The Miracles of Chanting Namo Amituofo

This is a formal record of an interview conducted with the Venerable Yuan Quan, a practitioner who attained enlightenment approximately 1,200 years ago. Having sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of the Buddha, he now resides within the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This testimony, which explores his profound journey from a young child with innate spiritual vision to a monk who guided his village to liberation, was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on November 14, 2018.

Venerable Yuan Quan speaks:

The Awakening of Innate Vision

"Namo Amituofo. I am Yuan Quan. Even as a young child of ten, I possessed an innate ability to perceive the spirits dwelling in the spaces around us. It was a natural instinct, one that fully awakened when I reached my tenth year. I could see the subtle movements of spirits, their expressions of sorrow, and the heavy burdens they carried as they wandered through the world. It was not a gift I had sought, but rather a reality that I had to learn to navigate with a heart of compassion.

A Tempest of Suffering and the Call for Deliverance

I remember one day when the wind and rain were so fierce it felt as though the roof of our home would be torn away at any moment. Outside, the trees were whipped into a frenzy, and heavy buckets were tossed into the air like toys, crashing to the ground with deafening roars. Our family of twelve—my parents, myself, and my nine siblings—were huddled together in our dilapidated shack. It offered little protection; rain seeped through every crack, and the wind howled inside just as it did outside. We were terrified that the entire structure would be swept away, leaving us to perish in the merciless storm. The atmosphere was thick with fear, and the physical cold mirrored the chill of despair that had settled in our hearts.

As the tempest intensified, I felt a sudden, bold resolve. I stood up and unfastened the ropes securing our door. As soon as I pulled it open, the gale surged into our home. My family cried out in alarm, 'Yuan Quan, what are you doing?!' I stood there in the doorway, wearing my straw hat and raincoat, and shouted into the chaos: 'Who is causing this havoc? If you have a request, speak it! Stop this destruction! You are killing the living beings, the flowers, and the trees here. Cease this at once!' In that moment, I heard a chorus of weeping and angry roars. The grey, swirling rain was filled with countless spirits—they were a multitude of beings desperately seeking Chao Du.

The Resonant Power of the Buddha-Name

Seeing these poor, lost souls, I realised they had no place to go. They were using this storm to draw attention to their suffering, never realising that their actions were causing further harm to other lives. I shouted to them, 'I am only a ten-year-old child named Yuan Quan! I know you are suffering and seeking help, but I do not have the attainment to deliver you. However, I know how to chant Namo Amituofo! I will chant this name with the utmost sincerity for you now. Please, follow me and chant along. If you see the golden light, leave this place immediately! Do not continue to cause chaos!'

I began to chant the six-character name aloud, focusing my entire heart and mind into the Buddha-name. My voice grew stronger and clearer, vibrating with the sincerity of my intent. The dark, gloomy sky began to brighten. My family, witnessing this, joined in, and soon all twelve of us were chanting together. The sound resonated with incredible power, cutting through the howling wind. The wind died down, the rain ceased, and a brilliant golden light illuminated the horizon. These weeping spirits, now chanting along, followed the light and departed. As the storm finally faded, my family wept with joy, crying out, 'Namo Amituofo is so compassionate! Namo Amituofo is of great compassion!'

A Reunion Across the Veils of Time

Our home was left in ruins, and our garden was destroyed, but this experience solidified our faith in the Buddha’s teachings and Namo Amituofo. We learned the true meaning of compassion for all spirits. Our family became more united than ever, and we dedicated ourselves to helping other beings find liberation. When I was fifteen, I travelled to a village that felt strangely familiar. Every flower and blade of grass stirred memories within me. I walked until I reached a small house where I saw an elderly woman. I fell to my knees, weeping, and cried out, 'Mother!' In my dreams, I had often seen my past life. I remembered being a young boy who fell into a ditch and died during a heavy rainstorm, and the image of my mother holding me and weeping was etched into my soul. Even as a child in that life, I had practised kindness, sharing my meagre food with other poor children. Now, I had returned to my past home. I recognised the woman immediately by the scar on her face—a scar she had received while trying to save me in that previous life.

The Transformation of a Village Through Faith

The elderly mother had lost her memory, and her other children had abandoned her in that shack. Yet, she remembered me—the son who had been the most filial. Even though I looked different, she recognised me the moment she saw me, for my every gesture, my eyes, and my smile were exactly as they had been in that past life. It was the Buddha’s compassion that allowed me to return and fulfil my filial duties. I taught my mother to chant Namo Amituofo every day. As she practised, her frail, dark complexion began to glow with health, and her memory slowly returned. I also began to teach the villagers. At first, they were sceptical, but after witnessing my mother’s miraculous recovery, they began to chant. Later, when a flood threatened to submerge the entire village, I gathered the villagers to chant together. We used the power of human chanting to save the spirits in the rain, resolving the disaster. From that day on, the entire village became devout followers of the Buddha.

Returning to the Western Pure Land

By the age of twenty-one, I had ordained as a monk. Before I left, I had already guided my parents to the Western Pure Land. They had let go of all worldly attachments, and in their final moments, they were received by Namo Amituofo. My life has been a testament to the fact that if you sincerely believe and chant, miracles will manifest. I eventually returned to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, only to realise that I had made a great vow before the Buddha to come to this world and return after four hundred years. Today, I travel through the universe, guided by the compassion of Practitioner Su. I recently visited a high-level space where beings were living in constant pleasure but could not find the Buddha. They did not realise they were not in the Western Pure Land, but merely in a higher cosmic realm. I brought the name of Namo Amituofo to them, and as the Buddha-light shone, they finally understood. They knelt, wept with gratitude, and were led by Namo Amituofo to the Western Pure Land. Namo Amituofo. Namo Amituofo."