The Integrity of a Protector: From Prison Guard to Pure Land

This interview was recorded on March 4, 2022, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Wang Zhenxiang, a former prison guard in the underworld who spent centuries serving his karmic sentence, sought deliverance through the compassionate efforts of Practitioner Su. He has since been successfully led to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, where he now resides.

Wang Zhenxiang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I, Wang Zhenxiang, along with fifty-nine other prison guards, have been saved and delivered to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Even while I was serving as a prison guard in the underworld, I had already heard of your great name. Upon meeting you, Practitioner Su, I realised that your skills are truly as legendary as they say; the spiritual realms are in absolute awe of you. When I witnessed your method of Chao Du, the only way I could describe it is: 'unprecedented in the past, and unmatched in the future.' Your Dharma work is destined for success. After arriving in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I wish to request the opportunity to return to the temple as a Dharma protector, so that more people may benefit from this Dharma. Furthermore, I long to assist in receiving beings during future Chao Du ceremonies. I humbly ask for your permission, Practitioner Su."

A Childhood Defined by Absence

"My name is Wang Zhenxiang, and I am from Hunan. My father worked for a security escort agency. He was incredibly cautious and meticulous; if even a single item under his care was damaged, our family could never afford the compensation. Because of this, he would inspect the cargo repeatedly, often choosing to sleep right beside the goods to ensure not a single mishap occurred. His colleagues, however, lacked his dedication; they were only interested in finishing the task quickly to move on to the next one, hoping to earn a little more money.

My father was also extremely particular about the routes he chose. Some segments passed through mountainous areas that were particularly dangerous, infested with bandits, or prone to landslides. Other parts required crossing rivers, which risked damaging the goods. Often, my father would choose a longer, safer route. The other escorts would complain, 'By taking this detour, we will be delayed in our return and miss out on many other contracts.' Despite the pressure, my father never wavered. As a senior escort, his experience and judgment were highly valued by the agency, so he stood his ground regardless of the dissent from below.

In my memories, my father is a blurred figure because he spent so little time at home. We were not lacking in money, but there were times when my mother was mocked for being a 'living widow.' It hurt her deeply. I would watch her remain silent, but when I saw her expression change, I would step forward and shout back at those people. My actions often shocked them, and eventually, they dared not bully my mother again. Because my father was rarely around, I became my mother's protector from a very young age."

The Trial of Fire and Will

"Once, a local bully tried to assault my mother. I immediately stood in front of her, but I was suddenly snatched away by a large hand. I struggled with all my might, my ears filled with my mother's cries. I was tied up and blindfolded. Exhausted, I eventually fell asleep. When I woke up, I had been dumped in the wilderness. I was about thirteen years old. Two men were guarding me. I had no food or water, and I was on the verge of collapse. But I thought of my mother—I was her only son. If I died, she would have no one to protect her and would have to live a lonely, miserable life. I could not let her suffer like that, so I resisted with everything I had. I rubbed my face against the ground until the skin broke and bled. It was agonising, but my willpower kept me going until I finally managed to break the blindfold.

I looked around; it was still daylight, and the two guards were pacing nearby. I carefully inched my body closer to them and heard them say, 'How unlucky we are to have this task. Why not just let him die? Why do we have to guard him? Ah, I heard he is the son of Wang Dating. Wang Dating has ruined too many of our schemes, so of course, we must take it out on his wife and son. The boss ordered it—we must see his son die to vent our hatred.'

I was shocked. So, they were people my father had offended. I decided not to alert them and began observing my surroundings. Suddenly, I saw a large rock nearby. I curled my body and crawled toward it like a caterpillar. I rubbed my wrists against the stone until the skin tore. It was painful, but my will told me this was my only chance. When night fell, I escaped my captors with my frail body. My intuition told me to run toward the sunrise. Although I was weak and thirsty, I dared not stop."

A Return to Righteousness

"After running for half a day, I finally found a water source. I filled my stomach with water before I collapsed from exhaustion. A kind stranger gave me a steamed bun, which helped me regain some strength. I asked him to help me return home. He was surprised, 'Your hometown is so far away; how could someone as young as you end up here?' I told him everything that had happened.

The kind man took me to the local magistrate, saying he was a man of integrity who would help. After a long journey, I was finally on my way home. Every step felt like an eternity. When I finally reached my village, I led my benefactor to my house. From a distance, I saw my mother sitting alone, staring blankly, her eyes dull, before she buried her face in her hands and wept. My heart shattered.

I jumped off the carriage and ran into the house. When my mother saw me, she hugged me and wept, patting my back and saying, 'It is enough that you are back.' Then she saw my wounds and asked, 'Does it hurt?' I smiled and told her, 'I am fine.' After returning, I felt a burning desire to eradicate injustice, but I lacked the power. So, I began to study martial arts and train my body.

Years later, my father returned home, unaware of my kidnapping. He only saw that I had grown into a strong young man. Eventually, I passed the examinations to become a military officer. My mother was worried for my safety, but she knew this was my choice.

Upon taking office, I recruited a group of young men and spent years training them to be as strong as I was. Once everything was stable, I led these well-trained soldiers to sweep out bandit dens and dismantle local criminal syndicates. I helped the former thugs find work, giving them a chance to start over. Of course, it was not always smooth; we lost several brothers in the process. I buried them and took care of their families. After years of action, the people no longer had to live in fear.

When my father turned fifty, he retired and returned home to be with my mother. This gave me great peace of mind, as he still looked quite healthy. To make my parents happy, I married a virtuous wife after an arranged introduction, and we had two children."

The Laws of Karma and the Path to Deliverance

"Because of my success in clearing out bandits, I was promoted repeatedly until I was summoned by the Emperor. He wanted me to join the palace to train special forces and offered me a high salary and a mansion. I thought about it and politely declined, explaining that my elderly parents could not adapt to life in the capital and that I preferred to continue serving in my home territory. The Emperor could not change my mind, so he promised to send people to me for training instead. I returned home with a settled heart. I did not seek fame or wealth; I only wanted the power to sweep away evil so the people could live in peace.

I served as an official until I was fifty-three. After laying my parents to rest, I took my wife and children to live a simple life of farming, avoiding worldly conflicts. Many of my former subordinates would visit me to wish me well. I maintained my physique through farming and taught my children the same sense of righteousness, hoping they would serve the people in their own ways. I never forced my children to follow a specific path; I only hoped their choices would be based on helping others.

At sixty-one, I felt a sudden pain in my head. While resting in bed, I tried to get up but fell backward and never woke up. I saw the black and white impermanence messengers come to take me to the underworld. As I walked the path, I saw everyone walking with dull, vacant eyes, queuing up before the King of Hell.

The King of Hell explained the laws of karma and cause and effect to me. I realised that although my initial intention was to fight evil, I had still harmed people and had to pay for it. The headaches I suffered were caused by the spirits of those I had harmed gathering at my head to strike me. After hearing this, I knew I deserved it. The King of Hell added that if I had not fought evil and accumulated merit, my karmic creditors would have left me paralysed in bed for years. Because of my righteous actions, the suffering was mitigated. I felt deep gratitude. Because of my 'upright energy,' the King of Hell allowed me to serve as a prison guard in the underworld. After two hundred years of service, I finally sought release today. I am grateful for the compassion of the Buddha residing in the world, and I am grateful for the guidance of Practitioner Su. Zhenxiang and the other fifty-nine prison guards bow in gratitude."

Wang Zhenxiang