From Prison Guard to the Western Pure Land

This interview was recorded on March 3, 2023, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. The subject, Chen Zhiliang, a man who possessed the unique ability to perceive spirits from a young age, recounts his life journey—from his early experiences with the unseen world to his eventual service as a prison guard in the underworld, and his final deliverance to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss through the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su.

Chen Zhiliang speaks:

“Namo Amituofo. By the compassion of the Buddha, I, Chen Zhiliang, have stepped onto a golden lotus pedestal today. As I stand upon it, I can smell the exquisite fragrance of the lotus flowers; I can hardly believe that everything before my eyes is real. When I first embarked on the path of Buddhist practice, I felt a deep and sincere gratitude for the Buddha’s compassion, and I made a vow to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Now that my wish has finally been fulfilled, my heart is filled with profound emotion and gratitude.”

“I am Chen Zhiliang. Many people have always described me as a loyal and honest man. Since I was a child, I have possessed the ability to see spirits that others cannot. I could see their forms and their appearances quite clearly. There were several occasions when I saw spirits standing by the river, soaking wet, waiting in the cold. They looked so pitiful. I could not bear to see them in such a state, so I could not help but approach them and ask, ‘Is there anything I can do to help you?’ To my surprise, the spirits, looking utterly dejected, replied, ‘We wish you could help us, but because we died in accidents, we must wait for someone else whose lifespan has reached its end to pass by. We have to catch them as our replacements before we can leave.’ I felt so sad after hearing this. Doesn’t this mean that once one spirit leaves, another must take its place? In such a situation, I felt powerless to change anything.”

The Unseen World Among Us

“Often, I would see spirits wandering about, and I even witnessed them possessing human bodies. Some spirits would enter a body and eventually leave, while others would simply remain trapped inside. Many times, I could physically feel the spirits entering and exiting my own body, and those sensations would cause me significant physical discomfort. The number of spirits is truly staggering; in any given space, they are often more numerous than the living.

“During the Ghost Festival, when the Chinese perform the universal deliverance ceremonies, that is when spirits gather in the greatest numbers. I would often watch them scrambling for food, grabbing one offering after another, never feeling satisfied. It was a cycle of endless craving.”

Lessons from the Great Tree

“As a child, my only playmate was a large tree, and I could hear its voice. The tree I spoke to most often was like a wise old man who truly understood my heart. At home, I was the least favoured child and the one who had to do the most work. Many times, I felt I did not belong in that family, and I would often feel depressed. Whenever I walked to the tree, ‘Grandpa Tree’ would first calm my heart by blowing a gentle breeze, making the leaves rustle with a ‘shasha’ sound. Then, he would ask me to listen to the sound of flowing water.

“The water was always moving, constantly washing the stones in the stream. A large stone, where the water flowed over it constantly, was smooth and shining, but the parts that were not washed often were covered in moss and trapped sand. Grandpa Tree asked me, ‘Child, have you realised anything?’ I replied, ‘The human heart must be like flowing water, always moving, so that it does not get stuck or accumulate filth.’ Grandpa Tree smiled and said, ‘Good child, the principles of life are actually very simple. Sometimes things flow smoothly, and sometimes you get stuck. When you are stuck, you need the powerful current of water to wash and cleanse you, so you can return to clarity.’ Although I could not fully grasp these truths at the time, I knew they would be useful in my future life.

“Grandpa Tree added, ‘The sounds of nature are full of lessons. The principles nature teaches us are all about returning to purity and Goodness.’ As long as you calm your heart to contemplate them, nature will naturally heal you and reveal deeper truths, just as you listen to me now.”

The Search for Answers

“After listening to Grandpa Tree, my heart would instantly become calm, and I would practise what he taught me. One day, I asked, ‘Grandpa Tree, how long have you been in this tree?’ He was silent for a moment and said, ‘Sixty years. I lived to be ninety, and I have been in this tree for sixty years now.’ I asked, ‘Why do you stay inside the tree?’ He replied, ‘Because of nostalgia—nostalgia for the stability I once possessed, the stability of what I once had.’ I asked, ‘How much longer will you stay?’ He did not answer.

“I shared with him that I saw many spirits who, unlike him, did not have a tree to dwell in; they just drifted everywhere. I once wondered if, when my life ended, I would be like these spirits, unable to find a place to go. But I could find no answer to this question; no one could give me one.”

The Path of Practice

“When I grew up, at the age of twenty-one, I encountered a special Causal Condition that allowed me to study the Dharma. When I went to the temple, I saw the dignified Dharma protectors, and I saw that there were spirits in the temple as well, but they were all practising the Dharma. By listening to the Dharma talks in the temple, I finally learned about the six realms of rebirth. I could vaguely see the scenes of samsara, and I saw that beings in every realm must endure their own specific suffering. All beings in the six realms are deeply infatuated—infatuated with their own identities. Even my parents were the same; they were still fighting for survival in this world, for money and for face, willing to pay any price for it.

“My mother was habitually argumentative and combative; I saw that she would become a fighting cock in the future. I wanted to counsel her to practise the Dharma, but she would never listen, thinking I was delusional. My whole family had achieved some level of worldly success, except for me. My mother even said to me angrily one day, ‘You might as well go live in the temple and never come back.’ As she grew older, her words became more sharp and bitter, and her form began to look more and more like a fighting cock. Although I was anxious, I could not turn her around.

“My father was a quiet and honest man who didn’t like to talk, but he loved wood carving. Aside from work, he spent almost all his time immersed in his carvings. I saw that my father would become a piece of wood in the future. There was also a neighbour, an uncle I respected greatly who often brought us vegetables; because of his attachment to caring for those vegetables, he would eventually become a vegetable plant.

“I saw that everyone I knew, and everyone I didn’t know, would eventually take on different forms. I wanted to help them all, but when I spoke, many people avoided me, so I felt powerless. I was discouraged many times until a master at the temple told me that helping others must follow Causal Conditions, and that the person must have good roots and Blessings; nothing can be forced, including one’s parents. I took the master’s words to heart and realised that I must first perfect my own practice before I could be in a position to help others.”

Service and Deliverance

“The temple held Dharma assemblies every week, and I used the money I earned to make offerings for these assemblies, hoping to help many beings leave suffering behind and gain happiness. When the assemblies began, a great number of spirits would come to attend, and I helped them with a respectful heart. I spent the latter half of my life serving in the temple, seeing many spirits. Being able to help beings through these assemblies brought me great joy.

“Suddenly, I remembered Grandpa Tree, who had accompanied me since childhood. I got up and went to that tree again, wanting to see if he was still there. To my disappointment, I waited for a long time but could not hear his voice. I felt a sense of loss, not knowing where he had gone. I thought to myself that perhaps he had been reincarnated, and I offered him my blessings.

“As I grew older, I saw spirits less and less, but I continued to bless them in my heart, hoping they would all find a place of rest. I chanted Namo Amituofo, hoping that many spirits and I could find a place of rest, and hoping that the Buddha would come to receive us.”

The Final Transition

“At sixty-three, I had a fall and became immobile. I could no longer serve at the temple, so I chanted Namo Amituofo in my heart, hoping for rebirth in the Western Pure Land. To my surprise, the moment I closed my eyes, I arrived in the underworld. I met King Yama, who told me that I had come there because I still had attachments to this world. I was quite surprised myself. King Yama then assigned me to be a prison guard, based on the merits I had accumulated while serving at the temple.

“During my time as a prison guard, I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks. I discovered that my original practice was still far from transcending the world, and my desire for liberation was not sincere enough, which is why I could not chant my way to the Western Pure Land on my own. I immersed myself in listening to every sutra Practitioner Su taught, and every word helped me understand the nature of the human body. I saw Practitioner Su performing great Chao Du, and I was filled with admiration. The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is so dignified and beautiful; I hoped I would have the chance to be liberated. I never expected that today I would receive this opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. My heart is filled with gratitude, and I am even more thankful to Practitioner Su for leading us sixty prison guards to deliverance.”

“Namo Amituofo.”

“Chen Zhiliang, with palms joined.”