A Journey to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss: The Testimony of Lay Practitioner Zhang Wenzhi

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Zhang Wenzhi, 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 journey and his transition beyond the cycle of rebirth. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on September 26, 2025.

Lay Practitioner Zhang Wenzhi speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. My daughter has done such a wonderful thing. She has managed to save several members of our family, helping them to finally break free from the cycle of suffering that has bound us for so long.

I am filled with gratitude to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su. When Practitioner Su reached out to guide me, I must admit I was a little nervous. But in a single instant—before I could even process what was happening—everything before my eyes changed completely. I had arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

A Vision of Pure Dignity

I opened my eyes wide, barely able to believe that I had truly arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is so beautiful here, so full of dignity. I can even smell the delicate, pure fragrance of the lotus flowers. My heart feels such profound comfort and gratitude.

Although I had heard of the concept of past lives while I was still alive, and I knew that everyone has a history, I never truly understood how terrifying the cycle of rebirth could be. Back then, I assumed that in every past life, one simply returned as a human, perhaps just born into a different family. I thought, 'Maybe sometimes I was a rich man, sometimes a poor one, sometimes a man, sometimes a woman.' It was only after my spirit left my physical body that I realised the cycle of rebirth is not limited to human existence; one can be reborn into any form of life.

Confronting the Shadows of the Past

While I was in the Western Dharma-Nature Land at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I was able to see my own past lives. I saw several of them, and in every single one, I appeared in a different form.

In this most recent life, I felt that I had not committed any grave sins. While I was not perfect, I certainly never reached the point of killing or arson. I also felt that my heart was not inherently bad; I considered myself a decent person. But I never imagined that in my past lives, I could have been so cold-hearted as to take the lives of several people. At the time, my heart felt no guilt, no sense of wrongdoing. I did not think I had done anything wrong; I even felt that those people's lives were rightfully mine to take.

Seeing my past self was absolutely terrifying—truly terrifying. I looked so evil. When I look at my face in this life, it seems decent enough, not nearly as frightening. I could hardly believe that the person I saw in those visions was me, yet in my heart, I knew it was my past. I had simply been too afraid to face it.

The Path of Repentance and Chanting

Later, I slowly began to let go of that burden, acknowledging that it was my own ignorance in the past that led me to commit so many sins. Those karmic creditors followed me throughout my many lives, and even in this life, I was still paying for them—it seemed as though I would never finish paying them off. I pray for the compassion of Namo Amituofo to bring my karmic creditors to the Western Land, or to lead them to a better place where they no longer have to suffer. I also offer my deepest repentance to them, saying, 'I am sorry, please forgive me.'

I am now constantly chanting Namo Amituofo; the Buddha-name has not stopped for a single moment. This Buddha-name is so precious, and its energy is immense.

A Message to My Family

I hope my children can hold firmly to the Buddha-name, chanting it deep within their hearts. This Buddha-name can help not only oneself but others as well. If you can keep it in your heart every single second, that is the best way to live.

I do not actually have many words to convey. Once the spirit leaves the body, the distance between oneself and the world gradually grows. However, I have not forgotten the karmic connections that brought me into this world in this lifetime. Now that my family is still living in the human world, I hope you are all doing well. Most of all, I hope you will all chant Namo Amituofo, so that in the future, we may all be reborn together in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

With deepest respect, Zhang Wenzhi."