Inspiring Story of Chanting Buddha 56 - Hearing Dharma in Prison, Criminal Repented and Got Reborn

(English and Chinese subtitle) 獄中聞法虔修淨業 written by venerable laywoman Kanzhi Lin 林看治居士 (1906-1992 AD)
Subtitles:
When it comes to the dharma of being mindful of the Buddha, regardless of whether you are male or female, old or young, smart or stupid, whether you have early or late intentions, the severity of your sins, or whatever, as long as you have true faith and earnest wishes, recite the Buddha's name truthfully, and seek rebirth in the West, you will all be received by the Buddha and reborn in the West.
I would like to cite a miracle in which a man was imprisoned for violating the national law and brought forth the resolve for being mindful of the Buddha, and was reborn in the West before his death to confirm this.
Fu Lin lives in the eastern district of Taichung. He grew up poor and out of school since he was a child. He worked as a labor to make a living. He is stupid by nature and ignorant of sense.
In the spring of 1948, after a violent storm, he was seduced by a wicked friend to steal the loose electrical wires. After the crime was revealed, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the court and served in Taichung Prison.
In June of the 1951, the Taichung Lotus Society sent laymen Jiang and layman Lai to the prison to preach the Dharma. Hence, Fu Lin had the opportunity to know the wonders of the Pure Land Dharma.
Then he believed it deeply and recited the Buddha sincerely day and night, seeking to eliminate karmic obstacles and vowing to be born in the West. Till December 1953, half way through his sentence, He was paroled and returned home.
From then on, he went to Lingshan Temple every Sunday to listen to the Dharma by Teacher Bingnan Li, and came to the Lotus Society every Monday to participate in Buddhist chanting, and also came to the Lotus Society every Saturday to listen to sermons.
Hence, he became a very devout disciple of the Three Treasures.
The human body is a mixture of flesh and blood composed of the four elements. No one can be immune to illness or suffering. Layman Lin who devoutly practiced and chanted the Buddha soon contracted an illness and became very ill. According to the doctor's diagnosis, he was suffering from heart attack, asthma, and kidney swelling. But, Lin didn't retreat but chanted Buddha even more diligently.
Since October of 1954, every time he smelled meat, he would vomit nonstop. Then he stop eating meat and started to eat vegetarian food and chanted Buddha more diligently.
Although Lin Fu was muddle-headed and did something wrong for a while, he was a filial son by nature. By December, he was terminally ill. He always missed his eighty-year-old mother who lived in the home of his second brother in Kaohsiung.
Strangely enough, during those few days, his old mother who lived in Kaohsiung was restless and wanted to see her eldest son Fu Lin. Because she missed his son so much and couldn't help herself, the 80-year-old woman came to Taichung alone on the 20th. Mother and son met each other, with a mixture of joy and sorrow. Lin said a lot that reciting the Buddha is the most important thing in life, and advised his mother to recite the Buddha too.
On the morning of the 21st, Lin suddenly raised his voice and said to his mother and family:
"Now there is a golden light that looks like the sun, rolling into the room like a ball of fire. You see the room is full of bright light. It must be the Buddha who has come to guide me. Please inform the leader of the chanting group immediately."
As he spoke, he clasped his hands together and chanted the Buddha's name fiercely. Soon, amidst the chanting sounds of the lotus friends, his breath gradually faded, and he passed away with a smile on his face.
After eight hours of chanting, his complexion is radiant, his body is soft, his forehead is still warm, and his life span is fifty.
However, after practicing for more than three years, he was able to get such a auspicious response. Undoubtedly, he definitely would be born in the West. At that time, everyone praised that it was rare and remarkable.