The Mother's Dream and the Path of Compassion

This is a record of an interview with the Venerable Zongxian, 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 and the profound teachings of his mother, who guided him toward the path of enlightenment. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on March 6, 2019.

Venerable Zongxian speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. My mother was a woman unlike any other. She did not possess the delicate, fragile air that society often expects of women, nor did she ever feel the need for a man to protect her or define her existence. To her, the world was not divided by gender; men and women were simply the same beings, differing only in their physical forms. She often wondered why society insisted that a woman must be accompanied or shielded by a man. While such companionship might seem sweet to some, she saw it for what it often truly is—a heavy burden.

The Dream of a Lifetime

My mother had been a practitioner of the Buddha’s teachings since she was a young girl. She understood deeply that this life is merely an illusion, a fleeting dream. One day, when she was only five years old, she experienced a dream so vivid, so complete, that it felt like an entire lifetime had passed in the blink of an eye. In this dream, she grew from a child into a woman. She was beautiful, and many men sought her affection, but she chose a poor man whom she loved deeply. Despite the fierce opposition of her family, she married him at sixteen.

They were inseparable, living in a world that seemed to contain only the two of them. When she became pregnant, her joy was boundless. She would speak to the child in her womb every day, her face radiant with happiness. Her husband, too, seemed devoted, working hard to provide for her and their future child. But as the years passed, the weight of poverty and the arrival of more children strained their life. Eventually, the truth shattered her world: her husband had been unfaithful, and he had been using their meagre savings to support another family. The shock was so profound that she collapsed, falling into a long, bitter illness. Her sons, eventually grown, grew cold and neglectful. In the end, she chose to leave this world of suffering behind, biting her tongue to end her life in that dream.

A Lesson in Reality

When my mother awoke from that dream, the water she had put on the stove to boil for her grandmother was still not yet hot. She was only five years old, yet she had lived an entire, tragic life in her sleep. She realised then that life is nothing more than a dream—a dream filled with suffering if one remains attached to love and desire. From that day on, she was transformed. She no longer acted like a fragile girl; she became strong, capable, and entirely devoted to the Buddha’s path. She never married, and she spent her life in diligent practice, honouring her parents and serving the Dharma.

You might wonder how I came to be her child. It was a connection from a past life that brought us together. She found me abandoned in the mountains, shivering and near death, and she took me in. Though she had never given birth, she was a woman of immense Wisdom. She used the teachings of the sutras to cultivate her own heart, and she applied those same principles to raise me. She taught me that our habits are often inherited or learned, and she showed me what true compassion looks like. She was incredibly frugal, yet she gave everything she had to those in need. She never forced her teachings on others, but when the karmic affinity was right, she would guide people to find their true selves and see through the falseness of this world.

The Ink of Unseen Anger

I remember a piece of white paper she once taped to the wall. She taught me to draw a line on it every time I felt angry. After a few months, the paper was no longer white; it was covered in black ink. She told me, 'You see, we often think anger is a small thing, but every drop of it is recorded within our bodies. This white paper represents our original, pure nature. Now, because of our ignorance and anger, it has become dark and ugly. Do not underestimate these emotions; they are the seeds of illness.' It was then that I understood why a neighbour of ours, a man who was always quick to anger, had passed away so young. His body was filled with that same black ink, and he had never learned to wash it away.

My mother’s patient guidance allowed me to change while I was still young. She did not raise me to be caught up in the Five Desires or the Six Dusts; she hoped that I would one day become a monastic, so that this precious human life would not be wasted. She did not send me to a temple immediately, however. Instead, she spent three years travelling with me, walking across lands scarred by war. We buried the bones of the dead, chanting the Buddha-name for them, and shared the Dharma with everyone we met. We were always smiling, and people would often ask us why we were so happy. We would tell them, 'We are practitioners of the Buddha’s path. We know that life is an illusion, so we live without worry. You can be this happy, too!'

A Vow to Save Beings

When I was thirteen, I finally entered the monastery. When the master asked me why I wanted to study the Buddha’s teachings, I told him of the suffering I had seen during those three years of travel. I told him, 'I want to study the Buddha’s path to save them.' I was not speaking lightly; I had made a sincere vow. I am deeply grateful to my mother for her guidance, which allowed me to see the truth of suffering and strengthened my resolve to deliver sentient beings.

After decades of diligent practice, I have had the honour of attaining rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I have returned to this human world now to assist Practitioner Su in his recovery. For days, countless spirits have surrounded Practitioner Su, seeking Chao Du or demanding justice for past grievances. Practitioner Su has endured great physical pain to continue his lectures, and I have seen the boundless compassion he holds for all beings, especially those from Hong Kong who have come seeking deliverance.

During these seven days of lectures, the spirits have listened with newfound respect and order. I see the suffering that Practitioner Su takes upon himself for the sake of all beings, never once complaining. I offer my deepest gratitude to Practitioner Su for his boundless compassion. Namo Amituofo."