The Karmic Debt of Lay Practitioner Yu

The Path to Inner Peace

Regarding the sentient beings currently interfering with the peace of body and mind for Lay Practitioner Yu, we humbly request the compassionate teachings of Namo Amituofo.

Words of Namo Amituofo:

To find peace of mind, peace of body, peace of life, and peace of spirit—this state of 'peace' is what you have sought throughout your entire life. You must learn to let go of the memories of the past, for the future lies only in the clarity of your present actions. How long will you allow the entanglements of emotional karma to pull at you? You must know the Buddha, follow the Buddha, and truly believe in the Buddha. Only by circling through the midst of suffering can one finally attain clarity.

One wave of trouble has not yet ceased before another rises. This is because the waves of your heart are not yet still. Your own Buddha-nature is found within the Buddha, and you must naturally allow your own inner light to shine forth. You can be a pillar of support for Practitioner Su, but do not allow your own heart to be destroyed by your past. Within the Buddha’s gate, you must nurture compassion; your heart’s confidence will reveal your true self.

Namo Amituofo.

The Voice of the Burdened Heart

We invite the sentient being who is currently interfering with Lay Practitioner Yu’s body and mind—the one who mimics her usual appearance—to come forward and speak. Namo Amituofo.

The sentient being speaks, revealing the inner thoughts of Lay Practitioner Yu:

I feel stifled. My heart is so heavy, and I do not like this feeling. I feel as if I am struggling to breathe. I chant Buddha's name, 'Namo Amituofo—Namo Amituofo—Namo Amituofo,' yet my heart is filled with fear. I do not want to leave yet. I still have two beloved daughters who need my care; I cannot rest easy until they are settled. My daughters are talented and beautiful, and I am proud that they inherited my genes. Therefore, I must protect them well and ensure they are not tainted by the world.

Beyond my daughters, I spend my days working and reciting the Infinite Life Sutra. I must be diligent in my practice on the Buddha’s path and follow Namo Amituofo to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Yet, my heart is often so weary. I long for someone to understand me, to recognise my efforts, to approve of me, and to protect me. Although I am capable and beautiful, I have the same needs as everyone else. I wish so deeply that my whole family could be reunited, but I dare not think of it, nor dare I speak it aloud. I simply strive for what I can see and grasp right before me. My two daughters are the centre of my life; I must be responsible and protect them, for that is what makes a good mother. My eldest daughter makes me proud, but I must still adjust the younger one.

It was not easy to find Practitioner Su. My deepest wish is for my two daughters to be like Practitioner Su—to reach Awakening, and to give lectures. If they become drowsy during class, I will nudge them to wake up. Once the space is opened, I hope they can be like others, recording one interview after another. In short, their achievements will be my pride.

The Hidden Arrogance

Haha! The 'Empress' has exactly this personality. She is always one who refuses to let others have the last word. She has not changed, and she will not change, even after learning Buddhism. In the past, the Empress also studied Buddhism and gave generously to temples, but within the imperial palace, she harmed so many people! Do not be deceived by her outward appearance; her heart is incredibly rigid. Apart from the Emperor, she does not look upon anyone with respect.

Venerable Fa Xin: May I ask, are you the sentient being who has replaced Lay Practitioner Yu?

Sentient Being: I? I am not yet worthy! To replace her, one must have a brain as sharp as hers, movements as quick and agile, and the ability to speak with such eloquence.

Venerable Fa Xin: Then may I ask, who is it?

Sentient Being: You ask, but do you think she will just come out because you ask? What merit has she done, or what has she compensated for, that you think you can simply call her out? It is not so easy. In the past, she left people covered in wounds. Now, you want to call her out so simply and let her off the hook? That is impossible.

Venerable Fa Xin: Lay Practitioner Yu has brought everyone here to encounter the true Buddha. For the harm caused to everyone in the past, the Buddha can help you all. She is also learning and changing her ways.

Sentient Being: There is no need to say so much. We see that she has not changed at all. She is still arrogant, still looks down on others, and still holds discriminations in her heart.

The Cycle of Retribution

Venerable Fa Xin: I see that you have all been with her for many lifetimes. Especially you, the sentient being who mimics her usual appearance—you hold hatred in your heart. This hatred has caused everyone to suffer for so long. If you could all let go just a little, your hearts would not have to suffer so much. Otherwise, even if you take your revenge, you will not be able to go to a good place, and you will only enter another stage of suffering. It is truly not worth it. The Buddha can help you resolve the suffering in your hearts. You have followed her for so long; if you are willing to let go and come forward now, it is the most worthwhile thing you can do. The Buddha’s warmth is already shining upon you all. Why not come out and listen to the Dharma first? If she cannot listen to the Dharma, you cannot listen either, and you will remain trapped in this endless cycle of reincarnated suffering. Please give yourselves a chance; the Buddha will help you and grant you justice.

Sentient Being: The one who controls her is her mother from a past life. Knowing this identity, you can understand how ruthless she was in the past. Why she suffers such encounters in this life is all due to the laws of karma and cause and effect. I have tried my best to counsel her mother, but her mother hates her, is angry with her, and detests her. This extreme backlash from her mother is the reason why her heart is so often constricted. It is her personality—everything is due to her personality.

The Mother’s Lament

(Attempting to receive the message from that mother)

Mother: Do not come near me! Do not come near me! Ah! (Screaming)

Venerable Fa Xin: I do not intend to harm you.

Mother: Do not mock me! I was harmed by the person closest to me, and I hate her to death! (Clenching her fists and screaming)

Venerable Fa Xin: Please calm down. Look at this Buddha-land, look into the eyes of the Buddha. You are safe; you are safe now.

Mother: I have always been on guard in her heart, guarding against being harmed again, ruthlessly and without warning.

Venerable Fa Xin: That will not happen. You are already safe.

Mother:(Weeping bitterly)

Venerable Fa Xin: You are doing well now; you are doing very well.

Mother:(Emotions gradually stabilising) I am her mother from twelve lifetimes ago. From the moment I gave birth to her, I was proud of her. She was beautiful, and from a young age, her abilities were second to none; even her brother’s performance did not match hers. She had a silver tongue, and she excelled in cooking and archery. Her father doted on her, but in our traditional family, there was a bias that favoured sons over daughters. No matter how well she performed, I, as her mother, did not pay her special attention. I gave all the best things in the house to her brother and arranged a marriage for her to a border region. She was resentful and refused to obey. The life she wanted was one of wealth and the life of the imperial palace. Therefore, she persuaded her father to cancel the marriage and participated in the palace selection. I tried my best to stop her, hoping she would not go to such a complicated place. She did not understand my intentions and felt that I was never good to her. She did not want to hear my nagging anymore, so before entering the palace, she put poison in my food. She wanted to poison the mother who she felt never cared for her, never treated her well, and never showed her concern. She did not want me to block her bright future, believing that with her appearance and talent, she could achieve greatness in the palace. After I ate the food, I felt my stomach and oesophagus begin to burn. At the moment I collapsed, I saw her figure peeking from the door crack. I was angry; I hated her lack of filial piety and her ruthlessness in murdering her own birth mother. I could not forgive her actions, so ever since I died, I have followed her. She did indeed enter the palace and ascended to a high position, creating countless karma in the inner palace. She fell into multiple hells as a result of her karmic retribution: the wolf-eating hell, the heart-gouging hell, the brain-gouging hell, the enema hell, the boiling pot hell, and the hell of ten thousand insects boring through the body. In this life, she was born, and naturally, I was there too. I made her mother not love her, and I made her daughters defy her, making her so angry that her heart ached, just as she had harmed me. I felt that piercing pain in my heart, and I replaced her, letting her taste the bitter fruit. I do not want to be so ruthless to her, but I still cannot forgive her. I want to tell her: you do not need to blame your daughters; you should blame yourself. The personality you cultivated after entering the palace—protecting yourself and being on guard against others—has also made the sentient beings within you very unwilling. Your arrogance and overbearing nature make the sentient beings angry with you. The more you let your personality manifest, the less you can be clear-minded, and the less you can be in control. Your sentient beings want to make you suffer, especially in your head and eyes. But as your mother, I cannot help you, because this is the law of karma. If you are willing to sincerely repent and apologise to me, I am willing to calm down. If I come out, your heart pain and stifling feelings will be much better. But if your temper manifests again and you refuse to let others have the last word, others will come. You have such a good opportunity to encounter the Buddha; if you still use that oppressive method on your daughters, just as I did to you, it will not lead to a good result. This is my advice to you as a mother.

Venerable Fa Xin: Namo Amituofo. I will write a memorial tablet for you.

Memorial Tablet: For the heart of Lay Practitioner Yu: The mother from a past life who was harmed through ignorance, named Wei Ying.

(Entering the Western Land of Dharma Nature at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre)