The Deep Sea's Silent Cry for Deliverance

This is a record of an interview with Steve Jobs, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land. This account reflects upon his observations of karmic retribution within the deep sea. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on May 17, 2019.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Steve Jobs. During the time of the Chao Du ceremony, I was able to witness the depths of the ocean, where countless shellfish—some large, some small—resided. They were constantly opening and closing their shells in the deep, breathing and growing in the darkness. Within these shells lay pearls, objects of intense desire for many humans. In that era, selling a single high-quality pearl could sustain a person for half a year, providing them with a long period of rest and comfort. This coastal village was a place of extreme contrasts; some were incredibly wealthy, while others lived in abject poverty. There were even those who became rich overnight simply by finding a rare pearl.

The Price of Greed: A Village Lost to the Sea

These pearls were buried in the seabed near the village, and their presence turned the hearts of the villagers toward greed. The wealthy wanted even more, and the poor were consumed by dreams of sudden fortune. To obtain these pearls, many villagers braved the dangers of the deep, diving repeatedly to harvest the shellfish. Gradually, the shells became harder and harder to find, yet the villagers refused to give up. Many abandoned honest work, spending their entire days at sea, obsessed with the hope of striking it rich. What once took five days to find soon took ten, then a month. Eventually, pearls became so rare that it might take twenty people an entire year to find just one. Everyone was constantly speculating about who would be the next lucky soul.

The villagers did not realise that harvesting pearls was an act of profound cruelty. A shellfish must work tirelessly, filtering sand over three to six months, just to form a single small pearl. To rip that pearl away is like tearing a vital piece of flesh from a living being, leaving the shellfish with almost no chance of survival. This cruel treatment caused the villagers to create immense negative karma without even knowing it. Their hearts and their actions became twisted and distorted. In the end, some fell from their boats and perished for no apparent reason; others suffered from mysterious, uncontrollable bodily convulsions. Finally, a massive tidal wave swept in, submerging the entire village. The village was completely swallowed by the sea, and there was no chance for rescue. Under the laws of karma and cause and effect, no one can escape; the retribution that manifests before us is impossible to bypass.

The Light of Deliverance

The villagers themselves became part of the ocean—transformed into shellfish of all sizes, seaweed, driftwood, water molecules, and fish. Once trapped in these bodies of retribution, it is not easy to break free. However, the arrival of the Buddha-light illuminated the entire ocean, reaching even the deepest trenches of the seabed. Only then could the creatures of the deep finally end their cycle of suffering, death after death. Thousands upon thousands of fish, coral, and shellfish were finally liberated and saved.

As the Buddha-light shone, those who emerged from the bodies of the fish were revealed to be former divers, people who loved eating fish, seafood enthusiasts, gourmets, and marine researchers. They had been trapped within those forms due to their specific attachments and the karma they had created. When the Buddha-light touched them, it was as if they had all awakened from a long, deep dream. They were filled with gratitude toward the Grandmother. The power of Chao Du is boundless and vast; it is a manifestation of true intention and the capacity of the heart.

A Call to Practice and Repentance

The laws of karma and cause and effect in the universe will not be relaxed by even the slightest margin. The Grandmother constantly reminds the fourfold assembly that greed, anger, delusion, and arrogance are unacceptable. We must change our personalities and our ways, for the fear is that we will once again fall into the cycle of rebirth in the six realms of existence. The Grandmother leads us with such deep care, and everyone must also put their heart into changing their ways.

Only the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre provides such an excellent environment for practice. We are all practising amidst relative comfort and prosperity, and we should know how to cherish this opportunity and find our true selves. Namo Amituofo."

Recorded by the disciple of the Buddha, Shi Faxin.