From Ancestral Tablet to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

This interview features Lay Practitioner Wei Chaoteng, the father-in-law of Lay Practitioner Lin Fengzhi. After passing away, he sought spiritual deliverance through the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This testimony was recorded by Venerable HaiZe on November 12, 2021.

Wei Chaoteng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Wei Chaoteng." (He bows politely.) "First, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone. Thank you to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, and a special thank you to my wonderful daughter-in-law, Fengzhi, for arranging this Chao Du for the two of us elders.

We are absolutely overjoyed. Today, I have finally set foot upon the soil of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I had been waiting for a long time. I had hoped that after Practitioner Su and the Venerables returned to Taiwan, my son and daughter-in-law would be able to attend a Dharma assembly to see us off. However, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre had not yet had the opportunity to return to Taiwan. In every Dharma assembly, I saw so many beings coming to seek deliverance, and I watched as they all departed with such joy. Seeing this, I made a promise to the temple: at today's Dharma assembly, I would ask Practitioner Su to guide us to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I told myself that if I were to go, your mother would come with me. And truly, this is a magnificent place. The Dharma-Nature Land of the temple was already wonderful, but the Western Land is even more spectacular! It is not only as beautiful as described in the Amitabha Sutra; it is even better. It is no wonder that so many beings come to seek deliverance at every Dharma assembly held by the temple. Now, we two are among the fortunate ones.

The Joy of Chanting and the Path to Rebirth

While I was in the Dharma-Nature Land, I would join everyone in the Dharma assembly to chant Namo Amituofo and recite the Amitabha Sutra. The words flowed so naturally; it was easy to recite and sounded so beautiful. I suspect that in my past lives, I must have recited this sutra and performed some good deeds, which is why I have the blessings to arrive in the Western Land now.

This place is truly beautiful and radiant. Waves of fragrance drift through the air, and as we look around, we see no end to the splendour. Practitioner Su, who brought us here, used his manifested body to guide us and many prison guards into this realm. Practitioner Su is incredibly busy; after bringing us here, he immediately hurried back to the site of the ceremony. It is such a pity that your human eyes cannot see these situations. The scene is truly grand, and I can only describe it to you. It is no wonder that my son finds it hard to believe. Fortunately, my daughter-in-law believes; otherwise, the two of us would still be separated, and I would still be lingering within the ancestral memorial tablets. After a person dies, if they do not undergo such deliverance, one has no idea where their spirit will end up, and there is certainly no chance of reaching the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

A Father's Final Advice

Fengzhi, since you have encountered Namo Amituofo and met Practitioner Su, you must cherish this opportunity with all your heart. A person's life only happens once, and we have no idea where we will go in the next life. Therefore, you must take advantage of the time you have now to chant Namo Amituofo more often. Only then can you be considered a person of true blessings. I know how filial you are, and I urge you to encourage the rest of the family and my son to join you. Do not let this opportunity slip away easily. Whether he believes or not is up to him, but whether you take action is up to you. You must pave your own path of chanting so that you may eventually lead my son onto the right road; otherwise, given his stubborn temper, he will not be easily persuaded.

When I was in the Dharma-Nature Land, I listened to the teachings! The sutras explained by Practitioner Su are so practical. They shattered our impression that listening to sutras is rigid or difficult to understand. I believe you have been listening as well. I have learned a great deal of the Buddha’s teachings from these sessions, and only now do I understand what practice is truly about. It turns out that everything is about changing one's own 'self,' personal ego, and selfishness. I find this to be incredibly profound. It is only a pity that I heard this so late and only began chanting now, but it is never too late. You must believe in Namo Amituofo and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. You must chant diligently, and in the future, you will come here to reunite with your father and mother. This is your father's earnest advice. Once again, I thank Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su, and the Venerables and lay practitioners of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre."