The Prison Guard's Journey to Liberation

Ou Zhengqi speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The vibrant, multi-coloured lotus flowers of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss have me completely mesmerised. I cannot bear to even blink, for fear of missing a single moment of this beauty. The petals of the lotus flowers in the precious pond are so clear and translucent, radiating a brilliant golden light that fills my heart with immense Dharma joy. I am deeply grateful for this magnificent opportunity to have been reborn here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss alongside fifty-nine other prison guards. I hope that you will not mind listening to the story of my rather ordinary life."

A Life Among the Petals

"In my previous existence, I was a flower spirit. Do not assume that all flower spirits are female; flowers possess both male and female stamens. Nature relies on butterflies, bees, or birds to carry pollen, and only when the female stamen receives this pollen can the flower successfully bear fruit. I served as a flower spirit for four hundred years. Within the kingdom of flowers, I was a small spirit following the Queen Flower. When she bloomed, I became a vibrant petal at her side, designed to accentuate her beauty. People would look at us with such delight, unable to resist gazing at us for a long time. Every day, we displayed our most beautiful selves. Beauty—how many women in the world pursue it so relentlessly?"

"As a flower spirit, I witnessed countless pairs of lovers coming to admire our beauty. There were pairs of birds, dogs, butterflies, and, of course, human couples. When they saw the Queen Flower, they would often look at each other and smile, as if that moment made their entire day worthwhile. The Queen Flower became a cherished memory for them. I often wondered: with so many lovers in the world, would they truly find fulfilment? This question circled in my heart constantly. I observed them, hoping to find an answer. Years passed, and the Queen Flower bloomed annually. One day, a small bird flew near us and stared at the Queen Flower for a long time. I asked her, 'Why does he keep looking at us?' The Queen Flower replied, 'Because he is heartbroken. His beloved is gone. He looks at us because he is reminiscing, hoping those sweet days will return.'"

The Inevitability of Impermanence

"I asked, 'But can he really wait for that to happen?' The Queen Flower answered, 'Of course not! No one can transcend death. Once death arrives, only sorrow and memories remain, and eventually, even those fade away. No one will remember themselves. This is the life of all things; no one can escape it.' I finally understood. She continued, 'Although we stand here every day, everything around us is constantly changing. Do not underestimate a single insect or a grain of soil; they have life just like us, and they all face birth and death. Even I cannot be certain when I will die.' I replied, 'Then I do not know when I will die either.' She nodded. After that conversation, I spoke less and spent my time observing the truth of birth and death in all things."

"Suddenly, a delicate-looking woman with a face full of sorrow appeared before us. Upon seeing the Queen Flower, she began to weep uncontrollably. She spoke to the flower through her mental notes: 'My lover and I were travelling when a car accident occurred. He let me escape, but he could not get out in time. I have lost him forever. If I had a choice, I would trade places with him; I would rather it had been me who died. Queen Flower, do you remember? Years ago, we made our vows right here. When we fell in love at first sight, I decided to walk through life with him without regret. Although he never said it, I knew from his eyes that he felt the same. Why must fate toy with us so cruelly?' She sobbed until she could not speak, and my heart ached for her. I looked at the Queen Flower, but she remained motionless. I asked, 'Are you not saddened for her?' She said, 'I have seen too much. In this world, no relationship lasts; all eventually separate. I was once like this woman, or I would not have become a flower. I have been a flower for hundreds of years, and the deep scars of emotional pain are still there. I forced myself to become numb, to feel nothing for the emotions of the world, yet I did not realise that the deep wounds in my heart still existed.' I was shocked. It was the first time I felt the vulnerability hidden deep within the confident Queen Flower. I had always respected her, but I never imagined she had such a side. I realised life has many facets I did not know, and I hoped to understand more so I could help others avoid such suffering and sorrow."

A New Life and the Search for Truth

"Years later, a sudden, violent rainstorm struck. At first, I struggled to breathe, and eventually, my petals could no longer hold on. I lost consciousness and descended into darkness. Strangely, I was not reborn as a flower again; instead, I was guided away by a beam of white light."

"I entered a mother's womb and felt a warm voice speaking to me constantly. My mother was a very gentle person. I was so eager to enter this world that I moved quite vigorously in the womb, and she knew I would be a lively child. Our hearts seemed connected. When I was born, she raised me with great strength, holding me and weeping with joy. I had a new life. Aside from my mother, I had no one—no relatives, no father. I wanted to ask why, but I feared her reaction, so I never dared to speak. My mother disliked socialising and worked three jobs from dawn until dusk just to support me. I knew how hard she worked, so I was always obedient and well-behaved."

"She worked tirelessly to ensure I could attend school. From a young age, I understood her intentions and saw her growing older year by year. I was powerless to stop it, so I did my best to fulfil her expectations. I became a top student. When she asked if I had any wishes for the future, I replied, 'I do not want my life to be just like this.' She asked, 'Then what kind of life do you want?' I could not answer."

The Path of Practice and the Prison of Thought

"When I was fifteen, my mother fell ill. I stopped my studies to care for her and worked odd jobs to cover our expenses. She grew weaker and eventually became bedridden. I stayed by her side day and night. When she finally passed away, I was devastated. I was truly alone in the world. In my deepest helplessness, I met a woman who helped me find work at a flower shop. Seeing the flowers, I felt a sense of vitality I had not known since my mother's death. A girl named Huang Mi, who had introduced me to the shop, would visit often. Months later, she confessed her love to me. I was shocked. Having seen my mother's struggles, I did not want to start a family. After I explained my reasons, she understood, and we became close friends. I told her, 'I am searching for the meaning of life.' She encouraged me, and whenever there were spiritual courses, she would sign me up to help me find the answers."

"After many courses, including one on 'Selfless Service,' Huang Mi and I went to remote areas to help the underprivileged rebuild their homes. I saw the different hardships people endure. Still unable to find the answer, I encountered the Buddha's teachings. I learned that the Dharma offers a way to transcend birth and death and that there is a Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I decided to pursue rebirth there and asked my teacher to let me become a monastic. Huang Mi was the only one at my ordination, and she was happy I had found a goal. To let me focus on my practice, she stopped visiting the temple. I read the sutras constantly, hoping to find the answer. Finally, I realised the answer was 'letting go.' Only by letting go of my past life could I be truly free from attachments, worries, and the fear of death."

The Judgment of the Hell Realms

"For years, I strove toward this goal, yet my heart remained clouded. Upon reflection, I realised I was still clinging to the past and the concepts of life my mother had instilled in me. My teacher had hinted at this, but I refused to truly let go. I felt I had failed the Buddha, so I chose to return to lay life, practising while keeping my hair, as I felt I was not capable of the responsibilities of a monastic. I spent my life trapped in my own complex thoughts and biased views. Since I could not help others, I worked to support myself and donated the rest to the temple, hoping it would help others break through delusion. Even until my death, I could not escape my own confusion. I viewed everything from a self-centred perspective. I did not understand that practice lies in the heart—in emptying oneself to be truly selfless and without a self. I became a monastic at twenty-three, returned to the secular world at twenty-eight, and died of illness at fifty. At the moment of my death, I knelt before the King of Hell. He told me that my life of suffering was due to my constant, complex thinking. Because I had failed to fulfil my duties as a monastic and held biased views, I was sentenced to suffer in the brain-gouging hell and the excrement hell."

Deliverance and Gratitude

"In fact, shortly after I returned to lay life, my spirit was already being summoned for interrogation and retribution. I was shocked that after a lifetime of seeking the Truth, I was to face hellish retribution. I felt my life had been in vain. When I thought this, the King of Hell stopped me and told me that my biased views were the result of my failure to think clearly while alive. However, because I had helped others and supported the temple, I was granted the position of a prison guard after my retribution. I was stunned by his judgment. After the trial, in the blink of an eye, I began my suffering in hell. My spirit was in agony, and I knew how to repent. After rotating through several hells, the King of Hell summoned me again, gave me a prison guard uniform, and told me to do my job well. I nodded."

"For seventy-three years as a prison guard, I have seen countless people come to hell for retribution, including monastics. It is said that 'the gates of hell are crowded with monks and Taoists.' Most, like me, did not know they were wrong, leading to biased thoughts or actions. This is something one must be extremely cautious about. Practitioner Su comes to the hells every day to perform Chao Du, using the Buddha-light and the Buddha-name to save those who are willing to repent or chant. Even the sound of her daily Dharma talks reaches every corner of the hells. Every word she speaks is the Truth I spent my life searching for. I prayed that one day I could be like Practitioner Su and truly help sentient beings. I never expected my wish would be fulfilled. When I saw my name on the list for rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I could not believe it; my heart was overwhelmed with emotion. Today, Practitioner Su manifested to take our hands, and in an instant, we arrived here. I could not help but cheer, 'We have arrived! We have arrived! This is such a beautiful and peaceful land!' I am deeply grateful to the Buddha and Practitioner Su for their compassion. Now that I have merged into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, if Practitioner Su has any need, I will step forward to help, to repay the Buddha's kindness. I am grateful for everything."

"Namo Amituofo."