From the Depths of Hell to the Western Dharma-Nature Land

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Lai Yongqing, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his transition from the suffering of the lower realms to the peace of the Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on October 10, 2021.

Venerable HaiZe: We respectfully invite Lay Practitioner Lai Yongqing, currently residing in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, to accept this interview.

Lay Practitioner Lai Yongqing speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Lai Yongqing." (Lai Yongqing, dressed in the attire of a lay practitioner, bows respectfully with palms pressed together.) "I am deeply indebted to the compassion of Practitioner Su. The moment she learned that I was no longer in the human world, she immediately reached out to pull my spirit from the depths of hell. I am filled with such profound shame. As a practitioner who led others in chanting the Buddha-name, I failed to provide a proper example at the end of my life. Instead of attaining rebirth, I fell into hell to undergo punishment. I truly have no face to look upon Namo Amituofo or my teacher!"

The Fire of Uncontrolled Ego

"I had been ill for many years, yet I could not transform my karmic obstacles. This was entirely because I had failed to change my personal habits and ego; the fire of ignorance within my heart was constantly ignited. Although I would recite the Buddha-name, I was only practising the superficial appearance. I failed to tame my mind, allowing the flames of my temper to grow unchecked. Before I took my last breath, even though the sound of the Buddha-name was playing around me, my karmic obstacles manifested. The fire of my own heart consumed me, and I was cast directly into the hell of flames.

"The heat was absolutely terrifying! It burned my body, and my spirit would lose consciousness, only to be revived by a chilling, sinister wind. This cycle repeated countless times. It was agonizing beyond words. I could never manage to complete a single, full recitation of the Buddha-name before the next wave of fire struck, interrupting my focus. In the briefest of moments, before I could even finish one sentence, the next wave of punishment would arrive. This is the reality of the suffering in hell. This is my own personal experience, and I speak only the truth."

A Miraculous Rescue

"In the midst of that extreme suffering, a brilliant light suddenly appeared. It carried me away from hell and into a place of pure, radiant clarity. When I finally regained my senses, I realized that the person who had saved me was someone I recognized—yet, their appearance was now perfectly complete and dignified. I soon realized it was Practitioner Su, the same lay practitioner who had accompanied Venerable Master Chin Kung to Kuching over a decade ago. I was absolutely stunned! After more than ten years, Practitioner Su had achieved such profound success in her Pure Land practice that she possessed the ability to rescue me from hell. She is no longer an ordinary lay practitioner!

"To think that, as fellow practitioners of the Buddha-name, I was blessed to be saved from the torments of hell by the grace of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. Beyond the overwhelming shame I feel, I am filled with infinite gratitude. It was the karmic affinity of our past acquaintance that granted me this opportunity for salvation today!"

The Truth Behind the Pandemic

"The vast, majestic power of the Buddha’s teachings is something I, in my foolishness, failed to grasp. I did not walk the correct path, nor did I tame my heart or change my ego, which led to the karmic retribution of hell. Fortunately, the Buddha is compassionate and took pity on my heart, which had always sought the Buddha. My internal encouragement was always to 'seek the Buddha’s path above and transform those with affinity below.' I was not wrong about Practitioner Su; even back then in Kuching, she already displayed such diligent perseverance and one-hundred-percent faith in the Buddha. That is why she has achieved these results today.

"I am ashamed to even mention the cause of my death. It was the pandemic—a virus that everyone fears and tries desperately to avoid. Why did it find me? Everything is mind-only; it all depends on the heart! When the pandemic was spreading like wildfire across the globe, a thought arose in my mind: 'Given my current physical condition, if I encounter this virus, I fear I will not be able to resist it!' The moment that thought arose, my body began to manifest symptoms. Alas! This was selfishness. I did not think of diligently chanting the Buddha-name to dedicate the merit to all sentient beings; I only thought of my own safety. This single selfish thought opened the door to ten thousand obstacles, and I became infected, bound by the suffering of illness. I have nothing to say for myself; it was my own fault. Please, I beg you, do not let those who knew me develop doubts about chanting the Buddha-name because of this. That would only add to my sins. You must not! It was certainly my own incorrect mental state that allowed the virus to enter. It was my failure to chant with sincerity. I am filled with repentance and shame!"

A Witness to the Western Pure Land

"I take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the care and concern shown by my fellow practitioners during my illness. Teacher Liang, I am deeply grateful to you. If you had not notified Practitioner Su of my passing, I would not be here today, rescued from hell and brought to the Western Dharma-Nature Land. Teacher Liang, thank you for all your care.

"I am grateful to Namo Amituofo. Now, I am here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, under the care of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. Here, in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, which settles the spirits of the deceased, I am free from all physical suffering. Furthermore, through the compassion of Practitioner Su, I have been blessed with seven Thrice Yearning Ceremonies. Under the leadership of Namo Amituofo, these three-day ceremonies are truly magnificent. Here in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I have actually witnessed the Three Holy Ones of the West—Namo Amituofo, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva—shining with majestic golden light, receiving sentient beings to the Western Pure Land at the site of the ceremony. I have also seen the assembly of pure Bodhisattvas and the ancestral masters. In particular, the Pure Land thirteen generations of patriarchs were also present. For a practitioner of the Buddha-name, what could be more exciting or moving than witnessing such a scene? I have remained on my knees, unable to rise, my face streaming with tears. This is the Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land that I have thought of in every single moment. I will not leave this place. I will wait here for the Dharma Body of Practitioner Su to lead me into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, so that the great vows I have held for countless lifetimes may finally be fulfilled!

"I am grateful to the compassion of Namo Amituofo, grateful to Practitioner Su, and grateful to Teacher Liang and the monastics and lay practitioners of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

"Namo Amituofo."