The Vital Importance of Education: A Prison Guard's Perspective

This is a record of an interview with Lai Huimei, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon her life and her subsequent service in the underworld. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on January 8, 2023.

Lai Huimei speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Lai Huimei, and today I stand before you as a representative of the prison guards in the underworld. I am deeply grateful to the compassionate Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su for granting us this precious opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I cherish this chance immensely. I know that I must practise diligently—not only to save myself but also to gain the capacity to help countless other sentient beings. On behalf of all the prison guards and the sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace and the kindness of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

A Legacy of Sacrifice and Resilience

"I grew up in a single-parent household. Not long after I was born, my father was tragically killed in an accident when he was struck by a truck. This event caused our family immense suffering; beyond the profound grief of losing my father, we were suddenly stripped of our primary source of income. My mother, however, shouldered the entire burden of our family. During the day, she would carry me on her back while she took on odd jobs just to earn enough for our daily survival. At night, she would return home only to continue working on manual crafts, all to scrape together enough money to cover our living expenses.

My mother was truly a remarkable woman. She was the most important person in my life. From a young age, I watched her back as she laboured tirelessly. Even as I grew older, I continued to witness her constant toil for our family. Although my father passed away early, my mother never remarried. Instead, she became a model daughter-in-law and an exemplary mother. Many people tried to persuade her to think of her own future. She was only twenty years old when my father died, and many felt it was a tragedy for her to remain a widow, alone and unsupported. Even my paternal grandparents urged her to find a good man and remarry, telling her not to sacrifice her entire life for our family. But my mother would always just smile and politely decline. She insisted on staying, telling me that she wanted to keep this home together for my father's sake.

My mother was a woman of immense virtue. Despite her youth, she was incredibly sensible and filial. When she lost her husband, she told me that her heart was shattered, but she also understood that she was not the only one suffering. She thought of my grandparents, who had to endure the 'white-haired person sending off the black-haired person.' She told herself that she had to be strong to provide them with support. Even with the absence of a father figure, she worked tirelessly to ensure our home remained filled with warmth."

The Calling of a Teacher

"My mother carried the weight of our household, cared for her in-laws, and raised me with such devotion. For so many years, she never complained of hardship. Seeing this, my heart ached for her. I could not help her share her burdens, so I could only strive to grow up quickly, be obedient, and become a filial child, doing my best never to cause her worry. As I grew up, I watched her body grow weary from a lifetime of sacrifice—driven by emotion, love, and a sense of duty. Her entire life was poured into our family, and in the end, I saw her suffer from one illness after another. She had almost no opportunity to enjoy life. At the age of forty-seven, due to a sudden acute illness compounded by her poor physical state, she passed away.

After my mother left, I was heartbroken for a long time. I tried to reflect on her life; she had endured so much. I felt deep gratitude for the dedication she showed our family. Because of what I witnessed growing up, I made a decision: I did not want to marry. I wanted to seek a greater meaning in life. I studied diligently from a young age and eventually qualified as a primary school teacher. When it came time to choose where to serve, I specifically requested a school in a remote mountain area. I hoped to bring better resources to these isolated regions and help the children living there gain better learning opportunities.

I taught in the mountains for over twenty years. The children there were so pure and innocent; there was a stark difference between them and the children in the city. I was so happy to have the opportunity to teach in that mountain school. Every day, interacting with those naive and cheerful children, I felt a new hope for life. These children are the future pillars of society, and I believed that educating them well was the most important task I could undertake."

A Final Act of Protection

"Looking at the current state of the educational system and the various social problems we face, it is clear that there is a warning sign: the education of our children must never be neglected. I worked very hard to cultivate a healthy psychological foundation in my students, as I believe this is far more important than academic grades. I have been gone from the human world for over a decade now. I died on the spot when I was struck by an out-of-control truck while trying to protect one of my mountain students. In that moment, I knew I would not survive, but I chose to save the little girl's life because I believed that these children have a future waiting to be realised. If we educate them well, they will eventually influence the entire society and help steer it toward a more positive direction.

After I passed away, I went directly to the underworld. The King of Hell judged my case, noting that I had died an untimely death. He examined my life in detail and concluded that because I had contributed so much to the education of children and had sacrificed my life to save one, I was granted the opportunity to take on the responsibility of educating children in the underworld. I was very happy to accept this role. Most of the children brought to the underworld are those who were not properly guided in the human world, or children still living in the world who have already committed too many karmic offences, leading them to be brought to the Yama Hall by prison guards in the middle of the night for education."

The Path to Liberation

"Although I am no longer in the human world, I still hope that education in the world can change. Otherwise, the educational and social problems will only grow more severe. Every day, the Yama Hall receives large numbers of children and teenagers. This is something everyone should be aware of, and something we must all work together to change. In recent years, I have been able to listen to Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks in the underworld. The principles Practitioner Su teaches are excellent, and I have been applying them to my daily teaching work. This is truly 'heart-based' education, which is exactly what humanity is currently lacking.

Therefore, I believe that having Practitioner Su leading the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia to save the world and deliver sentient beings is a monumental event. It will help transform the entire educational system and guide the hearts of children. This is a great blessing for all of humanity. I am so happy that I had the chance to encounter Practitioner Su's work and hear these teachings; I have become much clearer in my understanding, and I truly desire liberation. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I will cherish it deeply and continue to practise diligently, hoping for the chance to help even more sentient beings in the future. Thank you, Namo Amituofo. Thank you, Practitioner Su. On behalf of all the prison guards, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace and the kindness of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

Lai Huimei, with palms joined.