The History Written in Our Cells

Venerable Changren is a monastic who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, where they currently reside and continue their practice. This interview, which explores the profound connection between physical ailments and past karmic history, was recorded on April 23, 2019.

Venerable Changren speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Every single person carries a hidden history within the depths of their heart. Many of you might assume that this history is merely the sum of your experiences in this lifetime. But have you ever stopped to consider the history that resides within your very body? How can we bring this hidden narrative to light, and why is it so vital that we pay attention to it?

People often focus on their emotions or external events, as these are the things that feel most immediate. However, the issues manifesting within your physical body are far more worthy of deep investigation. This is where the most authentic problems reside. It is a great pity that people are so accustomed to relying on worldly medicine to solve their physical ailments, or are in such a rush to eliminate discomfort, without ever pausing to understand why the body is feeling this way in the first place. In truth, that physical sensation is your own past—a history you once lived, now playing out upon your own skin."

The Hidden History Within the Body

"If one does not prescribe the right medicine for the root cause, how can a sickness ever truly be healed? People in this world rely on medical treatments that cannot see the underlying efficacy of the spirit. Because they cannot see history, and they cannot see the memories of the past, they have no way to resolve the problems of the present. When the past, present, and future cannot be harmonised, how can a disease possibly be cured?

Worldly people use advanced research technology to study the body, destroying one set of cells only to have them regenerate in another location. Yet, this cannot prevent the problem from recurring, because the root issue remains untouched. That issue is the debt collection of past history—a reality of karmic creditors that people in this world are simply unwilling to face."

The Persistent Call of Karmic Creditors

"The more you ignore these things, and the more you refuse to acknowledge them, the more the truth will manifest itself. It will constantly interfere with your present, obstructing both your physical body and your consciousness. Every change you experience is a sign that your past needs to be addressed. Yet, in a desperate attempt to protect themselves, people continue to use methods that only harm the site of the illness, all in a futile search for a miracle of survival.

Those who are severely ill still want to live, but they do not realise how many beings are following them, waiting for their due. If you are unwilling to face this history, the history will not simply vanish into thin air. Because the people they are looking for—even if they have reincarnated a thousand times—can still be found. They know exactly where you are!"

The Path to True Liberation

"All debt collection by karmic creditors is not without cause. They all possess a history of intense suffering and victimisation; many even lost their lives and were denied the chance to survive. In that past history, you were the one who caused the harm. You were one of the protagonists in that tragic narrative. If such a past is not saved through Chao Du, how can you ever hope to find peace? Naturally, you will never be at ease.

Perhaps some of you feel angry, asking why these past events must continue to entangle you. But you must ask yourself: regarding the enemies you have in this life, or the grudges you refuse to let go of, can your heart truly let them go easily? Can you easily forgive the other party? This is the state of mind of your karmic creditors. Think of how miserably they were harmed in the past. Until they are awakened, they will certainly not let go easily. This becomes the obstacle within the cycle of rebirth, where beings continue to engage in karmic retribution, remaining ignorant and failing to understand how to seek liberation.

I am telling you the truth so that you do not remain lost in the world of samsara. The myriad phenomena you see before your eyes are not the ultimate reality. You must be able to see the truth within these phenomena; only then will you have the opportunity to attain the Truth and seek liberation.

The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is a magnificent and rare Dharma ground. I hope that everyone learns to wake up, learns to seek liberation, and learns to save the past through Chao Du. Only then will you not have wasted this lifetime, and only then will you be able to resolve the Causal Conditions of the past. This is the compassion of the Buddha, and the result of the arduous efforts of our grandmother. You must know how to be grateful and find your way back to your true self. Namo Amituofo."