What Dwells Within the Physical Body?
An Interview with Venerable Yongning
Recorded on December 20, 2019
This is a record of an interview with Venerable Yongning, who reflects upon the nature of the physical body and the spiritual attachments that plague humanity. This account was recorded by the disciple Shi Faxin on December 20, 2019.
Venerable Yongning speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. Have you ever truly considered what you would be like after shedding this physical shell? Have you thought about where you would go? The answer is that after you leave this shell, you remain exactly the same as you are now. The only difference is that you lose the autonomy of the physical body, and you gain the ability to traverse space. At that moment, the sights you behold are terrifying enough to make you tremble. You see every soul trapped within a physical body, unable to escape, bound by the very vessel they inhabit.
The Hidden Truths of Our Loved Ones
Once you become a wandering spirit, the first thing you think of is your family. You return home, and upon seeing your loved ones, the emotional bonds remain as strong as ever. Yet, the pain of existing in different dimensions means you can never truly meet again; the have ended, and your paths are destined to diverge. You look at the dog you cherish most in the world, only to realise that inside that animal body, there dwells a woman. She possesses a beauty that would make anyone desire her, yet now she is trapped in of the pet you hold in your arms every day. The feeling of holding a dog is vastly different from holding a beautiful woman, and when the stark reality of this truth is presented before your eyes, it is utterly shocking.
Then, you look at your youngest son, the one who was always so quick to talk back to you. His body is filled with spirits, all summoned by his obsession with the internet. These spirits have completely altered his emotions, his gaze, and even the very thoughts within his head. He is no longer the son you knew. He is consumed by a digital addiction, as if held by a powerful, invisible force. After finishing a meal, he rushes back to his room to sit before the computer. The spirits he sees on the screen move in and out of his eyes and head—most enter but never leave. As a wandering spirit watching from the side, I felt such terror, yet I was powerless to intervene or help him.
The Invisible Influence of Modern Media
Look at your daughter, who has been dressing more and more provocatively. You realise she has been possessed by a female spirit—a model or a 'female demon'—whose appearance mirrors the way your daughter now dresses. This demonic influence is drawn from the alluring billboards of women you see on the roadside. The heavily made-up women on those signs, with their seductive gazes, cause men passing by to linger and look, stirring up restless desires in their hearts. That is the power of the female demon, and everyone is being poisoned by it. Whether it is a woman’s obsession with her appearance or a man’s specific, distorted toward women, these are all attractions created by demonic forces in the space around us, making it incredibly difficult for people to pull themselves away.
The Inevitable Toll of
Observe your wife’s face; it appears increasingly aged, and she complains of pain here and there. It is very clear that the karmic creditors attached to her body have begun their work. They have come to seek revenge for past grievances, and in the end, they will deliver a final, devastating blow, causing unbearable suffering before taking her life. This is the true situation in our society and within our very homes today.
As a wandering spirit, this father feels a heart-wrenching pain at the truth of what he sees, yet he is utterly powerless to change any of it. After fleeing from the home that holds such cruel realities, he becomes a true wandering spirit, no longer having any connection to that family. He simply waits for his time to be pulled away by the forces of space, only to fall back into the cycle of rebirth once more.
A Call to Honest Practice
This reality, laid out before us, is the true state of the human body today. We allow beings to enter and exit at will, and we welcome these spirits through our own thoughts and habits. Given this, does anyone still dare to let their thoughts wander aimlessly? Since we have already formed the Causal Conditions to learn the , we must become honest practitioners of Namo Amituofo. Honesty is not merely an outward appearance; it is a genuine, internal adjustment of the heart. You must face yourself with sincerity, be bold, and stop protecting your own ego. Only then is it possible to achieve success in this lifetime. This is an indisputable fact, visible to all things.
Namo Amituofo."
More from Master Yongning
The Path to a Pure Heart
Venerable Yongning discusses the profound necessity of purifying the heart, explaining how the depth of one's practice is determined by the degree to which one can relinquish the self and worldly attachments.
The Transformation from Demon to Practitioner
Venerable Yongning shares his profound journey from a powerful demon to a dedicated practitioner, reflecting on the transformative power of the Dharma and the moment he was subdued by Practitioner Su.
The Prison of a Stubborn Heart
Venerable Yongning explores the destructive nature of stubbornness, revealing how a rigid heart traps spirits in cycles of suffering and how letting go is the only path to liberation.
Transcending the Cycle of Suffering
Venerable Yongning reflects on the root causes of human suffering, the profound regret of spirits trapped in the cycle of rebirth, and the path to liberation through repentance and chanting Namo Amituofo.
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library