The Money Perspective of Lifechanyuan Led Me to a Spiritual Transformation

Jiejing Celestial

April 1, 2025

(Edited by ChatGPT)

Entering Lifechanyuan International Family Society Thailand Branch: Letting Go of Money and Hidden Pain

On April 21, 2023, with longing and anticipation, I embarked on a journey to Lifechanyuan International Family Society Thailand Branch. Shortly after arriving, I donated 49,000 yuan to the community, leaving myself with only 4,000 yuan. Although I had already made a contribution, my attachment to money still lingered in my heart.

This attachment was not a desire for wealth, but an anxiety that quietly took root—whenever I still had some money of my own, I couldn't help but indulge in delicious food or buy myself new clothes. I started to consciously distinguish which items should be purchased with the community’s funds and which should come from my personal savings. This uneasy calculation made me even more anxious and made me realize that I had not truly let go of the bondage of money.

The Impact of 100 Baht

One day, I was responsible for receiving a British male visitor. When he was supposed to pay 2,100 baht for his accommodation and meals, he deliberately held back 100 baht and casually asked me:

"Do you still want this 100 baht?"
"Do you have a new dress to wear?"

These two questions deeply touched my heart. In that instant, my thoughts drifted back to my college years—during an internship at a music bookstore, I was harshly humiliated by the owner due to my financial difficulties. The sense of helplessness under the weight of money had never truly faded. And now, hearing the British visitor's casual words, I felt as if I had returned to that powerless version of myself once again.

I suddenly realized that even though in Lifechanyuan, I had learned the value of "owning nothing yet possessing everything", my heart was still deeply bound by money. In order to eliminate that torment, I didn't hesitate to  donate the remaining 4,000 yuan from my bank card to the Thailand branch.

At that moment, my heart hurt a little, but there was also a sense of relief. I wanted to see, if I truly had nothing, what would I become?

Struggle and Adaptation: Dependency and Unease

Days passed, and I truly entered a state of having no money. Throughout that year, all purchases of items had to go through the community's procurement staff. Due to a temporary shortage of staff, the director personally handled the purchases, and I had to present all my needs to him.

This dependency made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I was 36 years old and, in the secular world, I had always been able to get whatever I needed by simply paying for it. But now, some of the things I needed had to be requested from others. The feeling of losing freedom and being restricted was something I found very difficult to endure.

Gradually, the rebellion within me began to accumulate. Finally, in September 2024, I expressed my dissatisfaction with some of the director's management methods during a life meeting of the community. The director responded by suggesting that the Mango Garden, where I lived, should achieve independent management in terms of work, life, and finances.

The catalyst, however, was merely a new bed sheet.

That day, I longed for a bed sheet that I liked. Although there were bed sheets in the warehouse, none of them met my expectations. Driven by a sense of comparison, I wanted to buy a better one but was not given the director's approval. In a moment of impulsivity, I took the remaining 70 yuan from my wallet and demanded that the director help me purchase a new bed sheet, thinking that I had already achieved "having nothing." To my surprise, this act led to criticism and education from the founder of Lifechanyuan, Guide Xuefeng.

Through this incident, I finally realized my mistake. Excessive vanity and comparison had caused me to lose my direction and made me overlook my true situation. So, I decided to completely empty my spare change and no longer keep any personal belongings, truly entering a state of "having nothing." A few days later, when I requested 30 to 50 yuan for phone credit from the community member responsible for finances, she immediately agreed to my request. To my surprise, a sense of gratitude I had never experienced before surged within me.

A Brand-New Experience: The True Meaning of Owning Nothing

In the secular world, I had never felt gratitude for a small expense. But in the Second Home, when my needs were met, that sense of gratitude deeply moved me.

In December 2024, the director announced that the Mango Garden, where I lived, would be financially independent. I had thought this would be the beginning of my freedom, but to my surprise, I once again felt an unexpected psychological struggle.

One day, I took 1,000 baht to repair my phone and, while I was at it, bought some ice cream and lunch. In the past, I spent money freely without hesitation. But that day, I stood in front of the ice cream shop, hesitating for quite a while:
“Do I really need this more expensive ice cream?”
“This lunch is a bit more expensive than usual, should I buy it?”

I suddenly realized that spending money had become a psychological burden!

Later, whenever I purchased something slightly extravagant, I would feel a subtle pain in my heart. I had once enjoyed the convenience of spending without hesitation, but now, consumption had become a thoughtful act. I later asked other community members if they had similar feelings, especially when it came to spending money. To my surprise, the responses were remarkably consistent, with the general sentiment being: "We don’t spend the community’s money carelessly. Once it exceeds our needs, we feel uneasy, as if there’s a conscience judge reminding us."

It was at this moment that I truly began to understand the unique way money operates in the Second Home. It was no longer a driver of desire, but had become a pure tool. The flow of money became transparent and pure, and I began to realize that money was no longer the shackles of life, but rather a test—a test to see if I could truly transcend myself and break free from the chains of material desire.

True Freedom: Spiritual Abundance

This realization brought me an unprecedented sense of freedom and abundance. In the Second Home of Lifechanyuan, I experience a pure life, no longer shaken by material desires. In the past, I believed that having money meant having everything, but now I understand that true wealth lies not in possession, but in giving.

When money was no longer the shackles of life, my heart became even more radiant. There was no more comparison, no more luxury. Instead, simplicity and contentment took their place. Even patched clothing could reveal a certain beauty. I began to learn how not to be controlled by desire, but to truly feel and embrace each moment of life with my heart.

The Secret of Positive Circulation

When living in  the Second Home, I realize that when everyone learns to be content and grateful, life becomes a positive cycle. Resources are cherished, and every bit of contribution transforms into a better future. I feel that the development of the Second Home comes from the giving and inner cultivation of each member, not from endless material accumulation.

They once puzzled me—why is it that the founder of Lifechanyuan, Guide Xuefeng, and those who have donated hundreds of thousands or even millions, not only avoid indulging in luxury and enjoyment but instead become even more frugal and self-disciplined, working diligently? Why, despite their immense contributions, do they not seek rewards but instead grow more cautious and meticulous on the path of cultivation, walking as if on thin ice?

Perhaps, it is because they hold the great Tao in their hearts, deeply understanding that true abundance is not found in the accumulation of material goods, but in the elevation of the soul; true fulfillment is not in the enjoyment of external things, but in the clarity and serenity of the heart.

At this moment, I finally seem to understand the true meaning behind the words of Guide Xuefeng: "Everyone’s contribution and gain are equal." When I give without reservation—whether it’s money, physical effort, or mental energy—the rewards far exceed my contributions. I no longer seek luxury, but have found endless satisfaction in the simplest of lives. Even now, with financial independence, I still try to avoid engaging with money, because I know I no longer rely on it to give me a sense of security. My wealth is no longer worldly money, but the abundance and peace within my heart.

The Gates of Heaven Have Opened

During my nearly two years in Lifechanyuan International Family Society Thailand Branch, I gradually realized that when I had no money, I didn’t feel poor. On the contrary, my soul was richer than ever before. When everything was entrusted to this pure land, to faith, and to the Greatest Creator, I truly understood the deeper meaning of the following words of Jesus Christ:

Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:24-34: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Here, my body quietly undergoes a transformation. The old ailments fade away, and my weight has dropped from a heavy 90 kilograms to 60 kilograms I was fourteen years ago. It feels like a rebirth, light and free. The gloom in my heart gradually disappears, replaced by a clear sky. Joy and freedom flow with every breath. The brilliance of happiness fills my life, making me more grateful, humble, and also finding unprecedented joy in pure and spiritual love and intimacy. This elegant and pure joy far surpasses the pursuit and possession of worldly things.

Someone once asked me, "Aren't you afraid of having nothing? Aren't you worried about the future?" If this were before, I might have been scared, clinging to the little wealth I had left. But now, my answer is—no longer afraid, no longer anxious. Because when I truly let go of everything, I realized that the Second Home is my truest reliance. I am no longer shaken by material lack, nor troubled by gains and losses. I will wholeheartedly invest in building this pure land, because here, I already have everything.

My view on those who donate money to Lifechanyuan is this: they have not lost anything; rather, they have accumulated deeper merit. Some people have questioned me, "Why should they give their hard-earned money to us?" I understand that these people have not truly entered this pure land. Because, in my view, only those who have genuinely experienced this pure, sacred, and elegant life can understand that true abundance lies not in possession, but in giving; true freedom lies not in having, but in letting go. When my heart is full, when I revere the Greatest Creator and trust the arrangement of the Tao, I truly begin to understand what it means to be "rich in emptiness."

As the founder of Lifechanyuan, Guide Xuefeng, mentioned in "Thirty-Six Bagua Arrays: The Array of Desire"

There are eight major desires: appetite, affection (sexual) desire, desire for pleasure, material desire, desire for reputation, desire for life, desire for possession (control), and desire for excellence. These eight desires form the desire array.

Normal needs are not considered desires; anything beyond normal needs is considered a desire. For example, constantly craving delicious food, indulging in delicacies, is called desire for food; constantly thinking about establishing emotional relationships with someone or constantly fantasizing about sexual relationships with different people, rather than going with the flow, is desire for affection or sex; always seeking leisure activities or indulging in comfort is desire for pleasure; working tirelessly to earn money to buy property, land, goods, and equipment is material desire; going to great lengths to maintain a good reputation is desire for reputation; taking extreme measures for health, consuming supplements, practicing meditation, and living in a state of intoxicated oblivion, is desire for life; racking one’s brains to control resources, people, or positions is desire for possession; striving with every nerve, enduring hardships to stand out from the crowd, seeking magical powers or supernatural abilities to make others envious, is desire for excellence.

Once trapped in the desire array formed by the eight major desires, one’s life becomes one of suffering, without hope or a bright future. It’s a life destined for pain, exhaustion, frequent disappointments, and without the joy, happiness, freedom, and bliss one desires. It’s a life destined to float and sink in the cycle of reincarnation.

How to escape the desire array?

Follow the way of the Greatest Creator! Follow the way of nature.

Regarding food, take things as they are, eat until you’re full, don’t deliberately pursue taste at the expense of slaughtering animals.

Regarding love and sexual desire, associate with others by following naturally come-and-go relations, don’t pursue it deliberately, nor avoid it deliberately.

Regarding pleasure, take advantage of opportunities as they arise, avoid high-end pleasures that waste energy and money as much as possible.

Regarding material pursuits, be content with what you have, prioritize simplicity and practicality, avoid extravagance and excessive possession.

Regarding reputation, don’t seek lasting fame or infamy, let things happen naturally, don’t worry too much about people’s opinions and judgments, just keep your conscience and morals intact.

Regarding health and life and death, leave your LIFE to the Greatest Creator’s arrangement, let your life be governed by Tao, don’t deliberately focus on health, accept life and death as fate, neither craving life nor fearing death.

Regarding possession and control, the more you have, the more worries you’ll have, the more you control, the more mental labor you’ll have. It’s better to pursue the state of “possessing nothing yet owning everything,” to feel content no matter where you are or what you are doing.

Regarding excellence, act according to your nature, everything is born, grows, is punished, and is finally exterminated by nature. Everything is under the arrangement and running of Tao. Don’t pursue excellence excessively. If you don’t have a good singing voice, trying to excel in singing will be futile. Just express your talents and personality to the fullest; why bother pursuing excellence?

Once you escape the desire array, the world will be vast and boundless. Without desire, you can fulfill desires; without selfishness, you can fulfill selfishness.

With no possessions, my heart is as calm as the sea. Time and time again, by letting go, I have gained everything. It turns out that heaven is not a distant shore; the Thousand-year World, the Ten-thousand-year World, and the Elysium World are not mere illusions. I am beginning to understand that when I completely break free from the shackles of material desires, when I learn to be content, grateful, and dedicated, I have quietly stepped into the threshold of heaven.

For me, the Second Home of Lifechanyuan is not just a  community for cultivating Tao, but a transit station to heaven, a pure land on earth.

From now on, I am willing to continue walking this path, to experience a higher level of the state of 'owning nothing yet possessing everything'. I am determined to give my all, only to accumulate true heavenly treasures. This is the miracle I wish to share about my experience in the Second Home of Lifechanyuan, and it is, in my eyes, a program of heaven.