Namo Amituofo
PART ONE
THE VOW AND THE PRESENCE
Bhikshu Dharmakara attained Buddhahood and became known as Namo Amituofo. He made forty-eight great vows and established the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to deliver all beings from boundless suffering. Today, His divine presence abides here in Australia at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, working alongside Practitioner Su to save beings in both the human and spiritual realms.
THE PATH TO THE IMMORTAL SPIRIT
The profound teachings delivered by Namo Amituofo during our Thrice Yearning Ceremony have been compiled into a sacred volume entitled Messages from Namo Amituofo's Heart. These teachings dissolve our confusion and unlock the deep mysteries of the human body. They help us harmonise our body, mind, and spirit, elevating our true spiritual quality. If we earnestly follow the Buddha's teachings — taking right action and honouring the precepts — through true cultivation, we will awaken our Buddha-nature. We will transcend aging and illness, and our immortal spirit will peacefully attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land.
PART TWO
How Namo Amituofo Came to Abide Here
A decade of practice, sacrifice, and quiet sanctuary.
The profound teachings delivered by Namo Amituofo during our Thrice Yearning Ceremony have been compiled into a sacred volume entitled Messages from Namo Amituofo's Heart. These teachings dissolve our confusion and unlock the deep mysteries of the human body. They help us harmonise our body, mind, and spirit, elevating our true spiritual quality. If we earnestly follow the Buddha's teachings — taking right action and honouring the precepts — through true cultivation, we will awaken our Buddha-nature. We will transcend aging and illness, and our immortal spirit will peacefully attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land.
TAKING ON THE PAIN OF OTHERS
In her daily practice of helping the fourfold assembly resolve karmic debts and deliver souls, Practitioner Su sometimes encounters spirits who are unwilling to let go of their grievances and be delivered. Some of these resistant souls entered her physical body — specifically lodging in her left leg and groin area — causing sudden, excruciating pain. By physically bearing the suffering on behalf of these sentient beings, her mobility was severely impaired.
HEALING FROM VENERABLES OF THE WESTERN PURE LAND
In response to this immense physical and spiritual sacrifice, Venerables from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss miraculously entered Practitioner Su's left leg to provide healing and restoration.
PROFOUND SPIRITUAL DIALOGUES
While these Venerables were present, the monastics at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia had the extraordinary opportunity to interview them. The Venerables shared the fascinating details of their own cultivation journeys and the exact processes of how they attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land. These dialogues have now been compiled and published as a book, offering an invaluable resource for all future practitioners to read, study, and draw inspiration from.
Practitioner Su, in particular, has dedicated herself to the daily, uninterrupted practice of visualisation to deliver countless suffering souls to the Western Pure Land. As a true cultivator of the Pure Land path, her profound practice led to Namo Amituofo formally taking up residence at the Hsiang Kuang Great Buddha Temple in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland. Today, Namo Amituofo serves as the Abbot of the Centre, with Guanyin Bodhisattva (Avalokitesvara) and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva acting as the spiritual managers.
PART THREE
Introducing the Buddha-Lands
Two sacred realms in the journey to ultimate liberation.
THE WESTERN PURE LAND OF ULTIMATE BLISS
Established through forty-eight great vows.
The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is a pure and sacred realm established by Namo Amituofo. While still a practitioner on the causal path, He made forty-eight great vows and underwent five eons of profound cultivation to manifest this land.
A Realm Free of Suffering
In this realm, the three evil paths — hell, hungry ghosts, and animals — do not exist. The ground is paved with gold and adorned with the seven precious gems. Those reborn emerge from lotus blossoms, surrounded by absolute purity and radiant light.
The Voice of the Dharma
When gentle breezes rustle the jewelled trees and netted canopies, they broadcast the wonderful Dharma. Even the songs of birds and the murmuring waters naturally inspire beings to be mindful of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
The Ultimate Destination
Beings continuously hear the teachings and dwell among spiritually advanced souls, cultivating in complete peace and purity until they attain ultimate Buddhahood — which is why it is known as the "Land of Ultimate Bliss."
THE WESTERN DHARMA-NATURE LAND
A sanctuary established here in Australia.
Recognising that beings in the human realm can often be difficult to guide, while those in the ghost and spirit realms are much more receptive, Practitioner Su uses her Dharma body to deliver souls daily without interruption.
Empowered by the blessings of Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su established a spiritual sanctuary at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia known as the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This serves as a peaceful resting place and a vital transition hub — where countless souls listen to the Dharma to prepare themselves for their final rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
A Spiritual Example
During the recent pandemic, Practitioner Su compassionately guided the afflicted spirits and dark energies associated with the virus into the Western Dharma-Nature Land. Within this safe space, they listen to her teachings, come to understand the laws of cause and effect, and gradually let go of their deep-seated resentments — recognising the boundless compassion of Namo Amituofo and earnestly seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land.
PART FOUR
Our Teacher, Practitioner Xia Lianju
Reincarnation of the great Master Xuanzang.
The Compilation of the Sutra
During the Republican era in China, while cultivating as a lay practitioner, Practitioner Xia Lianju undertook the monumental task of compiling the Infinite Life Sutra. He gathered the five original translations from the Han, Wu, Wei, Tang, and Song dynasties, along with their related commentaries.
After more than a decade of meticulous revision and refinement, he finalised the definitive edition, titling it Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra.
A Compassionate Return
Our Teacher, Practitioner Xia Lianju, is the reincarnation of the great Master Xuanzang. He has now manifested in this world to assist his disciple, Practitioner Su, in delivering sentient beings. With immense compassion, he also delivered his disciple, Venerable Haiyuan (formerly known as Venerable Haize), freeing him from all worldly suffering. Today, his spirit peacefully abides within his seated statue in the Buddha Hall at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, where he watches over and protects the fourfold assembly of disciples.
A Legacy of Teachings
The profound teachings delivered by Practitioner Xia Lianju during the Thrice Yearning Ceremony at the Centre were transcribed by Venerable Haiyuan. These have since been compiled into a sacred volume entitled A Collection of Teachings by Practitioner Xia Lianju.
If we tirelessly and diligently follow the Dharma taught by Practitioner Xia, we will certainly gain profound insight on our Pure Land path. By doing so, we can swiftly rediscover our true nature, undertake the noble work of saving the world and delivering sentient beings, and continually propagate the name of Namo Amituofo and the Pure Land teachings throughout the Dharma realm and the entire universe.
PART FIVE
Practitioner Su
A compassionate descent and a life dedicated to practice.
A Compassionate Descent
Seeing the sorrow and suffering of sentient beings from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, Practitioner Su descended to the human realm. She encountered Buddhism at the age of forty-seven. Every day, she respectfully listened to the Dharma teachings of Venerable Master Chin Kung and recited Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra.
For five years, she completely abstained from watching television and reading newspapers, distancing herself from worldly distractions. Letting go of body, mind, and the secular world, she single-mindedly chanted Namo Amituofo — and through diligent practice and strict adherence to universal principles, truth, and the righteous path, she awakened and saw her true nature at the age of fifty-three.
After she awakened, Practitioner Su travelled to Malaysia and Singapore to study, serve, and support the community at various Buddhist centres. Later, at the Hsiang Kuang Room in Shiding, Taiwan, she guided lay practitioners in the collective study of the teachings and chanting. She then dedicated herself to establishing Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, creating a sanctuary where the presence of Namo Amituofo can be seen.
Delivering Sentient Beings
When Practitioner Su uses her Dharma body to deliver sentient beings, Namo Amituofo constantly accompanies her. He illuminates every place they reach with His twelve rays of Buddha light, and through countless billions of manifestations, they extensively deliver boundless suffering beings.
A Sanctuary Built from the Ground Up
The Centre was built entirely from scratch. What was once a barren landscape covered in withered grass has been gradually developed into the beautiful sanctuary it is today, flourishing with lush plants and clusters of little white houses. Every effort has been made to ensure that the fourfold assembly is fully provided for — lacking nothing in food or clothing — so they can cultivate without hindrance, swiftly see their true nature, and attain Buddhahood.
May all who hear His name be embraced by the boundless light, and arrive peacefully in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.