Interview in the Western Land of Dharma Nature — Yuan Wei-jen (Renowned Male Singer, Songwriter, and Music Producer)

Interview by Chief Writer: Fa Ning

2 June 2026

Yuan Wei-jen:

Hello everyone, I am Yuan Wei-jen, the teacher known as Xiao Pang, whom many in Taiwan are very familiar with. I believe those who have some involvement in or understanding of the music world have heard of my name!

I am a musician who loved creating songs that resonated with the times. I allowed many big stars and famous singers of that era to sing the songs I wrote, which is something I was very proud of. People's impression of me likely remains fixed on the songs I sang back then or the image I projected while hosting singing programmes.

However, in my later years, I spent several years in a vegetative state, bedridden. In truth, everyone had long since forgotten my existence. I only lived for fifty-seven years, yet eight of those were spent in bed; this is a very sorrowful thing. Furthermore, immediately after I died, I went to report to hell and spent several months living a very painful life in hell.

This is also something I must be honest about with everyone. Everything must start from this heart of mine. My heart was certainly wrong and had become corrupted. Over the years of writing lyrics and composing music, after I became famous, I gradually developed all kinds of arrogance and personality flaws. These traits were actually with me from the beginning, but they became more pronounced as I gained fame. Although people might have always seen my good side, I knew in my heart that my arrogance and selfishness were constantly growing.

My selfishness was mostly reflected in how I treated my family or those close to me, which is something I feel very sorry about. Hearing these words, you should be able to feel the repentance in my heart today. I am someone who has been to hell, so I know the suffering of hell, and I know what I did wrong to receive such terrible karmic retribution.

Now that I have arrived at this golden Western Land of Dharma Nature and find myself in this Buddha-land, I am filled with astonishment! Just last week, when I was still suffering in hell, I heard a very compassionate voice calling my name, Yuan Wei-jen. I was shocked because I saw a golden Buddha-light shining upon me. Curious about what this light was, I followed it directly to this world of the Buddha, called the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I never thought I would have the opportunity for liberation; I thought those suffering in hell were all people who had committed heinous crimes. I also admit that I did many bad things in the past, so I do not blame anyone, and I willingly accept the fact that I committed mistakes and must make amends.

After arriving at the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I cried incessantly because I knew I had not done well and had brought negative influences to those who came after me. However, I was not yet able to know too many details until I heard Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature; only then did my heart become increasingly clear. I realised that my past issues were not just about my personality or selfish behaviours in various relationships, but most importantly, the songs I wrote throughout my life. Many of these songs are still sung in the human world today, yet these songs contain much that is not in accordance with the Dharma and does not conform to the Universal Principles spoken of in the Buddha's teachings. At the time, I did not know these songs were bad, because songs that stir up personality traits, desires, or various bad habits in people's hearts should not be created. These in themselves are a form of negative karma, because people generate emotional fluctuations and greedy desires after listening to these songs. Especially since the songs I wrote were so popular and were sung by many famous singers across both sides of the strait and in various countries, the number of people influenced was vast, and the karma created was even greater.

I also see clearly now why I ended up this way in this life. It is because when I was young, my personality was poor, which attracted many demon crowds to take advantage of me, leading to my current tragic state. Early on, when I first debuted and started writing songs, and officially began singing as a singer, there were already many demon crowds controlling me.

As my fame grew and I became more popular, more demon crowds attached themselves to me, wanting to give me more inspiration to convey these non-Dharma-compliant contents to the world. Therefore, the songs and music I wrote were not written by me alone; there were many factors involving demon crowds and other beings. They manipulated me extensively, making me write songs that were more popular and better able to satisfy the needs of modern people, which caused me to create immeasurable and boundless karma, while simultaneously influencing immeasurable and boundless people to create various negative karma.

Oh, it is truly sorrowful to think about this! I never expected that in this Buddha-land, I would see my life so clearly. This week, I have been purified quite a bit here, and I have understood the causes and consequences of so many things, as well as the greatness of the Buddha's teachings. Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su have established such a Buddha-land in the hope of leading the people of our world to receive true Buddhist education so they no longer have to suffer. I think such a good thing must be made known to people all over the world.

Perhaps because of this physical body, people still cling to this world and do not want to delve into the Buddha's teachings, but everyone should also get to know the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia! In fact, there is a connection between the Western Land of Dharma Nature and the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. I can clearly see all the operations of the temple at any time, and I also know that because Namo Amituofo resides here in Australia, it can help the world in many, many ways. It helps people grow in their spirits and learn how to not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die.

This is not just a catchy slogan, so do not ignore its importance, because not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die is truly achievable, as long as one can subdue the personality traits within one's own heart. When there is no personality, everyone is a Buddha—you are a Buddha, I am a Buddha, everyone is a Buddha. In such a state of mind, where would suffering come from, and where would karmic retribution come from? Everyone is a Buddha, and naturally, one can attain Buddhahood.

Oh, everything the Buddha's teachings say is truly profound. I did not believe in the Buddha during my lifetime, nor did I care to, but now I truly regret it. Repentance! My past arrogance and ignorance truly harmed myself and also harmed many people around me, who suffered along with me. Among them, I am also very sorry to my children and my ex-wife, because my personality led to the breakdown of our family. Although my children have all grown up and I am relieved, I know that the negative causes I created still have an impact on them. Especially my ex-wife; after I became famous, I began to disregard the boundaries between men and women. Because those boundaries were gone, I committed mistakes that caused my wife to endure a very painful marriage for all these years; this is my fault.

Now I can see that when I committed these various mistakes, different parts of my soul went to hell to suffer retribution; this is something I can easily see here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature.

First is the brain-gouging hell, because what I thought was all selfish; I did not think for others, and the songs I created influenced people's hearts, making their thoughts and ideas not in line with the righteous path. Therefore, one part of my soul went to the brain-gouging hell to suffer.

In addition, because I was articulate and very sharp in various programmes or singing performances, making things sound very good when they were actually distorting right and wrong with glib talk, these bad words spread out, and people all over the world could see them. Oh, my sins are great, so another part of my soul had long since gone to the tongue-ripping hell to suffer retribution.

Later, because of my inappropriate behaviour in relationships between men and women, I caused my wife great suffering. I was promiscuous, which is truly shameful. I also know I was wrong, so at that time, one part of my soul indeed went to report to the copper pillar hell.

With my soul thus torn apart, my body naturally could not be well. Later, I encountered a major blow; before I was fifty, I was diagnosed with brain cancer. In the last few years of my life, I became a person in a vegetative state, spending all my time in bed. By then, immeasurable and boundless beings and demon crowds had occupied my body and mind, causing my body to suffer endless pain, while my soul suffered retribution in hell.

These beings occupied my body, making my life worse than death, and caused my family great suffering; especially my sister, who really suffered a lot while taking care of me. Oh, honestly, to think my life ended up like this.

When people do not have the opportunity to receive Buddhist education, it is very easy to create immeasurable and boundless karma due to their own ignorance and personality traits. Moreover, I attracted many beings who reinforced my personality. The demon crowds also strengthened my personality and influence, letting everyone see all these bad things about me, and then mistakenly thinking it was all wonderful. The number of people influenced was truly vast. I sincerely repent that I did not set a good example for the world in this life. As a well-known figure, I ended up with such a conclusion, and the poor example I set for everyone was truly too much; I do not even know how to describe it clearly.

Now that I have arrived in this Buddha-land, I want to tell people all over the world, especially the Chinese and Taiwanese, that the Buddha's teachings are a truly great education that can help everyone resolve the pain of the body, mind, and spirit. It is not a religion; it is an education, and this is the truth. Because Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su have exerted tremendous power to save the world in the human realm this time, and have truly taught everyone the universal principles. I hope everyone can earnestly follow these teachings together, and then life will no longer be full of suffering. Because I was the one who greatly violated the universal principles and the righteous path of Truth, I suffered so much physical pain and had such a bad influence on everyone.

However, if everyone can learn about Buddhist education earlier, you can avoid all of this. It is not just well-known figures; in fact, many ordinary people will also step into the abyss of suffering because of their own personality and habits, with their bodies completely controlled by demon crowds and other beings. These are all things that happen very easily, so please believe it. Believe in all the Truths spoken of in the laws of karma and cause and effect, and believe in the reality that the Buddha's teachings want to bring to everyone.

Buddhist education is not as profound as people say; it is simply about being a moral person, thinking of others, and not being selfish. Every little bit is for the sake of all beings, with the Buddha in one's heart; in this way, everyone can truly walk on the righteous path of universal principles, without being biased, and will not have to live a life of suffering through birth, aging, sickness, and death as I did.

Actually, I was not even old; I was not yet fifty when I collapsed. So, I had not truly aged before I met my death. All of this was caused by my own actions in life; I cannot blame anyone else. I hope I can let all the people in Taiwan come to know the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. The Buddhist education spoken of here is very special and very profound. If you want to achieve a state where your spirit never dies and you do not have to suffer, just search online for Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. You can look at the Dharma teachings brought to everyone by Namo Amituofo and Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and you can also look at the thousands or even tens of thousands of interview transcripts on the temple's website, all of which can bring you great help. I hope everyone can truly believe in the Buddha, learn from the Buddha, master the Buddha's skills, and help everyone truly walk on this bright and righteous path.

I am now very fortunate to be led by Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su to arrive at the Western Land of Dharma Nature. My heart is filled with gratitude, and I do not know how to express my gratitude at this moment. Because not only is my body no longer suffering, but my spirit has also been able to grow, and I know the mistakes I have made. Conveying this to the world now is also my hope that everyone will not follow my old path, and I hope you will not listen to the songs I wrote in the past or be influenced by me; I hope these can be erased from everyone's hearts. Everything was written by a Yuan Wei-jen who was controlled by immeasurable and boundless demon crowds; it is not worth your appreciation!

Here, everything seen in the spiritual realms is truly profound. Because Practitioner Su is diligently practising to attain Buddhahood here, his eyes are opened to see the truth of everything in the spiritual realms, and he can freely travel back and forth to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. That is why he can lead so many of us beings to be reborn in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and can also send us directly to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Not only that, but all the demon crowds and beings in the ten directions are led to the Western Land of Dharma Nature during Practitioner Su's great Chao Du every day and night. The place where I am is very full, yet it will never be full, because the Buddha's heart is immeasurable and boundless, and the beings it can accommodate are also immeasurable and boundless.

I am filled with deep emotion now; I did not have any contact with the Buddha in my life, yet after I died, I arrived in the Buddha's world. Contact with Buddhist education has made me feel deeply moved and very grateful, knowing that all of this does not come easily. I hope those with karmic affinity can get to know the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre sooner.

Finally, I also wish to tell my family, to share this good news with them, so that they may have peace of mind, knowing that I am living a good life here, and that I have now quickly repented and changed my ways. Telling them this truth is more important than anything else. I also wish to share this manuscript online for circulation, to let people throughout Taiwan and even the whole world know about this matter; it is essential that nothing is hidden.

Gratitude to Namo Amituofo, gratitude to Practitioner Su, gratitude to everyone.

Namo Amituofo

Yuan Weiren