The Guardian of Life: A Journey from the Stars to the Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Gu Yong'er, who sought deliverance 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 existence in a celestial space and his subsequent life as a human. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on August 1, 2025.

Gu Yong'er speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The world before my eyes is so magnificent; it is truly the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am absolutely dumbfounded by the scenery here. Everything is so beautiful that it fills my heart with such ease and joy. The horizon seems to stretch on forever, and looking at it makes my heart feel vast and boundless.

In the past, I never even knew that such a realm existed. To be here now, I feel incredibly fortunate and deeply grateful. The Western Pure Land is filled with countless lotus flowers, each one radiating a brilliant light. Every ray of that light is brimming with energy, and just looking at it fills my heart with happiness, peace, and delight.

A Celestial Origin

Before I became Gu Yong'er, I existed in a space that cannot be seen from Earth. In that space, there were all kinds of flying vessels. Although we needed these vessels to travel quickly, our bodies were actually very light and translucent, emitting a soft purple glow. The brighter the light, the younger and more robust the individual; as the light faded, it indicated that one's life was nearing its end.

Our lifespan in that space was approximately thirty thousand years. Thirty thousand years is not actually very long. We knew exactly when our lives would end, and the day of our departure was fixed—not a moment more, not a moment less. We were accustomed to this way of life. Our elders would say, 'We are children of heaven; when heaven calls us, we must return to the sky.'

The Prophecy of Influence

From the moment I was born, I knew my lifespan would be eighteen thousand years. When I told others this number, they would sigh and offer me blessings. I did not understand why they reacted that way. Whenever I saw their strange expressions, I would sincerely ask them why, but no one would tell me. Finally, one day, a child heard my age and his expression changed. After I pressed him repeatedly, he reluctantly said, 'I heard the elders say that someone of your age will become a person of great influence. That influence could be very good, or it could be very bad. But that power of influence is something that cannot be ignored.'

So that was why everyone was avoiding me. To me, I was just ordinary, no different from anyone else. Yet, I always felt an inner power knocking at me, urging me to do something. At first, I tried to ignore it, but that power kept pushing me, as if it were guiding me toward a specific purpose.

The Trial by Fire

One day, a raging fire broke out in our space. It spread so quickly that many could not save their homes. My people gathered in one place, their eyes filled with despair and disappointment, terrified that their world would vanish. At that moment, I walked toward the flames. They watched me, screaming for me to come back, but my gaze was firm, fixed on the fire. To everyone's astonishment, the fire, which had been spreading rapidly, began to shrink and eventually extinguished itself. Everyone felt it was truly miraculous. It was from that moment on that they realised I was someone quite special.

After that, whenever anything happened in our space, they would ask for my help. As I resolved one crisis after another, I found my speed increasing, but I also discovered that I was surrounded by many invisible, yet powerful, interferences. At first, I could resist them, but later, the pressure became so great that I could barely walk. My destined day of departure was approaching. I thought to myself, 'So, everything was arranged and destined.' Since it was fated, I accepted it without resistance.

A Human Rebirth

When my body finally disintegrated, my purple light scattered and vanished into the space. I dissipated like mist. At that moment, I did not even know where I was going or where I could go. I felt immense anxiety and terror in the darkness. It felt as though I were being weighed down by heavy boulders, falling endlessly. I felt so heavy, so heavy. I do not know how long that feeling lasted before it finally stopped. After some time, I felt as though my entire being was like a sponge, held by a warm, protective power. Not long after, I realised I had obtained a human body and was named Gu Yong'er.

Human life is much shorter than what I was used to; it passes in the blink of an eye. I was born into a horse-riding tribe and grew up with horses, so I understood their nature well. Living on the grasslands, I saw many animals treated merely as food, and my heart could not bear it. I always thought, 'These animals on the grasslands have lives, too. Why must their lives be sacrificed to become human food or mounts, to be ordered around as humans please?'

The Call to Protect Life

I could not stand it, but I did not know what to do. I wanted to speak up for these lives, but everyone around me held the same view; no one believed in the need to respect life. In such a situation, I had to find a way to prove that these animals also had thoughts and deserved respect. I searched for a way and finally found someone who could communicate with animals. This person had a pure nature and could understand what each creature was expressing.

I took him to various villages to perform, showing the fear and anxiety animals feel before death. The painful struggles and cries were absolutely terrifying to witness. While this did not move everyone, it did lead many to begin respecting animal life. But the practical problem remained: if they did not raise or sell animals, how could they survive? To help them, I taught them to trade or learn various skills, while I continued to protect the animals.

The Final Sacrifice

When I did this, many animals responded with gratitude, thanking me with their eyes. Many of the animals I persuaded them not to slaughter were brought back by me. I used natural grazing methods to give them freedom. One day, a group of people appeared, raising their guns to the sky. The sound of gunfire was like thunder. They were dissatisfied with my actions, feeling that I was interfering with their interests. As they fired, many animals were frightened and ran in all directions. In the chaos, I was knocked down by the panicked animals, and several trampled over me, causing me to lose my life.

In that moment, I looked at the bull king with horns on his head, hoping only that he could help protect and lead all the animals. This thought resonated, and my spirit was instantly drawn into the body of the bull. I became a spirit attached to the bull king. I spent my days patrolling, constantly patrolling, but even then, I could not solve the problem of life and death when accidents occurred. I felt depressed and anxious until the moment the bull king died.

Deliverance in the Pure Land

I arrived before King Yama and saw many beings with whom I had karmic connections. I lamented that although my heart had always been set on protecting life, I had no ability to repay the karmic debts I had incurred in the past. I felt heartbroken and regretful, but I begged King Yama for a chance to make amends. Seeing my sincerity, King Yama allowed me to serve as a prison guard.

During my time as a prison guard, I did my utmost. Seeing the suffering of beings made my heart ache, yet I was powerless to change it. I kept making vows, hoping to do something for them. I am so grateful that I was later able to hear Practitioner Su give Dharma talks. The content of those talks helped me understand the laws of karma and cause and effect, and that only by following Namo Amituofo can one achieve true liberation. This made me yearn for such an opportunity for myself and all beings.

I am so grateful. I am grateful that today, Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su have fulfilled my wish. As the Buddha-name rang out loudly, I moved toward the light, seeking liberation.

Gu Yong'er bows in gratitude.

Namo Amituofo."