A Grandfather’s Journey to the Western Land

This is a record of an interview with Zheng Shixiu, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his subsequent journey to the Western Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on May 8, 2026.

Zheng Shixiu speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am your disciple, Zheng Shixiu, and I have now become a disciple of the Buddha’s gate. I offer my deepest gratitude to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Coming to this Western Land is my brand-new home. I knelt before the Buddha, kowtowing repeatedly, saying, 'Thank you.' At the same time, I saw my wife from my previous life; to my surprise, she arrived here at the same time as I did. Back when we were in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I already knew she, like me, had been fortunate enough to be guided there. Now, arriving in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss together, our destiny is truly quite remarkable!

The Precious Opportunity for Liberation

Looking out at the human world, I see so many people who have not yet had the opportunity for liberation. I, Zheng Shixiu, sincerely hope that Namo Amituofo can remain in the world for a longer time to save more sentient beings and bring them back to the Western Land. Since arriving here, I have been filled with such immense emotion and gratitude. I know this is the most beautiful place for my spirit, and it is my final destination. I never want to go anywhere else! Before, I used to think about dying and being reborn as a human again to enjoy life, but that was a huge mistake! There is no real enjoyment in human life. My own life was just a blur of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and after I died, I had to endure such immense suffering, trapped in the hells for decades without any way out.

Escaping the Torment of the Hells

To be honest, if my wonderful grandson, Sun Caixia, had not registered me for the Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I would have had no idea how to escape that life of suffering in the hells. I endured such prolonged torture there that I became completely dull and unresponsive. After arriving in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I was purified under the Buddha-light, and I slowly began to recover the true state of my spirit. It turns out that the spirit is so special. Without this physical body, I feel even lighter and more agile than before. In the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, we live in the state of the spirit! It is not like before, when I had this body and was constantly worrying about this or that, feeling all sorts of negative emotions and sensations. These are exactly the things that lead people into the hells! I must be honest: my personality was not good, and I harboured many hidden traits in my heart. Over time, this naturally caused great harm, including to the sentient beings attached to me.

The Unique Power of Hsiang Kuang

I am so grateful that my grandson applied for eight sessions of Chao Du for me. I know this is not just an opportunity for me to practise diligently and achieve rebirth; these eight sessions also allowed all the sentient beings connected to me who were willing to be reborn to do so under the purification of the Buddha-light. This is the most unique aspect of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre! I believe there is no other temple like it in the whole world. It is impossible, because one must have a Buddha truly present in the world to be able to perform such deliverance. After I lost my human body and arrived in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, my eyes could see very clearly. I realised that this is what Chao Du is all about. It turns out that if a person has true attainment, like Practitioner Su, they can perform this deliverance. This deliverance is like Practitioner Su travelling to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss in an instant, which also allowed me to return to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss in an instant. Haha, this is truly such a special experience! My heart is full of joy!

A Message to the Living

From time to time, in this land filled with the fragrance of lotus flowers, I laugh from the bottom of my heart, and I sincerely keep chanting Namo Amituofo, not daring to stop for a moment. I want to tell the people in the world—especially those who can read this interview, and most importantly my family, especially my wonderful grandson—I hope you can understand why you came into this world in this lifetime. Do not live your whole life in a blur like I did, only to suffer in the end. Without anyone to teach you, and without receiving true Buddhist education, everyone will end up on the same path I took, and that is truly such a pity!

The Truth of the Universal Principle

To be frank, looking at all of us, the number of people who can avoid suffering after death is truly too small. It was only when I was in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma every day, that I learned that one must follow the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way to avoid sickness, aging, and death. I was a bit surprised at the time, thinking it was just a pipe dream! But later, I witnessed it with my own eyes, and it is truly the case.

The Radiance of a True Wise Person

I see Practitioner Su’s body in the human world; although it is a human body, it is vastly different from others. Practitioner Su’s body emits light and radiance. Our eyes in the spiritual realms can see this very clearly. Only then did I realise that this is a truly great wise person, a person who has truly become a Buddha. They can do so many things to help sentient beings, yet they feel nothing in their own body—they are never injured, never sad, and never have negative emotions. This is truly such a wonderful life!

A Final Word of Encouragement

I hope my family members all have this opportunity to listen to the sutras, hear the Dharma, and learn from the spirit of Practitioner Su. Perhaps one day, when you have adjusted your personality and character enough, you will have the chance to become a Buddha just like Practitioner Su. You must believe in yourself! My wife and I have been away from the human world for such a long time, and the world has changed so much; I feel quite emotional about it. It is a pity that my own life ended that way, but now that I have this great opportunity for a turnaround, I feel warmth in my heart.

Haha, I have rambled on and on, haven't I? It turns out I had been holding back for so long without speaking, and now that I can express my feelings so freely to everyone, I am truly very happy. I hope my family and friends in the world can live well, and especially that they believe in the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and believe in Namo Amituofo—this is very important. I want to tell my grandson: you must also have confidence and believe in yourself. You must work hard to adjust your heart and your personality, do not have negative emotions, and do not walk the old path I took.

Alright, I will stop here. I hope everyone can feel the words I, Zheng Shixiu, have brought to you from the spirit realm. Gratitude to Namo Amituofo, gratitude to Practitioner Su, and gratitude to all the Buddhas. Namo Amituofo."