From the Depths of Hell to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of the child aborted by Lay Practitioner Lin in 1996. The spirit sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia and now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his journey from the depths of the hells to the light of the Buddha. Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe, on November 7, 2025.

The Aborted Spirit of Lay Practitioner Lin speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am the spirit of the child who was aborted by Lay Practitioner Lin back in 1996. I am thirty years old now—there is no need to calculate the years; I am simply thirty. I have always been a hot-headed soul, a firebrand of sorts. That is precisely why, after my mother ended my life, I was cast into the hells. My personality was not only prone to explosive anger, but I had also accumulated a mountain of karmic debt in previous lives that I simply could not repay. The King of Hell looked at my record, saw my bad deeds and my uncontrollable temper, and decided that since I had no capacity to settle my debts, my spirit would be sent to suffer the consequences. And so, after my mother aborted me, I was plunged into the hells. It was agony! It was absolutely, unimaginably painful!"

A Life Cut Short and the Descent into Hell

"I harboured such intense hatred for my mother. I used to think that if she had not taken my life, I could have grown up properly, and perhaps my personality would not have been so twisted and dark. Today, I was led to this place by Practitioner Su. To be honest, I do not feel any anger in my heart anymore. How could I? This place is so magnificent—it is vast, it is brilliant, and it is filled with a light that I have never seen before. This is the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is a world beyond my wildest dreams.

Although my personality was difficult, I have one redeeming quality: I have an excellent memory. When I was rescued from the hells by Practitioner Su and brought to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I went through a profound transformation. I moved from a state of pure, burning rage to a place where my heart could finally be still. The temple is such a sacred, healing place, whereas the hells were a place of endless torment. The temple is where I finally found the stillness I had been denied for so long. It was there, listening to Practitioner Su give Dharma talks, that I finally understood the laws of karma and cause and effect. I realised that the suffering I endured in the hells was the result of my own past actions. I came to understand that my mother must have had her own hidden burdens and reasons for what she did. And I realised that while I was suffering in the hells, my mother’s life could not have been easy either. Even now, as I speak of it, my heart still aches a little, but the moment I think of how my mother provided the opportunity for my Chao Du, which allowed me to reach this beautiful realm, all my resentment simply vanishes."

The Healing of the Spirit

"My body does not hurt at all anymore. In the hells, the pain was constant and unbearable, but now, I am whole. My hands and my feet, which were once broken and mangled—it was horrific!—have been restored. I feel my old, fiery temper trying to flare up again, perhaps because I have held onto that anger for so long. But this kind of volatile emotion does not belong here; it does not match the peace of this place. So, I gently guide myself back to a state of calm. I want to embrace all of this goodness because I have been in pain for far too long.

In the hells, there is no sky. There is only darkness and the weight of one's own suffering. But here, I look up at the sky of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and it is truly a brilliant, deep blue, with streaks of violet. My memory is returning to me now. Before I was aborted, I remember being a child with a sharp mind and a wonderful memory. The sky is a tapestry of blue and purple—it is so beautiful! As I gaze at the heavens, my mood lifts completely. Think about it—if my mother had not helped me by arranging for my Chao Du, I would never have arrived here. So, let us just wipe the slate clean. Let our debts be cancelled. I admit, there were times when I thought: 'My mother made me suffer, so I will make her suffer too.'"

Forgiveness and Gratitude

"My personality was quite terrible, was it not? But I took Practitioner Su’s words to heart. I decided that my hatred for my mother should be wiped away entirely. To continue hating would only bring more suffering, and I have had enough of that. To be honest, I do not want my mother to suffer either. As I said, she must have had her own reasons, her own deep-seated struggles. This world is often unfair, but because you helped me by performing the Chao Du, I was able to come to this place. I think I should be grateful to you. In this often unfair world, something truly beautiful has finally happened.

Well, I think I would like to go for a walk now, to look around and explore. I hope I never have to leave this place. Every other place I have ever been to was filled with pain, but here, there is no suffering. It looks like a place of absolute joy. I am going to walk around and see it all for myself.

I want to thank Namo Amituofo, I want to thank Practitioner Su for rescuing me, and I want to thank the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Well, that is all for now. I am going to go for a walk and look around."

Namo Amituofo."