The Vision of Amitabha Village

Namo Amituofo. I am Lay Practitioner Huang Nianzu. In my later years, many of my close friends and fellow practitioners affectionately referred to me as Elder Huang. Today, through the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su, I have been granted the precious opportunity to speak with all of you here at this sacred place.

A Life Dedicated to the Dharma

From my earliest childhood, I possessed a very strong-willed and stubborn nature. To help me refine my character, my mother guided me under the tutelage of my uncle, Lay Practitioner Mei Guangxi. It was through his instruction that I first encountered the Buddhist sutras and began my lifelong study of the sacred teachings. The era in which I lived was one of great turbulence, marked by constant warfare, national instability, and personal hardship. Throughout my life, I navigated many challenges, including the rigours of academic and spiritual growth, the study of esoteric traditions, the frequent necessity of moving homes, the demands of professional work and teaching, the immense destruction caused by the Cultural Revolution, and the persistent suffering brought on by chronic illness.

Despite these trials, my path eventually led me to become an inner-chamber disciple of Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju. I listened intently as he explained the Infinite Life Sutra (The Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra), and I meticulously recorded his teachings. I came to a profound realisation: in this age of the Dharma’s decline, the only way to truly save suffering beings and help them leave suffering behind is through the practice of chanting Namo Amituofo to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I committed myself to this path with diligent practice, never wavering. My insights and writings received the heart-to-heart approval of my teacher, who entrusted me with the mission to propagate this sutra. I studied countless texts and commentaries, eventually entering a period of seclusion to translate and annotate the Commentary on the Infinite Life Sutra, ensuring that these teachings would be preserved for future generations.

The Path of Uninterrupted Chanting

During my time in seclusion, I felt the urgency of my own mortality and the deep desire to reach the Western Pure Land. I practised by chanting Namo Amituofo one hundred and forty thousand times every single day. The name of Namo Amituofo flowed continuously—Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo—without a single moment of interruption. I chanted so deeply that not even a trace of delusions or messy thoughts could enter my mind. I chanted even while I slept. I reached a state where my practice became one continuous stream, a state of no-self where only the present moment existed, and eventually, even that sense of the present dissolved. Even when I fell, my chanting never ceased. Through this practice, I saved myself, and by the grace of the Buddha, I was led to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

In Practitioner Su, I see the true, tangible benefits that come from having faith and putting the teachings into action. To be honest and to listen to the Buddha’s guidance is the fundamental condition for learning Buddhism; to truly practise and cultivate is the only way to become a Buddha. By combining these two, Practitioner Su has achieved an inconceivable level of success in the work of Chao Du. He is truly a beloved disciple of our teacher. He has cultivated the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre with quiet dedication, training monastics and dozens of lay practitioners to perform the Thrice Yearning Ceremony every week and daily morning Chao Du to lead sentient beings to the Western Pure Land. This work has never been interrupted. I am filled with deep admiration for this achievement.

A Pure Land on Earth: The Amitabha Village

The path to become a Buddha is filled with various tests. These include tests from the Buddha to measure our sincerity, tests from demons to challenge our resolve, tests from sentient beings to refine our compassion, and tests from our own physical bodies to check our endurance. These trials constantly refine our vows, our compassion, and our mind-capacity. They test whether we are truly practising to save ourselves and to save all sentient beings. The experiences Practitioner Su has endured are beyond what most people can understand or bear, yet he has overcome them all. This is why Namo Amituofo truly abides here, and why the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is protected and watched over by Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Dharma protectors. It is truly magnificent.

Today, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, following the compassionate vows of Namo Amituofo, is working to build the Amitabha Village. This land serves as a vital stepping stone for countless sentient beings before their rebirth in the Western Pure Land. It is a place where the dream of reaching the Western Pure Land becomes a reality. Those who come to reside here can draw close to the great teacher, Practitioner Su, and join the monastics and lay practitioners in their daily practice of prostrations, chanting, and reciting the sutras. It is a perfect environment for Pure Land practice. When their time in this world comes to an end, they will be guided by Practitioner Su to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a precious land. I hope that all fellow practitioners, no matter where you come from, will see that the Amitabha Village opens its arms to welcome you. Let us work together with one heart to build and live in this place. This is a Pure Land on Earth. Namo Amituofo.