The Plague God's Journey to Light

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Zhou Chuanfu, the Plague God responsible for the spread of the pandemic. He sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia and now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his experiences during the Thrice Yearning Ceremony on March 16, 2020. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe.

Zhou Chuanfu speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Zhou Chuanfu. What kind of world is this? I have encountered things, time and time again, that I simply cannot believe. Ever since I arrived here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to seek the help of Practitioner Su, my life has been fundamentally transformed. At this very moment, I know with absolute certainty: I have truly encountered the Buddha!

In my past, I did not know the Buddha at all. But now, I understand. As long as we have the karmic affinity to meet the Buddha, the Buddha is capable of boundless tolerance for all the evil deeds we have committed in the past. When you encounter the Buddha, no matter how difficult or insurmountable a situation may seem, the Buddha has a way to resolve it. This is my own personal experience, my own truth."

A Vision of Golden Radiance

"While I was in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I witnessed the site of the Dharma assembly. It was filled with a vast, overwhelming golden light. That was the radiance emanating from the Buddha’s own body, for I had truly seen the Buddha! He was so tall, so brilliant, filling the entire sky! I asked myself, 'Who is that?'

Someone must have heard the cry of my heart, for a voice answered me: 'That is Namo Amituofo.' I asked again, 'Why is the Buddha here?' The answer came: 'Because this is a Buddha-land, and that is why Namo Amituofo is here.' I pressed further, 'But this is Earth, a place where humans reside. Why is there a Buddha-land here?'

The voice replied: 'Because there are humans in this world who possess a heart like the Buddha’s—a heart that does not want to see beings suffer. Therefore, they invite suffering spirits to the Western Land of Dharma Nature at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, just as Namo Amituofo can guide the spirits who chant his name to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.'"

The Voice of the Buddha

"I asked, 'Who are you? Why are you telling me all of this?' The voice replied: 'I am Namo Amituofo!' I was stunned! I was completely frozen! Namo Amituofo had actually heard the thoughts in my heart and answered my questions! How could the Buddha, who is so magnificent and brilliant, be so close to us? His voice was so intimate, so kind. I looked more closely and saw that within the golden light of the sky, there were many other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, all radiating golden light. Their bodies and the space around them were filled with light. I learned over these past two days that to see the light is to see the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

I saw the Buddha standing there, his hands gently lowered. Countless spirits were flying toward the Buddha. Seeing this, my heart, which had already been softened, suddenly felt an urge—I wanted to follow them into the light. But a voice rose within me: 'Can I? After all the harm I have done to humanity, would the Buddha still want me?'"

A New Identity in the Western Pure Land

"Then, a voice said: 'You can, my child. The Buddha wants to guide you, the you of this moment, to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Come, child! Come!' I realised that two lines of hot tears were streaming down my face. At the site of the Dharma assembly, the sound of the Buddha-name—Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo—echoed continuously. I found myself, quite involuntarily, chanting along: 'Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo...' I felt myself moving forward, drawn toward the light. The Buddha was calling me: 'Child, come!' And then, I entered the light.

Wow! I couldn't help but gasp in amazement! It was such a bright, brilliant world; everything was shimmering with light. My eyes could not take it all in! There were golden palaces, surrounded by round, pearl-like orbs, each emitting a different colour. It was so fragrant, so incredibly fragrant! I saw countless flowers drifting down from above. I was mesmerised! Where was I? This did not seem to be the Western Land of Dharma Nature.

A voice came to me: 'This is the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss!' The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss? Was this the place I had been hearing about in the Land of Dharma Nature for the past few days? The voice answered: 'Yes! Child, you are now in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.'"

The Name of the Buddha

"I was struck with wonder once again! I was speechless; there are no words in any language that could express my feelings. I closed my eyes and tried to feel it all with my heart. My heart kept repeating: 'Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo.' Suddenly, the name 'Zhou Chuanfu' surfaced in my mind. I woke up with a start, opening my eyes, terrified that I might be dreaming. I feared that if I woke up, everything would return to the way it was for Zhou Chuanfu. But no, the scene around me remained the same. I was not dreaming!

The voice responded to me: 'Child, you are now in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Your name is Namo Amituofo.' I asked, confused, 'I am Namo Amituofo? Am I not Zhou Chuanfu?' The voice replied: 'Zhou Chuanfu has arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and therefore, just like the Buddha, you are called Namo Amituofo!' I knelt down, tears streaming down my face, and I called out, 'Namo Amituofo!'"