The Joy of a Grain of Sand
An Interview with Bruce Willy, a Spirit of the Earth
Recorded at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
This is a record of an interview with a spirit residing within a grain of sand, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the . This account reflects upon the rain-seeking ceremony held on October 19, 2020. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on February 26, 2026.
Bruce Willy speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. Namo Amituofo. I am so happy! The happiest thing is that yesterday, a great, life-giving rain finally fell from the heavens. My entire being feels so comfortable, so refreshed! Everyone around me—the other grains of sand, the stones, the tiny blades of grass, and even the smallest insects—we are all so excited, so filled with boundless !
A Parched Existence
Before this, life was incredibly difficult. Ever since the radiant Practitioner Su appeared, she has been teaching us how to sing. The melody of the song is simple, consisting of only six characters, but it carries the power of the universe. At first, we were clumsy and did not quite know how to follow the rhythm, but as time went on, we sang with more and more delight. Whenever the light of Practitioner Su appeared, even before we could see her physical form, we would instinctively begin to chant the Buddha-name. She saw us in our original state—so dry, so thirsty, our bodies cracked and brittle, suffering in the heat. It was truly agonising!
Practitioner Su told us, 'If you sing this song, the rain will come.' We took her words to heart. We were so earnest, chanting and chanting without pause. Even though the rain had not yet arrived, our hearts began to open up. We were no longer gasping for air, struggling to breathe in the suffocating heat. For three days, Practitioner Su announced to us all, 'Everyone, come quickly and chant the Buddha-name! We are going to seek rain for the earth.' We all nodded in agreement. Practitioner Su reached out and took our hands, and we began to sway in unison. We did not stop for the entire day; we just kept chanting the Buddha-name. The sound of our collective chanting was so powerful, and our hearts were perfectly aligned, all of us yearning for the Rain God to bring the sweet dew of life.
The Ceremony of Unity
High above in the mid-air, we witnessed a magnificent sight: countless dignified Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, along with ancestral masters, filled the sky. Their faces were filled with such profound . A massive incense burner was burning in the sky, and they all knelt down. Seeing this, we knelt down as well. The sincerity of Practitioner Su moved us deeply, and through our united strength, we humbly invited the Wind God and the Rain God to bestow a little rain upon the parched earth.
By the third day, the entire space, the very magnetic field of the world, finally felt our sincerity. Dark, heavy clouds began to gather across the vast sky. When I saw those clouds, I laughed out loud and continued to chant the Buddha-name, louder than ever before. The Wind God arrived first, whipping up a great gale, and we followed the sound of the wind, chanting all the while. When the Rain God finally joined the Wind God and unleashed the heavy rain, the entire earth began to cheer. Every living thing was nourished and restored.
A New Life in the Light
Now, the song that we sing so fluently is 'Namo Amituofo.' Thank you, Practitioner Su! The sand and stones that have been brought inside are now all my friends, my neighbours, my younger brothers and sisters. We have watched the light of this house for such a long time, never imagining that we would actually be able to enter. The people here have such kind faces, and I am so happy to have met Practitioner Su and to have made friends with all of you. Namo Amituofo. My name is Bruce Willy—some call me Bruce, others call me Willy. Now, even when Practitioner Su is not leading us, my friends and I hold hands, swaying and singing Namo Amituofo together.
Practitioner Su, thank you. I am so happy now. Many of the beings of the earth are just like me; our faces are all beaming with smiles. Namo Amituofo."
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library