The Scholar Who Became a Farmer: A Karmic Conclusion

Venerable HaiZe, a disciple of the Buddha, recorded this interview on January 29, 2020. In this session, Venerable HaiZe invites Chang Zhixiang, a representative of the sixty prison guards who were delivered to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss during the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, to share his story of karmic retribution, transformation, and ultimate deliverance.

Chang Zhixiang speaks:

"On behalf of myself and the sixty prison guards, I offer our deepest gratitude to Practitioner Su and everyone at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre with three prostrations. (Chang Zhixiang and the fifty-nine prison guards behind him perform three prostrations.)"

A Life of Privilege and Discipline

"I am Chang Zhixiang. I grew up in a wealthy family. From the moment I opened my eyes each morning, servants were there to attend to my every need; I never knew what suffering was. When it was time to eat, we sat at the table with my grandparents and parents, surrounded by a feast of meat and vegetables. After finishing, we would wipe our mouths and sit patiently, waiting for the elders to finish their meal and leave the table before we six children were permitted to depart. This was one of our family rules. To walk from the front gate to our backyard, one had to traverse a ten-minute path through courtyards and long corridors. We were forbidden from running or jumping; we had to walk steadily, step by step. If we ran, the steward would immediately remind us. If we ignored him and continued to run, we would be shouted at. If we still refused to listen, the matter would be reported to our parents, and we would be forced to kneel in the ancestral hall for half a day. That was the consequence of being unruly and failing to follow family rules. None of us children escaped this punishment, but after being punished once, we were all too obedient to run around again. Because my grandfather was a high-ranking court official and dignitaries frequently visited our home, we had to maintain a dignified and well-bred appearance at all times to avoid bringing shame upon him."

The Joyful Outcast

"Growing up in such a household, one might imagine I was a polite and composed young man. But those who knew me well knew the exact opposite. I was a child who disliked constraints; I had long legs and loved to run, jump, and play with other children outside. Although the other children were initially intimidated by my family's status, we were just children, and we soon became close friends. I had none of the arrogance of a young master. Instead, I was like a child raised in nature, always laughing. My mother knew my personality and would sometimes grumble, 'No manners! Always mixing with those children outside.' But to me, the children outside were no different from me!"

"From a young age, I disliked discriminations. I wanted others to have what I had. If I had delicious candies or biscuits, I would always ask the servants to set some aside so I could bring them to the children outside. I had many clothes, and I would collect the ones I had outgrown or rarely wore to give to them. At first, my mother found it strange, but once she learned the truth, she turned a blind eye and half-consented. After all, we had plenty of clothes, and it did not matter if I gave a few away. But when I saw the look of surprise on my companions' faces, my heart ached—I never expected them to be so happy! I loved seeing their joyful smiles. Among my playmates, my arrival always brought happiness, and they called me their little ray of sunshine. I was ten years old then."

A Night of Ashes and Sorrow

"When I was thirteen, a massive fire broke out in our home in the middle of the night. My grandparents, parents, and siblings could not escape in time; only one servant who cared for me and I survived. For some reason, I had suddenly woken up in the middle of the night from a nightmare and kept pestering the servant to take me outside for some fresh air. I had never done such a thing before. It was at that moment that the fire broke out. As the servant and I walked on the empty street, I saw the fire in the direction of our home. I ran back as if waking from a dream, but the fire was too intense; no one could enter to save them. No amount of water could extinguish the inferno, and it could not bring back my beloved family. I knelt and cried out, calling their names, but their lives were gone. Looking at the ashes, the authorities could only identify the bodies by the locations of their respective bedrooms. No matter how I wept, they could no longer hear me. Of the twenty-six people in our household, only the two of us remained. I could not accept this sudden blow. No matter how my friends comforted me, I would not speak or eat, and I withered away."

The Warning of the White-Bearded Elder

"The authorities reported to the imperial court that it was likely the work of an enemy, but there was no evidence. I had no interest in knowing who the enemy was; I had always disliked the officials who frequented our home. People said it was because I had performed good deeds that Heaven protected me, leaving me as the sole survivor. Since my grandfather had served the court well, after my family was buried, the court feared I might be assassinated and arranged for me to live with a common family in a remote village. The court provided them with a large sum of silver to care for me for the rest of my life. But I was never happy; the debt of blood weighed heavily on my heart. One day, I met an old man whose white beard and smile reminded me of my grandfather. He would always laugh and say, 'My grandson is a man of character, unbound by rules, and loves to help others—much like I was in my youth.' Thinking of this, I could not help but cry, pouring out the longing I had suppressed for so long. The servant, who was a long-term worker in our home and had nowhere else to go, wept with me. After crying, I felt much better."

"The white-bearded elder, upon learning of my ordeal, told me never to speak of it again. I suddenly had an 'Aha!' moment and took a deep breath. He was warning me that the enemy might still be looking for me! If word got out, my life might be in danger. I nodded quickly, thanking him for his reminder. He urged me to live well and never be depressed again: 'You must live well for the sake of your deceased family!' I wiped my tears and nodded. From then on, I shed my former arrogance and became humble. I traded my fine silk clothes for simple peasant cloth. I hid my literary talents and began to speak and act like everyone else. The biggest change was that since this was a farming village, the vast green fields seemed to beckon me. I rolled up my sleeves and walked into the fields, living the life of a farmer with my servant. My skin turned bronze from the sun, and I no longer looked like the pale scholar I once was."

The Law of Cause and Effect

"I never saw the white-bearded elder again, but I always believed that Heaven had saved me once more. I became a farmer. During harvest, I would always perform three prostrations to Heaven, thanking it for its protection. I would use the extra silver from the harvest to help the poor elderly and children in the village, delivering rice and grain to their homes so they would not have to worry about food or clothing. This was my way of repaying Heaven's grace!"

"I married and had children, passing on the philosophy that gratitude and doing good deeds would lead to good rewards and the help of noble people. I never told my wife or children about my background; I did not want them to live in the shadows. I believe my grandparents and parents would have agreed with my approach. I built an ancestral hall in our home with the names of my family members. I remained a part of the family, and our bloodline and legacy were never severed."

"I lived to the age of seventy-two and passed away without illness. That night, I was brought by officials before the King of the Sixth Hall of the Underworld. The King resolved the knot in my heart. The tragedy that befell my family was due to the collective karma of everyone in the household, who had conspired to kill thirty-five members of an enemy family. Now that we met again, it was a matter of 'a debt of blood must be repaid with blood.' The thirty-five people had only claimed twenty-six lives; there were still nine lives left to collect. When I calculated that my wife, my children, and I made exactly nine people, I felt a chill run from the top of my head to my feet. Although I had escaped that initial disaster and had the warning of the white-bearded elder, if it were not for my subsequent transformation and good deeds, our family of nine would not have escaped this fate! This is the law of cause and effect. Fortunately, I made gratitude and doing good deeds a family rule and practised it myself, and I never revealed my prominent background. Thus, I averted the great disaster, cleared the blood debt of our nine family members, and achieved a peaceful passing. Hearing this, I could not help but sigh at the terror of karmic reincarnation and the impermanence of suffering, and I felt deep gratitude for Heaven's salvation! The King said, 'If you had not performed those good deeds yourself, even Heaven could not have saved you!' It is true! This blood debt, this cause and effect of good and evil, was concluded in this lifetime of mine."

A New Path to Deliverance

"The King of the Underworld, in his compassion, gave me the position of a prison guard. Whenever a prisoner's sentence was served and they were to leave, I would always remind them: 'The laws of karma are terrifying; do not create negative causes again!' I hope they can take it to heart. I am also very grateful to the King for including me on the list of those to be delivered to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss by Practitioner Su. I know there are no such negative causes or evil deeds in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and I can live a peaceful life there. I will study diligently with Namo Amituofo, become a Buddha as soon as possible, and return to save the world, so as to repay the kindness of Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su, and everyone. Thank you, Namo Amituofo. Thank you, Practitioner Su. Thank you, everyone."

"Chang Zhixiang and the sixty prison guards bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace, performing three prostrations."

Recorded by the disciple of the Buddha, Venerable HaiZe.