From the Limelight to the Light of the Buddha

This is a record of an interview with Barbie Hsu (Da S), who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon her life and her transition from the suffering of the hells to the light of the Buddha. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on May 30, 2026.

Barbie Hsu (Da S) speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I have been in the Western Land of Dharma Nature for three days now, and I find that I still shed tears occasionally. Being here has allowed me to see so many things with absolute clarity, and finally, I am no longer suffering. The pain I endured was far too heavy; for over a year, ever since I departed from the human world, the suffering never ceased—not until three days ago when I arrived in this world of light. This place is infinitely more beautiful than anything I could have ever imagined while I was alive.

However, I never expected that, by the standards of the universal principle, I was actually considered a person of poor character. I was even sentenced to endure punishment in the hells for such a long time. It was so painful, so incredibly painful! I kept weeping uncontrollably because I could not fully calm my heart, but now, I am feeling much better."

The Compassion of the Buddha and Practitioner Su

"Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su are truly compassionate and kind. They treat every single being brought to the Western Land of Dharma Nature as if they were a Buddha. Over these past few days, I have felt my entire soul become so pure and tranquil. There are no more turbulent emotions or anxieties; all of that agony has truly come to an end.

I want to speak to everyone here with courage: I am Barbie Hsu, Da S. The name 'Da S' should be very familiar to you, shouldn't it? Whether you are in Mainland China or Taiwan, even if you have never heard of me, you should not find the name unfamiliar. Haha, thinking about it now, I still feel a little pride. It is true; when I was alive, I was a proud person at my core. I had great ambitions and wanted to prove to everyone that I was the 'Da S' they saw in the spotlight.

Life is just a play, and everyone knows how my story ended, so there is no need to dwell on that. But if we were to dissect it carefully—oh my, it is truly too tragic to look at! I lived to be forty-eight years old, only to be swept away in a pandemic, dying in agony after just a few days of struggle. My family was gathered around me, and I knew of their pain at the time, but I had no capacity to comfort them. I was suffering too much myself; my body was in such excruciating pain!"

The Agony of Separation

"Everyone always assumed it was just a minor illness, but in reality, my body was enduring the immense pain of separation—a suffering that people in the world can hardly imagine. It felt as if a turtle were being stripped of its shell. Perhaps that is exactly what it was: my shell was being torn away, and my soul was struggling, yet I did not know how to express that depth of misery.

In this world of light, I have begun to learn how to chant the Buddha's name—to chant 'Namo Amituofo.' This six-character sacred name wanders through the depths of my heart, bringing me a sense of stability I never thought possible. I never imagined that such a peaceful heart could be so difficult to attain.

I remember it so vividly: I was still suffering in the hells, in the darkest and most painful moment, when the Buddha saved me. That event is a source of such warmth and stability in my heart. I want to tell everyone that this was the first time I felt true warmth and joy, because the energy the Buddha bestowed upon me was simply overwhelming.

For over a year, I often screamed at the top of my lungs in hell, screaming until my heart felt like it was being torn apart, but it was all in vain. No one ever came to save me, and no one ever paid attention to my cries. Sometimes I lost my voice, yet I still struggled, hoping that someone would rescue me from that hell, because the suffering was simply unbearable."

A Newfound Clarity

"I never expected that the one to save me would be a beam of incredibly warm golden light, and that Practitioner Su would be the one to lead me to the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I had never heard of this place while I was alive, but now I see it all so clearly. Everything here, and everything regarding the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, is so magnificent. It has given so many of us a completely new life!

I sincerely thank Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for giving me this opportunity for rebirth. I have begun to understand some truths here. Although my understanding of the Buddha's teachings is not yet as profound as many others, I can say with certainty that the Buddha's teachings are the greatest education in the universe.

When I first started listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma here, I was confused and didn't understand much. But now, as I look at the changes around me and combine them with the principles I have learned, I truly feel that the existence of the Buddha in the universe is a wonderful thing. And if the Buddha can teach more people to become Buddhas together, then a world where everyone is a Buddha would be even more beautiful.

I finally know now: what Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su speak of is the Truth. Coming to this place, I cannot help but sigh—we celebrities who have been guided by Practitioner Su are truly a very fortunate group! Many other celebrities did not have the tremendous blessings that we have; they may have left the human world many years ago and lacked the causal conditions to be guided away from the world of suffering and into such a bright Buddha-land."

The Truth Behind the Performance

"I only left the human world early last year, so I am sure I am still fresh in everyone's memory. My family still misses me deeply, and my fans still have a profound impression of me. Therefore, with my fame and influence, if I could propagate the education of the Buddha's teachings—to tell my family, and even all my fans and everyone who knows me, that I, Barbie Hsu, have arrived in the Western Land of Dharma Nature to see the Buddha—I would announce it loudly, just as I used to do when I was a host.

But I no longer have my old rhetoric, stage presence, or personality. Under the purification of the Buddha-light in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I have changed too much. I speak very steadily now, word by word. My heart is calm; I do not speak these words to please anyone, nor do I speak them to gain fame or status. I sincerely want to express the circumstances of my life just to give everyone something to reflect upon. Haha, I have said so much, but it seems I haven't really touched on the main points. Consider this just me chatting casually with everyone; I am saying whatever comes to mind. This is my most sincere confession, and I hope everyone can accept it with a smile.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I have spoken publicly to everyone since leaving the human world. But as a spirit, I am conveying these words through the masters at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and I sincerely hope everyone can believe that these are my words. I, Da S, have truly arrived in a world of light—the world of the Buddha. I have also truly left that painful hell. To be honest, the suffering of hell is endless. You should all know that the hell I fell into is called the 'Tongue-Plucking Hell'; this actually bears some resemblance to my temperament when I was alive.

We people in the entertainment industry all rely on our mouths to speak. This mouth won me much applause, many paycheques, and the laughter of the public. I spoke with such directness and humour, and everyone thought I was being 'real,' but in truth, all of this was merely to please the masses, to ensure that everyone received joy from the auditory and visual effects. There was nothing in those words truly worthy of such admiration and joy from all of you."

Reflecting on a Life of Karma

"Looking back now, the things I said and did in the past were exactly as I described. At the time, like many other artists in the film and television industry, I believed I was being sincere. But in the great dyeing vat of the entertainment industry, how many people are truly sincere? So-called sincerity should mean: the words you speak are for the benefit of the other person, allowing them to have positive growth.

As for me, whether it was the dialogue in a script or the things I said while hosting a show to achieve a unique effect, all of this was actually creating karma, though I did not know it at the time. I thought that because I was an artist, this was simply my job and my hobby, and it was what I relied on to survive. Given my personality, I naturally believed that these things were surely my talent!

I have always been very serious about my work, holding high expectations for myself, and I hoped to present the best side of myself to the world, so that everyone would not only appreciate my work but also appreciate me as a person. Of course, there were many times when I didn't care much about what others thought; those who understood me would understand, and those who didn't, I wouldn't pay much attention to. That was my principle for living in the past.

A person's life has passed by so quickly. I never expected that I would leave so hastily, leaving behind so much regret and heartache for everyone. But I myself did not have much time to deal with that grief. Although, as a wife, a mother, and a daughter, I felt very sad and reluctant to leave all my family members, especially my children.

However, this feeling of reluctance was quickly drowned out by the suffering of hell. Everything happened too fast, too fast. I had no time to react, nor did I have time to see clearly what had happened to my family, and just like that, I was dragged into an endless abyss, suffering continuously with no way to stop. When I first arrived in hell to suffer, I was very resentful, confused, and panicked, not knowing what had happened. Ending my life in such a way had already caught me unprepared, let alone the fact that the next world awaiting me was so cruel! So painful!

Now, I look back at everything from that time with a very calm heart in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I am very grateful that it has all finally ended, and I am also very grateful that after suffering for over a year, I can finally recognize the true Truth and the education of the Buddha's teachings. All of this is due to the compassion of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, which has allowed so many of us to end this pain. I know that people in the world have a lot of curiosity about me, and even more so about my death. If I were to go back and take stock of every single thing in my life, there is really no need to say much more; it is all in the past."

When I was very young, I never imagined that I would reach such a level of fame and success. But if I were given the chance to choose again, I would certainly never walk the path of the entertainment industry, nor would I work under the gaze of the masses. In the entertainment world, no matter how well you do, how good your reputation is, or how smoothly things seem to go, not one of us is truly happy. Perhaps many people there never consider themselves unhappy, but during my time here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I have truly realised what genuine happiness is. It is so light, so effortless; to have nothing at all, yet feel as though I possess everything.

The True Joy of the Western Land

I have only been in the Western Land of Dharma Nature for three days! And considering I came here after suffering in the hells, I am already able to feel the true joy of this place. All the satisfaction I experienced in the human world—whether it was material wealth, fame, or career success—cannot compare to the clarity and brilliance of chanting a single 'Namo Amituofo' here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. That state of mind is very difficult for ordinary people in the human world to comprehend. But today, I tell you all from the bottom of my heart: to have nothing, to have a heart that is empty and completely at peace, and to know the path ahead, to know the Truth, the Right Way—this feeling and experience is something that no material enjoyment in the human world can ever provide.

In the human world, I doubt anyone dares to claim they have absolute certainty about the future. The human world is inherently a place of impermanence. My death is a perfect example of this impermanence. Everyone is actually the same; from the moment we are born, who is not marching toward death? It is just that we die at different ages, in different ways, and from different causes. These various differences are all the result of the laws of karma and cause and effect that we ourselves have created. Since everyone is walking the same path, what is there to celebrate? This is not to say that I am pessimistic about those still in the human world—that is not it at all. A human body is still very precious. I can confirm this with absolute certainty here.

The Danger of a Life Without Dharma

However, what I want to say is that a life without learning the Buddha’s teachings, a life not nurtured by Buddhist education, is actually extremely dangerous. We do not know what is right and what is wrong. What is taught in schools is completely inapplicable when measured against the Universal Principle. In the eyes of most people, as long as you possess qualities like not harming others, being law-abiding, and being filial to your parents, you can be called a 'good person.' But the Universal Principle is not biased in the slightest!

Taking my own case as an example, I would not dare to say I was a 'great' person, but in the eyes of many, I was considered a loyal friend and a good sister. I was talented, knew how to share, and was not stingy with others. In the entertainment industry, my straightforward, bold, and passionate personality actually won me a lot of favour. But I never imagined that everything I was doing was, step by step, creating karma! I had never truly aligned myself with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way as described in the Buddha’s teachings. Every film I made might have brought temporary satisfaction and joy to the audience, but how does one account for the trends I led, the values I promoted, and the direction I steered people toward?

The Illusion of Worldly Success

People think that coming to the human world means cherishing this life and enjoying the best of everything. Those with money want more money; those who enjoy pleasure want more pleasure. This is the portrait of the average person, who believes that the more one possesses, the happier one will be. If one can be satisfied in every aspect, then one is a 'winner' in life. Ordinary, worldly people—including my former self—all thought this way.

I used to crave a successful career, a good husband, and good children. In this world filled with emotion, I wanted to satisfy every aspect of my feelings and desires. I wanted to get what I wanted, enjoy what I wanted to enjoy, and go where I wanted to go. When I could satisfy my cravings for love, friendship, and family, I thought that was the greatest happiness the human world had to offer.

But I never knew that while I was chasing all of this, I had completely lost myself. I had lost that pure heart—the most natural, simple heart that exists in everyone’s original nature. The preciousness of this heart lies in the fact that it does not need any embellishment to shine with light.

The Burden of Embellishment

This is different from my philosophy of life. I spent my whole life trying to 'embellish' my existence, hoping that 'good' could be 'better.' I hoped the films I produced would satisfy everyone, and that all my business ventures would yield excellent returns. This heart of 'seeking' had already covered my spirit in thick layers of filth. Furthermore, I had all sorts of attachments to this physical body! I hoped to remain forever young and beautiful, and I wanted every aspect of my life to have a satisfactory answer.

Oh, honestly, aren't all the people in the human world like this? It is just that in this life, I obtained more than most in terms of wealth and social status, so the karma I created was also much greater. Every word I spoke could influence so many people; every movie I acted in could influence the hearts of many. According to the Universal Principle in the Buddha’s teachings, these things should not be done. I stirred up desires in people’s hearts, awakened values that deviated from the Right Way, and caused people’s greed and cravings to only increase, never decrease. I led people into the same whirlpool of emotion I was in, teaching them my ways of dealing with relationships, and my pursuit of life became a model for others to imitate.

The Complexity of a Chasing Life

Looking back on my life, it was complex and spent entirely in pursuit. It was complex because I had to have plans and strategies at every moment: planning my next step, my family’s next step, planning the next trip or meeting, and dealing with all sorts of public and trivial matters. Every single thing was filled with endless desire and the pursuit of emotion, which permeated my entire life.

Everyone thinks all of this is beautiful and full of anticipation, but having stepped out of it and arrived in this world of light—the Western Land of Dharma Nature—I now know that all these pursuits are the root of suffering. Moreover, my pursuits were different from the average person’s; I sought a higher level of satisfaction, demanding that every detail reach the best possible effect. Only when everything was meticulously calculated to match my vision and intended results could I be satisfied; otherwise, I would strive and strive, working even harder to achieve it. I was like this with myself, and more or less, I was like this with the people around me too.

After staying in the entertainment industry for so long, I didn't even know where my true heart was. There was a persona to show others, and then there was the true appearance of my inner heart, but this truth was often something I dared not reveal. Even if I wanted to express it, those around me would probably have stopped me. To maintain an image, even someone like me, who seemed so carefree, was actually just like that.

A Beautiful World of Purification

Here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, as I listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma, every word and sentence spoken by the Buddha—once I truly understood them—revealed to me that this is where the Truth lies, pointing directly to the human heart. My heart was once so fragile, but here, it has been mended. That fragility was hidden in the deepest part, unseen by anyone, yet in the education of the Buddha’s teachings, it became clear at a glance, presented without any reservation. The Buddha is also slowly helping me with purification, letting me gradually let go of all these things. This is truly such a beautiful world.

I have been in the Land of Dharma Nature for only three days, and I am still in the process of adapting and understanding. I feel like I am still spinning around myself, trying hard to feel everything around me, trying to understand and digest it. But I can clearly see that those who have truly attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss often have no 'self' in their hearts; they have no private feelings or thoughts.

To surrender oneself completely to the Buddha and throw oneself into the work of saving others—that is the greatest happiness in the human world. If I have a future life, I will absolutely not be an entertainer; I only want to properly learn the skills of the Buddha’s practice. Because here, I can see with my own eyes that having the skills to realise one's true nature and attain Buddhahood while in the human world is truly, truly wonderful.

Gratitude and the Path Ahead

Practitioner Su is Taiwanese, and I am also Taiwanese, but the directions we took were so different. Practitioner Su did not encounter the Buddha’s teachings until the age of forty-seven, yet after five years of diligent practice, she was able to let go of all body and mind and truly attain the Buddha’s skills. Looking at myself, I spent forty-eight years in confusion, spinning in my own world and unable to find a way out.

I ended up with this outcome, but I am already one of the very lucky ones. If I had not had this experience, how could I have had the Causal Conditions to come to the Western Land of Dharma Nature? This is truly not an easy thing. The probability of encountering the true Buddha’s teachings in the human world, and then being able to believe and follow them, is very low. I did not have this blessing when I had a human body, but I received this blessing after death. My heart is already filled with gratitude and emotion.

I do not have too many extravagant demands; I only want to be at peace here, to diligently cultivate myself well, and to present the truly best 'Big S' to everyone.

Now, my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude. Regarding the future, I will not think too much. I will earnestly grasp every single second in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, grasp the days I can be with the Buddha to change myself, strive to find my true heart, and follow the Buddha with my whole heart and soul.

I am grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for giving me such an opportunity. I am grateful to everyone.

Namo Amituofo.

Big S, Xu Xiyuan