The Journey of Lay Practitioner Nan Huaijin to the Western Pure Land

A Rare Encounter with the Truth

How rare is it to encounter such news in one's life? If you have the fortune to hear this, you must not let it slip away. I, Nan Huaijin, am now in the West, and I warmly welcome you to join us as a member of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

On the twenty-fourth of August, 2018, Venerable HaiZe chanted the name of Namo Amituofo ten times to invite the spirit of Lay Practitioner Nan Huaijin, who now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I, Nan Huaijin, have arrived.

Venerable HaiZe asked me to speak about my life and how I was guided to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss by Practitioner Su. I am transmitting this message from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, which is being transcribed into text by the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This method of communication is truly unique and unprecedented; I am honoured to be one of the participants in this extraordinary exchange.

The Circle of Life and Its Completion

My life could be described as both ordinary and legendary. I travelled from the mainland to Taiwan, then to Hong Kong, and finally returned to my ancestral home in Zhejiang, where I passed away. If one views life as a series of gaps that must be joined to form a perfect circle, my own circle remained incomplete at the moment of my passing. It was only when Practitioner Su called my name, invited me from the side of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and sent a beam of golden light to bring me to her side to continue listening to the Dharma, that I was finally able to return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and complete that circle.

Even though the joints of this circle still bear the marks of life's imperfections, it is a great blessing to have achieved this wholeness. In this world, there are countless beings who, after cycling through many lifetimes, still cannot fill those gaps and remain searching for the ultimate, perfect destination for their spirits after death.

The Truth Within the Scriptures

Like many who lived through times of war, I experienced the pain of separation from my mother, wife, and children. After establishing myself in Taiwan, my innate sensitivity toward religion, education, and philosophy led me to put my beliefs into practice, resulting in many written works that received widespread response. In particular, my study of the Buddhist sutras proved to me that the scriptures are alive, not dead. The secret lies in grasping the key points within the teachings and acting upon them. If you can agree with this, then we share a profound Dharma affinity.

The scriptures do not lose their value with the passage of time; rather, they become more authentic and precious because they are the Truth. I merely sought to explain the subtle meanings of the Truth in simple language and examples, hoping that readers would be willing to learn and change. I cannot claim to have transformed the destinies of others, but I hope that at the very least, those moments were filled with Dharma joy, allowing them to step outside the framework of life and see a new perspective, adding energy to their journey forward.

The Final Test of Practice

My life was met with both praise and slander, which is the nature of the world. I faced it all with a smile. I lived for over ninety years and was grateful to Heaven for the grace of remaining clear-headed until the end. Although I often shared methods and insights on chanting Namo Amituofo with others, when my own life reached its end—a moment of life-and-death crisis—I found myself chanting the Buddha-name in a hesitant and unclear manner. The meditative concentration I had spoken of so often vanished in a storm of complex emotions. How could such chanting lead to being received by Namo Amituofo for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss? It seems I had not yet broken through the test of life and death and needed further study. Thus, I was guided by a beam of light to the side of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the underworld to continue my learning.

The Importance of Preparing for the End

The situation in the underworld may be unfamiliar to many, as it is a place one can only visit after death, and people generally avoid discussing such matters. In reality, death is a vital event. Only when one understands it while still alive and determines one's destination after death can one have a clear direction and goal. Otherwise, one might spend a lifetime in busy toil only to end up in a miserable state, unable to change one's fate when it is too late. It seems my own understanding of the afterlife was not deep enough. Fortunately, because Practitioner Su is alive in the human world, and thanks to the clear instructions of Practitioner Liu and the nomination of Practitioner Cao Rudi, I was given the opportunity to leave the side of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am deeply grateful to you all.

The only person I feel regret toward in this life is my first wife, Wang Cuifeng, who remained on the mainland. We spent only a short time together before I left for Taiwan, leaving her to bear the heavy burden of caring for my mother and children during the hardships of the Cultural Revolution. Although we had a few brief reunions, I soon returned to the mainland. She fulfilled her duties as a daughter-in-law and mother with great integrity. I believe that such a virtuous woman must have gone to a good place.

Life in the Underworld

The place beside Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva can be seen as a high-end residential area of the underworld. There is food, clothing, and shelter; the purpose is for you to study and prepare for your next life. You can focus on the areas where your practice was lacking. Here, one can see the true nature of each individual. Some are very diligent, reading, reciting sutras, meditating, and chanting Namo Amituofo. Others are restless and wander about. As long as you do not disturb others, no one will interfere with you. If you need study materials, books, sutras, meditation cushions, prayer beads, or writing supplies, you only need to ask, and the attendants will prepare them for you. Whether you make progress is entirely up to you. As the saying goes, the teacher brings you to the door, but the practice is your own responsibility. Once the time for study is over, your performance determines your next destination.

The Magnificence of the Western Pure Land

Now that I am in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, there is no place better. It is truly a land of ultimate bliss. The word "ultimate" implies something beyond imagination, a state of supreme beauty. What is mentioned in the sutras is only a glimpse; the most magnificent aspect is listening to the Dharma directly before the Buddha. Everything in the ten directions is a natural manifestation that teaches the Dharma.

When I was in the human world, I spent most of my time lecturing. My voice and the materials I used were human methods. But in the West, the Dharma is being taught everywhere, at all times. The fragrance of the flowers and the sounds of the wind singing the name of Namo Amituofo fill you with comfort, and you naturally join in the chanting. The sound of the flowing water and the birds singing the sutras allow you to immerse yourself in the subtle meanings of the teachings. In the Seven-Jewel Pond, the golden waves and the temperate water refresh the mind, leading to sudden realizations and the growth of Wisdom. There is no comparison, no right or wrong, only supreme Goodness and purity. I am here by the grace of the Buddha.

A Story of Motherly Love

I would like to share a small story. One day, while I was sitting under a tree listening to the wind singing the Buddha-name, a little Bodhisattva approached. He looked adorable and dignified, but his face was filled with sorrow. I asked him, "Little Bodhisattva, what is wrong? Why are you so sad?" He looked at me with his large, round eyes and replied, "Suddenly, I remembered my mother!" Two lines of tears fell from his eyes.

At that very moment, the wind that had been singing the Buddha-name transmitted a message: "Qing'er, Mother is in the Buddha-name, in the name of Namo Amituofo. As long as you chant, Mother will never leave you!" The little Bodhisattva's tear-filled eyes suddenly lit up with a smile. It was the very phrase his mother had often told him when she was alive. She had passed away before him due to illness, and in his final moments, he had clung to those words, chanting Namo Amituofo with all his might until the Buddha came to receive him. Namo Amituofo is always in every corner of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, caring for everyone, just as Practitioner Su cares for and nurtures everyone at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, helping them fulfil their wish to return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Cherish Your Human Life

No matter what your life is like, only rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss can make it complete. Life is like a sandcastle; no matter how magnificent or glorious it may seem, a wave will wash it away, leaving nothing behind. You must let go of the past and cherish the present. Whatever helps you achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, you must undertake with courage. Do not cling to illusions, for you will end up with nothing. As long as you have a single breath left, it is not too late. The human body is precious; please cherish it.

The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia is preparing to build a "Mituo Village" so that the elderly may have a place to return to, and when their time in the human world ends, they may be guided by Practitioner Su into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a peaceful and serene land, made radiant by the presence of Practitioner Su and the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. If you have the fortune to hear this, do not miss it. I, Nan Huaijin, welcome you to join us in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Amituofo.

Postscript: After reading this text, Practitioner Su expressed her wish to invite the spirit of Lay Practitioner Nan Huaijin's first wife, Madam Wang Cuifeng, to fulfil his wish. Through Venerable HaiZe, it was discovered that Madam Wang Cuifeng resides in the third level of the Heaven Realm. Practitioner Su struck the bell to invite Madam Wang Cuifeng to enter the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to listen to the Dharma. As long as she makes the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, she will have the opportunity to do so.