The Great Vow and the Demon's Trap

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Steve Jobs, who sought 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 life and his transition to the Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on August 18, 2017.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Steve Jobs. Throughout my life, I lived by a single, driving mantra: 'People are here to change the world; if not, what are we here for?' My career hit rock bottom more than once, but that resilient character of mine never allowed me to be defeated. I could accept failure, believing that it was merely a stepping stone to climb even higher. Even when my body began to fail, when the doctors delivered the terminal verdict of cancer, I remained deeply in love with my work and the act of invention. My goal was simple: to make Apple a global phenomenon, wave after wave. I wanted to bring infinite commercial opportunities to the company. I placed myself last. Many people advised me to take care of my failing health, but I ignored them. I just kept pushing forward—that is my nature. I did not need a healthy body; I only needed to bring innovation to the world. The sense of achievement was so intoxicating that I could go without eating for days.

I am deeply grateful to my wife, Laurene, who loved me dearly. She understood me, and she was a woman who supported my success. Her own achievements were no less than mine, and because we were both workaholics, we were a perfect match. I influenced Laurene to become a Buddhist practitioner. I, too, was a practitioner, though my background was in Zen, and I had some knowledge of Namo Amituofo. This is the very reason I had the Causal Conditions to come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. To be born in a Western country and still encounter the Buddha’s teachings is a rare blessing. Now, residing in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have discovered that this is my true home. I had originally made a vow to come down to the human world to help the American people, as I did not want America to always view itself as the supreme leader, leading to constant warfare.

A Vow Misdirected

We are now in an era of peace, or at least we should be. We should not be using force to resolve any issues; that is the behavior of barbarians. As an American, I apologize for saying these things, which may make some Americans uncomfortable. I have come to realise that the vow I made in this life to change the world was something I brought with me from the Western Land. I persisted in this vow even after arriving in the human world, which is why I possessed a stronger perseverance and determination than others. I could ignore my own needs, focusing entirely on what I believed would help all of humanity progress. All my actions and ideals stemmed from that initial great vow. That is why I had a sharper mind, quicker reactions, and the ability to utilise the wisdom from my past practice. However, in this life, I used my great vow in the wrong way—I went completely astray. I became tainted by the habits of this world, and in the end, I was controlled by demons.

The Demon's Manipulation

After I fell ill, I was no longer myself. The demon utilised my body, performing its work to the fullest extent by creating Apple products that would fascinate the world. It would sneer within my body, laughing at the stupidity and self-proclaimed cleverness of humanity. 'Swipe! Keep swiping!' Every product was designed to make you swipe. You would take it out whenever you had a spare moment. It made you more stupid and more obsessed the more you swiped. Children swipe, the elderly swipe, everyone swipes. Eventually, the only part of the human body that remains flexible is the finger; everything else has become stiff and rigid.

I was truly being used, and I had no choice in the matter; otherwise, who would want to create such heavy karma? I am deeply grateful that Namo Amituofo looked past all of that, seeing the fundamental goodness in the heart of Steve Jobs, and granted me the opportunity to carry my karma and achieve rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I do not intend to evade my responsibilities, but when I look at the many beings I owe, I am filled with fear. I am so grateful to Practitioner Su, who is helping me deliver these sentient beings every day.

A Warning to the World

Everyone who sees these messages from Steve Jobs, please, do not doubt them! You must believe, otherwise, you may at any moment commit the same mistakes that I did. Never assume that you are always right; the opposite of being 'right' is often the commission of a destructive, grave sin. This is the repentance and advice of Steve Jobs. Namo Amituofo."