The Hope of the Pure Land: An Interview with Grandmaster Li Bingnan

The Roots of a Pure Land Legacy

I am Li Bingnan. I lived through the turbulent end of the Qing dynasty in Shandong, China. My early life was shaped by the traditional private school system, where I immersed myself in secular studies, Confucian thought, and the beauty of classical poetry. Through the chaos of war, I was fortunate to encounter the Buddha's teachings. I eventually took refuge under the Great Master Yin Guang, and from that moment, I dedicated my heart and soul to the Pure Land of Namo Amituofo.

Later, I moved to Taiwan, where I mastered traditional Chinese medicine and settled in Taichung. I taught at the China Medical College and, with the help of dear friends, established the Taichung Lotus Society. There, I had the honour of teaching countless students who have since spread across Taiwan and the world. Many of these students first heard my lectures during their university years before moving abroad for work, where they have continued to nurture their connection to the Pure Land. It is through the compassion of Namo Amituofo that the seeds of the Pure Land have been able to flourish, allowing even those in distant lands to hear the holy name of Namo Amituofo and the profound Dharma of the Pure Land.

Cultivating the Vessel for the Dharma

During my time in Taichung, the great master of the Esoteric school, Master Zhangjia, brought a young man of great potential to me—Venerable Master Chin Kung. Master Zhangjia told me, "This is a student of great capacity and a true successor to the Dharma." He asked me to look after him so that the lineage of the Buddha's teachings could be preserved for future generations.

I observed the potential of Venerable Master Chin Kung and realised that he was indeed a vessel for the Dharma in this Dharma-ending age. I took him under my wing and watched over him strictly, often placing demands upon him that exceeded what most could bear. Because of his innate intelligence and his own diligent efforts, he was able to listen and act upon every instruction. Furthermore, by listening to my lectures and studying the great sutras, he built a deep foundation:

• The Avatamsaka Sutra, which reveals the vastness of the Dharma Realm.
• The Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Fundamental Vow Sutra, which teaches the importance of filial piety and karmic cause and effect.
• The essence of Confucian thought, which provides the moral bedrock for all practice.

These studies established the foundation for his future work in lecturing and his deep understanding of the Pure Land path.

The Weight of the Pure Land Mission

Why is it that in this Dharma-ending age, so much of the responsibility for spreading the Pure Land teachings has fallen upon lay practitioners? It is because, in that era, it was not easy for monastics to survive, and those who could truly dedicate their hearts to the Dharma lineage were rare. Even fewer could grasp the true essence of the Pure Land school.

Therefore, it fell to lay practitioners with deep karmic affinity and good roots from past lives to bridge the gap between the Buddha's gate and the secular world. Lay Practitioner Mei Guangxi, the Pure Land patriarch Teacher-Practitioner Xia Lianju, and I emerged from this necessity. We hoped that the Pure Land teachings would not fade but would continue to be passed down. Fortunately, the Taichung Lotus Society was blessed by the Buddha, and the Dharma affinity expanded. I was deeply gratified to see Venerable Master Chin Kung dedicate his life to the Buddha's gate, serving as a monastic to exhaust his efforts for the Pure Land and to form broad connections with all beings.

Although he faced many setbacks while seeking a place to establish his work, his true talent and solid learning shone through. By making the lecturing of sutras the focus of his work, he proved himself to be a great talent of the Pure Land. To have spent over sixty years lecturing on the Pure Land across the world is truly an extraordinary achievement. Now that he is ninety-three years of age, I take this opportunity to speak a few words to him. I hope these words reach his ears and settle in his heart. I hope those who facilitate this message possess the wisdom to ensure it is not broken, for the laws of karma and cause and effect are beyond measure.

The Buddha’s teachings are, in essence, a form of education. This is the core philosophy passed down by Venerable Master Chin Kung, and it is the ultimate Truth. Practitioner Su has observed that for a long time, the human heart has lacked this Buddhist education. This has led to a distortion of character, an obsession with the internet and mobile phones, and a decline in moral foundations such as filial piety and respect. People are inclined to think, act, and speak in ways that are harmful, leaving the world in the chaotic state of the Dharma-Ending Age. The world does not know the preciousness of Namo Amituofo or the importance of keeping the Buddha in one's heart. There is an urgent need for Buddhist education to rectify the human heart, yet due to a lack of supporting conditions, this education cannot be widely disseminated. Therefore, with the limited personal resources of the Venerable and the volunteers, the lectures given by Practitioner Su at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre are being shared via the internet. It is hoped that those who have the karmic affinity to hear these words will find their inner anxiety diminished, and that they will come to understand the Pure Land Dharma Gate, the Western Land of Namo Amituofo, and the importance of Faith, Vows, and Practice.

Practitioner Su often says, "If I can save even one person, it is worth it." Lamenting that it is difficult to save beings in the human world but easier to save those in the ghost realm, Practitioner Su leads a salvation team. During the process of Chao Du for the Dharma Body, they spread the message of "giving rise to all roots of goodness and achieving the fruit of Bodhi" to purify the human world. The hope is that people will be encouraged to act well, see well, and speak well, thereby transforming the negative magnetic field and energy of the human world.

The Establishment of a Sacred Sanctuary

Seeing the current chaotic state of the world, Practitioner Su realised the importance of bringing Namo Amituofo to the forefront so that everyone can come to know Him and understand the necessity of spreading Pure Land education. Thus, the vow was made to build the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Currently, the temple is a small white house, originally built as the Fragrant Light Room. Now, because Namo Amituofo truly abides here, it has been renamed the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre according to His instructions. As the current space is insufficient for spreading the Dharma and receiving the public, there is a hope to build a proper bodhimanda for Namo Amituofo and the Pure Land school. Furthermore, remembering that his teacher, Venerable Master Chin Kung, once had the vow to build an "Amitabha Village" to receive those who chant the Buddha's name and the elderly, providing them a place to chant until they are reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, Practitioner Su has used his own resources to build a few units. However, the full construction of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre requires those who have made great vows to contribute their wealth and effort to shoulder this heavy responsibility. Fundraising is currently underway on the internet, and all efforts are still ongoing.

Healing the World through the Buddha-Name

The current pandemic has persisted for a long time, leaving people feeling anxious and losing faith in their countries and their beliefs. This is a manifestation of the collective karma accumulated by humanity over a long period. Practitioner Su knows that the Pure Land can save us, and Namo Amituofo can save us. Now that Namo Amituofo is residing at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, spirits from the underworld are rushing to spread the news, frequently coming to seek the help of Namo Amituofo to be saved and reborn in the Western Pure Land. During the Chao Du of the Dharma Body, Practitioner Su observed that the Earth has shifted from its proper orbit, which is related to the pandemic that has been difficult to eradicate. Consequently, he requested the salvation team—composed of spirits he had subdued and who had turned from evil to good—to circle the Earth while chanting the Buddha's name. They hope that through the magnificent and supreme positive energy of the sacred name of Namo Amituofo, they can help the Earth return to its proper orbit. This would rectify the abnormal magnetic field caused by the shift, emitting a positive and normal magnetic field to purify the human heart, the environment, and resolve problems such as the pandemic.

This initiative has received the participation of the holy assembly of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, including Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, the ancestral masters of the West, and the holy assembly of the Lotus Pond. This includes the First Patriarch of the Pure Land school, Great Master Huiyuan, through to the Thirteenth Patriarch, Great Master Yinguang; the First Patriarch of Huayan, Venerable Dushun, the Third Patriarch, National Master Xianshou, the Fourth Patriarch, Great Master Qingliang, Great Master Zhizhe, and Great Master Xuanzang; as well as modern figures such as Great Master Hongyi, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, Great Master Zhangjia, Venerable Guangqin, and Venerable Chan Yun. They are joined by the immeasurable and boundless beings that Practitioner Su has helped reach the Western Pure Land in recent years, including Venerable Xuyun from the Tushita Heaven, Venerable Sheng Yen of Dharma Drum Mountain, and Venerable Wei Chueh of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, among many other venerable masters, including Bingnan. For over a month, they have been sincerely and earnestly chanting "Namo Amituofo" 24/7. The sound of the Buddha-name fills the Dharma Realm, a scene that is grand and deeply moving. This effort is still ongoing.

A Call to Restore the True Path

When people hear of this, they may find it hard to believe. However, Master Chin Kung, these words come from your teacher. Can you believe them? Or do you doubt that these words were spoken by your teacher? Regardless, given your current status and physical condition, even if it is difficult to bear, I hope you can believe that these words are indeed from your teacher. The most important matter now is to quickly restore the proper name of Practitioner Su within the Pure Land school. Do not distance yourself from him by labelling him as a mere spirit medium or a practitioner of strange arts; this is a great disrespect to Namo Amituofo. Namo Amituofo is the Great Physician King. Through the power of Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su can assist the masters and countless followers of the Pure Land school—including the spirits in the Dharma Realm who are listening to your lectures but have not yet been reborn in the Western Pure Land—to fulfil their great vow of rebirth. He can invite spirits for Chao Du and heal the illnesses of the masses. Do not treat this lightly, lest those around you commit the grave sin of slandering the Buddha and destroying the Buddha-land.

The matter of "inviting spirits"—which involves karmic creditors and attached spirits—has been misunderstood as the talk of spirit mediums. I must clarify this. Many years ago, when the Fragrant Light Room was holding group cultivation in Australia, Great Master Hanshan descended from the Western Pure Land and led the practitioners of that time in the practice of inviting spirits. Since then, this practice has resolved countless grievances between karmic creditors and their debtors. During the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies, these beings are given the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This process is simply the natural function of the Six Roots of an awakened being, who can clearly see and hear attached spirits, ghost deities, and beings from many different spaces that are invisible to the physical eyes of ordinary people. In the current situation, many masters, lay practitioners, volunteers, and those who study and chant the Buddha's name suffer from the interference of karmic creditors and attached spirits, which hinders their practice and even their rebirth in the Western Pure Land at the end of their lives. This is why there are many who chant, but few who achieve rebirth. Therefore, the practice of inviting spirits continues to this day. For those who are ill, one can also ask Namo Amituofo to help heal their illnesses and relieve their suffering. This is an expedient method to save beings in this world and assist them in reaching rebirth; it is absolutely not the talk of strange powers or spirit mediums.

Master Chin Kung, you should believe, and must believe, the words of your teacher. To save yourself and the Dharma Body and wisdom-life of countless Pure Land masters, lay practitioners, and volunteers, do not fall back into the cycle of rebirth. This life is the final life, and you can fulfil the vow of rebirth made in past lives. If you believe and act upon this, you will not have wasted the time you spent as a student of your teacher while he was in the world.

Namo Amituofo.

Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Haiyuan.

Namo Amituofo. To the fellow practitioners and students of the Taichung Lotus Society, I am Bingnan. After leaving the human world, I went directly to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It has been over thirty years in the human world, but in the West, it has been but a fleeting moment. The world is impermanent and ever-changing. Amidst this impermanence, have the fellow practitioners and students of the Taichung Lotus Society changed or grown old? How many have chanted the Buddha's name and achieved rebirth in the West? In the beginning, everyone understood the vow of Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and made the vow to chant the Buddha's name and be reborn there. This was the ultimate wish of everyone in the Lotus Society for this life. Now, as I observe, some whose vows were not firm have left the society, while new practitioners have joined to cultivate together. Everyone is still working hard.

The personnel and those in charge of the Lotus Society may have changed or adjusted, all to adapt to the many changes and to lead more connected beings into the society for convenient chanting. However, remember this: if the Lotus Society is to be effective in purifying people and leading them to rebirth, it must focus exclusively on practising and promoting the Pure Land Dharma Gate. The six-character name "Namo Amituofo," whether now or in the future, is the destination for everyone's heart and practice to reach the West. The Infinite Life Sutra can be used as a daily practice, and one should cultivate the Pure Land path according to this sutra. The goal of the Lotus Society to purify the human heart and lead beings to rebirth must be clear. After all, in the current environment, it is not easy to find masters, lay practitioners, and fellow practitioners who are well-versed in both Confucianism and Buddhism. If one tries to promote too many things, it is easy to fall into miscellaneous practices and lose the benefits of the Pure Land path of exclusive practice.

Now, in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have joined the salvation team of Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in circling the Earth to chant the Buddha's name. Together with the holy assembly of the West, we are working hard to rectify the Earth's tilted orbit and transform its negative magnetic field. Practitioner Su is a student of Master Chin Kung. Whether or not those connected to the Taichung Lotus Society have heard of him, you should all treat him with respect. His dedication of time, spirit, and physical strength to the Pure Land, and his conduct in cultivating and teaching his students, have earned my affirmation and praise. I only hope that the Lotus Society can, in this defiled world of the Dharma-Ending Age, uphold the great vow of Namo Amituofo to save the world and lead beings to rebirth. Continue to purify and teach those who participate, so that the sacred name of Namo Amituofo and the spirit of the Pure Land can continue to be passed down in Taichung. Do not let it be broken! These are a few words from Bingnan in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to the Lotus Society. I hope you will believe and act upon them.

Namo Amituofo.

Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Haiyuan.