Inspiring Story of Chanting Buddha 31 - Helping People to Ascend to the West has Boundless Merit

(English and Chinese subtitles )念佛感應見聞記 - 助人生西功德無量 , written by venerable laywoman Kanzhi Lin 林看治居士 (1906-1992 AD)
Subtitles:
Continue the previous story, white light guides the deceased, and I want to tell another amusing story.
After the group of people who helped to chant for layman Lee knew they went home three hours too early to see the light of Amitabha Buddha, they felt remorseful.
After the incident, everyone discussed at the church. Next time, if there is another person who is seriously ill and is about to perish, we must go to help the chanting.
A dozen people wholeheartedly pledged never rest until they saw the Buddha's light. After having made such a vow, they searched everywhere in the countryside.
Within a few days, they did find one, the 85-year-old mother of Mr. Jinzhou Lin. Those who were curious to see the light of Buddha went to her son and daughter-in-law and talked dharma.
"We are all unconditionally chanting Buddha for your mother to help her to be reborn in the West and not be reincarnated in the six paths." It took a lot of talking and explaining how good the Buddha chanting is, then the son and daughter-in-law agreed to let us help with the prayer for her.
The chanting job was immediately divided into two shifts. When at eating time, they also took turns to go home and eat. After finishing eating, they came back and continued to chant.
They were afraid of not being able to see the light of Buddha, they kept chanting for a day and a night, but the patient was still alive and had not yet lost her breath.
When her eldest daughters returned from a far country, she was greatly displeased to see people chanting Buddha for her mother, and she said to her father: "What's the point of chanting? It's disturbing my mother's mind, tell them to go back!"
Fortunately, his brother and sister-in-law were still sensible enough to say, "No! No! Since they have been chanting the Buddha's name, Mother's mind has been clear and felt more comfortable, and she is not as distressed as she was before." Then the daughter stopped gossiping after that, knowing the sincerity of everyone and thanked them instead.
At that time, it was near the end of the year, and every family had to make rice cakes to celebrate the new year. Some of them told their children or daughters-in-law to do it instead and came to help. After seven days and seven nights of chanting, the dying woman took her last breath. At that time, everyone was chanting the Buddha's name in their mouth, but in their eyes, they were anticipating for the Buddha's light to come. However, as a result, they did not see anything, and everyone was greatly disappointed.
When they touched the top of her head, it was still warm, her complexion looked as if she was alive, her body was still as soft as cotton, and those was exactly the auspicious sign of being reborn in the West.
The most incredible thing is that after the eight hours of chanting, his children and grandchildren uncovered the quilt she was covered with and saw the woman's palms rightfully put closed.
Sister Ahsan told me that the daughter-in-law saw how sincere we were in chanting for her mother-in-law, so she cooked dim sum three times a night and invited us to eat. At first, we didn't dare to eat because Teacher Lee taught us not to eat other people's food when we were helping people with their prayers, and we had to go home for three meals and not eat others' dim sum.
Because when someone is suffering from a misfortune, you should not bother them more. But her daughter-in-law's kindly said, "My family is grateful to you for coming to my mother-in-law's rescue during such a cold winter. This is to express our gratitude, please accept this." That's why we received their dim sum three times a night.
I told them with a smile, "Your defiled hearts are filled with greed. How can you see the Buddha’s light?"
At that time, Sister Ahsiu and the young man were single-minded in their chanting of the Buddha, and they were so pure in their mind that they correspond to Bodhicitta and saw Amitabha came and emitted bright light. Today, although you are eager to see the light and chant for people, you are also helping a sentient being to be born in the Western Land of Peace and Bliss.
In the future, when she comes back on her vows, she will be able to ferry numerous sentient beings who are afflicted. This merit and this virtue were also bestowed by your resolution to see the Buddha's light.