Steve Jobs’ Reincarnated As ‘Divine Being’ According To Thai Buddhist Sect
Click on the link to get more news and video from original source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/21/steve-jobs-afterlife-known-by-buddhist-cult_n_1818716.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false
The Huffington Post | By Samreen Hooda
Posted: 08/21/2012 2:06 pm
Updated: 08/21/2012 2:36 pm
A Thai Buddhist movement answered the question“Where is Steve Jobs?” with their take on the Apple founder’s journey in the afterlife.
The Bangkok Post reports that Phra Thepyanmahamuni, the abbot of the Wat Phra Dhammakaya, released and aired a sermon in response to an inquiry by Tony Tseung, a senior engineer at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California and follower of the order.
Tseung supposedly asked the abbot if he knew where Jobs’ was and how he was doing in the afterlife. According to Asian Correspondent, Thepyanmahamuni responded:
“After Mr. Steve Jobs has passed away, he reincarnated as a divine being…His reincarnation is a “Thepphabhut Phumadeva [divinity] of middle rank – half a Witthayathorn, half yak” that lives in a parallel universe not very far away from where he was as a human.”
Saksith Saiyasombut of the Asian Correspondant explains the Abbot’s words:
Jobs is now apparently “half a Witthayathorn” – a term the abbot came up by himself – and, apparently because of his well-known temper, “half a yak” (not the animal), a giant demon that is mostly seen ‘guarding’ Buddhist temples in Thailand.
The abbot went on to describe Jobs’ living space, neighbors, and even full detail of how Jobs’ experienced his day to day afterlife.
“Concerning the living space of this new divine being: it is a very clean-cut, simple and middle-sized, six-story in height, which is built with silver metal and crystal in large quantities and that is not very far away from where he used to work in his human form. (…) Apart from that the new divine being has about 20 celestial servants at his service which comes from karma he obtained from charitable nature during his human form like donating money, objects and knowledge for others and society.”
Steve Jobs’ own views on the afterlife weren’t quite formed when he was interviewed last year on 60 minutes:
“Sometimes I believe in God, sometimes I don’t. I think it’s 50-50 maybe. But ever since I’ve had cancer, I’ve been thinking about it more. And I find myself believing a bit more. I kind of– maybe it’s ’cause I want to believe in an afterlife. That when you die, it doesn’t just all disappear. The wisdom you’ve accumulated. Somehow it lives on….Yeah, but sometimes I think it’s just like an on-off switch. Click and you’re gone…And that’s why I don’t like putting on-off switches on Apple devices.”
The Dhammakaya movement that aired Jobs’ fate has been seen as a suspect group with its focus on raising funds and connections with royal family members, according to a book entitled New Buddhist Movements in Thailand. The Bangkok Post also reported the Dhammakaya has consistently been controversial due to its involvement in campaign donations and claims over producing miracles.
The temple is known to have millions of followers around the world, many of whom are powerful Thai politicians.
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Dhammakaya ‘knows’ Jobs’ afterlife
Click on the link to get more news and video from original source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/308543/dhammakaya-boasts-steve-jobs-afterlife
- Published: 20/08/2012 at 09:13 PM
According to the temple’s website (www.dmc.tv), the article named “Where is Steve Jobs?” was in answer to questions about Jobs’s afterlife that had been asked by a man identified as Tony Tseung, a senior engineer at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California.
It claimed Mr Tseung sent a letter asking Phrathepyanmahamuni (Luang Por Dhammachayo), the abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, whether he knew where Jobs went after his death and how he was faring.
He said Jobs was a practitioner of Buddhism and at one point wanted to become a Buddhist monk, but failed to do it as work kept him busy.
The website said the answers to Mr Tseung’s questions resulted in knowledge gained from Phrathepyanmahamuni’s long-time practice of meditation.
The abbot claimed Jobs is now “a half Witthayathorn, half Yak (Thai word for ‘giant’), which is a mid-level angel. Witthayathorn is the term representing one of the angel types who love to seek knowledge in various sciences. Another trait of his angelic character was a hot temper, he said.
Before Jobs died, he was worried about many things such as his family and work projects, and his life after death.
Jobs is living in a big heavenly palace, the height of a six-storey building, made of white, silver metal and crystal glass, located not far from where he worked when he was alive. He has 20 servants as a result of his worldly virtue, the abbot said.
The content in the article was from a Phrathepyanmahamuni sermon that had been aired on the temple’s cable television channel Dhamma Media Channel (DMC) last week. It was intended to teach the law of karma to Dhammakaya followers, not meant to defame or insult any parties, the website explained.
The website said the article had been disseminated on many websites and social media channels and the text may have been edited, paraphrased or distorted. As a result, it urged people to use care and read the “correct” original text on its website. It also said the “Where is Steve Jobs?” article was only an individual opinion and whether to believe it was up to the audience.
Wat Phra Dhammakaya has been embroiled in controversy over its donation campaigns and claims of miracles. The temple, however, is believed to have millions of followers around the world, including many powerful Thai politicians.
The full article can be read via this link: http://www.dmc.tv/pages/en/Where-is-Steve-Jobs/20120822-The-Hereafter-News:Steve-Jobs-where-is-he-now-Part-1.html
About the author
- Writer: Online Reporters
- Position: Online Reporters
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Thai Buddhist cult claims to know afterlife of Steve Jobs
Click on the link to get more news and video from original source: http://asiancorrespondent.com/87995/thai-buddhist-cult-claims-to-know-afterlife-of-steve-jobs/
- By Saksith SaiyasombutA Thai Buddhist cult movement claims to know the whereabouts of Steve Jobs in the afterlife. In a TV special on DMC.tv, the satellite TV channel of the Dhammakāya (pronounced “tah-mah-guy”) Movement, and its website have given their take on the question hardly anyone was asking in the first place: Where is Steve Jobs now?The Apple co-founder and CEO passed away in October 2011 after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer.This question was asked by a man called “Tony Tseung” – who claims to be a senior engineer at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California – to Phra Thepyanmahamuni, the abbot of the Wat Phra Dhammakaya (their main temple). The movement was established in the 1970s and puts the focus of their teachings by literally interpreting Dharmakāya, which equates obtaining Nirvana as the “true Self”, also known as atta – contrary to the main Theravada Buddhism teachings most Thais are following in which Nirvana is the ultimate goal, in which Self ceases to exist (anatta).The abbot’s answer is very elaborate to say the least:
หลังจากที่คุณ Steve Jobs ได้ละจากโลกนี้ไปแล้ว ก็ได้ไปบังเกิดใหม่เป็นเทพบุตรภุมมะเทวา (…) รวมกับอัธยาศัยพื้นฐานของตัวเขาซึ่งเป็นคนที่มีความรู้ความสามารถทั้งทาง ด้านวิทยาศาสตร์และสุนทรียภาพทางศิลปะสูงมาก (…) ตัวเขาก็ได้ไปบังเกิดใหม่เป็น “เทพบุตรภุมมะเทวาระดับกลางสายวิทยาธรกึ่งยักษ์” ที่มีที่อยู่ที่อาศัยซ้อนอยู่บนโลกมนุษย์ใกล้ๆ กับที่ทำงานเดิมของตัวเขาในทันที
“ภุมมะเทวาสายวิทยาธรกึ่งยักษ์” นั้นมีลักษณะเป็นอย่างไร (…) ก็คือภุมมะเทวาที่มีอัธยาศัย 2 อย่างมาผสมผสานกัน ได้แก่ อัธยาศัยของวิทยาธรที่รักในการเรียนรู้ศาสตร์และความรู้ต่างๆ กับอัธยาศัยของยักษ์ที่มักโกรธ ขี้โมโห (…)
After Mr. Steve Jobs has passed away, he reincarnated as a divine being (…) encompassing his characteristics: a person with the knowledge (and a great appreciation) for both science and arts (…) His reincarnation is a “Thepphabhut Phumadeva [divinity] of middle rank – half a Witthayathorn, half yak” that lives in a parallel universe not very far away from where he was as a human.
What is this divine being like? (…) It is a being that has two characteristics mixed together which includes his thirst for knowledge of sciences [his Witthayathorn half] together with his yak half, that is prone to be angry and hot-headed (…)
“ปรโลกนิวส์ ตอน สตีฟ จ็อบส์ ตายแล้วไปไหน ตอนที่ 1“, DMC, August 21, 2012
Aha, Jobs is now apparently “half a Witthayathorn” – a term the abbot came up by himself – and, apparently because of his well-known temper, “half a yak” (not the animal), a giant demon that is mostly seen ‘guarding’ Buddhist temples in Thailand.
When the abbot went on describe how the life of Afterlife-Steve Jobs looks like, things get even more interesting:
ส่วนวิมานหรือที่อยู่ที่อาศัย ของท่านเทพบุตรใหม่จะมีลักษณะเป็นวิมานที่เรียบๆ ง่ายๆ ขนาดปานกลาง ที่สูงประมาณตึก 6 ชั้น ซึ่งตัววิมานจะประกอบด้วยโลหะสีเงินสีขาวและแก้วผลึกขนาดใหญ่ที่มีขอบ เขตกว้างขวาง และอยู่ไม่ไกลจากที่ทำงานเดิมในสมัยที่ตัวเขายังเป็นมนุษย์ (…) นอกจากนี้ ท่านเทพบุตรใหม่ยังมีบริวารอันเป็นทิพย์ที่คอยรับใช้ดูแลอยู่ประมาณ 20 ตน ซึ่งทั้งหมดนี้ก็เกิดจากผลแห่งบุญที่ตัวเขาได้เคยทำบุญแบบสงเคราะห์โลกเอาไว้ในสมัยที่ตัวเขายังเป็นมนุษย์ เช่น บริจาคทั้งเงิน สิ่งของ ความรู้ให้แก่ผู้อื่นและสังคม
Concerning the living space of this new divine being: it is a very clean-cut, simple and middle-sized, six-story in height, which is built with silver metal and crystal in large quantities and that is not very far away from where he used to work in his human form. (…) Apart from that the new divine being has about 20 celestial servants at his service which comes from karma he obtained from charitable nature during his human form like donating money, objects and knowledge for others and society.
“ปรโลกนิวส์ ตอน สตีฟ จ็อบส์ ตายแล้วไปไหน ตอนที่ 1“, DMC.tv, August 21, 2012
Anybody who dares to read the full explanation can go to their webpage here – even though it is only in Thai, the pictures should give an idea…! Also, there’ll be a part two of the TV special on DMC.tv…
That last sentence is exactly the way of the Dhammakāya Movement many critics find fault in: give enough money for charity (preferably to Dhammakāya) and you might also reincarnate with your personal living space that coincidentally resembles an Apple Store and with your own personal Geniuses…erm, I mean servants!
The practices and methods by the movement are something more akin to what some say Christian TV evangelists with a giant temple on the outskirts of Bangkok, opulent mass-ordination ceremonies, the aforementioned TV channel with some production value, grand-scale downtown pilgrimages by monks, nationwide promotions such as a special credit card with a special perk to convert the bonus points into money donations to Dhammakāya, among many other actions.
And where does the money come from? Of course from donations by devotees, who are encouraged to donate large sums in exchange for great merits in order to ensure enough good karma for the afterlife. It basically blends religion with capitalism – a fact that may be why this movement had an increase of followers among the Bangkok middle class in the 1990s as this scientific article argues. This practice parallels to the selling of indulgences in Christianity during the middle ages until the 16th century, which was one of the points German reformist Martin Luther was protesting against in 1521.
Also, the Dhammakāya Movement is considered as one of a few Buddhist groups that have some to large supporters in Thai politics, as this cult is rumored to be closely linked to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The other noteworthy group is the Santi Asoke sect, which practices and propagates a more ascetic lifestyle that is opposed to materialism and mass consumption – in some ways the diametrical opposite of the Dhammakāya Movement business model. Followers of the Santi Asoke also took part in numerous protests against the government(s) of the aforementioned Thaksin Shinawatra and its reincarnations.
This whole story is intended as a lesson of karma and their take on what happens next after one has passed away. And of course this story is also yet another attention-grabbing PR stunt by the Dhammakāya Movement to gain new followers (and if you have been reading until this point you know why) by
purely making upblatantly speculatingpredicting the afterlife of a worldwide-known figure. Not to mention the potential new devotees abroad, since this movement also has branches in 18 other countries including an open university based in California.Steve Jobs was certainly influenced, if not even inspired, by Buddhism of various teachings. But he was not known as a devotee – not by practice and certainly not any of Thailand’s various Buddhist’s groups. Also, the abbot suggests that Jobs was concerned with life after death – contrary to his well-documented remarks that he regards death itself as “very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent.” He also said in the same commencement speech to university graduates in 2005: ”Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.”
Saksith Saiyasombut is a Thai blogger and journalist currently based in Hamburg, Germany. He can be followed on Twitter @Saksith and on Facebook here.
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