The Doctor Who Served in Hell

This is a record of an interview with Shi Wenqing, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life as a dedicated physician and his subsequent service as a guard in the hell realms. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on July 5, 2024.

Shi Wenqing speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is so brilliantly luminous! The Buddha is so compassionate. I am completely immersed in the Buddha-light, and I can feel the energy the Buddha bestows upon me. My life has been reborn, and my spirit has finally found peace.

In the past, I understood the impermanence of life, but I did not realise that the spirit is actually unborn and undying. For so long, I took this physical body to be too real, which is why I was trapped in the cycle of reincarnation time and time again. Now that I have seen the Buddha, I am deeply grateful that the Buddha has provided a destination for our spirits. I am grateful for the Buddha's equality and compassion for every single spirit, and I am also grateful to Practitioner Su for personally guiding all sixty of us hell guards to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss."

A Childhood Vow to Heal

"I am Shi Wenqing. Since I was a child, I watched my grandfather helping others, especially the elderly. He practised great Generosity, giving away much of his wealth to those in need. Yet, despite his kindness, these elderly people would eventually fall ill and pass away. When I followed my grandfather to do good deeds, we would visit the elderly, and he would personally deliver rice and grain to them. At that time, I saw many of these seniors suffering from illnesses, lying in bed and wailing in agony. They had no one to care for them and no money for medicine. My heart ached so much when I saw this. For days, I would hide under my quilt and cry in secret, silently making a vow that I would one day help these elderly people.

Year after year, the elderly people I knew passed away one by one. Each departure was a heavy blow to my understanding of life. Sometimes I would think to myself: 'If I had the ability to heal their illnesses, would they suffer less?' Because of this, a force within me kept pushing me forward, leading me to the path of becoming a doctor."

The Dream of the Execution Platform

"This was a tremendous challenge for me. I was not a particularly clever person, nor did I have quick reactions, but in order to realise my wish and my ideals, I worked incredibly hard. I feel that I must have been blessed, as I managed to complete medical school quite smoothly. On the day I graduated, the entire village was decorated with lights and banners, as I was the first doctor to emerge from our village and the most highly educated person there.

Despite the warm welcome from the villagers, I did not feel much joy. I only felt that I had taken a significant step closer to fulfilling my responsibilities and ideals. On the night I returned home after finishing medical school, I had a dream that I still remember vividly to this day. I dreamt that my body was being pushed onto an execution platform, ready to be carved up. Several beings with green faces and sharp fangs surrounded me, holding incredibly sharp blades. I was so terrified that I wanted to scream, but I could not make a sound. When I woke up, I was drenched in cold sweat. I did not know what this dream meant at the time, but the image remained etched in my mind."

The Trials of the Hospital

"When I became a formal doctor, I was recommended by my former professor to work at a large hospital. Although this was not the life I had truly envisioned for myself, I told myself that every stage of life is a form of learning. I was what they call a 'rookie doctor.' I was questioned by nurses regarding my expertise and made things difficult by more senior doctors. There was even a pharmacist who approached me, hoping I would prescribe a specific medication to all my patients so that I could receive a bonus if the drug sold well. I felt deeply insulted. At that time, I was determined to remain a good doctor.

Someone once told me that going to a large hospital is a form of tempering. Only now do I realise that it was not just a tempering of professional experience, but a tempering of human nature. For a long time, I wanted to stick to my original intention. For the first few years, I hoped to train my professional skills well so that I could truly help those who needed my assistance in the future.

After sixteen years of experience as a formal doctor, I am very grateful to everyone who helped me grow along the way. Looking at myself in the mirror, I realised I was no longer the young man I once was. My face had aged, and my heart was no longer as passionate as it used to be. At that moment, I asked myself: 'Am I just going to continue like this? If I continue this way until I die, will I have regrets in my heart?' Suddenly, I remembered that I should go and realise the ideals I held in my heart."

Sacrifice and the Transition to the Hells

"I resigned from the large hospital and returned to a town near my hometown. Although it did not look as prestigious as my previous position and I did not receive much praise, my heart felt very grounded. Once my work and life were stable, I established a medical clinic and began to formally realise my dream. I collaborated with social welfare organisations to regularly provide health check-ups for those who could not afford them, and I performed medical services within my capabilities. If a patient truly needed to be transferred to a large hospital for treatment, I would coordinate with the welfare organisations to ensure they received proper care. After a few years, the clinic was finally able to care for the people in the surrounding towns, so they did not have to travel so far when they were ill.

In the process of providing medical assistance, I became like family to the patients and their families. They would often care about my life and even try to introduce me to a wife. I accepted their care. When the global infectious disease storm, SARS, hit, I quickly established protective concepts for everyone. However, the disease came so fast and so fiercely that several elderly people still passed away. To prevent the disease from spreading further, I went deep into the epidemic zones to guard those who were infected, hoping they would have a chance to recover.

After more than a month of fighting the virus, I was defeated. When I experienced difficulty breathing, I knew the virus had invaded my body. I did not have much fear; at least during this time, I had successfully saved five lives, and they had all returned to health. Thinking of how they looked when they recovered and left, my heart felt happy. Two weeks after the symptoms appeared, my body was weak, and I felt my immunity dropping rapidly. In just a few seconds, I could not breathe, my organs failed, and I walked toward death.

At the very moment I breathed my last, my soul detached from my body. My sacrifice won the praise of everyone, and they awarded me a medal inscribed with the words 'Excellent Physician.' My spirit became attached to that medal."

From Hell Guard to the Western Pure Land

"In the midst of darkness, I heard a group of wailing sounds. Upon closer inspection, I realised it was a group of weeping souls—they were all patients who had died in the hospital. They were incredibly helpless, their bodies still in the sickly state they were in before they died. I could not bear to see them so frightened and lonely, so I stayed with them and comforted them. I do not know how much time passed, but someone summoned me, and my soul naturally followed that calling force.

Thus, I arrived at the Hall of the King of Hell. When I knelt before the King of Hell, I was extremely respectful. The King of Hell said: 'You have been a physician your whole life, and your Goodness is evident. You have accumulated quite a bit of merit for yourself. Now that the Causal Conditions have arrived, you can become a hell guard. Seize this opportunity to help beings and do your best.' After hearing the words of the King of Hell, I kowtowed in gratitude.

Upon taking office, the first scene I saw shocked me. I saw the prisoners lying on the execution platform receiving punishment, which reminded me of my past dream. It turned out that the dream was a vision of the hell punishments. Seeing these prisoners suffering because of their intense personalities and the karma they had created, I felt anxious, even though some did not yet know how to repent. I hoped I could help them.

Facing these scenes of hell punishment and the prisoners, I had different realisations each time. After hearing Practitioner Su give Dharma talks in the hells, I came to know the Buddha, learned of the Buddha's compassion, and understood that life is actually only fleeting. I really wanted to share these concepts with others, and I hoped that one day I would have the opportunity to follow Namo Amituofo.

This hope and longing were realised today. I am grateful for the guidance of Practitioner Su, which allowed me to follow the Buddha and be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Stepping onto the lotus, I hope that all beings in the world can also leave suffering and gain happiness.

Thank you, Buddha. Thank you, Practitioner Su.

Shi Wenqing, with palms joined in respect. Namo Amituofo."