This is a record of an interview with Zheng Chenggong, who sought at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life approximately 360 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on April 5, 2026.
Zheng Chenggong speaks:
". I have resided in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss for many years now. In truth, time here is but a fleeting moment, yet in the human world, centuries have passed. The magnificence, dignity, and beauty of the Western Pure Land are beyond anything the human mind could ever imagine. I am incredibly fortunate. Here, I live a life of ultimate , free from all suffering, practising alongside Namo Amituofo, with the glorious opportunity to one day realise my true nature and attain Buddhahood.
I am Zheng Chenggong, known to the world as Koxinga. During the Ming dynasty, the Emperor bestowed upon me the imperial surname 'Zhu' and gave me the name 'Chenggong'—Success. Thus, some also refer to me as Zhu Chenggong.
A Life of Blood and Iron
I was deeply honoured by the trust and favour of the Ming Emperor. My path toward 'overthrowing the Qing to restore the Ming' was a matter of Causal Conditions. When my father decided to surrender to the Qing dynasty, and my mother took her own life amidst the chaos of war, I made a resolute decision to raise an army and fight against the Qing forces. Throughout my life, I experienced countless battles. I have seen far too many scenes of life-and-death struggles.
I participated in war after war, from the conquest of Taiwan to the resistance against the Dutch. Every single one of these military campaigns was accompanied by immense loss of life. Regardless of whether the principles I followed or my original intentions were aligned with loyalty and righteousness, I cannot deny the truth: the number of people who lost their lives because of the decisions I made was truly, overwhelmingly vast.
The Agony of the End
I was born in Japan, but my life ended in Taiwan. In the final moments before my death, my body and mind were subjected to excruciating agony. I descended into a state of mental instability and madness. I bit my own fingers, clawed at my own face until it was unrecognisable, and committed many irrational, out-of-control acts that harmed those around me. I died in a state of absolute, unbearable torment.
Now, I understand clearly that the laws of and cause and effect are precise and infallible. During my life, I caused harm to so many through years of warfare. When I ordered my troops into battle, they would slaughter entire cities to secure victory; in the heat of conquest, there were even instances of looting and the violation of women. Although I later issued military orders to forbid such acts, the damage was already done. Those unforgivable sins were all laid upon my shoulders. Every single instance of collateral damage or harm to the innocent became an indelible stain on my soul. After I died, I descended into the hells. Before the throne of the King of Hell, every single sin I had committed was laid out before me.
The Weight of
Countless souls who had been harmed in the wars I waged came to seek revenge, their spirits filled with deep resentment. I had no room for excuses; I knew in my heart that this was the retribution I deserved. I suffered in the hells for over three hundred years.
Then, suddenly, a voice echoed through the hells, calling my name: 'Zheng Chenggong!' With the ringing of a chime, my spirit was rescued from that abyss and delivered to the —a Buddha-land established by the vow-power of Practitioner Su. After listening to the for a time, Practitioner Su, in his great , guided me to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. My existence underwent a total transformation. From the endless suffering of hell to the joy of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss—this was all due to the compassionate deliverance of Practitioner Su, which allowed me to be reborn.
The Illusion of the Physical Body
When I was alive, I knew nothing of the laws of karma and cause and effect. I had no deep understanding of the Buddha's teachings, nor did I realise that every single action taken in this world carries a price. Taking a human life is a grave sin that demands retribution in the hells. How many people died because of me? How many did I kill? I cannot even count them myself. How could such heavy karmic debt ever be repaid? If not for the Causal Conditions that led to my rescue by Practitioner Su, how much longer would I have had to suffer in hell? It is a question I dare not even contemplate.
Here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, amidst such magnificent merits, the hearts of the holy assembly are free from all pollution. We are in a state of continuous, pure purification. Everything unfolds in a 'natural state within the natural.' The great compassionate vow-power of Namo Amituofo allows all beings living here to enjoy such extraordinary merits.
A Beacon for China
Although I have not been in the Western Land for long, I have come to understand that the past was merely an illusion. There is no need to hold onto any of it. If one can truly let go and bid farewell to the past, life is indeed filled with happiness and joy. This is a spiritual purity and Dharma-joy that can only be experienced by those who have truly let go.
I now know that the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia is an incredibly important precious land in this world. Not only does Namo Amituofo reside there, but it also provides Buddhist education. This is the Great Dharma, allowing people to gain a sufficient understanding of the laws of karma and cause and effect, the nature of spirits, and the true self that everyone inherently possesses.
This is of vital importance. Only by receiving Buddhist education can one understand the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Only then will one avoid the path I took—the path of distorted thoughts and ignorance of the laws of karma and cause and effect, which led to the heavy sins of hell. How many people in the world are like the Zheng Chenggong of the past? They are countless. Especially in this age of rapid technological development, without Buddhist education, it is difficult for people to maintain their hearts in a state of purity and Goodness; instead, they easily drift toward pollution and evil. Such actions cause immense harm, not only one's own to seek revenge but also providing opportunities for demon crowds to control people. This is why Practitioner Su has always hoped to bring Namo Amituofo to the forefront, so that the whole world may know of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This is entirely due to the compassionate heart of Practitioner Su, who understands the importance of Buddhist education for humanity.
The Compassion of Practitioner Su
Practitioner Su has a deep karmic affinity with China and has vowed to save all the spirits of China, as well as the people living there today. This is truly the good fortune of China and its people. With a Buddha like Practitioner Su, who has realised his true nature and attained Buddhahood, taking on the suffering of beings and tirelessly purifying the magnetic field of the entire country, the Chinese people have a chance to awaken. This is an extraordinary blessing. China should be deeply grateful to Practitioner Su. Without such a Buddha to perform Chao Du, the demon crowds in China would be running rampant, and the interference and control over people's lives would have reached a critical level. If Practitioner Su had not saved the immeasurable and boundless demon crowds in China, the nation would have had no chance to turn its fate around.
Practitioner Su often says in his Dharma talks, 'Do not get caught up in .' These simple words contain profound truths. The source of all human suffering is the attachment to this physical body, which leads to the creation of various sins because we mistake the body for the truth. My entire life was spent under this false perception, believing that this body, my environment, and the people and things I encountered were real. I took them as truth and spent decades experiencing the bitterness and sweetness, the joys and sorrows, with my mind constantly fluctuating. After death, I descended into hell. This taught me clearly that everything is an illusion, just as the Buddha's teachings say: 'You cannot take anything with you when you go; only your karma follows you.'
A Precious Tool for Practice
I now reside in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss without a physical body, existing in a spiritual state. The difference between having a body and not having one is immense. In Buddhist education, the body is a tool for practice, a way to 'use this temporary body to find the eternal truth.' If one can truly achieve this, the body becomes a precious treasure. Practitioner Su has realised his true nature and attained Buddhahood while in a human body, developing a 'technology of the body' that has saved immeasurable and boundless spirits. Every single day, Practitioner Su performs Chao Du for countless spirits, guiding them into the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This is a truly practical help, allowing spirits to be reborn; in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, they have the opportunity to listen to sutras and hear the Dharma, undergo purification, and eventually be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
From here in the Western Pure Land, I can see that Practitioner Su's skills have advanced even further. He is now performing large-scale Chao Du for all of China, opening up the space of China's five-thousand to ten-thousand-year history and saving immeasurable and boundless spirits. Practitioner Su's Chao Du is incredibly swift; in a very short time, he can manifest thousands of millions of bodies to cover the entire space of China. Under his brilliant light, countless spirits are entering the light and finding salvation.
More importantly, Practitioner Su performs Chao Du day and night without rest. The many demon crowds on the land of China—whether in the cities, among the mountains and rivers, or hidden in the deepest spaces—have nowhere to hide under the Buddha-eye of Practitioner Su. All of them are sent into the Western Dharma-Nature Land under the Twelve Lights radiated by Namo Amituofo through Practitioner Su. This is Practitioner Su's great compassion for China, using practical actions of Chao Du to purify the entire magnetic field of the country, giving the people living there a chance for relief.
A Final Reflection
My entire life was spent striving for 'loyalty' and 'restoring the Ming.' Looking back, it was all just a dream, yet I was so serious while I was dreaming it, and I spent my whole life that way. I now understand that it was not worth it. Nothing in the world is real. There is no need to be attached to it and cause one's own body, mind, and spirit to suffer. Just like me, fighting for my ideals for a lifetime—what did I leave behind? Only endless suffering in the hells.
Fortunately, I was very lucky to encounter Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, and to find the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Only then did I truly understand my mistakes. Now, in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I know exactly what I must do: practice alongside the Buddha, realise my true nature and attain Buddhahood, and after attaining Buddhahood, save all beings. This is the only truth. Keeping the name 'Namo Amituofo' in one's heart at all times is the only reality.
I am filled with Dharma-joy every day. The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is truly a magnificent world; it is the hometown to which every spirit should return. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia is a springboard for people to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I hope those with karmic affinity will seize this extraordinary opportunity. While Namo Amituofo is residing here in the world, and while Practitioner Su is still in the human world, come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to seek the Dharma and pay homage to the Buddha. You will receive unexpected and immeasurable benefits.
Gratitude to Namo Amituofo. Gratitude to Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.
Zheng Chenggong"
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