The Return of Steve Jobs: A Dialogue with Namo Amituofo

On the 29th of August, 2017, the disciple approached the Buddha with a humble request for guidance. The disciple asked: "Namo Amituofo. Practitioner Su has shared that Steve Jobs, now residing in the Western Pure Land, wishes to gather those great beings who previously descended from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss into this worldly realm. He seeks to unite them with the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to propagate the Pure Land teachings and guide them back to the Western Pure Land. I pray for the Buddha's compassionate instruction on this matter."

The Vow to Save All Beings

Namo Amituofo provided the following discourse: The beings of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss are all endowed with compassionate Dharma-nature bodies. In that realm, there is no distinction between self and other, no ego, and no attachment to a separate identity. They have already resided in the Western Pure Land for ten kalpas. There are infinite and boundless beings from the Western Pure Land who, moved by their original vows, have descended into this world. They have not only come to this Earth, but have travelled throughout the vastness of the Dharma Realm.

When they first departed from the Western Pure Land, they were filled with the great vow to save all beings who share a karmic affinity with them. However, they did not anticipate the turbulent waves of the ocean of karma. Once they descended, it became difficult for them to resist the currents, and one by one, they sank to the bottom of this sea of suffering.

The Sanctuary of Hsiang Kuang

Today, the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre stands as a beacon of hope. Namo Amituofo truly abides here to rescue those who have lost their way. How can we save these Buddha-children who have fallen into the ocean of karma? It requires those with karmic affinity to gather together. Through the power of the Buddha-name, the sound of the Dharma, and the sprinkling of the Buddha's wisdom, we can wash away the dust of worldly toil and reveal the pure light within.

When we look back at those who were once beings of the Western Pure Land, we realise that it has been thousands of years since they first arrived here. Upon descending, they were overwhelmed by their karma, completely forgetting that they had come here by the power of their own vows. They became entangled in the same greed, anger, and delusion as everyone else, bound by the five desires: wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep.

Purifying the Six Roots

Caught in the six realms of rebirth, they continue to suffer without rest. The only way to break free is to rely on the pulling power of the Buddha, combined with one's own diligent practice. You must seek to see your true self without delay. The entire Dharma Realm knows of this situation, and the beings within these spaces remain in that same state of struggle. They are layered in suffering, and their only hope lies in the vow of Namo Amituofo and the Pure Land path. Only by achieving rebirth in the Western Pure Land while carrying karma can they truly be saved.

Look at the people around you. They struggle with old karma that is difficult to eliminate, while simultaneously creating new karma. When will they ever be free from these heavy burdens? The ocean of karma cannot be drained, but it can be managed by calming the heart. Use the Buddha-name to settle the waves of the mind. Once the mind is settled, do not allow deluded thoughts to arise. When the mind is still, no situation can cause suffering or create obstacles.

Awakening to the True Self

Even if you must pass through a field of a hundred flowers, you should be like a person who walks through without a single petal sticking to their clothes. Your practice must be effective, helping both yourself and others to journey toward the West. You must embrace all things with compassion and tolerance. This is what true practice looks like. You should learn to open your heart, open your eyes, and open your Six Roots. By containing all phenomena within your heart while remaining unmoved and without deluded thoughts, you will find peace.

When you know that all things are illusory, empty, and non-existent, no event can shake your mind. In that state, you can immediately resolve the suffering of beings, with Namo Amituofo protecting and assisting you from the Western Pure Land. If there is no mind of attachment, how can the karma of countless kalpas accumulate? You will be a free being, coming and going as you please. You will not be controlled by external forces, and no karmic creditors will manifest to hinder you.

Those who descended from the Western Pure Land were practitioners of the Pure Land path in their previous lives. Namo Amituofo is waiting for them to return in this lifetime. Return to your original home and do not wander in the cycle of rebirth any longer. This message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

Namo Amituofo