The Calamity of Greed: An Interview with Chen Zhihan

Chen Zhihan, a man who once served as a prison guard in the hells, sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of the Buddha. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This interview was recorded on May 23, 2025, by the chief writer, Shi Faxin.

Chen Zhihan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am filled with such profound gratitude to be able to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and to see the Buddha. I am deeply indebted to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su; their grace and virtue are beyond anything I could ever hope to repay. I only hope that one day, I will have the opportunity to repay the Buddha’s kindness and the kindness of Practitioner Su.

I first encountered Namo Amituofo while I was serving as a prison guard in the hells. From that moment on, the Buddha has always been in my heart, and I began to chant Buddha's name incessantly. I am so grateful that today, the Causal Conditions have ripened, allowing me to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. My heart is truly filled with gratitude."

A Simple Life and a Simple Heart

"Since arriving in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have come to realise that this is a world where every wish is fulfilled. I still live in a modest, simple dwelling, for I have always been a simple man with a simple heart. Those who knew me in the past called me a 'tough guy' because I was straightforward and unbending. I had a set standard for everything I did, and once I set a limit in my heart, I would strictly adhere to it.

I am Chen Zhihan, also known as Dahan. I lived in a very simple village until the people there accidentally discovered mineral deposits. Before long, the more they dug, the more they found. After surveying the land, it was discovered that the ground beneath our village and the surrounding areas was rich with minerals. Once the villagers learned of this, those with money began buying up land, while those without money started digging in their own backyards, hoping to strike it rich and improve their lives. Ever since those minerals were discovered, the hearts of many people changed. They became greedy, constantly pursuing wealth, all with the goal of living a better life."

The Erosion of Peace

"Not long after, mineral developers caught wind of the news and arrived in our village, offering high prices to buy up the land. I saw the mentality of these buyers; they were intentionally inciting the villagers to compete against one another to sell their land. This practice made me incredibly angry. This was the village where I had grown up, and I desperately wanted to protect its peace and tranquility. But apart from brute strength, there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I could see that the villagers had been completely consumed by greed; even if I had stepped forward to stop them, no one would have listened. Everyone was obsessed with the money they hoped to gain. Facing this, I felt both angry and heartbroken. Seeing the land being torn up for mining made my heart churn. Eventually, someone even approached me, wanting to buy my land for the sake of the minerals. I was furious. In a fit of rage, I decided to leave the village for a while to clear my head. Because I left, no one dared to touch my land. I went to a town several dozen miles away to do odd jobs, hoping to find some peace of mind."

A Village Buried in Dust

"Half a year later, I thought that the mining activities in the village must have settled down, so I decided to return to see how things were. Usually, I would encounter people travelling between the village and the town, but as I drew closer, I noticed there was almost no one around. The energy of the place felt increasingly desolate, filling me with a terrible premonition. When I finally reached the village, I was met with a vast expanse of yellow earth. The entire village had been buried. I was stunned and deeply anxious—where had the villagers and my family gone? As night was falling, I had no choice but to head to the neighbouring village to find a place to stay and inquire about what had happened.

After checking into an inn in the next village, I couldn't sleep a wink that night. My mind was filled with the image of my village buried under the yellow earth. At dawn, I went to the market, hoping to find some news. I spotted a kind-hearted auntie who was very enthusiastic with her customers. She could call every guest by name, showing she was well-acquainted with all sorts of people, so I decided to approach her and ask what had occurred.

When I asked her about my village, the smile on her face suddenly vanished. Seeing her expression, I felt a deep sense of unease. She asked me heavily, 'What is your relationship to that village? Why do you ask?' I told her, 'I lived there, but I left for a short time. I don't know how it could have disappeared upon my return.' With red eyes, she said, 'A month ago, there was a massive earthquake. The shifting of the earth, combined with several days of heavy rain, caused the sand and rocks from the nearby mountain to wash down. In a single night, the village was buried like that. After the rescue efforts, some survived, but others remain buried beneath.' Hearing that there were survivors, I urgently asked, 'Where are they?' I was desperate to find them. She told me that the survivors were scattered among the nearby villages, where everyone was helping them to continue their lives."

Rebuilding from the Ashes

"I began searching through the villages. The first person I found was my brother, who had grown up with me. When he saw me, he broke down in tears, mourning the loss of our home. He said, 'After you left, the obsession with gold mining became even worse. Some people dug so deep that the ground began to sink, yet they still refused to stop. Now that the village has suffered this, I know it is the Collective Karma caused by the greed in our hearts.' I was shocked to hear this. I told him, 'Brother, since this is the case, let us bring everyone back together to rebuild and start over. I believe that after this lesson, everyone will be more vigilant and live honest lives.' Seeing my confidence, he agreed.

My brother and I worked in unison. We asked the East Village to set aside a piece of land for us to rebuild, and we worked hard to find every villager. The road to reconstruction was filled with tears and exhaustion, but the thought of helping the villagers regain a stable life kept me going. I worked day and night, thinking only of speeding up the progress the moment I opened my eyes. After several months of hard work, the foundation was finally complete, and the villagers were able to move in and find stability. When I did this, not only our villagers but people from other villages came to help. I was so grateful and moved by everyone’s kindness. I spent several years working to restore the villagers' lives. They gradually emerged from the shadows and began to smile again. Seeing their smiles, I was so happy; I felt that all the effort was worth it."

A Life of Service and the Truth of Karma

"Over those years, I never paid attention to myself; I was solely focused on completing the work I set out to do. One day, I collapsed from exhaustion and never woke up. The doctor diagnosed it as death from overwork. The villagers held a funeral for me, and everyone I had helped, along with those who had built the houses with me, came to see me off. I was only forty-three years old. I didn't live a long life, but it was enough. Even in my final moments, my mind was still on how to continue the construction. I looked at the houses we had built and felt so happy. That was the final image before my eyes, and my spirit naturally drifted into that space, attaching itself to a brick, feeling the stability and joy of a home.

I didn't even know I had become a brick until I arrived before the throne of King Yama, who revealed all the laws of karma and cause and effect of my life to me. King Yama also showed me the mental states of the villagers who had died. It was the dark power and the resonance of their minds that led to the accident. Although I had entered the space of a brick due to my attachment, my kind heart and good intentions naturally attracted the protection and guidance of benevolent spirits.

After hearing King Yama’s explanation, I accepted it willingly and took on the job of a prison guard to serve the beings in the hells. Seeing the suffering beings in the hells, I felt deeply moved. I hoped that one day I would have the ability to counsel them. With that thought in mind, I heard Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks, which dissected the truth with such clarity. I learned about Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and I was so joyful. I hoped that I and the suffering beings would have the chance to follow the Buddha. Today, that wish has finally been fulfilled. I am so grateful to the Buddha. I am so grateful to Practitioner Su.

Namo Amituofo.

Chen Zhihan, with palms joined."