The Guardian of the Earth and the Path to Deliverance

This interview was recorded on May 17, 2024, by the chief writer, Shi Faxin. Shen Wenchen, a former guardian of the earth and later a prison official in the underworld, shares his journey from a life of solitude in the forest to the profound realisation of the laws of karma and cause and effect, ultimately finding liberation through the Holy Name of Namo Amituofo.

Shen Wenchen speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Shen Wenchen. I offer my deepest gratitude to Practitioner Su for his great compassion toward all sentient beings. Through the power of the Holy Name 'Namo Amituofo,' he has delivered sixty of us prison officials, along with immeasurable and boundless sentient beings, to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

A Childhood Rooted in Nature

To me, the earth has always been my home. Every patch of land holds life within it. Although I could not see the forms of these creatures, I could feel them. Every spirit resides within its own space, and for them, that space is a source of stability. Whenever I quieted my mind, I could sense their presence.

This instinct has been with me since I was a child. My father was a merchant who travelled extensively and eventually took seven wives. My mother was the first wife. When she decided to take me away from that complex and suffocating environment, her family urged her to stay. They told her that if she remained, she would be secure as the head wife of the Shen family, and I would be guaranteed the status of the eldest grandson, ensuring a life of comfort and wealth. But no matter how much they pleaded, my mother remained steadfast in her decision to leave.

My mother had grown up in that very environment. She had witnessed the bitterness and sorrow in the hearts of her own mother and aunts, and she refused to let me suffer the same fate. She did not want me to be harmed by the toxic dynamics of that household. And so, we moved to a remote, wild area and lived a life of extreme simplicity. To survive, my mother worked tirelessly, and her hands, once soft and delicate, became rough and calloused. Yet, her heart was at peace, and she was deeply content.

The Equality of All Living Things

In that natural environment, the air was filled with the songs of insects and birds. My mother would tell me, 'You must be content, and you must cherish life.' She taught me to observe the changes in the earth and to understand the impermanence of all living things. One day, she took me deep into the forest and said, 'There is infinite life here. Every single life is equal.' We watched two tortoises slowly crawl past us, and she remarked, 'Though they look different from us, they are also working hard every day to maintain their own lives.' She taught me to use my heart to perceive the birds and the insects in the forest.

I saw that every life has a different time of passing. I would see a flower bloom one day, only to have it wither the next. My mother’s profound respect for every living thing instilled in me a sense of mission: I was to be a guardian of the earth and a protector of life. During my childhood, I had almost no contact with other people and did not attend school. Every word I learned and every principle I understood, I learned from my mother. She was training me to live independently, so that if the day came when she was no longer there, I would have the ability to survive on my own.

The Destruction of the Forest

When I was thirty-one, my mother fell ill. She developed a severe cough, and no matter which medicinal herbs I gathered, I could not cure her. She knew her time was coming to an end and instructed me to live well. Though my heart was heavy with grief, I promised to follow her wishes. After she passed away, I lived alone for over a decade. Then, a large group of people appeared, displaying valuable goods and demanding that I leave the forest. They wanted to develop the land. I did not understand their intentions, but I felt they were not friendly toward the forest at all.

A great commotion erupted in the woods. It seemed as if the animals knew what was coming; some fled, sensing the danger. I felt an aura of unease permeating the trees. A sense of responsibility ignited within me—I had to protect the forest. As these people returned again and again to destroy the land, I began to resist them with all my strength. I set traps throughout the forest; some fell into pits, while others were wounded by thorny plants. I would do anything to stop them. When they realized I was the one behind these obstacles, they turned their aggression toward me.

From Resentment to the Underworld

They bound me with vengeful hearts, using knives to carve into my flesh until I was covered in blood. I could feel the animals and spirits of the forest praying for me, wailing in sorrow, hoping that this disaster would pass. I did not want to let them down, so I held on until the very last moment, my body numb with pain before I finally died. In my final moments, I saw them lighting torches to burn the forest. I was filled with such intense anger and resentment. After I stopped breathing, I fell into darkness. My own hatred caused the fires of hell to burn me incessantly. That space was filled with agony; there was not a single moment of respite. Only now do I realise that it was hell, where my intense hatred led my karmic creditors to testify against me.

After a long, long time, my suffering suddenly ceased, and the energy around me became peaceful. A voice spoke to me: 'Put on these clothes and guard the earth well. Do not hold onto resentment in your heart. Everything that happens is the result of the laws of karma and cause and effect. Nothing can escape these laws.' At the time, I did not fully understand, but I knew I had been given a task, and I had to perform it well.

The Path of the Prison Official

I became a guardian spirit of the earth, familiar with everything that occurred upon it. The people on the land I protected were peaceful and built several temples. Often, the sound of chanting would drift from these temples: 'Na—mo—A—mi—Tuo—Fo—.' Each syllable was clear, and the energy was incredibly serene. I felt such joy listening to it. I saw the devotees coming and going, their faces calm, and I knew that chanting the Buddha's name must be a wonderful practice. Sometimes, I would find myself chanting along, and I could feel different energies manifesting when I did so.

When my term as a guardian spirit ended, I was summoned to the underworld. King Yama said to me, 'You have served well in guarding the earth. Do you know why you experienced so much? You fell into hell because of your heart of resentment. Do you accept this judgment?' I nodded and replied, 'I know that all judgments are perfectly just.' King Yama said, 'Indeed. Merit is merit, and it cannot be compared to faults. Once the faults have been paid for, if one has blessings, one can naturally enjoy them.' I pressed my palms together in respect.

King Yama then said, 'Your karmic affinity now leads you to serve as a prison official. I hope you will perform your duties well.' After accepting this task, I led each prisoner to the execution ground. Witnessing the karmic retribution of each person served as a deep warning to me, and I realised that a heart of pure goodness is the most important thing of all.

The Compassion of Namo Amituofo

I was fortunate enough to hear Practitioner Su give Dharma talks during my service. The teachings he shared were all aimed at helping beings wake up, change their personality traits, and seek liberation, especially by developing the vow to help others escape the cycle of rebirth. As I listened, I finally understood the true compassion of Namo Amituofo, who reaches out to receive beings throughout the void. I realised the magnificence of chanting the Holy Name 'Namo Amituofo,' and I hoped that one day I could truly follow the Buddha. I am grateful that this magnificent karmic condition has manifested, allowing me to chant the Buddha's name today and seek liberation. I am deeply grateful for the guidance of Practitioner Su.

The magnificence and beauty of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss have finally been revealed to me. I am grateful for the Buddha's compassion. My chanting of the Buddha's name is continuous, and I hope that in the future, I will have the opportunity to help other sentient beings with karmic affinity.

Respectfully bowed, Shen Wenchen"

※ Shen Wenchen's mother, Wen Shi Wuniang, was a butterfly, and she was led by Practitioner Su to the Western Dharma-Nature Land.

Namo Amituofo.