A Grandfather's Guidance from the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Lin Zaiqian, the grandfather of Lay Practitioner Lin Qiuzhen, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his journey and his message to his descendants. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on May 3, 2024.

Lin Zaiqian speaks:

"Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo... I have been holding onto Namo Amituofo tightly, never daring to let go for even a single moment. I am so incredibly grateful to Practitioner Su for bringing my wife and me to Namo Amituofo. We are both filled with such profound gratitude, and we have been chanting Namo Amituofo continuously ever since we arrived here.

In our previous lives, we simply did not understand the importance of chanting. We only knew how to perform traditional offerings and rituals. Even after we passed away, we remained completely ignorant of the practice of chanting. It was only after encountering Practitioner Su and the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia that we finally understood the necessity of chanting. Once we realised this, we have been chanting without pause, never daring to stop, for we know now that this is the only way to true liberation."

Transcending the Bonds of Samsara

"When we were alive, we were husband and wife. Now that we no longer possess physical bodies, we are no longer husband and wife, and the attachments of that relationship have completely dissolved. She is a spirit, and I am a spirit. For decades, we wandered through the cycle of rebirth in our respective paths, unaware of each other's whereabouts, and we never even thought to look for one another. The attachments that once defined our existence simply ceased to be.

Perhaps it is difficult for our descendants in the human world to understand what I am saying. It is a very unique feeling. It is as if, once the physical body is gone, many of the things that once mattered so much simply vanish. They are forgotten; I no longer dwell on them, nor do I hold onto them. It is only when one is alive, possessing a physical body, that one feels these things, constantly thinking and unable to let go of the burdens of the world."

A Grandfather's Compassion

"I am deeply grateful to my granddaughter for remembering us two old folks after all this time. Seeing her suffer—her body in pain, her heart heavy, and her spirit weary—it truly breaks my heart. Being human is a state filled with such immense suffering. Fortunately, she has the blessings to know Namo Amituofo. As long as she can be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss in this lifetime, all the suffering she has endured will have been worth it. It is the only path to true peace.

I want to tell my granddaughter: the people you meet in this life, the husband you marry, the children you bear, and the life you lead—it is all determined by Causal Conditions, by the laws of karma and cause and effect. Try to see things clearly. Do not hold onto resentment or complaints; face these conditions with a calm heart. Everyone’s life is but a few short decades. Walk this path well, chant Namo Amituofo diligently, and keep your heart set on the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

The Path to Ultimate Peace

"Just fulfil your duties and let go of everything else. Do not let your personality or emotions control you, and do not dwell on the suffering. Just chant Namo Amituofo with a peaceful, quiet heart. When the time comes, Namo Amituofo will come to receive you. Remember these words your grandfather has spoken to you. I hope you can find the same peace that I have found here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Lin Zaiqian bows in reverence. Namo Amituofo."