From the Cycle of Rebirth to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Lay Practitioner Gao Huang Rimei, the mother of Lay Practitioner Gao Yiting. She sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on October 22, 2021.

Lay Practitioner Gao Huang Rimei speaks:

"I have arrived! I have reached the Western Pure Land! I am so incredibly happy. Seeing how beautiful it is here, I was moved to tears of joy! Namo Amituofo is right before my eyes. I knelt down immediately to prostrate, offering my deepest gratitude to Namo Amituofo. Thank you, Namo Amituofo! And thank you, Practitioner Su—I am so grateful to you, Practitioner Su! I have finally achieved liberation in this lifetime!"

"I am the mother of Alan. My daughter is so filial and well-behaved. It was our karmic affinity in this lifetime that allowed me to give birth to her and be her mother."

The Illusion of a Mundane Life

"We elderly people never knew anything about chanting Namo Amituofo. Living in this world, from the time I was a young lady, I was either busy working or taking care of the family. Day after day passed, and I never felt there was anything wrong with that. As we grew older, one by one, we would fall ill and be hospitalised; it all seemed so normal. Later, when we received a phone call saying that a friend or relative had passed away, we would feel a moment of sadness, go to their memorial hall to offer incense, and then, after a while, we would simply forget about it."

"Everyone lives their life this way. No one ever thinks about where they will go after they die. I never thought about it either. Even my dearest daughter, Alan, could never have imagined that I would end up being reborn as an insect."

The Unseen Consequences of Karma

"Back when I worked in the fields, seeing insects was a common occurrence; they were everywhere. A few of us who loved to play would catch them, and I would join in the fun. Back then, I was happy, and life was simple. Later, I grew up, got married, and began to busy myself with the family every day. I had no time to think about the past. Who could have known that just before I drew my final breath, so many things from my past would surface? I saw myself as a child, catching insects and playing so happily. I felt as if I wanted to cry out, to call the people around me to come and look at this insect, but I could not make a sound. Very quickly, I passed away."

"After death, I did not even realise I had become an insect. My mind was clouded. I spent my days living in a vast grassland, and I even remember sneaking into other people's vegetable gardens to steal food. I had been reborn as an insect more than once. I died, and then I became an insect again. I do not know how much time passed, until I heard someone calling my name, and only then was I rescued."

The Call to Deliverance

"At first, I did not understand that Practitioner Su was calling me. It was only when he called out the last time that I realised it was my own name. Because I had become so dull and had forgotten my own identity, I quickly shouted out, wanting the person calling me to know that I was here. Then, I saw a light ahead, and I hurried toward it. That was when I was saved by Practitioner Su, who brought me to sit upon a lotus seat to listen to the Dharma."

"During this time, I have listened to the Dharma with great joy. At first, I did not understand it, but gradually, day by day, I began to comprehend more. By this week, I had made the firm decision to go to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, for I wish to be liberated forever."

A Mother's Final Plea

"Alan, having emotional attachments is truly painful. For the sake of a husband, for the sake of children, you worry about this and you worry about that. Life is just like that—it is full of suffering! Mother hopes that you will hold tight to the Buddha. Only by chanting Namo Amituofo can you find liberation in this lifetime. Otherwise, no one knows where you will end up in the cycle of rebirth, and there may not be another Practitioner Su to lead you to the Western Pure Land. I cannot bear the thought of you continuing to wander in samsara."

"Now, mother is here and doing very well. Seeing you still suffering in the world makes my heart ache. But this is the karmic affinity of your life, and there is nothing I can change. I only hope that you will hold tight to the Buddha; this is your only hope. Please take good care of yourself. Tell everyone that both your father and I have reached the Western Pure Land and are living very well. Let everyone be at peace. Namo Amituofo!"

Gao Huang Rimei