From Despair to the Light of the Western Dharma-Nature Land

This interview was recorded on February 10, 2026, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. The speaker, Izumi Ryuko, a Japanese woman who suffered through the loss of her family and a life of profound hardship, sought deliverance from her suffering. She now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, having been guided there by the light of Namo Amituofo.

Izumi Ryuko speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Izumi Ryuko, a woman from Japan. I graduated from a women's university with a specialization in home economics, so I was very skilled at managing a household. In the eyes of many Japanese men, I was the ideal wife. I married, and my husband cherished me deeply; we lived a truly happy and fulfilling life together.

However, a massive earthquake destroyed my home. My husband lost his life in that disaster, and my child was left disabled, his legs crushed. I had to shoulder the burden of our livelihood alone, so I went out and found a job.

A Life Shattered by Betrayal

My luck was not with me. Because I was considered beautiful, I was sexually assaulted by my employer, who had no intention of taking any responsibility for his actions. I continued to live on with a defiled body, growing thinner and weaker by the day. Later, I discovered that I had contracted a shameful venereal disease, transmitted to me by that very employer. Poor, wretched me—my heart was filled with such deep frustration and remorse. But thinking of my young child, I forced myself to keep on living.

My heart remained trapped in a knot of sorrow, and I lived through such painful days. I never remarried. Eventually, I fell into a deep depression. My body wasted away, and I lost the desire to eat or sleep. Thinking that I could not possibly live much longer, the only thing I could not let go of was my child. I decided to give him to a childless couple among my relatives. Although my child was disabled, they loved him dearly, and I was finally able to entrust him to them with a sense of peace.

The Loneliness of the Departed

One night, I simply lay there quietly and breathed my last. There was no one to see me off; my spirit left my body in total isolation. In truth, it was an agonizing process. I had no one to rely on, and just like that, my spirit departed. I knew I had died. I was only thirty-two years old.

After my spirit emerged, I found myself in a world of gray mist. I did not know where to go, so I wandered aimlessly through that hazy, colorless realm. I did not speak to any other spirits or ghosts. Occasionally, I would see a few souls drifting past me, but I had no desire to speak or even exchange greetings. I simply kept my head down. I could not understand how I had become so miserable, and yet, I could not even bring myself to cry.

The Call of the Buddha-Light

I truly do not know how long I spent in that state. Suddenly, I saw a ray of light appear before me. In that vast, gray world, I had been drifting without a goal, but then I saw a signboard of the Buddha. Although I had no religious faith, I recognized the Buddha depicted on it, and the signboard also instructed us to chant 'Namo Amituofo.' I chanted it aloud. The light of Namo Amituofo was so brilliant, and as it shone upon me, I felt a profound warmth. However, I lacked the courage to step directly into that Buddha-light. I stayed where I was, unable to leave, not knowing where else to go.

Suddenly, I heard a voice ringing out, saying: 'We must save the Japanese people!' It was such a powerful voice, as if it were calling out specifically to me. I looked into the eyes of the Buddha on the signboard, and a beam of light shone upon us. In an instant, we were transported here—the speed was incredible. There were so many other Japanese people who arrived with me. My name was recorded by the people here, and I saw the one who had declared he would save the Japanese people. He was an elder dressed in white, radiating light. He struck a chime with such a resonant, powerful sound, and that is how we were brought to this place.

A New Beginning in the Western Dharma-Nature Land

Only now have I begun to understand. This place is called the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, and the place where we are staying now is called the Western Dharma-Nature Land. The one who vowed to save the Japanese people is known as Practitioner Su. Shortly after I entered the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I was invited for this interview. I feel that this is a truly wonderful place; it is so bright and luminous, and it makes me feel completely at ease.

I believe it was the Namo Amituofo signboard in Japan that brought us here. I want to thank Namo Amituofo, and I want to thank Practitioner Su. I am so deeply grateful that the Buddha signboard in Japan saved us."

Namo Amituofo.