The Illusion of Knowledge and the Path to Truth

This interview was recorded on February 14, 2021, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. It features Wu Yancheng, a former prison guard in the hells who sought deliverance through the teachings of Practitioner Su and the Buddha. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Wu Yancheng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am a representative of the prison guards who are heading to the Western Pure Land today. My name is Wu Yancheng. I am deeply grateful for the compassion of Practitioner Su, whose help has granted us this precious opportunity to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. On behalf of sixty prison guards and all the sentient beings with karmic affinity who are being delivered today, I bow in gratitude to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su.

A Life of Silent Perception

From the time I was a child, I could not hear any external sounds. My world was always profoundly quiet; no matter how noisy the environment was, it seemed to have nothing to do with me. I was born with a hearing impairment, yet no one ever discovered that my ears were faulty because I could always respond appropriately. I did not rely on my ears to hear; I used my heart to perceive.

My heart could perceive sounds that others could not—the voices within their minds. Before people even spoke, I had already heard what they were thinking. Often, I knew far more than what they actually expressed, for people rarely reveal their true hearts completely. The words that come out of their mouths are often polished and filtered. What I heard, however, were the complete, unfiltered thoughts of everyone around me.

The Burden of Human Nature

From a young age, my heart was different from others. I could perceive things that remained hidden from everyone else. I understood human nature while I was still very young. Because I heard too many true voices from within, I kept a certain distance from people. I was fearful of this raw reality. Human hearts are truly terrifying; everyone is selfish, and almost everyone is constantly thinking of themselves, holding onto thoughts solely to protect their own interests. Some people might appear to be chatting happily with you, but deep inside, they are harbouring negative intentions. Because of this, I chose to stay away from crowds from a very young age. Even when my parents sent me to school, I remained alone, rarely interacting with others. Only by leaving the crowds could I find peace. The world within the human heart is far more complex than what is displayed on the surface.

The Infinite Life Sutra

I longed for a pure space. After my parents sent me to school, I began to immerse myself in the study of scriptures. Through a stroke of Causal Conditions, I found a copy of the Infinite Life Sutra. The sense of purity within this scripture brought me immense joy. I began to study it every day. Every word and every sentence in the sutra clearly revealed the state of the world and the various situations of the human heart. At that time, I became convinced that this scripture was the Truth that could lead people to liberation.

After experiencing this lesson in life, I became even more convinced of the reality of the cycle of reincarnated existence. I began to search—to search for the direction of life and the true principles of existence. The truths taught in the Infinite Life Sutra filled me with Dharma joy. I believed this was the direction in life that the Buddha was pointing out to me. Following the teachings of the sutra, I began to change myself. I no longer looked at the faults of the world; instead, I learned to look at the suffering in people's lives and to see the pure goodness and beauty of their spirits. I stopped absorbing negative news from the world. Even when I could hear the negative thoughts in people's minds, I did not criticise them; I chose only to believe in all that is good.

The Illusion of Progress

When I was twenty, I realised the true meaning of life: 'Pure Goodness.' At that time, I believed this was the goal that all life should follow, and I strove toward it. I worked hard to adjust my thoughts and mental notes, changing myself according to the principles of the sutra. After ten years of doing this, I found that I was completely different from the people of the world, yet I could not find the reason why. I did not know what this was due to.

Although I did not look at people's mistakes, I felt that everyone was different from me. I still did not want to be close to them because I felt their minds were not the same as mine. I did not wish to approach anyone; I always stood far removed from the crowds, attempting to avoid the cacophony of this world, and I did not interact with it.

The Master's Riddle

Until one day, I met a monastic master. He said one sentence to me: 'If there is dust in the heart, then there is a path for the dust in the heart.' At the time, I did not understand the meaning of these words. The master turned and left after speaking. When I returned home, I pondered the meaning of this sentence repeatedly. Finally, I unlocked its meaning: my heart was still a heart of reincarnation, and I had not yet attained liberation.

I was so happy to have unlocked this insight. The next day, I returned to the place where I had met the master, wanting to ask him more questions, only to find that he was already waiting for me. He handed me a book cover. When I opened it, there was nothing inside. When I looked up to ask what the book cover represented, I saw that the master had already walked far away. I brought the book cover home and pondered its meaning repeatedly. I thought about it for a long time, but I could not grasp the principle.

The Truth Behind the Empty Cover

Three months passed. I barely left my house, constantly thinking about the meaning of that book cover. I could not explain its purpose at all. Feeling very depressed, I went out onto the street. This time, I no longer heard the noisy sounds of the crowds in their hearts, because my own heart was in turmoil. When I realised this, I discovered that I was no different from everyone else. I had only studied the Infinite Life Sutra and understood some principles; other than that, I was no different from anyone else.

When I finally understood this, I discovered the intention behind the master's gift. It turned out that the original 'me,' apart from the principles of the Infinite Life Sutra, actually had no ability of my own true self. Without the principles of the sutra, I had become just like an ordinary person—my heart became troubled, chaotic, and I lost my pure heart. It turned out that all I had learned over the years was merely on the surface. I had not truly delved into the scriptures; I had not achieved any real elevation or change from within my own nature. That is why I had the principles in name only, but lacked the real skills.

A Journey Through the Hells

I am very grateful for the master's guidance. When I wanted to find him again, he had already passed away and was no longer in this world. I was very grateful to him, so I supported the temple where he had resided, helping to clean it every day and using my time to practise. When I reached the age of eighty, I had a dream one night. In the dream, I saw that master. He told me that my lifespan was coming to an end and urged me to prepare to transcend life and death. However, in the end, the last thought I had before I died was the face of that master.

After I died, I entered a darkness so deep I could not see my own hand in front of my face. After a long time, I saw a light appear ahead. At the end of the light stood a person. I thought it was my master. When I moved closer, that person turned around, and I saw clearly that it was not my master; he was a prison guard from the hells.

I was taken to the hells by the guard. The King of Hell made me see my life clearly. I burst into tears, for I saw that my entire life had developed in arrogance. I was completely unaware of my own mistakes, and even the dream I had at the end of my life was a manifestation of my karmic creditors. I felt extremely ashamed. The King of Hell comforted me: 'Life is like a dream. If one does not know when to wake up, such situations will occur. This is common in the world. To be able to wake up now is a blessing.' I thanked the King of Hell for his words. I was not left in the hells; the guard sent me to the underworld.

The Call to Deliverance

I lived in the underworld for many years, reflecting on myself every day. After my reflection, I became more cheerful than before. I told my awakening and my story to the ghost children in the underworld—those who were never born or who died young. I educated them with what I knew. Many years passed this way, until recently, when the hells became overcrowded and needed manpower. I volunteered to join and became a prison guard of the hells.

Recently, while in the hells, I heard Practitioner Su giving a Dharma talk. The principles were so profound that after listening, my heart was deeply moved. It turned out that this was the truth that the master had wanted to tell me all those years ago. Just as Practitioner Su said, it cuts straight to the human heart! I actively listened to every lecture by Practitioner Su, and I was deeply moved. I thank Practitioner Su for everything he has given to the Buddha's teachings and for his great vow to help sentient beings. After listening for these days, I found that Practitioner Su is very much like that master from years ago. I am very grateful for the compassionate arrangement of the Buddha, who has never abandoned any sentient being, leading me on the path of practice, growing step by step, until finally attaining liberation.

I am very grateful for such a magnificent karmic condition. The Buddha's teachings are vast, and the principles of the Infinite Life Sutra are truly the path to liberation in life. But one must practise according to the Dharma, and not be like me, spending a lifetime with only the empty appearance of practice.

Thank you, Namo Amituofo. Thank you, Practitioner Su. On behalf of all the prison guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace. Namo Amituofo."

The interview message was recorded by the disciple Shi Faxi.