The Ultimate Path of Buddha-Learning

This is a record of an interview with Zhou Yan, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life approximately seven hundred years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing, on October 8, 2018.

Zhou Yan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Zhou Yan. My birthplace was in Europe; my father was European, and my mother was Chinese. I was a child of mixed heritage. Although I was born in Europe, I lived in mainland China for a long time because my father was a merchant who had to travel to China regularly for trade. My mother was the daughter of a noble family. When my maternal grandfather first took her to the market to learn the art of business, she met my father, and it was love at first sight. My mother was exceptionally beautiful and possessed a unique, extraordinary temperament that few men could resist. My father was a tall, handsome European with deep inner cultivation and a mastery of trade. Not only did my mother fall for him, but my grandfather also held him in high regard. Despite being a businessman, my father was incredibly honest; the goods he traded were always authentic and of high quality. They married less than a month after meeting and travelled through Europe together, their affection for one another deep and inseparable.

A Childhood Between Two Worlds

My mother could not bear to be separated from her parents, so my father allowed her to remain in China to care for them, while he returned periodically to be with her. Two years later, I was born. My mother taught me Chinese from a young age, while my father taught me foreign languages. Consequently, I became fluent in both, which made many parents of that time quite envious; they would even bring their own children to learn foreign languages from me.

From a very young age, I felt a deep affinity for the Buddha’s teachings. I would often watch my maternal grandmother studying the sutras, reciting them, or chanting the Buddha-name. Even as a small child, I loved standing by her side, watching her, and eventually, I began to chant along. I loved the serenity of my grandmother when she chanted; the purity and meditative concentration of learning the Buddha’s path were exactly what I longed to cultivate.

The Wisdom of the Grandmother

My grandmother introduced me to the Dharma in the simplest of ways, helping me understand the importance of learning the Buddha’s path to help others. She shared many stories of the practice of eminent monks and great virtuous ones, which helped me realise that if a person is determined to let go of their own life and focus wholeheartedly on diligent practice in the Dharma, they can absolutely exert great power to save sentient beings.

My grandparents in Europe also wished to live with me. My father once took me back to Europe for a year, hoping that I would be exposed to European culture and education, and learn the trade business from him. My grandparents were very supportive of this plan.

The Futility of Worldly Knowledge

Europe has produced many famous philosophers, and I studied philosophy, mathematics, science, and economics there. However, I did not like it at all; I was not happy. After living in Europe for half a year, I fell gravely ill. My father stopped all my lessons and let me rest at home. I wept and begged my father to take me back to China. I wanted to learn the Buddha’s path; I did not want to study these philosophies, nor did I want to learn arithmetic, and even less did I want to learn business. Seeing me become increasingly depressed and physically weaker by the day—a stark contrast to how I lived in China—my father finally requested permission from my grandparents, and they eventually agreed to let me return to China.

Upon returning to China, I became full of life and energy, a completely different person from the sickly child I had been in Europe. Seeing me return to my innocent and happy self, my father decided to let me stay in China to study. I accepted his arrangement and learned Chinese, Chinese culture, the cultivation and virtues of the ancients, and their wisdom. My learning ability was very high; I had a photographic memory and quickly mastered everything taught in school.

The Choice of a Lifetime

Although I studied at school, I never forgot the Buddha’s teachings. The Buddha taught me compassion, tolerance, no-self, great love, and mind-capacity. The teachings of the Buddha did not conflict with what was taught in school; I integrated the two, applying the spirit of the Dharma into my daily life at school. Once I had mastered the basics of Chinese and traditional culture, I decided not to continue my formal education. I had already decided on my life’s purpose: to follow the Buddha and save the world. I understood that if I continued my studies, I would only be gaining knowledge, not Wisdom. If I wanted to save people, it would certainly not be through the knowledge taught in schools, but through the compassion, mind-capacity, and Wisdom taught by the Buddha.

My father did not understand the Dharma; he only knew Christianity and other religions. He did not approve of me dedicating my life to religion, thinking it would be better to learn more business skills, navigation, or study to become an official—things he believed would help my future. My grandparents in Europe agreed with my father. They believed that a young person should focus on their studies, find a good job, earn money, and then marry and raise a family to build a happy life.

The Power of Compassion

I understood that my grandparents and father did not know the Dharma and did not realise the importance of saving the world. It was normal for them to think this way, as most worldly people spend their entire lives like that. They truly did not know what else there was to do in life if one did not study, work, and marry.

I invited my grandparents and father to visit China. They were very happy to be invited, as they had long wanted to see the country. I cherished every day they were in China, taking them to famous mountains and great temples to see the monastics practising diligently. I also took them to many impoverished areas. Having lived their lives in the comfort of the upper class in Europe, like living in a castle, they had never seen such poverty. If they had not seen it with their own eyes, it would have been difficult for them to imagine. They were shocked that people in this world could live in such misery. They immediately took out their money to give to them, but I told them, "Although they need money, we cannot give them money forever. We should teach them how to leave suffering behind. Only by teaching them to chant Namo Amituofo and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land can they truly attain liberation." As they watched me introduce the Dharma to these poor people and explain the magnificence of the Western Pure Land, they listened quietly. Although they did not understand much at first, through day-to-day contact, they began to understand the Dharma more and more.

The Transformation of the Elders

My grandparents were the same age as my maternal grandmother, but their appearance, Wisdom, and mental agility were not as sharp as hers. My grandmother had studied the Buddha’s path for many years and viewed everything in the world with detachment. She let everything follow its natural course and did not force anything; she would not let any trivial matter disturb her heart. The world is truly illusory; afflictions, delusions, and emotions are all false. The more clearly my grandmother saw this, the more she knew how to let go. Her words and actions naturally radiated a dignified temperament, which my grandparents admired greatly. They had never seen such a dignified elderly person, and only then did they realise the vast difference between an elder who practises the Buddha’s path and one who does not.

My grandparents began to take an interest in the Dharma. I taught them to chant the Buddha-name and explained the sutras to them in simple terms, telling them that only by seeking rebirth in the West could they attain ultimate liberation from suffering. Namo Amituofo is compassionate; when my grandmother was chanting with a focused heart, she saw the Buddha’s golden light. At that moment, she completely believed that the Buddha truly exists in this world. The warm Buddha-light shone upon her, and her existing illnesses were relieved. She became deeply convinced that chanting the Buddha-name could truly save people.

A Life Dedicated to the Dharma

My grandparents and father fully supported my decision to learn the Buddha’s path and save the world. Finally, I was able to focus wholeheartedly on diligent practice. At the age of fifteen, I bade farewell to my family and entered the temple alone to practise. After achieving success in my practice, I began to go out and lecture on the Dharma, introducing it to beings of different capacities in various ways, allowing everyone to easily and naturally come into contact with the Dharma. I encouraged them to chant Namo Amituofo at any time, to keep Namo Amituofo in their hearts always, and to learn the Buddha’s compassion and spirit.

In this life, I fulfilled my wish to propagate the Dharma and save sentient beings in the world. At the end of my life, I knew the time of my passing in advance and attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Living Pure Land

Every day, I am with Practitioner Su, helping her recover the strength in her legs. Practitioner Su’s cells are filled with compassion; every blood vessel flows with the name of Namo Amituofo, never ceasing for a single moment. I finally understand that Practitioner Su’s body is a Western Pure Land. It turns out that the Western Pure Land does not need to be sought from afar; all phenomena arise from the mind. As long as people in this world hold a compassionate and kind heart, the worldly realm can also be the Western Pure Land.

I follow Practitioner Su into the universe to perform Chao Du for all spirits. The spaces I once existed in were so complex, filled with all kinds of planets, and all those beings had karmic affinities with me. I am grateful for this magnificent opportunity to save these beings. Watching them attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land, one group after another, leaving suffering behind to gain happiness—this moment is truly beautiful. I am grateful for the compassion of Namo Amituofo, and I am grateful for the compassion of Practitioner Su."

Namo Amituofo.