The Prison Guard’s Journey: Chou Yun-tang’s Path to Deliverance

This is a record of an interview with Chou Yun-tang, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Having served as a prison guard in the underworld, he now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life, his karmic retribution, and his ultimate liberation through the compassion of Practitioner Su. This interview was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on October 1, 2021.

Chou Yun-tang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Everything is shimmering with brilliant, colourful light, as if I am living in a beautiful dream. I never imagined that it could all be real. I have arrived in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. With a single, powerful gesture from Practitioner Su, sixty of us prison guards were brought here to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It happened in the blink of an eye. I look around at the golden light radiating everywhere, and I cannot help but smile with pure joy. I am so grateful for the help of Practitioner Su, which allowed us to finally escape the cycle of being reincarnated in the human world."

A Childhood Forged in Conflict

"My name is Chou Yun-tang. I was a rough, sturdy man. My father was a blacksmith, and my mother managed everything within our home. My father had a terrible temper. Sometimes, he would drink heavily while working at the forge, becoming completely intoxicated. Many times, my mother, fearing he would have an accident, would gently counsel him to stop, but my father would fly into a rage, roaring at her to mind her own business. He would even threaten her with white-hot iron tools, ordering her to get out of the house. In those moments, I would rush in front of my mother to protect her, and she would hold me and weep bitterly. That is the most vivid memory of my childhood.

Our home was always filled with such chaotic noise. I actually had a younger sister, but she could not bear the environment. When she was eleven, she quietly left home and never returned. It was a devastating blow to our family, but my father did not care at all. To him, everyone in the house seemed like an enemy.

As a child, I often had the thought of running away, but when I saw my mother’s plight, I decided I had to stay to protect her."

The Path of the Protector

"My father was the primary source of income; without him, our family could not survive. To become independent, I began searching for a way to make a living. I walked the streets back and forth, again and again, looking for work. Just as I was about to give up, I saw a group of men from a security escort agency delivering important goods to a shop. They were all so sturdy and majestic. I thought to myself, 'If I were like them, I could protect my mother.' So, after they finished their task, I gathered my courage and stepped forward. 'Please, may I join you?' I asked. These strong men looked me up and down, then laughed. 'You are so young, why do you want to join us? Is there a special reason?' I replied, 'I want to become strong like you so that I can protect my mother in the future.' They told me that although I was small, my ambition was great, and they were willing to help me.

From that day on, I went to their designated training ground every day to build my strength. Every drop of sweat felt incredibly worthwhile because I was becoming stronger with each passing day. When my mother asked where I went every day, I did not answer, as I did not want her to worry."

A Test of Courage

"Three years later, I had built a strong physique, making me look five years older than I actually was. The escort agency allowed me to join them on missions. Some were long, and some were short. On my third mission, we encountered bandits. They had long been targeting our shipment of rare silk, which could fetch a high price. When we reached a blind spot on a mountain road, the bandits surrounded us, demanding we hand over the goods or face death. Aside from me, the other guards were very experienced. They told me to guard the goods while they drew their long blades to fight. They showed no fear, for they knew that if they showed fear, their momentum would be lost. No matter what, one must never reveal fear.

The sounds of battle erupted before my eyes. I saw several of our guards get injured, and our momentum began to wane. I set down the silk, climbed up the hillside, and put on a red robe I had prepared in advance. I stood on the slope and shouted, 'Bold thieves! Come here! The authorities are here to make arrests!' Hearing this, the bandits glanced at me and shouted, 'The government soldiers are here! Retreat!' They quickly fled into the mountains. The guards looked up, saw me standing there, and burst into laughter. I climbed down immediately to tend to the injured. They looked at me with gratitude and asked, 'How did you think of doing that?' I told them, 'I had prepared for this in case of an emergency; I borrowed this official uniform from a retired relative.' The guards admired my resourcefulness, and from then on, they brought me along on almost every mission. My life became stable, and I earned enough money to bring home."

The Burden of Compassion

"Once, before the New Year, I used my earnings to buy two chickens to bring home for the holiday. As soon as I stepped through the door, I heard my mother crying. I rushed in to see my father, drunk and beating her. I was furious. I shoved my father away and glared at him with eyes full of rage. He was incensed by my actions and cursed me as an unfilial son. In that moment, I felt both angry and conflicted. I pulled my mother and tried to leave, but she pulled her hand away; she had no intention of leaving. I asked her, 'Why won't you leave?' She said, 'If I leave, I don't know where to go. At least now, we still have a home.' For the first time, I shed tears as a man. I felt my mother was truly foolish, but since I could not stop her, I visited her often. She told me not to interfere between her and my father and to simply be a good, upright person. When she said this, I felt a deep sense of sorrow. I often bought fish and meat to honour my mother, but she would tell me to share them with the neighbours, especially Auntie Wang next door, a widow raising two children who struggled greatly. I followed her wishes, caring for the neighbours and the children in the village. Having seen my parents' relationship, I had no intention of marrying."

A Life of Service

"One night, a thief broke into our house. I was alert and sensed the movement immediately. I lay in bed, remaining still until the thief was about to leave, at which point I subdued him with a powerful strike. The noise was loud enough that my mother came out to see. The thief was masked and knelt, begging for mercy. He was willing to return everything. As I prepared to take him to the authorities, he begged me repeatedly, saying he had an elderly mother to care for and asking me to forgive him. My mother saw that he was just a young man and asked me to let him go and explain why he had stolen. He said his mother had been ill for a long time, their herbal medicine had run out, and she needed nourishment. With no money to pay for her treatment, he had resorted to theft. It was his first time.

I was a careful person and did not listen to one-sided stories. At dawn, I asked him to take me to see his mother. We walked several miles to a dilapidated shack, and before we even entered, I smelled something foul. Inside, an old woman with dishevelled hair lay on a wooden board, calling out, 'Zhenhong, Zhenhong.' My heart ached. After returning home, I gave the boy some of my savings, took him under my wing, taught him martial arts, and helped him get a job at the escort agency. Six months later, Zhenhong's mother passed away. After helping him with a simple funeral, I let him move into my home so he would not feel alone. My mother treated him like her own child.

Zhenhong told me there were many others in the village in his situation. He led me from door to door to offer care and food. We agreed that I would train him to be a guard, and all the money we earned would be used to help those in need. He nodded, his heart filled with gratitude toward me and my mother."

The Final Journey

"Decades passed. My parents passed away one after another, and Zhenhong became my only family in this world. When I was about sixty, my legs became somewhat inconvenient, and he took care of me. I watched him become a sturdy guard just like me, and I was very happy for him. Compared to the first time I met him—when he was stealing—he looked much more radiant now. As my strength faded, I was very grateful for his care. I asked him what his plans were for the future, and he told me, 'I haven't thought much about it; I will let everything take its natural course.' I was pleased, knowing Zhenhong did not have too many burdens in his heart. Having seen the joys and sorrows of the world, I advised him to keep life simple, and he nodded. He told me he would live a good life and do his best to help others. I nodded in comfort.

I asked Zhenhong to throw my body into the sea after I passed away. I told him I did not need a tombstone, because after he also left this world, no one would know who I was, so there was no need to leave a grave that no one would visit. Although he did not like hearing me talk about these things, he promised. On a cold winter night at the age of sixty-two, I left this human world with my feet feeling cold."

Deliverance from the Underworld

"When I entered the underworld, everything was pitch black. Before long, I arrived at the Hall of the Yama King. The King let me see the merits and demerits of my life, as well as the karmic causes and effects from the past. He told me that because I was filial and willing to help others in this lifetime, my fate—which was originally to be reincarnated as a dog—had been changed. Finally, my inability to walk was the retribution for having pushed someone into the water in a past life, causing them to become disabled. I was truly convinced by what the Yama King said, and I felt deep repentance in my heart. Once the heart of repentance arose, the King said I still had some remaining blessings and could serve as a prison guard, and he ordered me to take up the post immediately.

I put on the uniform of a prison guard and served with all my might. I was tasked with escorting beings from the hells to the execution grounds. In truth, my heart was always heavy, but I had to carry out my duties. It was not until I arrived at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre that I saw a field of light. Practitioner Su's lectures and the Chao Du ceremonies filled me with admiration. I am grateful to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su for their compassion in giving us prison guards the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. All my gratitude is beyond words."

Namo Amituofo.