Reflections on the Pure Land Path: A Message from Venerable Wei Jue

A Heartfelt Call from the Western Pure Land

Namo Amituofo. I am Venerable Wei Jue. I am currently sending this message from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Although I now reside in the West, my heart remains filled with deep repentance. I reflect constantly on how I might turn the hearts of those at Chung Tai back to the essential importance of the Pure Land. We must place the highest priority on purity. To chant the Buddha-name with the certainty of rebirth in the Western Pure Land—to know the time of one's departure in advance and to pass on with complete freedom—this is the only way to ensure that one's life as a Buddhist practitioner has not been in vain.

Rebirth in the Western Pure Land is not merely the aspiration of those who study the Buddha's teachings; it is the destination that every practitioner should reach within this very lifetime. As the former leader of Chung Tai, I should have led by example, ensuring that I attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land amidst the sound of chanting. Perhaps many of you assumed that this was the case. However, the reality was quite different. After I passed away, I was brought before the King of Hell for judgment. He asked me: "You spread the Dharma and saved beings in the world, helping them leave suffering behind, ending the cycle of birth and death, and transcending the three realms. Yet, why is it that not a single person from your organisation has attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land?" Faced with this question, I was left speechless.

The True Goal of Buddhist Practice

I feel deep shame. I faced so many monastics, lay practitioners, devotees, and students who trusted that I could provide them with peace, purity, and the stability needed to face the trials and impermanence of life. It is true that I achieved this; through the practice of Meditation and cultivating the mind, I remained unmoved by the confusion and delusions of this defiled world. However, I neglected the ultimate goal of a Buddhist practitioner: to realise one's true nature and attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land. It is not enough to simply seek comfort in this present life.

If, after studying the Buddha's teachings, one is destined to re-enter the six realms of rebirth in the next life, then this current life has merely served to establish a Dharma affinity. One must then wait for another lifetime to hear the Dharma again and find the gate to the West. I underestimated the importance of rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Although those who performed chanting for the deceased continued to recite the Buddha-name, even those fortunate enough to be reborn in the heavenly realms have not reached the ultimate destination. Eventually, their heavenly lifespan will end, and they will fall back into the cycle of rebirth to suffer once more. Furthermore, many are burdened by illness and confusion, their consciousness clouded, making it nearly impossible for them to chant the Buddha-name. How then can they ask the Buddha to lead them to the West?

• Karmic Obstacles:
• Many practitioners face their own karmic creditors, and the deceased find it difficult to resist the demands of these spirits, leading them to fall into the three evil realms.Preparation:
• One must educate all beings while still alive about the importance of resolving conflicts with karmic creditors through actual practice.True Skill: Monastics, in particular, must possess the genuine skills to perform Chao Du, helping beings attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Only then can they truly claim that their own rebirth is assured.

The Wisdom of Humility and the Role of Practitioner Su

Although I am now in the West, I repent deeply. I wish to return to Chung Tai to help others understand that the Pure Land is the priority. I have written many letters from the West, hoping that the people at Chung Tai would believe these truths and come here to learn how to save beings and guide them to the Western Pure Land. Unfortunately, the response has been one of doubt, suspicion, or the dismissal of these messages as mere internet nonsense written by an impostor. The heavy protective mechanisms that Chung Tai has built against outside information have, in the end, only harmed themselves. If these words could change Chung Tai, it would allow me to reduce the sins I have created. If things remain as they were, I have nothing more to say; the collective karmic burden I have caused for the people of Chung Tai is my own grave fault.

I must express my gratitude to Practitioner Su. It was Practitioner Su who rescued me from the hells. At the time, because of my arrogance as a monastic, I could not believe that a layperson could possibly save me from such a place. This pride caused me to fall back into the hells, only to be rescued by Practitioner Su once again. To the public: although monastics are respected by laypeople, never forget that when Shakyamuni Buddha appeared in the world, there were two Buddhas manifesting simultaneously to save beings. The other was Vimalakirti, who also appeared in the form of a layperson. His virtue and skills were so profound that even the great disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha would bare their right shoulders, kneel with palms joined, and respectfully listen to his teachings before bowing and departing.

The Manifestation of the Dharma

You should know that Vimalakirti can manifest again as a layperson, returning to this world to save immeasurable beings and guide them to the Western Pure Land. Those of us who have been saved by Practitioner Su and brought to the West respectfully address Practitioner Su as Practitioner Su, the Buddha. From this, you can understand the connection between Practitioner Su and Vimalakirti; they are one and the same. Although their historical backgrounds and identities differ, these are merely external appearances. Once one has realised their true nature, the skills they manifest to save beings and guide them to the West are beyond imagination. Do not slander what you do not understand. If you have doubts, do not slander, for the sin of doing so leads to the hells.

The Buddha's teachings are vast and boundless. The various deeds performed by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas when they appear in the world are certainly not something that ordinary people like me can fathom. Monastics should not speak recklessly. Those who have realised their true nature possess a Dharma Body that functions naturally during Dharma activities. These are not just stories to be read in textbooks about the patriarchs; they are rare and precious events occurring in our society today. It is a pity that few in the human world know of this, while the spirits in the underworld receive the benefits, being saved by Practitioner Su and attaining rebirth in the Western Pure Land in immeasurable numbers. These words are not only a warning to be cautious in speech and action but also an expression of my repentance for my unreasonable arrogance toward Practitioner Su.

A Final Invitation to the Pure Land

Today, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is preparing to build the Amitabha Village. If you believe what I have said, you will understand how magnificent and rare this opportunity is. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is protected by Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su, and the thirteen patriarchs of the Pure Land School. Everyone should seize this opportunity to reside there. Protect it as you would your own body and life, for it can help your spirit attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Cherish this! Cherish this!

This interview was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

Namo Amituofo