The Wisdom of a Simple Life

This is a record of an interview with Hsu Shih-hung, 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 and his subsequent service as a prison guard in the underworld. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on April 30, 2021.

Hsu Shih-hung speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I see the infinitely brilliant Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss before me, and my heart is filled with joy. I have waited for this day for a very long time. If not for the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and if not for Practitioner Su, sixty of us prison guards would not have been able to joyfully achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land on the same day.

A Philosophy of Simplicity

In my life, I never sought fame or fortune. I chose to taste a different philosophy of life, one defined by indifference to worldly gain. I originally lived in a large city, but after being crushed by the relentless pace of urban life, I decided to move back to my old family home in the countryside. Our humble, low-roofed house could not compare to the modern apartments in the city, but the surroundings were filled with genuine human warmth. When I first moved back, I had to spend time adjusting to this new rhythm.

There were not many young people willing to stay in the countryside. A-Hu was the only young man I saw there. He looked quite plain, a real country bumpkin, but when he spoke, he was full of warmth. I asked A-Hu why he hadn't left. He told me he was the least intelligent and least successful in his family. His siblings all wanted to develop their careers elsewhere, so he decided to stay behind to look after his parents. He said he was content to be the one who fulfilled everyone else's needs. He had no grand ambitions; he just wanted to live an honest life. His parents relied on him for everything—moving heavy objects, fetching water, gathering firewood, watering the flowers. Whenever his parents called, A-Hu would go immediately, without a single complaint.

The Weight of Expectations

Since there were many elderly people in the countryside, A-Hu became the one who helped everyone. He had no time for himself; whenever he had a moment, he was always working, always doing something. I was ten years older than A-Hu, and seeing such an honest person, I felt a deep sense of admiration.

My parents were also getting on in years. When they saw me willing to return home, they were both happy and worried. They were happy that I could keep them company, but worried that there was no work for me in the countryside. Our family used to raise pigs, chickens, and cattle, but we didn't do that anymore. In the village, people either opened shops or worked in factories. My parents didn't want me to take those jobs because they had worked so hard to put me through university—an achievement not every family could manage. They had scraped together my tuition fees every semester, hoping I would become someone of great success.

One day after dinner, I returned to my room. As I stepped out to get something, I inadvertently heard my mother speaking to my father: 'A-Yi, we worked so hard to put Shih-hung through university, thinking he would work for a big company. I never expected him to come back home and find no good work here. Doesn't that make him a useless person?' My father replied: 'You must trust our son. He has his own reasons for what he believes is best and most suitable for him. Whether he achieves great success in the future or becomes a farmer, we should support him.' My mother said excitedly: 'Support him in being a farmer? People will look down on us! Everyone knows our Shih-hung is a university graduate. We welcomed him back with lanterns and parades, and now he has returned with nothing. This... this is just impossible to justify!' My father said again: 'My dear, do you want your son to be successful and far away from you, or do you want him by your side to show you filial piety? We don't need to care about the eyes of others; we must trust our son.' After hearing this, my mother didn't say anything more. Hearing their conversation, I felt deeply grateful to my parents, and I began to seriously reflect on and observe what I should do with my life.

The Lesson of the Simple Life

A week later, I still hadn't found any work, and I felt quite anxious. I went for a walk in the fields to clear my head and happened to run into A-Hu. Seeing that I was in low spirits, he came over and asked: 'What's wrong?' I poured out my heart: 'My mother wants me to be successful, but I don't like the suffocating, oppressive life in the city. It seems like everyone is being chased, and even if they get what they want, their hearts are not happy. They just want more and more. Under the cover of fame and fortune, one might gradually lose oneself. I don't want to become that kind of person, but I don't know what I can do now.' A-Hu said: 'There is an Uncle A-Jing in the next town who does business with agricultural produce and has become quite wealthy. Perhaps you could ask him for advice. He might give you some good suggestions.' I nodded. The next day, following A-Hu's directions, I found Uncle A-Jing's house and gathered the courage to knock on the door. After waiting a while with no answer, I was about to give up when I heard a voice behind me: 'Young man, are you looking for me?' I turned around. Uncle A-Jing was wearing a sweat-stained undershirt, his face covered in sweat. He led me inside. Although his house was large, the furnishings were quite simple. Sitting face-to-face, I presented my doubts about life choices to him. To my surprise, Uncle A-Jing laughed heartily: 'Hahaha! It is very normal for a young man to have such doubts.' Uncle A-Jing asked: 'Young man, have you ever thought about why we live?' I shook my head. Uncle A-Jing continued: 'Actually, you don't need to think about it too seriously. I can share my experiences with you for reference; perhaps you can find an answer that works for you.' I nodded.

Uncle A-Jing said: 'My family used to catch frogs. At that time, many people liked to eat frog meat, and this business made us a lot of money. Many people envied us and even tried to do the same business, but they couldn't succeed. Ten years later, we built our own house, and I married a very capable wife. Just when I thought life was going smoothly, I suddenly collapsed. I had a stroke. My entire right side was paralysed, and even my speech became slurred. Overnight, it was so hard to accept that I had become like this. Two months after it happened, my wife ran off with someone else. I discovered she had been having an affair all along; once I collapsed, she naturally left me. The house I lived in had to be sold to pay for my care. When I cried out in my heart: "Heaven! Why did I encounter such a thing?" Heaven did not answer me; everything still had to be endured by myself. I spent a long time calming my heart, doing physical rehabilitation every day. No matter how hard it was, I didn't give up. I told myself that I didn't have much life left, so I should live it honestly. Perhaps I was suffering retribution for selling frog meat in the past, so I could not have any resentment; what should be repaid must be repaid. So, I saved some money, bought fresh vegetables from farmers every day, and opened a stall at the market. Everything I sold was of high quality. When I saw poor people, I even sold to them at the original wholesale price. My business got better day by day, but I didn't feel particularly happy. I just did what I had to do every day, not seeking fame or fortune. I lived alone, and I plan to pass this stall on to someone with karmic affinity. Excessive pursuit in life is just an illusion. My story is nothing special; perhaps there are many people with more exciting stories, but I believe life is best when it is simple. I don't know if saying this has helped you, or if it applies to you.' After listening to Uncle A-Jing, I didn't have any clear thoughts for a while. After thanking him, I walked home, digesting his words. My mind didn't really remember much, only four words: 'Keep it simple.'

A Life of Contentment

Back home, I shared Uncle A-Jing's words with my parents. My father's eyes were kind, and he said nothing, while my mother, after listening, asked me stammeringly: 'So... what have you decided to do?' I paused and told my mother: 'I want to learn from Uncle A-Jing. I don't know if he is willing, but I want to go and ask.' My mother wanted to say something, but swallowed it back.

The next day, I set out to find Uncle A-Jing. My heart was very light on the way. Regardless of whether Uncle A-Jing would accept me, my heart felt more grounded than ever before. Letting go of what I had learned in the past, letting go of my inner doubts and the fear of being looked down upon, I was full of confidence in my choice, so I walked forward with my head held high.

When I arrived at Uncle A-Jing's house, my mindset was different from before. I was very grateful for his guidance, and I asked him to let me learn from him. Uncle A-Jing laughed happily: 'Perhaps you are the person I have been waiting for.' Hearing him say this, the nervousness I had felt earlier vanished completely.

After Uncle A-Jing agreed, I moved into his house. Every day, I went out with him to buy and sell vegetables. Uncle A-Jing adopted me as his foster son and taught me everything he knew. I lived with him for six years. I went from a young man to middle age, and every day was very simple. In the sixth year, Uncle A-Jing had another stroke. This one was more severe than the first; he was almost unable to get out of bed. I took care of him as if he were my own father, feeding him and cleaning up after him. Although Uncle A-Jing could not speak, he was filled with gratitude for my care. Before he breathed his last, he told me to remember to do good deeds, and I kept that in my heart. After he passed away, I gave away eighty percent of my money to help others. Although I was not wealthy in my final years, my heart was very rich. I am very grateful that I lived a plain and simple life. I lived to be sixty-one, never married, and lived a grounded life.

Deliverance from the Underworld

After I died, I knelt before the King of Hell. He said I had no great evils or sins and had performed small merits in the human world, so he gave me the position of a prison guard. When I served as a guard, I was as honest as I had been in the human world. One day, I received word from the King of Hell that I had the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I was deeply grateful. During the waiting period, I still did my best to do my job well every day. While serving as a guard, I saw many beings suffering in the hells. They were all there because of a momentary deviation, following their own temperaments or already corrupted preferences, creating karma without knowing it. If not for Practitioner Su's Dharma talks spreading throughout the hells, I would not have known these truths. When I was a guard, I would share the truths I heard with the beings in the hells, hoping they would have a sliver of repentance and a chance to leave the hells early. I am grateful for Practitioner Su's daily Dharma talks, which allowed me to realise so much. Today, I have finally waited for this day of rebirth. I am grateful to the Buddha and to Practitioner Su.

The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is now working hard to resolve the world's disasters and the collective karma of the people. I hope that I, too, can be of help. Thank you.

Namo Amituofo.

Hsu Shih-hung"