From the Depths of Suffering to Ultimate Bliss

This is a record of an interview with Chen Ruqin, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. 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, Fa Ning, on May 1, 2026.

Chen Ruqin speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Chen Ruqin, and I am now a member of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I never imagined that in the blink of an eye, Practitioner Su would be able to guide so many of us directly to this magnificent realm. Beyond the fourteen of us who attained rebirth today, there were sixty prison guards from the hells, along with countless other beings who, through this very causal condition, were also able to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. In the vastness of this universe, I, Chen Ruqin, am truly nothing more than a tiny speck of dust."

A Sudden Transformation

"Do I still go by the name Chen Ruqin? I honestly do not know. I have long since shed that physical body. People say that a name is only attached to the physical form, and now that I am a spirit, I do not even know what to call myself. However, I do know that shortly after my passing, my family arranged for my deliverance. Because of that, I encountered this incredibly magnificent causal condition, which allowed me to reach the Western Land of Dharma Nature and subsequently arrive here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Oh, the emotions I feel are truly beyond words!"

"Today, I am filled with such immense Dharma joy. I have taken on a new identity, and I stand before the Buddha to say to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su: 'Disciple Chen Ruqin is now a part of the Buddha’s gate. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to both of you for your great kindness in guiding me, allowing me to escape the suffering of the hells.' Although it was not a long time in earthly terms, every single second spent in the hells was excruciatingly painful and felt like an eternity. Those of you still in the human world simply cannot comprehend that kind of suffering."

The Reality of the Soul and Hell

"I have listened to Practitioner Su’s lectures, and she speaks of how many people in the human world are technically alive in body, but their souls have already departed, often suffering the consequences of their actions in the hells. This is the absolute truth. Taking myself as an example, when I look back at the time I was ill, or even before that, my soul had already descended into the hells to suffer. I simply did not know it at the time. My body gradually deteriorated, sliding downhill into sickness and old age; in reality, this was largely because my soul had already wandered off—some parts of it lingering in different places, while others were enduring torment in the hells."

"The path of birth, aging, sickness, and death is truly a difficult road to travel! In the past, I always hoped that I could live a little longer and enjoy a few more blessings. But looking back now, the fact that I lived to be sixty-four is already quite enough. Because I have now arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have finally found my true home!"

A Message to My Family

"I want to tell my family how grateful I am to you all. My daughter, Chen Manman, I am so thankful that you arranged for my deliverance. To be able to know the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is truly a tremendous blessing. This world is becoming increasingly chaotic by the day. After I left the human world, the situation there has only grown more turbulent. Your lives cannot be easy, and you are surely being affected by it all to some degree! I hope that through the repeated disasters and the various national and global events, you can see that the human world is truly not a place to stay. To be human is to come here to repay debts and to suffer. Whether this physical body experiences happiness or sadness, it is all an illusion. Only now do I clearly see the true nature of the spirit. Since my spirit arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, everything I see—including everything that happened throughout my many lives—is perfectly clear to me."

"You do not need to worry about me too much, because you will all come to this place eventually. You must believe that you, too, possess this blessing. When we reunite here in the future, you will understand that all the changes throughout your many lives are truly just impermanence. If you currently possess a human body, that is actually a good thing, but you must know how to use it wisely. If you spend your life merely chasing after food, drink, and entertainment, then that life has been lived in vain. If you are willing to cultivate this heart of learning and chanting Namo Amituofo, you can purify yourself quickly and even rediscover your original nature; that is truly a magnificent achievement. I hope my family can make wise choices regarding the path you take from here on out."

The True Path of Practice

"Looking at my example, everyone should understand by now: if a person has a stubborn personality or harbours negative thoughts, they will descend into the hells. In the past, who would have examined these things so closely? People think that being a little selfish or having bad habits does not matter, or that it is acceptable to fight for more benefits for oneself and step on others' shoulders to get ahead. Is that not how most people in the world live? These people—they have no idea where they will go after they die! You must all pull yourselves together now and practise diligently. I actually envy you for having this human body to use for your practice."

"Well, I have said enough for today. I hope you can clearly see the path your old father took and avoid following in my footsteps, but please, you must follow me to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Remember to walk your current path well; do not look back, for all the things of the past are false. Let us all work hard together and walk this path! Remember to chant Namo Amituofo, chant Namo Amituofo, and chant Namo Amituofo again."

"Namo Amituofo."