The Gift of the Sacred Buddha-Beads

This is a record of an interview with Qin Fenglan, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon her life approximately 315 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on July 28, 2019.

Venerable Qin Fenglan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Qin Fenglan. If I have managed to survive and find my way in this world, I owe the greatest debt of gratitude to my mother. She once told me that I was not her biological child. When she was young, she suffered from a severe illness, and the doctor told her, 'It is impossible for you to ever conceive.' When my grandmother heard this diagnosis, she nearly fainted. In those days, a woman who could not bear children was considered useless, as if her life held no meaning at all. My grandmother once said to her, 'How could any man in this world want to bring home a hen that cannot lay eggs?' That remark haunted my mother for a long time; she was only ten years old when it happened.

A Mother's Search for Meaning

Driven by the pain of her perceived inadequacy, my mother wandered alone for an entire month. During that time, she was constantly searching, trying to find the meaning of her own existence. She feared that if she could not find it, she would truly be nothing more than that 'useless hen' my grandmother described. She searched everywhere, but found nothing. Finally, she collapsed onto a large rock and wept bitterly, crying until she had no tears left. Just as she wiped her eyes, she noticed a string of beads lying beside the rock. She picked them up and examined them closely. Each bead was engraved with a swastika—a symbol she had never seen before. Even then, she knew these were no ordinary beads; they held a profound significance.

My mother carried the beads with her, asking everyone she met if they belonged to them, but no one knew their origin. After a week of searching, she grew exhausted and sat down in a corner by the roadside, placing the beads in front of her. Suddenly, a person rushed up to her, grabbed the beads, and exclaimed with joy, 'Finally, I have found them!' Looking at the person's attire, my mother assumed she must be a maidservant from a wealthy household. The maid asked urgently, 'How did you come to have these Buddha-beads?' My mother replied in surprise, 'Buddha-beads? So that is what they are called!' It was only then that she learned the name of the beads engraved with the swastika.

The Sacred Beads and the First Encounter

At that moment, a sedan chair appeared, and a beautiful woman stepped out. She asked her maid, 'Hong'er, have you found them?' The maid immediately handed the beads to the woman and said, 'Miss, I have found them! This young girl helped us recover them.' The maid pointed to my mother, who nodded in acknowledgement. The woman smiled and expressed her gratitude: 'Young lady, thank you for finding these beads for me. They are incredibly important to me.' My mother, confused, asked, 'What is a Buddha?' The woman, realising my mother had never heard of the Buddha, quickly instructed her maid to take a portrait of Namo Amituofo from the sedan chair. She unfurled the image and said, 'This is the supreme Namo Amituofo.' That was the first time my mother saw the Buddha, and she felt an indescribable sense of familiarity.

The woman then introduced my mother to the Buddha’s teachings. Although my mother was only ten years old, the Dharma resonated deeply within her heart. She became convinced that she would devote her life to Namo Amituofo alone. Seeing the deep karmic affinity between my mother and the Buddha, the woman offered her the string of beads. My mother tried to refuse, saying, 'These beads are so important to you; I cannot accept them!' But the woman insisted, 'If you had not found them, they would not be here now. These beads are very efficacious. Everyone who touches them is someone with a karmic connection to the Buddha. I believe you are the one these beads were waiting for. Please, take them. Chant Buddha's name and study the Buddha’s teachings; it will surely benefit your life.' My mother held the beads in her hands, her heart overflowing with gratitude. The woman simply replied, 'Give thanks to the Buddha,' and departed in her sedan chair.

A Miraculous Arrival

These beads accompanied my mother as she grew up. She no longer worried about whether she could bear children, for the Buddha had become her complete support. She realised she did not need a husband or a child to burden her life. She trusted in the power of the Buddha, and every recitation of the Buddha-name went straight to her heart.

As for my own appearance, it was a truly miraculous event. When my mother was twenty-five, on the day of her birthday, she was kneeling before the Buddha, chanting the Buddha-name with her beads. She intended to chant ten thousand times and dedicate the merit to all sentient beings—to her, this was the greatest birthday gift she could receive. When she reached the five-thousandth recitation, the string of beads suddenly snapped! The beads scattered across the floor. One bead rolled out of the house, continuing to roll until it stopped in a patch of grass. Before my mother could retrieve it, a bird swooped down and snatched it away! My mother chased after the bird, shouting, 'Please, give the bead back!' But the bird seemed to be teasing her; it would perch on a branch, flick its tail, and fly further ahead. My mother followed until the bird finally stopped on a large rock. Gasping for breath, she stared at the bird, trying to figure out how to get the bead back. Just as she was about to reach out, she heard the cry of an infant from the other side of the rock. She rushed forward, and the moment she took her first step, the bird dropped the bead. It landed right beside the infant. My mother told me, 'That infant was you.'

Growing Up in the Pure Land of the Woods

My mother brought me home. At first, she asked around the village to see if anyone had lost a child, but no one knew who I was. In her heart, she was convinced that I was a child brought to her by the Buddha. She raised me with great care, teaching me the Buddha’s teachings from a young age. She even re-strung the beads into a small bracelet for my wrist, hoping I would never forget to chant the Buddha-name. She knew that I, too, was one of the beings the beads had been waiting for.

My mother did not have much money, so she used what little she had to build a small wooden hut where we lived together. There were no other houses nearby; we were surrounded by a vast expanse of grassland. Our life was quiet, and the constant sound of the Buddha-name chanting accompanied my growth. I loved to chant to calm my heart. When my heart was pure, the world I perceived became something entirely different.

The Shock of the Human World

Our home was far from the city, so I rarely encountered other people. Most of my time was spent immersed in nature, leading all things in heaven and earth to chant the Buddha-name with me. Although no one had ever explained the concept of 'spirit' to me, I believed that all things possessed a spirit and that we could communicate with them. From the time I was small, my mother told me about the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, a Buddha-land created by Namo Amituofo, where immeasurable and boundless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas reside. She taught me that if we sincerely believe in the Buddha and chant His name, even ten recitations at the time of death are enough to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I prayed that every creature could be reborn there so they would not have to continue suffering in samsara. To help all spirits achieve liberation, I went into the forest every day to lead them in chanting, learning to sing every Buddha-name with compassion, so that each sound could embrace all sentient beings.

Since my birth, my mother had protected me diligently. She did not want me to be influenced by the Five Turbidities and Evil World, hoping I would maintain a pure heart. Indeed, under her protection, my heart remained very pure, without a single evil thought. Guided by the Buddha’s teachings, I only knew how to perform good deeds and benefit others; I did not know what it meant to be selfish or possessive. If you asked me whether I was willing to offer my body to all things in heaven and earth, I would answer loudly, 'I am willing.' I would offer my body as the earth, my blood as the streams, and my bones as the mountains. I would gladly let go of everything to contribute to the world. However, the primary purpose of every good deed I performed was to help sentient beings leave suffering behind. If beings could not attain liberation through my help, then my good deeds would be meaningless. Therefore, I introduced the Buddha’s teachings to every being I met. Without the Dharma, we cannot leave this world. Even if we do countless good deeds, without the holy name of Namo Amituofo, we remain trapped in the six realms of rebirth. Thus, no matter what I did, I always made sure to introduce the Buddha’s teachings to all beings.

When I was seven years old, my mother asked me to go to the market alone to buy supplies. It was my first time leaving home, and my first time seeing so many people. When I saw the diverse crowd on the streets, I was astonished. I had never seen so many people, nor had I ever realised how much suffering existed in the world. For seven years, the only face I had ever seen was my mother's. We had spent our days immersed in the Buddha’s teachings, our hearts filled with Dharma joy. We were self-sufficient, lacking nothing, and under the purification of the Buddha-name, our faces grew more dignified day by day. Now, standing on the street, I saw that everyone passing by carried a trace of sorrow and distress on their faces—some looked angry, others carried an evil aura—yet they were completely unaware of it. Seeing so many different expressions, my heart suddenly felt a sharp pang of pain. I was saddened because every person before me was a child of the Buddha, yet they had transformed into such varied states, all caused by the workings of their own hearts. Namo Amituofo."

The pollution and turbidity of this world poison the human heart. Afflictions, worries, suffering, and all manner of delusions, attachments, and desires have been poisoning people since the moment they were born. In that moment, I finally understood why my mother had protected me so carefully. It turned out that this world was not the serene, tranquil place I had imagined, but a place of endless suffering. My mother had asked me to go to the market to buy some steamed buns to bring home. Before I even reached the bun stall, someone came up to me and pleaded, 'My father passed away a few days ago, leaving us three children behind. My mother is bedridden, and we have no money to bury him. Could you spare me some silver so my father can have a proper journey?' Without a moment's hesitation, I gave all the money my mother had given me for the buns to this poor person. He took the money and hurried away. A woman walking by approached me and said, 'Child, you have been deceived. That boy specializes in swindling people. He has no father or mother; it is all a lie he invented. I see you are a new face, so you didn't know his tricks. Don't be fooled again next time.' I could not believe it. The man had spoken with such authenticity; it was all a fabricated performance. I had never encountered such a situation in my life, and my heart was filled with a fresh wave of sorrow. Why had the people of this world become like this?

The Path of Renunciation

Upon returning home, I shared everything I had seen and experienced that day with my mother. She told me, 'Without the guidance of the Buddha’s teachings, the human heart is just that fickle. People do not know the suffering of the cycle of rebirth, nor do they understand the terrifying nature of the laws of karma and cause and effect. After suffering through everything, they must then repay the fruits of the sins they have created for themselves. It is truly an unbearable agony.' I looked up at the sky outside the window and asked my mother, 'Can I become a monastic?' My mother asked me, 'What is your intention for becoming a monastic?' I told her, 'The world is filled with extreme suffering. Only by walking the path of a monastic can I help more beings.' My mother patted my shoulder and said, 'My care for you has not been in vain. If you can dedicate yourself to the Buddha’s teachings to help boundless beings, you will be the most blessed person. I support your decision.'

Encouraged by my mother, I set off quickly, heading toward the monastery in the deep mountains. Along the way, I could feel the presence of various spirits still lingering in this space. With every step I took, I held the Buddha-name firmly in my mind, hoping that the sound of my chanting would be heard by these spirits, awakening their hearts to chant and follow the six-syllable name, Namo Amituofo, to depart from this space.

Service as Practice

The bells and drums in the monastery rang daily, and every strike vibrated through my heart; every pore of my body was moved. Although I could not become a monastic immediately due to the monastery's regulations, I did my utmost to serve the community, using that service to practice and temper myself.

One day, while I was helping to cook in the kitchen, the Master walked up behind me. I had not noticed him at all and was still squatting by the stove, tending the fire. The Master asked me, 'For what reason do you wish to become a monastic?' I was startled by his voice and immediately stood up to pay my respects. I replied, 'Before I knew the suffering of beings, I truly did not understand the meaning of becoming a monastic. But once I saw the extreme suffering of beings, I knew that becoming a monastic was an absolute necessity. Although my strength in saving beings is insignificant, if I can contribute even a little, perhaps one more being can be saved.' The Master told me, 'I have seen your sincerity and effort these past few days. I do not need to stand in front of you to know the state of your heart.' During the ordination ceremony that year, I was accepted. I told the Buddha, 'No matter how many hardships lie ahead, even if the ground is covered in thorns, I will bravely step over them. Even if it is a bottomless sea, I will bravely jump in. All for the sake of helping beings.'

A Vow to Save the World

In this life, I do not speak of the great deeds I have accomplished, because in the state of no-self, everything done is empty. I am grateful that my mother protected me well from a young age, keeping my body and mind from being influenced by the outside world, which allowed me to maintain a pure and flawless heart. I resolved to learn the conduct of the Buddha and to follow his teachings with absolute sincerity. At the age of thirty-five, I achieved Awakening. When I had more ability, I knew I had to help more beings. In this life, I fulfilled my Ultimate Vow and attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land, but countless beings are still suffering in the six realms of existence. This time, through the karmic affinity of helping Practitioner Su, I was able to return to the human world. Beyond assisting Practitioner Su in recovering from her leg injury, I also wish to join Practitioner Su in the work of saving the world.

The void is filled with spirits waiting to be saved. Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body manifests as countless billions of Buddhas; in a single instant, immeasurable and boundless Dharma Bodies are present everywhere, saving immeasurable and boundless beings with a single six-syllable name. I am grateful that Practitioner Su also opened my space, allowing me to perform Chao Du for spirits in spaces connected to me by karmic affinity. This is a magnificent and inconceivable karmic condition I had never imagined. I am deeply grateful.

The Rare Opportunity of a Buddha's Presence

The presence of a Buddha in the world is truly an opportunity difficult to encounter in millions of years; the Buddha exists at all times in the hearts of those with true faith. Practitioner Su has the Buddha in her heart and holds tightly to the hem of the Buddha’s robe. No matter what she does or says, she follows the Buddha’s teachings, which is how she is able to realize the Dharma Body and operate with total freedom. Now, in this sea of karma in the Saha world, the roots of beings' sins are deeply knotted. If one were to ask how many truly believe in the Buddha, they are already few and far between. And those who truly believe and truly practice are, in reality, only Practitioner Su. Beings are so desperate for salvation that they have caused Practitioner Su’s leg tendons to tear and suffer injury; this is an unreasonable act by beings, and they should not have harmed Practitioner Su’s physical body in such a way. Yet, Practitioner Su is full of compassion; she does not hold it against them, preferring to bear all the suffering herself rather than abandon beings to continue in the cycle of rebirth. This compassionate heart has moved the Buddha to dwell in the world, responding to Practitioner Su’s heart to rescue beings from endless suffering.

I am grateful for Practitioner Su’s compassionate and powerful deeds. Namo Amituofo.

This interview message was recorded by the chief writer, disciple Shi Fajing.