This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Chen Baolian, who sought at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon her transition from the cycle of rebirth to the Buddha-land. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on September 23, 2022.
Lay Practitioner Chen Baolian speaks:
". I cherish every moment of this time, for I have finally arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. The beauty here is beyond words; it brings such clarity to my heart. With every gentle breath I take, I feel a profound sense of ease and comfort throughout my entire being. This sensation is something I had glimpsed in my dreams many times before, though the images were always hazy and indistinct. Now, however, the truth of this place is crystal clear, right before my eyes.
From the Fish Tank to the Light
Only after arriving in this Buddha-land have I gradually begun to understand what happened to me after my passing. To my surprise, I had been reborn as a fish. I remember swimming back and forth in a fish tank, completely unaware of my state, when in a single, sudden instant, I was transported to this place of brilliant light. It has taken this time for me to slowly regain my clarity and piece together the memories of my past.
My family back in the human world surely never expected that I would be able to speak to them like this. I know it was my son, Yunzong, who helped his mother by arranging for this Chao Du. Thank you, my son, for your filial piety. Looking back, the scenes of my past life feel as though they are still right before me, yet I know I can never return to them. That is the greatest sigh of human existence—that once we have walked this path of life, we have no control over what happens after death.
The Inevitability of Life and Death
There are so many things in life that one must face, especially the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death. No one can escape these realities. If my spirit had not been brought to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I would never have had the opportunity to speak these words to you. Every person must bear the weight of their own past and future; these things cannot be changed by force. But now, your mother knows that the study of the Buddha’s teachings can truly change one's destiny. As for how much can be changed, that depends entirely on each individual's own Causal Conditions.
A Change of Heart
I cannot force any of you, nor can I help you decide the plans for your own lives. I only wish to share with you what I have come to know during this time. The study of the Buddha’s teachings is not what you might have stereotypically imagined it to be. To study the Buddha’s teachings is to fundamentally transform this heart of ours.
You might feel that your mother has become different from who I was in the past. That is because I have finally understood the truth, and I have become willing to let go of the past. When I gave rise to that thought, my state of mind and my very appearance were transformed. I am now in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, appearing as I did in my youth, with a gentle smile upon my face.
A Hope for Reunion
It is my sincere hope that my descendants will have the Causal Conditions to encounter the Buddha’s teachings and realise the importance of escaping the cycle of rebirth. I have done my best to express the simple truths I have learned. From here on, it depends on your own Causal Conditions. My deepest hope is that, in the future, we shall all meet again in the Western Pure Land.
Please convey my gratitude to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and thank Practitioner Su for me.
