The Legacy of the Hidden Scriptures

This is a record of an interview with Long Quan, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life approximately 1,650 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing, on April 28, 2019.

Long Quan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Long Quan. I remember leading my blind father to a dilapidated house overgrown with weeds. My father asked me, 'Long Quan, help your father see what is written on the door of this house.' I had never received an education, and my knowledge of characters was quite limited. I stared at the inscription on the door for a long time before telling him, 'It seems to say... Pure.' My father replied, 'Very good. Open the door.' As I pried the bolt loose, dust cascaded from the frame, making me sneeze repeatedly. 'Father, it is so dark in here,' I said. He replied, 'Pull back the curtains.' As I drew them open, sunlight flooded the room, instantly illuminating the space. I was astonished to see the interior. 'Wow! Why are there so many books here?' I picked up a book in each hand, asking in disbelief, 'Father, where are we? How can there be so many books?'

A Legacy Preserved in Blood

My father explained, 'These are the books your grandfather left behind. He loved reading them—they are all scriptures, covering various teachings and treatises. Many people used to come to him to request these books and ask about the Buddha's teachings. Many even began to retreat into seclusion for pure practice. As the number of participants grew, the tribal chief intervened. He feared that if everyone stayed home to practise, no one would work the land, leading to food shortages. To stop the people, the chief made an example of your grandfather. He dragged him to the execution platform and whipped him publicly, wanting everyone to see that this was the price of superstition.' Even after that brutal punishment, my grandfather continued to immerse himself in the scriptures. He found this hidden place, moved all the books here, and lived alone, reading and meditating. Later, a few people who did not fear the chief joined him to practise here. When I asked what happened to my grandfather, my father said with deep regret, 'He was assassinated, along with those who practised with him.' I was shocked. I never imagined these scriptures were preserved at the cost of my grandfather's life.

The Price of Devotion

I asked my father if this was his first time here. He shook his head. 'I came here once with your grandfather. But to focus on his practice, he lived apart from your grandmother. To protect me from the fallout, she took me and moved to a distant place. I dreamt of this place yesterday and came to see if it still existed.' As he reached out for a chair, I quickly pulled one over for him. Looking at him, I suddenly wondered, 'Father, is your blindness also because of...?' He nodded. 'Yes. I, too, became fascinated by the scriptures. Someone reported me to the chief, who sent men to pierce my eyes. The injury was too severe, and I lost my sight forever.' I was horrified. 'Why was the chief so cruel? Is he still alive?' My father replied, 'He is. But after he assassinated your grandfather and blinded me, a group of monks arrived to propagate the Dharma. They had been practising in the mountains for years; their presence was dignified and captured people's hearts. Many villagers came to listen, and after hearing a sutra, they developed deep faith. The chief tried to impose strict rules to block the monks, but they were indifferent to his hostility. When the village remained unwelcoming, they simply left.'

The Demon's Grasp

'One day, a Buddhist practitioner with high-level skills arrived. He observed the village, returned to his temple, and donated a large sum of merit money, requesting his master to perform Chao Du for this village. It is said that a demonic lair shook violently. The Demon King roared, "Who has the audacity to move against me?" A little demon replied, "It is a devout Buddhist who brought a group of monks to perform deliverance. These monks possess great power and seem to have seen through our schemes." The Demon King was furious and ordered his eldest son, Mo Xing, to return. As soon as Mo Xing returned to the lair, the chief suddenly reverted to his former, kind self. The monks eventually subdued the demonic lair with the power of the Buddha. We learned that these beings were once eminent monks who had been framed by malicious people, accused of being frauds and seducers. They could no longer practise in the Buddha's gate and eventually took their own lives, becoming kings of the demon path, bent on destroying the Dharma. Now, under the Buddha's compassion, they have repented for their sins and begged for forgiveness. Even Mo Xing, who had been manipulating the chief, surrendered to the Buddha's path, restoring the chief to a pure state.' I was dumbfounded. 'I never imagined such things happened! The chief's body was being used by a demon to commit such cruelty.' My father looked at me and said, 'Now, these scriptures can finally be propagated in the tribe again. I leave this task to you, Long Quan. I hope you will carry on the lineage of the Dharma so that more people can hear the teachings. Only then will your grandfather's death have had value.'

The Lesson of the Paper

My mother called out, 'Long Quan, come quickly, the soup is ready.' As I sat down to eat, I told her everything my father had said. I told her with firm resolve, 'The responsibility of propagating the Dharma falls on me. Father says I am the only one who can shoulder this burden. I am willing to dedicate my life to the Buddha's path.' My mother looked worried, but I comforted her: 'If this body does not work for the Dharma, living in this world is just a waste of time. Whether I marry, have children, or toil in manual labour, it is all just waiting to board the vehicle of the six realms of rebirth. Why suffer so? I am willing to take on this responsibility.' I left the tribe and entered a temple. My master asked, 'What do you see on this piece of paper?' I looked carefully, picking out every black dot, and replied, 'This is an impure paper, full of black dots.' The master nodded. 'You are correct that the paper is not pure, but I also see the turbidity in your heart.' I looked at him, confused. He explained, 'On the same paper, some see the whole, while others see only a corner. This is a difference in mind-capacity. A person with a large mind can contain everything; they see a complete paper, without discrimination or picking. A person with a small mind cannot tolerate these dots, believing they shouldn't exist. If one is accustomed to seeing the good, they will not pick at minor flaws; conversely, those who habitually look for the bad will see imperfections even in a perfect sheet of paper.' I nodded. He was right. I had that habit. To save sentient beings, I needed to adjust my mind to have the capacity to deliver all spirits.

The Power of Faith

The master continued, 'Propagating the Dharma requires firm faith. If your mind is narrow, it becomes difficult to spread the teachings. If you can contain everything, seeing the good and thinking of the good, the path will be free, filled with Dharma joy, and everything will follow Causal Conditions. Just do your best.' I was grateful for his teaching. I stopped obsessing over studying every single scripture or planning every detail. Practice is about letting go of everything learned in the secular world and advancing on the Buddha's path with a natural, free, and pure heart. Eventually, the sound of the Buddha's name returned to the tribe, brought back by me. At first, the villagers were fearful due to past experiences, but no matter how they criticised, I remained unmoved, introducing the Dharma through various skilful means. At that moment, my heart held only one word: 'Faith.' This was what my master taught me upon entering the temple. Faith means first believing in oneself, then believing in the Buddha. No matter how things develop, the heart holds onto 'Faith.' To make things perfect is not about success, but about fulfilling this faith. Let faith exist in the heart, and the Buddha will always be there. That is how I persisted until the end. Those who resisted were eventually moved by the Dharma, just as those once used by the demon path were subdued by the True Teachings.

A Life Dedicated to the Dharma

In this life, I dedicated myself entirely to the Dharma, which gave me the opportunity to chant the name of Namo Amituofo at the end of my life and return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss forever. Now that the Dharma can be heard everywhere, people should cherish it, grasp every moment to diligently cultivate their hearts, and chant the Buddha's name to seek the opportunity for eternal life. The Dharma voice of Practitioner Su spreads without boundaries; the universe is filled with the sound of the Dharma, which is truly magnificent! In the past, I had not yet attained the Dharma Body, nor had I seen the space of the universe. I did not know it was filled with sentient beings, including countless demonic beings. But evil cannot overcome good. Under the daily transformation of Practitioner Su's good teachings, even those with evil thoughts correct themselves and return to the right path. Now, space is gradually recovering its purity. The evil power within beings is being replaced by good power. It is the inherent goodness of human nature—this heart of goodness, buried deep, has been excavated once again by Practitioner Su. Appearances have returned to their former kindness, and there is no longer opposition in space; everything is guided toward goodness. I am grateful for the compassion of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

This interview message was recorded by the Buddhist disciple Shi Fa Jing.