The Trials of the Path

This is a record of an interview with the First Patriarch of Huayan, Venerable Dushun, regarding the trials faced by the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This session was recorded by Venerable HaiZe on February 27, 2018.

Venerable Dushun speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am the First Patriarch of Huayan, Venerable Dushun. To bring a great undertaking to fruition requires an immense amount of vow, strength, persistence, and unwavering perseverance. It is a continuous, unbroken chain of effort. Think about the blood, sweat, and tears that must be woven into such a process. It is precisely because of this struggle that the outcome becomes so unique and so profoundly precious."

The Crucible of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre

"Since the inception of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the students of Hsiang Kuang have endured countless trials. Whether it is the internal adjustments in roles and the shifting dynamics of how we relate to one another, or the external challenges—such as the recent cases of those who came seeking healing—the path has been anything but smooth. Observe the actions of those who returned to Hong Kong after receiving help: some have become dedicated volunteers in spreading the Dharma, while others have retreated, their hearts hardening to the point of wanting to harm the very people who saved them. It is truly said that 'one type of rice feeds a hundred different kinds of people.' This is the nature of the karmic conditions between the temple and these individuals. Though these conditions are complex and tangled, within the grand operation of this universe, the Law of Cause, Condition, and Effect proceeds with a rhythmic, orderly precision. This is the profound mystery of the Truth."

Breaking the Boundaries of Tradition

"The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has stepped outside the rigid frames and limitations of traditional Buddhism. Following the instructions of Namo Amituofo, who abides in this world, we are stepping out of secular concepts, one step at a time, to unleash our innate ability to save the masses and rescue the world. After Practitioner Su realised the absolute truth, he understood that in today's society, to truly help people, one must make them understand a vital point: once the physical body decays and is exhausted, the continuation of one's spiritual life—free from the cycle of rebirth and the various sufferings of samsara—can only be achieved through rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

The Awakening of the Spirit

"To lead people to such an awakening requires more than just words. One must possess the capability to demonstrate, in a direct and tangible way, the improvement and recovery of their physical bodies and their suffering. Only then will they truly accept what you say and what you do. Under the watchful care of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the ancestral masters, and the guidance of Practitioner Su, the students of Hsiang Kuang continue to march forward."

"Recognise Namo Amituofo, believe in Namo Amituofo, and you will be able to live out the true power of your own life! Rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is the only true liberation! Namo Amituofo."