Chen Xiangyi, who served as a prison official in the underworld, sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre. This interview, recorded on December 6, 2020, chronicles his profound journey from a simple, agrarian life in a remote ancient village to his eventual liberation and rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Chen Xiangyi speaks:
". I am profoundly grateful for this magnificent opportunity. I offer my deepest, most sincere thanks to Practitioner Su, as well as to every virtuous member of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Today, I am able to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. My heart is filled with such overwhelming emotion; thank you for granting me this precious chance to fulfil a wish I have held for thousands of years: to finally travel to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."
A Simple Life in a Distant Era
"I was born into a humble, unassuming family, where the rhythms of life were dictated by the rising sun and the seasonal cycles of the earth. From a very young age, my parents taught me the fundamental principles of being a good person. They were honest, simple civilians who lived in a remote village in China, roughly three or four thousand years ago. Our existence was defined by self-sufficiency and a deep connection to the land. We would take the vegetables we painstakingly grew to the village square to barter for the food we needed. There was no currency, no greed, and no complex transactions—only the honest exchange of goods between neighbours. It was a simple, primitive, and peaceful existence, entirely isolated from the chaotic outside world.
My family survived by farming, and life was easy because we had very few desires. I grew up surrounded by endless, verdant fields and simple thatched huts. This environment shaped my character to be content with little. My parents were my greatest teachers. Every harvest, they taught me to be profoundly grateful—grateful to the heavens, to the earth, and to the people, for without their collective effort and the absence of natural disasters, there would be no harvest at all. They taught me never to compare myself to others, never to be petty, and always to embrace the spirit of sharing. If we had enough to survive, my mother would carefully prepare the surplus and distribute it to our neighbours in need. They would tell me, 'Do not be selfish. If you learn to help others, your life’s journey will be smooth and filled with peace.'"
The Search for Meaning
"My parents passed away from illness when they were in their forties. By then, I was twenty-five. Although it was the age to marry and start a family, I felt no urgency to do so. I felt there was something more important to pursue, a deeper calling that I could not yet name. I left the village for a few years to travel, witnessing the vast, often turbulent spectrum of human life, but eventually, I returned to my roots. People thought I was seeking wealth or a better status, but in my heart, I knew I was searching for the true meaning of life. It was only recently, after hearing Practitioner Su’s talks, that I realised what I had been searching for all along: the state of and the realisation of one’s true nature.
I never married. Back in the village, I lived a quiet, contemplative life. I simplified my home and gave the excess building materials to neighbours who needed repairs. I adjusted my farming to grow what the village lacked, sharing the harvest with everyone. I prioritised the collective benefit, hoping my labour could ease the lives of others. For sixty years, I lived this way, observing the growth of crops and the lives of my neighbours, always hoping to find a breakthrough in my understanding of life. I watched the seasons change and saw the beauty in every living thing, hoping to find the key to true liberation."
The Path to Longevity and Clarity
"By the time I was eighty, I was still healthy and working in the fields every day. My mind remained clear and unburdened by the trivialities of the world. I believe my longevity and health came from contentment and the ability to 'let go.' I kept my life simple—I needed less than a pound of food a day to be satisfied. The less I consumed, the more I could share with others. A pure heart requires very little, and this simplicity kept my body light and my spirit agile. I learned to remain unattached to the changes around me. A pure heart can know many things, yet choose to remain in a state of stillness, unaffected by the external world.
I spent over a hundred years in that life, constantly seeking the ultimate liberation. In the autumn of my one-hundred-and-second year, I sensed my time was coming to an end. I spent a month arranging my affairs: I dismantled my home, distributed the materials, harvested all my crops to share with the village, and gifted my land to those who understood the beauty of sharing. Finally, I found a quiet spot, built a simple thatched bed, and lay down under the scorching sun. As I closed my eyes, the thatch caught fire, consuming my physical body and marking the end of my journey in that world."
From the Underworld to the Western Pure Land
"After death, I arrived in the underworld. I did not know then that there was a destination beyond—the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I was treated with kindness and eventually brought before the King of the Underworld, who praised my life of service. He suggested I practice alongside Ksitigarbha . After a thousand years of practice, I learned of the Western Pure Land and longed for the day I could be reborn there.
I served in the underworld, helping other beings and listening to the teachings of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Recently, I had the fortune to hear Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks. His words pierced through the veil of my thousands of years of searching. I was deeply moved; his teachings truly lead one to Awakening. I realised that what I had been seeking for millennia was exactly what Practitioner Su was teaching. This is a magnificent truth that all beings should cherish and grasp.
I offer my endless gratitude to this place for helping to lead beings to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Thank you, Namo Amituofo. Thank you, Practitioner Su. I cherish this opportunity for rebirth, for my thousands of years of searching have finally found liberation. Infinite gratitude. Namo Amituofo."
