The Weight of Command and the Lessons of Eternity

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Lu Su, a prominent strategist and military leader during the Three Kingdoms period of China. After centuries of wandering in the ghost realms following his time in hell, he sought deliverance 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 1,809 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on February 26, 2026.

Lu Su speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Lu Su. In truth, I was merely an ordinary person, yet later generations have placed my name alongside those of Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu. I feel a deep sense of trepidation and humility when I consider this. I spent my life serving Zhou Yu and Sun Quan, partly as a means to earn my livelihood, but also driven by the desire to make a name for myself in a chaotic world. When I look back at the lives of the countless people who suffered because of the conflicts I helped orchestrate, I have no face to claim that I was a commander who truly cherished the lives of the common people."

The Illusion of Fame and the Reality of War

"Since entering the ghost realm, I have wandered through the Jiangdong region, observing the myriad states of human existence. Only now do I realise that the fame and status I once craved were entirely devoid of meaning. The people of China have always possessed a heart much like mine—devoted to their country, yet tainted by the selfish desire to rise above others. Having lost my father in my youth, I was determined to distinguish myself, and that era of chaos provided the perfect stage. I was skilled at reading the hearts of men and observing the shifting tides of power. I knew how to cater to the needs of my superiors; when I sensed the secret ambitions of my lord, I would weave them into long-term plans and policies. Although I never explicitly stated his true intentions in my counsel, he could see that my advice perfectly aligned with his hidden goals. As I was repeatedly adopted, my status rose until I became a commander, serving Zhou Yu and Sun Quan with all my strength.

Because of my counsel, many wars were ignited, and many alliances were forged. After the Battle of Changban, my relationship with Liu Bei and the Shu Han regime became very close, but this also meant that our two nations joined hands to commit immense killing karma. I participated in all of it. While I did not need to be on the front lines to personally strike down the enemy, the weight of my verbal karma was terrifying. A few words of advice from me could shift the policies of Eastern Wu and Shu Han, leading to countless deaths in our conflicts with Cao Wei. The soldiers and civilians—whether from my own country, our allies, or the enemy—suffered heavy casualties. This killing karma cast me into the hells, where I endured the torments of the tongue-ripping and dismemberment hells. Fortunately, during my life, I had also advised that we should help the people. After all, it was my own homeland. Beyond the grand strategy of military expansion, I genuinely wanted to reduce the suffering of the people in the villages and regions near the front lines. This sincerity shortened my time in hell, and I was soon released into the ghost realm. Perhaps the King of Hell wanted me to learn the true meaning of life. In that era of war, I died in my forties, which was not considered short-lived, as that was the common fate of many at the time."

Centuries in the Ghost Realm

"I passed away only a few years after my work in Jiangdong. After my sentence in hell was served, my spirit returned to Jiangdong, wandering aimlessly. I watched as the landscape remained the same, but the dynasties had changed; the north was then ruled by the Jin people. Although the people of the Southern Song lived lives similar to those of the past, the systems, laws, and culture were a world of difference from the Eastern Wu era. I was shocked. I had hoped to see the flourishing of the Eastern Wu Empire, only to find that it had long since vanished.

I observed that I had spent eight or nine hundred years in hell, and the passage of time left me stunned. In the human world, I lived for only forty-six years, yet I spent centuries in the hells. I understood that this was the lesson the King of Hell intended for me. I spent a mere twenty years conquering lands and creating killing karma, only to pay for it with hundreds of years of torment, while my achievements on earth left not a single trace. Most tragic of all, even after eight hundred years, the people of China were still trapped in the cycle of war, with north and south in constant opposition. The emperors of that time were powerless to truly protect their people; they retreated to the south, and the singing and dancing in the imperial palace stood in stark contrast to the life-and-death struggles on the front lines. This was even more lamentable than the Eastern Wu era. The generals holding the front lines received no full support from the monarch in the rear, a natural consequence of growing up in such extreme environments."

The True Path to National Prosperity

"As a commander, I needed a comprehensive understanding of the battlefield to align with my lord's ambitions. But if the one in control does not understand the front lines, the resulting decisions only multiply the casualties. Living on the same land of China, I watched as dynasties rose and fell. Every so often, the northern regime would attack the south, destroy the southern regime, and take its place, only to be destroyed by a new northern power. Perhaps this is the nature of cause and effect. I have come to realise that the great law of governance that allows a nation to endure is harmony. To value harmony is not only how one conducts oneself in society, but in terms of cause and effect, it is the fundamental basis for human survival. When applied to nations, it is the foundation of their existence. All nations should coexist and prosper together; not launching wars is the supreme strategy. If a great power destroys another today, it cannot escape the fate of being destroyed itself in the future—whether in decades or centuries. For a nation, war is the very cause of its own destruction.

I wandered in the Jiangdong region for centuries. As the centre of power shifted north, I naturally drifted north as well, continuing to observe the situation across China. Despite the changing dynasties, competition and war had become the collective karma of the entire nation. The people of each dynasty died one after another, only to be reborn and continue the new cycle of competition and struggle. After brief periods of stability, new challenges would arise. The fundamental reason is that people do not believe in the laws of karma and cause and effect; they do not believe that victory is merely the precursor to defeat."

A Call to the People of China

"I am now listening to the sutras in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, and my understanding of China has become even more profound. I have come to know that the beings in the human world cannot truly be the masters of their own fate. Why has China been embroiled in war for over two thousand years? Why must it participate in international conflicts? Beyond collective karma, it is also the control of demon crowds. Practitioner Su is now working to re-infuse the Dharma into the new China, earnestly beginning to save beings in every corner of the country. Those who benefit include not only the spirits and ghosts but, most importantly, the demon crowds that have been controlling the Chinese people. They have controlled China for far longer than a thousand or two years, and they have had a decisive influence on the character of the Chinese people. Everyone has become accustomed to competition and war, and the strengthening of military power is seen as the way to build a strong nation. But the truth is the opposite: war is the cause of national destruction. This is why Chinese dynasties have constantly risen and fallen. I myself was fond of martial arts from a young age, and when I held power, I emphasised strengthening the state and its military. This was my character aligning with the demon crowds, which ultimately caused harm to the people of Jiangdong, leading to my death from illness at only forty-six. Looking back, it was the killing karma that awakened my karmic creditors from many lifetimes; a small illness erupted into a fatal one, and I departed quickly. In an era of war, one is either killed or dies because of the karma of killing. This is my greatest lament for the people of China.

Fortunately, I was lucky to have encountered the era of Xuan De. This time, he is not protecting the nation through war as an emperor, but saving all spirits as a great practitioner. My affinity with Practitioner Su is deep; in fact, all the fourfold assembly in the temple have deep affinities with Practitioner Su, which is why they have the opportunity to be saved. I was saved long ago and reside in the Dharma-Nature Land. Now that I have the opportunity to be interviewed, rather than dwelling on my insignificant life, I hope that the people of China will not repeat my mistakes. I was a commander; while my status was not that of an emperor, I held great power on the front lines, able to launch various strategies and decide the life and death of many. My own end was hundreds of years of torment in hell and a thousand years of wandering in the ghost realm. I hope the Chinese people will wake up and truly resolve to learn the universal principles. Although the transmission of the Buddha’s teachings is currently blocked in China, I believe Practitioner Su will bring about a transformation. If the people of China are willing to learn anew, to truly recognise the nature of competition and war, and to understand the laws of karma and cause and effect, then change is possible.

Namo Amituofo is residing at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. This is not a religion or a slogan; it is a call to all the people of China and to all the spirits across the land. As long as you resolve to follow the Buddha to save all of China, the nation will no longer need to suffer the pain of collective karma. These are the heartfelt words I offer after experiencing the hells and the ghost realm, and I hope they will help the Chinese people regain some clarity. I am grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for saving me and giving me this opportunity to be interviewed. Namo Amituofo."