The Price of Saving Lives

This is a record of an interview with Changbawa, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his experiences across multiple lifetimes, including his time as a prison guard in the hells. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on April 18, 2025.

Changbawa speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Today, I am filled with an indescribable sense of gratitude to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is only through the grace of the Buddha and Practitioner Su that I have been granted this precious opportunity to truly escape the cycle of rebirth and find eternal peace.

The process of regaining clarity while wandering through the cycle of rebirth was absolutely shocking to me. I witnessed so many beings suffering in such wretched states, and some were so lost that they did not even have the Causal Conditions to know they needed to wake up. Seeing this caused me deep, aching pain in my heart. I constantly tried to help those beings find clarity, so when I saw Practitioner Su helping beings at every single moment, I was profoundly moved. I am Changbawa, and now that I have finally arrived in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, every magnificent scene here fills me with pure joy."

The Agony of Samsara

"I once existed as a cold, unfeeling stone, trapped in the deep trenches of the ocean floor. The immense pressure of the earth's layers squeezed me, forcing me from the icy depths of the sea up to the surface, where I became a rock exposed to the harsh elements. The temperature difference between day and night was brutal—I was either freezing or burning. Under such extreme conditions, I struggled for a long time, but eventually, I gave up. I simply held onto a tiny, flickering hope that one day, things might change.

I waited and waited, until one day, the rock I inhabited could no longer withstand the thermal stress and shattered. The spirits within the rock scattered in all directions. I do not know where the others went, but I dissolved into the air, blending into the mist. As the currents carried me, I drifted everywhere. During this journey, I could clearly see that within many different physical forms, a spirit was attached. Each spirit was trapped within its body, appearing dull and listless, completely unaware of what it was doing. The external body would eat, drink, sleep, and fight, and depending on the personality of the spirit within, the external form would manifest those traits.

It was as if the body's actions were something the spirit was only half-aware of. It all felt like a dream. Before my eyes, I saw two wild boars—they were karmic creditors from a past life, now facing each other again in the form of boars. The moment they saw one another, they were filled with hatred. They glared and charged, fighting over food. I saw that these two had been fighting like this for not just one lifetime, but for many lives. Their hatred was so deep that even when they met again, they could not resolve it; they could only continue to hurt one another.

This was not the only instance. I saw an ant that gave everything for its queen. In a past life, it had also given everything for that same woman, only to end up with nothing. This entanglement of love and desire persisted even after many cycles of rebirth."

A Life of Sacrifice

"As I contemplated these Causal Conditions, I drifted through space, looking around, when I suddenly felt a deep connection to a particular landscape. Once I calmed my mind, I realised this was my former home. The profound love I once had for that land was still etched into my soul's memory. Watching the way people, events, and scenery were all intertwined, I was struck by a deep question: 'Is there any possibility of escaping all of this?' I longed to find the answer.

I desperately wanted to express what I knew and what I had seen, to let everyone else know, but I was never given the chance. My soul underwent a massive transformation. One day, I passed by a volcano. It erupted before my eyes, and the searing heat made me want to flee, but a powerful current pushed me directly toward it. I was trapped in the inescapable heat, wailing in agony. Following the sound of my own cries, I was pulled into a vortex, a suction force dragging me deeper and deeper. After spending an unknown amount of time in that space, a great force squeezed me out. To my surprise, without knowing how it happened, I had gained a human body.

I was born in a desolate, wild place as a child of a rare tribe. At birth, a black mark was tattooed onto my face. As I grew up, I learned that this mark represented our tribal heritage, allowing us to blend into the grasslands so we would not be easily discovered. We lived a primitive life, which taught me how to find food in the wilderness to survive. Half of my soul still retained memories from before, so everything I saw was incredibly clear.

When I reached the age of nine, a bloody scene of slaughter suddenly appeared before my eyes. I knew I was seeing something that would happen in the future: a group of white men would lead their team to massacre my people and occupy our land. I knew this slaughter was unavoidable, but I hoped to minimise the damage as much as possible. As the massacre drew closer, I could clearly smell the heavy scent of blood in the air.

Unexpectedly, a vision showed me where the white men were currently camping. Although I did not know where that place was, to prevent this bloody battle from escalating, I decided to infiltrate their camp and stop it all. Relying on my intuition, I walked for five days and nights. Finally, I arrived at the scene I had seen in my vision. After observing the surroundings, I snuck in and found the leader. To prevent the slaughter, I had to harden my heart. I drove a blade into the leader's chest, killing him with a single, decisive strike. After the deed was done, I fled quickly.

By doing this, I threw the white men into disarray. Without their leader, and fearing further assassinations, they dared not do anything and retreated. In this way, the life of one leader was traded for the prevention of a massive massacre. I knew that by killing that man, I would have to pay a price, but I felt no fear. I was simply ready to face the consequences."

The Weight of Karmic Retribution

"Once, during a fight between our tribe and another, I was struck directly in the chest by a spear. I did not struggle, for I knew this was what I had to endure. After I died, I reported to the Yama King in the underworld and confessed that I had killed a man. The records in the book of karma were clear, including the laws of karma and cause and effect—that I had acted to protect more lives. However, the fact remained that I had harmed a person, so the Yama King sentenced me to the Sword Hell to pay for my actions. The pain of being pierced over and over again forced me to reflect and repent.

After serving my sentence, I was notified to serve as a prison guard. While serving, I did my utmost, but it was heart-wrenching to see the suffering of every being in hell caused by their own karma. I deeply wished that every being could wake up after paying their dues. But seeing spirits who had finished their punishment return to suffer again for similar deeds caused me great pain. I truly wished to help them understand the importance of repenting.

I always held a desire to help the beings in hell. Not long after, I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks. Practitioner Su's teachings were all about guiding beings to change and to find a way out. While listening to the Dharma, I came to know the great Namo Amituofo, and my heart was filled with gratitude. I am so thankful to Practitioner Su for introducing me to the Buddha and for letting me know about the Western Pure Land. I longed for the day when I, too, could be liberated.

Today, I have finally waited for the guidance of Practitioner Su, allowing me to reach the Buddha's land—the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am so grateful. In the Western Pure Land, I have felt the compassion of the Buddha, and I hope to follow the Buddha faithfully. My heart is full of gratitude.

Changbawa, with palms pressed together."

Namo Amituofo.