The Guardian’s Witness: Skanda Bodhisattva and the Salvation Team

The Sacred Duty of Protection

It is my profound honour to serve as a Dharma protector at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Under the guidance of Namo Amituofo and working alongside Practitioner Su, I have been able to deepen my understanding of the Dharma and expand my wisdom. This is truly a magnificent Dharma affinity. Within the temple, we protectors remain ever vigilant, for the responsibility of safeguarding the Dharma and those who propagate it is immense. Practitioner Su has manifested in this human world out of deep compassion for the suffering of all beings. Having demonstrated thirty years of diligent practice, he has reached the state of an awakened being and now works tirelessly to save others. The fact that Namo Amituofo truly abides at this temple is a rare and precious occurrence that few in history have ever encountered.

I have served as a protector here since the group cultivation began eight or nine years ago. Wherever Practitioner Su goes, I follow to provide protection. Having witnessed his entire process of practice, I have never seen a single thought or action driven by selfishness or personal gain. My respect for him is boundless. Therefore, I dare not be negligent for even a moment, fearing that the slightest oversight might cause harm to his precious human body.

The Transformation of the Demon Realm

In the early days, the Demon King Papiyan frequently came to cause interference. Practitioner Su, with a mind of absolute stillness, subdued the Demon King. Whether we were at this temple or in Shiding, whenever demon crowds manifested, I would immediately increase my vigilance. This was not because I wished to retreat, but because Practitioner Su, in his great compassion, chose to face these beings using his human body. He employed his wisdom and various methods to address the different personalities and natures of these demon beings. Watching this often left me in a cold sweat, fearing for his physical safety.

In truth, my worries were unnecessary. Each time, Practitioner Su responded with such brilliant, spontaneous wisdom that he resolved the conflicts with even the most stubborn and difficult beings. This process evolved through several stages: the initial subduing of demon beings from the heavenly realms; the resolution of negative influences within the fourfold assembly of disciples and those seeking Chao Du; the subsequent arrival of external beings who came to observe or challenge, only to be subdued and converted; and the integration of vast numbers of Bodhisattvas from the cosmos and the Milky Way, as well as the new Buddha-disciples.

Together, these beings have formed the Salvation Team. What began as a small group has expanded rapidly into a massive force. Whenever Practitioner Su uses his Dharma Body to perform Chao Du and the Salvation Team sets out, they fill the entire sky. It is a magnificent and unprecedented sight. This team is composed entirely of beings from the demon realms who, through the combined power of Practitioner Su’s grace and authority, and his perfect balance of compassion and wisdom, have surrendered and been transformed. A significant turning point occurred when Venerable Changren and Steve Jobs were subdued and transformed from evil to good. Venerable Changren became the leader of the Salvation Team, and I have since used countless manifestations to protect Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body.

The Boundless Compassion of Practitioner Su

Practitioner Su’s methods for saving the world are not fixed; he often disregards his own safety, prioritising the liberation of beings and their rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss above all else. Whether it is climbing mountains, crossing oceans, traversing vast wildernesses, or entering the darkest, most desolate places, he seeks out those who are most neglected and those who have no one else to save them. His mission eventually extended into the hells, allowing those suffering there to receive Chao Du. Even the Ten Kings of Hell have been visited and now cooperate with this salvation work. The first group of the Ten Kings has already been sent by Practitioner Su to the Western Pure Land, and the second group now stands ready to assist whenever they are called upon. By flexibly utilising the functions of his Dharma Body and coordinating with the Salvation Team, Practitioner Su has helped immeasurable and boundless beings achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land, including beings from the Milky Way, the ten directions, and the heavenly realms.

The Physical Toll of Compassion

I also bear the heavy responsibility of guarding the temple. Under the leadership of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies have become renowned throughout the spirit realms and beyond. Every ceremony is an unprecedented and magnificent event. Recently, Practitioner Su has focused his Dharma Body on the areas of Toowoomba and Goombungee in Australia, leading earthly creatures, insects, animals, and ghost beings in chanting Namo Amituofo to pray for rain. The success of these prayers shocked the various spirits and creatures of this land, leading to a massive increase in the number of beings joining the chanting.

While opening up space to help these spirits recover their original forms and receive Chao Du, Practitioner Su’s physical body has suffered greatly from the interference of these beings and attached spirits. Watching him take on the suffering of these beings, and seeing the damage to his skin, is truly heart-wrenching for us protectors. We have tried our best to prevent these beings from encroaching, but the number of spirits seeking Chao Du is simply too great. Despite our efforts, we have occasionally failed, and Practitioner Su’s body has suffered as a result. This is our oversight.

A New Strategy for Salvation

Another reason for this suffering is that these earthly creatures possess karmic bodies with deep, heavy karma. When Practitioner Su restores them to human form and grants them Chao Du, he helps them transform their karma. Consequently, they are often followed by their own karmic creditors who come to seek revenge. The sheer number of these creditors is a major cause of Practitioner Su’s physical pain. We protectors, under orders to guard him, have remained silent, yet we are filled with admiration for his willingness to endure such suffering to save others.

Fortunately, during yesterday’s Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Practitioner Su changed his approach. He stopped the direct chanting for rain by these earthly creatures and instead directed the Salvation Team to execute this task. This change was approved by Namo Amituofo, which brought us great relief. This was a wise decision. To save more beings, it is not sustainable for his physical body to continue suffering. Following the Buddha’s instructions, he immediately implemented the use of memorial tablets in the space, allowing these earthly creatures to receive Chao Du without needing to attach to his body.

Because there were still many attached spirits remaining on Practitioner Su’s body, head, and legs, we invited them out one by one. We used the vacuum tool provided by Practitioner Su to remove these beings. The number was immense, and once they were removed, the heavy sensation and the redness and itching on his skin were relieved. How fortunate! How fortunate! We protectors will continue to carry out this mission, ensuring that Practitioner Su’s physical body is not harmed again. We firmly believe that through our collective efforts, the prayers for rain and the restoration of the Earth’s orbital balance will proceed smoothly. Namo Amituofo. This message was recorded by the Buddha’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.