From Nightmare to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner He Shi'er, 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 life and her transition to the Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on September 13, 2024.

Lay Practitioner He Shi'er speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am He Shi'er. I am deeply grateful to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su. In my life, I was foolish and ignorant, yet the Buddha accepted me.

The process from death to arriving in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss feels like a dream—a transition from a nightmare to a beautiful, eternal dream. I hope I never wake up from this wonderful dream in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Light of the Western Pure Land

The Buddha is right before me. The sacred music of the Buddha brings such peace to my heart. The lotus flowers are magnificent, and the entire world is filled with brilliant light. I can hardly believe this is real. I keep confirming and re-confirming that I am not dreaming. I dare not stop chanting the Buddha-name, fearing that if I stop, this scene will vanish. Fortunately, I have verified again and again that my spirit has truly reached the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. My heart is filled with overwhelming emotion and gratitude.

I know that if it were not for my son, Jinliang, helping me with the Chao Du, my spirit would still be trapped in that nightmare. To have emerged from such darkness, I feel incredibly fortunate.

The Debt of Karma

During my time here in the Buddha-land, I have come to understand the laws of karma and cause and effect. These laws apply to everyone; no one can escape them.

I have seen my past. I was once a fishmonger. To make a living, I killed countless fish, and I would even deceive customers by selling old, stale fish as fresh. At the time, I thought nothing of it, but now I realise that every action has a price, and every debt must be repaid.

A Past of Selling Fish

I killed so many fish—each one was a life. How could I ever repay such a debt? This Chao Du was an opportunity for my karmic creditors to be liberated. I hope they all saw the light and were able to leave, though only a small portion did. Beyond the killing of fish, I have accumulated much karma throughout my many lives. I have seen it all, and my heart is filled with constant repenting. I am so grateful that the Buddha did not look upon my past sins with judgment.

The cycle of reincarnation throughout my many lives is truly terrifying. I sincerely repent to all my karmic creditors. Now that I have reached the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I vow to follow the Buddha and study diligently. When the Causal Conditions arise in the future, I will still repay what I owe.

A Responsibility to the Living

Seeing these scenes, I know that I have a great responsibility now that I follow the Buddha, so I dare not dwell on my attachments to my family. However, I hope that my family can understand, through this account, that everyone is bound by the laws of karma and cause and effect. We must resolve these conflicts; otherwise, no one can predict what will happen in the future. Since arriving in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have been learning continuously. I hope my family can be happy for me, and I hope that after you learn the Dharma, you will understand the laws of karma and cause and effect, and recognise the compassion the Buddha has for us.

There is too much suffering in the world that people cannot let go of. I hope you can all walk out of that darkness.

Finally, I am once again grateful to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su. He Shi'er, now returned to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, bows in gratitude."