From the Frozen Snows to the Light of Deliverance

This is a record of an interview with Liu Donghe, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life approximately 380 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Hui, on March 1, 2026.

Liu Donghe speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am currently residing in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, filled with deep reflection on the impermanence of life and profound gratitude for the great compassion of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. When I was alive in the world, I lived with a sense of pride and vigour, yet when I passed away, I fell directly into the hells. Even after leaving those depths of suffering, my spirit continued to endure agony for centuries. Now, having arrived at the Western Dharma-Nature Land of this temple, I am finally able to stop my endless wandering. I am eternally grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for their salvation. Only now can I say that I am free from suffering, and more importantly, I have been granted the precious opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

A Hunter's Life in the Frozen North

"My name is Liu Donghe, and I was a hunter in a small town in Heilongjiang Province, in the northeast of China. In those days, we would form groups to venture deep into the forests to track and capture game. I was not a large man, but I was exceptionally fast on my feet, which meant I often served as the scout for our team, venturing ahead to assess the conditions of the terrain and the presence of prey. Hunting was a perilous profession; injuries and deaths were not uncommon. Because of this, the men in our hunting party were as close as brothers, having faced life and death together countless times.

I married the daughter of our team leader. While our life was not wealthy, it was honest and stable. The only small regret I held was that we did not have a son, only a daughter. However, I soon let go of that attachment. While a son might have been able to take over my work, my daughter was a blessing in her own right. Seeing her gentle, filial nature brought a profound sense of peace and contentment to my heart."

The Tiger and the Moment of Mercy

"One day, our hunting party was tracking a Siberian tiger through the heavy snow. This tiger seemed different from any we had encountered before; it possessed a strange, almost human-like intelligence. In our pursuit, we lost our way, a situation we all knew was incredibly dangerous. I became separated from the group and suddenly found myself face-to-face with the beast. I held my musket, my hands trembling uncontrollably. It was my first time facing a tiger alone, as we usually operated in groups.

In a moment of sheer desperation, I fired and struck the tiger. It collapsed, clawing at the ground in agony. As I prepared to deliver the final blow, a piercing roar echoed through the forest. My hair stood on end. I looked back to see a tiger cub, roaring at me with all its might. In my panic, I fired again, striking the cub in its front right leg. To my astonishment, the cub limped over to the fallen adult, leaning against it for comfort. Seeing this, my heart was stirred. I thought of my own precious daughter. In that instant, I realised that this pair of tigers was no different from me and my child. My heart softened, and I decided to spare them, turning away and leaving the forest."

From the Depths of Hell to the Eternal Snow

"After that encounter, I began to see the lives of animals as incredibly precious. They, too, have parents, families, and bonds of love, just like us. Because of the old injury to my arm from that tiger's claw, I decided to leave the hunting party and find another way to make a living. I began to feel deep remorse for the many animals I had harmed in the past. I became a vegetarian, refusing to consume the flesh of any living being. I understood then that animals fear death and protect their families just as we do; their lives deserve our respect.

Before I died, I fell ill. It was a painful passing. After death, I descended into the hells, where I endured unimaginable punishments. After a long period, I was released from the hells, but my spirit was cast into a realm of thick, eternal snow. I was trapped in that freezing, desolate space, unable to leave. For approximately three hundred and eighty years, I remained there, suffering in the cold. It was only when Practitioner Su arrived in China to perform the Chao Du for the spirits that I felt a warm, golden light envelop me. I was finally liberated from that frozen void. I was filled with such joy that I rushed into the light, arriving here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, in the Western Dharma-Nature Land."

The Golden Light of Deliverance

"Listening to the Dharma here, I have come to understand that all things possess a spirit. There is no hierarchy between the spirit of an animal and the spirit of a human; all life is equal. I learned that every life taken must be accounted for. I can now see many of the animals I harmed during my time as a hunter; their spirits have followed me, many still filled with anger. Originally, they intended to make me suffer even greater illnesses, but because I repented and turned to a vegetarian life, their hearts have calmed. This is why, although I was ill at the end of my life, I did not suffer for too long. My descent into hell was the direct result of my past killings, but because I changed my heart while I was still alive, I was able to leave that realm relatively quickly.

The world is filled with so many spirits. Seeing the scenes of Practitioner Su performing the Chao Du here has truly shaken me to my core. So many souls have been guided by the Buddha-light to escape their suffering. Even on the mountain where our hunting party once roamed, there were countless spirits trapped in the ice and snow, cold and lost. When they saw the Buddha-light, they reached out like drowning people, and they, too, were brought into the Western Dharma-Nature Land."

A New Life in the Dharma-Nature Land

"Now, I chant 'Namo Amituofo' every day and listen to the Dharma without ceasing. I have come to know that this Buddha-name possesses immense power and is truly precious. I understand more clearly each day the illusory nature of life, the brevity of our time in the world, and the terrifying reality of the laws of karma and cause and effect. I long to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, where I know there is no suffering, and where I can follow Namo Amituofo in my practice.

I am eternally grateful to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su, for it is through them that I have been reborn. Namo Amituofo."