This is a record of an interview with Lay Practitioner Zheng Yaying, the maternal grandmother of Lay Practitioner Liu Xiaoping, who sought spiritual deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on February 25, 2022.
Lay Practitioner Zheng Yaying speaks:
". Thank you, thank you so much. I, your disciple Yaying, wish to express my deepest gratitude to Namo Amituofo, to Practitioner Su, and to the entire Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Since I arrived at this sacred place, I have undergone a profound transformation. The most significant change has been the shedding of my attachments—my deep-seated emotional ties to the world and my inability to let go of the past. These were heavy burdens, but I have finally learned how to release them all."
Breaking the Chains of Attachment
"Before this, I had never truly listened to the Buddha’s teachings. I knew of the Buddha, but I did not truly understand or recognise Him. Because of this ignorance, I had no idea that after death, if one does not reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, the suffering is absolutely unimaginable. I was so deeply attached to this world. My heart was still tethered to the family members I loved so dearly. Because I could not let go, when my final breath left my body, my heart remained fixated on them. It was this lingering attachment that pulled me into a strange, illusory space—a realm reflecting a time from the past when my children were still very young."
Trapped in the Illusion of the Past
"While I was trapped in that space, I had no idea that I needed to leave. I believed that the environment around me was entirely real. I was still 'acting' out my life within that memory, and it felt so incredibly vivid and authentic. If Practitioner Su had not reached out to call me out of that space, I would have remained there indefinitely, lost in that cycle, with no idea when or how I could ever find liberation.
When Practitioner Su called out my name, 'Zheng Yaying,' I suddenly snapped back to reality. I felt a jolt of clarity. I looked ahead and saw a brilliant, radiant golden light. At that moment, I was still feeling quite bewildered and lost. I looked forward, then I looked back. When I turned to look behind me, the people who had been by my side just a moment ago had all vanished. There was nothing left but a vast, chilling darkness. I did not dare to remain in that dark, lonely space for even a second longer, so I hurried to follow the golden light. The very moment I stepped toward that light, I was saved."
The Golden Light of Deliverance
"Practitioner Su guided me to the to listen to the sutras. At the very beginning, I could not understand what was being said. Practitioner Su speaks in Mandarin, and the pace is incredibly fast. Before I had fully regained my , I could not hear the teachings clearly at all. However, the power of the Buddha continued to bestow upon me. Every single day, that golden light shone upon me, and gradually, my mind became clearer and clearer. I began to understand more and more of what I was hearing.
I am so deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for saving me. I also want to thank my dear, obedient granddaughter, Xiaoping. She is a very intelligent girl. I truly hope that she can study the Buddha’s teachings with even greater sincerity and diligence. Do not be too attached to this world, my dear, so that you do not have to walk the same difficult path that your grandmother did. Only by studying the Buddha’s teachings and learning to let go completely from the depths of your heart will you be able to avoid such suffering."
"With palms joined in reverence, Zheng Yaying. Namo Amituofo."
