The Heart of Saving Sentient Beings

This is a record of an interview with the 840th Venerable, Li Enci, who lived approximately one thousand years ago. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa-Jing, on July 22, 2018.

Venerable Li Enci speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. My parents were both school teachers. After my grandfather passed away, he left a massive inheritance to my father, which meant our family never had to worry about food or clothing. Even without working, we had more than enough money to live comfortably.

A Childhood of Expectations

My parents taught children in our village for free. They did not charge a single cent, and they were especially attentive to the impoverished children. These children from poor families often lacked parental care; many of their parents were too busy working to focus on their upbringing, leaving them to wander the streets aimlessly. Sadly, many of these children went astray, their lives ruined by a single moment of deviation. Seeing so many children falling through the cracks, my parents felt a deep sense of compassion. They cared for them deeply and were willing to spend their own time looking after them.

My parents placed great importance on my own education. They had me study at home, reading textbooks they had carefully selected, and they taught me personally. Every day, I sat before these materials, feeling bored and uninspired. I felt a desperate urge to escape, yet I could never evade my parents' watchful gaze. I was compelled to read volume after volume, with the expectation that I would one day become a teacher myself to instruct others.

The Call of the Temple

Compared to my studies, I was far more interested in the temple near our home. Whenever my parents were out, I would steal away to the temple to listen to the chanting of Namo Amituofo, the rhythmic striking of the Dharma instruments, the singing, and the Dharma talks. Even if I could only stay for a brief moment, I felt completely satisfied.

In my heart, I held a small, secret wish: I hoped that one day I, too, could become a Venerable, with the ability to help the devotees who came seeking answers, helping them break through their delusions and attain enlightenment.

One day, I finally waited for the day my parents went into the city to purchase supplies. The moment they stepped out the door, I slipped out of the house and hurried to the temple.

Seeking the Path of Deliverance

This time, I gathered my courage and found a master to pour out my heart, hoping he could help me resolve my afflictions. The master asked me, 'Little Bodhisattva, what is troubling you?' I replied, 'I want to become a monk.' The master asked, 'Why do you want to become a monk?' I answered, 'I want to be like you and help people. Although my parents teach children for free, I see that these children still have no direction in life. Especially those from poor families—they end up living hand-to-mouth just the same. But here at the temple, it is different. Whenever devotees come to ask you questions, you are able to resolve their doubts and help them overcome the sufferings of life.

There was once a neighbor who was always miserable. We did not know what was wrong with him. My parents had tried to show him care, but he remained sorrowful every day, often crying loudly in his home. But ever since he gathered the courage to come to the temple and ask you questions, we never saw him look distressed again. It was as if he had become a different person. Later, when my parents asked him about it, he said he had finally understood that life is illusory. He was no longer a slave to money, and after letting go of his inner attachments, he began to live each day with ease. That neighbor is just one example. I hope that I, too, can be like you and relieve people of their suffering.'

The Wisdom of the Master

The master smiled and nodded, saying, 'You are a child of great wisdom. A person's life is extremely short. In these fleeting years, one tastes all kinds of suffering. If you can do your part to help sentient beings break through delusion and attain enlightenment, letting them know they do not have to endure these torments, and even teaching them to chant Namo Amituofo to end the cycle of birth and death and leave the six realms of rebirth forever, you will be able to save countless beings on the path of samsara. If you truly have the heart to help sentient beings, you can start by serving as a little volunteer at the temple. In your spare time, you can also participate in listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma.'

When I returned home, I gathered my courage and told my parents my wish, hoping they would let me serve as a volunteer at the temple. My parents did not approve of my decision and demanded that I stay home to study. I dared not disobey them, so I had no choice but to continue staying at home obediently.

The Power of Faith

I constantly prayed to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to bless me with an opportunity to enter the temple, even if just as a small volunteer. Every day, I pleaded with them in this way.

I understood that my parents did not know the Dharma. They were intellectuals who had grown up reading books and had never come into contact with the Buddha's teachings, so they were naturally unfamiliar with them.

I often snuck into the temple to learn the Dharma. I thought my parents would oppose my contact with the Dharma forever. To my surprise, about half a year later, when my parents returned home one day, they were both wearing prayer beads. I was filled with astonishment. Later, they told me that they had unexpectedly met a fellow practitioner—a mutual friend they had not seen in years. Seeing how radiant and extraordinary he looked, they became curious about the Dharma. After following him to the temple to listen to a few Dharma talks, they felt immense joy.

Once my parents understood the magnificence of the Buddha's teachings, they no longer strongly opposed my contact with the Dharma. They began to allow me to go to the temple to listen to the sutras, and later, they did not object to me volunteering. Finally, I was able to live at the temple full-time. I believe that everything progressing so smoothly was absolutely the blessing and arrangement of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. My heart was filled with gratitude.

A Life Dedicated to the Dharma

I cherished every day of my life in the temple. Whatever I could do, I completed with all my might. Many of the volunteer uncles and aunties praised me, saying that at only ten years old, I already knew how to cultivate blessings in the temple, and they were very impressed.

For every lecture, I was always the first to enter the lecture hall. I would make sure I was clean and tidy, then sit in meditation and chant Namo Amituofo, waiting for the Venerable to begin. I never dozed off during a single class. I cherished every precious moment, listening intently to every word and sentence the Venerable uttered.

After a few classes, I knelt before the Buddha and made a vow: I vowed that in this life, I would definitely become a monk to study the Buddha's teachings, save all sentient beings, and help all those wandering in the six realms of rebirth to forever pull out the roots of the suffering of birth and death.

At eleven, I became a little novice. Later, I fulfilled the wish of my life, becoming a Venerable with a dignified appearance. I used my identity as a monk to travel and proclaim the Buddha's teachings everywhere, relieving the afflictions of sentient beings and teaching them to chant Namo Amituofo to seek rebirth in the Pure Land, thereby liberating them from the fate of the six realms of rebirth.

Following Practitioner Su

Practitioner Su (Sister Su) compassionately uses her Dharma Body to perform Chao Du, enabling a vast number of sentient beings to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Practitioner Su's vow reaches up to the Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattvas and down to the hells; even the planets in the universe are objects that Practitioner Su intends to save.

When I was alive, I once had my spirit leave my body and enter the universe, but I did not yet have the ability to perform Chao Du as powerfully as Practitioner Su. Now, having the good fortune to follow her, I have come into the vastness of the universe. If one has not seen it with one's own eyes, it is truly hard to imagine the sheer number of spirits residing in these star systems. The space is so dense, layer upon layer. Every day, Practitioner Su uses her most rapid methods to send these planets into the Buddha-light, while proclaiming the holy name of 'Namo Amituofo,' helping these spirits who have lived in the universe for thousands or hundreds of millions of years to know this six-character name and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

Namo Amituofo.