This interview was recorded on June 7, 2017, at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. Venerable HaiZe, a disciple of the Buddha, conducted this session to document the spiritual journey of the late Taiwanese statesman, Koo Chen-fu. Having sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of the Centre, Mr. Koo now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This testimony serves as a testament to the reality of the Pure Land and the infinite of .
Koo Chen-fu speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. Greetings to everyone. It has been a long time!"
Mr. Koo remains tall, slender, and elegant, bowing gracefully to the audience.
"I am Koo Chen-fu. I am now in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a truly magnificent world. I never imagined such a place could exist; any description of the most beautiful scenery in the human world does not even reach one-thousandth, or even one-ten-thousandth, of the beauty here. It turns out that what is called a Buddha-land is so magnificent and beyond measure.
The Splendour of the Pure Land
Amidst the golden brilliance, there is a gentle, shimmering glow. Within the soft breezes, a pleasant and pure fragrance drifts by. The murmuring streams whisper moving sounds of the . The songs of the birds are, in fact, the Ultimate Vows of Namo Amituofo. Before the throne of Namo Amituofo, all beings respectfully listen to the teachings of the Dharma. There is no darkness here, only bright, pure light. Every thought is fulfilled, and every wish is granted without any craving. It is through the dual cultivation of and wisdom over countless lifetimes that I have arrived here.
First, I offer my gratitude to Namo Amituofo for His compassionate deliverance. I also thank Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre for her immense kindness. If the causal conditions had not been met, I would still be suffering and wailing in the hells, unable to escape my agony.
A Life of Achievement and Regret
In my lifetime, I was always learning and applying what I had learned. Even when facing various challenges, I remained fearless. Yet, upon arriving in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I realised that it is difficult not to be compassionate and pure here, as all the superior beings of the Pure Land gather in one place.
I grew up in a wealthy family, a prestigious clan in Lukang. I was well-educated and polite. My academic journey was smooth, and after graduating from the Imperial University, I went to Japan for further studies. Subsequently, I held many key positions in Taiwan’s political, industrial, commercial, and economic sectors. I founded numerous economic initiatives and lived a life of prestige, doing my best to contribute to the nation and society. I interacted with international elites and diplomats, conversing fluently in Japanese and English. Although I moved among the political and business elite, I lived my life with constant vigilance in every role I held, never daring to rest for a single day. Fortunately, I had a virtuous wife who supported me, allowing me to pursue my ambitions outside the home. Although I stumbled and fell at times, I always stood back up. Though there were romantic entanglements in my youth, those are now things of the past. That is life! Even though there were countless business dinners where we raised our glasses to talk about the good old days, and though I once shared drinks with heroes under the moonlight and signed major agreements with friends, these are all past events. They left me with nothing but the reality of sickness and death, leading me to the Yellow Springs.
The Truth Behind the Illness
To be honest, it is shameful that after such a life, I ended my days on a hospital bed. Is this the goal and meaning of life? Fame, status, wealth, power, and prosperity—I had everything that people in the world strive for, yet I could not escape the cycle of aging, sickness, and death. I passed away at eighty-eight, suffering from kidney failure. This was the greatest regret of my life. I once envied the eminent monks of the Buddhist tradition who passed away without illness, yet I ended my life with a final, laboured breath. My death shocked the political and economic circles, with many sighing at the loss of a giant. A grand funeral was held to bid me farewell, but who would have known that I was already suffering in hell?
Looking back now, although I lived a glorious life, my body had hidden crises since middle age that I was unaware of. Around the age of fifty-two, when my career was at its busiest and I was flying back and forth internationally, I began to have problems with my urinary system. I thought it was just due to stress or holding my urine, and taking some medicine seemed to help. It would improve and then worsen. Now I see that problems with the urinary system are truly related to sexual conduct. During those acts, I indulged in fantasies to increase pleasure; in reality, a part of my soul had already been taken away. That is why the urinary issues persisted, which eventually sowed the seeds for the nephritis and the kidney failure that required dialysis. It is difficult to speak of these things, and given my personality, I would have kept such private matters hidden. However, during my time in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have been listening to the sutras and the Dharma, and I have heard Practitioner Su’s teachings. I have come to understand the principles of the Dharma, the laws of and cause and effect, and the cycle of rebirth. After calming my heart, I can believe and accept this: for every cause, there is an effect.
and the Lessons of the Soul
I have come to understand why I was born into such a prominent family. It is because, about six lifetimes ago, I was a close friend of my father in this life. We did business together and shared our earnings; our relationship was excellent. Therefore, the causal conditions of this life turned that past friend into my father. I enjoyed the fruits of his labour, just as we had shared in that past life. Moreover, I received my father’s love, care, and guidance, which laid the foundation for my later achievements. My passion for the Peking Opera was also a lifelong love. In truth, there was no shortage of women around me in this life. Romantic entanglements and fleeting affairs were inevitable, and these were all related to my kidney disease. In those processes, a part of my soul was lost to these desires. These women were people with whom I had deep or shallow connections in past lives! I could not escape these ties; once we met, there was an immediate resonance. I speak of this now to repent for my spiritual obstacles, hoping that future generations will be warned. Do not follow your desires; desire is endless. A moment of satisfaction only invites endless suffering.
Some illnesses come quickly and fiercely. When I was abroad, I returned to my room one night and suddenly felt severe pain in my lower left abdomen. I could not stand. I quickly rang for help, and the staff took me to the hospital. The examination revealed pancreatitis, with inflammation levels five to ten times higher than normal. I had to be hospitalised. Attacked by such pain, I had no ability to resist, and only then did I realise how fragile a person is when facing illness. Now, I can look back at my past lives. About six lifetimes ago, I had an enemy against whom I secretly used potent poison, intending to kill him. These are what we call . In this life, when I was alone and had no one to help me, they took away a part of my soul, and I suffered this retribution. When I was alive, I would not have accepted this; I always believed in the doctors' explanations or the statistical probabilities of medical science. I would never have believed that these things were related to an unseen, unknown past. Now, seeing everything clearly here, I cannot help but sigh: every single bit is of one's own making; the laws of karma and cause and effect are not controlled by anyone.
The Necessity of Dharma Education
The three souls and seven spirits that one is born with are essential factors for maintaining physical and mental health and stability. These cannot be detected by medical instruments. Once the soul leaves —or is taken away—the body becomes tired day by day, gradually losing strength, and illness occurs. These are lessons I only learned after death. While alive, I was busy trying to make the most of my talents, but after death, all that knowledge and learning were useless. What one relies on is the record of one's actions in life, recorded clearly, bit by bit. Things you remember and things you don't; things you know and things you don't; things you thought were right, but were actually a complete mess; things you thought were wrong, but were actually right because you benefited countless people you didn't even know. This is a very important lesson, one that cannot be measured by school grades. It is a pity that I only learned this after death. It is too late; everything has already been done, and the karma has already taken shape. Good has its good rewards, and evil has its evil rewards; it is not that there is no retribution, but that the time has not yet arrived. When the time comes, one is already reporting to hell to suffer the consequences! This lesson on the laws of karma and cause and effect should truly be a compulsory subject in all schools, and even in the professional training of companies and institutions. Regardless of religion or age, everyone should learn it. This is a restraining force of self-discipline, far more brilliant and accurate than legal constraints. When the incident occurs, the record is so detailed that you have no choice but to admit your faults. This is why I ended up in hell to suffer retribution. To repay the Buddha’s grace and the kindness of Practitioner Su, I have summoned the courage to speak of these things in plain language.
Deliverance from the Hells
Given my exposure and actions in the world, it is not an exaggeration to call me a fox. At the time, for the sake of various interests, I had to make certain decisions and preparations. Sometimes, I had to sacrifice the interests of the few to gain profits for the many. I thought secretly and had a wicked heart, which led me into the heart-gouging hell. I was unforgiving in my speech, engaging in verbal battles and creating negative karma for my own selfish gain, which led to the tongue-gouging hell. I used my brain to plot and scheme for profit, creating negative karma, which led to the brain-gouging hell. Outside of my marriage, I engaged in sexual misconduct, which led to the copper pillar hell. I was constantly being punished and was in unbearable pain. Suddenly, a voice echoed in the void: 'Koo Chen-fu, Koo Chen-fu, where are you? Come out!' A light appeared, catching me off guard and enveloping me. Then, I was in the Hsiang Kuang Buddha-land, where I saw a with a radiant body and dignified appearance—that was Practitioner Su. She asked me, 'Are you Koo Chen-fu?' I nodded. 'You have come up from hell. What did you do to deserve to enter hell?' I didn't know where to begin. She irrigated me with Buddha-water, and I felt a sudden coolness throughout my body, becoming much clearer. 'First, go to the of the Hsiang Kuang Buddha-land.' Later, after coming out several times, through the compassion of the Buddha, Practitioner Su intended to send me to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. However, because I had doubts in my heart and did not yet understand the Western Pure Land or Namo Amituofo, I entered the borderlands of the West. Intellectuals are often like this—troublesome, disbelieving, and full of doubt. I suffered a great loss there. Through listening to the sutras and the teachings of Practitioner Su, I learned that in the borderlands of the West, one must wait for up to five hundred years before being able to enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Practitioner Su, in her compassion, asked me to look at my past lives and truly repent. Thus, she invited me out once more and sent me into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is why I was able to enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
A Call to Family
The causal conditions are truly inconceivable. Practitioner Su is not only my benefactor but also the benefactor of the Koo family. Koo Lien-sung and his mother, Madam Koo Yen Pi-hsia, were also invited out by Practitioner Su and sent to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Practitioner Su has mentioned Koo Chung-liang many times; he was her student in a past life, and his physical health is currently poor. If the conditions are right, she can help him heal. Chung-liang, I hope you can see this content. What your great-uncle says is true; these are not words spoken in jest! The grandmother you loved and respected most was also invited out by Practitioner Su and sent to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This kindness must be repaid! The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre here in Australia is connected to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. You can come here and speak with your father, me, or your grandmother. This is real! My family may not believe that I would end up in such a state after death. Initially, my family performed the to send me off, thinking I would be reborn in the Pure Land, but the result was that I did not go to the West. It was only here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, through the Thrice Yearning Ceremony performed by Practitioner Su, that I was sent to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. All of this is a fact and has already happened. This kindness from Practitioner Su is impossible to repay. I want to do one thing now: the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is planning to expand and build, and I wish to contribute my efforts. This is a wonderful thing, as it will allow Practitioner Su and the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to save more beings and help them be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. My son, Koo Cheng-yun, is currently in the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I hope my family member, Chang An-ping, can come here to see that what I say is not false, and that he can assist and sponsor the construction needs of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre on my behalf. Cement is essential for construction, and Taiwan Cement Corporation was a place where I once exerted much effort!
Gratitude to Namo Amituofo! Gratitude to Practitioner Su for her grace of salvation! Gratitude to everyone! Namo Amituofo!"
Message recorded by the disciple of the Buddha, Venerable HaiZe.
