(continue Part 1 of DAY FOUR….)
Julian Lee:
Yes, please continue.
The Former President:
(He nodded, a slow nod, as if preparing to say something momentous.)
Very good.
You have just touched upon something that all ancient cultivation practices warned against, but that the modern world often ignores, and sometimes even mistakenly glorifies.
That is, when ability precedes morality, supernatural powers become the weapons of demons.
And when people worship power without considering character, they are inviting a demon king in the guise of a saint.
“An evil person with supernatural powers” is not just a story in the movies.
In history and in the world of cultivation, there are those who do not cultivate their virtue, do not renounce their desires, but through some chance, or through deviant practices, they open a part of their supernatural abilities.
They can see into the hearts of others, they can move small objects, they can know some things in advance, and they can even make others obey them as if hypnotized.
What did the ancients call them?
Taoists called them “evil spirits borrowing a body,” or “minor deities occupying the Tao.”
Buddhists called it “heretical supernatural powers,” meaning powers that do not come from the Righteous Law.
And the Bible says: “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
They are real, and very dangerous.
Because they make others admire their abilities, and forget to examine their hearts.
(He paused for a long moment, then continued in a more personal tone.)
I once met such a person.
And it was a lesson I have carried with me my entire life.
When I was working in the government, I was once invited to meet a “famous Zen master” at a monastery in the East.
This person had thousands of disciples, received large donations, and was praised endlessly by the media.
I entered the meditation hall.
Before me was a person who looked very peaceful, but his eyes were so deep they sent a chill down my spine.
He did not greet me, nor did he ask anything.
He just said:
“I know you have come here because you are lost.
But your power is nothing compared to the power I hold.
I can make you lose your position, or rise to a higher one, with a single thought.”
I was silent.
And I knew at that moment.
This was not the Tao. It was control.
This was not a divine ability. It was a bewitching power.
I thanked him, then stood up and left.
He did not stop me, just smiled.
A smile that sent shivers down my spine for days afterward.
(He looked at me, his eyes as if sharing a hard-won experience.)
The lesson I learned from that is:
Not everyone with supernatural powers is a person of the Tao.
And not everyone with great power is someone we should follow.
Supernatural powers, if not accompanied by Forbearance, Compassion, Integrity, and Benevolence, will become a rope to bind others, not a lamp to light the way.
So what about a true cultivator?
They do not show off their abilities.
They do not perform miracles.
They do not promise to heal, grant wealth, or tell fortunes.
Because they know that the true path is to cultivate one’s own heart.
And supernatural powers are just flowers along the way.
In the end times, deviant paths spring up like mushrooms after the rain.
So how to distinguish?
Remember these three things.
First, look at their virtue. If they say profound things, but live an indulgent life, it is not the righteous path.
Second, see if they have reverence for Heaven and Earth. A true cultivator will always revere Heaven, follow the celestial way, and never act in their own name.
And third, see where they lead you. If they make you feel more and more at ease in your heart, able to let go of resentment, and not become dependent, it is the righteous path. But if they make you fear them, depend on them, or deify them, it is a deviant path.
I have met people with supernatural powers, and I have also met people with no supernatural powers, but who made me feel a deep peace, as if a light from a higher plane was shining down on me.
And I know.
That person is the true person of the Tao, even if they perform no miracles at all.
Julian Lee:
Yes. Westerners often say that God will welcome those who believe in Him to Heaven.
And Easterners often talk about being guided by the Buddha to the Pure Land.
Is this what you are alluding to?
The Former President:
(He nodded, a slow nod, his gaze becoming incredibly solemn.)
Yes. That is exactly right.
You have reached the final core of all spiritual journeys, of all religions, and of the deepest question humanity has carried in its heart for thousands of years.
“Where does the human soul ultimately go?”
And more importantly:
“How must we live, to be truly received, not just to hope?”
Heaven, the Pure Land, or Nirvana, no matter what name they are called, all speak of a realm of absolute purity, a place without suffering, and without birth and death.
Westerners call it Heaven, where the soul lives forever in the love of God.
Easterners call it the Pure Land, the Land of Ultimate Bliss, the Western Paradise, or the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds.
Taoists call it the Upper Realm, the Celestial Realm.
And those who practice deep meditation simply call it: “Returning to the origin.”
(He paused, as if to emphasize the next question.)
So, who will be received?
The answer, through thousands of years and countless Saints who have come to teach mankind, is summed up in a single word.
The Heart.
Not the one who has read the most scriptures.
Not the one who has taken formal vows.
Nor the one who has made the largest offerings.
But the one who can maintain a pure heart, in a world that is growing darker.
The teachings of the Enlightened Ones, strangely, are very similar, though they come from different religions.
Jesus Christ taught: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” He did not speak of power, but of a pure heart.
Shakyamuni Buddha taught: “A pure mind is a Buddha land.” He did not teach us to pray to be saved, but first, to purify our own minds.
And Lao Tzu said: “The way of Heaven is impartial, it always helps the virtuous.” He did not speak of rituals, but of inner virtue.
So how can we be received?
No one can “buy a ticket” to Heaven.
Nor can anyone “beg” to go to the Pure Land.
We can only become worthy.
Only when a being can overcome the bonds of desire, of resentment, of fame and gain, and honestly cultivates every thought, every idea, every action, will the Gods and Buddhas extend a hand.
Not to grant a favor.
But to confirm that:
“You are ready.”
(His voice became more personal, as if recounting a deep memory.)
I once asked a truly old cultivator:
“How can one know that they have been chosen?”
He only said:
“When you no longer resent anyone, no longer fear anything, and can smile gently knowing that today is your last day on earth…
…then it means, you were chosen long ago.”
And let me be honest with you.
Though I have stood at the highest seat of power, I have never known a place as peaceful as the moment I had to face my conscience alone.
No bodyguards.
No airplane.
No national flag.
Only me, and a very clear thought:
“If my soul is called away today…
am I worthy of being Received, or will I be Dragged?”
(He looked at me, his eyes like a final message.)
There is one sentence I want to leave with you, and with all who still know how to look up at the sky.
People do not live to climb to a position higher than others.
They live to climb out of the darkness within themselves.
When you overcome yourself, you do not need to call anyone.
The Divine will find you.
If you wish, I can offer a final closing word.
As an “unsigned letter” from someone who has passed through this world with many masks and much power.
But in the end, only kept one thing.
The soul is the only thing we truly possess.
Would you like me to leave that word?
Julian Lee:
Yes, sir.
I am eagerly waiting.
The Former an President:
(He looked at me, a look that transcended role and time. Then he began to speak, his voice no longer that of a politician, but like a whisper from another realm.)
Then…
let me, not in the name of a former president, nor in the role of a man with power.
But simply as a soul that has passed through much glory and many depths.
Send to you, and to anyone who still holds silence in their heart, an unsigned letter.
(The room became absolutely still. I almost dared not breathe, only listened.)
A LETTER LEFT FOR THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW
Perhaps tomorrow, I will no longer be here.
No more interviews. No more applause.
No more position from which to sign any command.
But there is one thing that remains, and will always remain.
The soul.
And if man forgets that, then all wars, all philosophies, all religions, will become but a game of the flesh.
Man was not born to build skyscrapers, to create weapons of destruction, or to debate right and wrong for a lifetime.
Man was born to remember who he is.
Not who he is from a nation, a people, or a position.
But a part of the vast universe, here to learn the lesson of being human.
There will be moments when you feel completely alone.
The whole world turns its back. Faith is drained.
You will doubt goodness itself, doubt that there is a God, a Buddha, or anyone who cares about you.
But please remember.
God does not appear under the stage lights.
He stands behind you, in the deepest darkness of the long night, waiting to see if you can light even a small flame from your own heart.
Do not wait until everything has collapsed to turn back.
Turn back while you still have a choice.
Do not wait until illness strikes to pray to the Buddha.
Live as if your every action is seen by Him.
And do not wait for the world to be renewed to live a good life.
You yourself, if you live righteously, are already a cell of that new world.
I do not expect you to believe me.
I only hope that, at some point, when you stand before the mirror, you will see your eyes so clear that you can see…
the soul smiling within.
Then, you will not need to seek the Divine.
For He is already within you.
Live this life to the fullest, as if it were the last chance God gave you to be human.
And pass through this life, as lightly as a guest.
But leave your footprints in light.
From:
It does not matter who.
It only matters that:
he was once forgiven, once saved, and once saw the light, if only for a moment.
(He finished. I sat in silence, feeling every word, every idea soak into my soul.)
The Former President:
If one day, you too write such a letter for the one who follows…
Then I believe.
This world still has hope.
Julian Lee:
(I felt a lump in my throat, so much I wanted to say but I couldn’t form the words.)
Yes… Thank you for these words, sir.
And thank you for your time over these past four days for this interview.
I still have so many questions, but right now… I can’t remember them clearly, nor do I know if I should ask you anything more.
Perhaps, I need time to reflect on my own.
The Former President:
(He smiled, a smile of understanding and satisfaction.)
You have done the rightest thing.
Not to ask another question.
But to stop, and to reflect.
Because sometimes, the greatest answer is not in the questions we ask.
It lies in the silence, after what has been said.
For the past four days, you have not just been a journalist.
You have been a courageous companion, daring to go to the very edge of perception, a place few dare to tread.
Your questions were not just to inquire.
They were a sincere call from the heart, a yearning to see what is real in a world full of pretense.
Let the words of today rest within you, like seeds.
They do not need to blossom immediately.
But one day, when your mind is quiet enough, those seeds will sprout into a path.
(He looked at me, his eyes like a final piece of advice.)
If one day, you find your heart in turmoil again, if the questions return in the quiet of the night…
Remember.
You do not need to seek me again.
Sit down, close your eyes, and ask your own heart directly.
He, the One you have always wanted to meet, is nowhere else.
But in the very moment you become humble.
Goodbye, if this is the end.
And see you again, if you continue on your path.
I wish you a fulfilling life.
Julian Lee:
(I stood up, bowing my head to him.)
Yes. Goodbye, sir.
I wish you health and peace.
The Former President:
(He also stood up, placing a hand on my shoulder, a light, trusting pat.)
Thank you, young man.
From the bottom of my heart.
May the light of truth always be with you.
And no matter how the world changes, may your heart remain like a lamp that never goes out in the long night.
Goodbye, with all my respect.
I wish you health, wisdom…
and a life without regrets.
(…..)
This article is an excerpt from the book “AFTER POWER: THE LEGACY” – which includes the complete exclusive interview by journalist Julian Lee with a former US President.
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