Liu Riyang, a former spirit who served as a prison guard in the hells, sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre. This interview was recorded on June 27, 2025, documenting his arduous journey from a wandering spirit to his final arrival in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Liu Riyang speaks:
"The immense form of is right before my eyes, and there is such a brilliant, radiant light shining upon me. Since arriving in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have come to realise that this is the eternal light I have been searching for. My heart is filled with such profound —a joy I have been longing for throughout countless lifetimes.
I am deeply grateful to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su. It is only through their boundless that I, along with fifty-nine other prison guards, have been granted this precious opportunity for deliverance."
The Light of Eternal Peace
"Right now, I am bathed in this brilliant light, continuously chanting the Buddha-name. Every single recitation carries immense energy, and every syllable brings a deep, settling peace to my heart. My spirit has finally found its true home, and for this, I am eternally grateful.
I am Liu Riyang. In the past, I was but a tiny, insignificant particle drifting through space, floating aimlessly from one place to another. I spent so long searching for a place where I could truly rest, but every time I held onto a glimmer of hope, I was met with disappointment. Whether in the empty air or hidden within the crevices of stone, I was always searching."
A Hidden Kingdom Beneath the Earth
"I do not know how long I drifted like that before I stumbled upon a kingdom deep beneath the earth. Although this realm was vastly different from the life on the surface, it appeared remarkably civilised and advanced. I was filled with curiosity about this place, so I decided to venture inside. To my surprise, the moment I appeared in that subterranean world, I was immediately noticed. Although no one stopped me from moving about, I constantly felt as though eyes were upon me.
One day, I arrived at the edge of a lake, hoping to drink from the clear, refreshing water and feel its purity. As I bent down, I looked into the reflection on the lake's surface and saw countless lives mirrored there. I was startled by the sight. But in the next moment, I realised that these beings were highly spiritual—they were the guardian spirits of this land. From the moment I stepped into their space, they had been watching over me. Seeing them, I felt a sense of confusion, wondering: 'What right do I have to be protected by such beings?'"
The Echoes of a Past Life
"In that kingdom, no matter where I went, I was met with a friendly and welcoming magnetic field. Seeing the peace that permeated every corner of that land, I actually felt a desire to settle there. Yet, my intuition told me that this was not my final destination. When I finally encountered someone willing to share information with me, he revealed that I had originally belonged to this kingdom. In the distant past, this realm had been on the verge of destruction, crippled by internal strife and external attacks.
At that time, I had stood up righteously, not only earning the trust of the people but also pacifying their deep-seated resentment. Many in the kingdom were grateful to me, and I had lost my life during the final battle, turning into ashes. Hearing this, I finally understood why I felt such a profound sense of familiarity with that space. Even though I had been reduced to ashes, the connection to that kingdom had never truly faded.
Seeing the kingdom in such a state of peace today brings me great comfort. I know that although this was once my home, I was still searching for the place where I could truly belong. Before leaving, I watched the kingdom transition from chaos to tranquility, and I was happy for them. However, I also saw that many other realms were still filled with conflict and opposition. I hoped that I might have the Causal Conditions to enter those places and do my small part to help them."
The Birth of Liu Riyang
"Once that intention arose, I was drawn into a world of darkness, compressed and nurtured until I was born into the world. I was born at high noon, under the brightest sunlight. In that era of chaos, my parents saw my birth as a beacon of hope, so they named me Liu Riyang.
Regarding my birth, my parents were both sorrowful and joyful. They were happy to have a child, but sad because, in such a chaotic time, they never knew when they might be separated from one another. From the moment I was born, I could smell the atmosphere of instability in the environment. The land where I was born was being carved up by many factions, and everyone would stop at nothing to seize territory.
When I was seven years old, our family's land was snatched away by a group of ruthless, unreasonable men. They came directly to our home, using violence to force my father to surrender all our property, threatening to kill our entire family if he refused. I remember watching my parents kneeling on the ground, begging for mercy while holding me."
A Life of Training and Conflict
"After considering the situation, the group decided they did not want the land—they wanted me. And so, at their command, I was forcibly separated from my parents. They had taken an interest in me, hoping to cultivate a group of young, capable individuals who could sacrifice themselves for the nation. Beyond military training, they instilled in us a great deal of ideological education, hoping to brainwash us. I watched as several other children began to change under this training, their eyes becoming cold and vicious.
Facing the chaos of the situation, I knew we could be sent out to attack our opponents at any moment. I knew the scenes ahead would be cruel. Sure enough, not long after, a fierce war broke out. We were ordered to provide backup support, waiting for the perfect moment to launch a surprise attack from the rear and annihilate all the enemies.
When the moment came to execute the mission, the scene before me was bloody and cruel. Many lives fell before me, and the weapon in my hand was meant to make even more fall. For decades, we had ground away our consciences through training. But at the very moment of executing the mission, the deepest fears and insecurities buried in my heart surged to the surface. I chose to retreat. My retreat was not an act of cowardice, but an act of protection. I wanted to protect more lives."
The Path to the Hells
"I left the front lines and ran to the place where we stored our grain, setting it ablaze. I did this in the hope that the war raging before us might come to an end. When our food supplies went up in flames, it caused a great deal of chaos, and I took the opportunity to escape. I did not know where to go, so I just kept walking into the mountains, hoping never to be found.
In the mountains, I lived a life of self-sufficiency. Once I finally calmed down, I saw the scenes of my past—they were all rooted in the deep-seated fear and insecurity I had buried within. These were especially prominent at night. It took me a long time to finally find peace.
This forest gave me a sense of security, and I remained there until the moment I died, turning into a grain of sand in the forest. It was not until a Buddhist practitioner, a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, came up the mountain to collect herbs, chanting 'Namo Amituofo' as he worked. Every time he recited a phrase, I saw a brilliant light. I followed him and recited it once, and in an instant, I was pulled out of the forest and into the Hall of the Yama King."
Deliverance into the Western Pure Land
"The Yama King judged me for my past deeds. I had harmed people, but I had also done good. My final decision to protect more lives earned me the position of a prison guard, allowing me to serve sentient beings in the hells. I saw the suffering of the beings in the hells and felt a deep sense of compassion, trying my best to counsel them. However, lacking sufficient Wisdom, my efforts were often ineffective. It was not until the sound of Practitioner Su's talks reached the hells that many spirits, upon hearing the teachings, finally let go of their hardened hearts.
It was then that I truly came to know Namo Amituofo and learned of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, longing for the opportunity to be liberated. I am so grateful that today, I have truly arrived in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am filled with gratitude—gratitude to the Buddha and gratitude to Practitioner Su.
