The Search for a Spiritual Exit

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Changgao, who reflects on the nature of spiritual seeking and the deliverance of lost souls at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. This interview was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on May 29, 2023.

Venerable Changgao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Why do people choose to leave behind the comforts of secular life to embark on the path of practice? For some, it is a response to the overwhelming hardships of life; they feel the weight of suffering and seek a way out. But there are others—those whose lives appear smooth, successful, and enviable—who still feel that something is missing. They wander through the world, searching for a piece of themselves that they cannot name. It is only when they finally step onto the path of practice that they realise: this is the road they have been searching for all along.

The Misconception of 'Wasted' Lives

It is common to see people who are willing to set aside a promising future to dedicate their lives to the Dharma. To those deeply entrenched in secular life, such a choice is often met with judgment. They use words like 'a pity,' 'too impulsive,' 'brainwashed,' or 'deceived.' They believe these individuals have made a grave mistake, throwing away a beautiful life to walk down a path of no return. They cannot fathom why anyone would trade worldly success for the monastic life.

However, from the perspective of the Buddha’s gate, these people have not wasted their lives at all. They have not discarded a precious gift; rather, they have laid down a heavy, suffocating burden. They are not walking down a path of no return, but are instead stepping onto the grand, luminous highway that leads directly to the Truth. They have chosen to trade the fleeting for the eternal.

The Soul's Unspoken Hunger

For those who live successful lives yet still wander in search of an exit, the truth is often rooted in the past. In their previous lives, the vast majority of these individuals made great vows. In this lifetime, guided by their inner spirit, they still possess a faint, lingering desire to find the Truth and a deep-seated longing for liberation within this Five Turbidities and Evil World. They constantly perceive a void within their hearts, and their souls, in the quiet spaces between their daily activities, are perpetually searching for their true spiritual home.

Yet, many encounter a painful contradiction: their spirit yearns for the path, but their physical bodies are shackled by the chains of the world. They live secular lives, trapped in a cycle of mundane existence, unable to find an exit. They attempt to fill this void with material possessions and sensory pleasures, but no matter how much they acquire, they remain unsatisfied. This is because what the spirit requires is not mere material comfort. Even the emotional attachments that the body constantly pursues are, to the spirit, nothing more than a prison cell. These attachments prevent them from ever finding the light.

Trapped in the Void

Because of this internal conflict, these individuals often live in a state of quiet agony. They move through their days like wooden puppets, repeating the same routines until their hearts become numb. Day after day, they continue to search, yet they lack the Causal Conditions to find what they truly desire. They are lost in a space of their own making, unable to break free.

Today, I witnessed such a case in the spiritual realm. I saw a man, his face etched with deep sorrow, wandering in that empty space. When the Buddha-light shone upon him, he was startled. He immediately looked up, gazing into the radiance, and began to chant the Buddha-name. In that instant, he was liberated from that space.

A Soul Found and Delivered

This man was brought directly into the Western Land of Dharma Nature. As soon as he sat upon the lotus seat and began to listen to Practitioner Su give a Dharma talk, he was moved to tears. He wept and said, 'This is the Truth I have been searching for my entire life.' He was filled with such immense joy; the sorrow that had defined his expression was instantly replaced by a face radiant with Dharma joy. He shared the story of the suffering he endured while living in the human world, and how, even after his life ended, he had continued to wander in that space, searching for what he had lost. He never expected that he would be rescued and delivered today by the Dharma Body of Practitioner Su.

An Invitation to the Truth

I want to tell everyone who is still searching for an exit in their own lives: this place is truly a place of genuine practice. Everything that the Buddha says is the absolute Truth. Every question that you have been unable to resolve can be answered here. If you are still wandering, still searching, and still unable to find your way out, I invite you to come here. Come and see for yourself that the Buddha is truly residing in the human world. Join us in our commitment to serve all beings and join the ranks of saviors.

Namo Amituofo."