Finding the True Self Through Music and Faith

This is a record of an interview with Kang Da-yi, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his subsequent experiences in the underworld. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on July 12, 2024.

Kang Da-yi speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, with its brilliant, golden light, is a sight of beauty I had never before witnessed. Upon arriving here, we are all liberated spirits; there is no pollution from the world, only the companionship of lotus flowers.

It was only after arriving here that I realised I had been a soul caught in the cycle of reincarnation for a very long time. Every life I lived was like a dream, and in every life, I believed it to be real. It was not until the good Causal Conditions of the Buddha manifested before me that I finally woke up from that dream. I am so grateful to the Buddha for helping me regain my clarity and for allowing me to return home."

A Life Defined by Others

"When I was Kang Da-yi, I worked as a professional soldier. This was not a life I chose for myself; it was a path my father had arranged for me. Life in the military was incredibly disciplined. When dealing with people and situations, I often had to conform or say things I did not mean. I truly detested that kind of existence.

Deep within my heart, there were many times when a powerful voice cried out, urging me to find a way to escape the predicament of that life. At the age of thirty-one, I made a courageous decision. I retired from my position as a soldier."

Chasing the Melody of the Soul

"Without a stable salary and with a family to support, I took some time to reflect and decided to embark on a life of chasing my dreams. I believed that life is full of opportunities. Since I was a child, I had loved music, and the rigid, unyielding nature of my previous life had left my heart feeling stifled.

After leaving the military, I began taking odd jobs while composing music. At first, my family could not accept my decision; they felt that the stability of our household had been compromised. It was only after I shared the suffering in my heart with my wife that she finally decided to support me. I found a music teacher who encouraged me. He understood the hardships of being a musician and the sacrifices one must make.

During those first few years of pursuing my ideals, I encountered countless obstacles—difficulties in my creative process and the disapproval of my family. Many times, I questioned whether I should continue to persist. Yet, whenever that voice of doubt arose in my heart, a surge of strength would call out to me, urging me to keep going."

The Comfort of Faith

"To strengthen my resolve on this musical path, I was constantly searching for a way to support my inner conviction. One day, while on my way to buy breakfast, I happened to meet a missionary named Luke. He spoke to me with great warmth and listened as I poured out the bitterness and frustration in my heart.

He shared with me: 'When I first came to this country as a missionary, I also felt fear, anxiety, and even doubt about the future. But in the end, I believed that the Lord would give me all the strength I needed.' I thought to myself, I truly needed that strength. When Luke invited me to his church, I did not refuse; instead, I felt a sense of anticipation. I felt that I had finally found a source of strength to lean on in my life.

When I arrived at the church, many people came forward to speak with me, making me feel such warmth and passion. I had never had many friends, and I had always felt that no one understood me. Now, having a large group of people to give me strength filled me with hope for my future and my ideals."

Finding Purpose in Song

"The church sang many hymns. When they discovered I had a good voice, they always pushed me to the front. At first, I resisted, but seeing how happy it made everyone, I chose to break through my own barriers. Once I became familiar with this environment, I composed several hymns. They brought joy to everyone who heard them and eventually became the standard hymns sung at every celebration.

The church helped many vulnerable groups and orphans, and they often needed me to sing to lift their spirits. Through these experiences, I found a sense of purpose and existence. My faith in the Lord grew increasingly firm. I believed that as long as I followed the Lord, my life would be peaceful.

I upheld this belief and lived a stable life. I remained a musician, but my heart now held a sense of settled faith. This transformed my state of mind in my later compositions, allowing me to write more hymns that could soothe the hearts of others."

The Final Chapter

"My life was not long; at forty-one, I was diagnosed with cancer. My friends from the church—whom we called brothers and sisters—encouraged me, hoping for my recovery. But my body had already deteriorated; it was nearly impossible to recover. When I felt that my time was running out, I decided to bid farewell to everyone, grateful for every encounter I had in this life.

Many people were reluctant to let me go. But life is like that; there is no turning back, one can only keep moving forward. At the end of my life, I looked back and realised I had not achieved anything grand, but I had done things that gave me hope and allowed me to find happiness.

Life offers many different choices, and the choices we make in the present shape the self of the future. With deep reflection, although I was still young, I had no major regrets. I did not feel deep fear regarding death because I believed I would follow the Lord into a world of light. As my body endured intense, excruciating pain, my mind kept replaying the scenes of singing hymns with my fellow congregants."

A New Duty in the Underworld

"Not long after I breathed my last, my spirit followed the beautiful music into the notes themselves. Floating in space, dancing with the music, I did not even know I had died. I simply thought I was attending one concert after another, dancing to the melody, feeling incredibly happy. Wherever my 'note' went, it was like the music I had composed in life—it could soothe the hearts of others.

I do not know how long I drifted like that. Eventually, the King of Hell brought me to the Hall of Judgment. The King of Hell asked, 'How did you live your life?' I replied, 'I was law-abiding and self-disciplined.' The King of Hell nodded and answered, 'That is indeed true. In this life, your musical compositions soothed the hearts of many, giving them something to rely on, and you unknowingly accumulated much merit. Now, the Causal Conditions have matured; you may take on the position of a prison guard. I hope you will serve all beings well in the future.'

After thanking the King of Hell, I donned my duty uniform and began my work. The wailing of the beings in the hells was constant, and I felt immense sorrow hearing it, but I knew that everything was a matter of the laws of karma and cause and effect. For the beings, the hells are the most impartial judgment: those who commit evil receive evil, and those who do good receive good."

The Ultimate Deliverance

"In the hells, I saw beings trapped in endless cycles of reincarnation, and I constantly wondered how I could help them wake up. I am grateful that at this time, the scriptures and Dharma talks delivered by Practitioner Su shook the hearts of many. They allowed me and the beings in the hells to understand that only by changing our own ways can we transform our karmic retribution. After hearing Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks, I learned of Namo Amituofo, the Great Buddha who established the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss so that every spirit could have a place to return to. It was then that I realised this was the true, ultimate Dharma gate. I began to practise chanting Namo Amituofo, and only after chanting did I discover that the energy of a single Buddha-name is truly immense.

I am grateful to Practitioner Su for performing Chao Du for the beings of the Dharma realm of emptiness and the hells. Seeing the beings leave suffering and gain happiness, I am filled with gratitude. I hope that in the future, I will have the opportunity to follow the Buddha.

Finally, today, I waited for the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. When Practitioner Su reached out to guide us sixty prison guards, I chanted Namo Amituofo loudly, and in the blink of an eye, I arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. The purity of this world brings me such peace. I am grateful to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su. I hope that many more spirits can receive deliverance. Gratitude."

Kang Da-yi

Namo Amituofo.