A Journey from Toil to the Western Land

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Liu O-guo, who sought deliverance 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 transition from the cycle of rebirth to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on June 16, 2023.

Lay Practitioner Liu O-guo speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am so incredibly happy to have arrived here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss today. I owe everything to Practitioner Su for her compassionate assistance; without her, I would never have had the chance to reach such a magnificent and peaceful place. Thank you, truly, from the depths of my heart.

The affairs of the human world feel like a distant memory now, something from a lifetime ago. It is a strange and profound feeling to be able to speak to my family again—I never imagined such a thing could be possible. It is truly a miracle to be here, and I am humbled by this opportunity to share my experience.

The Weariness of the Human World

When I was alive in the human world, life was a relentless cycle of toil. You had to work just to eat, and if you stopped, you had nothing. Even if your ancestors left you a vast fortune, it would eventually run dry. You had to keep going, day after day. Life was so bitter—working endlessly, resting for a few hours, only to wake up and do it all over again. That is my lasting impression of the human world: it is suffering. It is a constant, grinding struggle that leaves one exhausted and empty.

Back then, I did not study the Buddha’s teachings. I did not understand the Dharma at all. Even when people tried to introduce it to me, I had no interest. I was too focused on making money and providing for my family. How could I have time for the Buddha? I was completely consumed by the needs of my daily life, thinking that material security was the only thing that mattered. Now that I have shed this physical body and witnessed the cycle of rebirth, I finally realise how vital it is to study the Dharma. Only through the Dharma can one reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and find true liberation from this endless cycle.

A Past Life Revealed

I have always been a simple, honest man. Looking back, I discovered that I had actually practised the Buddha’s teachings many lifetimes ago. I had cultivated very well in those days—I was even a monastic! Who would have thought that after cycling through rebirth for so many lifetimes, I would end up as an ordinary person in this life, completely forgetting my path? Fortunately, I was blessed with enough remaining merit to reach the heavenly realms, and now, by the grace of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, I have arrived here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am so deeply grateful for this second chance.

A Final Plea to Loved Ones

I also want to express my gratitude to my sister-in-law. We knew each other in the past, though she had forgotten it after so many cycles of rebirth. I saw her standing before Namo Amituofo, looking so dignified. It seems we all have a karmic affinity with the Buddha, connected from the past until now, even becoming family in this lifetime. It is a beautiful thing to see how our paths have crossed again.

I want to tell all my relatives and friends: you must study the Buddha’s teachings and chant Namo Amituofo. Do not continue to cycle through samsara; it is the only way to avoid such immense suffering. Seeing so many spirits suffering out there is truly heartbreaking. If it were not for the deliverance offered here by Practitioner Su, no matter how loudly they cried out for help, they would have no chance of liberation. You must chant Namo Amituofo. You must save your own spirit. Namo Amituofo."