The Merit of Saving the Chickens

This is a record of an interview with Liu Junhao, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He served as a prison guard in the Ninth Hall of Hell before being guided to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his transition to the Western Land. Recorded by the chief writer on December 15, 2019.

Liu Junhao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I, Liu Junhao, along with sixty other prison guards, wish to express our most sincere and profound gratitude to everyone here and to Practitioner Su. We are deeply humbled by this opportunity to be delivered."

A Childhood Haunted by the Cries of Chickens

"I am Liu Junhao. I entered the Ninth Hall of Hell as a prison guard when I was only sixteen years old, immediately following my death. My family background was rooted in poultry farming; from the moment I was born, I grew up surrounded by the chickens in our yard. I would often watch my parents place the chickens into cages, ready to be sent to the market and handed over to the vendors. In truth, every time I witnessed this, my heart felt an unbearable weight of sorrow. I had watched these chickens grow from the moment they were tiny, yellow chicks. I saw them pecking at insects on the ground, swallowing small pebbles, and eventually maturing into hens that laid eggs or roosters that crowed at the dawn. Yet, just a few days later, their familiar presence in the yard would vanish, and I knew exactly what had become of them. They had been taken away to be slaughtered.

Sometimes, I would look into the cages and see the chickens staring back at me with a look of utter helplessness, as if they knew their lives were coming to an end. Some would even cry out to me. Watching their lives unfold, I began to wonder: is the life of a human being just as fragile and devoid of autonomy as the life of a chicken? I asked my father, 'We live off the money we make from selling these chickens, but how do we ever repay the debt of kindness we owe them for their lives?' My parents were taken aback by this sudden question. My father replied, 'Chickens are raised to be eaten. Why would you, a child, ask such a thing?' From that moment on, I realised that the adult world seemed to lack any sense of true logic or compassion. Over time, I simply became accustomed to this way of life, though the pain never truly left my heart."

A Seven-Year-Old’s Bargain for Compassion

"One day, my aunt, who lived far away, came to visit. She had no children of her own and took an immediate liking to me. She wanted to take me back to live with her. My father was initially reluctant, but my aunt wanted to hear my thoughts on the matter. She asked if I was willing to go with her. I immediately replied, 'If you can promise that my parents will never again raise or sell chickens, then I will go with you.' To my surprise, my aunt agreed. She produced a large sum of silver—enough to ensure my parents would never have to worry about food or clothing for the rest of their lives. They would no longer need to endure the hardship of feeding the flock, herding them into cages, or tending to the hens. My parents finally nodded in agreement. While I was saddened to leave my home, I was overjoyed that my parents would no longer have to rely on the killing of chickens to survive, and I was even more relieved that those chickens would be spared from the slaughter. I was only seven years old at the time.

After moving to my aunt and uncle’s home, I lived a life of great comfort. They hired tutors to teach me how to read and study. I was born with a kind heart, and from a young age, I refused to eat meat. My aunt was very supportive and always prepared delicious vegetarian meals for me. Eventually, my aunt, my uncle, and everyone in the household followed my lead; we stopped eating meat and stopped cooking it altogether. Our home was filled with harmony and peace. This change in our lifestyle even had a profound effect on my aunt’s health. To everyone’s surprise, she became pregnant, and the whole family was overjoyed and eagerly awaited the birth of the baby. I was fifteen years old by then. The arrival of my little brother did not change my position in the family; I was the eldest, and I cherished him deeply."

The Truth Behind the Prison Guard’s Duty

"Six months after my brother was born, I suddenly experienced excruciating pain in my chest one night. Before I could even call out for help, my spirit was pulled from my body. A prison guard appeared before me and said, 'Liu Junhao, your lifespan has ended. Come with us.' I followed them into the depths of hell, arriving before the King of the Ninth Hall. It was there that I learned the truth of my existence. In a past life, I had received a life-saving kindness from my parents, and I had returned in this lifetime to repay that debt by preventing them from earning their living through killing. Furthermore, in a previous life, I had been the father of my aunt. Because she was so filial, we shared a deep karmic affinity in this life. She cared for me with such meticulous devotion until I was sixteen, at which point the debt I owed her had been repaid, and the time for me to enjoy those good days had come to an end. Thus, my short life concluded.

Because I had accumulated merit by saving the chickens and by guiding my aunt’s entire family toward a vegetarian lifestyle, I was granted the position of a prison guard. I had a talent for writing, so I served as a document-recording guard. Because I was diligent and performed my duties with excellence, I was eventually nominated to be among those delivered to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss by Practitioner Su. I waited for four and a half years, and today, my wish has finally been fulfilled. Practitioner Su has guided us, the sixty prison guards, into the Western Pure Land. Our hearts are filled with immense gratitude! The Buddha’s grace is boundless! Here, Liu Junhao and the sixty prison guards bow in gratitude to Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su, and all the virtuous ones at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre."

"Once again, I, Liu Junhao, lead the prison guards in three kowtows to everyone present."

Namo Amituofo.