The Jailer's Path to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Cheng Baihao, a former jailer who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his journey of kindness. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on March 13, 2021.

Cheng Baihao speaks:

"Let's go! Everyone, let's go!" My face is beaming with such joy that my cheeks are puffed up, and my teeth are shining bright. I have been wearing this smile for weeks now, and the closer we get to this very day, the more radiant and brilliant my smile becomes. Today, I represent the sixty jailers who are kneeling here in gratitude to the Buddha’s compassion and to the compassion of Practitioner Su. Without the guidance of Practitioner Su, we sixty jailers would never have had this magnificent and rare opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!

A Life of Kindness and a Limp

"People on the street often shout, 'Hey, Limping Hao! Come over here! Hurry up!' Yes, that 'Limping Hao' is me. My legs were perfectly fine once. When I was seven years old, during the summer, I snuck off to the creek to play without my parents' permission. I loved stepping into the water and watching the fish swim past my feet. I couldn't help but reach out to catch them, and a few times, I actually succeeded! I would jump and shout with joy! But I didn't have the heart to hurt them, so I always put them back. I spent hours playing in the water, catching fish. Even though the sun was beating down on me, tanning my skin until it was dark and glowing, and sweat was dripping down my forehead, I was having the time of my life. I never grew tired of it.

"Just as I was having the most fun, I suddenly heard someone crying for help. I thought I had misheard because the voice was so faint. I didn't move immediately, but I became alert, trying to confirm if someone was truly in distress. As I bent down to catch another fish, the sound came again! This time, I was certain someone was calling for help. I leapt out of the creek and ran as fast as I could. I didn't care how hot the stones were under my feet; I knew someone had fallen into the water and was in danger. I have always been sensitive to the direction of sounds, and I estimated the cry came from about a hundred metres away. I sprinted downstream and, sure enough, I saw a small figure struggling in the turbulent current. I rushed to the bank, grabbed a sturdy stick, and shouted, 'Quick, grab the stick!' The boy who had fallen in was about my age. He followed my instructions and gripped the stick tightly, but the current was too strong. I lost my footing and was pulled in as well. I quickly hooked my left foot into a crevice between two large rocks, wedging it firmly so that no matter how strong the water was, I wouldn't be swept away. I told the boy to hold onto me and slowly climb up. He was quite heavy, and I felt like I was about to collapse, but I held on with all my might. Once he climbed to safety, I tried to move my body, but I realised my left foot, which was wedged in the rocks, wouldn't budge. My intuition told me the bone had snapped! I told the boy to run and find help because I couldn't get out on my own. He ran off, and I stayed there, being battered by the water until the rescuers arrived. Several adults carefully pulled my foot free. The skin was torn and bleeding, and they were terrified of moving it further. They placed me on a makeshift stretcher and carried me back to the village. When I lay on the doctor's table, the pain in my left foot made me weep uncontrollably, but I bit my lips and tried to endure it. Soon, I heard my father rushing in, anxiously asking the nurse, 'Where is my son? How is he?' I called out, 'Father, I am here.' He ran to the curtain, pulled it back, and demanded, 'What happened to you? How did you let yourself fall like this?' I didn't say a word because I knew he was terrified. Only after he finished scolding me did I smile and say, 'It's fine! It doesn't hurt! It will be better soon!' The doctor looked at my father with a troubled expression and said, 'His leg is broken; I fear that for the rest of his life...' My father was stunned, and I was shocked too. I never imagined it would be so serious. From that day on, I walked with a limp. Even after the doctor set the bone, I couldn't walk normally, but I told myself, 'It was worth it! At least I saved a life.'"

The Boy and the Bond

"The boy I saved was the only son of a wealthy family in the next village. They were so grateful that they brought a large red envelope to help me recover and sent many gifts to our home. My father, who was always an honest man, kept saying, 'Oh, you really don't have to do this!' The boy's parents were very polite and kept telling my father, 'This is the least we can do. We will cover all the medical expenses. If he needs anything in the future, just let us know, and we will send money immediately. Please don't be modest; this child is our son's saviour, and we must repay him.' Just then, a figure stepped out from the corner—it was the boy. His mother said to him, 'En-dian, come over and thank your saviour!' So, his name was En-dian. He walked over and politely thanked me, and I responded in kind. From that day on, En-dian and I became the best of friends. While I was recovering and couldn't walk, he came to my house every day to look after me, and I was deeply grateful. A few months later, my leg slowly improved. Although I still needed a crutch, I couldn't resist going out to wander around. Losing a leg in exchange for a 'God of Wealth'—perhaps that was just fate's arrangement! En-dian’s parents instructed him that wherever we went, he was to buy me food, and whatever I needed, he was to pay for it. I felt embarrassed, but after refusing several times to no avail, I happily accepted! Ever since I broke my leg, I had plenty to eat wherever I went. I grew fatter and fatter until I was about the same size as En-dian. We looked like twins, and the adults found it hilarious!

Small Acts of Charity

"I was well-liked in the village. Everyone, from the adults to the children, knew me. I was as familiar in their homes as I was in my own kitchen. Whenever my father came looking for me, he only had to ask the third person he met to find out exactly where I was. My father usually wanted me to help with the farming. We had a large plot of land and grew a great deal of vegetables and fruit every year. The harvests were always good, which earned us a decent income. My father had been worried that after my injury, I wouldn't be able to help with the farm work, but to his surprise, I could still do everything—I was just a little slower, which didn't matter at all.

"Every day, besides helping with the farming and harvesting, I helped transport the vegetables to the restaurants and inns in town. These businesses had been working with us for a long time and were used to our produce, so I made the deliveries daily. The shopkeepers were very kind to me; every time I delivered the vegetables, they would give me a small tip. I loved using that money to share with the children I met on the road. You could tell the state of a family by the clothes their children wore, so I specifically looked for the children from poor families and used my money to buy them food. I never spent the tips on myself; I gave it all to those children who were struggling to survive.

"I wasn't the only child in the family; I had three older sisters. My third sister was four years older than me, and we had the most to talk about. My sisters were very caring, but they had different ideas from mine. For instance, when they found out I was giving my money to the children on the street, they scolded me, saying I was wasting money and didn't understand how hard it was to earn. I knew my sisters were very frugal, but to our family, those tips were extra money, and I felt that helping others was a good thing. I couldn't win the argument, and eventually, my sisters confiscated all the tips I received from my deliveries. I felt it was a pity, but I was helpless.

"I didn't give up on helping others because of that. Every time I delivered vegetables, the shopkeepers would set aside the 'ugly' ones. Even though they were a bit misshapen, they were perfectly edible, so I would give those vegetables to the impoverished households. Every time they received them, they showed such gratitude that I knew they truly needed them. They often couldn't afford to buy vegetables, and their children were thin and malnourished. I didn't tell my sisters about this; if they had known, they probably would have confiscated those vegetables too.

A Journey to the City

"My good friend En-dian had travelled to many places with his parents since he was young, unlike me, who had only ever stayed in this village. When I was fifteen, En-dian told me, 'The day after tomorrow, my parents are taking me to the city. Do you want to come?' I was very interested because I had never been to the city. It was a long way from our village, and unless there was something very important, no one would go there. I begged my father for a long time before he finally agreed to let me go with En-dian. I was so happy that I ran to tell En-dian the good news immediately.

"The next morning, En-dian and I set off. While passing through a deep mountain, I nearly fell to the bottom because of the pain in my left leg, but a mysterious force pushed me back up, and I didn't fall. En-dian told me, 'This is because you always do good deeds, so the benevolent spirits naturally protect you.' I found it inconceivable, and it deepened my conviction to help others. For as long as I live, I must do my best to help as many people as I can."

"Upon arriving in the city, the streets were teeming with people. It was my first time witnessing such a bustling, lively scene. Endian warned me, 'The city is far more chaotic than our village, so you must be careful.' I replied, 'Do not worry, I will stay right by your side.' As we walked, I kept looking around in wonder. Endian asked, 'What are you looking at?' I told her, 'This is my first time in the city. I am not here for leisure; I want to see clearly how the people here differ from those in our village.' She asked, 'Have you figured it out?' I answered, 'Although the people here live more comfortably, they all seem to live like zombies. Look at their faces—it is as if each of them is trapped within their own isolated world.'"

The Illusion of Wealth and the Reality of the Heart

"Endian took me to stay at an inn. She said, 'This inn is owned by my parents' close friends, so we can stay here for free.' It was an incredibly luxurious establishment. Most who stayed there were high-ranking officials or wealthy merchants; a child from a village like mine would never have the chance to step foot in such a place in a lifetime. I watched these wealthy guests. Each of them wore magnificent, ornate clothing—garments specially tailored for their upper-class status. However, I did not focus on their outward appearance; I looked at the heart within. I have the ability to read the human heart. Even if I am a complete stranger to someone, I can quickly sense their true nature. The hearts of these high officials were not good. They appeared to be close friends engaged in polite conversation, but in the shadows, they were suspicious of one another, constantly calculating and scheming. I could understand why they had become this way; it was entirely the result of their environment."

The Plague and the True Face of Humanity

"On the fifth day of our stay, a plague began to spread throughout the city. It moved with such terrifying speed that it claimed a vast number of lives in a very short time. The entire city was placed under quarantine, forbidding anyone from entering or leaving. I had originally planned to return home in three days, but it was clear that I would not be able to leave for quite some time. Because of the outbreak, many physicians were summoned to the city to treat the patients, but many of these doctors themselves became infected and perished before they could finish treating the sick. No one dared to care for them. At that moment, I witnessed the most authentic side of human nature. I saw a son refuse to acknowledge his own mother because she had fallen ill, even going so far as to relentlessly pester her about her property. Seeing such cold-hearted reality truly chilled me to the bone.

I stepped forward to help. Although I had no medical training, I could assist with other tasks. A doctor asked me to be his assistant; his previous personal assistant had fled in terror of the infection. I agreed to help this doctor and began following him every day. Though I was unaccustomed to it at first, I gradually learned to react instantly to his every glance or gesture, which earned his deep admiration."

A Life Cut Short by Compassion

"When Endian saw me working beside the patients, she asked, 'Are you not afraid of catching the plague? Once you are infected, death is almost certain.' I told her, 'Everyone is too afraid of infection to reach out and help. I cannot bear to stand by. I once told myself that for as long as I live, I must do my best to help as many people as I can. Now that these people are in desperate need, how could I refrain from helping them simply because I am greedy for life and afraid of death?' Endian was deeply moved by my kindness, and I simply told her, 'This is what I must do.'

Three months into my service during the plague, I, too, became infected. I told Endian, 'Please, I beg you to write a letter to my father. Let him know what happened to me. I will not be able to continue being a filial son to serve him; please ask Father to forgive me.' Endian thought I was foolish, but I still felt it was worth it. My illness lasted less than a month before it claimed my life. In this lifetime, I lived only fifteen years."

From the Hells to the Western Pure Land

"My spirit was brought before King Yama by the hell officers to report. King Yama’s stern expression was somewhat frightening, yet he praised my kindness and appointed me to the position of a prison guard. I was astonished; I had expected to be there to receive punishment, but I never imagined I would be given a job. I immediately knelt to thank King Yama.

In the hells, there is only darkness, never light. No one would ever want to come to such a place, yet every day, immeasurable and boundless spirits enter to suffer their retribution. I felt a deep sense of sorrow and regret. If only everyone knew the importance of performing Goodness, such things would not happen. When I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks, I was so happy I could have jumped for joy. It was the first time I heard a Dharma that was perfectly in sync with my own heart. The principles I had insisted upon were exactly the same as those taught by Practitioner Su. So, this is what is meant by 'give rise to all roots of goodness and achieve the fruit of Bodhi.' I began listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks every day, and I shared the content with the prisoners, especially the younger ones.

I am deeply honoured to have been included in the ranks led by Practitioner Su to the Western Pure Land. I have been laughing with joy ever since, and I carry a smile every day. Now, I am already in the Western Pure Land. It is truly of supreme dignity—a world of no suffering and ultimate bliss.

Gratitude to the compassion of the Buddha.

Gratitude to the compassion of Practitioner Su.

This interview message was recorded by the chief writer, disciple Shi Fajing."