The Dharma Assembly: A Concert for the Soul

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Steve Jobs, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now observes the workings of the Dharma Realm with a newfound clarity. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Venerable Shi Faxin, on October 8, 2017.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"How many Dharma talks have you attended where people clap and cheer, kneeling in reverence? And how many Dharma assemblies have you seen where spirits flock in such numbers that it makes a sold-out concert look tame by comparison? It is the same entry process, yet there are no tickets required. At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the venue for these assemblies, people and spirits begin arriving the day before. They use all sorts of methods to try and gain entry. Some appear in the clouds in the most extraordinary ways; others are carried in by the wind gods, blowing with great force, all just to secure a single yellow memorial tablet to gain admission.

A Venue Beyond Physical Dimensions

To the physical eye, the venue looks like a large Buddha hall. But when viewed from the perspective of the Dharma Realm, it is vast—truly vast. It has no boundaries on any side. No matter how many sentient beings arrive, there is always room for them to sit, layer upon layer. The entire space is filled with the resonant sound of the Buddha-name. If you chant along, you will find that your spirit feels lighter—which is to say, your head becomes clear and your mind sharp.

Once you enter, you are granted a high-grade lotus seat. It is soft, weightless, and incredibly comfortable. Within these seats, there are beautiful landscapes to wander through and observe, and exquisite food to enjoy. It is a super-advanced lotus seat, far more perfect than any technology I ever helped create. My apologies, but you cannot test-drive one unless you are a spirit. But these seats are not even the most remarkable part. The most incredible thing is that these lotus seats are almost directly connected to the Western Pure Land. As long as you sincerely make a vow to go to the West and chant 'Namo Amituofo' once, the lotus opens, and you are transported directly there. Who wouldn't want such a deal?

The Trap of Comfort

There are many spirits sitting on the lotus seats at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre who are simply too comfortable. They are so delighted by the Dharma talks that they haven't yet made the vow to leave. I, Steve Jobs, advise everyone: while these lotus seats are truly high-end, you can enjoy the same treatment—and much more—in the Western Pure Land. I urge you to seek rebirth in the West as quickly as possible. Only in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is there no limit to one's lifespan. To put it plainly, it is eternal life combined with wisdom as vast as the ocean. That is the state of the spiritual realms.

A Banquet for the Dharma Realm

Let me speak more practically. For the fourfold assembly of disciples, the weekly Dharma assembly is like a grand banquet. They prepare an abundance of delicious food as an offering to the Dharma Realm. Practitioner Su cooks it herself, and I am telling you, it is no joke. Whether you are human or a spirit, everyone eats with great joy. Every member of the fourfold assembly is incredibly busy. Whether they are in the kitchen or the monastics and lay practitioners helping to write the memorial tablets, they work until the very last moment, rushing into the hall only when they hear the sound of the drums.

Practitioner Su stands at the very front and chants the Buddha-name ten times. Namo Amituofo and the Sages of the West are already present. We then invite the ancestral masters—the thirteen patriarchs of the Pure Land School, Venerable Du Shun, National Master Xian Shou, Great Master Xuanzang, Great Master Hong Yi, Venerable Guang Qin, and many others—all of whom support the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. These ancestral masters now wear white Haiqing robes and sashes. Each one of them smiles with such dignity and Dharma-joy. Although most of the fourfold assembly cannot see this magnificent scene, they can certainly feel the warmth of the Buddha-light shining upon them.

The Sacrifice of Compassion

Next, Practitioner Su stands at the front of the assembly to give teachings. These are not just for the fourfold assembly; more often, they are for the karmic creditors of the disciples and the spirits who have come seeking Chao Du. This further elevates their willingness to seek rebirth in the West. Before the assembly, we must call out to the sentient beings of the fourfold assembly. For those who are unwilling to resolve their conflicts, a practitioner must act as their spokesperson, allowing them to vent their grievances. Then, Practitioner Su speaks of recovery, peace of mind, and drinking the water of forgetfulness. The simple spirits, confused and bewildered, are then sent into the Dharma-Nature Land to listen to the Dharma.

Once everything is ready, we also invite the hell-bound beings of the fourfold assembly to participate in the assembly, hoping they will no longer suffer and can also seek rebirth in the West. I, Steve Jobs, am envious. Who else can do what the fourfold assembly does—delivering beings from the hells? This is done so that the spirits can leave suffering behind, and so that the fourfold assembly can remain healthy, walk a longer path, and help even more beings. In truth, many beings are very reluctant. They often occupy Practitioner Su's body, causing her great discomfort, especially during the Dharma assemblies when they come in immeasurable, boundless numbers. But no matter what, Practitioner Su chooses to remain silent. She chooses to shoulder the burden. She chooses to suffer on behalf of all beings. Even when she is in extreme pain, she can still smile—sometimes smiling until tears stream down her face. This is because Practitioner Su has truly let go of her own body. Without a vast mind-capacity, no one could do this.

The Infinite Manifestations

After the assembly begins, Practitioner Su holds the microphone like a superstar singing, enjoying the music of the Dharma. She sways with the melody and then bows with reverence. It is a display of Dharma-joy that never loses its dignity. Once the six-character Buddha-name rings out, Practitioner Su stands in the very centre of the hall and—whoosh!—she flies out. She manifests in countless forms, going to every corner of the universe to bring back the spirits. Each of her Dharma Bodies brings back boundless numbers of sentient beings. Some were water, some insects, some animals, some ghosts, some dolls, some clouds, some air, some earth, some concrete, some mobile phones, some computer components, and some were stuck in space, unable to get out. The number of spirits of every type that return is beyond calculation. Practitioner Su strips away their clothing—their external forms—restores them to their original human state, and sends them all to the West. Every Dharma assembly sees countless, immeasurable, boundless beings become Buddhas. No wonder Practitioner Su is always smiling. I, Steve Jobs, am also smiling, though perhaps not with the same level of compassion as Practitioner Su.

An Invitation to the Family

The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is a big family—a family that helps sentient beings be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. In such a family, we practise together every day and open up the space together. To put it in everyday terms: an apple has a space, a bottle of soy sauce has a space, a single cell has a space. There are several members of the fourfold assembly who can talk and chat with these spaces. They share the stories and reasons for why they entered those spaces. It turns into a series of little stories: 'I became a watermelon because of this,' or 'I became a banana because of that.' Sometimes, Practitioner Su and the fourfold assembly laugh out loud hearing these. Can you understand this kind of Dharma-joy? In fact, Practitioner Su uses this teaching method to increase the joy of learning Buddhism for everyone, and she trains the fourfold assembly to open up their space even wider. It also happens to help deliver these beings—it is killing many birds with one stone. This is Practitioner Su's wisdom.

After I have said so much, don't you want to become a member of such a big family? After participating in the special training classes, you too can talk to a broom, to the trash, or to any food you are about to eat. You can ask it what its thoughts are about being eaten by you. Practitioner Su says that this way, even if you are alone, you will never be bored. You are connected to space at all times; this is the instinct of every person after purification. Such an instinct is meant to serve sentient beings, to help them truly stop suffering. Such a life is far more meaningful than being an office worker or an entrepreneur.

A Final Word

Recently, Practitioner Su installed new speakers in the Dharma assembly hall, simply because more and more spirits are arriving. The newly installed speakers were used for the first time today, and they might have a surround-sound effect. The most magnificent and joyful Dharma assembly is about to unfold. Please look forward to it. We also invite the Ten Directions of the Dharma Realm to join in the celebration. Of course, as humans, we should also come and see for ourselves. I, Steve Jobs, guarantee that your final takeaway from attending will be one hundred percent satisfaction and Dharma-joy. It won't be too late to thank me for writing this introduction then!

Spoken by Steve Jobs.

Message recorded by Venerable Shi Faxin.

Namo Amituofo."