The Weight of Fifty Trillion Souls

Ku Chung-liang, a businessman who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, shares his profound experience of karmic awakening. This interview was recorded on February 27, 2018, as he reflected on his journey toward spiritual clarity and the liberation of the sentient beings connected to his own existence.

Ku Chung-liang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Ku Chung-liang. To be honest, this morning’s session was the most difficult I have ever had to endure. Seeing the sheer number of sentient beings passing through—a sea of heads all pressing forward toward the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss—was a sight that truly shook me to my core. Before coming here, I had absolutely no idea that the beings inhabiting the animal realm were once human, just like us. It is a terrifying realisation. It made me feel physically ill, thinking back to the steaks I used to enjoy so much, devouring them with such appetite. I now realise that in a past life, I was a butcher. I lived in a small house made of bamboo, tucked away in the mountains, where I kept cattle and pigs. The cattle were gentle, while the pigs were always running about in a frenzy.

A Butcher's Past and the Debt of Blood

The neighbours from miles around would come to me during the holidays to place their orders for beef or pork. Especially during the Lunar New Year, everyone placed great importance on showing gratitude to the Heavens, and they would insist on offering a pig’s head. I remember one Qingming Festival, a close friend of mine placed an order for beef. His father, who had passed away, had loved beef more than anything in life. I knew his father well, and he had always been very kind to my family, so I decided to slaughter the cow I was most proud of to offer as a sacrifice to his father.

That cow was special. Whenever I went to check on the herd, it would always come close to me, looking at me with eyes that seemed filled with deep emotion. I felt something then, a vague sense of connection, but I didn't think much of it. I simply dragged it away and slaughtered it. It seemed so heartbroken, but I had already slaughtered so many cows and pigs by then that I had become numb; I didn't take the time to truly feel its pain. And so, the finest cuts of that cow ended up on the altar for my friend’s father.

The Face of a Friend in the Eyes of a Cow

Today, I finally understand the truth. That cow was actually a dear friend from one of my past lives. Because he owed me money that he never repaid in that lifetime, he was reborn as the cow I kept. When I saw the images of our past life together—the moments we shared as friends—I wept uncontrollably. I apologised to him, begging for his forgiveness and praying that he could go to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The cow, now restored to his human form, just smiled at me and said, 'I do not blame you.' I wept so bitterly. I had never truly felt the weight of my own past until this moment.

Repentance and the Fifty Trillion Cells

I am so deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for helping us perform the Dharma Body Chao Du for the fifty trillion cells of beings within us every single day. Every one of those cells carries a deep connection to my past. If not for the realisation I had today, I would never have felt this so profoundly. I sincerely apologise to these fifty trillion cells. Please forgive the ignorance of the Ku Chung-liang of the past. Today, I have encountered the Buddha’s teachings, and I ask you all to assist me in joining Practitioner Su in the ranks of saviors. I will surely weep with gratitude for this opportunity.

This kind of sincere repenting has made my entire being feel so much clearer. It is not just my spirit that feels purified; even my physical body feels lighter and more lucid. The breakthrough that Practitioner Su has achieved is truly extraordinary. Namo Amituofo."