A Visit with Lay Practitioner Huang Nianzu: The Pure Land Headquarters
An Interview with Lay Practitioner Huang Nianzu
Recorded on November 6, 2020
The Eternal Call of the
The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia is a Pure Land on Earth, a name long revered throughout the universe. To truly understand the transmission of the Buddha’s teachings, one must realise that a practitioner must develop the same great vow as the Buddha. This requires the foundational pillars of Faith, Vows, and Practice, combined with the dual virtues of Wisdom and . Those who truly enter the Buddha’s gate will naturally contribute their own strength to the collective, leaving behind a legacy for future generations to study and emulate. This is why the ancestral masters of the Pure Land school have always left behind writings and records of their deeds. They serve to inspire those who follow, helping them to understand that encountering the Buddha’s teachings is a rare and magnificent opportunity, one that is difficult to encounter in millions of years.
I was fortunate to be guided by my mother and my uncle, Lay Practitioner Mei Guangxi. Through their influence, I became deeply immersed in the Buddha’s teachings from a young age. Although I pursued my studies at the Beijing University College of Engineering, my heart remained firmly anchored in the . At that time, the Buddhist community in China was graced by two great figures: Mei in the south and Xia in the north. My uncle instructed me to take Teacher-Practitioner Xia Lianju as my mentor to study the profound path of the Buddha.
A Life Dedicated to the Sutras
It was through this connection that I learned of the immense dedication of my teacher, who spent ten years compiling the Infinite Life Sutra (The Buddha Speaks the , Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Sutra). I developed a particularly deep interest in this sutra. Although I had previously studied various esoteric mantras and the Diamond Sutra, and had been exposed to many different schools of thought, I realised the vital importance of the Pure Land path. To help future practitioners understand the necessity of chanting Namo Amituofo and the significance of the Infinite Life Sutra, I spent six years composing a commentary. I referenced over one hundred classical texts and commentaries from ancestral masters to ensure the work would be of true benefit to those who follow. In my final years, I focused entirely on the practice of continuous Buddha-recitation, seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land.
The Sanctuary of Namo Amituofo
In 2012, at this very location—then known as the Hsiang Kuang Buddha-Recitation Hall—a great effort was made to resolve the impending crisis of the predicted world’s end. Practitioner Su led the fourfold assembly of disciples in group cultivation. Day and night, they engaged in prostrations, walking meditation, reciting the sutras, and listening to Dharma talks. By inviting spirits to resolve their grievances, they successfully averted the crisis. This diligent practice continued for eight years, and today, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is a place where Namo Amituofo is residing here.
I have participated in every Dharma assembly held here. I have witnessed Practitioner Su’s daily diligence, maintaining a practice that has remained steadfast for thirty years. Through constant teaching and personal example, Practitioner Su provides the finest demonstration of what it means to live the Dharma. With great courage and strength, Practitioner Su has made a magnificent vow to save all beings. The practice of Dharma-Body Visualisation Deliverance is an expression of infinite compassion, reaching from the highest levels of enlightenment down to the deepest hells. When Australia suffered from severe drought and bushfires, Practitioner Su used this method to call for rain, and the rain arrived, bringing relief to all living creatures and those connected by karmic affinity. Namo Amituofo presides over every Dharma assembly, and Practitioner Su guides all beings to chant and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. This work of Dharma-Body Visualisation Deliverance never ceases. Practitioner Su even patiently teaches the plants, trees, and flowers to chant Namo Amituofo. Wherever Practitioner Su goes, the environment joins in the recitation to help resolve the pandemic and bring peace to the world.
Compassion in the Face of Global Crisis
During the recent global pandemic, Practitioner Su could not bear to see the world’s population suffer and lose their lives. Once again, moved by great compassion, Practitioner Su performed Dharma-Body Visualisation Deliverance during the . Working alongside the ancestral masters, Practitioner Su led the spirits of the earth, the flora and fauna, and all sentient beings in Australia and China to chant Namo Amituofo. We seek the Buddha’s blessing to subdue the demons and resolve the mutated viruses that plague our world.
In this age of the Dharma’s decline, misleading teachers are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River. However, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is unique; it is the only place in the universe where Namo Amituofo has come to the worldly realm to truly abide. To save more suffering beings and ensure that the Pure Land path remains firmly established, we are building the Pure Land Headquarters here. This will be a place to cultivate more practitioners, allowing them to come and study, to realise their true nature, and to receive the Buddha’s blessing. We must spread the message far and wide: simply chant Namo Amituofo.
The Cradle of
I have seen how Practitioner Su, starting as a lay practitioner, has endured what others cannot and practised what others find difficult. Through this, Practitioner Su has attained the and the power of spiritual deliverance, becoming a figure respected by the spiritual realms throughout the universe. A practitioner who has attained such power and has realised their true nature will always be protected by the Dragon and Heaven Dharma Protectors. The Pure Land Headquarters is the cradle for those who seek Awakening, and its construction is the collective hope of all beings.
Namo Amituofo.
Recorded by the Buddha’s disciple, Shi Haiyuan.
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library