The Spiritual Anatomy of Practitioner Su's Leg

On June 17, 2020, Venerable Feng An, acting as the representative for a collective of 1,162 Venerables, provided a detailed account of the spiritual dimensions within the leg of Practitioner Su. Having traversed the space from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to reside within Practitioner Su’s leg for approximately two years, the Venerable offers this testimony regarding the nature of karmic burdens, the reality of spiritual attachments, and the profound sacrifice involved in the work of saving sentient beings.

Venerable Feng An speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am the 362nd Venerable, known as Feng An. Today, I am honoured to once again traverse the dimensions of space. Representing 1,161 other Venerables, I speak on the world existing within the leg of Practitioner Su. It is by the grace of my fellow Venerables that I have been chosen to accept this interview. From the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I entered the leg of Practitioner Su; by my reckoning, it has been approximately two years. Over these two years, the world within Practitioner Su's leg has been in a state of constant flux. Compared to two years ago, its current state has recovered with remarkable speed—a feat far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

The Burden of Human Suffering

People in the human world often suffer from leg ailments. The importance of the legs is something everyone understands. Once a disease manifests in the legs, walking becomes arduous; every step is filled with pain, causing one to grimace in agony. When the simple act of lifting one's feet becomes a struggle, all tasks become difficult, and nights are often spent in painful moaning. When the physical body can no longer endure such pain, painkillers are prescribed. While they may provide temporary relief from intense suffering, the ingestion of these drugs leaves behind immeasurable 'drug spirits' that remain in the body. This is something unknown to the world. Consequently, the body becomes a vessel for countless spirits, which only increases the burden on the physical form and often triggers further illnesses.

When the legs reach a state where walking becomes nearly impossible, modern medicine, beyond drugs and special therapies, may resort to surgery to restore mobility. The moment the scalpel cuts into the skin of the leg, the space within that body undergoes a massive, instantaneous transformation. It is as if a large hand were suddenly thrust into a basin of calm water, disturbing the stillness and even dripping poison into the water, turning the once-clear liquid into a murky, toxic mixture. The water's quality is fundamentally altered, becoming increasingly turbid. Therefore, while surgery may temporarily drive away the spirits at the site of the ailment, those spirits have not left the body. After surgery, the spirits within the body become even more chaotic, often causing various reactions in other parts of the body. The essence, energy, and spirit are severely damaged, and at that very moment, parts of the three hun souls and seven po souls may leave the body. Unless one has a Dharma Body like Practitioner Su to call these souls back, the person’s body will be gradually replaced, eventually ceasing to be the original individual. Even if not replaced, the body will decline day by day under the attachment of a large number of spirits following the surgery.

The Limitations of Worldly Healing

However, whether through drugs, special therapies, or surgery, none of these methods can truly restore the leg to its original, healthy state. Furthermore, the space within the leg, influenced by these external stimuli, often allows even more external spirits to seize the opportunity to enter. Sometimes the leg may be temporarily repaired, but other organs are then occupied by these invading spirits. Years later, other illnesses emerge—a common occurrence for people in this world. If we speak of the laws of karma and cause and effect, this is indeed the fruit of karmic retribution. If not for the negative causes created in the past, one would not suffer these evil consequences in this life.

Looking at the structure of the human leg from the perspective of modern medicine, we see muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and nerves. When the leg is injured, doctors examine these areas to diagnose the cause and prescribe the appropriate medicine. But if the medical skill is lacking and a misdiagnosis occurs, the patient's condition will not improve and may even cause the pain to intensify. Only when one seeks further assistance and finally identifies the exact cause to provide the proper treatment can the pain be alleviated. Yet, regardless of any medical method used, is the disease truly eradicated? Not at all.

In summary, these are the common methods used by people in the modern world to deal with leg ailments. However, the aftereffects of these methods are something the patients themselves must face and endure, which is truly a suffering beyond words.

The Healing Power of the Buddha

Speaking of Practitioner Su's leg, although it was once so painful that walking was impossible, he never used drugs to treat it. Instead, it was healed by the Buddha, gradually recovering the ability to stand and walk. This entire process was supported by the power of the Buddha and the vow of Practitioner Su, allowing the leg to slowly recover.

I had never before had the opportunity to enter a human body. This causal condition allowed me to enter Practitioner Su's leg to assist in repairing the affected areas, reducing his suffering and helping him recover sooner. Recalling the situation at that time, I felt immense admiration for Practitioner Su. After our group of 1,162 Venerables entered his leg, we quickly dispersed to various parts: some into the muscles, some into the tendons, others into the ligaments, nerves, bones, and the vital joints of the leg. Each Venerable utilised their unique abilities to repair the leg, helping the areas invaded by spirits receive the best possible treatment.

A Microcosm of Suffering

When I entered Practitioner Su's leg, the first place I reached was the muscle tissue. The scene I witnessed upon entering the space within the muscle was shocking; the space inside was densely packed and intertwined. Within a single leg muscle, there exists a space like a small universe. The bones, ligaments, and tendons are all the same—each is a small universe existing within this leg. Many of these small universes are spaces created by Practitioner Su’s compassionate Chao Du, while others contain a vast number of spirits from memorial tablets. Some are even the karmic creditors of the fourfold assembly of disciples who are currently present, all following Practitioner Su within his leg. Some are unwilling to accept Practitioner Su’s intervention, while others yearn to remain by his side forever.

The scene within that space was so dense that it was impossible to see everything clearly, but what was immediately apparent were the many spirits resulting from the sins committed by people in the world due to greed, delusion, arrogance, doubt, and the pursuit of wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep. Like warhorses that had fought countless battles for their country, they remained in the muscle space even after being delivered by Practitioner Su. There were also spirits of men and women who had been guided by Practitioner Su’s teachings, warned not to fall back into the six realms of rebirth due to emotional desire and lust. Many of these spirits, whether awakened or not, had entered the muscles of Practitioner Su’s leg and buttocks seeking deliverance, unaware that their entry was damaging the function of his muscles. Although these spirits were suffering, they found it difficult to abandon their past selfishness and attachments, seeking only their own early liberation without regard for the harm their forced entry caused to Practitioner Su’s leg. I urged these spirits to withdraw, not to harm Practitioner Su out of impatience, but they would not listen. They vied to manifest themselves, hoping only that Practitioner Su would discover them sooner and personally save them.

The Grudge of Karmic Creditors

Furthermore, the karmic creditors of the fourfold assembly of disciples were densely clinging to the muscles of Practitioner Su’s leg, refusing to let go. They were gnashing their teeth, filled with extreme hatred and enmity toward the disciples. One spirit said, 'Who does this Practitioner Su think he is? By what right does he interfere in our affairs?' Another said to me, 'You, as a monastic, should judge this for us. What kind of logic is it that we must step back? My enemy owes me, and I was determined to collect this debt in this life. Just as I was about to succeed in my revenge, this Practitioner Su appears out of nowhere like a meddling hero! He ruined my good deed! This was an opportunity I waited over six hundred years for, and it was destroyed by Practitioner Su in an instant! You tell me, if I don't seek retribution from him, who should I seek it from?' Each spirit spoke with gnashing teeth, their faces and corners of their mouths twitching, showing their extreme resentment toward their enemies.

There were also many female ghosts in red, their mouths stained with blood, appearing before me. They were karmic creditors of the fourfold assembly who had been written on memorial tablets but refused to leave. Suddenly brought out from their spaces, they remained filled with hatred and were unwilling to be resolved. Because of complex factors, many could not return to their original spaces and had to enter Practitioner Su’s leg, biting into his muscles and refusing to let go. They left tooth marks and blood on his muscles—marks they intentionally left to tell Practitioner Su how much they hated, how much they hurt, and how much they suffered! Not only that, I saw many animals and crawling creatures hiding in the muscles and the gaps between them. Moreover, there were spirits from the past five thousand years seeking deliverance, layer upon layer, piling up and causing immense pressure on Practitioner Su’s leg. The muscles were stretched until they lost their strength. When the muscles could no longer exert force, every step Practitioner Su took during his walk caused further injury to his own leg, making it impossible to walk as naturally as before. Sometimes there was pain, sometimes a sense of soreness. He endured it day after day, yet he continued to compassionately perform Chao Du. The spirits, however, continued their rude intrusions. By the time it reached the limit, every part of Practitioner Su’s leg had been damaged to the extreme by these spirits. Yet, they would not let go; they were all difficult to tame and subdue, many of them being extremely troublesome and hard to handle. When I entered the muscles, I felt an overwhelming sense of oppression squeezing me; the space was simply too tight, leaving me with no room to stand.

Why did all these beings seek out Practitioner Su’s left leg? There is a past causal connection involved. It turns out that when Practitioner Su was a monk in a past life, he once sacrificed this very left leg to deliver sentient beings, making a vow to use this leg to save them. Even in this life, this affected area still exists in the spiritual space. The spirits, being able to perceive these spaces, know Practitioner Su’s weakness and repeatedly pile up and intrude, causing severe damage that prevents him from walking.

The Power of the Buddha-Name

When I entered the leg, I did not let the chaotic and disordered space of the spirits disturb me. I remained in meditative concentration, unmoved by external conditions. Only by remaining unmoved could I find the best method to help Practitioner Su. I chanted the Buddha’s name along with Practitioner Su. His body has already integrated the Buddha-name with his physical form, as if a Buddha-name chanting machine were placed inside him, chanting 24/7 without interruption. Some spirits, influenced by the sound of the Buddha-name within Practitioner Su, saw their heightened emotions gradually calm down. However, many still turned their heads away or covered their ears, unwilling to be influenced by the righteous power. I did not give up. I continuously used the Buddha-name to strengthen Practitioner Su’s muscles and continued to use it to soften the hearts of these spirits. I taught the spirits, letting them understand the principles, the laws of karma and cause and effect, and the existence of Universal Principles. I made them understand Practitioner Su’s compassion and the importance of his mission to save the world, and that they should not disturb his body in this way. When I persuaded one group, they would leave, but others would continue to pour in endlessly. Especially after each of Practitioner Su’s visualisations, immeasurable and boundless spirits would enter. I and the other Venerables tried to block them, but our strength was far inferior to the number and intensity of these invading spirits, which continued to cause injury to Practitioner Su’s leg.

Protection of the Dharma Body

Practitioner Su did not abandon his heart to save the world, and the Buddha still needed him to remain in the world to do so. To prevent his physical body from being further harmed by spirits, his name was no longer written on the memorial tablets; instead, the Buddha took on everything. Spirits were no longer allowed to enter Practitioner Su’s body; his body, used for saving the world, was to be protected from harm. From that moment on, the interior of Practitioner Su’s leg was filled with golden light—the power of the Buddha assisting. Many spirits were influenced by this power and departed. We took this opportunity to accelerate the repair of his leg. I continuously strengthened the muscle tissue, filling in every gap left by the spirits’ biting. However, just as I was working hard, I discovered that some spirits were still able to enter. I was very puzzled: why could they still enter? Moreover, the intensity of the damage caused by these spirits was many times greater than before. Their hearts were even more hateful, painful, and dissatisfied. I observed these spirits carefully and realised that many were the karmic creditors of the fourfold assembly. Practitioner Su is extremely compassionate; even if the disciples have not truly changed, he still takes on the creditors seeking retribution from them, inviting the spirits out of their bodies. These creditors shouted, 'Unfair! Selfishness! Unfair! Selfishness!' They believed Practitioner Su was shielding the disciples. The spirits of a few disciples in particular appeared frequently. Their hearts were filled with injustice, and as soon as they entered Practitioner Su’s leg, they began to cause massive destruction. I and the other Venerables kept blocking them. Even though our numbers were vastly different from these spirits, we actively protected Practitioner Su’s leg to prevent him from suffering greater harm.

The Ever-Changing Space

The space within the leg still exists, but it changes every day. How can we say it changes daily? Take the situation of the disciples' karmic creditors entering the body: when the disciples find it hard to change their bad habits but still receive Practitioner Su’s compassionate Chao Du, the spirits have a reason to seek him out. Because the disciples unreasonably demand that the spirits leave them, the spirits, unwilling to be resolved, all seek out Practitioner Su to argue, thereby harming his physical body. At this time, if Practitioner Su compassionately takes on the suffering of beings and does not invite the spirits out of his own leg, they remain there, making his walking difficult and his leg pain severe. But if the disciples realise their mistakes and change, communicating with their own creditors and asking them not to enter Practitioner Su’s leg, and even resolve to practice and save the world, some creditors, feeling the disciples' sincerity, are invited out through the memorial tablets. At this point, the space within Practitioner Su’s leg changes again.

Purification and Transformation

Looking at the entire leg, every part has been harmed by spirits. The Venerables assigned to different areas repair different affected parts. The areas most severely attacked are the muscles below the left buttock and the ligaments—what people in the world call inflammation. These are the places where the spirits with the strongest anger and hatred gather. We continuously purify these reddened areas with 'Buddha-water', chanting the Buddha’s name daily to purify them, and letting the spirits listen to Practitioner Su’s teachings 24/7, changing their thoughts of seeking revenge and awakening their original goodness.

Our strength alone is not enough. The Buddha, through the hands of the Venerable, introduces gentle Buddha-power into Practitioner Su’s leg. The Buddha’s compassionate power immediately softens the angry and resentful spirits. Many spirits are invited out through the hands of the Venerable and led away from the space within Practitioner Su’s leg.

Practitioner Su is different from ordinary people. He is harmed because he takes on the suffering of sentient beings, whereas people in the world suffer because of the sins they create themselves. The blood within Practitioner Su’s body is clear, like pure water—a reflection of his unpolluted, pure heart, compassionate heart, and kind heart, the clear stream of blood cultivated through practice. Practitioner Su’s bones are never invaded by spirits; this is because he follows the Universal Principles, follows the teachings, and possesses an upright energy that is impartial, preventing spirits from penetrating deep into his bones. Practitioner Su’s internal organs are all as vibrant as a young person’s; this is due to his ceaseless heart to save the world, which makes all his organs as fresh as if they were newborn, without aging. The meridians and blood vessels throughout Practitioner Su’s body are unobstructed; this is his righteous power, which is upright and not evil, making every step he takes smooth and unhindered. The energy throughout Practitioner Su’s body gushes forth like a spring at every moment; this is his heart of no-self, a body of no-thought, allowing the inherent energy of his true nature to permeate his entire body with every sentence of the Buddha-name. Within the acupuncture points of Practitioner Su’s body, no spirits can hide; this is because he has never had a selfish heart or selfish thoughts, and his body is as transparent as lapis lazuli, leaving no place for spirits to hide. Looking at Practitioner Su’s entire body, it is pure white, translucent, and flawless. Every cell is like a lotus flower, blooming with the fragrance of virtue and emitting a dazzling, gentle golden light that shines upon the human world. This is the body of a true practitioner, truly pure and bright like the golden body of a Buddha. I and the other Venerables bow respectfully.

Gratitude to Practitioner Su for taking on the suffering of beings on behalf of the Buddha;

Gratitude to Practitioner Su for taking on the suffering of sentient beings;

Gratitude to Practitioner Su for manifesting the Dharma in the world;

Gratitude to Practitioner Su for delivering all beings from suffering.

Namo Amituofo.

Interview information recorded by the Buddha-disciple Shi Fajing."