The Sculptor of the Sixth Hell

This is a record of an interview with Tang Yonghe, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his time serving in the underworld. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on June 18, 2021.

Tang Yonghe speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Tang Yonghe, a representative of the prison guards. I am filled with gratitude for the compassion of Practitioner Su, and for the help of the monastics and volunteer Bodhisattvas at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. As we chanted the Buddha-name, Practitioner Su guided us to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Seeing the compassionate Namo Amituofo radiating magnificent golden light, we were so moved that we knelt together to pay our respects. Everything was filled with gratitude, and we wept silently."

A Legacy Carved in Wood

"I was born in Shaanxi. My family was primarily known for carving Buddhist statues. My father told me that our ancestors had already earned a great reputation in Shaanxi for this craft. In fact, most of the Buddhist statues at the Great Buddha Temple were the work of the Tang family. The statues we carved were so lifelike; this was all due to the purity and sincerity of the carver's heart. In our family, whenever we were to carve, we had to purify our mouths and hands. For the very first cut of a statue, we would choose an auspicious time, and the carver would also purify their body before beginning. The process could take half a year or even a year to complete.

Whenever we paused our work and needed to resume, we were not allowed to speak to the carver. We had to maintain silence, allowing the carver to remain focused. This was our way of showing respect to every Buddha statue. Some would chant the Buddha-name while carving, while others maintained an inner stillness, focusing entirely on every stroke and every chisel mark."

The Sixteenth-Generation Apprentice

"Our family produced several master carvers. Because we mostly carved Buddhist statues, the descendants of the Tang family all grew up with a dignified appearance. I am the sixteenth-generation successor of the Tang family, and my greatest specialty was the Thousand-Hand and Thousand-Eye Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.

From a young age, my parents often let me into the carving room to watch the adults work. We had a dedicated carving room at home where speaking was forbidden. When I was bored, my father or mother would give me a small carving knife and a piece of wood to play with, letting me carve whatever I wanted. It was a deeply focused task. Every time I entered that room, I would stay for about three hours. Everyone inside had to calm their minds and focus on their own work. Because there was no noise, I gradually learned to be quiet and observe how my father and the other masters used their knives to carve such dignified statues. Without realising it, I developed a keen sense of observation.

My father personally demonstrated and taught me, starting with the things I was most interested in—the Great Peng Bird, cute little novices, and elephants. To make my work more vivid and lively, I followed my father's guidance. When I looked at my own work, I felt very satisfied. All of this was thanks to my father's teaching."

Cultivating the Still Heart

"Being raised at home to focus on inner stillness made me seem a bit mature compared to other children my age. My parents were compassionate and very enthusiastic and active in their practice of the Buddha’s teachings. The reason the Tang family name was so widely respected was that the qualities displayed in each piece sparked the interest of the viewers. My father was also silently training me in how to interact with others.

Looking back now, I feel truly lucky. When other children were busy playing, I had already learned how to select materials and use a chisel. I still remember when I finished my first piece. I was so happy to take it back to show my mother. She held my Great Peng Bird and looked at it carefully, saying, 'Yonghe! You carved this Great Peng Bird so well. You even carefully carved the texture of the feathers.' Most importantly, every time I showed my work to my mother, she would always say warmly, 'Yonghe! This piece is different; you have improved even more than last time.' This gave me great confidence. My parents taught me to be focused when carving, which naturally calmed my heart. I was able to settle my mind better than other children, my mind was clearer, and I was very sensitive to changes in my surroundings."

The National Competition

"From the age of ten, my father arranged for other master carvers to teach me further. I listened very carefully to my father and these masters, carving exactly as they instructed. By the time I was eighteen, my carving skills were already better than those of carvers who had been working for thirty or forty years.

By twenty-eight, I was already a 'shining' carver—that is what my father called me. Because no one knew my true strength, it remained hidden. My father would regularly arrange for different carvers to 'play' at carving with me, allowing me to learn naturally in a relaxed and happy environment.

Then came a national carving competition. My father signed me up. At first, we had to submit our own work. After passing the selection, I received a notice for the competition. We had to carve on-site to show our true ability. My father said, 'Son, I don't know if you are interested in participating, but the Tang family needs to send a representative, and the carvers unanimously suggested you.' I replied, 'Father, I am only twenty-eight. How can I compete with those masters? My skills are still far behind.' My father said, 'Then go home and listen to your mother's advice before you decide.' When my mother heard the news, she told me, 'Son, the result of the competition is a small matter. The point is that the experience is very rare. This is your first time participating in a competition, and I hope you will go.'"

A Moment of Recognition

"On the day of the competition, I entered the venue. The organisers were very thoughtful; they displayed the first piece everyone submitted around the room. During the break, we could admire others' work. I quietly noticed that many people were admiring my work, discussing it. I also discovered that among all the pieces on display, my Great Peng Bird was the smallest. The atmosphere in the afternoon was even more focused. Since we had to finish our work that day, and all the visitors were at the back of the room, the carvers had to connect with their work and bring out the spirit of each piece.

This time, I carved a little novice. It was meant to be amusing yet full of Zen. I carried a happy mood and focused on completing the competition. I was grateful to everyone who organised it. I went home happily with my father, carrying the Great Peng Bird. My mother was standing at the door waiting for us. When she saw me, she said, 'Son, you are very happy today. I am happy for you.' I smiled at my mother; she understood me best. A month later, I received an award: 'Congratulations to Tang Yonghe, selected by our organisation as a national-level carver.' A week later, there was a celebration banquet, and we were allowed to bring three people. My parents decided to attend together.

At the banquet, the organisers asked me to share how my work was carved and what my state of mind was during the process. I noticed that I was the only award winner there; the others were officials and elderly, experienced carvers. At my age, I didn't know how to say anything grand, so I only shared what my parents had taught me with a sincere heart: 'Usually, my father trains me to be focused. When I pick up the chisel, my heart is settled, and my hand is steady—it does not shake. When I make a cut, I look at the spot, and when I touch the wood, I have no thoughts. My mind is empty, and my hand follows the lines of the wood to outline the shape. To complete this piece, I must thank my father, who cultivated me from a young age, letting me treat carving as a game so that I developed an interest.' I mentioned again that my father arranging for different masters to carve with me was the key to my work, and that my mother was the source of my confidence. She would point out the ingenuity in every piece, giving me the confidence to practise happily every day until I became proficient."

The Call of the Underworld

"When I hold a piece of wood, I can know what kind of spirit it will reveal in my hands. I go straight to carving, and the finished work is exactly the same as my initial intention when I first touched the wood. Everything the masters taught me was integrated, and what was presented was a work of the best spirit.

When I was twenty-nine, I dreamt that I had completed another major work: Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. I felt as if I had been asleep for a while when I suddenly heard someone calling, 'Tang Yonghe! Tang Yonghe! Wake up, don't sleep anymore.' I looked calmly and saw two officials in front of me. I asked them what was the matter. The officials said, 'Do not forget your promise. You are a prison guard of the Sixth Hell. You told the King of Hell that you had a piece of work yet to be completed, and the King of Hell promised to let you finish it before returning to your post. Now, the Thousand-Hand and Thousand-Eye Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is finished.' The official added, 'It is now fulfilling wishes and receiving offerings, and the incense is flourishing. The King of Hell has decided that you must return to your post. Do not linger in the human world; come back to the Palace of the King of Hell with me!'

Because my heart was very still when I was carving, and because of the vows I made, the Thousand-Hand and Thousand-Eye Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva I carved was particularly efficacious. I hoped that everyone who saw this statue would like to learn the Buddha’s teachings. At that time, I also carved a statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. While carving it, I felt the miserable cries of many ghost realm beings and hell beings. I felt the suffering of the beings in hell, and I made a vow: if I have this causal condition, I wish to be the same as the vow made by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva—not to become a Buddha until all beings are saved and the hells are empty.

When I returned to pay my respects to the King of the Sixth Hell, he said, 'Yonghe, the hells are full of suffering; the Sixth Hell needs you.' I worked hard in the Sixth Hell, trying my best to counsel the prisoners not to do evil anymore."

Deliverance to the Pure Land

"After serving as a prison guard in hell for thirty years, the King of Hell told me that I had obtained a rare opportunity to attend a Thrice Yearning Ceremony being held at a Buddhist temple. Practitioner Su was performing Dharma-Body Visualisation Deliverance, guiding sixty prison guards to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. We were to chant the Buddha-name to save connected spirits and guide them to rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Ever since I heard this news, I have worked hard every day to listen to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks and chant the Buddha-name. I am grateful to the Buddha and grateful to Practitioner Su.

We have seen Practitioner Su’s compassionate heart to save the world and her great courage and strength. We have decided to join the salvation team to save the world together. Namo Amituofo."

Tang Yonghe