A Glimmer of Hope from the Underworld

This is a record of an interview with Wu Jieyang, who sought to be saved at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his time serving as a prison guard in the underworld. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing, on November 14, 2020.

Wu Jieyang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I, Jieyang, represent sixty fellow prison guards in kneeling before the Buddha and Practitioner Su to express our most sincere gratitude. At this very moment, I and the other guards stand upon the golden-sanded ground of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Everything I see before me is luminous, vibrant, and crystal clear. We are truly enjoying the magnificent dignity and purity of this Western Pure Land.

Namo Amituofo, everyone. I am Wu Jieyang. I feel so honoured to have such a magnificent Causal Condition that allowed Practitioner Su to guide me to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. To be able to serve as a representative and accept this interview—I do not know what blessings I must have cultivated throughout my many lives to deserve this. My heart is filled with deep appreciation and gratitude. I vow to follow Namo Amituofo throughout my many lives, to follow the Buddha to save beings, and to repay the Buddha’s grace."

A Childhood of Joy and Sharing

"I was born in 1955 in Malaysia. My parents were civil servants with a stable income, so our life was quite comfortable. Beyond my parents, my grandparents lived with us as well; we were a large, three-generation family. My grandfather loved to garden, and our home was spacious, with expansive fields. I loved following my grandfather to learn how to grow vegetables, and I enjoyed running and jumping everywhere. As a result, I had excellent physical fitness, grew tall, and was very healthy. The vegetables we grew were delicious, too.

From a young age, I was a charming child who got along well with elders. They all loved me because I had a 'sweet mouth.' No matter who I saw, I would always greet them politely. Sometimes, even if they appeared in the distance, I would call out to them loudly, which always made them very happy. There is a great advantage to being a child who is well-liked by elders: you never have to worry about having nothing to eat. From the time I was three and could speak, a constant stream of treats appeared before me. Every adult doted on me, and as soon as they saw me, they would stuff delicious things into my mouth. I especially loved the Malay cakes made by Auntie Lin next door—they were the best I had ever tasted! I was truly blessed with a good appetite. Every time Auntie Lin finished baking, she would call me over immediately. I would fly over, and seeing plate after plate of those cakes, I would be so happy, devouring them with such satisfaction! That is why I was quite chubby as a child. It was not natural; I simply ate my way to being chubby. That was fine, though; it only made me look more adorable and likeable.

I had one particular virtue: I loved to share. As long as I had something, I would absolutely take it out to share with those around me. I would never try to eat more, take more, or hoard things for myself. For instance, whenever I was about to leave Auntie Lin’s house, she would prepare two boxes of cakes for me to take away. No matter how much I loved those cakes, I would never take them home to eat by myself. Instead, I would share them with everyone so that they could all enjoy such delicious food and have a happy day."

The Teacher’s Heart

"I was an optimistic and cheerful child. I was born with a love for laughter. My mother said that when she was pregnant with me, she was in a good mood every day, and funny things happened constantly, so she was always laughing. Perhaps I was influenced by her, which is why I was naturally optimistic, cheerful, confident, and generous.

I had another strength: I loved to work. Whatever I could help with, I was more than willing to do. I was quick and thorough. In the process of working, I learned the tricks of the trade, developed agility, and cultivated the basic attitude one should have toward work. My parents were constantly teaching me this. My mother told me, 'Attitude is the key to doing things well.' She was absolutely right. No matter how skilled a person is, if their attitude is poor, the work they produce will never be perfect.

My parents hoped to cultivate me into an all-around talent, but for me, that was too much pressure. Life is only a few decades long; if one spends all that time learning so many skills, it is a waste. By the time I mastered everything, half of my life would have already passed. Later, after discussing it with my parents, they agreed that I should only learn a few things I was interested in.

Besides gardening, I loved swimming. My parents had me start learning at five. Under the guidance of my coach, my swimming technique improved by leaps and bounds within a few years, and I became very proficient. Swimming helped me burn off a lot of fat and helped me grow tall quickly. In just a few years, I transformed from a chubby little boy into a sunny, well-built young man. My skin was tanned dark and glowing; I was the picture of health and strength. In the eyes of worldly people, I was considered quite handsome."

Guiding the Youth

"I did not have any grand life goals. At twenty-three, I became a PE teacher at a middle school. The students liked me very much because I was not like the math, history, or literature teachers who always wore serious faces. I presented a very lively and relaxed demeanour, so the students naturally liked to approach me and treat me like a friend. However, when it was time to be serious, I would definitely show my authority. I did not allow students to cross the boundaries between teacher and student. My students understood this very well, so even though they often joked around with me, they were still very respectful and honoured me as their teacher.

In my view of life, if a child shows abnormal concepts or behaviours during their growth process, they must be discovered and corrected immediately. One must find the root of their problem and extend a warm hand to care for them, helping them find a solution. Although I was only a PE teacher, I was responsible for more than just teaching physical skills. When I discovered that a child needed help in other areas, I would take the initiative to express my concern.

In our era, many students came from very poor families. It was not easy for them to come to school, and they often had to rush home after class to help with chores. They would also wake up very early in the morning to handle things at home before coming to school. They were very well-behaved and never late or absent.

During my teaching career, I helped many students overcome the difficulties in their lives. I remember in my second year of teaching, I discovered a student who was very unique. He was always hiding in a corner alone. During PE class, he was not as lively as the other children. I could feel that his heart was very heavy; something must have happened at home. I specifically sought opportunities to care for him. At first, he was very guarded against me and even spoke with a bit of hostility. But I did not give up on understanding him because of that. I used various methods to find out what was happening. After a full year of effort, he finally opened his heart and was truly willing to be honest with me. That was when I realised this child had been living a very hard life. His father was bedridden with a serious illness, requiring huge monthly expenses. To earn money to support a family of ten, his mother had to work in an illegal industry. The child actually wanted to go out and find a job, but his mother forbade it, insisting he attend school. He was always worried about his father and mother, depressed every day, and had no heart to focus on his studies. He even secretly looked for a job, preparing to work after school. She was a girl, and I could sense that the job would exploit her body and cause her great harm. To save this child and prevent her from easily ruining her life, I found many social resources that could help her. This allowed her family to catch their breath and prevented them from hitting rock bottom because of her father's illness. With the help of society, this child was saved. Although her father eventually passed away from his illness, at least during those days, she was not harmed. She felt the warmth of society, which protected her positive mental note."

The Weight of Karmic Retribution

"I also helped another hardworking child. I met him when he was in his first year of middle school. At that time, he was normal, but by the time he reached his second or third year, his appearance had changed completely. He had not become 'bad,' but he had become extremely thin, his skin was dull, and his face did not look like that of a boy his age. I was shocked. How could he have changed so much? So, I spent a lot of time after school caring for him, listening to what had happened. At first, like the previous student, he did not want to tell me the truth. I knew there must be something he dared not say. I did not give up; I continued to wait and accompany him, using all my love to tolerate all his behaviours. All my efforts were just to save him. I did not want his life to have regrets during these difficult days, as that would be something he could never recover from. So, no matter how hard it was, even if I had to spend my private time after work, I was willing to do it. I often rode my motorcycle to take him to a nearby cheap noodle stall. Seeing how he cherished the noodles while eating, I knew he rarely had dinner. After half a year of effort, he finally told me the truth. His family was also unhappy. After his mother gave birth to him, she married a new husband and abandoned him on the roadside. A kind person took him home to raise him, and this person became his current mother. This mother was in poor health. She used to be able to earn money to support him and three other children, but when he was in his first year, his foster mother fell ill. To take care of her, he often stayed up all night, then went to work at the market at two in the morning, getting paid daily. As soon as he got the money, he would rush to school. At school, I rarely saw him eat. Every time it was mealtime, he would disappear. Now I know it was because he did not have a hot lunch box like the other students. He only had water to drink and a small piece of bread as hard as a stone. Those breads were all from a time he went to a bakery and happened to see them throwing away unsold bread. He picked them all up and took them home, eating one piece a day. By then, the bread had become hard and unpalatable, and some were even mouldy, but he still ate them just to save money for his mother's medical treatment. My heart ached for this child, only ten-something years old, living such a hard life. So, I again found many resources to help him and share the economic pressure of caring for his mother. On graduation day, he hugged me tightly and said, 'Thank you, Teacher, for saving our whole family.' I smiled and nodded, patted his shoulder, and told him, 'After graduation, you must know how to give back to society.' He smiled and replied, 'I have never forgotten the help this society gave me. I will definitely continue to pass on this warmth.' This child was very well-behaved and honest. I am very glad his family did not ruin his life. With the help of society, he found hope in life and learned to use his own hands to help more vulnerable groups."

A New Role in the Underworld

"I spent twenty years in the education sector and retired at forty-three. If I still had the strength, I would have liked to continue teaching, but I did not expect my body to fall ill so quickly. I developed lung cancer. After several years of suffering and various medical treatments, I still could not resist the arrival of death. I was actually still quite young at the time. I did not know why I became ill, but looking back now, it turns out that the karmic creditors of those students I had helped all came looking for me. When I caught a severe cold, they quickly invaded my body.

After death, my spirit was taken by the prison official before the King of the Fourth Hall, and I was given the position of a prison guard. I had not yet gone to be reincarnated; I first served in the hells.

Seeing the beings entering the hells, more every year and younger every time, I truly sighed. I sighed because the world has really changed. These children make my heart ache. No child wants to be bad by nature, but the environment forces them onto a lost path, ruining their lives and harming their spirits. A few years ago, I began listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks. Only then did I recognise what the Buddha’s teachings were, and I realised that the Buddha’s teachings are education. They can truly teach children some correct concepts and help them avoid going astray. I used the sutras I heard to speak to these young children in the hells. I hoped to help them a little, so they would not waste this precious life in vain.

Seeing the changes in the world, I deeply hope that the Buddha’s teachings can be propagated, using the Buddha’s teachings to truly educate children, starting from their young lives. Only then will this world have a chance to be saved."

The interview message was written by the chief writer, Shi Fa Jing.