The Ascetic Monk's Journey to the Western Land

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Steve Jobs, conducted at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. In this testimony, he recounts the life and eventual deliverance of an ascetic monk he observed, reflecting on the nature of suffering and the boundless compassion of the Buddha. This account was recorded by the disciple Shi Faxin on August 9, 2018.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. If you were to observe the stones resting beneath a powerful, thundering waterfall, you would see the most resilient beings in existence. They endure the relentless, crushing force of the water's gravity, yet they never cry out in pain. You could say that their personalities have been smoothed away by the waterfall, just as their sharp, jagged edges have been worn down by the constant, rhythmic flow of the stream. Sometimes, even when heavy debris strikes them with immense force, they do not make a single sound. This stone was once an ascetic monk in a past life, and his journey is one of profound transformation."

The Life of a Wandering Ascetic

"In his past life, he was a wandering ascetic. He lived a life of total detachment: if there was food, he would eat; if there was none, he would fast. He followed the flow of conditions, never grasping at anything. When his straw sandals wore out, he would patch them, and when they could no longer be repaired, he would go out to beg for alms. He did not become a monk until he was middle-aged, and by then, his heart was already filled with deep-seated attachments and a profound dissatisfaction with life. He was, to put it bluntly, a rough, unrefined man. His loud voice and abrasive manner in the temple offended many of his fellow practitioners. Eventually, he could no longer stay, so he chose to leave the temple and wander the world alone."

A Rough Life and a Sudden Awakening

"During his travels, he often failed to receive alms because of his own behaviour. One day, a group of children on the road laughed at him, mocking him as a 'strange monk.' It was as if a sudden light had pierced through his darkness. He woke up. He reflected on his entire life and realised that although he had chosen the path of practice, he had never truly practised with sincerity. He decided then to harden his resolve and live as a true ascetic, constantly examining his own character. Although his body became increasingly withered and frail, he gradually began to earn the respect of others. He constantly spurred himself on in his practice, yet when the time of his death arrived, he remained attached to the very asceticism he had cultivated. Because of this, his spirit became trapped within a large stone beneath a waterfall."

The Final Attachment and Deliverance

"He did not fully understand the nature of his own space; he simply endured the trials of the physical world—wishing to be as free as the wind, mountains and rivers—as they were. The changes and the lack thereof in the external world no longer mattered to him. He had never known that there was such a place as the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. But today, he saw the Western Land appear right before his eyes. As the Buddha-name began to resonate, his spirit followed the sound involuntarily, and he stepped out from the space within the great stone. After the Buddha-light was infused into him, he found himself wearing a long white robe, and he entered the Western Land with a smile."

"At that same moment, the water spirits, the water deities, and countless creatures along the riverbank also began to stir. There were an incalculable number of them, all witnessing the beam of light before us. However, not everyone had the karmic affinity to enter the Western Land. When the grandmother invited the spirits to chant Buddha's name, they all felt it. Many more spirits benefited and were liberated. I am filled with gratitude for the boundless Chao Du that takes place here every single day."

"Namo Amituofo."

The interview message was transcribed by the chief writer, the Buddhist disciple Shi Faxin.