Interview with Gu Fangzhou (Chinese Virologist)

Brief Introduction: Recipient of the national honorary title of "People's Scientist." A Chinese virologist and pioneer in the research and development of the live oral polio vaccine. He personally tested the medicine and successfully developed the "polio sugar pill," protecting generations of Chinese children from disability. He is affectionately known by the public as "Grandpa Sugar Pill."

Interview Chief Writer: Venerable Fa Ning

16 July 2026

Gu Fangzhou:

Namo Amituofo.

I am Gu Fangzhou. In this life, as a Chinese virologist, I actually only did one small thing, which was to make a small sugar pill. In my youth, I resolutely chose public health and virus research, believing that as long as I did well in this field, many people would benefit. The successful development of the polio sugar pill meant that polio was eradicated in China from then on; this is something that brings me great comfort.

I lived to be ninety-two years old, and like most people, after experiencing illness, I left this world. After leaving the human world, I unexpectedly arrived at a place called the "heart-gouging hell." There, my soul was constantly subjected to the torture of having my heart gouged out, while I pondered, repented, and reflected on what I had done wrong. I understand that every life circumstance must have a cause, but I truly could not understand why I had entered this hell to suffer punishment.

After spending several years in hell, until recently, with the help of Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I finally arrived at the Western Land of Dharma Nature of the Buddhist Centre. At this moment, I am at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, conveying these messages to everyone. This is a very precious opportunity, and I will cherish it well, hoping that more people with karmic affinity can be saved as a result.

Saving people is now a vow of mine, Gu Fangzhou. When I was alive, I was also striving in this direction. After all, the successful development of the polio vaccine did indeed save many children from the threat of polio. However, upon arriving at the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I realised that in this life, besides avoiding physical illness, it is even more important to prevent one's heart from becoming ill. Because changes in the mind will affect changes in the body and soul; it turns out the root of all problems lies in this heart.

If one can keep the heart in a healthy state, how could one grow old, get sick, and die? This is a principle I only learned after arriving at the Land of Dharma Nature. It turns out that the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way are so important. If I had not received Buddhist education, how would I have understood that as long as a person has even the slightest deviant behaviour or thought, it is possible to fall into hell after death?

I, Gu Fangzhou, am a very good example. Even when I was alive, I was willing to sacrifice my own son just to ensure that subsequent human experiments could be successful, thereby allowing the testing of the polio vaccine to be truly completed. This initial intention was, of course, very noble. Later, China finally became a country free from polio. I dare not say that I deserve all the credit, but I did, after all, make such a contribution to some extent.

However, in this life, because I did not embark on the path of practice, I did not understand what the Truth was, and I never truly let go of the self. That is to say, I did not truly let go of this body. If one cannot achieve no-self and selflessness, how can one be in sync with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way? This is truly a cruel fact. Everyone should deeply understand this principle: the path of life must be followed by adhering to the Truth. If one fails to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the soul must suffer in reincarnation. How long will this last? This is a question everyone should ponder deeply.

Indeed, a medicine like the polio vaccine, once successfully developed, can help many people avoid polio. But for the heart that is already ill in everyone, does it have a therapeutic effect? The answer is no.

Only after learning Buddhism did I realise that when everyone is an infant, the heart is pure and good, and compassion and goodness naturally flow in every move of the baby. However, because they do not receive correct guidance, children gradually cease to be their true selves during the growth process. As they get older, the selfishness in their hearts grows, and they begin to be aware of the existence of "I." At this time, they have actually been sought out by karmic creditors. When they take revenge, the soul is kicked out of the body, which also causes the state of physical aging and illness.

What is a healthy heart? It is one that is clear, bright, and without a trace of contamination. Purity and goodness should be the state that everyone's heart possesses. In the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, there is never any trace of negativity or malice, only pure kindness and purity. Only by achieving ultimate purity and kindness can we be in sync with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

When this heart becomes ill, it is due to being tainted by worldly emotions or physical desires. Any person, matter, or object in the world, as long as it is placed in the heart, is actually a burden on the heart. These illusory existences are completely a burden to this heart. Yet, people in the world always take them as real, holding onto these burdens tightly and refusing to let go.

The world truly needs the Buddhist education of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to unravel the facts of life and the universe, letting everyone know that they should not cling to everything in the world; the only thing that needs to be grasped is the Holy Name "Namo Amituofo."

Now, Namo Amituofo has come to the world to bring people the benefits of not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die, and to help everyone be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is an opportunity difficult to encounter in millions of years, and I hope everyone can receive such benefits.

Currently, only a very small number of people in China know about this precious land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, but in the future, there will inevitably be a large number of Chinese people who want to come here to see the Buddha and seek the Dharma. Because no one wants to experience the suffering of aging, illness, and death. By coming to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, as long as one can believe in Namo Amituofo, believe that one is also a Buddha, and can change one's personality to zero, truly have no temper, and truly achieve purity and goodness, one can find the path to liberation.

Using such a heart to chant the Holy Name "Namo Amituofo" can unleash the true power of the Holy Name, allowing oneself, the karmic creditors within one's body, and all sentient beings to be reborn.

Many people in the world now believe in Western medicine, and of course, some believe in traditional Chinese medicine. Regardless of any medical method in the world, it cannot actually cure the disease at its root.

Because the root of the disease is that the soul within one's body is no longer complete. Many people who are seriously ill, although their bodies are still alive, have a part of their soul that has already gone to hell to suffer punishment. It is precisely because their souls are suffering immense pain that their bodies also develop corresponding illnesses.

"Not being able to be the master" is a common problem for everyone. Because this heart is as difficult to tame as a wild horse, always galloping endlessly, and thoughts never stop; this is the fact of the human world. An impermanent heart causes one's own impermanent life circumstances. It turns out that the suffering of life is actually because this heart cannot find peace.

Namo Amituofo is very compassionate and teaches us to chant "Namo Amituofo." If one can believe in Namo Amituofo and chant the Buddha's name well, there is a chance for one's heart to find a stable place to rest.

Arriving at the Western Land of Dharma Nature and seeing the manifestation of my benefactor, Practitioner Su, made me realise that saving people should be done thoroughly. What does this mean? Because after a Buddha attains Buddhahood, they can use their countless manifestations to perform Chao Du everywhere.

All the immeasurable and boundless sentient beings in China have been saved under the great Chao Du of Practitioner Su. When Practitioner Su chants the Holy Name "Namo Amituofo," Namo Amituofo appears in an instant, radiating great light. Many suffering spirits in China have been saved because of this and have entered the Western Land of Dharma Nature.

After arriving at the Western Land of Dharma Nature, they, like me, Gu Fangzhou, have been placed on their respective lotus seats, and our souls are nourished under the illumination of the Buddha-light. In the future, we will have the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This transfer station to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss has given countless suffering spirits in the world a chance to be saved.

Practitioner Su is now actively leading the Namo Amituofo salvation team in the world, hoping that everyone can understand the education of Namo Amituofo. I hope that after receiving Buddhist education, everyone can follow the teachings, slowly purify their Body-Mind-Spirit, elevate their spirits, until they attain Buddhahood, and eventually be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

This is true salvation. Saving people is not about alleviating or curing physical pain, nor is it about using any worldly methods. To truly save people is to save them to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and help them attain Buddhahood. Practitioner Su is very clear about this, so he always hopes that more people will learn what true Buddha's teachings are, and hopes that more people can realise their true nature and attain Buddhahood in this life, allowing such a magnificent Dharma to be passed down in the world.

The existence of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is indeed difficult to encounter in millions of years. Because there is Practitioner Su, a Buddha in the flesh who has realised his true nature in the human world, and Namo Amituofo in the spiritual realms. With the help of these two Buddhas, people in the whole world and the spiritual realms have the opportunity to be saved and obtain the magnificent benefits of not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die.

I wish everyone could receive such benefits. First, everyone must learn to let go of selfishness. For us Chinese, everyone generally still carries some selfish habits, including self-protection and suspicion, etc. These are habits that everyone has developed since childhood. The formation of these personalities and habits is by no means overnight, but the result of long-term accumulation from childhood to adulthood, which is why these habits have become so deeply rooted.

Education is truly very important. If everyone could learn what the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way are from a young age, how could they suffer? It turns out that life does not have to be bitter, as long as one can be the master and not let one's Body-Mind-Spirit be tortured. The Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way are what everyone must follow. If one can do this, one can also protect oneself from the invasion of disease.

At the time, I used my own son for the final stage of human experiments. If it failed, my son could have been paralysed or even died. This was a risk I was willing to take because I knew that if the vaccine was successfully developed and confirmed to be effective, it could benefit countless children in China. Even if I sacrificed my own child, as long as countless children were saved because of it, I was willing to bear it all.

Some people think my behaviour was very selfless, but in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I saw Practitioner Su suffering massive collective magical attacks from demon crowds in order to perform Chao Du for the immeasurable and boundless sentient beings (especially the demon crowds) throughout China, yet he still had no fear or retreat, always firmly moving forward, truly saving countless suffering spirits.

China has also received tremendous help because of this. After all, the interference and control of the demon crowds over people are so strong. With the reduction of interference from the demon crowds, everyone has more or less become much clearer.

When I saw Practitioner Su so brave and fearless, sacrificing his life to perform Chao Du for sentient beings, just to seize every minute and second that Namo Amituofo is still in the world, trying his best to save more sentient beings, such boldness truly makes me, Gu Fangzhou, deeply admire and respect him.

In this process, there has never been any fluctuation in Practitioner Su's heart, only this Holy Name "Namo Amituofo." No matter how many attacks he suffers, he always firmly chants this Holy Name "Namo Amituofo." Such firm faith in Namo Amituofo and the vow to save sentient beings make me deeply feel the vastness of the Buddha's teachings.

It turns out this is the true Buddha's teaching. The reason why people in the world today misunderstand Buddhism, or even regard it as feudal superstition or an ordinary religion, is because there is no one like Practitioner Su who has truly realised his true nature and attained Buddhahood. Such an awakened being is truly a treasure of the world; it is precisely because of his existence that countless sentient beings can be saved.

Not only that, Practitioner Su can also use the immeasurable and boundless merits obtained from Chao Du to heal people's illnesses, and under the blessing of Namo Amituofo, perform this magnificent Body-Mind-Spirit healing. Even cancer patients, as long as they have not undergone surgery, can be cured with the help of Practitioner Su. This is truly solving the problem of disease from the root. Because all diseases (including cancer) are caused by the harm done to the body by angry and resentful karmic creditors within the body. Practitioner Su is so compassionate that he can help people resolve conflicts with their karmic creditors and place them in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, a pure, bright, and beautiful world, and in the future, he can lead them to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Where else can you find such a good thing? No wonder countless resentful spirits have had some desire to leave when they meet Practitioner Su.

However, Gu Fangzhou also understands that although Practitioner Su has such ability, to heal one's own suffering, one must ultimately cooperate with Practitioner Su. This actually means that everyone must accept the Buddha’s teachings, see through their own wrong concepts and practices, and be truly willing to change their ways; this is the most important thing. After all, the Buddha’s teachings are a dual-power method; besides the Buddha's power, one must have self-power to receive the blessings and help of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas.

Seeing the various manifestations shown by Practitioner Su, I am deeply amazed that humans have such enormous potential to accomplish such great things.

Realising one's true nature, as I understood after listening to sutras and hearing the Dharma, is to retrieve one's original, unborn and undying Buddha-nature. This process requires purifying and further purifying one's Body-Mind-Spirit, and focusing on chanting the Holy Name "Namo Amituofo".

This is simple to say but has a certain level of difficulty to put into practice. If one can truly be like Practitioner Su, with only sentient beings in one's heart and no "self", one will ultimately be able to retrieve one's original face under the blessings of the Buddha's power. However, if there is still selfishness in one's heart, clinging to everything in the world, even if it is just worrying about one person, it will always leave one missing the final push, making it impossible to realise one's true nature and attain Buddhahood.

It turns out that becoming a Buddha means letting go of everything worldly, ultimately achieving oneself, and even more so, to help sentient beings. If one cannot make the Ultimate Vow to save the world, how can one save one's own soul, which is suffering incessantly in reincarnation?

Within every person's body, there are countless karmic creditors and sentient beings waiting for one to attain Buddhahood so that they too may have the opportunity to be liberated. If one still cannot wake up and continues to pursue everything in the world, then the karmic creditors and sentient beings within one's body will never have the chance to obtain deliverance. They will forever harbour hatred and resentment towards oneself, cycling in pain, just like a child who has suffered immensely but does not know how to walk out of their predicament.

This is how the Buddha views us. It turns out that the Buddha views every sentient being as a Buddha; it is only because sentient beings have various attachments and discriminations in their hearts that they suffer so much. Not knowing how to see through and let go is actually holding tightly onto one's own pain, causing oneself to suffer endless agony.

Now, I want to tell every person connected by karmic affinity that there are so many spirits within our bodies waiting for us to save them, and we should take responsibility. Only by learning the education of Amitabha Buddha, and learning what the true Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way are, can we truly wake up. When one can truly wake up, chant the Holy Name "Namo Amituofo" to the end, and keep one's heart forever dwelling in this Holy Name "Namo Amituofo", only then can these countless lost spirits within one's body have a day of awakening. If one can truly attain Buddhahood, it is actually leading the countless cells and sentient beings within one's body to attain Buddhahood together.

Practitioner Su is walking on such a path, and now he has attained Buddhahood, helping immeasurable and boundless suffering sentient beings to be liberated at every moment. This is also a path that every one of us should embark upon.

It turns out that the path of life has only been one from beginning to end; we came to this world originally as a Buddha here to save the world. Now that we have encountered Amitabha Buddha, I hope everyone can soon retrieve the compassion and goodness deeply hidden in their hearts. The unborn and undying Buddha-nature is waiting for us to unlock it, and the inherent abilities within our spirits are waiting for us to discover them. When we retrieve the treasure of our self-nature Tathagata, that is when we will exert our immeasurable power to save immeasurable suffering sentient beings.

In the future, I will be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Whether everyone will be able to meet me in the Western Land in the future depends on each person's karmic affinity and practice. If one can always keep the Holy Name "Namo Amituofo" in mind in the present moment, it is planting a magnificent good cause for one's future liberation.

Gratitude to Amitabha Buddha, gratitude to Practitioner Su.

Gu Fangzhou