From the Depths of Hell to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Zhong Jincheng, the husband of Venerable Shi Siheng. Having sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, he now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his harrowing journey from the depths of hell to the magnificent Western Pure Land. The interview was recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on April 17, 2026.

Zhong Jincheng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. My name is Zhong Jincheng, and today I have officially arrived to report my presence in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Standing before the Buddha, I truly wept uncontrollably. Even while I was in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I was already overwhelmed with emotion. When I first encountered the Buddha, I knelt before Him and wept for a long time. Although my heart was filled with immense gratitude, I found myself unable to speak, and there was still a lingering bitterness within me that I could not express.

During my time in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I felt as though I had forgotten how to speak because I had endured so much suffering before arriving there. It was as if I had become an entirely different person, and at that time, my heart had not yet truly opened. Now, after undergoing a long period of purification in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I am once again completely transformed. I never imagined that someone like me, who had suffered so much, would still have this precious opportunity to step onto a lotus pedestal and follow the Buddha to the Western Pure Land. This is something I could never have conceived of while I was living in the human world."

From the Depths of Hell to the Western Pure Land

"After I passed away, I suffered in the hells for over twenty years. For those living in the human world, twenty years might seem like a long time, but in the realm of hell, every single minute and every single second is a torment beyond description. How much more agonizing, then, was that twenty-year stretch? Today, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. I offer my deepest thanks to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su. I also want to express my heartfelt gratitude to my wife, who was still in the human world. Thank you for encountering the Buddha and performing the Chao Du for me; it was only through your actions that I had the opportunity to escape the sea of suffering.

You are now a very different person, and as a disciple of the Buddha, your heart must be filled with the joy of the Dharma. Being able to encounter the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is a tremendous blessing for you. The path you have taken is so vastly different from the one I walked that I feel a sense of shame when I think of myself as your husband. As a disciple of the Buddha, you must now strive to cultivate a heart like the Buddha's. As I look upon the Buddha's heart from here, I am filled with profound reflections that I wish to share with you. The Buddha's heart is truly one of infinite compassion, infinite tolerance, and infinite wisdom."

The Transformation of a Soul

"Perhaps it is difficult for you to imagine while you are still in the human world, but as long as you single-mindedly and continuously chant 'Namo Amituofo,' you will certainly be able to resonate with the Buddha. You possess the good roots, blessings, and Causal Conditions to do this, so please cherish this human life. Following the Buddha in this lifetime is a tremendous blessing. If you could come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and witness all of this with your own eyes, you would surely be even more dumbfounded and filled with the joy of the Dharma. Perhaps you could even exert great strength to help save the world.

Everything I did while I was in the human world filled me with immense regret when I was in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. I know now that I was wrong. At the time, I was completely under the control of my own negative habits, unable to master my own life, though I only realized this later. Because I did not change my personality, I constantly attracted a host of karmic creditors who took control of my life for me. It is a truly painful thing to live a life where you are not the master of your own actions. In the past, I lacked this awareness; I did not know what it meant to study the Buddha's teachings, nor did I understand that only by learning the Dharma can one find a true path. I spent my entire life following my own stubborn personality. My selfishness and my misguided thoughts are all things that should serve as a warning to everyone!"

A Warning and a Hope for the Living

"Zhong Jincheng has now been reborn and transformed; my heart is now extremely kind and compassionate. You might find it hard to believe, but hearing me speak with such wisdom should be enough to show you the change that has taken place within me.

I hope my family members who are still in the human world can be at ease, knowing that I have now received true salvation and am no longer burdened by my past suffering. Please, do not follow the path I once walked. It is a path of immense suffering, a suffering that seems to have no end. When I look at the beings still trapped in the hells, seeing them all wailing in agony, my heart aches deeply. They do not have the opportunity I had to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss; they must continue to suffer for hundreds or even thousands of years for everything they have done.

I hope that those in the hells might also have the chance to listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma. Practitioner Su often goes to the hells to teach the Dharma, and Namo Amituofo also appears there. To all of you in the hells, I hope you can grasp this opportunity. Only when you have the Buddha in your heart can you be led by Him and resonate with Him. Here, I can speak with the Buddha at any time, and He answers my questions whenever I ask; my heart is so close to the Buddha's. If anyone has any doubts, you are welcome to come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia at any time. Namo Amituofo is truly and physically residing here, and any questions you have can be answered. This is a magnificent and rare occurrence. In the human world, this is truly the only place where the Buddha is physically present. Everyone must cherish this!

Having said this, I, Zhong Jincheng, once again express my gratitude to everyone. All illusions have passed, and the path ahead must be walked with steady, grounded steps. This is what I tell myself now, and it is what I tell all my family members who are still living. I hope we can all encourage one another.

Namo Amituofo."