From the Depths of Hell to the Western Pure Land

This interview features Lay Practitioner Chen Kunqing, the father of Lay Practitioner Chen Songjiang. After passing away, he spent thirty years suffering in the hells before seeking Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This testimony was recorded on April 10, 2026.

Chen Kunqing speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Chen Kunqing. I never imagined that in a single instant, I would become a member of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is truly something I never dared to dream of. Before my eyes now stands the towering, majestic Namo Amituofo, alongside Practitioner Su, who moved me from the Western Dharma-Nature Land to this Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I remember clearly: when Practitioner Su struck the great qing, the sound was deafening, ringing out with incredible clarity across the Western Dharma-Nature Land. I never expected that it would truly be my turn to arrive in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. When Practitioner Su called my name aloud, my vision suddenly brightened, and in that very second, I arrived. This transformation is truly inconceivable.

Gratitude Beyond Words

Upon arriving in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I could do nothing but kowtow to the Buddha again and again. I told the Buddha that I never expected to be able to enter His Buddha-land, and my heart was filled with profound gratitude. I am grateful that He accepted everything from my past; I am grateful for His guidance; and I am grateful that He established such a beautiful place as the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, which has provided the opportunity for so many of us spirits to seek rebirth! Oh, speaking of this, I am truly overcome with emotion.

Thirty Years of Darkness

It has been about thirty years since I left the human world, hasn't it? To think that I spent such a long period of time suffering in the hells—it is truly difficult to even speak of it! Yet, when I look back at the people in the world today, it seems many are walking the same path I once took. By 'walking my old path,' I mean that many people in the world are still living their lives driven by their own stubborn personalities. Whenever a bad or evil thought arises, that is the personality at work; being selfish and only thinking of oneself is also the personality. These countless incidents accumulated in my heart for decades, and eventually, I fell ill. The path of aging, sickness, and death is indeed unavoidable, but to reach the end of life in such agony—it shows that I had been receiving my karmic retribution for a long time, only I did not know it. This is a truth I could only see clearly after I was purified in the Western Dharma-Nature Land.

The Truth of Karmic Retribution

Practitioner Su’s lectures explain this so clearly: falling ill is simply the result of one’s own actions not being in accordance with the Dharma. I did not follow the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, which is why I ended up in such a state. How can people in the world know that they should not hold onto their own personalities, subjective views, thoughts, and selfishness? The education provided in the human world and the education of the Buddha’s teachings are truly worlds apart. I have failed my family! My family has been so filial. I have seen the names of my children and grandchildren here, and I have witnessed them performing the Chao Du for me. I want to say to everyone from the bottom of my heart: thank you. Thank you for still remembering me and for not forgetting this old man. The merit of the deliverance you performed today allowed me to end my suffering in the hells early and arrive here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Although this is also the result of the Buddhist affinity I planted in the past, regardless, I must express my gratitude—I am so very grateful to you all.

A Warning to the Living

It is a tremendous blessing that you have been able to encounter the Buddha. I have benefited from this blessing, and my heart is filled with joy. I am grateful, so very grateful. I hope that you, who are still in the human world, can be even more diligent in your practice. Since you have encountered the Buddha here, you must hold onto Him tightly and never stray away. You must also have awareness of every single thought; do not walk my old path. This means you must observe whether each thought is good or evil, whether you are thinking for others or for yourself. This is critical—it is extremely important. Only by truly thinking for others can you avoid being controlled by your karma and truly become the master of your own destiny. The human world has always been this way; the reason everyone is covered in densely packed sentient beings is precisely because they have attracted them through their own personalities! This is the Universal Principle; please, you must believe me, Chen Kunqing.

A Heart of Peace

This is my testimony after years of suffering, now that I have arrived in the Buddha-land. It is a sincere, open repentance! I am telling you the path I walked with all my heart, hoping that you will not walk it again. I hope that none of you will ever have to experience such pain, and that you may all arrive in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss just as I have, to draw near to the Buddha as soon as possible.

From here, I can see you all clearly, but I no longer have the attachments and emotions of the past. I have only a peaceful heart—a heart that wishes for all of you to leave suffering behind as soon as possible. This is the most sincere and genuine heart I have ever known.

Finally, I am grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, and I am grateful to my family still in the world. I sincerely wish you all well.

Namo Amituofo.

Chen Kunqing speaks."