Deliverance to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss: The Testimony of Lay Practitioner Yang Honggui

This account documents the interview with Lay Practitioner Yang Honggui, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Having successfully transcended the cycle of rebirth, he now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This testimony reflects upon his transition from the suffering of the human world to the peace of the Pure Land. The interview was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on February 10, 2023.

Lay Practitioner Yang Honggui speaks:

"Greetings to everyone. I am Yang Honggui. Today, I am filled with immense joy to have arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Before this, I was also deeply grateful to have been brought to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Practitioner Su for saving me, and to my niece, Lei Hulan, for arranging this Chao Du for her uncle. My dear niece, your uncle is doing very well now, and since I have reached the Western Land, you can finally set your heart at ease!"

A Message to the Living

"I want to share my story with the rest of our family. I truly hope that you, Hulan, can help them understand the importance of spiritual practice. Tell them not to spend every single day solely focused on making money. You do not need to provide them with financial assistance; everyone has their own life to lead. Hulan, you must stay here and focus on your practice. When you have the opportunity, just pass this message along to them—you can even send it by mail. I only wish for them to realise that life and death are governed by fate, and wealth is determined by the heavens. Think about it—I spent my entire life working so hard just to make a living, yet in the end, I could not escape the cycle of life and death."

The Reality of Samsara

"Although I was already advanced in years and it was expected for me to pass away, you are all still young. You have many years ahead of you. You should take a moment to look at the bigger picture and prepare for your own lives. You must learn how to save yourselves; that is the most important thing of all! The cycle of rebirth is a realm of profound suffering. Without the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and the immense power of Practitioner Su, I would never have been able to break free. There were so many karmic creditors waiting behind me. Truly, spiritual practice is the only path that can save you. During these past few days here, I have seen this clearly."

The Only True Preparation

"I maintained a relatively honest heart throughout my life; I did not allow my conscience to be darkened as others have, which is why I was able to awaken so quickly once I arrived here. Everything we strive for in the human world cannot be taken with us when we go. You must make the best preparation possible, and that is to come to know the Buddha. Only then will there be a Buddha to save you in the future, and only then will you be able to stop reincarnating in this endless cycle of suffering."

"I am so happy that we had the karmic affinity to be part of the same family in this lifetime. Now, I will be waiting for all of you in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Please, listen to my words—you must come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to see the Buddha!"

"With deep gratitude, Yang Honggui bows his head in respect. Namo Amituofo."