is not marked by weak crying, but by a desire not to disturb the peace of the masses. This child is so compassionate from birth—it is rare indeed. You must raise and educate him well!' My grandfather was overjoyed to hear this. He had never heard that a child's weak crying was actually a sign of consideration for others. He felt that such a spiritual child should not be allowed to be tainted.

The Power of Joy

From then on, everyone spoke little around me, especially avoiding idle chatter, to maintain my purity. I grew up handsome and quiet, but I was deeply protective of all earthly creatures, never harming even an ant or a worm. My eyesight was particularly keen. Whenever I saw various creatures in my vicinity in distress, I would inevitably help them escape danger, ensuring they would not continue to be harmed. Although they were small, they were actually very spiritual. After I saved them, I often saw them press their palms together and bow to me in gratitude. I would return the gesture in the same way. At first, my family found it strange—there was no one in front of me, so why would I make such gestures? Later, I explained to my parents that earthly creatures truly have spirituality; when they are in difficulty, I help them, and they press their palms together and bow to thank me, and I return the gesture. This cleared up their confusion.

My father said, 'Since you have the heart to help others, why not come forward to help the elderly in the village who have no one to care for them?' I nodded and told my father that I had thought of this before. Since my father proposed it, I followed his wish. There were several elderly people in the village with no one to care for them. Whenever I visited, I could feel the changes in the energy around them. I was about fifteen or sixteen then, tall and strong. When the elderly saw me coming to help, they were filled with joy. In that instant of joy, many evil spirits and negative energies around them would automatically disperse, because their goal is to make you feel depressed, desperate, and low. When you naturally emit a spirit of joy from your heart, you can naturally cause them to avoid you and retreat. This is why 'Joy' in the Four Immeasurable Minds—Compassion, Joy, and Selfless Giving—has such great power to subdue demonic enemies and negative energy.

Once I realised this benefit, I would smile whenever I saw people. Some would shyly smile back; others would hide or avoid me, and you would know that such a person could not control their own mind; others would generously return a smile, and you would know that this person had less negative energy. So, when I cared for the elderly, their bodies felt much more comfortable because the evil spirits and negative energies had retreated, and their suffering from illness was greatly reduced. Thus, they regarded me as a lucky person, and I was happy to accept this. They were very happy with my arrival.

A Life Dedicated to Peace

Although I was the eldest grandson and quite handsome, I never gave romantic love a thought. I remained unmarried my entire life, dedicating my time to protecting the peace of the villagers. Several times, there were external enemies—people from neighbouring villages—who wanted to come to our village to seize resources. After I discovered them, they thought, 'Surely we will be handed over to the officials and punished; we won't escape a prison sentence this year.' But I did not do that. I asked them if they would do it again, and they naturally said, 'No.' I believed them. After they promised me they would not harm others again, I did not hand them over to the officials. They were very surprised and left after bowing in gratitude. I did not want their thanks; I simply believed in my heart that every sentient being has a good nature. As long as one truly changes their ways, this good nature has a chance to manifest, and such a life becomes vastly different. This has always been my conviction.

Once, the village head wanted to pass his position to me, but I politely declined. To truly protect sentient beings and uphold the land, while one can use official authority, one can often act more freely without it. I lived my life with this conviction and passed away at the age of sixty-three without illness. Before I passed, I did not know my time had come; I only felt a sense of lightness and peace. A bright light appeared before me, and I naturally entered it, reaching the heavenly court, where I met the Trayastrimsa Heavenly King, who then granted me the position of the Eastern Heavenly King.

I happily accepted this position, as it was perfectly aligned with my life's philosophy. From then on, I devoted myself to my duties; this was my responsibility. I have always been compassionate, and whatever I do, I never depart from this basic principle, which is also the essence of the Buddha's teachings, for it is the nature of reality. Therefore, the many slanders and doubts people in the human world have toward Practitioner Su seem to us truly unwise and unnecessary. They only lead one to create negative karma, damage one's own Dharma Body and Wisdom-life, and lose the opportunity to be close to a true spiritual friend.

The Inconceivable Nature of the Dharma Assembly

Now that we are in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, we see the magnificent scenes of the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, which are different from what we saw in the heavenly realms. Here, we can see the scene of sentient beings being delivered into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. The number of beings entering the West is vast, yet the Western Pure Land remains perfectly peaceful and serene—it is truly inconceivable! In the heavenly palaces, whenever the Buddhist Centre held a Dharma assembly, we would dispatch many attendants and generals to the surroundings of the temple to help maintain order and peace, because the scale of the deliverance was simply too massive! One could count the sentient beings participating in the assembly in the billions—in reality, it is an immeasurable and boundless number of beings. If one understands the magnificence of the Dharma assembly, no sentient being would pass up the opportunity to be reborn in the West during the assembly.

We were bound by our duties, and because demon crowds are pervasive, we often heard of their intrusions against Practitioner Su. Practitioner Su's sensitivity is sufficient, and as he possesses a Buddha-body, he can block further harm to his physical form from demon crowds. However, for the fourfold assembly of disciples, they must rely on their own sensitivity and the adjustment of their mental notes and practice of Goodness to avoid interference. Fortunately, because the fourfold assembly of disciples resides at the Buddhist Centre, they receive so much care.

I never tire of watching the Dharma Body that Practitioner Su manifests during the Dharma assemblies. Practitioner Su's heart is filled with great compassion, always thinking of how to deliver sentient beings and help them leave suffering behind. Such a heart is truly a model for practitioners. Currently, practitioners are very fragile; those with such a mindset are extremely rare. Even if they exist, they cannot withstand the slightest external blow or demonic interference. Yet, Practitioner Su is fearless in the face of these blows and demonic disturbances, which is why so many sentient beings can be saved. We guard sentient beings to ensure that people and spirits do not experience turmoil, allowing them to pass this lifetime in peace without creating further karma, maintaining purity. Practitioner Su, however, elevates and delivers their spirits so they no longer suffer—this is the great compassion within the world of the Buddha's teachings.

Here, the Eastern Heavenly King once again represents all the beings of the lands, as well as the nations and beings that have been delivered through Practitioner Su's Dharma Body, to offer our deepest gratitude for the deliverance that has allowed their spirits to be saved!

A Ray of Hope Amidst the Pandemic

I can speak about the situation in the nations I guard. Take the pandemic that is still disturbing the Earth and all nations. The pandemic has taken the lives of many sentient beings and caused unrest in nations and lands; this is the karma of the people. From ancient times to the present, within the laws of karma and cause and effect, every so often, there is an impact from these natural principles. People lose their lives through the intrusion of the pandemic, and afterward, their spirits must be judged and their next life arranged. At such times, if a great practitioner appears, a turning point often emerges. In this pandemic that has endangered the globe, because of the appearance of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, many of the pandemic's demon crowds were first transformed and then surrendered. In this part, Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su have done a great service for sentient beings.

This has allowed the demon crowds and the people whose lives they were to take to be pardoned. Later, we discovered that those who were originally destined to have their lives taken by these demon crowds had, in their past lives, made offerings to the Buddha's teachings, performed Goodness, and established good Causal Conditions. At this moment, because of the appearance of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, a ray of hope appeared for their lives. Therefore, what was originally a fatal event within the laws of karma and cause and effect was able to receive this magnificent condition because of the compassionate manifestation of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, thus allowing the good cause to yield the fruit of being saved.

The number of people saved in this way is not small; it is a very large number. Therefore, if the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre had not subdued so many pandemic demon kings, demon children and grandchildren, the number of victims of this pandemic would have been doubled. This is a situation that the Eastern Heavenly King reveals to you, which is unknown to the people of the world.

Gratitude to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for their compassionate deliverance! Gratitude for today's opportunity, and gratitude for the interview with the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

Namo Amituofo.

Eastern Heavenly King Zhang Zhenming, with palms pressed together.

In the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss."