This interview was recorded on June 4, 2018. Venerable Lu Zhian, a practitioner who attained rebirth in the of Ultimate Bliss during the Sui and Tang dynasties, currently serves as a protector residing in the Western Pure Land. He shares his experiences of assisting Practitioner Su in the deliverance of sentient beings throughout the galaxy.
Venerable Lu Zhian speaks:
". I am the 412th Venerable, Lu Zhian. I was born during the Sui and Tang dynasties in China, a period approximately 1,111 to 1,437 years ago. At that time, the nation was enjoying a period of stability following the wars. As temples that had been damaged were restored, monastics began to return to them. Once the local devotees were settled and prosperous, they dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to supporting the temples. While many sought for worldly matters—such as family, work, business, children, and land—there were those who truly understood the Buddha’s teachings. They sought liberation from the cycle of birth and death, and some even aspired to transcend samsara entirely. Some became monastics to seek the True Teachings, while others remained in the temples as volunteers, cultivating both merit and wisdom. Regardless of the path, if one wishes to accumulate merit, find peace of body and mind, and transcend the ten directions of the six realms of rebirth, one must put in the work. It is a process of accumulation, grain by grain, like building a pagoda; eventually, the appearance of a practitioner and the manifestation of will naturally arise."
A Life of Devotion and Service
"In those days, although my parents were still alive, I possessed an intense desire to seek the Way. I felt that life must hold more meaning than just the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Thus, I resolved to remain at the temple as a volunteer. Since I had no family wealth and lacked the ability to offer material generosity, I offered my physical strength, hoping to learn the Buddha’s teachings and obtain deliverance. You could find me everywhere—scrubbing toilets, washing dishes, chopping wood, and carrying water. My Master noticed my diligence and my earnest desire for the . One day, he called me into the guest room and asked what I had learned during my time there. I replied, 'I have learned to forget myself.' The Master then asked, 'If that is the case, what is the meaning of being alive?' I answered, 'To help everyone.' The Master nodded. From that day on, I was always present in the temple’s chanting hall, circumambulating and chanting the Buddha’s name. I cherished these opportunities deeply. Even if I only had a brief moment of spare time, I would chant a few lines of the Buddha’s name or perform a few prostrations. I was filled with gratitude and boundless ."
The Master’s Final Lesson
"I lived there for twenty years. On the day my old Master passed away, everyone in the temple smelled a unique and elegant fragrance. Furthermore, golden light could be seen shining from the Master’s room. The head monk had a premonition and wondered if the Master had… We rushed into the room and saw the Master sitting on his bed, a smile on his face; he had already attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. We were reluctant to let him go, but we remembered his repeated instructions: if one sees auspicious signs or the Buddha coming to receive one, one must not have a divided mind. One must focus solely on chanting the Buddha’s name without interruption. We knelt right there and chanted together in unison. For three days, the monastics and devotees took turns chanting without a single break. The Master’s manifestation gave everyone immense confidence in the practice of chanting for rebirth. Suddenly, people flocked to the temple to seek the Dharma, and those in the chanting hall made vows to follow the Buddha and attained rebirth while sitting on their cushions."
The Reality of the Age of the Dharma’s Decline
"It has been over a thousand years since I attained rebirth in the Western Land. This time, descending to the side of Practitioner Su alongside the other Venerables, and performing the of extraterrestrial beings in the void every single day, has truly broadened our horizons. Only now do I understand why this era is called the age of the Dharma’s decline. Although people chant the Buddha’s name, it is difficult for them to settle their hearts; the Buddha-name merely passes by their ears without entering their hearts. Why does suffering in the human world never cease? One reason is that the spirits of the deceased have not found peace. The space and air are filled with helpless, drifting souls. How precious it is that the Buddha-light shines everywhere to lead them to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!"
The Hierarchy of the Dharma Realm
"Today, we broke through the dust of the world and surged directly into the Dharma Realm, witnessing the void filled with countless sentient beings. The world invisible to the physical eye contains many, many more beings than the world we can see. The celestial beings of the first to twenty-eighth heavens and the Sages of the Four Sacred Realms were, as always, kneeling and begging for Spiritual Deliverance. One could feel the sincere and earnest hearts of the celestial beings from their neatly arranged rows. The Sages of the Four Sacred Realms represent a high-level spiritual life within the ten directions; they no longer need to enter the six realms of rebirth. However, even those in the highest realm—the Buddha realm—have not yet realised their true nature and attained Buddhahood. They are 'similar to Buddhas'—a term used by ancestral masters in the human world to describe the Four Sacred Realms. They live lives of liberation without suffering, but to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is to elevate their spiritual life to a higher state. This requires an extremely strong motivation, and only through Practitioner Su’s Chao Du can they have the opportunity. If not for the appearance of Practitioner Su, no matter how much the celestial beings and the Sages of the Four Sacred Realms chant, they would be unable to enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss because of the differences in spatial dimensions and energy. Therefore, they understand even more clearly how precious Practitioner Su’s Chao Du is—it is truly something difficult to encounter in millions of years. In these days, we have seen that the sentient beings in the void who seek Spiritual Deliverance are those who know their suffering and wish to leave it behind."
The Whirlwind Spirits
"Suddenly, sounds came from all directions. Was it the wind? Or the wailing of beings from somewhere unknown? We could not help but follow the sound. Turning our heads, we saw a whirlwind spinning in circles, stopping right before our eyes. We heard a shout: 'Do not be unruly!' It was the shout of the Dharma protectors. The whirlwind, which had been spinning straight, suddenly changed shape upon hearing the command; it turned downward, assuming a kneeling posture. We paused, wondering what was happening. Looking closer, we saw that the top of the whirlwind resembled eyes, ears, and a nose. It turned out that this was a group of extraterrestrials gathered together. Each of them looked like a small whirlwind, and when they gathered, they formed a large whirlwind."
A Final Act of Sacrifice
"Their energy was now polluted and depleting rapidly. If it were to run out, they would cease to function and be decomposed into the void. I hurriedly said to them, 'Everyone, quickly chant Namo Amituofo and enter the light of Practitioner Su before you. It can help you enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, where there is infinite energy to save you.' No sooner had I finished speaking than several more whirlwinds appeared. One was pitch black, filled with old, weak whirlwinds. Another was grey, containing middle-aged whirlwinds. A third was water-blue, representing the elite of their planet. Many of the old and middle-aged whirlwinds were pouring their remaining energy into this group, so that if they were to meet with disaster, the younger generation could still continue the lineage of their planet. It was deeply moving. We immediately reminded everyone to quickly follow along and chant Namo Amituofo, entering the Buddha-light to reach the West. We saw these whirlwind groups immediately fly toward the front. Practitioner Su unfolded his sleeves, which were infinitely vast, and we watched as these whirlwind groups vanished into his sleeves, to be sent into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Once they entered the West, their energy was automatically replenished to the full. We could already feel their joy at obtaining a new life, and our hearts were filled with happiness for them. What a joyful and meaningful task this is!"
"We have already been travelling for quite a distance from the front; I must quickly regain my focus and catch up with this incredible procession of deliverance."
