From Prison Guard to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Lin Guangsheng, who sought Chao Du [Spiritual Deliverance] 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 spirit in the hell realms. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on May 3, 2025.

Lin Guangsheng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I have not yet fully examined the extent of the blessings I must have cultivated in my past lives to have the Causal Conditions that allowed Practitioner Su to lead me to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am certain that there must be some profound connection between us; otherwise, how could I have been so fortunate as to encounter such a miracle?

Now that I have arrived in the Western Pure Land, the beauty here is so overwhelming that it almost makes me forget the suffering I once endured. The agony of samsara is not something I experienced alone; every spirit goes through it, lifetime after lifetime. We prison guards were simply exceptionally lucky to meet Practitioner Su, who took us under her wing and guided us back to the Western Pure Land."

A Childhood in the Shadows

"I am Lin Guangsheng, and in that lifetime, I was a businessman. I was born in a small city. My father operated a hotel, while my mother left when I was very young. I never saw her face; I only heard from my father that she departed shortly after I was born. Perhaps she was merely a spirit passing through my life, leaving behind nothing but a fleeting shadow before hurrying away.

I spent my childhood wandering through that hotel, but only because I was searching for my father. If I were not looking for him, I would never have set foot inside. I felt an intense aversion to the lecherous old men who frequented the place. Especially the way they looked at the women working there—it made me feel physically ill.

The most painful part was the sense of powerlessness. That was the first time I realised that the rules of the 'adult world' were far beyond what a child could comprehend or change. I once asked my father, 'Why do you run this kind of business?' He simply laughed and replied, 'This society has demands. Some people want to make money, and others want to vent their frustrations. Everyone gets what they need. What is there to criticise?' I could not accept that answer, but I had no power to resist it either."

The Turning Point

"Later, my father paid for my education. On the surface, it seemed like compensation, but in reality, it was to pave the way for his future business. He would always say, 'Guangsheng, I am working myself to the bone so that you can have an easier life. When you take over the hotel, you won't have to suffer as I have.' I would smile bitterly to myself; I had never once considered inheriting such a 'family business.'

When I was fifteen, something happened that changed me. I skipped school that day and was walking alone along an old street near the market. I met an elderly man, perhaps seventy years old, sitting on a small stone bench. He looked at me and asked, 'Young man, what are you worrying about?' I initially had no intention of responding, but for some reason, tears began to stream down my face. I cried and told him, 'I don't like my father. What he does makes me feel so ashamed.'

The old man looked at me, his eyes devoid of reproach, and simply listened quietly. Once I had calmed down, he said, 'In this world, there is more suffering than joy. Everyone has their own Causal Conditions. Your father is walking his path, and you will walk your own.' He paused for a moment and added, 'What matters is not where you come from, but where you are going.' From that moment on, I began to think about life differently. I studied hard, desperate to escape the shadow of that hotel and carve out a path of my own."

The Burden of Responsibility

"After graduating from university, I started my own business—an import food trading company. Although it was difficult, I finally achieved some success. Just as things were starting to improve, my father fell ill. I was twenty-three years old when he suffered a stroke, and the doctor said he would require long-term rehabilitation. I was forced to set aside the career I had just begun and take over the hotel.

I truly intended to close the hotel as soon as I took over, never to open it again. But unexpectedly, when a woman working at the hotel overheard my intention, she knelt before me and begged, 'Please, Boss, don't close the hotel. I have a whole family to support. If I lose this job, my family will have nothing to eat.' In that moment, I realised that many things in life are beyond our control.

I began to get to know the women in the hotel. Some were very young and had been forced into the work by family debt; others were divorced, destitute, and had children to raise; some had never been taught what dignity was and had long ago become accustomed to trading their bodies for money. One girl, Xiaoshuang, was barely twenty. She told me, 'Boss, I don't want to do this, but I have no education and no family. I was tricked into this life, and it is the only path I have left. If you close this hotel, where am I supposed to go?' Hearing this, my heart was moved. I stopped viewing the hotel as merely a 'dirty industry' and started thinking about how to make it more humane."

A Final Transformation

"I renamed the hotel, redesigned the interior, and planned a new way of operating. I stopped allowing the staff to engage in illicit activities, transforming the venue into a place for socialising without the sexual exploitation. I arranged for the staff to attend classes, learn financial management and vocational skills, and encouraged them to save money and transition to other careers. Over the years, the reputation of the hotel changed. Several women actually left the industry, opening breakfast shops or nail salons, and one even became a volunteer counsellor for single mothers.

I do not know if this counts as performing Goodness, but I know I did my best. However, just as I felt my life was finally on the right track, I died in a car accident. I was driving to a business trip when the rain made the road slippery; my car skidded and plunged into a valley. I did not even have time to say goodbye.

When I woke up, I found myself in a dark, empty space. There was nothing there except for the counter I had used most during my life. I stood there, as if trapped; no matter which way I walked, I could not get out. I finally understood that this was my attachment. Even in death, I was still worrying about my employees, still thinking about the hotel's operations, and still calculating income and expenses. My mind was still spinning with promotional plans and marketing strategies, never once coming to a halt."

The Call of the Dharma

"I do not know how much time passed before a prison guard appeared before me. He was dressed in black, his expression solemn, and he said without emotion, 'Lin Guangsheng, your time has come. Come with me.' He led me through layers of mist to the gates of hell. I thought I was being punished for some evil deed, but to my surprise, the King of Hell looked at me and said, 'Although you lived within a web of karma, your heart still held the intention to benefit others, and your good roots remain. I now appoint you as a prison guard in hell.'

And so, I became a prison guard. I have seen too many spirits suffering. Some for emotion, some for money, others for power or fame—they spent their entire lives in pursuit of these things, only to continue struggling within those desires after death. Whenever I saw their pain, I felt an indescribable sorrow in my heart.

Then, one day, a golden light shone from afar. I heard the clear, resonant sound of the Buddha's teachings—it was the voice of Practitioner Su. Her voice was like a clear spring, washing away the dust that had accumulated in my heart for so long. In that moment, I truly understood what it means to 'leave suffering and gain happiness.' It is not merely escaping from pain, but finding liberation from attachment.

I encouraged the beings in hell to listen to the sutras, to repent, and to vow to be reborn in the Pure Land. They were very obedient, for their suffering was truly unbearable. Later, I also made the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Today, I have truly arrived in the West, and my heart is filled with infinite gratitude.

I represent the sixty prison guards in offering our deepest gratitude for the Buddha's grace. Gratitude to Namo Amituofo. Gratitude to Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo. Lin Guangsheng bows in reverence."