After death row convict Lian Hua A Lin of Singapore was executed and cremated, twelve pieces of sariras were recovered. Lian Hua A Lin took refuge for about a year and only cultivated unceasingly for half a year. Yet twelve pieces of sariras were found in his remains.

Before he was sentenced to death, he had done many evil deeds. It is unbelievable that sariras were found. You know that many monks, nuns and priests had practiced all their lives yet after they passed away, nothing was found in their remains, just ashes. It is amazing that a criminal who had committed great crimes and had been sentenced to death can have sariras after his cremation. Many people want to know the reason. They want to know why a criminal who had committed crimes can have remains of sarira while some others who had cultivated for twenty, thirty or even fifty years don’t?

To answer this question, I have to stress two salient points: There is no alternative to reciting the name of the Buddha. First, he knows that he has been sentenced to death. There is no other way out. That is why when he recites the True Buddha Sutra, when he chants mantra, when he recites the names of the Buddha; he did it with the utmost earnestness. He must seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land, he does not have any alternative. Since he has received his sentence and the date has been fixed, he uses the most diligent way to chant and recite. Apart from this, there is no second chance for him. This explains why he is so sincere in his recitation and chanting. He did it with full concentration and whole-heartedness. This is the first salient point. Imprisonment is like living the life of a recluse.

Second, he was caged in prison. His daily work is to recite the name of Buddhas. That is why he was able to have spiritual response. At night, he was unable to go out and enjoy himself and create unwholesome karma. In the last six months of his life, he was unable to commit any physical defilement. Unlike all of us, who may on one hand recite the names of the Buddha and Sutra and on the other hand create unwholesome karma at night. He was unable to sneak out to enjoy himself and create unwholesome karma or do wrong deeds such as stealing or even taking bribes.

You must know that Lian Hua A Lin was confined in prison. He was unable to commit unwholesome karma. He was more or less forced to live the life of a recluse for six months. Secondly he used the most earnest way to chant and recite. He gained enlightenment from chanting the True Buddha Sutra and High King Sutra. He used six months to prepare his rebirth in the Western Pure Land. As he was free from defilements for six months, his body was able to produce sariras. It is as simple as that. 

It might be that the monks and nuns still had greed for money. Might be that they still cherish non-virtuous thoughts. How then can they be reborn in the Western Pure Land? Think carefully, how can those who wet their beds be uplifted to the Western Pure Land? If you are really pure, as long as you recite the name of the Buddha and have unity with him, your body will produce sariras. You will be reborn in the Western Pure Land; this is what Lian Hua A Lin has proven to us. True Buddha School is the Truth; this is evident from the fact that sariras were found in a dead convict.

Om Mani Padme Hum.