A Father's Message from the Western Pure Land

This is the sixth letter from the late Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, who sought deliverance through the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This message was recorded on July 21, 2017, by the disciple of the Buddha, Venerable HaiZe.

Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. This is already my sixth letter. It has been about a month since the fifth one. Here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, there is no distinction between day and night; everything is perpetually bright, clear, and pure. There is no need for calendars or clocks, and the concept of dates is entirely unnecessary here. It is a place where time simply does not exist in the way we once understood it.

Reflections on a Life of Duty

When I think back to my busy days in the human world, they were completely different from this existence. Let us talk about those times for a moment. During my life in the world, I was constantly occupied with national affairs. I would often wake up in the middle of the night, struck by a sudden thought or inspiration, and immediately reach for my pen to write it down. If I had waited until morning, I might have forgotten it entirely, or the details would have become blurred and unclear. If those thoughts were part of a good plan or a policy, it would have been a great pity to lose them. Now, here, I never feel a hint of drowsiness. My spirit is always alert, and I experience a level of refreshing ease and freedom that is truly beyond imagination.

Here, I no longer need to rush through meals or change clothes to hurry to a meeting. I am not constantly reminded that time is running out or told what my next appointment is. I do not need to find small gaps in my schedule to take a nap just to stay sharp. I do not need to spend hours analysing or explaining the reasons behind my decisions to ensure that governance proceeds without obstacles. I no longer need to worry about military defence or national security. Although our nation was small, it required precise management and strength to prevent foreign threats, especially during the early days of our independence, when I had to be extremely cautious and could not afford to relax for even a single moment. All of these burdens are completely unnecessary here. Hsien Loong, can you see this? This is what life is like for a spirit living in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Equality and the Path to Deliverance

In this realm, regardless of one's past status—whether rich or poor, noble or humble—everyone enjoys the exact same treatment. There is no hierarchy here; it is a nation of perfect equality, freedom, and high order. Is this not the very ideal we sought when we first founded our nation? Now, I am here, and I am filled with gratitude for the compassion of the Buddha.

I hope that my son, Hsien Loong, learns of his father's situation. I hope he is not only happy that his father, having survived the destruction of the physical body and the immortality of the spirit, now resides in such a magnificent realm, but I also hope that he might one day come to visit this place himself. Without the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I would still be suffering today. After all, during my time in the world, in the weighing of power and reality, I inevitably committed many sins.

A Father's Call to His Son

Hsien Loong, your father is waiting for you. I hope to receive news from your side. I know that state affairs are busy, but there must be moments when you need to catch your breath. As the years pass, there must be times when you need to pause and refuel. Come and visit, my son. Your father is waiting for you."