Can One Truly Be Reborn by Chanting for Others? The Testimony of Lay Practitioner Wang Shumei

The Illusion of External Merit

Lay Practitioner Li Jiaxian offered ten prostrations to the Buddha and respectfully invited the spirit of Lay Practitioner Wang Shumei to speak. She asked for the story of her life, her connection to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and the truth behind her journey to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Lay Practitioner Wang Shumei replied, "Namo Amituofo. It is truly embarrassing to speak of this, but I must share the truth. Throughout my life, I studied the teachings and chanted the name of Namo Amituofo, always with the single-minded goal of reaching the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I listened to the Dharma talks of Venerable Master Chin Kung every day, knowing that this world is merely an illusion. No matter how wealthy one may be, one cannot take a single cent into the next life. I understood this intellectually, so I diligently chanted and dedicated the merit to my karmic creditors, hoping to accumulate enough virtue to secure my path.

I devoted myself to helping others by joining a chanting group. I would travel anywhere, regardless of the weather, to help the dying recite the name of Namo Amituofo. I truly hoped that everyone I helped would be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Helping others brought me great joy, and in my later years, I became even more active. Whether it was the middle of the night or a stormy day, I would go to assist the deceased. I also helped elderly people who had no family, taking them to see doctors and caring for their needs. I was so busy with these good deeds that I eventually stopped listening to the Dharma talks and neglected my own daily practice. I became obsessed with the practice of not eating after noon, which caused my health to deteriorate. I grew thin, my back hunched, and I suffered from heart and digestive issues. In the end, I was bedridden, weak, and dazed, and I passed away in a state of confusion. Instead of me helping others, others had to come to help me, but my spirit had already been led away to be reborn as a chicken. All that chanting was in vain. It is deeply shameful to admit that after a lifetime of chanting for others, I did not reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss myself."

The Hidden Weight of Karmic Creditors

Wang Shumei continued, "Although I was sincere in my desire to help others, my own heart was not pure. When I was chanting for the deceased, my mind was filled with worldly distractions: I worried about what to cook for dinner that evening, I fretted over my grandchildren coming home from school, and I allowed my mind to wander into mundane, daily concerns. Because my mind was not clear, the Buddha-name I recited held no power. Furthermore, if the deceased person is attached to their family and does not wish to leave, no amount of chanting will help. It was only after listening to the teachings of Practitioner Su that I realised the truth: without true attainment, without a pure heart, and without a focused mind, the person being chanted for will not be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

There is something even more terrifying that I must share. If the deceased does not successfully reach the Western Pure Land, their karmic creditors remain by their side, waiting. Sometimes, these spirits will even attach themselves to the practitioners who are chanting. This is why I suffered so much physically—my hunchback and my weakness were the result of these spirits pressing down upon me. I urge everyone: when you chant for others, do not let your mind wander. Keep your heart pure and focused, or you risk being possessed by these spirits."

The Karmic Debt of the Past

When asked why she was reborn as a chicken, Wang Shumei explained, "Four lifetimes ago, I was born into a farming family. My parents raised chickens to support the family, and as the eldest son, I eventually took over the business. I made my living by selling the lives of these chickens. When I was dying in this life, I could not speak; my throat felt as if it were being cut, just like the chickens I had once slaughtered. The money I earned from their lives had to be repaid through the laws of karma and cause and effect. Even though I had spent this life trying to do good, the chickens from my past came to claim their debt. They appeared in my dreams, disguised as my friends from the chanting group, and lured my soul away. My spirit was trapped, and I was reborn as a chicken. It was a miserable existence—being plucked, cooked, and eaten, only to be reborn and suffer again. It was truly unbearable."

The Compassion of Practitioner Su

Wang Shumei expressed her deepest gratitude: "Practitioner Su is a person of true attainment and profound compassion. He was able to break through the barriers of space and time to rescue me. He sent me to the Western Land of Dharma Nature to listen to the teachings. It was there that I finally understood that everything in the world is an illusion. I had been so obsessed with my reputation and my desire to be seen as a good person that I had neglected the most important thing: changing my own personality. I had listened to the teachings of Venerable Master Chin Kung, but I had only admired them; I had not truly taken them to heart.

Practitioner Su, you are truly remarkable. You have the power to perform Chao Du for immeasurable and boundless beings, even those from other worlds. Without your compassion, I would still be suffering as a chicken. I am also deeply grateful that you helped my mother, Wang Bi, reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. We have now reunited there, listening to the teachings beside Namo Amituofo. I am eternally grateful."

A Final Exhortation to Practitioners

Wang Shumei concluded with a final plea: "I have put aside my pride to share this story on the internet so that everyone may know the truth. To reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, you must rely on your own diligent practice. You must chant, perform prostrations, and, most importantly, you must change your personality. If you do not change your personality, no amount of chanting will be effective. Do not rely solely on others to chant for you; that is far more difficult. You must be a true practitioner. Only by following the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way can you truly leave suffering behind and find happiness. Namo Amituofo."