A Final Act of Courage in the Flames

In the midst of disaster, a Bodhisattva heart emerges. To save others, even at the cost of his own life, he still considers it the most meaningful act of his entire existence. This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Chan Pak Ming, who now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe, on November 29, 2025.

Practitioner Su speaks:

"During the fire, another individual named Chan Pak Ming was delivered to the Western Dharma-Nature Land. He is now seated upon a lotus flower. He can recount the circumstances of the disaster in full detail. Your friend, Wang Chun Ming, wishes to know of your state. Let this bring him peace of mind: you are safe here in the Dharma-Nature Land."

Chan Pak Ming speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I, Chan Pak Ming, am now at complete peace. Suddenly, a thought came to me: 'Helping others is the foundation of happiness.' I never imagined that I would lose my life while trying to save everyone else, but looking back, every bit of it was worth it.

A Race Against Time

The events unfolded with such terrifying speed that there was no time for hesitation. When I first realised the scale of the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court, my very first thought was: 'This is absolutely terrifying!' Wang Fuk Court is a massive residential complex. If a gas explosion were to occur, the casualties would be catastrophic. The moment that thought crossed my mind, I rushed to notify the residents on the lower floors. I was familiar with the building's structure and the location of the natural gas valves. I knew that the pipes were filled with gas; if the fire reached them and the lines ruptured, the resulting explosion would be devastating. The building's structure and exterior walls would never withstand such force. If it collapsed, the loss of life would be unimaginable.

So, on one hand, I ran to notify the residents I passed, shouting for them to get out immediately. At the same time, I saw the fire spreading rapidly from the other side. I realised the time was far too tight! The thought of so many people trapped in the building, and the horror of a potential gas explosion, drove me forward. I knew I had to reach those valves and shut them off to minimise the risk of an explosion. As long as those valves remained open, the gas would continue to feed the flames, causing the fire to spread uncontrollably. That is the fundamental reason why, when a fire breaks out, the first priority must be to shut off the gas supply.

The Final Sacrifice

At that moment, I was essentially racing against death itself. I did not hesitate; I accelerated, pushing myself to reach the gas valves for each floor. In normal circumstances, this would be a simple task, but in that inferno, it was anything but easy. The fire was spreading relentlessly. No matter how fast I moved, I had to constantly dodge the flames just to get close enough to turn the valves. At that point, I was no longer living for myself; I was living for the many lives within those buildings. I have no idea how much time passed, but the fire continued to rage.

In a moment of distraction, I stumbled and twisted my ankle. I dragged my injured leg, continuing to run, and managed to shut off a few more valves. Eventually, I realised I had exhausted every ounce of my strength. I could no longer run. It was only then that I noticed my leg was bleeding profusely. Suddenly, a wall of fire appeared right beside me. I wanted to keep running, but my body simply would not move. I told myself, 'Everything I have done is worth it!'

Into the Buddha-Light

The fire engulfed me. Although I felt an intense, searing heat, strangely enough, I did not feel any pain. I truly believe that I did the right thing! I was fully conscious as I took my final breath, and I knew the moment my spirit departed from my body. I watched as the massive fire continued to burn, and my heart was filled with profound sorrow. It was not sorrow for my own death in the sea of flames, but for the many lives being lost in that inferno. I heard constant cries and screams. I prayed that this was just a terrible accident and begged for the casualties to be kept to a minimum.

My spirit remained at the scene; I did not leave. I do not know how much time passed, but suddenly, a brilliant light illuminated the sea of fire. I told myself that there was a turning point—it was an intuition. Sure enough, many, many spirits began to run toward this light. Their faces were filled with terror, fear, and helplessness as they fled. I realised that I, too, was within this light, so I followed the others, running toward it. In truth, the light was shining directly upon me, and I felt it lifting us away.

The Great Hero

Almost instantly, we arrived here. Even here, I could still hear the echoes of crying and screaming, but my desire to understand what had happened surpassed my grief. I carefully observed the vast, bright space around me. One thing was certain: there was no fire here, not even a single spark. At the very least, we could rest here in peace. Who was so kind as to bring us here? Had we been saved? Before my eyes, a tall figure appeared, his entire body radiating golden light. I could not see him clearly, but I knew it was this figure who had brought us into the light and led us to this place. I instinctively asked myself, 'Where is this? Who is this?'

The figure smiled at me. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Then, accompanying the figure, I heard the repeated recitation: 'Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo.' I understood then—it was Namo Amituofo who had saved us! And I can say with absolute certainty that it was indeed Namo Amituofo who rescued us. I believe that the number of spirits who ran into the Buddha-light and were gathered by it was not just dozens or hundreds, but many, many more. At that moment, I felt incredibly small, because Namo Amituofo, who saved so many lives, is the true Great Hero.

I knelt down and bowed repeatedly to Namo Amituofo in gratitude. I thanked him for saving us all; otherwise, we would still be suffering in that sea of fire. Thank you, Namo Amituofo!

I want to tell my family and friends: do not be sad. My physical body has passed away, but my spirit has been rescued by Namo Amituofo. I am doing very well, and the best thing I have ever done in my life was this final act. This is the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, and my spirit is perfectly safe here. Thank you to my acquaintance, Wang Chun Ming; I know it is because of you that I have had this opportunity to be interviewed and to share these words.

Thank you, Namo Amituofo! Thank you, everyone!"

Chan Pak Ming