The Path to Rebirth in the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Changren, who shares his profound insights on the path to rebirth in the Western Pure Land. He reflects on the nature of samsara and the urgency of seizing the opportunity for deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. This interview was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on September 3, 2018.

Venerable Changren speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I, Changren, have witnessed the light of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss shining down upon us 24/7. It is a constant, radiant presence. I see the lotus flowers blooming and transforming, and I see beings whose Causal Conditions have finally matured, allowing them to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a truly magnificent temple, and we must cherish everything we have here. To be able to guide others to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss—think about it—this is the dream of countless beings! It is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity. Since you have encountered it, you must not let it slip through your fingers."

The Exhaustion of the Endless Cycle

"Think of the countless lives we have spent wandering through the cycle of reincarnation. How many places have we drifted through? We have been trapped in the hells, suffered as hungry ghosts, struggled as animals, and crawled as insects. We have even been lost in the vast, empty spaces between realms. As I look back on these experiences, I ask you: do you realise how exhausted your heart must be? Yet, even when we encounter this light, we often forget how weary we are. We continue to cling to these unreal, fleeting things of the world. It is truly a tragedy to finally encounter the light after such a long, dark journey, only to turn away from it."

Waking from the Dream of Samsara

"There is no one who can light the way out of samsara for you. The only hands that can open the door to your liberation are your own. We have all, in our own way, locked ourselves into this dream-like state of reincarnation. We have not yet learned how to truly depart from it. Life after life, we simply repeat the same patterns, over and over again. We continue until our very souls are panicked by the dream, and we leave deep, painful imprints upon our consciousness. These imprints are carried over from one life to the next, manifesting in our relationships, our personalities, and our temperaments. These are all just remnants of the dream of samsara.

Is it really worth paying such a heavy price for these worldly things? I, too, have paid a heavy price for these attachments in the past. If only everyone could wake up and understand this clearly, we could all walk a little less of this painful, winding road of samsara. Most of our journey in samsara is just walking down the wrong path. You must understand what is truly important: pursuing the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. That is the only real, meaningful decision you can make. I am waiting for every single person who wishes to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. As long as you truly set your heart and mind upon it, I will help you move forward, or at the very least, I will help remove some of the obstacles in your path."

The Final Choice: Returning Home

"Life is but a dream, and this very lifetime is the most critical moment to break free from it. You must grasp this opportunity firmly. So much suffering can be resolved right here and now. There is no problem that cannot be resolved; there is only the self that refuses to let go. Everyone must set their heart and mind to this—set your heart for the sake of all beings, and set your heart for your own sake. Find the path back to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Amituofo."