A Grandmother's Journey to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

This is a record of an interview with Huang Jinyuan, the grandmother of Lay Practitioners Tsai Ting-ching and Tsai Ting-gen, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon her transition from the cycle of being reincarnated to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on March 24, 2023.

Huang Jinyuan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Lay Practitioner Huang Jinyuan. I have arrived at the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss! Seeing the compassionate Buddha right before my eyes, I am overwhelmed with emotion. I recall how, only a short while ago, I was chanting the Buddha-name with every ounce of my strength, terrified that I might miss even a single syllable. Although it was Practitioner Su who guided me to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I wanted to put in my own effort as well—I did not want to rely entirely on him. Who would have expected that the journey to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss would be so incredibly swift? In the blink of an eye, everything before me was filled with brilliant, radiant light. I am filled with profound gratitude; I am grateful to Namo Amituofo, and I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su."

The Weight of Earthly Attachments

"Like most women, I found it so difficult to let go of my family and those I held dear in my heart. For the longest time, I would constantly replay the past in my mind. Those memories felt as vivid as if they were happening right in front of me—the scenes of our whole family eating together, the memories of who got married and when. Even right up until the moment I passed away, I was still clinging to that familiar environment. It was these attachments, these memories I simply could not release, that caused me to fall into the dark, desolate path of the underworld.

I kept walking and walking, but I could never find a glimmer of light. Many times, I felt a deep, chilling fear in my heart. I wandered back and forth, always alone. If I did encounter anyone, they were complete strangers. I did not know what to do, and my mind was trapped in a cycle of endless, anxious thoughts. Finally, when I was lifted up by a beam of light, I met Practitioner Su. In that bright, pure Buddha-land, my heart finally found peace."

A Lesson on the Nature of Life

"It was only after listening to the Dharma that I truly understood: whether it is birth, aging, sickness, death, or being reincarnated, we are all ultimately alone. I had never known these truths before. Now that I have heard them, I am astonished at how foolish I was in the past. I spent my whole life worrying about things that, in the end, were just fleeting shadows.

Grandmother would like to thank my grandsons for using the Causal Conditions of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to help deliver your grandfather and me. It is truly fortunate that our ancestors had accumulated enough virtue to allow you to find Practitioner Su. All the afflictions and worries I carried in the past have now been completely released, now that I am in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, because this place is truly, unimaginably beautiful."

A Message to My Descendants

"Grandmother has learned so much from listening to the Dharma here. I truly hope that you can also counsel your parents. Life passes by in the blink of an eye. I have been gone for some time now, but I have finally attained rebirth. I can now follow the Buddha, and for this, I am profoundly grateful.

Now that I have shared these words with you, I must let go of everything else. I am going to properly enjoy the cool, refreshing peace of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Amituofo."