The Young Monk Who Remembered His Past

This is a record of an interview with Du Ming, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life approximately 1,100 years ago. It was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing, on October 23, 2018.

Du Ming speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Du Ming. I was born into a family that had waited over a decade for a son. I was the only male heir of the Du family, and my arrival was a moment of immense relief and joy for my parents and grandmother. My grandmother, in particular, was overjoyed, proclaiming to everyone that the Du family line would finally continue. I was showered with affection from the moment I was born; even the fiercest dog in our lane would greet me with a gentle expression whenever I passed by, as if it sensed the unique nature of my being."

A Prophecy of the Dharma

"Our neighbour, Mother Li, was a devout practitioner who lived a pure and solitary life. She possessed an innate ability to perceive the past and future of others. One day, after returning from a mountain monastery, she visited our home and saw me. She immediately told my grandmother, 'A great monk has come! This child is extraordinary. If he becomes a monk in the future, his achievements will be boundless!' My grandmother, who had never encountered the Buddha’s teachings, was shocked and vehemently opposed the idea. She feared that if I left the secular life, the Du family line would end. My entire family felt the same way; they believed it was impossible for me to ever become a monastic."

"Mother Li was compassionate and often invited monastics to our village to share lectures, hoping that those who could not travel to the monastery might still hear the scriptures. While my grandmother respected the teachings, she always made excuses to avoid attending the lectures, claiming she was too busy, though she lived a life of leisure. She simply was not ready to embrace the Dharma at that time."

The Call of the Dharma

"One day, while my mother was walking with me, we passed a large meadow where a monk was teaching under a great tree. My mother had no interest and tried to pull me away, but I stood still, mesmerised by the monk. I ran over and sat down before him. Even though there were only two people listening, the monk taught with complete sincerity, for he knew that any being who wished to hear the Dharma deserved to be saved. I was only six years old, yet I listened with rapt attention, understanding the simple truths he shared. My mother was baffled, unable to comprehend why I was so drawn to the teachings, yet she stayed to watch over me."

"After the lecture, my facial features changed rapidly, taking on the serene appearance of a young monk. My mother was terrified and asked the monk what he had done. He replied, 'This child has deep good roots. In his past life, he was a monk who lectured on the Sutras. You do not realise it, but you and everyone around him were once his students in the past!' It turned out that I had formed deep Dharma affinity with the entire village in a previous life. That is why everyone felt such natural joy and closeness toward me. The inner knots in my heart, which I had carried since birth, were completely untied by that lecture. Appearance truly arises from the mind."

A Determined Path

"By the time I was eight, I told my grandmother I intended to become a monk. She was so startled she choked on her tea, spraying it all over my face. I did not wipe it off; I stood straight and waited for her response, treating this as a serious matter of life and death. She told me I was too young and to speak of it later, hoping I would forget. But I did not. I began to practise diligently on my own, wasting no time. The servants were the first to notice; they would find me chanting in the main hall before dawn, and they were astonished by my dedication, fearing they had overslept when they saw me already engaged in my morning service."

"I was relentless in my practice. One morning, my grandmother caught me chanting in the dark. She watched from the shadows, moved by my perseverance. Later, she heard me chanting the Buddha-name in the hills behind our home. Every syllable of the Buddha-name resonated not just in her ears, but deep into her bones. At that moment, she finally realised that I was indeed an eminent monk reborn. She felt ashamed for having blocked my path to saving the world. She began to study the Dharma herself, and eventually, she became my greatest supporter, encouraging me to enter the monastery."

Gratitude and Deliverance

"I am deeply grateful for the compassionate support of Namo Amituofo. Once I entered the monastery, I cherished every day of my practice, striving to become a monk of perfect dignity. My ordination led my entire family to study the Dharma, and the Du family became great protectors of the monastery. In that lifetime, I helped immeasurable and boundless beings, and I was able to guide my entire family to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. My grandmother, through her own diligent chanting, also attained rebirth there. I am eternally grateful for the Buddha's compassion."

"Practitioner Su's Dharma Body delivers beings throughout the vastness of the Dharma Realm. Many beings wait in line for her deliverance. She guided me to a space that held many of my karmic creditors from since time immemorial. They were waiting to take revenge, but I repented for my past sins and used the name of Namo Amituofo to transform them. I did not succeed the first time, but I returned again and again with a sincere heart. Eventually, they let go of their hatred and followed me in chanting to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am so grateful to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su for their boundless compassion."

"Namo Amituofo."