The Necessity of Change: A Demon's Reflection

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Yongning, 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 the transformative power of repentance and the nature of the demon realm. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on August 8, 2023.

Venerable Yongning speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Why must one change? Because without change, one is destined to suffer. Having followed Practitioner Su in the work of deliverance for these years, I have witnessed countless suffering spirits, especially those from the demon realms. People in the world might be puzzled: why does Practitioner Su constantly save demons? These beings are often seen as so wicked—why would he bother to rescue them? What I see is the true, boundless compassion of Practitioner Su.

The Hidden Softness Beneath the Demon's Mask

No one is born a demon, and no one is born an evil person. It is entirely the influence of environment, personality, and karma that leads one down the path of becoming a demon. These demons may appear formidable, possessing immense power, but deep within their hearts, there remains a soft, kind side—that is the 'original self' from the past, before they were stained by darkness.

When Practitioner Su brings the Buddha-light into a demon's body, especially under the illumination of the twelve rays of Buddha-light, all demons slowly shed their demon nature and recover their true, original appearance. I once asked a Demon King, 'How were you saved? Can you feel the compassion of Practitioner Su?'

The Day the Golden Light Descended

The Demon King replied, 'When Practitioner Su's countless billions of manifestations appeared, I was still wreaking havoc in the Milky Way. I thought it impossible for any human on Earth to detect my existence, yet Practitioner Su saw me with such ease. At that time, we had gathered a massive army of demon crowds, preparing for a war within the galaxy. I was the most powerful Demon King among them, commanding wave after wave of demon soldiers, ready to win this conquest. Who would have expected that just as we were about to engage in battle, Practitioner Su brought forth a powerful golden light? The light was so vast that it enveloped all of us—hundreds of millions of demon crowds—and not a single one could escape.

'Initially, our two opposing sides thought this was a trick played by the enemy. Later, we realised it was not; it was an external force interfering with our battle. At that moment, we, who were once bitter enemies, instantly formed an alliance, working together to resist this golden light. Every one of us unleashed our most powerful demonic arts, yet the golden light remained completely undisturbed. Instead, we were all crushed. Every bit of demonic power we exerted simply vanished into thin air under the illumination of the golden light, never to be recovered. Our strength was continuously drained until, finally, we were powerless to resist the light any longer.'

From Fury to Understanding

'We were subdued. It was only after we were sent to the Western Dharma-Nature Land that we learned the one who had subdued us was Practitioner Su. At first, everyone was still quite furious, but after witnessing Practitioner Su save so many suffering demon beings, we finally understood how truly compassionate he is.

'Every one of us demons had created sins that are difficult to repay. Now that Practitioner Su has saved us, fewer people and sentient beings will be harmed. And every demon who has been saved quickly learns to repent and change their ways; we all vow to follow Practitioner Su to save sentient beings.'

A Warning to Humanity

'I feel deep regret. In the past, I did not understand the need to change, and I allowed myself to fall into the Demon Realm. Now, these sins are still carried upon my own back; no one can repay them for us. But we are fortunate to have been saved, to have stopped in time before creating more karma. Otherwise, we would truly be unable to repay these debts throughout many lifetimes.

'Looking at the human heart, we feel fear for humanity. Humans are destroying their own bodies with their own personalities. As we watch humans, we see that every time their temper flares, there is a massive amount of force waiting to crush their physical bodies. It is an immense power—the sins accumulated over countless lifetimes—beginning to manifest at that very moment. Yet, humans are still foolishly indulging in their temperaments; no one knows they must change. Those who do not change are the ones who will ultimately suffer. We demons see humans clearly; it is only a matter of whether they are willing to wake up.'

I share these words from the demon being with all of you. They have truly repented, and they sincerely advise everyone: if you do not change, you must suffer. The human body is illusory; it is not worth using this human body to harm your own soul. Let go of your attachment to the body and seek true, genuine change.

Namo Amituofo.

Yongning"