The Surrender of a Ten-Trillion-Year-Old Demon

This is a record of an interview with Mo Dong-hao, a primordial demon who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon his existence spanning approximately ten trillion years. Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable Fa Hui, on April 14, 2025.

Mo Dong-hao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Mo Dong-hao. Today, I suddenly heard Namo Amituofo calling my name, and it truly gave me quite a fright.

I had always considered myself a 'big boss' in the Dharma Realm. I never imagined that in such a short period, I would see beings even older than myself entering the Western Land of Dharma Nature. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is truly no ordinary place. To have such a vast Western Land of Dharma Nature capable of accommodating so many of us demons! What is even more remarkable is the sheer variety of demons here. Let me tell you, the demons here come from Earth, the Dharma Realm, the Milky Way, the universe, and beyond—there are extra-dimensional demons, alien demons, and all manner of demonic beings.

A Changing World of Demons

I had no idea that the demon children and grandchildren had changed so much. My impression was still stuck in the past, when the demon crowds were relatively simple and rustic. Now, these demon crowds are not simple at all; they look quite bizarre. In our day, we demons still had a certain 'demonic' look. Could it be that the advancement of technology has caused the appearance and style of the demon children and grandchildren to become 'technologised' as well?

As for us—the old demons, ancient demons, ancestor demons, great demons, little demons, and the demon kings with their sons and grandsons—Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su are truly extraordinary. They have been able to sweep through so many regions beyond the Dharma Realm. To call them 'regions' is too small; these are vast spaces—the Milky Way, the universe—each one an immense expanse. In any case, in this short time, demon crowds from all over have poured in. They were truly sent here, and there is every kind of demon imaginable. Looking at them now, they don't look like demons at all; they look like kind, ordinary civilians. Everyone is sitting obediently on their own lotus seat, which is something unimaginable in the Demon Realm.

The Need for Peace

In the world of demons, who ever stays still? Everyone is always moving, because movement signifies existence. How could it be possible to sit quietly on a lotus seat like this, listening to Practitioner Su give lectures with a smile on one's face? It is because there is warm Buddha-light shining upon everyone. This kind of peace and tranquility is what we deeply need in our hearts. For a demon, unless you are an old demon in your own space where you can meditate as you please without anyone caring, it is impossible. In the active Demon Realm, such behavior would be mocked. Demons are meant to move; when they move, they can turn the world upside down. Their hearts are hearts that turn the world upside down. The Buddha’s teachings say that all dharmas are mind-only, and that is truly the case.

I am an old demon of ten trillion years. Honestly, I didn't even know I was that old. I felt that my time in deep meditative concentration had not been long, but when I checked upon coming out, it had been about thirty trillion years. For the people of Earth, this is truly an astronomical figure. One trillion years is already a lot. People there struggle, feeling that every day feels like a year. So, how many tens of thousands of years make up these thirty trillion years? It is truly unimaginable. But we have the ability to sit in such a space for that long—survival is paramount!

The Ruins of the Dharma Realm

In what kind of space was I meditating? Let me tell you: I was in the ruins of the Dharma Realm, inside a small pebble within the pitch-black interior of those ruins. The pebble was hard, of course, but my spirit could penetrate it, and I stayed there, motionless, for thirty trillion years. The ruins were isolated from the world, with no connection to the outside, because no one dared to enter such a dark place. Demons are generally not afraid of the dark, but that place was eerily dark, enough to make one's hair stand on end. Why go in and make yourself uncomfortable? So, demons are also quite smart; they kept their distance, staying far away from those ruins, which was perfect for me to move in.

I have been in the Demon Realm for ten trillion years, which felt like the blink of an eye to me. But for the human world, a few trillion years is unthinkable. Yet, it appears in the age of us ancient demons, and that has really shocked everyone. You often hear of demon kings, demon children, and demon grandchildren, but Practitioner Su's power of Chao Du has been constantly advancing—from demons of a thousand years, ten thousand years, a hundred million, a trillion, ten trillion, a hundred trillion, a thousand trillion, ten thousand trillion, to ten trillion years—it has been surging forward at an incredible speed. I have never seen such a practitioner on Earth before.

The Cycle of Existence

I once passed by Earth and took a look. It was the Earth of seventy trillion years ago, not the current one. It is possible to observe these things. This is the Earth after several cycles of formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness. The Buddha’s teachings are truly profound to be able to articulate these four stages. Indeed, looking back now, a planet from its formation to the existence of life, then the decay of life, and finally to a state of emptiness—this is called formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness. It is easy to say, but in reality, it takes billions of years. However, billions of years are quite short for us demons of ten thousand trillion years. In this sense, the life of a spirit can be long or short; it is relative. For us demons, it is short; for humans, it is incredibly long. One cycle of formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness of Earth is called a calamity. So, in my ten trillion years, how many calamities has Earth gone through? I am not sure; perhaps I should ask Namo Amituofo, whose body encompasses the entire Dharma Realm.

The Buddha’s teachings were circulating in the Dharma Realm at that time. Namo Amituofo was already the Universal Buddha then. The sutras say that Namo Amituofo created the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss ten kalpas ago; this is something I heard recently while listening to the Dharma from Practitioner Su. What attracts me most is Namo Amituofo, because it was Namo Amituofo who saved me. Every old demon has a different character. For me, it was Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su who saved me. Because I am living a good life now, it is 'saving.' If I were living a miserable life, it wouldn't be saving; it would be pushing me into a pit of fire. That is not what a Buddha does. Meeting a Buddha is truly magnificent!

The Compassion of the Buddha

Long, long ago, when I was still a little demon, Namo Amituofo already existed. The old demons at that time told me that Namo Amituofo manages our Dharma Realm and that we must respect him. Although we are demons who specialize in destruction, making trouble, and unsettling the hearts of beings, whenever we encounter Namo Amituofo, we must behave and listen, for there will surely be benefits. Because the Buddha has great compassion. That is what the old demons told me when I was a little demon. Perhaps those old demons have already been drawn away by the laws of karma and cause and effect, or perhaps they were delivered by Practitioner Su's great Dharma Body Chao Du of the Dharma Realm. I do not know. Actually, I could look, but I am very busy with this interview and must focus on talking about myself.

The Dharma Realm is vast and boundless, a very large space. I lived on a planet and was originally a peaceful citizen there. Later, external demons invaded and occupied our planet, transforming it into a demon planet. The original light disappeared, turning into darkness. This was something the demon king at the time was smug about, because many demon kings wanted to occupy our planet, but failed, as the light would neutralize their demon nature. Why did they succeed that time? It was because the hearts of the people had changed; they became greedy, blaming each other, comparing themselves, losing their capacity for tolerance, and losing their hearts of mutual understanding and compassion.

'Compassion' is the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. It was already in use ten trillion years ago. The Dharma Realm did not use these two words, but the spirit was the same. The so-called spirit is that when you see the other person suffering, you will try to find a way to help them leave suffering behind, and even do your best to bring them joy. Our original planet was like that. Later, some people were interfered with by external forces, and their character changed. We tolerated them again and again, but we could not change them, leading to the entry of evil forces into the planet, and the light gradually dimmed until it became a world of darkness.

The Path of a Demon

I was originally a small life on that planet. After growing up, I followed the environment and became a demon. So, I didn't become 'bad'; I was influenced by the environment. Moreover, I didn't know that it was wrong. I had never received Buddhist education. From the time I understood anything, I began to receive the education of the demon crowds. Of course, I thought this world was the world of demons. So, I learned many skills, all of which were bad: destruction, interference, sneak attacks. To strengthen myself, I could trample others underfoot, or even occupy entire planets and absorb energy in large quantities. Furthermore, I was very greedy—the stronger I was, the more I wanted to be stronger. As for the lives of other civilians or demons, I didn't care. That is how I grew up. But why have I lived so long? I am a demon who has done all kinds of evil!

In my life, I once met an old demon. That old demon told me: 'Although demons do all kinds of evil, there is still a foundation of goodness. You must not exhaust that little bit of goodness. You must leave a little room for yourself; consider it a way out.' I didn't understand at the time, but I remembered it and didn't forget. So, when I could have been even more ruthless, I would stop. The old demon meant that one must at least keep a little goodness, so I didn't do evil to the absolute end, but chose to leave a little space for others to survive. Perhaps it was that little bit of original goodness that allowed me to live until now.

I even taught my demon children and grandchildren. I thought, since I now have my own demon children and grandchildren, I should pass on the heart-method I learned from the old demon. Some understood, some half-understood, and some disagreed. That didn't matter; everyone has a different personality. This is a fact that a demon king, a leader, must accept. Even if they rebel, you cannot tear them apart. Some demon kings would do that, leaving them no chance to turn around, but I always left them a way out. 'Fine, if you don't identify with our demon group, then go, find a demon group that shares your aspirations.' Some would turn and leave without any hesitation, and that was fine; I accepted their attitude. A leader who does not have such mind-capacity cannot last long. Perhaps it was this little bit of magnanimity that allowed me to live until now.

The Art of Invisibility

When I announced that I was retiring from the Demon Realm, I was already an old, old demon of tens of thousands of trillions of years. I said: 'I am leaving. You have learned the skills you need to learn, so go and apply them. If you want to stay here, form your own groups. There is plenty of talent here, and it is good if a demon head emerges to lead everyone. As for me, don't bother with me. I finally have my own time. From now on, I will disappear from your sight.' No matter how they searched for me, I would not appear or make a sound.

My skill is that I can stop my thoughts, leaving no trace of them, but my spirit still exists. This is called meditative concentration. Plus, I have the art of invisibility. Haha, this invisibility is very useful. However, a demon who wants to learn invisibility must have some ability. To succeed, one must have enough meditative concentration and not be frightened or trembling at the sight of what is before them. Even if you are trembling with fear while hiding in invisibility, the energy released by that trembling can be detected by the other party. But my skill is that even if I am right next to you, less than a few centimeters away, I can become invisible, unmoved in heart, without any movement, and you would not feel my existence at all. This is the skill. So, as long as I don't want to appear, no one can find me.

Therefore, I said goodbye to everyone and went to find a very secluded place to let go of the past. Because I also knew that one day the laws of karma and cause and effect would come knocking, and as long as I still had this breath, I would find a place to settle myself and let this spirit live as long as it could.

The Laws of Karma

In the Demon Realm, there are two destinations for a soul: one is to wither away in front of everyone until you can't be seen, buried into the ground; the other is to be drawn away by the laws of karma and cause and effect, disappearing from everyone's sight—suddenly, whoosh!—gone, very quickly. You can't save them, and you can't pull them back. This is the law of karma, the attraction of nature; this is also the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

Many good friends or excellent demons have disappeared before my eyes like this. I immediately used my invisibility, stopping all heart-waves and actions; otherwise, I might have been drawn away too. I relied on this skill to live until now. Sure enough, that little bit of goodness saved me, allowing me to encounter the reappearance of Namo Amituofo. Although it was on the distant Earth, Practitioner Su's compassion has no boundaries, no regional distinctions, and can move from Earth to the Dharma Realm in a very short time.

Awakened by Light

Without any warning, my spirit, which had been in deep meditative concentration for thirty trillion years, was suddenly awakened by a bright light. My spirit had been in a state of deep meditative concentration, without any activity, not even observing, just living in the present. So, the moment I woke up, I felt as if I had just entered meditation. Later, I realized that thirty trillion years had passed. At that time, being illuminated by the light—this light was truly very bright, and the energy was very powerful—only then could it break through such a deep, dark space and bring a piece of light. One can imagine what a powerful energy this was! More importantly, in this powerful energy, there was no harm; it was very warm, so it woke up this old demon inside the small stone.

I was awakened by the warm current pouring into my whole body, and then I opened my eyes. How could it feel like I had just entered meditation yesterday, and now I was awake? When I saw how bright it was around me, I wondered, what place is this? The place I entered was not like this. Also, in a very short time, I understood that it was this bright light that brought about the change in the environment. I stayed put, inside the small stone, quietly. When I looked around, my body was sitting. Although my eyes could not move, my spirit could scan the surroundings. This light was very fast and disappeared. But after it disappeared, the warmth and brightness gradually weakened, not turning dark in an instant, which let me know that this light was not shining directly, but from the side; it was the tail of the light shining on my place. Sure enough, I thought, what kind of light is this?

I continued to meditate, still motionless. Such a good place, I didn't want to find another place, nor did I want to change positions. I entered meditation again, and before long, another ray of light swept over. This time, the light was not residual light, but shone directly from the front. To put it briefly, this light pulled my old spirit out of the stone and sent it before an even brighter light. My eyes were finally opened. They hadn't been able to open before; after all, they had been closed for thirty trillion years, so it wasn't easy to open them all at once.

The Smile of the Buddha

I blinked my eyes slightly and opened them to look. I actually saw Namo Amituofo smiling at me. This really gave me a fright! How could I encounter a Buddha? It wasn't that I had great supernatural powers and knew it was a Buddha at a glance, but I saw the 'Wan' symbol in front of the Buddha shining brightly. I knew only a Buddha could do that. I knew it was a Buddha, and the only Buddha I knew in my mind was Namo Amituofo. I didn't know the Buddha in front of me was Namo Amituofo. I opened my eyes wide, and the Buddha was also smiling at me, constantly emitting light from his body. I also saw many beings around me entering the light, and I also entered the light in a very short time, arriving at the Western Land of Dharma Nature. The speed was quite fast.

Later, I learned that it was Namo Amituofo following Practitioner Su, carrying the Twelve Lights. The Buddha's Twelve Lights can lead demon crowds to the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This is a natural channel, a channel of compassion and spirit. And what entered was not just demon spirits; even the stone spirit inside the small stone I lived in was taken away. So, it was not just saving demons, but also saving many beings. The Buddha is truly compassionate to the extreme! The Buddha did not punish us first because we were demons who had done all kinds of evil. Instead, he brought us into the Western Land of Dharma Nature for 'reformation.' 'Reformation' is a word I heard from Practitioner Su, and I feel it really makes sense. Changing from the bottom of the heart is the brilliance of the Buddha's teachings. And because of the change in the heart, in a very short moment, the form also changed accordingly.

A Chance for Rebirth

The Western Land of Dharma Nature is a place of light, with many layers of space. In these layers, there are beings in every space, all brought in by Practitioner Su's Dharma Body Chao Du. Of course, many are still the beings on the bodies of the fourfold assembly of disciples! This is the blessing you have cultivated over many kalpas and many lives to be able to enter here. In other words, the demon crowds who can enter here have also cultivated quite thick blessings over many lives to be able to receive the Chao Du and guidance of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su at this time. This is called the ripening of Dharma affinity, right?

In this way, I had a Dharma affinity with Practitioner Su and Namo Amituofo thirty trillion years ago to be able to enter this place. That is indeed the case; this is the affinity between me and Namo Amituofo. When I could chant the name 'Namo Amituofo,' it meant that I had already formed a very deep Dharma affinity with Namo Amituofo, and it also meant that I had a time when I could be saved. And this salvation turned out to be ten trillion years later. This is a bit too far apart, but that is the fact! Just now I also said that I learned from the old demon that Namo Amituofo manages our Dharma Realm and that everyone should respect him. When we heard the four words 'Namo Amituofo' from the old demon, we listened and put it in our hearts. So, ten trillion years later, I was actually saved. In this way, it was the old demon who saved me when I was still a little demon.

I have now accepted this interview and have chanted 'Namo Amituofo' several times. So, if the vastness of the Dharma Realm hears me chanting Namo Amituofo, it means that you also have a time to be saved! Perhaps it will be the next day, perhaps it will be ten trillion years later, who knows? In any case, you also have a time to be saved. I am a living example. Speaking of this matter now, I feel that Namo Amituofo is truly too extraordinary! There is so much bitterness in these days, but it has all passed! Because I am now in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I have been given a chance for rebirth, and the past has been let go!

Chanting to the End

Recently, Practitioner Su told us that there is no past and no future, just chant one Buddha's name to the end. This has made me chant 'Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo' in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, grabbing onto this one Namo Amituofo for dear life. I am afraid that one day, I don't know when, if I don't chant the Buddha's name and don't receive the Buddha's blessing, I might be drawn away. To this day, I am still chanting 'Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo' without stopping.

I have brought out my meditative concentration. Although my meditative concentration has been released, the power is still there. I use the power of my meditative concentration to chant the Buddha's name; this is amazing! I believe that I will definitely have a time to be saved, because my meditative concentration helped me hide for these thirty trillion years and not be drawn away by the laws of karma and cause and effect. So, I also have reason to believe that if I use this meditative concentration to chant the Buddha's name, perhaps one day I will chant until I become a Buddha. Wouldn't that be a gain! My Buddha is compassionate, too compassionate! Having this one Buddha's name allows us demon crowds to chant! Demon kings, demon children, and demon grandchildren who hear me say these words, you can know how extraordinary this Buddha's name is! If you want to save yourself, follow me and chant. Just like me, I just demonstrated: 'Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo.' Grab onto the Buddha's name for dear life!

The Buddha's compassion—if you haven't experienced it yourself, you can't explain it so thoroughly. Excuse me for 'showing off' here, but the fact is just that. If Practitioner Su had not made a great vow and great compassion, performing Dharma Body Chao Du to the deep, dark space of the Dharma Realm, bringing light and breaking the space, and Namo Amituofo standing there to lead us away to the Western Land of Dharma Nature—this whole process was for the sake of saving beings. Honestly, we don't want to be demons anymore.

A Life of Bitterness

Entering meditation is like something from yesterday, and waking up today is truly fast. This is the skill of meditative concentration. Looking at these ten trillion years as a whole, it is truly bitter! What is even more bitter is that when you are a demon, you don't know that you have committed monstrous crimes. By the time you know, you have already committed monstrous crimes, and if you want to hide, it depends on whether you have the luck to continue living. I know that many partners have already been drawn away by the laws of karma and cause and effect and are suffering. I cannot bear to look at them. The older the demon, the heavier the karma, because the more evil things they have done. This is also called the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

Moreover, in this Western Land of Dharma Nature, we actually heard that we can also go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. As long as we are willing to chant the Buddha's name and sincerely make a vow to go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, the button of this lotus seat will naturally open. My spirit is now sitting on the lotus seat sending out messages and accepting this interview. I can't go anywhere; this lotus seat is strange. How is it stuck to my spirit? I can flip and move however I want, but the button stays tightly with me, making it impossible for me to leave my position. I know my chanting skill is not yet effective; I must chant harder, and I must sincerely beg the Buddha that I want to go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and then the button will open. This is very reasonable. If the sincerity is not enough, what conditions do you have to enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss? So, I am now chanting the Buddha's name as much as possible, listening to sutras and hearing the Dharma, to purify my originally dark soul. I hope that one day, the lotus button will open, and I can enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I don't want to go back to the life of the Demon Realm.

Even though I survived in the Dharma Realm for ten trillion years, those were very bitter days. Looking back, I didn't feel it at the time, but now I feel it is extremely bitter! Since one can become a Buddha, why be a demon? 'Everyone has a true self.' Taking classes here, Practitioner Su tells us in every class, as if waking up the true self in my heart.

A Final Plea

Why not chant the Buddha's name when you can, instead of being a demon? So, I advise many old demons who are still casting spells to attack Practitioner Su, as well as the ignorant demon kings, demon children, and demon grandchildren: when Buddha and demon give you a choice, if you have the opportunity to choose to be a Buddha, why choose to be a demon and suffer? That is because you have not received Buddhist education, letting your soul do whatever it wants, thinking it is a very happy thing, completely unaware that you are creating evil causes and will inevitably reap evil consequences. The Buddha is saving beings, helping beings leave suffering behind, teaching ignorant beings to become knowledgeable beings, and bringing light to those in darkness. If someone is already in critical condition, please ask them to chant 'Namo Amituofo' and quickly beg the Buddha to take them to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

I believe some people have questions: why does the Buddha save demon crowds who have committed heinous crimes and harmed so many beings? This is where the Buddha's great compassion lies. Since they have harmed so many beings, if he saves them, doesn't that mean he has saved all those beings too? The Buddha has great Wisdom! Although I, this old demon, have been in meditation for so long, there are many demon children, grandchildren, demon kings, and juniors of the old demon generation following me. Now that I have come to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, some of them will follow, right?

From the time I entered the Demon Realm until now, I have always used the name Mo Dong-hao. So, juniors who hear my appeal, Mo Dong-hao—some have gone from the Dharma Realm to other realms, some have gone to Earth, and some are in the heavens beyond the heavens. My juniors are in all the places I just mentioned, and some are now demon kings there. In short, you can hear what I am saying now; I believe the Buddha's teachings have this power. I have surrendered, so why haven't you? Actually, I didn't surrender; I was subdued. The Buddha-light is shining on me, and I have no choice. This is called being subdued, because my demonic power cannot overcome the Dharma power of the Buddha's teachings.

Having arrived here, I am now telling everyone that I am living a very good life here. I have repented and turned towards goodness. I don't want to have evil thoughts anymore; I only want to chant Namo Amituofo, and I don't want to have any other thoughts. Now I am accepting an interview, so I am bringing up past memories and telling everyone; otherwise, I wouldn't even want to think about these things. I only want to chant the Buddha's name, chant Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, chanting until I feel comfortable all over.

Since that is the case, no matter whether you have been rude and cast spells to attack Practitioner Su, come and surrender to Namo Amituofo as soon as possible! This is the only way. This is a path of life given by the Buddha's great compassion to the demon crowds! If Practitioner Su were not in the world at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia—this name is really long, which is also something I heard recently while listening to the Dharma—because the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia has Namo Amituofo helping Practitioner Su, the Western Land of Dharma Nature was built. We have encountered such a thing, so why not seize the opportunity now? I only encountered it after ten trillion years.

Is it possible for you to live for ten trillion years? Many have not lived that long before being drawn by the laws of karma and cause and effect into flames, under big mountains, pressed until their eyes bulge, or shivering in icebergs—this—teeth chattering and shivering, the whole body turning white, the skin cracking, with no one to save them. Do you want to live that kind of life? If you don't want to, come and surrender now! Stop casting spells and leave yourself a way out! The Buddha has given this great path of light for everyone to surrender. If you don't surrender now, when will you? Moreover, you can enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss; this is truly too extraordinary! This is truly a special amnesty, a great amnesty for the demon crowds. This is the Buddha's compassion.

Alright, I have said too much. Now I don't want to think about anything else. Let's stop here; I am going to chant the Buddha's name.

Namo Amituofo.

Mo Dong-hao"