The Thunder God Who Brought Rain to Taiwan

This is a record of an interview with Lin Wushun, a Thunder God who participated in bringing rain to the southern region of Taiwan. He sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia and now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life and his observations of the spiritual realm. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on April 25, 2021.

Thunder God Lin Wushun speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Having witnessed the power of Practitioner Su's Chao Du, I must humbly bow in respect! Across the world, droughts are frequent, yet I have never seen anyone capable of resolving such disasters. Now that I have seen the scene of Practitioner Su's deliverance, I fold my hands in a gesture of deep respect. I truly admire Practitioner Su; he is without a doubt the first person in history to achieve this!

The Hidden Reality of Taiwan

On the same island of Taiwan, what the physical eyes of ordinary people see is merely the physical landscape. But what the Buddha's eye sees is the immeasurable number of sentient beings within the space of the island. They are densely packed, covering the entire island like thousands of layers of heavy, thick clouds. Among these spirits, there is resentment and hatred, forming a powerful force that blocks the generation of moisture, preventing rain from falling. This is the karma created by the people of Taiwan, and now they are all suffering the consequences, enduring the hardship of a water shortage.

When a drought occurs in a region, the first to suffer are the earthly creatures and aquatic life. Especially when riverbeds dry up, the creatures within the water cannot escape death. These spirits remain in the space; if no one opens up the space for them, it is difficult for them to leave their suffering behind. From the time the tectonic plates pushed up the island of Taiwan until now, how many lives have appeared and vanished? Between life and death, there are spirits—immeasurable and boundless, impossible to count!"

The Compassion of Practitioner Su

"Practitioner Su, out of compassion for the suffering of beings, uses his Dharma Body to open up the space for the spirits of Taiwan. This allows these spirits to awaken from the space, see the light, and seek salvation. For those spirits filled with resentment and hatred, Practitioner Su teaches the Dharma daily, resolving their conflicts and allowing them to see their past, so they understand that everything is a matter of Causal Conditions—why hold onto resentment? Some spirits, after hearing Practitioner Su's teachings, suddenly wake up and rush to seek Chao Du. Others still harbour deep hatred and require continuous teaching through the Buddha's teachings. Those who are willing to be saved are immediately freed from suffering, while those who are not yet willing remain in the space, suffering as they are bound by false love and hate. Are people in the world not the same? Why let yourself be trapped in a world of illusions, rushing about busily every day and obscuring your own spirit? Practitioner Su urges all spirits to wake up, and human beings should wake up too. Only when you wake up will you realise how foolish you have been, and understand that what you cling to is empty and leads only to suffering.

I am Lin Wushun, from Sichuan. My speech carries a bit of a Sichuan accent; that is our characteristic. However, after my spirit left my body, my way of speaking changed somewhat. That is my true nature; it is who I originally was."

A Life of Righteousness and Laughter

"When I was alive, I was a man who spoke loudly and was straightforward and bold. My build was a bit stout, which made me look quite likeable. I had many friends, and everyone liked me because I was sincere and easy to get along with. I lost my father when I was young, and my mother raised me single-handedly. My bond with her was especially deep. I knew how hard she worked, and I was particularly filial to her. The thing my mother and I had most in common was our laughter. Whenever we laughed, that bold, hearty sound was something others could hardly imitate, because it was genuine laughter—not just a smile on the face. Many people asked me, 'Why can you laugh so freely?' I told them, 'I am a person who doesn't keep things on my mind. Regarding worldly affairs, I don't take them too seriously. Anything can be simple; it's not about being sloppy, but about not letting things weigh on my heart. Living this way, one can be very relaxed and at ease, naturally able to laugh heartily.' They asked again, 'I want to learn, but why can't I?' I told them, 'My mother taught me from a young age to take things lightly, to be content, and to be grateful. I can do this naturally because of the influence of my education and upbringing.'

I loved playing the drums. From a young age, I liked to take two chopsticks and tap on tables, chairs, pots, and bowls—anything that could make a sound, I would tap on. I discovered that the thing most like a drum was the bucket where my mother kept her jewellery. I knew she hid it under the bed, and every day when she wasn't looking, I would take it out to tap on. Once, I got too carried away and accidentally broke a hole in the bucket. I was so scared that I quickly put it back under the bed and pretended I knew nothing about it. That day, my mother actually came to ask me, 'Did you take something from under my bed?' I am a person who cannot keep secrets; what I haven't said is clearly written on my face. My mother knew as soon as she saw me. Before I could even answer, she put her hands on her hips and said with a stern expression, 'Go kneel!'"

The Drummer of the Temple

"My mother knew I liked drums and actually wanted to buy one for me, but she didn't have that much money. It would have been too much of a burden for her, and I didn't want her to spend so much money just for a drum.

Hu Ban was a brother I grew up with; he lived right next door, and our bond was closer than that of biological brothers. When we were little, to sleep together, I would sneak over to his house while my mother was asleep. As soon as Hu Ban heard my signal, he would open the door for me. We would play all night and only fall asleep just before dawn. We had planned that I would sneak back home and lie in bed before daybreak so my mother wouldn't discover I had gone out. Unexpectedly, once we fell asleep, we forgot all our plans. The one who came to wake me up was the wooden stick in my mother's hand! I was beaten quite miserably that day, and from then on, I didn't dare do such things again. But whenever we recall that scene, we still find it funny! Every time we think of it, we both laugh together.

One day, Hu Ban ran to me excitedly and said, 'I found a place with a drum you can play!' I asked, 'Where?' Hu Ban said, 'I saw a big drum in the nearby temple today!' I told him, 'That's a temple drum; you can't just play it.' Hu Ban said, 'Don't worry, the temple caretaker is my uncle. Just tell him, and it'll be fine. Come with me!' Hearing this, I was so excited that I followed him to the temple."

The Power of Righteousness

"When I saw the big drum, I was thrilled and wanted to grab the drumsticks and start playing, but I couldn't do that before asking the caretaker. I had to wait until Hu Ban spoke to him. The caretaker came out and told Hu Ban, 'The ritual instruments in the temple cannot be played casually. They must be used on important festivals. If played randomly, it will interfere with ghosts and deities, or even attract them to possess you.' He asked, 'Who wants to play?' Hu Ban immediately pointed at me and said, 'It's my brother, Wushun.' The caretaker looked at me for a long time and said, 'Fine, let him try! But I must inform the spirits first.' After saying some words I didn't understand, he told me, 'Alright, you can play!' I happily grabbed the drumsticks and started. To my surprise, the sound of the drum I played shook the heavens. The caretaker, who could see ghosts and deities, said, 'Many evil spirits and wicked spirits have all been driven away by your drum sound!' Hu Ban asked curiously, 'Why is that?' The caretaker said, 'He has a righteous energy within him, and the drum sound he produces naturally carries a powerful force that makes evil spirits retreat.' Hu Ban asked, 'Why does Wushun have such strong righteous energy?' The caretaker replied, 'The first time I saw Wushun's face, I knew he was an upright person, and his mental note is very positive. Of course, it also has to do with his past. I suspect he was a celestial deity in his past life. Doesn't he look like one?' When the caretaker said this, Hu Ban looked at me seriously and agreed, 'He really does look a bit like one.' I had never thought of myself as looking like a celestial deity, but hearing the caretaker say it, I found it quite interesting.

After that, the caretaker kindly told me, 'If you want to play the drums again, there is a discarded drum in the warehouse out back. You can come and play it whenever you like, though its sound isn't as good as this new one.' I was already satisfied to have a drum to play, so I thanked him quickly."

The Warning of the Seer

"When I was fifteen, a man who claimed to have supernatural powers came to our village. He could read the heavens and stars, see a person's past and future destiny, and even call for wind and rain. He was a very capable person. Many villagers went to him, wanting to know their fate. I didn't have a particular desire to know, so while everyone else went to him, Hu Ban and I were still playing in the open field. The seer saw me and walked over, asking, 'Child, do you want to get married in this life?' I was very puzzled and asked, 'I have never thought about marriage, and I don't know if I will in the future. Currently, I have no great interest in it; I feel it's fine just living with my mother.' The seer said, 'If you never touch a woman in this life, you can protect yourself, keep the energy and righteous energy within your body, and it won't be lost to women. In the future, you can save the whole village. But if you become infatuated with a woman and live with her, you will lose all your abilities.' This sounded very mysterious, but I didn't disbelieve it, so I kept it in mind.

I kept thinking about what the seer said. Indeed, I felt more and more that I had an energy within me. Especially when I didn't let my mind wander, my energy was extremely powerful, filling my whole body with vitality, perhaps even allowing me to go without sleep for a day. I even tried it once; when my energy was at its strongest, I could use thought power to change things. After that succeeded, I didn't dare try it again, fearing that without a teacher, I might bring trouble upon myself."

The Test of Temptation

"When I was eighteen, I returned home one day, and my mother asked, 'Wushun, what happened today? Why is your face black?' I replied, 'Nothing happened. I went to work at my great-uncle's house and came straight back.' My mother said, 'Think again. Something must have happened, otherwise your face wouldn't look like this, and your eyes are different from usual.' I listened to her and thought carefully, then suddenly remembered: 'Ah!' My mother asked, 'What is it? Did you remember?' I told her, 'On the way home, a young lady's handkerchief was blown away by the wind and landed right at my feet. I picked it up, and she and her maid ran over to thank me, saying it was a gift from her father that day and was very important to her. I wanted to turn and leave, but she suddenly reached out and grabbed my sleeve, asking, "May I ask the young master's name?" I was startled by her action, and when I turned my head, our eyes met. I saw her watery, charming eyes, and at that moment, I felt my heart tremble, but I quickly suppressed it. Perhaps... my face turned black at that very instant?' My mother said, 'That must be it! It must be! It seems that what the seer said years ago was right! You really cannot touch women in this life! You only looked for a moment and felt a heartbeat, and your face turned black immediately. You scared me to death!' Not only that, but that day, I felt as if I had lost all my energy, completely different from my usual vibrant self. I knew then that women were truly a great disaster for me! I swore never to touch a woman in this life, or I wouldn't even be able to save my own life ten times over.

After that incident, once when I was out with my mother, I was walking beside her discussing something when a woman approached, seemingly to ask a question. I was so scared that I kept my eyes on the ground the whole time, fearing that just one look would make my face turn black again. After she left, my mother laughed until she cried, saying, 'Be more natural. You were too unnatural just now. You need to slowly hone your skills. Even if the woman standing in front of you is the most beautiful, you should be able to look at her and have your heart remain unmoved. That is natural.' To achieve what my mother said, I needed time and opportunities to practice, otherwise, this body is very hard to control. Fortunately, I never had much interest in women anyway; if it weren't for this body acting up, I wouldn't want to be moved by a woman at all."

The Final Battle

"When I was thirty-five, it was said that a great disaster would soon befall our village, and many lives would be lost. When I heard this, I seemed to be able to see the tragic aftermath. I knew this was a disaster attracted by mental notes, and there were many spirits in the space related to this disaster. To prevent it, I tried hard to change people's hearts. I have always been upright, so the villagers trusted me, and they were willing to listen to what I said. I urged everyone to think good thoughts and not have any bad mental notes. Under my constant reminders, the magnetic field of the village changed a lot, but a force seemed to be closing in. My friend Hu Ban said, 'Someone in the next village learned evil arts and used them to summon many evil and wicked spirits. They are now densely packed above our village. If we don't drive them away, the disaster will likely still happen. By the way, remember when you played the drums as a child? The caretaker said your drum sound could drive these spirits away. Try it!' Hearing this, I remembered—that was over twenty years ago, and I had almost forgotten. I immediately went to the temple, borrowed the big drum, moved it to the central square of the village, and began to beat it toward the heavens. The sound shook the sky, and the densely packed grey-black spirits were all driven away by my drum sound. I played for three consecutive days, finally restoring peace to the village. I calmed my mind to observe the heavens, the hearts of the people, and the magnetic field of the village, confirming that everything had truly calmed down.

This event cost me a great deal of energy. Perhaps those evil spirits tried to invade my body while I was driving them away, but I was fearless. To protect the villagers, even if it meant sacrificing my life, I was willing.

My body became more and more sensitive, and I felt many spirits trying to enter me. I used my righteous energy to constantly repel them, but many still entered when I was off guard, especially when I was saving people. They were dissatisfied with my interference and attacked me fiercely, but I remained fearless. Whatever I could do, I was willing to do with my life, even if it meant sacrificing myself."

Rebirth in the Western Pure Land

"My life ended at the age of forty-three. That year, to save a woman who had gone mad, I confronted a group of stubborn spirits. They were very fierce, and I couldn't resist them for a moment, so they invaded my body. Although my righteous power wasn't enough to let them harm me immediately, their presence within me affected my body. After a serious illness that year, I passed away at the age of forty-three.

After my spirit left my body, I immediately walked toward the light and entered the Heavenly Palace. The Jade Emperor told me, 'You have completed a round in the human world and finally returned.' It turned out I was indeed a celestial deity in the heavens in the past. This time, upon my return, the Jade Emperor appointed me to the position of Thunder God, working in coordination with the Lightning God, and I have served as the Thunder God ever since.

This causal condition of the Taiwan drought has allowed me to be saved by Practitioner Su's Dharma Body and given me the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am filled with infinite gratitude.

Practitioner Su has exerted tremendous power in saving Taiwan from the drought. His Dharma Body stands above the major reservoirs, and immeasurable and boundless spirits are constantly being taken away along with the golden light. Many fly out from the space, are pulled up from the ground—densely packed, they keep emerging. Many of them are eager to seek salvation; seeing the light, they keep rushing forward. Many of these spirits were Taiwanese in the past. After reincarnation, some became ghosts, some became animals, some became flowers and plants, or insects and dust. Whatever mental notes and thoughts they had before death, they became the beings corresponding to them after death. Now, they have become spirits lingering in the space. Only because Practitioner Su opened up the space were they able to leave and seek salvation.

Under Practitioner Su's continuous Chao Du, rain will keep falling, and it will soon bring sufficient water to the reservoirs, resolving this disaster. This is the first time I have seen a human being exert such great power. Practitioner Su is truly a saviour, the hope of the Taiwanese people, a living Buddha returned.

Gratitude to the Buddha for his compassion. Gratitude to Practitioner Su for his compassion.

Lin Wushun

Memorial Tablet: Thunder God who participated in rain-seeking for the Taiwan drought and rain-seeking Chao Du in the southern region, along with the creatures brought by the Thunder God, the Thunder God's family members, and the connected spirits in the space of Taiwan's rainfall. The number is immeasurable. Representative: Lin Wushun (Seeking restoration, seeking purification, seeking Chao Du).

Entered the Western Dharma-Nature Land at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre."