A Lifetime of Devotion to the Elderly

This interview was conducted by Shi Faxin on March 11, 2022. The subject is Xie Benyuan, a man who spent his life in a rural village in mainland China, dedicated to the care of the elderly. After his passing, he served as a prison guard in the hells before being delivered to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss by the compassion of the Buddha and Practitioner Su. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Benyuan speaks:

"Benyuan's family was poor, and he always hoped he could live without financial worries, yet those dreams never materialised. Now, having arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, he sees countless treasures of gold and silver. He cannot help but admire the compassion of the Buddha. In the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, every wish is fulfilled. Benyuan and fifty-nine other prison guards kneel in gratitude."

"I was born in a rural village in mainland China. My parents worked far away and only returned home every few years. I was the only child in the family, and I felt lonely from a very young age. There were not many children my age in the village because many families had moved to the cities to live, leaving mostly the elderly behind. Several uncles and elders volunteered to stay behind to look after the village seniors. They would often go from door to door to check on their health. Since I had no playmates, I would simply follow these uncles around as they made their rounds."

A Heart for the Vulnerable

"From a young age, I realised that it was not just my family that was poor; many of the elderly in the village were also struggling. Everyone did not eat very well, usually just eating whatever was available. This planted a wish in my heart: I hoped that I could do my best to improve everyone's lives and perhaps even help them eat a little better."

"There was a plot of land next to my house, and I asked my grandfather to teach me how to farm. Once I learned, I planted several different kinds of vegetables in my field, intending to distribute them to everyone after the harvest. Every day while watering them, I would say to the vegetables, 'Grow quickly, grow quickly.'"

"I divided my vegetable patch into several sections, each to be harvested in different seasons, so that there would always be something to pick throughout the year. I became the village's little angel, regularly delivering vegetables to the seniors. Every time they saw me coming, they would beam with joy. Seeing their happy expressions made my own heart feel bright and clear."

The Simple Joys and Hard Realities

"One year, my parents returned home for the Lunar New Year, bringing two chickens. They planned to slaughter one on New Year's Eve and the other on the first day of the New Year to provide a grand feast for the family. They had bought things from the city that I had never seen before, along with many clothes for me."

"During the New Year's Eve meal, my mother looked at the dim lights in the house and complained that it was too dark. When she spoke, no one responded; everyone just continued eating in silence. After a while, my mother said, 'What kind of vegetable is this? Why does it taste so tough?' My grandmother finally spoke up: 'This is the vegetable Benyuan grew himself. He gave the tender vegetables to the neighbours so they could have a good New Year, and kept the tougher ones for himself.' After hearing this, my mother did not praise me, but she did not say anything more either."

"I didn't really eat much of the chicken on the table. On one hand, I wasn't used to such rich food, and on the other, I wanted to share the meat with the grandfathers and grandmothers in the neighbourhood. To me, they were closer than my own parents; they were my family."

Learning the Meaning of Loss

"By the third day of the New Year, my parents left to return to the city, and our lives returned to the way they were before. After they left, I went back to visiting the neighbours. During the holidays, Uncle Wang De taught me how to write the character for 'Spring' and told me to paste it upside down, which symbolises that 'Spring has arrived.' I practised writing it many times and felt happier with each attempt, eventually pasting many 'Spring' characters on my door."

"At fifteen, I began to face the reality of separation. One day, while I was watering the fields, I heard crying in the distance. I rushed towards the sound, only to find it was Uncle Yong. He was one of the oldest in the village, and I never expected him to pass away amidst his mother's wailing. He had tripped while repairing something, hit his head, and never woke up again. Seeing his ninety-year-old mother crying so heartbrokenly felt as if my own heart were being torn apart. I was so sad that I could not help but shed tears. I silently told myself that I must take good care of the elderly grandmother."

"The villagers helped arrange Uncle Yong's funeral together. It was the first time I saw such sorrow and grief on everyone's faces. That night, after the funeral, I couldn't sleep. I went to my grandparents' room just to see them. I hoped they would never leave me, but I knew that was impossible; one day, separation would come to our home too. From then on, I cherished every moment spent with the villagers, knowing that people always eventually part ways."

A Life Dedicated to Service

"Years later, Grandpa Wu passed away, followed by Grandpa Song. I saw their families return to send them off on their final journey, and then I never saw them again. The houses they once lived in became ruins. Every time I passed the Wu and Xiao households, I would remember the times we spent together, and my heart would sink."

"By the age of twenty-five, I was a mature and sensible person. I opened a small grocery store at home for the neighbours. If they didn't have money, I would just give them the goods. Because of this, my little shop never made a profit and sometimes even lost money. But I didn't care, because money was not the most important thing to me."

"One summer, a fierce windstorm blew through, and the relentless gusts damaged many of our roofs. After the storm passed, I inspected the village and saw that many houses were in disrepair. If winter came and it rained, I didn't know what everyone would do. I desperately wanted to find a way to repair the roofs, but I had no money, and neither did the villagers. I paced back and forth in my home for days, hoping to find a solution. Finally, I decided to go to a nearby city to work, hoping to earn money and perhaps find better opportunities to improve the quality of life in our village."

The Burden of Responsibility

"When I first arrived in the city, I was terrified by the noise. Even at night, the clamour outside never ceased. Lying in bed, I would recall the nights in the village, accompanied by the sounds of insects, which made me feel safe and peaceful. After a week in the city, I felt incredibly lonely, but I kept telling myself that I had to earn money to send back home, so I endured it."

"I had already decided that the money I earned each month would go towards repairing the most severely damaged roofs in the village. I hired workers to calculate the costs and went back to the village to help. When winter arrived a few months later, I was shivering with cold, thinking about the two houses that still hadn't been repaired. I didn't have enough money, so I had to bite the bullet and borrow from my boss, intending to pay it back through future salary deductions. Although I ended up in debt, the roofs were fixed, allowing the village elders to live in peace, which gave me peace of mind. For several months, I couldn't return to the village because I had to pay off my debts, so I worked harder than anyone else."

"A year after I started working, I received a call saying that my grandmother had fallen at home. I was so anxious that I immediately asked for leave to go back. Seeing her lying in bed, moaning in pain, I asked if she wanted to see a doctor. She shook her head and said, 'Seeing a doctor costs money. I'm just an old bag of bones; I'll live as long as I can.' Although those were her true feelings, hearing them broke my heart. I stayed with her for a day, but I had to return to work. This time, my feelings upon returning to the village were different than before."

The Final Years and Deliverance

"Besides worrying about my grandmother's fall, I also saw the stark contrast between the quality of life in the village and the city. I silently wished I could build proper houses for them. I wished I were a rich man who could renovate all the houses in the village, but alas, a dream is just a dream. I never married, as the expenses would have been too great; all the money I earned was meant to be given back to the village. Whenever I returned and saw a household in need, I would help them to the best of my ability."

"My grandmother passed away on my thirtieth birthday, leaving my grandfather alone. I was afraid he wouldn't be cared for, so I planned to bring him to the city, but he refused without a second thought, saying he was used to country life. I couldn't stop him, so I could only keep him in my heart, praying for his safety."

"After an accident at a construction site where I injured both my legs, I had to move back to the village. My grandfather took care of me for a month, and that month brought back the feeling of my old life in the village. Once my legs healed, I decided to stay and accompany the few remaining elders, using my presence to care for them instead of money. I started raising chickens to make a living. Five years later, the elders one by one passed away, including my grandfather. Their departures made me lose my sense of purpose. Gradually, I grew old, becoming one of the village elders myself, spending my twilight years with my chickens."

"One day at the age of sixty-seven, I felt pain all over my body, lay down on my bed, and never woke up. I don't know if anyone collected my body. However, my spirit was brought before the King of Hell for judgment. The King said that because I had accumulated much merit by caring for the elderly throughout my life, I was able to pass away without major illness or pain in my old age. The discomfort I felt in my final years was due to the karmic creditors and the spirits of the chickens I had raised surrounding me. Everything was clearly laid out before the King of Hell. Using my remaining merit, the King appointed me as a prison guard to serve the beings in hell."

"While in hell, I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks. I was astonished that the truth of the human body could be explained so clearly. I shared the principles I learned with the beings in hell, hoping to help them."

"A few years ago, I received notice from the King of Hell that I was on the list to be sent to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I was overjoyed. I am grateful to the Buddha and Practitioner Su for their compassion. Today, I have finally arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, enjoying its peace and serenity, and I have immediately joined in the mission to save the world. I am grateful for everything."

"Namo Amituofo."