The Hammer's Long Silence

This is a record of an interview with Pan Jinren, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Queensland, Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life approximately 1,500 years ago, during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on February 21, 2026.

Pan Jinren speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Pan Jinren. I was born in Shaanxi, China, and in my life, I was a warrior who wielded iron hammers as my weapon. It is said that I possessed natural, divine strength. My master at the time was a famous strongman in the Shaanxi region, renowned for his mastery of the hammer. One day, while I was accompanying my mother to the market, a reckless young nobleman came driving his carriage through the street at a breakneck speed. I saw the carriage about to strike my mother, and I do not know where the courage came from, but I stepped forward and blocked the carriage with my bare hands. My mother was stunned, trembling as she rushed to ask if I was hurt, if I was alright. I carefully checked my body, and I felt absolutely nothing. That was the first time I realised I possessed such innate, god-given strength.

A Master's Discovery

This miraculous scene happened to be witnessed by my master, who was passing by at that very moment. Seeing a raw talent, he was overjoyed. Later that day, he came to my home to visit my parents, expressing his sincere wish to take me on as his apprentice. At that time, we were in the Southern Dynasties period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The entire environment was quite unstable; beneath a veneer of calm, there were surging undercurrents. Most importantly, various factions were hoarding weapons and asserting their own power. In such an era, my parents decided it would be best for me to study martial arts. Beyond the ability to protect myself, they hoped that one day, I might have the opportunity to put my skills to good use.

I was fifteen years old when I began my training. I spent three years under my master's guidance, which allowed me to build a solid foundation. Because my natural talent was particularly suited for the hammer, my progress was rapid. My performance over those three years gave my master the confidence to pass on all his techniques to me. By the time I was eighteen, I returned home to visit my parents. They were overjoyed to see me, but they warned me that the region was not peaceful. It seemed that rebel factions were planning an uprising, and they urged me to be careful. I told them not to worry; the experiences of those three years had given me full confidence in my martial arts.

The Weight of Political Turmoil

Not long after, the imperial court began a massive crackdown on the rebels. To my absolute shock, my parents were among those accused. In those days, such a grave crime meant that if one person erred, the entire family would be implicated. My parents begged me to flee alone, telling me to live a good life and never again involve myself in the struggles for power. I could not believe that my parents would ever want to rebel, but there was no time for me to understand what had truly happened. I was forced to leave, beginning a life of wandering the world alone.

At that time, the rebel forces had already formed, and they were strong enough to subtly contend with the imperial court. Under the court's pursuit, many of my father's former friends sought me out, hoping I would join them. I kept my father's final advice close to my heart, so I refused to join their actions. However, they treated me with great respect, so I allowed them to stay near me. As someone with high martial prowess, I naturally wanted to put my skills to use, but I spent my time observing and waiting for a suitable opportunity.

The Choice of a Teacher

By the time I reached the age of thirty, I had come to understand what I was truly meant to do. It was not to go to the battlefield to kill, but to cultivate talent. Thus, I began to teach the art of the hammer. On one hand, because my parents had died in the midst of power struggles, I felt a deep aversion to such conflicts. On the other hand, I felt that every person should have the ability to choose their own destiny. In such a chaotic era, learning martial arts was indeed a very good method. Martial arts can be used to harm, but they can also be used to protect; they can be used for evil, but they can also be used for Goodness. Regardless, those who were physically strong and skilled in martial arts often had a bit more room to choose their path in that era. Many people sought my help, hoping to gain from my strength. Some of them had helped me greatly in the past, and I had never been able to repay them, so I decided to pass on what I had learned to more people, while teaching them to use their skills for the greater good, not for selfish gain. At that time, many people in the Shaanxi region learned my techniques, though only a few truly received the essence of my teachings.

From Hammer to Liberation

After I died, I became a hammer. Because the art of the hammer had accompanied my entire life, only those with truly selfless hearts could wield the power of my twin hammers. For fifteen hundred years, I remained trapped in that space, until the infinite Dharma Bodies of Practitioner Su finally delivered me, allowing me to emerge and reach the Western Dharma-Nature Land.

In the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I have watched the magnificent scenes of Practitioner Su's Chao Du again and again. In an instant, countless Dharma Bodies can cover the entirety of China. The Twelve Lights continuously sweep through the sentient beings, compassionately leading them into the Western Dharma-Nature Land. Such power leaves me in awe. I had always wanted to find a way to truly help people, and it turns out that the answer was at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Queensland, Australia. Here, Practitioner Su has manifested what it means to not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die.

Now, I chant Namo Amituofo every single day, hoping that one day I, too, can be like Practitioner Su and learn the spiritual power of Namo Amituofo."

Namo Amituofo.

Pan Jinren