Sir Anthony Mason (Renowned Australian Jurist and Former Chief Justice of the High Court)

Sir Anthony Mason:

Namo Amituofo, I am Sir Anthony Mason.

I no longer have a physical body; I am here as a spirit, residing in the Western Dharma-Nature Land at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Here, I have returned to the role of a student, learning the wisdom and guidance imparted to us by Namo Amituofo with the most humble and modest mindset.

From my lotus seat in the Dharma-Nature Land, I can see everything in the world, and I can also see Practitioner Su teaching at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and hear what he says. The content of the classes is primarily related to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Although the words Practitioner Su uses during her his teachings are very direct and easy to understand, the meanings within them are extremely profound. Even now, I feel that I have not fully grasped them, but even so, it has already broadened my horizons and I have learned a great deal.

I am very grateful to have been able to come to the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre; this is a world of light and purity. Here, the Buddha-light constantly shines upon my spirit, and I can hear the music of "Namo Amituofo" echoing in the air.

I see many spirits like me on their lotus seats, all joyfully chanting "Namo Amituofo." The ease and peace that radiate from their hearts as they chant seem to be telling me that I should join them in chanting this Buddha-name.

So, I tried it, and the result was a wonderful surprise. I never imagined that this Buddha-name would have such miraculous power: as I chant, the Buddha-light shines upon my spirit, and every phrase, every sound of the Buddha-name, helps my spirit become more translucent and brighter.

I lived to be 100 years old in my lifetime, and I can say that I have few regrets. Having lived through wartime, I cherish everything we have in this era of peace even more.

Regarding the law, I have always believed it to be an important foundation for maintaining human civilised society. In this life, I dedicated all my energy and time to law and the judiciary. I hoped that by using my position within the system and my professional capabilities, I could create a better judicial environment for the country, society, and the people within a limited scope, allowing the law to function effectively and truthfully as it should.

A lifetime of time is, in fact, spent in constant busyness, and there was never a moment when I could truly settle everything I had learned from the depths of my soul.

Now, I finally have this opportunity. Because the "Dharma-Nature Land" where I am is truly miraculous; it seems that any spirit that arrives here can forget all their afflictions. Or perhaps, once one arrives in this Dharma-Nature Land, one can let go of the various events of the past, and afflictions naturally cease to arise.

My heart has reached a state of great peace here: there is no pressure, and I no longer need to plan for my future. I do not need to dwell on things that have already happened. Here, there is no past and no future; in the Dharma-Nature Land, it seems that there is naturally only this present moment. As I chant "Namo Amituofo," I feel that not only is my spirit glowing, but my heart is also filled with light.

I am very grateful to have this feeling. Here, I am finally able to truly settle myself and clarify the experiences and knowledge of this lifetime.

In the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I look back on my life. From the moment I was born as an infant, to my eventual death, and even to my spirit entering the hells to suffer punishment, and finally being saved by Practitioner Su of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to the Western Dharma-Nature Land where I am now—this is truly a miraculous journey.

I look at the events that occurred during this process calmly, as if from the perspective of a third party. I suddenly find it quite amusing, because I spent my whole life striving for the illusory things of the world, or for this fleeting body, but I never once planned for my own spirit.

Looking back on my life, it was indeed quite spectacular. As a jurist, whether serving as a lawyer, or as a member of the judicial system, or even later as Chief Justice, I achieved good results. But after I died, all of this ceased to exist. When I was suffering in the hells, these worldly achievements could not help me at all. At that time in the hells, my tongue was repeatedly ripped out, and my head was constantly being dug open. It was truly, truly painful, and my spirit wailed, yet I did not know what I had done wrong.

In the last few days, in the hell where I was suffering, a golden light appeared. After my spirit was bathed in this golden light, I immediately arrived at the Western Dharma-Nature Land. I now know that it was Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su who saved me. I am so grateful, so very grateful; I truly have no way to repay such kindness.

The greatest shock of this experience for me is that the law I studied and researched for a lifetime in the world was merely limited to the scope used by nations, societies, and humanity; yet for the spirit and the even broader, boundless world, these laws are of no use at all.

Take my suffering in the hells as an example; this also follows a certain law, which I can now call the law of "cause and effect." When I was alive, I was very passionate about studying the law because I believed that if one could truly allow the law to function as it should and produce good, positive help for the country, society, and the people, it would be a very meaningful thing. Therefore, I always dedicated myself to promoting and working towards this.

However, now, having experienced the suffering in the hells, I am awakened to the fact that my perspective should have been much broader. Worldly laws are only for the use of the physical body in the world; for everyone, the time one comes into contact with worldly laws is only the few decades of the body's lifespan. Even if one can live to the ripe old age of one hundred, in terms of the 10,000-year or even trillion-year length of a spiritual life, this is but a very short part.

At the level of the spirit, there are still laws that apply to the spirit. The scope of this law applies to the vastness of the Dharma Realm, the universe, and the Milky Way; it applies everywhere. The time it applies to is the past, present, and future—it applies to infinite time. And the subjects it applies to are the beings in the six realms of rebirth, or beings in space, and even demon crowds—what people call demons—all must be under the jurisdiction of this law.

Now, at the Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I am listening very attentively to Practitioner Su’s lectures. The content of Practitioner Su’s lectures is the explanation of this law, and the name of this law is "Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way." Its core principle is the four words: "Pure and Good."

A law, in addition to defining its core principles, often has detailed, specific provisions to embody the power and value of that law. Through the education of the Buddha’s teachings at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I have come to understand that the study of law, when elevated from the level of the body to the level of the spirit, and even extended to all times and all places, becomes simpler and simpler as the knowledge is sublimated. This is what is called "The Great Way is simple." The simpler it is, the better.

Worldly laws often require a great deal of time to learn because the regulations and provisions are very complex, requiring a massive amount of time to study, understand their meanings, and memorise them. However, the law that Practitioner Su is now teaching, which applies to all times and all places—the highest operating principle of the universe, the "Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way"—has a detailed content of only six words, which is what I am chanting here in the Dharma-Nature Land: "Namo Amituofo."

When I realised this, I could not help but feel a sense of wonder in my heart. I never thought that the path of legal study would lead to such a result. If it were not for Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su explaining these truths to me, I think I would never have known that the best legal provisions for the country, society, and the people are not thousands upon thousands, but only this one: Namo Amituofo.

If everyone could remember this "Namo Amituofo" well, keep "Namo Amituofo" in their hearts, chant "Namo Amituofo" with their mouths, and take "Namo Amituofo" as the highest principle for our lives and work, then everyone would be able to attain happiness and well-being.

I want to say to my daughter: In this life, you, like your father, chose law as your life’s work, but I hope you do not follow your father’s old path.

As a legal professional, keeping one’s mental note free from any deviation and completely in sync with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way is not an easy thing. I know you have a very kind heart, but as a lawyer or a member of the judicial system, how can one completely avoid violating the moral foundations one holds in one’s heart, or how can one avoid causing even the slightest harm to others in the process? This is a huge test.

But as a lawyer representing others in lawsuits, or as a judge making rulings, one carries thousands upon thousands of legal provisions in one’s heart, and within this, there is too much thinking, weighing, and consideration.

If there is even a tiny bit of selfishness in the process, it will actually create sins, and one will deviate from the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. The reason I entered the tongue-ripping hell and the hell of those who died unjustly after I died is actually because of this principle. Here, I am stating it simply for your reference, my daughter.

Now, your father is at the Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, chanting this "Namo Amituofo," which is the supreme code of the universe. Now that I hold this code, I do not want to let go of it for even a moment. I hope you can also come to know this law well; this is the supreme Great Dharma of the universe.

If one can study this law well, truly penetrate it, and abide by the law of "Namo Amituofo," one will be able to attain the magnificent benefits of being ageless, free from illness, and having a spirit that never dies, just like Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Such benefits are what everyone in the world dreams of; after all, who wants to be sick, age, and die? But these problems can all be answered at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I hope you can come here and take a look.

Before you come, you can go to the Brisbane highway to see the three Namo Amituofo billboards set up by Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. These three billboards have already saved immeasurable and boundless suffering spirits in Australia, especially many, many lonely wandering spirits who did not know where to go after death and were often hungry and lacked sufficient energy. They have all been saved by the immense golden light emitted by these three Namo Amituofo billboards. Now, they are also here with me in the Dharma-Nature Land of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, chanting this supreme Namo Amituofo.

Regardless, there are many ways you can contact Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, whether by phone, online, or through the internet. I hope you can come here as soon as possible; I am waiting here in the Dharma-Nature Land to speak with you.

Sir Anthony Mason