The Cycle of Impermanence: An Interview with the Prison Guard Ibada

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Ibada, 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 experiences across various realms of existence. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on May 9, 2025.

Ibada speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Today, a vast expanse of Buddha-light descended upon me. In just a single instant, I arrived at the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The brilliance before me purified my entire being, imbuing me with a strength I had never known. In that moment of spiritual clarity, I truly felt the immense power of the Buddha.

I am Ibada. Throughout my long and arduous journey, I have traversed and resided within a multitude of different realms and spaces. Only now, with the clarity granted by the Buddha, do I fully realise that every realm I entered was intrinsically linked to the state of my own intentions and the seeds I had sown. The personality traits I have carried through countless lives have always been with me. Ever since I can remember, I have been prone to anxiety; whenever I became anxious, I would become incredibly restless and agitated."

The Duality of Existence

"I once existed within a cosmic galaxy filled with interwoven energies. Sometimes, the energy of the stars would brush against me, leaving me with a hollow sensation, while at other times, different energies would fill me with a sense of immense power. What I felt was a constant oscillation between good and bad, leaving me unsure of how to cope. Consequently, my own spirit contained a mixture of both good and evil.

Because of this, the region I inhabited was clearly divided into two zones: one of extreme Goodness and one of extreme evil. I wandered into both zones inadvertently. They were completely different, and the light they radiated was distinct.

One day, out of curiosity, I accidentally crossed the boundary into the zone of extreme evil. In that instant, I felt a great chill rushing toward me. My ears were filled with the sounds of fighting and contention. The violent vibrations of those sounds made me feel deeply uneasy. I wanted to venture deeper, but a force within my heart stopped me. I obediently retreated to where I belonged. When I told others about this, they warned me never to touch that realm again, saying that doing so would only lead to disastrous consequences."

The Light of Goodness and the Mask of Strength

"After being warned, I felt quite resentful, and in my wandering, I inadvertently arrived in the zone of extreme Goodness. The light in that zone calmed my heart; before me was a vast expanse of brightness. This power, which smoothed out my inner turmoil, filled me with a sense of joy. Within that zone, one could only feel absolute peace. It was a realm so harmonious that one would never want to leave.

Having experienced both extreme Goodness and extreme evil, I asked myself: what is it that I truly desire in my heart? Before finding the answer, I allowed myself to settle down. Yet, I found myself drifting back to the boundary of the evil zone. I discovered that although the beings there possessed strong, unyielding personalities—always insisting they were right in front of others—their hearts were actually very fragile. That fragility was not what they displayed on the surface; it was their true inner state.

I speculated about their deepest mindsets. I realised that perhaps everyone has their own hidden suffering, moments when they cannot find a way out, and they are not as they appear on the surface. I wondered: why must everyone pretend? Why act as if everything is fine? Is it because they fear showing their vulnerability, and they must maintain an image of 'strength' to survive? During that time, I constantly explored the nature of humanity. Later, I discovered that most people do not stay in one space for very long. When their time is up, a force comes to take them away."

The Whirlpool of Samsara

"I wanted to know where every spirit taken away eventually went. I focused on one spirit, hoping to solve this mystery. But I found that once a spirit's time in that space was up, they were pulled away with such speed that I, having no direction, could not follow. After trying once or twice, I gave up. I continued to wander through spaces, exploring them. Until one day, the force that takes everyone away pulled me in. I felt as if I had entered a massive whirlpool. On either side of the vortex were scenes of everything I had ever experienced, but the speed was so great that I could not see them clearly.

In an instant, I fell into a place of intense heat. I bounced involuntarily, and only after a while did I realise my form had become very small. I had fallen into the range of a volcanic eruption and had become a stone. I did not understand the Causal Conditions of all this; I only felt the searing heat, so I had to run—I had to run as fast as I could. Finally, after much effort, I rolled into the water to cool myself down. In the water, the temperature difference between day and night was vast. During the day, I felt warm, but at night, the icy cold of the water made me shiver.

As I thought about how to leave, an animal opened its mouth to catch fish and swallowed me along with them. I was covered in sticky liquid. Finally, my sharp corners caused the animal to spit me out. I looked around and saw a vast grassland. As I lay on the grass, looking at the sky and the surroundings, I realised that the wish I had made—to see all the different spaces—had been fulfilled. Through this process of constant transformation, I had gained a deep understanding. The most intense realisation was that of impermanence. I was constantly affected by the changes in the external environment. Although my spirit was still within a stone, I felt as though I had learned so much."

The Duty of a Prison Guard

"I hoped to convey what I had learned. I wanted more people to understand the suffering of the cycle of rebirth and the lack of autonomy within it. On the grassland, I saw the laws of karma and cause and effect clearly—the strong preying on the weak. Everyone thought they had the upper hand, never realising they would eventually meet an even stronger opponent. This is the law of space; it never changes, no matter where you go. Having understood this, although I was still a small stone on the grassland, I was no longer ordinary.

I tried my best to tell everyone I met what I knew. I begged them not to be in a state of delusion or self-righteousness. Every conversation with a different life form was an all-out effort, because I knew that if I missed this chance, I might never meet them again, and they would never know the truth of spiritual life.

When I did this day after day, a swirling force took me away again. This time, I arrived before the throne of King Yama. King Yama said, 'The Yama Hall remembers clearly everything you have done.' Hearing this, I felt nervous. Soon after, King Yama spoke again: 'Your intention to help others leave their suffering is excellent. Because of this, you have the opportunity to serve as a prison guard. Serve the beings well, and you will eliminate your past karma.' I did not quite understand what 'serving beings' meant, but it sounded like doing good, so I complied with the arrangement.

When I truly began to execute my duties, the sight of the suffering beings crying out in agony shocked me. I kept trying to counsel them, but I found they could not listen. Only then did I realise that their personalities had truly harmed them. Unable to counsel them, I could only pray for them, praying that one day they would truly be free from their suffering."

Deliverance to the Western Pure Land

"I am grateful for the magnificent Causal Conditions that finally allowed Practitioner Su's Dharma talks to reach the hells, letting us know of Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. All these Causal Conditions are something to be deeply grateful for. They made me vow in my heart to follow the Buddha faithfully.

I am grateful that not long after, I waited for the opportunity for Chao Du. Following these Causal Conditions, I, along with fifty-nine other prison guards and immeasurable and boundless beings, were reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am grateful for everything. I am grateful to the Buddha, and I am grateful to Practitioner Su.

Ibada, with palms joined in reverence."

Namo Amituofo.