Deliverance from the Cycle of Rebirth

This is a record of an interview with Wen Xingzhen, the grandmother of Lay Practitioner Tu Fangmo, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon her karmic journey through the cycle of rebirth. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on November 9, 2025.

Lay Practitioner Wen Xingzhen speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Wen Xingzhen. Even now, I find myself instinctively flapping my wings—or what I still feel as my shoulders. I need to tell everyone the truth of my experience: I was once a chicken.

Before I passed away, I saw a massive flock of chickens surrounding me, waiting. The moment my breath ceased, they were there to claim me. Because I had raised chickens during my life and sold them to middlemen, knowing full well they would be slaughtered, those karmic debts manifested as that flock. They came for me the moment I died. I was utterly defenseless. I never imagined that I would fall so low as to be reincarnated as a chicken. I lived in that state of terror until a brilliant light appeared, rescued me, and brought me to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, where I was restored to my original human form.

The Cycle of Suffering: A Life as a Chicken

Now, I no longer have to worry. Today, I was guided by Practitioner Su to this place—the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is magnificent! It is the most dignified and beautiful place I have ever seen. Here, I am finally safe. I no longer have to live in constant fear of being hunted or dragged away to the slaughterhouse.

I did not just live as a chicken once; I had been trapped in that cycle of reincarnated suffering many times over. Every time I was slaughtered, my spirit would emerge only to be cast back into the body of another chicken. It was an existence of absolute, unceasing agony. I implore those who love to eat chicken, those who raise them, and those who slaughter them: please, stop. Put down the knife and walk away from this industry. If you were to fall into the same fate as I did, the suffering would be beyond your comprehension.

A Warning to the Living

I also urge everyone to stop eating meat. These chickens, these living beings, often have past lives as humans. They might even be your own ancestors or family members, which is why there is a karmic affinity that leads them to your dinner table. I am telling you the truth. I hope those who hear this will take it to heart and not dismiss it as mere superstition. The laws of karma and cause and effect are unpredictable; no one knows when or how these consequences will manifest in their own lives.

I want to speak directly to my grandchild, Fangmo. I am so incredibly grateful to you. It was because you arranged for my Chao Du that I was able to escape the fate of being a chicken and finally reach this place—the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is something I could never have dreamed of in my wildest imagination.

Gratitude and the Path to Deliverance

I am especially grateful that you were able to encounter the Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Without them, I would never have been able to escape my prison. Furthermore, Practitioner Su possessed the profound ability to restore me to my original human form. I finally understand why everyone says that the Buddha is of such great compassion; the Buddha’s only purpose is to help us end our suffering. The Buddha has this power, and Practitioner Su has this power as well—especially Practitioner Su.

When I was at the temple, I listened to his Dharma talks. I never had any interest in listening to sutras before, but the way Practitioner Su explained the Dharma, I could actually understand it. That is why I wanted to keep listening. I heard the most important message of all: we must chant 'Namo Amituofo,' because we are all saved by the grace of Namo Amituofo.

Fangmo, you must remember to chant. Keep chanting 'Namo Amituofo.' You are such a kind-hearted person; if you continue to chant diligently, you will be able to help even more people reach the Western Land. Helping others is, in truth, helping yourself. One day, you too will arrive here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

I thank Namo Amituofo, I thank Practitioner Su, I thank the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I thank you, Fangmo, and I thank everyone who has listened to my story."