This is a record of an interview with Ma Jinyu, who sought spiritual deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his service as a prison guard in the hell realms. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on May 6, 2022.
Ma Jinyu speaks:
". I am Ma Jinyu. There are many times when I find myself missing the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year. I have always loved the bustle and the warmth of a crowd; I never liked being alone. In the beginning, whenever I was by myself, I would constantly hear many strange sounds. I didn't know what to do, and my heart was filled with fear. I once raised this issue with others, but no one could help me. It was only later that I realised I was hearing the voices of beings in the ghost realm and could feel their immense suffering. During my life, I was unable to do anything for them, so after I passed away, I hoped that I could contribute something to their relief. After I expressed this wish to King Yama, he appointed me as a prison guard in the hells to serve these beings. The suffering in the hell realms is beyond imagination. Nowadays, the thoughts of people in the world are becoming increasingly chaotic. They pursue worldly stimulation, unknowingly creating without even realising it."
The Endless Cycle of Suffering
"Every day in the hells, there are countless spirits undergoing trials and receiving their . We counsel them, but we inevitably encounter them again. When I meet them a second time, my heart aches. I always wish there were a place where they could stop pursuing things that have no meaning. I do not know why people are always so deluded, walking the same path of error over and over again.
After serving with all my heart in the hells, I received notice that I would have the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I had been waiting for this day for so long. Finally, today, under the sudden appearance of the Buddha-light, I arrived in the Western Pure Land. I am so deeply grateful."
A Childhood of Unusual
"My name is Ma Jinyu. When I was born, everyone called me 'Ah Gou' because I was particularly fond of dogs. I would often mimic their barking, and I made those sounds more often than I cried. My grandmother would frown whenever she saw me doing this, whispering to my mother and urging her to stop me. My mother would only smile, never arguing with my grandmother, nor would she ever be harsh with me. She hoped that I could develop freely and become someone who truly loved themselves.
I was the second child in the family. My older brother was the one the family focused on; whatever he did was considered important, while I was mostly left to my own devices. Because of this, I grew up feeling very free.
As a child, I was often startled. When cats or dogs passed by me, they looked like they were just making noise, but I could clearly hear what they were saying. Some cats were meowing because they wanted affection, and some dogs were barking because they wanted a delicious chicken leg. Once, our family dogs fought over a single ball.
Sometimes, I would feel exhausted, my body limp, wanting nothing more than to rest in my room. Yet, I would hear noisy voices. I would observe my surroundings, and though there was not a soul to be seen, the voices persisted. They would chat for a long time before finally falling silent."
The Mystery of Death
"When I passed by a pond, I felt a woman crouching there, weeping as if she had lost something precious. I wanted to approach her to speak, but the people nearby asked me what on earth I was doing. That question made me realise that the woman was a spirit, and she looked incredibly miserable. I didn't know how to help her, so I burned some paper money for her, hoping it might make her feel a little better. When I returned to the pond later, the woman was still there, but her expression seemed better than before. With no one around, I tried to walk over to ask her what was wrong, but I accidentally tripped over a stone and cried out. People nearby rushed over to check on me. As soon as they saw I had bumped my head, they warned me, saying that many accidents had happened there. The last one was a young woman who had died, leaving behind two children.
I was shocked. Could that woman be the one I had seen? My heart remained heavy with thoughts of her for days. I wanted to sneak back to the pond to look, but my mother discovered me and stopped me. It was only after a long time that the incident gradually faded from my memory.
Our neighbour, Auntie Wang, had been ill for a long time, her body weak and listless. The moment she breathed her last, our whole family went to offer incense. I saw Auntie Wang's spirit standing right next to her body, which had already stiffened and turned cold. The Wang family was weeping, and even Auntie Wang was standing there crying beside her own body. She wanted to comfort her family, but they could not hear her. Eventually, her spirit was led away and never returned. Her body was buried in the earth shortly after, and for everyone else, Auntie Wang became nothing more than a memory.
Whether it is animals, plants, or humans, no one can escape the moment of death. Because I could perceive various spirits, I was particularly sensitive to the subject of death. Death is something every life must face. Where can one go the moment life fades away? I pondered this for a long time. And those spirits I had heard and felt—where would they all end up?
Death represents a transformation. When I was fifteen, I began to try and understand these things. I asked fortune tellers, the statue of the Earth God at the temple entrance, and even a lonely wandering spirit I encountered, but no one knew the answer."
Seeking Meaning in a World of Karma
"The only thing I knew for certain was that one must not do evil in this world, for evil brings evil retribution. Yong Bo, a local gangster in his youth, had beaten many people. Although he eventually turned over a new leaf, in his old age, one of his legs became crippled. I saw many spirits beating Yong Bo's leg, causing him such pain that he could not walk. Even though he was no longer a gangster, the aura of his past remained—his brash, 'big brother' personality and his habit of picking fights for others meant he still had to pay the price. After he lost the ability to walk, his health declined rapidly, and in the end, he was bedridden and became a burden to his family.
Seeing these laws of karma and cause and effect, I found it impossible to clearly express what I had seen and realised to others. In a way that people could accept, I opened small classes in the community with the theme: 'Where Should Life Go?' Many people who were also searching for the meaning of life participated, and we shared our thoughts with one another. I even met others who had special perceptions like mine, and we explored together, trying to find a breakthrough for life.
Although we ultimately could not find a way to help beings in the ghost realm or the human world escape their suffering—because suffering comes from the heart and from attachment—if one cannot resolve it oneself, one must still walk the path that was destined.
Life is very short and fades away in an instant. We encouraged each other to do good deeds in this society. I prepared myself every day for the possibility of leaving. I did not know if, on the day I left, I would be like Auntie Wang, guarding my own corpse, or like so many lonely wandering spirits, drifting aimlessly. These things were impossible to predict. Even so, I wanted to live this life without regrets.
I shared my thoughts with many people, inspiring them so they would not be blind and limited. As I inspired more people, I found my own heart becoming more open. Although I still felt that my spirit was trapped, I did my best every single day."
From Suffering to the Western Pure Land
"I lived until I was forty-two. I contracted pneumonia and coughed incessantly; every time I coughed, I felt my whole body shaking. I kept the light in my heart, hoping that after my life ended, my future would also be bright.
Before I breathed my last, I endured a period of torment and pain. I knew this was what I had to repay, so I did not dare to have any complaints. As my body deteriorated day by day, my mental state became blurred. I hired a caregiver to look after me, but eventually, I lost entirely.
When I regained consciousness, I was already before the Hall of King Yama. The King said that I had helped people find direction in their lives, but I had also caused some to despair. In this life, I had come to receive retribution, but also to help others. I asked King Yama what my destination would be, and he asked me in return, 'What destination do you want?' I replied, 'I want to continue helping people.' The King agreed and said, 'Very well.' He gave me the position of a prison guard, giving me the chance to help the beings in the hells. Seeing the way the beings in the hells received their retribution gave me another realisation about life. I hoped that I could find the answers I was looking for.
Holding hope in my heart, during my tenure, I heard Practitioner Su giving talks. He explained the six realms of existence and the ten directions, introduced the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss of Namo Amituofo, and led beings to be reborn there. I knew that was the place I had been seeking for so long. When I realised this, I was moved for a long time. I was also grateful for the of the Buddha in creating such a land, and I hoped that one day I would be able to go to the West.
Finally, today, my wish was fulfilled. I, along with fifty-nine other prison guards, arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. The land is dignified and fragrant. My spirit has finally found its home and is at peace. All fifty-nine of us prison guards knelt and bowed in gratitude, thanking the Buddha and Practitioner Su for their compassion."
