Real Life Story 1:

Lotus-born Beings Series: Qin Taihe

'The Word “Buddha” and My Connection to It'

Spiritual Message received by Venerable FaJing

21st August 2018

Original Piece: https://amtbpureland.cc/F917b

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I was born into a poor family. My father had only one arm, and my mother was mute from birth. My father worked hard to support us, but jobs were difficult to find—most employers wouldn’t hire someone with a missing limb.

We couldn’t afford school, but my father taught me how to read. He said, “I never went to school either, but a kind person once taught me some words. I’ll teach you everything I know.”

We didn’t have paper or pens, so we wrote in the dirt of our courtyard, slowly learning word by word.

One day, my father wrote a character that caught my attention—it was the word “佛” (Buddha). Before he even told me what it was, I asked, “Why is this word glowing?” My father looked confused. I repeated, “It’s glowing.” He laughed and said to my mother, “This child must have a connection with the Buddha.”

I asked, “What is Buddha?” But my father didn’t know. Our village had never heard of Buddhism. He said, “Buddha is something sacred and far away, but I don’t really know what it means.”

Still, that glowing word stayed in my heart. I promised myself that one day, I would find out what Buddha truly was.

When I was a teenager, I wanted to leave home to search for someone who knew about Buddha. But my father stopped me—he said I should work and help support the family instead.

He had just started a new job farming for a kind landowner. He hoped we could eventually rent a small plot of land and grow vegetables to sell. So I joined him in the fields. After years of hard work and saving, we finally rented a small piece of land. The landowner was generous—he even said we could pay rent later if needed. We were deeply grateful.

We sold our vegetables at the village market. One day, a woman screamed while holding a bunch of greens—there was a fat worm on them. I grabbed the worm to throw it away, but then I heard it cry out. I thought it was the woman, but she looked confused. I heard it again—it was the worm! I asked her, “Did you hear that?” She shook her head.

Just then, a bald man walked by and said, “That worm is also a Buddha.”

I was shocked. “A Buddha?” I asked.

He explained, “All beings have spirits and an equal Buddha nature. Every soul is originally a Buddha, but due to negative karma, they go through the cycle of rebirth.”

He chanted “Namo Amituofo” and said he had helped the worm take refuge—it would no longer be reborn as a worm. I was stunned. How could a few words change its fate? What would it become next? Who would take its place?

I had so many questions. I left my vegetable stall and followed the man into the mountains. He entered a modest house where other bald men were gathered.

Inside was a large glowing statue. One of them said, “This is Amituofo (Amitabha Buddha).”

From that day on, I visited the temple often after selling vegetables. I learned that these men were monks, and they were practicing Buddhism.

After many Buddhism talks, I began to understand. One day, a master told me, “You are also a Buddha. Don’t forget to find your Buddha nature.”

I asked, “How do I find it?”

He replied, “Through compassion.”

I asked again, “How do I practice compassion?”

He said, “See all beings as part of yourself. Help them discover the Buddha Nature in themselves and escape the cycle of rebirth. That is true compassion.”

I began treating every customer, every vegetable, every insect with respect—because all things have spirit and Buddha nature. I shared Pure Land Buddhist Education with those who came to buy vegetables, taught them about the Western Pure Land, and encouraged them to chant “Namo Amituofo.”

One day, I read a story about karma and finally understood why my parents were born with disabilities—it was the result of past actions. I vowed to help all beings escape suffering and be reborn in the Pure Land.

My parents slowly became interested in Buddhism. They joined me at the temple, and eventually allowed me to become a monk.

Years later, I was ordained and began teaching Pure Land Buddhism daily.

It was a single worm that awakened my Buddha nature.