Venerable Wuhong’s Reflections on the Three Hun Souls and Seven Po Souls

The Fleeting Nature of Existence

Namo Amituofo. During my time in the human world, I spent approximately twenty years as a monastic. I experienced the full spectrum of human emotions—the joys and sorrows, the reunions and the partings. Whether listening to the accounts of fellow practitioners or reflecting upon my own experiences, these events are now merely memories of a life once lived. I feel deep shame, for I, too, was caught within the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death, experiencing the very truth of this samsaric existence.

A true practitioner of Buddha-recitation should not succumb to the suffering of illness and death. Instead, one should maintain a healthy body and an undying spirit, achieving rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I have been gone from this world for many years, and at that time, I did not achieve this goal. Those events and processes from years ago have now become like floating clouds and a light breeze; this is the truth of the illusory nature of the world. Once a moment passes, it is no longer real. Because the same causal conditions, the same time, the same environment, and the same people will never converge in the same way again, everything changes the moment it passes. There is nothing in this world that remains constant; it changes every second, every moment. This is the reality of impermanence.

The Scattering of the Soul

My illness and the subsequent retribution I suffered in the hells were entirely my own fault—a failure of the most profound nature. I failed to live up to the dignity of being a monastic. After my passing, I was fortunate that Practitioner Su—whom we now respectfully address as Practitioner Su—rescued me from the hells. Through his guidance, I repented before the Buddha, and by chanting the name of Namo Amituofo, he helped me reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is only because of his compassion that I am who I am today. I am eternally grateful to Practitioner Su.

Practitioner Su has asked me to speak about the state of my three hun souls and seven po souls during my lifetime. I hope this provides everyone with a deeper understanding of this subject, as the state of these souls is closely related to one's physical and mental condition while living in the world.

When I was a lay practitioner, my parents provided me with a comfortable life and an excellent learning environment. This, however, fostered a stubborn personality. I was unwilling to listen to the advice of others, and although I would commit errors, I never truly changed my ways. Consequently, one of my po souls remained trapped in my student days, still caught in the hot-blooded, argumentative nature of youth, constantly debating with classmates over who was right and who was wrong.

Lessons from the Master

After I became a monastic, I spent a period of time following my teacher, the Venerable Master Chin Kung. I learned how a monastic should conduct themselves, how to interact with others, and how to arrange the schedule for spreading the Dharma. I truly should have strictly followed the Master's teachings. He often spoke of the twenty characters: Sincerity, Purity, Equality, Proper Awakening, and Compassion, and See through, Let go, Be at ease, Follow conditions, and Chant Namo Amituofo. These twenty characters are the essence of the Master's lifelong study of the Buddha's teachings. If one can truly practise the Pure Land path in this way, one will certainly achieve success.

I was foolish. Even while by the Master's side, I did not learn diligently. I continued to follow my own habits and ego, committing mistakes repeatedly without even realising it. Although the Master admonished and reminded me, and I would show signs of change for a short time, I never truly made a sincere vow from the depths of my heart to change. My old habits would always resurface. Therefore, two of my po souls remained by the Master's side, still listening to his teachings. I loved studying the sutras and collecting Dharma treasures. I kept the Master's lectures and Dharma treasures in perfect order so that I could access them whenever I wished to listen. Consequently, one of my hun souls was constantly busy organising these treasures, listening to the Buddha-name while working. I was immersed in the Master's teachings, but this, too, was a form of attachment.

The Illusion of Progress

As I grew older, I should have learned to be more flexible and harmonious in my dealings with others. However, I made no progress in this regard. I was overly focused on distinguishing right from wrong, and I offended many people while by the Master's side. Sometimes I would agree on the surface, but my heart was not in accord; I did not truly listen or obey. Although I listened to the Master's lectures and wanted to purify myself and elevate my skills, I was not sincere with others. I even harboured dissatisfaction toward certain people and kept these grievances in my heart. How could this be called purity? No matter how much I practised or trained in lecturing, those with clear eyes could see the limits of my progress, and I knew deep down that I had not improved. This realisation caused me great frustration. Therefore, one of my po souls would kneel before the Buddha in the dead of night to repent, but my heart still carried subtle traces of dissatisfaction. This was not true repentance; it was merely a way to make myself feel at ease.

The Master, with his clear vision, knew that my heart was not open and my mind was not joyful. He sent me to the mainland to travel and clear my mind. I first went to the Pure Land centre in Shenzhen. The people there were sincere and eager to learn; we grew together through teaching and learning, and I formed many positive Dharma affinities. Later, I visited several other places to study, which I will briefly describe:

• The Devotion of the People: I visited a lay practitioner, where I saw many people in the mainland who were deeply sincere in their wish to be reborn in the Pure Land. They sold their family properties and moved into the centre as a family to focus on their practice, hoping that everyone could be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Some had chanted the Buddha-name until their faces looked pure, yet there was an underlying sadness in their expressions.
• The Timelessness of the Mituo Village: I visited a Mituo Village in Jiangsu. The scenery in the Jiangnan region is beautiful, with many buildings maintained in their original style or renovated. The ancient monuments and willow trees, characteristic of the Jiangnan flavour, made me feel as if I had entered a time tunnel. Watching the sunset, I reflected on how many years have passed, yet the sun continues to rise and set as it always has. It has witnessed countless storms and seasons, yet it continues its journey with such unwavering concentration. This is truly admirable. It is a quality of composure—responding to the changing world with an unchanging heart—that every practitioner should cultivate.
• The Simplicity of Hunan: I visited a small Pure Land centre in Hunan. The local customs were simple and the people were kind, but their local dialect was very heavy. I could not understand much of what they said, and I could not grasp their meaning through intuition, so I left after a short time.

Throughout these travels, two of my po souls were constantly on the move, carrying simple luggage, changing vehicles, walking, and navigating the journey.

The Manifestation of Karma

As the days passed, I struggled to adapt to the local customs and the exhaustion of travel. I often caught colds and coughed, but I paid little attention to it. I thought it was just a minor illness or a reaction to the environment, and I continued my daily practice and dedication of merit. I did not care for my body, as monastics are taught not to be attached to the physical form. It was not until I felt something was truly wrong that I sought a check-up and discovered I had cancer. I knew in my heart that in this lifetime, not only had I failed to contribute significantly to the Buddha's gate, but I had also formed many negative karmic affinities. I had not expected the retribution to manifest so quickly. I took some traditional medicine, but my condition did not improve.

Upon returning to Shenzhen, my body began to deteriorate. I avoided meeting people, as this was not a positive sight; seeing me in such a state might lead others to slander the Buddha's teachings and the Pure Land, which would only add to my sins. My body was swollen, and I had no strength to speak. I am grateful that Practitioner Su visited me at that time. He had clear vision and immediately saw the pain in my heart. He taught me to let go of the past. Yes, Practitioner Su's words made me realise that the Buddha's teachings are truly profound and that Pure Land practice is indeed magnificent. It was I who was incompetent, failing to truly comprehend and put into practice the compassion, wisdom, and tolerance contained within. I could only speak of it but could not do it; it would have been better to speak less and chant more. This realisation came too late. When the karmic obstacles of illness manifest, it is truly difficult to turn the situation around, as I was still unable to truly subdue and let go of the wounds in my heart, even though I had prayed for the Buddha's blessings to help me pass away peacefully.

I once thought of going to a place where no one knew me, like Shanghai, but I was too weak to leave. I eventually fell into a coma and passed away in Shenzhen. Looking back now, I see that my karmic creditors were present, surrounding my body, especially around my face, chest, and abdomen. I felt tightness and difficulty breathing, and my head felt heavy. As a practitioner of Buddha-recitation, I failed to transform my karma and instead allowed it to manifest. I am filled with shame and repentance.

The Final Reckoning

Reflecting on my life, I wrote a letter of repentance. Beyond mentioning my stinginess with the Dharma—for which I hid the Great Canon and suffered retribution—I did not honestly express the things in my heart. I only repented partially, not completely. I had harboured tears of resentment toward my teachers for perceived neglect and hatred toward the Dharma protectors for their perceived coldness. These feelings were not in my letter, yet they fermented in my heart like a malignant tumour. Now, looking back from the Western Pure Land, I see how foolish I was. Everything was an illusion, a test to see if I had truly learned the essence of the Buddha's teachings—emptiness, no-self, and no-form—and if I could truly "see through and let go," as the Master taught every day. I am ashamed that I did not pass a single test, yet I left the human world carrying a heart full of scars.

In the final days of my life, when my body felt slightly better, I appeared at a Dharma assembly to bid farewell to the fellow monastics and devotees who had cared for me. After that, I did not appear in public again. Back in Shenzhen, my condition fluctuated; one of my po souls lay on the hospital bed, weak and in need of care. Meanwhile, one of my hun souls was already suffering retribution in the hells. Whenever my heart fluctuated, it corresponded to the hells. In the tongue-pulling and heart-gouging hells, I was suffering even before I had passed away. Another hun soul was trapped in my chest by the beings seeking retribution, unable to move.

The Karmic Cause of Cancer

Why did I suffer the retribution of cancer in this life? Now I see it is because, seven lifetimes ago, I was a physician. During a plague in a village—what we now call an epidemic—that spread through the entire village and into the next, the illness could have been cured. However, because I misused herbal medicine, the condition of the villagers worsened, and many died. Therefore, in this life, I suffered the retribution of cancer, enduring pain and death.

As a monastic, I could have used the power of true practice to avoid such karmic retribution. If I had transformed my karma, I could have been spared this past-life debt. But not only did I fail to transform my karma, I created even more sins. I am truly ashamed of my monastic status. I know this is karmic retribution, but I did not know the negative causes I had created. Now that I know the truth, I repent and request the Buddha's blessings. I ask if Practitioner Su could help perform Chao Du for these suffering beings. To be reborn in the six realms of existence and be unable to master one's own destiny is truly tragic.

A Final Exhortation

I repent deeply to the Master. Not only was I unable to be a good assistant to him, but I also provided the worst possible example: the suffering of illness and death. Through my own painful experience, I tell everyone: truly, only rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is the place of ultimate liberation. There are many people in the world who chant the Buddha-name, but few who achieve rebirth; this is truly a pity.

The Pure Land school needs to be reorganised; it needs more people to spread the Dharma and the support of lay practitioners. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia is truly a place where Namo Amituofo abides. Practitioner Su leads the monastics, lay practitioners, and the many Bodhisattvas in the spiritual realms who have been transformed, performing Chao Du to help immeasurable and boundless sentient beings achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a true and undeniable fact, and I am but one of them.

I am grateful to Namo Amituofo, grateful to Practitioner Su, and grateful to the fellow monastics, Dharma protectors, and devotees who helped me during my lifetime. Namo Amituofo.

This interview message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi HaiZe.

Memorial Tablets:

• Sentient beings with karmic affinity to Venerable Wuhong's cancer:
• The beings of the plague-stricken village who suffered or died because Venerable Wuhong misused herbal medicine in a past life. This includes the harmed spirits, the soil, water sources, flowers, plants, and trees. Immeasurable in number. Representative: Village Head Xu Fudong.
• The countless civilians, homes, lands, and sentient beings harmed when Venerable Wuhong, while serving as an official for six lifetimes, made a policy error that caused a dam to burst and flood a town. Immeasurable in number. Representative: Su Qi'er. (Seeking recovery, peace of mind, listening to the Dharma, and not resolving the conflict.)
• (Entering the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Western Land of Dharma Nature)