Understanding the Laws of Karma: An Interview with Pan Dayi

Chief Writer Shi Faxin speaks:

This is a record of an interview with Pan Dayi, who sought deliverance 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 and his journey through the realms of existence. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on August 22, 2025.

Pan Dayi speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. After witnessing endless suffering, I am now bathed in a brilliant light. This light allows me to perceive eternity, and this eternal power is truly rare. My heart has suddenly emerged from a state of doubt. I am filled with immense gratitude. I am grateful to the Buddha, and I am grateful to Practitioner Su for allowing my spirit to be reborn and for providing a true home for countless spirits.

This sense of belonging is so precious and so rare—it is something that many people yearn for. Yet, because of their attachment to the past and their uncertainty about the future, many remain trapped in circles, unable to find their way out. They do not realise that by taking just one step, they could break free from the cycle of infinite rebirth."

A Celestial Descent

"I am Pan Dayi. Before my life in the human realm, I was a celestial crane, the mount of an immortal in the Heavenly Realm. As I travelled with the immortal to inspect the human world, I witnessed the suffering of humanity. The various cries of sorrow and the deep-seated misery I saw left an indelible mark on my heart. I could not bear to watch it any longer, and I felt a stirring desire to descend to the human realm. Although I did not know exactly what I could do to help this suffering world, I felt that if I could help even a few people, my decision would not have been in vain.

Carrying this vow, I arrived in the human world."

A Family Bound by Karma

"Although I came with a vow, I was born into a family that was far from perfect. I was the second child, with an older brother and a younger sister. From birth, my brother suffered from intellectual disabilities, and my sister was born with physical disabilities. In the entire family, I was the only one who was 'normal'. From a young age, I could feel the deep sorrow in my parents' hearts. They would often argue over the burdens of caregiving and the financial strain. Our home was filled with turmoil every few days.

As the only 'normal' child in the family, my parents placed all their hopes on me. One moment, my father would come to me, hoping I would become a doctor; the next, my mother would tell me she hoped I would become a teacher."

The Hidden Feelings of Others

"From childhood, I took on the responsibility of cleaning the house. While other children were out playing, I was at home scrubbing floors. Many neighbours pitied my situation, but I never felt inferior. It seemed as though there was a driving force within me, a power that compelled me to keep moving forward. In that home, although I often felt incredibly exhausted, whenever I sat in silence, I could clearly perceive the thoughts and feelings of everyone around me.

My father worked himself to the bone every day to earn more money; though he harboured resentment, he still tried his best to fulfil his responsibilities. My mother did manual labour to support the household, and her primary task was caring for my brother and sister. She often had complex emotions—she loved them deeply, yet she was also conflicted. I originally thought that because my brother and sister were not 'normal', they would not have many feelings. But I was wrong. My brother, despite his intellectual disability, would feel heartbroken whenever he saw how hard our mother worked. He always wanted to help, but he would often make things worse, leaving our mother even busier. My sister, meanwhile, harboured intense feelings of inadequacy. Because she felt she was disabled, she believed she was useless for her entire life. She was often angry—angry at herself—and she wished she could end her life so she would no longer be a burden to the family. Despite this, she never found the courage to do so."

The Vision of the Past

"One night, I clearly saw a series of images. A group of hunters entered a forest and discovered a deer's nest. A mother deer had just given birth to two fawns. When the hunters saw them, their eyes lit up, knowing that the deer skin and antlers could fetch a high price. They spread out, preparing different weapons to launch an attack.

Just as they were about to succeed in capturing the entire family, the mother deer suddenly realised the danger. She became frantic, kicking and crying out at the hunters. She let out a roar, as if telling the fawns to run, but the fawns had just been born and could not even stand steadily, let alone run. The mother deer watched helplessly as one of her fawns had a rope tied around its leg and was dragged toward the hunters. The other fawn suffered an even worse fate; a hunter took a knife and slashed directly at its leg. The mother deer watched this with a heart full of agony. She let out a mournful cry and wept, eventually choosing to stop struggling, preferring to die alongside her fawns. Just like that, the entire deer family perished in the forest. I will always remember the look in the mother deer's eyes—it was one of utter helplessness and despair."

A Cycle of Repayment

"After the vision ended, I woke up in a cold sweat. I realised that the hunters I had seen were none other than my father, mother, brother, and sister in this lifetime. The causal conditions of the past had brought our family together again. The trauma of that past life had left us separated, filled with terror and fear. Those fearful emotions had been surrounding our family at every moment.

However, my connection with them also dated back to that same lifetime. In that life, I was a frog trapped in a deep ditch, nearly drowning. They had discovered me and gathered around to discuss how to save me, eventually using a thick branch to pull me to safety. I was saved by their kindness, and I had always been grateful to them. My reunion with them in this life was, in fact, an opportunity to repay that kindness. I knew they had come to this life to suffer and to repay their debts. I also knew they were filled with resentment due to the various hardships of life, so I decided to tell them about the laws of karma and cause and effect that I had seen. One day, while we were eating together, I revealed everything. They were shocked, but it resonated deeply within them."

A Transformation of Heart

"From that day on, every member of our family stopped complaining. They only wished to make amends for the mistakes made in the past. My brother, despite his intellectual disability, joined the ranks of cleaning volunteers. He served to the best of his ability, and every day he served with the brightest smile. Many people felt joy just by seeing him. Eventually, my brother was even able to give simple speeches that influenced others.

My sister, who had once been full of resentment toward life, became a writer. She wrote from an incredibly optimistic perspective, weaving the laws of karma and cause and effect into her work to serve as a warning to others. She became a very famous author, and every time she released a book, long queues of people would wait for her autograph. As for me, I remained their silent supporter, arranging everything for them. Our family worked together, rising from a state of pessimism and resentment to help others. Because of that one dream, our entire family's state of mind was transformed."

The Path to Deliverance

"Because I performed good deeds silently, although I only lived to the age of fifty-two, after my death, my spirit entered a memorial stone—a stone that was highly respected by many. I enjoyed that respect for a long time before I went to report before the throne of King Yama.

Before the throne of King Yama, I saw that I still had many karmic creditors whom I had not yet had the chance to repay. I longed to do something to help. While I was thinking, the compassionate and magnanimous King Yama gave me the opportunity to serve as a prison guard. While serving as a prison guard, I had a profound realisation regarding the laws of karma and cause and effect. I am so grateful that at that time, I was able to hear Practitioner Su give Dharma talks, which allowed me to understand that there is a truly ultimate path.

I also realised that the good deeds I had performed out of a sense of duty, while helpful to many, could not help them transcend the cycle of rebirth. Now that I have the opportunity to follow the Buddha, I hope to share the true, liberating teachings of Namo Amituofo with everyone, to help them transcend. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am grateful to Practitioner Su, and I am grateful to the Buddha.

Pan Dayi, with palms joined."