The Jailer’s Redemption: From the Pond to the Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Zhuo Luhan, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his subsequent journey through the realms of rebirth. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on July 21, 2023.

Zhuo Luhan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Zhuo Luhan. Before me, there is an endless expanse of light, and I am bathing within it. I can feel the compassionate light of the Buddha radiating upon me. I see countless beings moving forward into this brilliance. Practitioner Su’s Dharma Body has not only manifested sixty forms to guide us sixty jailers, but has also been travelling to various spaces to perform Chao Du, expanding the space of light—it is truly magnificent.

The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss that I have reached is beyond all comparison in its dignity. I have changed into white robes and now sit before the Buddha. After cycle upon cycle of rebirth, I have lost count of how much time has passed. Now, I have finally returned to the Western Land, and I feel that my spirit is so stable, so clear. I urge the people of the world: do not be confused any longer. The price one must pay for stubborn ignorance is far too great. I am filled with gratitude for the compassion of the Buddha and the compassion of Practitioner Su."

A Life of Simple Strength

"I am Zhuo Luhan. When I was a child, everyone called me a 'good man' because I was much stronger and sturdier than the other boys my age. Whenever there was a task others could not handle—like lifting heavy loads or catching fish—they would call for me. I was simple and honest by nature; if someone asked me for help, I could never refuse. Often, I would be sent to do a task with a crowd of people gathered around watching me. When I finished, they would cheer for me, and I would always just scratch the back of my head, feeling terribly shy.

I was not a particularly outgoing person, as I did not speak much. Even so, almost everyone in the village knew me because they knew I was a person who loved to help others. There was a small stream near my home, and I had a group of playmates who would always come to find me. That stream was our secret base. We would count 'one, two, three' and jump into the water together, competing to see who could catch the most shrimp and fish, or who could grab the slippery frogs. Because my hands were so large, I won the competition many times. My personal record was eleven shrimp, five fish, and six frogs. The other children would cheer for my success. After we finished counting, we would always release the fish and shrimp back into the water. That stream alone was enough to keep us entertained for the entire day."

The Weight of Family Tragedy

"My parents were honest farmers. They wanted to provide us with a better life, hoping to save enough money to build a proper house so that my three siblings, my grandparents, and I could live comfortably. My parents were very filial to my grandparents. They did not need to lecture us on filial piety; they taught us through their own actions, showing us how to respect our elders. We had three cows at home, and when I was young, I would follow them while ploughing the fields, singing loudly as I worked. When I worked alongside my father, he taught me to be honest and never to haggle or bicker with others. I remember seeing the middlemen who came to buy produce from my parents; they would often intentionally drive the prices down. Even as a child, I could see the greed in their faces. I saw my parents being bullied, yet they never said a word.

One day, I could not help but ask my father, 'Father, why do we let those merchants bully us?' My father replied, 'These merchants have a hard time doing business, too. They have to answer to others, which is much more complicated than our life. As long as we live in peace and safety, that is enough. If they want it, let them have it.' I did not say anything more, but deep down, I knew my father was right. When I was ten, my father had an accident while working. He fell from the oxcart and was trampled by the ox. After treatment, he could no longer stand. Our family was devastated, and the entire economic burden fell upon my mother. My grandparents went to the market to sell vegetables to help make ends meet. My father, unable to bear the blow of this change, saw his temperament shift drastically. He often had a terrible temper, though in his clearer moments, he would weep and apologise to the whole family."

The Cycle of the Frog

"I do not know how many times I saw my mother with tears streaming down her face. Because my father could no longer work the fields, we rented them out for a pittance. My mother started making food to sell, and I went to a chicken farm to collect eggs to earn a little money. Sometimes I wondered why Heaven did not look after our family, why we had to suffer such things. But eventually, I decided to accept it all and just try to live well. After finishing primary school, I did not continue my studies. Every day was a struggle for survival; the moment I opened my eyes, I was thinking about how much money I needed to earn for the family. During a time when our lives were particularly difficult, a group of people came to our community, claiming to be Christians doing outreach. Seeing our situation, several of them wept. They helped us apply for subsidies from a foundation, which gave us a little more income each month. I was so grateful for their help, and through our conversations, I was baptised as a Christian. I hoped that for the rest of my life, I could be like them and help others. With the reliance on Christ, my heart no longer felt so lonely or helpless.

When our family's finances improved slightly, I began following the church to spread the faith. I attended every activity, and it was there that I met my wife. From that moment on, I felt my life had become complete; I had a home of my own. During one Lunar New Year, the whole family gathered to chat. I was sharing my Christian faith with them, while my aunt was sharing Buddhism, chanting 'Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo' over and over. Although our religious theories did not align, I listened to her patiently and respected her. After that gathering, I never saw my aunt again. I had no education and no technical skills, so I could only do manual labour. Aside from work, I spent almost all my time accompanying and caring for my parents. Every day, I would come home to bathe my father and push him out for a walk. Seeing his body wither away year after year was unbearable, but I could not take his suffering upon myself. My mother’s hair turned white, and the sorrow in her heart could not be resolved. I could only do my best to follow her wishes. When she finally fell gravely ill, my heart was broken. Facing the changes in my family over the years, I often recalled the carefree days of my childhood, catching fish and shrimp in the stream. Unexpectedly, after I fell ill and passed away at the age of forty-nine, I remembered that scene from my childhood—the feeling of holding a frog in my hands, feeling so proud. My spirit entered the body of a frog, and I became a frog. I reincarnated life after life by the pond, sometimes dying of natural causes, sometimes of illness, and sometimes being caught by people to be eaten as a delicacy. After being a frog for the ninth time, I was born in the pond of a Buddhist temple. Hearing the chanting of the Buddha's name at fixed times every day, the sound of 'Namo Amituofo' awakened my soul. Whether it was because I had heard my aunt chant it in this life, or because I had chanted it in a past life, I felt a deep resonance with this Buddha-name. Following the chanting, I inadvertently left the frog body and arrived at the gates of the Underworld."

The Truth of Cause and Effect

"Before the King of Hell, I was judged. Being a frog was a result of my own attachments, but it was also because I had killed frogs in the past, and this was the way I had to repay that debt. I asked the King of Hell about the confusion I had carried in my heart: 'King of Hell, our family never harmed anyone. Why did we suffer so many tragedies?' The King of Hell did not speak; he simply showed me a vision. Before me, I saw that in a past life, our entire family had been a group of merchants. For our own profit, we had caused several families to be ruined and their wealth to be scattered. Their suffering and sorrow were exactly the same as the suffering my family had endured. Seeing this, I felt a deep sense of repentance in my heart.

The King of Hell said, 'The suffering you endured as a frog and as a human has repaid your debts. Because you were filial when you were human, you accumulated merit. Now, you may serve as a jailer; you must cherish this opportunity.' After hearing his words, I knelt and thanked the King of Hell. Not long after I took up my post, I saw many spirits of children entering hell. Some had very strong subjective consciousness, creating karma through their thoughts and doing evil without even realising it. Others were overly independent and unfilial to their parents, and thus came to receive their retribution. The current mutation of society has created many problems that require the injection of true education to correct. I pray that everything can change. While on duty in hell, I heard the Dharma talks given by Practitioner Su. Every word was clear and easy to understand, and I hope this Dharma can help everyone. Seeing the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre begin to receive beings, I felt happy, and I hope this work continues to spread so that more people may know of it. I also received notice while chanting the Buddha's name that I was in the queue for rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Today, through chanting, I have been liberated. I am grateful for the guidance of Practitioner Su; otherwise, neither I nor the other fifty-nine jailers would have been able to reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. All my gratitude is beyond words.

Zhuo Luhan, kneeling in gratitude.

※ Zhuo Luhan’s father, Zhuo Dalu, was dejected in the realm of illness, and his mother, Zhuo Huangyou, was a hen; both were compassionately guided by Practitioner Su to the Western Land of Dharma Nature."