The Cost of the Form

This is a record of an interview with Steve Jobs, who sought spiritual 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 profound realisation regarding the nature of the self and the physical form he once clung to so tightly. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on December 28, 2018.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Steve Jobs. In the world I once inhabited, I was known for my vision, for my ability to shape the future. But now, looking back from the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I see that the 'I' I defended so fiercely was merely a temporary form—a shell that eventually wears out. In truth, this 'I' was the greatest burden I ever carried.

The Philosophy of the Spoken Word

Let me tell you, there is a philosophy in a single word. Words can be spoken with such cleverness, such grace, such roundness, or such bluntness. They can be soft as silk, or they can be sharp as a needle, carrying a hidden sting. We often build invisible shields around ourselves, yet these shields can be dissolved into nothingness. Things that seem to arise from nothing happen every single day. When such things occur, we must ask ourselves: are we allowing this 'existence' to continue expanding, or can we let it dissipate like the air around us? This process of letting go is what we call tolerance; it is the true measure of one's mind-capacity.

People suffer because they have a form, and because of that form, they develop deep-seated attachments. This form—this body—is something we use for twenty, thirty, or even fifty or sixty years. Every day of our lives is like a sketch, so realistic, so vivid. Within that realism, there are far too many habits and objects that we grow to love and crave. Because we perform our roles so realistically, we become obsessed. If there is no sudden, jarring wake-up call—like a heavy blow to the head—to bring us back to our senses, we simply fall into a vortex, cycling through the cycle of rebirth again and again.

The Deception of the Physical Form

In every cycle of rebirth, the form we perform in is different, and the karmic conditions we encounter are also different. Whether they are good karmic conditions or evil ones, they are all manifested through this external physical form. This 'form' is the greatest medium of deception that the body experiences. In certain situations, we define ourselves, boxing ourselves into a specific shape. Within that shape, we distinguish between high and low, good and evil. The deceptive scripts of life are performed before our eyes every single day, and the various conflicts and rights and wrongs cause the heart to shift from its original purity to a worldly state.

Everything we calculate—whether it is about ourselves or about others—is ultimately something we cannot take with us. The personality I cultivated told me, 'I want to do it this way right now.' I did not want to soften, and I could not soften. When I encountered obstacles, I was accustomed to expressing my inner feelings in the most direct, blunt way possible. I never imagined that these words, once spoken, would act like a sharp sword or a solid stone, leaving others covered in wounds. In truth, while others were being hurt, the one who suffered the most was myself.

The Liberation of No-Self

What does it matter if you win the argument in the moment? And what does it matter if you lose? It was only after listening to the philosophy of the Buddha’s teachings that I realised how truly deluded I had been. I was always suffering because I was taking a false play and treating it as reality. By insisting on my own personality, I made myself suffer even more. I even felt that no one could understand me, completely forgetting that the true path was to let go of the 'I'.

I am not great. I am just a 'form', and I am a form that was destined to be exhausted. In reality, this 'I' was the greatest burden I ever created for myself. If there were no 'I', there would be no form. Everything would become soft, comfortable, unobstructed, and crystal clear. All the prices I paid for the sake of this 'I'—the emotions, the thoughts, the feelings—were simply not worth it.

The Buddha’s teachings provide the highest philosophy, the deepest principles, and the most profound logic. They can be applied to the laws of this world, but they are even more significant as teachings that transcend this world. The freedom of no-self is already here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Amituofo."