The Prison Guard's Awakening: A Journey Through Samsara

This is a record of an interview with Gu Jijun, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon her experiences across multiple lifetimes and her time serving as a prison guard in the hells. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on May 30, 2025.

Gu Jijun speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is so incredibly beautiful; I truly wish I could find the perfect words to describe it to all of you. My home here is a magnificent lotus flower, and within it, everything I could ever desire manifests instantly. Whenever I look at the things I love appearing before me, I cannot help but smile with pure, uncontainable joy.

I am filled with gratitude to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su. It is only through your immense grace and compassion that I have been able to reach this Western Land of Ultimate Bliss today. I am Gu Jijun, and now, I am also known as 'Wonderful Sound' here in the Western Land. Bearing this identity, I wish to share everything I have experienced. It is but a small, insignificant way to repay the Buddha's kindness.

A Wandering Spirit's Fear

My life in the human realm was not very long, but that brief existence led me toward the light—toward true brilliance. For this reason, I am deeply grateful that I once possessed a human body. Before I was born into that life, I was a spirit wandering aimlessly through space. Watching the myriad changes in the world, observing the rise and fall of countless lives, my heart was filled not only with a sense of reluctance but also with profound fear. I did not know where I would end up or what difficulties I would have to face, but I knew deep down that only a kind heart could possibly find a way out of such darkness.

My spirit remembers this very clearly. Before I had a physical form, I drifted through space. Sometimes I would drift into bright, luminous places, and other times I was nearly swept away by overwhelming, crushing forces. The power of that swirling darkness is something I remember vividly even now; I had to run for my life, struggling with every ounce of my being, just to escape death. At that time, my only thought was a firm belief that there was light ahead, so I moved forward without hesitation. To my surprise, I truly did see the light before me.

The Suffering of the Unseen

From that moment on, I became convinced that faith brings hope and light. Even when I witnessed scenes that shook my soul to its core—spirits of the dead darting about in panic, grieving their own deaths and the pain of separation from their families; animals that had been cruelly harmed still suffering in spirit; victims of war trapped in their own trauma—I saw so many spirits who could not find a way out of their suffering. Beyond these, there were countless other creatures trapped in the cycle of rebirth, unable to stop. Watching them, I sincerely hoped that one day they would find an exit for their spirits.

One day, I was struck by a massive impact in space. The force was so great that it left me dizzy and disoriented. I tried to struggle and regain my clarity, but I was enveloped by a force from which I could not escape. When I finally had the chance to break free, I had forgotten all my past experiences. I was born into the world; I had reincarnated as a human.

The Burden of Human Emotion

The past seemed sealed away at that moment, yet even so, my subconscious retained those memories. The fear of coming into this world made me cry constantly as an infant. I wanted to escape—to flee to a place that felt safe—because this world was filled with such profound pain. Often, humans cannot perceive the true nature of this suffering; most of what they feel is the fleeting happiness and joy brought by worldly reality. They fall into these sensations and become completely immersed, sacrificing everything to pursue them.

These were the memories of my soul. Although they were covered by my physical body, I vaguely remembered wanting to escape this world from which there is no true exit. So, as I grew older, I remained indifferent to everyone and everything, afraid to invest too much emotion. Yet, I knew in my heart that having this body, being human, meant having emotions. Romantic love, familial love, all kinds of attachments—these are great shackles for humanity. I seemed to know this instinctively and wanted to avoid it, so I kept dodging, refusing to touch these feelings. But later, I realised that humans connect because of these emotions, and it is through these connections that we communicate. Rather than trying to avoid them, it is better to transform these connections into a way to help this world and help humanity.

A Smile Amidst the Pain

Once I realised this, I believed that the greatest asset of having this body was kindness. A kind heart can influence others through various relationships, leading humanity toward a better path. After coming to this understanding, my spirit began to relax, and I started to interact with everyone in a relaxed and sincere way. The greatest way I found to connect was through 'smiling.' I began to smile—a bright, radiant smile that carried warmth. This warmth was something everyone who saw me could feel. Gradually, many people enjoyed being around me, and many were influenced by my attitude. Although this world has both good and bad, since I had already arrived here, I decided to bring the good to everyone, hoping to fill their hearts with sunshine and hope. These were the aspirations I held in my heart, hoping one day they would be realised.

When I grew into a fifteen-year-old girl, my face was always full of smiles. But not long after, I discovered my energy was failing. Sometimes, unexplained bruises would appear on my body. My parents were very worried and took me to the hospital for examinations. After a series of tests, the doctor solemnly informed my parents that I was in the terminal stage of bone cancer. There was no chance for treatment; we could only cherish the time I had left.

Facing the End with Grace

My parents struggled for a long time, afraid to let me know, hoping I could continue to be a happy child. But eventually, I found out. The various signs from my body told me it could no longer bear the burden. I secretly looked at my medicine bags and discovered the truth, but to spare my parents from grief, I continued to pretend I didn't know. It was only later, when I had to shave my head for treatment, that my parents finally told me the truth.

Knowing the truth, I appeared very strong and even said many comforting words to my parents. I knew that life would eventually come to an end, and even at the end, I hoped to leave something behind for those around me. So, I faced every day with a positive and proactive attitude. Even when my whole body was in pain—pain so intense it left me expressionless—I still told my parents, 'I am fine.'

In the last few months of my life, I visited various institutions and hospitals, demonstrating a positive attitude to help those who were ill find peace of mind. I wanted everyone to know that even if life truly ends, it is not the finish line, but another beginning. When my body was frail and dying, my heart was very calm, waiting for the day of death to arrive. When that day came, my consciousness blurred, and I fell asleep. I saw butterflies fluttering about, carrying the hope of life as they danced. At that moment, I stopped breathing. My soul followed the butterflies, and I became a butterfly myself. From caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly, I experienced various difficulties and breakthroughs in life, but I never once complained.

Deliverance from the Hells

After cycling through this process several times, I arrived before King Yama. He showed me the various forms my spirit had taken through the cycle of rebirth. The past, the present, and the future—all these manifestations made me understand the suffering of life even more clearly. I could not help but burst into tears, repenting before the beings I had harmed through the karma I created in the past, hoping that one day they too could be free from suffering. King Yama saw my sincerity and my kindness, and he allowed me to serve as a prison guard.

The suffering of the beings in the hells caused me such heartache. I tried to counsel them, but I could not change their state. It was not until the voice of Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks finally reached the hells that I found hope. Every word brought me hope and made me realise that I must seek rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. My heart was filled with gratitude and longing, and I constantly held the Buddha-name in my mind. Now that I have finally received the opportunity to leave, I am deeply grateful.

The suffering of the cycle of rebirth is too intense; one cannot remain clear-headed within it. I sincerely hope that more beings can have the opportunity to leave suffering behind and gain happiness by learning about Namo Amituofo. Gratitude to the Buddha, gratitude to Practitioner Su.

Gu Jijun, with palms joined."