A Lesson in True Practice: The Journey of Xia Fasheng

This is a record of an interview with Xia Fasheng, the grandson of the renowned Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju. After passing away, Xia Fasheng sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his eventual transformation. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on December 30, 2024.

Xia Fasheng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Xia Fasheng. My grandfather was the esteemed Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju. I am speaking to you now from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, appearing as a being of the Western Land to share my report with everyone. Before I begin, I offer my deepest, most sincere gratitude to the Great Compassionate Namo Amituofo, to my grandfather, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and to Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre."

The Misconception of My Practice

"In the realm of the Western Pure Land, everyone refers to Practitioner Su as 'Su Fo' (Buddha Su). This is because, through his Buddha-actions in the human world, he has successfully guided countless beings into the Western Land. I previously heard the teachings of Namo Amituofo while in the Western Land of Dharma Nature at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and even Namo Amituofo referred to him as Su Fo. Today, I am finally able to share this, having been guided by Namo Amituofo’s compassionate blessing during the Thrice Yearning Ceremony at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Practitioner Su led me into the Western Pure Land, fulfilling the greatest wish I held during my lifetime.

Before this, I was guided by Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, who rescued me from the thirteenth level of the Celestial Realm—where I had ended up after my passing—and brought me into the Western Land of Dharma Nature. What I saw and heard in that realm was truly beyond anything I had ever imagined. Every single day brought new wonders, and of course, the most magnificent miracle of all was my eventual entry into the Western Pure Land. I spent over a month in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and three days ago, I entered the Western One-Vehicle Realm to attain Buddhahood. It is simply inconceivable!"

A Sanctuary for the Lost

"In the human world, there exists a Pure Land known as the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Every being in its Western Land of Dharma Nature has been saved by Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, arriving there first to listen to the sutras, hear the Dharma, and receive teachings. For many spirits like myself, once we have listened to the Dharma for a period and developed the sincere vow to be reborn in the West, Practitioner Su leads us into the Western Pure Land during the Thrice Yearning Ceremony. This has been happening at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre for many years. Many spirits who possessed sufficient good roots, blessings, and causal conditions have been delivered by their living family members and friends, successfully entering the Western Pure Land. Even the spirit of my grandfather, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, now resides at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, caring for the fourfold assembly. It is because of this connection that I was able to be led by Practitioner Su into the Western Pure Land. Thank you, Grandfather!

This time, besides myself, Practitioner Su led sixty prison guards from the hell realms—who had shown exceptional progress—and another spirit into the Western Pure Land. When we arrived, we saw Namo Amituofo before us, towering and magnificent, watching us with a gentle smile. We all knelt and kowtowed, filled with such gratitude and joy. The wish I had prayed for so long had finally come true."

The Reality of Namo Amituofo's Presence

"This is truly inconceivable, as are so many things that occur at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Here, the theories I studied in the Buddha-Dharma have become reality. Why do I call them theories? Because they were merely goals—the search for the true self and Buddha-nature that everyone inherently possesses is the purpose for any practitioner seeking to realise their true nature and attain Buddhahood. This is the core emphasis repeated throughout the Buddha-Dharma, as seen in the manifestations of past Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and the return of ancestral masters to save the world. In the Buddha’s gate, we see many acts of saving the world, which are the natural abilities of those who have realised their true nature.

In modern times, we have had the opportunity to be close to many great masters of the Buddha-Dharma, yet no one dared to claim or prove they were truly awakened beings. Now, in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I have witnessed Practitioner Su, who has realised his true nature while practicing in a human body. This is an incredibly rare and magnificent event. It is no wonder that when Practitioner Su presents these phenomena to the public, many people remain sceptical. They are unfamiliar with the spiritual realms; they have never encountered or heard of such things. I was one of them. But after I passed away and shed my illusory body, seeing the bits and pieces of what Practitioner Su does to save beings while in the Land of Dharma Nature, I could not help but offer my praise: this is truly a realised being!"

The Power of a Realised Being

"The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre began as a piece of barren land with a single white house. To see it grow into the several white buildings that stand neatly on this four-hundred-acre property today is truly no small feat. It stands ready to welcome believers from all directions. Because Namo Amituofo resides at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, immeasurable and boundless beings from the spiritual realms have been delivered, yet the human world remains caught between belief and doubt. To those in the world, this might sound like an exaggeration. Namo Amituofo is the teaching master of the Western Pure Land, located ten trillion Buddha-lands away. If one does not arouse the Bodhi mind, single-mindedly recite Namo Amituofo, and at the time of death, sincerely call the name even once or ten times, how could one invite Namo Amituofo to come?

Yet, during my time in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I saw that Namo Amituofo is truly residing at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This is what is seen by spirits; if those with 'open eyes' believe, they too may have the opportunity to see. As for those in human form who can see, besides Practitioner Su, I believe there are many others who are deeply hidden, or perhaps those with 'open eyes' who, upon visiting, would know that what I say is true. It is a pity that I was negligent during my lifetime; I did not come here to investigate, and I did not believe what Practitioner Su said. Fortunately, it was not too late to arrive here after my passing."

A Final Reflection on Grace

"Namo Amituofo is at the temple twenty-four hours a day. The golden light from his body shines continuously upon the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and the Western Land of Dharma Nature, even piercing through space to radiate beyond the heavens. Such brilliance causes the demon crowds to surrender; only a Buddha can subdue them. At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the stories of Practitioner Su subduing demons are heard constantly; it has become a very ordinary occurrence. During Dharma assemblies, one can often see the sky filled with dark clouds as many ancient demons, along with their demon children and grandchildren, come to the temple to seek refuge. The number of demon crowds converted and subdued by the twelve rays of Buddha-light bestowed upon Practitioner Su by Namo Amituofo, and those led by Namo Amituofo into the Western Land of Dharma Nature, is immeasurable.

When Practitioner Su gives lectures, Namo Amituofo stands right behind him, his body emitting magnificent golden light. Everything Practitioner Su says is blessed by Namo Amituofo; he explains the teachings of Namo Amituofo and the teachings of my grandfather, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju. After hearing them in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I felt a deep sense of admiration. These are the words of Practitioner Su, an eighty-year-old practitioner who has studied the Buddha-Dharma for thirty years. Every sentence aligns with the Buddha-Dharma, never departing from it, and from the perspective of a realised being, he points out the problems currently faced by Buddhist practitioners and the human world. The suffering of beings is something Practitioner Su sees with his own eyes and understands clearly in his heart, which is why he spends every second saving sentient beings. His deliverance uses the power of countless manifestations to save many suffering souls. China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Southeast Asia are places his countless manifestations must visit, and the distant Dharma realms and the Milky Way are also places where he delivers demonic beings. The power of the spirit can reach such distant places because of the union of vow and power. Wherever he goes, one can see Namo Amituofo’s Buddha-light guiding beings into the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I have only mentioned a few things I witnessed in the Land of Dharma Nature.

After receiving deliverance from Practitioner Su during several Thrice Yearning Ceremonies in the Land of Dharma Nature, when I was asked if I was willing to be led by him to the Western Pure Land, I was more than willing. In fact, Practitioner Su had been delivering my karmic creditors, parents, and teachers from my past lives for many years—a fact I only learned after entering the Land of Dharma Nature. My heart is filled with immense gratitude. In the Land of Dharma Nature, I could see my own karmic creditors being liberated through the deliverance of the Dharma assembly, which was deeply moving. This is the place where Namo Amituofo resides, providing such care, protection, and salvation to all beings.

Many things are hard to believe unless you see them with your own eyes and hear them with your own ears, especially when one is limited by the environment, education, and learning while in a human body, leading to a limited understanding of universal principles and the righteous path of Truth. When one passes away and the spirit remains, the spirit feels incredibly light. Although the body is a burden, without it, one cannot 'cultivate the true through the false' and recover one's true nature. Thus, Awakening is extremely precious.

I practiced chanting for a lifetime, thinking my skills were strong, but after I passed away, the facts showed that I had not reached the Western Pure Land but had gone to the Celestial Realm. This shows that I had not 'let go' enough; my heart was not clear, and there were still impurities. That is why I could not see the Buddha or be guided by him into the Western Pure Land. I felt truly ashamed, yet I was blessed to be guided by Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su into the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. During my life, I only spoke when necessary and never said more than needed. But here, after observing and experiencing these days with Practitioner Su, I cannot help but join everyone in calling him 'Su Fo'. My heart is filled with the utmost respect for him.

In the Buddha’s gate, those who have realised their true nature are highly respected, and Practitioner Su’s Awakening has been recognised by Namo Amituofo and my grandfather, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju. To many, this is too abstract and inconceivable, so it has not received the attention and respect it deserves. Therefore, while Practitioner Su is capable of saving beings from the six realms and the Dharma realm, the stubborn attachments, slander, and doubts of the human world have caused many to lose their golden opportunity to be saved and reborn in the West. However, this has allowed the spiritual realms to receive blessings, as many beings have been delivered. At the same time, wherever Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body goes to deliver beings is also where Namo Amituofo manifests. Thus, beings can be delivered to the human or heavenly realms, and those who recite the Buddha’s name can be guided by Namo Amituofo into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is truly the supreme grace of the Buddha for all sentient beings! Namo Amituofo."

The nature of space has already been verified by science; it is a scientific reality. Yet, what Practitioner Su does transcends science entirely. I have often heard Practitioner Su say that the Buddha’s teachings are the ultimate 'high technology' and that space is immeasurable and boundless. People can only know of the existence of limited space through scientific verification, but Practitioner Su speaks of the boundless nature of space based on the experience of her Dharma Body. Her Dharma Body can enter every layer of space to save the beings residing within. This may sound inconceivable, but it is a genuine reality. If I were not a spirit who had witnessed this as an awakened being, I would truly not know how to speak of it, as it is something I had never even imagined possible.

The Difficulty of Saving Beings in the Human Realm

It is easy to save beings in the spirit realms, but it is not easy to save those in the human realm. This is a profound insight from Practitioner Su, and as an awakened being, I believe this to be true, for the human realm is filled with rigid attachments and subjective views.

I must also report to you that the state of being free from aging, free from illness, and having a spirit that never dies—all while being able to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss—is something people dream of. I have witnessed this in Practitioner Su. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the great afflictions of the human body. Yet, at the age of eighty, Practitioner Su bears witness to being free from aging and illness. Furthermore, her spirit can freely travel to and from the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, which is why she has the ability to lead deceased spirits into that Western Pure Land. I am one of the beneficiaries of this. Moreover, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre offers spiritual healing to help people remain free from aging and illness, ensuring their spirits do not die, and guiding them as they advance toward the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Reality of the Spirit World

It is a great pity that many people do not believe in the existence of the soul. If one does not believe in the soul, one will lose the opportunity to achieve liberation from birth and death and to escape the sufferings of samsara. The improvement of spiritual quality refers to the improvement of the quality of the soul. The spirit world is often mentioned in the sutras, but it feels unfamiliar in the daily life of the human realm. Under the guidance of Namo Amituofo, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has unveiled many mysteries of the universe and the human body. Through Practitioner Su’s actual practice and verification, we have come to know facts about the spirit world that were previously unknown to people. Only then can we help souls achieve liberation, escape the six realms of rebirth, and enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Witnessing the Infinite Life Sutra

Many practitioners often consider what is said in the sutras, especially the Mahayana sutras, to be an inconceivable realm. Today, Practitioner Su, by believing in, accepting, and practicing the Infinite Life Sutra (The Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra), has attained the magnificent benefits of an awakened being. She is, in effect, a witness who has attained Buddhahood by relying on this very sutra. I feel ashamed, as this sutra is a compilation by Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and I had not personally verified it. I am deeply grateful for Practitioner Su’s achievement of Awakening, which serves as proof that this sutra is indeed a path to attaining Buddhahood.

The Splendour of the Western Pure Land

Because I am already in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I can tell you now that what is written in the sutras is true. They describe the scenery of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, a truly magnificent and beautiful realm. I am currently in the lecture hall where Namo Amituofo gives Dharma talks. The hall is filled with beings from the Western Land, all surrounding Namo Amituofo, with faces full of Dharma joy. Every word of the Buddha’s teaching is like nectar poured over one's head; every single character and sentence contains immeasurable and boundless benefits of the Dharma. Those who hear the teachings feel refreshed and joyful throughout their entire being. It is truly the blessing of the Buddha’s power that allows one to suddenly understand; many of these insights cannot be described with pen and ink.

The surrounding environment is filled with the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers. These birds sing the Holy Name 'Namo Amituofo,' and the fragrance of the flowers is elegant and subtle, making one feel completely at ease. Seven rows of railings, seven layers of netting, and seven rows of trees can be seen everywhere, orbiting all around. Dwellings appear whenever one wishes for them and vanish automatically when they are no longer needed.

A World Without Night

Here, there is constant light; there is only day and no night. It is said that the Buddha-light surpasses the brightness of the sun and the moon. In the human world, day and night together are called a day, but in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, there is no night. One is always in an environment where the body and mind are pure and the surroundings are bright. In the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, there is only tranquility, peace, and joy; there are no worries, pain, or sorrow. This is the beautiful, blissful land that my Buddha, Namo Amituofo, has established for all beings. Here, we communicate heart-to-heart without the need for words, and the speed of transmitting messages through mental notes is extremely fast. Whether we know each other or not, when we see someone approaching, we naturally offer a respectful smile. This is truly a place where all superior beings gather together.

The Western Land is truly a magnificent world, with no suffering and only joy. In this bright and beautiful realm, I am now a member, and I will practice diligently here, learning from my Buddha, Namo Amituofo. The Buddha-name will remain in my heart without interruption. No matter how much time passes, I will practice here until I attain Buddhahood. This is the wish in my heart. I have been in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss for what feels like three days in human time. It feels as though I have only just arrived, and there are still many subtleties of the Western Land that I have not yet described, but my heart is already filled with immense gratitude.

The Miraculous Presence of the Amitabha Hall

I would like to report one thing to you all: during these three days, I have observed the situation at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia from the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. An Amitabha Hall has been built there, and the golden statue of Namo Amituofo stands within it, radiating golden light. This is what can be seen from the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Many practitioners from the spirit realms go to the Amitabha Hall to offer prostrations to Namo Amituofo, and the stream of those offering prostrations is endless. This event is visible in the spirit world, but it is invisible to the physical eyes of humans. If one has awareness, one should be able to feel that the magnetic field emitted by the Amitabha Hall is very different. I have seen that every person offering prostrations has a face full of Dharma joy and a smile of admiration. There is such an Amitabha Hall in the human world, and it is arranged with great dignity and purity. What is seen from the spirit world transcends what is visible to the physical eye. For example, where the Buddha statue is, that is where the golden body of Namo Amituofo resides. While the hall appears to the physical eye as having a roof and walls, in the spirit world, there is no obstruction from roofs or walls. Instead, there are many Dharma protectors orbiting around, existing in different spaces. This is the subtlety of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre—it breaks through the layers of space.

The Gathering of Patriarchs and Venerable Masters

The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre seen in the human world also exists simultaneously in the spiritual space of the Western Land of Dharma Nature. One can see the holy assembly of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and the pure great ocean of beings. Especially during the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies, one can see the patriarchs and venerable masters mentioned in the ceremony. If I were to recite the names of the Western patriarchs and venerable masters being invoked right now, it might shock you all, because it is so inconceivable, yet it is a fact. I will now directly list a few of the patriarchs being invoked, including the first to the thirteenth patriarchs of the Pure Land School: First Patriarch Master Huiyuan, Second Patriarch Master Shandao, Third Patriarch Master Chengyuan, Fourth Patriarch Master Fazhao, Fifth Patriarch Master Shaokang, Sixth Patriarch Master Yongming Yanshou, Seventh Patriarch Master Shengchang, Eighth Patriarch Master Lianchi, Ninth Patriarch Master Ouyi, Tenth Patriarch Master Jieliu, Eleventh Patriarch Master Sheng'an, Twelfth Patriarch Master Chewu, and Thirteenth Patriarch Master Yinguang. Also present are the First Patriarch of the Huayan School, Venerable Dushun, the Third Patriarch, National Master Xianshou, the Fourth Patriarch, Great Master Qingliang, Great Master Zhizhe, Great Master Xuanzang, and modern figures such as Great Master Hongyi, Teacher Practitioner Huang Nianzu, and the Venerable Guangqin. During every Dharma assembly, I see my teacher, Teacher Practitioner Huang Nianzu, participating.

When the names are invoked during the Dharma assembly, the fourfold assembly of disciples offers prostrations to the patriarchs and venerable masters, and the patriarchs and venerable masters return the gesture by pressing their palms together respectfully. I, too, kneel and bow to the patriarchs and venerable masters in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, just like the fourfold assembly of disciples. Surrounding the three sages of the West—Namo Amituofo, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva—and the patriarchs and venerable masters are many Bodhisattvas of the pure great ocean, and the many beings from the spirit realms participating in the Dharma assembly are constantly offering prostrations and kowtowing. During the assembly, the Dharma Body of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su save immeasurable and boundless spirits and demon crowds; it is a magnificent scene that can be witnessed during every Dharma assembly. This is the scene of every Thrice Yearning Ceremony, and I am only describing a portion of it.

A Call to Faith

In the past, I would have thought these were strange phenomena. How many people would believe me if I told them? These scenes could only be seen in the sutras when Shakyamuni Buddha was teaching, yet today they are genuinely visible in the spiritual space of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This is because Namo Amituofo is residing here, and wherever Namo Amituofo is, that is the location of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Therefore, everyone can understand that what I just said about the patriarchs and venerable masters attending the assembly is true. Such spiritual experience is quite unique and real. Those who can believe after hearing this are blessed, for they can know the truth. If you can visit the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, you will surely receive the compassionate blessings of Namo Amituofo, and rebirth in the West will be within reach.

I am a practitioner, and I do not speak falsehoods. Now, as a spirit without a body, I take this opportunity to report my personal experiences to everyone. I have also fulfilled my responsibility as a person who chants the Buddha’s name, allowing everyone to further understand that the Ultimate Vow of Namo Amituofo is already being practiced in reality at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, and immeasurable and boundless beings from the spirit realms have already received the benefits of the Dharma. I hope that the human realm will also have the opportunity to receive these magnificent benefits of the Dharma, and by chanting the Buddha’s name, be led by Namo Amituofo or guided by Practitioner Su to enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Once again, I am grateful to Namo Amituofo, grateful to Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, grateful to Practitioner Su, and grateful to all the fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

Namo Amituofo

Spoken by Xia Fasheng