Reflections from the Ocean Depths and Beyond

This interview was recorded on September 16, 2017, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. The speaker is the spirit of Steve Jobs, who sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su. He currently resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, having transcended the cycle of suffering through the power of Namo Amituofo.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Countless points of light are scattered throughout the void. These points of light slowly expand, carrying immense blessings to every sentient being across the six realms of existence and the ten directions. They drift into our hearts, illuminating the inner light of our true nature. These points of light are the infinite, boundless light of Namo Amituofo. The mixture of good and evil that originally clouded the heart is now rectified. You, who are reading this article, are also being guided toward Goodness, for these points of light have reached you as well. This is what Grandmother has been actively doing recently. My own abilities are limited, so I can only offer my silent blessings from the side.

The Illusion of the Deep Sea

Today, we arrived at the bottom of the deep ocean—or rather, we go there every day. Now, going there requires no wetsuits, no heavy oxygen tanks; it is simply that effortless. The seabed is vibrant and colourful, filled with iridescent, translucent fish, fluorescent blue creatures, and red seaweeds swaying with the currents. In the blink of an eye, I saw flat, dull-coloured fish, and of course, the king of the sea—the shark. I thought to myself that Steve Jobs ought to train his courage. I gathered my resolve, took a deep breath, and tried to swim alongside the shark, staying in its blind spot. After a while, I realised the situation was manageable, so I began to hover in front of it, wanting to challenge myself. Yet, no matter how I swam, the shark seemed completely unresponsive. I felt a sense of relief, but also a touch of boredom. Only later did I realise that we belong to different levels of space. The shark still possesses a physical body, while I am living in the spiritual realm; naturally, it could not see me.

Suddenly, with a 'pop,' the Buddha-name 'Namo Amituofo' resounded. The seawater began to shift. All the marine life—the water molecules, fish, shellfish, seaweed, microscopic floating particles, and even the biological waste—were lifted upward by this gentle, radiant light. Everyone shed their original forms and transformed back into human beings. I watched with my mouth agape as I saw them all wearing different clothes. The shark was a tall, sturdy man who looked quite wealthy. I wondered why he had become a shark. Suddenly, a scene naturally emerged: during his lifetime, he loved eating shark fin soup. To show off his wealth, he would invite friends everywhere to eat shark fin, solely to elevate his status in society and among his peers. The laws of karma and cause and effect are unfailing; he became a shark as a result. He has been a shark for more than one lifetime. Every time he dies, his fins are cut off, and he is thrown back into the ocean to bleed to death. This time, he was destined to die the same way in the near future.

The Weight of Past Deeds

I then looked at an old turtle. The scene revealed to me was that this turtle was once a timber merchant who specialised in arranging the transport of logs from the mountains. At that time, there was not much transport infrastructure, so large logs were floated down the river, but smaller ones had to be carried by hand, or they would be lost. He hired workers but lacked compassion and sympathy, often forcing them to carry heavy loads without adequate rest or fair wages. The workers hated their boss for his stinginess. Many had their backs permanently bent from the strain, yet they struggled on for the sake of their families. When some could no longer endure the hardship and resigned, hoping for a small severance to tide them over while finding new work, the boss heartlessly drove them away, saying, 'If you want to leave, then leave! I can always hire more.' The boss's ruthlessness pained us; the workers could only rely on each other to survive the gaps between jobs. Because of this, after the boss died, he became a turtle. He has been one for several hundred years. The shell on his back is heavier than other turtles, and the patterns are uglier. He is often discriminated against in the ocean; one could say he is a very miserable turtle. However, none of this is to be blamed on others; it is all the karmic retribution of his past and present lives.

If Grandmother had not performed Chao Du today, everyone would still be trapped in the karma they created, unable to escape. This is the standard of Truth. If you ask me how to break these rules, perhaps the only path is to study the Buddha's teachings. Studying the Buddha means learning His great compassion, viewing all things positively, serving the masses, and forgetting oneself. Only by forgetting the 'self' can one truly escape their original fate. Because you have forgotten who you are, you are no longer the 'you' of the past; you are a future Buddha, and thus capable of transcending the arrangements of destiny. Steve Jobs does not know much; I am simply sharing what I have understood from listening to the sutras. I hope everyone will not mind.

The Failure of My Visualisation

After flying for a while, I lay down on a cloud—one that looked steady on the outside but felt lively on the inside. After lying down, I heard chattering voices. It seemed the ones below were saying to the ones above, 'Move up a bit! You're crushing us, it's so crowded!' The ones above replied, 'Someone is lying on top! Tell him to leave, and I won't be pressing down on you.' I was startled and quickly stood up, observing the cloud from all sides. Who was talking? My heart fluctuated with surprise. The cloud said, 'It's us! Why are you pressing on us for no reason? You're heavy as can be, and you don't even realise how fat you are.' After apologising, I hurried away. Although the cloud had just scolded me, I still compassionately tried to visualise Buddha-light shining upon them, hoping to help them be reborn in the Western Pure Land. I did not know if my visualisation worked, so I returned to the vicinity of the cloud to see if they were still there. They were. I officially announce that Steve Jobs's visualisation failed. I did not understand why. Then, a voice said to me, 'You do not have a human body, so your visualisation is ineffective.' I did not know where the voice came from, but I did not quite understand. Could Grandmother explain this to me?

The Grand Assembly at Hsiang Kuang

Today, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia is particularly lively, as tomorrow is the most important event of the week: the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies. Namo Amituofo leads the ceremony, and every week, the Buddha-light shines brilliantly. Beings from all paths are flocking here, preparing to leave this worldly realm tomorrow. From celestial beings wearing light, flowing garments—somewhat like ancient Chinese attire, but looking quite cool and refreshing—down to those in the ghost realm, who wear the clothing of their respective eras, it is a diverse and colourful sight. Skanda Bodhisattva manages the order of everyone very well. Wow! Even the parties in the human world have never been this lively.

A Final Warning from the Western Land

In the blink of an eye, we arrived at the magma, where an intense heat was unbearable. Grandmother took Chang Ren's hand, knowing this was once a source of pain in Chang Ren's heart. I saw Grandmother's face, so compassionate and warm, just like Namo Amituofo. Do not look at the magma billowing with black smoke and rolling; the suffering spirits within are immeasurable and boundless. These 'spirits' are simply people who have lost their physical bodies. Because of their bad tempers and extreme personalities, they went to the magma to suffer. It is truly not worth it. After Grandmother shone the Buddha-light upon them, she used Buddha-water to irrigate them, healing their wounds and sending them all to the Western Pure Land. Steve Jobs sees that everything in this world changes according to our personalities. If we cling too tightly to ourselves, we must become one of these suffering spirits, waiting for Grandmother to save us. But we must ensure we have accumulated enough blessings to be saved; otherwise, where will our spirits drift? If you want to be a wise person, you must hold tightly to the Buddha-name 'Namo Amituofo'. This Buddha-name is like a life raft in the vast ocean, saving our Wisdom (Prajna). Steve Jobs is not exaggerating; every word is true. Whether you believe it or not is also a matter of blessings; it cannot be forced. This is the ease of 'following conditions' in the Buddha's teachings. Steve Jobs is no longer Steve Jobs; that was just a name I used during this lifetime in a human body. What I want to express is that everyone should return to the Western Pure Land and stop being a weary spirit wandering in the worldly realm. Everything you possess and leave behind here is merely the karma created by this physical body and the good deeds you once performed. It is truly terrifying to speak of, as this karma spans accumulated lifetimes. I urge everyone to let go of everything; otherwise, every single cell of this body carries the past. We can never repay it. Do not think of anything else; just chant 'Namo Amituofo'. This is a piece of advice from Steve Jobs, who is now in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Amituofo."