The Red Rain of Destruction

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Venerable Yongning, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon a catastrophic event from his past. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on May 4, 2018.

Venerable Yongning speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Venerable Yongning. I wish to share a memory that has long haunted the spirits of my former home—a memory of the day the sky turned against us and the red rain began to fall.

The Sky Bleeds

It started without warning. The sky opened up, and instead of water, a thick, crimson rain poured down upon us. The civilians were thrown into a state of absolute panic. You could hear them screaming in the streets, 'The disaster is here! The disaster is here!' The entire town was drenched in a sickening, blood-red hue. It was a sight so shocking, so visceral, that it seared itself into our souls. Everyone fell to their knees, praying to the heavens, begging for this nightmare to end. But the red rain did not stop. It fell relentlessly, hour after hour, until the streets began to vanish beneath a rising, sanguine tide.

The Shaman's Malice

As the waters rose, the people fled toward the mountains in a desperate bid for survival. We watched in horror as our homes were swallowed by the flood, until only the rooftops remained visible. Everything we had built, everything we had known, was being erased. The crying was constant—a chorus of agony as the red rain intensified. This was no ordinary storm. It was not a natural phenomenon at all. We soon realised that we were the victims of a dark, calculated act of malice. A shaman had used his magic to destroy our town, and we were the helpless targets of his hatred. The suffering was beyond words. In the end, we were all submerged, and we perished in that terrible, unnatural flood. The scene was truly too tragic to behold.

The Light of Compassion

Even after death, we remained trapped in that space, suffering and wailing in the darkness. We cried out to the heavens, begging for mercy, pleading for the rain to stop, and praying for our homes and our peaceful lives to be restored. We were lost in a cycle of despair until, suddenly, the Buddha’s light shone down upon us. It was a brilliance unlike anything we had ever seen. The people’s eyes lit up, and a cry went out: 'The heavens have answered! The heavens have answered! The Buddha has come!'

We all gathered together and knelt as one. Our eyes were swollen from weeping, and we bowed our heads repeatedly in profound gratitude. As the Buddha-light continued to shine upon us, the red rain ceased instantly. The town was restored to its original state, and the Buddha, in His infinite compassion, came to lead us all. We were more than willing to follow the Buddha toward the light. All our suffering finally came to an end. I am eternally grateful for the compassion of the Buddha. Namo Amituofo."