The Heavy Price of Ambition: An Interview with the Spirit of Lu Su

The Weight of Worldly Ambition

I am Lu Su. In my past life, I was single-mindedly devoted to assisting Zhou Yu and Sun Quan, driven by a desire to make a name for myself amidst the chaos of a fractured world. However, when I look back at the suffering of the common people, I feel a profound sense of shame. I cannot honestly call myself a commander who truly cherished the lives of the sentient beings under my care.

During my time in the human world, I was driven by a deep-seated ambition. Having lost my father at a young age, I was determined to rise above my circumstances. The turbulent era in which I lived provided the perfect stage for such aspirations. I was skilled at reading the hearts of others and observing the shifting political landscape. I knew how to cater to the needs of my superiors, and I could seamlessly integrate their hidden agendas into long-term policies. Although I never explicitly stated their true intentions in my advice, my leaders immediately recognised that my counsel aligned perfectly with their goals. Consequently, I was repeatedly trusted, my status rose, and I eventually became a commander, doing my utmost to support Zhou Yu and Sun Quan.

The Karmic Toll of Conflict

Because of the advice I provided, many wars were launched, and numerous alliances were forged. After the Battle of Changban, my relationship with the Shu Han regime of Liu Bei became particularly close. However, this also meant that our joint efforts resulted in the creation of immense negative karma. I was a participant in all of it. Although I did not need to personally wield a blade on the front lines, the weight of my verbal karma was terrifyingly heavy. A few words of counsel from me could influence the policies of both Eastern Wu and Shu Han, leading to countless deaths in battles against the Cao Wei forces. The casualties among soldiers and civilians—whether from our own nation, our allies, or our enemies—were staggering.

This heavy burden of killing led me to the hells, where I endured the torments of the tongue-pulling and dismemberment realms. Fortunately, during my life, I had also occasionally advised that we should help the people, as they were my own countrymen. Beyond the grand strategy of military expansion, I had genuinely wished to reduce the suffering of the people in the villages and regions near the front lines. This small measure of compassion shortened my sentence in the hells, and I was soon released into the ghost realm. Perhaps the King of Hell intended for me to learn the true meaning of life.

Echoes of Dynasties Past

I passed away in my forties, which was not considered a long life, though it was common for that era. After my term in the hells concluded, my spirit returned to the Jiangdong region. I drifted through the landscape, watching as the mountains and rivers remained unchanged, yet the dynasties had long since shifted. By then, the North was ruled by the Jin dynasty. Although the people of the Southern Song lived lives similar to those of my time, the systems, laws, and culture were vastly different. It was a world of difference that left me in shock. I had hoped to see the flourishing of the Eastern Wu empire, but I discovered that it had long since vanished.

I realised that I had spent eight or nine hundred years in the hells. The passage of time was staggering; I had only lived for forty-six years in the human world, yet I had spent centuries in torment. I understood that this was the lesson the King of Hell wanted me to learn: in the human world, I spent twenty years conquering territories and creating negative karma, only to earn centuries of punishment. My achievements in the human world left no trace at all. Even after eight hundred years, the people of China were still trapped in the cycle of war, with northern regimes repeatedly invading and replacing southern ones.

The Eternal Path of Harmony

As a commander, I believed I needed a comprehensive understanding of the battlefield to align with my leader's ambitions. However, if the one in control does not understand the reality of the front lines, the decisions made only lead to multiplied casualties. I observed that every few decades, a new northern regime would rise, conquer the south, and eventually be replaced by another. This is the inevitable result of the laws of karma and cause and effect.

I have come to understand that the great Dharma for governing a nation, which allows it to endure for generations, is Harmony. Harmony is the foundation of how people interact, but on a karmic level, it is the basis for mutual survival. When applied to nations, it is the fundamental requirement for existence. All nations should coexist and prosper together; not launching wars is the supreme strategy. If a great nation destroys another today, it cannot escape the karmic fate of being destroyed itself in the future. For a nation, war is the very cause of its own destruction.

Awakening to the Light of the Buddha

I am currently listening to the teachings in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and my understanding of China has become much clearer. I have come to see that sentient beings in the human world are truly unable to be the masters of their own lives. Why has China been plagued by war for over two thousand years? Beyond the collective karma, it is also due to the control of demon crowds. Practitioner Su is currently working to re-infuse the Buddha’s teachings into China, diligently performing Chao Du for beings in every corner of the land. Most importantly, he is saving the demon crowds that have controlled the Chinese people for millennia, influencing their character and making them accustomed to competition and war.

I was fortunate to encounter Practitioner Su. I have already been saved and now reside in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I have been given this opportunity to be interviewed, and I hope that the people of China will not repeat my mistakes. I was a commander; although my status was not that of an Emperor, I held significant power on the front lines. My decisions determined the life and death of many, and my own end was centuries of suffering in the hells and the ghost realm. I hope the people of China will wake up, truly resolve to learn the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, and understand the nature of competition and war.

Namo Amituofo is residing here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. This is not merely a religion or a slogan; it is a call to all the people and spirits of China. As long as you resolve to follow the Buddha in saving all of China, the nation will no longer need to suffer the pain of collective karma. These are the heartfelt words of one who has experienced the hells and the ghost realm. I am deeply grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for saving me and giving me this opportunity to speak. Namo Amituofo.