From Precious Jade to Guardian of the Hells

Chief Writer Shi Faxin records:

April 21, 2023

Song Ruyu speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Today is the great day of my rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and my heart is exceptionally calm. When Practitioner Su guided me to the West, I immediately entered the lotus flower inscribed with my name; it was translucent and radiant. Finally, I have distanced myself from the mundane world. The vast space of the Western Pure Land is filled with peace, and my heart has been completely purified. I knelt before a magnificent, towering statue of Namo Amituofo, wishing to learn diligently from Him. I am also deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for guiding me and fifty-nine other prison guards to be reborn in the Western Pure Land.

The Soul Within the Jade

My name is Song Ruyu. Before I was born as a human, I was a piece of translucent, lustrous jade. Many who beheld this jade regarded it as a treasure, for beyond its pure appearance, it possessed a remarkable spiritual quality. This jade had been unearthed from a mine thousands of years ago, and throughout Chinese history, many emperors had cherished it, passing it down through generations of dynasties.

It was not until a certain Master held the jade in his hands and imparted many teachings to it that I realised I should not be attached to being this piece of jade, nor should I be proud of it. The Master said, 'Being a piece of jade passed down by the world is a blessing from your past, but if you remain only this jade without any spiritual breakthrough or value, once that blessing is exhausted, you will become nothing more than a pile of waste soil.' The Master further told me that I had only eleven years of blessings remaining. I had to wake up and seek liberation, otherwise, endless suffering would await me.

A Human Birth and a Compassionate Heart

Upon hearing these words, I contemplated them for a long time. My spirit even caught a glimpse of what that 'waste soil' looked like, and I was afraid—truly afraid from the depths of my heart. When I had clarified everything and was willing to truly let go of my attachment to the jade, I instantly entered a darkness, as if walking through a very long tunnel. I kept encouraging myself not to be afraid, to keep walking, and keep walking. Before long, I saw light before me. I had entered a mother's womb.

When I was born, I felt a stinging sensation all over my body, so I cried out loudly. Aside from me, everyone around was laughing. The midwife said, 'Master Song, congratulations! After nine sons, you have finally been blessed with this daughter as you wished.' My father looked at me, his smile never fading, and he took me from the midwife's hands with immense joy. I became the youngest and only daughter of the Song family, and everyone from top to bottom doted on me. I was born with fair, translucent skin and was quite endearing. My father, in particular, loved me dearly; whatever I desired, I would surely receive.

Although I was a quintessential heiress, I had excellent relationships with the nannies, maids, and labourers who cared for me. I often shared the wonderful things I received with them. Everyone in the household was delighted by my gentleness and kindness. My parents were even more comforted to see this, as I had not been spoiled by my privileged environment.

The Call of the Battlefield

Every day, I spent my time with the maids around me. They would often confide in me about their family backgrounds; most had lived through such hardship that they had to be sold to work for the Song family at a young age. Hearing this, my heart ached, and I would always beg my father to help improve the livelihoods of the labourers and maids. Whenever I asked, my father would agree.

Every year, whenever there was any disaster in the town, our Song family would certainly step forward to help, and I would always be at the forefront of the grain distribution. When war broke out on the front lines a year later, I was deeply anxious. I feared for the suffering of the civilians, and I did not want to see any casualties. At that time, I would pace back and forth at home, thinking about how I could help those on the front lines of the war.

Living in daily agitation, I decided to secretly head to the front lines. I brought a large amount of grain and bandaging supplies, and with the maids by my side, I left home. A force within my heart carried me forward; I felt no fear. I was eighteen years old when I left home.

A Life of Service and Sacrifice

Upon arriving at the front lines, I began distributing grain. I looked at the many people suffering, cared for them one by one, and learned how to bandage wounds and stop bleeding from the military doctors. Every day, I was covered in dirt, with no time to think of anything else, because there were always people one after another in need of help. I forgot my former identity; I only hoped that the war would stop and that the people could return to peace and happiness.

About two months after arriving at the front lines, the war gradually subsided. Once everything was stable, I went to serve on other battlefields. Strangely enough, wherever I went to serve, the war would soon settle down, and peace would be restored. Many said I was a 'lucky star,' and many battlefields vied to invite me to serve on their front lines. Having served on the front lines for several years, I had completely shed my identity as the Song family heiress. I heard that my family was searching for me everywhere, but I still had a mission I wanted to complete, so even though it worried my family, I decided not to return home.

The maids who had come out with me had long since perished in an epidemic, leaving me alone to continue resolutely completing the work I had to do. After serving on the battlefield for a long time, my appearance gradually shifted from feminine to masculine. I also became a certified military doctor after serving as an assistant.

The Path to the Western Pure Land

There were several times when the war was critical; our military medical camp was breached by the enemy, and I nearly lost my life, yet I always escaped under the protection of my brothers-in-arms. To live one more day on the battlefield was a stroke of luck. Many people would think of their homes, and I could empathise with their feelings, hoping that one day we would meet a wise leader who could restore harmony to the world. Often, when I mentioned my ideals to others, they would laugh at me, saying I was living in a fantasy.

In this life, I did not live to see world peace. At thirty-eight, a cannon shell exploded, and I lost my life. I entered a space where I continued to treat the sick. One day, I heard a sound—it was the familiar sound of the Buddha's name. When I was young, my parents had taken me to the temple, and the chanting of the masters had lingered in my heart. Hearing the Buddha's name again, I knelt and prayed for the war to end. To my surprise, my sincerity allowed me to be released from the space I was in.

I arrived in the hells and knelt before the Yama King's palace. The Yama King said, 'Song Ruyu, you changed your life through your own strength. If you had continued to enjoy your wealth and glory in this life, you would have suffered in your old age. Now, you have done countless good deeds; although you died in war, you have eliminated great karmic debts. You may now serve as a prison guard to serve all beings.' Upon hearing this, I knelt in gratitude.

In the hells, I guarded the execution grounds and saw many suffering spirits. I desperately hoped they would repent, but they were often strong-willed in their conflicts and refusal to yield, unwilling to turn back even after paying the price. My heart ached for them, and I took them as a warning. I served in the hells without attachment, just as I had served on the battlefield. During my service, I was fortunate enough to hear Practitioner Su give Dharma talks, through which I learned about the laws of karma and cause and effect, and that every spirit is caught in the cycle of rebirth. I listened to the teachings with all my heart, hoping that one day I could seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Finally, on this day, having received the notification, I have attained rebirth in the West. I am grateful for the compassion of the Buddha and the compassion of Practitioner Su. I, Ruyu, will continue to practise diligently in the West, following the Buddha, so that in the future, I may have the opportunity to help all beings.

Namo Amituofo.

Song Ruyu, with palms joined."