This is a record of an interview with Retia, a retired Star Chief from the Aomaria planet, who sought at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his long journey through the stars and his return to the human world for deliverance. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxi, on May 28, 2017.
Shi Faxi speaks:
". May I ask, when we perform the Chao Du ceremony and call out names into the sky, how should we represent the beings of the vast cosmos? May the Bodhisattvas of all realms be compassionate."
Retia speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. Whether it is the skies over Asia, Australia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, or the vast interstellar void, we are all listening. We are truly grateful for this compassionate deliverance. Many of us have already attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land, and many others have returned to the human world. Regardless of the path, we have all been liberated from our original environments, and for that, we are profoundly grateful. Recently, many spirits from the interstellar void have come seeking Chao Du, and I am one of them. I come from the Aomaria planet. I have been guided by the Buddha-light and have already departed for the Western Pure Land today. It was purely by chance that I heard your question, so I thought I would take this opportunity to answer you. Do you wish for me to share my story? I hear that you are currently interviewing beings from many different planets."
The Call of the Void
"Of course! I would be honoured to hear it. Thank you for your ," replied Shi Faxi.
"My name is Retia, and I am a pragmatic, elderly extraterrestrial. I hail from the Aomaria planet. I am a retired Star Chief, and now, with nothing to occupy my time, I spend my days wandering the stars. I heard about this place, and I visited some time ago. I felt it was quite remarkable. When I returned today, I saw the Three Holy Ones of the West. It was absolutely magnificent! The entire space was filled with an overwhelming fragrance. I truly felt humbled; in all my life, I have never smelled anything so exquisite. It was so fragrant, so incredibly fragrant! How could it be so unique? I have never encountered such a scent before. Just this fragrance alone—I wanted to learn, to investigate it. It is a truly extraordinary skill. I was completely and deeply moved.
"I rushed back to my planet and hurried here again, bringing some of the people from my world with me to seek Chao Du. We love this kind of skill; it is truly fascinating. I brought fourteen great numbers of my citizens with me to take refuge in this wondrous world. I hear it is called the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is truly so joyful, so incredibly joyful! Our planet does not possess the magnificence of the Western Pure Land, nor does it have its beauty; it is quite ordinary in comparison. We do, however, share the same practice of 'meditation as food' as the beings in the Western Pure Land. To be able to witness this place today, we are overjoyed. Long ago, I was once a human myself, but because I loved to gaze at the stars, I left that life behind. That was a very long time ago—perhaps over a thousand years. Time passes so quickly. I was elected as the Star Chief on my planet, and now I have retired. I am over one thousand eight hundred and fifty years old, and I have returned to Earth to seek Chao Du. Now, I am so satisfied to be in this Western Pure Land. I am truly grateful. Your chanting of Namo Amituofo resonates through the heavens; it is so beautiful to hear. I followed the trail of that sound to find you. Thank you, truly, thank you. Namo Amituofo."
"Thank you for sharing your story. Namo Amituofo," concluded Shi Faxi.
