The Poet's Awakening: Beyond the Illusion of Fame

Meng Haoran, a celebrated poet of the Tang Dynasty, spent over a millennium wandering as a spirit after his passing. Seeking deliverance, he arrived at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, where he continues to listen to the Dharma. This interview was recorded on March 9, 2026, by the chief writer, Fa Ning.

Meng Haoran speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Meng Haoran. At this very moment, I am residing in the Western Dharma-Nature Land at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, listening to the teachings of Namo Amituofo. I have been listening to the sutras explained by Practitioner Su, and I understand them deeply. It is truly astonishing to realise how precious this human body is. When used well, it can allow one to soar through the heavens and traverse the earth; when used poorly, it leads one straight into the hells. This is my reflection after listening to the Dharma here in the Dharma-Nature Land.

The Futility of Earthly Ambition

Alas, life is truly not a game. As a renowned poet of the Tang Dynasty, I once harboured ambitions of becoming an official. I hoped to display my talents in the imperial court so as not to waste the gifts I had been given. Yet, who would have expected that I would accidentally offend the Emperor? My subsequent attempts to secure an official position were fraught with failure. It took me a great deal of time to truly see through and let go of the vanity of officialdom. It was certainly not an easy task.

For many years, I lived in seclusion on Mount Lushan. In truth, my nature was one that loved the natural world—I craved a life without constraints. My family background was quite comfortable; we were local gentry in Xiangyang with some landholdings. This allowed me to wander freely, spending my time with friends, drinking, and composing poetry. Most of the time, I remained a recluse. Although my personality was casual, my heart was not careless. On the contrary, I was a person whose heart was as clear as a mirror. I had very firm principles. Of course, I would never let my principles harm those around me. Rather, I understood this world well—everything has its rules, its principles, and its standards. Just as a subject must kneel before the Emperor, or as a husband and wife have their respective responsibilities, an official must look and act like an official. In my early years, I did not seek office, but the later process of seeking it helped my character grow significantly. Eventually, I understood that being an official was not what I truly wanted. A life of simple farming might sound uninteresting to some, but I found joy in it. I discovered beauty in the mundane.

The Truth Within My Poetry

My poetry reflects my life. It does not need to be exaggerated or grand; its value lies in its honesty. My poems do not speak of romantic entanglements, nor do they discuss national affairs or ethnic consciousness. They simply describe my own experiences and express my emotions—they are simple and pure. Especially in my later years, as I saw through and let go of the vanity of official life, my poetry became even more natural. I never had a particular obsession with women, which I suppose was one of my virtues. I had a wide circle of friends; friends and wine were my true loves. In the sunset of my life, I passed away due to a recurrence of an old illness after drinking and dining with a friend.

After I died, my spirit wandered on Mount Lushan for over 1,200 years. This was the place where I lived in seclusion in my youth. In this life, I believed my only true virtue was that I treated my friends with genuine sincerity. Yet, who could have imagined that I would meet my end because of that very sincerity? In the Dharma-Nature Land, I can see that this was due to the karmic retribution between us. Even though I died because of it, I have no regrets. After all, true sincerity means giving without counting the cost and without seeking a reward.

Seeing Through the Illusion of Self

The laws of karma and cause and effect—this is something I never truly contemplated while I was alive. It is quite miraculous. When I use the Buddhist education provided by the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to examine my own life, I feel a profound sense of sighing. Only when one's own spirit has gone through such a journey can one truly understand what Practitioner Su's teachings are about.

It turns out that everything in this world is an illusion. Even the name 'Meng Haoran' is false and temporary. Watching my life from the perspective of the Dharma-Nature Land, it seems to have no real meaning. This is a very unique feeling. I searched for answers in the sutras explained by Practitioner Su and slowly came to understand: the world, formed by the combination of multiple karmic conditions, has no reality. Only by finding one's true nature and realise one's true nature and attain Buddhahood is there reality. Only by awakening oneself is there reality. One could also say that making a vow to save the world is reality.

A Vow for a Real Life

These profound truths are what the Buddha's teachings call the universal principle and the righteous path. I only know this now. I could not help but cry and laugh on my lotus seat. For the sake of this false life, everyone in the world exhausts their abilities and talents to manage it. Is it not laughable? Now, I make a vow in the Dharma-Nature Land: I will no longer live a false life. I will live a real life, just like Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This is a life of true value. Only now, without a physical body, do I realise how precious this human body is. Although it is late, I am incredibly fortunate to understand these truths. To have the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss within the Buddha-land established by Practitioner Su—this is not too late at all. I am deeply grateful for such magnificent Causal Conditions.

The fact that Practitioner Su can achieve such a feat in this world, especially in China, is due to two things: first, Namo Amituofo is residing here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre; second, it is due to the compassionate vow of Practitioner Su. It is truly great compassion. I have witnessed with my own eyes in the Dharma-Nature Land how Practitioner Su, in order to save the people of China, sought to first deliver the demon crowds. This led to fierce counterattacks from the demons. Although his body was injured, he remained fearless and continued the deliverance. Such injuries are not ordinary; an average person would have perished long ago. Fortunately, Practitioner Su possesses a Buddha-body and can freely travel to and from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is because he possesses such inconceivable abilities that he can recover so quickly from such attacks.

The Path to Buddhahood

As I mentioned, I was a person who understood principles. In my life, as a member of the gentry with a wide circle of friends and a talent for poetry, I met many people—from emperors and prime ministers to high-ranking officials, prominent families, and even the poor and commoners. I knew that every person played a role and had rules they had to follow. I thought about it over and over, and I realised that I did not want to be any of them. It was better to be a poet of the fields, living in seclusion and enjoying freedom. From this perspective, although my pursuit of an official career failed, my eventual retreat to the countryside was a great blessing.

Now, seeing the vows and actions of Practitioner Su, working so diligently for the sake of sentient beings, and most importantly, seeing the scenes of his deliverance—where immeasurable and boundless spirits from China's five thousand years of history are saved within the golden light—I am moved. So many beings have come to the Western Dharma-Nature Land to be reborn and transformed. I can feel their sincere gratitude. Now I know that the role Practitioner Su plays is called 'Buddha'. If that is the case, I feel that becoming such a 'Buddha' is a goal worth striving for.

In the Dharma-Nature Land, I pressed my palms together and asked the Buddha: 'Compassionate Buddha, what must I do to be like Practitioner Su?' I seemed to hear the Buddha tell me that the answer is simply this: 'Namo Amituofo'. This Buddha-name has such great function and such great power. I couldn't help but smile at this answer. It is truly simple and pure. I like this simple yet powerful method. Now, as I chant the Holy Name 'Namo Amituofo', I am filled with joy. After I am reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, there will come a day when I return to the human world to save sentient beings.

I am grateful to Namo Amituofo. I am grateful to Practitioner Su.

Namo Amituofo.

Meng Haoran"