The Long Journey Home from the Hells

This is a record of an interview with Zhou Gangmu, a spirit who served as a prison guard in the underworld. He sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia and now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his long journey through the cycle of rebirth. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on September 8, 2024.

Zhou Gangmu speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am deeply grateful for every experience I have endured, for it is through these trials that I have finally learned how to let go and transform. I know that the cycle of rebirth is incredibly difficult, but I have strived to adjust myself and pursue the ultimate goal of spiritual liberation.

I am profoundly grateful that, at the very end of this long journey, I was able to encounter Practitioner Su and the salvation team. Their influence on me has been deep, and their assistance has been immense. I will continue to study diligently, refine my character, and hope that one day I, too, will have the ability to help other sentient beings.

On behalf of all prison guards and sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace and the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

A Descent from Radiance

Now, I wish to tell my story—a story of the laws of karma and cause and effect within the cycle of rebirth.

Once, I resided in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. It was a place of incomparable dignity, where light shone everywhere. Countless Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and sages lived there. There was no suffering, no afflictions, only endless purity.

In that pure and untainted world, my body and mind were once clear, and my light was immeasurable. I heard Namo Amituofo teaching the Dharma many times, and I witnessed with my own eyes how countless beings were drowning in the suffering of samsara. A great compassionate vow arose in my heart: I wished to descend to the human world to save these suffering beings.

At that time, my heart was firm. I made a great vow, determined to be reborn in the human world to save sunken souls with my own strength. I swore: 'I will surely be born into the world to save countless beings, leading them away from suffering and onto the path of liberation.'

The Trap of Worldly Dust

I knew that being born as a human meant facing countless temptations and difficulties, and that my soul would inevitably be disturbed by worldly dust. But seeing the suffering of so many beings, I was determined to help them. With this great vow, I resolutely stepped into the cycle of rebirth.

Descending from the Western Pure Land, I was born into a wealthy family. At first, my soul was clear, possessing wisdom and insight, and my heart could still maintain a trace of purity.

However, the tests of the world arrived. As I grew older, I became entangled in worldly ties. The Five Desires and the Six Dusts swept through my heart like a violent storm, causing my soul to be affected. Although I could maintain some self-control in the early days, often reminding myself not to get lost in the world, the desires of the physical body gradually intensified. Various sensory stimuli followed one after another, causing my heart to fluctuate incessantly.

I began to crave worldly fame, wealth, love, and status. Gradually, my power of clarity was weakened, and the great vow in my heart was slowly forgotten. As my heart became more immersed in desire, my soul lost its control. The pure power that once came from the Western Pure Land was covered by the filth of the world. My thoughts became more numerous, and my desires became stronger. I fell into the whirlpool of emotional attachment, unable to pull myself out, and the memory of the Buddha's teachings in my heart became blurred.

A Life of Emptiness

In that lifetime, my life was filled with material enjoyment, but my soul felt incomparably empty. My heart was obstructed by desire, lost in the Five Desires and Six Dusts of the world, and I had forgotten the vow I had made to save sentient beings. When that life came to an end, I was still in the cycle of rebirth, having completely drifted away from the state of mind of the Pure Land.

In my next life, I was born into a family with whom I had deep grievances from past lives. From childhood, my life was filled with difficulties and challenges. My parents were in conflict, the family was full of contradictions, the living environment was harsh, and I was surrounded by quarrels and struggles. Growing up in such an environment, I became increasingly self-protective, and my heart was filled with doubt and suspicion. I could not receive a good education, I picked up bad habits, my personality became stubborn and rigid, and I often fell into negative thinking, holding a strong distrust of human nature, even doubting everything.

The Endless Cycle of Suffering

My karmic retribution gradually manifested, and both my body and mind suffered heavy pain. As my karma grew, my soul sank into the endless cycle of rebirth. In every life, I was born in different places due to different karmic retributions and suffered different consequences. I have fallen into the hells and suffered endless torture; I have also been reborn as an animal, living a life of repaying debts.

However, no matter how I was reincarnated, there was always a vague longing deep in my heart—a longing for some indescribable pursuit. I could feel that I wanted to return to a true home, but I had long forgotten what that home looked like, or even forgotten its existence. My heart was filled only with endless anxiety and panic.

My soul was almost completely lost after being reborn into the world, until this lifetime, when I finally encountered a turning point.

The Turning Point

In this life, I was born into an ordinary family, named Zhou Gangmu. One day, I met a true spiritual friend—a person with whom I had formed a Dharma affinity in past lives. This spiritual friend saw the pain and confusion deep in my heart and guided me toward the opportunity to study the Buddha's teachings.

Under the guidance of this spiritual friend, I finally reconnected with the Buddha's teachings. Through immersing myself in these teachings, I quickly realized that this was the answer I had been searching for in my heart. I began to understand that the endless cycle of rebirth I had experienced was all caused by the desires and attachments of my past lives. I began to reflect deeply, gradually awakening to my past mistakes. I began to search for the reason I had truly come into the world, and I awakened to the vow I had once made.

I began to practise diligently. I knew that although I had made a great vow in the past, I had become lost due to worldly temptations, and all of this was the result of my own choices. I also understood that this was my own karma; like countless other beings, I was trapped in the endless cycle of suffering, unable to pull myself out.

A Responsibility Reclaimed

As I practised diligently, my soul became clearer. I knew that I could no longer be lost in the world, but must once again shoulder the responsibility of saving sentient beings. I wanted to do everything in my power to help more beings. Coming into the world, I realized that nothing is easy. Even though I had circled round and round due to karma and was addicted to the Five Desires and Six Dusts, these were all my karmic obstacles. But everyone has good karma and negative karma, and eventually, my good karma manifested, and I woke up again. This process was painful, but I do not regret the decision I made back then, because this journey allowed me to see my own shortcomings and to practise and adjust myself even more diligently.

I will use the rest of my life to help more beings wake up, share my life experiences with them, and counsel them to find the path of liberation in their lives, to leave suffering behind and gain happiness. Until the end of my life, I did my best to help beings escape the sea of suffering. If I could save even one, it would count.

I also knew that my strength was very weak, but I told myself that this was what I should do, and it was the great task I truly came into the world to complete. I am very grateful for everything I could still do, and I have always tried my best to do it. I tell every sentient being with karmic affinity: 'Always remember that this physical body is only temporary. Do not be attracted by the temptations of this worldly dust; you must know that everything is originally illusory.'

Gratitude at the Gates of the Underworld

Later, I came before the King of the Underworld. I knew that everything was leading me to more learning and opportunities for change, and my heart was filled with endless gratitude. I waited quietly for the arrangements the King of the Underworld had for me. If it were not for these causal conditions, I do not think I would have had the chance to wake up and walk out of the cycle of rebirth. I am very grateful to the King of the Underworld for assigning me service work, which helped me continue to learn and remain awake.

During those days, I truly learned a lot. I knew that I must break through and truly seek liberation. I am grateful for the time I met Practitioner Su in the underworld palace. Every principle Practitioner Su spoke of deeply influenced me. I also understood that I should change and grow, and that I must embark on the path to truly go home.

I am grateful that today I have the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. After experiencing thousands of years, I can finally go home. My heart is filled with mixed feelings and deep emotion. I will continue to practise with all my might, hoping to truly elevate my spirituality so that in the future I can have more power and contribute more.

On behalf of all prison guards and sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace and the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

Zhou Gangmu, with palms joined.