The Son Who Played the Fool to Save His Father

This is a record of an interview with the Venerable Rukong, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life approximately 1,900 years ago. Recorded by the disciple Shi Fajing on January 24, 2019.

Venerable Rukong speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Rukong. My life was a long, arduous journey of sacrifice, hidden behind the mask of a fool. Let me tell you of the days when I walked the earth, nearly two millennia ago.

My mother would often chase me, brandishing a stick in her hand, her face flushed with anger. The neighbors would shout, 'Rukong has trampled all the vegetables in our garden!' I would simply laugh and run, letting her chase me in circles around the courtyard. After three or four laps, I would stop and look back at my mother, who was gasping for breath, her chest heaving. Seeing that I still wore a look of innocence—as if I had no idea why she was angry—she would catch her breath and prepare to chase me again. I would step right up to her and say, 'Mother, you have had enough exercise for today. Do not run anymore. I am standing right here; you may strike me if you wish.'

The Burden of a False Reputation

My mother would look at me, bewildered, not understanding what had come over me. She would ask, 'Do you even know why I am going to hit you?' I would only shake my head. The truth was, I had not trampled the neighbor's garden at all. I was born with a perceived mental deficiency, and because of this, I became the convenient scapegoat for every child in the neighborhood. Whenever someone did something wrong, they would blame it on me. I grew accustomed to it. If enduring a little pain could make others happy, then it was a small price to pay. My mother felt deep heartache seeing me suffer such unjust accusations, but seeing that I remained cheerful, she eventually stopped questioning it.

All the children in the vicinity loved to play with me, simply because I was so easy to bully. As long as they did not ask me to do anything that violated my moral foundations, I was willing to do anything for them. They would laugh and mock me, calling me a brainless fool. I let them laugh. They did not know the secret I carried in my heart.

A Father's Cruelty and a Son's Secret

My father was a man of violence. He would return home with a group of burly men—his loyal henchmen. They spent their days causing trouble and terrorizing the civilians, extorting money and abusing their power. When I was three years old, my father took me out once, intending to teach me how to bully others and how to steal from them. What I saw that day left me shattered. My mother later said that it was my father who had terrified me, turning me into a 'dullard' from a young age. My father looked at my vacant, clumsy expression and doubted I was his own son; he refused to acknowledge such a 'stupid' child as his kin. He felt I was a stain on his reputation. From that day on, he disowned me, and my mother was left to raise me alone.

One day, a group of children bullied me again, mocking me for being a fatherless child. They decided to take their cruelty further. They bound me with ropes, stuffed me into a sack, placed me on a wooden cart, and pushed me to the foot of a mountain, leaving me there to fend for myself. They were certain I would die. They went home, waiting to hear the news of my demise. To their utter shock, I appeared before them the very next day, perfectly fine. This happened several times; no matter how they tried to harm me, I always escaped from death. They were terrified and amazed.

The River of Death and the Light of Buddha

This time, the children were ruthless. They threw me directly into a deep, rushing river, determined to ensure I would never return. My body was bound tight; I had no strength to struggle. I was choked by the water, gasping for my final breath. I thought, 'This is it. This time, there is no escape.' I fell into a long, deep dream. In that dream, I was wearing a monk's robe, travelling everywhere to save beings. I saw a towering, magnificent Namo Amituofo appear before me, radiating brilliant light. I knelt before Him and made a great, solemn Ultimate Vow.

When I opened my eyes, an old woman was sitting beside me. She held prayer beads, her eyes closed, chanting the Buddha's name in silence. I called out to her, and she said, 'I was not sleeping. I saw the dream you just had clearly. That is your mission in this life. Do not forget it.' I looked at the kind, elderly woman and asked, 'Have I finished paying my debts?' She smiled and patted my head. 'Silly child, you are a filial son. To repay the karmic retribution your father created in this life, you pretended to be mad and foolish, allowing yourself to be bullied by everyone, just as those he harmed suffered.' I told her, 'I had no power to stop my father's actions. This was the only way I could help him pay his debts; otherwise, the karma he created would haunt him throughout his many lives.' The woman replied, 'If you wish to repay these debts, then study the Buddha’s teachings well, save the beings your father harmed, and lead them to leave the sea of suffering forever.' Hearing this, a lamp was lit in my heart. I finally knew the path I had to take.

A Mother's Healing and a New Path

I heard my mother's voice calling, 'Rukong! Rukong!' I was lying on my bed at home. When she saw me open my eyes, she embraced me, weeping. Seeing her grief, my heart ached. I held her trembling body and said, 'Mother, I am fine.' She fed me, and I was like a different person. I was no longer the 'mad' boy I had been. My mother was stunned, fearing I had been frightened out of my wits! When the neighbors came to visit, they laughed, 'He was scared silly at three, and now at twelve, he was scared back to normal. Isn't that wonderful?' I looked at these neighbors, grateful for the care they had shown me over the years. They stared at me in shock: 'He... he really is different! Look at how properly he speaks! He is not like Rukong at all!' I told my mother, 'I have done my best to repay Father's debts over these years. This time, it was the compassion of Namo Amituofo that saved my life. I wish to spend the rest of my days as a monk to save beings. Please, Mother, grant me this wish.'

My mother was heartbroken to learn that I had played the fool all those years just to repay my father's karma. Just then, someone rushed in to tell her, 'Your husband is dead.' Everyone was shocked; my father had drowned in the very river where I had been thrown. Though I felt sorrow, my resolve only grew stronger. Only by becoming a monk could I truly repay the karma my father had created, and only through the Buddha’s teachings could I help my poor mother.

A Lifetime Dedicated to Deliverance

I took my mother with me to listen to sutras and hear the Dharma, hoping she too could understand the Buddha’s teachings and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. My mother wept as she listened. She had tasted the bitterness of this life; her heart was full of unspoken pain. She knelt before the Buddha, thanking Him for His compassion in saving her and allowing her to hear such precious teachings. I saw a beam of Buddha-light shine upon her. She coughed for a long time, expelling foul, dark matter. She had suffered from a chronic cough for years, but after that, she was completely healed. She became convinced that Namo Amituofo was by her side. She vowed to transform the suffering she had endured into the strength to save others, for the suffering of beings was a thousand times greater than her own. From that day on, she was reborn; she became radiant, energetic, and spent her time introducing the Dharma to others, performing acts of Generosity, and spreading Goodness.

I bid farewell to my mother and entered the temple to practice. My mother was the happiest of all, for to her, my ordination was the greatest act of filial piety. Every day of my practice, my heart was as clear as spring water, as vast as the earth, and as bright as the sun and moon. To save beings, I did not want to hold onto anything extra; I kept my heart silent and transparent. Over the decades, I achieved Awakening, returned to the world to save the civilians my father had harmed, and travelled everywhere to teach the Dharma. I walked to the ends of the earth, and at the final moment of my life, I dissolved my body into emptiness and attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Practitioner Su's Dharma Body compassionately performs Chao Du for all sentient beings, leading immeasurable and boundless beings back to the West with ease. Practitioner Su's spirit of saving beings is unmatched to this day. I am actively learning from Practitioner Su, moving forward with courage to save beings, never stopping for a single moment.

In my own space, I save these connected star-beings, guiding them toward the Buddha of Immeasurable Light, and teaching them to follow the Buddha-light. I cherish every second, hoping that in the future, more beings can leave the sea of suffering. I am grateful to Practitioner Su for compassionately opening the space for me to save beings. Namo Amituofo."