The Prison Guard's Redemption

This is a record of an interview with He Bingzheng, who sought deliverance 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 experiences across multiple lifetimes of karmic retribution. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa Xi, on August 13, 2023.

He Bingzheng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I never imagined that one day I would have the opportunity to speak to all of you. I am truly filled with gratitude, and I cherish this Causal Condition deeply. I know that I have been saved, and I know that this time, it is a true and final liberation. I must express my deepest gratitude to the Buddha for his compassion, and to Practitioner Su for his boundless mercy. On behalf of all the prison guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace and the grace of Practitioner Su."

A Life of Crawling in the Dust

"Back in that vast, hazy spring, I was nothing more than a humble, lowly worm. I curled myself within the dust, constantly alert to the fate of being trampled by the world. Every time I took a wrong step, I felt the merciless pressure from the feet of giants. My internal organs would be crushed, the pain was unbearable, and my life would vanish in an instant. Even at that moment, before the sorrow could fully spread through my body, I would be reborn into yet another shell. It was an inescapable cycle of birth and death, spinning endlessly without pause.

The days of crawling felt tedious and incredibly long. The only faith I had each day was the satisfaction of my appetite. I wandered between green leaves, sucking on the sweet dew, feeling the gifts of nature. As the years of growth unfolded and I transformed into my mature form, the instincts of life pushed me toward the next stage. The seeds of desire ignited within my heart. The longing to find a mate was as intense as a raging fire, burning within me, all for the sake of passing on my bloodline and multiplying. My offspring were like countless beads rolling across the earth, constantly proliferating, impossible to control."

The Shackles of Endless Desire

"The entanglement of cause and effect in this world, the constant cycle of rebirth—I was lost in this boundless samsara. My past ignorance, my current blindness, and the insatiable desire to reproduce became the shackles from which I could not escape. Even though this life might have been but a fleeting moment in the dust, I was deeply trapped within it, unable to pull myself free. The gears of fate turned without rest, dragging me into this seemingly endless journey of life and death. I had no choice but to endure it; I could only endure.

This was my journey of life as a worm. I had been immersed in the sea of suffering as a worm for so long, and now it is time to reveal why I encountered such a fate. A very, very long time ago, I was a wild and unrestrained playboy. I possessed vast wealth, but I squandered both my fortune and my life on wine and women. I was constantly accompanied by the scent of alcohol, lost in the enjoyment of sensual desires. With many women surrounding me, I lived day by day, my desires flowing like an endless, surging tide. My mother warned me many times, cautioning me that the fire of desire was far too intense, yet I was intoxicated by money and power. I ignored her advice, insisting on chasing after my absurd lifestyle, and eventually, I fell into the abyss of lust. When I passed away, I was in the gentle embrace of a woman."

The Warning Signs of Karmic Retribution

"At the moment of my death, a strange transformation occurred within me. I found myself turned into a tiny, lowly worm, bound by the laws of karma and cause and effect, unable to free myself. Now, it feels as though I have returned to the past, seeing my younger self with absolute clarity. When I was in my twenties and thirties, I suffered from back pain and frequent urination, yet the amount of urine was minimal. I even had a lingering feeling of not being able to empty my bladder completely. However, I paid no mind to these signs, sinking deeper into the ocean of sensual pleasure. Desire drove me, and I failed to realise that these were the premonitions of my fate.

Gradually, I felt my spirit scatter and my mind become clouded. I was enveloped by that endless desire, unable to extricate myself, and I even found a strange, twisted satisfaction in my own degradation. The mockery of fate turned me into a puppet under the control of my own cravings. I was intoxicated in the abyss of desire, unable to stop, until I had played myself to death.

After I passed the age of fifty, I lost all autonomy. I was bound by my own karmic creditors. My secrets were known to no one, and I was no longer myself; I was completely replaced by these forces until the moment of my death."

The Key to Liberation

"I experienced countless years, enduring deep karma, until the right Causal Conditions finally arrived, and I was able to escape the cycle of rebirth. At the moment of our long-awaited reunion, I felt the impermanence of fate deeply. The path to liberation was filled with hardship, and pain accompanied me. I was crushed once again, my internal organs squeezed, the pain was excruciating, and the god of death arrived once more. However, this time, the culprit who stepped on me was actually my mother from a future life. She knelt down, pressed her palms together, and chanted the Buddha's name, her face full of guilt, praying for my spirit to be liberated. The sound of the Buddha-name became the key to my liberation. I was able to shed the body of the worm and be reborn.

I obtained a human body once again, and my heart was filled with gratitude. However, when I was reborn, the initial surprise was gradually washed away by the passage of time, and I forgot the suffering of my past life and the emotion of being reborn.

In this lifetime, my mother was the greatest benefactor of my life. She poured countless efforts into guiding me to correct my old habits and teaching me the essence of Wisdom. In my heart, she is a great mentor who helped me in various ways to reduce my craving for desire. She is a devout Buddhist practitioner. In my past life, she was a disciple under my tutelage, but in this life, she transformed into the guide who led me out of the cycle of rebirth."

The Wisdom of a Mother's Guidance

"From my early childhood, my mother whispered the Wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings in my ear, teaching me to do Goodness and be upright. As the years passed, I eventually became the person capable of extending a helping hand to others. However, growth was not just about victory; it was accompanied by various struggles and confusion. How to remain calm in the face of temptation was my greatest challenge.

'Child, temptations are inevitable on the path of life, but you must always maintain a peaceful heart,' my mother's voice would ring in my ears like a gentle reminder. She always provided guidance at the most critical moments.

'Mother, I do not know how to face the desires within my heart; I always feel that I cannot pull myself out,' I would confess my afflictions to her.

'Child, desire is like a surging ocean. Only the sails of Wisdom can guide you through the wind and waves. You need to cultivate inner resilience and train your willpower to overcome the giant waves of desire.' My mother's words were filled with Wisdom, like a lamp illuminating the path ahead of me.

As I grew up, I became a spiritual mentor, continuing my mother's legacy. I would share the Wisdom my mother gave me with those lost in the whirlpool of desire. 'Inner peace is not achieved overnight, but as long as you are willing, you can step toward the light, one step at a time.' Like my mother, I used my own personal experiences and the Buddha’s teachings to help people escape their confusion and find inner peace."

Service in the Underworld

"Time flies like an arrow. When my life reached its end, I no longer clung to the things of this world, for I had completed this journey and cherished every Causal Condition, fulfilling this life. In the final moments of my life, I had no regrets. With peace and gratitude, I departed from the human world.

After I passed away in this lifetime, I stepped onto the path of the underworld. When I met the King of Hell, he looked at my transformation and smiled, telling me, 'The old karma of the past has passed.' I am grateful for the King of Hell's compassion toward me, and for arranging an opportunity for me to serve.

I served in the underworld for many years, witnessing all kinds of karma. The suffering of sentient beings was vivid before my eyes, and I understood that the path of liberation is one that must be walked.

I am grateful for the Ultimate Vow and great power of Practitioner Su. When I first heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks, I knew that this was the Truth I had been searching for. I began to practise diligently, following the principles explained by Practitioner Su. My increasingly clear heart made me yearn even more for the time of my rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Today, being able to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I am immensely grateful! On behalf of all the prison guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace and the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

He Bingzheng, with palms joined."