The Guardian of the Hells: An Interview with the Mount of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva

At the very moment of my passing, my spirit returned to the temple to look upon my disciples, but it was already too late to turn back. The speed of this transition is incredibly swift. I had originally assumed that I would be able to return in time, as my spirit had often travelled in and out of the Dharma Realm during my life. It was my own carelessness that led to this outcome. The propagation of the Buddha’s teachings is truly of the utmost importance. Having witnessed the immeasurable suffering within the hells, my heart is filled with profound sorrow. It is my sincere hope that the resurgence of the True Teachings will alleviate the agony of all sentient beings and allow them to transcend the cycle of birth and death.

July 30, 2017

The Appearance of a Compassionate Guardian

I am indeed the one you see before you. I am a being who has ascended from the hells. As you can observe, my skin is loose and sagging, and my eyelids droop so heavily that they cover my eyes, rendering me unable to see. I am constantly overcome by a deep, heavy drowsiness. My back is hunched, and my mobility is severely limited, requiring me to lean upon a small walking stick for support. I appear quite strange and, to many, terrifying; thus, everyone calls me Shi Baguai, or the Eight-fold Freak.

My lower lip protrudes further than my upper lip, and my mouth is crooked, causing me to drool incessantly. The top of my head is bald, while the surrounding areas are covered in long, matted, and filthy hair. I have long since lost count of how many years it has been since I last bathed properly. I have no shoes to wear, and I always walk barefoot. Wherever I go, people despise me, mocking me for being foul-smelling and hideous. However, I do not mind this at all. I have been waiting for someone who truly understands how to appreciate me. I searched for a long time before finally arriving at this place of light—the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. It took me a long time to find you, but I knew you would be the one to appreciate me, for we have known each other in the past.

Fa Xi: May I ask how you came to know me? Namo Amituofo.

The Sacred Duty of Protecting the Dharma

Shi Baguai: I am the mount of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the Lin-Shi, residing at the Ksitigarbha Hall. I intentionally manifested in this grotesque form to see who would be compassionate enough to look past my exterior and show me kindness. People often say I am a creature of nine contradictions, claiming my appearance is bizarre. In truth, one should look at the heart, for that is where the reality lies. My spiritual sensitivity is very strong, and due to my past causal conditions with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, I have spent this lifetime guarding and supporting the Bodhisattva’s practice of the Dharma.

Today, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has performed Chao Du for an immeasurable and boundless number of spirits, including those karmic creditors invited up from the hells. The sheer number of beings is vast, and I was responsible for assisting in their escort. Fortunately, everything was completed perfectly. Seeing these suffering spirits finally reach the day of their rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss brings me great comfort. Most of those who received Chao Du today have already entered the Western Pure Land. A small number, whose conditions were not yet fully mature, have been reborn in the heavenly or human realms. This is also part of the natural order, and it is not a negative outcome; rather, it is a better path for them, as the laws of karma and cause and effect are inherently fair and cannot be corrupted.

The compassion of the Buddha has allowed me, too, to be saved. I have always faced the world with this unsightly appearance, partly to subdue all ghost deities. As long as Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva remains, I shall always return to assist in saving beings and to help empty the hells. I am here to protect the Dharma, to assist in the work, and to ensure that the teachings are well-practised and that beings are easily saved. I will continue to appear in this form. When we meet again, remember that I am your old friend. I shall now return to the hells to complete my duties. I will attain Buddhahood at the same time as Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. I am deeply grateful for the Ultimate Vow held here. All of us, the ghost deities from the hells, bow our heads in gratitude. Namo Amituofo.

A Bond Forged Across Ten Thousand Years

Fa Xi: Namo Amituofo. I am grateful to all the ghost deities from the hells, and I hope that all beings may be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss together. May I ask how you came to take on this sacred role as the mount of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva?

Shi Baguai: My story is well known to many. I was once a white dog that accompanied a prince, but before that, I was a monastic. I practised quite well and lived a life of purity. It was during that time that I became your close friend. We belonged to different lineages and different schools, yet we felt as though we had known each other for a lifetime. We were both monastics; we did not need to call each other brothers, for we understood and cherished one another deeply. At that time, you were propagating the Pure Land school, while I was propagating the Zen school. You loved to travel the world to save beings, while I preferred the quiet of the mountains to practise in seclusion. You always knew where I was retreating, and you never needed to notify me of your arrival; I would simply know. Our connection was truly miraculous.

In that lifetime, your practice was magnificent, and you attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss with ease. Although I did not attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land at that time, I cherished our friendship dearly. In fact, going back even further, we were fellow disciples in the Tushita Heaven. Your Dharma Body was already so dignified back then. Meeting again now, even though ten thousand years have passed, it feels as if no time has gone by at all. You have regained a human body, and I have been practising by the side of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Both paths are excellent, provided that the final destination is the Western Pure Land. I now recognise the magnificence of the Western Pure Land.

The Urgent Call to Save All Beings

I became a white dog because, at the moment of my passing, my spirit returned to the temple to look upon my disciples, and in that split second, I missed my chance to depart. The speed of the transition is incredibly fast. I had thought I could manage it, as I was accustomed to moving through the Dharma Realm, but I was careless. The propagation of the Buddha’s teachings is truly vital. Having seen the endless suffering in the hells, I am pained. I hope that the resurgence of the True Teachings, operating according to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, will alleviate the suffering of all beings and allow them to leave suffering behind and find happiness.

Fa Xi: Namo Amituofo, it will certainly be so. I am also grateful for your dedication to the Buddha’s teachings.

This interview was recorded and written by the Buddhist practitioner Shi Fa Xi.