The Integrity of a Life Well-Lived: Wang Si

Interview by Chief Writer: Shi Fajing

October 8, 2022

Wang Si, a former prison guard who spent his life serving the people, sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This interview was recorded on October 8, 2022.

Wang Si speaks:

"The moment I arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, my heart finally found peace. After wandering through the cycle of rebirth for so long, I have finally found a place to rest; I no longer need to rush about. We sixty prison guards are filled with gratitude. We kneel before the Buddha, offering our thanks to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su."

The Lesson of Being Human

"My mother used to tell me constantly from a young age: 'Being a good person is more important than eating.' When I first heard this, I was astonished. I had never heard of anything more important than eating, and to think that this 'something' was simply 'being a person.'"

"This 'being a person' referred to one's character, conduct, and moral foundations. In my mother's education, these were of the utmost importance."

"I once spoke ill of a neighbour in front of my mother. I expected her to agree with me, as the whole village was gossiping about that family, and I had simply joined in. To my surprise, I went without food for an entire day. The next day, my mother asked, 'Are you hungry?' I nodded vigorously and said, 'Very hungry.' She then asked, 'Do you know why you didn't have food yesterday?' I nodded and whispered, 'I shouldn't have spoken ill of our neighbour.' My mother nodded and told me: 'There is no such thing as a perfect person. No one has the right to speak ill of others. Even if the other person is at their absolute worst, it is not our place to judge them.'"

The Wisdom in the Weeds

"Indeed, my mother never spoke ill of anyone in her entire life. Even when someone was truly wretched, she could always find a virtue in them that no one else had noticed. I once asked her, 'Why have I never discovered that virtue in him?' She replied, 'When you decide that the weeds before you are useless, you will never discover that they could become the medicine that cures your illness.' I understood then. I had indeed pulled out those weeds because, in my eyes, they were just useless plants. Later, my mother gathered them and dried them. When I fell gravely ill, she used those very weeds to heal me. She told me: 'What cured your illness were the weeds you looked down upon.'"

"These two memories are playing in my mind now. I have realised that one must never look down on anyone, for no one is absolutely bad. Everyone has a good side. When we see them as good, they are good; when we see them as bad, they are bad. Once I had this realisation, my heart opened. When I looked around, everything I saw changed because my mental note had shifted."

The Weight of Small Actions

"This was just one of many times I went without food. Under my mother's guidance, I often went hungry, which meant I had done something wrong, and she wanted me to reflect and review my actions."

"Villagers often pleaded on my behalf, feeling my mother's education was too harsh. For the smallest, most trivial things, she would deny me food. Once, I bent down to pick up some rubbish at my doorstep, but a gust of wind blew it to the neighbour's door. I glanced at it, thought, 'It's not at my door anymore, so it's not my problem,' and walked away. My mother had seen everything. She sternly said, 'No food today.' The next day, she told me: 'Your selfishness cost you your meal.' The villagers thought nothing of it, but to my mother, that mental note was selfish. She was right. I was indeed selfish; not picking up the rubbish because it wasn't at my door was a selfish act. If not for her careful reminders, I would never have had the awareness to notice such a trivial thing."

A Life of Selflessness

"In the eyes of the villagers, I was a pitiful child who had to endure such strict discipline. Some children even mocked me, saying I was born to suffer. Although the villagers saw me this way, I did not think so at all. On the contrary, because of my mother's teachings, I lived more happily than anyone else. She taught me the concepts of no-self and selflessness. Only by truly achieving no-self and selflessness can one find true happiness in life. That is why I was happy."

"My appearance was better than other children my age—not because I was naturally handsome, but because the transformation in my heart changed my features. People were naturally drawn to me because I radiated a sense of affinity."

The Destiny That Was Changed

"When I was seventeen, a fortune teller who was a long-time friend of my mother's passed through our village and came to visit. Upon seeing me, he asked my mother, 'Is this the child from seventeen years ago?' My mother nodded. The fortune teller said in astonishment, 'I never expected you to actually succeed in raising this child well.' I looked at them, confused, not understanding what they were talking about."

"After he left, I asked my mother. She told me: 'You were a child I picked up. Your birth date was written in blood on a white cloth by your biological mother. My friend was there at the time and calculated your fate. He said that in this life, you would become a bandit, a robber, or an evil person due to a wicked temperament. I felt such sorrow hearing this—a child just born, with such a fate awaiting him. I felt compassion and could not bear to see you suffer, so I decided to take you home and educate you with all my might. My friend thought it was impossible to change your fate, but through my persistent efforts, I really did save you. Look at how good you are now.'"

"I found it hard to believe, but I know that before my fate was changed, I truly had a strong force inside me urging me to do evil. Fortunately, I listened to my mother from a young age. She watched my every action and carefully guided me, saving me. I am eternally grateful to her."

Serving the People

"I always had a wish to serve the people as an official. I had seen many civilians being bullied and heard of their suffering since I was young. I wanted to help them but was powerless. I made a vow then: if I ever became an official, I would work hard to benefit the people."

"To achieve this, I studied very hard and eventually passed the exams to become a local official. I was overjoyed."

"As an official, I encountered a different world. My status rose, and I often dealt with the upper class. They wanted to offer me benefits in exchange for favours. To many officials, these were tempting, and many were bribed, causing harm to innocent civilians. However, I never forgot my mother's teaching: 'Being a good person is more important than eating.' I was not greedy. No matter how much they offered, they could not bribe me. My heart was kept pure by my mother's teachings. Those who tried to buy me were rejected or even punished."

Integrity in a Chaotic World

"Only by remaining incorruptible, impartial, and selfless can one serve the people well. I kept to my duties and never crossed the line. This was not easy in the chaotic society of that time. Everyone wanted to survive, and with profit in front of them, they would naturally want to take it, even if it was illegal or against their conscience."

"Even when everyone else did it, I insisted on not doing so. I never forgot my mother's words. Being an honest official was more important than eating. I would never betray my conscience for a meal and stain myself."

"My conduct was recognised, and my superiors helped me advance. Every time I was promoted, my mother reminded me to guard my heart—not a shred of greed or partiality could exist. I remembered her teachings well. The higher my rank, the more cautious I became, never daring to deviate."

"Yet, many were jealous and tried to frame me. They could not stand my smooth path and set traps for me. Fortunately, because I was not greedy and did not seek personal gain, their traps did not work. I would not let myself fall into a trap for a small benefit. No matter how they tried to harm me, they failed."

A Legacy of Guidance

"Throughout my life, I actively served the people, hoping to reduce their burdens and suffering, and to maintain order so they could live in peace."

"In my old age, I returned to my hometown and began telling stories to teach the children. I knew childhood education was vital, as it was my mother's careful guidance that saved me from becoming a bad person. I valued their education, and whenever I had the chance, I would gather them to tell stories and give them positive concepts."

"I spent seventy years of my life serving the people—both adults and children were the objects of my service."

"After I passed away, my spirit served as a prison guard in the hells. Only then did I truly understand how much people suffer and how ignorant they are, leading them to commit grave sins that are hard to repay."

"I encouraged everyone in the hells to do Goodness. Five years ago, I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks and finally understood the magnificence of the Buddha's teachings. I began introducing the Dharma to the criminals in hell, and a vow to save beings arose in my heart. The Buddha truly fulfilled my wish, allowing me to leave hell and come to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I vow to return to the human world in the future to save beings."

"May all beings leave suffering behind."

"Namo Amituofo."

"Wang Si"

※ Wang Si's mother, Wang Hui, is currently in the First Heaven and has already been guided by Practitioner Su to the Western Land of Dharma Nature to listen to the Dharma.