The Hell Guard’s Path of Timely Repentance

This is a record of an interview with Zhang Minshan, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his journey from a monastic to a hell guard and finally to the Western Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on September 17, 2022.

Zhang Minshan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I have waited for this moment for such a long time, and finally, I have arrived at the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. The scene before me is filled with the majestic, radiant light of the Buddha, which makes my heart feel so stable and grounded. We, sixty hell guards, are all kneeling together before the Buddha, offering our deepest gratitude to Namo Amituofo, to Practitioner Su, and to everyone who helped us. We are truly grateful.

My lifespan in the human world was not long; I lived for only forty-nine years. That life was so fleeting, and it reached its end in the blink of an eye. In that final moment, my heart was filled with regret and sighs. I felt that I had not cherished my life properly, but it was already too late—far too late."

The Fragility of the Human Path

"Who among us truly grasps every single second from the moment they are born? Very few, unless they are constantly taught and instilled with the understanding that life is precious, that the cycle of reincarnated suffering is profound, and that one must actively seize the opportunity to help oneself escape the cycle of birth and death. If a child possesses good roots and Blessings, perhaps they can begin to strive diligently from a young age, using this human body to liberate themselves rather than wasting their time. However, because we are born carrying karma, everyone has their own karmic forces. Once one is disturbed by these forces, it is difficult to guarantee that one will not change. Sometimes, one's mental note is shifted without even realising it, and gradually, one is led astray by karmic creditors.

The person I just described is none other than myself."

A Vow Before Birth

"I was born into a Buddhist family where everyone practised the Buddha’s teachings and followed a vegetarian diet. My birth was not merely to continue the family line; I was entrusted with the hopes of my entire family, who wished for me to walk the path of practice, to help propagate the Dharma, and to save beings. This was a vow made by my grandfather. Before I was even conceived, he knelt before the Buddha and said, 'If my daughter-in-law gives birth to a grandson for me, I will certainly have him study the Buddha's teachings. In the future, I will let him become a monastic to help all beings, in order to repay the Buddha's grace.' As soon as my grandfather made this vow, my mother became pregnant with me, which made my whole family firmly believe that I had come to this world specifically to repay that debt of gratitude.

While I was still in my mother's womb, I began listening to her chanting Namo Amituofo. Although I did not understand it, within the space of my mother's womb, there was always a unique energy surrounding my body. This energy made me feel comfortable, secure, and stable. I believe that must have been the power of chanting. Throughout my mother's pregnancy, she did not experience any physical discomfort or fatigue; it was as if she gave birth to me with complete ease and smoothness."

A Childhood Immersed in Dharma

"After I was born, I began to come into contact with the Buddha's teachings from a very young age. Whenever my family went to listen to Dharma talks, attend a Dharma assembly, or participate in other Buddhist activities, they would always take me along. Knowing nothing, I naturally did not understand what everyone was doing, but I would not make a fuss. I would just listen quietly, and sometimes I would even wave my hands along, as if I were intoxicated by the atmosphere, which made everyone laugh with joy. They were convinced that I was truly a child gifted by the Buddha.

As I grew year by year, I understood more and more. Even at a young age, I could explain principles to my peers, and I did so quite articulately, which surprised my classmates. They wondered how I could possibly say such things."

The Price of Preaching

"I had good intentions; I wanted to help my classmates, hoping they would all become better people and not suffer in the cycle of reincarnated suffering. So, whenever I had the chance, I would explain the truth to them, or if I saw them doing something wrong, I would teach them and urge them to change. I did this with the best of intentions, but to my surprise, they developed an aversion to me. Not only could they not accept it, but they also found me annoying.

One day, when I was preaching to my classmates again, they became angry right in front of me. This group of students was quite influential in class, and they were a group that often broke the rules. I truly do not know where I found the courage to lecture them. That day, I was dragged behind the school toilets and beaten severely. They threatened me, telling me not to say such useless things again. If they heard me do it one more time, they would never let me off, and it would not just be a beating like this; they would use even more ruthless tricks to ensure I would never dare to do it again.

I was completely terrified. My whole body was covered in bruises and wounds, yet I could not say a word. I did not know that doing good would make me so hated, or that it would lead to such a result."

A Path of Delinquency

"After that incident, I never spoke of the Buddha's teachings again. My classmates felt that I had become a different person, and that group of students smiled with satisfaction when they saw me like that. At that time, my heart was filled with contradictions and confusion, but I did not dare tell my family. Every day, I wore long sleeves and trousers to cover the scars on my body until they had completely faded.

'Should I chant the Buddha's name?' I thought. 'Chanting makes people hate me. Should I speak the Dharma? Others don't want to listen.' At such a young age, I began to ask myself questions and answer them myself. My final conclusion was: I will stop chanting. Chanting means having no friends.

My family noticed my strange behaviour, especially when they saw that I had stopped chanting. They were all puzzled and kept asking me what had happened, but I did not want to say a word. Later, my family could no longer stand my transformation. They began to speak harshly to me, questioning me, pressuring me, and eventually, they resorted to scolding and hitting me. When I was treated this way, my heart became even more convinced that studying the Buddha's teachings must be wrong—look at the miserable consequences it had brought me.

My character began to change. Eventually, I even became friends with the group of people who had beaten me, and I joined them in their misconduct. At that time, there was always a voice in my heart telling me—this voice kept calling me to get closer to this group, saying that only these people could truly bring me happiness."

The Grandfather's Final Wish

"During my teenage years, I became a delinquent and followed them in doing many bad things. My family was heartbroken by my changes, especially my grandfather. He was the one who had originally made the vow to send me into the Buddha’s gate to become a monastic and save beings, yet I had turned into this state.

Seeing the disappointment in my family's eyes, I felt some guilt in my heart, so I wanted to go home less and less. Eventually, I simply stopped going home altogether.

When I was seventeen, I received a call from home. It was my father. He used a very fierce tone to order me to come home, saying that my grandfather had only one breath left and wanted to see me one last time.

When I heard that my grandfather was leaving, two lines of tears fell immediately, and I rushed home as fast as I could.

When I arrived home, I saw my grandfather lying in the living room, holding onto his last breath waiting for me. I immediately knelt by his side, tears streaming down my face. My grandfather used his last bit of strength to tell me, 'Grandfather has never given up on you. I believe you will come back. You will always be the precious grandson in my heart who chanted the Buddha's name so loudly, who loved listening to my stories about the Buddhist scriptures, and who loved doing Buddhist work with me. Grandfather will never give up on you; I believe you will return.' My grandfather held onto his last breath, refusing to leave, just to wait for me to return and say these words. I was already crying so hard I could not speak, and I just kept nodding. When my grandfather saw me, he smiled, let out his final breath, and passed away right before my eyes."

A Return to the Dharma

"My grandfather's passing was a huge blow to me because he had raised me since I was a child, and I had kept his expectations for me in my heart since I was young. But when I could not fulfil them, I felt I had let him down, which was why I kept escaping, letting myself go bad, and distancing myself from him.

While my family held the funeral, I sat in front of my grandfather's coffin every day. When my family told me to eat, I would take a few bites and then come back to sit. I wanted so much to talk to him again, but there would never be another chance.

I thought a lot during that time, so after my grandfather's funeral, I reorganised myself and stood up again.

I moved back home, cut ties with that group of bad company, and never contacted them again. I never forgot what my grandfather had said to me. I began to study and prostrate to the Buddha diligently and seriously, staying in the Buddha hall every day without leaving.

When I pulled myself together, I finally realised the Buddha's compassion for me. The Buddha had never given up on me. Even though I had done so many bad things, the Buddha was still waiting for me and accepting me, as were my grandfather and my family.

I turned the guilt in my heart into strength, and I changed a great deal. In particular, my facial features, which I had ruined to look like a delinquent, gradually returned to their original dignity. My family was very satisfied when they saw this, especially my mother, who kept saying, 'Minshan is back. Minshan has finally returned.'"

The Final Journey

"At the age of twenty-three, I entered a temple to practise, and at twenty-six, I became a monastic.

Although I was not the best practitioner in the temple, I never forgot the vow to save beings. This vow included my own and my grandfather's. The double power of these vows meant I never dared to be lazy, and I could not bear to waste a single day.

When my life reached its end at forty-nine, I realised that I had not yet fully cleared my karma. It was not that the Buddha did not save me, but that I had not thoroughly changed myself, and I had not done enough, so my karmic creditors would not let me go, and I developed cancer. From diagnosis to leaving the human world, it was only a short six months. During those six months, I did not receive treatment in the hospital, nor did I go out to meet people, because I was already ill, and I could not damage the image of the Buddha's teachings. During those six months, I sat before the Buddha every day, chanting. When I was tired, I would rest for a moment, then quickly get up and continue. I was repenting for the sins I had committed throughout my many lives, begging for the Buddha's forgiveness and the forgiveness of all beings.

That winter, at the age of forty-nine, I passed away, leaving the world wearing my monastic robes."

Deliverance to the Western Land

"After my spirit left my body, I arrived in the hells. King Yama let me see the karma I had created throughout my many lives. Fortunately, I had turned back in time in this life and had done a few good deeds, so King Yama allowed me to serve as a hell guard to continue paying off my sins in the hells.

About ten years ago, I began to hear Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks. My heart was so moved because I had not heard the Buddha's teachings for a long time. Practitioner Su explained the Dharma so clearly and thoroughly. Every day, I listened with deep emotion and Dharma joy. The vow to save beings was reignited in my heart, and I kept begging for the Buddha's blessing, hoping that I could soon regain a human body and return to the human world to save beings.

My vow led me to be placed on the list of those Practitioner Su would guide to the Western Land. This was completely beyond my expectations, as I had never thought that I, too, could come to the West. Now that I have arrived at the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I still have one wish: to return to the world in the future to propagate the Buddha's teachings and save all beings.

Namo Amituofo.

Zhang Minshan"