The Price of Greed: A Life Reborn from the Cattle Realm

This interview documents the spiritual testimony of Johnny, a former Australian cattle rancher who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Having been liberated from the cycle of rebirth as a bovine, he now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account was recorded by the disciple Haipin on November 24, 2020, to serve as a warning and a testament to the laws of karma and cause and effect.

Johnny speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Johnny. I was a simple man from Australia. My personality was straightforward; when a friend or my wife gave me a task, I would simply get it done without overthinking or creating unnecessary complications. I always believed that keeping things simple was the best way to avoid trouble, to keep life moving forward without the clutter of excessive worry or the tangled mess of social drama. I preferred the quiet, predictable rhythm of the land over the complexities of human interaction.

Birds of a Feather

Because of this nature, the friends I made were much like me—birds of a feather flock together, as they say. My cattle ranch was the centre of my life and my primary source of income. Cattle are incredibly spiritual animals, especially when you look into their eyes; there is a depth there that most people choose to ignore. I spent my days surrounded by them, and for a long time, I felt a strange, unspoken connection to the herd.

Tina was a calf I bought when she was just born, and she became my daughter's absolute favourite. Every morning, the sight of them together was the highlight of my day. Whenever Tina would gaze at my daughter with those big, watery, soulful eyes, my daughter would offer her fresh, tender grass, waiting patiently by her side to ensure Tina could eat her fill in peace. After their meals, running and playing in the fields together became their shared joy. Whenever Tina would race across the meadow, the older cows would let out low 'moo-moo' sounds, as if they were parents warning their child to be careful not to trip. My wife and I were quite permissive, happy to let our daughter embrace the wonders of nature during her childhood. I thought I was giving her a perfect life, but I was blind to the reality of what I was building.

The Cost of Quality

Time flew by. Because Tina was so pampered, she grew exceptionally well, her coat becoming increasingly lustrous. She had a beautiful yellow hide—the kind of high-quality leather that is highly sought after in the luxury market. My entire ranch was dedicated to beef cattle, supplying high-end restaurants. To ensure the highest quality, I spent double the time caring for these animals. Beyond keeping their skin clean and free from pests, I was meticulous about their diet, ensuring they received every necessary vitamin and nutrient. I wanted the best, and I was willing to do whatever it took to get it.

I always managed my business with an eye for detail, both inside and out. I provided premium beef and high-quality leather; from head to toe, skin to internal organs, and even the bones, not a single part of the animal was wasted. I took pride in this efficiency, never realising that this very efficiency was the engine of my own destruction. I was so focused on the profit margins that I failed to see the suffering I was creating.

The Business of Slaughter

To maximise profits and control the quality of the supply chain, I began investing in slaughterhouses. I knew the slaughter process affected the quality of the meat, especially the animals' emotional state—fear creates acidity in the meat, which ruins the flavour. We tried to change the environment of the slaughterhouse, playing relaxing music to keep the cattle calm until the very end. We experimented with various methods, testing the quality afterward to find the most efficient way to control the meat's texture. It was all a cold, calculated game of science and profit.

Eventually, Tina reached the age where she was ready for the market. I knew this day would come, but when I told my daughter, she was devastated. She could not accept that her beloved Tina would be butchered and eaten. She cried and screamed, but I did not change my plans. Tina was eating more as she aged, and she was no longer as agile as she once was. I calculated that if I didn't process her soon, the meat would become too tough to sell. That night, I loaded Tina onto the slaughter truck along with the others and urged the driver to leave immediately, silencing my daughter's pleas with the cold logic of business.

A Silent Protest

The next morning, before dawn, my daughter rushed into the barn to find it empty. She knew something was wrong. She searched everywhere until she found me in the stables. 'Where is Tina? Why is she gone?' she demanded, her voice bordering on hysteria. I believed this was just a phase and that she would eventually return to normal and forget about Tina. I was so wrong.

But childhood memories are deep. For a week, my daughter didn't say a word, using silence as her protest. During that week, I noticed that when she slept, she made snoring sounds exactly like Tina’s. I felt a flicker of anxiety, but I told myself it was just a passing phase. A year passed, but my daughter’s mental and physical health deteriorated. She slept all day and wandered at night. The snoring persisted, and now, she would even make distinct 'moo' sounds in her sleep. My wife and I were terrified, watching our daughter fade away, her spirit seemingly replaced by the very animal I had sent to the slaughter.

The Weight of Retribution

My ranch grew, housing thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses. My beef was the finest in the country, the top choice for high-end restaurants. I was proud of my success, but my daughter’s health continued to decline. Her skin began to ulcerate, causing her unbearable pain. At the age of nine, she could no longer endure the strange illness and passed away. I had traded my daughter's life for profit, though I did not understand it then.

When I was forty-five, my legs began to feel heavy. Doctors couldn't find a cause, so I ignored it, blaming years of overwork and accumulated muscle fatigue. On my fiftieth birthday, my wife prepared a celebration, but I insisted on inspecting the slaughterhouse first. I liked to work alone. When I arrived, I heard a machine alarm and rushed inside. I followed the foreman toward the sound. It was the meat-cutting area, and I was anxious about potential injuries to the staff. I saw that a large piece of bone-in beef had jammed the cutter due to an operator error. I circled the machine, and as if possessed, I reached my left hand in to pull the meat out while my right hand instinctively pressed the start button. I had live-cut off my own left hand. I collapsed in agony and woke up in a hospital bed.

The Final Breath

I was devastated and couldn't accept the reality. Lying in that bed, I replayed the entire scene. My thoughts drifted further back: I saw Tina standing before me, tears streaming down her face; I saw my daughter’s tragic suffering; I saw the animals I had raised—decapitated, dismembered, skinned—a bloody, terrifying montage that filled me with dread. Despite my wealth, I was consumed by panic. From that day on, I never left the hospital. Every night, Tina appeared by my bed, weeping. No matter how I tried to wave her away, she remained there until I breathed my last. When I looked down, I realised my spirit had entered the body of a cow. I had become, in every sense, a cow.

A Chance for Deliverance

For over a hundred years, I died and was reborn, again and again, unable to escape the body of a cow. This time, I was sold to Goombungee. I was incredibly fortunate to be near the temple, where the intense golden light allowed me to shed the cow’s body and regain my human form. I am so lucky to be here, to have the chance to listen to the Dharma on this Western Dharma-Nature Land and understand the true meaning of being human. I repent for the karma of killing I committed, which harmed others and myself. I urge everyone to adopt a vegetarian diet; do not harm lives for your own benefit. The laws of karma and cause and effect are inescapable.

I am so grateful to Namo Amituofo! I am grateful to Practitioner Su! If I can regain a human body, I hope to dedicate my life to promoting the Buddha’s teachings and saving the people of Australia."

Namo Amituofo.