Testimonies

[62] Walking To Amituofo’s Golden Light

General Message To Purelanders:

P: Dear Laoshi and fellow Purelanders, my deepest appreciation and heartfelt gratitude to you, for spending your precious time to do support-chanting for my Mother. My family and I would like to thank all of you for your kindness, compassion and generosity. I feel that the camaraderie with Purelanders has grown stronger. Amituofo.

Message Exchange:

(Note: P’s departed Mother was a dementia patient for many years, who passed away on 27 November 2018 due to urosepsis and congestive heart failure.)

P: After tonight’s wake support-chanting session (on 29 November 2018) for my Mother, I was completely taken aback when my daughter mentioned casually that she had to open her eyes momentarily during the chanting, because she suddenly saw a bright ‘blinding’ flash of light. When she closed her eyes again, she saw the same bright light, and a Buddha!

The best news is that she saw a much younger Porpor (i.e. Grandmother; my Mother) walking towards the light and the Buddha. I said that Porpor mostly relied on a wheelchair and could not walk on her own without support. That’s when she reiterated that she saw a much younger Porpor – who could walk steadily. I asked her what was the colour of the light… and my heart leapt for joy when she said it was an intense gold!

L: Wonderful! This is great news, as Amituofo’s bright light is golden in colour! Do let her know what she experienced are consistent and classic auspicious signs. Amazing! Your Mother is safe now. Did your daughter read or hear about cases of others with similar experiences? If not, this would make her experience all the more genuine, not from any preconceived ideas.

As mentioned in our classes, it does make a great deal of difference when family members participate in support-chanting, as they are closest in affinity with the (dying or) deceased, and often the most sincere. Do share these messages with her, and encourage her to write about what she experienced in detail, to share with other Purelanders.

P: I just asked her if she had read any Pure Land testimonials before, and she said no. (She had attended the ‘Project Connection‘ and ‘48 Great Vows Of Amituofo‘ courses with P before. Although many testimonials were shared to inspire faith, none mentioned was with the same configuration as what was experienced.) It’s amazing indeed as I have never shared any accounts on auspicious signs with her before. I asked her several times about the light, and whether it was a spotlight, but she said it definitely wasn’t.

I did more ‘authentication tests’, by asking if she ever opened the links from course emails to read, especially those on testimonials. She said she did not. I also asked if my Mother was seen wearing glasses, because pictures of her in the parlour are with lightly tinted sunglasses. This was to check if this image was somehow embedded in her subconsciousness. I was relieved to hear her say ‘no’, as my Mother didn’t wear glasses in her younger days! On seeing a younger version of my Mother, is that a consistent sign?

L: There are many cases of seeing fresher and younger versions of the deceased departing for Pure Land, free from old age and sickness, being in their physical prime. This expresses wellness of the state of mind too, being blissfully free from all suffering, as enabled by the ‘topping up’ of blessings by Amituofo. (There is a recent similar case during wake support-chanting, when the deceased who usually wore glasses, was also seen walking to the Buddha without them. No one needs glasses when going to Pure Land. When in Pure Land, where there is no sickness, there is no need for glasses there too, as faulty eyesight is a form of sickness.)

K: When doing support-chanting for my Mother, about a year ago with 8 Purelanders, I also saw my Mother with a very much younger, healthier and stronger look, while walking towards Amituofo. (K’s testimonial can be read at https://purelanders.com/2017/12/02/how-a-mother-sentient-being-reached-pure-land.)

P: I hope my Mother’s case will encourage more to persist with practising Nianfo with relatives who have dementia. Initially, my Mother only wanted to chant the Great Compassion Mantra (which she could not remember fully). The few weeks before her death, I took leave and practised Nianfo with her whenever I could. One day, I was elated when she mouthed ‘Amituofo, Amituofo, Amituofo…’ as she drifted into sleep. She also liked listening to chanting of the Amitabha Sutra as it is melodious and she enjoyed music.

(Note: Sincere chanting of the Great Compassion Mantra can also lead to rebirth in Amituofo’s Pure Land if powered by the same Faith and Aspiration required. However, not many chant it with this purpose, while it is easier to focus on chanting Amituofo’s name due to it being shorter, for direct focus to reach his Pure Land. Due to these reasons, support-chanting practice for reaching Pure Land is mostly with Amituofo’s name too. Amitabha Sutra is used for introducing Amituofo and his Pure Land, while Nianfo using his name to reach it is the method taught in it.)

Two days earlier, after our Purelanders’ group support-chanting of 8 hours at home upon her departure, I was quite upset that there were no clear auspicious signs, though I told myself not to look out for them, and to just concentrate on chanting. I took your advice before you left, to tug at her hair (to urge departure from the crown for Pure Land), and told her to Nianfo, see the Buddha and follow him (念佛,见佛,跟佛).

(Note: Dementia is an illness due to the mind functioning with confusion through the malfunctioning brain when alive. Upon death, when the consciousness detaches from the body, it is clear and without dementia. This is why words of guidance before, during and AFTER death, especially for dementia patients, are especially important, to firmly and clearly drive the message home, on what should be done.)

As I am aware that the deceased are able to read the minds of those living, I ‘sent’ numerous messages to my Mother (by thinking clearly ‘aloud’). I kept sending her this message – ‘念佛,见佛,跟佛’. I suspected that she was probably still attached to my family members, and reluctant to leave. So, I also ‘told’ her that she could better watch over us in Pure Land as a Bodhisattva (than to be a suffering wandering spirit, or reborn a human who cannot recall us).

I also reminded her several times before the wake support-chanting session, to not let down the efforts and sincerity of all Purelanders, who sacrificed their precious time to come and chant for her, that she should connect with Amituofo and leave with him when he comes to receive her. I am now deeply convinced of the efficacy of support-chanting. Thanks, Laoshi, for all your concern and tireless efforts in ensuring to guide as many to Pure Land as possible.

(Note: Although there was no clear sign that the support-chanting session upon death was successful, it was nevertheless important as a build-up for the wake support-chanting session, which had clear signs of success. No efforts were wasted. Along with ongoing encouragement, and the presence of more sincere support-chanters with the right motivation to guide the deceased, there was strength in unity and numbers. This is able to move the deceased to pay more attention, to Nianfo just as sincerely. Each fellow support-chanter present inspires one another with their sincere Nianfo too.)

General Message To Purelanders:

L: The above is similar to another very recent case, when we did support-chanting for another Mother. This is doubly inspiring proof that our group efforts of support-chanting are very important and valuable, not to be taken for granted! May we persevere in guiding more to reach Pure Land! Amituofo.

Related Articles:

Helping Dementia Patients Reach Pure Land
https://purelanders.com/?s=dementia

往生净土者皆具庄严童相记
Record Of All Reborn In Pure Land Being Magnificent And Youthful
https://purelanders.com/2021/01/12/record-of-all-reborn-in-pure-land-being-magnificent-and-youthful

Please be mindful of your speech, Amituofo!

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