From the Fog of Samsara to the Western Pure Land
An Interview with Sun Xiulan, Grandmother of Sun Caixia
Recorded on May 8, 2026, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
This is a record of an interview with Sun Xiulan, who sought at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon her journey from the darkness of the spirit realm to the light of the Buddha. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on May 8, 2026.
Sun Xiulan speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. I am Sun Xiulan, and as of today, I have officially become a resident of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This transition has been so swift that it has left me utterly astonished. I have realised that travelling from the to this magnificent place truly takes only a single second! It is beyond anything I could have imagined while I was still living in the human world.
A Miracle of Buddha's Power
When I was alive, I never once considered that such vast distances could be traversed in the blink of an eye. To speak of it now, it is truly the inconceivable power of the Buddha at work. I am here to express my deepest, most sincere gratitude to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su. They have granted me this precious opportunity, leading me out of the cycle of suffering and into this beautiful, radiant realm where I no longer have to endure any pain.
My heart is overflowing with emotion at this very moment. You see, after I passed away in the human world, I spent so many years wandering in a state of utter confusion. I was a spirit, but I was not one of those spirits with high spiritual clarity; I was a very muddled, bewildered, and ignorant soul. I did not understand the world around me, and I remember very little of those long, dark years. Living like that for so long, I felt as though my entire being had become dull and stagnant.
The Loneliness of the Spirit Realm
As I grew older in my human life, I fell ill and lost the ability to care for myself. Looking back, those final years were not so different from my time as a spirit. Back then, I was alone, walking from place to place, doing everything by myself without a soul to keep me company, and without the warmth of family. To be honest, I had simply grown accustomed to that lonely, hollow existence.
I remember wondering at the time, 'How could a beam of light suddenly shine upon my head?' I asked myself who could possibly be thinking of me at such a moment, and who would bring me to a world so bright and pure? The Western -Nature Land was a profound shock to my system. I had been trapped in a world of darkness where I could not even see my own hands for what felt like an eternity. I had no idea how much time had passed. Yet, in an instant, that light lifted me up and placed me upon a lotus seat. Looking at the Buddha before me, I suddenly remembered—this is what we call the Buddha.
The of Practitioner Su
It was only later that I realised this was Namo Amituofo, whom I had heard of in my youth. I had never heard of Practitioner Su before, but I soon learned that he, too, was once a human being just like me. However, because his spiritual nature is so elevated—having reached the state of realising his true nature and attaining Buddhahood—the Buddha refers to him as Practitioner Su.
My days in the Western Dharma-Nature Land were a journey from initial confusion to a clear understanding of where I was and what the Buddha represents. My heart is filled with such gratitude that I constantly thank the Buddha and Practitioner Su. I have been diligently listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma, striving to truly transform myself and understand the profound truths of existence. I have come to realise that only by cultivating a heart like the Buddha's can one truly become a person who saves others.
A Message to My Granddaughter
What moves me most about Practitioner Su is his unwavering commitment to saving others. I am also deeply grateful to my wonderful granddaughter, Sun Caixia, for performing the Chao Du for her grandfather and me. My life here is wonderful now, so please, do not worry about me. After all these years, I only hope that you, too, are doing well. Seeing that you have the chance to study the Dharma and have come to know the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre brings me such peace. I know that you have this good fortune because you are a kind person, and it is this goodness that has attracted such excellent Causal Conditions.
Because of Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su, and your own sincere intention to perform this deliverance, your grandfather and I were able to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss together today. Such a wonderful outcome is truly rare. I hope you will continue to work hard on your path of practice. Open your heart wider and wider; learn to accommodate everything, and let go of the things that do not matter. If you do this, you will be a truly happy person. I believe you can do it, given your great heart and your filial piety.
The Truth of Our Existence
Now, we two old souls are living a good life here, and our hearts are filled with gratitude. I hope you will follow closely in the footsteps of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and Practitioner Su. Most importantly, you must continue to chant the Buddha-name, 'Namo Amituofo,' to help yourself and to help others. This is the most vital thing you can do. Although I no longer have a physical body and cannot participate in the work of saving the world as you do, I have not forgotten the debts I owe. I have come to realise that everything we do in a human lifetime, while illusory and temporary, creates that follows us.
When I realised this—especially here in the Western Pure Land, where I can see the and the negative deeds I have accumulated throughout my many lives—I was truly shocked. I now understand that every person's spirit is unborn and undying, and this physical body is merely like a piece of clothing we wear for one lifetime, only to change it for another in the next. This is the truth of the human world, and it is a principle that everyone should strive to understand.
Now that I have been purified, I have poured out everything I have seen and heard. I hope this opportunity allows my family to trust me completely and to trust the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Please, do not worry; I have begun a new life in this beautiful world, and I hope all of you will continue to be diligent on your own paths.
Namo Amituofo.
Sun Xiulan speaks."
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Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
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