Steve Jobs, the visionary co-founder of Apple, sought deliverance through the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This interview was recorded on December 26, 2018.
Steve Jobs speaks:
"Imagine a fan snapping open. Painted upon it are the four seasons and various street scenes: chickens pecking at grain, a cowherd riding on the back of an ox, young women whispering to one another, and the backs of farmers returning home as the sun sets. The fan records the life of cities and villages; the life it portrays is simple and ordinary. Although there were no modern conveniences, people's hearts were very pure. There were no schemes of competition or rivalry; trust existed between people. Most individuals did not calculate or bicker over 'you, me, or them.' Religion was an indispensable part of life, with everyone using the most sincere hearts to pray that the heavens would be kind, granting everyone a good life.
The Simplicity of Existence
Space itself holds a true record of these scenes from the past, telling us that, in reality, human beings can be very simple, and life can be very grounded. A life that lacks stability is one where our own hearts are playing tricks on us, and our personalities are creating complications. Yet, it is precisely this personality that is the root of creating . If any one of the —greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, or doubt—arises strongly, the resulting karmic consequences become difficult to reverse. The only question is whether, at the moment of receiving retribution, you are willing to wake up.
We cling to our bodies, seeing them as worth a thousand or ten thousand pieces of gold in our own eyes, which is why we feel the suffering so deeply. If one day you could train this body to be as light as a feather, or even like air—having form yet being formless, existing yet seemingly non-existent—such a state would be the ultimate enjoyment. It is the enjoyment of a freedom as light as air. The smoothness between breaths, the entire body free from any burden. Truly purified to the point where every single cell is translucent, even flawless. At that time, there will be nothing that you cling to tightly. Even matters of excess or deficiency will no longer require your concern.
The Path of Practice
Without the weight of attachments, one flows as smoothly as water. The practice in our cultivation is right before our eyes; it is the implementation of the philosophy of the from the sutras into the present moment. That very moment could be the time of , the time of , or perhaps the time when the manifests. The deeper your , the wider, further, and broader the path you walk becomes.
The present moment, where one does not linger or stagnate, might be looking toward a goal in the distance, or it might be looking back at memories of the past. The driving force that moves us straight forward is the beings ahead who are waiting to be saved. Suffering is not suffering; transparency is not transparency—it is simply formlessness. Be settled within this, and do not be settled within delusions. Let everything be clear and white within your heart."
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This interview was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin.
