True Account: Resurrection by Recitation

True Account: Food Poisoning and Near-death Condition led to Resurrection by Namo Amituofo Recitation

Location: Malaysia

Narrated by: Master Jingfu

Recorded by: Master Jingben

Translated by: Foyue, Foying.

Outbreak of illness:

Before becoming a Buddhist monk, one day in November 2017, I had dinner with my sister, brother-in-law and a friend at a seafood stall. At that time, I was not yet a vegetarian, and was indifferent to the consumption of large portions of fish and meat, just like any other ordinary people.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, I felt severe stomach discomfort and seemed to have indigestion at about 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. on the same day. So, I immediately drank some salt water, hoping to relieve the symptoms. I later found patches of red rash growing around my belly button, but I ignored it and continued to rest. After an hour or two, I found that the rashes had spread to the entire chest and started to itch. I could not help scratching the rashes from time to time. Initially, I thought that it was not a serious symptom and it might be relieved by covering myself with a quilt so that I would sweat out the toxins. However, when I woke up, the red rashes had suddenly spread to my entire arm. Being a little anxious, I hurriedly took a bath, hoping that this would relieve the symptoms. My condition, however, took a turn for the worse. Besides having difficulties in breathing, my tongue was swollen, and I couldn't even speak.

Weakness in my entire body:

As I lived alone at that time, I quickly picked up my mobile phone to call my brother-in-law for help, asking him to bring me to the hospital (I couldn't speak clearly at that time, and my body was weak). However, my brother-in-law was not nearby, and it would take a while for him to reach me. Feeling helpless and at a loss, I suddenly thought of reciting ‘Namo Amituofo’. At this point in time, apart from confusion, whole-body itch, breathing difficulty, and frequent coughing at the same time, it was impossible to calm my mind and recite. I just recited the Buddha’s name unconcerned of my state of mind.

When my brother-in-law arrived, he laid me on a hand trolley and pushed me downstairs via the apartment elevator (as I felt weak and was unable to walk), I was ready to be sent immediately to the hospital. At that moment, I felt that my life was coming to an end, because my condition had never been so serious in the past decades, even though I had been hospitalised before. So, I quickly briefed my brother-in-law on how to handle my personal affairs (if I passed away) on the way to the hospital. I also had the thought that if Amitabha Buddha comes to receive me at the end of my life now, I would immediately leave with the Buddha.

As the situation was serious, my brother-in-law first brought me to the nearest clinic to have me checked. The doctor at the clinic quickly took my blood pressure and heartbeat. Due to the seriousness of my condition, the doctor said that it was beyond his capability and I had to be sent to a major hospital immediately. So, I was instantly transferred to the hospital.

When I arrived at the hospital, I couldn't help but yell because it was so painful. Upon seeing my situation, the nurse immediately asked the doctor to attend to me. At that time, I was so weak that I couldn't even stand, let alone walk. Once I got up, I immediately collapsed to the ground. The doctor immediately asked several nurses to carry me to the bed and prepare me for emergency treatment.

Death was so closed:

One of the Indian nurses abruptly said, "His leg is turning black!". I looked up and found that my feet were indeed purplish black. Right then, I thought of reciting ‘Namo Amituofo’ again, but it was always intermittent, and I could not reach more than three recitations each time. Thus, I think that when a person is about to die, one really cannot practise any cultivation. No matter how much one boasts about his depth of cultivation in normal times, it is not useful when one is dying. We can only rely on Amitabha’s deliverance to save us at the point of death. During that period of time, I had heard about Great Master Shandao’s Pure Land teachings on the Internet, and I knew of the vows of Amitabha Buddha that "rebirth in the Pure land is assured even with ten times recitation at the last" (even regardless of one or ten recitation). Hence, although I could only recite three times, I believed that Amitabha Buddha would never abandon me.

After that, the muscles of my whole body began to be out of control. Tears, mucus, and saliva continued to flow out, and my field of vision also began to turn black. It was pitch-dark even though my eyes were open, and nothing could be seen. I thought this time "I will certainly die," so I stretched out my hand with the intention to bid farewell to my brother-in-law and see him again in the Land of Bliss in the next life. But my thought and action were not coordinating as I could not even stretch out my hand and say the word ‘goodbye’.

Later, my brother-in-law told me that he did not know that I was going to bid him farewell though he was just an inch away. This shows that the human body which is subjected to rebirth is truly too miserable. Once death comes, it is useless regardless of how physically strong one is. I've always been a mountain climber. I did not expect that I could not even raise my hand to say goodbye (as a matter of fact, I couldn't even move my fingers) when I was dying. In that case, just recite ‘Namo Amituofo’ no matter what. Just follow Amitabha Buddha to the Pure Land!

Amitabha Buddha’s illumination:

However, a yellow light appeared above in an instant, and I felt my entire face shone in the light. I do not know why, at that moment, I knew clearly in my heart that this was the light of Buddha Amitabha. Under the Buddha’s illumination, I suddenly forgot everything in this world: physical pain, secular affairs, and all kinds of routine. This light lasted for a few minutes. My perception seemed to become particularly acute at that moment.

This was because when the nurse gave me an injection, I could feel a stream of fluid flowing into my heart. I slowly regained vision and the dark scene slowly faded. At that time, I saw the nurse bringing the "Automated External Defibrillator" (AED) as she said that my heartbeat was only 20 beats per minute (very low). If my heartbeat were to stop, emergency treatment for cardiac resuscitation might be required. Fortunately, my body slowly returned to normal, and no AED treatment was needed. I rested in the hospital that night and was discharged the next day. Without the merciful blessing of Amitabha Buddha, it would be impossible to recover in this way and tide over this extremely dangerous life and death juncture.

Re-examination of outlook on life:

On the night of my hospitalisation, the thought of just returning from the gate of death made me realise deeply that life is exactly like what the Buddha said, "The world is impermanent, and life is fragile." The human body is indeed very fragile. One can be eating healthily but collapse and almost die on the hospital bed in the next moment. My understanding of life in the past was to enjoy while I can. I was also considered successful in my career, since I had opened five restaurants. Although I had encountered Buddhism before, I was still reluctant to leave the desires of the world. I was full of worldly afflictions, yet I could be blessed by Amitabha Buddha and be pulled back from the god of death by only reciting ‘Namo Amituofo’ several times. Therefore, my life now was completely "lost and regained".

Embarking on the path of monkhood:

Having gone through the situation between life and death, my life can now be said to be an extra "bonus". I am therefore determined to cherish the remaining life, live more meaningfully, and introduce the great Amitabha Buddha to more people. Suddenly, I made up my mind to embark on the path of becoming a Buddhist monk and be the follower of Amitabha Buddha, so as to live up to the Buddha's benevolence in "saving" my life.

One month after this incident, I went to the Pure Land Buddhism Association in Kuala Lumpur (the capital of Malaysia) to ask Master Jingben about ordination. After putting up and studying in the centre for a period of time, I finally received the tonsure ceremony to join the monastic assembly in the Pure Land School on 31 July, 2018.

Although I had gone near to the gate of death, I knew, in hindsight, that it was the guidance and blessings of Amitabha Buddha, which caused me to awaken, rethink my life, and embark on the most meaningful path of renunciation in life, especially in the Pure Land School, the Dharma practice which is difficult to encounter and hear.

Through this causal condition, I share my own experience, and hope that everyone, whose causal conditions are ripe, can joyfully benefit from Amitabha Buddha's deliverance.

Namo Amituofo

Master Jingben’s comments:

As Master Jingfu was educated in English, he was unable to communicate in Chinese at the beginning, or even recognise Chinese characters. However, after being immersed in the monastic community for a considerable period of time, he is now able to lecture on Amitabha Buddha's salvation methods in Chinese and prepare handouts by himself. This interview was also narrated in Chinese. The blessings of Amitabha Buddha are truly inconceivable.

Additionally, we learn from this case study that even though all sentient beings are hindered by their karma, they will not be abandoned and will instead be embraced by Amitabha Buddha, even if they only recite ‘Namo Amituofo’ at the point of death. This demonstrates the compassionate and unconditional deliverance of Amitabha Buddha. (End)