From the Celestial Realm to the Western Pure Land: The Testimony of Liu Yixiong

This is a record of an interview with Liu Yixiong, 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 transition from the celestial realms to the Western Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on December 16, 2024.

Liu Yixiong speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Liu Yixiong, the former head of Shanguolin in Taiwan. I am currently in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and I am overjoyed to be able to accept this interview from the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. It is truly an inconceivable experience. My wife, Yinmei, and I were both brought from our respective places in the celestial realms to the Western Dharma-Nature Land at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre by Practitioner Su. After I passed away, I had initially entered the first level of the celestial realms.

A Heartfelt Wish Fulfilled

During the recent Thrice Yearning Ceremonies, a Venerable asked me: 'Lay Practitioner Liu Yixiong, would you like Practitioner Su to guide you to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss during Friday's Thrice Yearning Ceremony?' I nodded without a moment's hesitation and said, 'Yes! I want to go!' This had been my greatest wish ever since I began studying Buddhism and encountering the Pure Land teachings. Because I had not been able to enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss immediately upon my passing, but had instead entered the first level of the celestial realms, I was desperate to say, 'I am willing, a thousand times willing!'

During the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, while the 'Great Praise to Amitabha' was being chanted during the noon offering, I was blessed by Practitioner Su. Amidst the collective chanting of the assembly, she guided sixty prison guards, my wife Yinmei, and myself into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. It was absolutely inconceivable! This is the power of Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body deliverance. Her ability to travel freely to and from the Western Land is not a dream—it is a reality that appeared right before our eyes. This capability has saved countless deceased spirits; my wife and I are just two among them. So many spirits have been guided into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss by Practitioner Su before us.

The Splendour of the Western Land

I have been in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss for several days now. The beautiful scenery, the magnificent environment, and the gathering of all the superior beings here are far beyond anything described in the Amitabha Sutra or the Infinite Life Sutra that we used to recite in the human world! This is a world of pure light. The moment I was brought in by Practitioner Su, I saw the towering, majestic form of Namo Amituofo standing before us, His golden arms hanging down, welcoming us into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. We all knelt and bowed; the joy in our hearts was truly beyond words.

In the human world, perhaps two or three days have passed, but here, everything is radiant light. The air is filled with a subtle fragrance that makes one feel refreshed and clear-headed. Furthermore, the sound of the name 'Namo Amituofo' is heard everywhere, and this Buddha-name even shifts in tone according to the melody you desire as you chant. Here, the very air teaches the Dharma, and the sound of the Buddha-name itself teaches the Dharma. The ground is truly paved with gold—a gold that is gentle, warm, and incredibly bright. In the human world, gold is considered a precious treasure, yet here, Namo Amituofo loves us so much that He lets us walk upon it. It is something I never could have imagined. The seven rows of nets and the seven rows of railings are incredibly beautiful; when the gentle breeze blows, they emit clear, melodious sounds—sounds I have never heard before. Here, the trees teach the Dharma, and the wind teaches the Dharma as well.

Living in the Pure Land

I truly do not feel hungry at all here. I am so busy taking in the beautiful scenery that the thought of hunger never even crosses my mind. It is only now, while accepting this interview, that I think about the differences between the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and the human world. People in the world are busy and exhausted, striving to eat well, live well, and sleep well. Here, all of that is unnecessary. You do not need to eat to be full; the energy here is truly abundant. As for housing, the scriptures say that whatever house you wish for will appear, and indeed, houses appear before my eyes in an instant. When I do not wish to stay in a house, it simply vanishes, and when I desire one again, it reappears.

When I think of Shanguolin, the building of Shanguolin appears. It is truly miraculous! A moment later, I think of my home, and my home appears. Sometimes, when I do not yet wish to enter a house to rest, it disappears; it seems to appear exactly when I want it to. It is simply inconceivable! Some might think I am just saying this to make you happy, but I assure you, I am not. It is truly like this.

The Mission of Practitioner Su

I share these facts through this interview so that everyone may know. Please believe in the existence of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and the existence of Namo Amituofo. Please believe that Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia has the ability to travel freely to and from the Western Land, and that Namo Amituofo is currently residing at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Many people do not believe this, and some even slander it. Now, having gone through this spiritual process, I understand the reason why. Whenever Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest in the human world, they perform actions that people cannot imagine, all for the sake of saving beings. Because beings are unable to escape suffering, how could Buddhas and Bodhisattvas save them without manifesting special abilities? Their manifestation is for the purpose of relieving suffering. In different eras, there have been different manifestations due to different causal conditions. In this current age of the Dharma’s decline, such a Practitioner Su has appeared to save everyone.

At this moment, I am a spirit without a physical body, and I have the ability to see things that the human eye cannot perceive. Since there are already so many things that people cannot imagine, one more is of no consequence. Practitioner Su is, in fact, a being of the Western Land—a great virtuous one who has come from the West. At this time, due to the gathering of causal conditions, she has manifested in the human world, practicing diligently to realise her true nature, and only then did she gain the ability to save those of us who chanted the Buddha’s name but lacked the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am eager to share this good news with my fellow practitioners, and I hope that everyone will believe it.

A Final Plea

The most grateful thing in my life was meeting the Venerable Master Chin Kung, who introduced me to Namo Amituofo and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, giving my life a sense of purpose and a vision. Then, meeting Practitioner Su gave me the opportunity to fulfil my wish. If one has not experienced these things personally, they are impossible to put into words. I hope everyone can believe. I am filled with gratitude to Namo Amituofo for building the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, allowing us to no longer suffer in the six realms of rebirth. Moreover, in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I can focus on my practice and find my true nature early—this is truly important! Giving rise to the Bodhi mind is a crucial factor in attaining Buddhahood through Buddha recitation. I had given rise to the Bodhi mind, but it was not yet perfect, and I was not diligent enough. At this moment, I have only relinquished my physical body; my soul has not died.

I am grateful to Practitioner Su for guiding my spirit to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and giving me this opportunity to speak these words. I hope that every person who chants the Buddha’s name can fulfil their wish to be reborn in the West, and I especially hope that the lay practitioners of the Pure Land school can let go of the past and come to a new understanding of Practitioner Su. Practitioner Su uses the innate abilities of her true nature to save beings, relying entirely on the Buddha-power of Namo Amituofo. She is a perfect manifestation of the Pure Land’s 'Two-Power' method. If you wish to save yourself, know that this lifetime is your last—do not reincarnate again, do not be a human again—then you must come quickly to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. With Namo Amituofo present, there is hope for everyone to be reborn in the West.

These are my heartfelt words. Those who believe will be blessed; those who do not should at least refrain from slandering, for creating negative karma with one's speech will only cause the soul to suffer, leading to retribution in the hells, or even suffering before one has even passed away.

I am grateful to Namo Amituofo, grateful to Practitioner Su, and grateful to everyone.

Namo Amituofo."

Spoken personally by Liu Yixiong