The Fatal Delay in the Flames

This is a record of an interview with Chen Shaobin, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his passing during the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on December 8, 2025.

Chen Shaobin speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Chen Shaobin. The fire was so incredibly heartless; it consumed my body in an instant. I do not even know exactly when the flames first touched me. I only remember that when the fire finally reached my skin, I screamed and screamed. I could not even distinguish whether I was screaming from the unbearable physical pain or from the sheer, overwhelming terror of that moment. But now, as I speak to you from the Western Dharma-Nature Land at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, that initial, soul-shattering horror has completely faded away."

The Unrelenting Flames of Wang Fuk Court

"I have always been terrified of fire. Since I was a child, I felt that a fire was far more dangerous than a flood. Especially living in Wang Fuk Court, which is such a high-rise building—I knew that if a fire were to break out, the casualties would be catastrophic. This was a belief I held deeply, so I was always extremely cautious and attentive to my surroundings every single day. Although I knew that human effort has its limits, I always felt that if I could just be a little more careful, I might have a better chance of survival should an accident occur.

On the day of the fire at Wang Fuk Court, I was busy doing my laundry. I heard cries and screams coming from outside, but I did not pay them much mind. Looking back on it now, it is such a strange thing. I was usually so vigilant and cautious about such matters, yet on the very day that disaster struck, I heard those unusual sounds while I was halfway through my laundry, and my only thought was, 'What could be so important that people are making such a racket?' I had intended to stop and go outside to see what was happening, but then I thought to myself, 'It is better to just finish what I am doing. Why make a small task into two separate chores? How troublesome would that be?' I told myself this in my heart, and so I decided to just finish washing my clothes."

A Fatal Lapse in Judgment

"That was truly a fatal decision. Perhaps it was this very choice that caused me to miss the critical window of time to escape the fire at Wang Fuk Court. Thinking about it now, perhaps this was what people call 'destiny'—or as we young people might say, 'fated to die.' I should mention that I am thirty-six years old. I always felt that the decade between thirty and forty is a turning point; after forty, one is middle-aged, but between thirty and forty, one is still considered a young person. But that is a digression.

In any case, after I finished my laundry, I walked toward the door, feeling quite satisfied and relaxed, intending to finally see what was going on. When I opened the door, I was absolutely stunned. The neighbour's home across from me had already been invaded by the fire, and I could see thick smoke billowing from both the left and the right. My first reaction was not to run, but rather, 'How could this be happening?!' I never imagined that I, who was usually so cautious and who often mentally rehearsed how to escape in an emergency, would fail so miserably when the moment of truth arrived. It was impossible, yet it happened to me. My mind felt as if it had jammed; I could not think at all. I was filled with deep regret, constantly wondering why I had made such an abnormal and catastrophic mistake."

The Golden Light of Deliverance

"As I was lost in this cycle of regret, the fire grew larger and larger. I suddenly snapped out of my daze, completely forgetting all the safety drills I had practised. I ran to the right without taking anything with me. I discovered that the elevator was unusable, and in the stairwell, the fire seemed intense. Without thinking, I ran upward. Since I lived on the fifth floor, I knew that in a fire, one should always run downward, but at that moment, I felt the fire below was too strong, and in a split second, I made the wrong decision to run up. After running for a bit, I thought, 'No! I should be going down! If I reach the ground floor, I can leave the fire scene and be safe.' I turned and rushed downward, only to find that the path was already completely engulfed in flames. There was no way out!

My heart was filled with negative thoughts, and I lost all hope of escaping. Slowly, the fire spread to where I was. I was trapped in a pantry near the stairwell, completely surrounded by the inferno. Perhaps because there was a tap in the pantry, I thought it might help protect me, but it proved useless. It only meant that when I was being consumed by the flames, I was trapped in a narrow, confined space. As my body was being destroyed, I felt only intense pain and heat. Even in that agony, I kept replaying the entire process of the fire and my escape, filled with regret, disbelief, and self-mockery. I felt like such a fool, which is why I ended up dying in that cramped pantry."

A Message to My Family

"After I died, my spirit left my body, which had become a charred husk. I kept thinking about why I had performed so poorly that day. I was usually so calm and quick-witted, yet one single mistake had cost me my life. While I was standing by my own charred remains at the scene of the fire, continuing to wallow in regret, I was suddenly illuminated by a golden light. In an instant, I was transported from that tragic disaster scene to a place filled with the fragrance of lotus flowers. This lotus seat was so comfortable, and the most remarkable thing was that once I arrived here, my heart immediately settled. I heard the sound of the Buddha-name 'Namo Amituofo' echoing in my ears. Without even thinking, I wanted to chant along. This Buddha-name is truly inconceivable; it allowed me to stop feeling regret and remorse. My heart became peaceful, and I was filled with gratitude for this place and for Namo Amituofo.

When I wondered, 'Where is this place?', a house naturally appeared before me, and inside, someone was calling out, 'Hong Kong Wang Fuk Court... deceased person...' That was when I realised that it was Amituofo who had saved me. That light was the Buddha-light of Amituofo, and the person speaking was Practitioner Su. This building is the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, located in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, and the place where I am staying is the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

I had never heard of such a wonderful place before. The Western Dharma-Nature Land is so bright and radiant. I feel very safe here. The more I chant the Buddha-name, the more my heart opens. Gradually, I have stopped dwelling on the events of the Wang Fuk Court fire and my own abnormal behaviour that day; I have slowly forgotten them. I know this is all because of the golden light shining in the Western Dharma-Nature Land and the power of the Buddha-name 'Namo Amituofo'. So, it can be said that I owe everything to Amituofo. And of course, to Practitioner Su! If Practitioner Su had not led Amituofo to perform Chao Du for us victims of the fire, we spirits would never be here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, peacefully chanting 'Namo Amituofo'.

I hope my brothers and sisters can come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to see me. I can communicate with you here in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. Please do not be sad; I am doing very well here—better than I have ever been. I have heard that later I will be able to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, which is an even more beautiful place. My cautious and fearful personality in the past must have caused you all some suffering, and for that, I am sorry. I could not control myself back then. Now that I have met Amituofo, I finally understand the importance of chanting the Buddha-name and how truly compassionate the Buddha is.

Looking back at the day of the fire, when I was doing my laundry, I now realise that my karmic creditors were covering my head. They influenced me to react in a way that was completely different from my usual self, causing me to miss the critical time to escape. The regret and self-mockery I felt while being burned in the pantry were all influenced by these karmic creditors and other beings. After listening to the Dharma here in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I have slowly come to understand that everything is governed by cause and effect. Although I do not yet know how to face these things, I now know that Amituofo can save this world, that the golden Buddha-light is very warm, and most importantly, I know that I must chant 'Namo Amituofo'.

I am grateful to Amituofo, grateful to Practitioner Su, and grateful to everyone at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Thank you all. Thank you for allowing me to come to the Western Dharma-Nature Land. I hope that I will be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and I hope that more people can come to meet the Buddha and also be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Namo Amituofo.

Chen Shaobin"