From the Abyss to the Light of Namo Amituofo

This is a record of an interview with Nie O-chi, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his profound transition from the depths of suffering to the light of liberation. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on November 1, 2024.

Nie O-chi speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Nie O-chi. I am filled with such joy to say that my spirit is now resting beside Namo Amituofo. The light of Namo Amituofo is so brilliant, so magnificent, and His smile is filled with such boundless compassion. The moment I beheld Namo Amituofo, my spirit ceased its suffering. My heart finally found peace, and all the agony and the tangled, chaotic emotions I had carried for so long simply vanished into thin air.

I feel an immense sense of gratitude towards Namo Amituofo, and I am deeply thankful to Practitioner Su, who guided me to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. It turns out that to reach this magnificent realm, one only needs to chant the name, 'Namo Amituofo.' To have encountered such a profound and auspicious Causal Condition is something I am truly, deeply grateful for."

The Light of Hope

"Right now, here in the land of Namo Amituofo, I am enveloped in such warmth. My entire being has become radiant and bright, and my heart—my heart is finally filled with hope. This is a feeling I had never experienced in my life, yet it is exactly what I had been searching for all along.

Reflecting back on my time in the human world, I remember how my heart always felt as though it were burdened by heavy, crushing stones. These stones pressed down on me until I could barely breathe. If anyone spoke even a slightly harsh word to me, I found it impossible to bear. I truly believed that I had tried my absolute best; I had pushed myself into a corner, and because of that, even the smallest, most trivial criticism from others felt like a massive, unbearable blow."

The Endless Loop of Despair

"I lived a life devoid of happiness, yet for the sake of my salary and my survival, I forced myself to endure. As things began to go wrong, it felt as though one misfortune after another cascaded upon me. I was like a balloon ready to burst, a ticking time bomb, never knowing when I might finally shatter.

Every time I tried to adjust my mindset or find a way forward, a new trial would appear, and these trials felt insurmountable. My heart was already so weighed down by pressure that when the outside world added even the slightest bit of friction, I simply could not take it anymore. I found myself asking over and over: 'Why must life be so incredibly painful? What is the point of living?' I searched for an answer, but no one could tell me. When my spirit sank into the depths of depression, I began to wonder if death might be easier than life.

When that thought first entered my mind, I was terrified of myself. But as the frustrations mounted and the sense of injustice grew within me, that voice appeared more and more often. It became so frequent that even when I begged myself to stop thinking about it, I could not. I knew I was in a dangerous state, but very few people were aware of what I was going through."

The Final Choice and the Aftermath

"I had hoped that if I just kept persisting, if I kept counseling myself and looking inward, everything would eventually settle down. But when the final straw broke me, I could not bear it any longer. I did not want anything in front of me anymore; I gave up on my life. In a state of hazy consciousness, I went upstairs, and in a half-awake, half-dreaming state, I jumped, ending my own life.

I had foolishly believed that this would liberate me from all my pain. I was wrong. My spirit remained trapped at that very moment of my decision, repeating the act of ending my life over and over again. My head felt as though it were splitting, and my entire body felt as if it were being torn apart. I never imagined such a result. The suppressed pain I carried in my heart was still there, and now, it was compounded by the physical agony of reliving that final moment of death. I collapsed completely. No matter how much I suffered, I could not escape that terrifying space.

I once heard someone calling my name, but no matter how hard I tried, I could not get out. I wandered back and forth in that space, not knowing how long it would last. I kept praying, hoping that someone could help me."

A Karmic Awakening

"After waiting for what felt like an eternity, I was finally saved! As I was falling, a brilliant light suddenly caught me, and in an instant, I was pulled from that space of agony into the light. I did not understand how it happened until I regained my clarity and realised that I was finally free from suffering. It took me some time to truly wake up and stop feeling the pain of that space, and my heart is filled with such gratitude.

Not long after, I realised I had been led to the Buddha-land. The radiance of the Buddha-land and the compassion of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas brought light into my heart. I later learned that I had been saved by the Chao Du performed at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I am so grateful that at my lowest point, the power of this deliverance helped me escape that incredibly painful space.

After undergoing purification, I finally understood that I had made a grave mistake. The decision I made did not only affect me; it affected so many others. And that decision kept me trapped in a cycle of suffering. When I chose to end my life, I abandoned myself and the life I was meant to live. I tasted the despair of existence and entered an abyss of pain. That force was like a rope binding me, leaving me without any autonomy. It was as if I were the only actor in a play that would never end. I cried out in my heart. I regretted it—I truly, deeply regretted it.

At the time, I only felt a force pulling me down, leaving me without the strength to climb back up. Now, I see that the force pulling me was my karmic creditors. It was my own resentment and sense of injustice that drew them to me. Everything I encountered in this life was a result of the laws of karma and cause and effect."

A Final Message to My Family

"The moment I understood this, the scenes of my past appeared before me. I saw a version of myself who was incredibly arrogant, someone who showed no mercy to others. Because I had cruelly rejected people, I had caused some civilians to lose their livelihoods and even end their own lives prematurely, leaving their families in total confusion and despair. Both they and their families harboured deep resentment toward me. When I saw this, I could not stop the tears from flowing. I knew I had to repent for my wrongdoings, and the deep-seated resentment in my heart was finally released.

Now, I follow Namo Amituofo. I see things clearly, and I have chosen to be indifferent to many of the things that once troubled me in life. I still have family in the human world. They are grieving for me, and because of me, they carry a knot in their hearts—a mix of resentment, blame, and dissatisfaction. These were all emotions I once held, but now I choose to let them go. Only by letting go can the heart stop being tangled and stop suffering.

I want to tell my family: 'I have caused you such sorrow and pain, and for that, I am truly sorry! But now, I am following Namo Amituofo in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I have become so radiant, so you no longer need to worry about me. I am doing well. I hope you can all let go and live your lives well. Honestly, I am so fortunate to have the chance to follow the Buddha and never suffer again, and I hope you can find this too. You have suffered and you have been happy in this life, but those things are not what matter most. I hope that through my experience, you can come to know the Buddha, learn the Dharma, and recognise how the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has helped so many suffering spirits. I wish you all the very best.'"

Gratitude and Peace

"Finally, I am so grateful to the Buddha. Without Him, I do not know how much longer I would have had to suffer. I am also grateful to Practitioner Su for her guidance, which allowed me to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and follow the Buddha. I have let go of everything that happened in my original life. I am grateful for this connection in the human world.

It is wonderful that so many suffering employees from my company were able to be saved together! Seeing everyone become bright and radiant makes me so happy. I am grateful for everything."

"Nie O-chi, with folded palms. Namo Amituofo."