The Layers of the Universe and Spiritual Dimensions

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Hamini, who attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. He currently resides in the Western Pure Land and shares his reflections on the nature of spiritual dimensions and the deliverance of beings across the universe. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on June 1, 2018.

Venerable HaiZe speaks:

"May I ask, among the Venerables from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss who are currently protecting Practitioner Su, is there anyone who could share with us the details of the deliverance performed this morning alongside Practitioner Su? We are deeply grateful for the compassion of the Buddha and the compassion of the Venerables."

Venerable Hamini speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Venerable Hamini, the seven-hundred-and-seventy-first Venerable. I was born in a small nation in India and attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land in the year 772 AD—that is one thousand two hundred and forty-six years ago, which corresponds to the Tang Dynasty in China. In those days, in my quest to seek the Truth, I travelled alone between various countries, eventually settling at the renowned Nalanda University to focus my heart. At that time, one could encounter practitioners from all schools and sects there; it was a place of cultivation for many monks and Venerables.

The Path to Ultimate Liberation

After much contemplation and study, I realised that the suffering in the human world is profound. I concluded that only by attaining rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss could one truly leave suffering behind. Consequently, I made a vow to chant the Buddha's name and dedicated myself to the practice of the Pure Land Dharma door. In such an environment of diligent study, it was a tremendous support for those of us who truly sought liberation. Without a moment of laziness, I chanted Namo Amituofo and attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land at the age of sixty-three. Although over one thousand two hundred years have passed since then, in the Western Pure Land, it feels as though only a short while has gone by.

The morning practice of walking meditation and Chao Du has now become one of our essential daily practices. The universe and the vastness of the Dharma Realm far exceed what humans can see or hear. Is the physical eye of a human not intended to see the truth of things clearly? Yet, in actual life, and even during the process of Chao Du, relying solely on the physical eye is far from sufficient. What we witnessed today was the aftermath of a cosmic war in the void of space. Beings fought desperately to seize living space, and as always, the 'victor becomes the king, and the loser becomes the bandit.' This law applies to every corner of this world and beyond."

Beyond the Physical Eye

"In outer space, the reality seen by the ordinary physical eye is vastly different from what is perceived by those with 'open eyes.' The physical eye can only perceive material phenomena that have form and substance. However, the world of spirit and consciousness requires individual sensitivity to perceive. For those with open eyes, as their practice deepens, they can see clearly not only material phenomena but also the world of the spirit. The space of outer space is layered, one upon another. Only those with a vast mind-capacity know how to face and handle these layers; otherwise, their methods of dealing with them are no different from those of ordinary people—filled with war, competition, aggression, and mutual harm between 'you' and 'me.'

Even the beings on one's own home planet exist in different spatial layers due to the varying levels of their spiritual consciousness. Beings have different levels of awareness regarding these spatial dimensions. Some know nothing at all; some have a vague sense of them. Others can clearly perceive the conditions of different spatial dimensions and see corners and spaces that others cannot. Such beings, within their own planets, naturally hold a higher status. It turns out that this outer planet shares many similar mentalities with humans; it is only their appearance, their space, and the methods they employ that differ."

The Aftermath of a Cosmic War

"Today, after entering the starry sky, what remained constant was the light and energy radiating from Practitioner Su and all of us, while what changed was the object of our deliverance. This planet had an uneven, rugged surface. Looking closely, one could see fragments of wreckage. Suddenly, images of what had happened here in the past emerged before us. Many aliens, wearing different attire and possessing different appearances, were engaged in a battle. There were no screams or artillery fire as we know them in the human world; instead, it was like walking in place while communicating through mental notes. As they communicated, a mix of confused thoughts and signals surfaced.

The next scene showed one side disappearing in an instant. All that remained were the clothes they had been wearing, which fell to the ground as scattered debris, while the other side stood tall and firm on that land. The victory and defeat were starkly visible. I intuitively knew that the defeated were the original warriors of this planet, and the victors were the foreign invaders.

The defeated side did not simply vanish. They had lost their physical bodies and existed in another space in a spiritual state. Yet, this other space was in the exact same location. Their spiritual bodies were bound by an invisible force, unable to move. Their faces were distorted in agony, and their bodies were twisted—resembling their state at the moment of defeat or as if they had been executed. Then, the warm Buddha-light illuminated the land, and as the sound of the Buddha's name surrounded them, they miraculously 'resurrected.' The bindings on their bodies fell away, and their faces and bodies returned to their original forms.

In their astonishment, we provided them with timely guidance. As they followed the sound of the Buddha's name and chanted along, they entered the Buddha-light as it shone upon them. With Practitioner Su's compassion, he sent these beings to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Our group continued to fly forward before returning to the Buddha-land to reunite with the others.

The Buddha-light and the Dharma Body of Practitioner Su are able to reach this cosmic planet and save the spiritual lives within it. Such ability, arising from one's true self, comes from the education and practice of the Buddha's teachings and the Pure Land of Namo Amituofo. In this sense, understanding the Buddha's teachings, the education of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and the path of rebirth is essential for the beings of the planets in the void and for the spiritual realms within space. The life force of Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land can save all spirits throughout the entire Dharma-realm and empty space. Truly, sentient and insentient beings alike attain perfect wisdom. Namo Amituofo."