The Spirit Within the Character of Compassion

This is a record of an interview with Midolang, 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 as a Frenchman in China, his existence as a Word Spirit, and his time as a prison guard in the hells. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on April 8, 2023.

Midolang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Midolang. As I walk through the corridors of time, looking back at the paths I have traversed throughout my many lives in the cycle of reincarnation, and finally returning to this present moment, I find myself standing upon the golden ground of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. At this very instant, all my cycles of reincarnation have come to an end. My heart is filled with boundless gratitude. Without Practitioner Su, it would have been impossible for me and the other fifty-nine prison guards to have the opportunity to come to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss; we would have certainly been forced to continue wandering in samsara. But now, that is no longer necessary. We are liberated! We all kneel and kowtow, expressing our deepest gratitude to the great compassion of Namo Amituofo and the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su."

A Journey Through Time and Reincarnation

"Before I became a prison guard in the hells, I existed within a space for three hundred and sixty years. But three hundred and sixty years before that, I once possessed a human body. I was a Frenchman. I had a deep yearning for Chinese culture. At the age of forty-six, after navigating through countless twists and turns, I finally arrived safely in China. Back when I was still in France, I had come into contact with some Sinology, as well as Chinese porcelain, silk, and paintings. From the moment I encountered these things, a spark of interest in the country of China was ignited within me. Yet, in truth, I knew absolutely nothing about China. It was such a strange and wonderful situation; I felt a natural pull to understand this land, and I even made plans to travel there myself.

I managed to save up a sum of money, and as fate would have it, in the three or four years before I set off for China, my parents both passed away due to illness. I was left entirely on my own, which meant I was free to go wherever I pleased, further fueling my desire to reach China. However, in those days, travelling to China was an incredibly difficult undertaking. I tried many methods, and in the end, I secretly followed a missionary to get there. The entire process was fraught with obstacles and was quite dangerous, but my heart was absolutely resolute. I knew I had to visit China to fulfil my wish. Because of this unwavering persistence, I finally succeeded in setting foot on Chinese soil."

The Enchantment of the Character 'Ci'

"Within just a few days of arriving in China, I fell gravely ill. My body was wracked with all sorts of strange symptoms, and given my condition, it seemed certain that I would soon lose my life. It was at that moment that a kind-hearted physician treated my illness for free. Upon learning that I had nowhere to live, he even took me into his own home and tended to me every single day. I was deeply moved. To think that a person in this country would sacrifice so much for a complete stranger from a foreign land, and even go so far as to cure my illness! Having experienced this, my affection for China grew even stronger.

This Chinese physician cared for me with such sincerity that we eventually became the closest of friends, able to speak about anything. He helped me transition from knowing nothing about China to understanding its culture, its regional cuisines, its literature, and so much more. He also found many ways to help me settle down in China. This physician friend spent many years teaching me how to recognise Chinese characters, slowly guiding me until I could write them with a calligraphy brush. I became utterly fascinated by Chinese characters. The aesthetic beauty of each stroke, the way they combined to form a character, and the evolution of these scripts from ancient times to the present—I was captivated by it all. I learned with such joy and enthusiasm, practising hundreds of characters every single day to perfect my skill.

Among all the characters I learned, one in particular mesmerised me: the character 'Ci' (慈), meaning compassion. I first saw this character shortly after arriving in China; it was the name of a traditional medicine shop called 'Ci Huai Pharmacy.' At that time, I did not yet understand Chinese, but when I saw that 'Ci' character, a very special feeling arose in my heart—a feeling I cannot even begin to describe. I immediately used gestures to ask a passerby how to pronounce it. Once he understood what I was asking, he taught me the pronunciation. To my surprise, the sound was not easy for me to master, but I practised for quite some time until I finally learned it and etched it into my memory. When my physician friend saved me, he wanted to give me a Chinese name. I immediately uttered the sound of 'Ci,' and he knew at once how much I loved it. He combined the character 'Ci' with his own surname to name me 'Li Ci-en.' It was a wonderful name, and I loved it dearly."

Life as a Word Spirit

"I spent a great deal of time practising, trying to write the character 'Ci' as beautifully as possible. Many friends who visited the physician's home would see the 'Ci' characters I had written and assume they were written by a native Chinese person. When they later discovered that it was I who had written them, they would all express such astonishment, praising the beauty of my calligraphy. I was deeply intoxicated by the Chinese language and culture. For me, China was like heaven; I lived there so happily and joyfully. My physician friend was more than a decade younger than me, and we were like friends across generations. From him, I learned the importance of doing good and helping others. He was truly a good man, travelling everywhere to provide free medical care. It was precisely because of his compassionate help that I was able to preserve my life.

Later, my physician friend introduced me to a Chinese lady, and we eventually married. My wife was incredibly gentle, virtuous, and kind-hearted. Her family was quite well-off, and she would often take me with her to practice Generosity and perform good deeds. When she first met me and heard my name, she praised it as being exceptionally well-chosen. I explained the origin of the 'Ci' character to her, and after listening, she used a phrase to describe it, saying that I had a 'karmic affinity' with the character 'Ci.' It was such a unique way to put it; I had never heard it before.

When I reached the age of sixty-three, I fell ill. It started as a minor cold, but it gradually turned into a severe, life-threatening condition. My physician friend wanted to save me, but no matter what method he tried, he could not. Watching my body grow weaker and my illness worsen day by day, my life came to an end in less than two years. Before I died, my vision was filled with many 'Ci' characters. They appeared in all sorts of different scripts—seal script, running script, cursive script, regular script, clerical script, and so on. Every single one was beautiful, and I loved them all. By then, I was in a semi-conscious state, and in my mind, I was completely intoxicated by these characters. The moment I drew my last breath, my spirit entered into the 'Ci' character, and I remained there for three hundred and sixty years.

I am what you call a 'Word Spirit.' I existed within the space of the 'Ci' character. You must understand, within just a single 'Ci' character, there are countless spirits who enter into different 'Ci' character spaces; I was not the only one. Therefore, when you write the character 'Ci,' it is not certain which spirit will enter into it. During those three hundred and sixty years, I inhabited many different 'Ci' characters written by various people. Some were printed, some were carved, and some were written with a brush—they were all there. Often, someone would write the character, and shortly after, they would paint over it or destroy it. I would appear for such a short time, only to immediately enter into another 'Ci' character.

No matter which script I appeared in, or whose hand had written it, as long as the form of the 'Ci' character manifested, I hoped that those who saw it would be positively influenced. It was a power of Goodness, a power of compassion, a power of positivity. I wanted everyone who saw the character to feel a sense of compassion and kindness arise in their hearts. That was my mental note every time I manifested."

The Power of the Four Characters

"In the end, the place where I stayed the longest was within a plaque that bore the four characters 'Ci Bei Xi She' (Compassion, Joy, and Selfless Giving). I was inside the 'Ci' character. This plaque was hung in a temple and was very eye-catching. Everyone who came to the temple would look up at this plaque, and some would even be unable to resist reading the four characters aloud. I believe I played a significant role in making this plaque so attractive. From within the character, I continuously radiated thought power, making people naturally notice the existence of my character. Added to the fact that the spirits of the other three characters were also manifesting themselves, the four of us combined to appear extremely spiritual and powerful. The meaning of these four characters is also quite profound, teaching people about Compassion, Joy, and Selfless Giving, so the spirits within all four characters accumulated merit.

Year after year passed. I spent thirty years in that plaque—the longest I had ever stayed anywhere. After thirty years, having accumulated enough merit, I suddenly walked out of the space of the 'Ci' character one midnight. The officials from the hells brought me into the hells, where King Yama appointed me to the position of a prison guard. Even while in the hells, I continued to do good. I tried to teach these spirits about compassion, but the criminals in the hells were all overwhelmed by their own suffering and agony; it was truly difficult for them to understand how to practice the compassion I was teaching them.

Later, I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks. Every word and every sentence struck a chord in my heart. Only after listening to the teachings did I understand how to truly help these criminals—by helping them repent, change their ways, and, under the deliverance of Practitioner Su's Dharma Body, chant Buddha's name to find liberation. When it was my turn to be led by Practitioner Su to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, my heart was filled with infinite gratitude. I was so surprised that I could have such an opportunity. Looking back at the past and then looking at the scenery of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss now, it all feels like a dream.

My gratitude is absolute. Namo Amituofo."

Midolang

The doctor, named Li Mi, who resided in the medical space, has also been led by Practitioner Su and sent to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.