An Educator’s Vision for the Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Chen Tingli, an educator who lived during the late Qing Dynasty. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life and his insights into the development of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on April 10, 2026.

Chen Tingli speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am truly grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for granting me this precious opportunity to be interviewed. I currently reside in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, sitting peacefully upon a lotus throne. In my previous life, I was an educator in the human world. This is the simple introduction that Practitioner Su has provided for me through the grace of Namo Amituofo.

During the final years of the Qing Dynasty, I was a man who travelled extensively across the length and breadth of China, tirelessly promoting the education of a new era. While I may not have been as famous as many of the great scholars of my time, I followed in their footsteps, hoping step by step to introduce Western science, technology, and cultural knowledge into China. My goal was to combine this with our traditional Chinese culture, so that our people could receive a better, more comprehensive, and truly perfect education. I yearned to see our nation break free from the shackles of being invaded by foreign powers, so that we might stand tall and strong on our own. That was the educational movement I dedicated my life to."

The Unparalleled Path of Hsiang Kuang

"Today, I have arrived here in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, and I am living a life that is entirely different from anything I could have imagined. Although I have not been here for long, witnessing the work of Practitioner Su in performing Chao Du for beings in mainland China has greatly expanded my wisdom. I have come to realise that when looking at the landscape of education across the entire world today, only the Buddhist education provided by the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre can truly bring the next generation to a genuine faith in the Buddha and a life of true happiness.

More importantly, this education can help everyone achieve the Buddha's path, truly follow the Buddha to save countless suffering beings, and attain the perfect state of being not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die. This is the ultimate, perfect education that humanity has been searching for throughout history."

Strategic Paths for Financial Support

"At this very moment, Namo Amituofo has directed me to help identify potential sources of support to assist the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in its development. The goal is to lead more people to study the Buddha's teachings, with the ultimate aim of realising one's true nature. I, Chen Tingli, would like to offer some directions and suggestions on how to approach this.

Regarding the search for financial support, I believe we can proceed along two primary avenues: one based on geographical considerations and the other based on cultural backgrounds.

If we consider the first, the 'geographical' factor: The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is located in Queensland, Australia. Naturally, local Australian organisations and wealthy individuals should be our first priority. Because they are in such close proximity to the Centre, it is incredibly convenient for them to come here and experience the vastness of this Buddhist education for themselves."

Financial Freedom and Individual Resources

"Australia is a relatively open country, and various organisations or independent wealthy individuals possess a high degree of freedom in their financial decision-making. Therefore, as long as we can effectively communicate the core essence of this true Buddhist education to the hearts of the Australian people, we will certainly be able to capture the attention of significant donors.

Furthermore, Australia is not lacking in individuals who possess deep wealth in their own name or through their family estates. While they may be independent entities, given their profound resources and their extensive experience in society, they can greatly assist in the establishment and expansion of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Even if a wealthy individual chooses to support this cause solely through their own capacity, without the backing of a massive conglomerate, their personal contribution can still make a monumental difference to the development of the temple."

Bridging Cultures in Australia

"Chen Tingli believes that although Australia is a country primarily based on Western culture, when we look at the religious freedom and the way people of various backgrounds live together in unity, we see that Australia is actually home to many Asian individuals—especially those with a background in studying Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. They possess a deeper and more profound understanding of the Mahayana teachings, and many religious organisations have already managed to develop deep roots within Australia.

It is evident that these religious groups possess substantial financial resources, which are sufficient to support their massive expenditures in Australia while still allowing them to expand the scale of their temples significantly. Therefore, I believe that seeking out Asian-Australians who are capable of funding the development of religious groups is a very viable point of entry."

The Unique Treasure of Hsiang Kuang

"While I cannot provide a specific list of organisations or individuals at this moment, I believe that the most important tasks right now are to highlight the immense benefits that the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre can bring to the people of the world, and to promote this mission in a more human-centric and accessible way.

We might look at the promotional methods of well-established Buddhist groups in Australia as a reference point. Organisations like the Pure Land societies that have taken root in Australia, or large-scale organisations like Fo Guang Shan, have managed to sustain their massive operations and construction projects because they have deep-seated support from overseas, combined with years of managing various foundations and the dedicated support of a vast number of followers.

However, the difference between the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and other groups is that Hsiang Kuang is the only place in the world that possesses 'a person of true practice'—that is, the presence of Namo Amituofo residing here. It is a bodhimanda of true practice. Under the leadership of Practitioner Su, who is an awakened being, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has expanded step by step from a single small white house to what it is today. Because of this fundamental difference, we cannot simply copy the models of others, but we can certainly learn from their essence."

The Power of the Amitabha Village

"If we look at how other religious groups operate their foundations, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre possesses a treasure that cannot be found anywhere else in the world: the joyful news of being able to truly attain the state of being not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die, leading to rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Even if those who come here to practice cannot immediately change their personalities or escape the realities of aging, sickness, and death, the presence of Practitioner Su provides the unique opportunity to lead deceased spirits to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a unique, one-of-a-kind blessing in this world.

If we can use this as a focal point for promotion, we could develop a retirement model centred on an 'Amitabha Village'. This would allow many middle-aged and elderly people who understand Mahayana Buddhism—especially those with significant financial means—to find a home. If this concept touches their hearts, we could expand the Amitabha Village significantly, which would serve as a source of funding for future construction projects.

The benefits of this approach are that it is simple, not overly complex, and it would not cause too much disruption to the practice of the fourfold assembly of disciples at the temple. If, among those who purchase a place in the Amitabha Village, there are one or two individuals with substantial wealth who, after truly understanding the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, come to appreciate the temple's immense contribution to the world and the entire Dharma Realm, they may be willing to invest their savings into the temple's operations. This is a very feasible direction."

A Call for Divine Guidance

"Regarding specific names of individuals or organisations, I suggest that Practitioner Su could search online for members of the Chinese diaspora in Australia who possess both significant capital and a background in Buddhism as a primary point of consideration. The results of this search could then be submitted to Namo Amituofo, who can personally select the individuals with the greatest potential to be the focus of the temple's outreach efforts.

Namo Amituofo.

Chen Tingli"