The Weight of Words and the Path to Redemption

This interview was recorded on May 19, 2024, by the chief writer, Shi Fa. It features the testimony of Zhou Kunda, a spirit currently serving as a prison guard in the underworld. Having once been a monastic who fell into the hells due to the grave sin of mouth karma, Zhou Kunda now shares his harrowing journey of rebirth and his eventual encounter with the teachings of Practitioner Su, which provided him the path to liberation.

Prison Guard Zhou Kunda speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. This is a magnificent and rare opportunity. We are all deeply grateful, and we know that we must cherish this, seize the moment, and practise diligently. On behalf of all the prison guards and sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace and the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

I was once a monastic with the Dharma name Qingyi. From a young age, I loved reading the scriptures. I was diligent in the Buddha's teachings, possessed a compassionate heart, and was respected by many. My master often called me 'the wise one,' hoping that I would one day propagate the Buddha's teachings to save the world. However, due to a momentary lapse in judgment, I strayed onto the wrong path, which ultimately led me to fall into the hells and reincarnate as an animal before I finally came to my senses.

The Poison of the Tongue

People often say that the mouth is the gateway to disaster and the tongue is the blade of a sword. At that time, I did not deeply understand this truth and often spoke carelessly in idle conversation. One day, while discussing the Dharma with my fellow monastics in the meditation hall, I began to talk about various matters within the temple. Arrogance arose in my heart, and I began to point out the faults of others with sharp, unrestrained words. Little did I know that these words were like poison arrows, piercing deep into the hearts of others. Those I criticised grew resentful and gradually distanced themselves from me. Rumours began to spread throughout the temple, and the other monastics harboured grudges, causing the harmony of the temple to fade away.

Seeing this, my master called me to the meditation hall and admonished me earnestly: 'Qingyi, as a monastic, one should guard one's speech and actions, and cultivate one's character. Your words are excessive and lack restraint, causing discord among the community. This is truly inappropriate. You must take the Buddha's teachings as your guide and practise self-discipline.' However, I was young and arrogant at the time; I did not reflect deeply and merely responded with perfunctory words. In my heart, I thought, 'They are just a few casual remarks, why make such a fuss?' From then on, I continued to act as I pleased and never changed my ways.

The Fall from Grace

Less than a year later, because of my improper speech and conduct, the temple was in constant turmoil. One night, a fellow monastic suddenly passed away, and rumours spread that it was caused by the poison of my words. This incident shocked the elders of the temple, and my master was furious. He decided to expel me from the monastic order. Before I left, my master looked at me, his eyes filled with disappointment and helplessness. He sighed, 'Qingyi, where you are today is all due to the disaster of your tongue. I hope you can reflect on yourself in the mundane world and return to the practice of the Buddha's teachings.'

After being expelled, my heart was like dead ashes. I wandered everywhere, begging for food to survive. Gradually, I realised my past mistakes; the disaster of my tongue was truly self-inflicted. But it was too late to regret; the temple gates were closed, and I could not return.

The Agony of the Hells

A few years later, due to long-term wandering, I became weak and ill, and finally passed away. After death, my soul drifted until I met a judge with a black face. He said to me coldly, 'Qingyi, because you slandered others and disrupted the Buddha's gate, you must suffer the torments of hell.' Immediately, I was dragged to hell, where I saw countless souls suffering, their wails and cries unbearable to witness. With a wave of the judge's hand, I was thrown into a sea of fire. The agony of being burned was indescribable. Only then did I truly understand the disaster of the tongue, filled with regret and wishing I were dead.

The suffering of hell is inescapable for eons. I suffered in the sea of fire for several years until, because of my sincere repentance, the King of Hell allowed me to be reincarnated. However, because of my past sins, my next life was destined to be that of an animal. The judge admonished me earnestly: 'Qingyi, you will be a dog in this life, driven by others. You must behave yourself and cultivate your heart and character.'

Life as a Stray

After a whirlwind, I was reborn as a stray dog. At first, I felt a sense of injustice, but later I gradually realised the humility of being a dog—being driven away by people, suffering from hunger and cold. Only then did I understand the preciousness of the human realm. Yet, in the dead of night, I could not help but miss the Buddha's teachings. I would silently recite the scriptures in my heart, hoping that in my next life I could return to the righteous path and not repeat the same mistakes.

After being reborn as a dog, my consciousness as Qingyi remained clear, but I was trapped in this humble shell, unable to express my thoughts. Every day, I could only communicate with my kind through barking, and my heart was filled with frustration. At first, I felt that my situation was unfair and often complained about heaven and others. However, this resentment grew day by day, eventually leading to more suffering.

The Compassionate Monk

I was adopted by a family, but soon I was abandoned on the street by my owner. I wandered outside, often chased by people, starving, and enduring the cold and heat. Every night, I curled up in a corner, looking at the stars in the sky, my heart filled with endless sorrow and regret. Whenever this happened, the time I spent practising in the temple would appear before my eyes; that peace and tranquility now seemed so far away. But as a dog, I could not speak, only bark, which made me suffer even more.

One day, I met a white-haired monk with compassionate eyes who seemed to be able to see through my heart. He walked up to me, gently stroked my head, and whispered the Buddha's name. The sound was like heavenly music, making my heart quiet for a moment. The old monk seemed to see the anxiety and confusion in my heart and smiled, 'Qingyi, when the heart is still, all truths become clear. You are now trapped in a dog's body, anxious and burning with impatience, which only adds to your afflictions. You must use the Buddha's name to purify your heart to find liberation.'

The Power of the Buddha-Name

Hearing this, I felt a little more at ease and began to silently recite the Buddha's name every day following the old monk. Although I could not speak, as I recited the Buddha's name in my heart, my inner self gradually became calm. This went on for some time, and I gradually felt an inner clarity and tranquility, no longer feeling sorry for myself because of the humility of the dog's body.

However, life is unpredictable. One day, I was chased by a group of young thugs and fled everywhere. On the way, I strayed into a remote alley and was trapped in a corner with nowhere to run. The thugs threw stones at me, and the pain was unbearable. At that moment, I was extremely anxious and couldn't help but wail, but no one came to save me. At that moment, I felt deep despair, but I silently recited the Buddha's name, hoping to get a glimmer of comfort.

Rebirth and New Beginnings

Miraculously, when I focused on the Buddha's name in my heart, my inner self gradually calmed down. Although I was in danger, I was no longer afraid. The thugs saw that I was no longer resisting, gradually lost interest, and finally left. I dragged my exhausted body into a hidden corner, silently reciting the Buddha's name continuously, grateful for the Buddha's blessings.

From then on, I became even more determined to recite the Buddha's name silently every day. My heart gradually filled with compassion and peace. I no longer resented my situation but accepted reality and worked hard to practise. Slowly, I felt an inner purity, as if the dog's form no longer mattered. Every day when I recited the Buddha's name, it felt as if I had returned to the pure land of the temple in the past.

As time went on, my state of mind became more peaceful, and I began to realise the mistakes of my past life and truly repented. Every time I recited the Buddha's name, I prayed for the Buddha's forgiveness, hoping to be liberated from the suffering of this life. One night, in a dream, I saw Namo Amituofo compassionately say to me, 'Qingyi, you have now repented and turned over a new leaf. In your next life, you will have the opportunity to return to the Buddha's teachings and form good affinities with many.'

A Life of Caution and Compassion

After waking up, I felt deeply comforted and became even more determined to practise the Buddha's teachings and recite the Buddha's name. Not long after, I felt my body gradually becoming light, as if a mysterious force was guiding me, allowing me to escape the suffering of the dog's body. At that moment, I knew I had finally achieved liberation.

I was reborn as a human named Huijue, born into a poor farming family. Life was hard in my childhood, but my heart was exceptionally clear, as if I had memories of my past life. From a young age, I loved reciting scriptures, and my heart was filled with the compassion and wisdom of the Buddha's teachings. Although my parents did not understand the cause and effect of my past life, they were very pleased to see that I was self-disciplined and pure in character.

After returning to the human realm, I was extra vigilant about my body, speech, and mind, not daring to commit karmic sins again. Every morning, after working in the fields, I would always find a quiet place to meditate and recite the Buddhist sutras. Every recitation reminded me of the mistakes of my past life, making me even more vigilant about my words and actions. Towards others, I often held a compassionate heart, trying my best to help them and reduce resentment and afflictions.

Returning to the Temple

I knew deeply that because of the disaster of my tongue in my past life, I had fallen into hell, reincarnated as an animal, and suffered countless hardships. Therefore, in this life, I paid special attention to mouth virtue, being cautious in my speech. No matter when or where, I always used kind words to encourage others and avoided malicious slander. In the village, people gradually began to respect me. I often taught the villagers: 'The mouth is the gateway to disaster and fortune; only by being cautious in speech can one be safe.'

However, there are many temptations in the secular world, and it is inevitable that evil thoughts will arise. Whenever this happened, I would silently recite the Buddha's name to remind myself not to repeat the mistakes of my past life. Through the practice of the Buddha's teachings, I gradually learned to control my mental notes, maintain righteous thoughts, and eliminate evil thoughts. No matter what kind of predicament I faced, I could always respond with a peaceful heart, and my heart was filled with tranquility.

As I grew older, I felt the profundity and wisdom of the Buddha's teachings even more. One day, I decided to go to the temple to practise the Buddha's teachings again. My master was very pleased to see me return and gladly allowed me to re-enter the temple. In the temple, I practised diligently every day, reciting sutras and making prostrations, reflecting deeply on my past mistakes, and vowing to form good affinities and benefit all beings.

The Truth of Liberation

In the temple, I not only practised myself but also actively shared my experiences and insights with my fellow monastics. Whenever there were new disciples who were just beginning to learn the Buddha's teachings, I would patiently guide them, reminding them of the importance of mouth karma and teaching them how to practise righteous thoughts and eliminate evil thoughts. Through exchanges with others, I felt the boundless wisdom and compassion of the Buddha's teachings even more, and my heart became even calmer.

Once, while I was out begging for alms, I passed through a small village. I saw that the customs were simple, but many people were trapped in secular afflictions and were suffering. I stayed for a few days, telling the villagers about the Buddha's teachings and sharing my experiences. After hearing this, the villagers had insights and gradually changed their words and actions, and their lives became more harmonious. When I left, the villagers were reluctant to see me go and were grateful for my teachings. My heart was also filled with joy, and I deeply felt the power of the Buddha's teachings.

After that, I often travelled to different places to teach the Buddha's teachings, teaching people how to practise righteous thoughts, eliminate evil thoughts, speak kind words, and share wisdom and compassion with others. Wherever I went, I always used my own experience as a warning to remind people to be cautious in their speech and actions and not to commit karmic sins lightly. Through such propagation, I felt my heart becoming even more tranquil and more in tune with the Buddha's teachings.

In the end, I spent the rest of my life propagating the Buddha's teachings. Whenever it was late at night, I would sit under the moon, silently reciting the Buddha's name, reflecting on my life, and being grateful for the salvation and guidance of the Buddha's teachings. Although I had fallen into hell and reincarnated as an animal, it was precisely this experience that made me understand the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha's teachings even more. Now, with a pure heart, I face everything calmly and am no longer afraid of the laws of karma and cause and effect.

After leaving the human world, I came before the King of Hell again. My heart was very calm as I waited for the King of Hell's judgment. I originally thought I would still have to face karmic retribution, but I did not expect the King of Hell to compassionately give me an opportunity to serve.

I am very grateful for this opportunity to serve sentient beings. I have also vowed to work hard to grow in my service and to help more people.

I have served in the King of Hell's palace for many years, and only recently did I hear Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks. After such a long experience of reincarnation, I had never realised these truths. When I heard Practitioner Su speak of these principles, my heart was truly moved. Only then did I finally know that this is the truth of liberation. I am very grateful for the appearance of Practitioner Su, who has saved immeasurable and boundless spirits and brought us the magnificent Dharma.

I am very grateful for the compassionate power of Practitioner Su, which helps us to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. On behalf of all the prison guards and sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace and the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

Zhou Kunda, with palms joined."