This is a record of an interview with Li Fuchuan, a Plague God who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land. This account reflects upon his experience during the on March 16, 2020. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin.
Li Fuchuan speaks:
". I am Li Fuchuan. When I first arrived at this sacred place, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the sights that met my eyes were truly heart-wrenching. I saw the victims of this terrible pandemic, and I saw the sheer, unadulterated panic in the eyes of people all across the world. My heart, which had been hardened for so long, began to ache with a profound sadness. I realised that there were still so many souls trapped in the midst of this unfolding catastrophe. I felt a desperate, burning hope that those who were suffering, and even those beings in the spiritual realms who were still spreading the virus, could finally behold the face of the Buddha and cease their actions."
A Shift from Hatred to
"In my past, I harboured such intense hatred for the selfish nature of humanity. I looked down upon them, judging their every flaw. But here, the Buddha did not allow me to dwell on those faults any longer. Instead, He awakened a deep, dormant compassion within me. The Buddha-light shone upon me, warm and radiant, as if it were whispering that I could start everything anew. My heart, once cold and rigid, became soft and yielding. Seeing the endless number of beings crying out for the Buddha’s salvation, I finally understood the greatness of the Buddha—He is always there, patiently waiting for every single one of us to turn back."
"I know that I am a being who has created much negative . I wanted to repent for my past, but the Buddha did not ask me to look back or remain trapped in the shadows of what I had done. He simply told me to move forward. He allowed me to see my own original, pure nature, and I felt as though I had arrived at this place like a newborn child, innocent and ready to begin again."
The Influence of a Fellow Spirit
"Initially, I had not even considered the possibility of seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land. However, watching Zhou Chuanfu—a fellow spirit—weeping as he followed the Buddha, I was deeply moved. He was someone I had always respected and followed. When he was in charge of the regions where I was tasked to spread the virus, I led my subordinates to carry out his orders without question. There was a powerful, magnetic force within him that compelled me to follow his lead. Seeing him now, following the Buddha to the Western Pure Land, I felt a surge of genuine for him."
"By the second day of the assembly, my heart had undergone a profound purification. I had been standing still, lost in my own thoughts, when suddenly, I was swept up by a wave of beings surging in from behind. They kept pushing me, bumping into me, and driving me forward until I found myself at the very front. Everyone around me was chanting the name of Namo Amituofo with such sincerity. The Buddha emitted a brilliant golden light that stretched out into the infinite, beyond any horizon I had ever known. The warmth of that light pierced directly into my heart. It felt exactly like coming home after an eternity of wandering. In that moment, I knew it was time—I followed the Buddha."
A New Beginning in the Western Pure Land
"In that instant, I was just one of the countless beings in the Dharma assembly seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land. There was no distinction between me and anyone else; we were all equal in the eyes of the Buddha. My heart was overflowing with both deep remorse for my past actions and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I truly felt as though my life had been wiped clean, allowing me to start over from the very beginning. Seeing the endless sea of beings, all of them filled with radiant smiles, I finally understood the boundless compassion and the vast mind-capacity of the Buddha. I am eternally grateful. Namo Amituofo."
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