From the Soil of Africa to the Western Pure Land

Zhou Jina, a woman of African descent who was raised in Taiwan, shares her life story of service, her transition into the role of a prison guard in the afterlife, and her eventual deliverance to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This interview was recorded on March 15, 2024, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, where she now resides after being guided by Practitioner Su.

Zhou Jina speaks:

"I am truly filled with gratitude for the compassion of Namo Amituofo. It was only after I came to know the Buddha that I realised how truly magnificent He is, and how He treats all beings with such perfect equality. The Buddha’s land was always the place I longed for, yet I never imagined that today, I would truly arrive within the Buddha’s realm—the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss."

"I am currently resting within my white lotus, listening to the Buddha expound the Dharma. Seeing this world of golden light, I find it impossible to describe the emotions stirring within my heart with mere words. When I first beheld the Buddha, I could not help but weep with overwhelming emotion. Here in the Buddha’s land, my spirit has returned to a state of clarity and purity. This profound sense of inner movement is something I do not even know how to begin to articulate."

A Debt of Gratitude

"I offer my deepest thanks to the Buddha, and to Practitioner Su, for helping us—all sixty of us prison guards—to reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. My name is Zhou Jina. Originally, I was born in Kenya, Africa, but later, I was adopted by my foster parents and brought to Taiwan."

"My foster parents were people of immense love and kindness. When they were younger, they loved to travel and perform volunteer work. During one of those trips, they went to Africa, visiting various small villages. They worked to filter water sources so the villagers could have clean water to drink and avoid illness. They even helped dig deep wells to ensure the villagers had a sustainable water supply for the future."

The Child of the Village

"During that time, my foster parents heard of a couple in the village. The father had starved to death because he gave all his food to his wife. The mother, suppressing her own grief, ate only tiny amounts of food each day to maintain enough nutrition to breastfeed. But soon, she too passed away from lack of sustenance, leaving behind a newborn infant. The local village elder took the child in for a few days, but the entire village was so impoverished that no one had the means to raise the baby. Every family would contribute a little bit of milk to feed the child, but it was clear they could not hold on much longer. Everyone was discussing what to do."

"My foster parents happened to arrive just then. Upon hearing the news, they decided to adopt this African child. That child was me. After completing their volunteer work, my foster parents brought me back to Taiwan, where I received the most wonderful care."

Growing Up in Taiwan

"In Africa, my name was Jina. After taking my foster parents' surname, I became Zhou Jina. I went to school, learned Chinese, and spoke Chinese. My foster parents were worried that I might be ostracised by my classmates because of my skin colour, so they specifically asked my teachers to look after me. At first, the other children were afraid to approach me because of my appearance, but once they grew accustomed to my presence, they became very close to me."

"In truth, aside from my skin colour, I grew up drinking Taiwan’s water and eating Taiwan’s rice. I am, in every sense, a Taiwanese person."

A Life of Simple Joy

"My foster parents' main occupation was selling vegetables. On weekdays, I would go to school, and they would go to the market to sell produce. They had to leave very early, so I actually learned to be independent from a very young age. My foster parents would often ask me, 'When you have the chance, would you like to go back to Africa to see?' To this question, I could never give a clear answer. My body felt no need, but my heart longed to return and see the lives of my own people."

"When we were doing business at home, I would always help out. The phrase I said most often in Taiwanese was, 'Everyone, come quickly! The vegetables are beautiful.' Every time someone came to our stall to buy vegetables, they would smile with such delight. Seeing someone of my skin colour speaking such authentic Taiwanese, they couldn't help but smile, and they would always end up buying a little more from our stall."

The Blessing of Family

"My foster parents often said I was a 'lucky star' who brought wealth to the family. Living with them, I could say my life was truly carefree. When I was eleven, my foster mother gave birth to a younger brother, and our family became four. After my brother was born, I was still in school. At first, I was afraid he would take away the love I received, but my foster mother asked me to help care for him. Seeing his adorable face, my heart simply melted. I felt such joy watching every stage of his growth."

"As my brother and I grew older, people would often ask, 'What do you want to do in the future?' My brother would proudly say, 'I want to be a doctor.' Whenever he said that, everyone around would applaud and place all their hopes on him. When they asked me about my ambitions, I didn't have many grand ideas. I only hoped that in the future, I could continue to help my foster parents grow and sell vegetables."

Finding My Purpose

"I became increasingly familiar with our large plot of land. I knew exactly when to water the crops and how much to give them so they would grow their best. Many times, I felt as though I had merged into one with those vegetables. The first time the vegetables I planted grew to maturity, they seemed to tell me they were ready to be harvested. At first, I thought I was imagining things, but when we harvested them and took them to market, so many people loved them."

"That night, I cooked all the different vegetables I had grown for my foster parents. Every single one was incredibly sweet and fresh. Our family sat at the dinner table, eating with such happiness. From that moment on, I was filled with confidence in farming, and I trusted my intuition even more. Many times, we had a bountiful harvest."

A Vow to Serve the Homeland

"I made a vow in my heart, but I was always too afraid to mention it to my foster parents. It wasn't until I was twenty that I finally gathered the courage to say, 'Dad, Mom, could I go to Africa to do volunteer work, just like you did before?' When I asked this, my feelings were complex. I had never left them in my entire life, and I wanted to stay by their side forever. But the call to return to my homeland to serve kept echoing in my ears."

"Finally, after much deliberation, I asked them, 'Dad, Mom, I want to go back to Africa to see. I want to see if I have the ability to help them. Is that alright?' My foster parents paused for a moment, then immediately replied, 'That is the right thing to do, child. You should contribute to your homeland.' Hearing them say this, I immediately shed tears of gratitude, thanking them for their support and fulfillment of my wish."

Serving the Land

"A few weeks later, after two days of travelling by plane, I finally arrived in Africa and contacted the friends my foster parents knew. When this uncle saw me, he was surprised and said, 'The child has grown so big.' I nodded. He took me to my lodgings, and the next day, he accompanied me to visit the villages. Looking at the impoverished lives of the people there, my heart ached."

"The uncle said, 'This is not the poorest place in Africa; there are places even harder to endure.' I felt a deep sense of sorrow. Walking across the vast land, I constantly observed which areas were suitable for planting and what crops would thrive. Looking at the scenes before me, I kept thinking about how I could truly help them improve their lives and provide them with food they could grow themselves."

"Before long, I discovered that wheat and corn were well-suited to the local climate, and they could provide a sense of fullness after being consumed. I proposed to the uncle that I could teach the people how to farm, and I asked him to speak to the local government. A few days later, he told me the government had agreed. Wherever the land was suitable, I would go and plant."

A Legacy of Service

"I was so happy. I chose a plot of land and asked the uncle to gather those who were interested in learning. That day, over a dozen people showed up. I taught them all the techniques and methods of care. After I finished teaching them, I stayed for another two months to ensure the plants were growing, and I helped them cultivate the land they had found for themselves. After that, I returned to Taiwan."

"A few days after I returned, my foster mother could see that my heart was still in Africa. She listened as I described the situation there, praised me for doing a good job, and encouraged me to continue on the path of service. She gave me a large sum of money to use wisely, so I would have no worries. Before I left, I received many blessings and supplies from people I knew, all to be taken to Africa. My heart was overflowing with emotion."

"Stepping onto African soil once more, my resolve to help them became even firmer. This time, I stayed for over a decade. I spent almost all my time teaching the African people how to farm, improving their diet. The local government was very grateful to me, but I held onto my heart of service and did not pay much attention to their praise."

From the Cycle of Rebirth to Deliverance

"Towards the end of my life, I contracted an infectious disease. As my strength failed, my consciousness drifted, and I saw myself still farming, back on the land in Taiwan. I missed the soil of Taiwan. Just like that, I entered a different space, and my spirit became an onion. I wandered in this cycle of rebirth for I know not how long, until my spirit was finally received by the Impermanence Demons and taken to hell."

"Before the King of Hell, Yama told me that in my past, I had been quite wasteful and did not know how to cherish things, but because I had been generous to the poor, through various causal conditions, I was born in Africa. The kindness I showed in that lifetime allowed me the opportunity to serve as a prison guard after completing my worldly karma."

"I thanked King Yama and took up my post. During my time in service, I was very diligent, hoping to learn even while serving. I never expected that such a heart would allow me to hear the Dharma of Practitioner Su. That Truth and the principle of liberation were what I had been seeking all along. Finally, today, I have been personally guided by Practitioner Su to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. All sixty of us prison guards offer our gratitude to Practitioner Su and to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre."

"Namo Amituofo."