The Teacher Who Found My Voice

This is a record of an interview with Guan Xueyou, 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 journey to deliverance. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on November 6, 2021.

Guan Xueyou speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. My heart is filled with such joy; I have truly arrived in the Western Pure Land.

I led fifty-nine fellow jailers to kneel before the Buddha in prostration, expressing our deepest gratitude for the great compassion of Namo Amituofo and the kindness of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

A Decade of Waiting and Guiding

"The day I arrived in the West was something I had been looking forward to for a very long time—at least ten years. Over this past decade, I have been actively helping the beings in the hells. I wanted them to have a chance to leave suffering behind, especially since I knew I was destined for the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I hoped these beings would wake up sooner and one day return to the West themselves. So, every day, I would counsel them to chant Namo Amituofo. When they were in the depths of agony during their punishments, I would find opportunities to speak a few words of encouragement, helping them find the right path. Even if they still had to undergo the cycle of rebirth, I hoped that after correcting their character, they might eventually reach a better place."

A Silent Childhood

"I am Guan Xueyou. From a young age, I was never one for words. Even when adults asked me questions, I would only nod or shake my head. My parents taught me many times, 'When an adult asks you a question, you must answer politely. Do not just nod or shake your head; it is very rude.' Although I heard their words, I simply could not bring myself to do it. I continued to just nod or shake my head.

I often made my parents feel ashamed. Their friends were all prominent figures in society, and every time they came to our home and asked me to greet them as 'Uncle' or 'Aunt,' I could never open my mouth. It was a total loss of face for them. Eventually, whenever guests arrived, I would immediately hide in my room or wander off outside, just to avoid making my parents feel embarrassed."

The Teacher Who Changed Everything

"When I entered primary school, my teachers’ reports for the first and second years were always the same: 'Quiet, taciturn.' But in the third year, a new teacher arrived, and things began to change.

This teacher, Ms. Xia, was a young woman who had just graduated. I was one of her very first students. She was only in her twenties—so young.

On the first day of class, to get to know us, she asked everyone to introduce themselves. When I heard that, my palms were already drenched in sweat. I kept rubbing my fingers, looking completely terrified. Everyone took turns stating their name, where they lived, and how many people were in their family... When it was my turn, I slowly stood up from my chair and remained silent for a long time.

The teacher asked, 'Could you please tell me your name?' I felt my cheeks flush, and my ears burned as if they had been scorched by fire. I kept my head down, too afraid to look at her, and I could not utter a single word."

A Gentle Encouragement

"A classmate nearby couldn't help but speak up for me: 'Report to the teacher, he cannot speak.' Ms. Xia walked over to me, gently patted my shoulder, and whispered softly in my ear: 'It is alright. Do not be nervous. I know your name is Guan Xueyou; it is a beautiful name. If you are afraid to speak, just write it down for me.' I picked up the pencil on my desk, wrote 'Guan Xueyou' on a piece of paper, and handed it to her with both hands.

The teacher smiled as she took the paper, looked at my name, and beamed with joy. She walked to the front of the class and announced: 'Students, look! Xueyou’s handwriting is so neat and beautiful. I have gotten to know him today; his name is Guan Xueyou, and he is very good at writing!' Hearing her say that, I slowly lifted my head. She was looking right at me, giving me a brilliant smile—a smile I have never forgotten to this day. To me at that time, it was an immense encouragement. No one had ever said such positive things to me before. From childhood, all I had ever heard were words of reproach. But this teacher was different. She gave me positive encouragement and support, letting me know that I was not such a bad child after all."

Finding My Voice

"During math class, the teacher asked, 'On a big tree, there are ten apples. Grandfather picks two, and a strong wind blows down three. How many apples are left?' The students below immediately raised their hands and shouted, 'Five left!' The teacher nodded and said, 'Correct! Very good! Ten minus two, then minus three, equals five. So, five are left.' She then asked another: 'There are twenty candies in a jar. Grandfather eats four, Father eats three, and Mother eats one. How many candies are left in the jar? Xueyou, come up and write the answer for me.'

Hearing my name suddenly called, I was startled. I looked up at her, and her eyes seemed to say, 'You can do it! Keep going!' I stood up, feeling a bit fearful, walked to the stage, picked up the chalk, and wrote the number '12' on the blackboard. The teacher immediately told the class, 'Xueyou is correct! Everyone, please applaud!' I was so nervous, but I looked at her again, and she gave me that same brilliant smile, letting me know I had done it right.

In every lesson that followed, no matter the subject, the teacher would give me opportunities to come to the front. Gradually, I felt less and less nervous. Sometimes, I even found myself looking forward to her calling on me."

The First Spoken Words

"One day after class, when the other students had gone home, the teacher kept me behind. The two of us were alone in the classroom. She sat with me at the low desk and said, 'Xueyou, would you like to tell me your name yourself?' I felt that familiar wave of nervousness, but she immediately comforted me, telling me not to worry and that it was fine to take my time. I summoned all my courage and slowly spoke my name: 'Guan... Xue... You...' This was the first time she had ever heard me speak. She smiled and said, 'You did very well! That was excellent! You see, Xueyou, you can do it! Do not be afraid; I will be here to accompany you.'

Speaking my own name for the first time was a major breakthrough in my life. I felt so happy inside, and a rare smile graced my face. I even ate two extra bowls of rice when I got home. My parents felt I was different, though they didn't know what had happened.

Every day after that, the teacher would keep me back to practice speaking. She would ask, 'How many people are in your family?' I would hold up three fingers, and she would nod and say, 'Tell me out loud who these three people are.' I would slowly say, 'Father... Mother... and me.' She would immediately give me such great encouragement, letting me know I had done well.

Every day, she practiced with me like this. With her companionship, I felt less and less nervous. Eventually, she stopped sitting right next to me; she would sit a little further away, asking me to speak louder so she could hear. Later, she would sit in the back of the room while I stood at the front to speak. By then, I was no longer afraid to speak in long sentences.

As I became more confident, I started to play with my classmates. I was no longer silent; I would laugh out loud. When we played hide-and-seek, I even dared to count from one to ten and then shout, 'Are you ready?' I became more and more like everyone else, with no difference between us. I was so happy with this change, and I felt immense gratitude toward my teacher."

A Life of Service

"After the third grade, my annual reports began to read: 'Brave in learning, proactive, talented, and well-rounded.' Seeing such positive comments from my teacher gave me more confidence. I shed my former timid self and became open and expressive, naturally saying what I wanted to say.

When I graduated from primary school, I wrote a song for my teacher to express my deep gratitude. My parents also thanked her personally. My father said, 'Thank you, Teacher, for finding my son for me. Otherwise, we would have worried about him for the rest of our lives. Thank you! Thank you!'

After graduation, my parents sent me to Japan to study. They wanted to cultivate me to become a doctor, so they sent me to live with my aunt in Japan from a young age. I took the Japanese name Qiu Ze Jiyu and studied there for over ten years before returning to Taiwan.

Upon returning to Taiwan, with my qualifications, I could have immediately worked in a large hospital with a high salary. But I chose not to. I felt that being a doctor in a hospital was not the work I wanted to do. I still had a dream: I wanted to be a teacher.

My parents initially wanted to stop me, but they eventually decided to let me take charge of my own life. I spent more time studying, eventually obtained my teaching qualifications, and began to realise my dream of becoming a teacher.

I went to teach children in remote mountainous areas. Those children had almost never received any education. I spent my own money to build a simple classroom so that the mountain residents could bring their children to learn.

There were no medical resources in the mountains either. Unless it was a major illness, they would only use their ancient methods to treat themselves. I saw many people with injuries that had not been properly treated, leading to infections or worse. Some were sick and only took special herbs, but their symptoms never improved. Seeing the mountain residents like this, I made a vow to use my own money to transport a vast amount of medical supplies into the mountains. Every Sunday, I held a free clinic, and any sick resident could come to me for treatment.

Those years were the happiest of my life. Later, due to different causal conditions, I went to teach in other places. Everywhere I went, I sought out impoverished and underdeveloped areas, providing free education and free medical care. My goal was to help those poor families, ensuring every child had the chance to receive education and medical assistance.

Eventually, I left Taiwan and went to work in mainland China, where I continued to help people everywhere."

"When I was thirty-five, I met a very kind Taiwanese girl in mainland China named Xueqin. She was more than a decade younger than me—when I was thirty-five, she was only twenty-four. Every day, we would climb the mountains together and help the impoverished and underdeveloped villages. Over time, we developed deep emotions for one another. The fact that she was also from Taiwan brought us even closer, bridging the distance between our hearts in a way I had never experienced before."

A Fateful Reunion

"After returning to Taiwan, I brought Xueqin home to meet my parents. Xueqin’s inherent Goodness quickly touched their hearts, and they kept urging me to marry her. Xueqin also took me to meet her mother. She told me that her father had passed away when she was in her early teens, and her mother had raised her single-handedly through great hardship. Because of this, she had been incredibly filial to her mother her entire life, always putting her mother's needs before her own.

When I first stepped into Xueqin’s home and laid eyes on her mother, I was absolutely stunned. It was my primary school teacher, whom I hadn't seen in over twenty years! I politely called out, 'Teacher Xia!' The teacher was startled. She didn't recognize me at first, but after looking at me for a long time, she slowly began to recall. She said, 'Are you... Guan...' I finished the sentence for her: 'Guan Xueyou!' The teacher immediately broke into a smile and said, 'Yes! Guan Xueyou!'"

A Life of Shared Goodness

"That day, the teacher and I happily reminisced about many things from over twenty years ago, and I shared my life’s journey with her. The teacher also spoke about what had happened to her over the years, including the birth of Xueqin.

It turned out that Xueqin was the daughter Teacher Xia had later in life. Who could have imagined such a unique connection? I praised the teacher for raising Xueqin so well; she truly was a girl of immense Goodness, and I felt so fortunate to have found her.

With the teacher’s blessing, the relationship between Xueqin and me remained very stable. Within a few years, we were married. After we were wed, my wife and I continued to travel everywhere, performing acts of Goodness until the very end of our lives."

"Xueqin and I did not have children of our own, but we had many students. In truth, every one of those students was like a child to us. Many of them would return to visit us even after they had grown up and married. Our home was often filled with life—one moment it would be students from three years ago, the next it would be those from ten years ago. These children shared a wonderful bond with us, which is why they kept in touch long after graduation. We cherished every moment of that connection."

The Final Journey and the Hells

"Xueqin left this human world three years before I did. She was sixty-five years old when she passed away from a lung illness. I departed at the age of seventy-nine; after a fall in the bathroom, I never got back up. Many students came to see me off on my final journey. Although I had already stopped breathing, my spirit could still feel the deep reluctance in their hearts. The entire funeral hall was filled with the students I had taught over those thirty-plus years, and their sorrow was palpable.

After leaving the human world, I reported to the hells. The King of Hell assigned me the role of a prison guard. I felt incredibly grateful for this, and I remained loyal and dedicated to my duties throughout my time there, always trying to maintain a sense of order and compassion even in such a dark place."

Finding Hope in the Dharma

"When I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks, my heart was filled with joy because I had finally found hope. I began to learn how to chant Namo Amituofo, and my heart yearned for rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I also began to educate the criminals in the hells, hoping that they, too, could chant Namo Amituofo and change their ways.

Perhaps it was that seed of Goodness in my heart that gave me the opportunity to be placed on Practitioner Su’s list for deliverance to the Western Land. When my name was announced ten years ago, I was overjoyed. I waited and waited, and finally, this week, it was my turn. My heart was so moved, so filled with gratitude that I could barely contain myself."

Arrival at the Western Land

"Now, I have arrived in the Western Land. The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is of such incomparable dignity. I hope that every single being can come here and experience this peace.

I am grateful for the compassion of the Buddha. I am grateful for the compassion of Practitioner Su.

Namo Amituofo.

Guan Xueyou bows in reverence."