The Reality of the Karmic Body

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Changgao, who reflects upon the nature of the karmic body and the challenges faced by practitioners in their journey toward rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account was recorded by the disciple Shi Faxin on December 19, 2019, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia.

Venerable Changgao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Venerable Changgao. When we speak of the path of a practitioner, there is a hidden danger that many often overlook: a lack of true, unwavering faith in the Buddha. Many people believe they possess this faith, yet when the most critical moments arrive, they choose to identify entirely with their physical suffering. This physical sensation completely shatters the willpower they once held to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The heart that was once tightly focused on chanting the Buddha-name is suddenly startled by an unexpected, sharp pain in the body. Perhaps it is a sudden, agonizing constriction in the heart, or the sensation of rolling on the ground in pain, accompanied by the fearful voices of those around them. In that moment, the practitioner is completely captured by this physical body and controlled by the sentient beings who have come to claim their due.

The Illusion of Progress

Think about it—after years of practising the Buddha’s teachings, the desire for rebirth is so firm, and the chanting of the Buddha-name has been so vigorous that one might even be breathless from the effort. Why, then, do these sentient beings still manage to find us? The primary reason lies in the worldly attachments we mistakenly believe we have already let go of. Within our mental notes, there remains a complex web of lingering attachments that the Buddha-name cannot easily penetrate. Today, most people who have practised for many years suffer from this very problem without even realising it.

It is incredibly difficult to obtain a human body. These sentient beings have waited a long time for you to attain this human form so that they can settle their scores, seek revenge, and make you suffer the consequences of your past actions. This karmic body is a vessel meant to repay the countless debts we have accumulated over lifetimes. Within the laws of karma and cause and effect, this is a matter of natural justice; it is entirely consistent with the Truth. Those who have not encountered the Buddha’s teachings and do not understand these laws will inevitably walk the path of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Among these processes, the most painful are sickness and death.

The Reality of Suffering

Some people suffer on their sickbeds for a long time, enduring torture that makes life feel worse than death. Others pass away suddenly under the influence of impermanence, leaving them no time to say a single word or settle any affairs. Sickness and death are not limited by age; it all depends on the pull of one's karma and when the karmic body begins to experience its retribution. Everyone must understand that chanting 'Namo Amituofo' is not a magical talisman that grants immediate immunity from suffering. Whether your chanting is deep or shallow, and how sincere your heart truly is, the karmic creditors within your body are perfectly aware of it.

The Magnificent Power of Chao Du

Since we have obtained this difficult-to-attain human body, we must learn how to live in peace with the sentient beings who reside within us, and even how to resolve the conflict with them. At such a time, the process of Chao Du is a blessing that is difficult to encounter in millions of years, both for ourselves and for these beings. A single session of Chao Du can allow countless beings to be liberated. A single session of Chao Du can transform a major illness into a minor one, and a minor illness into nothing at all, because the Buddha is the Great Physician who leads all beings to salvation. The magnificent power of this deliverance is verified every time we perform a ceremony.

A Vision of Deliverance

The sight of boundless sentient beings rushing toward the light during yesterday's Dharma assembly was constant and never-ending. Standing right before them was the Buddha, standing in compassion to lead them. Countless spirits were finally liberated from their suffering and death.

I am deeply grateful for the Buddha’s compassion, which has opened up infinite space for us all. Namo Amituofo."