The Wisdom of the Natural Way

This is a record of an interview with Guangchang Daoist, who sought spiritual 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 his life approximately 500 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on July 22, 2020.

Guangchang Daoist speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I have arrived.

I am deeply grateful for the compassion of the Buddha. That I can now reside in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is entirely due to Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. During the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, immeasurable and boundless beings—from the celestial beings of the first to the twenty-eighth heavens, to the sages of the Four Sacred Realms, of which I am one—were present. As thin clouds of light were scattered across the sky above the temple, and lotus flowers bloomed in the Western sky, we were bathed in the pervasive Buddha-light. In that moment, immeasurable and boundless beings of the spirit realms saw the Western Pure Land manifest before their eyes. Through the spiritual deliverance and visualization of Practitioner Su, we were able to enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. We are but one or two among many; I am truly grateful! Beyond grateful!"

The Nature of the Spirit

"Guangchang Daoist was the name I held while in the world, but in truth, that name no longer exists, nor does that heart. There is only 'no-mind'. Yet, to say there is no mind is also to have a mind, for at this moment, I have only my spirit to accept this interview.

This spirit is the foundation, the only thing that remains. This is the state of the Four Sacred Realms. For an awakened being, the true self is singular, yet this singularity can manifest in countless billions of forms. Each of these countless manifestations is also a singularity, capable of further manifesting into countless billions more. In other words, the true self is one, but to save sentient beings, it can manifest in countless ways. Each of these manifestations can again manifest, allowing the true self to have immeasurable and boundless forms. All these forms arise from the single true self. Thus, it is said that in the light, there are countless billions of Buddhas, and boundless Bodhisattvas. Whether in a spiritual state or when possessing a body, every thought is for the sake of beings, and to save them from suffering, one takes on their suffering in their stead."

The Difference Between Sages and True Buddhas

"The spirit of a sage in the Four Sacred Realms comes and goes alone. Although one may stand in the void, observing the hearts of beings, the changes in the environment, and one's own actions, if one descends to the human world and gains a human body, one can sacrifice that body for the sake of sentient beings. Through this, the spirit can be further elevated, achieving liberation and resting in the stillness of the highest state of the Four Sacred Realms. Or, one might possess a body but seek only one's own liberation, entering a state of meditative concentration. This is the difference between the spirit of a true Buddha and the spirit of a sage of the Four Sacred Realms.

I lived during the Ming Dynasty, which, looking back from the modern era, is not so long ago—about five hundred years. It feels as if I had just taken my seat, only to immediately enter the temple and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Compared to the many predecessors of the Four Sacred Realms who have entered deep meditative states for billions of years, my experience seems truly insignificant."

A Life Five Centuries Past

"I was born into an official's family. My father was a government official, and to our friends and relatives, he was like an extra pair of hands and eyes. Many would come to ask for his help, hoping to make their affairs go smoothly. I was the fourth child in the family, with two older brothers and an older sister, and a younger brother and sister below me. From a young age, I was accustomed to watching what my older siblings did; I knew that if I followed their lead, I would be on the right path. And my younger siblings would watch me and follow suit!"

Moving further into the forest, I encountered a large black bear. It was so tall and dark that I instinctively took a few steps back. Yet, I watched as the bear walked step by step toward my Master. I stood beside him, watching the bear stop right in front of him. It nodded its head at my Master, as if performing a prostration, and my Master nodded back before the bear quietly departed. My Master told me that when the bear was just a cub, it had been separated from its mother and met him. Every day at the same time, my Master would bring wild vegetables and fruits for the cub to eat. As it grew into a large bear, it came to regard my Master as its benefactor. Whenever my Master passed through this area, the bear would appear on its own to nod at him, as if offering a bow of gratitude. The people in the vicinity all knew of this bear that could nod in reverence, and they knew it would never harm a human. All things possess a spiritual nature—the tiny flowers, the blades of grass, the cats, and the dogs. Everything we see is a living being, and many possess a remarkably high level of spiritual awareness, let alone a black bear! The spiritual nature of animals is generally revealed through their eyes. The black bear’s eyes were clear and distinct, lacking any fierce or malicious glint. It was through the long-term influence of my Master’s compassion that the animal’s wild nature was subdued, allowing its inherent goodness to shine through.

The Harmony of Nature

I learned from my Master how to observe the celestial phenomena, the principles of yin and yang, day and night, and the cycle of good and evil, where all things mutually generate and restrain one another. Benevolence and universal love are the fundamental conditions for all things in the natural world to coexist in peace. Even in the struggle for dominance between nature and animals—where one might eat the other—there are unwritten rules that both sides observe. This maintains a balance, preventing chaos or disorder, and avoiding further mutual harm. This is a concept widely accepted by all.

Survival of the fittest and the elimination of the weak is a law that is, in truth, the principle of cause and effect. Those who truly understand the laws of karma and cause and effect must go a step further: they must realise that these laws are not immutable. They are but a link within a field of variables. Because they can change, they are not fixed; they are composed of illusions. If one is constrained by the laws of karma, it is difficult to transcend one's fate. Through skillful adjustment and observation, one can awaken their inherent wisdom. By observing the heavens, the earth, and every blade of grass, every tree, every animal, and every insect in nature, one comes to understand that all living beings are the same as humans. We all share life, death, joy, sorrow, and happiness. This realization nurtures a compassion that respects life. One should not view oneself as great and others as small; all possess an equal spiritual nature, and it is only due to the workings of karmic retribution and the cycle of rebirth that our outward appearances differ.

The Eternal Spirit Amidst Samsara

Within the cycle of life and death, there exists an eternal, undying spiritual nature. This spirit is hidden within the karmic retributions of cause and effect. This includes the hells, the Lady Meng, the Yama Kings, wandering ghosts, heavenly beings, various deities, and many spirits known or unknown to man—such as the spirits of infants, phantoms, demons, and the spirits attached to corpses. All these changes occur because of the different ways causal conditions arise, unfold, and dissipate. In this world and the heavenly realms, there is no permanent spiritual nature or life; what exists is the six realms of existence, constantly reincarnating through life and death. If one wishes to achieve liberation from samsara and attain an eternal, undying spirit, one must find a place that moves the heavens and earth—a place that is neither biased nor evil, and that never abandons one. One must begin from the spirit. This spirit must become one with the heavens and earth, respecting the heavens, the earth, the spirits, and one another, so that all may merge into one and attain eternal life.

Time passed quickly, and ten years went by in the company of my Master. After ten years, having realized these truths, my spiritual nature was able to move freely within a deep meditative state. My Master bestowed upon me the title of 'Daoist of Light,' and only then did I truly possess the status of a Daoist. At the age of twenty-five, I attained the conditions to enter the world and save others, allowing my spirit to remain unbound by the physical body, wandering freely between heaven and earth. More importantly, one must possess a heart of reverence and respect for life, understanding the principles of mutual generation and restraint, and skillfully utilizing the nature of all things rather than being dominated by them. When a person becomes one with heaven and earth, making no distinction between 'you' and 'me,' that is the highest spirit of respecting life. I could cast aside this body, for the body does not define me.

The Body and the Dao

The disharmony of the body arises when the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind are not in balance. Each element has its own domain, and they can mutually assist one another; however, if they are out of balance, they turn to mutual restraint, disturbing one another, and thus illness arises. The mountains, rivers, and all things are the same. If they generate one another, there is harmony; if they restrain one another, disaster ensues. Therefore, as humans are the most spiritual of all beings, we should follow the principle of mutual generation and avoid entering states of mutual restraint. If one does fall into such a state, one must seek a way to resolve the conflict.

The way to resolve this is none other than through the heart. If the heart is balanced, all principles are balanced; if the heart is compliant, all things go smoothly; if the heart is calm, the body is calm, and the earth is calm. This is the way to conform to the laws of heaven and earth, and one should use it skillfully. One must also make it complete. The yin and yang of heaven and earth are balanced when compliant; when they are contrary, they change and decay. The body is also a vessel of yin and yang. Earth, water, fire, and wind are the framework and masters of the body. Beneath the framework are the details, and beneath the masters are the servants. The liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys are the five organs, the masters. Then there are the six bowels. The bones are earth, the frame of the body; if the earth is firm, the body is strong. Blood and bodily fluids are water, which moistens the body; if the water is flowing, the body is soft and mobile. Body temperature is fire, which warms the body. Breathing is the breath that gives the body life; without inhalation and exhalation, the body dies. These are the masters of earth, water, and fire. The liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys govern metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, mutually generating and restraining one another. What I have described is merely a glimpse of the 'Dao' from the perspective of the body. The Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao, yet even the Dao is 'no-Dao,' because originally everything is compliant and natural—why would there need to be a 'Dao'? Nature is the Dao; it cannot be spoken of, for if one speaks of it, it is hard to contain the Dao. The Dao is originally 'no-Dao'; it is only because we do not walk the righteous path that we feel the need for a 'Dao.'

A Vision of Impending Doom

While I was in a deep meditative state, I suddenly saw dark winds rising from all four directions, and the heavens changed color. The sky, which had been clear and cloudless, was suddenly covered in dark clouds, whipping up layers of chilling wind. It was the heat of summer, yet in an instant, the wind became bone-chillingly cold. I saw children who had been running and playing on the ground suddenly crying out in loud wails, frozen in place by terror, unable to move. As the wind blew again, the children who had been crying and unable to move vanished without a trace, and for a moment, there was no human sound on the earth. The dark winds continued to swirl over the land, and for several days, there was only darkness; the light of the sun did not appear, and those hiding in their homes dared not step outside. The food in the houses was running out, leaving them hungry, and some even lacked water. After many more days, the dark winds still swirled over the land, and the sun remained hidden. Originally, one could still hear human voices from within the houses, but now there was complete silence. Looking into the houses, I saw that everyone was without food or water, collapsed on the ground; some were groaning, while others had already ceased to breathe. A few days later, with the dark winds still swirling and no sun in sight, the houses were filled with nothing but white bones and the stench of decay. The dark winds transformed into countless fierce ghosts, each with terrifying faces, red eyes filled with bloodshot veins, and disheveled hair scattering in the wind. Some of their hair strands coiled around every house, leaving the people inside unable to move. What kind of causal conditions caused this village to meet such a catastrophe, with everyone in the village perishing? Looking closer, I saw that about ten generations ago, the villagers of this village were all sorcerers. The village chief was their leader, and the villagers were his disciples and followers. They often used sorcery, curses, and rituals to cause others to suffer physical and mental imbalance, leading them to jump into water to their deaths, or to starve and thirst to death, unable to control their own bodies. They died and entered other realms, or became evil spirits. These evil spirits gathered at this time, and when these sorcerers gathered in this village, they had to bear this collective karma together, paying life for life, and they suffered the same causes of death: illness, starvation, and thirst.

The Mission of Deliverance

I immediately came out of my meditative state, knowing clearly in my heart that since I had seen this vision, it meant I had a karmic affinity with it. Moreover, I understood clearly that this village was the very one where I had been born. I told my Master about this vision. My Master told me that if I were willing to sacrifice my life to save the lives of the villagers, I would have a chance to reverse this outcome. Without a second thought, I nodded immediately. Having lived until this point, I had not yet had the chance to repay the kindness of my parents who gave me life. Even if this mission meant losing my life, I would not hesitate. Although I had traveled out a few times over the past few years and had resolved many difficulties caused by strange events and people, I had never encountered a situation like this. I bowed to my Master and returned to the village.

Upon returning to the village, I first went to the spring well. Before I had left the village, the well had told me that if I ever needed anything, I could come to find him. It turned out that the spirit of the spring well had already foreseen this catastrophe for the village. I asked the well spirit if it could provide enough water to sustain the five hundred and sixty-two households in the village for a month. The well spirit replied, 'I will do my utmost!' I thanked the well spirit. I then knocked on the ground and asked the land spirit, 'Is there a way to provide the villagers with enough food for a month so that they can stay indoors and survive?' The land spirit said, 'Ask the villagers to perform one more spring planting of rice; they will be able to harvest enough grain to supply the village.' I reported this to the village chief, whose face changed color upon hearing it. He then reported it to the villagers and urged them to perform the spring planting immediately. Strangely enough, the rice grew incredibly fast; it was harvested and dried in no time, and then stored as grain. I then asked the villagers to go to the spring well to draw water, with each household preparing a month's supply. Strangely, the well water flowed endlessly, supplying the villagers until every household had enough for a month.

It turned out that in a previous life, I had been an Arhat of the Four Sacred Realms, and while in a meditative state, I saw that those with whom I had karmic affinity were about to suffer, so I descended to the world to save them. Among those saved, some became members of the heavenly realms because of my intervention, including the well spirit and the land spirit of that time. After I descended that time and returned to the sacred realms, I was elevated to the level of a Pratyekabuddha. This current descent was because, while in a deep meditative state in the realm of the Pratyekabuddhas, I saw many beings with whom I had karmic affinity suffering from grievances, so I descended once more into a mother's womb. Because of this rebirth, the well spirit and the land spirit knew I had descended again. To repay the kindness of the deliverance they had received, when I was born, the well spirit manifested an auspicious sign, reviving the dead well into a living one. Before I left the village, they also sent a message that they could be of assistance if needed. This allowed the villagers to receive the help of the land spirit in such a short time, with the rice growing and being harvested, and the well spirit using its divine power to ensure the water supply was endless, while also advising them to prepare firewood for cooking. The land spirit asked the tree spirit for help, and in a place in the mountains above the village, they gathered enough firewood for cooking to last the villagers for a month without needing to go out. In this way, even when the dark winds and fierce ghosts manifested, the villagers were able to stay indoors for a month, hoping to minimize the disaster. Namo Amituofo.

Once I had finished arranging everything the villagers needed, I finally returned home. My parents had already known of my return to the village, and like everyone else, they had prepared water, rice, and firewood. They were deeply comforted to see that after eighteen years of absence—during which I had not sent a single letter home—I had attained such profound meditative concentration and the ability to foresee events, allowing me to save the villagers from this calamity before it struck. When I entered the main hall of our home, I saw my Master sitting there. He had intended to accompany me through this ordeal, but he had not told me he was coming to help because he feared it would distract me. Now that the necessary preparations were made and the situation was settled, he finally revealed himself.

The Nature of the Ghost Deities

Taoism has a close relationship with ghost deities because their realm is the one closest to that of human beings. Once the Six Roots are opened, this is the realm most easily seen, heard, and felt; anyone with basic spiritual attainment can make contact with it. This is why there are so many stories and experiences regarding ghost deities passed down to future generations. Conversely, descriptions of higher-level deities or accounts of such realms are rare and precious. Aside from the records at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I have never heard or seen any information regarding visits to the Four Sacred Realms, which highlights just how invaluable these interview records truly are.

Two days after the villagers' supplies were secured, I noticed a change in the celestial phenomena. However, this mutation was so subtle that if I had not seen it in my deep meditative state and had a prior understanding of what to expect, I would never have noticed it. This was another instance of the insights gained in meditation assisting me! I immediately asked the villagers to prepare their supplies even more carefully. Sure enough, two days later, the winds and clouds suddenly shifted. A dark, sinister wind arose, accompanied by a shrill, mournful howling. Had we not been prepared in advance, it would have been truly unbearable. A day or two without seeing the sun is something the human body and mind can endure, but ten days or half a month is agonizing. When the one-month mark finally arrived, I was shocked to find that the dark, ghostly manifestations showed no signs of receding. In my meditation, I saw that some villagers had already exhausted their food, water, and firewood, and some of the elderly and weak were already showing signs of illness.

A Debt of Blood and Spirit

Why was this happening? I came out of my meditative state and went to the open field to speak with the dark winds. Because of the righteous energy within me, the dark winds could not enter my body. I asked, 'Why has the one-month disaster period not ended as it should have?' The dark winds laughed, 'Why should we retreat? The cause was sown, and the fruit is the death and injury of the villagers during this month of total vulnerability. That is what they deserve. Now, because of your interference, the disaster the villagers have suffered is so weak that it does not even begin to fulfill the evil consequences they are owed. Under these circumstances, how could we retreat? We will continue this state until the full measure of the evil consequences—the exact number of deaths and injuries—is reached. Not one more, not one less. Only then will we leave.' After saying this, the dark winds departed, refusing further communication and showing that there was no room for negotiation.

I rushed home to discuss with my Master how to resolve this: 'Why was I unable to see this sudden change in my meditation? If I had, I could have resolved it, or at least prepared more food, water, and firewood to help them survive this disaster.' My Master sighed and said, 'This is the natural law. With your level of skill, being able to see the situation and make preparations already puts you far above most practitioners. But this is the way of Heaven. If you had not seen it in your meditation, there would have been no preparations at all. However, the causal conditions of the villagers are such that even if you follow the way of Heaven, you cannot reduce the disaster. Under the laws of karma and cause and effect, nothing can offset the collective karma of the villagers' deaths unless there is a force of equal karmic weight to balance it.'

A Sacrifice for the Village

I then made a firm decision and returned to the open field to speak with the dark winds again: 'Can I offer my own life to save the lives of the entire village?' The dark winds sneered, 'What value does your life have to save the lives of an entire village?' I replied, 'I am willing to take upon myself the full depth and duration of the suffering caused by the evil spells you endured. After my death, I will bear the suffering that is due, exactly as it is. For every day of suffering each of you endured, and for every victim involved, I will calculate the total number of days and the intensity of the pain, and I will bear it all without a single word of complaint.' The dark winds replied, 'By that calculation, you would die immediately. Your death would be a doubling of the deaths we suffered, and your soul would have to endure a hundred years of suffering, double what we are experiencing now. Are you willing?' I did not hesitate for a moment: 'I am willing! If my body and my soul’s hundred years of suffering can save the lives of over five hundred villagers—including my own parents and loved ones—then it is worth it. A human body is precious, and by doing this, I can repay the kindness of my parents, the heavens, the earth, and my country!'

Immediately, the dark winds moved with incredible speed, withdrawing the tangled, disheveled hair that had been wrapped around every house and turning it toward me. In an instant, the toxins from that hair poured into every pore of my body, invading my earth, water, fire, and wind elements, and my internal organs. My skin, muscles, and bones were melted into blood; my throat was locked and rotted. The dark winds entered my body, and the freezing cold turned me into a block of ice. My body collapsed to the ground in an instant, and my soul was nearly torn apart, with only my primary soul being dragged into the depths of the Yin Mountain. The vengeful spirits saw this and were satisfied; the surroundings became empty, my body was destroyed, and my primary soul was pressed beneath the Yin Mountain.

The Liberation of the Soul

In less than a quarter of an hour, my life had undergone a massive change, and my soul could not move. It would take a hundred years to offset the collective karma of the villagers. Although my body was destroyed and melted into a pool of blood and gore, my spirit felt no regret. Since the cause was sown in the collective karma, the manifestation of the evil fruit was only natural. Although my spirit was suppressed, because my heart was stable and undisturbed, it did not affect my meditative concentration. In my meditation, I watched the situation of the villagers. The dark winds had retreated, the sun had come out, and everyone could finally leave their homes to discuss the events of the past month. Only my Master knew the full story. He told the village head, who immediately led the villagers and my parents to the open field. They found only a pool of blood and the remains of a body that had not fully dissolved. The villagers knelt and wept, and my parents were inconsolable. The village head finally realized that the auspicious sign of the well water when I was born was because a great Sage had been born in our village to save everyone's lives.

The village head and the villagers mourned my sacrifice, and for a month, no celebrations were held in the village. My thirty-three-year-old human body had passed away, and I had no regrets. My soul remained pressed at the bottom of the Yin Mountain. In my meditation, I knew the villagers and my parents were safe, and I felt comforted. Dwelling in meditation, my soul felt nothing. The Yin Mountain was filled with yin energy, but my soul was unaffected by the cold. I do not know how much time passed, but suddenly, waves of heat and light appeared, and I felt this heat merging into the Yin Mountain. The mountain began to melt, and many spirits trapped within it cried out in surprise, though their souls remained bound by layers of yin energy. The melting mountain gradually leveled out. When the mountain melted down to where I was, it formed an opening, allowing my suppressed spirit to loosen and float out.

I moved, and in my heart, I understood that the Yin Mountain had spared me. But why? The mountain god of the Yin Mountain appeared before me, kneeling. I understood then: this mountain god was one of the beings I had saved when I was an Arhat. When the mountain god discovered that I was his benefactor, he investigated why I had fallen into such a state. He realized the relationship between the vengeful spirits, the villagers, and me. Because I had not originally intervened in the villagers' collective karma, I should not have been a victim, but because of my filial bond with my parents, I had taken their suffering upon myself, which was in accordance with the laws of Heaven. My willingness to use the life of a practitioner to offset the disaster of 562 villagers, my readiness to use my body to pay the debt, and my acceptance of a hundred years of suppression—this compassionate, regretless heart moved the heavens. Thus, the Yin Mountain was melted, saving my soul from being pressed for another century. From the destruction of my body to that moment, about a month had passed. With the heart of a practitioner and the sacrifice of my body, one month under the Yin Mountain was sufficient to repay the karma of the village, and my spirit was liberated.

Even so, I felt nothing. Although I knew my spirit had become lighter than before, I had no response. This was a natural part of the spirit; my heart was empty, more tranquil than ever, rising higher and higher. I had no thoughts, letting my body naturally take me where it would. I do not know how long this lasted. In my meditation, I merged with the surroundings, my entire being bright and transparent. I stopped at a place without a single thought. Everything was so natural; I had merged with the Great Nature. There was only silence and golden light. Both inside and out were pure and meditative, dwelling in the silent, pure light, completely motionless. I stayed there; that was the Four Sacred Realms.

To achieve and ascend to the fruits of the Four Sacred Realms, one must receive the help of noble people in the human world when descending. These noble people are not necessarily just good causal conditions; like the well god, land god, and tree god I encountered, or even my Master—all were people I had saved when I was an Arhat. This time, they descended from the fourteenth and twentieth levels of the heavens to help me, appearing in human or deity forms to repay a kindness. This is what we call good causal conditions. Often, it is the encouragement of adverse conditions that forces one to break through, eventually leading to the achievement of one's spiritual path.

I do not know how much time passed in the Buddha-land of the Four Sages, but a series of echoes suddenly awakened me from my deep meditative state. As I emerged from this state, my spirit immediately sensed the sound of a qing chime. It travelled with incredible speed, passing through the golden light of the outer realms, reaching the golden light surrounding my body, and finally penetrating the very centre of that golden light. I opened my eyes and realised that the sound was originating from a small white house in a corner of the Saha world—our Earth. The sound of the chime pierced through the heavens, vibrated into the void, and entered this Buddha-Dharma realm. This is how it is every time Practitioner Su strikes the chime. The sound is exactly the same as what the fourfold assembly receives simultaneously at the scene. It is the sound of Practitioner Su’s chime—it is truly inconceivable! To think that the sound of a chime in the human world could actually break through layers of space and reach the Buddha-land of the Four Sages! It carries such immense energy; never since I entered this state of meditation have I encountered such a phenomenon. In truth, within deep meditation, there is no distinction between time and space. The one is the all, and the all is the one. Even if eons have passed, when one awakens in the present, it feels like a mere instant. I know that from the time I entered the Buddha-land until now, about five hundred years have passed, and it is only because of my causal conditions with Practitioner Su that I have been able to hear this chime.

The Power of Compassion and Meditative Concentration

The duration of entering a meditative state can be long or short; the deeper one's meditative concentration, the longer one can remain in that state. By the same logic, the Tathagata can use a single sound, and sentient beings will each understand it according to their own capacity. The reason Practitioner Su’s chime can reach the Buddha-Dharma realm is that her compassion and mind-capacity to save beings and help them leave suffering behind are identical to those of the Buddha. Because her Buddha-heart is one with the Buddha, her chime carries the same energy as the Buddha’s power. Meditative concentration is inherent in one's true self. Within this state, the innate abilities of the true self are revealed. These abilities are not external; they manifest naturally in those who have realised their true nature.

Reflections on the World and the Path

Seeing the various conduct of Practitioner Su in saving the world, I, Guangchang, feel deep admiration. People in the world only see the present and do not see the past, yet the body they inhabit in the present is often no longer possessed by their own true self. The scene of the world I see now is a mixture of Goodness and evil. The Daoist path is originally pure, yet few are able to see it, and the true self of the Buddha’s teachings is difficult to hear. In the realm where I lived at that time, I did not have the fortune to hear the Buddha’s teachings or the Holy Name of Amitabha. My focus was on the essence of the Daoist path, and I am fortunate that I did not come to this world in vain, as I was able to save the lives of the villagers. My own spirit attained liberation and entered the Buddha-land of the Four Sages. In that meditative state, I had no intention of responding to anything; my spirit was naturally tranquil. Regardless of the suffering in the world, I truly feel ashamed!

A Vow to Assist in Saving the World

Seeing Practitioner Su present in the world, using her Dharma Body to actively save and deliver beings, I realised my own inadequacies. I must continue to practise diligently and not seek liberation for myself alone. Therefore, I joined the celestial beings and heavenly deities in the sky, offering auspicious signs as I participated in this Dharma assembly. Together with the assembly, we respectfully chanted the Holy Name of Namo Amituofo and received deliverance, being guided by Practitioner Su to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am filled with infinite gratitude! A human body is hard to obtain, yet you have all obtained it. The great Dharma of the Pure Land is hard to hear, yet we and all of you have now heard it. I only hope that the fourfold assembly can let go of all worldly attachments—thoroughly let them go—so that you may attain the fruit of realising your true nature.

Now, I, Guangchang, wish to descend from the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss to follow Amitabha Buddha and Practitioner Su in saving the world, before returning to the West with Practitioner Su. I am grateful for the compassion of the Buddha.

Namo Amituofo.

Spoken by Guangchang Daoist

Interview recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe

Venerable HaiZe: May I ask the Buddha, where are the teacher of Guangchang Daoist, Tiangan Daoist, as well as his father, Lu Shunchang, and his mother, Lu Shi Linniang, now?

Words of Namo Amituofo:

Tiangan Daoist of that time descended from the twenty-sixth heaven,

assisting Guangchang Daoist in attaining the Buddha-fruit of the Four Sages,

and has since ascended to become a celestial being in the inner layer of the twenty-sixth heaven.

Because his parents gave birth to such a holy child, who saved the lives of the entire village,

his father (Lu Shunchang) is now in the first heaven of the heavenly realms.

His mother (Lu Shi Linniang) is also now in the first heaven of the heavenly realms.

Note: Practitioner Su, out of compassion for the holy Guangchang Daoist’s teacher, Tiangan Daoist, and his parents, Lu Shunchang and Lu Shi Linniang,

has guided their spirits, who were suffering in the cycle of rebirth, to the Western Land of Dharma Nature at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma.