The Twin Brother Hidden Within: A Journey of Healing

The Call for Compassion

On the 17th of May, 2017, the disciple Shi Haize approached the Buddha to seek guidance. The disciple asked, "Namo Amituofo, today, should I record the words of the Buddha, or should I invite the spirits for the fourfold assembly of disciples?"

Namo Amituofo replied, "Haize, my child, today we shall invite the spirit-beings who have a karmic connection and are seeking the Dharma and compassion." The disciple expressed deep gratitude for the Buddha's boundless mercy.

Teachings from Namo Amituofo

Namo Amituofo then offered these teachings:

"Observe with a clear eye, child of Dharma and compassion. The fourfold assembly of disciples has needs within this Buddha-land. According to their requirements, the Buddha manifests in various forms. You have entered this life through your mother, and now you have the opportunity to appear as a Bhikshu in this Buddha-land. Only by restoring the true Bhikshu body can you resolve the grievances of the past.

If you truly have the heart to follow the Buddha's path, you must practise diligently right here. The actions and thoughts of your past are like cold ashes, devoid of light or brilliance. Everything from the past will flow away. From this moment on, let your heart be moved to act for the sake of all beings."

The Hidden Presence

Shi Haize then turned to the spirit standing beside the practitioner, known as Fa Ci. The spirit, who appeared as a young child, seemed eager. Haize observed, "You seem very hungry, devouring your food as if you have not eaten in ages."

The spirit replied, "I am indeed very hungry! You are very kind. I have finally eaten my fill!"

Haize asked, "What is your relationship with Fa Ci, and why do you stay by his side?"

The spirit explained, "I am his replica, the Fa Ci from when we were very young. I have always been on him, yet I could never eat enough. I was constantly hungry, constantly running to the restroom, and my flatulence was so foul. I never understood why. My parents never seemed to come home to me."

The Tragedy of the Womb

Haize asked, "May I call you Little Fa Ci?" The spirit agreed. "I see that Fa Ci has grown up now. He is different from when we were small. Do you see how much we look alike?"

Haize inquired about why the spirit had appeared now and where he had been hiding. The spirit began to weep, "No one knows, not even our parents. We were originally twins, growing up together. At some point, I stopped growing. I wanted to break free from these shackles, but a membrane held me tightly. I could not move, while he continued to grow and move. I knew we were one body; we looked so much alike. I was so hungry, but the nutrition from our mother never reached me. As he grew, I was crushed, flattened against him, until one day we were squeezed together and merged into one."

The Pain of Being Unseen

The spirit continued, "I saw our parents doting on him. I did not want to see such scenes. Why were we so different? He was frail, yet he received all the best food prepared for him. I wanted to eat, but I could not; I could only watch. I wanted to grow, but I could not. Our sister was so kind to him. I envied him so much. When she did not know something, she would call out to him, but no one ever called me. No one knew I existed. No one gave me food. I was so sad; sometimes I would cry until I was exhausted and fell asleep."

The Karmic Truth

Haize realised the truth: "Namo Amituofo! As you speak, I see it clearly. You and Fa Ci were identical twins. In the womb, you grew together, but you suffered from defects in your digestive system. The nutrition from the umbilical cord could not be absorbed by you, so your body withered while your spirit remained. You were both protected by the amniotic sac until birth. Because of the limited space in the womb, you felt crushed, and at birth, your spirit merged with his. Your digestive issues and the foul flatulence were actually yours, manifesting through Fa Ci. This is truly an unimaginable situation."

A Path to Freedom

The spirit, who called himself Xiao Hao, shared that he had never thought of leaving. "But now, because of the bright light—it must be Namo Amituofo—who is smiling at me with such compassion, I feel drawn to you. I have never thought of leaving Fa Ci's body, but now that I have separated, I feel so free and light. I am no longer being crushed."

Haize asked if he would like to go to the Western Land of Dharma-Nature at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Xiao Hao was hesitant, as he was used to being with Fa Ci. Haize encouraged him, "It is a wonderful place. You can have whatever you wish to eat, you will be full, and you will no longer have foul flatulence! If you chant 'Namo Amituofo,' you can go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and be with Namo Amituofo forever. You will be able to be with Fa Ci always."

Xiao Hao asked, "Can I be with my parents and sister forever too?" Haize assured him, "Yes, they will all return to the Western Pure Land in the future. You can go there first and wait for them."

Xiao Hao agreed, "Alright, I will go there and wait. Is Practitioner Su there?" Haize replied, "Yes, Namo Amituofo is always there, and Practitioner Su is always there too." Satisfied, Xiao Hao decided to go, waiting for the final confirmation from Practitioner Su.

Namo Amituofo.