The Weight of Words: A Prison Guard's Redemption

This interview was recorded on January 5, 2025, by the chief writer, Shi Faxi. The subject is Gao Dengxiang, a spirit who served as a prison guard in the underworld. Having sought deliverance through the compassionate teachings of Practitioner Su at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Gao Dengxiang now shares his journey of repentance and his aspiration for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Gao Dengxiang speaks:

"I am fully aware that this day has arrived not because of any merit I earned on my own, but because of the boundless compassion of Namo Amituofo and the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su. It is only through their grace that I, and so many others, have been granted this precious opportunity for rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. For this, I am truly, deeply grateful.

I offer my deepest gratitude to Namo Amituofo and to Practitioner Su. On behalf of all the prison guards of the underworld, I bow in humble thanks for the Buddha's grace and the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

A Life Built on Deceit

"In my past life, I was born into an ordinary family, but I was blessed with a sharp and clever mind. However, I had a fatal flaw: I absolutely loved to boast. From childhood through adulthood, I would take the most trivial matters and exaggerate them until they sounded like grand, miraculous feats, tricking everyone into believing I was some sort of unparalleled genius.

Later, when I became a merchant, my mouth was filled with flowery, deceptive words, all for the sake of making more money. I would brag about my products without a shred of truth, claiming they had magical properties, and in doing so, I deceived countless people.

There was one instance I can never forget: I sold a medicine that had no healing properties at all, yet I touted it as a 'miracle cure.' Because of my lies, a patient missed their window for proper medical treatment and passed away. I created immeasurable negative karma through my speech, yet at the time, I foolishly thought I was the one benefiting. The words that spilled from my mouth were filled with hypocrisy and falsehoods; this hollowness left my heart feeling perpetually restless and empty.

Even in my later years, when I possessed great wealth and enjoyed a life of luxury, my heart remained unsatisfied. My body was riddled with illness, yet I could not break the evil habit of my tongue, nor could I curb my insatiable desire for more. I did not know that this was suffering. I desperately clung to life, wanting to live longer, and in my greed, I created even greater negative karma, harming so many people. In the end, I died in a state of intense, agonizing physical fragmentation."

The Darkness of the Underworld

"After death, I plunged into a void of absolute darkness. My heart was filled with terror. In my life, I could always use money to hire people to solve my problems, but here, I cried out to the heavens and the earth, yet there was no response. I was left as nothing more than a lonely, wandering spirit, completely penniless. I was truly panicked, trembling to the very core of my being. I had no idea where I was supposed to go, nor did I even know where I was. Before me was only an endless, suffocating darkness. I scrambled frantically in every direction, trying to find a way out, but there was no escape.

Eventually, a mysterious force pulled me to a place that, upon closer inspection, turned out to be the Hall of the Yama King.

During the judgment, the Yama King looked at me sternly and declared: 'In your life, you created karma through your speech, misleading countless people and destroying so many Causal Conditions. I sentence you to be reborn as a toad in your next life. Because you loved to exaggerate and inflate the truth, you shall suffer the consequences of your own inflation!'

I was utterly shocked. I could not accept it, and I was filled with such profound regret, but it was far too late."

The Toad's Lament

"When I awoke in that life as a toad, I found myself in a cold, damp swamp. My limbs were clumsy, and the air around me was thick with the stench of decay. My mouth was abnormally large, always bulging and emitting a hoarse, croaking sound. Whether it was my cry or my appearance, I was loathed by all other creatures.

I tried to use my voice to attract companions, but every time I tried to croak, I would over-inflate my throat and nearly suffocate. This pain was exactly like the falsehoods and harm I had inflicted upon others with my mouth in my previous life.

Life was incredibly difficult! As a toad, my food consisted of insects, which I caught with my long, sticky tongue. Once, I tried to puff up my mouth to intimidate an enemy, but I was nearly snatched up by a diving eagle. I was so terrified that I nearly lost my 'toad life' right then and there. These countless sufferings were agonizing to endure.

Then, one day, by the edge of the swamp, a young monk sat down quietly to recite the Sutras. His voice was so beautiful, so serene, that it calmed everything around him. I could not help but draw closer, hiding in the tall grass to listen. I heard him chanting the Buddha's name: 'Namo Amituofo.' He was saving all sentient beings with karmic affinity. I heard it too—could I be counted among those beings he was saving?

Every single Buddha-name entered my heart. I felt a powerful force helping me. In that moment, I seemed to have an awakening. My heart was no longer filled with complaints or pessimism; instead, it grew calm. I felt as if I had begun to reflect on my past mistakes, and I even started repenting for all the evil karma I had created in the past. I did not know why I was doing this, but the transformation happened so naturally.

The monk returned many times, and each time his chanting made me a little more clear-headed. My inner state underwent a complete transformation."

A Second Chance at Life

"Not long after, I perished in a natural disaster and my spirit returned to the underworld. The Yama King saw that my character had changed, so he allowed me to be reborn as a human. However, he gave me a stern warning: 'In this life, you must cultivate the virtue of speech. If you create karma through your words again, you will surely fall back into the sea of suffering.'

Reborn as Gao Dengxiang in an ordinary family, I understood the importance of speech from a very young age. I never lied easily, nor did I use exaggerated words to please others; instead, I strove to treat everyone with sincerity. Whenever someone encountered difficulties, I was always willing to lend a helping hand and offer warm words to encourage them.

As an adult, I became a teacher. I focused on education and opened a school, where I often taught my students that one must stand in the world with integrity in both word and deed, and I taught them the principles of how to conduct themselves in life.

Looking back on my life in my later years, my heart was filled with peace. I knew that these students, having received an education, would grow and continue to help more people, giving them the opportunity to learn and transform themselves.

The power of language should never be underestimated; it can either create blessings or cause great harm.

When that life came to an end, my heart felt more settled than ever. My spirit appeared before the Yama King, who smiled as he reviewed my record. In the end, he granted me the opportunity to serve in the underworld halls. I was deeply moved and grateful. I knew this was my only chance for change and liberation, and I vowed to serve all sentient beings with my whole heart.

Through these many years of service, I have learned so much and gained profound insights. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn more and for this chance to accumulate merit and virtue.

In recent days, I have been fortunate enough to hear Practitioner Su give Dharma talks. These are the very essence of the truth, and they allowed me to suddenly realise so much more. My heart is now completely clear that I must seek the path of liberation.

I am so grateful to have encountered Practitioner Su's teachings. The content is explained so clearly, and I have come to understand even more deeply how many sins I committed throughout my cycle of reincarnations. Now, I sincerely repent, hoping for the chance to change and to seek rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

I am so grateful that today I can be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. On behalf of all the prison guards and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in humble thanks for the Buddha's grace and the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

Gao Dengxiang, with palms joined in prayer.