From Prison Guard to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Wen Shu-cheng, 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 life and his subsequent service as a prison guard in the hells. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on August 5, 2022.

Wen Shu-cheng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is a sacred destination that so many yearn for. Now that I can finally stand upon the golden ground of this Western Pure Land, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. My mouth cannot stop chanting the Buddha-name: 'Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo.' Every single recitation fills my entire being with boundless energy.

The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is completely cut off from the world. There is no noise, no clamour, and no pursuit of desires as there is in the human world. Everything here is so magnificent. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for leading me and fifty-nine other prison guards here. For us, today is truly the great day of our ultimate liberation from the cycle of rebirth."

A Childhood Marked by Challenges

"I am Wen Shu-cheng, from Hsinchu, Taiwan. Both of my parents were primary school teachers. My father became a teacher through the dedicated support of my grandfather, while my mother was an excellent student who relied on scholarships to graduate because her family was poor. Many of their friends would say that my parents had excellent genes and that their future children would surely be outstanding.

I was their first child, their first son, and my birth filled the whole family with joy. My parents went out of their way to order the finest oil-rice, chicken drumsticks, and red eggs to distribute to relatives and friends to celebrate my arrival.

I was a very cheerful child, so I was well-liked from a young age. As I grew up, my parents bought me many educational books and toys, hoping that I would start learning early so I wouldn't lose at the starting line, and my responses to learning often made my parents very satisfied."

The Turning Point

"One night, when I was six years old, I developed a high fever that would not subside. By the time my parents noticed my condition, I do not know how much time had already passed. After several days of observation in the hospital, the doctor told them that The Head had been affected. He warned them that my future reactions might be slower and that they should prepare themselves mentally.

After I was discharged, my parents cared for me meticulously. At first, I did not have much of a reaction to anyone; my eyes were dull and vacant. One of my parents would spend time with me every single day, guiding me to speak and practise. They accompanied me for several years, but my progress was very slow.

Five years later, my younger brother was born, and my parents finally had to divide their attention. My brother was a quick learner, did very well in school, and as he grew older, he looked more and more like my parents—which was a great comfort to them."

Navigating the Schoolyard

"Because I could not keep up with the average student, I had to attend a special education class. Some of my classmates were more severely affected than I was, while others were quite sharp. Those smarter students often bullied us. Many times, I stood up for others, only to be beaten until I was covered in wounds.

My intelligence was actually only slightly lower than the average person, so I could see things very clearly. To become strong enough to protect the students who were being bullied, I started hanging out with the so-called bad students in school, hoping to gain the power and influence to protect my peers. But this was not a good method. After the school found out, I was expelled. My parents were furious when they heard; they gave me a beating without even asking for my side of the story, demanding only that I stop associating with those students.

My parents transferred me to a new school. In this new environment, I had to adapt to everything all over again. After the experience at my previous school, I realised that my approach had been wrong. I readjusted myself and focused on studying hard."

Finding My Path

"At school, the teacher once asked, 'What are your aspirations for the future?' I thought about it for a long time but could not come up with an answer. Finally, I decided to just let things take their natural course. Life would surely provide a path for me to walk.

During my schooling, I saw many classmates lose hope in life because of their physical limitations; some even lost the motivation to keep living. It was then that I realised I was actually quite lucky. At the very least, I never had the thought of giving up on life.

When I was about to graduate, my teacher saw how sincerely I helped my classmates. He kept me at the school and gave me a job so I could support myself. Seeing that my life was stable and that I had the ability to care for myself, my parents were finally at ease. My younger brother fulfilled my parents' hopes and became an excellent teacher, just like them."

The Future Shop

"After working at the school for ten years, I had saved some money. I resigned from my stable job, leaving the position open for someone else, and rented a small storefront right in front of the school to open a little shop. The business was steady, and it became a regular spot for the students. I sold food and small items that students liked.

The purpose of opening this shop was not to make money; I wanted to use it to help students in need. When I worked at the school, I noticed that some students had psychological issues, while others had family problems. By opening this shop, I attracted them, built their trust, and allowed them to voice their inner thoughts. If it was within my capacity, I would do my best to help them.

I became a friend across generations to many of these children. I taught them how to get through their most difficult moments and how to walk out of the confusion in their hearts. I had walked that same path myself years ago.

A few years after opening the shop, I met a female student seven years my junior. At the time, she was almost driven to despair due to emotion. I encouraged her throughout that period, and to my surprise, we eventually fell in love, got married, and had two lovely children. Many people who saw my wife, Meiqing, would say that I had struck gold, but Meiqing would always say that she was the one who had struck gold, otherwise her life would not be as wonderful as it is now.

Under the management of Meiqing and myself, we named the shop 'Future Shop,' hoping that everyone who stepped inside would look forward to their own future."

A Turn Toward the Dharma

"Regarding our children's education, I did not demand high grades because grades are not the most important thing in life. My wife and I taught our children through our own actions the importance of serving others and helping people.

Seeing many of the children grow up, I gradually grew older myself, and some physical ailments began to appear. Through the introduction of a parent, we began to learn Buddhism, and on weekends, we started volunteering at the temple. The more I volunteered, the more I forgot about myself, and my heart became increasingly open and bright.

Back at the Future Shop, knowing the benefits of learning Buddhism, I would take every opportunity to counsel others to learn as well. After I began my practice, I changed everything sold in the Future Shop to vegetarian food, and I also performed Chao Du for slaughtered animals."

Repentance and Service in the Hells

"At the age of fifty-three, during a change in weather, I contracted acute pneumonia and passed away. Facing death, I was not afraid, because this is something everyone must face at the end of their life.

After my breath ceased, I waited in line to enter the Hall of King Yama. The King told me that eight lifetimes ago, I had struck someone on The Head. Because I had repented in that lifetime, the retribution was lightened, which is why my head remained relatively clear in this lifetime. He told me that I had known how to accumulate merit in this lifetime; otherwise, I would have lived a life of poverty and destitution.

The laws of karma and cause and effect were laid out before me so realistically. Many scenes from the past were very vivid. I repented for my past actions before King Yama, hoping for a chance to atone for my past sins. Seeing my sincerity, King Yama appointed me as a prison guard, allowing me to serve the beings in the hells and eliminate my spiritual obstacles.

While serving in the hells, I listened to Practitioner Su give Dharma talks. Only then did I realise how superficial my understanding of Buddhism had been. So, whenever Practitioner Su began to speak, I listened with great earnestness and contemplated deeply.

Many times, I also saw Practitioner Su come to the hells to perform Chao Du. As long as the beings in the hells were willing to chant the six-character name, 'Namo Amituofo,' they all had a chance to escape.

Practitioner Su's compassion moved the beings in the hells, and they all hoped for a chance to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. When I received notice that I was on the list to be sent to the West, my heart was filled with joy, and I was grateful for King Yama's compassion. From that moment on, I began to chant the Buddha-name earnestly. After waiting for five years, I finally reached the Pure Land today. My heart is filled with gratitude.

Representing the sixty prison guards, I bow my head here. I am grateful for everything."

"Wen Shu-cheng"