From Earthbound Guardian to the Western Pure Land: The Story of Wang She

This is a record of an interview with Wang She, who sought Chao Du 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 transition from a local spirit guardian to a being of the Pure Land. It was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Haliang, on February 4, 2022.

Wang She speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Wang She, the spirit guardian—the earthbound deity—of the property sold by Lay Practitioner Lei Hulan. It is such a glorious thing! Who has ever heard of a local spirit guardian making it all the way to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss? I am the very first! When Practitioner Su called out our names during the Dharma assembly, he even called out my name—the name of the local spirit guardian. He reached out and took my hand, and in a single instant, I was there—in the Western Pure Land.

Ah! I was happier than anyone could imagine. I saw the magnificent Namo Amituofo radiating golden light, and I immediately knelt and kowtowed. I had long since cast aside my official spirit-guardian hat; I just kept bowing and bowing. I am so grateful to the Buddha! I am so grateful to Practitioner Su for bringing me to such a brilliant and luminous Pure Land!"

The Life of a Hong Kong Guardian

"In Hong Kong, where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold, becoming a spirit guardian is no small feat. It is a blessing cultivated over many lifetimes. During festivals, the people of Hong Kong offer incense and prayers to the local guardians and the good brothers. They hope that by honouring us, we will protect their homes and help them become wealthier and more prosperous. As a guardian, I had quite a reputation! So many homeowners were worshipping me. Although I was assigned to one building, the area I oversaw was vast; I was in charge of the entire complex.

When my homeowner, Lei Hulan, came to know of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia and told Practitioner Su that she wanted to sell her property to help us—the local spirits and good brothers—receive Chao Du, I immediately urged the others: 'Hurry! Hurry, go and get your fill of merit!' When Ms. Lei first mentioned selling the house, I told the other spirits, 'Quickly, go find some buyers! Buy this place so we can all go to the West!' Naturally, that included me—the guardian of the land—I could go to the West along with them."

A Past Life of Wealth and Regret

"My name is Wang She. In my previous life, I also owned much land and many houses, but when I died, I had nothing. I only managed to occupy a small space in this location, and so I became a spirit guardian. Oh, how things change! I did many good deeds in my life, though. I wasn't called Wang She back then; I was Wang Ashe—I had so much land, so many houses, and so much money! If I encountered people in distress, I would help them with money or food. But I had one bad habit: I was obsessed with women. Any woman I truly fancied, I would gift her a house. In the end, when I grew old, no one cared for me. When I was left alone and helpless, I drifted to this place. They were just starting to build the high-rise, so I stayed here, guarding the site.

Every day, I would look up at the sky and cry out, 'Heavens! I, Wang Ashe, did so many good deeds in my life, and yet after death, I have become a lonely wandering spirit with no one to care for me.' I looked at the sky with a sincere heart and prayed. Just then, a celestial deity appeared—he gestured with his hand and said, 'The Jade Emperor has decreed: this place is yours! Protect this land well!' And so, I became the guardian of this place."

The Connection with Lei Hulan

"From the moment the building construction began, I watched every brick and tile being laid. I saw clearly who would come to buy the apartments. I saw the people who came here, clutching bundles of cash to purchase their homes. Among them was a woman with a rather unique surname—she was Lei, Ms. Lei Hulan.

I felt a connection with her; we had a karmic affinity from the past. I never imagined she would have such immense blessings! She came to know Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, which completely awakened her past memories—she had been a practitioner of the Dharma in a previous life. She believed in the power of Namo Amituofo and the Dharma Body of Practitioner Su to perform Chao Du, and she was willing to purchase a Mituo Village unit. She wanted to reside there permanently. So, she made up her mind to sell our property in Hong Kong. I thought to myself: selling a house is a common thing, nothing special! But then, during the Dharma assembly, Practitioner Su said, 'Lei Hulan’s house is sold; I will lead the spirit guardian and the good brothers to the Western Pure Land!' I heard him clearly. From that day on, I became very busy, looking for buyers. In Hong Kong, so many people are selling houses every day, and so many are looking to buy. Since there are more sellers than buyers, I had to seize the opportunity."

The Final Deliverance

"At every Dharma assembly, whenever Practitioner Su would announce, 'Lei Hulan’s house is sold; I will lead the spirit guardian and the good brothers to the Western Pure Land!', we moved with great speed. I would ask the nearby spirits to help, and I could feel the Dharma protectors coming to assist as well. About seven to ten days after the Dharma assembly, the buyers would only have eyes for our property! I am so grateful to the Dharma protectors and the good brothers—through our collective effort, we quickly secured a buyer!

No matter how the buyers looked at it, they only saw the good in this house! Whether it was the feng shui or the orientation, we made sure they discovered how functional the living space was. The buyers were eager to purchase! We struck while the iron was hot. When the buyers signed the contract and paid the deposit, half of my heart as a guardian was finally at ease! Practitioner Su then said, 'In such a short time, her house has been sold; the most important thing now is for the final payment to be settled.' The period before the final payment was the most nerve-wracking for me, as things can change so quickly. Every day, I sent the surrounding spirits—who were like me, guardians of the land—to ensure the buyers remained calm, did not change their minds, and had sufficient funds.

Practitioner Su once said, 'As soon as the final payment is settled, I will lead the spirit guardian and the good brothers to the Western Pure Land.' It truly happened as I wished! It happened as Ms. Lei Hulan wished. Today, Practitioner Su led me and the good brothers to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am so grateful to the Buddha! I am so grateful to Practitioner Su! I am so grateful to the Dharma protectors of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre! I am so grateful to Ms. Lei Hulan for allowing me to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. I, Wang She, offer my deepest, twelve-thousand-fold gratitude. With the help of the Venerables and lay practitioners of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, who chanted Namo Amituofo to send us on our way, I have become the first spirit guardian of Hong Kong to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Respectfully, Wang She."