A Shared Path of Business and Redemption: Steve Jobs
An Interview with the Spirit of Steve Jobs
Recorded on May 27, 2019
This interview was recorded on May 27, 2019. The spirit of Steve Jobs, having sought deliverance through the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, shares his insights on the nature of and the urgent need for Lay Practitioner Yan to seek liberation in this lifetime.
Steve Jobs speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. You must find it quite strange that I, a foreigner, am presenting myself in this manner. In truth, once one reaches the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, there are no linguistic barriers. The Buddha teaches with a single sound, and all beings understand according to their own nature. The venerable Practitioner Su asked me to speak with Lay Practitioner Yan, and out of respect, I shall address you as 'you'. In reality, you and I share a great deal of homogeneity. We are both business people; we both possess sharp minds, and we both built our success from the ground up through years of hard work. Success did not come overnight for either of us. We both cherished the achievements we earned through our own efforts.
The Illusion of Confidence
Before we were confronted with the reality of life and death, our minds were constantly occupied with striving. When we spoke to others, we always carried an air of confidence. Yet, that confidence completely disintegrated the moment the doctor announced that my body was flashing red lights. It was replaced by deep anxiety and a desperate search for any possibility of survival. The voice in my heart cried out that I did not want to leave this world—a world I was familiar with, filled with family and old friends I knew so well. But illness is heartless. It shows no mercy, and it does not grant us any extra time.
The ' Retribution
Your karmic creditors have already occupied your body; they are prepared to carry out a series of retaliatory actions. First, they let the doctor discover the various situations of your body. Next, they arrange for a series of treatments that slowly torture you, gradually causing different parts of your body to manifest various symptoms. Finally, they make you cough up blood, leaving you in a state of panic and unease. By that point, the cells throughout your entire body have already been activated by these beings. You are luckier than I was, for you have encountered Practitioner Su in this lifetime. I, Steve Jobs, have experienced this entire process of being retaliated against by karmic creditors. It is an unbearable agony. Even with an abundance of confidence, it is a state that is difficult to endure.
A Debt from Past Lives
It is not that you are a bad person in this life and therefore deserve to suffer all of this; rather, it is your past that has come knocking at your door. The fact that you can meet Practitioner Su indicates that there is a seed of Goodness deep within your heart. What you must do now is give the beings within your body true justice. This is the account you owe them from lifetimes past. You must have accumulated merit over many lifetimes to encounter this rare Causal Condition. This opportunity is also a result of the vows you made in the past to help them. In this life, under these circumstances, you are able to fulfil the promises you made from the past until now.
The Call to Return
You have brought them here, and the beings are weeping as they behold the light. Furthermore, there is a group of disciples within your heart, pushing you forward. This is because the person before you—whom I, Steve Jobs, call Practitioner Su—is your teacher from the past. In your previous life, you were the chief disciple by the side of Practitioner Su, and you made many contributions in supporting the Buddha’s teachings. Because of your , you attained this appearance. Once the beings retreat from your body, you will be able to gradually recover your past, to recover your past dignified Dharma appearance.
The Turning Point of a Lifetime
You saw your teacher from the Western Land saving beings in the human world, and you made a vow to come back and support the Buddha’s teachings. In this life, you can bring everything to completion—you can fulfil your promises to these beings and your commitment to supporting the Buddha’s teachings. You have already passed the age of sixty; your remaining lifespan is not long. However, you could also live to be a hundred by supporting the Buddha’s teachings. You should remember your mission. This physical body should not remain in its current state. Your vows should be realised. You must be reborn in the Western Pure Land in this lifetime; otherwise, how much longer must you wait? How many more different physical bodies must you cycle through? Having read what Steve Jobs has written, I hope you can recall your vows and truly become a clear-headed, awakened person. Taking a trip to Australia will be the greatest turning point of your life. In business, you might consider and calculate every detail, but you cannot do that with this—not right now, not in this present moment. Steve Jobs is someone who has already walked the path. I share this with you: calm your heart, and you will be able to realise everything.
Namo Amituofo."
Interview message recorded by the Buddhist disciple Shi Faxin, who serves as the chief writer.
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library