A Father's Journey to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Gong Shuiji, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his journey from the ghost realm to his eventual rebirth in the Western Pure Land. It was recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on April 17, 2026.

Gong Shuiji speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Ha! It is finally my turn, Gong Shuiji, to take the stage.

I offer my sincerest gratitude to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. I never imagined that after so many years, there would still be someone in the human world thinking of me—that person is my child, Gong Junfang. He remembered his old father. Although I have been gone from the human world for a very long time, I have not been forgotten by everyone, and most importantly, the Buddha has not forgotten me. The compassion of the Buddha has completely melted this heart of mine.

A Transformation in the Western Dharma-Nature Land

I have now spent several hours in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, but in truth, I had already spent a much longer time in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. Over the course of several weeks, my spirit has been elevated significantly. In the Western Dharma-Nature Land, one becomes well-informed and experienced; many things become clear at a single glance—everything is distinct, transparent, and bright. This suddenly made my spirit incredibly wise. Furthermore, after the process of purification, my entire spirit could be described as brand new. I wonder if everyone else has had such an experience?

In the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I am with many others who have also come from the Western Dharma-Nature Land. However, shortly after arriving here, everyone goes their separate ways, and there are no more entanglements. The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is inherently a world of great light, free from all discriminations. All female beings who arrive here are transformed into male forms, just like my wife. She and I arrived in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss together today, both having received Chao Du performed by our child.

The Equality of the Western Pure Land

I saw my wife from my previous life arrive here, and in an instant, she transformed into a male form. It is evident that this is truly a world of equality, without any discriminations. Everyone is a man, and there are no messy thoughts. Everyone thinks only of the Buddha, only of Namo Amituofo, and of how the spirit of the Buddha can save the world. Looking back from here at my various past experiences and the suffering I endured while in a human body, I am truly filled with deep emotion. Although I do not engage in deep thinking, it is inevitable that I recall and directly perceive the events of the past. This makes me feel extremely fortunate to have had this opportunity for rebirth in the Western Pure Land. What an immeasurable and boundless blessing I must have cultivated over many lifetimes to achieve this! I will certainly cherish this opportunity and practise diligently here.

The Weight of Karmic Debt

Looking back now, I finally understand that when I was alive, I had so many karmic creditors coming to my door to seek revenge. When I later became ill and uncomfortable, especially in my old age, there were always many debts I had incurred that remained unpaid, and my karmic creditors came to find me one by one. Some of them saw that I still possessed a human body and wanted to borrow some strength from me; others came to seek revenge, hoping to file a complaint against me before the King of Hell, so that I would have to go there to be punished.

As long as a person is aging and nearing the end of their life, the sins they have accumulated over countless kalpas will begin to surface. Just like me, after I died, I entered the ghost realm. I spent decades there living a life of loneliness, hunger, and destitution. It was truly agonizing beyond words!

The Reality of the Ghost Realm

The ghost realm, as the name implies, is where those with greed end up. When I listened to Practitioner Su giving lectures, I discovered that this is indeed the case. I admit that when I was in the world, I had many greedy thoughts. Everything the Buddha’s teachings mention regarding 'wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep'—I could not escape any of it. Since I could not escape, I had to accept the karmic retribution. If the things one craves are not of the righteous path, the retribution one must endure is even greater. All of this is simply beings reaping what they have sown.

Many things only become clear once one's spirit is truly pure and bright. In the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I could see everything clearly, and only then did I understand what kind of karma I had created bit by bit in the past, and what kind of fruit I would receive. Everything is very natural; there is no way to deceive anyone. My heart was like that at the time, but now it is incredibly open and vast. Once the heart is unburdened, it naturally becomes much happier.

A Final Plea to the Living

The transformation upon arriving in the Western Dharma-Nature Land was truly inconceivable to me. The pain and afflictions of my entire life were cast off in that moment. The Dharma I have been listening to, and the meaning of the teachings I have gained during the purification process, are truly immeasurable and boundless. I hope my family members who are still in the world will believe what I say. This old man still advises everyone to let go of everything in the world as early as possible. Do not be overly attached, do not overthink, and keep things light and simple. Always learn how to think for others—that is the most important thing.

If a person only thinks of themselves, then their karma can never be repaid; it is as high as Mount Sumeru. Everyone must wake up: to be alive is to live for the sake of all beings. If you can honestly and sincerely chant 'Namo Amituofo' to the very end, that will certainly be of the greatest help to you.

Finally, I am grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. I am grateful to my good child for not forgetting this old father.

The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is a beautiful place that is truly presented before my eyes. I hope everyone will believe in it.

Namo Amituofo."