The Liberation of Lay Practitioner Ou Jiebing

This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Ou Jiebing, who sought Chao Du 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 life and her transition to the Western Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on September 9, 2023.

Lay Practitioner Ou Jiebing speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Today, I have dressed in my most dignified attire to meet Namo Amituofo. I am profoundly grateful to Practitioner Su for enabling me to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I kneel and bow repeatedly; every single kowtow is a testament to the depth of my gratitude.

My heart has carried such immense suffering, a burden that no one could truly understand. For so long, a torrent of negative thoughts left my mind in complete disarray. There were several occasions when a voice urged me to take a knife and end my own life. I came so close to listening to that voice, but then it would vanish as quickly as it appeared. I lived in a state of constant confusion, never knowing what I was doing, and life was an exhausting, painful struggle."

Reflections on a Life of Attachment

"As I sat upon my lotus seat, I found myself reflecting on my existence. I wondered, if I could live my life over again, how would I choose to spend it? I would absolutely never choose to marry and subject myself to such agony. I would never again desire to possess or cling to anything. I would simply want to be alone, living a pure life, chanting Namo Amituofo—even becoming a monastic would have been a blessing.

When I looked back at my past lives, I realised that I had created immense negative karma for the sake of emotional attachments. I have been repaying these debts for many lifetimes, and even in this most recent life, I was still paying the price. All those whom I had harmed in the past were there, seeking revenge. They were inside my head, behind my eyes, and throughout my entire chest and heart—in truth, they were everywhere in my body, these karmic creditors demanding what was owed to them. I had never known that I owed so much to others. When I saw the truth of it in the Dharma-Nature Land, I was absolutely terrified. Even though they could not see where I was, I knelt and begged them continuously to forgive me. I truly deserved to die for my sins; there is no denying that."

The Power of Deliverance

"The Chao Du Dharma assembly here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is truly extraordinary. The moment my name was called, I saw all of my karmic creditors appear; they were searching for me. At first, I was gripped by fear. But then, I witnessed many of them being received by the Buddha-light, which helped them to let go of their resentment and their suffering. When I saw that scene, my heart was filled with such gratitude—it was a profound, overwhelming sense of thankfulness.

Everything in this world is illusory, yet I was foolish enough to believe it was all real. My life has now come to an end, and what I have left behind for my family is a legacy of unforgettable pain. I am so deeply sorry for the hurt I caused them."

A Final Liberation

"I want to thank my child for arranging this deliverance for me. It was only through this that I was able to escape from that painful space I was trapped in, follow the Buddha-light to Practitioner Su, and finally have the opportunity to reach the Western Pure Land. I am so happy to be truly liberated. It has been such a long time since I have been able to smile like this. I am so joyful, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

I, Jiebing, kneel and bow once more. I am grateful to Namo Amituofo, grateful to Practitioner Su, and grateful to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia.

Ou Jiebing bows in reverence."