The Vigilance of Skanda Bodhisattva: A Journey to Hell

The Watchful Protector of the Temple

Skanda Bodhisattva guards the temple day and night, never departing from this sacred space. He is intimately aware of every movement within the temple, the comings and goings of the fourfold assembly, and the subtle fluctuations of the human heart. Yet, he remains detached, not allowing a single thought to arise. He knows as if he does not know, and he does not know, yet he truly knows. This is because every individual is governed by their own laws of karma and cause and effect.

Skanda Bodhisattva can protect everyone from external spiritual attachments and disrespectful intrusions. However, he cannot protect one from the attachments and spirits that are invited by one's own thoughts, words, actions, and various deeds. It is much like a pond: one can use a net or a cover to prevent external debris from falling into the water, but one cannot prevent the heat or the springs that naturally rise from within the water itself.

The Weight of Every Thought

When someone within the temple experiences anger, resentment, sorrow, sadness, joy, happiness, or cries out loudly, these fluctuations are clearly perceived in this pure environment. They are never confused. Skanda Bodhisattva knows exactly which member of the fourfold assembly—including the two young Bodhisattvas—has initiated these ripples, and whether they are virtuous or unwholesome. He sees this clearly, as do the other Dharma protectors, and even more so, Namo Amituofo and the ancestral masters.

Therefore, Skanda Bodhisattva wishes to remind the fourfold assembly and the young Bodhisattvas to diligently guard their own mental notes, behaviours, and conduct. Do not assume that because others have not seen your actions, they have gone unnoticed. Beyond what human eyes can perceive, every spirit in the space is fully aware. If this is true for mere thoughts and intentions, it is even more so for the words we speak and the actions we perform. If one creates negative karma, harbours evil intentions, or commits unwholesome acts—especially the violations of the Precepts often mentioned by Practitioner Su—the consequences are severe. For monastics who violate these rules, their souls are indeed taken to the court of the King of Hell at night for interrogation, followed by entry into the hells to undergo punishment.

The Mercy of the Pure Land

After being judged according to the specific Precepts violated or the accusations brought forth by other beings, one is sentenced to suffer in the hells. The soul remains there until the sentence is served, at which point it is returned to the body. Some souls are returned the very same night after questioning, while others remain in the hells to continue their trial or punishment, unable to return to their bodies. The duration of this stay depends on the severity of the offence and the sentence imposed—it may be one or two days, a month or two, a year or two, or even longer.

Students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre hold a significant advantage because they reside in a Buddha-land. Here, the fourfold assembly works together with Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su to save beings and serve the public. Because Practitioner Su possesses profound virtue and skills, he can summon back the souls of the fourfold assembly who are undergoing punishment in the hells. This allows their spirits to awaken, enabling them to continue their diligent practice without becoming scattered. Such a situation cannot be found anywhere else.

However, because the causes have already been sown and the results are fixed, this does not mean the negative karma and the deserved punishment are simply erased; they are merely postponed. If a practitioner later loses their resolve, leaves the temple, and stops working with the Buddha and Practitioner Su to save beings, the retribution that was previously suspended will manifest. They will no longer be under this protection, and they will face the full weight of the karma due for that stage of their life, leading to increased physical illness and suffering.

The Path to True Awakening

We often hear it said that those who return to lay life or lose their resolve do not live well. This is because the protection they received while monastics or Dharma protectors, and the reprieve from the hells, ceases to exist. The karma they were previously shielded from begins to manifest, and they become bound by the negative karma of that period. This statement is accurate and aligns with the truth. Skanda Bodhisattva reveals this situation not only to urge the fourfold assembly to be cautious of their thoughts and actions within the temple, but also to remind everyone to cherish the protection they receive while they diligently practise. Every minute and second is not easily obtained; it is only through countless Causal Conditions and the support of Dharma protectors that we have this pure environment, free from interference.

The fourfold assembly must learn to be grateful at all times. Only by reaching the state of an awakened being can one truly repay the Buddha's kindness. Only then can one transform karma, stop the manifestation of past negative causes, and resolve the punishments or illnesses that have been suspended. When the beings who have been harmed see the transformation in the practitioner's body, mind, and spirit, they may be willing to withdraw their grievances or resolve the conflict, thereby eliminating the sentence or the evil consequences.

If one can transform their karma in time, the remainder of their life will be spent in virtuous actions, saving beings, and eventually achieving rebirth in the Western Pure Land. In this way, they will have no opportunity to suffer the consequences of their past negative actions. However, if these negative consequences are not resolved, the punishment remains. Even if a practitioner is reborn in the Western Pure Land, should they return to the human realm and their thoughts and actions align with their past deeds, they will once again taste the bitter fruit. The punishment remains; what must be endured will be endured. This is the principle of the laws of karma and cause and effect, which one must treat with the utmost caution. Only by practising until one realises one's true nature and attains Buddhahood—transforming the Alaya consciousness into the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom—can one be in a state where every thought, action, and vow is in accordance with the Buddha-heart, actions, and vows. Only then will one never violate the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, never commit negative causes, and never suffer from painful retribution. This is the meaning of the saying: "Bodhisattvas fear the cause, while beings fear the result."

A Plea for the Teacher

Recently, the spirits invited out from the body of Practitioner Su have included extraterrestrial beings and even large animals, which have caused vibrations in his head, leading to great discomfort. Skanda Bodhisattva and the other protectors have already restrained many beings, commanding them not to move, vibrate, or roll about while Practitioner Su is giving lectures or conducting the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies. However, when these large animals move even slightly, Practitioner Su’s sensitive body feels it before we can intervene. To avoid causing him greater discomfort, we have not forced them to leave. If these beings continue to move and disturb Practitioner Su, it is a failure on the part of the Dharma protectors, and we ask for his forgiveness. We hope these beings will accept our counsel and refrain from manifesting or causing disturbances during his lectures and ceremonies.

Namo Amituofo.

This interview message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.