A Message from Beyond: The Third Letter of Lay Practitioner Li Muyuan

A-Fa, I am Li Muyuan. I am in the Western Pure Land, and I am relieved that you are now the leader of the association. We have known each other for such a long time, and I have always had complete confidence in your ability to handle any task. I know that the news of my passing was a heavy blow to you. We were like the closest of friends, always able to speak our hearts to one another, especially when we shared a drink together. After I passed, it seemed as though you rarely opened up to others about your inner thoughts. However, A-Fa, I must tell you something important: I have not died. I am in the Western Pure Land, and this is a truly inconceivable reality.

The Sobering Truth of My Departure

You may have heard stories about my passing, and perhaps you even harboured doubts in your heart. It is true that many spoke of me attaining rebirth in the Western Pure Land and leaving behind relics to preserve a good reputation, but I must be honest with you—that was not the reality. You saw the state I was in when I passed; you know how difficult and distressing that final appearance was. The truth is far more sobering. Because of the heavy karma I accumulated during my decades of service, I did not ascend to the Western Pure Land immediately. Instead, I descended into the hells to suffer.

The Weight of My Past Actions

My time serving at the Buddhist association was long, and I led many people to chant Buddha's name and study the Dharma. Yet, despite all that, not a single person I guided attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land. For this, I bear a heavy burden of guilt. I also caused discord between various Venerables, and for that, I am also responsible. Every action I took that planted negative seeds in the minds of others, or that hindered their opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, has become a weight upon my soul. I have had to face the reality of these errors in the depths of suffering.

A Second Chance at Awakening

It was only through the compassionate intervention of Practitioner Su that I was rescued from that profound suffering. She brought me to the Dharma-Nature Land at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, where I have finally been able to listen to the teachings and realise the gravity of my past mistakes. It is only here, in this environment of purity, that I have come to understand the true nature of my actions and the path I should have taken. The grace I have received is beyond words, and it has allowed me to find a path toward genuine clarity and repentance.

An Invitation to Reconnect

A-Fa, I am in the Western Pure Land, and I have the ability to reach out and speak with you whenever the conditions are right. I sincerely hope that you will come to find me. Practitioner Su is currently at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, and she has the wisdom and the means to facilitate a conversation between us. Please, make the journey to visit the centre. I am here waiting for you, and I look forward to the day we can speak once more.

With sincerity, Li Muyuan.

This message was recorded by the chief writer, Venerable Fajing.