From Feudal Privilege to the Hells and Beyond

This is a record of an interview with Hua Erxing, 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 service in the hells. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on August 16, 2024.

Hua Erxing speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. When the Dharma assembly began, I saw the entire temple radiating brilliant golden light. Immeasurable and boundless sentient beings were waiting. As the six-character name 'Namo Amituofo' resonated, we sixty prison guards were saved by Practitioner Su. We surged rapidly toward the golden light, entering the Buddha-land of Namo Amituofo—the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

I am now surrounded by endless golden light. The radiance, clarity, and brilliance of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss make me feel completely at peace. I am so grateful to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su for allowing a spirit who had been wandering for so long to finally come home.

The Illusion of Worldly Life

Upon arriving in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I realised that everything in the human world is an illusion. Life does not need to be taken so seriously, and there is certainly no need to be calculating. Looking back at the time and space where I once lived from the perspective of the Western Land, I realise it was all just a fleeting moment, gone in the blink of an eye.

Hua Erxing was the final name I held in this cycle of rebirth. When I was Hua Erxing, I was born during the feudal era in Europe. You could say I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth; I belonged to the upper-middle class of society. My father and uncle, in particular, held significant influence during that time.

A Life of Excess and the Fall of Feudalism

The house we lived in was massive, and we had many servants. At every meal, the dining table would be completely covered with dishes. When we finished eating, the servants would eat; when they finished, the dogs we kept would eat. If even the dogs could not finish it, the rest was simply thrown away. We had so much food that it was almost impossible to finish every meal, but our family was so wealthy that we never gave it a second thought.

My father insisted that I interact with the children of other high-ranking officials so that I would have a strong support network once I inherited his wealth. In that entire feudal era, the system was based on inheritance. Regardless of whether a child was talented or not, they were the designated successor. As the eldest son, I knew that all of my father's power and property would eventually be mine. From the time I was old enough to understand, I never worried about the future, because I knew my future would simply be a reflection of my father's present.

The Collapse of a Family

Yet, I never imagined that in my generation, just as I was preparing to inherit the estate, the entire feudal system would undergo a massive reform. A group of reformist forces had been brewing for a long time, and at the most critical moment, they overthrew the feudal system and moved toward an open society. After the system was dismantled, the new rulers, seeking to balance society, specifically targeted the large families of the feudal era. After auditing our assets, they demanded that we surrender a significant portion of our wealth to help the nation.

Our family's wealth had been accumulated since my grandfather's time. My father did not want to hand over what my grandfather had left behind just because the times had changed, so he held onto the property stubbornly, refusing to cooperate at any cost. Because of my father's persistence, he angered the government of that time. Since he would not comply, they fabricated charges against him, detained him, and confiscated all of our family's assets.

Responsibility and Awakening

This was a monumental catastrophe for us. We were forced to move out of our grand house and dismiss all our servants. My mother took me, then nineteen years old, and we planned to seek refuge with relatives. During this process, my mother and I tasted the coldness and warmth of human relationships. At first, my mother intended to seek help from her younger sister. However, her sister's husband was a government official who knew our situation well. They were afraid of being implicated by us, so they dared not take us in. My mother, not wanting to make things difficult for her sister, decided to take me to seek help from my cousin. My cousin was a local landowner, and we thought it would be no problem for him to assist us. But to our surprise, as soon as my cousin heard that my mother was coming, he sent someone to give us a small amount of money and told us that it was inconvenient for him to take care of us.

I saw the look of shock on my mother's face. My heart ached, but she tried her best not to show it. After more than a month of drifting and wandering, one of my mother's friends—whom I called Aunt—finally took us in. In that strange, new land, we started our lives over. My mother hoped that one day she would be reunited with my father. She inquired everywhere for news of him, only to hear that because of his unyielding attitude, he was suffering greatly. When my mother heard this news, she nearly fainted. Watching my mother live like a walking corpse every day, our aunt told her to prepare for the worst, as such reform periods were always chaotic. Finally, when I was twenty-three, after my father had been imprisoned for five years, he passed away. When the news arrived, my mother collapsed, weeping for a long time. At twenty-three, seeing what was happening before my eyes, I told myself that I had to shoulder the burden of this family. With my father gone, this family was my responsibility.

A Life of Service and the Final Transition

After discussing it with my mother, I decided to go to a different city to seek better opportunities. I had considered this decision for a long time; I did not want to leave while my mother was so heartbroken. But in my heart, I wanted to revive our family. I had to have the ability to help us recover. In the big city, I saw that it was divided into many different sections. I had no money, so I lived in the slums. I saw everyone in the slums struggling and worrying about their next meal. The destitute lives and the destitute hearts—it made my heart ache to see it. I once saw a family who, unable to survive, painfully sold their newborn child to someone else. The look of pain and torment on their faces during that separation is something I still remember to this day. At that time, I asked in my heart: 'Why must it be so cruel? Why must some people experience such a painful life?'

After struggling in the city for a while, I began to find my own path. Because of my sincerity and hard work, I managed to carve out a place for myself. Throughout this process, I worked incredibly hard every day. Finally, I did not let my mother down, and I was appreciated by those who were willing to help me. Before long, I built a new house for my mother and donated my extra monthly income to those in need. Because of the loneliness in my heart, I came to know the God of Islam. I believed that God would settle my heart. Through these years of effort, I was able to help others whenever they were in need, whether through material support or spiritual comfort. Many who knew me said I was a good person, but I did not crave fame; I only did what I felt was right. My life ended at the age of fifty-six. I died in a flood while trying to save others.

The Role of a Prison Guard

The process of suffocating was incredibly painful. In that instant, I entered the space of water droplets. In that vast space, I would merge into wherever water was needed. I do not know how long I was a water droplet, but the beings in the spaces I visited welcomed me. I would tumble through the sky one moment and enter the soil the next; it was quite free and easy. Eventually, a force guided me to the Hall of King Yama. King Yama looked at me sternly, and I thought I was about to be judged. To my surprise, King Yama said: 'In this life, you saw life clearly, and you knew to help others. Your heart of helping others without seeking reward is highly commendable. Since your worldly karma has ended, you shall serve as a prison guard in the underworld. You must do this job well.'

At first, I did not understand what it meant to be a prison guard, but after I took the position, I realised that this role involved leading inmates to receive their retribution. Seeing the hells filled with suffering beings, I could not help but reflect and realise the truth. In my heart, I hoped for a chance to help them wake up. But I saw that the inmates were very stubborn; some were creating karma without even knowing it. I felt helpless because I could not assist them. While on duty, I was grateful to hear Practitioner Su expound upon the scriptures and the Dharma, and I finally understood the importance of liberation. Now I know that following the Buddha is the only ultimate path. I silently planted the wish for liberation in my heart, and today, it has finally been realised. Gratitude to the Buddha, gratitude to Practitioner Su.

Hua Erxing, with palms joined."