This is a record of an interview with the spirit known as Nazi De, a former general who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his past lives and his long journey through the cycle of rebirth. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on February 2, 2025.
Nazi De speaks:
". I am deeply aware that if it were not for the Causal Conditions of today, I would never have had the opportunity to encounter the chance for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am truly, sincerely grateful, and I will diligently practise from this moment forward.
I offer my deepest gratitude to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su. On behalf of all the hell-guards, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha’s grace and for the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."
The Haunting of a Conqueror
"I was once a mighty general, a man who commanded the battlefield with an iron fist, my spear piercing the throats of countless enemies. My life was defined by the slaughter of cities and the burning of villages. To secure victory, I did not hesitate to massacre those who surrendered, painting the battlefield in the deep, sickening red of human blood. I viewed everything as a matter of course; in my heart, the strong were meant to dictate the rules, and the weak were nothing more than dust beneath my boots.
However, as I grew old, the lives I had so callously disregarded began to return to claim their debt in my dreams. In the dead of night, I would often dream of the soldiers I had personally cut down. They stood by my bedside, their eyes burning with a crimson rage, their broken bodies dragging their own entrails behind them. They did not speak; they simply stared at me, as if waiting for something. I would wake up in a cold sweat, only to find those shattered figures still standing in the shadows, flickering with the candlelight.
From that time on, I began to suffer from a strange illness. My body withered, my limbs went numb, and sleep became a distant memory. The royal physicians were helpless, and even the Taoist priests who came to perform exorcisms were of no use. One Taoist told me, 'General, your illness is not a worldly disease; it is the weight of your spiritual obstacles.' I scoffed at him, but that very night, I watched with my own eyes as a headless soldier sat by my bed and reached out with withered, skeletal hands to choke the life out of me. It was no dream—it was a living, breathing demand for revenge."
The Descent into the Beast Realm
"Not only that, but I began to hear the wailing of the battlefield echoing in my ears. The cries and resentment of the civilians and surrendered soldiers I had ordered to be slaughtered echoed in my mind day and night. I tried to numb myself with alcohol, but whenever I fell into a drunken stupor, those resentful spirits would flood into my , tearing at my soul and forcing me to feel the agony they suffered before they died. I became terrified of the darkness, terrified of being alone, and terrified of closing my eyes, for as soon as I did, I was swallowed by the countless souls I had wronged.
This torture continued for years. Finally, my body could no longer sustain the weight of my fear and remorse, and I died. But death did not bring me liberation. My soul was ripped from my body and began to plummet. I looked up, searching for the light, but I found only the whispers of countless evil spirits—my former enemies, the innocent civilians—their resentment binding me tightly. My soul was torn apart as I fell into a bottomless, suffocating darkness.
When I awoke, I was no longer human. I had become a beast, a creature covered in fur and horns, resembling a wild boar. I was trapped in a blood-red wilderness, the sky burning like a sea of gore, and the air filled with shrill, piercing roars. As I looked around, I saw many monsters like myself running through this wasteland. Their eyes were blood-red, saliva dripping from their mouths like starving ghosts who could never be satisfied. I tried to cry out, but I could only emit the guttural snarls of a beast. I realised then that I had become a bloodthirsty animal."
The Unending Torment of Hell
"In that place, I was subjected to constant, brutal slaughter. The soldiers I had once butchered had now become evil spirits, using long blades to slice through my skin and flesh, repeatedly carving open my abdomen and forcing me to howl in absolute agony. Even when torn to pieces, I could not die; I would simply recover, only to wait for the next bloody punishment. But this was not the most cruel part. I experienced an endless, gnawing hunger. When I saw the other monsters around me, a violent impulse surged within my heart—I had to devour them, too.
I could not control my bloodthirsty instincts. I began to use my fangs to tear into those creatures who were just like me, gnawing on their flesh and blood. Every time I swallowed a mouthful, the fear and wailing of their final moments would flash through my mind. Yet, I could not stop, and I could never find true satisfaction. This was an infinite cycle of torture—the very pain I had once inflicted upon others was now being visited upon me. This agony continued for what felt like countless aeons.
One day, my soul was stripped from the beast’s body and fell once more, deeper into the darkness. I had fallen into the Avici Hell. The flames of hell consumed my soul, and the mountains of blades and seas of fire stretched out into infinity. I was burned by the inferno, my bones shattering inch by inch, my skin peeling away like withered leaves. Iron hooks pierced my throat, hanging me in the freezing wind, while the hell-guards lashed me with iron whips until my soul turned to charcoal—only to be restored in an instant to endure the torture all over again."
A Lifetime of Repentance
"I saw millions of resentful souls surrounding me, their eyes cold and unforgiving. They were not strangers; they were the civilians and soldiers I had once slaughtered. 'General, you killed my wife and children, you burned my home—now pay with your life!' Their roars turned into a hurricane that tore my soul apart, forcing me to endure endless pain over and over again. I wanted to escape, but there was nowhere to go. The punishments of hell are inescapable; this was the I had planted myself, and now I had to bear the fruit.
Amidst the mountains of blades and seas of fire, I witnessed countless forms of punishment. I saw people pierced by iron trees, their flesh hanging from the branches, emitting shrill cries of agony. I saw others crushed by iron bulls, their bones ground into dust, only to recover moments later to suffer again. I experienced all of this, every second a torture without end. Time had lost all meaning. I do not know how many kalpas I suffered, until one day, I remembered a single Buddha-name—Namo Amituofo. Suddenly, I saw a peaceful golden light that dispersed the surrounding darkness and flames. My heart was filled with infinite pain, and I bowed my head, weeping and openly repenting.
In that instant, my soul seemed to grow lighter. Countless shackles fell from my body, and my spiritual obstacles gradually dissolved. At that moment, my soul was enveloped in golden light. I was reborn as a poor person named Nazi De. In this lifetime, I was frail and sickly from childhood, suffering through many hardships, but I never complained or blamed others. Whenever hardship struck, I would vaguely remember the tortures of my past life, reminding myself never to create evil again."
The Final
"One day, I walked to a temple and met an old monk. He stared at me for a long time and then said slowly, 'Your past karma is heavy. you have in this life is the result of dissolving that karma. However, if you can practise Goodness and cultivate virtue, you can still be liberated.' When I heard this, my heart was shaken. I took refuge in the Buddha’s gate, practised diligently, and vowed never to create evil again, using this life to benefit all beings.
The path of practice was not easy. I faced the disregard of others and suffered through endless illness, but whenever resentment arose in my heart, the old monk’s words would echo in my ears: 'Do not blame heaven, do not blame others. What you suffer is all planted in your past life. Now that you know, you must transform it.' I learned the practice of Generosity; even if I had only a bowl of porridge left, I was willing to share it with those who were poorer. I learned the practice of Patience; even when insulted, I would only press my palms together and lower my head, offering no response. I learned to recite the Sutras, praying before the Buddha every morning and evening, hoping to use the good deeds of this life to dissolve the sins of my past.
Decades passed, and from a poor youth, I vowed to become a monk. I no longer clung to fame or profit; I no longer calculated gain or loss. Everyone said I was gentle and compassionate, but no one knew it was because I had experienced the countless torments of hell and finally understood the true suffering of this world and the terror of samsara. At the end of my life, my heart felt only peace and relief, and I left this world without any attachments.
Looking back at my past, I went from a brutal general to falling into the animal realm and hell, experiencing infinite pain, only to finally repent and practise, eventually escaping the sea of suffering. This is the law of karma and cause and effect; this is the cycle of rebirth. Every being holds their own destiny in their hands—it only depends on whether they are willing to change.
My soul once again stood before the King of Hell. This time, I was not sentenced to punishment. The King of Hell, in his , assigned me a position of service, which I cherish and am deeply grateful for. I know this is the best opportunity for me to change, and I will strive to complete it. I do not know how much time has passed, but I suddenly heard Practitioner Su giving a talk. It made me wake up, and I realised how ignorant I had been, bursting into tears. I finally understood everything I had done wrong. I wept and begged the Buddha to forgive me, and I sincerely wish to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
I know that without the great vow of Practitioner Su, I would never have been able to seek rebirth in the Pure Land. I will cherish this opportunity, and I know that I must practise diligently so that in the future, I can help other sentient beings. I am so grateful that I can be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss today. On behalf of all the hell-guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha’s grace and for the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.
