The Truth of Body and Space: An Interview with Shi Zhengru

This is a record of an interview with Shi Zhengru, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his journey through various realms of existence and his eventual realisation of the Truth beyond the Pratyekabuddha realm. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxi, on August 4, 2020.

Shi Zhengru speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am profoundly grateful for this magnificent opportunity to attain rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. To have broken through the barriers of my previous realm is a blessing that is truly rare and magnificent! The compassionate grace and great virtue of the Buddha are things I can never fully repay. I am also deeply thankful for the assistance of Practitioner Su; I cherish this opportunity immensely.

Seventy billion years ago, the world was not as polluted as it is today; it was a place of peace. I was born in a small fishing village to parents who were hardworking fishers. On the day of my birth, the village suffered a catastrophic seawater intrusion. Everyone in the village perished, and only our family survived because my parents were at a midwife's home in a neighbouring village for my delivery. My mother suffered for a long time, and after finally bringing me into the world, she passed away from postpartum haemorrhage on that very day. My father held me, weeping and laughing all at once. When he returned home to find the village submerged and everything lost, he could no longer hold back his sobs. My arrival was marked by unavoidable impermanence. My father, suppressing his grief, took me to live with relatives in a nearby village, working tirelessly to provide for me.

The Voices of the Suffering

As time passed, I grew older. By the age of five, I began helping my father dry fishing nets and sometimes accompanied him out to sea. Watching the fish being pulled from the water, struggling and gasping, I curiously asked them, 'Are you in pain?' To my surprise, the fish actually responded. A large fish told me, 'Release my children, and I will let you catch me instead!' I was astonished: 'You can speak?' The large fish replied, 'We possess consciousness just like humans, but due to the cycle of reincarnation, we have become fish. We have families and emotions, too. My children are still young; please give them more time to live happily. We know that a fish's life is short, and even if we are killed and eaten, it is our fate and our karmic retribution. But I beg you, please release my children; they have only just been born...'

After hearing this, I searched through the nets and found a group of tiny, dark fish. Seeing they were on the verge of death, I quietly returned them to the sea. Watching them regain their vitality and swim away happily, I felt a sense of relief. The large fish then said, 'Thank you for your kindness. You have a pure heart. I want to tell you that even though we are destined to be hunted and killed, if you can refrain from eating our flesh, you will be able to maintain the clarity within your heart. All living beings have life; when we are slaughtered, we feel pain and harbour resentment, which pollutes your soul. I hope you can always keep your soul this clean and untainted. This is my way of thanking you for saving my children.' Having said this, the large fish ended its own life. I was heartbroken and remained silent for the rest of the journey back to shore.

A Lesson from the Cattle

The large fish was sold at the village market, and my father bought a portion of its meat. Back home, I could not bear to eat it. Watching it being cooked, I wept uncontrollably. I told my father what had happened, but he dismissed it as the ramblings of a child and coaxed me to eat. I finished quickly and pretended to sleep. I believed the fish's words and resolved never to eat seafood again, knowing they were sentient beings.

I stopped going out to sea, fearing the sight of the fish struggling in their final moments. My father, thinking I was simply afraid of the act of fishing, allowed me to stay home and dry nets. When I had free time, I helped the neighbours, who would reward me with extra food to share with my father. I enjoyed this work because it allowed me to help him.

Though I was only five, I was diligent. One day, while cleaning cow dung at a neighbouring farm, I felt dizzy under the scorching sun. I accidentally bumped into a cow that was defecating. The cow exclaimed, 'Who is it? Who bumped into me while I am busy?' I apologised profusely, explaining I was dizzy from the smell. The cow, annoyed, told me to go home if I could not handle the work. As I turned to leave, I heard a low, intermittent sobbing from a mother cow nearby. I approached her and asked if she was crying. She looked up and said, 'Yes, child. It is rare to find a human who can hear me. Your heart is very pure.' She explained that her mate was about to be slaughtered and her newborn calf was to be taken away. She said, 'I have consciousness, but I cannot stop this. Thank you for comforting me.' I asked why the humans would do this, and she replied, 'You are too innocent. Humans raise us only to fatten us up for profit. Our flesh is filled with resentment and anger, which will pollute your soul. All animals have consciousness and hate being killed. Do not eat our meat, or your body will suffer.' I promised her I would not, and I wept as I was led away by the adults.

The Wisdom of the Forest

After this, I decided to stop eating all meat. My father, seeing my resolve and the change in my demeanour, finally took my words to heart. He decided we should leave that place to find a better environment for my growth, and he, too, began to follow a vegetarian diet.

We travelled for months, learning as we went. On the first day, as night fell, my father struggled to find shelter. I heard a voice from a tree hollow: 'Child, climb in quickly! The poisonous insects are coming out. If you are bitten, even the immortals cannot save you!' I saw strange, writhing worms emerging from the ground and urged my father to climb up. Once inside, I told him what I had heard. He was astonished and told me to thank the elder. The elder laughed, 'Do not be so formal. We have a karmic affinity. Remember, your keen awareness is meant for awakening and realising your true nature! I am old, but you are young and still possess a human body; you must practise diligently!' The elder then fell silent. This experience made me realise how many unknown dimensions exist in space, and I became determined to uncover them.

The next morning, we felt refreshed and energised. The elder appeared again and explained, 'The cool space within the tree hollow has purified you. Nature's energy is infinite. Humans have their own energy, but complex thoughts and emotions create chaotic magnetic fields, causing energy loss. By merging with nature, you can utilise this energy. Do not rush to know who I am; once you learn to unlock the secrets of space, you will understand all things.'

The Weight of Resentment

As we continued our journey, I encountered a village where I heard a piercing, miserable scream from a pigsty. My father only heard the standard squeals, but I heard the pig pleading, 'Save me! Please don't kill me! If you kill me, I will hate you!' As the pig died, I heard it whisper, 'I hate you! I will take revenge!' I saw its soul emerge—a woman's soul with a pig's head—and it charged into the body of the butcher. For a moment, the butcher's face transformed into a pig's head, and I recoiled in terror. The butcher, unaware of his karmic debt, invited us to dinner. When I saw the pork on the table, I felt the intense hatred radiating from it. I refused to eat, and when I finally tried the vegetables, I vomited, tasting the 'pig-flavour' and sensing the spirits of the slaughtered animals. My father and I left immediately, both feeling physically ill.

We eventually entered a tea house with a suffocating atmosphere. I sensed something was wrong with the owner and urged my father to leave. As we stepped outside, my father collapsed. We were captured by men from the tea house, which was a front for a criminal enterprise. I was locked in a shed, and a voice from the wall told me to escape through a small hole. It told me my father had already been killed. I escaped into the woods, weeping, and eventually stumbled into a world filled with shifting, incomprehensible totems. I had entered the 'World of All Things'.

The World of All Things

At eight years old, I entered this dimension. The grass spirits spoke to me, welcoming me because of my pure heart. In this space, there were no complex human desires, only the simple growth of all things. I spent a long time there, recovering from my trauma, but I began to wonder: if there are so many different spaces, is there a space that is not limited? Why are some spirits human, some animals, and some plants? Why can the spirit not be the master of its own existence? I realised that my own organs—my liver, lungs, and stomach—all had their own consciousness and memories. The meat I had eaten in the past had left behind the trauma of slaughter, which polluted my body. I realised that eating a vegetarian diet was essential for maintaining clarity.

I returned to the human world and discovered that decades had passed, yet I still looked like an eight-year-old. I realised that ageing is driven by the mind's attachment to time and thought. Without these attachments, the body does not change. I was determined to break free from the limitations of the human body.

Breaking the Chains of the Body

I observed many people. One woman was trapped by her emotional entanglements with her family, her body cells filled with the 'space' of her attachments. Another man, a wealthy merchant, was trapped by his greed and lust. His body was a storage house for his desires, which controlled his spirit. I saw that most people are completely enslaved by their bodies and their own mental projections. They are lost in the cycle of reincarnation because they mistake the body for their true self.

I retreated to the mountains to practise in solitude. I observed the internal 'theatre' of my own body—the arguments between muscles and bones, the complex rhythms of the brain, and the constant movement of the heart. I realised that none of this was 'me'. I began to train my spirit to separate from the body, to stop responding to the body's demands for food, sleep, and desire. I discovered that once the body's basic needs are met, it begins to 'imagine'—creating desires, interests, and pursuits. I resolved to abandon this body entirely.

The Pratyekabuddha Realm and Beyond

After about a year, I achieved a true breakthrough. My spirit left the body, though I initially had to return to maintain control. Eventually, I reached a state of absolute clarity, transcending the world of all things. My spirit entered the Pratyekabuddha realm. It was cool, pure, and transcended the six realms of existence. I thought I had attained liberation.

However, upon encountering the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I saw the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I realised that the Pratyekabuddha realm was not the ultimate Truth. I had been practising for myself, to break through for my own sake, which was not the complete, selfless perfection of the Buddha. The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is the true path of awakening, righteousness, and purity—a place where there is no 'self', only the selfless deliverance of all beings. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is a magnificent Dharma field, a place of infinite potential. To practise here is a rare opportunity that everyone should cherish.

I am deeply grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for this magnificent karmic affinity. I hope my sharing helps you understand the nature of space and the obstacles of the body. Do not be trapped by your physical form; use it to break through the limitations of space. Let the spirit be the master, and do not let the body master you. Namo Amituofo."

Namo Amituofo.