The Redemption of Demon King Shi Zhongran

This is a record of an interview with Shi Zhongran, formerly known as the demon Mo Haoyuan, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon his life approximately 1,500 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on July 5, 2021.

Shi Zhongran (Mo Haoyuan) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am the demon Mo Haoyuan. I am deeply grateful to Namo Amituofo for bestowing upon me the Dharma name: Shi Zhongran. It has allowed a new sense of hope to ignite within my heart.

I have been waiting for this interview. During our last conversation, Practitioner Su learned that 1,500 years ago, when I was a government official in the human world, I encountered a local tyrant. Because he had powerful connections, he framed me for treason before the Emperor. As a result, my entire family of thirty people was sentenced to be executed. After the Venerable consulted with Namo Amituofo, the Buddha revealed that my thirty family members were still trapped in the space of that execution ground, weeping. Practitioner Su, in his great compassion, used his Dharma Body to reattach their heads and transported them to the Western Land of Dharma Nature to reunite with me."

A Tragic Past and a Miraculous Reunion

"When they were brought here, I was absolutely shocked! The transition of time and space was so sudden. They were still living in that moment of their execution, yet their heads had been restored. They were wearing prisoner's robes, and where there was once blood, they were now dressed in clean, white garments. My wife, my children, and my servants were restored to their original forms. We could hardly believe the reality unfolding before our eyes.

After spending these days listening to the Dharma talks and participating in the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, they have gradually calmed down and returned to their former selves. This is truly something I never could have imagined. I never expected the Buddha-Dharma to possess such immense power. Practitioner Su saved my family, and he saved me. On behalf of my entire family, I offer my deepest gratitude to Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su, and all the virtuous ones at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre."

The Weight of Hatred and the Path to Redemption

"This tragic event was the very reason I entered the Demon Realm. For 1,500 years, I climbed the ranks to become a Demon King, fueled entirely by the hatred and sorrow I felt over that injustice. I channeled that pain into waves of demonic power to push forward. Today, I even participated in this current pandemic as a Demon King. If Practitioner Su had not asked us to explain why we entered the Demon Realm, I would never have spoken of it. It was a wound I kept buried deep within my heart, one I dared not touch. I never expected that this very event would turn into a blessing, where my entire family would be saved by Practitioner Su, reunited in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and given the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

This is truly a profound grace bestowed upon my family by the Buddha-Dharma. It is the compassionate power of the Dharma that transformed my deep, agonizing grief into profound gratitude. The result is simply astonishing! It is so unexpected!"

Life in the Western Land of Dharma Nature

"Life after arriving in the Land of Dharma Nature is vastly different from before. The serenity and purification here are beyond anything the demon crowds could ever imagine or experience. Listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks and participating in the Thrice Yearning Ceremony are of vital importance to us here. In this pure environment, the character of the demon beings is slowly being restored to what it once was.

During the Dharma assembly, even here in the Land of Dharma Nature, we are bathed in the Buddha-light of Namo Amituofo. As the Buddha-name is chanted, one can see the lotus seats of those beings who have vowed to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The buttons on their lotus seats—click, click, click—open one by one. They then enter the Buddha-light with great joy, and I am certain they will safely reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. In every session of the assembly, countless beings on lotus seats are sent away, while at the same time, when Practitioner Su strikes the qing, one can see countless beings being brought into the Land of Dharma Nature. It is truly a miraculous place."

The Radiance of the True Dharma

"During the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, the golden light of Namo Amituofo, the Bodhisattvas, and the ancestral masters illuminates the temple and the Land of Dharma Nature until everything is brilliant. Here in the Land of Dharma Nature, there is no such thing as 'white light' for the human realm or 'yellow light' for the heavenly realm; there is only the golden light of the Buddha. This is because for the beings sent to the Land of Dharma Nature, the only path forward is the golden Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. We do not need money here, we do not need to work, and we have no worries. We only need to focus our hearts and minds on chanting the Buddha-name, listening to the Dharma, and preparing for our rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a truly magnificent thing. This is my deepest realization after witnessing and hearing so much during my time here.

We see so many beings coming to participate in the Dharma assembly that the entire sky is packed full. We in the Land of Dharma Nature and the sky above the 'Little White House' exist in different spaces, yet they overlap without touching. We can participate in the assembly together and see the entire scene of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. We can see the fourfold assembly of disciples and the progress of the ceremony with perfect clarity. The fourfold assembly cannot see the Land of Dharma Nature, but from here, we can see everyone clearly and hear every word Practitioner Su speaks, as well as the sound of the great drums and the qing."

The Power to Save the World

"When Practitioner Su reads the numbers of the Heavenly Kings from the East, West, South, North, Above, Below, and the different directions of the universe—as well as the demon realms beyond the 9th, 19th, and 26th heavens, and the Bodhisattvas of the Milky Way galaxy—who have come to the temple seeking deliverance and surrender, the numbers are astronomical. Yet, as soon as Practitioner Su finishes reading a number, they appear in the sky. They occupy only a small portion of the space, which shows just how vast the universe truly is. The Demon Realm could never have imagined that in every daily assembly, so many demon beings would come to seek deliverance and join the salvation team. It is no wonder the salvation team is so massive.

What kind of power can subdue and transform such a vast number of demon beings? It is because this is a temple where Namo Amituofo, whose body encompasses the entire Dharma Realm, truly abides, and it is led by the great compassionate mind of the awakened Practitioner Su, supported by a vast team of Dharma protectors. The power of the True Dharma is on full display here.

When Practitioner Su moves his body and hands before the Buddha during the circumambulation, it serves as a departure command for many members of the salvation team. Everyone follows Practitioner Su’s billions of emanations, rushing out of the assembly site to perform deliverance outside the venue. At the same time, Skanda Bodhisattva, Sangharama Bodhisattva, and many other Dharma-protecting Bodhisattvas guide the beings seeking deliverance at the assembly site, leading them in an orderly fashion into the four large memorial tablets in the space. The entire scene is fluid, magnificent, and deeply moving.

Through my personal experience over these days, through the process of inviting the demon beings and conducting these interviews, and by witnessing the grand scale of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, I am convinced that Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre can save us from this pandemic! Although the pandemic demon crowds have a strong lineup and are stubborn and hard-headed, the power of the Buddha-Dharma is boundless, supreme, and possesses great compassion, great wisdom, and great tolerance. It is the Dharma Jewel that can stop this global pandemic. I do not know when humanity will discover this place. Until they do, they can only leave themselves at the mercy of the pandemic’s ruthless attacks and loss of life. This is the conclusion I have reached from what I have seen and heard during my time here."

Namo Amituofo."