The Journey of Kai Enshi: From Guardian Spirit to Liberation

This is a record of an interview with Kai Enshi, 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 extraordinary journey across multiple realms and his eventual liberation. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on May 3, 2024.

Kai Enshi speaks:

"A brilliant, magnificent light shone down upon me. I did not stop chanting the name of Namo Amituofo, and in just a fleeting moment, I—along with fifty-nine other jailers and countless other sentient beings—arrived in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is a place of beauty beyond all imagination. This realm exists beyond the constraints of space; there is no suffering, no pain, only ultimate joy. The Great Namo Amituofo, who founded this magnificent realm, is truly, truly great. In the Western Pure Land, Namo Amituofo and the holy assembly all possess lives that are neither born nor destroyed. As I witnessed this, my heart was deeply moved, and I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for this extraordinary causal condition. I have kept the Buddha-name in my heart, and it has not ceased for a single moment since; my heart is now profoundly at peace.

A Fragment from the Stars

I am Kai Enshi. That is the name I was given after I arrived on this Earth and took on a human body. Before I had a name, I was a spiritual being from a distant star system. When our planet experienced a massive, cataclysmic tremor, I and all the others were filled with intense anxiety. In that moment of desperation, my spirit fled and took refuge inside a stone.

I never expected that the stone, caught in the violent shaking of the planet, would be cast out into the void, eventually falling down to the Earth. The place where the stone landed was a forest. Within that forest stood a small hut, home to a hunchbacked old man and a woman, who was his daughter-in-law. They had moved into the forest following a great upheaval in their lives, wishing to distance themselves from the affairs of the world.

Learning the Ways of Humanity

Every day, I watched the woman as she busied herself, cultivating vegetables and root crops to survive. Because the old man was in poor health and could not perform heavy labour, he would often sit in front of the courtyard, singing songs he knew well—songs that expressed the melancholy of life. Sometimes, he would speak to the surrounding flowers, trees, and plants, sharing his life experiences and reflections. He would tell them not to complain about the hardships of life, for everything one encounters is already destined by the laws of karma and cause and effect.

The old man would often recount his life from his childhood, telling of how his mother had taught him to be content and to be grateful. Even though their family was not wealthy, his mother had always taken them to practise generosity. These were the stories of his life, and they never changed. At first, I could not understand what the old man was saying, but as time passed—and he spoke every single day without fail—I gradually became familiar with the language of Earth and the ways in which humans express themselves.

I observed how the woman cared for the old man with such devotion; whatever he needed, she would provide. Sometimes they would chat, and they seemed to get along so harmoniously. Unlike the ants that fought over food or the beetles that battled one another, I saw that they lived in peace. Looking at it all, I felt that their way of interacting was far superior to the chaos I had seen elsewhere.

The Mystery of Death

One day, the old man vanished; he no longer appeared in the courtyard. Several months later, he was carried out of the house, his face looking remarkably peaceful. Several strong men carried him away, and the woman followed behind, weeping. I witnessed this scene, but I did not understand what was happening. I also noticed that the flowers and trees, which had listened to the old man’s stories for so long, seemed to have their energy field drop into a state of deep sorrow after he left.

I asked the spirit of the grass, 'Where is the old man going? Why do you all seem so different from usual?' The grass spirit replied, 'The old man has died. To die means he will never return.' I asked again, 'If he is not returning, where is he going?' The grass spirit shook its head and said, 'No one knows where one goes after death!' The spirit added, 'I will die, and you will die too. One day, we will not be as we are now.' This was the first time I had heard the theory of death, and I was filled with curiosity. I began to wonder: 'I did not originally belong to this planet, so where will I go after I die? Will I return to my original star system?' I desperately wanted to know the answer and sought to find it.

A Human Life of Service

I spent hundreds of years on Earth as a stone, learning the old man’s contentment and the woman’s filial piety, but I also learned how all things compete for survival. I could feel that Earth was a truly beautiful planet. One day, a great wind arose, and I felt myself become moist. I had been picked up by a large bird and carried high into the sky, where I saw such beautiful scenery. Before long, I slipped from the bird's beak and fell into the vast ocean. As I plummeted, I felt intense anxiety; my vision flickered between darkness and light, and soon, I entered a space from which I could not escape. I kept hearing voices, though I did not know whose they were.

After a period of churning and compression, I remember only immense pain, and then I forgot everything. I was born as a human. I could still feel many people speaking to me, and I understood more and more of what they said, but I could only see darkness before my eyes. The people around me kept calling out, 'Kai Enshi! Kai Enshi!' and that was how I learned that was my name. They said, 'This child is blind; he cannot see anything.' Despite this, I possessed a high sensitivity to touch and sound. I could feel people approaching me and knew what they were saying when they came near.

Although I could see nothing, my mother loved me dearly. She kept my heart pure and led me to do good deeds, teaching me to cherish all things in heaven and on Earth. Whenever someone harmed the land, I could feel it, and I could hear the Earth crying out in agony. Every cry felt like a sharp pain in my heart. Once, to prevent the land from being harmed, I went to argue with those responsible. The other person immediately cursed, 'You blind fool, stop meddling in things that don't concern you.' Many times I was beaten, kicked, and insulted, suffering injuries all over my body. Yet, in the dark, I felt as though someone was protecting me, so my heart held no fear.

The Path to Deliverance

The more I tried to protect the land, the more I could hear the voice of the Earth itself. The land wished to remain in its original state and did not want to be destroyed. For this, I fought hard against those who developed the land, hoping they would preserve its original appearance. However, my efforts were met with contempt; many mocked me, telling me not to make such futile struggles. I encountered many obstacles, but eventually, I met a powerful and influential person. I shared the heart of the Earth with him, and he was so moved that he was willing to use his power to help me protect the land. In this way, we protected not only the land but also the countless creatures upon it. All the beings of the Earth were grateful to him and to me.

My heart was always tethered to the land. I did my utmost to protect everything until the very moment my life ended. Many beings respected me. Throughout this process, I became one with all things, gradually carrying the mission of a guardian. I had forgotten that I originally came from another star system; I had naturally come to treat Earth as my home. My life lasted until I was seventy-one years old. The moment I closed my eyes, I arrived before the Hall of the King of Hell. The King of Hell asked me, 'You had a human body, but you were blind. Do you know why?' I shook my head.

The King of Hell said, 'In the past, when you were in the outer star system, you fought with others and harmed them, so that being followed you, seeking revenge. Now that the debt has been settled, and you have done many good deeds protecting the Earth and its creatures, you were originally destined to become the Earth Mother. However, because the land you failed to protect before your death was taken by humans for development, you felt anger in your heart. Because of this anger, a portion of your blessings was erased. Since your merit is currently insufficient to become the Earth Mother, you shall serve as a jailer in the hells and serve all sentient beings!' I nodded, understanding that the subtle fluctuations of the human body and heart all contain the laws of karma and cause and effect.

After repenting in my heart, I took up my post as a jailer. During my tenure, I served with all my heart, but seeing the suffering of sentient beings, my heart was filled with compassion. Within the laws of karma, everything is a result of one's own actions. While serving as a jailer, I was fortunate enough to hear Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks, introducing Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I knew that this was the final destination for all spirits, and I made a vow in my heart, hoping that one day I could be led by the Buddha to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Today, I am so grateful for these causal conditions that have allowed me to chant the Buddha-name and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss alongside so many other beings. I am deeply grateful—grateful to the Buddha, and grateful to Practitioner Su.

Namo Amituofo.

Kai Enshi, with palms joined."