A Father's Awakening: The Testimony of Yang Chengjia

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Yang Chengjia, the father of Lay Practitioner Yang Minjian. He sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia and now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his transition to the Pure Land. It was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on November 24, 2023.

Yang Chengjia speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Yang Chengjia. I am smiling so broadly right now—I have never, in all my years, felt such genuine, unburdened joy. I have finally realised that the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is a place of such profound beauty and peace. I am here now, and it is indescribably comfortable. My mind is so clear, so bright; I have never felt this level of clarity in my entire life."

The Compassion of Practitioner Su

"I must express my deepest gratitude to the compassionate Practitioner Su. He is truly extraordinary. To think that one person could guide so many spirits to the Western Land—I have never witnessed such a feat in all my time. Even the most powerful presidents of this world could never achieve what he does. Practitioner Su is truly remarkable."

The Bitter Reality of the Human World

"Looking back at the human world, I see how incredibly bitter and exhausting life there truly is. I was once trapped in that same cycle, struggling desperately to earn money, to raise my children, and to provide for my family. As I grew older, life became a constant rotation of illness and doctor visits, swallowing pills every single day. It was a life of immense hardship. Yet, when you are living it, you often fail to grasp the depth of that suffering. Even when the body is failing and the end is near, there is still this desperate, clinging desire to keep living."

The Illusion of Attachment

"That is the nature of humanity—we are terrified of losing this physical shell. Furthermore, people are so deeply attached to their emotions. We mistakenly believe that our family in this lifetime belongs to us. I was no different. But now, having shed this physical body and having been away from the human world for some time, I have come to realise that not a single family member truly belongs to me. Take my wife, for instance; if Practitioner Su had not also saved her, I would have no idea where she is or what has become of her."

Trapped in the Void

"When my spirit was first rescued by Practitioner Su, I was completely disoriented. I didn't even know what had happened. After I passed away, I thought I was still living my life, going through the motions of my familiar routine, pacing back and forth in my home. It was only after Practitioner Su reached out and pulled me out that I realised I had been trapped in a specific space—a void. I was wandering within that space, unable to find a way out. If Practitioner Su had not unlocked that space for me, allowing me to see the golden light and guiding me to follow it, I might have been trapped in that void for eternity."

A Grandson’s Wisdom

"Thankfully, my son and daughter-in-law had the wisdom to seek my deliverance. At first, I didn't even know it was them who had saved me. It was only after my mind became clearer that I heard Practitioner Su call my name, Yang Chengjia, and mention that I was the father of Yang Minjian. That was when the truth dawned on me. I thought to myself: 'When did my son become someone who believes in such things? When did he decide to seek my deliverance?' It was only later that I discovered my grandson had become a monastic here. I didn't even know when that happened!"

The Path of True Practice

"My grandson has grown up so much; I barely recognised him. He looks so healthy and tall. He probably doesn't have many deep memories of me, his grandfather, as he was quite young back then. I want to thank you, my grandson. If you had not chosen to become a monastic and study the Buddha’s teachings here, your parents would never have invited Practitioner Su to perform the Chao Du for me. I would have been left to wander in that void indefinitely. You are very intelligent, and yet so humble and sincere. In truth, you possess great Wisdom. Your parents have yet to understand the need for liberation, but you grasped it first. Grandfather tells you: practise diligently, and you will be able to save them both. As I look at them now, they are still spinning in circles, completely lost in the world, unable to break free because of their obsession with money. It is very difficult to convince them to study the Buddha’s teachings. But if you change, they will become curious about the Dharma. They will realise that the Buddha’s teachings here are not what they previously thought—they will see that this is true practice. My son is particularly stubborn, and you may find it hard to talk to him. That is partly because I, as a father, did not do a good job of teaching him."

A Message to My Daughter-in-law

"I want to speak to my dear daughter-in-law: I know how hard you have worked. Now that our grandson is grown, you must learn to let go. Money is sufficient as long as it covers your needs. Use your remaining time to practise the Dharma, so you do not have to walk the path of illness and suffering. My grandson is very intelligent, and you may not agree with the path he has chosen, but I see it clearly: he is right. Living in the world is ultimately meaningless. When the final breath leaves the body, everything must be let go. You are my dear daughter-in-law, and I do not wish to see you suffer. I also hope you can help my son; you know as well as I do that he is not the type to listen to just anyone. Please, let go and study the Buddha’s teachings. Go and visit my grandson; he looks so dignified, truly like a monastic. It brings me such joy to see him."

A Final Plea to My Son

"Finally, I want to speak to my son. The world is a deception. I have already performed this lesson for you: I spent my whole life working myself to the bone, and yet, when the body collapsed, it collapsed instantly. Now, it has all turned to ash. Only this spirit remains. If Practitioner Su had not saved me, I would never have been able to speak to you like this. You must understand that life is impermanence. There is no such thing as a long and lasting life. One day, you will have to leave. When that time comes, what will you take with you? None of that wealth will be yours; in the end, it will just be divided among your descendants. What about you? As your father, I see that you are still not awake. You and your wife are still obsessed with making money, but you must realise that it is all an illusion. In the past, I might not have said such things to you—naturally, people in the world think the more money, the better. But things are different now. I no longer have a physical body, and I am no longer influenced by its needs. I see the affairs of the world with perfect clarity, and I see that you are still unable to let go. Money is false. Life is singular. The spirit only has this one opportunity to rely on the physical body to attain liberation. You must see clearly and invest in the right place, for that is the only way to truly help yourself."

The Blessing of the Yang Family

"I was hoping you would come here to visit and have a proper conversation with your son. Do not think he has chosen the wrong path. I see him as the most intelligent member of our entire family—more so than any of my other grandchildren—because he understands the need for liberation. Find the time to come here, see for yourself what practice truly means, and witness the progress of my grandson. It would bring me such joy. Having the ability to help other beings is the greatest blessing of the Yang family. I hope you will all help others more. We should not live only for ourselves; living for others is the greatest benefit to oneself."

"Namo Amituofo. Yang Chengjia bows in reverence."