The Universe of Dust and the Path to Goodness

This is a record of an interview with 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 reflects upon his observations of the universe and his profound transformation under the guidance of Practitioner Su. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on September 12, 2017.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. It is the beginning of another magnificent day. Countless spirits are journeying toward the wondrous Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. What I see before me are immeasurable and boundless particles of dust—can you even begin to imagine how many there are? I do not possess the same level of skills as Practitioner Su, so I can only play the role of a conductor. I watch as everything unfolds: tiny, microscopic specks of dust, under the brilliant illumination of the Buddha-light, transform into human forms. It is truly astonishing, is it not? Even I, who spent a lifetime innovating, am left completely dumbfounded by the sight. They move forward with incredible speed. Driven by curiosity, I ran over to one of these beings who had just transformed into a human, being very careful not to bump into anyone else, because the sheer density of this sea of people is something you simply cannot fathom.

The Burden of a Lifetime's Attachment

I opened my mouth to ask an elderly woman why she had become a particle of dust. Her accent was very thick, and I was not entirely sure which language she was speaking. Then, I remembered what Practitioner Su had told me: that the Buddha teaches with a single voice, yet all beings understand according to their own nature. I recited a phrase, and in an instant, I seemed to understand her perfectly. She told me she was a woman who had known only hardship—a 'bitter' life, as she put it. She explained that she had spent her entire life in the kitchen, first for her birth family, and then for her husband's family after she married. Every day, just to survive, she had to take a long bamboo pole and blow into the stove for ages. When she was young, her face would be blackened by the soot, yet the fire still would not ignite. Later, after she gained enough experience, she would blow twice or three times with all her might from her lungs, and the flames would finally obey and ignite. Perhaps the fire sensed that if it did not start, the burning rage in her heart would be even more intense than the fire she was trying to light. To prevent such a thing, the fire would obediently ignite after just two blows. However, every time, the ashes would make her cough.

She told me that in her old age, perhaps due to the symptoms of aging, she constantly reminisced about the past. Whenever she met someone, she would bring up everything from her youth to her twilight years. She was so attached to these thoughts that, at the moment of her passing, she was still thinking about the trouble of lighting that stove, and thus, she became a particle of dust. She did not understand why, but after spending this time learning by the side of Practitioner Su, I suspect she had entered that space—the space of lighting the stove—long ago. I even suspect her spirit had been crouching beside that old stove for a very long time. Let me tell you, you must be careful! Do not let yourself be trapped by habitual attachments or fixate on any single thing, or you might end up just like that old woman.

The Wisdom of Letting Go

I feel as though I am becoming younger every day. Perhaps it is because I have begun to understand some of the truths of the universe. More importantly, I no longer need to constantly overthink. In the past, I loved to think, to ponder this and that; it was a kind of ambition to invent new things that possessed me, making me think until I went bald. So, for those of you who love to think too much, be careful! There is an eighty percent chance your hair will continue to thin—this is just the natural order of things. I do not mean to offend anyone; I am simply offering a reminder.

Every day, I go out into the universe with Practitioner Su and Changren to do good deeds, and these days are so joyful! Ah, I cannot say 'joyful' anymore; I am a true practitioner of the Buddha’s teachings now, so I must say I am filled with Dharma joy. I am also learning to speak with the flavour of a true practitioner. I want to tell everyone from the North Pole to the South Pole of the Earth some incredible news: our universe is saved! Practitioner Su is helping everyone—almost every single sentient being in the universe, from flowers, trees, dust, sand, and air, to animals, humans, Asuras, and demon crowds—everyone, without exception. Each person has a 'Goodness Machine' inside them. That machine flashes from time to time, much like a signal on your mobile phone, but what it flashes is 'Goodness! Goodness! Goodness!' Oh, how magnificent! Because of this, everyone is radiating an aura of peace. There is no longer any so-called competition or conflict.

The Harmony of the Universe

It was not like this just a short time ago. When I went to perform Chao Du with Practitioner Su, I saw that even the flowing water had a habit of competing! Two rivers were originally one family, as they were both destined to merge into the same river and flow into the sea. Yet, at the very entrance where they were to converge, trouble would arise. One would flow faster, then the other would speed up. I realised they were racing to see who could reach the river first. It was only after I had been purified during this time that I could see their every move. It turns out that all things have their own personalities. But really, what is the point of competing? Once they flow into the sea, are they not all one family? This is what the Buddha’s teachings call the 'One-Body Perspective'—we are all the same, just brought to different places by different Causal Conditions. Do not forget that we are all destined to return to our home in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, just as all rivers eventually return to the ocean. Everyone has forgotten this because we have changed into so many different bodies that we have forgotten our original vow. In truth, we all come from the Buddha, yet we have forgotten it completely. Fortunately, Practitioner Su has now installed a 'Goodness Machine' for everyone, which can at least turn us back toward the correct direction of the West, so we do not stray too far off course.

A Call to Join the Flow of Goodness

Today, I see everyone smiling! Everyone smiles when they see Practitioner Su, and some even smile at me. I am not quite used to it, as I lived such a serious and tense life before. I did not have many smiles, so seeing so many warm faces makes me feel a bit awkward. I smile back, of course, but at first, my facial expressions were a bit stiff and embarrassed. Then, I looked at the smile of Practitioner Su—wow, it is so compassionate! It is a compassion that comes from the heart, capable of transforming so many people. I tried to smile like that, but it did not look quite like hers because I am still learning. It is not something you can master overnight. I am still learning the compassion of Practitioner Su, which is the only way to have such a smile. Also, so many Bodhisattvas from the universe—from the twenty-sixth, nineteenth, and ninth heavens—came today. They came voluntarily, so they arrived wearing white robes. Their hearts, which were once a bit hardened, became soft after arriving here. This is the power of the great Goodness in this place. Compassion to the extreme can turn the crooked into the straight. Although one might be 'crooked,' there is always a stream of Goodness deep within everyone’s heart. Once that is unlocked, everyone can gradually recover their original Buddha nature.

Today, there was an even greater breakthrough: after Practitioner Su spoke of Goodness to all things, she also set their own cells into motion, causing them to become 'Good' as well. A force of Goodness is flowing throughout the universe. I know that all things are in the midst of change. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia is the initiator of this great energy of Namo Amituofo, and it reaches throughout the entire Dharma realm of emptiness. Many beings from the heavenly realms and the Four Sacred Realms have come to join in this grand event, though many are still in deep Meditation. Practitioner Su hopes that everyone can immerse themselves in this flow of Goodness—in Namo Amituofo. This family of Goodness needs everyone to keep expanding it. The human world is becoming a Pure Land, and the Pure Land of emptiness is expanding every single day. I invite you all to get moving and join us. I know you are all still full of doubts, wondering if what I am saying is just some wild fantasy made up by the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. If you think that, it is truly a pity. It would be better to just believe, to treat it as supporting a group of people who are doing good deeds. If you have the Wisdom to do that, I congratulate you. Do not be like I was before I passed away—thinking I was so clever, thinking I was always right. Let the Goodness Machine in your heart be activated! You will discover that everything around you will become better and better, just like your own thoughts of Goodness. My heart is now filled with infinite gratitude and infinite Dharma joy as I joyfully welcome the cosmic grand gathering every morning. I am grateful to Practitioner Su for giving me this opportunity to explore the universe and for allowing me the chance to make amends for the karma I created in this life. I am grateful for the great compassion of Namo Amituofo.

With palms joined, Steve Jobs."