The Infinite Layers of Space and Meditative Concentration

Venerable Chang Gao, a dedicated practitioner who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, offers a rare glimpse into the mechanics of meditative concentration and the spiritual architecture of the human form. This testimony, recorded on April 24, 2019, details how the practitioner came to understand the nature of space and the vital importance of the Buddha-name in resolving karmic debts.

Venerable Chang Gao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. My heart, the heart of Chang Gao, can settle into an endless state of stillness. I am unmoved by external conditions, capable of entering and exiting meditative concentration at will. In the past, I never truly considered the concept of 'space.' It was only recently that I realised that within the Dharma Realm, the very place where one's meditative concentration resides can be considered a form of space itself.

Back then, when I entered samadhi, I had no thoughts. I would simply sit for a very long time, completely unaware of the passage of time. Entering and exiting concentration felt like a single, fleeting moment. Yet, if measured by the days of the human world, years, decades, centuries, or even a millennium had passed."

The Trap of Self-Satisfaction

"If I were still dwelling within that state of meditative concentration in the Dharma Realm, I would truly believe myself to be in a state of silent, motionless peace, surrounded by light and free from all concerns. But this is merely the mindset of those in the Four Sacred Realms who seek only their own liberation—it is selfish and self-interested. One thinks, 'I am doing well, and I shall do even better,' while completely ignoring the human world and the cycle of rebirth at this very moment. Within my own past lives, those beings and family members who share a karmic connection with me are still sinking in the ocean of suffering, trapped by their own karma.

The spaces where I interacted with other beings in my past lives still exist today. Those beings connected to me by karmic affinity remain within those spaces. Regardless of whether they are faring well or poorly, I deeply hope that one day, these spirits in those past spaces can be saved and guided into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss."

The Power of the Buddha-Name

"I am so grateful to Practitioner Su for giving me this opportunity to follow by her side. Only then did I have the chance to learn about so many inconceivable things. Especially regarding the nature of space—now that it has been unveiled, I understand that it is only through the merit and power of the six-character Buddha-name, chanted by Practitioner Su, that these spaces can be opened to rescue the beings connected to us all."

The Infinite Universe Within

"By the same logic, I say to the fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre: you possess a physical body, which is composed of fifty trillion cells. If you look at a single cell from a coarse perspective, you might think it is just one space. But if you look closely, you will see that within the space of each cell, there are even more spaces. Therefore, the space within every single cell is infinitely layered. Your body, with its fifty trillion cells, contains fifty trillion infinitely layered spaces.

Depending on the depth of one's practice, one's eyes can perceive these cellular spaces at different levels. The Buddha-eye can penetrate every infinitely layered space within every cell, including the ability to penetrate every single thought. Practitioner Su’s eyes are exactly like this."

The Energy of Life and Death

"Every cell possesses its own energy—either positive or negative. This determines whether a cell is normal or abnormal, ultimately forming the overall quality of the body. If there is illness or a tumour, you know that those specific cells are trapped in negative energy. If you use medical treatment, you are relying on the power of medicine to suppress this negative force.

If the power of the medicine is insufficient, it often only damages the cells further. If there are karmic creditors residing within those cells, it becomes a confrontation with the beings within the cellular space. This continues until the body can no longer bear the burden and loses the ability to function. The cells wither away as the conditions of earth, water, fire, and wind reach their end, and the energy is exhausted. The individual then departs from this world. After death, the karmic creditors residing within those cellular spaces emerge; they remain as ghost realm beings, floating in space, waiting to receive their retribution according to the cycle of rebirth."

The Path of Deliverance

"However, if one follows the guidance of Practitioner Su, the karmic creditors within one's own cells do not need to suffer the destruction of medication. Instead, they are illuminated by the Buddha-light and purified by the Buddha-name, allowing their grievances to be resolved. They are then sent to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a completely different outcome and destination compared to those who suffer through the ravages of medication alone.

Having heard these words from me, the fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre should know which path is the correct one to take. Will you continue to practice and purify yourselves within the temple, or will you return to the cycle of rebirth in the world? You must never have a heart of complacency while at the temple. Seize this opportunity, be grounded, and truly study and truly practise! Namo Amituofo."

This interview was recorded by the disciple Venerable HaiZe.