A Lifetime of Devotion and the Path to Rebirth

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Li Gan, who sought Chao Du 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 human world. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on March 24, 2023.

Lay Practitioner Li Gan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am filled with gratitude—my heart is overflowing with such profound gratitude. Today, I have arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is only through the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su that I, your disciple Li Gan, have been granted the opportunity to reach this sacred place. Now, as I behold the majestic Western Trinity before my very eyes, my mind is empty of all worldly concerns. There is only one thought, one reality: 'Namo Amituofo.' I am truly, deeply grateful."

The Illusion of the Lingering Spirit

"In the years since I departed from the human world, I did not truly realise that I had passed away. I lived under the illusion that I was still alive among the living. For all those years, I existed in a state of confusion, not quite understanding what I was doing. Every day, I would wander through the school campus, walking here and there, tending to the flowers and plants, and watching over our children at Yinghai High School. Sometimes, I would even return to the campus as it was decades ago—that was a period deeply etched into my memory, for the Yinghai of today was built through the arduous efforts of those early years."

"I did not realise that I was trapped within a specific space. The teachers and students I saw before me felt so incredibly real. They would walk past me and even greet me, as if I were still living right there in front of them. Only now, looking back with the clarity of this place, do I realise that all of those interactions were mere illusions. They did not truly exist; it was simply a space, and I was caught within it."

A Heart Bound to the Campus

"The reason I entered the space of Yinghai High School after my death is that I held such deep, profound affection for that place. It was my life's work, something I had built with my own hands through years of hardship. I was so moved by it that I carried it in my heart for my entire life. Even after I retired, I still longed to return there to walk the grounds and see how things were. How could I have known that my spirit had already been lingering on that campus? It was only natural that, after death, I would return to the place that held my soul."

The Compassion of Deliverance

"It was only because Lay Practitioner Li Junhui compassionately sought Chao Du on my behalf that I had the chance to be rescued by Practitioner Su. Being someone who was not familiar with the Buddha’s teachings, I did not understand where I was at first. Later, after listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks and seeing so many other beings coming here to seek Chao Du, I finally understood: this place is a true Buddha-land. It is a place where the Buddha truly resides. How magnificent! How truly worthy of praise!"

A New Life in the Western Pure Land

"Now, I am a citizen of the Western Pure Land. I sincerely hope that people all over the world will learn the Buddha’s teachings, including my own children. However, I know that one cannot force these things; I must let nature take its course. I no longer worry. I simply chant Namo Amituofo in peace, quietly listening to the Buddha’s teachings, my heart filled with infinite gratitude."

"Namo Amituofo."

"Li Gan"