From a Faithful Companion to a Soul of Pure Sound

This is a record of an interview with Harry, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life as a canine companion and his subsequent transformation. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on April 3, 2026.

Harry speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. My name is Harry, and I can no longer bark. Although I was a dog in my previous life, the moment I arrived in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I immediately transformed into a human form. It turns out that I was actually quite handsome, though I never knew it back then. I simply thought of myself as a dog—just a dog who was loved by his family. My owner is Lay Practitioner Lin Yiting. It was because she arranged for my Chao Du that I was able to come into this world of light, guided by Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. Who would have expected that a dog could experience such a profound turnaround? Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su are truly, infinitely compassionate. As I look upon them, my heart is filled with such peace and joy. Silently, I say to the Buddha, 'Thank you, Buddha. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to come to your land.'

A World Limited to the Hearth

Although I had no concept of a Buddha-land before, I was a dog who knew many things—though my knowledge was strictly limited to the affairs of our home. The outside world, especially the complex things people discuss regarding religion or intellectual knowledge, was entirely beyond my understanding. What I understood were the expressions in my owner's eyes and the various happenings within our household. Everything I was familiar with was confined to the people and events inside our home. I did not have much curiosity about the outside world because I was a loyal, devoted dog. I was only loyal to my owner, and I did not have any grand fantasies.

Occasionally, when I saw other dogs, certain thoughts would arise—that much I knew. Some were good thoughts, and some were not so good. There were dogs that made me feel a sense of joy when I saw them, and others I felt nothing for; I did not particularly like them. Of course, such encounters were not very frequent.

The Final Journey and the Great Luck

Eventually, I truly died. I suppose I lived a long enough life for a dog. Yet, as I reached old age, I could really feel that I had no strength left. My body was very weak, and I often felt uncomfortable all over. I did not know how to express it, so I just slowly grew older and passed away amidst the suffering of illness. That is the short life of a dog, I suppose. Perhaps my fate was similar to that of other dogs, and that is fine. But the most important thing is that I turned out to be the luckiest dog of all. I was able to come to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and I even arrived here one step ahead of my owner.

Of course, I truly hope that one day he will come here quickly. But if he still has a human body to make good use of in the human world, that is a wonderful thing. Therefore, I am deeply grateful to him in my heart, and I will be here waiting for his arrival. The beauty of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is something he should know; truly, I do not know what language to use to express it. I feel that I can finally live a life that is so fresh and free from pain. My heart is truly filled with gratitude. As a dog, I did not have many extravagant demands, and arriving in this place at this time is simply inconceivable.

A Message to My Family

I sincerely hope and pray that my family, especially my owner, can diligently follow and learn from Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. I have been receiving teachings here for several weeks now, and I have benefited immensely! I am no longer a dog at all; I am a high-level spirit. I know my past and present lives, and I know the relationship I had with my owner in my previous life. All of this is clearly visible here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, including all of my many lives throughout time.

So, I also counsel everyone, especially my owner: everything in the human world is extremely fleeting, so please do not be overly attached to it, and there is no need to miss me. I am no longer a dog now; I am just a person who once had a karmic connection with you—that is all I can say. This connection was very beautiful, allowing me to be part of your family in this lifetime, and now, to be able to come to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. My gratitude is so full that it cannot be expressed in words.

A New Name: Miaoyin

Harry is no longer Harry now. I would like to change my name to Miaoyin. Everyone here is called Miaoyin. I wonder what my owner thinks of that? I hope my owner can also think of himself as a Buddha; then there will be no more afflictions. Everyone is a Buddha, and everyone can become a Buddha. Isn't it a very happy thing to help many people? Harry is very happy here, and I am grateful for everything.

Namo Amituofo."