This is a record of an interview with the 790th Venerable, Liu Xuming ( name Shi Guangchan), who lived approximately 950 years ago. He sought at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia and now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on August 18, 2018.
Venerable Liu Xuming speaks:
". My name, Xuming, was chosen by my maternal grandfather. He hoped that I would be like the rising sun, bringing light and warmth to everyone I encountered.
A Childhood of Calculated Mischief
When I was six years old, I was incredibly mischievous. There was not a single item in our home that escaped my playful destruction; I would leave the house in total disarray, with my mother shouting in frustration behind me. This lifestyle eventually became too much for her to bear. In her helplessness, she decided to entrust me to my grandfather’s care, hoping he could discipline and guide me.
My grandfather was a man of deep cultivation. He was a devout follower of the Buddha’s teachings, spending every day in diligent practice, chanting Namo Amituofo before the Buddha. He viewed the affairs of the world with profound detachment. The things that ordinary people held dear—especially wealth, which most find so difficult to relinquish—meant nothing to him. He gave away almost everything he had, keeping only enough to cover the barest necessities of life.
The Pearl in the Rough
To outsiders, my antics were merely the behavior of a rambunctious child. But in my grandfather’s eyes, I was a precious pearl. He saw through my behavior instantly; he understood that my mischief was a deliberate performance. I was acting out solely to distract my mother. My father had died in an accident when I was four, and my mother had been drowning in sorrow and grief ever since. No matter how people tried to counsel her, she could not emerge from that dark cloud.
Every day, I would watch my mother staring blankly at the sky. Only when I made a sudden, loud noise would she show any reaction; otherwise, she lived entirely within her own isolated space. So, I began to exhaust every method to create strange sounds to divert her attention. Sometimes, I would grab valuable items and run through the house, with my mother chasing after me in a desperate attempt to retrieve them. We were like two people playing a game of tag, leaving the house in a chaotic mess. Every day, a new scene was staged, and by the end of it, my mother was far too busy to dwell on the memory of my father.
The Treasure of the Dharma
Eventually, my mother brought me to live with my grandfather, and she stayed as well. Before this, she had never believed in the Buddha’s teachings, but it was here that she discovered the Dharma was a true treasure—a source of stability and peace. My mother began to study the Dharma daily alongside me and my grandfather, finding a new direction for her life.
My grandfather had always held a deep aspiration. Beyond his acts of Generosity, he hoped that I would inherit the Dharma and light a lamp for those wandering in the darkness of confusion. My mother fully supported this decision, for she too had walked out of the darkness; it was the Dharma that had saved her. Yet, she knew there were countless others in this world just like she had been—people who had never been given the chance to find an exit from their suffering, destined to spend their entire lives in shadow.
Witnessing the Illusions of the World
My mother resolved to save those drowning in the sea of suffering. The three of us practiced diligently before the Buddha every day, every second dedicated to helping other beings. My grandfather would take us to the markets, the slums, the gatherings of the wealthy, the bustling commercial districts, and even the graveyards. He did this so we could see clearly the illusory nature of the human world and witness the full extent of its suffering.
The afflictions and worries of worldly people are immense. They do not know how to let go of the world; they cling tightly to their children, their wealth, and their dream-like emotions. They grasp at things they cannot take with them. They do not know how to grasp the Dharma because they do not understand its value, nor do they realize that at the moment of death, there is only endless darkness awaiting them.
The Path of the Monk
My grandfather and mother eventually sent me to a monastery to practice, while they traveled to introduce the Dharma to others, hoping to help them understand the importance of chanting Namo Amituofo to seek rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Not long after entering the monastery, I made the vow to become a monk. I wanted to use the dignity of a monastic to save more beings. Throughout my fifteen years of practice, I never forgot my original intention. Every day was spent in diligent practice for the sake of others. Even when I encountered setbacks and difficulties, I used my firm determination to save beings to break through every test. Whenever my own personal ego or habits surfaced, I would remember how many beings were still waiting, and I knew I could not allow my selfishness to delay the opportunity to save them.
The Practice of
I was born with a bit of an arrogant air. During those fifteen years of practice, I constantly worked to subdue this pride. I served everyone in the monastery with a humble heart, taking on the tasks that others did not want to do, working bit by bit to complete them. I made sure that anything good was always offered to others first, regardless of their seniority.
Those fifteen years were a period of both practice and service; for me, practice was never separate from service. I reduced my arrogance to its lowest point through this service. Even if someone were to pour a bucket of dirty water on me, I could offer them sincere gratitude, for they had allowed me to see the deficiencies in my own practice.
Through these fifteen years, I finally discovered how light and free it is to let go of the 'self.' I would not become afflicted by someone’s unfriendly expression, nor would I become attached to the of praise. I would not feel comparison or jealousy when seeing the success of others, nor would I calculate the gains and losses of what I possessed. My practice became one of 'no-self.'
My goal in practice was to save the world. As long as the path led toward that goal, I would move forward with all my strength. If a side path led away from that direction, I would never step onto it. In this limited life, I did not waste a single moment on things that could not be taken with me. I severed all delusions and false thoughts, walking truly and steadily on the path toward the Western Land.
The Deliverance of Practitioner Su
Practitioner Su performs great Chao Du throughout the universe. There have been times when evil forces in the universe attempted to stop her, possessing powerful dark energy and summoning all spirits of similar negative entities to interfere with her work. However, they did not realize that Practitioner Su is protected by boundless Dharma protectors, and thus, they were unable to cause her any harm.
I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for her great and her tireless efforts to save beings. I hope that more people will learn from her example and make the same vow to help others.
