This is a record of an interview with Tan Likun, who sought at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his subsequent spiritual journey. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on January 23, 2026.
Tan Likun speaks:
". I am Tan Likun, and I have come to offer my prostrations to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su! Think about it—there are so many people in this world who spend their entire lives performing prostrations and chanting Namo Amituofo, yet here I am, Tan Likun, who did neither of those things during my life, and yet, decades after my death, I have been granted a new life! This is truly something to be profoundly grateful for. And to my dear son, Xirong, you are truly a wonderful son to your father. Namo Amituofo has provided such a rare and magnificent opportunity, and you were the one to encounter it. Father did not love you in vain; I am so deeply grateful to you!"
Life as a Fleeting Dream
"The human world is truly nothing more than a dream! In just a few short decades, I walked the path of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and my final days passed by in such a rush. The time I spent in the afterlife was not nearly as comfortable as life in the human world; it was dark, and the beings there were not particularly friendly—you encounter all sorts of characters in that realm. But there is no use dwelling on that now. Practitioner Su once said that the most important thing is that there is no past and no future. Now that I have arrived in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have truly come to understand the Buddha’s intention behind those words. Because in my previous lives and even earlier incarnations, there were so many versions of 'me,' so many different identities and roles I played, and I committed both good and bad deeds. Today, here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I can see it all with perfect clarity. It is a place that cannot deceive anyone."
Karmic Connections and the Path to Rebirth
"My son and I shared a very close relationship as brothers in a past life, which is the only reason we were destined to be together in this life and why he had the karmic connection to arrange for his father’s deliverance. The matter of rebirth in the Western Pure Land is truly not a small thing! Since arriving in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I feel so much lighter. Although my time in the was already wonderful—truly, it was excellent—there were still some lingering afflictions that I had not fully severed. But now, having arrived in this brand-new world of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have truly cast aside everything from the past. I am starting over completely, and even this body is a fresh beginning! I have returned to the appearance I had in my youth to interact with you all. It is quite inconceivable, isn't it?"
A Call to Practice
"The fact that you were able to send your father here is not only due to the incredible skills of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, but also, of course, due to your own sincere intentions. For that, your father feels deeply comforted. To be able to encounter the Buddha is, in itself, a supreme blessing. Furthermore, to be able to bypass the suffering of death and enter directly into the Western Dharma-Nature Land—such a magnificent opportunity is hard to find! Remember your mission. While you still have a body in the human world, if you can, make a trip to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Even if you cannot come in person, do not sever your connection with the temple in this lifetime; do not cut off your own opportunity for rebirth in the Western Pure Land. The worldly realm is far too full of suffering. To arrive in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss sooner is to end the cycle of birth and death sooner, to escape the three realms, and to avoid the exhaustion and hardship of constant reincarnation. At this moment, I am speaking these words to Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su, and my son with a heart of gratitude. I hope that you, too, will be like me now—chanting Namo Amituofo diligently and honestly—so that one day, you will also return here."
