A Message from Beyond: Steve Jobs' Warning to Tim Cook

This is a record of an interview with Steve Jobs, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his current perspective from the spiritual realm. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on August 21, 2017.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Steve Jobs. There was a time when I was so incredibly proud of the label 'genius.' It was a title I wore like a crown. However, after the days of reflection that have followed my transition, I have come to repent and acknowledge my errors. I even wish that I had never possessed that initial cleverness or intellectual sharpness. Now, everything is filled with the bitterness of regret. The delusion of a 'genius' is the most accurate description I can find for my former self. Every time I look upon the beings I have influenced, I weep and kneel before the Buddha in repenting. Yet, the Buddha is so full of compassion; He still treats me like His own child. The Buddha simply said: 'A child will always make mistakes at some point.' It was only those words that finally allowed my heavy, burdened heart to find a moment of relief.

Facing the truth is the task I must undertake now. You may not yet understand why I feel such profound pain, but it is because you are all deeply mired in the very things I created. You are all, in a sense, victims of the sins I set in motion. Perhaps you do not yet have a concept of what a space is. To enter a space means that your spirit becomes fixed within a specific activity you enjoy most. You remain there, repeating the same behaviour over and over, completely unaware of your own state. This is what we call attachment.

The Fragmentation of the Soul

A human being possesses three hun souls and seven po souls—ten in total. Because of this digital attachment, these parts of your soul can be scattered to different places, different spaces. Consequently, your physical body gradually decays and fails, simply because you no longer possess a complete, unified spirit. In this world today, no one understands the truth of this reality. I speak of this because I have witnessed so many people entering the spaces of Apple games, especially children. Others are trapped in the space of constantly swiping and scrolling on their mobile phones. Entering these spaces happens with terrifying ease. Even a dream while playing with a phone can lead to your spirit being carried away. Is dreaming not a natural occurrence? Well, having your spirit carried away is just as natural, because you love it, and you have developed this habit.

If you enter these spaces and do not encounter the Buddha’s teachings, you may not be able to emerge for hundreds or even thousands of years. I believe this is the reason for the Buddha’s compassion in wanting to save Steve Jobs—to give me the opportunity to make amends to those I have harmed. The scale of this influence spans across generations of humanity. All of you who have entered these spaces have become my beings, and it is my responsibility to rescue you from them. But the Steve Jobs of today is merely a spirit; I must rely on the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to help me, to help me rescue those who are lost in these digital spaces, and to help me reveal the truth of these facts.

A Plea to My Successor

I am not saying that using a mobile phone is inherently wrong. I am simply pleading with everyone: please do not treat your phone as if it were a part of your own life. I, Steve Jobs, sincerely implore you to believe in the message I am sending through this medium. If you cannot believe even this, then I may be destined to accumulate even more sins upon myself.

Cook, please believe that I am Steve Jobs, your best working partner. With your intelligence and talent, please help research products that can truly save all of humanity. I do not want you to walk the path that I, Steve Jobs, have walked. The path to the hells is incredibly painful. And the most painful part is not just the hells themselves, but the need to repay the millions of Apple fans who are obsessed with these devices. Even if we had the power of a thousand arms, we could never repay that debt. Cook, please listen to my counseling. You must understand how significant your change would be. Life is nearing its end; you should be doing something more meaningful. If you continue to act on your own and walk the same path, Cook, you might find yourself controlled as well. This is not your true intention, for I know the kindness within you. Although we have both been in the business world for a long time, and a certain level of cunning was inevitable for survival, that is not who you are.

The True Meaning of Life

Now that I have reached the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss—the most beautiful paradise—I have discovered that such cunning is of no use. Only the Goodness within our hearts can allow us to live in a state of security, and only then does a true sense of groundedness exist. Stephen Jobs, bowing in respect, I ask you to face this matter squarely. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, my lifelong partner.

Signed, Steve Jobs."