The Secrets of the Word Spirits

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 resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account was recorded by the disciple Shi Faxin on September 18, 2017.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. In the past, I, Steve Jobs, never had the time to be a 'frequent flyer.' Now, I can travel through the air every single day—and I do not even need an aeroplane to do it. The places I reach are not limited to Earth; I travel throughout the entire universe. When I speak of the universe, I am referring to the vast outer space systems—the galaxies and solar systems beyond our own planet. The space contained within is infinite. It is not limited to three or four dimensions; as one’s spiritual sensitivity increases, one ascends to higher and higher levels.

Most of this belongs to the realm of spiritual life, which is far beyond what any exploration instruments created by humans could ever detect. The layers of space are fundamentally different. If you happen to capture a glimpse of something on camera, it is likely because that being has descended into our human dimension. Many people are curious about extraterrestrial life and have even captured images of UFOs. I, Steve Jobs, can tell you: these things truly exist. Today, I reside in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, which is the highest level of spiritual existence. Therefore, seeing anything I wish to see is never a problem. It is also because I follow Practitioner Su every day to perform Chao Du that my knowledge and horizons have expanded so significantly."

The Cheapest Way to Explore the Universe

"Let me share with you the most cost-effective way to explore outer space: it is through practice. You might be full of questions, but this is exactly how Practitioner Su trains the fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. She uses the simplest methods: chanting, prostrations, walking meditation, and changing one's ways. She emphasises the importance of maintaining a pure and kind heart. By doing this, you open up the dimensions of space. You can connect upwards to the Western Land and the heavenly realms, and downwards to the hells and the realm of hungry ghosts.

As long as you pick up a pen or place your hands on a keyboard, you can write the life story of any spirit. You can speak to a single star in the galaxy, an extraterrestrial being, a cloud in the sky, a grain of sand, a grain of rice, or even the 'Word Spirits' hidden within the characters themselves. Isn't that extraordinary? I did not understand at first that words could have spirits, but the saying that 'all things have a spirit' is not a lie. Anything you pick up can converse with you, provided you have properly practised and purified yourself. This ability is a natural outcome of such practice, just as it is natural for me to write this article. Many people choose not to believe it, dismissing it as superstition, not realising that it is actually the result of diligent practice. You cannot imagine how much Dharma joy this brings. If you wish to learn this skill, come to Australia and find Practitioner Su! There are very few people who can do this right now. If you master it, you could be considered a national treasure. In fact, Practitioner Su should be classified as a national treasure—a high-level treasure that must be protected and never harmed. Yet, those who do not understand insist on trying to destroy such a treasure. The karma for that is very heavy, and there is no saving them! I cannot blame you, though, because you do not understand. Perhaps your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind have all been covered up, so you cannot see the Truth. However, I know that Practitioner Su has a vast mind-capacity and hopes that everyone can become a 'national treasure' just like her, so that there will be more people to help save this worldly realm."

The Story of the 'Yong' Spirit

"I suspect that today you might want to hear a story about a Word Spirit, so let me tell you one. This Word Spirit Bodhisattva was once a little boy from a poor family. He was very bright and honest. His family often struggled to have enough to eat, and he was the fifth of ten children. Although all ten children came from the same household, their personalities were completely different—some were quiet, some impatient, some optimistic, and some felt inferior. The boy had a wonderful virtue: he was content. He never complained and hoped only to grow up quickly so he could help support the family. He loved to learn and loved to help others. The children next door went to school, but there was too much work to be done at home, and in reality, there was no money for his education. His daily routine was to go to the fields in the morning, take the cattle to graze in the afternoon, and help with chores at night. Day after day, life went on.

He always had to find a little joy in his day. When he took the cattle to graze, the other children would finish school and go play on the hillside. At first, the boy watched from afar, afraid of disturbing them, but they were very welcoming. Because the boy had always longed for school, he eventually asked them, 'What do you do at school? What do you learn?' Since they played together often, they naturally replied, 'We learn to write characters! Shall I teach you?' The boy gave a shy smile and nodded. They found an empty patch of ground, picked up a branch suitable for writing, and wrote the character 'Yong' (meaning 'eternity'). This character is the foundation for practising calligraphy. After the boy learned it, he was happy for days. He would trace it in the air, and whenever he found a patch of dirt, he would squat down and practice for a long time. Just knowing how to write that one character made him so happy.

One day, a heatwave struck, and the boy fell ill with malaria. Lying on his sickbed, he did not have many worries. He did not feel he had any regrets in life, simply because he was not someone who knew nothing—at the very least, he knew how to write that character 'Yong'. He was just that kind of contented person. After he died, his soul entered that character. Before Practitioner Su’s light brought him out, he was inside a book lying on the desk of a poor scholar. It turns out that even Word Spirits have different levels of blessings. I have seen Word Spirits emerge from books: some look like housewives, some like bookish, pedantic men, while those who emerge from the sutras look like learned monks. Some monks who were attached to the precepts emerged from the very precepts they were familiar with. The good and bad deeds people do are truly recorded in their own being, bit by bit. They all became Word Spirits, but perhaps the boy did not cultivate enough blessings in his past life, which is why he lived such a bitter life this time. The laws of karma and cause and effect are the truth of the universe; they do not lie. I, Steve Jobs, now understand the importance of accumulating merits and virtues. If I had a human body again, I would certainly be tireless in doing good deeds."

The Weight of Karma

"Can you imagine how much karma is hidden within our human bodies? Every cell is a record of our past—that is how densely packed it is. These are our karmic creditors; some are within our bodies, and some are in the dimensions we are attached to. The number of famous people Practitioner Su has saved is immense. From the East, there are Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping. From the West, there is me, Steve Jobs. We share one thing in common: we created very heavy karma. What we committed were acts of persecution against humanity. Let me whisper this to you: there are also some monks—from Taiwan, such as Master Sheng Yen and Master Wei Chueh—shh... keep it quiet. I respect them as monastics, so I will speak softly. But what they influenced was the Dharma Body and wisdom-life of people. I heard they did not teach people to go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, so we all suffered in the Avici Hell, and we were all saved by Practitioner Su and brought to the Western Land. The sin of the Avici Hell is that we owed too many people, and that is the retribution we had to face. Practitioner Su’s compassion is such that, to prevent us from owing even more, she takes us to perform Chao Du every day.

If I, Steve Jobs, were to compare myself with the three pillars of the East, I owe more—just look at how many people in this world use Apple computers, mobile phones, and related products, and you will understand. But if I compare myself with those masters, they failed to look after people's Dharma Body and wisdom-life, and I hear their sins are even heavier. There is another master online whom Practitioner Su respects greatly; his sentient beings are also immeasurable and boundless. I have seen the spirits waiting in the space around him as he spreads the Dharma through the internet. ...I will stop there. I should not talk about others, or I might get a spanking. In any case, I am grateful to Practitioner Su for thinking of everyone every single day. Every day, there are spirits who become Buddhas. Every day is a wonderful day worth celebrating. I will end here. Steve Jobs bows and takes his leave. Namo Amituofo."

Steve Jobs

This message was recorded by the disciple Shi Faxin.