The Path from Vengeance to the First Hall of Hell

This interview was recorded on April 25, 2018, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Venerable Fa Ci conducted the session to document the extraordinary experiences of King Qin Guang, the ruler of the First Hall of Hell. King Qin Guang sought the assistance of Practitioner Su to help his wife, Zhang Yueqi, who had been lingering in the ghost realm. Through the compassionate intervention of Namo Amituofo, she was delivered to the Western Dharma-Nature Land to listen to the Dharma and prepare for her rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

King Qin Guang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. It was only through the accumulation of merit and specific Causal Conditions in that lifetime that I was able to succeed the previous King of Hell after his rebirth. Let me begin by sharing the humble origins of my own story.

A Childhood in the Wilderness

In a simple, ancient village, there lived a boy named Wang Manxi. He was born with a naive, simple-minded nature. His parents had disappeared when he was very young, leaving him to grow up alone in the village. The villagers were fond of him; they often provided him with supplies and invited him to their homes for meals. Kind-hearted villagers once tried to adopt him, but he refused, preferring to live in a corner of the village in a simple thatched hut that protected him from the wind and rain. Except on rainy days, he spent his time running through the mountains, keeping company with animals and playing in the river. He seemed entirely free of worry, living in harmony with the natural world.

Everything changed when the boy was eighteen. A group of ruthless bandits descended upon the village during the midday nap. They charged in to plunder gold, livestock, and set fire to everything in sight. They bound the women, girls, and boys, while ruthlessly slaughtering the men and the elderly. In an instant, the sky was filled with flames, and the peaceful village turned into a living hell. The air was thick with cries, screams, sorrow, anger, helplessness, and despair, while the bandits laughed maniacally. From the mountains, Manxi saw the black smoke rising from the direction of his home. He ran in a frenzy, filled with anxiety, but he was too late. He found only burning houses, corpses strewn across the ground, messy hoofprints, and scorched, purple-black earth. Manxi knelt there, clutching his head and weeping, unable to comprehend how such a tragedy could befall his quiet home.

The Vow of Vengeance

Suddenly, a sound emerged from beneath a collapsed house. A thin, frail hand pushed at the debris. The sound startled Manxi. He rushed over, digging through the earth and stones with his bare hands. He grabbed the small hand, shouting, 'Hold on! You must hold on!' Moments later, a little girl emerged, her face covered in soot and her body covered in scrapes, her eyes filled with terror. Manxi pulled her into his arms, trying to warm her with his own body heat and calm her frightened heart. He led the girl away from the ruined village. Before leaving, he looked back at the place where he had grown up. Too many memories swirled in his mind, and he made a silent vow: he would avenge the villagers. He would find those bandits, bring them back to this place of sorrow, and use their blood to offer sacrifice to those who had been killed. Without looking back, he took the girl and left the mountains.

Years later, Manxi became a general, leading troops on the battlefield, while the girl became his shadow and his support. Driven by that single-minded belief, he fought bravely, his hands constantly stained with scarlet blood. Whenever he was exhausted, returning home to see the girl was his only solace. Throughout his military campaigns, he continued to gather information about the bandits and grew his own forces. Over a decade passed; Manxi matured from a youth into a man, and he married the girl. Yet, the hatred in his heart remained. One day, a messenger arrived with news: they had found the trail of those bandits.

The Truth Behind the Retribution

Manxi led his troops to a village outside the city. Reports indicated that the bandits had retired and were living there in seclusion. As Manxi rode into the village, he saw a scene of peace and stability, like a paradise on earth. He felt suspicious. An elder walked out to meet him: 'What brings you here, sir?' Manxi replied, 'I am here to investigate a case! Years ago, a village was wiped out by bandits, and clues suggest they retired here. Anyone who provides information will be rewarded.' The villagers looked at each other nervously. The elder gripped his hands tightly, opened his mouth slightly, and said, 'Sir, please follow me.' He led them to the back of the mountain. Beyond the forest lay a vast cemetery, clearly well-tended. The elder walked to a cluster of twenty or thirty tombstones. He told Manxi, 'After the bandits plundered the village, they brought the remaining survivors here. But then, a plague broke out among the bandits. Every single one of them was infected. Strangely, no one else was affected. We brought in famous doctors, but they were helpless. The plague worsened, and every single bandit died, coughing up blood. Not one survived.' The survivors, having nowhere to go, used the gold and silver left behind by the bandits to build this village. Though they were brought here by force, they decided to return evil with kindness and gave the bandits a proper burial.'

Upon hearing the cause and effect of the matter, Manxi felt a sudden sense of loss. The belief that had sustained him for so long vanished into thin air, leaving him hollow. He returned home and explained the situation to his wife. She said, 'Let the past go. Even if you could avenge the village, it would not bring the villagers back to life; it would only stain your hands with more blood. You have already shed too much blood for revenge. It is time to let go of the fatigue and tension of these years. They deserved their fate; you need not carry this burden any longer. We have the ability to help those who are still alive. Let this be your new direction, and I will be by your side.' Manxi collapsed onto the bed, resting his head on his wife's lap, and fell into a deep sleep. After years of struggle, he slept for three days and three nights. When he awoke, he felt reborn, free from the heavy pressure, and filled with a new vow to help others.

A Life of Compassion

Manxi resigned from his position as general and returned with his wife to the original village to farm. Year after year, perhaps due to his good intentions, they enjoyed bountiful harvests. He stored the surplus and gave it to those who had poor yields, and every winter, he opened his granaries to the needy. Slowly, his land expanded, and he became a wealthy landowner. Yet, he never changed his hands-on nature. Whether planting, tilling, fertilizing, weeding, or harvesting, Manxi was always there. He worked alongside his laborers, treating them like family, and helped them unconditionally with any difficulties.

Two years later, a drought struck, lasting for half a year. Most of the fields dried up and cracked, and crops could not grow. Most landowners had no reserves, and riots broke out. Hearing this, Manxi rushed to bring his workers and their families to his own land to keep them safe. In the middle of the night, his wife said to him, 'I want to open the granaries and give away the grain.' Manxi nodded without hesitation. The next day, he told his workers, 'My wife and I have decided to open the granaries. I need you to spread the word and maintain order. From tomorrow, we will eat two meals a day instead of three, and use the surplus to help those in need.' The workers went out and announced, 'Landowner Manxi is opening his granaries. Anyone in need may come.' The next day, Manxi and his wife stood outside the granary. At first, few came, but soon, long lines formed. This continued for a month, but the drought did not end. Manxi was deeply worried. His wife said, 'Do your best. Give as long as you can. We still have some money; go to other places and buy grain, no matter the price.' Manxi went out, but he was turned away everywhere. After two months of searching, he returned home with almost nothing. His wife said, 'Do not be discouraged. Heaven will not leave us without a way. We have done our best.'

The Transition to the First Hall

Strangely, a week later, the rain began to fall. Everyone cheered in the rain. However, Manxi had contracted an illness during his search for grain. He had held on only to see the end of the drought. Seeing the rain, he finally relaxed. He said to his wife, 'Thank you for accompanying me all my life. You were by my side at the most important moments and helped me find the path I should follow. I am sorry I cannot walk the rest of the way with you. I must go first, but I look forward to the day we meet again.' Holding his wife's hand, he slowly closed his eyes, ending his ordinary life.

After a period of darkness, Manxi opened his eyes to see a plaque that read 'First Hall.' He walked inside and saw a dignified middle-aged man standing there. He asked, 'What is this place?' The man replied, 'This is the First Hall.' Manxi asked, 'What is the First Hall?' The man said, 'This is the place for judging the evils of the world. I am King Qin Guang. I have been waiting for you for a long time. From your birth to the end of your life, I have observed every detail. You have a pure heart. You once stained your hands with blood to protect your country, but later you let go of hatred and returned to the fields. During the drought, you saved the victims with your grain, showing a compassionate heart that cared for all beings until the very end. I believe that if I entrust this position to you, you will be fair and just. I am about to head West. Are you willing to take my place and judge the criminals?' Manxi replied, 'I am willing to try my best.' With that, King Qin Guang took off his robes, handed them to Manxi, and departed with a carefree laugh.

This is my experience and the Causal Conditions of my succession. I would like to ask Practitioner Su to help my wife, Zhang Yueqi. She passed away shortly after I did and is still in the ghost realm, distributing grain. Namo Amituofo."

Venerable Fa Ci: "Thank you, King Qin Guang, for sharing today. Namo Amituofo."

◎ The wife of King Qin Guang of the First Hall, Zhang Yueqi, was compassionately saved by Namo Amituofo from the ghost realm. She was invited to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to listen to the Dharma in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, and has since made a vow to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Recorded by the disciple of the Buddha, Shi Fa Ci.