The Heart-Gouging Truth: A Master's Confession from the Pure Land

This interview was recorded at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. The speaker is the late Venerable Master Wei Chueh, who sought deliverance after his passing and now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account, recorded by Venerable HaiZe, details the Master's journey from the profound suffering of the hells to the ultimate salvation provided by Namo Amituofo, serving as a final, urgent teaching for his followers.

Venerable Master Wei Chueh speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. It feels as though I have only been away from the human world for a few months, yet it feels like an eternity. It is as if I have just awakened from a dream—a dream in which I experienced all the joys and sorrows of life, only to be plunged into total darkness. But here, in this place of infinite light, there is only golden light."

A Journey Through War and Faith

"I remember when I fell ill. It was a severe sickness; I could not even rise from my bed. I still had classes to teach, but I had to cancel them. I drifted off into a state of hazy unconsciousness, my mind clouded by the physical decay of this body.

My life began in Sichuan, China. My family was modest, and I grew up during the years of civil war. In my hometown, those who could flee did so; those left behind were mostly the elderly, the weak, women, and children. Some could not walk, and others could not travel far. I, however, chose to leave. I remember asking my mother, 'How long will this war last?' She told me, 'Your life has only just begun; do not let yourself be trapped here. Go!' I asked if she would come with me, but she replied, 'There are too many memories here; this is my home. I thought of going with you, but at this critical moment, I cannot bear to leave. Let me stay. This is your root. When the war ends and you return, there will still be someone here to welcome you.' With tears in her eyes, she watched me until I disappeared from sight. That was how I left my home and stepped into a new chapter of my life."

From the Capital to the Dharma Gate

"Eventually, I reached the capital and made my way to Taiwan. It was the beginning of a new horizon. Knowing no one, I had the karmic affinity to meet an elderly person who constantly chanted 'Namo Amituofo.' I began to chant along with him, and thus my life of chanting the Buddha's name began. Later, I received the Precepts and became a monastic in Keelung. I was thirty-six years old—quite late to begin my formal study of the Buddha’s teachings—so I vowed to practise diligently and achieve success. Having experienced the pain of family separation and the loneliness of being adrift, I sought liberation from the cycle of rebirth. I retreated into the mountains to practise in solitude, taking meditative concentration as my food, eating only once a day, and maintaining this physical body only to further my spiritual achievements."

The Expansion of a Legacy

"More than a decade passed. I lived as one with the mountains, the flowers, and the trees, making meditation my home. Often, my spirit would leave my body for days or weeks, and I would have no desire to return, though I knew I must. Eventually, visitors came to seek the Dharma, and I shared what I had realised. As more people came, the karmic affinity matured, opening a new door.

The devotees wished to establish a permanent place to spread the Dharma. A whirlwind of fundraising, construction, and planning followed. I had to participate in the decision-making—the architectural design, the layout of the halls, and most importantly, the crafting of the Buddha and Bodhisattva statues. These statues are the first things a devotee sees upon entering the temple; they are the first point of influence. We needed a meditation hall for Zen and a hall for chanting. We needed to plan the flow of movement for the devotees, the training of volunteers, and the expansion of the site. Throughout this, the daily rituals and Dharma assemblies could not be interrupted. It was vital to allow devotees to participate in the building through generosity, even if it was only a small donation. Every flower, every piece of fruit, every act of support—these were all the result of the coming together of many conditions."

The Burden of the Self

"I never imagined the scale to which this would grow, from Lingquan Temple to Chung Tai Chan Monastery. There was praise, but there was also criticism and slander. Sometimes this made me slow my pace, but the devotees never left my side. Despite the storms, the temple rose brick by brick. I had come to Taiwan alone; the temple became my home, the devotees my family, the monastics my kin, and the students my children. I had long since let go of the 'self.' Even as we established schools and centres across the globe, I would often wake in the middle of the night, reflecting on my steps, fearing that a single deviation would fail the vast number of beings who relied on me. The responsibility of transmitting the Buddha’s teachings is immense. I did my utmost to teach the Zen methods I had realised to my students and followers."

The Hidden Suffering

"As I aged, I felt my strength waning. I grew tired easily, and my limbs ached, but I paid little attention to it. One day, I developed a fever and felt dizzy and weak. The doctors were conservative, but the prognosis was not optimistic. They wanted me to stay for observation, but I refused. I went in and out of the hospital many times, keeping the truth hidden because I did not want to affect the operation of the monastery or the faith of the students in our Zen classes. In my final years, I rarely appeared in public. Then, one day, my vision went black, and I collapsed. My disciples insisted on taking me to the hospital, and I was too weak to resist. Even after being admitted, my heart remained with Chung Tai. As a monastic, I should have let go of life and death, but I knew my spiritual path had deviated, which is why this sickness and the suffering of death manifested. Although my disciples performed grand ceremonies for my final journey, I did not attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Instead, I fell directly into the hells."

The Truth of the Heart-Gouging Hell

"It is difficult to speak of this, but to repay the grace of the Buddha and the kindness of Practitioner Su, I must be honest. In the hells, the Yama King judged that while I had contributed to the Dharma, my merits could not offset my faults. The Pure Land method of chanting the Buddha's name is the most important teaching for beings in this age of the Dharma’s decline, as instructed by Shakyamuni Buddha. Yet, I focused solely on Zen and failed to promote the Pure Land path. Because of my own selfishness, I influenced the Dharma Body and wisdom-life of so many followers at Chung Tai; not one of them attained liberation through Zen, and not one attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land! If no one among my successors can change this fact, I will only suffer further retribution. Thus, I was sent to the heart-gouging hell. In truth, one part of my spirit had already been dragged into that hell before I even passed away, which is why I often suffered from chest pain and tightness while I was alive. The spirit and the body are connected; the saying that a complete spirit consists of three hun souls and seven po souls is true. Only now do I realise how many truths were hidden, distorted, or slandered."

Deliverance and Repentance

"When the news of my passing was announced, a Practitioner Jiang at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre heard of it and immediately informed Practitioner Su. Practitioner Su, in her compassion, reached out. While I was in hell, I heard a voice calling, 'Venerable Master Wei Chueh!' A beam of Buddha-light then brought me from the hells to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I was first placed in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. Practitioner Su asked me to explain why I was suffering in hell, but I could not bring myself to say it. It was the arrogance deep within my habits. Because Practitioner Su is a lay practitioner, I remained silent, and my heart was filled with pride—I had no intention of repenting! Consequently, I was sent back to hell, only to be invited up again later. During the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, I saw Namo Amituofo right there, and I joined the assembly in chanting to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land. I repent deeply and offer my most profound gratitude and apologies to Practitioner Su. It was only through her ability to save suffering beings from hell that I could be liberated. I also apologise for my arrogance at that time. I feel such guilt for my ignorance and selfishness, which prevented a single person at Chung Tai from attaining rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Although I have been granted the mercy of the Buddha and the compassion of Practitioner Su to be here in the West today, I feel the weight of my past."

A Plea to the Chung Tai Community

"I hope that the future direction of Chung Tai will be dedicated to the teaching of Pure Land chanting and rebirth. No matter how well, how deeply, or how long one practises Zen, if one does not attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land in this lifetime, one will continue to cycle through the six realms of rebirth in the next. What is the meaning of studying the Buddha’s teachings then? Look at me—I dedicated my life to the transmission of the Dharma, yet I failed to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land and fell into the hells. It is heart-wrenching to admit this. But the Buddha does not abandon a single being. The 'Great Master' of the Chung Tai people is truly speaking these heartfelt words from the Western Pure Land! Every person at Chung Tai is my family, every student is my child, and every monastic and Dharma protector is my kin. I am grateful for your care, and because of this, I hope with all my heart that every person at Chung Tai and every person with karmic affinity can be guided by the compassion of Namo Amituofo to the Western Pure Land, rather than merely finding temporary peace and coolness in Zen while remaining trapped in the cycle of rebirth.

May the Buddha be compassionate. I truly hope this message reaches the people of Chung Tai and that there will be a response. I am waiting for you all here in the West, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Namo Amituofo!"

This message was recorded by the Buddhist disciple Shi Fa.