The Sacred Necessity of Chao Du

This interview was recorded at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. It features Practitioner Su, who has dedicated her life to the Pure Land Dharma Gate, discussing the profound significance of Chao Du and the compassionate mission of guiding spirits to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Practitioner Su speaks:

"Chao Du is the act of helping the deceased escape the six realms of rebirth, liberating them from the cycle of suffering, and guiding them directly to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is a vital act of compassion for those who have left this world.

When a person passes away, their spirit enters the intermediate state. If they have not yet attained the merit to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, their spirit will be carried by the weight of their own karma and the thoughts they held at the moment of death. They will go to wherever their karmic conditions dictate, continuing to cycle through the realms of existence to receive the fruits of their past actions.

The Perilous Journey of the Departed

Where exactly will they go in their next life? If they accumulated more evil than good during their time on earth, they will most likely fall into the three lower realms. If they performed more good than evil, they might be reborn into a more fortunate realm. Alternatively, they may be drawn by their own deep-seated attachments and intense consciousness into the specific spaces they were fixated upon. The universe is filled with infinite, boundless spaces, and sentient beings are all destinations for these wandering spirits.

The spirits of our departed loved ones are like fine grains of sand scattered in the vast ocean. If they are not helped through the process of Chao Du to find their way out, we have no way of knowing where they are, and they remain trapped in the cycle of rebirth, suffering continuously. It is a heavy burden for the living to bear, knowing their ancestors are lost in the darkness of samsara.

The Compassionate Mission of Practitioner Su

Our Buddha is filled with infinite compassion. As the Universal Buddha, He knows exactly where every suffering spirit is trapped within the cycle of rebirth. Under the great heart and the ultimate vow of Practitioner Su, we are able to save the beings who are sinking in the realms of the dead and the living. When family members in the human world sincerely initiate the process of Chao Du for their departed loved ones, they are creating immense merit. Through the power of this merit, we can help the deceased dissolve their karma and cultivate blessings, allowing Practitioner Su to use her Dharma Body to guide them to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This allows them to finally be liberated from the cycle of rebirth, no longer suffering through lifetimes dictated by karmic force.

Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has spent thirty years in the dedicated practice of the Pure Land Dharma Gate. She has been sincere and diligent, relying solely on the holy name of Namo Amituofo and focusing exclusively on the Infinite Life Sutra. With no other distractions in her heart, she has finally realised her true nature. Although she appears in the world as a lay practitioner, her heart is truly like that of a Buddha; the Buddha is her heart. With her profound good roots from past lives and having passed through numerous trials, the conditions have matured. Her Dharma Body has appeared in the world, and her five eyes have become clear. She feels deep compassion for all suffering, wondering when the cycle of rebirth will ever end. Moved by her vow, the spaces of the universe have opened. She first opened the twenty-eight levels of heaven and the ten halls of hell, and subsequently, her Dharma Body began the work of delivering the spirits of the entire Milky Way to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

A Gateway to the Western Pure Land

Although we live in the human world and the Pure Land Dharma Gate is widely known, and the name of Namo Amituofo is spread throughout the world, the original meaning has largely been lost. How many people truly understand the great vow of Namo Amituofo? In this world, one must believe in the Buddha and believe in oneself, vow to go to the West, and practise the chanting of the Buddha's name with diligence. Only then can one eventually reach the West, leave suffering behind, and ultimately become a Buddha. However, the reality is that while many people chant the name of the Buddha with their mouths, their hearts are not with the Buddha. Their worldly attachments remain, and their old habits persist. Thus, the vow of Namo Amituofo remains a distant hope, and those who successfully achieve rebirth in the West are rare.

Practitioner Su, with her clear insight, has made a great vow to save all beings, both living and dead, who are sinking in the cycle of suffering. When family members in the human world initiate the process to save a departed spirit, Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body can locate them anywhere in the Dharma Realm. Even if a spirit has fallen into the deepest hells, the Buddha-light of her Dharma Body will reach out to guide them out of that prison. Even if they have entered the animal realm, her Dharma Body will find them and lead them to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. There, they can shed their animal forms, and their chaotic spirits can regain their original human-like form, entering the Western Dharma-Nature Land at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

The Rare Opportunity of Our Time

This Western Dharma-Nature Land is a manifestation of Practitioner Su’s vow. It serves as a Western Pure Land within the human world. Spirits residing here are free from the sufferings of the six realms. They possess only a pure heart, listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma. Amidst the Dharma sounds of Practitioner Su, they come to recognise Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. They chant the name of Namo Amituofo together, and the lotus of the West naturally blooms for them.

After forty-nine days in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, those who sincerely vow to be reborn in the West are guided by the Dharma Body of Practitioner Su during the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies. They are then able to chant the name of Namo Amituofo and enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. We often interview these spirits, and the content of these interviews is incredibly precious to their families and those who have performed the Chao Du. Through the power of her awakened Dharma Body, Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre guides these spirits from the Western Dharma-Nature Land into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

This is truly a magnificent and rare event, something that has never been heard of from ancient times until now. Today, the Buddha has appeared in the world, manifesting extraordinary power and performing the actual work of saving the world and guiding sentient beings to the West. This is not an encounter one finds easily; please cherish it with all your heart! I hope all those who have the karmic affinity will draw close to the good Dharma and the true spiritual friend at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Practitioner Su, who is one with Namo Amituofo, is here with us all. The power of the Buddha is boundless, and the Buddha’s vows are infinite. Let us all walk together toward the West."

Namo Amituofo.