This interview was recorded on March 28, 2019. The subject is the 116th Venerable, Jia Chong, who lived approximately three hundred and sixty years ago. Having sought deliverance through the Buddha’s teachings, he now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account was transcribed by the chief writer, Buddhist practitioner Shi Fa Jing.
Venerable Jia Chong speaks:
". I am Jia Chong. When I reflect upon my life, I am reminded of the fragility and the immense value of this human existence. A magnet that has lost its magnetism is useless; it is like a body without breath—merely a lump of flesh. My mother taught me from a very young age: 'Life is precious.' If she had not instilled this in me, I might have spent my days foolishly believing that there would always be a next life, or that I could always have 'one more chance.' It was not until the very moment my grandmother breathed her last that I truly understood the weight of those words. She was gone, and the grandmother who had cherished me so deeply had vanished. She would never return. Her body lay on the bed, cold and still, no longer a person, but a vessel that had ceased to function. I wept bitterly, and my mother comforted me, saying, 'You still possess a human body. You must seize this opportunity. While you are young, plan your life well so that you do not waste this precious existence.'
The Lesson of the Beggar
I took my mother's words to heart and set out to find my purpose. I walked through the streets, observing the vendors selling vegetables, buns, clothes, and shoes, as well as the pawnshops and pharmacies. Yet, nothing sparked my interest. Under a large tree, I saw a beggar. I approached him and asked, 'My mother says life is precious. Why are you sitting here?' The beggar looked up at me—I was only four years old at the time—and he smiled. No one had ever asked him such a question. He was a young man who had lost everything in a failed business venture and had fallen into despair. My simple question reignited his fighting spirit. He said, 'A four-year-old child knows life is precious, yet I, a grown man, am wasting my life begging!' I never saw him again, but I heard he started a brand-new life.
The Illusion of Wealth
A year later, a luxurious carriage appeared in our village. It was adorned with jewels, worth more than a house. The owner stepped out, removed his hat, and bowed respectfully to me. 'Thank you, my noble benefactor,' he said. 'If not for your words, I would still be begging under that tree.' I was stunned to realise this was the same man. He invited me into his carriage, and as we rode through the streets, he asked, 'How does it feel to be noticed? Do you feel a sense of pleasure, victory, and pride?' I looked at him with confusion and replied, 'I feel none of that. I only feel that this carriage is too heavy, and the horses are struggling. They are suffering.' He laughed, thinking me a mere child who did not understand the taste of wealth. Soon, I asked to be let off. Before I left, he gave me a necklace of precious jewels. I had not walked three steps before a thief snatched it. I watched it go, but I did not try to retrieve it. To me, jewels were not the most important thing in life; losing them was of no consequence.
Finding the Path
This encounter left a deep impression on me. I understood why he had fallen into poverty—he was too attached to fame and status. When he lost his business, he lost his face, and thus his will to live. I returned home and told my mother. She asked if I wanted such wealth. I shook my head. 'If wealth is used only to decorate oneself or to boost one's status, then I do not want it. It is better to be an ordinary person.' This experience helped me find my direction: life is precious, but it is not meant to be spent chasing wealth.
The Gift of an Orange
I began to look inward. It took several years, but I found my path through an orange. I had grown an orange tree myself, and one year, the fruit was large and sweet. I saw a poor, sick, elderly woman on the road and gave it to her. She peeled it and shared it among the stray children nearby. They each had only a tiny piece, yet they ate with such . I asked the woman about the children, and she said, 'They are the homeless children of this town. I am poor, but I share whatever I have, for a child's childhood is vital.' Seeing her kindness, my heart was stirred. I realised that helping others is the greatest joy.
The Power of the Buddha-Name
From that day on, I sought every opportunity to serve. I eventually became a volunteer at a temple. I had never known the Buddha's teachings, but when I first chanted 'Namo Amituofo,' I felt an inconceivable power. Seeing the monks use this holy name to resolve people's inner conflicts, I was moved by the magnificence of the . I studied diligently for ten years and became a monk named Mingjian. I spent my life walking the world, propagating the Dharma. I lived for ninety-eight years, and I did not waste a single moment of that precious life.
A Final Reunion
Human life is hard to obtain and fleeting. Years later, I met that carriage owner again. He was an old beggar once more. I introduced him to the Dharma, and he wept, realising that the boy who had once helped him was now a monk guiding him to salvation. At sixty-five, he finally began to cherish his human life. He lamented, 'I have wasted sixty-four years chasing fame and profit. If not for the Dharma today, my life would have been nothing but an empty dream.' He became my student, and he spent his remaining years in diligent practice, eventually attaining rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
The Salvation of the Universe
Practitioner Su's travels through the universe, saving countless beings who have never heard the Buddha-name. Through Practitioner Su, the space of the universe has been opened, and the holy name of Namo Amituofo now orbits every planet, bringing life back to those on the brink of destruction. I am honoured to be part of this magnificent salvation team. Never in history has anyone had the ability to perform such large-scale deliverance. I am filled with admiration and gratitude for Practitioner Su's . Namo Amituofo."
