The Silent Sorrows of the Mountain Caves

The Vision of the Boundless Mountain Caves

During my morning walking meditation, I entered a state of deep contemplation. In this vision, I witnessed towering mountains collapsing one after another. As these mountains crumbled, I perceived hidden spaces within them. Inside these vast, cavernous spaces, I saw many monastics. My heart was immediately stirred by a profound question: why were they here? Why were they trapped in such a state? As this thought arose, the vision shifted, revealing two distinct scenes: monastics wandering through the mountains, searching for a path, and monastics sitting in deep meditation within dark mountain caves.

Seeing these images, I felt a strong sense that I was being called to interview these beings. I wondered if they were suffering from the consequences of their past actions and if their stories could serve as a warning to monastics today. I turned to Namo Amituofo to seek guidance, asking, "Is this the right path for me to take?" Namo Amituofo replied, "This is the Buddha's intent." With this confirmation, I invited the beings to speak, and a monastic stepped forward, their voice filled with the weight of centuries.

The Weight of a Lifetime of Misguided Practice

"For thousands of years, no one knew of our plight. It is only because this space has been opened today that I have the opportunity to speak. I was a monastic, a practitioner of asceticism. I travelled across countless famous mountains, all in the hope of encountering a deeper, more expansive understanding of the Buddha's teachings. I dedicated my entire life to seeking the Truth and the gate to liberation. I strove to propagate what I knew, offering my life to the world. Yet, in the end, I did not reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. After I passed away, I went to a place no one would ever imagine: the bottom of the mountains. This is an inconceivable karmic result."

The monastic continued, their voice trembling with sorrow, "Do you know that at the bottom of these mountains, there are immeasurable and boundless numbers of monastics? When I arrived here, my heart turned cold. I realised that the very monastic communities that were supposed to propagate the Dharma had become the primary cause of their own downfall. I do not speak of you who live today, but as a monastic, I feel an endless sense of shame. We monastics truly bear the greatest responsibility! I entered the monastic life at the age of eleven, studying under an eminent master for over a decade before venturing out independently. I believed my skills were mature, yet I had missed the essential point of practice."

The Illusion of Stillness and the Call of the Pure Land

"I travelled across the world with only my three robes, one bowl, and a staff. I visited countless mountains and villages, observing the different styles of various schools. Shakyamuni Buddha taught 84,000 Dharma gates, each arising according to the conditions of the beings. The Buddha was truly compassionate, teaching according to the capacity of each sentient being. Yet, why did different schools lead to such different outcomes? The root cause is a failure in cultivating the mind. For decades, I searched for a place to settle, constantly changing my environment because I could not find the Truth. I did not realise that the Truth resides within one's own nature. True liberation is found in the clarity and freedom of the mind. It is about being unattached to the dust of the world. The story of Sudhana visiting fifty-three teachers is meant to show us that the Truth lies in withdrawing the senses and focusing the mind."

"I practised the Chan school, and I could remain in a deep meditative state for three or four months at a time. We put great effort into our concentration, yet we did not realise there was an even greater practice beyond that concentration. In ancient times, few practised the Pure Land path because few truly understood how to purify their own mind-ground. To be without desire, without thought, and without attachment—this is the true, sincere heart. Because this is so difficult, few practitioners choose this path. Today, I understand that not reaching the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to end the cycle of rebirth is contrary to the Buddha's original intent. All 84,000 Dharma gates are meant to lead back to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The Western Pure Land may seem far away, but it is not a matter of distance. It is a matter of letting go of everything. To have nothing—that is the Western Pure Land. That is the state of no-self!"

A Plea for the Future of the Dharma

As the interview concluded, I asked Shi Miaode if they and the other monastics would be willing to listen to the sutras and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Shi Miaode expressed deep gratitude for the compassion of Practitioner Su, whose voice had already moved many to seek the Western Pure Land. They urged all current practitioners to cherish the Dharma, for it is an immortal teaching that must not be allowed to perish. We must work together to propagate the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, and ensure that all beings can return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Shi Miaode, who identified themselves as a monastic of the mountains, requested that we remember the countless monastics still trapped in these spaces. They expressed a sincere hope that, through the continued compassion of Practitioner Su, these beings might find the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Amituofo.