The Legacy of a Scholar-Official's Devotion

This is a record of an interview with Zhao Pingsen, a spirit who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life approximately 720 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on March 10, 2026.

Zhao Pingsen speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I have finally waited for Namo Amituofo to arrive, and I have the opportunity to return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss once again. Practitioner Su, this time I am to be saved by you. Master, Practitioner Su, I am your disciple from many lifetimes ago. Back then, I was also a monastic.

A Past Life as a Monk

I was Yunhai, Shi Yunhai. At that time, I followed you, Master, in my practice, and my meditation had achieved a certain level of meditative concentration. After you travelled to spread the Buddha’s teachings, I remained in the temple to assist the faithful, teaching them the Buddha’s teachings you had imparted to me. The method of meditation is truly profound.

I penetrated through the seven levels of heaven, breaking through the realm of the sixth heaven; it was a modest achievement. However, as the number of followers grew, I truly had no time to enter into deep meditation, as I had to receive the devotees. After all, propagating the Buddha’s teachings is the duty of a monastic, and it is a vital principle you always taught me.

The Essence of Meditation

I upheld this principle, hoping to allow more followers—whether through sitting meditation or the methods of the Chan school—to have a moment of time to calm their hearts and experience the peace of mind and spiritual refinement that meditation brings, even amidst their daily lives and work.

Although sitting meditation is not a method that directly allows an ordinary person to escape the cycle of reincarnated life, it is of great help in cultivating one's character and perceiving one's internal problems. Through the heart of the four dhyanas and eight concentrations, one can harmonise the body, mind, and spirit, and subdue all beings within and without, even those in the ten directions.

A Life Fulfilled

This is the wonder of meditation and the Chan school. After propagating the Buddha’s teachings, my life as Shi Yunhai was considered a success, and it came to a temporary close. Although I showed signs of illness before passing, I immediately entered into meditation, and my spirit left my body without suffering much pain. My spirit entered directly into the seventh heaven, where I continued to meditate, waiting for the next karmic affinity to appear in the world.

Rebirth as Zhao Pingsen

Very soon, I waited for you, Master, to appear in the world again to teach sentient beings. At that time, you were the Pingzhang Zhengshi in Shaanxi, 720 years ago. My Lord Pingzhang, you held a high position in the imperial court, and later you were transferred to Shaanxi to serve as the Chief Administrator; this was the great blessing of the people of Shaanxi. I had to seize this opportunity well. While waiting in the heavenly realms for the karmic affinity to be born, I happened to have a connection with a family in Shaanxi, so I was quickly reborn, and my name was Zhao Pingsen.

My family was quite wealthy from childhood; I did not need to worry about anything, as if I were born with a silver spoon in my mouth. The Zhao family was a prominent household. My parents gave me this name hoping that I would live a peaceful and smooth life, and that I would have a mind as vast and inclusive as the myriad phenomena of the universe. Zhao Pingsen lacked nothing, so I focused my energy on learning. My parents placed great importance on my education; they wanted me to be learned and knowledgeable.

Navigating a Divided Society

That was an era of rule by a foreign power. I hoped to learn both Mongol and Han cultures, to combine them, and to embrace multiculturalism. By combining the strengths and knowledge of both sides, I aimed to serve in the government, serve the country and the people, and contribute my strength. My father served in the Shaanxi Anxi Circuit, and he understood my aspirations. With his recommendation, in my early teens, I was arranged to follow the Chief Administrator in the Shaanxi Province to learn. The Chief Administrator was not Han. In the era of Mongol rule, the government divided society into four classes: Mongols were the highest, Semu people were the second, Han people—to which I belonged—were the third, and Southerners were the lowest.

In such a social environment, racial opposition was very distinct. We belonged to a lower class, making it difficult to enter the central government to hold important positions, and we rarely had the opportunity to come into contact with Mongol officials. At that time, Mongols generally tended to discriminate against Han people, but the Chief Administrator, Naiman-tai, was an exception. As a Mongol noble, he was unusually kind to Han people, seemingly indifferent to the racial differences between the two groups.

The Wisdom of the Chief Administrator

Although there were slight differences in language and culture, I was surprised that the Chief Administrator was very familiar with Han culture, which I found difficult to understand. I worked hard to learn by his side, and he treated me as kindly as his own child, which was extremely rare at the time. I often asked him about governing the region and the country, and he would explain the points of administration to me during his spare time. He also explained to me that the reason the Yuan government divided the people into four classes was partly out of fear that their regime would not be stable, and fear that the people would resist Mongol rule. Therefore, they had to use such a strict class system to prevent Han people from entering the core of power. This was the way the Yuan government ensured the continuation of its regime. However, this also caused deeper and greater cultural barriers and racial opposition.

The Roots of Conflict

In fact, many people of the Yuan Dynasty, Mongol people, and younger Mongol noble officials had already realised this problem. Everyone hoped to find a fundamental solution to this phenomenon, as long-term opposition was not beneficial to the stability of the country and would even bring many hidden dangers. From the perspective of historical evolution, it can be seen that class opposition and racial confrontation only lead to voices of opposition in the regions. These resistance forces are often suppressed during prosperous times, but once the country faces foreign threats, internal troubles arise. The root cause lies in the long-term dissatisfaction of the internal people. These long-suppressed negative emotions and consciousness gradually emerge when the state power is shaken and the government is unable to attend to internal affairs due to resisting foreign enemies.

Governing with Compassion

I listened one by one to the many teachings of the Chief Administrator, and I also thought carefully about how to use an open and inclusive attitude to embrace diverse cultures, and how to formulate laws and systems that conform to different cultures, based on the premise of showing compassion for the differences between cultures and ethnic groups. The Chief Administrator always reminded me that Mongol culture originated from the grasslands; bravery in battle and rapid marching were the essence of the Mongols. Han culture, on the other hand, was based on fixed-point, institutionalised development. The challenge faced by these two cultures in coexisting and prospering lies in the fact that their core philosophies and governance goals are not the same.

The governance characteristics of Mongol culture emphasise breaking and establishing, speed, and efficiency. They are good at starting from the big picture of problems. When facing resistance, different opinions, or forces, they tend to use strong-arm tactics to make the other side submit. The governance characteristics of Han culture emphasise communication, allowing both sides to understand the principles. They formulate common standards and rules so that both sides can observe and execute them together. They show a high degree of delicacy and order in execution, which also inherits the consistent governance context of the Song Dynasty.

A Mission of Integration

The difference between the two sides is the point of conflict between different ethnic groups. After all, the relationship between the two is that of the destroyer of the country and the destroyed. They carry discrimination against each other. The remnants of the Song Dynasty and the Han people often found it difficult to accept a nation as rough as the Mongols to rule them; while the Yuan government believed that the traditional governance methods of the Han people were too lenient, which led to the invasion of the previous dynasty by foreign enemies.

To avoid repeating the same mistakes, the Yuan government was also worried that if Mongol people moved into the Central Plains and migrated south, they would become accustomed to and integrate into the original Han cultural model, which would weaken their own nation's fighting spirit and ferocity. These were the different considerations of the two nations. I understood these things explained by the Chief Administrator very well. But what I did not understand was how he could be so familiar with both cultures, and why he was willing to consider the points of governance from the perspective of the Han nation. After all, most Mongol nobles looked down on the Han nation and the Southern nation. Where did such an unusual attitude come from? Whenever I asked the Chief Administrator about this, he would always smile and not answer. Instead, he carefully urged me to observe and experience the real lives of the people with my heart, and from there, I would find the true method of governance. This answer would naturally appear in everyone's views and thoughts on ethnic and cultural issues. This was still very abstract to me, but I still studied every detail taught by the Chief Administrator seriously.

The Heart of the People

In terms of actual management, the Chief Administrator also let me study many books related to technology and engineering, and I became familiar with and remembered the difficulties and situations that the people would encounter in their lives. The Chief Administrator reminded me that only by widely accepting the views of all ethnic groups, widely learning the operation and methods of all walks of life, and widely learning the thoughts and theories of all schools of thought, can one truly and effectively govern a place. After all, a place is not composed of a single ethnic group or individual. With the evolution of the situation, the ethnic groups and people in a region are constantly changing. Therefore, one must be prepared to deal with various situations and environmental changes to formulate laws and norms suitable for the people to follow at the most immediate moment, giving them guidelines and directions for their lives. As the Chief Administrator explained, I gradually understood this truth in my continuous learning. The Chief Administrator's core philosophy was that the people come first.

A Life of Service

Whenever there was a famine in the region, the Chief Administrator would always release grain at the first opportunity; when encountering a drought, he would adjust the water usage in various areas to minimise the damage caused by the drought. When encountering local unrest and resistance, the Chief Administrator always used an inclusive and understanding attitude to truly understand the root causes behind the unrest and riots. He hoped to start from the perspective of eliminating the root causes of riots, rather than using suppression to solve problems. After his tenure in Shaanxi expired, the Chief Administrator continued to guard the border, and I asked my parents for permission to continue following him to learn. My parents were not very receptive to this at first, but seeing my firm will, they were willing to follow my wishes. I followed the Chief Administrator, and later he became the Censor-in-Chief, Prince, and Prime Minister. No matter what position he held, I followed him and kept learning. Later, when he passed away, I continued his governance philosophy and continued to serve the people.

The Bridge Between Cultures

Later, I returned to Shaanxi. Relying on his prestige during his lifetime, the Yuan government agreed to let me hold an official position in the Shaanxi Province, and they promoted me from the Han level to the Semu level, which was second only to the Mongols. Although there was still a class difference, it was at least a recognition of my long-term service to the Mongol regime. I also considered myself the starting point for the integration of the Han and Mongol nations, an ambassador for the integration of the two nations. I dedicated my life to serving the Shaanxi region. Although I did not have the ability of the Chief Administrator to guard the border, I followed his philosophy in local governance and tried my best to assist the successive officials in Shaanxi. Until I passed away, I was always committed to promoting the integration of the two nations and reducing class opposition.

A Legacy of Inclusivity

I spent my life passing on the philosophy of integrating Han and Mongol cultures and eliminating opposition to future generations and students. However, many people thought that I relied on the Mongol regime and obtained today's status because of their pity. To put it bluntly, they described me as a dog of the Mongol people. However, I did not mind. After all, as long as I could allow ethnic integration and reduce class opposition, I felt it was very worthwhile to be anyone's dog. This was also the magnanimity I learned from following the Chief Administrator. Only by having such a large mind and chest can one accommodate all rivers and carry things with great virtue. If one cannot bear the culture and emotions of the opposition between the two nations, how can one turn the tide of ethnic opposition with one's own body? I had my own sense of proportion and self-knowledge about this. I did not have too many illusory extravagances, thinking about to what extent the nations could live in peace, but reducing ethnic friction was the direction I tried my best to work on. As long as policies suitable for both nations were formulated, friction between the two sides could be effectively reduced. As long as one did not deliberately incite ethnic emotions and did not deliberately formulate laws with discriminatory treatment, basically, opposition between the two ethnic groups would not be caused. This was a part I had always handled very carefully.

The Spirit of Practitioner Su

All of this was thanks to the earnest teachings of the Chief Administrator. I followed his educational philosophy all my life, putting the people first and making cultural integration a priority and mission. When I was dying, I was writing down the points of governing the two nations, constantly recalling the governance guidelines described by the Chief Administrator. I hoped to record these governance guidelines and strategies comprehensively, but I did not finish the work. One night, I passed away at my desk. My spirit left my body, and I was still conceiving such situations and plans. My spirit naturally came to the space where the Chief Administrator governed at that time, following my thoughts. Later, I learned that this was the space located on the forehead of the Chief Administrator. Perhaps it was because I admired his noble character, or perhaps it was because I admired his open and inclusive vision.

I stayed in the space on his forehead for a very long time. I followed him as he was reborn again and again in various identities in the human world. And in the most recent life, the Chief Administrator was born in Taiwan as a woman, Practitioner Su. This is indeed a rare situation, and it is different from the image of the Chief Administrator as a strong, rough, great husband and mighty general at that time, but this is also a manifestation. As Practitioner Su grew older, the boldness of the Chief Administrator appeared again. Although Practitioner Su looks small in stature, for some reason, she always makes people feel very strong and robust, as if there is no difference from the physique and spirit of the Chief Administrator at that time.

The Path of Awakening

When running the jewellery business, she also returned to her Chinese homeland to do business many times. What surprised me was that the places where Practitioner Su went to do business in China were all places where she had lived before. It could be said that it was a connection of fate. In the space in front of Practitioner Su's forehead, I followed her to review the footprints and past of her life on this Chinese land one by one. I could clearly see the bits and pieces of her past lives from her spiritual memory. Practitioner Su seemed to have some response to these situations, and she could always talk and interact with people she had a connection with. For the places she had stayed, Practitioner Su also felt very familiar and kind. In Taiwan, there are actually many good believers who have formed Dharma affinities with Practitioner Su in various parts of China and through many rebirths. These Dharma affinities are very precious good conditions for Practitioner Su.

At the age of forty-seven, Practitioner Su came into contact with the Buddha's teachings through the guidance of Dharma affinity. This corresponds to her deep and endless good roots and Dharma affinity from past lives. After practicing the Buddha's teachings, Practitioner Su decisively gave up her original business. At that time, I saw that Practitioner Su's spiritual memory from past lives had awakened, and her goals and concepts of saving the world and helping others became clearer. In the process of practice, Practitioner Su always broke through various practice tests with perseverance and wisdom that exceeded ordinary people. This wisdom that exceeds ordinary people refers to the fact that whenever she encounters various realms and various tests obstructing her practice, Practitioner Su always faces many phenomena with reactions different from ordinary people.

The Power of the Buddha's Heart

Taking the most common drowsiness in practice as an example, in the concepts of most practitioners or ordinary people, when encountering fatigue, resting is a very common and normal practice. However, Practitioner Su is not like this. Her sensitivity and spiritual memory tell her that in order to save people, she must never succumb to the demon of sleep. She must break through vigorously and adopt various skillful means to maintain her clarity. She also knows in the dark that such sleeping habits can be broken. These sensitivities and perceptions are all wisdom that exceeds ordinary people in our eyes. No one clearly taught and pointed out to Practitioner Su how to practice, but Practitioner Su knew what to do as if she were self-taught. Although Practitioner Su often says that she learns how to do it by listening to the Venerable Master Chin Kung's Dharma talks, the truth is that the Venerable Master talks about the principles and general practices, but for many demonic realms and ten thousand tests, one cannot directly obtain the solution to the many tests and difficulties just from the content of the talks. However, Practitioner Su can infer other things from one instance, and she can naturally understand how to proceed. This is the sensitivity that Practitioner Su has possessed for many lifetimes.

A Protector of the Dharma

Seeing this, I also understood more clearly why the Chief Administrator could have views and styles different from ordinary people, and why he knew how to combine the cultures of two ethnic groups and how to accommodate the habits, customs, and learning of both nations. This is the sensitivity that the Chief Administrator has cultivated for many lifetimes. He knows what skillful means to use in each era to help the people of that time. In modern society, Practitioner Su knows that only by promoting the Buddha's education of Namo Amituofo can she bring improvements in life and spirituality to people who have been seriously polluted. This is the answer brought to her by her innate sensitivity. Practitioner Su has always helped people with such a mentality and mental note, selfless and fearless, always maintaining the original intention of liberating sentient beings. Later, she made a vow to deliver sentient beings and demons, and even if her body suffered serious damage, she did not stop. There is no fear, just as she guarded the border as a border prince and king at that time, guarding the border line. She guarded the land and the people with firm belief and fearless spirit. That kind of righteousness made the demon crowds feel fear. Even if the intensity of the attack was increased, Practitioner Su did not waver. This is also because Practitioner Su's heart to save people has been firm for many lifetimes and cannot be shaken. Namo Amituofo assists Practitioner Su from behind, making her stand firmer and continue to move forward.

The Final Deliverance

In this deliverance of the sentient beings in the long river of China's five thousand years of history, the demon crowds in the deep spaces of China were alarmed. The reason they were so afraid was, first, that all the deep spaces were broken through by Practitioner Su with the holy name of Namo Amituofo and the Buddha-light, and there was nowhere to go. Second, they were truly worried that Practitioner Su would vigorously deliver them, and the power of the Demon Realm would not be able to continue to spread, and the long-term control over China would be completely hit. For the Demon Realm, the whole of China is an important base, where demon crowds of various factions live in dense layers. But Practitioner Su, as a human, drove straight into the base of the Demon Realm like a sudden emergence of a strange army, catching the demon crowds off guard, so the demon crowds reacted with attacks. When the demon crowds hit Practitioner Su hard, all the cells and spaces of her body were greatly shaken.

I was also shaken and ejected in the space in front of Practitioner Su's forehead. But this had no effect on me, because I was originally a spirit in various spaces, and the conversion of space was very easy and normal for me. Following the Chief Administrator, I had already trained the concentration to remain calm in the face of changes, and I could face various situations with an inclusive mentality. After leaving the space in front of her forehead, I still guarded the space around Practitioner Su. Although a spirit cannot have much effect, I, as a spirit, can stand in front of the magic used by the demons and absorb some magic. Although these demonic powers are very aggressive, I found that as long as the spirit has enough meditative concentration, these magic will lose their effect. This is also the method I observed of the Dharma protectors guarding around Practitioner Su. They rely on their own powerful meditative concentration and the vow of Dharma protectors from past lifetimes to manifest concrete Dharma instruments and Dharma robes, manifesting in a concrete form to protect Practitioner Su from being disturbed by magic.

However, the number of attacks by the demon crowds this time was truly huge. From east, west, south, north, up, and down, and even the ten directions of the Dharma realm, powerful demon crowds and demonic powers gathered to attack Practitioner Su. Even if the Dharma protectors tried their best to block and absorb these demonic attacks, a very large part still penetrated the protective shields guarded by the Dharma protectors. However, what the demons do not understand is that the real protective shield has never been us Dharma protectors, nor has it ever been Practitioner Su's physical body. The real Vajra shield is Practitioner Su's Buddha-heart of truly saving the world and delivering beings. The so-called heart that is neither born nor destroyed, and never wavers, is the Bodhi heart that is like a Vajra. Such a heart is as tough and fearless as a Vajra, and as indestructible as a diamond. This is the fundamental reason why Practitioner Su can continue to deliver the demon crowds, and the Buddha's blessings of Namo Amituofo give Practitioner Su the most powerful energy to widely deliver the demon crowds.

As Practitioner Su struck the qing to invite the beings, I also entered the Dharma-Nature Land. I continued to watch Practitioner Su vigorously deliver China in the Dharma-Nature Land. At present, she has broken through the ten-thousand-year space. Even today, at the moment of the interview, Practitioner Su is still continuing to break through the deep spaces of China. The core goal of breaking through these spaces is to awaken the vast number of Chinese people, hoping that they can truly get rid of the turbid and polluted spiritual life and get rid of the control of the demon crowds. This is Practitioner Su's mind-capacity, and it is also the great compassionate vow to save the world and deliver beings that Practitioner Su learned from Namo Amituofo.

Practitioner Su, Chief Administrator, I am truly very grateful for your earnest teachings to me at that time. At the same time, this is also the Dharma affinity that I had not yet exhausted with the Master at that time. Although Yunhai was born in the world as Zhao Pingsen, I did not practice the Buddha's teachings and meditation in that life, but following the Master and the Chief Administrator into the world to practice, I did indeed realise and understand a lot. Although I was not a poor monk practicing in the temple, I was indeed Pingsen practicing in the world, which can be considered as not failing the Master's teachings to me. Practitioners in the meditation period can easily settle in the original space of meditation. I am very lucky not to have lingered in the realm of meditation. Fortunately, I have this opportunity and Dharma affinity to follow the Master to practice again, and to follow Practitioner Su to vigorously deliver the sentient beings of the Dharma realm. Pingsen is very satisfied and grateful. I am grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for giving me this opportunity to talk to the Master. I am still working hard to implement the Master's teachings, and I am constantly expanding my mind-capacity. I hope that one day I can be like the Master, continuing to walk in all parts of the world with the spirit of compassion to save the spirits of sentient beings. Disciple Yunhai, Pingsen, kowtows to the Master.

Namo Amituofo, thank you Practitioner Su.

Namo Amituofo.

Zhao Pingsen"