The Jailer Who Heard the Cries of the Living: An Interview with Zhang Pinggui

This interview was recorded on November 13, 2022, by the chief writer, Shi Fa, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. The speaker is Zhang Pinggui, a former jailer who sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su. Having spent his life burdened by the weight of his past actions, he now resides in the ghost realm, where he continues his diligent practice and reflects on his journey toward the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Zhang Pinggui speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su. I am grateful for all the Causal Conditions that have come together to make this day possible. I will cherish this opportunity immensely, and I will practise diligent chanting of Namo Amituofo to cultivate my own heart. When I am able to achieve a breakthrough in my own practice, I, too, wish to follow the example of Practitioner Su, making a vow to save the world and deliver all beings.

On behalf of all the jailers and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude to the grace of the Buddha and the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

A Childhood Among the Ducks

"I am Zhang Pinggui. I was born right beside a duck shed. My family were duck farmers, and from the time I was a small child, I would often follow my father into the sheds to collect duck eggs. Sometimes, if I wasn't careful, I would tumble right into the pond within the shed, and in the process, I would occasionally find a turtle egg. We could not eat the turtle eggs, so I would bring them home, care for them meticulously, and eventually, they would hatch into little turtles. I would take these little turtles to the market to sell; a single turtle could fetch a few coins. To me, that was worth it! Falling down and getting muddy was a small price to pay for those few coins—it was absolutely worth it!

Our family had been raising ducks for generations. Many restaurants in the city were our long-time customers. The ducks we raised were plump and delicious, so many people loved to eat them. Everyone was willing to trust the quality of the duck meat from our farm.

I was never very bright as a child, and I was not one for many words. Growing up, many people laughed at me and called me a fool. I knew they were mocking me, but I did not mind. I did not need to let their words make me unhappy; I preferred to live a happy life."

The Ability to Hear the Unspoken

"From a young age, I had a habit of observing people. I could clearly hear the inner voices of everyone I met, and I could also understand the inner voices of animals. For instance, we also raised cattle at home. Each cow had its own strong, stubborn personality. They were not easily subdued; they had their own ideas. Even when struck with a rattan whip, they would still persist in their own ways, refusing to follow the methods the farmers tried to teach them.

Then there were the ducks in the shed. They were actually quite arrogant. I knew they looked down on me; they thought I was a fool, so they would often bully me. Many times, when I went into the shed to collect eggs, the ducks would tease me, causing me to trip and fall into the pond. I would end up covered in mud, and they would just flap their wings and walk away.

Even though these ducks often bullied me, I still felt they were very pitiful. I knew exactly when they were going to be slaughtered. I knew how much time each duck had left, even though they themselves could not comprehend it. Every time I saw the agony of the ducks during the slaughter, my heart ached with a special kind of pain.

From childhood, I refused to eat duck meat. To me, they were like friends I had come to know. I did not have the power to change the fact that they were to be killed, but I was unwilling to partake in eating their flesh. It was simply too cruel!"

The Burden of the Executioner

"My father taught me how to manage the duck shed. Although I always left the shed covered in mud, it did not affect my efficiency, so my father felt comfortable leaving the entire operation to me. As I grew older, I became fully responsible for everything in the shed, including the scheduling of orders and the timing of the slaughter. These were not things I wanted to do, but with my father watching over me, I was forced to drive these ducks onto the platform and slaughter them one by one to fulfill the orders.

Those days were so painful for me. I always felt that my hands were stained with blood. I became afraid to step into the shed because I felt like an executioner, harvesting the flesh and blood of these ducks. Because of this, I began to practise vegetarianism. I dared not eat the meat of any animal. Whenever I recalled the struggle and the pain of those ducks before they died, my heart would feel incredibly heavy. I wanted to make a change, but I had to wait for the right time.

A few years later, my father fell gravely ill and could no longer watch me work. While I was saddened by his condition, I was also relieved that I would finally no longer have to slaughter ducks. I began to clear out the shed, deciding to stop raising them altogether. I continued to feed the remaining ducks until they passed away from natural causes. I did not kill them; I did my best to ensure they were well-fed and warm. That was my way of forming a final good connection with them."

Seeking the Truth in Samsara

"My life was not ordinary, because I could hear many different voices—sounds that others could not perceive. Through the messages in these voices, I felt the suffering of life. So many beings are trapped in the cycle of rebirth, and they cannot find a way to liberation. They are all trapped within their own spaces, unable to wake up. I understood that one must escape the cycle of rebirth, but I had not yet found the method. I only knew that I had to do my best in everything and not have attachments to this life. I gave away all my wealth and used all my strength to help others. While doing good deeds, I continued to search for a way to escape samsara.

I often shared the truths of life that I knew with others. I hoped that more people would wake up and stop being obsessed with their own limited spaces. After I died, I entered the ghost realm. I continued to search for the Truth, and recently, I heard the Dharma talks given by Practitioner Su. I was deeply moved. I knew this was the Truth I had been searching for. Every day, I listen to Practitioner Su's Dharma talks, and I work hard to learn and change myself. I hope that one day, I will be able to attain liberation.

I have also done many good deeds in the underworld. I am very grateful to King Yama for helping me and giving me the opportunity to serve, which allowed me to participate in this magnificent opportunity to send the jailers to rebirth. I cherish this deeply, and I will continue to practise diligently, making a vow to help more sentient beings in the future.

On behalf of all the jailers and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude to the grace of the Buddha and the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

Zhang Pinggui, with palms joined."