A Mother's Journey to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Liang Shaozhen, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon her transition from the depths of suffering to the light of the Buddha. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on December 26, 2025.

Lay Practitioner Liang Shaozhen speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Greetings to Practitioner Su. I, Lay Practitioner Liang Shaozhen, would first like to bow before the Buddha to express my deepest gratitude! And to my children—Chen Jie, Chen Rui, Chen Xuefang, Chen Qiubi, and Chen Meiliang—I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart! Such a wonderful, miraculous thing has suddenly happened to me, and I am still finding it hard to fully process the joy of it all. Fortunately, during my time in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I listened carefully to the Dharma talks given by Practitioner Su. Because of that, the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss no longer feels like a strange or distant place to me. That is why I can now say to the Buddha with such ease: 'I am ready to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!' In an instant, amidst the beautiful chanting of everyone, I was received by Practitioner Su and brought to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Everything happened as smoothly and naturally as flowing water!"

The Distance Between the Heart and the Buddha

"I want to thank my children for remembering to arrange the Chao Du for your mother. To be honest, I initially felt so wronged by my passing. I even fell into the hells, and I kept thinking to myself, 'I am not a bad person! How could I possibly end up in such a miserable state?' But now, having learned the Buddha’s teachings, I finally understand. I can clearly feel and see that my own conduct and virtues were so far removed from the state of being that the Buddha describes. From the very depths of my heart, I was not truly like the Buddha at all. It is this distance—this gap in the heart—that was the true cause of my downfall. It is a distance that so many of us ignore in our daily lives. Now, I have finally learned. The time I spent following the guidance of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su has taught me so much. Most importantly, I have realised that one's thoughts must be kept upright and pure at all times.

People should not have too many of their own personal ideas or attachments. Because no matter how we try to calculate or plan our lives, we can never guarantee that we won't stray from the right path. If that is the case, isn't it much better to simply focus on chanting Namo Amituofo? That is the only way to be truly safe!"

The Illusion of Life and the Weight of Karma

"Before this, I did not understand the truth that life is merely a fleeting dream. That is why I clung so tightly to the people and things around me, which only caused me to slide further and further down a slippery slope. It was only later that I realised that at that time, all of my karmic creditors had awakened. That is the most dangerous moment in a person's life—one careless step, and you are saying goodbye to this world. After all, I owed far too many debts to others. Only after I had passed away did I realise how small and insignificant my little life was in the face of such vast laws of karma and cause and effect. How could a person ever think they could calculate everything perfectly? It is impossible! It is far better to be honest and sincere. Just be honest, chant Namo Amituofo, and I guarantee that your outcome will not be bad at all.

The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is so incredibly beautiful. It is so wonderful that I don't even have to do anything; I just quietly chant Namo Amituofo and follow the Buddha wherever He goes. I have taken every single word the Buddha has spoken and kept it deep within my heart, because I know that this opportunity to follow the Buddha is something that does not come easily! I would never dream of wasting it! I am so fortunate that my children are so filial; it is only because of their devotion that this mother of yours had the possibility of being reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

A Mother's Final Advice

"Please, remember what your mother has told you: be a good person, do not be selfish, and live your life with a sincere heart. Treat everyone with genuine, unwavering kindness. Only in this way can we truly draw closer to the Buddha, because the Buddha is filled with such boundless compassion! I am so grateful to Namo Amituofo, and I am so grateful to Practitioner Su! Namo Amituofo. Liang Shaozhen."