The Magnificence of the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Mencius, who sought Spiritual 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 perspective on the Pure Land and his journey from the celestial realms. It was recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on April 8, 2025.

Mencius speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Mencius, also known as Meng Ke. Because I am known to future generations by the name Mencius, I shall refer to myself as such here. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su, whose Pure Land practice enabled my spirit—which had been residing in the twenty-eighth heaven—to be led into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Approximately ten years ago, my spirit first arrived at the Hsiang Kuang chamber, and from there, I entered the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

This event is truly extraordinary. As a representative of the Confucian school, I found it remarkable that Practitioner Su, even then, possessed the ability to guide spirits into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Later, because Namo Amituofo abides there, the Hsiang Kuang chamber was renamed the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This represents a profound fusion of Confucianism and the Buddha’s teachings. Yet, the Buddha’s teachings transcend Confucianism. Even after entering the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I continue to learn, striving to elevate the quality of my spirit. One must reach a state where there is not a single trace of pollution, where there is a complete absence of self, and where the heavens, the earth, and I are one—where the entire Dharma Realm and the empty space of the universe are one with me. Such a heart is vast and boundless. Most importantly, one must possess the vow to save all beings. After attaining Buddhahood, one must widely deliver beings into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, walking the path of Bodhi to eventually reap the fruit of Bodhi."

The Fusion of Confucianism and Buddhism

"In the Buddha’s gate, there is a saying: 'Chanting the Buddha’s name is the cause; attaining Buddhahood is the fruit.' This is the magnificence of the Buddha’s teachings. Confucian learning involves recitation and memorisation, but it does not necessarily emphasise the need to fully comprehend the underlying meaning. In my time, the environment was dominated by classical Chinese, whereas today, learning is largely conducted in vernacular Chinese, which is a more direct way to express one's meaning.

Today, Namo Amituofo has given me this topic: 'Mencius Discusses the Magnificence of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.' This topic is deeply significant, as it signifies the unity of Buddhism and Confucianism. The thoughts and education of Confucianism are largely focused on the world. While the concept of heaven and earth exists, there is little mention of what lies beyond them. The Buddha’s teachings, however, transcend heaven and earth; the entire Dharma Realm and empty space are encompassed within the Buddha-heart.

The vastness of the Buddha’s teachings is captured in the phrase: 'If the Buddha’s teachings are not explained by someone, even the wise cannot understand them.' This is indeed true! My learning in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss involves listening to the Dharma before the Buddha, which makes it very easy to integrate and master the principles of Confucianism. In truth, the two are one. It is only because of the compartmentalised way we learn in the world that distinctions such as Confucianism, Taoism, or Buddhism appear. In reality, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism are one. This perspective is the only way to truly open one's heart and attain infinite Prajna wisdom."

Beyond the Boundaries of the Six Realms

"Confucian education remains a guiding light for many scholars today, and this is necessary. It is not a matter of which school is better or whether there is a hierarchy; it is simply that due to different causal conditions, the names of the teachings differ. In reality, all of this is covered within the Buddha’s teachings and Buddhist education.

When I say this, many Confucian scholars who study the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius might ask: 'As a representative of Confucianism, why do you mention the Buddha’s teachings?' My answer is: because this provides an opportunity to help Confucianism elevate to a higher level! In truth, there are no boundaries. Where does the heart have limits? Limits exist only in the discriminatory mind of man. Therefore, I share my personal experience here. After all, no matter how deeply one studies Confucianism, even those like Confucius and myself could only reach the twenty-eighth heaven. We could not transcend the six realms of rebirth. Even at the highest level of the heavenly realms, one cannot enter the Four Sacred Realms or join the ranks of the sages in the spiritual realms.

Why is this so? It is because in Confucianism, there is still a 'self.' It is a self filled with compassion and wisdom, and one that has been minimised to the extreme, but it is still a self: my family, my household, my country, my views, my ideals. Because of this, one cannot escape the cycle of rebirth. The Buddha’s teachings, however, are selfless; therefore, they have no boundaries and encompass all things. I hope the public can accept this perspective, for it is the truth."

A World of Infinite Light and Life

"The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss where I reside is truly magnificent. Ten years may seem like a long time in the human world, but in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, life is lived without any pressure. Whether one is diligent or not has no bearing on others. It depends entirely on one’s own vow and learning situation. Some are diligent, some are slow—both are fine; it all depends on the heart. Some have achieved success in chanting the Buddha’s name, while others chant with a scattered mind. These beings reside in different spaces within the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, according to their natural abilities and spiritual states. The space in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is boundless, just as the Western Dharma-Nature Land has infinite capacity. This is the mystery of Dharma-nature. If one knows how to use it, one can utilise it to the fullest to quickly achieve one's own success and the goal of saving all beings. If one does not know how to use it, one simply elevates step by step.

In the human world, when gathering at a bodhimanda, one can use the experiences or shortcomings of others as a mirror for one's own learning. One must be vigilant against the shortcomings of others. If someone performs excellently, one should learn from them to grow oneself. One must never harbour negative thoughts or behaviours. If negative thoughts or behaviours arise, one can make adjustments to one's character and conduct. At this point, it is helpful for the growth of the learner, the one being taught."

The Grace of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su

"The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is vast, and the air is filled with the fragrance of lotus flowers and gentle, virtuous scents. These fragrances permeate every corner of the Western Land, and each scent is unique. One can smell them around Practitioner Su and wherever he passes.

The magnificence of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss lies in the Forty-eight Great Vows of Namo Amituofo, all of which have been realised in the West. Under the blessings of Namo Amituofo, the environment can undergo infinite changes. One thinks of food, and food appears; one thinks of clothing, and clothing appears. There is no suffering of aging, sickness, or death, unlike in the human world, where people rush about to earn money for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, and eventually must endure the pain of sickness and the suffering of death.

The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is a world of Infinite Life and Infinite Light. Practicing in such an environment means there is no end to one's lifespan. One does not need to worry about practice being interrupted by death; one can learn with peace of mind. This is a comforting thought. This is the magnificence of the Great Dharma, which can only be attained through the blessings of the Buddha.

The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is a world where everything is fulfilled according to one's heart. There is no 'knowledge-based' process—there is no need to figure out how to do something. You simply think of it, and it happens. This is the world many dream of; it is indeed so natural, beautiful, and blissful. This 'ultimate' bliss is what we call Ultimate Bliss. It is the great compassion of my Buddha, Namo Amituofo, who knows the suffering of beings and thus used the Forty-eight Great Vows as a blueprint to build this world, accepting beings from the boundless ten directions of empty space. As long as you chant my name, keep your mind from being confused at the time of death, can generate the Bodhi mind, and chant the name with a single heart, you can be reborn in the West and be led by Namo Amituofo to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

The Reality of Cause and Effect

"I did not go through this process. When I was alive, I could not hear the Buddha’s teachings. Confucianism was the direction that teachers and scholars studied, read, and discussed together. The Buddha’s teachings were introduced to China later. Therefore, when I passed away and let go of this body, my spirit ascended directly to the twenty-eighth heaven. This was a very natural state of death. Confucianism does not avoid death. Since one is integrated with nature, birth, aging, sickness, and death are seen as common occurrences. This is different from the Buddha’s teachings, where one can avoid aging and sickness, where the spirit does not die, and one is reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. In Confucianism, one can cultivate one's character and elevate the quality of one's spirit.

In the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have realised that Confucianism is a study for the world; for many ancients, it was the reliance of a lifetime for the cultivation and refinement of the spirit. Modern people, however, face limitations due to the gap between classical and vernacular Chinese, which limits the number of people who can understand it, or requires education and study to grasp the principles of classical Chinese, causing many to shy away. This is a pity! After all, there is still much wisdom from our ancestors contained within it. However, no matter what wisdom it is, since I arrived in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have realised that it is not yet ultimate or thorough. No matter how much the spirit is cultivated, it only reaches the highest level of the heavenly realms.

There are heavens beyond heavens! The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is said in the sutras to be beyond ten trillion Buddha-lands. Yet today, because of Practitioner Su’s practice and Awakening, and his subsequent efforts to save the world and deliver beings—taking on the suffering of beings on their behalf—he was able to invite Namo Amituofo to descend from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to reside at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This is unprecedented and unheard of. It is only those who have achieved success in their practice who possess the ability to invite Namo Amituofo to descend and reside at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Because of this magnificent causal condition, we celestial beings in the heavenly realms have received this magnificent grace and have been led by Practitioner Su to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. If not for Practitioner Su’s practice in the world and Namo Amituofo’s presence among us, I would still be in the twenty-eighth heaven. This chain of cause and effect is interconnected, and one can see that there must have been magnificent Dharma affinities established in the past—what the Buddha’s teachings call past lives—that gave me the opportunity to enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

A Call to Awakening

"Today, I can observe my past, present, and future. This is an ability gained by beings of the Western Land through the blessings of Namo Amituofo, known as the 'knowledge of past lives.' I, too, was once a being of the Western Land! I saw that the conditions were ripe in the human world, so I descended. In the human world, within the environment of Confucianism at that time, I achieved success in my practice, providing a reliance for the body, heart, and spirit of future generations. This, too, was a matter of affinity. Although I did not live in the same dynasty as my teacher Confucius, nor did I become his colleague, I was influenced by Confucian thought in the later years, which led to the emergence of Mencian thought. All of this occurred within causal conditions. Worldly laws cannot be separated from the laws of cause and effect, and it is difficult to escape the cycle of rebirth.

The Buddha’s teachings are about transcending causal conditions. The Buddha’s teachings also speak of causal conditions, but Dharma affinity is more than just causal conditions; it is not limited to the present life, but is a Western affinity established over many past lives, which matured in this life to allow entry into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The magnificence of the West has been passed down by many Venerables and masters in the sutras or in the Pure Land. I, Mencius, am truly not in a position to 'show off' here, but since Namo Amituofo has said that I may speak of the magnificence and dignity of the West at this time, I have briefly described a little.

I can further add that my entry into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss brought me to the Upper Grade of the Land where Sages and Ordinary Beings Dwell Together; this is the Western land reached by Mencius, the representative of Confucianism. This means there is still an opportunity for the spirit to be further purified and elevated. As everyone knows, above this in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss are the Land of Convenience with Residue, the Land of Real Reward, and the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light. The Land of Eternally Quiescent Light is the place where one has already become a Buddha, a realm of pure light."

The Technology of Technologies

"According to the minds of beings, one responds to the measure of their knowledge. This means that whatever form a being needs to be saved, one manifests that form to save them. For example, in the world, the Teaching Master of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, Namo Amituofo, has many different images—perhaps statues, paintings, carvings, stone images, or jade carvings. These are all related to the causal conditions of the sculptor, the painter, or the carver. Although the images of Namo Amituofo may differ, what is important for practitioners of the Forty-eight Great Vows of Namo Amituofo is that they can all be called Namo Amituofo. In this sense, Practitioner Su is one of them.

At this time, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre shoulders an important responsibility: those who come to seek the Dharma and draw near, in addition to being able to pay homage to the Buddha, prostrate, and recite the Sutras before the Buddha, can receive immense and magnificent blessings from the Buddha, and also have the opportunity to enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a wish that many have dreamed of for aeons, and now, having encountered the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and Namo Amituofo in this life, they have the opportunity to fulfil that wish.

I, Mencius, can see the situation in the human world at any time from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. In the West, in the spaces between trees, or when looking up, one can see whatever scene one wishes to see through the gaps in the trees. This situation is a natural scene flowing from the true nature of Namo Amituofo, and it is also one of the magnificent aspects. Furthermore, one can hear heavenly music everywhere in the West. This heavenly music is a joyful sound scattered throughout the space of the West; it is truly pleasant to the ear! It cannot be compared to any musical instrument or chanting in the human world, making the listener naturally feel joy and peace, with no unwholesome thoughts, only goodness and satisfaction. Such a wonderful place, now accessible through seeking Spiritual Deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, or by respectfully reciting the Holy Name of Amituofo, or by being led by Practitioner Su into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss—this is truly a rare opportunity in millions of years! I am one of the lucky ones, and there are countless others who have entered the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss in this way, each arriving at their respective place in the four lands and three grades according to the quality of their spirit.

In the blissful environment, amidst Infinite Light and Infinite Life, one can practice and learn freely, and can instantly reach other Buddha-lands. To elevate the quality of one's spirit, one needs to make offerings to all Buddhas and cultivate both merit and wisdom. This is the universal principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is the same! The fastest way to achieve merit and wisdom is to make offerings to all Buddhas. Offerings of fragrant flowers, fragrant clothing, banners, precious canopies, and pleasant sounds—all these appear as soon as you think of them. To which Buddha-land do the beings of the West wish to go to make offerings, and what do they wish to offer? You only need to think of it, and it is there. This is manifested by the great compassion and vow of Namo Amituofo, achieved through the power of his vows."

The Path to True Liberation

"Therefore, the beings of the West live in a world protected by Namo Amituofo and filled with happiness. Such a world is very different from the defiled world of the Saha world. In the Saha world, the seven emotions and five desires are full, and one cannot escape joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, birth, aging, sickness, and death. The heart is constantly fluctuating, rising and falling, sometimes suffering, sometimes happy, sometimes joyful, sometimes worried, sometimes sad. Such a world is called a defiled land. The heart is not settled, and often, because of this, one creates negative causes. After death, the spirit is polluted, heavy, and even filled with darkness, naturally falling into the three evil paths. The three evil paths include the hungry ghost realm, commonly known as the ghost realm, or the animal realm, falling into the category of dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, fish, shrimp, marine life, and earthly creatures. Or one may go to the hells to suffer extreme punishment. This is the truth.

These teachings cannot be learned in school, nor can they be heard. Many young students have no concept of cause and effect in this regard, and they act as they please, thus creating many things that harm themselves and others. If they had first received education on the cause and effect of the Buddha’s teachings, people could often restrain their own thoughts and behaviours, thereby weakening, or even preventing and avoiding, the bitter fruits that the spirit would suffer later. This is the truth.

Today’s education is mostly for the sake of living, for academic qualifications and work, which makes people’s learning grow in competition or comparison. If a student has no interference, sufficient self-restraint, and good learning ability, they can have good academic qualifications. In fact, the imperial examination system only appeared later, but the study of the scholar-official has always existed in the dynasties of China. This is because China was founded on agriculture, and the classification of scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant expresses that the country is composed of people from all walks of life, with the scholar at the head. Confucianism educates everyone with the concept of respect and equality. My teacher, Confucius, proposed the concept of 'education without discrimination,' overturning the idea that education was the right of the nobility and powerful families, allowing the descendants of many ordinary families to receive education. I, Mencius, still follow the teachings of my teacher and pass them on to future scholars. It is necessary.

The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is an equal world, completely guided by the heart, and according to the degree of purity of the spirit, one is naturally reborn into the four lands and three grades. It is very scientific. What is called the technology of technologies can be seen to the fullest in the West. Is it so easy to achieve in the world? In the world, if you do not put in physical strength, spirit, and time, or if you do not have the merit and wisdom cultivated in the past, can you get what you want just by thinking about it? No. But in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, it happens as soon as you think of it. Such a world is truly something people yearn for. Why can such a world exist? It flows from the true nature of Namo Amituofo; this is the technology of technologies. That the cultivation and purification of the spirit can reach such a state is truly amazing!"

The Inconceivable Merit of the Holy Name

"Of course, I, Mencius, have arrived here, and with this as my direction, I am diligently learning before the Buddha. There is no fixed Dharma; the Buddha speaks with one voice, and all beings understand according to their kind. This situation is naturally so in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss; there is no need for any translation ability. The Buddha speaks the Dharma, and it is transformed into the sutras they wish to hear, according to what each person wishes to learn in their heart. No matter which country they come from, what language they use, or which space or Dharma Realm they come from, it is the same. It is an equal world; there is no difference in learning based on where one comes from. That does not exist. Rather, it depends on the degree of purification of one's own spirit; what one can accept depends on that. This, too, is the technology of technologies!

The magnificence and dignity of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss are all the grace of Namo Amituofo. In addition to bringing such a happy world to the beings of the West, every being of the West is an Avaivartika Bodhisattva, a non-retrogression Bodhisattva. That is truly wonderful! Even if one does not make further progress, one can remain at the original level and will not regress. But in the Saha world, which is the Earth where you are now, no matter where you are, which country you are in, whether you are learning the Buddha’s teachings, any knowledge, scholarship, or Buddha’s teachings, Taoist teachings, or Confucianism, you often encounter bottlenecks that you cannot break through, and you cannot move forward, resulting in regression. This is called retrogression.

If, after death, can one still be a human in the next life? This depends on whether one has cultivated the five precepts and ten virtues. This is a universal principle, the Truth, and the Right Way; it does not require any coercion; it is naturally so. These things must be told to the public through education, so that the public can understand and manage their own mental fluctuations, and can cultivate their character. The important thing about the way of health is to maintain the spirit without regression, and the body without regression, which means no aging and no sickness. Once you regress, life comes to an end. In the next life, first, can you be a human? Second, can you hear the Buddha’s teachings? Third, can you encounter the Pure Land? It is too difficult to meet Amituofo in this life! Such an opportunity is too small!

Therefore, I, Mencius, am very happy to tell the public about my experiences and personal encounters. Perhaps the listeners will think, 'What is this all about?' Mencius is a sage from two thousand five or six hundred years ago; how could he appear at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to be interviewed? At this time, I am in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has the ability to break through space and communicate spiritually with the sages and beings of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is also a natural phenomenon in nature; it is not controlled by any external force, but one has this ability at any time.

Those who have had such magnificent Dharma affinities in past lives, and whose spirits have been purified in this life, have the opportunity to receive messages from Namo Amituofo and messages from the beings of the West. I am one of the beings of the West, or one could call me a sage of the West. Being able to accept their messages and turn them into words to pass on is a very inconceivable thing. Although it is difficult for the listeners to believe, please do not slander it. Those who slander the true meaning will go to hell. This is a true thing, but because they have never heard of it or seen it, they think it is strange or absurd, and that is far from the truth! In fact, they are the biggest victims.

The benefit that this true meaning brings to the public is that they can come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to hear the Dharma, listen to the Dharma, and accept the meaning of the Dharma, thus having the opportunity for spiritual purification, removing the interference of the body, heart, and spirit, purifying and purifying again, so that the spirit can accept Spiritual Deliverance and have the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Being able to chant the Holy Name 'Namo Amituofo' has inconceivable and magnificent merit. The magnificent merit of Namo Amituofo is all in the Buddha’s name. The Holy Name of Namo Amituofo is not only known on Earth, but pervades the entire Dharma Realm and empty space. Beings in the lands of Buddhas who have once promoted the Western Pure Land all understand it and have the opportunity to chant the Holy Name 'Namo Amituofo.' Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, chanting it continuously, one by one, will inevitably be of great help to the purification of the body, heart, and spirit, and will inevitably lead to visible progress in cultivating precepts, meditative concentration, and wisdom. Importantly, when wisdom is revealed and Prajna wisdom is seen, that is the time of seeing one's true nature.

I, Mencius, have not yet seen my true nature! If one sees one's true nature, enters the Land of Real Reward, and after the forty-one levels, breaks the last bit of ignorance, one enters the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light. That is the attainment of Buddhahood; that is complete clarity, becoming a Buddha! Practitioner Su is like this; when he returns to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, he enters the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light. This is the achievement he deserves, the achievement he gained from his dedication to beings in the world. The beings of the West are very respectful of the price Practitioner Su paid in the world to save beings, taking on the suffering of beings with his body.

Especially in delivering the demon crowds, Practitioner Su takes the pain into his heart, in order to save the demons, purify the world of Earth, and purify the Dharma Realm, the Milky Way, the Earth, the heavens beyond heavens, the demonic beings, and the alien demon realms.

These things, even my teacher Confucius and many beings of the West, can know and understand at any time in the West. Therefore, everyone who wants to know can know, and can say it when interviewed. This also shows that the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is a world of technology of technologies.

Everyone feels that there is a gap in the spiritual world. After all, there is a body in the world, and one cannot see or touch the spirit. The physical eyes cannot see it, so one thinks it does not exist. In fact, the spirit is the true life, and the body is just a shell. Because of the laws of karma and cause and effect, one has the opportunity to get a human body in this life and the opportunity to survive in the world, and many relationships are established. This is all the cycle of rebirth.

In the purification of practice, if one can break free from the shackles of worldly relationships, truly 'see through' and 'let go,' one can have long-term progress and see one's true nature. Only then, by returning to save family members, relatives, and beings with karmic affinity, can one give them the opportunity to be saved! Otherwise, if one is deeply trapped in the cycle of rebirth, how can one have the ability to save beings? Not only do they have no ability to save beings, but they are instead led away by beings. They forget the Holy Name of Amituofo, forget the vow to chant the Buddha’s name and be reborn in the West, and fall into the six realms of rebirth. Too many Pure Land practitioners are like this!

I, Mencius, take this opportunity to express my personal experiences and thoughts. I hope that the listeners can gain something, which is my greatest comfort.

Gratitude to Namo Amituofo, gratitude to Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, gratitude to Practitioner Su,

Gratitude to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

Namo Amituofo."