From the Shadows to the Light of Bliss

This is a record of an interview with Huang Zuoxin, 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 passing in 2022. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on March 11, 2022.

Huang Zuoxin speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Huang Zuoxin. As I kneel here upon the ground of the Western Land, I find myself speechless for a long moment. The events that led me here happened so suddenly, and now, my heart is overflowing with a complex mixture of emotions—bittersweet, painful, and profound. If I were to condense everything I feel into a single expression, it would be: gratitude, and then gratitude once more!

Ruolin, my dear niece, I know that it was you who helped arrange for my Chao Du. During the Dharma assembly, when I heard Practitioner Su call out my name, and then immediately call out yours, I knew in that instant that my family in the human world had not forgotten me. They still held onto me with such deep attachment and longing. Ruolin, please help me tell everyone, especially your mother, that I am doing very well here. Before this, I was wandering along a dark, gloomy, and desolate path in the underworld. Then, a brilliant, radiant light appeared and guided me to a place of immense brightness. From that moment on, my days have been filled with that same light. It was only when I calmed my heart and listened to Practitioner Su delivering the Dharma talks that I finally confirmed the truth: I had passed away. This was a reality I had been unwilling to face or admit to myself for so long.

A Sudden Departure into Darkness

I know many of you are curious about how I died. While I was alive, I suffered from persistent chest pain, but I kept it to myself, never wanting to burden others with my suffering. That day, the pain suddenly became unbearable—a sharp, stabbing agony that forced me to collapse to the ground. I could not even stand up, and before I could even call for help, I lost consciousness. The next thing I knew, my spirit had been pulled out of my body, and I was cast directly onto that dark, winding road of the underworld. I was so confused, wondering, 'Where is this place? Could it be that I have truly died?' My heart felt incredibly heavy and despondent. I believe I could hear the faint sounds of my family weeping, but I was powerless to respond to them. I had no choice but to follow the others, walking and walking along that endless, gloomy path. That is simply how it happened.

Regret and the Grace of the Dharma

When I arrived at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, it was only after listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks that I finally understood what the Buddha’s teachings truly meant. I would often find myself weeping as I listened. You cannot imagine what your uncle looked like while crying; it was a feeling of such intense gratitude mixed with profound sorrow. I was grateful because I had finally heard the truth—this was the Buddha’s teaching I had been searching for all along. Yet, I was also deeply saddened because, at that point, I no longer possessed a physical body. I had no way to act upon these teachings, and I felt a deep regret that I had let my entire life pass by in vain. But then, I reflected on the Causal Conditions that connected me to my family in this lifetime, especially the fact that you all allowed me to receive this Chao Du at this very moment. It was only through this that I was given the opportunity to reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. In that realization, I felt that my life had not been lived in vain after all.

A Journey to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

This is the place that every person who is chanting Namo Amituofo yearns for. I never imagined that someone like me—a person with no merit, no virtue, and no blessings—could ever reach such a place. At first, I mistakenly thought that the Buddhist Centre itself was the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Later, I learned that this was the Western Land of Dharma Nature, a compassionate waystation established by Practitioner Su to settle us deceased spirits so that we could listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma. Once the Chao Du was completed, the Centre respected the wishes of the deceased to see if we were truly willing to go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I accepted! I could hardly believe that I had been granted such an incredible opportunity. Today, thanks to the great compassion of Practitioner Su, who guided me into this realm, I can truly say that I have arrived at the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Ruolin, you must continue chanting Namo Amituofo! You really must! Please tell everyone that I am so incredibly fortunate. To have encountered Practitioner Su is not something that happens to just anyone, yet it happened to me. Right now, everything before my eyes is filled with light and joy. My body feels so light, and there is not a single trace of pain or anxiety left within me. I am so grateful to my relatives who are still in the world, and I am grateful to all of you. I thank Namo Amituofo, I thank Practitioner Su, and I thank every single person at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. It is because of all of you that the Huang Zuoxin who now resides in the West exists today."