The Simple Heart of a Forest Child

Lin Yunxi, a spirit who once lived in harmony with nature and later served as a prison guard in the hells, sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This interview was recorded on November 9, 2024.

Lin Yunxi speaks:

"Liberation—true liberation at last!"

"Yunxi and fifty-nine other prison guards are now kneeling before the Buddha. Our hearts are finally at peace, a profound sense of stability that we have never experienced throughout our countless lifetimes of wandering in samsara. We have returned to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, our true home. Seeing our compassionate Father, Namo Amituofo, this feeling of security and peace has naturally blossomed within us. There is no more anxiety, no more fear."

"We are deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for giving us this opportunity to return to the Western Pure Land. The gratitude in our hearts is beyond words. We hope that one day we can help other beings, to lead more beings to leave suffering behind, and to ensure that fewer beings have to endure such pain."

A Childhood in the Wild

"I am Lin Yunxi, born into an era filled with the chaos of war. Life in those days was incredibly arduous, yet I was a naturally optimistic and cheerful child. Even when the environment was harsh, I still smiled; there was not a single day that I did not."

"My optimism was likely inherited from my mother. She was illiterate and could not read, but she possessed a profound wisdom on how to live life. From the time I was small, everything we ate or used came directly from nature. My mother knew how to find the materials she needed in the wild to craft everything—our tools, our food, our toys, and our clothing. Everything was sourced from the natural world."

"My mother had such remarkable abilities that even when I fell ill, she would use natural herbs and the energy of nature to heal me. Because of her skills, no matter where we were, we never feared that we could not survive, for nature provided everything we needed everywhere we went."

Conversations with the Earth

"During the height of the war, my mother took me to live in a very secluded place—a natural stone cave that looked like a hidden burrow. Without my mother’s unique abilities, one would never have found such a place. I was about five years old then, and my mother told me to treat all things in heaven and earth as my friends and to play with them. I listened to her, and every day I immersed myself in nature."

"I climbed every large tree near the cave. I could scramble up and down them with the speed of a monkey. I could talk to the trees and hear them singing. When the trees sang, they would call the wind to rustle their dense leaves, creating a soft, whispering accompaniment. Each tree had a different voice, speaking to me; some sounded ancient, while others were quite young. Their voices were filled with such meditative concentration that whenever I heard them, I would naturally listen with deep focus."

The Flower That Hated

"I also spent much time playing with flowers. Many beautiful flowers had lovely, gentle voices. However, I once encountered a rather fierce flower. Before I even approached it, it made a sound, warning me not to come closer. I had encountered a massive, vibrant, and beautiful flower, one I had never seen before. I asked it, 'Why won't you let me come near?' The flower replied, 'Because I am poisonous. If you come close and smell my fragrance, you will be poisoned to death immediately.' I asked in surprise, 'Why is your poison so strong?' The flower answered, 'Because I hate the people of this world, so I want to use my own way to poison everyone.' The flower spoke with such fury. Yet, I was not afraid. Instead, I visited it every day to chat, sharing my innocence and joy with it. After about a month, the flower was finally amused by me. It said, 'Child, thank you for opening my heart. I no longer hate. But now that I have let go of my hatred, it is time for me to go. I do not know where I will go next, but I know I will no longer be this poisonous flower. Thank you.' After saying this, the flower withered. I sent it my most sincere blessings, hoping it would go to a good place."

Friends in the Forest

"I also played with many animals. At first, they rarely appeared, but as they gradually discovered me, more and more began to emerge. I was not afraid of any animal, not even a bear. Once, I met a truly massive bear. When it appeared before me, I was so happy. I smiled at it and asked, 'My name is Axi, what is your name?' The bear did not respond; it just stared at me. I greeted it enthusiastically, 'Hello!' This time, the bear reacted. Its voice was deep and low as it said, 'Are you not afraid of me?' I replied happily, 'I am not afraid of you; I want to be your friend.' The bear understood me, and to my surprise, it smiled."

"After that day, the bear and I became true friends. You have surely never seen a human sitting on the shoulder of a giant bear, but I did that every day, playing with him. My mother taught me, 'No matter what animal you meet, do not be afraid; they are all our friends.' Because of her teaching and my own optimistic nature, I would run happily toward any animal to greet them and become their friend."

The Final Night in the Forest

"My life was simple and joyful. I felt completely merged with nature, with no sense of separation. My mother said we came from the earth, and in the end, we must return to the earth. I often lay on the ground, surrounded by my animal friends. Sometimes I would ask them, 'Have you seen the world outside?' A tiger once replied, 'We have never left here, so we have not seen it. But we have heard that the human world is terrifying.' I had never interacted with many humans, and having moved to the forest at five, I had no chance to speak with others."

"When I was twelve, I felt that something was wrong with the forest one night. I ran out of the cave and summoned all my animal friends. They were incredibly sensitive and also sensed that the situation was dire. I urged them to run, to leave the forest with the greatest speed. They were worried for my safety, but I told them to rest assured, as I would take my mother and leave immediately. We said our tearful goodbyes, and they fled. I woke my mother and we ran together."

"As we escaped, I could sense the safety of my animal friends; they had already reached a safe distance. However, many trees and flowers could not leave. An ancient tree grandfather said to me, 'We cannot move. We must accept whatever changes come here. You must go!' I was heartbroken, but I had to let go. We escaped safely, and I felt that my animal friends had successfully relocated to another forest. Shortly after we left, the forest was burned down by humans. I felt a deep sorrow, but I could not change what had happened."

The Path to the Hells

"Later, my mother and I moved back into the human world. Life was hard, but I kept my smile. My heart was simple; seeing the blue sky or the green earth made me happy. I maintained my purity, unaffected by the hardships of the environment. I saw so much suffering in humans—suffering I had never experienced. I tried to help them by sharing stories I had learned from my friends in nature. These stories brought them a sense of simple, stress-free joy. I helped many regain their smiles, but those who were stubborn continued to suffer."

"I never forgot my animal friends. I could sometimes communicate with them through mental notes, though only the most sensitive ones could receive my messages. When I died, I truly believed I had to return to the earth. So, my spirit entered the earth and became a grain of sand—a result of my own intention. Because my heart was kind and pure, I left that state in less than two years."

"Upon leaving the sand, I was immediately brought before King Yama of the hells, who assigned me the role of a prison guard. I saw so many criminals suffering because their hearts were not pure. I could not speak to them at first. Later, I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks. I realized how magnificent the Buddha’s teachings are and how important it is to have a kind, pure heart and to chant Namo Amituofo. Though I was simple, I did not know how to chant, so I had no chance to see the Buddha."

Returning Home

"Now, I have the causal conditions to hear Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks, and I have begun to learn to chant. My heart has become purer, and I know I must seek liberation. I made the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Today, I was guided by Practitioner Su to the Western Land. I am so happy and grateful. I chant Namo Amituofo loudly, hoping that all beings in the world can hear it, chant along with me, and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss together."

"Namo Amituofo."

"Lin Yunxi bows in reverence."

"The mother of prison guard Lin Yunxi, Lin Yucha, is currently in the space between realms and has already been guided by Practitioner Su into the Western Dharma-Nature Land to listen to the Dharma and undergo purification."