經八年多慘澹經營，終於從廢墟上 ，重新建造起莊嚴梵宮，氣象一新，寺內廣植異木花果，一片濃蔭，環境幽靜宜人。並從緬甸迎請玉佛十三尊 ，其中四尊均高達二米五，重新規劃原千佛崖造像，已精工造就長達十三米的臥佛像一龕，又高約四米的接引佛像一尊。現該寺已成為瞻禮朝拜和旅遊的觀光勝地。
師一生誨人不倦，普度有緣，雖言語不多，而感人至深。皈依弟子成千上萬，遍海內外。針對末世眾生根機，普遍勸人念佛，以此法最易下手，穩當可靠，也可禪淨雙修。每謂學道的要領，必須從去妄念入手；並說三藏十二部經典，可以用「去妄」二字概括。妄心與真心本是一體的兩面，妄心附著於真心，妄心去則真心自顯
。古德常說：「打得念頭（妄心）死，許汝法身（真心）活。」是真實語。如何去妄？首先，必須發大心，修苦行，立志了脫生死。其次，應時時處處檢查身、口、意三業，管好六個弟子－眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意。
常舉古德修行，每天數黑白豆子的方法教人；每天身上掛一袋子，心中起一惡念，即撿一粒黑豆放人袋內；起一善念，撿白豆一粒放人，夜裡總結一天中善惡念頭多少，清點黑白豆數便知道。最初黑豆多，白豆少；以後白豆逐步增多，黑豆減少。認為修 行就重在「行」上，只有從起心動念處踏實用功夫，別無取巧辦法。
師生活儉樸，布衣蔬食，終生不變，清心寡欲，不求名利，樂道安貧；非為弘法利生之事，芒鞋不出山門。日食僅用園蔬、鹹菜和豆製品佐餐；有供養珍貴食品者，每囑人攜往市變價做建廟之用，所用被蓋、床褥均有無數補丁，家具用品陳舊破損，師安之若素不許更換。
一九九一年榮昌縣部分居士，見師臥具破舊，特選購一套高檔商品供養。師不願使用，仍變價用於救濟水災。寺內開闢荒地數十畝，除大量種植果樹外，其餘種雜糧、蔬菜。僧眾功課之暇出坡勞作，師雖年過期頤，有時亦親自下地澆水除草，農禪並舉，以身示範。
師身材修長，銀髯飄逸，目光炯炯，氣朗神情，視聽聰明，步履輕健。於一九九二年四月十七日（農曆壬申年三月十五日），預知時至，於報國寺文室安詳坐化，世壽一百零五歲。關於師之年齡，據樂至縣佛教界多人赴合川、射洪等地調查結果；師出生時間為同治上年（一八六八）終年應為一百二十四歲。而師生前於年齡素
不在意，有人問：「師父，人家都說您瞞了歲數，您何須這樣呢？」師微笑答道：「何必說那麼大哦！」有年輕人問：「師父，您老人家多大歲數？」「和你同年」，說完一笑。
師生前曾任射洪縣古佛寺的方丈、成都市離欲念佛堂住持、樂至縣報國寺方丈、樂至縣報國寺佛教協會會長、內江市佛教協會名譽副會長、四川省佛教協會名譽理事，樂至縣政治協商會議委員，內江市政治協商會議委員。
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It took eight years of hard work to turn the useless abandoned buildings into an adorned and pure Way-place. It became a totally different place. In the courts of the monastery, rare trees with unusual flowers and fruits gave luxurious shade. The environment was tranquil and appealing to people. Thirteen jade Buddha images were requested from Burma, four of which were two-and-a-half meters in height. The Master redesigned the Thousand Buddhas Cliff to include an image of the Reclining Buddha. Complete with house, the image was thirteen meters in height. Another image at that place was of Amitabha Buddha in his posture of welcoming and receiving beings. The image stood about four meters high. This place has become an historical attraction for tourists and people go there on pilgrimages to gaze upon and bow to the Buddhas.
Throughout his entire life, Master Li Yu taught his disciples without tiring; he crossed over all those who had an affinity with him. His words were few, perhaps, yet they touched people deeply. His disciples numbered hundreds upon thousands, and they spread his teachings throughout the country. He persuaded people to recite the Buddha's name in accordance with their personal capacities and roots. He said that in the Dharma-Ending Age, reciting the Buddha's name is the easiest, safest, and most dependable way to cultivate. He also approved of combining the practices of Chan and Pure Land. The Master always said that the essential point of learning the Way begins with warding off false-thinking. He pointed out that one can summarize the voluminous Buddhist Canon in a simple phrase: "eradicate the false." The false mind and the true mind are simply the two sides of one body. The false mind is attached to the true mind, and once the false is gone, the true mind will naturally reveal itself. The Virtuous Ones in ancient times often said,
"Once you beat your false thoughts to death,
your Dharma-Body will come to life. "
These are true words. How does one eradicate the false mind? First of all, he must make a great resolve and cultivate ascetic practices to end birth and death. Secondly, he must constantly examine the three karmas of body, mouth and mind. He has to guard well the six disciples of eye, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind.
The ancient Virtuous Ones cultivated a method to teach people by counting black and white beans and this method was often mentioned by Master Li Yu: A cultivator carried a bag, and every time an evil thought arose, he put in a black bean; he put in a white bean each time a wholesome thought arose. Then by counting the number of the beans at night, he can know the amount of good and evil thoughts he has in that day. In the beginning, there are more black beans, and fewer white ones. Later, white beans gradually increase, and black ones decrease. The Master believed, therefore, that the crucial point of cultivation, lay in practice. Thus we should only, spend effort in honestly reflecting on the states of our mind. There is no other expedient skills.
Master Li Yu led a frugal life-style, in that his clothes and diet remained plain and simple all his life. His mind was pure and free of desire, he never sought for fame and profit. He was happy to lead a simple and virtuous life. He never stepped out of the monastery except to propagate the Dharma and to benefit living beings. He ate rice with vegetables, pickles and foods made of soybean. He asked donors to sell in the marketplace any other food offerings that were rare delicacies, and then to use the sale-funds for construction of the temple. He stitched many patches on his bed sheets and quilt. Although his furniture and other facilities were old and worn-out, the Master felt quite comfortable with them and allowed no changes.
In 1991, some lay people of Rung Chang County, saw that the Master's sitting cloth was tattered, and selected especially high-priced material to offer him. The Master wouldn't use it, and sold it as usual, and then donated the proceeds for relieving the problems of flood refugees. Under development in the monastery there were several tens of acres of fallow land. There they planted orchards of fruit trees, as well as a small plot of assorted grain crops and vegetables. Aside from their usual practices, the Sangha made time to do this field work. Sometimes the Master although he had reached an advanced age, would water the plants and pull weeds from the fields. He served as a model for cultivation in both farming and meditation.
Master Li Yu's stature was slender; he wore a fluttering white beard, and his eyes were clear and bright vision. His spirits were effervescent, his hearing was sharp, and his pace sprightly. On April 17, 1992 at the age of 105, he knew in advance that his time had come. He passed tranquilly on into death while sitting in the Abbot's Room of Bau Gwo (Repaying the Kindness of the Country) Monastery. Many Buddhists from Le Jr went to Ho Chwan and She Hung to investigate the question of his age. They discovered as a result that the Master was born in 1868 and when he perished, his actual age should be 124. His age however, was something he never paid attention to. Someone asked, "People say that you have hidden your true age. Why have you done this?" The master replied with a smile, "Why must I be so old?" When youngsters asked, "Master, how old are you?" "The same age as you," he said and then grinned.
The master held positions of authority such as, the Abbot of Gu Fwo (Ancient Buddha) Monastery at She Hung, the Abbot of Li Yu (Leaving Desire) Recitation Hall in Chan Du, the Abbot of Bau Gwo (Repaying the Kindness of the Country) Monastery of Le Jr, Chairman of Buddhist Association of Bau Gwo Monastery of Le Jr, Honorary Vice President of Buddhist Association in Nei Jyang City, Honorary Board Director of Buddhist Association of Sz Chwan Province, Committee member of the Political Association of Le Jr, and Commute member of Political and Commercial Association of Nei Jyang City.
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