Lin Miaopeng, a woman who dedicated her earthly life to the nurturing care of children, shares her profound journey from a humble nanny to a compassionate guardian in the underworld. After a lifetime of service, she was appointed as a prison guard, where she continued her work of comforting suffering spirits. This interview, recorded on June 7, 2025, details her eventual deliverance to the of Ultimate Bliss through the guidance of Practitioner Su.
Lin Miaopeng speaks:
". I am Lin Miaopeng. On the endless path of reincarnation, I never imagined that I would eventually encounter Practitioner Su, who would fundamentally alter the destiny of our cycle of rebirth. Today, we sixty prison guards, guided by the of Practitioner Su, have arrived at the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Before meeting Practitioner Su, I had almost forgotten the existence of this place. In truth, I should have known it—I should have recognised it—but it had been obscured by the passage of time, slowly fading from my memory.
Today, returning to the Western Land, all the initial of strangeness have unexpectedly vanished. In their place is a subtle, profound sense of familiarity. I suddenly remembered: I have lived here before. It is just that, as time has flowed on, it has been such a long, long time.
A Life of Humble Service
In this life, I was a woman. Growing up in a family of extreme poverty, there was no money for me to receive an education. All our resources were reserved for my older brother, with the hope that he might study, secure a good job, and lead our family out of hardship. Alas, when my brother was in his teens, he fell gravely ill. He could not escape that trial and lost his life. That period was a devastating blow to our family. The hopes we had pinned on him vanished, and we were forced to continue living in misery.
I did not have much schooling, so the work I could perform was naturally limited. From the age of five, I decided that my future profession would be that of a nanny. It was a vocation that deeply interested me, and it became the work I dedicated my entire life to.
In our era, becoming a nanny was not difficult; it required no formal certification. As long as one understood the basic common sense of childcare, possessed patience and love for children, and earned the trust of the parents, one could generally pursue this career. Of course, problems did arise, but the standard of living was generally low back then. Even if something went wrong, most people could only resign themselves to their misfortune, as there was no one to hold accountable.
The Wisdom of Ancestral Care
The reason I aspired to be a nanny was that my grandmother was a renowned caregiver. She possessed a unique set of skills for looking after children—methods that were not easily learned by others. Much of her knowledge was inherited from her own grandmother, combined with the wisdom she had crystallised through years of experience. I grew up by her side, watching how she cared for children and how she handled unexpected situations. Throughout her life, she cared for countless children. She could always detect when a child was unwell and provide a remedy, often resolving symptoms that left doctors feeling helpless.
The last four children my grandmother and I cared for were particularly dear to us; we loved them like our own siblings. Because my grandmother cared for them, she looked after me as well. She treated us all with equal love, making no distinctions. Once, when I was still very young, there was a child in the village who cried incessantly at night and could not sleep. Doctors were called to no avail, and Taoist rituals were ineffective. Upon hearing this, my grandmother volunteered to see the child. At a single glance, she knew the child had been frightened and their spirit was unsettled. She recited an ancient mantra on the spot and used a pillow stuffed with medicinal herbs she had prepared. That night, the child slept soundly until dawn and never cried at night again. These deeds spread throughout the village, and everyone held my grandmother’s abilities in deep respect and awe.
I knew that such skills must not be lost, so from a young age, I followed my grandmother closely to learn. I often watched and asked questions, keeping everything I did not understand in my heart. Sometimes, my grandmother would say, 'This child will surely be more capable than I am one day.'
Nurturing the Heart and Nature
By the time I reached twenty, I began to take on my first child. I treated every child as if they were my own. My grandmother taught me that one must not only nourish of a child but, more importantly, nurture their character. Many nannies focused only on diet and routine, but from my grandmother, I learned how to teach children to have love, a kind heart, and a sense of responsibility.
Once, a child developed a high fever and began to convulse in the middle of the night. The parents were frantic and prepared to rush him to the hospital. However, observing the child’s complexion and reactions, I intuitively felt it was not a simple cold. I asked the parents not to panic and immediately applied the methods my grandmother had taught me, brewing a decoction of herbs. After the child took the medicine, his fever subsided significantly, giving him the strength to undergo further examinations at the hospital. Even the doctor remarked, 'It is fortunate that you acted so quickly; otherwise, it might have triggered encephalitis.' After that incident, the parents trusted me even more. Later, I cared for more and more children, and some even travelled from afar to hire me.
I never viewed caring for children as merely raising them up. I hoped they would become people of wisdom, capability, and a willingness to give. There was a pair of twin brothers I cared for from infancy until they entered primary school. They had vastly different personalities—one introverted, one energetic. I used different methods to guide them: one to help him open his heart, and the other to teach him how to focus. Today, they have both grown into responsible young men, and during holidays, they still come to visit me, calling me Grandma. This work gave me more than just financial reward; it provided a deep emotional return.
The Cradle of Eternal Memories
I whispered to my grandmother countless times in my heart, 'I have taken up your mantle, please rest assured.' However, my own life seemed destined to be short. When I was sixty-two, a child suddenly convulsed and collapsed before me. I rushed to treat him, and in the end, the child was saved. But due to extreme exhaustion and mental strain, I collapsed by the bedside that night and passed away from a heart attack.
My spirit did not depart immediately; instead, it entered the very nursery cradle I used every day. It was the one my grandmother had crafted by hand, which had accompanied me as I cared for countless children. That cradle contained so much love and protection; it was the memory of my entire life. That cradle was different from ordinary ones. My grandmother was truly remarkable. When she wove that cradle from bamboo, I sat beside her and watched with my own eyes. Her hands were incredibly dexterous and spirited. Every movement and technique was the result of accumulated experience. Not only that, but when she crafted it, she knew exactly what angles were needed and how to handle every small detail so that every child placed inside could lie in the utmost comfort. Indeed, once the cradle was finished, every child placed inside would fall asleep quickly, for the cradle provided them with a sense of complete security and comfort. I continued to use this cradle until the end of my life.
Within that cradle, my spirit continued to sense every child placed inside. I silently watched over them, hoping they would sleep peacefully, stay healthy, and be happy, silently offering them my support. I do not know how many years passed, but one day, the cradle was finally sealed away in a warehouse, never to be used again. I heard a voice telling me, 'It is time to leave.'
A Compassionate Guardian in the Underworld
Two prison guards appeared before me. They said with , 'Lin Miaopeng, you have protected beings for many years. Come with us to see the King of Hell.' I arrived in the underworld, and the King of Hell looked at me, saying in a calm tone, 'Throughout your life, you nurtured countless seeds of Goodness. Although you did not walk the Great Path, you possess the merit of protecting the world. I now appoint you as a prison guard to guide the lost spirits of the hells.' Thus, I became a prison guard.
In the hells, what I saw was not malice, but ignorance, delusion, and remorse. I began to care for those suffering spirits just as I had cared for the children in the past. Rather than scolding, I chose to soothe; rather than suppressing, I chose to guide. Until one day, the voice of Practitioner Su pierced through the hells. The nectar-like Dharma words were like a lullaby, soothing the troubled hearts of all beings. I listened to the sutras with tears in my eyes and passed Practitioner Su’s words to every soul: 'With one thought of turning the heart, one attains liberation.' Many souls were saved because of this.
I wish to transform myself into a cradle, soothing suffering spirits in the hells and leading those with good roots to the Western Land. I wish to do this for the rest of my life. Today, that wish has been fulfilled. Practitioner Su personally brought us sixty prison guards to the Western Land. I prostrate before Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. I hope to return in the future, riding upon my vows to protect and nurture all beings, planting good Causal Conditions. Namo Amituofo. Lin Miaopeng prostrates."
