A Joyful Arrival in the Western Land

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Zhao Menghuai, the husband of Lay Practitioner Rui Lanfang, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on September 19, 2025.

Lay Practitioner Zhao Menghuai speaks:

"If my family could see me right now, they would see that I am smiling with such immense joy—my eyes have almost crinkled into thin lines. I am truly, deeply happy.

First and foremost, I must express my profound gratitude to Practitioner Su. It is through Practitioner Su’s compassion and his dedication to saving spirits like us that I have been given the opportunity today to be guided to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am eternally grateful.

The Reality of the Pure Land

In my life, I did not truly know the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Even if I had heard of such a place, I never truly understood it. After all, for people living in the world, it often feels like a distant, ethereal, or even illusory place. Even when the sutras describe it in such magnificent terms, many people can only imagine it; they cannot be certain if it is truly real. I suspect that many people still wonder in their hearts: 'Does such a place really exist?'

I want to tell everyone: it truly exists. I am here, right now, dwelling within it. This place is so pure. Every spirit that arrives here finds their heart instantly calmed and settled. We naturally begin to chant the Buddha-name, holding each syllable of the Buddha-name within our hearts. It is something that happens so spontaneously; we do not forget, we do not falter, and we do not stop. We just keep chanting, and as we chant, the practice becomes more and more profound and meaningful.

A Life Without Afflictions

Here, there is no room for wandering thoughts. There are no afflictions, and there are no negative emotions. All the suffering that one experiences in the world—every single trace of it—is completely absent here.

I feel so fortunate to have the blessings to arrive in such a magnificent Pure Land, the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I also hope that everyone—whether it be my family, those I knew during my life, or even those I never met—can all come here.

The Terrors of Being Reincarnated

The cycle of being reincarnated is incredibly painful, but when we are trapped in a physical body, we do not always perceive it clearly. It is only when you lose that body and are left as nothing but a spirit that you can clearly realise how terrifying the cycle of being reincarnated truly is. While I was with Practitioner Su, I saw it all. So many spirits are suffering so deeply; that is why, when they finally see the Buddha, their faces are covered in tears. They cling tightly to that single thread of hope found in the Buddha-land, desperately longing to be saved.

I am doing wonderfully now. I want to thank my beloved wife, who is still in the world. I thank my family and my friends. I thank Practitioner Su, and I thank everyone who helped me along this path. I am liberated now; I have left suffering behind forever. My deepest gratitude to you all.

With deepest reverence, Zhao Menghuai."

Namo Amituofo.