The Truth of Life and Death: A Message from the Beyond

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Venerable Master Chin Kung, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his transition from the human world, which occurred in July 2022. Recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on August 15, 2022.

Venerable Master Chin Kung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. This topic, 'The Difference Between Life and Death,' was a prompt given to me by Namo Amituofo. Is it not profound? Namo Amituofo is truly magnificent! If I were not already a being who has passed through the veil of death, how could I possibly explain this clearly? Everything I knew before was based on what I had seen or read in written records. Now that I am no longer in the human world, I am speaking from direct, personal experience. This is a truly precious opportunity! If it were not for this environment, for the presence of such talented practitioners, and for this rare chance to share these truths, would my situation not be the same as most people? Would I not have simply experienced the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death, silently enduring the process of passing away?

The Illusion of Fear and the Reality of the Final Moment

In the past, people have always been terrified of death, yet simultaneously deeply curious about it. Whenever they found documents related to death, some would collect and study them. But studying is one thing; the actual reality is vastly different. Because everyone’s experiences and the deeds they performed during their lives differ, the karmic retribution they receive after death varies, as do the circumstances of their passing and their ultimate destinations. At the very moment I faced death, I actually knew what was happening in my heart.

I have spoken so much about death and read so many books on the subject. To be honest, I was not afraid of death. If a practitioner of the Pure Land school fears death, it is truly a pity! To practise the Pure Land path, one must not fear death; only then can one chant the Buddha-name effectively. If you fear death, you might still chant well because the 'fear' drives you to hold onto the Buddha-name even tighter—that is not necessarily bad. But if you do not fear death and instead have a single-minded desire to go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, that vow is far stronger than any fear. Don't you agree?

The Critical Gap in Consciousness

Although I did not fear death and my vow was always to go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss to find Namo Amituofo, I did not achieve my wish. Alas, my status and role were different from those of an ordinary person. To put it plainly, in the final days of my life, I made a wrong decision. The karmic retribution for this was too deep and too heavy. It prevented everyone from having the opportunity to come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to find Namo Amituofo. This sin was too grave. Therefore, when I closed my eyes and my breath ceased, although I was still chanting the Buddha-name, there was a split second where my thoughts suddenly went blank. My chanting was interrupted. That single moment of emptiness was the instant my spirit was pulled into the hells to suffer.

I finally understand now why I had heard of so many great masters who chanted the Buddha-name diligently, yet ended up in the hells after death. I used to wonder: 'How can someone who chants the Buddha-name end up in hell?' Now I see the truth. Because their karma was too heavy, at that most critical, split-second juncture, their minds went blank. In that moment, their spirits were seized! It is the crucial instant between life and death—the moment that decides between the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and the hells. At that most vital, decisive moment, if your spirit is carried away, it is no longer something you can control simply by having chanted well in the past. Perhaps this is the Universal Principle? It is not that the Buddha does not come to receive you; it is that you yourself lost the Buddha-name in that critical moment. How then could you reach the Western Land?

The Unspeakable Suffering of the Hells

As for what happened afterward—going to the hells—oh, it was truly too tragic to behold! Please allow this old monk to refrain from describing it in detail here. Alas, the suffering of the hells is truly beyond words. Even if you used the most painful, heart-wrenching, and bone-chilling language in the world, it would be difficult to describe it clearly. Therefore, I advise all people in the world: do not test the laws of karma. Do not harbor even the slightest shred of wishful thinking. The laws of karma and cause and effect are never empty. Even if thousands or millions of eons pass, they remain true. 'Even after a hundred or a thousand eons, the karma created is not empty.' This is an absolute truth. I did not have to wait a hundred or a thousand eons; I received my retribution immediately after death, and I know how heavy this sin is! Of course, it was this spirit that went to the hells; at that point, it had nothing to do with the physical body anymore.

Any great achievements you made during your life—benefiting the masses, sacrificing yourself for others, being selfless—remain in the world. What you take with you is the karmic fruit brought about by these actions. Karma includes good karma, evil karma, and neutral karma. Those who study the Pure Land path know there is also 'Pure Karma'—the 'pure' of purity. Pure Karma can help you reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Was my entire life not lived for the sake of reaching the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss? I also hoped to lead many beings to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. However, having the heart and the vow is not enough if you do not actually achieve it. That vow becomes an empty vow. It sounds nice, but if you do not achieve it, what use is it?

The Accountability of Cause and Effect

Everything you do during your life is accounted for, one by one, after death. Good deeds naturally bring good rewards, and evil deeds cannot be escaped. Alas! This is the law of cause and effect. In Buddhism, especially in China, there are many folk stories passed down about this. However, to people today, many treat these as superstition. If you treat them as superstition, you will take cause and effect lightly and pay no attention to it. If you do not pay attention, you certainly will not believe in it. Only by believing and acting accordingly can you avoid the retribution of creating negative causes and reaping evil consequences. If you treat it as superstition, you will surely create many negative causes unknowingly, and one day, you will receive the evil consequences. When that time comes and you are suffering—if your retribution is in the hells—you will cry out to the heavens and the earth, but no one will hear you!

Furthermore, when receiving retribution in the hells, you might not even have the time to cry out. Even I, who chanted the Buddha-name, could not even complete the six-character name 'Na-mo-A-mi-tuo-fo' before the next wave of suffering arrived. That is how painful it is! There is no time to even complete a single recitation of the Buddha-name. If it were not for Practitioner Su—Su Fo—saving me, I might never have been able to escape the hells!

The Consequences of Concealing the Truth

I am truly ashamed to tell everyone these things, but this is also an opportunity for me to repent once more. This is the consequence of concealing the truth. You might do ninety-nine point nine good deeds, but if you fail to do that one most important thing—the zero-point-one percent that makes the whole matter complete—the retribution manifests immediately after death. One must be extremely cautious! Never think that what you are thinking in your heart is unknown to others.

If it is an ordinary person, they may indeed not know what you are thinking, but your own heart records everything clearly, point by point. Because that record exists, it leads you exactly where you deserve to go to receive your retribution. It does not matter how much you have benefited society, whether you are a Venerable who gives Dharma talks, or a famous, high-profile figure. None of this matters when it comes to the laws of karma. Perhaps the greater your fame, the heavier the evil deeds you have created, and the more severe the suffering you will endure after death.

Walking the Righteous Path

Everything must be done according to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Today, many people in society no longer know what the Universal Principle is, what the Truth is, or what the Right Way is. These seem to be hung high in the sky; few people know them, and even if they do, the temptations of society are too great, and few can actually follow them. But if you do not follow them, if you create negative causes and suffer, no one will bear the burden for you!

So, should you believe in the laws of karma? Yes, absolutely! If a person who studies Buddhism does not believe in the laws of karma, they are not a true practitioner. You must believe in the laws of karma to truly study and believe in the Buddha. Should you believe in the Universal Principle? Yes! If you do not believe in the Universal Principle, even if no one knows about the bad or wrong things you have done, the principle within the universe will not forgive you—especially if you have no heart of repentance.

Should you walk in the Truth and the Right Way? Yes! Where is the Truth? The Truth is in your conscience, in your true heart. But often, people have lost their conscience and their true heart; they do not know what conscience is, nor do they know what a true heart is. At such times, if there are Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or true spiritual friends who offer kind words, perhaps a single sentence will remind you and awaken you. You must listen! Listening can prevent you from creating sins and mistakes. If you do not listen, you will create negative causes and suffer the evil consequences!

The Preciousness of Deliverance

If your sin lands you in the hells, you will suffer greatly! Everyone, just think: I could not even complete a single recitation of the Buddha-name before the next wave of suffering washed over me like a massive ocean wave. The suffering... the suffering... it is a kind of suffering that cannot be described, a suffering that gives you no chance to speak. How painful that is! Therefore, do not be stubborn. Many people in society will not give up until they reach the Yellow River, and they will not shed tears until they see the coffin. They are truly bringing suffering upon themselves. Alas, these are the truthful words I, Chin Kung, speak now from the afterlife.

If I had not experienced this personally, I could not explain these things clearly. No screenwriter could write this, because unless they went to the hells to suffer, they could not understand it. In this sense, I must be grateful, because having suffered, I know how precious it is to be in this place right now! Therefore, whatever Namo Amituofo wants me to do, if I can do it, I will do it. This is one of the ways I, Chin Kung, repent.

The Reality of the Samsaric Sea

It is hard to believe that only a few days have passed since I was in the human world—perhaps three weeks? Twenty days. In these twenty days, my spirit has experienced things I had never heard of or seen before, things that are etched into my soul. Many people who knew me, or those who saw me on screen, know about my life before, so I will not spend much time on that. But what was in my heart, and what I did—no one knows that part. If I had done it or said it, everyone would know, but those things I did not say or do—even if you do not know, do not harbor a wishful thinking heart. The laws of karma are crystal clear. If it is good, it is good, and you will receive good rewards; if it is evil, you will suffer! Is this not what Shakyamuni Buddha told everyone—that the sea of karma in the Saha world is filled with endless suffering? This suffering is not just the suffering seen in life or the suffering experienced personally; it includes every bit of suffering the spirit endures after death. The Buddha sees it all clearly. People think there is happiness in the world, but in the eyes of the Buddha, only those who have realised their true nature can attain true happiness. Otherwise, only the word 'suffering' can describe this sea of karma in the Saha world!

The Importance of Purification

There is one more thing: in the human world, Buddhas and demons coexist, and the righteous and the evil exist together. Many people can only follow their fate and their karma; they cannot distinguish between Buddha and demon, and the righteous and the evil are mixed. Most people live their lives in this mixture of good and evil. If you have the opportunity to practise and purify yourself, you must seize it! Honestly, even practitioners sometimes cannot distinguish between Buddha and demon, or between the righteous and the evil. Those who can truly distinguish are, besides the Buddha, only those who have realised their true nature.

A Buddha is also a spirit, living a spiritual life, and is the highest form of spirit that has already liberated itself from the cycle of birth and death. Those who have realised their true nature must have experienced diligent practice in the world, even facing many tests. After passing these tests and breaking through, after washing away the pollution of the world, the Five Desires, and the Six Dusts, it is possible to realise one's true nature. At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, you can hear the teachings of the Buddha and the Teacher at any time. These teachings always mention this. How fortunate, how truly fortunate we are!

These teachings, prompts, and reminders are all meant to prevent everyone from entering the demon path, from going astray, and to help you find your true self as soon as possible. Most importantly, do not let yourself suffer, and do not let the beings attached to you suffer as well. If you listen, there is salvation; you can stop in time. If you do not listen, then continue to suffer. Even when the suffering is exhausted, it may be too late to turn back. However, in the Buddha-land, there is always the Buddha. Namo Amituofo and Su Fo will find ways to help everyone. But whatever the result, you still have to endure it yourself. In the end, it all comes down to one word: 'suffering'!

The Path to True Happiness

To attain happiness—true happiness—you can only do so by finding your own Buddha-nature, which is finding your true self and your conscience. This is easy to say, but not easy to do. If you have no 'self,' then it is easy; if you have a 'self,' even if it is only a tiny bit, it is not easy. Therefore, your future is truly something only you can decide. If it is good, congratulations; if it is not good, you cannot complain about anyone else. Everything is self-created, self-acted, self-endured, and self-reaped.

I, Chin Kung, have spoken very clearly, have I not? But everyone must hear and see this interview and be willing to believe it to benefit from it. For those who do not believe, these words are just empty talk. However, I believe that if even one or two sentences can be taken to heart, there is still hope. My Buddha is compassionate; my Buddha is compassionate and will not abandon anyone. As long as you truly repent and truly change your ways, there is an opportunity here to realise your true nature.

The Blessing of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre

Everyone is practising together at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This is a blessing that takes many eons and many lifetimes to cultivate—a tremendous blessing. Beings who can enter the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre are also those with great blessings; it is not an easy thing. Many demon beings who hear the names of Namo Amituofo and Su Fo are afraid—afraid of being 'saved' [subdued]. Demon beings are also those with great blessings. The demon beings who are saved should be grateful, for those who save you are not ordinary people; ordinary people could not save you! Moreover, the place you are in now is the place of Namo Amituofo. This is something ordinary demon beings could never encounter. Furthermore, being 'saved' is the same as me! I am here now, and you are here too. We are all together in this Western Dharma-Nature Land. This is the only place in the world and in the universe that one can reach because Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su—Su Fo—are here. But I cannot see you; this place is too vast.

If you have a karmic affinity with Practitioner Su—Su Fo—and are saved or invited to the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I am one of them. Here, I can see and hear what is happening at the Buddhist Centre, or if I want to hear or see something, I can do so. This is not an ordinary place where one can live such a life so easily!

The Nature of Spiritual Perception

Ghosts have the 'Five Supernatural Powers,' but their powers are also limited. As for whether they are accurate, it depends on whether the spirit is clear. If the spirit is not clear, it cannot perceive accurately. If the spirit is quite clear, it can still be autonomous, so the things it perceives might be reliable. If the spirit—that is, the ghost—has obstacles, is incomplete, or even has defects in its Six Roots, what it says it perceives may not be accurate, or its perception may be incomplete. Do you understand?

There are many kinds of the Five Supernatural Powers. After all, everyone's blessings are different, and their situations vary greatly. But the environment of the Western Dharma-Nature Land is too good; it is so pure. You will perceive things even if you say you cannot, because everything must first be purified. Only those who have been purified, or spirits and ghosts who have great blessings, can do this. Because there is no limitation of the physical body, one can naturally hear, see, feel, and receive things that people cannot hear, see, or feel. That is why they know a little more than humans. Some people worship spirits and ghosts to ask about things; that is the reason.

But the place where I, and some of the subdued demon kings, demon children, and demon grandchildren can stay, is not a place where ordinary spirits and ghosts stay; it is the Western Dharma-Nature Land! The level of purity here is far greater than that of the ordinary spiritual world. Where else can you receive and be illuminated by the Buddha-light? Nowhere! You say that in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, the golden light is magnificent; this is something inherent to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Besides the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, of course, many other Buddha-lands have it, but you must be able to enter them. Only the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss allows entry while carrying karma; other Buddha-lands cannot be entered! This is also the reason why the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is praised by all Buddhas.

The Importance of Listening to the Dharma

Looking at it now, the beings who have come to the Western Dharma-Nature Land have not yet transformed their karma; they are still beings of karma. But because they have a deep Dharma affinity with Namo Amituofo and Su Fo, they were able to enter. After entering, they must continue to listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma. This is a very important method of purification. You must eliminate your wrong views and wrong understandings—let them go! In this way, your inherent sensitivity, awareness, and judgment will naturally manifest, and they will be accurate.

Listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma is not only important during life as a guide and direction for being a human, but it is even more important after death. Some beings, spirits, ghosts, or wandering souls have no way to hear it; they lack the blessings and have no opportunity to listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma. Fortunately, Namo Amituofo and Su Fo are of great compassion. Wherever they go, the space for these beings is opened, and they are delivered, allowing some beings to listen to the sutras, hear the Dharma, and be saved. Therefore, hearing the Dharma is not an easy thing. Do not think that listening to Su Fo give Dharma talks at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre every day is ordinary! Sometimes there is not just one session, but two or three! I have seen some of the fourfold assembly being a bit lax. In fact, some did not understand the words, or even if they understood, they did not act upon them. Or perhaps they were obstructed and could not understand—all these are possible. That is a very regrettable thing! Everyone must know from the bottom of their hearts to cherish this.

The Role of Su Fo

When listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma, you must also look at who is giving the teaching and whether the Dharma being taught is the True Teachings. Of course, would there be no True Teachings where Namo Amituofo resides? If there were no True Teachings, Namo Amituofo could not be retained. Therefore, Practitioner Su—Su Fo—plays a role equivalent to helping Namo Amituofo spread the Dharma, acting on behalf of Namo Amituofo to spread the Dharma. This is very important! Su Fo has realised his true nature; he has the conditions, the qualifications, and the ability to understand the vows and the heart of Namo Amituofo, and he acts on behalf of Namo Amituofo to save beings.

Such conditions and such ability—currently, there is only one such person in the universe, and that is Practitioner Su, Su Yue-e, Su Fo. It is not that I, Chin Kung, am elevating Practitioner Su—Su Fo; the truth is exactly as it is. However, I believe that everyone has the opportunity to attain the ultimate Buddha-fruit. There is an opportunity at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre; I would not dare to say that about other places. With Namo Amituofo here, with the Teacher Xia Lianju whom you all speak of, and with Su Fo here, with such a strong lineup, the fourfold assembly among them indeed has a very high chance of realising their true nature. But no matter what, if you do not do it, you will not attain it. This is how it is; no one can do it for you. You must rely on yourself to do it. This is 'born alone, die alone, go alone, come alone; suffering and happiness are borne by oneself, and there is no one to replace you.' The one who suffers is yourself; no one can suffer for you. The one who endures the sin is also yourself; no one can endure the sin for you.

Therefore, seize this lifetime to meet Namo Amituofo and Su Fo, and even to hear the words I, Chin Kung, have spoken! You must truly be grateful from the bottom of your heart to be able to generate a true heart and do things with a true heart. Those who do not know how to be grateful do not know how to repay kindness, nor do they know what a true heart is. Therefore, a true heart is not easy to come by, and the fact that a true heart is priceless is also here. To find your own true heart, you must also rely on your own willingness to purify and your willingness to listen. If you cannot find your true heart, no one can help you, because it is within you, in your heart; it is not in others, nor is it in the hearts of others.

The Final Advice

During your life, people will believe what you say because your body represents your actions in the world. Therefore, people easily accept any words that come out of your mouth. The same words, spoken by another body and another face, might not be taken seriously, and people might not even listen, right? But after death, without the body, even if you say these things, people may not necessarily believe you.

Therefore, you must make good use of your body while you are alive. If you truly want to save the world and truly want to lead your connected beings back to the Western Land, and if you do not want to suffer the cycle of rebirth anymore, then do not speak too much. 'He who speaks much will surely err.' When others are speaking, be quiet yourself, because it is best to maintain the peace and purity in your heart. Any fluctuation will obstruct your purification. Good fluctuations will bring good results, and of course, evil fluctuations will bring bad and painful results. So-called 'evil words' are impure and unkind words. If you say these words while being angry, arrogant, or judgmental, it is best to stop. Do not let this mouth-karma continue to be created. I, Chin Kung, mainly want to tell everyone to stop slandering or doubting Su Fo. It is already too late to stop now; the retribution has already been decided. But is it not better to stop than not to stop at all?

The words spoken by Practitioner Su—Su Fo—can be believed and obeyed by the spiritual realms, karmic creditors, and attached beings. He can resolve conflicts, invite spirits, freely travel to and from the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and deliver sentient beings to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Truly, only one who has realised their true nature and possesses the Dharma Body can do such things. I will stop here for today. Namo Amituofo.

Venerable Chin Kung, with palms joined.

At the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Australia.

August 15, 2022, 11:01 AM."