The Tathagata's Vows and the Salvation of the Ten Directions

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Chang Gao, who reflects upon the profound nature of the Tathagata's vows and the boundless scope of salvation. This testimony was recorded on June 28, 2019, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, where the Venerable sought deliverance and continues to reside in the light of the True Teachings.

Venerable Chang Gao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The Tathagata is truly wondrous, and the Dharma Realm is vast and profound. The philosophy of the Dharma is proclaimed and spread across the ten directions, receiving praise throughout the entire Dharma Realm. Practitioner Su possesses great power, travelling back and forth between the Saha world and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss with total freedom. The number of beings saved is endless and immeasurable. Through the teaching of the sutras and the realisation of the truth, the great cycle of birth and death is addressed. No one can escape the laws of karma and cause and effect; the hells are filled with those who have been judged, as their minds were a mixture of Goodness and evil thoughts. The Yama Kings are constantly busy with their judgements, never pausing for a single moment. In the hells, the spirits are filled with agony, wailing and begging for salvation. Only those who truly repent and those who hear the Buddha-name and follow along in chanting Namo Amituofo can be saved. The rest must continue to endure their punishments, tasting the full bitterness of their own karmic retribution.

The Illusion of the Six Realms

The ghost realm is teeming with beings, all because of their attachments—attachments to emotions, attachments to thoughts, and an obsession with everything in the world that they simply cannot let go of. In the human world, beings overlap within a thick fog, each playing their own role, completely confused and lost. They perform their parts brilliantly, constantly reminiscing about their many life stories, yet they do not realise that they have mistaken their physical bodies for their true selves. As for the animal realm, they are there to undergo their karmic retribution; their lives are short and fleeting. Whether they are flying insects, crawling creatures, or beasts, they are subject to being trampled upon at any moment, their lives hanging by a thread.

The Power of the Buddha-Name

The forms of life undergo countless transformations. Who are we really? Each story that unfolds is a result of one's own character. The Demon Realm exerts control because those beings possess the heart and nature of a demon; the Asuras are the same. Celestial beings accumulate merit, and those in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss make vows to be reborn there. Many spirits in various spaces do not know the essential key to leaving suffering behind. They remain trapped within their own dimensions, perhaps crying out in pain, or perhaps living in a state of dull, stagnant existence. Yet, a single human life can lead to endless changes. A single, sincere vow to chant 'Namo Amituofo' has boundless power. The entire, infinite Dharma Realm can be saved because of this.

A Light Across Time and Space

A single Buddha-name illuminates the entire Dharma Realm, transcending layers of time and space. We have finally encountered this supreme affinity. The Dharma Body of my Master manifests in countless ways, spreading out infinitely. The spaces where these many beings reside are being dismantled one by one. This is a deliverance that transcends time and space. Great virtuous ones and Bodhisattvas from different eras have gathered here to participate in this Dharma Assembly. I am deeply grateful to Namo Amituofo for personally leading this, and for the abundance of talent present at this Dharma site. Countless spirits are dancing in the sky, some in a hurry, others moving with grace. Every time the Buddha-name is chanted, it is a collective event involving the six realms, the ten directions, and even beyond the universe. It is incredibly bright, illuminating the dew on the earth, the rivers, and the canals. We must seize every opportunity for every sentient being to be saved. In this vast universe, this is truly precious. The Dharma affinity is immense, and the ten directions are here to welcome us.

I, Chang Gao, am fortunate to have participated in this. The Dharma Realm is rising, and the True Teachings will be spread. I am grateful that the Buddha and Practitioner Su have not forgotten the suffering of the Saha world. Every ounce of effort expended benefits sentient beings in ways that are truly endless. Namo Amituofo. This life is meant to be directed toward where the Tathagata resides."