The Vow to Become a Buddha

This is a record of an interview with the Venerable Ti Can, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life approximately 1,325 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on August 24, 2018.

Venerable Ti Can speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Ti Can. 'I am not here to be a mere human; I have come to become a Buddha!' When I first uttered these words, many of the adults around me doubled over in laughter.

A Child's Bold Declaration

I was only four years old at the time. My declaration caused the adults present to clutch their stomachs in fits of laughter. Someone remarked, 'How could a child speak such grand words? Becoming a Buddha is not so easily achieved.' I heard their laughter, but it did not bother me. To them, it was an unreachable goal, but I told myself: these people do not yet understand the beauty of practising the Buddha's teachings. If there is karmic affinity, I must save them.

It was not just my words that were surprising; even my mother's pregnancy was marked by strange occurrences. For the first nine months, her belly did not swell, nor were there any signs of fetal movement. Yet, the doctor confirmed she was indeed pregnant. It was a truly puzzling situation.

The Encounter with the Monkey

In the tenth month, my mother could no longer wait and decided to climb the mountain toward the local temple. It was said that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas there were highly responsive, and the monastics were eminent practitioners of great virtue. She intended to ask the masters to solve the mystery of her pregnancy.

Few laypeople visited this temple, as the path was difficult. Despite my father's objections, my mother insisted on going alone. The journey was smooth until, just as the temple came into view, a banana peel fell from the trees and struck her head. She cried out and looked up to see a monkey on a branch, emitting a 'ga-ga-ga' sound of laughter. She picked up a stone, intending to throw it at the creature, but suddenly remembered the teachings of the masters: one must treat all beings with compassion, chant the Buddha's name for them, and help them escape the cycle of rebirth. She lowered the stone.

To calm her emotions, she silently recited the Buddha's name ten times. Once composed, she turned to the monkey and chanted, 'Namo Amituofo,' guiding it to recite along so that it might one day escape the animal realm. The monkey seemed to understand perfectly. It sat quietly, listening to the Buddha's name, then slowly descended from the tree, mimicked the chanting, and lay down to sleep peacefully. My mother continued toward the temple. The moment she took a step, her belly began to vibrate—a fetal movement she had never felt before. Astonished, she hurried to the temple.

The Secret of the Temple

The masters at the temple looked at her belly and remarked to one another, 'This monkey has finally waited for the right time.' My mother, confused, asked about her unborn child. The masters simply said, 'The child in your womb will be born safely. Please, just set your heart at ease and chant the Buddha's name.' My mother gratefully replied, 'I will. I chant to my child every day, hoping that when he grows up, he will be as dignified and compassionate as you, dedicating his life to the Buddha's teachings.' The masters smiled and nodded, and after paying her respects, she left.

The masters knew the nature of this karmic connection, but the time was not yet ripe to speak. Even after she left, they remained silent, maintaining their pure hearts and continuing their diligent practice.

A few days later, my mother's belly expanded rapidly, as if inflated like a balloon. When my father returned home after a few days away, he was so shocked by the sight of her belly that he took three steps back, asking, 'How did it become so large so suddenly?' My mother, not knowing the reason, thought it must be the blessing of the Buddhas.

The Birth of Ti Can

A few days later, labor began. Even before the birth, my mother kept calling out for bananas, leading the midwife to remark to my father, 'Your wife is truly interesting.' With very little effort, the child—myself, Ti Can—was born.

A month later, my mother brought me to the temple to thank the Buddhas. Upon seeing me, the masters exclaimed, 'How alike, how alike.' When my mother asked what they meant, they explained: 'The monkey near the temple lived for a very long time. Whenever we recited sutras or gave lectures, it would come to listen, often weeping as it did so. The Abbot said it was waiting for a person with karmic affinity to appear before it would agree to be reborn. The moment you met that monkey, the conditions were met; its spirit entered your womb. Everything is connected in this marvelous way.'

A Past Life Revealed

My mother asked, 'What is my connection to this monkey, and why was it near the temple?' The master replied, 'In a past life, this monkey was a little novice in our temple. He was mischievous and loved to play pranks on his fellow practitioners. One day, while hiding in a tree to scare his master, he fell and died. Since then, his spirit had been reborn as a monkey.'

'The little novice knew he had been wrong. Although his mischievous habits remained, he understood the value of the Dharma and listened intently every day. We hoped to help him find liberation. You, madam, were his senior fellow practitioner in that past life. When he fell from the tree, you were the first to see him and taught him to chant the Buddha's name to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. He did not listen then, which is why he became a monkey. He felt great regret. Seeing you again in this life, he was overjoyed. This time, he listened to your guidance, followed the Buddha's name, and the miracle occurred.'

My mother was dumbfounded, looking at the sleeping child in her arms. She never imagined that the monkey was her former junior fellow practitioner. The karmic connections are truly subtle.

A Life Dedicated to the Dharma

The masters gave me a string of old prayer beads, which I wore around my neck constantly. As soon as I could speak, I chanted the Buddha's name beautifully. My mother would laugh, 'This child is destined to become a Buddha. From birth, he has clung tightly to the Buddha, preparing to return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss in this lifetime.' My father would add, 'He is truly a wise child.'

I opened the door to the Buddha's teachings for my mother. From the moment I was born, she began to diligently chant, recite sutras, and perform prostrations. In our study, there were many scriptures left by my grandfather, which my parents had never touched. When I was four, my mother entered the study, and I followed. Looking at the shelves, I, who had not yet learned to read, began to recite the names of the scriptures aloud. My mother was astonished. She realised that the scriptures I had studied in past lives were still stored in my Alaya consciousness. She resolved that in this life, I must be allowed to develop fully and contribute to the Buddha's teachings, so that this human body would not be wasted.

The Path of Compassion

From childhood, my mother taught me to do good and help others, always prioritising the interests of others and keeping a kind heart. I was exceptionally bright; whatever my mother taught, I could immediately apply in life, even extending the principles to various situations. Naturally, I cultivated a compassionate heart, viewing the suffering of others as my own and their joy as my own. I saw all beings as one with myself, without discrimination. My father would praise me, 'This child acts better than we adults do. We should learn from his compassion.'

Though I was young, I understood the great truths of life. I realised that this human body was merely borrowed for the purpose of practising to become a Buddha. I wanted to seize this lifetime, using this body to practise diligently and help everyone recognise the Buddha's teachings, so they might chant the Buddha's name and be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Returning to the Temple

At seven, I could not wait to enter the temple to practise. With my parents' consent, I bid them farewell, thanking them for their upbringing. Before leaving, I told my mother, 'In this life, we must seize the opportunity to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and never reincarnate again.' My mother nodded, we both pressed our palms together in prayer, recited 'Namo Amituofo,' and I turned toward the temple.

Everything in the temple felt natural and familiar. I could already see my past lives and felt deep repentance for my past ignorance and mischief. Although I had been a novice in the temple before, I had never practised seriously. I was grateful that the Buddha had given me another human body, and this time, I was determined to seize the opportunity to help all beings.

I served the community and studied the Dharma with great diligence. I worked hard to adjust my personality and habits, all to polish a heart of compassion. The scriptures were not unfamiliar to me, but I had never applied them in my daily life before. Now, I was learning to apply the teachings honestly and steadily, truly following the Dharma.

The Final Journey

By practising diligently every day without a moment of laziness, I grew rapidly within the Buddha's gate. After becoming a Bhikshu, I returned to my village to give lectures. The villagers had been waiting for this day, hoping that I would attain Buddhahood and deliver them. When I appeared, my dignified presence moved them deeply. I told them, 'Those who believe in the Buddha are Buddhas; those who chant the Buddha's name are Buddhas. Believe that you are a Buddha.' I introduced them to the Dharma, advocating for the integration of the Buddha's teachings into daily life. I taught them to cultivate their hearts, foster compassion, perform good deeds, and focus on reciting the name of Namo Amituofo to seek rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

My mother was overjoyed to see me. She and my father decided to let go of all worldly attachments and enter the temple to practise seriously, following the Buddha's path back to the West. I seized every moment to promote the Dharma. At the final stop of my journey, after completing a three-month lecture series in a village, I recited the Buddha's name before the assembly and was reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. My heart was filled with infinite gratitude for the great compassion of the Buddha.

Chao Du by Practitioner Su

As I follow Practitioner Su through the universe to perform Chao Du, although I am no longer a monkey, I naturally retain the agile and quick movements of one. Of course, I cannot move as quickly as Practitioner Su. She always carries infinite compassion, actively saving and delivering, never abandoning a single being.

Today, I arrived at a planet where the inhabitants are extremely intelligent. They were once practitioners who have now become the beings of this world. They look like aliens, but they are far more intelligent than the average extraterrestrial. Strangely, they have forgotten their past practice and only pursue immediate pleasures, using their intelligence to build an ideal kingdom.

In their realm, they enjoy endless wealth and luxury, using advanced technology to live extravagant lives, immersed in joy every day, completely forgetting the importance of chanting the Buddha's name. When the Buddha-light shone upon this kingdom of pleasure, it opened their memories of practising the Dharma. The veils were lifted, and they saw their past lives as practitioners. They wept uncontrollably. For thousands of years, they had been enjoying themselves here, forgetting that the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss was their true home. They were grateful that the Buddha had brought these wandering children back; lost for a millennium, they had finally found their way home.

The sound of the Buddha's name continues without interruption, as we continue to deliver the next group of beings with karmic affinity.

Namo Amituofo."