Interview with Yang Chin-tien (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan)

Interview Chief Writer: Fa Ning

June 2, 2026

Yang Chin-tien:

Namo Amituofo! It is finally my turn to be interviewed. Here, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su.

I am now living very well in the Western Land of Dharma Nature and am filled with Dharma joy. This is a brand-new day; my heart is very peaceful, without too many distracting thoughts. I believe everyone who comes to the Western Land of Dharma Nature feels the same as I do. It is my turn to be interviewed today—haha, I have indeed waited for quite some time, because I had already thought about what I wanted to say, but I was always listening to others, and I felt eager to be interviewed sooner.

Honestly, I am such a lucky person! I have now experienced the compassion of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. Before Practitioner Su guided me to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I left the human world about two or three days ago. Unfortunately, I did go to hell to suffer; I went to the "heart-gouging hell" to receive retribution. Perhaps it is because, during my time as Minister of Foreign Affairs, my thoughts were often occupied with strategic matters that I had not truly resolved from the depths of my heart, and I was prone to being indecisive, going back on my word, or presenting a two-faced image to the world. This led to my fall into hell. Many subtle thoughts, accumulated layer upon layer, resulted in this.

I think many people in the world seem to be like me, having these flaws: the habit of having one's own little calculations in the heart—to put it bluntly, not being honest enough! People who are not honest are prone to the possibility of falling into hell. As for why I am so lucky, it is because I had only been in hell for two or three days when I was illuminated by a golden light. I thought at the time: "Could it be that someone is calling me, and I can go to a better place?" So, I naturally followed this light and went directly to the Buddha-land. I saw a very tall Buddha before me in this place, and my heart was filled with joy.

I was considered a Buddhist during my lifetime. Although my way of practising Buddhism was vastly different from the way everyone practises at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, I still acknowledged Buddhism in the depths of my heart. I also knew that many Buddhist groups were working hard for the world, and I often participated in their work, serving as a volunteer for some Buddhist groups, hoping to use this opportunity to give back to society. This was my understanding of Buddhism.

Buddhism in Taiwan is indeed diverse, with many known for "Humanistic Buddhism," which I was more drawn to at the time. As a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, I had seen the various states of the world and knew that life is full of suffering; in many places, people's lives are not as affluent and happy as those in Taiwan. Therefore, I understood that people in countries all over the world have all kinds of suffering in their hearts. Whenever certain places encountered disasters or major accidents, I would do my part, whether it was financial or material aid, spiritual support, or personal involvement—contributing both money and effort. I would also do my best to help others, because this was my definition of Buddhism, and I believed that Buddhists should act in this way.

However, after arriving in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I truly realised that the Buddha’s teachings have such special aspects, and that there is a place where Namo Amituofo truly dwells in the human world, which is the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. I never thought I could be so close to the Buddha. Previously, I only learned the superficial aspects of the Buddha’s teachings; it was an introductory spiritual pursuit! But now, I am learning the true Buddhist education. It turns out that Buddhist education is not only about helping people solve their problems, but it can also truly help people achieve the ultimate perfection of leaving suffering and gaining happiness—that is, without aging, without sickness, and the spirit will not die. After the physical body dies, one can be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Who wouldn't want such a good thing?

Everyone wants it, but not everyone necessarily believes it! I never had the opportunity to come into contact with such magnificent Buddha’s teachings before, and now that I have connected with it, my whole heart is truly enlightened. I never expected that there would be Practitioner Su in the human world; it is truly a wonderful thing.

Therefore, as a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, now that I have arrived in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I want to say loudly to the people of the world, especially our fellow countrymen in Taiwan: "Everyone must come to learn the true Buddhist education! Do not be like me, as a Minister of Foreign Affairs whom everyone seemed to respect, yet because of some pollution and selfishness in my heart, I did not truly let go, and thus went to the 'heart-gouging hell' to receive punishment." But this selfishness of mine, if you look around, most Taiwanese people have it! That means you are actually in danger too! Life is impermanent; when one's lifespan ends, if one reports to hell, it would be a great pity!

To put it bluntly, this selfishness was that when I was Minister of Foreign Affairs, I would draw clear boundaries between my own country and others, and I would strive to fight for Taiwan's various interests internationally, enhancing Taiwan's interests and international status. This was indeed a matter of prestige for the Taiwanese people, and it could make everyone feel more at ease and trust me more. For this, I made many calculations, thinking about how to succeed and how to achieve this goal, and in the process, many bad thoughts had already arisen.

Although I did not go to the extent of using unscrupulous means to achieve my goals, in the process, I was doing it for the Taiwanese people on one hand, and on the other hand, I had a heart that wanted to pursue a good reputation and gain applause from everyone. If everything I did could not be approved by everyone, I would also feel annoyed; in the end, it was a matter of face. Most people working in the world are like this! Hoping to get praise from superiors, hoping to get more benefits, hoping to do less work and get more advantages.

This kind of thinking is very common in the world, and I was also tainted by some of it. Precisely because of this, my health gradually deteriorated, and that is why I left the human world a week ago.

Honestly, this is already a huge gift! Namo Amituofo coming to the human world, and Practitioner Su being in the human world, helping everyone know about the existence of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and leading immeasurable and boundless beings to these places. This is the Buddha's wish, and it is also our blessing! Life in this world is a fleeting journey; do not make things difficult for yourself or others for the sake of your own face, because in the end, the biggest loser is your own soul. Even if your body receives a lot of applause and satisfies many desires, in the end, it is all nothing left. After death, there is truly nothing left behind, only this soul, which still has to continue to suffer in the endless cycle of reincarnation.

How unworthy a thing it is to think about! It is a pity that few people in the world know this. Although the Buddhist education promoted by the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre has already explained all this very clearly, in Taiwan and the whole world, there are actually too few people who can truly understand and are willing to believe. So now that I am in this place, I have too many things I want to say to everyone, and I hope everyone can guard their own heart, because what is said in the Buddha’s teachings is 'education of the heart'.

I have truly understood now that this heart is very important. Thinking well, or thinking badly? Thinking for oneself, or thinking for others? This makes a big difference in the laws of karma and cause and effect. It seems that what one does is a good thing, and almost everyone in the world considers themselves a good person, not having done anything too bad, and not having harmed others, but why does everyone still have the retribution of falling into hell?

This is because the things thought in the heart are distorted. Only thinking for oneself and not thinking for others—these are all not acceptable. Practitioner Su has explained this very clearly in the lectures, and I have also listened to the sutras and heard the Dharma here, and I understand the mistakes I once made, and now I must receive the retribution.

Now, as a person of the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I think all of this has passed. I was just sick for a period of time, and finally, my body gave a red light, and after leaving the human world, I suffered through two or three days of hellish suffering. Honestly, these two or three days of hellish suffering have been profound enough. Hell is inherently so dark, and there is no way to get liberation unless a Buddha comes to this place to open up space, only then can the beings in hell have the opportunity to get liberation and leave suffering behind.

This matter is very important and must be made known to people all over the world. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is a place where the Buddha truly dwells. As long as the people here are willing to adjust their own hearts, any kind of pain and illness can be resolved; this is indeed true.

Having said this, I have shared a lot. Buddhist education, especially the Buddhist education of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, must be spread in Taiwan. If not, I don't know how many people will fall into hell to suffer because they do not know the truth; that is truly very painful!

Having this human body to practise, to practise like Practitioner Su, to attain Buddhahood, and to save beings—what a wonderful thing! Do not waste this life on 'tending to your body'. This is also what Practitioner Su often says. The three words 'tending to your body' may sound a bit too direct, but it is actually the case, without any concealment; it is indeed so.

And now that I have arrived in the Western Land of Dharma Nature and have been receiving the purification of the Buddha-light for a week, I hope my family can be at ease and no longer feel so painful. If you can also have the opportunity to come and know the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre like me and receive Buddhist education, you will not have to suffer the pain of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and you can also receive liberation through the teachings of Practitioner Su.

I heard that Practitioner Su has been instructing that he hopes we can provide the contact information of our families to the Venerables at the Buddhist Centre, so that we, the deceased, can connect with our families. I think this is a very special thing!

Gratitude to Namo Amituofo, gratitude to Practitioner Su.

Namo Amituofo

Yang Chin-tien