Rebirth of He Tanyuan of the Liu Song Dynasty

He Tanyuan was a native of Lujiang County, Anhui. He was the son of He Wanshou, who served as the "Censor-in-Chief" (after the Eastern Han dynasty, the institution censors worked within was referred to as the Censorate, with the "Censor-in-Chief" serving as its head, primarily responsible for impeachments). From a young age, He Tanyuan faithfully practiced Buddhist teachings and upheld the Bodhisattva precepts.

At the age of eighteen, while mourning his father's death, he fell ill due to his deep grief. Then, turning his heart towards the Pure Land dharma gate, he invited several monks to his home to confess and repent for karmic sins from past lives. Over time, his sincerity only deepened.

One night, after the recitation of scriptures, the monks had gone to sleep, but He Tanyuan suddenly began singing and chanting alone. The monks, intrigued by this, asked him about it. He replied: "I saw Amitabha Buddha. His body radiated golden light, he was over three metres tall, and he came from the west. Celestial banners and lotus flowers accompanied him, filling the entire sky. The Buddha smiled with joy and told me to come quickly."

Although He Tanyuan had always been physically frail, at that moment, he appeared energised and elated. He scattered fragrant flowers in the air. At dawn, he suddenly attained rebirth. His house was filled with a pleasant fragrance, which lingered for many days before fading. (Records of Miraculous Events in the Netherworld, or Ming Xiang Ji)

- Excerpt from ‘Records of the Pure Land Sages’