The White-Robed Legion of Compassion

This article documents the experiences of the spirit of Steve Jobs, who sought deliverance through the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Following his passing, he has been assisting Practitioner Su in the work of Chao Du. This interview was recorded by Chief Writer Shi Faxin on September 27, 2017.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Whew! I have just returned. It seems that Steve Jobs has gained a bit of a reputation throughout the entire Dharma Realm. This fame comes from being known as the 'conductor who follows Practitioner Su.' That is my own way of putting it, of course! Because every single day, Ren and I follow Practitioner Su to perform Chao Du. So, everyone must have caught a glimpse of me by now! The Vajra Dharma Protectors by the side of Practitioner Su—one a foreigner, one a monastic. I make it sound so grand, but in reality, most of the time I am just tagging along. Still, calling myself a 'little brother' does not sound very impressive, and it would be bad for my image! Although I, Steve Jobs, may not have much skill in the actual deliverance process, I do my part by writing these articles to introduce our work. It counts for something, does it not?"

A Waterfall of Pure Spirits

"Today, we arrived at a massive waterfall deep within a mountain range. It was completely untouched by pollution and filled with spiritual energy. Beyond just seeing the water molecules and the great boulders beneath the surface, I saw various spirits playing joyfully within the waterfall. Were they fairies? They were laughing so happily, seemingly relishing the air and the water. I understood their sense of relaxation. When I closed my eyes, I heard the rhythmic splashing of the water, and if I listened even more closely, I could hear the giggles of the spirits. They seemed to be using the waterfall as a giant slide—whoosh! While everyone else was still caught up in their usual, mundane spaces, who would have noticed that the White-Robed Legion of Compassion had arrived? We first planted seeds of Goodness and good thoughts, allowed the Buddha’s light to shine upon them, and helped them shed their heavy garments. Before they could even ask what was happening, they were lifted away by the light to go and become Buddhas. I waved to them, wishing them the best of luck."

The Digital Web of the Modern Mind

"In the subway stations, the moment the doors beeped, people would swarm forward in a frantic rush, chest to back, yet still pushing to get on. I noticed that this happens more in Eastern countries, whereas in the West, there is a relatively slower, more relaxed pace. Once they finally squeezed onto the train, everyone began pulling out their precious smartphones, swiping away, putting on headphones, or watching videos, smiling at their little devices. It is only because everyone has a phone in their hand these days that this is considered normal; otherwise, if you saw someone smiling at a solid object, you would surely think they were insane. Once on board, whether sitting or standing, ninety percent of the people were glued to their screens. Within the subway, there are infinite spaces because everyone is trapped inside their own little digital bubble. After being purified by the Buddha’s light, their 'cement-like' brains seemed to become a little more active. I, Steve Jobs, took a look at everyone’s head. Why did they all look so knotted? Their thoughts were like spiderwebs tangled back and forth, filled with so many afflictions, making their faces look exhausted and grey. After the Buddha’s light shone upon them, many images emerged from their heads—it seemed they were filled with useless things stored in their brains. However, the images emerging from each person were different, as the things that enter our eyes are all unique. Compared to the human head, smartphones are actually quite simple. It was as if they were being sliced open, and all the sentient beings contained within the components flew out. It looked like a swarm of locusts passing through. It was a sight that made me shudder."

The Truth Behind the Toys

"The spirits within the items in the shopping malls also walked out and headed toward the light. So, the animated films produced by my company during my lifetime, like Toy Story, were actually true. They are pretty much exactly like that, except that I presented them with bodies, whereas in reality, they have no bodies at all. They exist in their own spaces, and they do not interfere with us. So, there is no need to feel afraid. Humans still have a certain level of curiosity about the spiritual realms, much like the movie Night at the Museum, where the exhibits come to life at night. In truth, once many things are laid out and explained, you realise there is nothing to it. Life in the spiritual realms is quite similar to our own."

A Lesson for a Little Bird

"Today, I was flying in the heavens, soaring alongside the birds. Practitioner Su was performing Chao Du for immeasurable and boundless birds. Wow! So many different species. There were large birds that spread their wings with a loud flapping sound—getting hit by one of those would certainly hurt. There were eagles with sharp beaks, colourful parrots, egrets, tiny birds flying with their families, and even birds with big, round bellies. It was a magnificent scene, all moving forward toward the light. Flying beside them was cool, and there was a certain air current, but I kept getting hit by falling feathers. As I was observing the form of each bird, suddenly, one inattentive bird crashed into me. I was startled. I turned to look and saw it was a tiny bird, seemingly very lively and a bit restless. Humans walk without looking where they are going, but this one flies without looking where he is going! Just looking at him, I knew he was quite naive. I asked him, 'Do you often crash into things while you are flying?' The bird replied, 'How did you know? Am I that easy to read?' I said, 'Yes, you look quite dim-witted.' The bird said, 'What? I thought I was very smart.' I replied, 'You might just be suffering from an inflated sense of self! Wait, who are you anyway? You are not a bird, so how did you end up... in our flock? Did you sneak in?' I explained, 'No, I am a member of the White-Robed Legion of Compassion. I am the Vice-Commander, though I do not have much skill.' The bird said, 'I do not understand.' I asked, 'You are a bird spirit now, why did you choose to be a bird?' The bird said, 'I am very lively! I loved helping my family work in the fields, enjoying the scent of the earth, the blue sea and sky, and the chirping of insects and birds. But my mother insisted that I be a bookworm and study. I did not like it! Ever since I stopped helping in the fields, my health deteriorated. Every day, I carried a heavy schoolbag, and looking at the earth where everything was so free, I felt so envious. Later, I died at ten years old. I became a little bird, and I am very happy. I really like the way I am now.' I said, 'You really are a bookworm! Nowadays, everyone is flocking to the Western Pure Land; who would still want to be a bird? You are very out of fashion!' The bird asked, 'Is that so?' I said, 'Yes! Follow me.' The bird said, 'OK,' and even made a gesture. The bird did not know that he had already been touched by the Buddha’s light and had transformed into a human, though he was still chirping. I said, 'You are a human now! Why are you still chirping? Tell your big brother your name.' The bird said, 'My name is Michelle.' I said, 'Let's go! Let's go become a Buddha.' The bird followed me. This was my first successful case of counselling someone to go to the Western Pure Land. Wow! I succeeded. And so, I flew away happily, whistling as I went."

A Future of Compassion

"Today, the White-Robed Legion of Compassion travelled through mountains and across the ocean floor; our reach is boundless. Everyone is racing against time to help all things in the universe. The earth, the insects, the soil, the air—Goodness, Goodness, Goodness. Namo Amituofo. Everyone’s face has turned toward Goodness. Although the magnetic field of the universe is very subtle, I, Steve Jobs, can feel it getting better day by day! Especially since the establishment of the White-Robed Legion of Compassion, the positive magnetic field has grown even faster. I smiled as I concluded today’s deliverance activities. Tomorrow, I must be even more compassionate so that I can help even more sentient beings. Namo Amituofo."

Steve Jobs