A Final Act of Responsibility in the Flames

This is a record of an interview with Mrs. Lin, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon the tragic massive fire at Wang Fuk Court in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on December 5, 2025.

Mrs. Lin speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Mrs. Lin. I was a visitor to the area, working as a cleaner and housekeeper at Wang Fuk Court. I did not usually stay there at night; I would arrive early in the morning to serve several families and return to my own small home in Hong Kong in the evening. I had been working at Wang Fuk Court for eight years, so I was not unfamiliar with the environment at all. In fact, I quite liked it. Although it was a bit enclosed, I got along well with the families I worked for, and everyone treated me very kindly. I had always thought I might continue working there indefinitely; I was even happy to work overtime or take on more households if needed.

A Life of Service and Care

I also took care of the elderly and children. Over the years, I watched the elderly pass away and the children grow up. When the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court broke out, I was serving in a home where an elderly person lived. I was busy boiling soup, preparing it so that the family would have a warm meal to drink when they returned for dinner. I am a very meticulous person, so I always try to think of others, hoping to leave the best food and a clean, tidy home for those coming back from work. Because there were many elderly residents at Wang Fuk Court, the seniors I cared for were scattered across several households, though they were all gathered in the same building, just on different floors.

While I was cooking, I had no idea what was happening outside. I only felt that it was noisier than usual, and the sounds of people moving about seemed louder. It was only when the elderly person in this house stood at the door and saw something, combined with the warnings from others, that I realised everyone was beginning to flee because of a fire!"

The Choice to Stay

"I grabbed the elderly woman and started to move. Fortunately, I remembered to prepare a little water and some scraps of cloth. The elderly woman was named Grandma Huang. Her mobility was still decent, just a little slow. Grandma Huang began to panic. Given the atmosphere and the thick, billowing smoke, everyone knew the fire was not far off, so they all rushed toward the stairwell to escape. Grandma Huang had a slight fall, but fortunately, she was not seriously hurt. However, it seemed we had fallen behind in terms of time.

Most of the other elderly residents had already passed ahead of us, moving toward the front of that deadly, raging fire. We were too slow to leave in time. Caught in a pincer movement by several rapidly erupting fires, we lost our lives just like that. Before we died, we didn't actually struggle much. Everything happened so fast; it felt as if the fire spread rapidly within just a few minutes. I only knew that the elderly woman had given up. She was in great pain, and her body seemed to know in advance that she would not survive this fire, so she didn't have a deep will to live. Our greatest pain was the burning sensation of our skin being scorched. This agony was so profound for me that, even though I tried to remain calm, I couldn't help but wail in despair.

The Lessons of the Flames

I know that the floor spaces at Wang Fuk Court were filled with too many flammable materials. It seemed that these scattered items could become fuel for the flames at any moment. That is why our escape was so difficult. I would advise everyone to follow the rules and not occupy public spaces in the hallways that do not belong to your own home just for your own convenience.

I, Mrs. Lin, do not have many regrets. I know that if I had fled by myself, perhaps I could have escaped. But if I had done that, the elderly woman would have had absolutely no chance of survival. I don't consider it a sacrifice; I feel it was my responsibility. Completing one's duty at every moment of life is simply the natural thing to do. Fortunately, my children are grown, and I don't have many attachments, so I don't worry that my departure will bring too much pain to my family.

The Transition to Light

If we look back at the scene of the fire, I don't have much need to describe the fire or the death itself, because I feel it was a process I accepted at that moment—a result where I exhausted all my strength, yet still had to die in the end. Seeing the suffering of the elderly woman made my heart ache as well. After all, she was at an age where she should have been enjoying her twilight years, only to encounter such a tragedy. I could feel the wailing before death continuing into the wailing of the soul, still constant. I was truly devastated, for myself and even more so for the elderly woman who passed away. The feelings I didn't have time to process before death perhaps just arrived a little late; it wasn't until I became a spirit that I began to feel the sorrow more and more.

My hands were shaking uncontrollably, and my entire soul was trembling. I wouldn't be guarding this fire scene forever, would I? I knew of the Buddha before, but in our family, we seemed more familiar with Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. When things happened, we were accustomed to chanting the holy name of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, which at least brought some peace and comfort to my soul. At that time, I felt light, but my consciousness was not very clear. I just felt dizzy, as if I were wandering in some space, in a half-awake, half-dreaming state, though the pain of the sorrow was still quite clear.

A New Beginning in the Buddha-Land

My soul was awakened by a light—a light with a bit of heat, but it was warm and not stinging. I vaguely knew this was a good thing, as if we had hope. So, I looked at the elderly woman, and we moved toward the light together. At that time, I wasn't fully awake, but I just felt that a place with light was better than being trapped in the fire, so I entered the light involuntarily.

The next time I had consciousness, in an instant, I arrived in a bright world. Everything was sparkling, and the field of vision was very broad, as if my entire bound soul suddenly had fresh air and space, allowing me to comfortably vent everything. I cried again. It is very beautiful here, but my panic had not yet been able to calm down immediately. It was a bit like having suppressed my emotions for a long time; upon arriving at this place, I felt more at ease and allowed myself to let go, so I wept bitterly. My suffering slowly faded with every cry, until later, when I regained my calm, I slowly realised that I had arrived in a Buddha-land.

So this is also a turning point in life. Although this fire was ruthless, the destination is so beautiful. I have gradually let go and slowly opened my heart, telling myself that this will be a new beginning. It turns out that the sound of the Buddha-name can soothe the scars in my heart. I softly sang along with the Buddha's name chanting here; it was very comfortable. Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo. When I was in the human world, I didn't think the Buddha-name was anything special because I didn't know the Buddha then. This time, I have come to know Namo Amituofo, and I also know that there is truly a Buddha in the human world, which makes me feel so at peace. That Namo Amituofo is actually residing on this precious land of Australia—I am in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, which is the location of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Even after a whole day, I still find it all very inconceivable!

If I could have met the Buddha earlier, I would have followed the Buddha. But it is not too late now. Although I no longer have a human body, being able to follow the Buddha at this final moment means I must be a person with blessings. At this moment, my heart is calm, and I am very grateful for everything. I hope everything is well, and that everyone can come to know the Buddha.

Namo Amituofo.

Mrs. Lin"