‘Namo Amituofo’ Recitation Eliminated Heavy Karmic Sufferings, Leading to Pure Land Deliverance
Recounted by: Dharma Master Jing Cheng
Recorded by: Dharma Master Jing Ben
🔸Religious Care for a Patient
On 10 April 2018, I was invited to give religious care to Mr Zhuo Guoshun, a patient in the terminal stage of kidney cancer. At that time, Mr Zhuo did not have any religious faith, but only 'worshipped' occasionally just like other ordinary people. He had never heard of Buddhism in his entire life, so naturally, he did not know how to recite ‘Namo Amituofo’. In 2018, Mr Zhuo was very depressed when he learned that he had contracted cancer. When his illness became unbearable, he even had suicidal thoughts, and could be said to have completely lost hope in life. When Mr Zhuo was at his most painful and helpless state, he encountered the unconditional deliverance of the compassionate Amitabha Buddha.
I remember the first time I met Mr Zhuo, he did not believe that the Buddha exists, and was unwilling to recite ‘Namo Amituofo’. He even ‘challenged’ me and said, "Is there really a Buddha? If Amitabha Buddha really exists and has the ability to save me, then just help me so that I don’t suffer. Only then will I believe that the Buddha really exists!" After hearing what he had said, I made a ‘bet’ with him, “As long as you are willing to recite "Namo Amituofo", Amitabha Buddha will definitely bless you!" (Actually, I did not know where my courage and confidence came from. Anyway, as long as he is willing to recite "Namo Amituofo", I believe that Amitabha Buddha will definitely have a way.) As a result, he began to ‘try’ to recite.
🔸Blessings from random recitations
However, Mr Zhuo did not recite much initially but he just listened to the recitation device at times. In other words, he recited not so consistently. When his body was in pain, he would lose his temper and demand that the recitation device be switched off. His daughter was very worried that her father's way of recitation would be futile, and thus he would be unable to gain rebirth in the Land of Bliss. Although Mr Zhuo gave up on himself, the compassionate Amitabha Buddha never gave up on him. This is because although Mr Zhuo only recited in ‘this way’, his physical pain had been greatly reduced, and his body and mind were in a more comfortable state. This experience had boosted his confidence in ‘Namo Amituofo’ recitation. During this period, Amitabha Buddha even appeared in his dreams to bless and comfort him.
Through Amitabha Buddha's blessings, Mr Zhuo finally believed in the existence of Amitabha Buddha and the Land of Bliss. He thought about the Buddha’s sayings that once reborn in the Land of Bliss, one can be free from old age, sickness and death. Anyone reborn in the Land of Bliss will get eternal life and can still return to the Saha world. So, he later said, "After I go to the Land of Bliss, I will still come back to see my relatives and friends." Subsequently, he started to joyfully recite ‘Namo Amituofo’ every day and waited with ease for Amitabha Buddha to deliver him back to the ‘home’ of the Land of Bliss.
Ever since Mr Zhuo began his recitation, he had become very cheerful. Several times I visited him in the hospital, he even asked me to persuade the patients in the other wards to recite. On one occasion, he even taught, in a very careful manner, several foreign nurses to recite, word by word, ‘Namo Amituofo’. Due to Mr Zhuo's loud voice, everyone in the ward was infected by his enthusiasm, even the medical staff recited along with him. Everyone was amused by him.
🔸Cancer without suffering
Mr Zhuo was a patient in the final phase of cancer (kidney cancer). Normally, such patients will suffer a lot of pain, but Mr Zhuo did not. The doctors and social workers found it even more incredible that even though he did not take medicine or have injections, he did not feel any pain at all.
Moreover, Mr. Zhuo’s buttocks had originally rotted into a big hole, but now, new flesh had grown, the wound had significantly shrunk, and his appetite had also improved. He could eat and sleep, and his spirit was even better than before admission to the hospital. This is really the blessing of Amitabha Buddha’s power, truly inconceivable! I remember one day when I visited Mr Zhuo, I found that his stomach and feet to be obviously swollen. The doctor suspected that the cancer cells had spread to the other parts of his body, causing the swell. However, Mr Zhuo merely calmly told me about his condition. I did not feel his fear or anxiety at all. He has demonstrated to me that a 'Namo Amituofo' reciter who has the protection and blessings of Amitabha Buddha, will have his anxiety and fear of death dissipated once he knows about the remarkability of rebirth in the Pure Land.
🔸Amitabha Buddha about to come
Three days before Mr Zhuo’s deliverance to the Pure Land, he once again dreamed of Amitabha Buddha and said that the Buddha would soon come to receive him. So, the next day, I brought a few volunteers and lotus friends with me to visit him at the hospital. That day was 9th of August, the National Day of Singapore, which was also a public holiday, thus many volunteers came along. Everyone recited 'Namo Amituofo’ with him, besides chatting with him. The atmosphere was joyful. Mr Zhuo was still able to eat and talk as usual and did not look like someone who was about to pass away. A few hours later, he even urged us to go back to rest as it was late and come the next day.
The next day, at 8 o'clock in the morning on 10th of August, I received a call from Mr Zhuo’s daughter who informed me that he was in a coma. We then went to the hospital to recite ‘Namo Amituofo’, but Mr Zhuo just seemed to be sleeping soundly. The next day, at around 8 o'clock in the morning on 11th of August, Mr Zhuo was delivered to the Pure Land peacefully amidst everyone's recitation. He did not show any signs of experiencing pain at all. Leading the lotus friends, we continued “Namo Amituofo” recitation. When the recitation ended, Mr. Zhuo's face was even more good looking and rosier compared to that when he was alive. He was pale during his illness, and even his family members were worried that his face would turn black after he passed away (because he died of cancer after all). However, a few hours after recitation, his face turned rosy, which also comforted his family.
Another noteworthy happening was that Mr Zhuo’s daughter had always hoped that her father’s funeral be conducted using Buddhist rituals, but Mr Zhuo insisted on Taoist rituals from the beginning. However, a few days before his passing, he changed his mind and specifically made it clear to his wife that Buddhist rituals had to be conducted, because he said that he had dreamt of Amitabha Buddha. Since he would be leaving with the Buddha, then Buddhist rituals would be the best. Hence, this can be said to be the blessing of Amitabha Buddha’s power. When encountering with strong causal condition of Amitabha Buddha, everything will become perfect.
Mr Zhuo did not know anything about Buddhism. Initially, he did not believe that the Land of Bliss exists, and he only recited sceptically. But miracles happened in just a few months. He eventually recited and gained rebirth in the Pure Land without any pain or sufferings. Could an old man like Mr Zhuo, who had lain in a hospital bed for a long time, rely on his ‘self-cultivation’ power be delivered to the Pure Land? Obviously not. This is clearly the result of the power of Amitabha Buddha’s great vows and great compassion to embrace and deliver the imperilled sentient beings.
As the Great Master Shandao said, "Amitabha Buddha will come to receive those who recite the Buddha’s name even only three or five times in the last. This is attributed to the power of Amitabha Buddha’s great vows, enabling sentient beings who recite to be reborn in the Pure Land instantly." As long as we recite 'Namo Amituofo', Amitabha Buddha will protect and support us, regardless of how we recite or who we are. Because of the power of Amitabha Buddha's compassionate and profound vows, anyone who recites will certainly and unconditionally be delivered. Today’s sharing of the story of Mr Zhuo Guoshun’s unhindered rebirth in the Pure Land via recitation is a proof of this fact. This story not only brings us great peace of mind and confidence, but it is also a testimony of the truths depicted in the Buddhist texts and by the Dharma Masters.
May all sentient beings recite ‘Namo Amituofo’ and accept the unconditional deliverance of the compassionate Amitabha Buddha. Namo Amituofo!
Recounted by: Dharma Master Jingcheng
Recorded by: Dharma Master Jingben
Recorded on 12 September 2019
念佛化解极重苦 弥陀消业接往生
口述: 净称法师 记录: 净本法师
🔸关怀病人的因缘
在2018年4月10日，末学受到祈请前往去关怀的一位末期肾脏癌症患者，卓国顺先生。卓先生当时是没有信仰的，平常也只是民间信仰「拜拜」的那种，一辈子可以说是没有听过佛法，当然也不知道要念佛。在2018年得知自己身患癌症的时候，卓先生心情很低落，甚至病痛难受的时候，曾经还想过自杀，可以说是对人生彻底失去了希望。在那老人家最痛苦无助的时候，遇到了慈悲的阿弥陀佛无条件的救度。
记得我第一次去见卓先生的时候，他不信有佛，也不愿意念佛，还跟我「挑战」说：「真的有佛吗？如果真的有阿弥陀佛、阿弥陀佛真有本领救我的话，就帮我让我不痛苦，那我就相信真的有佛！」 当时我听了就跟他「打赌」：「只要您肯念『南无阿弥陀佛』，阿弥陀佛一定会加持！」（其实当时我也不知道哪来的勇气敢跟他笃定，反正只要他肯念佛，我就相信阿弥陀佛一定有办法。）就这样他就开始「试试看」念佛了。
🔸无心念佛的加持
但是刚开始的时候，卓先生没什么念佛，有也是听听佛号这样，是念念又不念的那一种。身体一痛起来，他就发脾气要把佛号机关掉。女儿很担心爸爸这样子念佛不知道有没有用，就担心爸爸不能往生极乐世界。虽然卓爸爸放弃了自己，但是慈悲的阿弥陀佛始终没有放弃过他。因为卓先生虽然只是「这样子」的念佛，竟然身体的病痛大大减轻了，身心也很明显舒服了。所以自从这次的经历，令他对念佛的信心增长，而且在他这段期间，阿弥陀佛还曾出现在他梦中给他加持、给他安慰。
经过阿弥陀佛调摄，卓先生终于相信有阿弥陀佛、有极乐世界。他就想：佛说往生极乐世界以后可以不老、不病、不死；往生到极乐世界是得到永生，而不是一去就不回来。所以他后来就说：「我去了极乐世界以后，我还会再回来看我的亲人朋友。」之后他开始天天都很欢喜念佛，安心等待阿弥陀佛来迎接他回极乐世界的家。
自从卓先生念了佛，人变得很开朗。有几次我去医院看他，他还要我劝其他病房的病人念佛。有一次，他还把外籍的护士叫来，一字一句的很用心地教他们念这句「南无阿弥陀佛」。由于卓先生讲话的声量很大，病房里面所有的人都被他感染，医护人员也都跟着他念起佛号，大家都被他逗得很开心。
🔸癌症无病苦
卓先生是位末期癌症患者（肾癌），那一般患者都会受极大疼痛，但是卓先生却没有。医生及社工感到更不可思议的是，他不需要靠吃药打针，身体却还是一点都没有感觉疼痛。而且，原本卓先生的臀部已经烂了一个大洞，现在还长出了新肉，伤口也明显缩小了，食欲也变好，能吃也能睡，精神甚至比入院前更好。这真的是佛力加持，不可思议！记得我有一天去探望卓先生，发现他的肚子和脚明显的肿大。医生说，怀疑癌细胞已经扩撒到其他身体部位，所以造成肿大。但是当时候卓先生是很平静的跟我叙述他的病情，完全感觉不到他有害怕不安。他让我看到一个念佛的人，有阿弥陀佛的护念，一但知道往生净土的殊胜，一般对死亡的恐惧和害怕都会跟着烟消云散。
🔸阿弥陀佛要来了
卓先生往生前三天又再一次梦见了阿弥陀佛，还说阿弥陀佛要来接他了。于是隔天我带着几位义工莲友一起去
医院探望他。当天是新加坡国庆节，8月9日，是属于公共假期，所以很多义工都来了。大家边念佛边陪卓先生聊天，有说有笑的。卓先生当时还能吃能说话，跟平常一样，根本看不出是要过世的人。几个小时后，卓先生还催促我们时间已经晚了，可以先回去休息，明天再来也行。
第二天，8月10日早上8点多，我接到卓先生的女儿的来电，说卓先生进入昏迷的状况。我们随后下去医院念佛，不过卓先生只是像在熟睡当中。再过一天，8月11日早上8点多，卓先生就在大家的佛号声当中安详地往生。老先生往生之前完全没有一点痛苦挣扎。往生后，我带着莲友们继续为他助念。圆满后，卓先生的脸色比起生前更加好看、红润。卓先生生病期间脸色苍白，甚至家属还担心卓先生过世后脸色会发青发黑（因为毕竟是癌症过世）；但是念佛助念后几个小时，脸色还转为红润，这也是让家属感到安慰的地方。
另外一件很特别的事情是：女儿都一直希望爸爸的后事可以用佛教仪式来处理，但是卓先生一开始就坚持要以道教仪式来办。但在往生前几天，卓先生却改变了想法，还特别交代太太一定要用佛教仪式，因为他说，现在梦见了阿弥陀佛，既然是要跟着佛走，那就用佛教仪式最好。所以这可以说是佛力加持，遇到阿弥陀佛强缘，一切都会变得圆满。
这位卓先生，不懂得什么佛法，一开始还不相信有极乐世界、还只是半信半疑地念佛，但是却在短短几个月就出现奇迹，最后无病无痛念佛自在往生净土。像这一位老人家长期躺在病床上，难道这是靠他的念佛功夫往生净土的吗？很显然不是。这是阿弥陀佛大慈大悲救苦救难的愿力摄受。
如善导大师所说，「三念五念佛来迎，直为弥陀弘誓重，致使凡夫念即生。」只要称念「南无阿弥陀佛」，阿弥陀佛就会来护念我们：不管我们怎么念、念的好不好，阿弥陀佛他是照样回应的；不管会修行、不会修行，念佛照样得度。因为这是弥陀慈悲深重的愿力，凡是念佛一定能够得度，没有任何条件的。今天分享这位卓国顺先生念佛自在往生的故事，就是一个事实证明。这个故事是能带给我们极大的安心和信心，能证实经典和祖师讲的都是如实的真理。
愿一切众生都能念佛，接受弥陀慈父无条件的救度。南无阿弥陀佛！
净称法师 述
新加坡 净土宗弥陀寺
2019年9月12日 记录
