The General's Penance: From the Battlefield to the Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Guo Ziyi, a renowned general of the Tang Dynasty who sought Spiritual Deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life approximately 1,400 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on March 8, 2026.

Guo Ziyi speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Guo Ziyi. As a famous general of the Tang Dynasty, my name once struck fear into the hearts of enemies across the land. It was a name that commanded respect and, at times, a deep, trembling awe from the emperors I served. I do not say this out of arrogance, nor to suggest I was a tyrant. However, my authority was so vast that many in the imperial court viewed my influence as a threat to the throne. Consequently, the successive emperors who followed were always exceptionally respectful—or perhaps, one might say, they were overly cautious and doted upon me to keep me within their favour. They knew that I was a rare talent, and even when I committed minor errors, they never dealt with me harshly. I always understood the principles of loyalty and patriotism. To put the emperor's mind at ease, I made it clear that I had no interest in court politics, and certainly no desire for the imperial throne. I warned my subordinates and my family strictly: 'I, Guo Ziyi, have lived a life of integrity and incorruptibility. I will not take a single thing that does not belong to me. If any of you cannot uphold this standard, then you are not welcome to step through the gates of the Guo household.'

A Life of Power and Paradox

"Speaking of my gates, I never kept them closed. I believed that the people held me in some regard, and there were always those in need of help. By keeping my doors open, I could welcome anyone who required my assistance. This became quite famous at the time, and the respect I received from both the court and the common people was truly more than I deserved. I was, by nature, a simple man—a soldier at heart. I felt my wisdom was sufficient, and whether on the battlefield or in human affairs, I did my best to meet the needs of others and humble myself. This style of leadership earned me the unwavering loyalty of my officers and soldiers, a fact for which I remain deeply grateful to this day. I lived to the age of eighty-five and passed away peacefully, which was a rare blessing for that era. The Tang Dynasty began its decline during my later years, and I witnessed the empire transition from its golden age toward decay. I was not heavily utilised by the court until I was older, but I never harboured resentment or worried about my status. Perhaps it was this expansive mind, this lack of attachment to personal gain or loss, that allowed me to walk through life with such clarity and joy, without creating too many enemies.

The Weight of the Sword

"Yet, as a great general, the number of enemies I killed was enough to turn rivers red with blood. At the time, I did not think much of it; I believed that killing was simply the duty of a general. On the battlefield, I could kill without blinking. In the chaos of war, my only thought was to reclaim cities and end the conflict quickly. When I swung my blade, I did not hesitate. Regardless of who the opponent was, if they were an enemy, I struck them down without a second thought. As I sit here now on a lotus seat in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, looking back at those scenes of blood and slaughter, my heart inevitably aches. I experienced countless wars, whether they were defensive campaigns or the suppression of internal rebellions. I followed the imperial orders with absolute precision, executing every command without the slightest deviation. But because of this, as a great general, the number of heads I caused to fall is something I cannot even count. Coming to the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I have finally realised that Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su are saving the boundless, suffering souls of our great China. Among them are many generals and soldiers I once killed; they are still trapped in various spaces, suffering. Some are still fighting, others are covered in wounds and blood. All of this is the result of the killing karma I personally created—the collective karma between myself and the Tang Dynasty. Although it was done for the sake of the people and the stability of the nation, under the drive of collective karma, one still commits grave crimes. Regardless of what I have experienced, the compassionate Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su have accepted me without counting my past transgressions, giving me this opportunity to speak and share my life story."

The Hellish Price of Duty

"Looking back at how the world and future generations have evaluated me, I cannot help but laugh. Some assessments are accurate, others are biased. People speculate about my life—some say I was fond of women, others say I was wealthier than the state. These may well be facts. But when I was Guo Ziyi, my father was already an official, and I never suffered hardship. I did not believe that a loyal minister or a good general had to live a life of poverty to be considered a good person. I believe that the virtuous ministers of our Tang Dynasty's golden age should have been able to live well. Perhaps the rewards from the emperor and the gifts I received were the reasons for my wealth. But I can say with a clear conscience that I never took a single thing from the common people that did not belong to me. I did not engage in corruption, I did not form factions, and I did not extort money or material goods from anyone. Perhaps I truly had tremendous blessings in that life, which manifested in my generous and optimistic personality. I did not keep all my wealth for myself; I distributed much of it to the subordinates, generals, and soldiers who had served with me, allowing us to share in that joy together. That was the happiest reflection of my life at the time. These are the merits and demerits of my life. I seem to have forgotten to mention the military achievements for which I am best remembered. The reason I held such high prestige in the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty was that I worked honestly and sincerely for the court, often adopting the attitude that 'if you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you catch the tiger cub?' I risked my life time and again to help the court recover the capital city of Chang'an. Especially during the An Lushan Rebellion, General Li Guangbi and I served the court faithfully, suppressing the rebellion and recovering the two most important cities: Chang'an and Luoyang."

A Witness to History's Cycles

"The most painful thing to witness on the battlefield was the internal division of my own country. People rebelled against the court, and others had to help suppress those rebellions. Such turbulent situations were frequent in the mid-to-late Tang period. Everyone knew that we generals held military power, and the emperor was naturally suspicious of those who did. I was not unaware of this. As a great general, I did not particularly enjoy the feeling of holding military power. I felt that if the country needed me, I would go to the battlefield; if the country did not need me, I would enjoy my own peace. After all, I was getting on in years. By the time I participated in suppressing the An Lushan Rebellion, I was already over sixty, and any ambition for political power had long since faded. My life sounds very smooth and happy, but the karma I created still had to be repaid. When I reached my eighties and death was approaching, I fell gravely ill. Now, having learned from Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su in the Western Dharma-Nature Land for some time, I understand that the illness was simply my karmic creditors coming to collect. Having killed so many people in my life, how could it be that no one would come to demand my life? That is impossible. So, in my final days, I began to mutter to myself, feeling anxious and uneasy. It was the first time in my life I felt so helpless. Many of the soldiers I had killed appeared before me, some covered in blood, others carrying their own severed heads. These terrifying scenes caused me to suffer immensely in my final days before I eventually passed away. After death, I stood before King Yama. He looked at my book of merits and demerits and said: 'Guo Ziyi, you have had great merits, but you have also had great demerits. Merits and demerits cannot cancel each other out. You must first receive your retribution.' Thus, I went to hell to repay the karma created by my killings. My mind was still clear at the time; I knew I was wrong and that I deserved to be punished. So, I accepted the punishment without complaint, sincerely repaying the debts I owed, intending to return as a better man! King Yama even smiled at me and said: 'Very good. With that heart, go and repay your karmic debts well.'"

The Golden Light of Deliverance

"The time I spent being punished in hell lasted several hundred years—less than five hundred. I knew in my heart that compared to the killing karma I had created, this was already a greatly reduced sentence. Life in hell was, of course, unbearable. I had no time to calculate my future; every moment was filled with extreme suffering. In hell, I also saw the brothers who had fought alongside me, especially the higher-ranking generals; we all arrived in hell one after another. In that environment, it was difficult to be a loyal minister without creating heavy killing karma. As I said before, it was truly the collective karma between myself and the Tang Dynasty. I remember that after I emerged from hell, China had already undergone several changes of dynasty; it must have been the late Southern Song Dynasty. I returned to the battlefield once more, witnessing the slaughter between our Central Plains people and the Mongol forces. Many battles were incredibly tragic. The Mongol soldiers showed no mercy, effectively trying to exterminate our Song people. I watched, and although I was a spirit and seemed unable to do anything, my heart ached. Carrying this concern for the country and the people, I suddenly entered the space of a city during that time. In that city, I witnessed the Mongol army's slaughter, looting, and the rape of women—such unbearable scenes continued to play out in our great China. Having come up from hell, I naturally had much more compassion than before, knowing that killing is something that must not be done. I tried my best to protect the people within the city, hoping to reduce the tragic casualties caused by the wars, and I silently prayed that the people in the city could recover soon—whether it was the recovery of their homes or the recovery of their hearts, both were crucial. This time, I encountered a new opportunity: meeting Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. I saw with my own eyes a scene where a golden light flashed in that grey, dark world. Where did the golden light take me? To the Western Dharma-Nature Land! The Western Dharma-Nature Land is a world of the Buddha, where everyone smiles brilliantly. I know this is a precious land, a place where the Buddha resides in the human world. I had only heard of the Buddha's teachings before, without deep understanding, but at this moment, under the infusion of the Buddha's compassionate light, I suddenly woke up."

A Final Call to Humanity

"Haha! Before I became Guo Ziyi, I was actually a highly respected monk in the Buddha's gate during the Tang Dynasty. The blessings I had accumulated in the past were so deep that when I became Guo Ziyi, I had tremendous blessings, which manifested in my wealth, status, good character, and an expansive mind without afflictions. I did not suffer much in that life, I thought killing enemies on the battlefield was normal, and I lived happily to the ripe old age of eighty-five before falling ill and passing away. It turns out my affinity with the Buddha's gate was so deep, which is why I have the opportunity today to be guided by Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su back to the Buddha's land. I was also someone who came down from the West, wanting to save the world; after saving the world, I returned to the human world, but unfortunately, I walked down the path of a great general, leading to those hundreds of years of suffering in hell. Life, before one can truly master oneself and realise one's true nature to attain Buddhahood, is nothing more than wandering in the painful six realms of rebirth, repeatedly living days that are sometimes clear and sometimes confused. I have looked at my past lives, and it is indeed so. The Buddha compassionately told me: 'Good child, all of this is in the past; let it all go now. Just follow the Buddha and learn the Buddha's teachings well.' I, Guo Ziyi, am now unburdened, my body, mind, and spirit are light, and I am chanting the name 'Namo Amituofo' while sitting on a lotus seat in the Dharma-Nature Land. I have no more afflictions, no more suffering; I am simply following the Buddha honestly. The fact that Practitioner Su has come to save the human world and save China has long spread throughout the spirit realms. Everyone knows that if you want to be saved, you must report to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre as quickly as possible. I, Guo Ziyi, also appeal to everyone: this matter is of the utmost importance! The phrase 'difficult to encounter in millions of years' is absolutely true. For thousands of years, countless trapped souls have not obtained deliverance. It is only because Practitioner Su made a great vow and is in sync with Namo Amituofo that we have this opportunity for so many Chinese people to be saved today. Therefore, learning the Buddha's teachings, chanting the Buddha's name, keeping a good heart, and being a good person are vital. In the few days I have spent listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma in the Dharma-Nature Land, I have gained a profound understanding. Our ancestors in China have accumulated deep virtues over thousands of years, which is why we have the tremendous blessing today to have Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su come to China to save us. We, the descendants, should cherish this magnificent and rare opportunity even more and grasp this chance of the Buddha being in the world. The Buddha will save as many as He can. Everyone, please carry a sincere heart, truly chant this 'Namo Amituofo,' and follow the Buddha to rebirth in the Western Pure Land!"

Namo Amituofo.

Guo Ziyi