This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Steve Jobs, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. He reflects upon his past lives and the universal truth of the Buddha-name. This session was recorded by the disciple Shi Faxin on September 24, 2018.
Steve Jobs speaks:
". I am Steve Jobs. Every nation possesses its own language, and even different worlds across the vast reaches of outer space have their own unique tongues. Language acts as a record, leaving behind the traces of history and allowing future generations to track the past. However, within the void, the six realms of existence, and the ten directions, there is only one universal language that transcends all limitations of time and space: 'Namo Amituofo.' This single phrase encompasses infinite energy and possesses the power to traverse the cycle of rebirth.
The Universal Language Beyond Time and Space
The Buddha is the most honoured among all lights, the King of Buddhas. Because of the Buddha's perspective of oneness, He can teach the with a single sound, and every being, regardless of their nature, can understand it according to their own capacity. Since ancient times, this phrase, 'Namo Amituofo,' has been passed down. Countless great practitioners and ordinary people alike have used this very Buddha-name to reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The Buddha teaches us to use this Buddha-name to cast aside all delusions, false thoughts, and attachments. If a person can stop making discriminations, they can live with true . However, all of these things require dedicated practice to realise.
The Endless Drama of Samsara
Throughout our many lives, our spirits have been drifting. The drama that plays out in our repeated cycles of rebirth is always much the same. Every time we encounter the Buddha’s teachings, the Buddha gives us an opportunity to break through our physical limitations and our stubborn personalities. Yet, at the most critical moment, we are always tested and fail, stepping once again onto the crossroads. We head toward the white light, the red light, the green light, the grey light, or the black light, living a life where we cannot be the master of our own destiny.
Consider this: you break through the light of , only to find yourself reborn as a dog. You are huddled in a kennel, drinking milk, being taken to be neutered, wagging your tail every day just to please your master. Or perhaps you are born in the wild, a stray dog that no one likes, with a difficult, aggressive personality. You spend your days barking to protect yourself, fighting over territory, and chasing after other dogs. Your habits—your very nature—are exactly the same as when you were human. This is the tragic, repetitive drama that plays out endlessly within the six realms of existence.
The Burden of Information
We spend our lives calculating the future, obsessing over what we have gained, filling our minds with intellectual waste. When will we ever find true coolness and clarity? We are bombarded by an explosion of information that we simply do not need. The more we consume, the more we block our own wisdom—this is what we call the obstruction of knowledge. When we face the teachings of the Buddha, we must empty ourselves completely to absorb the truth in its entirety. Retain only the most important thing: the Buddha-name. All other worldly dust is merely a burden to both the physical body and the spirit.
Returning to the Original Nature
The emptiness found in practice allows us to be at ease with our physical bodies and enables a natural integration with our spirit. Once you find this freedom, you can achieve the same Samadhi as the ancestors and attain the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Even the beings in the vast oceans or the darkest corners can be helped by this. Everything is empty, without form or state. I, Steve Jobs, have had to find my way back to the appearance of my own past practice to be able to share these words. Believe that you can do it, too, because everyone comes from the Buddhas. Namo Amituofo."
