A Final Plea for the Pure Land Path

This interview was recorded on November 22, 2022, at the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Venerable Master Chin Kung, having sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. In this heartfelt letter, he addresses lay practitioners, volunteers, and his student, Kang Guotai, reflecting on his decades of Dharma propagation and the critical importance of transforming one's personality to achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land.

Venerable Master Chin Kung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Today, the Great Compassionate Namo Amituofo has graciously allowed me to choose: whether He should provide me with a topic to elaborate upon, or if there is someone to whom I wish to write a letter. Namo Amituofo truly understands my heart.

In the letters I have written recently, most of the recipients were monastics. As a monastic myself, I naturally hold certain expectations for those who have left the home life. The Sangha is one of the Three Jewels; we must teach others well and work diligently for the sake of all sentient beings. To wear the kasaya is a tremendous blessing cultivated over many lifetimes, for it provides the means to end the cycle of birth and death and transcend the three realms. It is our duty to pass these methods on to others—this transmission of the Buddha’s teachings is of paramount importance. That is why I have spoken much to my fellow monastics.

The Interdependence of Propagation and Protection

The transmission of the Dharma requires not only those who propagate it but also those who protect it. Both are essential. If there are talented people to spread the teachings but no one to support them, the Dharma affinity of the teachers cannot expand. The work they wish to do—lecturing on the sutras and teaching—often requires the support of Dharma protectors. Financial and material support is crucial, as it allows monastics to focus entirely on their mission without worry. And what of the protectors? They, too, require the guidance of monastics in their practice. In Mahayana Buddhism, and especially in the Pure Land school—which is the One Vehicle Buddhism, the path to Buddhahood—protectors who wish to learn, realise their true nature, or vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land must rely on the education provided by monastics. Only then can they develop correct knowledge and views, make their vows, and achieve rebirth. This is how propagation and protection complement each other. Today, I wish to speak specifically to the lay practitioners.

Lay practitioners and volunteers play a vital role in the Pure Land societies and colleges. The expansion of our work depends on your help. Whether it is organising activities, hosting lectures, or holding Dharma assemblies, we could not succeed without the participation of so many of you. Therefore, I wish to express my gratitude to all the lay practitioners and volunteers in the Pure Land societies globally and at the Pure Land Learning College in Australia. My sixty-year journey of spreading the Dharma has been smooth because of your help and care. I understand this, and I hold deep gratitude in my heart. Although I have expressed my thanks in annual New Year addresses and various events, there is truly so much to be grateful for. This merit and blessing do not belong to me alone; they belong to all of you.

The Reality of Rebirth and the Burden of Karma

Over these sixty years, I have met countless lay practitioners and volunteers. Some have grown old and passed away. I used to think that because they had done so well in supporting the Dharma, the Great Compassionate Namo Amituofo would surely lead them to the Western Pure Land upon their passing. That was my assumption at the time. Of course, many of them passed away due to old age and illness, and there are many complexities to illness; it seems difficult to avoid the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death. I often wondered how I could help everyone reduce this suffering. You have all worked so hard for the Pure Land, giving your time, energy, and resources. Is your ultimate goal not rebirth in the Western Pure Land? I understand this perfectly. So, whenever I heard that a certain practitioner had passed away, and I learned of their suffering, medical treatments, and final moments, my heart understood that they might not have reached the Western Pure Land. Yet, I could not say this aloud; I could only offer my deepest blessings. After all, given the efforts they made in this lifetime, I hope they may obtain a human body again in the next, hear the Buddha’s teachings, and draw closer to the Pure Land. I believe the compassionate Namo Amituofo will surely help them connect with the Pure Land and eventually achieve their wish. This is my sincere prayer for them.

Everything I could say and do, I have already shared in my lectures. However, putting these teachings into practice depends on your daily life, bit by bit. If you have questions, the monastics or senior practitioners at the society can assist you, or suggest that you invite some Dharma Jewels to study. Now, I have stepped onto the path that you have all walked—I grew old and fell ill, and you all thought I had passed away. I am truly much luckier than you; through the rescue of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, my spirit now has the opportunity to reside in the peaceful and luminous Western Dharma-Nature Land and speak my heart to you. But what of the many practitioners and volunteers who have passed away? Where are their spirits now? To be honest, many have fallen back into the cycle of rebirth. I am truly ashamed! You followed me, supporting me with all your heart, yet in the final stretch of your lives, I was unable to help you return to the West.

The Necessity of Transforming One's Personality

Fortunately, I can express my heart here. I hope you will not follow in my footsteps and fail to return to the West. I sincerely hope that each of you will see Namo Amituofo, and that at the time of your passing, the Buddha will bring the lotus flower—nurtured by your own sincere chanting—to lead you back home to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. In the three months I have been here, I have learned and seen so much. I have finally realised that the Pure Land is not just about chanting the Buddha’s name. Of course, that is an essential practice, but more importantly, we must realise that we are beings of karma. We come into this human world carrying our karma, and so many people live their lives governed by the arrangements of karma and fate, suffering through birth, aging, sickness, and death. But a practitioner who chants can transform their karma, recover their true nature, and need not revolve according to their karma.

To transform karma means to escape the cycle of rebirth. Following karma is the old path, the path of samsara. Only by transforming karma can one end the cycle of birth and death and transcend the three realms. To be honest, this is not easy. Changing one's personality—Practitioner Su reminds everyone of this every day at the temple, and it is indeed the key. If you do not change your personality, your karma will not be transformed, your karmic creditors will continue to manifest, and you will be unable to avoid or resolve the suffering of aging, sickness, and death. I will speak plainly: the conclusion is that you will not reach the West. Even if you chant diligently and visit the temple frequently, if your personality remains unchanged—if you get angry at the slightest provocation, or if your heart remains rigid and unyielding, or if you are capable at work but cannot get along with others—you must be careful. There are many such practitioners who are cheerful and hardworking, but you must not have even a trace of arrogance or pride. Subtle thoughts of judging others, thinking ill of them, or unintentional anger—these are all pollutions. If you wish to transform your karma, these pollutions must be removed. You must purify yourself to reveal your true heart. Doing everything with a purified and purely good heart, without seeking reward—this is merit, and only then can you be reborn in the Western Pure Land.

The Subtle Influence of Karmic Creditors

I often failed to control my own personality, letting it flare up, or suppressing a small spark of anger, thinking it didn't matter. In reality, that spark already polluted your heart. When that anger first arises, your karmic creditors have already manifested, and attached spirits have already entered your body. The accumulation of these creditors and spirits is what causes the body to age and fall ill. This is a very subtle matter. When I was alive, I did not understand the role of karmic creditors and attached spirits, so I did not know to mention it. Now that I know, I realise that the reason so many of you have not reached the West lies right here!

I hope it is not too late, and I hope you can take these words to heart. This is extremely important. If you carry karma and have not resolved your grievances with your karmic creditors—if you have not helped them through Chao Du to the Western Pure Land or a good realm—they will manifest at the time of your passing, creating obstacles and appearing as the loved ones you are most attached to. If your thoughts falter even for a moment, if you are distracted and lose the Buddha’s name, you will not be able to go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss; you will fall into the cycle of rebirth. You must be extremely cautious!

I have been reminding everyone of this throughout the previous fifty-plus interviews. I know you all too well: if you have never heard something, or hear it only occasionally, or hear it but do not believe it, it takes many reminders before you can accept it, improve, and remain vigilant! Especially for monastics who lecture on the sutras, you must constantly remind everyone; otherwise, it will not enter their minds, as their brains are occupied with daily affairs. If something is mentioned only once or twice, it is quickly forgotten. If it were a trivial matter, it wouldn't matter, but this is a matter of life and death regarding rebirth in the West. Therefore, it must be emphasised repeatedly. If you can grasp this, understand it, have a sudden breakthrough, and put it into practice, you will have the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Power of the Buddha and the Role of Practitioner Su

However, it may be too early to say this. The Pure Land requires the support of two powers; self-power alone is not enough. You must have the help of Namo Amituofo; only with the Buddha’s blessings can you succeed. Namo Amituofo can help us so much! Once the Buddha’s light shines upon you, many things are resolved. But it depends on whether you can chant until the Buddha manifests or until the Buddha’s light shines upon you. In fact, the Buddha’s light shines equally on all beings; it is just a matter of whether you can receive it.

I tell you now with great solemnity: the Teaching Master of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, Namo Amituofo, is currently at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. The Buddha has descended to the human world and is waiting for you here. The Buddha knows that the human world is too full of suffering and that you cannot reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss on your own, so He has descended to help you. This is because there is a person in the human world who has realised their true nature—Practitioner Su—who can cooperate with Him. Practitioner Su can do things that Namo Amituofo cannot. Have you ever thought that there are things Namo Amituofo cannot do? Is the Buddha not omnipotent? Indeed, there are things He cannot do. Practitioner Su has realised his true nature; he possesses both a human body and a Dharma Body. He uses his human body to lecture on the sutras. A spirit cannot lecture on the sutras; if it could, it would only be heard by spirits, not by humans. Humans cannot hear them. This part must be done by Practitioner Su, and most importantly, he is a person of the West!

I am no longer afraid to speak these words. In the past, I would have been hesitant, fearing that if I spoke, I would have to return. These were the old methods and rules passed down through history. But now I realise that in this Five Turbidities and Evil World, if I do not speak plainly, who will believe? Even if I speak plainly, some will not believe. If I do not speak, who will come to learn from the Buddha, to realise their true nature, and to resolve conflicts and deliver sentient beings? Moreover, life is limited. If I speak plainly, those who believe can be saved—the more we save, the better. If I do not speak, everyone will sink.

A Call to Visit Hsiang Kuang

Practitioner Su is not only a person of the West but also a patriarch-level master. Even if you only speak a few words with him, you will not suffer a loss. He is an awakened being, a person who has realised his true nature. He bears the heavy responsibility entrusted to him by Namo Amituofo to save the world and deliver beings. He is over seventy, yet he works tirelessly, treating one day as two. This is only possible for someone whose energy is abundant because they have realised their true nature. He is not at all like a seventy-year-old; he is compassionate, wise, quick-witted, and driven—young people cannot compare to him. Based on these points alone, if you can visit the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and draw close to a true spiritual friend, it will be worth the trip.

Namo Amituofo is not just in the statues; He is alive and present at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. It is just that people’s eyes are not yet open, so they cannot see Him, but we spirits can see Him. I have seen Him, which is why I can honestly report this to you. The Thrice Yearning Ceremony held here is led by Namo Amituofo Himself, and it can lead chanting beings into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is of vital importance. This is something you cannot encounter outside of a Buddha-land. It is such a great opportunity; it would be a shame not to tell everyone. I have been telling you this with a heart of repentance. I should have brought you here when I was alive, to visit with a heart of pilgrimage. Now, I appeal to you from here: however many hear this and come, you will be blessed. It will definitely be worth the journey!

Traditional Culture and the Pure Land

Next, I want to speak about the traditional culture to which I devoted so much energy and time in my later years. Through this, I also led many young students and middle-aged people interested in traditional culture to study. Everyone has different Dharma affinities. Some have come into contact with the Pure Land through this channel and entered the Pure Land societies; others remain focused on traditional culture, viewing the Pure Land Dharma Gate as merely a religion and not exploring it. In fact, the Pure Land is education, and traditional culture is also education. Their nature is the same, but the results are vastly different.

In terms of traditional culture, even if you understand it well and do your best to fulfill your role and identity in the world—being responsible and having no regrets toward yourself or heaven and earth—you will still enter the cycle of rebirth upon passing. You do not know which realm you will enter in your next life. However, since those who enter traditional culture are mostly filial to their parents and respect their teachers, if they can uphold the Five Precepts and Ten Good Deeds, there is a chance they will obtain a human body again. This is one point that brings me comfort, and I believe many are like this. But if you do not enter the Pure Land and do not have a further understanding of it, you will not achieve ultimate liberation if you cannot reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. You will still suffer in the cycle of rebirth, still facing birth, aging, sickness, and death. You may experience heavy retribution as light suffering, but you will still suffer. Only the Pure Land can lead you to truly end the cycle of birth and death, transcend the three realms, and be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss through chanting.

Now, I have helped you discover this great path to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Whether you are a teacher or student of traditional culture, or a monastic, lay practitioner, volunteer, or chanter of the Pure Land, you can all come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Namo Amituofo is here. If you come here, you will have the opportunity to fulfill your wish for rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Of course, it also depends on your own efforts and hard work to achieve it. Most importantly, besides laying a solid foundation by chanting the Buddha’s name, you must resolve your grievances with the karmic creditors currently on your body and deliver them.

A Message to Kang Guotai

The Chao Du here is led by Namo Amituofo, who leads everyone who chants to enter the West. As long as you chant, you can be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss—it is truly magnificent! Whenever I see the multitude of beings happily chanting along with the Buddha’s name sounded by the fourfold assembly at the temple, with Namo Amituofo radiating golden light in front, leading everyone into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, my heart is filled with boundless praise! I only see such scenes now. If I had seen them while I was alive, it would have been extraordinary, and I would have promoted it vigorously. But it is not too late to say this now. For those who can hear, believe, and come here, it is not too late at all; you are truly blessed.

These words are for everyone. Many of you lay practitioners and volunteers are excellent. Each of you has commendable qualities. One of you is Kang Guotai, who is at the Tainan Pure Land Society and also serves as the abbot of the Moral Lecture Hall. I hope you can hear this.

Guotai, you are one of my students. You have boldness, ability, and a deep foundation in ethics, which is why you took on the responsibility of the Moral Lecture Hall. I hope you will read and listen to what your teacher has said! This human body is too precious. Life is limited; how many days are left to prepare the three provisions of faith, vows, and practice for rebirth in the West, so that you may enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss in this lifetime?

To the students at the Moral Lecture Hall, I hope you understand that when I first developed traditional culture, it was, firstly, to lead those with aspirations in this area to promote traditional culture; and secondly, if you could enter the Pure Land through this, that would be a good thing. But looking at the current situation, everyone’s time and energy are limited. You must be focused to succeed; if you are distracted, it is easy to dissipate your energy and time. Not only do you need self-power, but you also need the Buddha’s blessings. Even with both powers, those who reach the West are still limited. Now you have a protector! Namo Amituofo has descended to the human world and is truly helping everyone to resolve conflicts, invite spirits, and perform Chao Du. He has cleared away many obstacles for you, creating a direct path to the West. You must seize this opportunity!

Guotai, you are a clever and wise person, but your personality is indeed rigid. This is necessary in the world, but in the Buddha’s teachings, you must let go of this and transform it into softness. Because I can see many attached spirits on you, as well as many karmic creditors. They are just as rigid as you, believing they are 'stubbornly adhering to what is good,' and will persist in their views. As for what is wrong, it is also difficult for them to change their concepts. The karmic creditors and attached spirits manifesting on you often share your personality. In this situation, you can still cope with your current energy, but if you grow old and fall ill later, it will be very painful.

Therefore, I hope you will change your personality and lower your stance. Soften yourself. Although this is not easy for you—after all, you have lived this way for decades—how can you change just like that? But you must! There are more and more beings on you, and eventually, your body will suffer! I have experienced that suffering. In the end, I could not walk, I had no strength to speak, and I looked old and frail. You saw it all. This is because there were still very deep things in my heart that I had not let go of, my own attachments, and the existence of these worldly affairs that I held onto tightly. Later, beings entered one by one, appearing one by one, making my body like a storage room filled with beings. In the end, I could not walk and needed others to support me in a wheelchair. This is truly shameful! Of course, you might say, 'Master, you are suffering for the sake of sentient beings!' Yes, part of it is indeed that, but a large part was my own thoughts and the subtle selfishness I attracted. Most importantly, I kept Practitioner Su outside the door of the Pure Land. He is Namo Amituofo’s representative in the human world; did my actions not amount to pushing Namo Amituofo out the door? I committed this great mistake, so I am now trying to make amends, hoping it is not too late, and hoping that if you all listen, there is still hope for rebirth in the West.

Alright, Guotai, in closing, your teacher reminds you again: you can come here for a visit. It is worth your time. And to the many monastics, lay practitioners, and volunteers of the Pure Land: it is worth your time to come here. Come with a heart of pilgrimage, and you will certainly not return empty-handed!

Alright, I will stop here for today. Namo Amituofo.

Shi Jingkong, with folded palms.

At the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Australia."