Venerable Master Chin Kung: Reflections from the Western Dharma-Nature Land

Venerable Master Chin Kung, a globally respected teacher of the Pure Land school, sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This interview, recorded on August 25, 2022, by Venerable HaiZe, captures his profound introspection regarding his life's work, the limitations of his past teachings, and the heavy karmic responsibility he carries regarding the liberation of his followers.

Venerable Master Chin Kung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Today, Namo Amituofo has given me a topic for reflection: 'Chin Kung's Introspection.'

Seeing this title, one immediately understands that despite sixty years of lecturing on the Dharma in the human world, I still ended up suffering retribution in the hells. There must have been significant shortcomings in my practice. I am well aware that I was deeply loved and supported by my Dharma protectors and followers. I am grateful for the companionship of so many throughout my journey. Even now, though my physical body is no longer in the human world, my spirit remains with you all. I understand your reluctance to let go, and I know that the Pure Land societies are still conducting Dharma assemblies for my deliverance. For an ordinary person, this is an immense blessing; for me, my heart is filled with profound gratitude."

The Illusion of Achievement

"I had originally believed that my life's achievement was the sixty years of continuous lecturing—helping everyone understand the teachings of the Pure Land school, ensuring they walked each step firmly, and ultimately fulfilling their wish to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. That was what I considered my greatest accomplishment.

However, looking back now, it seems that what I did was not complete. It was not enough to simply help everyone feel secure in their study of the Pure Land teachings or to remove their doubts. While I shared my insights on the sutras during my lectures, those were ultimately the teachings of the ancestral masters. Now, I wish to speak of my own personal experience.

It appears that my spirit is still filled with filth, still tethered to the past, and still easily shaken by external circumstances. That is why there is this 'result,' and why Namo Amituofo has required me to perform this 'introspection.' This is a profound study that requires true attainment, for it is very difficult for ordinary people to face their own problems."

The Necessity of Humility and Sincerity

"At the beginning, one can adopt the attitude: 'I did not know I had this problem; I thank the true spiritual friend for pointing it out, allowing me to examine this matter seriously.' This attitude of respect and humility is something everyone must learn. Currently, the fourfold assembly at the temple lacks this heart of respectful learning and must strive to improve. When I gave lectures, I was very serious; I watched the screen, and my mouth spoke the words I intended to share with everyone. If you wish to compile these into text files, you may download them yourselves; the download function is very useful now.

Today's topic, 'introspection,' requires me—now that I am without a body—to reflect on my past life. My current status is that of a spirit, a being of the ghost realm. I am no longer a human being with a physical body, yet my spirit has not been obscured. In fact, the absence of the body has made my spiritual clarity even sharper."

The Power of Open Repentance

"Reflection, if done privately, often leads one to be lenient with oneself or to hold something back. But in the Buddha's teachings, facing the public to repent is called 'openly repenting.' I know that within the Pure Land societies or the Buddha Educational Foundation, there were several such courses where lay practitioners and volunteers would go on stage to openly repent for their specific problems. Some of those with open eyes could see the reactions of other beings on the spot. After speaking, the practitioners often felt even deeper remorse—that is a good thing!

Repentance is like clear, sweet dew that washes away the layers of filth in the heart. But to achieve the effect of open repentance, one must have true sincerity. Honestly speaking, this is something modern people severely lack. They do not even understand it, thinking they have brought forth their true heart and sincerity, yet wondering why nothing has changed. This is because whether it is a 'true heart' or 'sincerity,' if there is even a tiny bit of 'self'—a little selfishness, a desire to protect one's own views or stance, an inability to accept what others say, or a feeling of being hurt or looked down upon—then it is not called a true heart or sincerity."

The Reality of the Spirit World

"I have said so much, as if I am giving myself a stimulant! Truly, bringing forth a true heart and sincerity is not simple. It is not that you have it and refuse to show it; the question is whether you truly possess it. Now, I am left only with this spirit, along with the thoughts and senses within it. These did not disappear when the body was gone; on the contrary, they are clearer. The Alaya consciousness contains everything from countless kalpas—everything I have done, said, thought, experienced, and encountered; every person, event, and object; and the interactions and relationships with my family and kin. If you want to know anything about the past, it is all within this spiritual consciousness. When I had a body, the function of the Alaya consciousness was the same, but because of the body, this spiritual part could not manifest. Now, without a body, these things follow me; they are a part of me. It is truly mysterious; this is the difference between the spirit world and the human world."

The Five Poisons and the Five Roots of Hell

"Since I ended up in the hells, it indicates that during my life, I had problems with the five poisons—Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt—as well as the five roots of hell: wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep. Let us examine it from this perspective.

Greed is a very subtle thought. It can be introduced through the five desires of wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep. Let us speak of greed first. Although there may be no outward action of greed, as long as there is even a tiny thought of taking advantage of others, that is greed. The moment the thought arises, the karmic debt of greed is already created.

Wealth is necessary for life in this world. For practitioners, one cannot have desires for wealth, but basic needs for food, clothing, housing, and transportation require wealth to be fulfilled. Therefore, the help of Dharma protectors is needed so that practitioners can focus on their spiritual path."

A Debt of Gratitude and Karmic Responsibility

"In this life, I am very grateful to two great Dharma protectors: Director Han Ying of the Jingmei Library, and Practitioner Hu Nini. They truly ensured that I lacked nothing in terms of material support for spreading the Dharma. Regarding the endless stream of support from followers—the deposits into mailboxes and accounts—regardless of the amount, that is the precious heart of everyone. Of course, many were regular or large deposits. These could not be touched or claimed as my own.

I understood this part very clearly. In terms of the laws of karma and cause and effect, although it is said that the merit of giving without attachment is the greatest, we cannot demand that others give without attachment. Most still carry some purpose. For example, when donating, they hope it will help their own spiritual achievements. Of course, rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is the great vow in the hearts of Pure Land practitioners, and they hope that the wishes they make when donating will be fulfilled.

On this point, I have failed everyone. Because I was too confident, I felt that I had made the Dharma clear and colloquial, that everyone understood, and that rebirth was guaranteed. But the facts told me otherwise. Among my followers or those I knew, among the beings who have passed away and are without bodies, very few have been reborn in the Western Pure Land. In fact, one could say no one has. This makes me feel deeply ashamed and apologetic! Rebirth in the West is an opportunity that lasts only for a single moment. After doing so many good deeds in life, was it not the hope that at that final moment, one could enter the Western Pure Land?"

The Interference of Karmic Creditors

"Even though I explained the world after death—the world without a body—to make everyone feel fear and vow to be reborn in the West, to chant the Buddha's name diligently, and to hope to arrive smoothly at the final moment, in reality, they were interfered with, causing their rebirth to fail. I was negligent. At the moment of death, because they had not cultivated meditative concentration in their daily lives and had not resolved conflicts with or delivered their karmic creditors, when those creditors appeared to interfere, their attention was scattered. They could not continue chanting the Buddha's name. At that very moment, when they had the chance to go to the West, they failed. One can imagine how depressed and sorrowful that soul must be, but it was too late, and thus they entered the cycle of rebirth. If they are able to reincarnate and enter the human world again to study and chant the Buddha's name, to see if they can enter the Western Pure Land—although this wish is very, very far away—I still pray that they may soon fulfill their wish to be reborn in the West.

At this time, I should say it is fortunate that Practitioner Su is manifesting in the human world. His ability to guide the spirits of beings into the Western Pure Land is remarkable. Therefore, Practitioner Su helped guide several Dharma masters and practitioners he knew into the West. This can be considered a slight compensation for my negligence in this area! Otherwise, given that everyone was so diligent in listening to the Dharma, if they could have cooperated with the invitation of spirits, the resolution of conflicts, and the deliverance of the karmic creditors or attached beings—with this two-pronged approach—they might have had the opportunity to remove the obstacles of karmic creditors at the moment of death. Then, they could have utilized the skill of continuous Buddha-name chanting to invite Namo Amituofo to come, step onto their own lotus, and enter the Western Pure Land."

The Painful Price of Exclusion

"This was once my vision for everyone to fulfill their wish to be reborn in the West, but in the end, this vision failed. Many beings who chanted the Buddha's name became beings of the ghost realm, or even lonely wandering spirits. Fortunately, those who did good, chanted well, and thought well in life were able to enter the Celestial Realm, but as for rebirth in the Western Pure Land, there were very few, or perhaps none at all! I cannot shirk my responsibility for this. Regarding the donations from followers, which included their wish for rebirth, now that it has failed, I must naturally bear the karmic responsibility for this part. Aside from the factors of the followers themselves, generally speaking, a large part of the reason was interference from karmic creditors. How can I repay this part?

I am grateful to Practitioner Su for reminding me: 'They donated money but you did not help them fulfill their wish; these must be repaid!' In terms of the Buddha's teachings, besides being an expression of a wish, for those who failed to be reborn in the West, I must bear some responsibility in the laws of karma and cause and effect.

Actually, Namo Amituofo had reminded me of this long ago, but I did not take it to heart. I thought that some of the old practitioners were chanting well, and the young ones needed improvement, so I did not mention it. But one can see that great Dharma protectors, even if they have not yet entered the world after death, cannot escape the conditions of aging, sickness, and death. They are aging, becoming ill, and must even be prepared to face the threat of death at any time. Under such conditions, can they be reborn in the West? This part was indeed my negligence. Changing one's personality is important, and finding a true spiritual friend to accompany oneself through that state of dying is very important.

Therefore, if I could have seen this truth clearly while I was alive, if I could have accepted the attainment of Practitioner Su in realizing his true nature, and if I could have helped everyone invite spirits, resolve conflicts, and deliver beings to be reborn in the Western Pure Land or the human and celestial realms, I could have greatly reduced the problem of beings being interfered with and failing to be reborn. I could have fulfilled everyone's wish to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. In that way, I would not have been in debt to everyone for their support. But in reality, I am heavily in debt. No wonder I received the retribution of losing my autonomy and falling into the hells! This is the painful price I paid for blocking Practitioner Su outside of the Pure Land system.

Namo Amituofo.

Venerable Chin Kung, with palms joined.

At the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Australia.

August 25, 2022, 11:37 AM."