This is a record of an interview with Guan Mingtai, who served as a judge in the human world and later as a jailer in the underworld for several centuries. He sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia and has now attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on May 30, 2021.
Guan Mingtai speaks:
". I am Guan Mingtai. During my time in the human world, I served as a judge, a role equivalent to a magistrate in your modern society. Whether in the human world or later in the underworld, I have witnessed an immense amount of . In the human world, trials are conducted primarily to pass sentences, which involves gathering evidence and convicting the accused. However, in the underworld, the process is quite different. We examine the spirit, scrutinising the accumulated over many lifetimes, as well as the current state of the individual's heart—specifically, whether they possess a genuine desire to repent.
The Nature of Justice in the Underworld
In the underworld, the goal of a trial is rarely just to punish the accused. Instead, it is to resolve these karmic debts. We only resort to sentencing when it is absolutely necessary—for instance, when an individual’s character and habits remain unchanged, and they show no signs of repenting. Only then do we pass a sentence for them to undergo karmic retribution.
I have hundreds of years of experience in these matters. The most crucial aspect of presiding over a case is to be absolutely impartial and to resolve the karmic conflicts between the accuser and the accused. Time and again, I have watched these karmic events unfold, and it feels as though the cycle of reincarnation is endless. Beings seem unable to change, and I have seen the roles of accuser and accused constantly shifting and interchanging, trapped in a cycle that never ceases. Life is so deeply submerged in the laws of karma and cause and effect, and these beings are unable to save themselves. It is truly a tragedy.
The Power of True Education
Having had these experiences, when I heard the sutras as explained by Practitioner Su, I realised that these truths must be heard by every single being. Only by hearing the truth can one know how to change, understand where one has gone wrong, and learn the importance of repenting. This is vital! The sutras explained by Practitioner Su clarify the truths of life and teach everyone how to transform their existence. More importantly, I heard Practitioner Su explain the breakthrough and liberation of life, which is a point I paid special attention to; it left a profound impression on me.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have encountered such a magnificent propagation of the Buddha’s teachings. Every word and sentence Practitioner Su explains contains the essential truths of life. It was only after listening to Practitioner Su that I truly understood the path to liberation. I cherish this rare encounter, and I have been looking forward to the day I could be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
A Final Transition to the Western Pure Land
Today is that great day—the day of my rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am so grateful to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su. When the great was brought into the underworld, I knew it was a beacon of compassionate hope. It is through the Ultimate Vow of Practitioner Su and the Buddha's blessing that beings in the underworld can be liberated from the six realms of existence and be reborn in the Pure Land. With a thousand thanks and deep gratitude, I, Guan Mingtai, represent sixty other jailers in bowing to thank the Buddha’s grace and the grace of Practitioner Su. I cherish this opportunity immensely; for a life to be liberated is truly the most important event in one's existence!
Having seen so much karma, I know now that all of this is because the hearts of beings in the cycle of reincarnation have not changed; they are in desperate need of education. The education of the Buddha’s teachings and the cultivation of the heart are of paramount importance. If people can learn to adjust their hearts, acknowledge their mistakes, and cultivate their character—reflecting on everything from the heart—then everyone can stop creating karma and gradually find their way onto the path of liberation. In this way, beings in the cycle of reincarnation can change, and they can all escape the cycle of samsara.
A Childhood Rooted in Integrity
In truth, all that is needed is education and change. I am so thankful for this opportunity to be reborn today. During my hundreds of years in the underworld, I never imagined I would one day leave the officialdom. Every day, I was busy without rest, judging the karma of various beings and processing countless charges, never once stopping. This is the primary reason why the cycle of reincarnation continues—beings seek karmic retribution against one another, and no one is willing to admit defeat. They are entangled in this life, and they meet again in the next. This is the cycle of reincarnation. Perhaps they take on different forms, but they keep turning and turning, and they will always meet again due to their Causal Conditions. This is mutual attraction. If beings do not have the heart to seek liberation, these ties are difficult to sever.
In my past life, I was born into a poor family, but my life was not discouraged by poverty. Because of the education my parents gave me from a young age, my life was filled with positive energy. I knew that I should use this body to do good deeds and contribute as much as I could. My parents taught me from childhood that one must be upright and that one must be able to distinguish right from wrong. They told me that things which should not be done must never be done, and if something is good and helps others, one should do more of it. My mother once told me: 'Life in this world does not last many years. If you do bad things for the sake of this body, the result in the future will be the agony and regret of falling into the hells.' Therefore, I knew from a young age that human life exists because of this body, and during one's lifetime, one should make the most of it and not create evil.
The Trap of the 'Self'
From a young age, my life was filled with positive education. My parents focused on my character. My father once said: 'A child, no matter how successful they are, if their heart is dirty, their life will not have a good outcome.' Father often said: 'Life does not require you to do bad things for the sake of this body.' I understood that life is very precious, and we must actively cherish it. This body is merely a tool to help us do things in this world; one must use this life to do more meaningful things.
My parents' education always emphasised not to be attached to this body, and especially not to value it too highly. When you have an attachment to this body or are overly concerned with its comfort, you may commit mistakes at any time, because you will unconsciously commit errors for the sake of this body. This is very subtle; if you do not have this awareness, it is difficult to discover.
When I was still young, my parents taught me that when I saw things that were not mine, if the thought 'I really want that' appeared in my heart, it meant I had developed a sense of 'self.' If I did not have the awareness to stop and I took those things or developed a sense of possession, then I was committing a mistake for the sake of 'myself.' Furthermore, if I had desires and wanted to pursue them, but those desires were perhaps difficult to achieve, if I failed to notice that such a thought had arisen, the resulting wrong behaviour would be an attempt to satisfy my own desires—again, committing a mistake for the sake of 'myself.'
In fact, I could list many more examples, but all of them are inseparable from the same cause: doing things for the sake of 'myself.' This is the area where one must be extremely cautious. How many people have created immense sins because of this 'self'? It is also for the sake of 'self' that they create enmity with different beings. In the end, all of this must be paid for. As long as one does bad things, one must take responsibility for them.
The education I received from childhood made me very cautious, because I knew that one must never act for the sake of oneself. In many matters, I put others first and myself last, not acting for my own benefit. This allowed me to reduce the possibility of making mistakes. Furthermore, the education on correct behaviour from my parents was also very important. Because of this, I knew what was right and what was wrong. I had the correct concepts and the correct behaviour, which allowed me to avoid committing mistakes for my own sake while I was in the world.
Education is extremely important, and parents setting a good example is equally vital. From a young age, my parents used themselves as models to teach me all these truths and guided me in the correct attitude toward facing mistakes. My father once told me: 'Although I tell you to avoid making mistakes, you must not be afraid to face them. Having made a mistake means there is still something incorrect within you. As long as you can correct it, you can avoid making the same mistake again.' One must know why one made a mistake, and every time one errs, one can adjust oneself, and one will become better and better. My father also told me: 'Everyone makes mistakes to some degree, but what is important is whether you can learn from the experience and not repeat the same error. That is growth.'
My growth process was filled with many learning experiences, which made it difficult for me to commit mistakes for my own sake or create evil for the sake of this body. After I grew up, I chose a job that involved rooting out corruption and evil, hoping to help society build a positive atmosphere and correct what was wrong.
In the government office, I assisted in handling cases. I always advocated for integrity and justice. Because of this, I helped many people regain justice, but I also offended many people with crooked hearts. Behind my back, many wanted to take my life. But I believed that evil cannot overcome good. As long as I was correct and was helping society, I would continue on my path.
I lived for over forty years in that life, and in the end, I lost my life in a man-made accident. On the day I died, I received a letter of death. The content of the letter told me exactly when my life would be taken. I knew these things were true; I had known all along how many people wanted to kill me. Facing that life, I had a clear conscience. Even at the last moment of my life, I was at peace. I knew my life was coming to an end, and looking back, I had no attachments.
After death, I came to the underworld. King Yama once asked me if I felt resentment toward the fugitives who assassinated me. I smiled and answered the King: 'If I felt resentment, I could not have been a good judge in that life. These people did what they did because their hearts were not upright, and their hearts were not well-educated. It was because I lacked the ability to change them. That I was killed by them on this day, I have no complaints.' The King smiled and told me: 'There is a position here that I would like you to continue to hold. It is also responsible for presiding over cases, though it is slightly different from the human world.' I thanked the King and accepted the responsibility.
I have served as a judge for hundreds of years, and I am very grateful that I was able to meet Practitioner Su at the end. Practitioner Su's truths allowed me to make many more changes, moving from being rigid to being more flexible. I thank Practitioner Su for his compassionate manifestation and teaching. It is truly magnificent that beings are fortunate enough to hear Practitioner Su explain so many truths! I thank the Buddha, I thank Practitioner Su. I, Guan Mingtai, on behalf of the jailers who attained rebirth today and many other sentient beings with karmic affinity, bow to thank the Buddha’s and thank Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."
