From the Animal Realm to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss

This is a record of an interview with Chen Bobby, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his journey from the animal realm to his current state of liberation. The interview was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on May 31, 2024.

Chen Bobby speaks:

"Woof! Woof!" I could not help but let out a joyful bark, completely forgetting that I am no longer a dog! My owner must be so happy for me. I have finally regained a human body, and more importantly, I have arrived here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It feels like a dream—a dream so beautiful and profound that I never want to wake up.

I am filled with such immense gratitude for the compassionate Practitioner Su! I heard everyone calling her Practitioner Su, so I followed suit. My spirit is still quite young—only about fifteen years old—so I feel it is appropriate to address her with such respect. I am truly overjoyed. I was already happy when I was with my owner, but this? This is a happiness beyond words.

A Journey Through Eight Lifetimes

I am so thankful to my owner for arranging my Chao Du. Because of her, I was able to shed my canine form and ascend to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to become a Buddha. It is truly inconceivable. I keep thinking about it, and it feels like I am living in a dream—it is simply impossible to imagine how such a transformation could occur.

However, it was not always this clear. When I first arrived at the place of Practitioner Su, I listened to the Dharma for quite some time before I truly began to understand the principles. At the very beginning, I did not understand a single thing! I had no idea what Practitioner Su was talking about. Perhaps it was because I had been a dog for far too long. If I count them up, I have been a dog for eight lifetimes. Some of those lives were spent as a pampered, happy pet, but others were filled with the bitter suffering of a stray, ending in a tragic accident when I was hit by a car.

The Power of the Dharma

Perhaps because I had been a dog for so many lifetimes, the Dharma was particularly difficult for me to grasp at first. But I was determined. I kept listening, very earnestly. I would look around and see the others listening with such intense focus—some were moved to tears, while others wore gentle smiles. I knew then that the Dharma Practitioner Su was teaching must be truly profound. So, I decided to quiet my mind and listen even more intently. To my surprise, the more I listened, the clearer everything became. It was truly inconceivable!

A Karmic Bond Across Time

While I was undergoing purification at the centre of Practitioner Su, I caught a glimpse of a past connection between my owner and me. In that lifetime, she was an elderly woman, and I was a man in the prime of my life. I remember seeing her struggling to walk with an injured foot. Suddenly, a horse-drawn carriage came charging toward her! I rushed forward without a second thought and pulled her out of the way, saving her from being struck. It was because of that specific Causal Condition that, after cycling through the cycle of rebirth for many lifetimes, we were reunited in this life—she as my owner, and I as her loyal companion.

I am so deeply grateful. It is an incredibly difficult thing to leave the animal realm, and I am thankful to everyone who helped me along this path. My gratitude goes to Namo Amituofo, to Practitioner Su, to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, to my owner, and to all of you. Namo Amituofo. Chen Bobby bows in reverence."