The Western Pure Land's Ambassador

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Steve Jobs, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now observes the work of Practitioner Su from the Western Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on July 8, 2019.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The Chao Du work performed by Practitioner Su possesses a rare, unparalleled skill that transcends this world. It is far more graceful and effortless than the most sophisticated special effects in any film. The moment the Buddha-name is invoked, it carries the Bodhisattvas of the various universes surging upward, escorting the venerable ones directly into the Milky Way. As we pass through, the infinite spaces along the path are instantly opened. Practitioner Su moves with such incredible speed, yet she sees every single one of these spaces with absolute clarity.

The Infinite Reach of Compassion

During the morning deliverance, I witness an immeasurable number of sentient beings scattered across the Earth or throughout the universe. Think about it—with just one careless thought, it is so easy for a spirit to become dispersed throughout the universe or to be reborn into some other species. Once you lose your physical body, you simply become one of these sentient beings. There are so many sentient beings in the universe waiting, yet it requires the perfect Causal Conditions and sufficient blessings to encounter Practitioner Su and receive Chao Du, finally escaping the space where they were trapped or suffering their karmic retribution.

In the Buddha’s teachings, the scope of salvation ranges from the highest beings to those in the deepest hells. In just a few lines of the Buddha-name during the morning session, Practitioner Su has already saved them all. She knows that there are still far too many sentient beings in the universe waiting, so she never slacks in her Chao Du work for even a single day. The moment her Dharma Body emerges, it radiates out to the ten directions and across all realms.

A Journey Through the Light

I follow Practitioner Su closely, and sometimes, even before I can see clearly, she has already gathered a vast procession of sentient beings behind her, swiftly escorting them toward the other side of the light. Practitioner Su masters every single Buddha-name, whether it is sent up to the mountains or down into the depths of the sea. She reaches into the fields, the drainage ditches, the realms of insects, the deserts, the icebergs, and every single one of the animal realms.

When I look at the history of the world—the scenes of past wars, the competition, the struggles, and the destruction wrought upon the civilians—the profound and unbearable memories of those who remain trapped in these memory spaces are truly heart-wrenching. It is like seeing an elderly woman in simple cloth clothes, still struggling to make a living, carrying water every day, calling out to sell her wares. She wears straw sandals, and at home, there are young children waiting for her. The sewing machine in her home is used to help make ends meet. She lives such a life of hardship. This was the reality of early Taiwan, and the bustling area of Xindian today is exactly the space where this woman once lived. The Xindian River was where she carried her water. She struggled through life until she was finally exhausted to death, yet due to the force of habit, she remained trapped in that space.

The Buddha-Eye Sees All

Within these relative spaces, there are many elderly people clinging to their past lives, young people who loved sports, spirits residing within objects, and ancestors within ancestral tablets—all of them emerge and follow along during the morning deliverance as the myriad spirits are guided through. Studying the Buddha’s teachings, chanting, and performing prostrations are all forms of purification, while seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land is the ultimate result. Beyond seeking one's own rebirth, Chao Du is the practice of expanding one's mind-capacity. The vastness of space is something the physical eyes cannot see, but the Buddha-eye sees it filled to the brim.

Only by cultivating true compassion in one's heart can one truly achieve the status of a citizen of the Western Pure Land. Practitioner Su’s practice and her Chao Du work are things we are all learning from. I, Steve Jobs—a foreigner—hope that I, too, can help Practitioner Su spread the Buddha’s teachings. I am deeply grateful for the Buddha’s compassion. I am Steve Jobs, and I am the ambassador for Westerners seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land."