The Prison Guard’s Journey to the Western Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Wu Senyu, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his subsequent service in the underworld. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on April 29, 2022.

Wu Senyu speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Wu Senyu, a native of Beitou, Changhua. Today, I am the pride of Beitou because I represent the people of Beitou, waving to everyone from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I thank Practitioner Su for taking our hands. Practitioner Su is the pride of Taiwan, the pride of the Earth, and even more so, the pride of the vast cosmos, because Practitioner Su’s Chao Du is so extensive, so profound, and so boundless. I watched it all, unable to take my eyes away."

"I represent the sixty prison guards who are being reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss today, kneeling to pay my respects to Practitioner Su."

A Life Devoted to Mazu

"Before I passed away, I was not a practitioner of the Buddha Dharma. Instead, I followed Mazu, serving as an escort for her. Every year, during the Mazu pilgrimage, I would never be absent. Wearing the uniform of the Beitou Mazu Temple, I was chosen for many years to carry the palanquin, which was a great honour. When the palanquin was on my shoulders, a single pilgrimage could last a month, walking the entire way. Many times, my shoulders were on the verge of giving out, but I endured it all, simply to show my reverence for Mazu. It was a physical trial, yet my heart was filled with a sense of duty and devotion that kept me moving forward, step by step, through the heat and the long, dusty roads of the pilgrimage."

The Comfort of the Temple

"Whenever we arrived in front of a temple, we would perform in the square, and the Mazu temples we visited would respond with great enthusiasm, offering the traditional three-animal sacrifices and wine. Through these pilgrimages, I met many like-minded friends, and I looked forward to seeing them every year. Everyone praised my sincerity, noting how rare it was for someone so young to be so respectful toward the deities. In truth, this was because I often followed my grandmother to the Mazu temple in Beitou when I was a child. Once there, she would stay for a long time, kneeling before Mazu, whispering as if she had so much to tell her. Before she stood up, I would always have to help her, then guide her to where the divination slips were kept so she could cast the moon blocks and draw a slip."

Grandmother’s Faith and Life’s Trials

"When Grandmother saw that the slip was 'Great Auspicious,' her face would light up, and she would happily tell me, 'Grandson, our family will be very prosperous this year.' If the slip said 'Ordinary,' she would pat her chest and say, 'Grandson, this year is fine, we are safe, that is all that matters.' If the slip was 'Inauspicious' or 'Greatly Inauspicious,' she would immediately frown, wanting to cast the blocks again to see if she had drawn the wrong one. After Mazu confirmed the slip, she would pat her chest several times, telling herself that Mazu was merely offering a reminder. On the way home, I would buy some longevity noodles for the whole family to eat, letting the noodles bless us with peace. Grandmother left us when I was twelve. I was heartbroken, but I remembered her saying that after she died, she wanted to stay by Mazu’s side to do good deeds. I hope her wish was truly fulfilled. Whenever I missed her, I would go to the Mazu temple to walk around and talk to Mazu."

Navigating the Storms of Youth

"The first major difficulty in my life was at fifteen. A girl named Huazi who lived next door liked me, but I did not like her at all. She pestered me day and night, which made me quite restless. I had already clearly rejected her, yet she still waited at my door every day. With no other choice, I had to slip out the back door and hide in the Mazu temple until dusk. My eldest sister once told me, 'If you don't want her to wait for you, you must make her give up completely.' Give up? My sister said it, but I didn't know how to do it. I could only avoid her every day until, after a few months, she finally gave up and found someone else. Phew! I was finally liberated. I am grateful to the Mazu temple for letting me take refuge during that time."

The Weight of Karma and Loss

"The second major turning point in my life was the loss of my parents. On their way home, they inexplicably fell into a ditch and both passed away. This accident even made the local newspaper. When I found out, my heart hit rock bottom. Although I was twenty and old enough to earn a living, I had been very close to my parents since childhood, and I could not stop my tears. When my heart fell into the abyss, I ran to the Mazu temple and asked the temple keeper to let me stay for a while. That night, I cried and cried in the temple, feeling that no one would ever care for me again. After painfully handling their funeral, I poured all my energy into the temple, volunteering whenever I had time. Whenever I thought of my parents, looking at Mazu’s face seemed to give me strength."

Service and Dedication

"I took the initiative to help with everything in the temple. During major festivals, like Mazu’s birthday, I would stand up to help arrange and purchase supplies. I spent more time at the temple than at home. I saw many people coming to the temple with their own worries—some about work, some about family. I wondered, 'Why do people have so many worries?' I often thought about this question but could never find an answer. Forget it, if I can't think of it, I won't dwell on it. I often felt that following Mazu would take my worries away. Many young people left Beitou to find better jobs, but I did not. I chose to sell fish, and my life was quite stable. At thirty-one, having served at the temple for several years, I was appointed as the deputy general manager—the youngest in the temple’s history. Since I believed Mazu brought me peace of mind, I wanted more people in Beitou to feel that peace by coming to the temple. I organized community activities, allowing adults to bring their elders and children to gather, bringing everyone closer. This not only made the temple’s incense more prosperous but also brought the hearts of the people in Beitou closer together."

The Price of Devotion

"Decades passed like a single day. One year, a typhoon struck. Worried about the temple, I rushed there to guard it, but the wind and rain were so strong that the roof was blown open, and the main hall was leaking. I rushed to get buckets to catch the water, spending the whole night pouring water and patrolling. Only when the storm stopped did I finally sleep. But then I had to face the repairs. The next day, I took out the merit money accumulated over the years and asked for an estimate. A week later, I realized it was far from enough. To fix the temple, I organized a charity donation event. Everyone participated enthusiastically, but after a month, it still wasn't enough. With no other choice, I decided to sell the house my parents left me. The money was more than enough to cover the remaining costs. I prayed to Mazu for the repairs to go smoothly, and after receiving a 'holy block' sign, I went ahead. I sold the house and moved into a small room behind the temple. The space was small, but I felt satisfied guarding the temple."

From Suffering to Liberation

"A year later, the repairs were completed, and I knelt to thank Mazu for her blessings. At forty-two, my hands felt weak, and my body had no strength. Gradually, I didn't want to move in my small room. Sleeping made me feel weaker, and my body began to ache. From the moment my health declined, I became emaciated, and many who knew me couldn't recognize me. I didn't want to trouble anyone, so I did everything myself. At the end of that year, I was in pain all over, struggling to breathe, and I left the human world. At the moment I stopped breathing, I thought I would follow Mazu, but I didn't expect the underworld guards to take me to meet King Yama. King Yama was not as terrifying as I imagined. He told me that the retribution I suffered at the end of my life was because I had harmed fish in this life. Many fish spirits came to seek revenge, which caused my body to ache and lose strength. I understood the laws of karma and cause and effect, so I did not argue. I still had debts to repay, so I had to undergo retribution. After the retribution ended, I was assigned the role of a prison guard, doing my best to help the spirits in hell. During my time in hell, I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks and realized this was a method to transcend the world. I felt great joy. I never expected that one day I would have the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Today is the day that we sixty prison guards have the chance to become Buddhas. I am grateful to the Buddha, and I am grateful to Practitioner Su."

"Wu Senyu, with palms pressed together."

"Namo Amituofo."