The Hidden Price of Fame: A Revelation from Teresa Teng

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Teresa Teng, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon her life and her spiritual journey after passing. Recorded by the chief writer, Li Jiaxian, with computer data processing by Lai Boya, on June 1, 2017.

Li Jiaxian speaks:

"After performing ten prostrations to the Buddha, I respectfully invite Ms. Teresa Teng. Namo Amituofo, through the power of His great compassion, created the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss to lead suffering beings to rebirth. Ms. Teresa Teng, having received the compassionate heart of Practitioner Su, was invited to the Western Land of Dharma Nature at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to listen to the Dharma before being guided to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Today, as Namo Amituofo resides at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, opening a direct path for the world to reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I ask Ms. Teresa Teng to share the process of her rebirth from this centre. Namo Amituofo."

Teresa Teng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Teresa Teng. Heaven was very kind to me, gifting me with a sweet voice. From a young age, I loved to sing; I was always humming and singing along. In school, I frequently participated in singing competitions. When I was nine, I began performing with a local entertainment troupe, and I continued to enter many competitions. A record company was looking for child stars; although I was not particularly beautiful, my smile was sweet, and I had two little dimples. My singing voice was clear and resonant, so I was selected. The record company helped me record and release my first album, which was quite popular. Later, I released several more, and I became a household name. This was the beginning of my singing career.

The Life of a 'Soldier's Sweetheart'

The record company arranged for me to promote my music everywhere. Wherever I went, I was met with great enthusiasm. I was especially moved by the soldiers during my military performances; they were so passionate. When I sang patriotic songs to boost their morale, I became known as the 'Soldier's Sweetheart'. My voice was sweet, and at the time, I was famous throughout Southeast Asia. Compatriots in mainland China loved my songs; they would have people buy cassettes from Hong Kong and bring them back to their hometowns to listen to in private. Even though I never performed in mainland China, almost everyone knew me. In the mainland, I was called 'Little Deng', while Deng Xiaoping was 'Big Deng'. Even without ever stepping foot there, I was incredibly popular.

Ambition and the Path to Japan

To break through my own limitations, I chose to go to Japan to make a name for myself. I never expected to face such repeated setbacks, but I faced everything with courage. A few years later, I left Taiwan again for Japan to record. My second album there became an overnight sensation—something I had not anticipated. I was travelling back and forth between Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. From childhood, I lived in the colourful, dazzling world of stage performance. My sweet voice brought many memories to the old, the middle-aged, and the young. I hoped that my voice would remain in the hearts of the people forever.

When I was around thirty-eight, my health began to fail. I often suffered from asthma and felt like I could not breathe. I began to consider retiring from the stage, but I could not bear to leave the love and support of my fans. I often performed through pain, wearing a forced smile while singing my beautiful songs. When I saw the audience mesmerised by my performance, I would abandon the idea of retiring. My asthma would flare up with changes in the weather, and very few people knew about this condition. When it flared up, it felt as if it would take my life; it left me gasping for air. Sometimes I felt conflicted—I often wanted to end this life, but then I would remember the passion of my audience and could not bear to let go. So, I simply reduced the number of my performances.

The Final Breath and the Demon Realm

One day, my asthma flared up, and I discovered I had run out of medicine. There was no one around me. I gasped and gasped, trying to catch my breath, but I was too weak to even get up. I could not take that next breath, and that was how I drew the final period on my life. Most people know that after we die, we either ascend to heaven or fall into hell, but very few people know that after I died, I actually went to the Demon Realm to become a demon. Because I loved to sing and enjoyed controlling and driving the atmosphere of the entire venue, that was the reason I ended up in the Demon Realm after death. At that time, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre was inviting spirits of famous deceased entertainers, and I was included among them. I was invited to the centre to listen to the Dharma. After listening for several months, I understood the truth of the universe and human life. Whether in the heavenly realm, the human world, or the Demon Realm, one is still trapped in the six realms of rebirth—it is never the ultimate destination. Therefore, I chose to seek rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss."

Li Jiaxian speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Ms. Teresa Teng, when were your three hun souls and seven po souls taken away, and when did you begin to fall ill? Please describe the process in detail so that it may serve as a mirror for those in the entertainment industry."

Teresa Teng speaks:

"In Taiwan, Southeast Asia, mainland China, and Japan, many people knew me. Heaven gave me a sweet smile and a voice, and my singing was imprinted in the hearts of many. On the outside, I appeared weak, but inside, I had an unyielding and strong personality. Although I was already famous throughout Taiwan and Southeast Asia, I wanted to break through again and again. When I decided to develop my career in Japan, I encountered repeated difficulties. At that time, I developed a heart of resentment, and it was during this time that three of my po souls were captured.

The Price of Unyielding Ambition

I had a strong personality and refused to lose. My early career in Taiwan had been too smooth, so I told myself I must make a name for myself in Japan. I even dreamed of being a massive success there. Because of this, one of my hun souls and one of my po souls were controlled. Eventually, my hard work paid off, and my second album in Japan became a hit. No one knew of my ambition! I wanted to secure a place for myself in Japan. I worked even harder to change my past image of being gentle and sweet, transforming my style to be more glamorous to win the favour of the audience. At this point, another one of my hun souls and two of my po souls were controlled. In truth, during this time, I often felt very tired, and my respiratory tract was frequently uncomfortable. I thought it was just exhaustion and ignored it. Later, the situation became more and more serious. I was travelling between Japan and Taiwan, touring everywhere. Eventually, my body frequently suffered from discomfort, and I slowly faded from the screen.

One day, while resting in a hotel, my respiratory tract flared up suddenly. My medicine was gone, and I was too weak to move on the bed. My boyfriend was not by my side, and I could not catch my breath. My brilliant life ended just like that. After death, everyone knows that one either goes to heaven or hell, but I was different from others—I went directly to the Demon Realm. You might be curious: why did I become a demon? At the time, I was at the peak of my career in the entertainment industry. I had the ambition to spread my voice throughout Southeast Asia. I wanted to dominate the field, to control the entire industry, to be the only one at the top. It was this very thought that allowed the Demon Realm to control my mind and my thinking. In fact, while I was in Japan, my spirit was already being controlled by the Demon Realm. After I died, my spirit was taken directly there.

A Debt of Gratitude

I am very grateful to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre for inviting the spirits of entertainers. They compassionately helped us. At that time, a nun discovered that I was neither in hell nor in the human world, but in the Demon Realm. A very compassionate Practitioner Su saved me, kept me at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to listen to the Dharma, and later, during the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies, Practitioner Su guided me to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I thank Practitioner Su and the fourfold assembly of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. If it were not for you, I would still be a demon today. I share my process on the internet so that people around the world and those in the entertainment industry can be careful of resentment and ambition; they often bring about unfortunate consequences, just as they did for me. I hope everyone will act with a heart of 'following conditions'. Those with good fortune will naturally become successful smoothly. Do not be greedy for things that are not yours, and do not take side paths that lead to being controlled. In the end, you only harm yourself. I present my experience to everyone: fame and wealth cannot be grasped. Remember this well. Namo Amituofo."

Li Jiaxian speaks:

"Thank you, Ms. Teresa Teng, for accepting this interview. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre will soon post your story online to share it, as it can save many people. Namo Amituofo."