The King of Xia's Long Journey to Deliverance

This is a record of an interview with Dou Jiande, the King of Xia from the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life approximately 1,400 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on April 19, 2026.

Dou Jiande speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am deeply grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for their boundless compassion. Today, I, along with many of my soldiers, have been able to arrive here in the Dharma-Nature Land to receive the baptism of the Buddha-light. I brought my generals and my troops with me, and we arrived here in the Western Dharma-Nature Land in a grand, sweeping procession. Although I cannot be certain if this army is as complete or as vast as it was in the days of old, I can see that every one of them wears an expression of immense joy. The moment we encountered the Buddha, I led them all in making prostrations, offering our deepest gratitude for such mercy. Twelve rays of golden light shone upon us—beings who had been trapped in the void for so long—granting us the precious opportunity to finally leave suffering behind."

A Gathering of Soldiers in the Dharma-Nature Land

"It feels as though the battlefields of that era have never truly ceased. Some of my generals and soldiers are still caught in the cycle of those long, arduous years of conflict, locked in a struggle where it was either kill or be killed. Oh, it is nothing but suffering! People sacrifice their very lives for a mere mouthful of food, for the sake of their homes and their countries. They have staked their very existence—their spirits, which have endured for over a thousand years—on these conflicts. Why? Why must a spirit suffer for a millennium over such things? It is truly unnecessary."

"Although I, Dou Jiande, always aspired to do good throughout my life, I took many wrong turns, which led to the situation I found myself in—suffering for so many years. Now, having finally detached from those past events, my heart feels incredibly light and filled with gratitude. I heard the interview transcript of Wang Shichong just yesterday, and it gave me quite a start! Ha! I never expected that he would beat me to it and be interviewed by the Venerable of the Buddhist Centre before I was."

The Burden of a Historical Rivalry

"Wang Shichong and I had a complicated history. Back then, in the region of Luoyang, Henan, I risked my own life to save him. We were not close friends; in fact, there was much animosity between us. But in the face of life and death, such things mattered little. It was a situation of 'him or me.' I knew that if he fell, I would soon follow. That was my reasoning at the time, so I had no choice but to lead my elite troops to the front lines to rescue him."

"Our opponent was the Prince of Qin, Li Shimin, who would later become Emperor Taizong of Tang. Think about it—what kind of person was Li Shimin? When you view him through the grand lens of history, he was a truly remarkable genius."

The Fall of the King of Xia

"Although we both commanded massive armies—our combined forces far outnumbered those of Li Shimin—we still suffered defeat at his hands. We represented different factions and different interests, yet we stood together against the Prince of Qin. Those months were a period of desperate, agonizing struggle. At the time, I was the King of Xia in Hebei, while Wang Shichong had declared himself Emperor in the Luoyang region. We were both regional powers, each hoping to dominate the world, to be crowned king or emperor; we simply held different philosophies."

"Li Shimin had already unified the majority of China, and naturally, he would not let two such significant powers remain. We were the greatest obstacles to his unification of the country. Even though my generals and soldiers pleaded with me not to save Wang Shichong, I was resolute and went anyway. For those months, my men and I bore an immense, crushing pressure. In the end, we were defeated by the Prince of Qin and were taken directly to Chang'an after the fall of Hulao Pass."

"Wang Shichong and I chose two vastly different paths. True to his nature, he immediately knelt and begged for mercy, hoping to find a way to survive. But I? I was made of sterner stuff. I swore never to surrender. I had reached this point, and in the game of kings, defeat meant death—it was only natural to accept it."

Five Centuries of Retribution

"And so, at the age of forty-nine, I was beheaded by Li Yuan, the Emperor Gaozu of Tang, as a public warning. It caused a massive sensation at the time. When I was executed, the people of Hebei wept bitterly. Although I did not know it then, after I left the hells and returned as a wandering spirit in the void to my original base in Hebei—the land I loved so dearly—I saw that the people had built temples to me, offering sacrifices to their failed rebel leader."

"I call myself a rebel leader, and that is no exaggeration; I was merely a rough man. Even though I once held the title of King of Xia and nearly became Emperor, my inherent humble and modest nature made it difficult for me to let go of the people's love. I am deeply grateful for it. When I learned that the people of Hebei had mourned me so intensely that they even launched a war against Li Shimin, causing such an uproar, I was stunned. I had no idea that so many of my brothers had sacrificed their lives for my sake after I was gone."

"Oh, the suffering! The killing karma I created as a rebel king was not small. I endured hundreds of years of torture in the hells! Because of that mountain of killing karma, I suffered immensely before I was finally granted the chance to return to the human world as a spirit. It took at least five hundred years. I went through several hells: the Mountain of Knives, the Pool of Blood, the Hell of Amputation, and so on."

A Guardian of the Land

"After enduring such torment, a heart of repentance finally arose within me. I knew I had killed countless people in my life. Although I never killed prisoners of war, nor did I bury people alive or massacre cities—I was always generous to surrendered enemy troops and civilians—my hands were still stained with the blood of many enemy soldiers I had personally beheaded. Every single act was a testament to the karma I had created. Therefore, I accepted my five hundred years of retribution in the hells without a single complaint."

"Later, King Yama saw my sincerity and my desire to atone for my past sins. He allowed me to return to the human world as a spirit, hoping that as a being of the spirit realm, I could return to my beloved Hebei and do something for the people there. Miraculously, I became a Ghost King in that region! It is truly inconceivable!"

"This connects to what I mentioned earlier: because the people of Hebei loved me so much, they had established many 'Temples of the King of Xia.' Thus, when I successfully returned as a spirit, I was naturally revered as a Ghost King, governing that vast territory. Many of the beings in the spirit realm, including those still trapped in the void, were actually my former generals, soldiers, and the civilians of that time. When they saw the return of their King of Xia, they danced with joy, which actually gave me quite a fright!"

The Arrival of the Buddha-Light

"However, I knew I was a man burdened by sin. I did not come to the human world to covet offerings or to seek worship. I immediately pulled myself together. As a Ghost King, I had to make a contribution. Many who had followed me in life continued to revere me as their Ghost King in the spirit realm, working with me to manage that vast land. Of course, as spirits, we could not interfere too much in the human world, but with our collective strength, I worked hard to present my story of cause and effect to the beings of that time. They understood that I had suffered in the hells and wished to atone for my sins. With compassion in their hearts, they joined me in guarding the land of Hebei for many years—eight or nine hundred years, I believe."

"In that vast space of Hebei, we provided subtle guidance to many who were like us—especially high-ranking officials, generals, and soldiers. We helped them correct their thoughts, turn toward Goodness, and perform acts that benefited the people. Our duty was to soothe the spirits and comfort the living. In truth, what we could do was very limited, but every little bit counted. I never cared about the scale of what we achieved as a Ghost King. It wasn't necessary. As long as we were honest and present, offering comfort, affirmation, and help to those suffering, that was enough."

"This is a world of difference from the ambitious man I once was. As a young Dou Jiande, under the tyranny of Emperor Yang of Sui, my entire family was killed, which drove me to become a rebel leader. I grew my power in Hebei, wanting to conquer the world. My heart was filled with arrogance and a competitive spirit. Although I was a good soldier who cared for his subordinates and the people, I still killed countless enemies! I no longer look back on those things; that was simply my life."

"For eight or nine hundred years, we lived in relative peace in the spirit realm. Of course, wars continued to break out across China; the chaos never truly stopped. But I, Dou Jiande, tried to protect the beings caught in the turmoil, hoping to minimize the death toll and bring about peace. If peace could be achieved without war, that would be the best outcome. I did my utmost to maintain peace in that region and to protect the people's ability to live and work in contentment."

"Then, one day, eight or nine hundred years later, I was staying in what is now Shijiazhuang, Hebei. It is a massive, bustling modern city. I watched over the modern people, who are so different from the people of my time. In the past, I protected their physical safety, keeping them from committing evil. But these modern people... their hearts seem so much more complex. It is difficult to tell what they are truly thinking from their words and actions. So, with the people of today, I mostly observe their hearts, helping them correct their misguided beliefs and values. That is what I, an old Ghost King of Shijiazhuang, can do."

"It was there that I suddenly discovered a light descending from the heavens. In all my time in the ghost realm, I had never seen such a brilliant light. At first, I did not know what it was, but the spirits around me seemed to agree that it was the Buddha-light. Many of us, beings of the spirit realm, began to walk toward that light."

Namo Amituofo.

I felt an intense curiosity about this light, and I felt a deep sense of trust in it as well. The very moment I stepped into that radiance, I found myself transported to the Western Land of Dharma Nature. Everything happened so quickly, and it was truly inconceivable. Compared to the identity I held before, this was a transformation beyond anything I could have imagined.

As I sat upon a lotus flower in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, my heart felt a profound sense of calm. I knew that standing before me were Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su—these two great beings who have brought countless sentient beings into this space, liberating them from suffering forever. Many of my former brothers-in-arms, generals, soldiers, horses, and even ordinary civilians who had followed me in life were there with me. Because they had been so devoted to me as their Ghost King, they had clung to me tightly, and when I entered the light, they all followed. It is truly an inconceivable miracle!

A Reunion of Old Rivals

What shocked me even more was seeing my old friend, Wang Shichong, here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I say old friend, but we were also old enemies; we had slaughtered one another, yet we had also shared moments of mutual respect. I had always felt his heart was not entirely upright, so I kept my distance from him. That he could arrive here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature proves that he, too, must have had a deep Buddhist affinity. After suffering for so many years, to be reunited here—the emotions are overwhelming! I never imagined that this spirit of mine, having passed through so many lifetimes and identities, would find such peace and stability after so much repentance and helplessness.

The Western Land of Dharma Nature is such a magnificent realm. Our hearts are finally at rest, and we no longer dwell on the past. If Practitioner Su had not specifically called upon me, Dou Jiande, to share these words today, I would have tried my best to forget everything that came before. But the Alaya consciousness records everything with such absolute clarity. That I am able to recount these events is entirely due to the fact that I encountered the Buddha. The compassion of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su is etched into our hearts; we are so incredibly grateful. On behalf of the people of Hebei, I bow to the Buddha and offer my deepest thanks. At first, I did not understand how the Buddha had saved us, but after listening to the Dharma talks for some time and undergoing purification, I realised that it was through Practitioner Su’s achievement of Awakening and the assistance of Namo Amituofo that this magnificent Western Land of Dharma Nature was established.

A Call to Repentance and Redemption

I am but a rough man, yet I am deeply moved by what I have seen and heard. Here, the space has truly opened up. I, Dou Jiande, can see everything with perfect clarity. Especially after listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks, my heart has suddenly opened wide. I see clearly where I went wrong in the past and how much suffering my killing karma caused for so many beings. My heart is filled with endless repentance. I only hope the Buddha will grant me an opportunity to atone for my past sins through good deeds; I am willing to do whatever is asked of me.

I also wish to represent the soldiers, generals, and even the horses of China in expressing my gratitude to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. Because of the Buddha’s compassion, my army has been brought, one by one, to the Western Land of Dharma Nature. However, I believe there are still many soldiers and spirits of the military remaining in Hebei who once followed me and are still suffering in that space. I sincerely hope that when Practitioner Su performs Chao Du for mainland China, they will have the opportunity to encounter the Buddha-light and come to the Western Land of Dharma Nature to reunite with us. This is a rare opportunity, difficult to encounter in millions of years—it is truly moving!

The Truth of the Spirit

Throughout my life, I pursued my own ambitions and killed many people, though I also did some good. Looking back on a life that was a mixture of merit and demerit, I am filled with shame. Without Buddhist education, people do not know that they must not create negative karma; they do not know that they must cease doing evil and turn toward Goodness to leave suffering behind and gain happiness. Everyone thinks that a human life is just that: success is success, and failure is failure. They do not realise that while the physical body dies, the spirit lives on for a very long time—it never dies. This is the principle of being free from aging, free from illness, and that the spirit never dies, as taught at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I only truly understood this profound truth after arriving in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. Before, I did not know that after the body dies, the spirit continues to reap the consequences of the karma it created, spinning endlessly in the cycle of rebirth. These were things I was completely ignorant of.

Now that I have arrived in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, everything has become clear. I sincerely wish to call upon all the Chinese people who have a karmic affinity with me: you must believe in the Buddha. It is truly not an easy thing for the Buddha to manifest in this world. If you remain lost in your own worlds, obsessed with your habits and personalities, your fate after death may be much like mine. Although your killing karma may not be as heavy as mine, if you do not cherish this chance, you may not have another opportunity to receive Buddhist education.

This is the best possible time. I hope everyone who reads this interview can wake up, realise how rare it is for the Buddha to be in this world, and understand that you must be self-reliant and save yourselves so that you can save your own spirits.

This spirit has been suffering for so long, though perhaps you do not know it. But as I, Dou Jiande, look at the people of China now, I see that your spirits are already reaping the consequences of your actions—some of you have even lost track of who you truly are. Your physical bodies are worth nothing, yet you value them so highly; this is the great tragedy of the human world. I did not know this either, but as Practitioner Su says, everyone is busy tending to their bodies, and only after a lifetime of doing so do they end up in such a state. Well, my heart is full of emotion, but I shall stop here.

Listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks together and chanting Namo Amituofo together—that is what is truly important. Listening to me speak is not nearly as valuable as listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks.

Thank you all. Namo Amituofo.

Namo Amituofo.

Dou Jiande