A Journey to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss: The Testimony of Lay Practitioner Wei Zhonglin

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Wei Zhonglin, the father of Lay Practitioner Wei Zuozhi. He sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia and now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his journey through the spiritual realms and his eventual rebirth. It was recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on March 20, 2026.

Lay Practitioner Wei Zhonglin speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Even now, I find it hard to fully grasp that I have truly arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This shock, if I can call it that, has brought me a profound sense of peace. I honestly never imagined that after completing my life in the human world, I would be able to reach this Buddha-land, the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I offer my deepest, most sincere gratitude to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for granting us, the deceased spirits, such a precious opportunity for rebirth."

From Darkness to Radiance

"When I was first guided by Practitioner Su to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, the shock was even greater than what I feel today. In a matter of seconds, I was moved from a space of absolute darkness directly into a world of brilliant, shimmering light. At that time, just as I am doing now, I spent my time looking around, craning my neck to observe everything, trying to understand exactly where I had ended up.

Of course, I had always believed in the truth of impermanence, but I never expected that the state of existence after death would be so impermanent as well—though this time, it was a wonderful transformation. There were simply too many things I had not anticipated! Ha! I suppose that is the very mystery of the Buddha’s teachings. I am a practitioner of the Buddha’s path now, and I understand that to reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, one must first make a vow. One must be willing to chant the Buddha’s name and be willing to follow the Buddha’s heart, the Buddha’s vows, and the Buddha’s conduct. Only then can one successfully be reborn in the Western Land. Even after arriving in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, it is not an automatic guarantee of rebirth! However, everyone who arrives there is filled with Dharma-joy. We listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma every day, and we do not have many afflictions. As time passes, the desire to seek liberation arises naturally. It is a process of 'naturalness within naturalness.'

The Practice of the Pure Land

"Ha! I am even using terms like 'naturalness within naturalness' now; it shows that my cultivation in the Western Land of Dharma Nature has been quite effective, wouldn't you say? Here, everyone chants the Buddha’s name and reads the sutras, specifically The Infinite Sutra (The Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra). This is the content of the morning service for the fourfold assembly at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and naturally, we participate in it as well. What I enjoy most is the 'walking meditation and chanting' session every morning. It lasts for over an hour; everyone walks slowly around the Buddha hall, chanting the Buddha’s name. That is the scene I witness.

However, one can also see that while the fourfold assembly at the temple is practicing, it is Practitioner Su who is working tirelessly, performing Chao Du and focusing his mind on spiritual deliverance. This is the most precious time for Chao Du. In truth, the spirit of Practitioner Su is performing Chao Du at every single moment; this is something we can see. Practitioner Su’s countless manifestations are always present, so whenever the Buddha’s name resonates in Practitioner Su’s heart, those countless manifestations go exactly where they are needed to perform the work of Chao Du.

Naturally, because Practitioner Su’s chanting of the Buddha’s name never ceases, it means that the work of Chao Du never ceases either. I have experienced so many shocking and profound things here that I have almost completely forgotten the affairs of the human world. In truth, every soul that arrives here experiences this to some degree; it is just that the depth of one’s spiritual memory varies from person to person.

The Truth of the Spirit

"I am certain that I must have been a practitioner of the Buddha’s path in my previous life, which is why this new environment did not feel unfamiliar to me at all. Everything I saw and heard filled my heart with immense joy, and I could fully understand the underlying causes and conditions. Whenever I hear Practitioner Su expounding the sutras, I find it deeply absorbing.

Ha! This is something those who knew me while I was alive would never have imagined! But the world of the spirit is truly like this. Once you are stripped of this physical body, you are no longer the person you were. Everyone is deceived by the feelings and thoughts of this body. Our true nature is completely locked deep within the physical form, and it is entirely different from the appearance we present to the world. This is something everyone can understand once they begin to study the Buddha’s teachings.

Well, I think I have said enough. Everything I experienced in my human life, from birth, aging, and sickness to death, was merely a few short decades, and now I have arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. While I was still in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I made a vow that I would follow the Buddha and follow Practitioner Su. I suppose the fact that it took me some time to reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss must have left everyone full of questions! You do not need to continue guessing. I believe that my causal conditions were simply meant to unfold this way. I knew that sooner or later I would be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss; it was only a matter of timing, and it was my own decision. There is no need for anyone to dwell on it. Today, I decided that I was ready to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and I was truly guided here by Practitioner Su. It is so beautiful and so dignified. I, Wei Zhonglin, have nothing but gratitude—endless gratitude.

I sincerely wish for my friends and family who are still in the human world: if you have the opportunity to encounter the Buddha’s teachings, please do not let this chance slip away. This is the first time the Buddha has come to this world in this way, and we do not know when the next time will be. So, please, follow the Buddha with a sincere heart. Do not walk the path of birth, aging, sickness, and death that I had to endure!

Namo Amituofo.

Wei Zhonglin"