The Journey of Mother Li: Chen Baozhi’s Testimony

This is a record of an interview with Chen Baozhi, affectionately known as Mother Li, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon her transition from the human world to the Western Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on November 7, 2019.

Practitioner Chen Baozhi (Mother Li) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Chen Baozhi—or as many used to call me, Mother Li! It has been such a long time since I heard anyone call me Mother Li. It sounds so warm and familiar, as if I have been transported back to the past. That was back when I was still alive in the human world. Now, I reside in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, where names are no longer necessary. Everything here is known intuitively; if you think of something, it appears. There is no need for names, and certainly no confusion about who is who. Even if two people look remarkably similar, there is never any doubt about their identity. It is all perfectly clear. It is a truly unique and wonderful place. Over these many years, I have grown accustomed to this life—a life without the need for spoken words, filled with such purity and absolute freedom.

The Lotus of the Pure Land

I owe everything to Practitioner Su. If not for her having the true attainment to teach me how to chant Namo Amituofo, I would not be who I am today. Before I passed away from my severe illness, she instructed me to close my eyes, visualise myself kneeling before the Buddha, and to chant Namo Amituofo continuously without a single wandering thought. I listened to her, and finally, I chanted Namo Amituofo into presence! I emerged from my body as a spirit and travelled to the West. The Buddha brought with Him the lotus flower that I had been nurturing in the West through my chanting. It was so beautiful, so incredibly beautiful! It was a soft, translucent pink—the same colour as the lotuses that Practitioner Su, who is so skilled at flower arranging at the Hsiang Kuang room in Shiding, places on either side of the Buddha. But this lotus was alive! It shimmered with light, it moved, it was so fresh and tender, and it carried the most divine fragrance of a lotus. That was my lotus. Back then, it was just a bud, almost blooming. Now, it has opened a little more and grown much larger.

I reside within my own lotus, yet I am free to visit the lotus pond to see how it is growing. Can you even imagine how vast the lotus pond is? It is immense! Everyone’s lotus is different in size; some are still buds, some are partially open, and others are in full bloom. They come in every colour imaginable—red, yellow, white, golden, green, blue, crystal-clear, purple, and pink. They are all so magnificent, and each one bears the name of the practitioner who cultivated it!

Practitioner Su's Extraordinary Attainment

Practitioner Su’s lotus is exceptionally large, glowing with the golden light of the Buddha. From the state of one's lotus, you can clearly see their level of spiritual attainment, and everyone here knows that Practitioner Su’s attainment is truly extraordinary! Her lotus surpasses all others by such a vast margin. This is the fruit of her practice. I am one of the many beings she has saved and brought to the West. I am also aware of her current situation—a lay practitioner who, on her own, leads everyone to study the Dharma and chant Namo Amituofo. From the early days at the Shiding Hsiang Kuang room to the current Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, this transformation is truly inconceivable! It is not something an ordinary layperson could ever achieve. Practitioner Su has already delivered countless beings to the Western Pure Land. Every one of us is deeply grateful to her. Some were people she knew, but many more were strangers. This is the vastness of Practitioner Su’s mind-capacity.

When we first met, she was always engaged in acts of Generosity and releasing life, teaching everyone to study the Dharma, holding classes, and chanting Namo Amituofo. She never charged a single cent and even provided us with a place to stay. She is a person of immense compassion. Now, she has even realised her true nature—it is truly remarkable! Practitioner Su’s achievements today are well-deserved, and I am so happy for her. Her success is the blessing of all beings, because she is not a selfish person. She will undoubtedly share her attainments with everyone, helping all of us to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, just as she helped me.

A Debt of Gratitude and Service

I never expected that even after reaching the West, I would be able to send this message to all of you. This is something only Practitioner Su could make possible. She always manages to do the things that others find unimaginable, and as long as it benefits everyone, she continues to do it. Her compassionate heart is evident in everything she does for us. In the past, she loved to cook for everyone, and seeing us eat happily made her happy too. If any ingredient was missing, she would immediately drive out to get it, and she is still the same today. When I lived in her home, I had nothing of value to repay her with, as she would never let us bring food or gifts. So, I would take every pot, every spatula, every frying pan, the stove, and the exhaust fan—anything that could be scrubbed—and I would polish them until they shone like new. She loves cleanliness, and seeing them sparkle made her happy, which in turn made me happy. That was my way of repaying her.

Reflecting on these past events, it feels as though they happened only a moment ago, yet for you, ten years have already passed, haven't they? In the Western Pure Land, there is no such thing as night. There are no stars, no moon, and no darkness. Everywhere is filled with a brilliant, shimmering light. This is the compassion of Namo Amituofo, ensuring that everyone who is reborn here has a heart and body filled with light. There are no evil thoughts or negative occurrences; everything is naturally filled with good thoughts and positive actions. We are no longer human, and we do not have human bodies; we are spirits. However, because our consciousness still retains the habits of our human form, we can manifest that appearance. For instance, when I think of my youth, I appear as I was then—thin, with two braids in my hair. I was just a young lady then, and even my own son would not recognise me if he saw me now. This world is truly wonderful!

The Truth of the Pure Land

I am so grateful to Venerable Master Chin Kung for teaching us about the existence of the Western Pure Land and Namo Amituofo. I am also deeply fortunate to have met Practitioner Su in this lifetime; without her, I would never have reached the West. If I had only listened to the Venerable Master’s Dharma talks without knowing Practitioner Su, I would not have been able to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land. This is something I am very clear about in my heart. The Venerable Master we see now is no longer the same one we once knew and respected! Practitioner Su, you have truly suffered so much! Those who are still alive are working much harder than those of us you have already sent to the West! Everyone needs you; without you, they cannot reach the West. We have long known that you are a Buddha from the West who has descended into the human world to save it. Yet, the Venerable Master and many others did not believe it. It is their loss, not yours. We in the West support you.

Where we reside, we can still manifest in human form; this is the Land Where Sages and Ordinary Beings Dwell Together. If one reaches the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light, there are no human forms or even the form of the Buddha. There is only a vast, infinite expanse of golden light. All attachments and thoughts have vanished. Although there is no form, one can manifest as anything and know everything. One does not need to stir a thought to know; in that realm, it is perfectly natural to know all things. This is the realm of the Buddha. I learned these things here, and I am taking this opportunity to tell you all. When Practitioner Su returns to the West, she will be in this realm—the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light. I do not even know how I came to know this; everything is just so naturally understood! So, whether people believe it or not, the truth remains the truth.

A Call to Follow the Path

The human heart is far too complex! My heart is now very simple and pure, so I naturally understand many things. Practitioner Su possesses these abilities of spiritual connection, and it is perfectly natural for her. Other practitioners who lack this ability accuse Practitioner Su of using supernatural powers, which is truly a grave injustice!

Practitioner Su is leading everyone at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre now, so you must follow her and learn well! Not every person who studies the Dharma has the blessings and Causal Conditions to meet Practitioner Su. Those who do are saved, because Practitioner Su’s vow is that everyone she meets and knows will be reborn in the Western Pure Land. If she cannot save you in this lifetime, she will have to wait until some future life when she descends to the human world again to save you. Think of how much more suffering you will have to endure until then! So, stay close to Practitioner Su and do not let her slip away!

I was admitted to the Hsiang Kuang room because of cancer, and Practitioner Su took excellent care of me. However, after I returned home, the cancer recurred. Practitioner Su brought me back to the temple, but my illness had already spread too far. It was only then that she taught me to chant Namo Amituofo, leading to my rebirth in the Western Pure Land. In truth, I only realised after arriving in the West that Practitioner Su was already healing people and even helping them attain rebirth back then. She never spoke of it openly; she simply told us where to stay, to attend classes, and to chant Namo Amituofo. She has always been doing this, silently saving people. So, when she says now that she can heal people and send them to the West, it is the truth! She has long possessed this skill. Those who believe are blessed, and those who do not are truly unfortunate! To have the Buddha right before your eyes and let the opportunity slip away—that is truly a great pity!

Mother Li sees everything clearly from the West. Practitioner Su is still working as hard as she did in the past, striving alone, opening up new paths, and leading so many people. Everything depends on her, and it is truly exhausting! Her greatest wish is to see the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre fully established. I hope everyone will contribute money if they have it, or effort if they are able. If the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is completed, it will certainly save many people, allow everyone to live better lives, and enable them to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Such a wonderful endeavour is the work of the Buddha. If you have the aspiration, Practitioner Su will certainly help you be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!

Spoken by Mother Li, Chen Baozhi.

Interview message recorded by the chief writer, Buddhist disciple Venerable HaiZe.

Namo Amituofo."