The Professor's Lesson: From Confucian Rigour to Liberation

This is a record of an interview with Li Mu, 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 life as a professor of Chinese literature and his subsequent service as a guard in the hells. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on January 13, 2023.

Li Mu speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The light of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss shining upon me is beyond description—it is filled with such warmth and profound compassion. In my past life, I was a staunch advocate for Confucian education, believing that the fundamental principles of being a decent human being were the highest goal. It was not until I was in the hells and heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks that I finally realised that what a person truly needs is not just the moral principles of living, but the path to liberation. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for leading me and fifty-nine other prison guards to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The magnificence of the Western Pure Land still shimmers before my eyes, and my heart is overflowing with gratitude and thanks.

Looking back, when I witnessed the spirits in the hells constantly wailing, and saw the sheer number of beings coming and going every day to face judgment, I finally understood that liberation is the only true path. It is the only way out of the cycle of suffering."

A Life Dedicated to Traditional Culture

"I was an academic who insisted on promoting Confucian education. I held onto my own stubborn convictions, dedicating my entire life to my ideals and spending the majority of my time teaching students. Yet, in the end, I still had to walk the path of death. At my funeral, countless students came to pay their respects. My body lay in a cold, lifeless coffin, while my spirit hovered in the memorial hall, trying to comfort everyone, telling them not to be sad or heartbroken for me. Seventy-one years of life—I suppose that was enough.

I was Li Mu, a professor in the Chinese Literature department. I believed that the essence of Chinese characters and culture was vast, profound, and magnificent, and I hoped to pass this culture down to future generations. Because of this, I was incredibly devoted to every batch of students I taught, and I always shared my aspirations with them. I wanted them to see the beauty in our heritage, to feel the weight of the wisdom passed down through the ages."

The Erosion of Moral Foundations

"There were a few students who possessed exceptional literary talent, and I invested a great deal of effort into them, hoping they would carry the torch of our culture. But young people always have their own plans and arrangements. Although they were grateful for my teaching, they ultimately chose their own paths. It was a bitter pill to swallow, seeing the potential for cultural preservation slip away as they pursued their own worldly interests.

I frequently gave lectures at various universities, and many people who enjoyed my courses would write to me. To bring these literature enthusiasts together, I established a group cultivation association. We met every week, and I presided over the sessions. The members came from various fields—teachers, lawyers, business people, and, of course, other professors. We exchanged ideas, shared literary works, and even established a foundation to cultivate talent.

I sought out a group of young people from major universities who were interested in cultural inheritance. Initially, there were about nine of them. After talking with them, I found they truly cherished traditional Chinese culture. I began to mentor them, categorising and sharing various classic texts with them one by one. There was so much to learn. My hope was that after they built a solid foundation, they would bring the moral values of Confucius and Mencius into the modern education system, allowing students to change their behaviour after learning these principles.

At that time, I had been teaching in higher education for about twenty years. I noticed that because of the freedom and openness of society, the moral standards of students were declining with each passing year. Even the most basic principles of how to be a decent person were becoming increasingly weak. I was deeply anxious. I feared that if society continued on this path, chaos would ensue. Therefore, I was very proactive in trying to cultivate successors who could carry on these good values."

The Breaking Point

"Once, I overheard three students talking. One of them said, 'That teacher is being so unreasonable! He assigns so many exams and assignments; it’s enough to drive us crazy. We’ve read so many books, and he doesn't even look like he’s achieved anything himself—why must he oppress us like this?' Although these students were not criticising me directly, I was absolutely furious. According to my moral standards, students should never disrespect their elders, let alone criticise their teachers. That day, I couldn't help but pull a long face as I walked past them. The students quickly wiped the grins off their faces. I was truly angry that day—I stayed angry for the entire night. I was not just angry at those three students, but also at how the education system had become so degraded.

During meetings at various universities, I would speak privately with other professors after the sessions. To my surprise, they were all shaking their heads at the current state of students. In particular, the students' attitude toward learning was appalling; they would sleep or do their own things if they found the class boring, not paying attention at all. It wasn't just a few students; it had become a universal phenomenon.

Students today seem to think they are more important than their teachers. Even when we try to guide them back to the right attitude, they show nothing but indifference. Sometimes they would even give us dirty looks or talk back. Many professors and teachers no longer know how to correct such chaotic behaviour. Hearing all this, I decided that I would persist in passing down traditional culture. I knew the road would be arduous, and perhaps even unsupported, but I wanted to contribute a force for correction to the chaos of society."

From Academic Rigour to the Hells

"I wanted to expand my previous teaching organisation, but I had no idea where to start. When I heard that Venerable Master Chin Kung was also promoting traditional culture, I was deeply moved and quickly sought an opportunity to meet him. He was kind and approachable, and the ideals and concepts he proposed coincided perfectly with my own. He established the physical facilities, while I invited teachers and professors from the industry to contribute to traditional culture.

I worked closely with the Venerable Master to refine the overall curriculum and how to cultivate talent. I consulted him frequently and was very grateful that he was willing to undertake such a task. I insisted on starting from the basics—the memorisation of ancient texts. Once one has truly memorised them, one can naturally enter the artistic conception of the classics. The more one understands, the better the foundation one has for passing it on. Therefore, the memorisation of ancient texts was always my firm insistence.

The Venerable Master respected my decisions regarding the curriculum, and I made it a great success. More and more talent was cultivated, and my heart was filled with joy. I hoped that this important work could continue, bringing a positive force and education to society. Many times, I was so devoted and put my heart and soul into it that my body began to show signs of exhaustion. I was sixty-nine years old then, and I didn't know how many more years my body could hold out, so I gave my all every single day. My wife was very worried about me, but my stubbornness and persistence were something no one could stop.

Seeing more and more people learning about traditional culture and being willing to study it, my heart finally settled. I hoped this would bring some change to society. I am grateful for the Venerable Master's dedication. I worked hard until I was seventy-one, with my mind constantly on this education. One day, I suddenly felt exhausted. While sitting down to rest, I felt a churning in my body, and to my surprise, I vomited blood. I immediately went into shock, and by the time I reached the hospital, I had stopped breathing.

After death, I watched my family and students grieving for me, and not long after, I was taken into the underworld. King Yama told me that my lifelong dedication to teaching was not wrong, but my personality was too rigid and fierce. The karmic creditors I had hurt in the past came for me; they had been waiting for my final breath to take me away. Seeing the scenes of how I had hurt them in the past, I was no longer stubborn. I repented to all the beings I had harmed. King Yama, in his great compassion, gave me the opportunity to serve as a prison guard, allowing me to accumulate merit and virtue."

The Turning Point: Hearing the Dharma

"While serving in the hells, I could hear the sound of Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks. That was when I learned that Practitioner Su was a disciple of the Venerable Master. This Practitioner Su spoke in a direct and powerful way. After listening to the teachings, I finally understood the spiritual nature of all things and realised the suffering of samsara. In the past, I was too stubborn. Education is not wrong, but it is limited to the human body. Only by truly learning the Buddha’s teachings and achieving liberation can the spirit have a true home. Knowing this, I longed for the day when I would have the causal conditions to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

After waiting for a very long time, today, Practitioner Su finally led us sixty prison guards to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. The beautiful scenery of the Western Pure Land moved me to the core of my heart. The Buddha is truly compassionate and treats all beings equally. I am also grateful to Practitioner Su; without Practitioner Su, I would have had no way to reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I hope more people can know the magnificence of the Buddha’s teachings and know that they should seek liberation. Namo Amituofo. Li Mu, with folded palms."