The Penance of a Prison Guard

This interview was recorded on June 9, 2024, by the chief writer, Shi Faxi. The speaker, Liu Hongen, a former monastic who later served as a prison guard in the underworld, shares his profound journey of karmic retribution and his eventual path to liberation through the teachings of Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

Liu Hongen speaks:

"I am deeply grateful to be able to participate in this propagation of the Great Dharma today. This is something I could never have imagined in my past. I will cherish this opportunity dearly, and I know that I must be diligent and strive forward. On behalf of all the prison guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude to the Buddha’s grace and to the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

A Monastic Path Gone Astray

"I was once a monastic. Since my youth, I took refuge in the Buddha’s gate and vowed to practice, yet fate led me down a path that deviated from the righteous path. My original name was Fayue. I was born in a small village in the Jiangnan region. My family was poor, and my parents passed away early. Left alone and destitute, I was taken to a temple by a kind village woman, which allowed me to seek a life within the Buddha’s gate.

In the temple, I met a highly respected master. He possessed profound Wisdom and taught us to cultivate our character, sever greed, anger, and delusion, and focus on the practice of the Buddha’s teachings. When I first entered the temple, my heart was focused and sincere toward the Buddha. I recited the scriptures daily, praying for peace of body and mind.

The Seeds of Doubt and Resentment

However, as the years passed, strange fluctuations of the mind began to arise within me. By chance, I heard some fellow disciples expressing doubts about certain teachings of our master. These words deeply pierced the convictions I held within. I began to wonder: were the master’s teachings truly flawed?

Once the seed of doubt was planted, it took root and sprouted in my heart. I began to view every word from my master with suspicion, and eventually, I even began to doubt the Buddha’s teachings themselves. Whenever the master gave lectures, I would grow impatient, secretly thinking that these principles were hollow and unable to resolve the confusion and unease in my heart.

Gradually, my resentment grew stronger. My heart was filled with injustice, and I often scoffed at the master’s instructions. In private, I would gather with a few other disgruntled disciples to discuss our grievances. We supported one another in resisting the master’s guidance. We believed the Buddha’s teachings were unfair and that our master was stuck in his ways, unwilling to accept new ideas, thereby hindering our path of practice.

The Descent into Suffering

During those days, the fluctuations of the mind intensified, and resentment and hatred spread within me. Whenever the night was deep and the temple was silent, the noise in my heart never ceased. Gradually, I felt the distance between myself and my master growing, and my connection to the Buddha’s teachings became increasingly distant.

This life continued for many years until I reached old age, and my body began to undergo strange changes. I was terrified to discover that my form was gradually deforming; my body became bloated, and my eyes lost their luster, becoming dull and vacant. Even more horrifying was that whenever I fell asleep at night, I would often make pig-like grunting sounds in my dreams. That terrifying sound seemed to be a premonition of something to come.

I began to fall into deep fear and remorse. The resentment and doubt in my heart left me unable to extricate myself. I remembered my master’s teachings and the laws of karma and cause and effect mentioned in the Buddha’s teachings. I suddenly understood that all of this was caused by my own spiritual obstacles. But it was already too late; both my body and mind had been eroded and riddled with holes by these negative emotions.

The Final Days of Delusion

In the final stages of my life, I lost the ability to function independently, and my symptoms of dementia grew increasingly severe. I was cared for by the disciples in the temple. Although they pitied me, they could not change my fate. I spent my days in a daze, my eyes vacant, speaking incoherently, living out my final days in pain and regret.

Ultimately, I passed away on a cold, dark night, leaving this world with endless regret and sorrow. My past resentment and hatred had finally pushed me to this end. Perhaps this was the karmic retribution I deserved, the evil consequences brought about by my disrespect for the Buddha’s teachings and my doubt toward my master’s guidance.

The experiences of this lifetime made me understand the profundity of the Buddha’s teachings and the Truth of the laws of karma and cause and effect. I hoped that in my next life, I could start anew, sincerely turn toward the Buddha, and practice with a pure heart, no longer swayed by the fluctuations of the mind, so that I could truly experience the Wisdom and compassion of the Buddha’s teachings. I prayed that the lessons of this lifetime would become an aid to my practice in the next, so that I would not repeat the same mistakes.

Reincarnation as a Beast

After I died, I never expected to be reincarnated as a pig. I was born on a farm, without the magnificent temple, without scriptures or Buddha statues, only a crude pigsty and the sound of daily feedings.

In the life of a pig, there is no Wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings, only endless eating and sleeping. Every day, I only knew how to fill my stomach, completely forgetting my past practice and afflictions. The farm owner would wake up early every day to feed us, and I would constantly chew and swallow, immersed in the pleasure of satisfying my physical cravings.

The life of a pig was simple and dull. Apart from eating, my world was almost a blank slate. As the days passed, I became increasingly addicted to this simple way of life, completely forgetting my years in the Buddha’s gate. Perhaps this was the karmic retribution; the resentment and hatred of my past life caused me to become an ignorant pig in this life, addicted to material desires and unable to awaken.

A Stirring of the Soul

However, fate always has its wonders. On a clear afternoon, the sound of chanting Buddha’s name drifted from the small temple on the farm. It was the voice of the owner’s grandfather, who recited the scriptures and chanted Buddha’s name every day. He was a devout believer in Buddhism and would practice in the small temple daily. In my ordinary days, I had never paid attention to this sound, but that day, it strangely stirred a hidden corner deep within my heart.

When that familiar sound drifted into my ears, I suddenly felt a strange yet familiar sensation surge into my heart. It was the sound of the Buddha’s teachings, the voice that had once guided my practice. In that instant, it was as if I had returned to my past life. I remembered that I had once been a monastic, that I had practiced in the Buddha’s gate, that I had doubted my master’s teachings, and that I had suffered the karmic retribution for it.

At this moment, the memories deep within my heart surged out like a flood, covering my simple consciousness as a pig. I suddenly realized that my current situation was the cause planted in my past life and the fruit received in this life. The feeling of remorse and repentance surged again. I could not help but weep; although my appearance was that of a pig, my heart was that of the once-lost Fayue.

The Path to Deliverance

From that day on, whenever I heard the grandfather chanting Buddha’s name, I would try my best to calm my heart and listen to that familiar rhythm. Gradually, I began to recite the Buddha-name in my heart. Although my mouth could not speak, the sincerity and repentance in my heart were real. I knew deeply that this was my only chance; only through sincere repentance could I escape this pig form and regain my true self.

Day after day, I continued to chant Buddha’s name and repent in my heart. As time passed, I felt the resentment and injustice in my heart gradually dissipate, replaced by a sense of peace and tranquility. The Wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings returned to my heart. I understood the principle of karmic retribution and realized that whether one is a human or a pig, the sincerity and compassion in one’s heart are of the utmost importance.

Finally, on a quiet night, while I was silently reciting the Buddha-name, I felt an unprecedented lightness and liberation. I knew that my repentance had finally been answered. The compassion of the Buddha’s teachings allowed me to be liberated from the form of a pig and regain my freedom.

A New Beginning with a Burden

When I opened my eyes again, I was no longer that ignorant pig, but reborn into a new life. Carrying the memories of my past life, I was determined to truly realize the Wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings in this life, to practice sincerely, to escape the suffering of the cycle of rebirth, and finally reach the state of liberation.

Reincarnated once more, I was born into an ordinary farming family, still carrying the memories of my previous lives. Although I had a new beginning, fate did not completely let me go. I was born with a withered left foot, making it difficult for me to move. However, this defect instead gave rise to a strong desire to leave the cycle of suffering.

In my childhood, I often saw my parents working hard for me, and I felt a sense of guilt. My inconvenience became a burden on my family, but because of this, I was diligent in seeking the Dharma from a young age, longing to use the Buddha’s teachings to liberate myself from the suffering of this life. I often sat under the old tree at the village entrance, quietly listening to the wind, silently reciting the Buddha-name in my heart, and feeling the peace that came from the Buddha’s teachings.

The True Essence of the Dharma

As I grew older, I sought the guidance of the Buddha’s teachings more actively and worked hard to adjust my personality. I understood that past resentment and injustice would only increase my spiritual obstacles, so I tried to be tolerant and compassionate, feeling grateful for everything around me. However, I did not realize that in my pursuit of perfection and liberation, I had become even more attached to my own body and life.

Half a lifetime passed. Although I had achieved some success in my practice, I remained trapped by my own attachments. I focused on my physical condition every day, spending a great deal of time adjusting and exercising, trying to change myself through external efforts. This attachment kept my heart from ever truly finding peace; I always felt there was a barrier between me and the path of liberation.

One day, by chance, I met an old monk. His words were like a bolt of lightning that pierced the fog in my heart. The old monk said to me: "Your whole life seems to have been spent striving for your own liberation, yet you have neglected the true essence of the Buddha’s teachings—compassion and helping others. If you could guide others with what you have learned and help them out of their predicaments, perhaps you would discover that letting go of your own attachments is the true path to liberation."

Service and Gratitude

These words deeply stirred me. I began to reflect on my past life. The old me, although diligent in practice, was always self-centered, focusing only on my own pain and liberation. This self-centered attachment had become an obstacle on my path of practice.

From that moment on, I was determined to change myself and use the knowledge of the Buddha’s teachings to help others. Whether it was a poor family in the village or an elderly person suffering from illness, I did my best to help them, passing on the compassion and Wisdom in my heart to them. Whenever I saw the smiles on their faces, I felt an unprecedented joy and satisfaction in my heart.

Such days continued for a long time. I gradually discovered that my heart was becoming more and more peaceful, and the long-standing attachments were gradually dissipating. I understood that true liberation lies not only in one’s own practice but also in helping others and passing on the Wisdom and compassion of the Buddha’s teachings to more people in need.

At the time of my passing, my heart was finally free of obstacles, and all attachments and pain vanished with the wind. I knew that the efforts of this lifetime had finally allowed me to realize the true essence of the Buddha’s teachings. Peacefully, I closed my eyes, carrying the tranquility and satisfaction of my heart, and left this world.

In that moment, I understood the true meaning of life: it is not just about one’s own liberation, but also about how to do Good in the world and help others. I am grateful for the experiences of this lifetime, which taught me how to let go and allowed me to experience true peace and liberation.

My spirit left my body again, but this time I felt quite satisfied, unlike my previous experiences. I knew that I had done my best, and I was especially grateful that I had the opportunity to change in this lifetime.

When I arrived at the Yama Hall, I felt no fear in my heart, but rather a state of peace. Yama eventually kept me there to serve, and I accepted it with joy.

In the process of serving in the Yama Hall, I learned much from the karmic matters of sentient beings. Later, I heard Practitioner Su giving lectures, which truly brought me great Awakening.

I am very grateful to have this opportunity to practice. I cherish my learning every day, and I am especially grateful for the Great Vow of Practitioner Su, which has given us all the opportunity for liberation.

Liu Hongen, on behalf of all the prison guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, bows in gratitude to the Buddha’s grace and to the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

Liu Hongen, with palms joined.