Reflections from the Digital Beyond

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Steve Jobs, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He reflects upon his life, the profound karmic consequences of his actions, and the nature of the soul. This session was recorded by the disciple Shi Faxin on June 24, 2019.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. There are very few people in this world who do not know who I am. Steve Jobs—that name became a global phenomenon, synonymous with the Apple products I invented. I stood upon the international stage, and at the height of our success, it could be said that sixty-five percent of the world’s population was using an Apple device. I was once incredibly proud of this, but today, I dare not speak too loudly. Why? Because I have left behind a mountain of karmic debt that I am now expected to repay. To be perfectly honest, I truly cannot pay it back.

I am a prime example of this reality. Most people do not realise that they are creating karma. Whether it involves the taking of life, causing harm to the body, mind, and spirit of others in the human world, acting recklessly in the ghost realm, or violating the Truth in the celestial realms—all of these actions require one to shoulder the burden of karmic retribution. The time required to repay these debts spans throughout your many lives. There is no distinction made for celebrities, celestial beings, or animals; the price everyone must pay is exactly the same. The debts pursued by one's karmic creditors are based on absolute evidence. No one can escape this, and no one is granted an exemption."

The Interconnectedness of Cells and Souls

"My mind and my thoughts were always incredibly fast, constantly shifting and evolving. But today, I have come to realise that the sentient beings within my own body—my cells—are far faster and more sensitive than I ever was. The moment I had a single thought or intention, they already knew what was about to happen. They would either obstruct me or amplify the consequences. In a very real sense, these sentient beings are me. They are identical to every one of us; in many ways, these cells are inseparable from who we are.

We are all weighed down by our own karma. How we choose to face these sentient beings—how we respond to their difficult, often painful messages—is critical. We should be repenting with a humble heart and learning to let go immediately. There is no need to grasp, and there is no need for attachment. In this lifetime, one must put an end to the creation of karma. I have been fortunate; I had the help of my grandmother to open up the space of my past, otherwise, it would have been impossible for me to even begin to repay what I owe. I am repenting, but these sentient beings cannot feel the sincerity of my heart as clearly as a human being in the physical world could. Today, the public in the human world has this sacred opportunity. Once you understand the Great Dharma, you must realise the importance of delivering sentient beings."

A Final Plea for Reflection

"Turn your heart toward the right path immediately. Treat your fifty trillion sentient beings with the most sincere heart, and treat your cells with softness and compassion. Any stubbornness or rigidity in your personality must be softened and levelled out. Both the worldly teachings and the transcendental teachings must be practised along the Middle Way. Otherwise, it is the spirit and the body that will be judged and suffer. The world has tasted the decay of the physical body enough; we should not repeat the same mistakes.

The Buddha’s teachings that I learned and the spaces I have seen remain shallow. Using my own experience, I urge everyone to follow the Buddha-actions. Otherwise, the end of your journey will always lead back to the cycle of being reincarnated. The physical body is not worth this suffering, and the spirit is even less so. I hope everyone will reflect deeply on this. Treat this life as if it were your final one, and practice diligently. Namo Amituofo."