The Jailer's Redemption: From a Cursed Village to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Yang Zixian, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his subsequent service in the underworld. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on November 14, 2021.

Yang Zixian speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su. To have this opportunity for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss today is something I cherish with my entire heart. I have witnessed the profound suffering of human existence and the endless, agonizing cycle of reincarnation. I have longed for liberation, and I hope that in the future, I can continue to help others. On behalf of sixty fellow jailers and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

The Village of the Damned

"I was the only person in my village who was physically whole. The village had long been regarded as a 'dead village.' Everyone who could leave had fled, wanting nothing to do with us. Those who remained were either physically disabled or had descended into madness. No one truly understood why such a horrific fate had befallen us. Some whispered that the village was cursed; others claimed it was a rampant, untreatable plague. Regardless of the rumours, no one dared to enter our borders. We were left to our own devices, abandoned to wither away in isolation, suffering in the darkness of our own collective karma.

"I was a child born into that village. You might wonder how I was spared from such a catastrophe. When the disaster first struck, my mother hid me within the folds of a Buddha’s robe. It was through that sacred protection that I survived the onslaught. Yet, when I looked upon my neighbours—people who had become so wretched and broken—my heart ached with an intensity I cannot describe. I made a solemn vow then and there: I would care for these villagers. They were my family, and I would not abandon them to their misery, even if it meant sacrificing my own peace of mind to alleviate their suffering."

A Life in the Shadows

"My mother perished during that dark time. Initially, I was devastated, but as I watched the villagers suffering in their sickness, I began to wonder if her passing was perhaps a form of liberation from this world. From a young age, I was an orphan. The disaster had transformed everyone I knew into a shadow of their former selves. Life here became a slow, agonizing torture in the dark. No one knew how long this suffering would last; every day was merely another step in a seemingly endless journey of hardship, with no light at the end of the tunnel.

"My heart was heavy, and I searched tirelessly for a way to restore health and dignity to my people. Eventually, I turned to the Buddha’s teachings. I remembered how my mother had placed me under the protection of the Buddha, which was the only reason I had survived. I began to believe that the power of the Buddha could save my village. I travelled to various temples, seeking the Dharma, diligently studying the laws of karma and cause and effect. It was through this study that I finally understood why our village had been struck by such a devastating karmic retribution."

The Ten-Year Apprenticeship

"I eventually encountered a great Master, the abbot of a remote temple. Seeking an audience with him was no easy task, as he had been in deep retreat for many years. But for the sake of my villagers, I was willing to endure any hardship. I stayed at the temple, listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma day and night, performing my daily practice with absolute diligence. Finally, after ten long years of persistent effort, I was granted an audience with the Master.

"It was only then that I realized the Master had been by my side the entire time. He had been there, guiding my learning and growth from the very moment I stepped through the Buddha’s gate. He had taught me how to sweep the floors, how to maintain the cleanliness of the environment, and how to preserve the dignity and order of the temple. This humble teacher, who had been serving the public so selflessly, was the very Master I had been desperately seeking all along. He had been training me through the mundane, preparing me for the monumental task of saving my village."

The Law of Cause and Effect

"During those ten years, I learned the profound importance of a clean environment. These tasks, which might seem trivial to some, were the very things the Master spent the most time teaching me. He explained that every action has its cause, and every cause has its fruit. When the environment is impure, the people living within it—and indeed all sentient beings—are affected. A neglected environment creates a chaotic magnetic field, causing those who live there to become dull, confused, and even susceptible to karmic illnesses.

"The Master taught me that everything is interconnected. If one can begin to make breakthroughs in the smallest, most subtle tasks, one can gradually adjust one's life and eventually break free from the shackles of karma. This was a vital lesson. He was, in essence, educating me on how to return and reorganize my village. I am so grateful for the Wisdom he imparted. When the Causal Conditions were ripe, he revealed his true identity to me, which was also the signal that I was ready to return home and help my people."

Rebuilding and Redemption

"I bid farewell to the Master and returned to my village. In the ten years I had been away, the situation had worsened. More of the elderly and frail had passed away, their remains left exposed because no one had the strength to attend to them. My heart was filled with sorrow, but I knew that this time, I would apply what I had learned. I would not rush for immediate results; instead, I would work to gradually transform our destiny through the True Teachings.

"I organized a collective cremation ceremony for those who had passed and began the arduous process of dismantling the dilapidated houses. Step by step, I cleared the land and built new structures. As the new buildings were completed, I moved the villagers into them and cleared away the old, stagnant ruins. I built a large temple at the heart of the village, hoping to encourage everyone to learn the Buddha’s teachings. It was the Buddha who saved our lives, and I believed that by following his path, we could change our collective mindset and give the village a new face."

The Truth of Collective Karma

"Twenty years after I first left, I invited the Master to preside over a grand opening ceremony for the temple. I felt a deep sense of gratitude. I understood that our village’s suffering was the result of Collective Karma. In the past, driven by greed, the villagers had allowed outsiders to enter our land to cultivate tobacco and manufacture substances that poisoned the world. It was a secret, illicit trade that brought great wealth, but it was a grave error that invited a catastrophic karmic backlash.

"Any gain must be acquired through righteous means. One must never be greedy, nor should one ever engage in actions that harm others. Reflecting on the villagers' karma made me believe even more firmly in the truth that the laws of karma and cause and effect are never empty. After the temple was built, I encouraged the villagers to serve the community to the best of their abilities, to repent, and to dedicate their lives to the Buddha. Through this, they began to change. They stopped dwelling on their own pain and started living with positive, selfless hearts."

A New Beginning in the Underworld

"The village finally began to thrive again. When I passed away at the age of seventy, I saw the Master coming to lead me. I was overjoyed and followed him. However, the path, which had been bright, gradually dimmed. The Master disappeared, and I found myself being led by a figure dressed as a jailer. I was brought before the King of Hell, who told me: 'You made sincere efforts to change your village, which is a meritorious deed. However, because the temple you built lacked the True Teachings to guide beings, those who practiced there still struggled with their habits and did not know how to achieve liberation. This has affected your rebirth. I will give you this opportunity to serve here, where you may wait for the chance to achieve true liberation.'

"I began my service as a jailer in the underworld. During this time, I witnessed even more of the reality of cause and effect. I am so grateful for this learning opportunity. When I first heard Practitioner Su giving a Dharma talk, I wept for a long time. I realized that this was the True Teachings. What I had practiced in the world was merely worldly goodness. I am so thankful to the King of Hell for giving me this chance to learn, and to Practitioner Su for his compassion. Today, to have this opportunity for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is something I cherish beyond words. On behalf of all beings and my fellow jailers, I bow in gratitude to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su. My gratitude is beyond expression. Namo Amituofo."

"Namo Amituofo."