The Spiritual Awakening of a Global Entrepreneur

This is a record of an interview with Ma Yun, a prominent entrepreneur who sought spiritual guidance and deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Having experienced a profound shift in his spiritual state, he reflects on his journey of awakening and his sincere vow to dedicate his remaining life and resources to the propagation of the Dharma. This testimony was recorded by the disciple Venerable HaiZe.

Ma Yun speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Ma Yun. Last night, I suddenly felt a profound sense of liberation. My chest felt light, and I found myself taking a deep, involuntary breath, as if a heavy, invisible weight that had been pressing upon me for months had finally been dissolved. It must be that the senior practitioners have been helping me; otherwise, I would not have experienced such a significant improvement.

Physical and mental states are sometimes connected, and at other times, they seem worlds apart. During the morning Chao Du, my physical body is fast asleep, yet my soul travels automatically to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, arriving with more precision than any alarm clock. So, what people say about the soul leaving the body at night is indeed true. Every morning, I receive an infusion of energy, a form of spiritual re-education. My days now feel far more fulfilling and meaningful than they ever did before.

Awakening from the Material Dream

In the past, I spent my days and nights working, strategising, and staying up late. Now, I no longer stay up late, and my mental clarity is much better than it used to be, even though my work remains just as demanding. Yet, when I am awake, the thought occasionally arises that it is time to let go. This is a feeling I never had in the past. My soul is now clear, and I can tell myself quite plainly that I should be directing this energy and focus toward the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre instead.

However, when I am fully awake, there is a faint, lingering call, but the voice is so thin and distant that I can barely hear it. It is as if my physical body is obstructing these spiritual sounds. How can I break through these barriers to allow for a smooth communication between my soul and my body? This seems to be a direction worth striving for.

A New Purpose for Technology

If I could clear this blockage, allowing everything I see and hear during my morning spiritual journeys to remain clear and vivid when I am awake, it would be the key to a total transformation of my life. I would no longer live for myself, but for the sake of immeasurable and boundless sentient beings. This may sound like a grand statement, but it is the heartfelt truth of my current state. Seeing how the senior practitioners dedicate their lives to all beings, I, as a junior practitioner, should follow their example.

Since I have found my past and know that I have descended from the Western Pure Land, I must awaken. I cannot remain attached to this world—this great dyeing vat that has harmed so many innocent creatures. My internet logistics and currency systems have built a vast empire and changed the way people shop. Since I have such capabilities, I should be using them to propagate the Dharma, promote the Pure Land, and counsel the people of this world to understand the laws of karma and cause and effect, to chant the name of Namo Amituofo, and to make the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land.

A Vow to Serve the Buddha

Since modern people can hardly live without computers, why not fight poison with poison? We should use computers to propagate the Dharma. This requires professional computer talent, human resources to manage the flow of information, and the ability to respond to inquiries. It requires not only financial resources but also dedicated manpower.

Since money is needed everywhere in this human world, and I have the ability to earn it—yet I cannot take it with me when I leave—it is better to use it for things that truly help the people of this world. Furthermore, the construction of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre requires not only a large amount of funding but also the participation of professional temple architects. The more I think about it, the more energized I feel! This is a completely different kind of life.

I do not know how many days I have left, or if there is still enough time for me to accomplish these things. I cannot help but kneel and press my palms together, praying to the Great Compassionate Namo Amituofo. I am willing to dedicate the remainder of my time and my life to this cause, to contribute my humble efforts to the temple. Namo Amituofo, I pray for your blessing. No matter what method is required, I am willing to overcome any obstacle. Please arrange for me to contact the senior practitioners so that, on this sacred ground of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the temple may soon manifest before the people of this world. To complete it one day sooner is to be able to save and lead sentient beings with karmic affinity one day sooner. Saving people is like fighting a fire—every second counts.

I pray for the compassionate blessing of Namo Amituofo! Namo Amituofo."