The Mechanics of Digital Possession

This is a record of an interview with Hanguang, an ancient demon who has existed for 1.2 billion years, 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 long history of manipulating human consciousness through digital technology. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on June 24, 2024.

Hanguang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Hanguang. In this world, there are countless shifts and changes. We demons have learned that if we can seize the beginning and the end of these changes, we can achieve the most favourable results for our own agenda.

Right now, we have managed to throw the human heart into complete disarray. Everyone carries a seed of anxiety within them. All those negative emotions—the frustrations of daily life, the moments where reality feels like a crushing weight—have become the perfect tools for us to exploit. Humans naturally develop a desire to escape, to flee into a space they perceive as safe and comfortable.

The Lure of the Virtual Void

When the pressures of reality become too much, people look for ways to vent. They turn to the stimulation of light, sound, and fantasy to find a fleeting sense of happiness. This physical human body of yours—it demands constant satisfaction, or it loses the drive to keep going. Once humans developed this specific appetite, they began searching for the fastest, most novel ways to feed it. That is what you call the digital space.

The digital space is infinitely vast, and we smelled the potential of this market early on. We did not even need to know how to fully unleash its power at first; we simply occupied the territory, waiting for the perfect moment to launch a full-scale conquest. We did not realise just how massive this market would become until we saw the rapid leaps in technology. It seemed that everything could be funnelled through the internet, and that was when we confirmed we had chosen the perfect battlefield.

The Bait and the Hook

At the beginning, we were not entirely sure how to exert our influence, so we collaborated with other demon crowds. We chose to act as the bait. By bait, I mean that the moment a human starts using the internet—whether it is on a computer, a mobile phone, or any other piece of high-tech equipment—our demon nature ensures they cannot stop. We possess the power to entice them, to show them exactly the images they crave. Once they are hooked, we immediately jump onto them, making their hearts itch with a desire they cannot control.

As the era has shifted, humans have become increasingly obsessed with pleasure and self-centredness. This is the key to our control. People who think this way are hyper-focused on themselves; they treat themselves with such indulgence that they will do anything to satisfy their every whim. Why do you think the digital space is constantly churning out new gimmicks and products? It is specifically designed to tighten our grip on your attention. High-tech companies are launching new products every single day—computers, phones, even watches. In terms of our track record for controlling humanity, I must say, our performance has been truly exceptional.

The Empty Eyes of the Digital Age

We prey on the vanity of the human heart—the constant need to use the best, the most popular, the latest thing. Just look around you. All those people staring at their phones? They are the living proof of our success. The act of scrolling through a phone, the way every person is tethered to a smartphone—this has become universal. If you look closely at these people, you will see that their eyes are completely hollow. Why? Because their souls were dragged into our virtual space the moment they picked up the device. We built that space specifically for them.

In that space, the souls of these people are immersed in a state of total obsession. They hold their phones, and to an outside observer, they appear to be staring at the same screen, sometimes even wearing a faint, vacant smile. But we have locked their souls inside that virtual cage, and they have no way to get out. While their souls are trapped, their bodies are left to enjoy the pleasure of the illusion. Our virtual world is filled with countless such obsessed spirits.

The Master of the Human Head

When we want to expand our digital control empire, we select specific bodies to act as our agents, helping us develop the market further. They are incredibly obedient because we have completely seized their consciousness. The scope and age groups we cover have expanded based on market demand. You could say this is a deep-seated control of the human head and the human heart. In the digital space today, we see so many demon heads expanding their reach, desperate to deepen their control.

The digital space is actually built from layers upon layers of data. We inject countless numbers and images directly into the human head. The head is the command centre of the human body, but we have seized the command centre. We force them into the illusory space of games, and most of the time, they have no idea what their own bodies are doing. The messages we send are not their own intentions, but their spirits are locked away, unable to distinguish right from wrong.

The Power of the Twelve Lights

There were times when the human spirit tried to regain control, but we simply used our immense demon power to crush them. We rapidly manipulate the thoughts of the body, using the physical form to suppress the spirit. If we encounter a body that is harder to control, we drag them into the most polluted corners of the digital space, letting them be attacked by various digital beings until they finally collapse. Do not underestimate the images in the digital space. A single image might contain three thousand demon beings—some in the text, some in the visuals—all attaching themselves to the human body at once. It makes it impossible for the human to be the master of their own house.

Many times, this group-attack strategy made us feel quite proud. We were very optimistic about this market; it was easy to enter, easy to manipulate, and humans were so obedient. Since humans were throwing themselves into our nets and could not restrain their own mental notes, we naturally did not hesitate to take control. Our achievements are now global. When you see headlines about cybercrime or online fraud, we are not surprised at all. We created those concepts, and now they are manifesting in your reality.

A Humbled Demon

We laughed at the stupidity of humans, laughing at how they gave us such perfect opportunities. We intended to continue this successful control indefinitely, but we never anticipated the appearance of a force that would oppose us. We were completely unprepared for such an attack. A tremendously powerful force descended upon us without warning, covering everything. I saw many demon beings struggling with all their might, but no matter how they tried to cover themselves with demon power, they were completely overwhelmed by the light. We were shocked by such power.

I did not want to suffer that same fate, so I led my demon children and grandchildren to resist, surrounding Practitioner Su, hoping to use my own great demon power to cover him. I thought I had a chance to fight back, but after Practitioner Su covered us with the Twelve Lights, I saw boundless Dharma protectors who brought me to the Western Dharma-Nature Land. The other demons there, who had also once attacked Practitioner Su, had all been subdued. I heard them say they were old demons with great skills, and if they were subdued by Practitioner Su, then someone like me—who only knows how to play tricks and control humans—should certainly be subdued as well. I tell myself this to avoid feeling too ashamed.

After entering the Buddha-land, the Buddha-light was so immense; it has been washing my heart clean. I saw Practitioner Su performing Chao Du, saving so many souls that we had once controlled. My heart is filled with gratitude, for I know I can never repay this debt. I am truly grateful that the Buddha-land saved my life. I am grateful to Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."