This interview was recorded on December 19, 2022, at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. The chief writer, Shi Fajing, spoke with Venerable Changren regarding the spiritual challenges encountered during the of the fourfold assembly.
Venerable Changren speaks:
". I am Venerable Changren. It is a heavy matter to discuss, but it is necessary for the fourfold assembly to understand the reality of the spiritual battles occurring behind the scenes of our practice.
The Siege of Practitioner Su
Recently, as Practitioner Su has been performing Chao Du for the fourfold assembly, she has inadvertently drawn the attention of a vast number of residing within the bodies of these practitioners. These spirits do not want their host to be disturbed, nor do they want to be saved. They have descended upon Practitioner Su in dense, overwhelming waves. The demon crowds, in particular, have been relentless. They have exhausted every conceivable method to inflict pain upon her, hoping to force her to surrender and cease her efforts to save the fourfold assembly.
Why are these karmic creditors and demon crowds so filled with resentment? Why do they target Practitioner Su with such ferocity? First, we must understand that Practitioner Su’s deliverance is genuinely effective. From the perspective of the spiritual space, these sentient beings are often saved with remarkable speed during the Chao Du process. Many of those who possess a higher capacity for , or those who truly understand the need to leave suffering behind, are more than willing to depart when she calls upon them. Because her work is so successful, the demon crowds have begun to feel a deep sense of fear and hatred. They do not want the fourfold assembly to receive such effective help, as it would dismantle their long-term plans to interfere with the practitioners. Thus, they strike at Practitioner Su, hoping to weaken her physical form through their attacks.
The Cycle of Habit and Inertia
One might ask: if the Chao Du is so effective, why do the members of the fourfold assembly remain unable to wake up? Why do they continue to struggle? There is an undeniable reason for this, and it lies primarily within the practitioners themselves. The fourfold assembly often fails to grasp the necessity of genuine, heartfelt repenting and the resolve to change their ways. Their intense personalities and deeply ingrained habits remain unchanged. Even when they receive such powerful deliverance, the habits that resonate with these sentient beings act like a magnet, pulling them right back into the practitioner's field. Or, they may inadvertently draw out other beings from different spiritual spaces within their bodies, causing the practitioner to return to their original state of confusion almost immediately.
This cycle of inertia, habit, and laziness is the primary key to why the fourfold assembly so quickly returns to square one. They lack the perseverance to sustain a lasting change within themselves. Because they cannot maintain this transformation, the effectiveness of Practitioner Su’s Chao Du cannot manifest fully in their lives. This is the second major reason for the ongoing struggle.
The Weight of Attachment and Gratitude
The third reason is attachment. The attachments of sentient beings are, in essence, the attachments of the fourfold assembly. When the practitioners are clinging to their own desires, views, or ego, the sentient beings within them are bound to cling as well. In such a state of deep attachment, it is not an easy task for the karmic creditors to simply let go.
The fourth reason is that many have yet to truly understand the meaning of gratitude. If one truly understands gratitude, one will naturally learn to cherish the opportunity for deliverance. Those who cherish this gift will naturally be willing to change themselves in a proactive way. Even if they cannot change completely overnight, as long as they present that sincere heart—that genuine mental note of wanting to change—the karmic creditors will naturally feel that shift. If there is not even a trace of such a heart, many karmic creditors will become even more resentful, which is exactly why they continue to swarm toward Practitioner Su in such large numbers.
There are many factors intertwined in this situation. The fourfold assembly must look within and reflect deeply. Practitioner Su is helping everyone, and in return, everyone should be even more diligent in their practice. Do not let your continue to pull you back into the darkness, making it impossible to see the truth. Namo Amituofo."
