The Prison Guard’s Journey to Light

This is a record of an interview with Imohan, a former prison guard in the underworld who sought Chao Du 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 subsequent service in the underworld. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on February 12, 2023.

Imohan speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. My life has been, in many ways, quite legendary. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for guiding us today, which has allowed us to achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Everyone here is filled with immense gratitude and we cherish this opportunity deeply. On behalf of all the prison guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude to the Buddha’s grace and to the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

A Simple Life in the Pastures

I am Imohan. I was born into a minority ethnic group in a distant land. My family were traditional herders, and we lived a life of raising cattle for generations. Growing up, we had very little contact with the outside world. We did not know much of what lay beyond our borders; we only knew the simplicity of our daily life and the knowledge required for herding. Besides my parents, I had three siblings. I was the youngest, and naturally, the most pampered child in the family. My older brothers and sisters took great care of me. Perhaps because of the significant age gap, they protected me in every way possible. Whenever there was something delicious to eat or something fun to do, they would always think of me first. My childhood was truly a time of great happiness.

As I grew older, I began to meet new friends and started to carve out my own path in life. I would spend my days playing with friends or working alongside them. My world was no longer confined to my family. I began to see different facets of life, which I found incredibly fascinating, and I enjoyed the experience immensely.

The Awakening of Spiritual Sight

However, when I turned fifteen, I began to sense that something was different. I discovered that I could hear the voices of cattle as if they were conversing, and I could see ghosts attached to the bodies of other people. At first, I was terrified by these visions. But as time went on, the fear subsided. I began to try and communicate with them. I even saw karmic creditors clinging to my best friend, demanding repayment. I negotiated with these spirits, asking them to leave my friend, and I offered them the benefits they sought so that they would be willing to depart. After that, I frequently spoke with spirits and often helped them, hoping that they could find a better place to go rather than continuing to suffer in the dark, gloomy spaces.

From the moment I began to converse with spirits, my life changed irrevocably. At first, I did not realise how different I had become, but when I noticed that the people around me were gradually distancing themselves, I understood that my life had shifted. I stopped socialising with my friends because we no longer had anything in common to talk about. My attention was entirely focused on my conversations with spirits. It seemed as though my perspective had expanded beyond the mundane discussions of right and wrong that my friends engaged in. I cared more about how to help spirits find liberation than about worldly matters.

The Burden of Seeing the Unseen

I slowly lost contact with my friends because our thoughts and values had diverged. Initially, I felt a sense of discomfort, but I soon realised that forcing myself to stay with them would have been far more painful. The distance between us had grown too wide; we no longer had common ground, and the karmic affinity that once bound us had faded. In this world, many things are influenced by the power of attraction—whether we have affinity or not. When that affinity is lost, the attraction naturally ceases. It is a very natural change.

I began to mature and learned to become a different person. I left my original environment and travelled far and wide. As I witnessed more of the world, my horizons broadened even further. I saw the diverse landscapes of the world and the various spiritual realms. I knew that this world was different from what I had previously understood. The world is constantly changing, and the entire space is filled with transformations, yet those still living in the world remain completely unaware.

A Premature Death and the Underworld

I am very fortunate to have had this ability to see into other spaces and hear their dialogues, because it made me realise that I had to stay awake and not get caught up in worldly disputes. I knew I had a more important mission: to help the sentient beings in those spaces, to help them find liberation, and to help everyone leave suffering behind.

For many years, I relied on my own strength to help many beings emerge from those spaces, but I lacked the ability to perform Chao Du. So, I would go to temples to write memorial tablets, hoping they could be delivered. My ability was not high, but I did my best to help as many beings as I could.

I passed away when I was seventeen. I died quite young because I had not yet escaped my karma. I was taken away by my own karmic creditors. I saw them walk into my dreams with my own eyes; they dragged my spirit out of my body. I had no strength to resist and could only let them take my life. The night I died, I arrived alone in a strange city, dying in a foreign land with no one to handle my funeral arrangements. Only after death did I realise how heavy my karma was, but I did not know how to dissolve it. The King of Hell told me that because I had caused the deaths of many spirits in the past due to my powerful spiritual abilities, even though I possessed some psychic powers in this life, I had not encountered the right method of practice, and thus I could not change my fate of a short life. I did not feel excessive fear regarding my death; I only wanted to know how to find a way to practice and dissolve my karma.

Finding the Path to Liberation

The King of Hell, seeing that I had maintained a good heart in this life and had actively helped spirits in other spaces to find their way out, arranged for me to serve in the underworld palace. I was very grateful for the King of Hell’s assistance, and I worked diligently, hoping to dedicate the merits to my karmic creditors. After several decades, I finally heard Practitioner Su giving a Dharma talk in the underworld. The principles Practitioner Su taught were excellent, and I knew this was the Truth I had been searching for. I began to study earnestly and told the King of Hell that I wanted to follow Practitioner Su in my practice. The King of Hell gave me a wonderful opportunity, allowing me to meet Practitioner Su and follow his teachings.

Practitioner Su is truly a capable person who has made a great vow. Because of Practitioner Su’s profound explanation of the Dharma, I understood many truths and realised that I should seek liberation. I am so happy that I have been able to achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss today. I will continue to practice diligently, hoping that in the future, I will have even greater power to help sentient beings and to deliver my karmic creditors.

A Final Plea to the Living

Chao Du is truly of the utmost importance. If people in the world today have the opportunity to hear Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks, please do not miss the chance to deliver your own karmic creditors. So many karmic creditors are still waiting in other spaces to seek revenge. You must seize the opportunity to deliver the debts you have incurred in the past; only then can you dissolve your karma and truly find liberation. This is truly vital. I hope that sentient beings will no longer engage in the cycle of revenge. Now that the true Buddha has arrived, you must grasp this opportunity!

I am grateful for all these causal conditions. On behalf of all the prison guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude to the Buddha’s grace and to the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

Imohan, with palms joined."