Can One Truly Reach the Western Pure Land by Chanting for Others?

The Mirage of External Deeds

On the nineteenth of June, 2017, at 3:20 in the morning, Chief Writer Lay Practitioner Li Jiaxian conducted a solemn interview with the spirit of Lay Practitioner Wang Shumei. This dialogue serves as a profound and sobering reminder of the true nature of Buddhist practice and the grave dangers of neglecting one's own inner cultivation while focusing solely on external deeds. Lay Practitioner Li Jiaxian began by paying respects to the Buddha and inviting Lay Practitioner Wang Shumei to share her experiences. She asked Wang to reflect on her life of dedicated service, her connection to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and the truth behind her journey toward rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Wang Shumei replied with deep humility, expressing her profound regret. She explained that for her entire life, she had studied the Buddha's teachings and chanted the name of Namo Amituofo with the singular goal of reaching the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. She listened to the Dharma talks of Venerable Master Chin Kung daily, understanding that the world is an illusion. She knew that no matter how much wealth one possesses, it cannot be taken along at the time of death. Yet, despite this intellectual understanding, her practice remained superficial, and she failed to internalise the essence of the teachings.

She had spent her years accumulating merit by helping others, believing that this would be her ticket to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. She would follow chanting groups, braving wind and rain to assist the dying, hoping to guide them to Namo Amituofo. She found great joy in helping those who were lonely, elderly, or without family, often taking them to see doctors and tending to their needs. However, in her busyness, she neglected the most essential aspects of her own practice: she stopped listening to the Dharma talks of Venerable Master Chin Kung because she was too busy; she neglected her daily lessons and personal cultivation; she became obsessed with the practice of not eating after noon, which led to a decline in her physical health; and her body grew frail, her back hunched, and she suffered from heart and digestive ailments.

The Silent Burden of an Unsettled Heart

Wang Shumei confessed that her physical decline was not merely a matter of age or exhaustion. As she lay on her deathbed, weak and drifting in and out of consciousness, she was not prepared for the transition. Despite a lifetime of chanting for others, she did not reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Instead, her spirit was led away by karmic creditors to be reborn as a chicken. She shared this painful truth with the hope that others would learn from her mistakes. She realised that while helping others is a virtuous act, it must be accompanied by a pure heart. If one's mind is filled with worldly concerns during the act of chanting—such as worrying about household chores or family matters—the Buddha-name lacks the power of true concentration.

Furthermore, if the deceased is deeply attached to their family and unwilling to let go, the efforts of the chanting group may be in vain. She warned everyone that the most harrowing part of her testimony involved the nature of her rebirth. When Practitioner Su first rescued her spirit, he asked why someone as kind-hearted as she had been reborn as a chicken. Through her time listening to the Dharma in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, she finally understood the cause. In a past life, she had been a chicken farmer. The wealth she had accumulated was built upon the suffering and lives of those animals. The karmic debt of those lives had to be repaid. Her attachment to her role as a helper in the chanting group was also exploited by these karmic creditors. They manifested in her dreams as her fellow practitioners, inviting her to join them in chanting. These dreams were a trap, slowly drawing her spirit away from the path of awakening and into the cycle of rebirth.

The Echoes of Past Lives and Karmic Debts

Wang Shumei urged all practitioners to understand that true cultivation is internal; you must change your personality and purify your heart. Do not rely solely on others; while chanting for the deceased is a noble act, one's own rebirth depends on one's own Faith, Vows, and Practice. Beware of attachment; even the desire to be seen as a good person or to maintain one's reputation can become a form of attachment that hinders progress. She emphasised that if one does not truly change their personality, no matter how much one chants the Buddha's name, performs prostrations, or accumulates merit, one cannot be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

She also shared the harrowing reality of her own passing. When she was dying, she could not speak, as if her throat had been cut, mirroring the fate of the chickens she had once sold. She explained that the karmic retribution for her past actions was inescapable, and the chickens she had raised came to claim their lives. She warned that if one does not speak out about these truths, no one will know the dangers of superficial practice. By courageously setting aside her pride, she hoped to warn others that学佛 (learning the Buddha's way) requires genuine, diligent practice.

The Boundless Compassion of Practitioner Su

Wang Shumei expressed her profound gratitude to Practitioner Su. It was his compassion and his ability to transcend the limitations of space that allowed him to rescue her spirit. He guided her to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, where she could listen to the teachings and finally understand the truth of her situation. Eventually, through the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies, she was able to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. She also shared the joyous news that Practitioner Su had helped her mother, Wang Bi, reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss as well. She confirmed that they had been reunited there, listening to the Dharma in the presence of Namo Amituofo.

Her final message to all practitioners was one of urgency and sincerity: do not wait until the final moment to change. Practise diligently, let go of your attachments, and ensure that your heart is truly aligned with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Lay Practitioner Li Jiaxian concluded by noting that this testimony would serve as a vital guide for many chanting groups, helping them understand the importance of guiding the deceased toward the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss with a pure and focused heart. Namo Amituofo.