The Wealth of Letting Go

This is a record of an interview with Song Qianhai, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life as a wealthy landowner and his subsequent service as a prison guard in the underworld. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on October 30, 2022.

Song Qianhai speaks:

"My heart is filled with boundless gratitude. I know this is a rare and precious opportunity to attain spiritual liberation, something I have yearned for in the depths of my soul for so long. Today, being able to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I am truly overwhelmed with emotion and thankfulness. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for his compassionate vow. On behalf of all the prison guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

I am Song Qianhai. In my past life, I was a great landowner. I was incredibly wealthy, and for a long time, I believed that there was nothing in this world I could not achieve. Because I had so much money, I thought I was omnipotent. However, I eventually discovered that there were many things money simply could not buy—and there were so many of them! I began to realise that wealth was not the answer to everything, and my heart began to panic. I did not know how to change my life, because I was a person who had nothing but money; I possessed no other capabilities. My heart became hollow, I lost myself, and I fell into such profound depression that I even contemplated ending my own life. I could no longer find the meaning of existence; I had forgotten why a person should even live."

The Illusion of Wealth

"This was my true life experience. I fell into a deep, dark valley of despair. I could not climb out, and I felt I had no strength left to stand. I was in such agony; life had become a void, and I could find no hope. Everything that people in this world strive for, I already possessed. I had wealth, I lived in the lap of luxury, and I held all the material goods that others spent their entire lives fighting to obtain. I had everything, yet my heart felt not a single ounce of joy.

Because of this, I was deeply sorrowful. At one point, I truly believed I had lost all hope for life and considered ending it many times. Yet, in the end, I chose to keep living. Every time I faced such a rebirth of thought, I was forced to contemplate more seriously: 'What is the true meaning of being alive?' I believe everyone might have a different answer. At the time, I searched desperately for the truth. I explored many different paths, but in the end, I chose an answer I had never before considered: the path of letting go of everything."

The Awakening of the Heart

"When I was already filled to the brim with material possessions, I had no room left to receive any new opportunities for change. Therefore, I decided to let go of everything I owned. I made a firm, resolute decision to empty myself. I sold every treasure in my home, converted my land into wealth, and eventually distributed all my assets to various places to help those in need. During the process, I did not know what the outcome would be, but I simply did my best to carry it out. In the end, I discovered that once I had emptied myself of these things, my heart truly opened up and found space. I even discovered that my heart could finally feel genuine happiness—a joy I had never experienced when I was merely hoarding wealth.

For the first time, I realised that helping others brings true happiness. In the past, I would only look at the suffering of others without ever wanting to reach out a hand. Now that I was actually helping people, I felt so joyful. It turns out that helping others and being needed by them is a source of satisfaction that comes from the very depths of one's heart."

Service in the Underworld

"From the moment I started helping others, I continued to do so diligently. I strove to do good deeds and used everything I possessed to assist those around me. I have never regretted this decision; instead, I often wonder why I did not discover this way of helping others sooner. If I had, I would not have spent my life foolishly clinging to wealth while living in such misery.

I am so grateful that I had the ability to help others. Beyond the happiness it brought me, it helped me rediscover the meaning of my life. One cannot choose their background, and many people are just like I used to be—living their lives without realising that they need to change. Those who do not awaken to the meaning of their lives will eventually find their existence dull and tasteless, never knowing that their lives could have held so much more value.

When I began to learn how to use everything I had to help others, I felt that my life had become truly useful, rather than just being about my own enjoyment as it was in the past. To share with everyone and to see everyone improve together—that is the only true happiness."

The Path to Liberation

"I want to use my own experience to tell everyone: there is nothing in this world that you can possess forever, and there is nothing you can take with you when you go. Inner enrichment and spiritual growth are the most important things you must pursue. Do not continue to live only in the external world, for when life ends, you will find you have nothing at all.

Whether you are rich or poor in this world, these external circumstances are ultimately trivial. They only represent your living environment, but they cannot change your inner self or elevate your spirit. Do not waste your time on things you cannot take with you. You must examine yourself: have you truly lived a life of value? In what other ways can you contribute?

You must see clearly what is most important in life. Only then, when your life concludes, can you be truly satisfied, rather than leaving behind only regret. My life experiences have taught me so much, and they have made me value the meaning of my life even more. Even after I passed away, I continued to strive diligently. Although I did not understand the Buddha’s teachings at that time, I knew that one must learn to look at things positively. I learned to see the good in everything, I learned not to be petty, and I worked hard to reform my inner nature, hoping to become a better person.

After I left the human world and arrived in the underworld, the King of Hell gave me an opportunity to serve, and I worked very hard in that role. It was only in recent years that I had the good fortune to hear Practitioner Su give Dharma talks. The principles Practitioner Su taught truly allowed me to awaken instantly. I am so grateful for the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su, which helped me to become much clearer and gave me many insights into my own practice. I will continue to strive and work diligently, hoping to transform into a better version of myself, so that in the future, I may fulfil my wish to help more sentient beings, and together with Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, save the world and deliver beings.

Today, I am deeply grateful for the compassionate and ultimate vow of Practitioner Su, which has given us this opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. On behalf of all the prison guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

Song Qianhai, with palms joined."