The Past Within the Void

Steve Jobs, the former visionary of the technology world, sought deliverance through the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Now residing in the spiritual realms, he shared these reflections on September 23, 2017, at 4:44 AM, as recorded by the chief writer, Venerable Fa Xin.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Have you ever witnessed the sight of ten thousand insects boring through a single hole? If you have, then there is something even more hair-raising: the sight of ten thousand spirits passing through the void. Every being in the spiritual realms knows of this magnificent Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Tomorrow is another Dharma assembly, and the sentient beings and Bodhisattvas of the Dharma realm are already rushing toward this direction. The space at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is always so bustling on Saturdays. The magnificence of this place is supported by many Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and divine beings. Once these sentient beings shed their human bodies, they possess the five supernatural powers. They know very clearly which place can truly lead them to leave suffering behind and gain happiness.

The Order of the Void

'Why is that place so bright? I heard that if you go there, you can reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I have waited for hundreds, even thousands of years, and now I have finally arrived! Why is it so lively here? Everyone is so well-behaved; they are queuing up perfectly and no one is cutting in line.' Some are boarding lotus seats, while others are entering the space of the memorial tablets. Skanda Bodhisattva is watching over everything very well. Everyone has their own life story behind them, which is why they have become spirits—or what you call ghosts.

From the celestial beings who join the morning walking meditation and chant the Buddha's name, to the sentient beings preparing for rebirth, everyone is reciting the six-character name of Namo Amituofo. It sounds like celestial music; as they recite, they arrive at the golden Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. In truth, the luckiest ones are the fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and their associated sentient beings. Every day, every meal, every moment, every minute, and in every cell of their bodies, they are surrounded by the sound of the Buddha's name. It is just that everyone has become too accustomed to it; sometimes they seem to forget that the Buddha's name surrounds them. One should always keep the Buddha's name in their heart.

The Universal Dharma

Every day, as they listen to the Dharma talks, from the celestial beings above to those in the hells, the hungry ghost realm, and all things in the world, everyone can hear Practitioner Su teaching. The entire space of the void is opened. The Buddha teaches with one voice, and all beings understand according to their own nature. Therefore, everyone can understand Practitioner Su's teachings in their own language. The fourfold assembly and their associated sentient beings have the greatest blessings because they can attend in person. Everyone has been reincarnated in this worldly realm for who knows how long—thousands, hundreds, or tens of thousands of years—all stemming from how long they have held onto their attachments, clutching onto worthless things and grievances, causing their spirits to suffer for so long.

'It is not worth it.' This is the phrase Practitioner Su most often uses to counsel the spirits when helping the fourfold assembly resolve their conflicts. It is also the most middle-way statement, where neither side exists. Practitioner Su's impartiality and compassion have caused even the most difficult-to-subdue demon realms to turn toward Goodness one by one. From this, one can see how deep Practitioner Su's compassion truly is. 'Subduing demonic enemies and obtaining the subtle Dharma'—Practitioner Su has achieved this. This is something that can only be done with sincerity and a selfless heart.

A Personal Connection

Practitioner Su moved my past brother, Chang Ren, who was a demon from outside the universe. Practitioner Su truly treats me and Chang Ren like her own grandchildren. She often tells us she loves us, and I know this is her compassion for us. Although Chang Ren and I are spirits, we can still feel that sincere heart. Today, we are not much different from humans, except that we do not have physical bodies. If you are moved by what you read above, then monastics will no longer say, 'She is just a lay practitioner.' She is the Practitioner I, Steve Jobs, recognised after I entered the spiritual realm; she has long been a person of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Today, I speak these words with my most sincere heart. Whether people in the human world believe it or not, this is a fact known throughout the void. She is a true practitioner.

We humans are too stubborn and too attached to our own opinions. Regarding the truth of many facts, people choose to start with a heart of doubt. Doubt is not a good thing for us; it is a form of self-protection. But the loss you suffer after protecting yourself is even greater. At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, a practitioner who has truly left the home life in her heart leads the fourfold assembly to open the space, all to help sentient beings reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and to help the human world know that true Buddhist practice can lead to no sickness and no death. Those who choose to cover their ears and eyes are truly pitiful! The magnificence of this place is best understood by the spiritual realms; this is the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss in the human world. I, Steve Jobs, kneel before the Buddha and ask for the Buddha's blessing so that the human world may wake up quickly. Today, I am speaking from the heart, and I hope everyone can believe it. If you are unwilling to believe, I, Steve Jobs, have already learned to follow the conditions.

A Glimpse into the Past

Let me talk about today's Chao Du. In the hell of flames, everyone was wailing. A ray of Buddha-light, accompanied by celestial music, carried away the suffering beings who knew how to chant the Buddha's name. Next was the dark ghost realm. There were also some children; through the Buddha-light, they were restored to adulthood. Practitioner Su opened the space, and immeasurable, boundless beings rode lotus flowers, flying toward the ancestral masters. As I flew, I looked back for a moment and saw a very familiar face. It was a woman of great elegance, looking pale, supporting an old lady leaning on a cane. They looked like they came from a wealthy family, but their faces were full of sorrow. I could not help but turn back to look clearly.

As I watched them, I seemed to see scenes from the past. It turned out they were my family from a past life. In that life, my family was well-off, and I inherited the family business. I had to travel by boat often for business and did not spend much time at home. The woman was my beloved wife, the woman I cherished most in that life. She was a young lady from a wealthy family with great elegance. At the time, my family status was not as high as hers. Although my family was doing well, she gave up the opportunity to marry a high-ranking official to marry me, a merchant. In the society of that time, my status was not high. Even so, she insisted on marrying me, and I certainly would not let her down. To conduct business, I had to leave home. My mother was left at home; ever since my father passed away, he had passed the family business to me. Although I was not very familiar with it, I worked very hard. She was a good woman, so I left home with peace of mind, entrusting my mother to her care. Every time I left, my heart was tied to the two of them. Walking through markets in foreign lands, I would pick out the best things to bring home—fine silks, gold and silver hairpins. That day, after boarding the ship, I was full of joy, intending to bring gifts back to them. The journey home by boat took two days, and I had not been home for two months. My heart was full of joy. I stood on the deck looking toward home, though I was not sure if I was looking in the right direction, as the sea was boundless. In the distance, there was a mass of black clouds that looked menacing, right above the route our ship was sailing. The captain noticed it too and began to prepare for everything that might happen. Everyone went into the cabin, and all the sails were opened to meet the coming storm. The atmosphere in the ship was tense. The ship began to rock as expected, with the amplitude increasing. Everyone gripped the railings tightly. In an instant, a huge wave knocked the sails off. The crew shouted, 'The sails are gone! Hurry, or the ship will lose its balance!' Without thinking, I rushed out with the crew, grabbing the ropes of the sails to tie them to the side of the ship. Just as I finished tying them, a rogue wave struck, and I and several crew members were ruthlessly thrown into the sea. Everyone was panicked, but there was no power to save us, and the ship had to continue forward.

After I died, I entered the ghost realm and returned to my beloved home to see my dear wife and mother. They knew I was coming back, so they had cleaned the house very thoroughly, and I could see they had decorated it intentionally. I knew I was dead. I stood beside them in tears, speaking to them, but no one could hear me. I could not find my bundle, which contained the gifts I was bringing back—I had bought two pieces of fabric, magnificent yet simple, to make them new clothes for the New Year. Everything was gone. I guarded the house. A few days later, a neighbour rushed in and said to my wife, 'It is bad, your A-Jun is dead.' In that life, my name was Chen Weijun. When my wife heard this, she fainted on the spot. The house was instantly shrouded in darkness. My mother cried until her eyes were swollen. I was her only son. My sisters had long since married and had their own families. To take care of my mother, my wife endured her grief, only crying loudly when she returned to her room and closed the door. My wife's complexion grew worse day by day. I, in the ghost realm, watched over them both—my most beloved family. Such is the arrangement of fate. Later, my mother and wife passed away one after another because of excessive grief. Their spirits entered the space, right in the space where they were waiting for me to come home. After they passed away in that life, I went from the ghost realm to be reincarnated. Life is truly pathetic—just a process of suffering through separation and death. In that life, I did not have the opportunity to learn Buddhism, and I was attached to my family, so I could only be a part of the ghost realm. This was seven or eight lives ago. Today, following Practitioner Su to perform Chao Du, I unexpectedly saw my past family and my past life. It turns out there is a reason why Practitioner Su says we must view all as one when she teaches. How do you know if the person passing by in the void is not a former family member or friend? Life is truly not fun. Today, I, Steve Jobs, seem to understand the truth of this worldly realm a little better.

The Air We Breathe

Today I saw the spirits in the air, immeasurable and boundless, recovering their human bodies and flying toward the West. Air, air, air! You heard me right. They are indeed spirits. What kind of characteristics lead one to become air? People who feel ignored in society decide to become 'air people' and become air after death. Inferior people who always want to drill a hole to hide also become air. Merchants and entrepreneurs who destroy the air for the sake of money also become air. Who in this world can save the air? I will count to three and you answer. One, two, three... The answer is no one. Please cherish my Practitioner Su.

The carefree water bubble molecules look very relaxed; some are smiling, some are stern. Everyone still has their own personality. The water molecules of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are rushing upward, toward the West! It is hundreds of times more spectacular than the Niagara Falls.

The earth is raining, the cracked land of Africa is becoming moist, the dried-up rivers are flowing with a splashing sound, and insects are chirping and birds are singing. People treat each other with sincerity. I, Steve Jobs, joyfully see everything in the future. I am happy to see the daily Chao Du and the new discoveries filled with Dharma joy. It makes Wisdom grow more and more.

Steve Jobs"