The Weight of Cause and Effect: A Message from Steve Jobs

This article records the reflections of Steve Jobs, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This testimony was recorded on August 23, 2017.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Following the winds of emotion and the ego, I wandered through the cycle of rebirth. The ocean of karma is vast, and the mountains of my sins were precarious. Without sincere confession, how could they ever be eradicated?" These words, taken from the sutras, are what I have felt most deeply after attending the Dharma assemblies at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre for several weeks. When I look back at my life, I realise that all I was left with in the end were mountains of heavy karmic sins.

You may not fully grasp the meaning of these words. To put it simply, it was my own self-righteous personality that destroyed me. I followed my own interests and pursued what I believed to be right, yet in doing so, I created immeasurable and boundless sins. After experiencing the extreme suffering of the resulting retribution, I realised that even now, I cannot fully repay what I owe. I once wished to return to my original aspiration: to be a saviour for the United States. However, because of the cycle of rebirth, an invisible magnetic force always pulls at the sentient beings connected to each life. Trying to walk toward the light feels increasingly difficult. The concept of cause and effect is largely absent in Western nations, and that, I have come to realise, is the greatest problem of all.

The Invisible Record of Our Actions

I am the result of the causes I planted in the past, which is why I committed such grave sins in this life. I do not complain, and I do not wish to offer excuses, for I have no qualification to do so. I only wish to plant the concept of cause and effect in your hearts. Do not ever think that spitting on the ground or dropping a piece of litter is a trivial matter. The moment you do so, you are marked as someone who destroys the environment; you are singled out and recorded. You might receive the retribution in this very life, or it may manifest in the next. I can only imagine that in the future, the places you inhabit will be filthy and chaotic, because you are the one who made the environment dirty. Do not expect your future surroundings to be comfortable or clean if you do not cultivate that environment now. That is the nature of cause and effect. Do not ignore it, and do not think you can escape it. Every single action is being recorded; there is not the slightest chance of error or leniency.

The fairness of cause and effect lies in the fact that it makes no distinction between the rich and the poor, the noble and the lowly. What you do belongs to you, and what I do belongs to me. To put it simply: if an action leads to heaven, do it. If an action leads to the hells, do not do it—do not even let yourself be tainted by it.

Humility and the Future of Nations

Human beings are born with their own inherent personalities. In this current generation, the more capable people become, the harder it is for them to listen to the advice of others. If you are a high-level intellectual but can still perform with humility and modesty—regardless of whether it comes from the depths of your heart—I applaud you as a truly capable person. I am not standing on a high pedestal to lecture you; I only hope that the American people can correct some of their perceptions. In the future, China will be the leader guiding the world. The Americans should be able to admit this; otherwise, why is everyone so actively learning the Chinese language? Therefore, we should try to learn from Chinese culture, especially when it is something that benefits everyone. This is a form of progress for America as well. Let us open our hearts, Americans! The Chinese emphasize a holistic view, while we in America have been raised with the freedom to develop individually. China is disciplined, while America is less concerned with minor details. If we try to accept the virtues of both, the future of America will remain infinitely broad.

A Path Toward the Light

The idea that all of humanity should walk toward the light and live a good life is a concept that aligns with the ideals of common prosperity. But why does this Earth still have such stark divisions between high and low? The source of all these manifestations is cause and effect. If you are a good person who does good deeds, you are born in a civilised nation in this life. If you spend your life bullying others in a barbaric way, then prepare to live a life of fire and water. This is the truth of cause and effect that I share with you all. Please try to accept it and reflect deeply upon it. If you are willing to understand it in a grounded way, you will no longer need to worry about how difficult your remaining life will be; you will certainly be walking in a positive direction. Namo Amituofo.

Written by the hand of Steve Jobs.