The Generosity of a Teacher's Heart

Wang Dingguo, a former teacher who dedicated his life to character education and the practice of Generosity, shares his profound journey. After passing away, he found himself in a unique space before serving as a prison guard in the hells. Through the teachings of Practitioner Su, he and sixty other prison guards were granted the opportunity for liberation. This interview was recorded on July 27, 2024, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

Wang Dingguo speaks:

"Since arriving in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, the space I behold is unimaginably vast. Looking toward the Western Land, looking back at the human world, and observing all the spaces within the six realms of existence, I have come to understand more deeply just how painful the cycle of being reincarnated truly is. If I had not been blessed with the karmic affinity to arrive here, once my tenure as a prison guard had concluded, I would have been cast into yet another cycle of being reincarnated. I would never have known when I might finally attain liberation."

"I am filled with gratitude to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su for allowing us sixty prison guards to come to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Since arriving here, I have come to understand even more clearly the necessity of letting go of everything, truly departing from the six realms of existence, and no longer clinging to the attachments that cause the suffering of samsara."

A Life of Detachment

"I am Wang Dingguo. I once resided in the illusory human world, living out a dream that was ultimately empty. I was a man of great wealth, yet I never truly cared for money. To me, it was merely an external possession; whether I had much or little made no difference to my heart."

"My parents shared this same perspective. We were never attached to wealth. Yet, strangely enough, the less we cared and the less we clung to it, the more money seemed to flow toward us. Some came from inheritances, some from unexpected sources—in any case, it seemed to multiply on its own."

"A friend once said to me, 'It is easy for you to say you don't care about money because your family was already wealthy and you had everything you needed. If you were born into a destitute family with seven or eight younger siblings to support, could you still say you don't care about money?' This friend did not understand me at all. If I had siblings to support and a family to feed, I would certainly need money, but I would never be attached to it. I would use it to sustain life, but I would never crave more or cling to what I had."

The Practice of Generosity

"Because of this, the one thing I did most in that lifetime was the practice of Generosity. I found immense joy in giving. Seeing those in need benefit from my resources brought me far more happiness than spending the money on myself, because they truly needed it. To me, I was willing to give almost anything, provided it did not harm my family. I was always willing to let go."

"People often asked me, 'How can you be so willing to give everything away? I know many wealthy people, but most are incredibly stingy. Very few are as generous as you.'"

"If you ask why I was so willing to give, it stems from the Causal Conditions of my Past and Present Lives. In this lifetime, my father was a Teacher. Beyond the basic school curriculum, he focused heavily on character education. He taught every student with great care, helping them cultivate excellent character and integrity from a young age. This not only helped the students develop well regardless of the path they chose, but it also helped society become more harmonious and improved the quality of life for everyone."

A Lesson in Compassion

"My father applied this same education to me. From a very young age, I learned character education, which taught me how to conduct myself and how to help others. I remember when I was four years old, my father bought me a small bicycle. I loved it dearly, but I only rode it once—and that was just inside the shop. On the way home, we encountered a young boy crying bitterly. My father immediately went to comfort him. We learned that the boy's mother was ill and his father had passed away, leaving them in extreme poverty. Every morning, the boy would run to the market to scavenge for discarded vegetable leaves, which were their primary source of food. That day, he had not arrived fast enough and had found nothing, which was why he was crying."

"After hearing his story, I immediately gave my bicycle to the boy, telling him that it would help him get to the market faster. My father gave the boy all the money he had on him, telling him to take good care of his mother and himself. That was my first experience of giving, and my father praised me greatly. From that moment on, I understood what it meant to help others, and I felt an incomparable joy in my heart. Seeing the boy riding the bicycle home, my satisfaction was far greater than if I had been the one riding it."

Reflections from a Past Life

"In a past life, I was a beggar. Before I fell into that state, I had been a wealthy young master who squandered money like water. Even after I married and had three children, I continued my profligate ways until they eventually left me. I intended to remarry, but a severe illness exhausted my entire fortune. Before I could be cured, my money was gone, and even my house had been sold."

"Dragging my sick body as a beggar, this great turning point in life led me to awaken and see through the illusions of the world. Even as a beggar, my mind-capacity was vast. Whatever I received, I would share with the other beggars around me. That joy and satisfaction far surpassed anything I had ever possessed before. I rebuilt myself, deciding to stop being a beggar and truly dedicating the remainder of my life to finding work. Beyond sustaining myself, I had more energy to help others. That life taught me many things and helped me shed my original stinginess and arrogance, making me a person who understood the value of Generosity. This had a subtle but profound influence on my current life, including the vast mind-capacity I possessed."

The Teacher's Vow

"In this life, I was Wang Dingguo. The blessings cultivated in the past gave me wealth that I could never exhaust. However, I knew clearly that if this money were used for necessary purposes, it was gold; if used for unnecessary waste, it was merely trash. I chose to turn that money into gold by using it for those in need. Like my father, I spent my life as a Teacher. Seeing the difficulties faced by students from different families made me understand their hardships even more. I did my best to help these children, ensuring they had a good childhood, a healthy psyche, and a warm heart—to warm themselves and everyone around them."

"I used my money to subsidize poor and needy students. Every school had a subsidy fund I provided, allowing students from impoverished backgrounds to apply and reduce their economic pressure. I always remained anonymous; it was not important for people to know it was me. What mattered was that the students received help and could study with peace of mind. After retiring, I continued to teach as a volunteer without pay, travelling to remote areas to help the children there. I brought in resources to improve their learning environments. My only hope was that these children would learn well and become people who could help others in the future—that was more important than anything else."

The Blackboard Space

"At the age of eighty-five, I passed away in my sleep. Many students came to see me off, surrounding the place where I lived. My spirit was no longer in my body; following the dream I had on my final night, I entered into a blackboard. In truth, if not for that dream, I would have been seized by karmic creditors and forced into a dream of teaching, and I would not have entered the blackboard space—I might have had the chance to ascend to the heavens. But I did not escape the pursuit of my karma, and thus I received this retribution."

"Inside the blackboard space, I was still diligently teaching. My mental notes were all for the good of the students, giving my all to them, hoping they would be able to contribute to society in the future. They did not need to achieve great fame, but they had to possess a kind heart willing to help others. Perhaps it was because I held such goodness in my heart that I was able to depart from the blackboard space in such a short time. I spent about fifteen years in that space before I suddenly walked out and, accompanied by two officials from the hells, entered the underworld."

Deliverance to the West

"King Yama assigned me the position of a prison guard, allowing me to serve in the hells. When I saw so many children in the hells who had committed sins and were already suffering their retribution, I could not bear it. I wanted to help them, but how could I? At first, I tried to counsel them and explain the truth. Later, while in the hells, I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks. I was astonished and filled with admiration—I had never known such a great Buddha’s teachings existed! I listened to Practitioner Su's talks with great focus, and I was filled with Dharma joy. I began to share the teachings I heard with the children and other suffering spirits in the hells. We were all immersed in the influence of the great Buddha’s teachings, and only then did we understand how to seek Spiritual Deliverance."

"Many beings in the hells subsequently repented and sought Spiritual Deliverance. When Practitioner Su's Dharma Body arrived in the hells, we were blessed to be saved and liberated by him. I am so fortunate to have been included on the list of those Practitioner Su guided to the Western Land. At this moment, we sixty prison guards have already arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Everyone is so happy, and we continue to kowtow in gratitude."

"Namo Amituofo."

"Wang Dingguo bows in reverence."