The Agony of the Waste: A Spirit's Plea
An Interview with the Spirit of Qi Shangwen
Recorded on October 6, 2017
This interview was recorded on October 6, 2017, by the chief writer, Venerable Shi Faxi. It features the spirit of Qi Shangwen, who represented an immeasurable number of sentient beings trapped within the waste water, gases, and septic systems outside the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. These spirits, suffering from the consequences of their past actions, sought Spiritual Deliverance and have since been guided into the Western Land of Nature.
Venerable Faxi speaks:
"May I ask, from where do you sentient beings originate?"
"Waste... waste... we are the waste," replied Qi Shangwen. "We have spent countless years trapped in this environment, suffocated by the stench of excrement. Some describe it as a miasma, but that does not even begin to cover it. The smell is wretched. We live within this filth, day in and day out. No one enjoys such an environment. No one likes this smell."
The Weight of
"Could you explain to us why you are trapped within this waste?" asked Venerable Faxi.
"No one chooses this existence willingly," Qi Shangwen explained. "We are serving our sentences here. During our lives in the human world, we committed vile, shameful acts. After death, we fell into the hells and were sentenced to the excrement and urine hells. Beyond that, we are further confined within these human waste disposal systems. Within this sludge, there are countless spirits like us, all forced to exist in this state. It is agonizing, yet we have no way to escape."
A Warning to the Living
Venerable Faxi continued, "Could you share with us what kind of actions led to this? Could you provide examples so that the people of the world might be warned and learn from your suffering?"
"We destroyed the marriages of others, indulged in chaotic sexual misconduct, stole the wealth of others, and enjoyed ill-gotten gains," Qi Shangwen confessed. "We committed all sorts of acts that extinguished our conscience. Because of these deeds, we have become this waste. Please, I beg you, save us! The suffering is far too great to bear."
The Call for Deliverance
"I pray for the of the Buddha to bestow His and help these suffering spirits," said Venerable Faxi. "I also ask everyone here to join me in chanting Namo Amituofo to seek the Buddha's blessing for them. May I ask, how many of you are there?"
"There are an immeasurable, infinite number of us," Qi Shangwen replied. "There are simply too many to count. My name is Qi Shangwen. I thank you all for hearing our plea."
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library