Q: Many so-called experts say there will be disturbances during the next year, social problems, computer problems, etc. are predicted for the next year. What preparations do You see that we should make for our families, Centers, to help our community just to be prepared for everything.
M: Yes, be prepared to die anytime, that's my advice, [Laughter and applause.] because we die in any millennium, I tell you. Anytime, be prepared. It could be in the next few days. It could be the next moment. I am prepared all the time. Disaster may strike at any time in any area anyhow, in any millennium. For example, sometimes you are here and the weather forecast is for a storm or flood coming, then of course, you have to prepare your Noah's ark somewhere. Put it in the attic or hang it from the ceiling to feel secure for your children. Of course, you are responsible for their safety, and do your best to bring them into safety. That's it. Whenever it comes, there is no millennium as bad as now.
They have been predicting that for thousands of years. We are supposed to be dead already according to their predictions [Laughter]. Some of the predictions say our planet is supposed to be kaput already. Finito! But it goes on, you know. And if it doesn't go on, we have other planets. We have the inner planet, which is indestructible. Don't concern yourself much about physical things. All these predictions are concerning the physical only. There's not much to worry about. Even if we do worry, even if I know tomorrow is the end of the world, what can we do? You think we can escape somehow by preparing, or hanging some bottles on the ceiling or something like that? When God wants to take us away, or to bring us back to where we belong, we go. But meanwhile, if we don't know that Hes wants us to go, then we prepare whatever, like everyone else, because what else is there to do?
The reason why we prepare, I'll tell you why. For example, even though you are a practitioner, and you believe in God. You say, "Oh! God will take care of me, and everything." But why let God worry about two bottles of water and packing rice and some bread for you? These things you can do yourself. And why do you do it? - To have peace of mind. Why should you sit there and worry about whether you will be safe or not, whether God will come or not? And why would you let people who depend on you, like your children or wife worry about whether you have food to eat, if supposing a flood comes? So that's why you have to be prepared. You prepare it when the flood comes, prepare some food, put it safe somewhere, or drive them to safety, things like that. This is a normal thing to do.
I don't advise people to put away anything, anyway, or make anything anywhere. And if I do so, it's just because it's at a specific time to ease their mind. I want them to concentrate more on the wisdom than on food while they are at it. If they already know: "Okay, we have a cave of food somewhere," they will meditate better. That's all. It's not because that can help us. Lots of people are concerned about the millennium and the end of the world and all that. It's okay. As long as we do our spiritual practice and send out loving energy, the world will still go on splendidly and get better and better. And if people don't practice well, and there's not enough good energy, then the world has to go, and that's okay. God will make another.
Q: Do You think the reason it hasn't happened is because there are more and more spiritual practitioners?
M: That, also. Yes.
Q: Do You think there are other reasons?
M: There are many reasons for why it hasn't happened.
Q: Like so many changes were supposed to happen right now.
M: Yes, and it's supposed to be true, too. And if it's true, the reason why it did not happen is because the atmosphere changes, people's consciousness changes. They fear God, and they pray more, and they go more inside, they repent, and they go in a more right direction, so the energy changes into being more positive and uplifting. So it changes. Everything changes. Because disaster is attracted by bad energy, by a vicious atmosphere, if everyone starts to think good thoughts and pray to God, then the atmosphere will change. When the atmosphere changes, the disasters, which are bad energy, have nowhere to hook onto, so they have to pass by or disappear somewhere else in the vastness of the firmament, or, in the atmosphere. So if we are happy-go-lucky persons, we attract more luck and happiness. That's normal.
And another reason that it doesn't happen is because that person probably predicted wrongly. [Laughter] He had clairvoyance or some astral psychic powers, and what he saw happening was somewhere else, or was his own illusion. The third reason is that sometimes he sees these things in the past, or in another place, not this planet, and gets it all confused. Since he lives here, he thinks it's here. Since he lives in this present, he thinks it's now, but the time in dreams sometimes doesn't coincide with the time of this reality.
When he thinks it's coming this year, he calculates it wrongly in the different dimension. The time is different. And maybe there is no time at all, so when he comes back, he thinks it is this year. He calculates that everything is this year, but it's not so. So, there are many reasons. There is no need to bother about all these metaphysical and physical phenomena. The more we meditate, the more we spread the good news, the more we feel good. And even if we don't feel good, and we have to go, then we go. We have to go at the end. We don't stay here forever, whether we practice or not.
Q: How do you develop the third eye?
M: You don't develop the third eye; it's already there. We can't develop what is not material. The third eye is just a way of speaking; there isn't an eye at all! It just means that normally we have two eyes and see things in a limited vision. But if we have the other eye, the third eye, we can see things in the whole universe. That's why it's called the third eye. Actually, the soul doesn't need the eye to see, doesn't need ears to hear, doesn't need any sensory apparatus to perceive things. That's the highest Truth, that's the highest perception, without having to use any fleshly instruments. That is our soul power, the Supreme Master within us, which knows all things, hears all things in all ways, everywhere.
That's what we have to find. Because we are the Supreme Master of all the universe, can you imagine how great you are, and how you live your life now? (Master sighs.) That's why I feel very sorry for you. You come here to listen to me, but you shouldn't have to do it! We are equals, we are exactly the same, and we have the same power. You shouldn't even have to respect me; that's a very sad thing. You know it if you accept what I say and then you know just what I know, what Christ knows, what Buddha knows.
Q: I'm in theater, working with some artists and I also work with a lot of dancers, actors, actresses, and musicians. I often see those people I work with smoke pot, doing a lot of stuff just to get out of their own personal frustrations. As an artist, we always want to be open-minded and try as many things as possible; but since I'm following the Quan Yin Method, I sometimes feel like I'm unable to do that. Of course I know that I shouldn't do it, but sometimes they have this theory like, "Try something in order to be a good artist." Sometimes I get very confused so I'd like to ask for Your suggestion and support.
M: These people are confused. They feel very empty in their lives. After they've tried all their best to please the public, of course then they are empty, and they don't know where else to turn. When they call to Buddha, Buddha doesn't answer, when they talk to Jesus, Jesus just hangs-in there. [Laughter] So then of course, they try something to quickly fill their emptiness inside. Any kind of work for the public gives you this empty feeling aftermath. You must know; that's a great sacrifice that every artist must make.
Q: Should I change my career?
M: No, you have your Master and you have the Quan Yin Method. You have the meditation, which is quicker than the pot to fulfill your inner satisfaction and peace. Why do you need these cheap substitutes? You tell them. You should lead them instead of letting them lead you. You are the light; you don't follow the darkness.
Q: Sometimes I just feel like I'm so alone among these people.
M: No, you're not alone. You are there to lead and bless them; you are there to give them what they don't have, to be their strength because they are in darkness. You are the only light, and you want to dim yourself and go into the darkness too? God put you there so that there is one light in the darkness. Talk to them and tell them there are better ways, nobler ways, less damaging and more fulfilling. They are lonely; they need you. You must be strong. Be thankful. Artists' jobs are very noble. You make a lot of people happy, make their time pass quicker. When they watch a good movie or a good theatrical performance, it's educational.
Of course, whenever we give, we empty out. That's why they feel lonelier. Artists feel lonely after the big applause from the people. They feel empty. I know that. Every Sunday I know that. After every group meditation, I know that. I feel empty too. I empty everything out, so that you feel fulfilled and happy. But I often feel very lonely and empty, not to talk about artists. But I have to be strong. You have to be strong. We are there to be strong, for people to lean on. We are there to show the way, to be a beacon. Don't be tempted to go the easy way. You'll fall, and then you will regret it and bring a lot of people down with you. You know your mission, why you are there. You're not only an artist; you are a saint. I hope that it helps you.
You are a saint. Remember! Forget your outward mask as an artist. You are a saint in disguise to be there so people feel better. Talk to them about something more noble, more meaningful. Even though they reject you, their minds record. Give them more good recordings than what they have been recording up to now. Up to now, they have recorded all the negative things, so you have to replace that with better recordings for their minds. Whether they accept it or not, the mind still records it. Later, it will germinate; it will bear fruit. You don't have to take credit for anything you do, just do it.
Every time you talk to someone or you please someone, even though it is very good, it takes something out of you. That's for sure. That will be refilled later, only if you know that. But some people don't know and it takes longer. They want quick results. They feel such a tremendous rush of emptiness upon themselves and they just get confused, panic, and feel lonely. So other people tell them, "Oh! You just smoke this and you'll feel in heaven." They try that out of curiosity, out of weakness, out of frustration and then they go down the hill and they cannot stand up anymore. That's the problem. Anything you can try, but how will your life be later? So we have to understand every choice we make is free will, but the consequences are different. God lets you try anything you want, but because you have wisdom, you have to know what choices are good for you.
Pearls of Wisdom Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai Singapore September 29, 1994 (Originally in English)
One person makes a lot of difference. If you truly believe in your goodness, in what you are doing, you will influence other people; but if you don't believe, they will influence you. They'll try to make a strong person out of your personality. Whatever you believe is good, stick to it and don't let other people make you waver. A good example in this world is rare, so make yourself a good example. Try your best in everything so people will know that because you practice, you have become better. Then you really are being useful for society. That's how you prove it; that's how you help other people; that's how we rescue the world from the great destruction that may be coming.
Q: I had a most amazing experience. I was in my bed, it was nighttime, and all of a sudden, I heard angels; I heard thousands of them. It was like "ah", but magnified by thousands. Then I left my body and went out into the courtyard and I was flying with the angels. They were really, really big, and they were angels. Then the next day, my brother was at the table, (I hadn't told him about this experience), and he said "Guess what! Last night, I heard angels, and there were thousands of them."
M: He also heard them?
Q: He heard them but he didn't fly. He didn't go up there with them. My question is, I never really believed in them so much before, but now I really believe. Was that real? Are there realms like that where there are angels?
M: Of course, that's when you die; you die daily. You leave your body and come back. That's the real "resurrection". People only meet angels when they die and they come and take them to a higher realm. But you can die like that all the time and come back. That's what we call liberation in this lifetime; heaven is at hand. Now you know what the Bible is talking about.
Even though your brother is not in the same category as you are, he also heard them because of the transmission between you as brother and sister. Your vibration lifted him up also. That's what we do; the Quan Yin practitioners, we, the meditators, the serious practitioners, bless everywhere we go, everyone we see, everyone we think of, be it humans, animals, ghosts, or angels. We bless them without knowing it. It's just by chance that you know. Your brother was blessed by you at that time because you raised your level and he was nearby and was blessed. He's more sensitive, so he picked it up, but your whole family was blessed; it's just that they did not know it.
All wars come from ignorance. If we are ignorant, we don't know how to stop hatred, we don't know how to stop aggression and possessiveness. The higher the position we're in, the more danger we may cause for humanity; so first, you'd better be enlightened, and then serve the world with greater understanding.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai California, U.S.A. November 30, 1993 (Originally in English)
Of course, war is inevitable, and I'm equally grateful if they protect the world or they keep the peace, but to keep peace is better. It doesn't matter how big the war is, it cannot go on forever if no one fights. If only one side fights, it gets fed up. It doesn't matter how aggressive a person is, if he continues alone in a war, then he gets tired and the war ends even more quickly. Sometimes we interfere with other people's wars, prolonging them and causing the loss of many lives.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai West Virginia, U.S.A. February 17, 1991 (Originally in English)
If we read the Bible, the Buddhist texts, or any other religious scriptures, we see that it is always stated that the kingdom of God is within us, we are the temple of God, or we have Buddha nature within us. Now, why don't we make use of this Buddha nature, or the kingdom of God within, to deal with things instead of using just outer material power, which is unstable, unreliable, and causes a lot of misery and the loss of the lives of many talented, young, beautiful, creative, intelligent human beings, which is a waste.
It takes tremendous creative power from God or the Universal Force to create a human being. It takes a lot of intelligence, time, money and love to raise one human being. Now, in just one second, it is destroyed, along with thousands and millions of others in war. That is very, very miserable. It is very unfair of us to do these things. It doesn't matter if we are right or wrong in war; it always creates misery for both parties.
We understand that even our enemies have souls, sentiments, intelligence, compassion and understanding. It's just that we don't sit together and talk. We don't make friends. We're not supposed to make friends with our enemies, so we sometimes forget that they are also human like us. Therefore, it is easy to slay someone whom we do not think much of or whom we don't hold in high esteem.
Q: I have a practical problem due to previous yoga work that I did; I have problems which most of Your initiates do not. That is with regard to entities. Spiritual beings are attached to me, and that causes me a great deal of trouble. These creatures are not human; they are animal-related creatures, and I have some of the appetites that these creatures have. What I am hoping to find out is whether there is a way that I can rid myself, be cleaned of these creatures, and progress in this spiritual practice?
M: How is your meditation?
Q: I am able to hear the Sound, and that's primarily what I work with and concentrate on. I do the Light meditation faithfully, and I don't expect too much that way; but the Sound is strong.
M: That is the problem with the killing karma. That's why we try not to kill, or the souls will attach to us. Even people who have abortions, they don't know that the children's souls are attached to them all the time. Try to be more patient and loving. Pray more to the Inner Master. When God gives us the free will to kill or not to kill, and we do kill, sometimes the entities come. We may have made enemies with many people, many beings, and now that we meditate because we want to run away from all these debts, they come and obstruct us for a while. If we are determined to practice, then they will leave, or they will benefit from our blessed atmosphere and then become liberated themselves.
So the only thing is patience and love. Pray for these people - these entities, or these animals, or whatever brothers. There was a book written about people who have abortions. The children stick to them, and they grow with them. They grow just as normal children because they don't have anywhere else to go. They are supposed to be a child of yours, so their soul sticks around. Because they are a different kind of entity than we are, their vibrations are more negative than positive, and so they will influence our life in a very negative way. Sometimes they will make us sick, make some things go wrong, or we will get a headache or stomachache, and won't know why because we can't see these entities, these children, hanging around us after the abortion.
Many people think it's "pro-choice," but it's "pro-life". It's a life; it is not a choice. Then it is also a life of misery you make for yourself if you have an abortion. You will have a lot of trouble, headaches, and sorrows and you won't know where they are from and why. It is because of all these children hanging around, all the Yin entities, not Yang entities. We belong to the Yang; the children who are aborted belong to the Yin, the negative side of life, the death side of life. Then they hang around us and make our lives very negative, very dark; they belong to the shadows of life, not the real things. They influence us and make our lives not real bright, not always on the positive, but half-negative, half-positive. It is similar with killing animals and other people, murdering and all that.
That's why you ask me about choice. We make all these entities; can we make friends with these entities or make trouble with them? No, we don't make trouble; there is no choice anymore now. There was a choice before: the free will to be good or to be evil, to use the positive inside us or to use the negative inside us, to kill or to spare lives, to kill or to do charity. We do sometimes make the wrong choice; therefore, we suffer the consequences in this life, the life after or continuously until we pay the debt, clear and clean. Should we make more of such choices or more of such karma, and then, of course, we will continue to suffer again, maybe worse than this. That's why we have the Precepts, so that we don't do it again.
So, whatever you did in the past, you suffer for, but in a limited way and then after this you are finished. But if you continue without the Precepts, without a vegetarian diet, you will not know when to stop and you will have no fence, no regulations, and no limit for the negative use of your power. The Precepts and the vegetarian diet are the ways to help you to always continue going in the positive direction.
Whatever you did negative in the past, of course, you will suffer the consequences now; and the Master helps you to a certain extent only, otherwise you cannot develop. If the parents give the children who are bad and good the same candies, the same treatment all the time, then the bad will continue to do bad, and the good will also imitate the bad ones and do bad things. They will say, "Well, he has more fun and he still gets the same love, the same treatment, so why don't we have fun with him, and also our parents won't say anything." The same love, the same treatment, the same reward for bad and good, and then it's no good for the children; they cannot learn to distinguish between bad and good.
Therefore, there is hell; there is a distinct punishment for each individual. Not because God is not merciful, but we humans deserve it. There is a film called "Lost Horizon." Have you seen it? If you haven't, you should. There was a funny sentence that was very correct. He said: "Well, this is a very beautiful place here; if everyone could come here it, it would be nice." And the other person said: "If everyone comes here, it won't be beautiful anymore." [Laughter] It's true, too. You know that very well.
Suppose I am very compassionate, very loving, very generous, very magnanimous, and treat everyone equally. I let the children roam around here, all the non-initiates come here with a bottle of alcohol in their hand and walk on your head, from that corner to this and walk here and there, anywhere, then can you meditate here? Can you enjoy this peaceful atmosphere, which is made for you? No! And if you bring all your dogs and cats here as well, then we're finished, for example. It can't be.
If we cannot be loving to our own people or to our own dog and cat in a certain place and certain time, how could God do that to us? So don't complain that there are so many levels, or bad and good, or there is heaven and hell. It's necessary. Can all the people in this world really live together peacefully in one place? The answer is "no". So don't ask for world peace. Pray for it only. Pray and hope for world peace. Then the dogs and cats will also want world peace, and all the cows and buffaloes will want world peace, because their worlds are not peaceful. We kill them. They will also stand up and say, "We want world peace for us." How can there be?
As long as human beings are following their negative tendencies, there will always be retribution, lessons to learn for people to open their eyes and their hearts to go back to the right side, or to the middle side, to know what is the best way to handle things, what is noble for them, what is really a human being's nature. The way many people act is like animals; therefore, we have all these entities, possessed spirits, and things like that. Possession by spirits is karma, retribution for what we did in past lives. If we truly want to avoid it, then we must avoid it starting from now. The past we cannot change; we can minimize it by initiation, by the Precepts, and by trying to follow a good life.
Sooner or later, they will be finished when we pay off the karma. If we don't get initiation, we will get even more entities than that. The lesser entities are already taken care of; just the heavy ones, the burdens, the hardheaded ones stay around, but they will go, for example like that. And if we don't get initiation, we are worse off than what we are now or what we will be in the future.
So actually, it is not that after initiation everything is done and then you live in heaven all the time. You may do so if your karma is not so bad, but some have to suffer a little hell for a while. Even now, sometimes initiates are not all good. They don't do what they are supposed to do. They don't meditate; they just come here and hang around looking for a woman or man. It is the same; sometimes they create a very unpleasant atmosphere for us. So some of them, I have to throw out. I am sorry if it disturbs your compassionate heart but I have to protect other people, the more worthy. Those people, after they know their mistakes and repent, will become better and they will join you again.
Q: I'm wondering why sometimes it seems like I hear the sound appropriate for certain levels and I see things appropriate for certain levels, but it's kind of intense light; I see light, and it's bright, but it's not really like what Master said.
M: Whatever light it is, just look. I wonder why you, at that moment, are not in deep samadhi enough, and you still are wondering, "What level am I at," and all that. Don't wonder about anything; just concentrate on that and it will do you lasting benefit. Levels won't help you; change in your heart will. What for do we need to know the levels? Actually, there is no such thing as levels. It's just for the mind to understand that, "Okay, I'm getting something."
We have such a business mind that the Master has to cut a deal with us, and say "Okay" like in business, "You go up here and you will have this; you go up there and you have that." But if we really are practitioners, we care for no levels. We just know that we are very sincere and we work for our improvement so that we become a noble being, a real being. We need to be a noble and real being, very good, loving, compassionate, and wise. That's what we need to be. And the more we work at our homework, the better and quicker we become that being. That's all there is; levels and positions are only for outside people. We have no need to worry about that.
Maybe you haven't reached the home you wish to. There is no need to rush; you have light and that is better than darkness. Many people don't have that, so it's already comforting to your soul. These things are helping to encourage us to continue with our practice. It's not a course of pride and competition, and no eagerness to be a president or something like that. [Laughter] You will know what level you are at pretty soon, if you really concentrate and devote yourself to the life of practice. And then soon, very, very soon, you won't care about it, and that's the best level. You still continue to practice; your heart is still very sincere; you still develop in all ways, but you don't care for anything, not even Sainthood. That's the best level. It doesn't mean that you drop everything altogether, but you don't mind in which corner or in what low level God will place you in order to serve the universe, understand?
Q: What are the thoughts of a being that doesn't have ego?
M: Thoughts of the Master, the Holy Names, the kingdom of God, and all the nobility that you can imagine. When you think of the Master, you have everything - all the qualities inside, and everything else comes naturally. I don't say that meaning that you should pray to me, or anything like that. The "Master" means the representative of all that is the best in the universe. Only in that light should you think of the Master, and consequently all the best will come to you because the Master channels all the best.
When something channels all the best, and inside is only the best, it doesn't matter what it looks like outside. Inside, it's the best drink. We only consider the best drink inside, regardless of how the container, the cup, looks. But I also present you with the best cup because people love beauty. Why not beautify the world we live in if we can? If God gives me that talent, why should I not use it?
A simple life means that whatever you have, use it. You don't have to struggle with it; just flow with it. It doesn't mean you have to throw everything out and look like a beggar, against your character, your habits, your mannerisms. Whatever you are comfortable with, it is okay; the most important thing is to keep the discipline and meditate, know your Self, be vegetarian, no wine! But I don't say anything like an order. I just advise you in leading a better way of life, as an older sister to a younger sister. Yes, maybe I'm older in the spiritual aspect.
A German fellow initiate said to Master: "Every day, I remember that I found this Method. I found You. It's like a miracle. I'm so happy and I feel that everything around me has transformed. My whole family is so loving now, and things that I never thought could happen have come true. Everyone that my mother has ever prayed for has gotten better. It's so fantastic!"
Master answered: "Good! Like attracts like. Because you're better, everything better will come to you. That's why people say to you, 'Think positively!' It's not because you say, 'I think positive and I expect positive,' that the positive things come. It's not. When you are able to think positively, that means you are elevated to the positive level. You are higher already, so the negative cannot touch you, cannot catch up with you. That's why you're happy. And once you're in the positive level, you just attract the positive, of course. If you are in America, you can't be in France; that's very simple."
"Try to climb to that level. Try all your best. Meditate more; read the holy teachings, read positive books; read anything that reminds you of your Higher Nature, of the contact with God. Then you'll be better, more and more every day, and everything will turn out better for you. You'll know without my doing anything, without you doing anything. Of course, you pray sometimes to the Master Power for help, and if you need it, of course It's always there, but if you raise yourself to a higher level, you'll have it permanently and you can only come up all the time. The Quan Yin Method is a way to bring you up there, but it's you who do it, you who want it. You make the effort."
Pearls of Wisdom Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Hsihu Center, Formosa, September 29, 1991 (Originally in Chinese)
Thoughts are very important. When we think nobly, the whole universe admires, loves and serves us; and waits for us to visit their place. When our thoughts are not noble, not glorious and not as generous as the enlightened ones, we become ordinary sentient beings. This is what is meant by: "All is created by the mind!"
Sometimes you may think that it is merely a thought, it is not very important. No! It is very important. As human beings, our actions, speech and thoughts are interrelated. If the atmosphere generated within us is not one of purity and benign practice, or is dishonorable, it will be expressed in our actions.
Q: Master, if someone keeps attacking you with negative energy, do you have to take it, or is there any way you can stop it, if it really becomes too much?
M: Recite the Holy Names and pray. That's the only way you can attack people. That's the best weapon. Kill them with friendliness. Kill the enemy by making them become a friend, and then they are an enemy no more. There's no one in this world you can't overcome with kindness and love unless they're cuckoo or something. But they will still feel your kindness and love. So that's the only way we can return their attack: with kindness, love, reciting the Holy Names and prayer. Pray not for yourself but for him or her, so that God will make her/him enlightened and then he/she won't do this kind of thing to you any more.
Q: If God is within us, why does evil prevail in so many men?
M: It is the misunderstanding of God's law. We have the free will to choose. When we descend into this world, due to circumstances, we collect information and experiences; some of them are very good and useful, and some of the information and experiences are harmful and useless. If we are not strong, and we pick the bad ones, discarding the good, then, of course, we are unbalanced and are more inclined to the bad side. Then, we have more bad, we are trapped, and it becomes worse. The nobility and strength of the soul is weakened until we become totally enveloped by evil and act against the law of God. So, take heed that we choose the good information, and regain our strength of the soul.
Cling to God; pray to God for protection and for the opportunity to accumulate only goodness. We forget God. That is the problem. We do not call for help. We choose everything and decide everything on our own, like children who do not take the advice of their parents. But, we can change. No matter how much evil, how much misunderstanding, the moment we understand, the moment we want to rely on God, the moment we want wisdom, the moment we want goodness again, at that moment, all evil will fall away.
So, if we want to go back to God again, we just have to know our weaknesses and repent, and then there is an opportunity. If you want to prove God's forgiveness, then come for initiation. It will be proven to you that no matter how bad we have been, God always loves and forgives us. Immediately we will have the Light and Sound of God. That's the proof of Hiers unconditional love.
There was a story about a person who tried to look for Heaven and someone said, "I know where Heaven is; I can show you. "So he took him to a small well, where he showed him several people sitting and meditating happily, living together in that hole in the ground. And he said, "This is Heaven!" The seeker said, "No! Are you kidding me? This is just a dark hole in the ground." So the person said, "No, no! Heaven is in the Saints who are sitting there, not in the hole."
The Quan Yin Method is the method for returning to where you came from, and where we came from is Heaven. We came from God. We came from the greatest Source of Creation. We're not the human physical body. So if you concentrate and return, step-by-step, back to where you're from, you will know where Enlightened Masters live. "Everything is created by the mind," Buddha said. So just go back and see the real Creator.
That's you! You and me -- One! You and everyone -- One! You and nine generations of your family -- One! That's why it's possible for me to help you go back; it's possible for you to liberate nine generations; it's possible for the Buddha to be enlightened and to say all sentient beings are already delivered or already liberated. When you go back to the Source, you see nothing but just the "Oneness" of us -- no Master, no disciples. You're one part of me; we're one part of God.
So, it's possible that when one person is enlightened, everything's already delivered from inside, and everyone knows already. I don't need to deliver you; I don't need to give you initiation. You'll be saved because your soul knows from my soul connection inside. But the mind doesn't understand. So I have to continue teaching you and telling you this and that and the other, so that you'll feel peaceful here. And so that your life, this fixed physical karma, will be smoother, more bearable and more joyful until you leave this physical world.
So, it's possible that when one person is enlightened, everything's already delivered from inside, and everyone knows already. I don't need to deliver you; I don't need to give you initiation. You'll be saved because your soul knows from my soul connection inside. But the mind doesn't understand. So I have to continue teaching you and telling you this and that and the other, so that you'll feel peaceful here. And so that your life, this fixed physical karma, will be smoother, more bearable and more joyful until you leave this physical world.
Enlightened Masters' places are not far from you -- they're inside you. Just concentrate on the inner world, and one day you will see better.
That's the Indian custom, to always run to the seat of the saints. They believe that saints are like the sandalwood tree, transferring to every tree around it the fragrance of sandalwood. Yes, this is true. Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, the San Jose Ashram, Costa Rica, June 2, 1991 (Originally in English)
Relocating for a Child's Sake
In China, there was a story about Meng Tzu. Meng Tzu was a very wise man of China, one of the saints. But he had a saintly mother, so that's why.
When he was a child, his house was next to a slaughtering house that killed animals. So he went to see the people who slaughtered the animals. When he came home, he began to catch all the small animals, like frogs, cats and dogs. And he also began to slaughter them, because he imitated what he saw.
Children imitate everything, good or bad. I didn't; I did not imitate. I remember many of my cousins and the neighbor's children always went and fetched birds, and would roast them and eat them. And they killed all kinds of insects, making them become like their toys. I never did this; I never liked it. But most children imitate things, whether good or bad.
So when the mother saw that the child had developed this very bad habit due to their neighbor's influence, she moved, because of him. She said, "This is not a good place for my child." She was a saintly mother. And they were not wealthy. I think she was alone. Her husband wasn't there; maybe he was dead. She raised the child alone as a weaver, weaving cloth. She was very poor and didn't earn much money weaving cloth. Even then, she sacrificed her time, energy and money for her child. Can you imagine how saintly that is? That's why I say she was a saintly mother. And in ancient China, moving was not easy. There's no transportation, no one to help you, only the mother and the child. You can imagine how difficult that would be.
So she moved to another neighborhood. Some time later, she discovered that her child came home every day wailing and crying, making a ceremony for the dead. He was making a funeral service every day. And then she discovered that they lived very near a funeral home; that's where he learned it. So she said, "This is not a place for my child."
She moved again, for the third time. Then, at last, she moved next to a school, where they taught about Confucius and all the saints' teachings. And the child came home behaving like a saint! He had all the manners of a good scholar and the thinking of a saint-very polite, very noble and very saintly. So the mother said, "Wow, this is the place for my child."
And then, when this child grew old enough, of course, he went to school. He liked going to school. He said, "I like it!" He liked to be like the scholars, so he went to the school. But one day he became fed up with the school for some reason. Probably the teachers had scolded him or his roommate wasn't nice, or else he was lazy. So he went home and went to sleep, in the middle of his classes. He didn't want to go to school any more.
A Cut in the Cloth
The mother used all her logic to persuade him to go back to school that day, but he didn't. He said he didn't want to and was very insistent and stubborn. The mother was weaving a piece of silk at that time. After he had been so stubborn, she took a knife and cut across the piece of silk she had woven. And then she asked the child, "Can we use this piece of silk now? Can it be useful?" And the child said, "Of course not! Why did you destroy it? Why did you cut that piece of silk when it was so perfect?" And the mother said, "Well, it is like your education. If you don't continue, it's of no use. If you break it in the middle, what is the use of before and after? Something broken in the middle is of no use."
It's the same with our practice. We should also continue every day. Otherwise, even though it's beautiful before and it might be beautiful after, if it's broken in the middle, it's not a continuous flow. And we will experience some kind of difficulty or obstacles or uneasiness in our life. We cannot expect things to go smoothly and easily, the way we want, all the time. We must learn to take and to give, to be strong and also to be flexible, when the situation requires. Otherwise, we will have a lot of trouble during our life, and we will never grow up.
The Forgotten Mother-saint
If the mother of Meng Tzu had been a very ordinary mother, then today we would never have heard of the name Meng Tzu. He would never have left his name in the history of sainthood. And in China, there are so many people, a vast number of people, with vast lands. To be listed in the names of these vast people and vast lands-as one of the handful of saints-is not easy. To make a name for yourself in China, where there are so many people that you cannot count them all-to make a name distinguished from these masses-it's not easy! And they have four or five thousand years of history; to be distinguished as one of the few is not common.
But people have forgotten his mother. They don't know who she was or what she did, only that she cut pieces of silk and moved three times. But her actions were worth more than all the lectures that Meng Tzu ever offered to the public. She is worthy to be a master, a master of all time. She was master of all mothers, of all the masters! If she weren't a saint and a wise woman, she could have never sacrificed so much in her situation and in her poverty.
Can you imagine what Meng Tzu would have become without such a mother-a brilliant saint who would have been contented with killing animals every day for a living? So you see how saints are made. We can make saints out of stones. I think I will start a manufacturing plant for building saints. We could! Just give them good examples, a good environment and good lectures, and they will become saints.
The Importance of Childhood Education
The Tibetan people train their monks from childhood. Most of the monks learn from childhood. They come into the monastery when they are young, mostly as orphans or poor children whose parents cannot afford to raise them; they get offered completely to the temple and never go back home. So they are trained from childhood, and that's how they grow up. Even if we don't say anything about their levels of sainthood, at least their manner and behavior are very sweet.
So everything we were taught in childhood is very important. I guess my grandmother and my father were good teachers for me. My grandmother used to make me read a lot of books to her because she couldn't read; she was very old. I read her all the philosophical books that were meant only for adults, but she was very fascinated by them. And I loved her; I was always sticking around her, so I was the one who read a lot for her. And I was more fascinated than she was. Sometimes she went to sleep or she was busy, and I would read them all by myself. So I read all the things that a child should not read, like Chuang Tzu, Lao Tzu and all kinds of Chinese and other cultures' philosophies. In the evening when I slept, I would fly around meeting saints and things like that. And I had all kinds of magical powers in my dreams. Anyhow, I guess that's what made me become what I am today; it had an influence. In the world today, people teach pregnant mothers to read good books and imagine beautiful faces, or hang beautiful pictures in the bedroom or around the house, just to make a beautiful baby, to plant noble ideas into the fetus. It helps.
The Parents' Sacred Mission
Actually, the parents are commissioned by God to teach Hiers children. But most parents do not remember their duty. They love the children but they think of the children also as property, that the children should grow up and make a name and make money for them, to repay them for their kindness. So most of the time, they emphasize more to the children that they have to go to school, they have to learn a craft, or they have to do this and do that. There's really no moral motive behind it at all, just a monetary motive. This is just most of the time; I don't mean all families are like this. But the people who are like that teach each other-that you have to spend 10 years or 20 years in education just to get a position, to earn good money, to get a good husband or wife and to be secure in life. This is always emphasized in our society. And then if they have a religious background, they send their children to the priests, and the priests know nothing.
So that's how we are left alone to struggle for ourselves spiritually in this world. If we are not lucky enough to happen to stumble into a saint or the saintly teaching of a living Master, can you imagine how we carry on with our life? You're born and you die and you have only one ideal in your head: making money, gaining position, and raising children, like raising ducks, pigs, or any other animals. If we as humans don't have a higher ideal about life and God, we are just like the animals. But how do you find a teacher who will teach you anything like this? We have been brainwashed for 15 or 20 years in school, just for money! Let's face it; that's the only motive. It doesn't matter how much flour they put around it or pepper and chili on top to cover it, it is all for monetary purposes, nothing else. And not only to earn enough money for a living; sometimes money tricks people into selling their dignity and forgetting all their moral standards.
That's how the society teaches us, even our family members. Of course, not all families are like that. Thus, we should earn money or have a position to take care of ourselves, but not to the extent of forgetting everything else. That's why we are very far away from God. If we are near God, it must be a money god, or a banker god!
A Thief's Story
There was a story about a thief, a very, very great thief. He committed so many crimes and killings that the government decided to hang him. So, before a person is executed, he is entitled to one last personal wish. He was very famous; they had hunted him for many decades before they caught him. He was a big robber, without any repentance and without any conscience. He killed people like chopping bananas.
Now his last wish was that he wanted to see his mother. Everyone was surprised that he even had affection for his mother. But they thought, "Well, in the whole world no one probably loves him, so he must have love for the mother. And the mother is the only one who loves him, so it's natural that he wants to see his mother."
So the mother was fetched to see him. And many people came to see his execution because everyone knew about him. It was a big gathering, and he was in the middle. Then the mother came, and he embraced her. Suddenly, the mother began crying very loudly and then fainted on the ground. On the side of her head, she was bleeding. Then people saw that in his mouth there was her ear. And the people rushed up to him, saying, "What happened? Why did you bite your mother's ear off?" So he took the ear up and pointed to the mother and said, "She is the real criminal, not I. You made the wrong judgment."
And he started to tell the story. When he was a young schoolboy, his family had enough to live on; they weren't poor but weren't wealthy. One day, he forgot his pen and he borrowed one from his classmate. But he forgot to give it back, and he brought it home. And he told his mother, "Oh, look, I forgot to give back my classmate's pen that I borrowed! I must go back and give it to him now because otherwise he will miss it."
And the mother said, "No, no! You keep it! Keep it! Tomorrow you borrow ink and then books, and don't give them back. See what happens. Then I won't have to buy them for you. If they forget, it's good. What's in your hands belongs to you. What you can take is yours." But when some of the classmates wanted their things back, the child didn't know what to do. So he came home and said, "Mother, they want their things back! Can I give them back? Is it OK?"
And his mother said, "No, no! Next time you have to punch them! Say, 'No, it's mine!'" She taught him how to steal by force, even in childhood. So slowly he stole bigger and bigger things for himself and for the mother, at the mother's command. First he bit people, then forced them, and later he killed. He killed even when it was not necessary; it became a habit.
Seek the Company of Saints
So you see, originally he was a very honest child; he wanted to give back the things that he borrowed. He was even better than Meng Tzu, the Chinese saint; he was better! In childhood, he could already discriminate between good and bad, and Meng Tzu could not. Meng Tzu just imitated everything, but this child knew what was good and what was bad. Meng Tzu just had a good mother, that's all, who turned a bad child into a good saint.
Therefore, our company is very, very important. In Vietnam we say we have to pick our friends, meaning we have to be careful in choosing friends. But how can we choose our family members? That's very unfortunate. Therefore, it takes a strong will to get out of the influence of the family. And if we don't happen to stumble into some saintly person, we will never know anything better. You can see from the examples of these two children: One was an ignorant, bad, stupid child who turned into a brilliant saint, and one was a very honest, pure child who turned into a vicious, deadly criminal. Therefore, sometimes if we want to judge a person, we also have to know their background. And we cannot know that unless we are enlightened.
That's why in the Bible it says don't judge people so you won't be judged. But when you are enlightened, you don't want to judge anyone. You only want to help. That's the good part about enlightenment. If we want to have good judgment we must be enlightened, and when we are enlightened we don't have any judgment. We look at everyone as erring children, lacking in good information, and we try to provide it. And that is the very good part of enlightenment, if there is nothing else.
That's why in India people tell you that we should always seek the company of the saints. That's because in India, saints are very precious; everyone runs after them. In the West or in other countries, people run after money, but in India they run after saints. They hunt for the saints until all the saints are scared. Sometimes they have to run away. They do; they hide! They're scared of people.
As a Chinese saying goes, "We need to cultivate ourselves, harmonize our families, before we can govern the country and bring peace to the world." When this Enlightened Master spoke on "bringing peace to the world," most probably he was referring only to China, and not the whole world in a broader sense. Nevertheless, we can now extend its definition further, for all the countries on Earth can now communicate and engage in exchanges. I believe that one day this communication and exchange will no longer be limited to countries, but will be extended to other planets as well. We ought to expand our thinking and we must start preparing now. Otherwise, when the time comes, we, or our children, will be caught unprepared.
When I was little, I had a great dream, a great aspiration. I wished that when I grew up, some immortals or Heavenly beings would descend to teach me and open up my wisdom, and that they would teach me how to fly to Heaven and then fly back. I don't know why I had such an aspiration when I was little, but my dream eventually came true! Therefore, it's also good that we sometimes have dreams and aspirations. If we're truly sincere and focus our thoughts on that wish, one day it will come true. The Americans also have a proverb that goes: "If you don't have a dream, how will you have a dream come true?"
Therefore, we should be mentally prepared now. Perhaps one day we will have a kind of inter-planetary hierarchy. This isn't just a dream; I have faith that it will come true one day. As to when that will be, it depends on how well we Earthlings prepare ourselves, and when the other planets want to communicate with us. In fact, they started to communicate with us long ago. For example, UFOs and beings from several stellar systems have been appearing for a very long time, but they're still very cautious. If we were capable of communicating with them, they would teach us some superior knowledge.
Some people are capable of communicating with other planets. Sometimes they write books or make movies about it. Extra-Terrestrials from other planets may sometimes want to come and communicate with us, but they're afraid of us, because we Earthlings are rather unfriendly and barbarous. If we were to give a thought to what happened to Jesus before, we would acknowledge this comment as being true. However, instead of blaming ourselves, we should try to find out what we need to rectify.
First of all, we need to broaden our thinking until it encompasses the whole universe, instead of just thinking about our family and country. We're humans, "the masters of all beings in Creation." As such, our thinking ought to be very broad and vast, to deserve our status as the masters of all beings in Creation. Perhaps we still don't understand why we're so great, and why we're the masters of all beings in Creation. However, we still need to start changing our thinking, broaden our thinking. There's no harm in having some sensational or incredible dreams; perhaps one day they'll come true.
How are we going to change our thinking? We can read some good scriptures, and learn broadminded thinking and the spirit of pursuing spiritual practice from them. Besides, we can listen to people's lectures. Some people are very good spiritual practitioners; they're capable of communicating with sentient beings in numerous worlds. For instance, when Shakyamuni Buddha was alive, He knew of many different realms, different planets. That's why we have the relevant scriptures with us today. For example, the Amitabha Sutra describes the Amitabha Buddha's World. Others like the Universal Door Chapter in the Lotus Sutra also depict many other realms. In our time, there are also many people who do the same as Shakyamuni Buddha did; they're capable of travelling the universe instead of just round the world.
Can you imagine that two or three hundred years ago, people were not even aware that the American continent existed? Today America has become one of the superpowers in the world, having influence over the whole world. However, she did not even exist several hundred years ago! Unlike modern people, people of that time did not have so many convenient machines like the airplane, fax machine, telephone, video recorder, camera, and so on. However, in a short span of time, the Americans have founded their own nation, built and developed it, and educated their citizens. In no time at all, they have transformed into the number one or number two super power in the world. In only a few hundred years, the Americans have achieved so much. Can you imagine what more stunning things will happen on our Earth in the next few decades or next few centuries? Therefore, the Inter-Planetary Hierarchy that I talked about just now may not be merely a dream.
Columbus was the hero who discovered America. Some time before that, he had seen America in inner visions; he knew it in advance. However, he couldn't reveal to others that he had seen the land where he was heading; therefore, some people thought he was crazy at the time. In their small ship, and without sufficient food, they just sailed across the ocean on a seemingly uncertain course. In fact, Columbus had already seen everything in a dream. However, at that time, if he had told people that he had seen it in a dream, and that they would definitely find it, surely most people wouldn't have believed him.
In fact, many people then were sceptical. When they were about to reach America, there was no more food on the ship. They had to eat the leather soles of their shoes. The crew members sailing with Columbus were very angry, blaming him for leading them on a course to death. They didn't believe in the existence of the new continent of America, and almost killed Columbus. Facing such a predicament, Columbus remained patient and confident. It's precisely because of his great patience and confidence that America, a strong country of today, came into being.
The same thing happens to an Enlightened Master who is beginning to disseminate the Truth. Many hindrances, difficulties and humiliations confront him. All of these he has to endure alone. People around him, including his disciples, may not be able to understand his tolerant spirit and painstaking intent. "Everything is most difficult in the beginning." However, the Truth will eventually shine forth. Therefore, although Jesus Christ was crucified, His teachings and name continue to be passed on. Today, two thousand years later, we still know about His stories.
One day in the future, extra-terrestrials from other planets will appear to us and communicate with us openly. Then we can learn from them and exchange experiences with each other. Therefore, we should now get ourselves ready in body and mind. How do we prepare? We ought to rectify our undesirable lifestyles. Also, if we don't have enough understanding about the world and the universe, we should begin to research gradually. When we observe the many unfair happenings in the world, we should manage to help and change them.
However, the changes must first begin from ourselves, and the best way to change is for us to connect with the power of God, and let God's power change us. In this way, we don't have to worry about doing things the wrong way, or being deceived by our ego. Otherwise, we might think that we've changed, when in fact we haven't. We have to practice introspection. If we find that we still have heavy desires for fame and profit, and heavy greed, anger and infatuation, then we must improve. However, this isn't easy. Without the power from the enlightened Saints, from God, it's not easy to change ourselves.
God truly has great compassion; Hes will give us everything. However, we have to know how to receive it, and we have to wait patiently and believe in God sincerely. And belief alone isn't enough; we also need to communicate with God. Only when we are in communion with God will we understand what good situations Hes has arranged for us, in what aspects Hes has taken care of us, and what beneficial things Hes has bestowed upon us. Otherwise, even if we've prayed sincerely and God has already responded to us, we aren't aware. Sometimes, Hes might have given us some good stuff, but we're ignorant and think that it's not good because it's not what we expected. And then we blame God for not giving us what we've prayed for, which in fact will be bad for us. However, we're ignorant and don't understand, so we think God isn't compassionate and isn't helping us. I'm saying this from personal experience.
Having practiced the Quan Yin Method, anything that we pray for, as long as it's good for us, we'll get sooner or later. It's just a matter of time. Why does it require time? It's because God needs to make arrangements. When a person prays for a certain thing, sometimes it's not purely that thing alone, and also it doesn't concern him alone, but could involve a lot of people. Therefore, when God wants to arrange something for a certain person, sometimes Hes must first take care of many people related to him. Or the time is not yet right. Should God give it to him too early, it could be bad for him. So, God has to first give it to other people, and give it to him later when the time is right and the situation is ideal. Only then is it good for him.
God truly represents love. If we say God isn't good, or think that God has created many difficulties and let the world suffer greatly, then we're doing Hirm a great injustice, and truly misunderstand Hirm. Ever since I've known God, Hes has always been very good to me. Hes is my best friend, the best lover, the best husband, the best father, the best mother, and Hes is everything. However, I can't show you my realization and feelings toward God, and the so-called kinship and love between us. Nevertheless, I know very clearly that Hes is the greatest love power, and the greatest rich man. There's nothing that's beneficial to me and other sentient beings that Hes wouldn't do.
Perhaps someone may ask, if God is the greatest love power, why are there still suffering, difficulties and catastrophes in our world? It's because we don't know how to accept God's grace or communicate with Hirm. We walk in the wrong direction and ask for the wrong thing. I can guarantee that if everyone practiced the Quan Yin Method, the world would have been in peace long ago. It would be just like our group, very peaceful. Even when thousands or tens of thousands of people get together, we're still quiet. Each of us is doing our own thing, and everyone is very happy and contented; every face is glowing. All of us fulfil our obligations in society. When we play, we play wholeheartedly and joyously. When we work, we also work wholeheartedly and happily.
Most of our fellow practitioners work very fast. Whatever they pray for will definitely be realized. As long as they pray for the right thing, God will definitely give it to them. The same applies to me. But because I seldom pray for anything, I have very little to share with you. However, as for my disciples, almost each of them can write a thick book about their experiences after they practiced the Quan Yin Method and purified themselves throughout their actions, speech and thoughts. Such experiences include how well God treats them and pampers them, how God bestows much grace on them, and so on. On my part, I can only talk about how God helps me in my preaching mission, takes care of my disciples, and helps me bring joy and happiness to many people. Furthermore, Hes also helps me a lot with respect to finances, wisdom and organization. If there were no God, I would be a useless person, and my achievements would be "zero."
The Way to Accept God's Grace
Therefore, I would like to introduce to you this gentleman called "God." Or you may address Hirm as "God Nature" or "Godhead." Hes is a very nice gentleman, a very nice rich man. If we truly know how to reach Hirm within and ask for Hiers help, Hes will help us in every aspect. Hes will try all kinds of methods to help us, through many people and various situations. Most people only look for God from the outside, so they have not found the real God. Therefore, their prayers aren't answered. All the teachings and stories that I tell you are the personal experiences of me and my disciples. I don't get them by reading books or the scriptures. I have already experienced the greatness of God; I have found out where Hes is; I can see Hirm every day. Therefore, I can guarantee that all these things are genuine.
I used to be a Catholic, and had heard of the existence of a God. However, at that time I didn't admire Hirm because I virtually did not know where Hes had taken care of me. The world that I saw at that time was full of pain and injustice, which made me feel very resentful. I wondered why God didn't take care of Hiers children, but let them suffer so much instead. Now I understand, but I can't tell you all that I have comprehended, because language can't possibly express God's love. I can only tell you frankly, clearly and definitely that God is absolute love and absolute generosity! Only if we know how to find Hirm and communicate with Hirm, will we have everything. Hes will help us in every way. This is absolutely true!
Suppose, if by standing on one leg or kneeling here all night worshipping God, I could let you realize how I adore God, I would do it. Sometimes I really don't know how to express my gratitude and joy; I don't know whom to talk with. Our fellow practitioners can understand, but it also depends on their level. The more advanced fellow practitioners are more able to realize God's love, because they've received God's infinite blessing. The more they meditate and purify their actions, speech and thoughts and keep a vegetarian diet, and the more strictly they observe the precepts, the more they will be able to perceive God's love.
It's not because we're vegetarians, or because we meditate or think of God that Hes takes care of us. This looks as if we're bribing God or doing business with Hirm. This isn't the case! It's because only after we've become vegetarians, observed the precepts and purified our actions, speech and thoughts, will we be able to realize how God has been taking care of us. Previously, we were hoodwinked by all kinds of distracting thoughts. God takes care of us and tells us what to do, but we don't listen. We head in the opposite direction, toward troubles and complexities. God has been giving us things, but we discard them or let them drain away. When a cup is placed upright, it can hold water inside. But if it's turned upside down, all the water inside will drain away. Or suppose we were wearing a raincoat, even if we walked outside in the rain for a whole day, we wouldn't get wet.
God's love exists forever. It's always by our side, within and without us; it's everywhere. However, we cover ourselves up with our preconceived ideas and habits acquired from many lifetimes, and then we say God's unfair and Hes never blesses us. The truth is that we've failed to place the cup upwards. In practicing the Quan Yin Method, it's as simple as turning an upside-down cup back in the right position! Therefore, from that day onward, we're always filled with nectar, filled with God's grace. The method is very simple really, if we only know how to do it.
Those who practice the Quan Yin Method never know what "fatigue" means, except when they're burdened by the karma of sentient beings. We work a lot but spend very little, because we don't eat much and don't sleep much. Every day, we only eat vegetarian food, observe the five precepts and live a simple life. This afternoon, a disciple said to me, "Master, if everyone in our world practices the Quan Yin Method, there will definitely be no war or famine. We'll work very quickly; we'll help and trust each other. The world will surely become Heaven!" I agree with him.
Although Quan Yin Method practitioners will get whatever they pray for, we actually seldom pray for anything except in an emergency. We have fewer and fewer desires. We work to earn enough money to spend, and vegetarian food is cheap. Furthermore, in observing the five precepts, we don't steal or drink alcohol, we don't snatch other people's husband or wife, and we don't abuse drugs. We consume less food than before, our life is simple, and naturally our expenditures shrink. Therefore, we don't have any financial problems. After finishing our work for the day, we meditate whenever we have time, so we don't fool around indulging in pleasures or doing bad things. Going home after work, we meditate or join group meditation. Every day we listen to Master's teachings. We virtually have neither the time nor the intention to do any bad things at all.
However, this is only my dream. Whether it will come true or not still depends on God's will. If the whole world or at least half the population practices the Quan Yin Method, it can really help the world a lot. Then we can offer support to some outstanding scientists and doctors. Some of them have invented very good tools that can cure people; some tools can even cure all illnesses. However, due to lack of financial support, these tools haven't been developed. Some scientists have invented very good machines capable of benefitting lots of people in a short time, but they lack support. Conversely, some people are jealous and sabotage their projects, so as to deter their development.
If all people practice the Quan Yin Method and are mutually supportive, contributing to society selflessly, and serving God and humankind wholeheartedly, then everyone will be able to develop his/her talents. The scientists will then invent all kinds of machines to benefit people. The doctors will also come up with many prescriptions and tools to heal all illnesses. In this way, our world will not only be spiritually elevated, but also have many advanced means to cure diseases and make our life comfortable. At that time, we won't want to go into nirvana at all. This may only be my dream, but it can come true. If I have your blessing, the blessing of all of you, it will definitely be realized!
Q: Must a person be fated to achieve enlightenment?
M: Fate is in our hands. If we go around all our lives thinking, "I am fated to do that, this and all that," we'll never do anything. We always have to do our best, do what we want to do, and then see what fate has in store for us. Then we will know. Otherwise, how do we know?
How do we take care of bugs and insects in order to keep our houses clean and hygienic? Master recommends the following practical tip, which is also good for our environment. Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Fresno Convention Center, California, USA, June 23, 2001 (Originally in English)
You should just clean your house thoroughly with water and vinegar, 50/50. This disinfects and deodorizes everything, and neutralizes all the odors that attract insects. Clean whatever is infested once and for all, put it in the sun, shake it out and clean it every day or as often as possible with 50 % vinegar and 50% water. You should use more vinegar, if possible, if you can bear its smell. And you have to spray your window frames and door frames with an insect repellent, a harmless one, outside your house. Then the insects won't come in later. Otherwise, they will keep coming all the time. You should spray them once a week or every once in a while, and then they won't come in. And you must keep yourself washed and clean and hygienic. Then they won't have the grounds to breed in your house.
Q: My question is: I know I struggle to do the right thing and to do my practice. And I know I'm struggling against something that is struggling against me. So, how do I get beyond this struggle? How do I win?
M: That's where the fun is. (Master and everyone laugh) If something is too easy, you lose the challenge and you don't want to even win it. Therefore, we have two powers inside of us: we call them yin and yang in Chinese, and we call them negative and positive in western terminology. The negative power pushes us to do something that is against our will, and the positive power helps us to conquer that tendency. Sometimes we lose; sometimes we win. It depends on our spiritual discipline and power.
So try to struggle and continue, just like the United Nations struggles with the refugees' issues and the wars in the world. Sometimes you win in the end; it just takes some struggling.
Q: Is meditation necessary before initiation? How will initiation help me in my everyday life?
M: Meditation and experience about meditational practice are not required. If you have it, it's okay. If you don't have it, it's okay. You might have to start all over again because you didn't meditate in the right way anyhow. We start to help you from A, B, C.
And after your initiation, you will see miracles every day. It helps you in all aspects in your life. Whether you work better or you take better care of your family, you're more loving toward your family members, more loving toward yourself, more self-confident, everything, one thousand and millions of things. I cannot tell you all. You have to experience it. It helps you; otherwise, what is the good of meditation and suffering every day waiting for Heaven? We have to bring Heaven to Earth by meditational practice. We enjoy some part of Heaven here, and then when we quit this Earth, we will enjoy even more.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Initiation is meant to remind you of your greatest inheritance, and then you can make use of your Treasure every day instead of relying on any Master at all, whether dead or alive. That is the purpose of our method of practice, and there is no other purpose besides that.
Q: Why is it that just after initiation, the inner experiences of people practicing the Convenient Method become worse?
A: Those who practice the Convenient Method have already been endowed with Master's love and blessing and have already had inner experiences of God's Light and Sound. Therefore, these inner experiences may not seem unusual at the time of initiation. It is analogous to one who eats gourmet cuisine daily. He would certainly not be surprised or astonished if he is treated to the same sumptuous meals by friends.
Even though I teach you things about cosmetic skills and virtues to remind you that you should do your best to maintain yourself and express your esthetic aspects, this cannot guarantee that your marriage will definitely be happy and satisfactory. It is because karma may sometimes create situations that are different from our expectations. Therefore, if we have already done our best, yet our marriage is still unsuccessful, we should thank God for liberating us. There is nothing to complain about.
If we have not fulfilled our obligations in a marriage, in a case when it has failed, we will feel uneasy at heart. We will think that perhaps it is our fault, perhaps we have not done well enough, our cooking was lousy, or we didn't beautify ourselves to please the eyes of our husband. That is why we ought to do everything as well as possible. However, that doesn't mean that after we have done everything well, our husband definitely will not leave us. No one can guarantee this kind of thing.
In the same sense, if a husband is all-perfect and also very gentle, it doesn't mean that his wife definitely will not leave him. The causation and karmic hindrance in this world are really hard to determine. Therefore, doing our best to fulfill our responsibilities and obligations lets us have peace of mind. In case something really happens, our conscience will not feel uneasy. We can face our conscience candidly, because we know that we have fulfilled our duties, and have done everything that we should do well.
Therefore, it doesn't mean that after I have taught you cosmetic skills and virtues, your marriage is guaranteed to be a satisfying one. No one can guarantee this kind of thing. Most of the things in this world are ephemeral. Therefore, in doing anything, we just do our best to fulfill our obligations, just like when protecting our marriage. Then, whatever happens, we know that it is arranged by God, by destiny. We no longer need to expect anything, blame anyone, feel uneasy or sad, or be attached to anything. Besides, when we have done everything well, even if our marriage has failed, we will still have become a contented person. This is the most important thing.
There are only two choices, the positive and the negative. If the positive doesn't act, then the negative will come. If we don't use our positive thinking and power, then there's only one other choice. When the time comes, we will use the negative because the chance has passed. Then, the more we use the negative, the more we get used to it, and we will never do anything else except keep using it again, again and again. We will never get out of it. That's what we call the "wheel of transmigration", because we keep running inside that circle again, again, and again.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai New Jersey Center, U.S.A., June 24, 1992 (Originally in English)
We also have a destroying nature inside us. Depending on each person, the destructive tendency is higher or lower. But try to control it, otherwise, you will carry on the whole time with your destructive spirit, and that's very negative. We have both negative and positive inside, but we only use the negative when necessary. It's not that I'm saying we can't use it, because, a negative power, when you use it in the right place, is very good.
Just like the children at home, you're always positive with them, encouraging them, loving them, and telling them all good things. But when they're too naughty, when they try to be stubborn, are not obedient enough, and do wrong things - harm other people or the neighbors, then you have to use a so-called negative attitude; but actually in that case, it's positive.
You have to scold them, or maybe punish them lightly, like they have to kneel, stay at home when you go out, or you cut down on some of their enjoyments, pocket money, or whatever. These look negative because parents are always supposed to be loving, forgiving, smooth and soft-spoken. So, why punish the children? But they deserve it; they have to be punished, otherwise, they can't turn to the positive.
That's when the negative power is for a useful purpose. Don't always say that the negative can't be used or the positive has to be used all the time. If you use positive power or a positive attitude in the wrong way, it becomes negative. For example, your child is very naughty - you have given him everything already, but he goes out to steal just for fun or because he associates with bad guys; or he gets on drugs, and goes out and breaks into people's cars, and you tell him, but he doesn't change. If you still keep rewarding him, loving him, forgiving him, then you are negative. Then your attitude is negative. You're spoiling him, you're harming him, you're harming his future, because one day the police or the neighbors will catch him, or another stronger guy will hit him, break his bones, break everything of his future, and your heart as well. In that case, your positive attitude is absolutely negative.
So, we have to understand this Yin-Yang nature, and make use of both accordingly - not dislike one and cling to the other, but know how to use them. That's the art of living; that is wisdom. Otherwise, how else can we survive in this world with ourselves and our loved ones? There has to be some limit. It's the same with me; so don't always expect me to give you candy and smile all the time. I have to do some of my negative work, and turn it into positive, turn these negative people into positive. Otherwise, you'll never grow up.
Q: How does one understand the karma of a couple?
M: If the couple is in harmony, then they have a good karma. If the couple is in strife every day, then you know what kind of karma that is. It is easy to understand, no? If it's in harmony, then be happy. If it's not in harmony, then try to adjust and be tolerant to avoid next time coming back again as a very undesirable karmic couple.
Tolstoy had a very terrible wife. You know Leo Tolstoy of "War and Peace"? He had a terrible wife, so it is told. Every day she nagged, cursed, scolded, and even beat him and threw him out sometimes. One day, his friend couldn't bear it any longer, so he asked Tolstoy, "Why don't you kick that devil out of your house and then you'll have peace?" Tolstoy said, "Shhhhh! Don't talk so loud. Last life, I did that already. Therefore, it got worse this time. I don't dare to do it."
The more you struggle, the worse the situation becomes. So just accept anything as given by God, try to get through it, and train yourself in patience, tolerance, and loving thy enemy. Even as wise a man as Tolstoy couldn't deal with his terrible wife, so we ordinary beings had better keep silent. Silence!
Some people are not content with seeing my transformation body, so they still come to see me. I don't know why they act like this. Perhaps it is because the physical body is very rare; every enlightened being has a manifestation body.
It is easy to see the manifestation body, but more difficult to see the real body, which only exists when an enlightened Master is living in this world. After the Master passes away, only the manifestation body is left. Of course, it is more desirable to see both the transformation body and the real one.
Ordinary enlightened beings have only manifestation bodies, but not real physical bodies, so they cannot help sentient beings. Likewise, Shakyamuni Buddha still has His manifestation body, but He cannot initiate us or give us any help. Perhaps He can guide us to a living Master, who has a physical body, to get initiated.
Everyone loves the real body because it is rare! There are too many manifestation bodies. The universe is full of manifestation bodies of enlightened beings, who are omnipresent. Physical bodies are rare - there are only a few. Only when enlightened beings come, can sentient beings see their real physical bodies.
The first precept that we have to observe in spiritual practice is "ahimsa," meaning "non-violence." This story discusses the ahimsa ideal.
One day, a poor man was walking through a mango grove, where he saw many mangoes on the trees that looked extremely luscious and tempting. He was very hungry because he had not eaten for three days. So he quickly picked up a stone and threw it at one of the trees. A few huge mangoes fell on the ground and the man was very happy. He then picked up the mangoes and had a hearty meal.
It just so happened that the king was playing chess with his beautiful consorts in the mango grove at the time, and the stone that struck the tree had felled the fruit and then landed on the king's head. Fortunately, the king's hat protected his scalp, but the stone knocked it off, and thus the poorest man met the richest man in the kingdom. The king, feeling very lucky about his close call, showed no interest in investigating the cause. However, the consorts and ministers by his side were very angry, and they hunted for the offender who had thrown the stone. They could not figure out why someone would dare to throw a stone at the king. On the other hand, they were also eager to earn some credit for their work. They soon arrested the poor man, held court hearings on the spot, and condemned him to death for assaulting the king.
Then the king rose from his seat and questioned the ministers about why they had condemned the man to death. He then ordered the stone thrower to be brought before him and asked, "Why did you throw the stone?" "To get mangoes from the tree," replied the man. "Did you get any?" "Yes, your majesty." "Have you eaten the mangoes?" "Yes, your majesty."
The king next turned to his ministers and said, "The poor man was hungry, and he struck the tree with this stone. He got some mangoes and ate them. Now tell me, how long will he be free from hunger after eating those mangoes?" "About twenty-four hours, your majesty. He won't be hungry for a whole day." "That's right. Now I will pronounce my judgment." The entire crowd waited anxiously, thinking, "Could there be anything worse than the death sentence? We have already condemned the man to death. How else does the king want him to be punished?"
Then the king announced, "I command that from this day on until the end of his life on earth, this poor man shall receive from us enough food to feed himself. Convey my order at once to the minister of economics." Everyone was amazed and confused. What kind of punishment was this? They had never heard of such a judgment. The queen thought that it was because she had served the king well, and thus put him in a good mood. She smiled, thinking that it was her merit.
"My dear!" said the king to the queen, "Tell me, is the mango tree a sentient or an insentient object?" "An insentient object, my lord," answered the queen. "And how about me?" asked the king. And the queen replied, "What a question to ask, great one. Humans, the highest of creatures, are sentient beings, and you are a jewel among humans, saintly, great, virtuous and wise."
The king continued, "Then, my beloved, since I am a sentient being, how am I worthy of my human status if I fail to prove that I am better than that tree? What good is there for God to give me this human status?" The queen said, "You are, my lord, worthier than all other men for the human status that God has given you. But why do you say this? What do you mean?"
"Look! That poor man struck the tree with a stone, and the tree gave him luscious fruit to eat, which fulfilled his hunger for a day. That stone also hit me. Since I am the lord of all sentient beings and the gem among humans, should I not prove myself worthier than the tree? (Master and everyone laugh; applause.) That's why I have ordered that his food be provided for the rest of his life."
Immediately, the queen, consorts, ministers, subordinates and servants all fell at the king's feet, prostrating to him. They glorified him, proclaiming, "Oh! Your majesty! You are truly a saintly king so rare. Who but God Hirmself could manifest such compassion and magnanimity? God is inside you. Your merit, blessing and love are comparable to Lord Buddha and Lord Jesus, and the great saints and sages of all times. Only rulers like you can inspire people to cultivate their compassion and inner cosmic love. Inspired by your glorious example, people will love and serve each other. They will purify their bodies, speech and mind, and change their bodies and souls to become cultivated people. Please bless us, so that we may be your worthy servants and followers forever."
This is a very good story. This is how we ought to behave. Sometimes, we may not be any better than a tree. When you punch a tree or shake it, it drops down fruit to feed you. But when you shake or punch a person, he might kill you for it. (Laughter) Some people are really no better than trees!
Q: I heard you say on a videotape that when we look at someone's wisdom eye, it helps them also. It makes me feel really good to do that, and I hope to remember to do it. What I'd like to understand better is how it helps the other person.
M: Well, it's when you yourself know what you're doing. If you're already thinking of the wisdom eye, that means you yourself are reminded of the spiritual center of wisdom and enlightenment. And, if you yourself remember that, of course your atmosphere will be spiritual. So that person will of course benefit from you. It's just like standing next to a fountain: Even though you don't jump directly into it, some water will sprinkle on your face and make you feel cool. Similarly, if you stand next to a person who's spraying perfume, even though you don't spray it on yourself, you will still have some scent on you. So you're important. Whatever you are is what the other person will receive. That's why, whenever we remember anything about the spiritual center, about our true Self, the person next to us will benefit. That's how it works.
Q: With our various religions as they are today, why do You believe we've had such a history of so many different religions? What has man through the ages been seeking through religion and philosophy? What is that need that we're seeking to satisfy, or that fear?
M: Yes, fear is one of the reasons. Another reason is that inwardly, we are the essence of the Most High. You know we came from God, otherwise where did we come from? You think we came from plants, from the walls or stones? So, we must have come from God, the Most High, the Most Intelligent, the Highest Consciousness. That inner, inherent, latent consciousness always keeps seeking itself despite all the coverage, like dust, position, wealth, fame and all this worldly knowledge that keeps occupying our attention outwards. The Highest Consciousness inside always keeps seeking, not really seeking, keeps telling you, that you are not that; you are not the Ph.D. and you're not this garbage that you accumulated; you are not Mr. So-and-So or Mrs. That-and-This; you are consciousness; you are God-like. Before you came to this world and got a Ph.D., became Mr. and Mrs., and had all kinds of knowledge and habits that you call yourself, you knew that other Self. The Real Self is God-like and belongs to the kingdom of God. We're called God's children; it means we are God-like. The God qualities always keep reminding us that we are not this, that and the other.
Q: Are we supposed to believe then that we are part of that universal and divine God energy and intelligence?
M: Not supposed to believe; you just are. Now look at what you identify yourself with: Mrs. So-and-So, and I have so much knowledge, I have so much wealth, and I have such and such habits. All these are not you. You are the one behind all this and all that is covering us. Therefore, we make ourselves suffer because we identify ourselves with our mistakes, our successes, our failures, our this, that and other circumstances that affect us. We forget the real Super Consciousness, the Supreme Inner Self, the Supreme Spirit, which is God, which dwells within us. That's what the Bible says: "God dwells within you." That means you are God - apart from the body; there is God inside and nothing else.
Q: Are we closer to our true Selves when we are children? You were wonderful with the girls up here a while back. Are we more God-like as children because we've learned less or is it when we get older that we take on all those trappings and become too physical and materialistic?
M: You're right. When we were born, at least we were cleansed already, partially, from the residue of the last life or whatever existence we had, so when we were born, we were nearer to God. We just came directly from the "resting place," more peaceful and abundant. That's why children are more innocent and forgive easily. They have no worries, nothing, but the more we grow up, the more we accumulate all these experiences and then we identify ourselves with that. For example: I'm an angry person, I'm an agitated person, and I'm a bad-tempered person. This is not you. It's just that you grew up with all kinds of circumstances that made you like that. Then you think you are like that, that is the "you". It's ridiculous. When you were born you were not like that. It is not true.
Once in a while, we should get together to meditate and recharge ourselves, and then we will be full of light and love. When we go home, we can benefit the society, the country, and our relatives and friends.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Hsihu Center, Formosa, February 18, 1990 (Originally in Chinese)
During group meditation, the power is enormous. Even if our spiritual level is very low, it will be raised to a much higher level after we have joined in group meditation for some time. On the other hand, even if our level is high, not going to group meditation will push us down to a very low level. This is because, in this world, we are reliant on and related to others; no one can accomplish anything alone. It is the same with spiritual practice. It will be wrong for us to think that we can be successful in spiritual cultivation by practicing alone; it only shows our ignorance and low level.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Laguna Beach, CA, U.S.A. November 6, 1993 (Originally in English)
Every Quan Yin practitioner shares the responsibility of cleaning up the planet to some degree or another. Therefore, when we are sitting and meditating together in a group, it's not that we do it for ourselves, for the liberation of five generations of our families, for America, or for our families alone. It's for the whole planet. And the more people who do that, the better.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Melbourne, Australia, March 14, 1993 (Originally in English)
It is very, very important that you come to meditate together because the power is greater; and you sit longer and are more stable when you are in the company of others. That's why Jesus said, When two or more sit together in my name, I am with them.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai European International 4-day retreat, April 28, 1995 (Originally in Chinese)
When we want to stay away from the terrifying atmosphere of the world, we need to concentrate within. That's why we have to meditate every day to cleanse the contamination. When we join the group meditation, we are together as one, thinking only about the good, positive, pure, and wonderful Power, so we will feel very comfortable. When you come to the Center, don't bear negative thoughts. Don't bring your garbage here; don't bring your trouble or anything troublesome here. You will contaminate your fellow initiates if you do.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Japan, March 12, 1992 (Originally in Chinese)
The merit derived from group meditation is many times greater than that of one person meditating at home for days, months or even years, depending on the number of participants in the group meditation. Therefore, the more the participants and the longer we meditate in the group, the more difference it makes to our Spirit. Many people, I can tell just by their looks whether they go to group meditation or not. Fellow practitioners are aware of this, too. There are obvious disparities. If you attend group meditation often, don't attend for a period of time, and then attend group meditation again afterwards, you will feel different - that you are not so pure.
We gain more blessings for our country when more people attend group meditation. There is no need to wonder: "How can our nation derive blessings just because a few of us are meditating together?" It is true! Just like when several people are living in a big house, it is enough if one of them is rich and willing to contribute. He will repair any of the leaking areas in the house and thus benefit the whole family, even if dozens of people stay in that house. This would benefit himself, and all the residents would feel secure. Such is the case with one family. In the same way, definitely other people would benefit from the spiritual practice of just the few of us.
Just one light by the roadside is useful to so many people, thousands and thousands of passersby. The lamp loses nothing, but becomes even more functional when more people are using it. Therefore, although many people in our world might not be practicing spiritually, it is sufficient if we do. Otherwise, it would be even worse if no one were practicing at all. Just like when the entire village has no light, there would be total darkness. If we could have one or two lights, it's better than none! The highway is very dark, yet we could see a long distance if there were several lights. So, practice more diligently, benefiting yourselves and everyone. This is what the Master loves most.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Paris, France, August 15, 1995 (Originally in English)
I tell you to go to group meditation because here you have the truest friends. Then, if you have problems, or maybe sometimes you make mistakes, because of many friends, they can talk to you; they love and encourage you. You will come back again to the correct direction. Having group meditation is just like having an unconditional good friend or a good beloved. We all grow together; we share together some problems and happiness. This is very good for the human psyche, not even talking about spiritual practice.
So you see why we have to practice now, or why we must go to group meditation; it is because we are weak. Sometimes we go alone and if someone tempts us, we will fall. But if we go as two, three or four persons together, and if we want to be tempted, our friends will say, "No, no! It's no good for you. Come back!" That's why we must have friends to practice together.
In this life everything is like that, even with politics. If a man wants to be president, he must collect a lot of followers who have the same ideal as he has and who support him. Everyone knows that. Otherwise, do you think one person alone could create a particular movement or change the whole country? There must be a lot of people to support. So, when we blame one person, we have to think more. It is a shared ideal; it is a responsibility of a lot of people, not only one or two men.
It's the same with every ideal, the same with every goal we reach for. We must have supporting friends to go the same way so that when we fall, when we are weak, our friends will help or carry us. So, we must have friends. That's why we must have group fellow practitioners to encourage each other, because this is like a big family. When you come in and meditate together, you also share the spiritual energy, not only the mundane problems; and then everyone is just connected together. The stronger ones help the weaker ones, and then we have less weaknesses. We can come together at the same level. Everyone is happy. You are cleansed, and you become happier and happier; and you feel lighter and lighter every day. '
Q: Do good and bad come from our hearts?
M: The good comes from the positive side of our nature; the bad comes from the negative side. Mostly, when we come here we borrow the negative side from environmental effects, influences, and the habits that we've learned from the people we are with, the company we are in. Just like you are not born a smoker or an alcoholic, you learn it from society. Once smoking becomes habitual, whenever you see a cigarette, you want it. And when you don't see a cigarette, it's still in your mind; you want to have one, or you want to have one more glass of alcoholic liquid. It is because you get into this habit; you are not born with it.
For example, you see your neighbor hitting someone else when he is angry and that person hits back. Then you keep seeing these images of your neighbor in your mind all the time, or something like that. The next time a person makes you angry or hits you, you will hit him back because you have learned that; you have practiced that in your mind, or you have learned it together with the people who taught you to hit other people when they do not please you.
That's why even in twins with the same DNA that are supposedly a split personality of the same person, the same construction, who have the same day and same minute of birth, or only one, a few seconds, or a minute apart, one person grows up to become a star of a political or other field, or a movie star, and the other grows up to become possibly a murderer, a thief or a violent person. It is because each was exposed to different environments.
In learning this, we can easily forgive the person; otherwise, we will think he is very bad. Actually, no one is so bad. He is just born with the tendency to learn, and he learns things quickly - the good as well as the bad. If he learns the good, he becomes good; if he learns the bad, he tends to become bad unless he has a strong will to resist it, and this is rare.
So, bad things do not come from the heart, but from the habits. Good things come from your heart because you are born with them. You are born with heavenly qualities, you are endowed with heavenly tools to come down, and then, coming down here you drop into this school with all kinds of things to learn and to react to. If you happen not to be strong enough and give in, then you will drown.
That's why I tell you that in heaven they don't look at sins and virtues the way we do. They are very tolerant, forgiving, and loving, but still you, yourself, have to check up, and you will probably feel bad yourself. That is the final day of judgment.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
By strong will, good habits, association with good people, you quit a lot of bad habits.
Our bodies are created life after life from desires. Strong desires repeat themselves again and again, forming certain fixed habits that cannot be changed. This is what is called "being tied down to karma". Karmas are the habits cultivated through many lifetimes. Regardless of whether they are good or bad, they tie people down.
Meat is the cause of all wars and suffering in this world, as well as that of your personal self. To refrain from eating meat is to contribute to peace on this planet because in this way we terminate the cause of killing. Therefore, we will not reap the results of being killed or being wounded.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Panama, November 29, 1989 (Originally in English)
Nowadays there are certain happenings, such as changes in the weather, famine and all kinds of diseases inflicted upon our world. Some people with little faith blame God again. Everywhere I lecture, people ask me, "If there is a God, why do such and such disasters happen?" But these people should remember that it's not God who does all these things. It is we who have made all these troubles. For example, a few nations test atom and hydrogen bombs, which disturbs the structure of the atmosphere, shaking the stability of the Earth. They think they can just shoot missiles into the air and it will create no problems, or do it in the ocean and it will make no problems. These practices still make problems, because the universe is constructed with many kinds of materials, some with solid substances and some with invisible substances. So, by disturbing the invisible substances, they also disturb the stability of the universe and interfere with the natural evolution of nature.
Meditation is a kind of education, a kind of learning process. It's just like when you go to college, you ask your professor or teacher something, and then you must sit quietly and listen to his/her instruction and wisdom. If the student just goes to college and asks the professor something, and then walks out immediately and does something else, will he ever be wise? So even though the professor is in front of him, he gets nothing, because he doesn't give him/her a chance to speak.
Meditation is like any other science in our lives. We must learn. We must be willing to accept the wisdom that will be given to us. And like any other science and study, we learn by listening and by practicing. When we sit quietly in silence, there will be a lot of information, blessing, love, and energies pouring into our being. We will feel differently after meditation. And the longer the period and the longer we meditate, the wiser, the more peaceful we become. This is how the world will become peaceful.
Spiritual Practice and Physical Matter
Sometimes we think that our lives would be very uncomfortable if we lacked physical things. But then, we could still preserve our lives and keep our hearts incorruptible. Sometimes too much money can be harmful to our lives and cause our morality to waver. If we lose this body, it won't matter. However, if we lose our longing for the Truth because of money, it will be very difficult to get it back again.
That's why Shakyamuni Buddha said that the path of the renunciate is broader, simpler and purer; while the path of the layman is narrower and more difficult to walk on. This is because the layman inevitably develops relationships with other people, and they pollute or fight with each other over fame and riches. Mundane possessions and relationships are not necessarily bad. It depends on how we use them. Having a husband, a wife or possessions may not be bad. Sometimes we don't know how to manage them; then they aren't good. Once we attain a certain level in our spiritual practice, we lose interest in the money, fame, possessions, love, desires and passions of the world. However, this doesn't mean that we've turned into a piece of wood, but that we've transcended all these things.
For example, when a child starts to learn the ABCs, he makes progress and the rate of his progress is very obvious. After he goes beyond the ABC level, he's able to recognize words. He studies every day, but doesn't feel that he's making any progress. By then, there's no need to test his ABCs, for he's already above that. It's not that he doesn't recognize words or isn't making any progress; it's just that he's at a different level.
Why are worldly possessions and passionate relationships not beneficial to spiritual cultivation? In reality, these things aren't bad. But if one becomes lost in the mundane passions and loves worldly people more than God, then of course, his level is not high because he's weighted down inside this world. For example, if one side of the scale is heavier, naturally it sinks lower than the other side. If the weights on both sides are equal, then there is balance. Hence, this doesn't mean that we can't practice spirituality if we still have mundane possessions or passionate relationships. The main point is the attitude of our mind toward these things.
If we're troubled or overly concerned about someone or obsessed with certain feelings day in and day out, then we should realize we're not yet free of the net of passion in the astral realm. Or if we're saddened by the loss of some possessions, then we're still inside the astral realm. If certain losses occur that may create difficulties and hindrances for the family, then of course it doesn't matter if we worry a little. But if the loss is not going to have too big an effect on the family, and we still feel very attached to these possessions and worry too much, then we should realize our level is still not very high.
We measure our level not only by sitting and seeing the Light and listening to the Sound. In spiritual practice, we should be careful every hour of the day. It's not only the two and a half-hour meditation period that counts as practice. We have to be on constant vigilance, knowing when our level is falling or rising. We should watch our own responses when people scold us, and see if we feel that our ego or self-respect is hurt. Or when people take our things or damage our property, see if we react strongly. This way we'll know if our ego has arisen at that moment.
Of course, we have to protect our property, feelings and families. However, protection is different from excessive craving and attachment. Every one of us has the right to protect our own emotions, family and possessions. However, if we feel very miserable and painful about these things and are unable to let go, then we must hurry to do more meditation.
What we call renunciates are those who can completely renounce those things that worldly people regard as very important and greatly needed, and cling tightly to. They have no difficulty leaving these things. Neither do they cry bitterly when they leave them behind. They clearly understand and truly want to let go. Of course, they may feel a little sad about parting with certain souvenirs or friends and relatives. However, it doesn't mean that they don't want to leave or are still attached to them.
The Importance of Quan Yin
For those of us who are practicing the Quan Yin Method, Quan Yin (contemplation on the Sound) for at least one hour each day is essential in order to erase the effects of the world on us, and for our spirit to attain genuine bliss. Of course, even if you only practice a little bit, you can still get a joyful feeling, but you won't feel completely happy.
Of course, it may be difficult to do Quan Yin for one whole hour, but you still have to try your best. Sometimes the situation improves after practicing for twenty minutes. The body becomes more stable and the spirit more inspired. Then the body feels nothing. By this time the initial atmosphere of excitement and instability will be gone. All will be well if only we endure it for a while.
Practicing Within the Truth
There's a book about people who practiced the Quan Yin Method a very long time ago. It says that when we practice, even when we're in touch with the Truth for a very brief period of time, say a couple of hours, or half an hour, or dozens of minutes, we can still manage to cleanse eons of heavy karmic burden.
The book also says that there are many aspects of spiritual practice. We can listen to a lecture by a Master, take a look at Him or join His disciples in group meditation. If one can't see the Master or listen to His lecture personally, one can read His scriptures or listen to His recorded lectures or follow His directions about spiritual practice. All this is considered spiritual cultivation and staying within the Truth. All this can cleanse the heavy karmic load that we've accumulated over eons, and make us relaxed, happy, comfortable and uninterested in quarreling with anyone.
The Benefit of Coming Close to Spiritual Mentors
Sometimes we need someone to remind us of the benefits of spiritual practice in order for us to remember to practice. Otherwise, we come in daily contact with many mundane beings or beings who are not at such a high level, and their non-practicing aura drags our level down a little, so we become like them, busily engaged in worldly and mundane matters and then we forget our most important goal.
That's why it's really useful to be with spiritual mentors and Saints! That means it's useful to be in the company of fellow practitioners and the enlightened Master! It's useful not because we see them or listen to them talk. Sometimes even when we don't hear them speak, the aura of their spirituality serves as reminders and gives us spiritual encouragement. Then we think of spiritual practice naturally. Sometimes just being near them makes us feel very comfortable and gives us the desire to meditate, so that we no longer want to think about mundane matters again.
That's why in India they say to see your Master every day if possible; if not daily, then at least every two to three days. If that's not possible, then see your Master at least once a week; and if that's not possible, then at least once every two weeks; if not, then monthly. If that too isn't possible, then see Him once every few months; if not, then once a year. If that's still not possible, then at least once in a lifetime! If even this isn't possible, then you'll see the Master at the time of your death. At that time He'll surely come to take you. Therefore, in the end you'll still see Him. However, we must have affinity with the Master for Him to come.
That's why the saying goes, "It's not easy to meet Shakyamuni Buddha." We don't necessarily see a Master even if we live with Him in the same world, or hear His words if we live with Him in the same era. If we're the same age as the Master, or live in the same country or same village, it doesn't necessarily mean we can receive His blessings because sometimes we lock ourselves up. Our heart is very important! That's why some people, like many fellow practitioners in China and Au Lac who can't see the Master, have never seen the physical Master, can see the Master's Inner Light manifestation form. It's because their hearts are with the Master. This is also considered spiritual cultivation. The heart is very important!
Heart-to-Heart with the Master
If we're good at heart, then it's simple for us to be one with all and in contact with the Saints. If our hearts are segregated, it's like we've built a wall around ourselves. The Saint didn't build the wall. We built it and set up the obstruction ourselves. We're not necessarily with a Saint even if we come close to Him. Our hearts have to come close. In this way even if we're thousands of miles away from Him, we don't seem to be separated spatially. If we're near a Saint but our hearts aren't with Him, it's the same as being separated by distance.
Once during Shakyamuni Buddha's lifetime, a disciple found a huge ant in the Jetavanna Grove. Buddha told the people that seven Buddhas had come and gone and given discourses in this place, but this ant was still there as an ant. It had no way to transcend the level of an ant. This is like the story we heard today about Sariputra previously being a venomous snake. (For the details of the story, please refer to the same videotape.) This is the first time that we've heard about this. We used to think that he had high ethical standards in his past lives, which was why he could become one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha. Never did it occur to us that he was formerly a venomous snake. As a snake, he had made good affinity with Shakyamuni, who saved him after attaining Buddhahood. Why was he a snake for so long, for thousands and millions of years? According to the scriptures, it was because his heart had not opened up and therefore he remained a snake for hundreds and tens of thousands of years. Once our hearts open up, immediately there is no more karmic hindrance.
We come to follow an enlightened Master and learn from Him. This means that we're prepared at heart to disentangle all the evil ideas, attachments and bondages to the world that we've accumulated over many lifetimes. Once these areas have been straightened out, the karmic burden from the past several lifetimes will be erased. Only then will we be able to come close to Saints, and see the Light and hear the Sound of the Real Self, the inner Sound.'
Q: Does everyone have a soul mate? And if so, do you have to find your soul mate before you can be liberated?
M: The so-called soul mate: It could be. Then again, some soul mates are already liberated, so you don't have one to find here. But some soul mates are still around so then you have to wait.
Actually, this is some of the theory: If you have no more longing and no more desire in your heart, then even if your soul mate is in Heaven or hell, it doesn't matter to you. You have to arise and arrive at a level of desirelessness. Then the soul mate is everywhere and nowhere because you are omnipresent. There's no need for a soul mate when you're omnipresent.
The meditation is important, but the theoretical teaching is also important. Make sure, at least, that you read or listen to the teachings of the Master every day. And there is a lot to learn from the past and present Masters. You also should keep some theoretical teaching in your mind, to control the mind. That is for the mind only; the soul does not need that.
So every time you encounter some problem or your bad habit, you should read the teachings of the Master, and that will tame your mind to a great extent. You must read or listen to good teachings and noble dharma every day, not only sit in meditation. Otherwise, you won't know why you sit in meditation. You won't know the purpose, and you won't get good results. Your heart will not long for it. Your mind will not be peaceful enough so that you can enter samadhi and have a real, real, good wisdom afterward.
Suppose you do all these and you meditate every day, but you still think you have a bad habit or you still think you are too attached to this and that. Then it's all right, don't worry. You have tried your best; at least your conscience is tranquil, and you will grow out of these bad habits in time.
Q: Is it possible to live a life completely free of doubt and fear forever, and if so, what does one need to do or not do?
M: Fear and anxiety come only from darkness, from ignorance, from fear of the unknown.
Once we get to know the stable side of our Nature, the real side of our life, our fear and anxiety will disappear. We only fear because we think that after this life, we will have nothing. We only fear because we know only the ephemeral existence of this world. If we know that life is eternal, if we know that we are the greatest beings in the universe, we will have no fear at all. So I invite you to get to know your Self through the means of initiation (into the Quan-Yin Method).
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
We should not fear anything in this world; we need only fear that our minds are not stable and our wisdom is not developed enough, and therefore, we do not understand the true meaning behind those things.
Your faith must be stronger than your fear; that is the lesson. The Master is always stronger than the negative power, so if you are with the Master, you don't fear.
"Fearlessness" means ignoring the extent of our fear, our fearful minds, and cowardly areas, and just doing whatever we need to do.
Do not be afraid of your fearful feelings because the more we're afraid, the stronger will these fearful feelings become. The more we think about something, the more powerful the thing will become. So, let's just think about "love." At all times, we should simply think about "love," the "love power," and always maintain positive thinking, then the Master Power will naturally take care of everything. Gradually, we'll get used to it and then there will be no more obstacles, and all our fears will vanish. We should trust the power of God and strengthen our faith in God's love power daily. Then, we will grow stronger and stronger.
Q: When I meditate, my thoughts wander and I am restless. What should I do?
A: After working all day, it is not easy to calm down right away. Meditate for a while longer. It will help you to calm down. Remember to recite the Holy Names whenever you can. Ignore all the wandering and unwanted thoughts. You may read Master's books, listen to Her tapes and watch Her videotapes before you meditate. You may also play one of Master's tapes softly while meditating, but be sure the sound comes from the front and not from behind you. Any or all of these practices will bring you tremendous blessing. Remember to focus your concentration on the wisdom eye when you meditate.
Q: Should we love our enemies?
M: Well, what else can you do with him? (Laughter) That's a practical question. If you kill him, his wife might kill you, or his daughter or son. It will continue forever. So we'd better love our enemy. It's the best way to kill him! (Laughter) If you love your enemy, he or she becomes your friend. Then the enemy's gone for good. And you have more friends: from his family: his wife, his kids, his relatives and his friends as well. Make one friend and you have many friends. Make one enemy and you make many enemies. So we 'lose business' if we hate the enemy.
Q: Master, how can I remember my past lives so that I can retrieve the knowledge I learned then?
M: It is enough to learn in the present because in our present life, we haven't even learned enough yet. The past life is gone and God has drawn a curtain between the past and present. It's for our own benefit. Therefore, it's not always necessary to retrace the past. If we know too many things about the past without having enough power to handle it, or to improve it concerning the present, then we will be in trouble. That's why people sometimes come into a possessed state of mind. Or knowing too much of the past, they are miserable living in the present.
Suppose you knew that in a past life, you were the sultan of such and such country and now you are driving a taxi, would you like it? Or suppose you knew that last life, you and your wife had some kind of bloodshed with each other. Now, every time you see her, would you be afraid since she killed you in your last life? Could you ever be loving again toward her? It would affect very much your family harmony and your personal relationships, as well as your own happiness. Is that not so? Therefore, we don't need to know the past. We take care of the present, and the future will come beautifully. Meditate on your Inner Self, or choose whatever method you like. But I would only recommend the Quan Yin Method, because I know after all the studies, that it's the best; that it's the highest, the quickest, and the safest. So, we offer that to you in case you want to gain more knowledge in the present and for the future. And the past will take care of itself. The past is gone, the past we can just forget.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
What is the spirit of Zen? It is to enjoy today, to do what is required today. No matter if it is happiness or suffering, it is all today. Don't bother about the past. The past cannot be retrieved; the future is not here yet. But very few people will devote their attention wholeheartedly to the present moment. That's why everyone suffers so much
Pearls of wisdom ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
If and when we feel that our life is not going smoothly, we should understand that we have formed undesirable affinities in the past; therefore, we have to strive hard. If we have good affinities, we should also understand that we have done something good in the past; therefore, we must cherish them. We must strive persistently until our mind is entirely stable, absolutely uncaring about anything and not attached to any situation, and until nothing in this world can bind us. Then, it is truly good.
The past decades, generations, and eras of our Earth's history were mostly very dark. If we had been the Earth's inhabitants, we would have gone through one of the kind of happenings, which is very difficult for us to forget. Should we be able to remember, it would give us tremendous suffering and depression so that we wouldn't want to even know about it! That's why it is a blessing from the Most Intelligent that we don't remember our past lives.
Q: We think we are important now, but we are not, so I suffer from this feeling of self-importance. Actually, I want to know how to overcome this feeling of self-importance.
M: It's good that you know that you have this self-important feeling. Your illness is already half cured. There is a very good way to overcome this pride. Think of the greatness of the universe and all the things in the universe that you have not been able to understand, that you know nothing about the universe, about the law of God, and then you will feel very small.
Whatever worldly knowledge we gain is so small. Whatever important business we have, it is so ephemeral. And then when we die, we have nothing. So you had better get enlightened. The more you are enlightened, the more humble you become because you see that you know so little and that the universe is so great. And then you are more humble and more humble, until you are the most humble person. Then you admit that you know nothing, and then you know everything. That's why Lao Tzu said, The wise are like the dumb. That's why Jesus said, I work, but not I; it is the Father Who works in me. He is so great but He knows He can do nothing without the Father. He knows He can do nothing, and that is why He can do everything.
Q: I sometimes sense the guidance and presence of the ascended Masters. Can they really help humanity from afar?
M: Sure! We're all one. So if you're enlightened, they're affected. Can you imagine if after the Golden Age our planet were all destroyed and not too many people survived. Can you imagine the state of human beings at that time? Everyone was kind of groveling in darkness, and they all affected each other. We do all affect each other. And that's why we became the way we were, and now that we've been practicing and practicing, year after year, our planet's become better. Don't you feel it? Don't you feel we've progressed? (Yes.) Yes.
I'm not saying you should come and practice the Quan Yin Method or have the experience of Heaven. Even if you don't have it, you can feel that our planet now has a different energy. It's different; happier, more open and very relaxed. And human beings are really different from before, even a few decades ago. Our technologies such as science and everything are just blossoming so fast. It's very amazing what we've discovered lately. Can you imagine? e-mail, and the Internet: Wow, this is incredible! There are so many other things you don't know about that they've already developed as well.
Q: When a Quan Yin messenger was here, she taught us a very beautiful thing. She said that we should dedicate all of our bad or good actions to the Master, regardless of the results of those actions, and in that way we can say that there won't be any obstacles. I think I understand a little about what she said, but I want to understand more.
M: It is not that you have to dedicate all your good and bad actions to the Master. You should, as far as you know, do only good things. But in case you are not sure whether these things are really as good as you think, then say, "Please, Master, I've tried my best to understand. I think it is good, but in case it's bad, please forgive me. Please take care of me. Please do something if this is bad; stop it, or help me to understand that it is bad or something." Then, it's okay! Or, you can write a letter or ask in meditation until you receive the sure answer. If it's an emergency and you cannot do that, and you don't receive the inner message because you're too crowded or cannot wait for the answer, then pray, "If it's bad, please forgive me. I don't intentionally do bad things, but my understanding was like that. I thought it was good, so I did my best."
That's probably what she meant. So sometimes, expression in language doesn't give full wing to the bird of our intentions. And probably, the other meaning would be that whatever we do, whether the work is pleasant or disgusting to us, we have to do it with the best intentions and in the name of Master. Whether the work yields fruit or is unfruitful, we should just dedicate it to the Master and be happy. That's all! But not to intentionally do bad things and say, "I dedicate it to the Master."
I think all the presidents or leaders of the world should try more to remind people of the spiritual aspects, instead of just material aspects because it lasts longer. It's actually beautiful to remind people about spiritual practice because that's all we have. That's the only lasting thing we have. That's the only thing that helps us to have peace in the world and among nations. If all nations become more enlightened, we'll be more peaceful toward each other.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa, October 26, 1991 (originally in Chinese)
Sometimes, when we have done good deeds, we feel good about having done the right thing. At that time, we are close to the nature of God and the Saints, our love develops, and we feel happy. Then paradise is there, not at our death when we grow a pair of wings and fly about at random! (Audience laughs.)
Q: We do hear so much about child abuse in terms of us as a society abusing our children sexually or physically with violence and also emotionally. We basically touched on children, and how innocent and free they are, but what would You have to say about abusing children, mistreating them, and not giving them the environment to develop into their highest selves?
M: Well, fortunately, there are not many. Sometimes we read it frequently in newspapers or hear it on the news, but even as frequely as it is, they are just individual cases repeated, so it looks a lot. But actually our society is still okay, still clean. You can't help if some people have mental disturbances and they don't know it. If they knew it, they would go to psychiatrists or treat themselves. These, we can just look upon as disasters, accidents - the individuals' lives which they cannot grow out of, cannot help themselves, or the time has not come for them to realize their mistake. Besides, when we talk a little bit deeper, then there are many things that contribute to these crimes, as well as many other disasters. There is a root cause for all this retribution. So, no one is truly as innocent as we think, except God is innocent, except our soul is absolutely innocent. But we collect so much "not-innocent" information with which we live, through which we grow, and with which we die. We bring it back again, again and again until we are fed up with it, until we learn to grow out of it. That's the negative side of life. Fortunately we don't have that many, I think.
Q: And is that the purpose of reincarnation, to return and conduct unfinished spiritual business with God or with ourselves?
M: Right. Until we find the right way, the right purpose of our life in the universal plan, we always are miserable because we will be doing wrong. We don't do it exactly the way it is planned; therefore, of course, it is chaotic, so we have to come back and redo it until we touch the right "button". Then we are satisfied. That's the way. When we're enlightened, we find God, and then daily nourish this knowledge of enlightenment until we're completely sure and discover all the things that we have to discover, so we don't have to come back again. We can come back as a teacher, a spiritual guide.
Q: I'd like to know if there is any relationship between negative energy in the world and things like natural disasters - volcanoes, earthquakes and things like that?
M: There is a relationship. Negative energy comes from our own bad thoughts and actions throughout the whole world. It gathers into a force that affects us and is just the law of cause and retribution, nothing else. Don't blame any devil for anything. We are the devils; we are worse than devils. I mean people. Devils only punish those who are sinful, but human beings sometimes don't know who is who, and punish everyone - repay goodness with bad, sometimes betraying. Look at what Judas did to Jesus; look at what Buddha's cousin did to Him.
You know what human beings are like. Don't blame devils. I think devils have more of a sense of justice, of good and bad, of repayment, of how to requite kindness. The devils are very fine. Some of them are good. If you treat them well, they will water the plants for you; they will stay on guard in the garden and won't let other things come and harm, take, and smell your flowers. Some gurus keep devils around to guard their house and their flowers. The devils do that out of favor. If they like that Master, if the Master is good to them, they will do everything. Devils are a little bit underdeveloped beings; that is all.
If we want to see our own Nature or our Buddha Nature, we have to see through a different eye, through a different perception. This eye is what we call the wisdom eye or Buddha's eye, the heavenly eye, or what the Christians call the single eye. Jesus said, "If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of Light." What does that mean? Should we put our eyes together and make them become one like cross-eyed people? No, even like that we will see no light. So the eye that is mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures, the Christian Bible and the other scriptures is not the physical eye, but the single eye within our wisdom, within our ocean of consciousness. Actually, there is no eye. But because we can see everything from Heaven to hell, from this world to the Buddha's Land, we call that an eye. So, to open this eye we need someone who can show us the way to do it, just like when we want to drive a car, we need someone who already knows how to drive the car to help us.
I'll say something to the new initiates. I don't know what initiation really means to you, but it means a lot to me. It's not that you sit there, listen to the instructions, and still struggle inside about whether I'm worthy for you to accept as your teacher, or if this initiation is worthy enough for you to accept. It's not like that. It's a once-in-a-million-years' chance. I don't know how much it means to you. But you should know how much I have to do, before and after your initiation.
It's not that you sit there on your backside and still wonder whether you should stay with me or if you should go. If you stay or you go, it's your problem. It's your right and your choice. I have no intention to bind you, to keep you or to do anything at all to you physically, mentally or psychically. I just stand by as a very unconditional friend. Whenever you need me, you can come. Should you decide to go, you can go. If that's all the initiation means to you, it's like you're going shopping. Only your mind is so imperfect that you cannot recognize the difference between a true diamond and glass; therefore, you struggle. But you don't know what it means; you really don't.
At least at the time you die, you will know. You will know what initiation means to you. At that time, no one is around you and no one can accompany you. No money can buy you power. No position can protect you from hell fire. At that time, the Master is the only one who comes to you. Then you will know.
Whatever you do, you should do it wholeheartedly. Then you'll get the sum total result. Otherwise, you get nothing. Even during initiation, if you just sit there and think of your past master, your past Buddha or your past whatever, you will get nothing. And then you ask me why you didn't get it. You wonder why you came here, wonder if this is right or wrong for you.
You will continue to wonder all your life, if you keep doing things the way you do. And no one can ever give you enough answers. Your time is very valuable, as mine is. If your time is not valuable, my time is. I don't have time to run around on a bus and airplane for fun, just to come so that you can see me whenever you want. And then you hang around, go for a stroll and do anything you want. But then you come and complain that you get nothing, that you don't know why you came here, that you don't know why you are sitting here, or why you do this and that and the other. You expect me to do everything for you, but you don't do anything, not even just come here and sit.
We organize everything for you, so it's not even that you have to organize! You do nothing; there's nothing to do. The cooking people also cook for you. And then you don't even take that little bit of responsibility. So what do you think? You think that's going to be OK? You think you will get God's blessing at all this way? And then you think you have everything, but I have to do everything. And some of you still criticize!
In the old times, if you wanted to find a master or even any kind of teacher, do you know what you had to do? Even now if you go to college, you still have to pay. If you don't pay, then your parents pay. If they don't pay directly, they pay taxes to the government and then the government pays for the teacher. And you have to go there and enroll your name and pass exams and all that. It takes a lot of time and trouble.
You keep asking me why I don't go out and lecture and save people in the world. Is it easy to save people? Today at the initiation, the highest God power was already here, present, and it still couldn't touch some of them. Only hell fire can burn. It's so difficult; so hard are some people's hearts that even when they sit in God's presence, in God's power, they don't feel moved.
I'm frightened to think about it. I'm so frightened to think of how hard people can be, that even the power of the Most High cannot touch them. That's why the world is as it is. So don't ask me why there is war, disaster or killing. What can the poor Mr. God do? This power can shatter mountains; it can dry up the ocean or make the whole universe crumble into dust. And yet it doesn't touch some humans' hearts. It's very frightening, what we have become.
Then you always ask me to go here, go there, talk to you, go to stay with you, save your friends, save your family members and do this and that and the other. And if I refuse you, you feel like, "Why doesn't Master do Her job? Why doesn't She have compassion and love for humankind? They're suffering enough," and things like that. If I could do it, I would. If Jesus could have done it, he would have finished it. We wouldn't have had to wait until our time. If Jesus could have saved the whole world, he would have done so. If Buddha could have saved the whole world, my turn wouldn't have come and your turn wouldn't have come.
You see how difficult it is? It is because we are too proud and too arrogant. We think we know too many things. We know this sutra, we know that Bible, we know all this and that. We learn everything by heart, and then we're so proud of our own stupid knowledge that we think we know everything already. So whenever someone wants to teach us something new, we refuse. Or we try to find fault, we try to criticize or show other people that we are fantastic, that we know everything or we know better than that person. But we are only harming ourselves and blocking our road to freedom, blocking the road of real knowledge. We're just taking all the advertisements as the real thing and feeling proud about it.
Q: In one of your lecture collections you mention "The Ocean of Love," a poem by Kabir. Is that right?
M: Yes, I've talked about Kabir's poems many times, but what is it about the Ocean of Love?
Q: It's about the highest God, they call Sat Purush; He comes through different incarnations in each age (Yuga). And in the Kali Yuga, Sat Purush makes a deal with Kal (Lord of the Three Realms) to take a lot of souls back home.
M: Yes, this is the Kali Yuga, the Dark Age. It needs a strong guy to come down and take everyone up! Big car! Strong! (Master laughs)
Q: Is that why so many souls can be liberated so easily?
M: Yes, that's right; you know it already. Of course, it's like that. It's the last age of this cycle. So whoever is left behind: Hurry! Hes brings everyone up; that's why it's very generous. But it takes a lot of power, just like a hurricane brings a lot of water. It takes a hurricane to bring so much water inland; normal rain doesn't do that.
So, at this time, it's like "wholesaling." Because we have a lot of room and a lot of grace, so everyone can be covered. It's no problem. You're lucky! (Audience applauds.) God is generous, but Hes has never been so generous before. In the old times, at most there would be a handful, maybe a thousand people. There could never be so many, and they could never be so openly gathered together despite everything. You guys are really lucky.
In the old times, if they wanted to have group meditation, they all had to hide and run all over the place, using secret codes, secret handshakes, secret hand signals like mudras (hand gestures), or the salutation that you use -- even this (Master makes a gesture) -- remember the wisdom eye, repeat the Holy Names, do the Quan Yin, and then we're together. That's the secret signal the Christians used to have, for recognition of one brother to another. Because in those times Jesus had to hide; all the disciples also had to hide. They didn't even dare to recognize the Master in public, saying, "I don't know Him." Even the foremost disciple Peter denied Him three times.
Such was the negative power -- so oppressive that even so mighty a person as Jesus, and so devoted a disciple as Peter, could not open their mouths. It was very oppressive then. But in this time, we're very lucky.
Q: With children who practice, when should we start and how should we help them not become attached to materialism from an early age?
M: Well, you can tell them about the ephemeral nature of all things and make them see some examples from books, from others, or from nature.
Q: Will the child's mind naturally become detached from material things if we don't pollute it, or do we have to train it that way also?
M: We can train it, but still, if they go to school, if they go out, they will be affected by the society. But at least if they have a good background, they will be able to withstand the pressure and disappointment that life and company will bring to them. It's not that they won't have the disappointment and pressure and loneliness that the company will bring. But they will be able to withstand it. They will be strong enough to understand and overcome the sorrow or unhappiness that arise from these circumstances.
Q: Thank you for that, Master. (Applause)
M: You're welcome.
Q: Many of us have children and they are practitioners and half initiates, and it's always very difficult for us to know how to raise them. The guidelines for us are quite clear, but raising children is transferring your thoughts to someone else. It's very difficult, so thank You for Your advice.
M: You're welcome. I hope it works. In this world, it's never a thing that's absolute or 100%. You can only do your best and be proud that you're doing so. Everything else also is the effect of karma, of society, of the collective consciousness, and God's will, and weather, and the country where you live, the traditions, and the friends that they have and everything else. You can't control everything. So do your best. And be a good parent. Be loving and good. And that's good enough already. These are very fortunate children who are born to spiritual, saintly parents like you are.
If children grow up having very good ethical roots from childhood, like a tree has good roots in the earth, when they grow up they don't fall down easily. But when the tree is not rooted well it just grows up a little bit, and then it gets broken down by winds or other natural forces.
Q: In one of Your video cassettes, I heard about Emerson, an American philosopher. He said, "It's a difficult thing to reach Godhood on this plane." I don't understand if this is against what You're talking about.
M: No!
Q: Then You said, "Let God do the business," and "let God do everything for us, through us." What I need is Your guidance.
M: He said "difficult". He didn't say "impossible". Of course, it's difficult to reach God. That's why we need the guidance of a master and blessing from the Master Power. And after that we should let God bless and guide us, and do everything through us, instead of doing things with the ego. Everything is correct the way I said it; there's nothing contradictory. It's just that you understood it differently. It is not that it's different. Emerson said, "A big burden will fall from our shoulders if we let God run the universe." Most of us run the universe. We worry about this, we take care of that, and we don't rely on God's power. That's why we exhaust ourselves without much success. So, if we do things to our best ability and let God arrange whatever the outcome will be, and then we won't feel so hurt, so disappointed, and so tired. That's what he meant. Are you satisfied?
Q: This is confusing to me, Master. I have a lot of expectations that God should run all these things. But I am facing all these troubles, and it has not been lightened, and it is a burden for me. I'm expecting God to do that for me.
M: It's not that you're expecting, you're dictating to God what to do, and Hes won't listen. Obstacles and troubles are there for you to overcome, but God will dictate the outcome. You have to always try your best, but don't expect anything. That's the best. That's the proper way of expectation. If you expect and say, "God, I'm putting one hundred dollars here, and I want to get one thousand dollars tomorrow." That won't do. You expect too much. Most of the time, we do things and we expect the outcome to be like this or that. But it doesn't come out like this, it comes out like that. Then feel disappointed, sad, hurt. But it may be that this is good. Maybe the third outcome is better than the first or the second that we expected. We don't know. We should just try our best, and when our conscience is at peace we can say, "Okay, I tried my best." And if the outcome doesn't suit our taste, just let it be. Then that way, you don't feel burdened. You don't feel exhausted. You don't feel hurt. You might still feel hurt, but in the end we realize whatever happens is best for us.
I've told you many stories about surrendering to God's will. Remember the Indian story about the person who came to take refuge in a house, during a wartime bombing. And the family members, the owner and the other members, just pushed him out into the street again. They didn't let him stay in their house and take refuge, so he had to get out, and meanwhile blamed God for not protecting him. But as soon as he got out of the house, the house exploded. A bomb dropped right onto house, but he survived after being kicked out. So, we never know what's good for us. It's better just to try our best and accept whatever comes. But you always have to try your best. In that way you'll rest in peace and you'll know you have tested your strength and wisdom.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
A few obstacles are good for us. They give us the incentive to strive; our willpower will thus grow stronger and our determination to seek the Truth will also become firmer. ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Q: Could you speak about the third eye and the chakras?
M: The third eye is the true eye of our being. "If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of Light." That is the third eye. Mostly we see the physical manifestation of God with the physical eyes. But if we want to see God as a non-manifested being, we use the spiritual eye, which we call the third eye. In the physical body, the connection between Heaven and Earth is in that third eye center. And actually during meditation, sometimes you see that eye, a single eye, just like your eye but just one single eye. That's called the third eye, or spiritual eye, or wisdom eye or heavenly eye. Whatever, it's the same.
And the heart chakra is not where the heart is, but it's the invisible heart energy that is around the heart. Just like you have an aura surrounding your body, this is the aura surrounding the heart. And the heart chakra is the place where you concentrate if you want to intensify your feelings about something - about love, even about hatred, anything. That is when you use your heart. But if we want to know wisdom, we have to concentrate on the wisdom chakra, which is the third eye again.
We have different chakras in the body - chakras at the feet, charkas at the knees, a chakra at the sexual organs, a chakra at the stomach or the solar plexus, a chakra at the heart, a chakra at the throat, a chakra here (Master points to the wisdom eye center), and the crown chakra. So depending on the purpose of your searching, you concentrate on that chakra. If you concentrate on the wisdom eye, everything intensifies. This is the center of all chakras, the headquarters of our being. So once we concentrate there, we free ourselves and we intensify everything. You love even better, and you understand things better. Your food tastes better. And you work better; you think better; you create things better, you paint better, and so on. Everything intensifies.
Q: When one becomes a Master, will he or she ever have fear, doubt, or anger? We call Jesus a Master, however, according to the Bible, Jesus was frightened the night before He was crucified. And before His death, Jesus cried, "Why, God, have You deserted me?" Please explain, if Jesus had fear and doubt, how can we have no fear and doubt?
M: Yes, they probably would have fear and doubt, but that fear and doubt are not deep-rooted like in us. If Jesus had no fear of the crucifixion, then His sacrifice was not so great. He had fear, but He accepted it. Whereas when we have fear, we run away and we try to blame it on others, or we try to escape. We try to put that cross on someone else. That is the difference.
We might have fear, we might have emotion, but we can withdraw it anytime, or we can make use of the fear or emotion for the benefit of other beings. After enlightenment, all the feelings or the emotions are still there because we are made to have these in order to use them to understand other brothers and sisters. If you have no feeling, no emotion, how can you understand human beings? How can you help them? But the fears of the Masters are different.
The fear of the Master sometimes is also affected by the fear of the disciples. He takes the fear from the disciples, so the disciples are fearless. The Master will take some degree of that fear, but that is only very shallow and not deep-rooted - only illusionary. And the Master, on one hand has fear, but, on the other hand, definitely has no fear. He knows he has to have fear, but he doesn't fear the fear. [Applause]
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Enlightenment doesn't mean we should altogether eliminate the emotions. We just know how to use them.
Q: Master, please say something about devotion.
M: Devotion? Look at me. I am very devoted to you. That's devotion! [Laughter and applause.] There is no need to explain. Today, I just happen to be very tired and very sick. I don't want to see people, but I still come to see you and that's devotion. [Applause] Not for any selfish gain or for anything for me to be happy, especially not during these days - it's out of duty, out of love. I fulfill my obligation and make you happy. That's devotion.
Now, if you are a householder and you devote yourself to your family - that's devotion. If you love your wife with all your heart, try your best to make her happy, and do everything she requests - that's devotion. If you have a friend, and you lay down your life for him or her in a time of need - that is devotion. You have come all this way, spending all your money for the airplane, and spending your time sitting for your own liberation and world peace - that's devotion. Whatever you do, if it's a good, noble idea and you put in all your effort - that is devotion.
In everyday life whatever you do, if it's good for yourself and other people, put all your best into it. That doesn't mean you have to be successful in order to know that you are devoted. You don't have to be. Whether you are successful or you fail, if you put out all your best, your most sincere desire, to accomplish whatever you do, or to try to make that person happy - that is already devotion.
Devotion brings concentration, one-pointedness; and devotion, one-pointedness, brings success and happiness to you, especially if you do it for a good cause, for a noble ideal. Because at that time, you concentrate everything on that thing, and then you forget everything else, so your mind is very clear. That is also a kind of putting down everything. That is also a way to practice. That's also a kind of samadhi.
Sometimes our fellow initiates don't want to continue their business anymore after they have practiced for a while; they have no more desire for fame and wealth. However, since we are already in the business, we should fulfill our obligations. Although we no longer do business with the "life-and-death" spirit as before, we can do it even better and in a more relaxed manner than before. The reason is that previously, we were so concentrated on the tussle that we were blind and were not smart. When a person is nervous, busy and keen in struggling and fighting, he does things badly. It is the same with any work.
On the contrary, as we don't want to do it now, we just do it casually; but the results are even better. The logic is very simple. Since we are mentally relaxed and we don't have the intense fighting spirit (for fame and profit), our wisdom and intelligence will suddenly and naturally emerge. Therefore, the more relaxed we are, the better we can do our work.
Q: I want to know the difference between the wisdom in the wisdom eye, the wisdom in one's heart, and the voices in the mind?
M: The mind has no wisdom. It just records what you encounter every day, or what's been put into it. For example, say that your mother kept telling you, "Don't eat ice cream, because, because, because..." So whenever you see ice cream, your mind starts screaming and you don't eat it, "...Because, because, because..." It's just like a record player.
And the heart is not a wisdom center; it's a center for feeling. That's why when you love someone, you say, "Oh-h-h-! It's an affair of the heart. " The wisdom center is here. (Master points to the center of the forehead) Because we are in a physical body, I have to say it's somewhere. The wisdom center is not in there, of course. But if you are in the physical body, you have to find it in there. Inside the middle of your brain, there is a spot. That's to start with. And later you find out that you are everywhere. You are the wisdom; you don't need to find the wisdom. But you have to start from somewhere. The heart chakra is functioning for some other reason, not for finding wisdom. And besides, the real heart is not the physical one that's pounding in your chest.
You are attached to the existence of "I", attached to an "I" doing this and doing that. That is looking for trouble, letting yourself forget your great inherent wisdom and ability to save the world. This is the only difference between you and me. When you completely forget the existence of "I", you'll understand who you are. All your troubles and pains will disappear. If you meditate more, you'll be able to purge yourself of "I" and erase those records of the past. If you create interference and erase "I" with the inner Sound, you'll forget it more completely. ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Aphorisms
If we sense in ourselves any ego, any motive that is not pure, stop it immediately; do not go on with it, or make some change instead. In this way, there will be no problem.~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
To kill our ego is to merge ourselves with God. When we are one with God, then we lose ourselves. It's as simple as that.~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Q: How should we protect ourselves from the violence of nature and the violence of human beings?
M: We don't need to protect ourselves. What do we have that we should protect? Before you were born, what did you have? After you die, what do you possess? What is it that's so valuable that we should protect it? Throw everything away. Let it be. Whatever comes will come. If your body dies, your body decays, you have thousands, billions more. Don't worry about anything. If the possessions should be yours, you can't even get rid of them. If that girl should be your fiancée, no one can snatch her away. If that job was ordained by heaven to be yours, no one can replace it. Don't worry. Just relax. Get enlightenment. All this fear keeps us from living in the happy, present moment.
All guilt, all conflict, all hypocrisy arise out of these fears of the ego self - that we have this, I have that, I have fame, I have face, I can't lose face, I can't do that because I'm in this position, I can't scold people because I'm a Master; I'm supposed to be very graceful, very soft spoken, very gentle, etc.
Just throw everything away and be in the moment. Whatever's required at that moment, do it wholeheartedly with faith in God and with faith in the whole plan of the Universal Project.
Q: If a wrong is done and can cause bad karma, how can it be reversed or undone?
M: Do the opposite. Try to make up for it. Not only stop doing wrong, but continue doing right, or start doing right. Not only do we not steal from other people, but we also help the people who are poor and truly in need. That's the true correction for what we did. For example, you have a husband and you have an affair with another man. Only for example, please! [Laughter] Now you feel sorry about it. It is not only that you have already stopped the affair because your husband doesn't like it, but you also have to love your husband more. Take care of him more. Help him to feel better. Help your family relationships to become more solid and happier for you, your husband, and your children. That's the positive way of repenting our wrong deed. Not only do we stop doing wrong, but we have to do right.
Once Gandhi heard a Hindu person say, "I am going to hell. I killed a Moslem because another Moslem killed my child." Then he asked, "What can I do now? I will go to hell anyhow." So Gandhi said to him, "I know a way out of hell. If you raise an orphan to become a Moslem, you can make up for that. Maybe you will still go to hell, but at least your conscience will be clear. You'll know that you have done your best to make up for the wrong you have done and also made someone else happy. At least when you go to hell, you will go happily."
Q: I have heard that we will improve very quickly in our practice if we can do the "Quan Yin" (contemplation on the Sound) for three hours continuously. However, is it all right if someone does more of the Sound contemplation and does not adhere completely to the right proportion of contemplation on the Light and Sound? Do we have to strictly adhere to this proportion in our daily meditation?
A: To be able to contemplate on the Sound continuously for three hours can quickly bring our straying mind under control, and correct our wrong thinking and concepts. However, this only applies when we have contemplated on the Light for six hours or more with very good concentration and can contemplate on the Sound continuously for three hours with natural ease. Therefore, it is still necessary to meditate according to the right proportion of time. However, if someone meditates and has unconsciously exceeded the same ratio as instructed by Master, like when he has entered samadhi, then it is all right. Just be natural. As long as we do not purposely contemplate on the Sound more than contemplating on the Light, it is all right.
Pearls of Wisdom Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Hsihu Center, Formosa, October 29, 1995 (Originally in English)
Please remember to do the Quan Yin according to the proper proportions. The Quan Yin is the one that cleans. Sometimes people sit there and they don't do the Quan Yin. In that case, they cannot progress very quickly.
Also, try to check your thoughts. If you check your thoughts, there will be no bad speech and no bad deeds. If one thought arises and you check it immediately, it will not come out of your mouth or result in action. So, thought is important. Don't follow your passions or your thoughts in your mind.
You remind each other. The Precepts begin from your thoughts. Purity begins from your thoughts. So, check your own thinking.
Marriage doesn't mean bondage and slavery. Marriage is just a partnership. Each one must encourage the other. Some people misunderstand, and that's why a marriage doesn't work. But you have to be the understanding one and try to reason. Only after numerous trials and trepidations and nothing works out might you consider, for your own spiritual development and safety, which course is appropriate for you and for him.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Five-day International Retreat, Long Beach, CA, U.S.A., December 28, 1996 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 573
So be the one that you desire to have, instead of having the one that you desire. Just be the one. If you want your husband to be romantic, why don't you be that way? Then he will learn, he will cooperate. Or if you want your wife to be nice and romantic, then tell her what you need from her, tell her what you like, or hint in a very special way. Work at your partnership and bring out the best in each other. That is the best.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Five-day International Retreat, Long Beach, CA, U.S.A., December 28, 1996 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 573
Love, like trees and flowers, also needs watering every day, at least in the dry season. Otherwise it dies. People think, oh! I love you, and then it will be forever. No, no. You have to nourish it through devotion, through daily renewal, through appreciation of each other's value and loving kindness, and help your partner to develop the best qualities within him or herself. That's true marriage. That's true partnership.
Q: For enlightenment, is service in love to humanity as important as meditation or is service more important than meditation practice?
M: Both have to go hand in hand. We meditate because we want to do service better, we want to be clearer in what we do. Therefore, we will be more efficient in our work and of more service to others. Without meditation, sometimes we have the very best intentions and we are willing to serve people, but we don't know what is the best way. Therefore, meditation is a helping factor to true selfless service.
Nowadays many sicknesses, different diseases, kill people, about eighteen million a year. Because some of us also don't take precautions to guard our precious body which has been given to us by God to do some mission on earth for some purpose, and also to realize our almighty power. We do something like smoking too much, drinking too much, eating too much flesh, inviting all these bacteria from the flesh into our systems, etc. All these killing factors make our lives a miserable time.
Actually we could live a better life if we organized more, if we appreciated our body more. If we ate just nutritious food for our body, and ate not just because of the taste, and ate just a reasonable amount, then of course, our health wouldn't be so greatly endangered. You see, most vegetarian people become healthier. Is that not so? [Audience: Yes.] Many of you became healthier after receiving initiation and switching to a vegetarian diet. Is that not so? [Audience: Yes.] Actually, the hospitals are full of meat-eating people (laughter). No problem; we can see the proof there.
It's not only because the vegetarian diet is healthy in itself, but because the vibration is very harmonious to our body whereas the vibrations of animals are not that harmonious, not so peaceful. Actually, it's very easy to live a simple, healthy life. There's not so much need for medicine, no need for so many injections. Many of us harm ourselves because we put poisonous substances into our bodies. Otherwise, if we know how to live a simple, nutritious, healthy life, we really don't need doctors so much. And the doctor can have more holidays and both of us can stay healthy.
It doesn't matter if we're right or wrong in war; it always creates misery for both parties. We understand that even our enemies have souls, sentiments, intelligence, compassion and understanding. It's just that we don't sit together and talk. We don't make friends. We're not supposed to make friends with our enemies so we sometimes forget that they're also human like us. Therefore, it's easy to slay someone whom we do not think much of or whom we don't hold in high esteem. ~ Supreme Master Ching Hai
Why do most people reincarnate in the cycle of life and death? It is because they are reluctant to leave this world, and so they want to come back again. There is something that they can't give up, so they want to come back to enjoy it. Or, some people have serious guilty feelings and so they want to come back to repay their debts. However, we no longer have karma! Our past karma has been burned by Master and now we don't create new karma anymore. We keep the Five Precepts and are vegetarian. We don't owe anything in the world. If we earn money for our own use and don't accept any offerings from others, then do we owe anyone? The karma in our storage is very simple to get rid of; a fire can do it. With the San Mei fire (Holy Fire), the whole world can be burned, let alone your little karma.
Only the present is important. In the present and future, we are not creating any new debt so we will not owe anyone. If we are no longer reluctant to leave the world, then why would we want to come back? At the time of dying, although we try our best to think of something that we like, we just can't find anything. What we think of are all very painful and very terrible so that we only want to run away fast. Therefore, spiritual practice is not blindly believing, but is, instead, logical.
Even if you do not believe that I can incinerate your past karma, you still have other logic to believe. For example, a farmer has saved a lot of taros or rice in his storage for the next season's planting, or he has saved the seeds of a new crop. However, when the planting season comes, he does not take them out but keeps them in his storehouse. So, the longer he keeps them in there, the more rotten they become. They can be eaten by insects, become rotten, or be carried away by mice and ants. Then they have no chance to develop and no chance to sprout. No one gives them water, no one gives them enough soil, and there is not enough sunshine. They lack everything. Therefore, they will become rotten themselves.
Similarly, our past karma remains in our memory. When it has a chance to come in contact with the outside, it will develop further. Now, we don't do that anymore and we don't give it any chance to develop. For example, now we no longer make mistakes like we did in the past. In the past, we did many things wrong. If we continue to do a wrong thing now, it will trigger our past mistake and develop into present or future karma. However, we don't do that anymore so that it has no chance, no material and not enough conditions to develop further. Therefore, we should keep the Precepts, we should be vegetarian, and we should meditate. Even though we meditate, we still create a little bit of karma each day. In case we have created new karma carelessly, we can do the Quan Yin to wash it out. Therefore, we are very safe and have no leakage to let the karma sprout.
Q: What do You think of divorce?
M: It's bad; divorce is the last solution of a loving relationship. And it should not happen at all. But it's very difficult to work things out with each other, since men and women are very different. Men are cooler, more straightforward, simple, and women are more sentimental, more romantic. So the warlike and the beauty don't often mix well, but there are many ways to reconcile with each other. There is marriage counseling, and there are books about it. And there is, of course, meditation, which will reconcile a lot of differences. You'll see that both of you will change and get more loving, more understanding and less demanding. And that is if you both are at an almost similar level; otherwise you still have conflicts. But you will still love each other. You will not resort to divorce as much as the other people who do not practice inner peace. They will do it more.
I would not have divorced my husband if I had been enlightened at that time. I tell you, he was the best man, and he still is. But he's someone else's best man now. After enlightenment, you will learn to appreciate your partner more. A lot of a family's conflicts are erased after initiation, if husband and wife meditate together. It really helps because you realize you are both God. The love in you will spring forth, will magnify to cover all the differences between the man and the woman. You'll learn to love each other, and respect each other as God, even. Apart from the physical love, there is another, holy love that will bind you to each other, make you more loving, more responsible and more sensitive to each other's feelings and needs.
We have always looked for peace in this world. Many nations and the United Nations, etc. have tried their best to reconcile broken ties between the countries that are having conflicts with each other - sometimes with success, sometimes without. It's not because the United Nations has not tried its best; it's not because many presidents or politicians are not pure in their motives. It is because many of our brothers and sisters have not truly found peace within themselves, and they are forever still searching for happiness and true peace outside. So long as we still have these brothers and sisters who are trying to look for peace and happiness outside of themselves, we will not have true and everlasting peace in this world. Therefore, most of us know that despite all the finances, all the time, all the energy spent in making world peace, we often fail. Even if we succeed, the outcome is only temporary, or if we succeed in having peace in one country, war will break out in the next country.
Q: How do we begin to rid ourselves of all our attachments that might keep us further away from our spiritual path? Can we become more selfless, and not want to have this and be this?
M: It's difficult if we water the plant from the leaves and not the root. The basis of all this misunderstanding, ignorance, and greed is because it comes from the root. We have not opened the power of understanding; therefore, we misunderstand and we think money will make us happy. We are seeking the Truth, which is eternal happiness, but then we misunderstand; we think money or beautiful girls will make us happy. The true thing that will make us happy, that we seek, is the true happiness: it's the Truth, our real spiritual power, the real God Self, but because we don't know that, we keep wanting this, that and the other. But as soon as your real source of understanding is opened for you, then you will understand differently. You will say, "This is what I want, not that!" Then all these things will fall apart. You don't need to do anything to it - just like watering a plant on the root and then all the leaves will be green.
Pearls of Wisdom Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Washington, D.C., U.S.A., December 25, 1997 (Originally in English)
To be detached doesn't mean that you become a stone or wooden statue. Being detached means that you have to do what you have to, but that it is not important. If you don't have to, or if you can't do it, it is okay, too. If you have to do it, you do it and then forget about it. You don't kill yourself over some problem of the world or a personal setback. You try to solve your problem as best as you can at that moment. Maybe tomorrow you will see things differently, and then you will do it differently. Today, you see it that way, and you do it that way. But then you are not overly grieved about this thing, and you forget it. We do still have sorrow, happiness, stress and all that; but the thing is that we forget it quickly; we overcome it fast.
More detachment comes later; as the days pass by, you become more detached in a very subtle way. So, even though sometimes you are angry or you are crying, you feel that you are very detached from that emotion. You still let the emotion show, but you are detached from it. In the depths of your heart, you know this is nothing. "I can cry, but I can also stop. And why should I stop? Why should I make the effort or take the trouble to stop?" If you need to stop, then you stop, and if you need to cry, just cry. You know that you are in control of that emotion. It is okay. To be detached means that you see yourself cry, but then you aren't overwhelmed by it. You let it be. You don't make it a more important issue and cling to that crying or that sadness all the time. Just let it be, and then move on.
One person makes a lot of difference. If you truly believe in your goodness, in what you are doing, you will influence other people; but if you don't believe, they will influence you. They'll try to make a strong person out of your personality. Whatever you believe is good, stick to it and don't let other people make you waver. A good example in this world is rare, so make yourself a good example. Try your best in everything so people will know that because you practice, you have become better. Then you really are being useful for society. That's how you prove it; that's how you help other people; that's how we rescue the world from the great destruction that may be coming.
Q: Why do people who have done no prior practice receive this enlightenment?
M: There are many reasons, the most important reason being sincerity. Maybe that person was an atheist, but at that moment, he was sincere. Maybe he had encountered hardships in life and was pushed into a corner with nowhere to turn, and God blessed him when he could not think of anything else to do except to pray inside with extreme sincerity.
Also, there is another reason; it is that maybe he just met an enlightened person on the street; maybe he encountered a Master going shopping, but he never knew it. Then he carried the blessing with him, and when he sat in church in quietude and concentration, he would see that. He didn't know the Master had helped him. It was not the church; otherwise, all the people there would see the same thing or at least something similar. One who has no experience in spirituality, but has an experience like yesterday at the initiation, obviously has been blessed with the Master Power. Practically everyone who was initiated experienced something when asked whether they had seen or experienced anything.
Of course, because we don't know what the Master is, we feel surprised. But there is more than just that. When we go inside in the higher spiritual hierarchy, we discover more and more about what the Master is. The higher our level, the more knowledge about the Master we will have. Most of the Masters are very casual. A real Master is like a child, very normal, and sometimes looks stupid or very innocent, but the greatness of the Master lies inside - the Master can destroy hell and open the gates of heaven to anyone who wishes to follow or who asks for the help of the Master.
Anything can happen when you encounter a Master. For example, if someone sees a Master only on the street and looks at the eyes for one fraction of a second, even just one fraction of a second, then when that person dies, the Master will help him also. Beginning from that day, his karma will slowly be changed; the Master tries to purify that person until death and then will take him to heaven.
There is no measure of a person who is called Master, no measure of the power. That is why the people who come to any Master of that high degree have experiences without prior knowledge or spirituality, without any preparation, without even following a vegetarian diet. They just ate their last piece of beefsteak in the restaurant, came to the lecture, got initiation, and went to heaven.
Marriage means partnership in trying to improve each other's life, trying to support each other's ideals, and trying to make our lives nobler.Aphorisms
The Ego Arises from Habits
Where does the ego come from? We can say the ego is a kind of personality, a personal mental attitude. Where does the personality come from? The personality is nothing great; it's not our original Self; nor is it our enlightened God Nature. It's just our personality, born from habits that are continuously accumulated. Every time we're born, whether as a human, a wild animal, a Heavenly being, a hell being, a domestic animal or a demon, we possess certain habits. Each kind of being has its own particular habits and they are all learned.
For example, if we were tigers, of course, we'd be fierce. Every day we'd hunt for food and kill animals. This is how we'd live in that lifetime. Then if we were immediately reborn as a human after dying as a tiger, traces of our vicious animal nature would remain. We'd have a violent temper, love to devour meat and be very vicious. We wouldn't be easily compatible with others or forgiving, and we'd enjoy squabbling and always overdoing in trivial matters.
If after our life as a tiger was over we were reborn as another kind of animal, perhaps a more benign one like a lamb, of course, we'd "baah" our way through life and be very benign. Even if the tiger's qualities were still in the animal that we had become, it would have little chance to manifest. We'd gradually forget them and then this vicious nature would diminish. We'd stop killing and eating meat. Our animal qualities and killing instinct would diminish. If, after we left the body of the lamb we were reborn as another lamb, we'd become even more benign and "baah" our way sweetly through another life.
If we were reborn as a human being after our life as a lamb had ended, of course we'd look rather sheepish. We'd be very benign, and we wouldn't look very awful. We'd be docile and easily controlled and we wouldn get along with others! Our palate would be easily satisfied. We might prefer to eat weeds, and go looking for leafy or wild vegetables. Thus we can see that each person has his own distinct personality since each collects different habits.
During our incarnations as animals, should we die as a tiger and be reborn repeatedly as another tiger or as some other fierce beast such as a wolf or snake before we were finally reborn as a human, our qualities would not be much different than that of a demon. That's why we find that some people are very fierce for no reason, and communication with them is almost impossible. It's because they've just transitioned from the life of an animal and taken on a new body. They've been reborn repeatedly as an animal, and very often, as a fierce beast. This isn't coincidental. Otherwise, why isn't everyone reborn as an animal, while continuing to be reborn as a fierce beast? It's probably because before they took the animal form, they had incurred lots of bad karma, having taken too many lives or been forced into the situation by destiny and letting violence overtake them.
For instance, we know that some criminals are imprisoned. The government's original intention in doing so was to teach them a lesson and give them a chance to repent, rectify their lives and become benevolent. However, they get worse in prison. Out of wrath, some try to escape and seek revenge when they succeed. They commit more crimes and it becomes increasingly difficult for them to pull themselves out of the situation. They may encounter unpleasant situations in prison and may misinterpret other people's good intentions. Sometimes their inferiority complex may mislead them into believing that they've been ill-treated though the police treat everyone equally. This feeling may intensify in their heart and they may seek vengeance when they get out by commit more serious crimes, thus end up receiving a harsher punishment. This harsh punishment in turn evokes greater hatred in them, which causes them to fall further until they finally become truly difficult or impossible to reform.
When we're fierce beasts, we're steeped in karma. Should we fall into such a situation, if we fail to reform or repent and continue to commit more vicious acts, we'll remain permanently at the animal level and have much difficulty rising to the human level again. Even if we wanted to become humans, it would take many, many lifetimes before we could succeed.
When we're tigers, we collect a tiger's qualities, vicious actions and habits. Our magnetic field becomes a vicious aura. And when we become human, this magnetic field is registered in our so-called Alaya consciousness, where the good and bad thoughts and deeds of our past lives are recorded. With its massive recordings, it reacts spontaneously to similar situations. This means that if a person or situation stimulates us, that quality immediately emerges because we forget that we're now humans, not tigers.
If we humans want to avoid such situations, we should check for the animal-like qualities that we possess. And then we'll know that we have very heavy karma. But what is karma? In the past we collected many habits. As we transmigrate, we collect and record far too many vicious actions, just as on a recording tape. When the button is pressed, it plays back. And what's this button? It's the opportunities or occasions we encounter that turn the recordings on automatically.
So sometimes we're very fierce to people, but we don't know why. It's because the button has been pressed. A particular person happens to say something that we'd heard in the past when those words upset us. Now when we hear something similar, we immediately get upset. Or perhaps in previous lives when we were humans or animals, someone set traps for us. Now, whenever we see something that resembles such traps, just in appearance, we become afraid. We have no idea why a particular kind of box terrifies us. Some boxes look similar to the traps that we encountered in our past lives so we dread and abhor them. That's why some people prefer round furniture, or hate square furniture or like triangular furniture. This is all related to past life impressions.
The conditions that we like, dislike, abhor or love constitute what's called the ego. "I" only like it this way; this suits "my" taste- this is called "ego." The "ego" means the personality. Such and such is "my" habit; this is what "I" think; "I" can't change; "I" don't want to change, or this is what "I" am and "I" can't change! This is called the ego, but in fact, the ego is the personality; it's nothing mysterious or incomprehensible.
Only the Vibration of Sound Meditation Can Cleanse Karma
To stop ourselves from getting more steeped in karma, we have to avoid our habits and prevent them from emerging. If a habit emerges, it will grow stronger, and we'll become even more irascible. For instance, in past lives, we may have been wrongly accused of committing crimes that we didn't commit. And we may have been beaten and painfully hurt, or persecuted by those in power. Then in our current life, we might meet someone who persecutes or hurts us for justifiable reasons. In fact, we're in the wrong, and it's right for him or her to persecute us. However, someone had wrongly accused and persecuted us in our past lives and we hated it. And when we encounter a similar situation again, we can't tolerate it and attempt to take revenge or counteractions. Thus, we deepen the animosity in our heart and let the malicious atmosphere grow denser and stronger. In the end, it forms our spiteful personality. So if we want to avoid this situation, whenever we want to take revenge on people, we should immediately tell ourselves: "Will tit for tat ever end?"
Each time we perform an action or learn a new idea, a new channel is created in our brains for storing the new material. This is for storing animosity, that's for love, this is for jealousy, and that's for fame and profit. Each spot is taken up by a different quality. The more habits we have, the more boxes or channels fill our brains.Originally, these boxes or channels can disintegrate by themselves. It's very simple. If there's nothing inside, they'll fuse together and be reduced to nothing. However, there's a substance called "gray matter" in our brains that fills these channels or boxes. All new ideas and actions are registered in the gray matter, which fills up the empty channels in the brain, much like a computer that maintains records exclusively.
We can never erase the things or qualities that we've newly learned. So we have to practice the Quan Yin Method to flush away the bad habits inside. There's no other way to cleanse them! You've often heard about brainwashing a person, but brainwashing with words is not thorough enough. Our brains are very small, yet they can record everything, in infinite volumes. That's the trouble. Having recorded too much, it can't be erased quickly enough. We have distracting thoughts every day, all because we record too many things.
Therefore, if I'm now brainwashing you with words, I'm merely adding more channels and boxes. It's futile! You're already filled with old preconceptions and ideas. If I add more new ones, they'll simply mingle with the old, and it will be useless. The old ones will continue to function while new ones develop, and it only becomes more complicated.
That's why I say, "Truly, spiritual cultivation requires no language!" So during transmission of the Quan Yin Method, I don't speak and make no new additions. I'm chatting with you now only because there are knots and problems within you so I have to explain a little to solve your inner conflicts. Otherwise, I don't speak. Why do I have to talk so much? You already know more than enough. For instance, if you're not Buddhists and know nothing about the Nirvana Sutra or Diamond Sutra, you will not ask me questions about the scriptures, and I too will not need to speak so much to explain things to you. I speak a lot because you speak a lot. You've gathered too much garbage so I have to use many ways to remove and incinerate it.
So the Quan Yin Method isn't words; it's the vibrations, the electric current, the God-power that cleanses our distracting thoughts and wrong ideas. It doesn't add any channels or boxes inside us. That's because, if we want to use a certain thought to eliminate another thought, there will be resistance. It doesn't mean the old thought is cleansed! No, we're simply adding another one. Consequently, it becomes more crowded and we become more agitated. Therefore, all great spiritual Masters say, "The more learned and knowledgeable one is, the more difficult it is for one to attain the Truth." We simply heap things within us, squeezing them together until nothing can develop. Good and bad things mingle together. The good things cannot develop, and the bad things cannot be cleansed; it becomes heavily congested. Now you understand why the more learned one is, the more difficult it is to become enlightened!
So only the Quan Yin Method is logical for it's not Zen riddles or some kind of chant, which will only add more to our brains. Instead, we cleanse it. That's why I tell you that, although I've instructed you to recite the Holy Names and meditate on the Light, it's not effective if you don't practice "Sound meditation." This is so because chanting the Holy Names and meditating on the Light also add extra things; although these additives can control other things and make us forget worldly vexations. Suppose we're angry with someone and want to get even or scold him. Now when we recite the Holy Names, we forget the hostility. It means that we can use these benevolent Holy Names to control our distracting thoughts and stop them from troubling us. It doesn't mean that they've vanished, or been cleansed by chanting the Holy Names or Amitabha Buddha. No! We add tens of thousands of repetitions of the Holy Names every day, to control the distracting thoughts. After that, we should use the "Sound meditation" to erase them, including the Holy Names! (Applause) I'm very glad that you understand.
That's why I say, if someone doesn't practice Sound meditation every day and yet claims that he's been completely enlightened or become a Buddha, he's lying. Some people also say that when one becomes a Buddha, meditation becomes unnecessary. It means not doing the ordinary kind of meditation, where we tax our brains chanting the Holy Names, just reciting two names and forgetting the rest, or reciting one and forgetting the other four, or reciting the first and forgetting the fifth, or struggling with distracting thoughts. "Good grief! I have so many distracting thoughts. My God! I hate that person. My God! Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha. Good grief! That person is really disgusting. Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha.... Oh! I'll surely get even with him tomorrow. Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha...." Oh! What a painful struggle it is. This is called meditation because we're training our minds and suppressing our distracting thoughts, hatred and habits.
Buddhas Are in Constant Meditation
It's not true that a person doesn't meditate after becoming a Buddha, but he meditates without struggling. He still meditates without having to sit in meditation so we say he doesn't meditate. Now, when we meditate, we know that we're meditating. A Buddha doesn't know that he's meditating; he meditates effortlessly. This is what Lao Tze meant by "doing without doing." He didn't mean that we should sit the whole day long, remaining oblivious to the world, not managing the country, not taking care of the family, not bathing our body or doing the laundry and not even eating. This isn't "doing without doing"; it's being insane. (Laughter) Thus, when some people say that once we become a Buddha we don't need to meditate anymore and instead we just enjoy gambling and singing karaoke all day long, this is becoming the devil. This is becoming a negative Buddha instead of a Buddha like the Amitabha Buddha.
So when you notice that someone isn't meditating or reciting the Holy Names, you know he's ignorant. This is only befitting for the lowest Astral realm; he's been deceived! A Buddha (Enlightened Master) doesn't meditate, yet he does meditate. Why? He has to bless the world; he has to bless his disciples. If even we ordinary humans can derive such great merit from meditation, imagine what happens when a Buddha meditates. He can't shirk his responsibility. If a Buddha comes here and doesn't meditate, then what does he want to do? Besides, he also needs to replenish his inner spirit and vitality. Don't we feel physically comfortable and mentally happy when we meditate? Though we don't have a desire for inner levels, we attain them all the same!
We cannot remain physically healthy just by eating. Many people eat, yet their bodies are weak. For us, we only have to meditate for an hour or two, and we're happy in spirit, and can work tirelessly throughout the day. Therefore, even a Buddha needs to meditate to restore his power. Eating food alone cannot sustain his body. If he were only an ordinary person, then even if he ate a lot, he still wouldn't be able to take on the numerous responsibilities of a Buddha. Since a Buddha eats very little and has to shoulder so many responsibilities, how can he not meditate?
He does meditate, except that he doesn't struggle hard like we do or meditate with so much effort. A Buddha meditates in a very relaxed way. He enters samadhi soon after he begins to meditate and he's in samadhi even when he's not meditating! He's in samadhi twenty-four hours a day and he can meditate at any time. This is called meditating without meditating. Spiritual cultivation is not all about meditation. Even then, he still meditates to set an example for his disciples. Otherwise, everyone would think that he had become a Buddha and didn't need to meditate anymore, but just enjoyed worldly pleasures. In that case, everyone would be the same, and everyone could do it. Since there would be no need to meditate, lazy people could also claim that they had become Buddhas. What a wonderful excuse! No way!
Remember that after Shakyamuni Buddha became a Buddha, He meditated every day. That's why the scriptures mention that every time Shakyamuni Buddha came out of samadhi, He would begin to give a discourse to His disciples. They never mention Him giving a discourse after coming out of the washroom, or after enjoying karaoke, singing, dancing or gambling. Never! Therefore, reading the scriptures without really understanding them will bring us harm. Our spiritual practice will be impaired. We'll boast and thirst for fame and gain, and thus hurt ourselves.
Humility Is the Most Important Element in Spiritual Practice
So humility is the most important element in spiritual practice. Anyone who tests our patience is our teacher; people who beat and scold us are our teachers, training our tolerance and giving us a chance to reflect. This is also good. It's not bad unless such actions hurt the public, then we must try to stop them. If he's only testing us, then let him test us to the end; the harder it is, the better it is for us. Gold shines more radiantly when tempered in fire. Genuine gold fears no fire!
I'm not just telling you this; I practice what I say. I have to do it because I'm your example. So, don't ask me why I'm totally unmoved when people slander me. If I can't even tolerate that, then what can I tolerate? How can I teach people to be tolerant? Unless it causes harm to the public or other people, then I'll think of a way to stop it. If it hurts only me, it's all right!
Now you know what the ego is and how to eliminate it. Don't allow your ego to grow stronger and confine you like a wall. As such, you'll believe that you're this person and this is what you are. That's the ego. You'll just carry on and do the same wrong things, and subsequently, you'll become even worse. If no one stops it for you, you'll become worse. You'll think that it's fine and feel happy about it. Finally, it will become a habit, just like smoking and drinking. Though you know that it's bad for your body, you'll still become heavily addicted to the habit as you drink more and smoke more.
This is why we must learn to be humble. We shouldn't add more to the habits that we've accumulated through many lifetimes, and we shouldn't let them grow stronger until they become irreparable later. We already have a great many bad habits. If we don't minimize them but add more, how can we handle them? There's no way to minimize them even if we want to. When can we finish reducing them? We've collected so much. It's already difficult enough for us to avoid getting more, not to mention that we need to erase those firm habits, and even traditions, that we've gathered through many lifetimes! That's why we have to use this supra-worldly power, the vibrations of the Sound meditation, to cleanse them quickly. Ordinary brainwashing is useless. Only practicing the Sound meditation is the true "brainwashing."
You ask me how to avoid the ego. I advise you to do more Sound meditation. If you're aware, endeavor to check and control yourself. Don't add more to or repeat the habit. If you can avoid it, then stop. If we're not aware of our ego, then there's nothing we can do. That's even worse. We must do more Sound meditation! Do more Sound meditation! Do more Sound meditation! It cleanses us automatically; there's no other way. (Applause) Now you realize that the Quan Yin Method is truly great! Without it, we can never cleanse our myriad habits!
Our meditation is the best way to cure illnesses, including our mental illnesses, karmic illnesses and physical illnesses. All can be healed. Why are they all cured when we editate? It is because we have returned to our original Self; orgetting our worldly identities such as Mr. Wang or Mrs. Liu, we have resumed our original form.
Our original Self is never born, nor does it die, and it is neither filthy nor clean. Therefore, when we return to this original source of not living or dying, our body also becomes more inclined to not living or dying. However, because we do not meditate enough, naturally, we cannot make up for the causation of living and death. Otherwise, we can also become immortal and forever young.
You're the best doctor for yourself if you think positively and live a healthy, simple life.
I remember I have a home remedy. Toast with black pepper and concentrated soy sauce can cure diarrhea. Add black pepper according to taste. Either black or white pepper powder is okay. Cook it in soy sauce until it becomes thick like a paste, like a spread. And then, spread it on the toast or dip the toast in the paste, and eat it. This stops diarrhea immediately. When you burn the toast black or very, very brown, it becomes like carbon and absorbs the poison. When you cook the soy sauce until it becomes concentrated, it becomes a paste. You put some black pepper powder in it and it warms the stomach inside, because when you have diarrhea, your stomach is cold. The black pepper also has a disinfecting quality. So I just eat the toast with that, and then, top it with congee, that is, rice soup, and the diarrhea stops immediately. Or you can drink some ginger tea, that is, ginger powder in water. All these combinations will certainly cure diarrhea immediately.
Q: Dear Master, I always wonder how to love others wholeheartedly and receive the same treatment.
M: Well, you can love people, but people might not love you. So the best thing is to just love them with no expectations. Then you will not feel hurt. That's difficult in marriage. It's very difficult to love some people that you do not know, so the best is that you love someone that you know wholeheartedly and devotedly as best as you can and sincerely. There's no need to show off too much, but if you love someone, just say so. And show it, because sometimes people think, "Oh, I love him, I love her; I don't have to say it, she will know; he will feel it." Feeling and hearing are different. We have many organs: smelling, seeing, and hearing, and so we love to see and hear as well. Most men do not show emotion and this is why sometimes a marriage doesn't last, does not feel very solid, does not feel very secure; the husband does not show his emotions. It is better that we show each other that we appreciate each other before it's too late.
Love your family members wholeheartedly; sacrifice for them whenever necessary; do everything you can in your power to help them and to let them know that you love them. And to other members of humankind, just show your love universally, and help whoever needs your help. That is the way of love. You don't have to hug everyone on the street, just to show your big love. I don't hug people that easily. Except that I do sometimes to the disciples and when I see poor people, I have to hug them more. I don't know why; something pushes you; something inside just makes you feel you want to do it. And you don't even think; you don't have time to think about it at that moment.
When I see poor people, not only do I feel like giving money, but with their fate, their miserable condition, I don't mind anything - I could kiss them, hug them all day long, no problem. Or prisoners, or sometimes the more dreaded people, I just don't think. I cannot think anymore at that moment. I just feel, "They need something; they need my love." I feel something urging inside that makes me do it spontaneously. And that is the time you should show; at that moment it is really true love. You cannot reason anymore. You cannot tell yourself to stop or you cannot tell yourself to do it. You cannot tell yourself why you want to hug. There is no more reason; no more thinking, you just do it. If such a thing happens, then you know that that is true love; that is spontaneous love. There's nothing to talk about. Otherwise, if we sit here and reason about how to love people, that's nonsense. You can't teach anyone to love anyone.
Q: What is "immediate enlightenment?"
M: Enlightenment implies light. When anyone helps you to see Light from heaven immediately, that is called immediate enlightenment. That's what we help people to do. When people can see Light or hear the heavenly music, it means the message of God. It's what is called the "Word" in the Bible: ... and the Word was God, and the Word was with God... Remember? The Word is what we can hear from God. The moment we hear that, it is called the moment of enlightenment. It's difficult to hear the Word from God, the message from God, and it's difficult to see Light. Nevertheless, some people see them in deep prayer, in deep sorrow, or in a blackout kind of situation where they contact with the higher world instead of this physical world, but rarely. So when you cannot see the Light or hear the message of God yourself, you need to find someone who can help you to do it quicker. That is called the process of seeking the Truth, seeking the teacher. Whoever can help you to see the Light and hear the Sound immediately, that is a so-called spiritual teacher.
To be detached doesn't mean that you become a stone or wooden statue. Being detached means that you have to do what you have to, but that it is not important. If you don't have to, or if you can't do it, it is okay, too. If you have to do it, you do it and then forget about it. You don't kill yourself over some problem of the world or a personal setback. You try to solve your problem as best as you can at that moment. Maybe tomorrow you will see things differently, and then you will do it differently. Today, you see it that way, and you do it that way. But then you are not overly grieved about this thing, and you forget it. We do still have sorrow, happiness, stress and all that; but the thing is that we forget it quickly; we overcome it fast.
More detachment comes later; as the days pass by, you become more detached in a very subtle way. So, even though sometimes you are angry or you are crying, you feel that you are very detached from that emotion. You still let the emotion show, but you are detached from it. In the depths of your heart, you know this is nothing. "I can cry, but I can also stop. And why should I stop? Why should I make the effort or take the trouble to stop?" If you need to stop, then you stop, and if you need to cry, just cry. You know that you are in control of that emotion. It is okay. To be detached means that you see yourself cry, but then you aren't overwhelmed by it. You let it be. You don't make it a more important issue and cling to that crying or that sadness all the time. Just let it be, and then move on.
Q: Will intimacy with our marriage partner who has not received initiation weigh down our level and affect the progress of our practice?
A: To practice the Quan Yin Method is to do what the saints do: we should share the good atmosphere obtained through practice to help purify the hearts of others. Therefore we should not mind that our relatives and spouses are not initiated, but rather we need to show more love and patience, sharing with them any merits we have gained from our spiritual practice. It will be fine for us if we meditate more. If we only care about our level of practice and do not have compassion and love for even our dearest relatives, then we are no longer Truth practitioners.
Q: Is praying meditation?
M: Yes, it's a kind of meditation. But praying is only one-way meditation. We talk to God: "Oh God, please do this!" But we don't hear what Hes says. That's why it's one-way. Meditation is two-way communication. We offer our pain, our sorrow, our happiness and our gratitude to God. And Hes in turn lets us know what we should do next. We have communication and we have a connection with God. Praying is just the talk of one person; we don't hear what God says at all. But in meditation, we hear; we know. Hes guides us. Hes brightens our life with thousands of suns inside. Hes makes us shining, loving, wise, humorous and beautiful, inside and out. That's the difference.
An Indian farmer and his child were toiling in the fields. It was almost dark by the time they had finished their work and the farmer said to the child, "Wow! It's getting dark! Quickly pack up the tools and run. Let's run quickly!"
"Relax. We're not far from home and we know the way home. Why are you in such a panic?" asked the child.
"There's something you don't know. I'm generally fearless. I'm not afraid of tigers or lions. I'm only afraid of the night. When the night comes, I'm completely powerless. The night is most terrifying to me. I'm really frightened of it. I can't stand it," answered the farmer.
It so happened that a lion was hiding nearby and overheard their conversation. "What's this thing called 'the night'? How could it be more fearful than I am? I must find out about it," the lion mused as it moved closer to the farmer, hoping to learn more about this "night" that was even more frightening than itself.
Then darkness fell and the farsighted farmer couldn't see nearby objects clearly. He only saw the vague outline of an animal approaching, thought it was the donkey he had recently lost, and beat the lion several times, saying, "I've been looking for you all day. Where have you been? How dare you come back so late?"
"This is the end of me," the lion thought with regret. "How could I have been so stupid as to come so close to this thing called 'the night' that beat me just now? It's really horrifying. What should I do now?" As these thoughts flashed through the lion's mind, the farmer again slapped it several times, urging it to go home with him. The petrified lion then obediently followed the farmer back to his house.
It was even darker when they reached home. Since the farmer continued to mistake the lion for his donkey, he tied it in a corner outside his house before he went to bed. That night, the lion stayed out in the cold, starving, petrified and not knowing what to expect of "the night" when morning dawned. It believed that the farmer was "the night."
Early the next morning, before dawn broke, the farmer got up and took his "donkey" to the fields. On the way, another lion passed by and found it hilarious to see a lion obediently following a farmer. It then approached the captive lion and asked, "What are you doing? Why are you walking behind this man?"
"Shh! Keep your voice down and leave quickly. Don't you know that this being walking in front is something called 'the night.' He's very terrible. Last night, he beat me and shackled me, leaving me cold and starving the entire night. I have no idea where he's taking me now. Run along or your life will be in danger!"
After hearing this story, the other lion said, "You're incredible. You idiot! You're a lion, the king of animals! You've been deceived! Just roar at him now and you'll know who is more terrifying." The lion accepted his advice and roared loudly, so the farmer took a closer look. Now that the sky had become brighter, he saw that it was a lion. Wow! He bolted like lightning, and the lion was free again.
The moral of this story is that we humans have wisdom, immense power and status. However, if we're stupid, ignorantly follow the Prince of the Devils, and are thus controlled by karma, we can't possibly be liberated. However, if another soul who knows who he is and is not afraid comes to teach us what to do, we can be liberated. This is what an Enlightened Master does.
There's a similar Aulacese story that I may as well tell you.
A farmer and his buffalo had a hard day plowing the fields. Both were exhausted, but since the work wasn't finished, the farmer beat the buffalo repeatedly, urging it to work faster. The buffalo was panting, with saliva dripping from its mouth and its tongue hanging out, and it was almost breathless, yet it still had to work ceaselessly.
A tiger was hunting for food nearby and saw the man and the buffalo, but couldn't decide which one to eat first. As it looked on, its curiosity was aroused. "This is strange! How could it happen?" It decided to postpone its meal and continue its observation. The buffalo was so huge and strong, yet it was subservient to a little farmer and obeyed its instructions. It dared not resist even when beaten. The tiger was baffled and dared not take a chance for fear of a hidden mystery.
After some time, the farmer stopped for a rest and found a place to take his meal and nap. The tiger then quietly approached the buffalo, which could only take a break and eat some hay during that time. The tiger came closer and shook its head, saying to itself, "How pitiful! It works so hard and yet eats so little. I really don't have the heart to eat it!" It came up to the buffalo and asked, "Excuse me! I don't mean to offend you, but I really must ask. You're so huge and strong and you have two sharp horns. You can kill the farmer with one kick. So why do you obey him? You've toiled for half a day. He beats you and you still continue to work. Only now has he given you a break but he only feeds you hay. What kind of animal are you? Why are you afraid of him? He's many times smaller than you!"
You have no idea. I'm stronger and bigger than he is, but this little man has a very terrific weapon," said the buffalo. "I have no choice but to obey him because his weapon is truly powerful! Don't ask any more questions because you're filling me with shame. We don't have this weapon and that's why we're inferior to him!"
Then the tiger became even more curious and said, "Oh! Please! Please tell me. I've never heard about this. I've never been here before and have never seen such things!"
The buffalo took its time chewing the grass, and then closed its eyes and said, "Aah! Why must you ask about this?"
"I want to learn. This is a rare opportunity!" The tiger implored the buffalo. "I may not run into the same situation again. I usually stay in the mountains and have never seen this. I have the chance to see it only because I ventured down here today!"
"Since you're so sincere, I'll tell you!" said the buffalo. "The weapon is wisdom. Since humans have this thing called wisdom as their weapon, we animals are all dominated by them, no matter how big, fierce or strong we are. Do you understand?"
"No! I've never heard of it!"
"All right! Enough!" the buffalo continued. "Please stop annoying me and let me take a nap!"
The tiger then pondered for a long time, thinking, "What exactly is this weapon that's so powerful? I must see it. My mother never told me about it. If I can learn about it, I'll be more powerful than anyone, including my grandma, grandpa, dad and mom because they don't know about such a thing. We were never taught about this weapon in school."
Next the tiger waited patiently for the farmer to return. Though it remained skeptical, never having been conquered by any other animal before, fear stirred its heart and generated in it some respect for human beings. When the farmer arrived, the tiger held its forepaws together and respectfully asked him, "I heard that you have a 'weapon of wisdom' that gives you control over everything, including huge, strong animals like me. I beg you to let me take a look at it. I've never seen such a thing. Besides, I'm still skeptical about what I've heard. Your body is very small so how can you carry such a big weapon that allows you to control enormous animals like us?"
"Of course, this weapon is so big that I can't carry it with me all the time, so I left it at home," said the farmer.
"Will you please go home and bring it here so I can have a look?" asked the tiger.
"Of course, but I think this is a hoax. You don't really want to see my weapon. You only want me to go home so you can eat or abduct my buffalo," said the farmer. "What if I don't find you or the buffalo when I return carrying the huge 'weapon of wisdom' with such great effort? I won't do it."
"That's not true. I sincerely want to see your 'weapon of wisdom.' I've never seen it before. Oh, please! Go home and bring it here so I can take a look," the tiger begged. "Really, I'm not deceiving you. I won't eat your buffalo. I'll wait for you here."
"All right, if you want me to believe you, then you have to let me bind you to a tree before I go home to fetch it. Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll do something evil after I leave," said the farmer.
"Of course, that's no problem! Tie me up quickly," said the tiger, extending its legs and allowing the farmer to tie them to a tree trunk with rattan. And before the farmer walked away, the tiger even urged him, "Please come back soon!"
The farmer did return very quickly with a huge stick. "This is my wisdom," he said, as he killed the tiger with the stick.
The on-looking buffalo laughed until it was breathless! It laughed so hard that its head rolled back and forth, hitting a rock and knocking out its teeth. Since that day, old buffaloes have been without teeth. This is one of our Aulacese stories, very similar to the previous one about the lion, though the moral is not very similar.
Therefore, we humans are truly the masters of all animals. We're honored to be the king of animals. Originally, God told us to take care of the animals, but in the end we dominate them instead. Good grief! We're truly "honored!" So these are our stories. The story about "the night" is lovelier, isn't it?
Q: I'm a new initiate here this week, and I'm lacking a little understanding on one thing regarding group meditation. Since our meditation is something between us individually and God, what really is the value or benefit of group meditation?
M: It's because the same energy is helping each other. Sometimes it even helps physically. For example, if you sit alone at home, you tend to laze around, wander or lie down whenever your body dictates. But in group meditation, since everyone is sitting, you feel uncomfortable lying down. So it helps in that way. And sometimes you lack the effort to meditate. But in a group, you feel more supported. Just like in playing football or anything else: It's your own business to be a good football player. You have to train yourself and make your own effort. But in a group, you train better. It's the same with everything. We need to have a supporting environment to do anything successfully; that's all. Otherwise, we are God already! What need is there to meditate to find God? But this is the way we play around, so we just do it.
As we all know, most sickness comes from eating meat because of the antibiotics fed to animals, because of the anxiety that produces toxins in an animal's meat. Because we eat all these antibiotics, our body loses its self-resistance to disease. Our body normally can fight disease, but because we're fed so much antibiotic-filled meat, our body becomes weakened, and the resistance system goes out of order. Therefore, any kind of disease affects us and ends our lives. It's a pity.
Now, most people think that if we pray to Jesus or Buddha, that's enough. But I think we should add to it meditation and a virtuous, wholesome way of life. Then we speed up our wisdom and liberation. For example, if we practice together in our method, which we call the Quan Yin Method, just listen to the instructions of God within, see the wisdom of God with a Heavenly eye and keep a vegetarian diet and a virtuous way of life then we fear no sickness. Many of our initiates overcome sicknesses overnight. I mean dangerous ones normally needing operations or resulting in death. Some people just come back from the death bed, out of the power of their virtuous life and the power of the Godhead that protects them. If we open this power within through a correct technique, then that power which we call the Buddha Nature or Buddha within us or God within us will protect us twenty-four hours a day, and will protect us even after we leave this body.
Q: If we get everything from our Master, is practicing our meditation the best way we can compensate?
M: Yes, that's the best for world, for yourself, and for the Master. The more you meditate, the more wisdom you have, the more peace you feel, and the more detachment you grow into. You live in the world, but you don't feel attached to the world. And you forgive people easily, because you're contented within. Before initiation or before practicing meditation, if someone scolded you, you felt very upset or angry, but now sometimes you don't care that much. Sometimes you just smile away. Maybe you react, but not with anger like before. Sometimes you might pretend to be angry just to suit the circumstance, but you're not truly very deeply hurt like before. Sometimes you might cry or laugh like before, but your crying and laughing are not the same anymore, not so deeply emotional. We cry and laugh just like it rains - it must rain or it must shine - without attachment. Even if we have anger or an emotional upheaval, it's just very short, and not for so many long days like before. If you feel this, that's the mark of your success in meditation. That's a great improvement - not vision, not magical power, not riches, not healing powers and all those sorts of things. No, these are not important. Love is important. If you feel your love inside that emanates toward all beings and you feel peace within yourself, these are what's most important.
People make war with each other because they identify too much with their bodies, with the immediate needs and all the demands of their bodies. Therefore, they kill each other. The only solution to this problem is to find a way to realize that we are not our bodies, and therefore no one opposes us and we are in no danger economically or politically. Enlightenment is the true and lasting answer; otherwise, we will continue to identify with our bodies and try to fulfill the needs of the body out of worry that other people will come and steal our crops, take our wives, or invade our nations.
Some nations make war with each other because they want to expand their economic power. In order to feed their overpopulated countries, they fight to gain more land, to gain more of the economic market, etc. It all has to do with the body. Even though we say it is differences in ideals, it all amounts to bodily demands. If we become enlightened, these wars will stop by themselves. We will realize truly the brotherhood of humankind.
Human beings are the most precious and wisest beings in the world. Therefore, you can go to school at such a young age, understand what the teachers teach, and become increasingly intelligent and better. If you were to put a bird in school, would it learn anything? (Children: No.) However, we humans should be worthy of our behavior, otherwise, we're no better than animals.
We humans also have the qualities of animals; for example, when we enjoy bullfighting or cockfighting. What do we look like when we sleep too much? (Children: Pigs.) And what do we look like when we eat too much? (Children: Pigs.) Still pigs? (Laughter) Are pigs so bad? They have both of these qualities. (Laughter) I mean we human beings also have animals' qualities, but that doesn't mean we are lousy. Why do we have these animals' qualities? It's because we have bodies like theirs. Animals also have eyes, noses, ears, and mouths. Some animals also have hands, and some don't have hands, but they have wings. So, we just cann't get away from animals' qualities.
However, human beings have an advantage: We can control these qualities, increase or decrease them, depending on how strong our willpower is. For example, sometimes when we eat too much, we can retrospect and tell ourselves, "Oh, you don't have to eat so much. Eat just enough! Otherwise, you will soon get sleepy, or you may lose concentration in school. When the teacher teaches, you will begin to snore." We can warn ourselves like this, and then we'll eat less. Or when it's time to go to school, but we have not had breakfast, we can tell ourselves, "It's time to go to school. That's more important. I can eat when I have time."
But a pig can't do that. If a pig goes to school, it has to eat until it's full before it's willing to go. Even if you put the food aside, it will rush to get it. Therefore, although we humans have animals' qualities, we still have wisdom and willpower, with which we can control ourselves and develop other good qualities in ourselves. But animals can't do that, not even the intelligent ones. They can't learn as much as we humans can.
People are different in terms of intelligence and talents. Some are smart; others are awkward. The difference comes from their knowledge or inborn talents. Some are born clever; some have to study long to catch up; others are still awkward even if they go to school. Although they can become a little more intelligent than before, the difference is barely perceptible because they don't study hard.
However, since we practice spiritually, we understand everything very quickly. That's why some schools also teach their students meditation. But the meditation has to be very short, because they are mostly not vegetarians. Of course, they practice ordinary methods only. But they still benefit a lot, even if they practice like that. Their intelligence grows and they become smarter.
Originally, we humans came from very high dimensions, where we already knew everything. Our minds are full of all kinds of materials and they'll be of use if we know how to operate with them. Our brain is just like a computer that's full of all kinds of materials from the universe. It's just that most of these materials we can't utilize because we don't know how to operate it.
We practitioners have to find the right "keys" and then we can understand everything, we can do anything, and we can do everything much better than ordinary people. It's because after we practice, our inner wisdom adjusts itself automatically and the inner Master presses the right keys for us whenever we need anything. It provides us with the necessary materials. This is nothing mysterious! If anything we request comes true, it's because we have it originally. It comes out when we press the right keys. There's nothing mystical about it!
Sometimes we don't know how to choose the right keys because we haven't learned how. Thus, we pray to God for help because the we will know how to choose the right keys, and miracles will happen. Every request is answered because we've found the right keys. After we practice well, we don't have to pray to God for anything. We have everything we want because we know how to find the right keys.
We meditate, keep a vegetarian diet, carry out charitable acts, and observe the precepts. All of these things are part of spiritual practice. The more we practice, the more we know how to handle our own things, the more we know how to use our abundant inner materials, and the more we know what to use in various situations. You have heard many miraculous stories about great practitioners performing magical feats or performing miracles in the Himalayas. They can do these things because they practice, not because they have magical power. Each one of us can have this power. Whatever Jesus can do, we can do also, provided we know how.
The same goes for school. Before you started going to school, you couldn't even read the ABC's, but now you can. Why? There's nothing miraculous about it: It's because you have learned them. Those who have not learned them can't read the ABC's however simple they're.
Spiritual practitioners go to a different school, one that's higher than universities. Our worldly knowledge ends at the universities. Secondary schools are higher than primary schools, and universities are higher than high schools, but that's the end of worldly knowledge. If we want to know greater things, we want to know about the universe or other mysterious things, we have to practice spiritually.
After we graduate from the university, we should go to Buddha's or God's school if we want to enhance our wisdom. It's just another kind of school. But this kind of school is different from ordinary schools because it doesn't involve organizational work. There are no written tests, and there are no tuition fees, and students don't have to go to school every day. That's why people don't think it's a kind of school. Of course, we can do as ordinary schools do, but I think people who can go to this kind of school are already mature. They are good enough and don't need the kinds of disciplinary methods that are used to control children. So, this kind of school is freer.
Although this kind of school is freer, students have to study very hard. They have to meditate at least two and a half hours a day and strictly observe the precepts. It's stricter than ordinary schools in this respect. And there are still tests although they are not in written form. Ask your parents. They have a lot of tests. Sometimes, if they can't pass the tests, their levels drop. But that doesn't matter since they can take the tests again! We have no deadlines for the tests. It doesn't matter when or how many times you take the tests! You can continue to take the tests as long as you have patience and sincerity. In this school, you also learn a superior kind of knowledge.
Therefore, it's also a kind of school here. I teach different knowledge, which is superior to that of the university. Worldly knowledge cannot compare with this knowledge because there are many mystical things that cannot be explained through worldly knowledge. Universities have their good points; many different subjects are taught there. However, we teach everything here, and it's taught inwardly without the use of language. Our school is thus a superior school.
Now you're still in primary and secondary school, so you should study hard and do your homework carefully. But you shouldn't do it for fame or fortune. You shouldn't do it because you want to become a boss, run a big factory or become a president. You should do it as part of your responsibility, to please your parents and teachers, to fulfill your duty as a member of society. After we complete our education, we go wherever God arranges for us to go, and do whatever God arranges for us to do because we know God will take care of everything.
Read Good Books from a Young Age and Cultivate Good Ethics
When I was a student of about your age, I loved reading books. We should not only read books from school, but also other books that are worth reading, such as scriptures and books about ethics or life philosophy, which are very nice and interesting. If we read many books, we won't misbehave outside, and we won't have too much free time, so our minds won't be misled. You're still young; it's okay. After you grow older, you should read more books and do more research. There are many kinds of books in this world. Some are scientific books and some are medical books or theological books. We can read and research any books that are beneficial to us.
If we learn to be a good person at a young age, we won't bring trouble to other people when we grow up. Therefore, we should learn basic ethics from childhood. If there's anything you don't understand, ask your parents first. I think your parents are very good. They practice spiritually, and they have good morals and common sense. They're older than you are and have learned with me longer than you have. Ask them first about things that you don't understand. Ask before you grow up; otherwise, it will be too late.
Some initiates come to learn with me when they are old, and I become tired when I teach them. There's an Aulacese saying that goes, "Bend the bamboo when it's tender; you cannot bend it as you like when it grows up." Similarly, my parents trained me strictly when I was young. Sometimes I didn't like it, and I'd say, "Oh, I'm just a kid! Why are you so tough on me?" However, after I grew up, I appreciated my parents very much because everything I do right is to be attributed to my parents' strict discipline. If I do anything wrong, it's my own fault.
Although you're still young, you'll grow up very soon. I felt I was like you yesterday, but I became like this very quickly (Master laughs); I've gotten a few extra strands of white hair. Time really flies! When you're still a student, you have plenty of time, so you should study hard, and look for good books to read; otherwise, you won't have time for it after you grow up. Ask your parents if it's true that they don't have time to read books. They can't be absorbed in the books when they do read, because they're always dealing with this and that, busy with financial problems, and busy with daily troubles so they can't concentrate on reading.
If you're not a good child now, who can help you after you grow up? Bad kids become bad adults, and they make families and society unstable, and bring chaos to their country. Therefore, for society to be sound and stable, it has to depend on you, the future pillars. You should behave well from now on, and cultivate your manners.
Do you remember the story about Mencius' mother moving her residence three times? (Children: Yes.) If it weren't important to study well at a young age, Mencius' mother wouldn't have exerted so much effort to move! Now that you have such good parents and a good learning environment, you should really study well. Read any good books you know of. Ask your parents if you don't know of any. Ask them to find some good books for you. When you have free time, don't play too much. Have enough fun. Do some physical exercises to keep fit. That's enough. Read some meaningful and moral books. You should learn basic ethics from a young age; otherwise, it'll be too late.
When I was little, I liked moral books very much, such as books that teach us not to steal under any circumstances, or not to take what doesn't belong to us. After I grew up, there was a time when I drifted. But I wouldn't steal even if I had no money on me. Once, when I was in Au Lac, a friend let me live in his house, but he didn't know that I had no money and I didn't tell him. One day, I was very hungry, but I had no money. It was wartime, so I couldn't receive money from home, which put me in an urgent situation. My friend put all his family's food on the table, and it looked delicious and smelled good. I didn't eat it although I had gone hungry for days because they had not returned home by that time. I didn't tell them about my situation. I tried to get a job or find some other way to settle the problem. I did so because I had been trained that way from the time I was young.
My friend's family trusted me very much, and they left me at home when they went out. I didn't touch their property or steal their food because I had learned that from when I was young. My parents didn't wait to teach me only when the circumstances arose, which might have been too late. Just like when you learn Chinese, you should learn when you are young, and then you can speak it fluently later. You will learn how to use all kinds of words, and then you will speak Chinese very well. There was another time when I lived in Paris. I didn't have much money with me, because I was an overseas student. I lived somewhere first and then I had to move to the other place for some reason. I needed money to move, but I didn't have very much money at the time. You know, things are very expensive in Paris! The rent is much higher than in Taipei. So you can imagine how difficult it was for me, a foreign student, to be forced to move immediately!
One evening, I was looking for a job, one that offered living accommodations, so that I could resume my education. It was OK for me to study at night and work during the day. I went to look for a job, but did not find one. On my way home, I passed by a park, and a man thought I was a "street girl," so he showed me a lot of money and wanted me to go home with him. Of course, I said, "No!" He first showed me 200 US dollars, and then raised it to 400. I said, "No" again. Then he raised it to 600, so I warned him, "If you say another word, I'll call the police!" The man became frightened, and then he finally realized I was not that kind of woman so he ran away. Six hundred dollars was a lot of money at that time.
Why didn't I forget my honor or morality for the sake of money? Because I had read good books from the time I was young, and it became a habit of mine to resist worldly fame or fortune in any situation. I liked to read moral books such as Zhuan Tze, Lao Tze, or the Buddhist scriptures. Others like The Story of the Gods, Spring and Autumn, Tales of the Three Kingdoms, Tales of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms, The Thousand Flower Mansion, and tales of Chengyaojin (a humorous and loyal character in Chinese folklore) are also books containing moral lessons. In these books, good people obtain good consequences, and receive special protection or help whenever they encounter disaster. Bad people are found out sooner or later, and are punished in the end. These stories teach us and firmly build up our ethics.
If we cultivate our basic ethics at a young age, we'll not waver in any situation; otherwise, we'll fail our first test. We'll harm other people or seek fame and fortune in dishonorable ways. We'll not mind even if we sell ourselves or hurt our honor.
Therefore, I think you should form the habit of taking care of the moral aspects of your life since you are little and not just read your textbooks, or just learn foreign languages or math. That's not enough; although they make us a little more intelligent. They make us know how to do business, or teach us how to find good jobs, but they cannot build up our moral concepts or protect our souls or dignity. Therefore, if your school doesn't teach you about ethics, you should train yourselves, or read some good books. When you have free time, don't indulge yourselves in meaningless games. You can play games, but don't overdo it; otherwise, you'll waste a lot of precious time.
You remember and absorb everything you learn at this age, so it matters what you absorb! Keep away from immoral books and violent movies. Choose the right movies or books so that you can develop a good spirit, and nourish healthy ethics. You should cultivate this habit at a young age and refuse immoral publications and films. You don't have to wait for your parents to forbid you and then protest against it. You should be responsible for yourselves. Even if you're still young, you're human beings. You have eyes, a nose, and ears, just like I do. So if I could read good books when I was young, you can do it, too.
From now on, you should begin to discipline yourselves, and get prepared for your future life; or else, you'll have no time for it after you grow up. At that time, you might make boyfriends or girlfriends, and concern yourself with romance. You might also be concerned with taking on family responsibilities after you get married. You might be involved in earning money after you find a job. So how can you find time to train yourselves? Therefore, this is the best time to train yourselves because you don't have much responsibility now, and your parents take care of you very well, buying clothes for you and cooking for you, so you have nothing to worry about.
So, cultivate your moral concepts from now on, and make them sound and healthy. Then you'll become a good citizen after you grow up. You'll become a good husband or wife, and you'll be good in every respect! "Cultivate yourself, discipline your family, govern your country, and bring peace to the world." You should undergo all this training when you are young, otherwise when will you have the time to do it later? You should learn from our ancestors, you should learn from the good scriptures passed down from the ancient Masters, you should learn good morals and precepts, and you should train yourselves from childhood!
When we suddenly encounter a catastrophe or karmic hindrance, we're shocked and can't think straight. So sometimes you may hear monastic disciples say that I always ask them to do things suddenly. Being sudden is also good; karmic hindrances also come very suddenly, don't they? Thus we ought to train ourselves to respond quickly at all times so that we can protect ourselves and get used to that vibrational energy. Then, when we later become an enlightened Master, we'll be able to ascend to Heaven or descend to hell in no time at all. If, at such times, you still ponder whether it's the right time to go to hell or Heaven, it'll never work.
The faster we are, the easier it'll be for us to be omnipresent later. We won't have to come and go; it will seem as if we had never come or gone because we're so extremely fast that we transcend the worldly concepts of time and space. We simply connect different areas of space together, transforming them into the same point. It's like an ant trying to crawl from one end of a piece of paper to the other; if we fold the paper, the ant can cross over in one leap. That's the logic in transforming space; though there's a different way to do it.
There are secret tips to learning martial arts or any other thing; not only diligence is required. Under the same theory, the enlightened Saints have their own ways of doing things. They act extremely quickly without moving at all. That's why they're venerated as being "omnipresent," that is, motionless. They're motionless, but they can accomplish anything and go anywhere. They're present in every place without having to go there. Only this is true magical power; only this is the true supreme level in spiritual practice. It requires no effort! So sometimes you say that Master's transformation body has been here and there, doing this and that, or saving you in this or that place, but actually I never went anywhere or took any action. Also, I never performed any mudras (ritual hand gestures). You can see that I haven't moved at all! Have you, monastic practitioners by my side, ever seen me recite any incantations or perform any mudras? Never! Most probably at such times I'm sleeping, playing a musical instrument, playing chess, reciting poems, singing songs, planting grass or correcting someone. I could be doing anything. It requires no effort.
Take the example of a tai chi expert, a brother initiate. He doesn't have to lift his finger, yet anyone who touches him falls down. This is only when people touch him; he doesn't touch them! Anyone who touches him accidentally falls down by himself. Some people have practiced martial arts to such a superior level that they don't have to move their hands. They're different than those who use a lot of force, kick fiercely and look rather brutal. When such people encounter someone more powerful, they're brought down. For martial arts experts who use very little force, an opponent cannot bring them down. This is the theory of "softness subduing sheer strength." In the universe, softness always subdues sheer strength. Anything that has lesser strength but is more intangible, more formless and more pliable is more powerful.
You see, air is vital to us, and dripping water can penetrate rocks. The longer the water drips, the deeper it penetrates. "Chi" - the vital life force - can sustain the body and even the whole universe. This invisible vital force - the vibration of Sound meditation - is even more inconceivable. Nothing is better because It's the Mother of the universe and gives birth to all forms of creation. When we get hold of It, we'll have all the secrets of the universe in our hands. Getting hold of the mother means getting hold of the children, and we'll know where the whole family is. This is simple logic. It's just like in the ancient battles, if the general was killed, the whole army would become like a headless snake, fall into complete disarray and be easily defeated.
Similarly, all the scriptures that we study mention the vibration of the universe, the Sound, that is, the Tao, the original power. Getting hold of It means getting hold of everything. If we get hold of other things, for example, magical powers or intelligence, we've grabbed only one small part, one corner, but not the head. For humans or other creatures, once their head is caught, they're doomed. Isn't that right? That's why we say that the Quan Yin Method is the best, the most original, the fastest and the highest. There's nothing better. This is really true. No matter how much you research, this will be the ultimate conclusion. I'm very happy to have found this Method and that you too have gotten hold of It. We're indeed very fortunate!
The only source of happiness is inside. So whenever you meditate, try to get in touch with that source. It's only one little center inside the so-called brain. It's there, physically inside the brain. Every little nerve and center is responsible for something in our being - psychologically, emotionally and physically. And another one is spiritually responsible for our enlightenment and eternal happiness. There is a little center, almost in the middle of the brain physically. From here (Master points to the middle of Her forehead) and here (the top of the head) go inward into two-thirds of the head. The wisdom eye center must be there, really inside.
So when you look with the wisdom eye, it means you are trying to make contact with that center. Even just sometimes, when you make contact there, in just a matter of seconds you immediately feel different. There is a flash of light and then you feel elated for a long time. Of course you cannot always get in touch with that center, or you are not consciously always in touch with that center. But keep practicing. Practice makes the Master. That's what we do. I am still doing it. I need my happiness to "deal" with all of you! I will die if I don't have this joyful energy to give me something every day to carry on with my work.
You cannot always keep on giving. You will be depleted if you give with the ego or the physical strength of an ordinary human being. Then you will come down in your spiritual practice, and you will become bad and sour. And that's how many so-called gurus became bad, sour and degraded after some time. Perhaps in the beginning they were very pure, very holy and very saintly. But because the method of their practice was not correct and was not directing them toward this forever giving, eternally content center (Master gestures toward the wisdom eye center), they gave everything they had, with all the best intentions, and then they crumbled. They succumbed to all kinds of traps and temptations, like the pressures of society and every circumstance around them.
But these people are very pitiful. If they are such people, we feel more sorry for them. Because they haven't been able to stand themselves, and they have been forced to run. That's why they failed. And that's why I always emphasize to you that you must meditate. Not so that you become good disciples, no, but to save yourselves.
Q: Is it correct to say that You know everything but You only choose to respond to some things and other things You just don't respond to, even though You know.
M: I also don't know. [Master and all laugh] These are very intellectual issues. You know, the mind is different from the soul. The body is different from the Master Power. The body eats, but the Master power doesn't. The body sleeps; the Master Power stays awake 24 hours. The mind responds, and the Master Power just acts with knowledge; it doesn't react. The Master Power has to be above the body, outside the body, and inside the body, in order to know everything at the same time.
If it's not really necessary, the Master Power does not direct the mind to understand that, or to do anything. If it's really necessary, then the Master Power will direct the mind to do something, to react to something physically. If not, the Master Power just does it in the abstract sense - outside of the physical realm. Not that the body can understand; not that you and I can understand; not that the brain can understand. The Master Power works 24 hours nonstop. The brain can get tired, overloaded, and exhausted because of too much information, too much stress or too much thinking. The Master Power never does.
So, what you're referring to right now, whether I know or not know, refers to my brain. In order to know the way you think I should know right now, I have to use the brain to know the way you think. But that's also the brain's domain. Knowing is the Master Power. The mind can be briefed about it with a little information. It doesn't have to know. If that thing is really important, the Master makes the mind react, makes me react - "me," in the physical sense that you see. However the "me" who is the Master Power always does something, always knows everything, but not in the physical realm.
In the physical realm, if something happens, if something is necessary, then the Master Power directs the body and the mind to do it for that particular thing, that particular event only. Not everything else that the Master does the body should know, or the brain should understand, because the brain and the body are limited. They will burst, explode, become exhausted, be overpowered; they cannot take too much. So, the Master Power does things, not always with the body and with the brain. Even the physical Master's body and brain can only take so much. Just like your car, it doesn't matter if you are a president or king of the Arabian world, you can't drive your car all day, all night, every day, every night. Even if it's a Rolls Royce, a Volvo, or a Mercedes, it needs a rest sometimes. It needs gas; it needs a lot of things. But actually, the Master's body is more than a car, of course. It is different, but it can get exhausted also, because of the law of the universe, the material law. So that's why I tell you, just take my teachings, do the meditation, and don't bother about what the body does or what I'm doing.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Why are the Enlightened Masters capable of doing anything? It is because They are always in a state of concentration, focusing Their acts, speech and thoughts on whatever They are doing, and at the same time being omnipresent.
When a Master comes to Earth, not only are the disciples uplifted and shown wisdom, but the whole race of humankind is purified and uplifted to a certain higher level of consciousness.
Q: I love my original master very deeply and usually recite his name. If I continue to do this, will I lose Your love and blessing? I love both of you. There's no difference because without my original Master I would not be alive to sit here and listen to Your lecture.
M: I'm not in competition with anyone. You can love ten more masters if you wish. No problem. Just be enlightened. That is the best way to show gratitude to your previous master. You don't even need to be grateful to me, or anything. Whatever you do, I love you all the same. It's you who probably do not love yourself because you think, "I do that very badly; I do this very badly." And it's you yourself, who stop feeling loved.
To the ones who have progressed: congratulations. You've done your best. You've put down many things. That's how you've progressed. For the ones who have not progressed: You have progressed, but too little.
The only secret is to put it down. God takes care of everything. We can't do anything! If God's Grace isn't there, we can't do anything. Of course, you come here and ask me to intervene in your destiny. Sometimes I could ask God to do it. But it's not my problem. I could intervene; I could do anything for you. But it's your problem. Because if you come here with that intention, that's all you get. Maybe your son gets better or your daughter has a good marriage, but that's all you get. The whole treasure, you leave behind. And that's a pity for you.
That's why I'm not bothered if you ask me any questions, even mundane or petty questions; I can answer them for you. I can help you with anything. But I just feel bad for you. You came here for only five days, and you can't even remember God.
Just for once, you should come here just for Hirm, just for God! But no, you always come here and try to make excuses, asking for all kinds of favors. All these kinds of favors you could ask for at home. I tell you truly: Anytime you pray to God or the Master Power, it's heard. We're not deaf! I hope you don't think so. (Audience applauds.)
And I hope you don't think that "I" am here (Master indicates the physical body) -- that I am sick, I am ill, I am weak, I am small, I am big, I am this and that. No, no, no! It's not me; it's not this person. We're not deaf, we're not dumb, we're not blind and we're not stupid. So there's no need to come here whining about your family and friends or your problems and misfortunes. You can; you can talk to me about anything you want. Of course, if you want to take me as a mother, as a friend, as a shoulder to cry on, that's fine also. But remember, these are only secondary.
And whenever a retreat comes, you should take advantage of the time, of no disturbances, no demands from family and friends, no business, no work, no boss, no colleagues, no husband or wife ¡V we separate for you ¡V no quarrels, no kids. You should concentrate. Treasure this time as if, after this, you'll die. You'd have no more chance then to even worry about your family, who would be left behind! Will you have a chance to worry about them when you die? No! And you don't know if I'll be alive again the next day, much less after five days if I'll still be here to conduct another retreat. So you're really silly.
The ones who don't progress are really silly. Every time you come to a retreat, we remind you to concentrate on one Guy only: one Husband, one Wife. That's true faithfulness. It's not about you being loyal to your spouse on this planet. But you have to be loyal to the Spouse in Heaven; this is most important because the spouse here can leave you at any time. If you become ugly, sick, old, or he meets someone better, like the karma loosens and he meets someone from a past life he feels better with, then you're doomed. But the Spouse in Heaven will never, ever leave us. And we're very unfaithful; that's bad news. Nevertheless, I hope you learned your lesson this time, those of you who haven't progressed. Whenever or if we have a next time again, take your chance then, OK? (Applause)
I'm not angry with you; I'm not frustrated with you; I'm nothing. I just do whatever I have to do, at that moment only. So whatever poison you feel, give it back to me now. You can go home and you're free. You're good, you're perfect again, and you're the person you are. When you're here, I have to correct you, I have to cleanse you, and the process is sometimes very painful for both of us. But it's OK. It's done, and you're free. After the five days, whatever's bad here or good here, it's gone. (Applause)
So you're perfect, you're loved and you're wanted, as usual, and during the retreat, too. But other kinds of treatment might make you feel that you're unwanted or unloved. It's not true. It's just that administering medicine was necessary at that time. So whatever you don't need, give it back; put it back right here and go home free. You're perfect as usual, even if you haven't progressed. You've just learned another lesson, at your own expense. I mean, money-wise, also. (Master laughs.) You spend a lot of money, coming here and going back for nothing.
It's not my fault; I sell everything! Everyone has the same sale. I don't reserve anything for anyone special; everyone can have the same merchandise. If you want to buy it, everyone has a chance.
Now, for the ones who have progressed, you should be happy and proud of yourselves. I don't have any reward or certificate to give you, but you know you're rewarded. You have your own certificate. You should be happy. (Applause) And for the ones who have not progressed at all or maybe just a little bit, since you can't help but progress a little ¡V I hope there will be a next time for you, so that you can undo your mistakes. Next time, if we have any time, if you have any more chances to come ever again for such a retreat, please be one-pointed as if you're dead. If you're dead, no one can do anything to you. Put the word "Dead" on your forehead before you go out the door. Take it off and say, "I'm alive again!" when you get out of this retreat. That's really what it is. (Applause)
Because if you're not dead to the world, you can't be alive with God. It says the same thing in the Bible: "You can't worship both God and mammon." So we have to be one-pointed. Whatever I did during this retreat was to guard you or herd you into this one-pointedness. Be it loving, be it petting, hugging or scolding, it's all to help you during these five days only. So don't think that you're more special if I give you more tenderness, and don't think that you're terrible if I give you a scolding. You're all equal, equal, equally loved in my heart. (With tears in Her eyes) I love you so much! (Extended applause)
Because even though sometimes you do things I don't like you to do because I know they're not good for your practice, or you have something in your heart that's not good for your practice, I know it's not your fault. It's just the circumstances that made you this way. It's this terrible world that pushes you into these situations.
I have nothing but love for you. I don't want to give you any harsh words or anything, but I have to. It's for your own good, but I just want you to know that I love you through all that. It's just like sometimes you scold your children, but you never stop loving them. And maybe if some of your children aren't well, you put them in the hospital. It's a terrible treatment for them, but you want them to be well. So you put them in the mental ward, because you want their mind to be sharper, you hope, in the future. That's all there is to this treatment, but treatment is never pleasant. Just try to meditate more so you don't have to have this kind of treatment anymore.
Some of you were more enlightened in Heaven before you came here, but you wanted to be even more enlightened than that. For example, when you were 80% enlightened in Heaven, it means you were in the Fourth World or something. But you came down looking for me because you knew I'd be here. And when you came down, your enlightenment became less than when you were in Heaven. And you suffered and suffered here, and forgot everything that was on the path and in Heaven for you. You've suffered more here because you've forgotten.
So I'm trying in every way to make you remember, to reach back there and above it, above the level you were on before you came down. So anything that's possible, I'll do for you. But you also have to try to remember your real Self. Otherwise, the less we remember, the more we suffer. Anyway, I just want you to know that you're very much loved and very much respected because you're good. It's not because you were bad that you're good. It's because the situation makes you so bad, yet you're still trying to be good. That's why you're good. (Applause)
You have so much pressure from home, society, friends, colleagues, jobs, boss, husband, wife and so on. And you still try your best to meditate at home, go to group meditation and also come here on retreat. Even if you come on an airplane, it's easy and all that, but it's not all that easy. So for that, I really love you. I know you try your best, and God will know. So anything you want, you should just pray for at home. The next time you go to a retreat, just desire to know God: For just five days, be dead to the world. (Applause)
This story is called "The Farmer and the Snake." Every day, a farmer went to the city to sell his flowers and farm produce and then went home after selling all his things. One day, he left home very early, so early that when he arrived at the city, the gate was still closed. So he lay down to take a nap, when he awoke he found that the storage bin containing his farm produce had become empty except that there was a gold coin inside. Although all the things in the bin had vanished, the gold was much more valuable so he was still very happy. He thought most probably someone had taken his things and left the payment there, and went home happily with the money.
The next day, the farmer again went out to sell his things but again arrived too early so he slept outside the city gate just like he had done the day before. And the incident repeated itself. All the produce that the farmer had brought disappeared, and there was a gold coin in the bin! At that time, gold was very valuable. One gold coin had a value many times higher than the farmer's produce.
Then one day some time later, the farmer's father asked him, "Where have you gotten so many gold coins lately? Where did the money come from?" So the farmer revealed to his father what had happened. After listening to his story, the father thought, "One day I'll follow my son as he goes out, and see who's been consuming his things and leaving the money in the bin."
So one day, when the farmer went out to do business, his father quietly followed him. While the farmer was sleeping near the city gate, his father saw a snake crawl up to his bin and eat his produce. Having finished eating, the snake once again spat a gold coin into the bin as payment to the farmer before leaving. Seeing this, the farmer's father thought, "If I kill the snake, I'll be able to seize all its gold coins!" He then picked up a stone and cut the snake into two parts.
At that time, the head and trunk of the snake were already in its den, and only the tail was outside. The father thought that there must be a big treasure in the den so he told his son to reach inside for it. But unexpectedly, when the farmer reached his hand into the den, the snake bit and killed him! Even though it had been cut into two, the snake could still bite! I understand how this could have happened because that was how I got bitten when I was small. At that time, I saw a centipede that had been beaten and squashed by someone, leaving only the head intact. I thought it was dead, and to make sure, I poked it with my foot. It bit me hard and I cried for three days. (Laughter) I was really dumb! Remember! Don't play with a centipede even if it looks dead. Sometimes it just fakes death; it's not really dead.
Perhaps that was what happened to the snake in the story. Its head wasn't dead yet. Thus, it bit the farmer, who subsequently died. Seeing his son killed, the farmer's father cried brokenheartedly next to the son's dead body and asked the snake, "You snake! Why did you kill my son? Why did you bite my son and kill him?" Instead of answering him, the snake asked, "Why did you break my back with the stone? There was no animosity between us. I had never done anything bad to you, nor had I done you any harm. If you had been more patient and waited, I would have given the entire treasure here to you. However, because you struck me, I bit and killed your son. Had I killed you instead, you would not be in such deep sorrow. I killed your son so that you'd live the rest of your life in agony." This snake was venomously wise! Instead of biting the man who tried to kill it, it bit his son so that the father would be in agony for the rest of his life. It was truly amazing!
We can also learn something from this story. Sometimes you may ask me, "Why don't You take me to the Fifth Realm immediately? As such I'll be liberated from suffering and promptly become a Buddha. Wouldn't it be better? Why do You tell me to meditate for two and a half hours each day, and observe the Five Precepts and a vegetarian diet? This is too slow, way too slow!" Actually, this isn't slow! You can digest it only in this way. If I gave you too much at one time, you'd be filled to death! Because you're too greedy, in the end you get nothing at all.
Sometimes we spiritual practitioners have no obstacles. We understand very well why we're pursuing this spiritual path. Every day we meditate diligently without any doubts and never create obstacles for ourselves. However, when Maya can't hinder us from practicing spirituality, it annoys our relatives, using them to obstruct us and cause us harm. Shakyamuni Buddha once said that when Maya couldn't attack the Buddha, it would attack His disciples. So when the disciples sometimes encounter many troubles, the Master is also involved and affected. It's because the Master can't look on without doing anything when the disciples are in danger. This is like when parents see something happen to their children. They don't have the heart to just stand there watching so they're definitely affected.
In the course of spiritual practice, it's inevitable that you'll sometimes have friction with relatives and friends. We all have such experiences. Just try your best to endure, explain to them, neglect them, leave them, ignore them or be as cordial as you can. We should react depending on the situation. Each person has different situations; there's no way that I can set an exact example for you. You have to apply your wisdom to handle problems to reach a satisfactory result as best you can. Nonetheless, you mustn't give in too much and sacrifice your spiritual progress.
Q: What is the real practical purpose in our everyday life of following this meditation? Where will You lead us?
M: Because we don't use our complete wisdom, we have a lot of anxiety, and sometimes we do things in an unsure way. Sometimes, we are unhappy and feel many external pressures, and also we are frightened of situations; therefore, we are not peaceful and stable no matter which position or how much money we have. If we find this greatest Wisdom inside, we can do things better and clearer. We are happier, more stable, and peaceful, and this is good for daily life already. Also, we love others more unconditionally; all hatred and envy fall away.
The Quan Yin Method is also a kind of martial art. With this martial art we can conquer all kinds of negative forces within and without ourselves. ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Our God Nature is great and infinite. We ought to develop and recognize It every day instead of just being content with a little enlightenment. This is absolutely not enough!
The God Nature is Great and Infinite
You must meditate more! Otherwise, not only will you do things poorly, but you will also feel mentally uncomfortable. If you've meditated a lot, you look at everything cheerfully and you're mentally relaxed. Isn't that right? (Yes!)
Meditation doesn't mean just sitting there cross-legged. You also have to focus inwardly with sincerity and concentrate inside, ignoring worldly matters. If we can remain in this state for twenty-four hours a day, our aura will become very comfortable. We'll look at everything lightheartedly, and won't keep it in our minds for a long time.
Don't think that it's enough to be enlightened. Take Shakyamuni Buddha for example. After He was enlightened, He continued to meditate daily to make Himself more enlightened. Our God Nature is not that limited. So, don't be overjoyed at just seeing a star or the moon. Don't think that it's enough to be able to see the inner Light, or the Amitabha's World, or the Heavenly realms every day. Our God Nature is great and infinite, and we ought to develop and recognize It each day instead of just being content with a little enlightenment. This is absolutely not enough!
Transcend Gossip and Rise to Great Heights
Some spiritual practitioners aren't cultivated enough, or don't even meditate at all, but then they complain that their lives aren't comfortable. When our lives aren't comfortable, we should meditate more! Only through meditation can our lives become a little more pleasant. Otherwise, we're engulfed by the bad atmosphere of the world. How can we find ease under such circumstances?
Thus, you had better ignore these senseless, trivial matters. The less you know about the things of the world, the better it is for you. Don't care about too many trivialities. You ought to transcend and ascend. Only then can you practice with tranquility, attain greater enlightenment, experience results in meditation and have motivation. Otherwise, caring about these trifles all day long will make it very difficult for you to meditate with concentration. If you just sit there wrestling with the chaotic, distracting thoughts that constantly emerge, how can you possibly sit still?
The best way for us is to soar high and ascend, transcending all the gossip in this world. That's why I'm always changing in this aspect or that aspect, just to let you learn this lesson. You have to learn faster, and not confine yourselves in these petty, useless and worthless corners of your life.
Don't be Hooked by a Tiny Thorn
Each time we're angry or critical, our hearts become narrower and can't accommodate all. It's like when your clothes are hooked by a little thorn on a tree, and you can't free yourself unless you pull out the thorn, however tiny it is. So, we shouldn't mind our neighbors or our Master, or the good or bad in anyone. Only then can we meditate wholeheartedly. If there's any garbage in our hearts, we'll be stuck there; we'll be hindered.
Why have you progressed so quickly in your spiritual practice? It's because I change a lot, and you can never "catch" me in time. (Master and everyone laugh.) You're not fast enough to get attached, to praise or to cling to any form. All you have to do is follow my teachings to practice, and you'll benefit and progress, and then be happy, joyful and cheerful. However I act is my own personal matter. It has nothing to do with you. It's the Master's Power, the universal power, and not I, this person, who is helping you. Therefore, don't mind what I do, and especially don't care about the rights and wrongs of your neighbors and fellow practitioners. Of course, if you feel that they've done something wrong, and you can't stand it anymore, then you may talk to them. If they don't listen, forget it. Don't keep it in your mind for long.
Sometimes, when we're angry with someone, do we meditate badly? (Yes.) The more you try to forget him, the more his disgusting face appears before you, (laughter) just like watching television. However, a television is easy to turn off, but his image is out of control and keeps appearing right in front of your wisdom eye. It's truly intolerable!
Thus, try not to mind about the good and bad aspects of other people. Let the big ones become small, and the small ones turn into nothing. Try your best to forgive and understand others. The more we forgive and understand, the better it will be. Don't be angry with people. When we're angry for a long time, cancer may develop in the body. You all know that anger is the most harmful emotion to the body.
Dissolve Anger to Benefit Yourselves and Others
When you're very angry, try your best to reduce your anger; if it's only a small anger, try your best to reduce it to nothing. Later, just laugh and forget about it. This is better for us. We can control our emotions; it's not that we can't. If we can control them, then it's very good for us.
I've tried this. Just as we adjust the sound volume higher or lower, we can also adjust our anger. It's up to us. If we turn our anger higher, we'll be in a bad mood the whole day, and it's also harmful for other people. If we turn down our anger a little, later it will seem as if nothing has happened. It's good for us and for everyone else as well.
Q: I work in a hospital; sometimes I work with children who are very sick. I was wondering why it is that some small children, who have no choice and who can make no mistakes, have to suffer so much?
M: I understand your heart. I used to wonder like that also. I used to say, "If we are adults, we can make some mistakes and take the retribution for it, but the children are so innocent." But now I know. That is the law of reincarnation, As you sow, so shall you reap. If you do not reap enough in this life, you will reap in the next life. You reap the minute you are born; otherwise, how can we explain God's mercy, which is so differentiated? Some are born with disease, some are born having some trouble, some are born blind, some are born deaf, etc. God is ever merciful; it is just that we must reap what we have sown. Otherwise, we can't explain it. Now, it may be difficult to believe this, but it isn't difficult if we meditate in some kind of transcendental way. We may go to a higher plane of consciousness and see through the past lives of a person, and we can know why it so happened. Then we are satisfied or justified.
I'm happy to know that you work from your heart. Anyhow, every time you work, try not to feel personally involved; otherwise, you will be drained of energy. Just do your best and leave everything to God. It's God Who cures or Who severs. It's not in our hands to help. Actually, Hes only uses our hands to help those whom Hes wants to help and who deserve the help. The others have to go through some kind of lessons, some kind of cleansing process through suffering, in order to be greater in the next lifetime. We are continually in eternity. We are not born only once. Otherwise, it would be too depressing. One hundred years - what a waste of creative energy on God's part. Hes creates, and we live all the time. What we do mistakenly in this life, we will make up for in the next. What we cannot pay for in this life, we will pay for in the next - just like taking out a mortgage.
Why do you sometimes hear the Sound but not see the Light when you practice the Quan Yin Method? - Because of breakdowns - television breakdowns. Therefore, we need to repair it very diligently every day. How? We have to be pure in thought, speech and action. We should not hate anyone; we should endure everything. No matter how others treat us, we have to use endurance and love. That is the way to repair our breakdowns.
Why do we have breakdowns? - Because our angry atmosphere becomes a very hard substance. It stands in front of us and keeps us from the Truth. We ourselves create all our breakdowns. When we are angry, we form a very dense and unpleasant magnetic field. The thick, dark and unpleasant magnetic field covers us like a wall and keeps us from goodness. It covers us and is very close to us just as though it were our clothes; very dirty ones which make it impossible for us to connect with the good magnetic field. That is why we cannot see the bright kingdom of God; we only see the painful karma.
We have to purify our thoughts, speech and actions, and keep the Precepts in order to repair our broken-down television and watch it every day. The TV outside takes money, cables and performers, but the inner TV doesn't need any of those. A little repairing is enough. We have to use this TV every day, watch it every day, and then we will develop a habit and be able to use it whenever we want.
Remember, you are greater than anything else in this life, be it happiness, disaster, personal affairs, business, success or failure. Nothing is bigger than you are. So keep it up. God loves us. I know that for sure. I experience it often. Even though Hes makes jokes with me sometimes, I am still okay. (Applause)
Really, you'd be surprised. For example, there are sometimes very small things that you don't notice. Like recently I renovated a place where I wanted to stay. It was an old place and it was dirty, so I asked some people to fix it up a few months ago. I left the money with them, but they didn't do it. It was one excuse after another. When I came to the house, it was still empty, dirty and not ready. So I rolled up my sleeves, called people, grabbed anyone I could and finished it in one week. They told me it would take maybe a few months. I said, "Nonsense! There's no such thing as a month of time to waste." So we did it in one week, not even one full week.
I got people only because it was like an emergency; I would grab them wherever I could. In the supermarket or wherever, I would ask them if they wanted an extra job. If they said, "Yes," I would say, "Come here, and I'll tell you what to do." They weren't even professionals, meaning they could only do it after work, from seven to ten at night, or seven to eleven at the most. That's it! But we finished the three or four rooms in one week's time.
But then one place in the kitchen was not painted; because they had to do the tiles first. But the tile guy could not come in the daytime, and that night I had to come here. So I said, "Okay, I'll do it myself." But then I had already worked for a week or more before, running around trying to organize things. So I was very tired. Apart from our other jobs, I also did the painting and sweeping and all those kinds of things, so I felt half-bad. I also had a little physical problem on top of that; I was stiff all over.
Anyhow, on the last day, I was supposed to go, but I said, "I have to paint the kitchen before I go." I wanted it done before I left. So I lay there, tired! I didn't sleep the whole of last night. I said, "Oh, God, how am I going to paint my kitchen now? I'm really tired. I talked big to all the guys, and now I am not doing it." It would be kind of like "losing face." (Master Laughed.)
I kept thinking like that, and then I just walked out the door. I just went out for some reason. And there was a man passing by me on the street, and he wanted to talk to me and said, "Do you need a painter?" (Applause) Yes, it happened. So I said, "What do you paint?" And he said, "I paint the walls and all that." I said, "Oh, when are you available?" He said, "Right now." (Laughter) I said, "Okay, come in." And then I showed him the machine and he got it done in no time. So I finished it before I left. (Applause) In some places you can't just get people like that. Big companies are busy, and it's holiday time and everything. Even if you have money, you cannot pay because people won't just come and work for you when you want. You have to make an appointment, and so on.
But everything just came. Within one week, everyone came: security, carpet, tile, even though they had threatened me before that it would take months to organize such a place. Even in America it takes time. You have to make an appointment, maybe a week ahead at least. Nothing! I did it all in a few days. And everyone just came running from nowhere. Normally, they are busy, and even there you don't get them like that. But I said, "Well, I need it done before I leave, so could you make it?"
And they said, "We'll try." And then they did try. Everyone came. And everything was done in almost one day's time. The rest was just touch-up and everything else. I'm really grateful, you know. The Guy is doing some job, really. Hes is not so bad, you know. Our Father, Hes takes care of it if we really need it. Sometimes we don't need it, and we just want to be spoiled. And that's also fine. But then we don't have a chance to learn what we can do. If we delegate everything to everyone else, then we also delegate the power. The people who do things for us have more chance to learn and to be more capable. And we, meanwhile, are not left with much.
Actually, that's also true. In a lot of things, I am handicapped because I have a lot of people who do things for me. I don't know how to use a computer. I don't know how to use many things that are a lot of fun: e-mail, the Internet and so on. I don't know anything about them. Because I have people who do them for me. Maybe also I don't have time, but if I did have time, I could do it and I would learn some new things. And I would be more able and have more fun. But even before this time, there were many things I didn't do: I didn't book my own airplane tickets, I didn't take taxis, I didn't know where terminal 'what' is and I didn't know what 'where' is.
So I missed out on a lot. There were a lot of things I didn't know. Also, I didn't know about driving. And I didn't know how to spend money. Now I know it's fun! (Laughter) It's fun to spend money. Buying things you need and getting them at the time you need them is fun. It feels satisfying. So I missed out on a lot in life because I was too busy doing all the so-called big things. But it's also good that I learned to do some small things, to get more in touch with life and reality, to truly know how people live their lives and how they feel.
You have no idea how busy I am. It can get quite hectic at times. So don't look at me sitting here smiling and think nothing's happening in the world. Things are happening all the time. But it doesn't do me any good or do you any good if I sit here crying or complaining.
We just smile it away. Things will go away. And most of the time, we see through it as an illusion and just play along. That's it; it's not so bad. To live alone is not so bad. You can see things more clearly and see through the illusion more clearly. But don't see so clearly that you go and leave me! When you see too clearly, you don't want to do much. So sometimes God keeps us a little bit in the dark or in the closet, so we continue to do the things we must do before we leave this world. If we see too clearly, there's not much we want to do, and we want to go Home quickly. We might cheat; we might try to tie things up quickly, do everything fast, put everything together and then say good-bye. Good-bye, cruel world!
Q: Do You believe that the Supreme Maker of the universe, Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, said, I am the way, the Truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by Me, and that no one can enter Heaven, God's home, except by Jesus?
M: Yes, it's true. Every Master says that. Jesus is the name of His body, and Christ is His title. Every Master should have His Christ power; therefore, in a sense, Jesus never died. Jesus works through all the Masters throughout the centuries, throughout the ages, to liberate and enlighten us, the ignorant, who are still left behind. Jesus alone cannot enlighten us if He is gone. Of course, He can to some degree, but we are human. We can't get in touch with Him when He is in a higher sphere; therefore, a physical Master is necessary. But the Christ power works through any physical Master who is destined or posted to be at that time; therefore, when Jesus said He was the only way and the only one, He spoke the absolute truth, but so does any Master, when the Master is alive.
I know it's a trouble with clinging to the Bible - the same with many of the Buddhists. The Bible and the scriptures are excellent evidence of the past Masters, but also excellent stumbling blocks for our intellectual attachments. I know it's very difficult. I only can wish you the best, and I can only be patient to wait until the time comes that you understand. The Bible is only a record of a Super-Master who has graced our Earth, but what about those before Jesus and after Jesus? Those after Jesus, probably we would say, "Okay. We hear His name and we get redeemed." But how about those billion, trillion years before Jesus - there was no one to rescue them or what? Is the Father so merciless as to send only one son and at only one time? Could Hes be so stingy, do you think?
If Jesus really redeems all of us, can you truly answer me, why are we still in ignorance? There are many things we don't know. Heaven, we can't contact. Some people can - when they pray very deeply and sincerely to Jesus, probably He appears to them and teaches some of them, but very few. He doesn't appear to all of us. But to our disciples, He would, because we know how to contact Him. We can ascend to His level and get His teaching directly. I'm not teaching anything different. If you would like to see Jesus and God, I just will help you, if you would like to see Buddha, I will help you - but only if you believe it, instead of clinging to a past record of a great Master, most of which we do not understand.
Q: I see in the recent News magazine that Master stresses the importance of positive thinking. I know that positive thinking will drive positive energy and avoid the negative energy around you. Does positive thinking change karma, or not?
M: Sometimes it can, sometimes it cannot. It depends on how deep the karma is and on how truly positive your thinking is - the power of your thinking not just because you want to think positive, it will be positive. It depends on how much money you spend behind your desire. You can't just desire something and have it. You must have the money for it, too. Similarly, if you think positively, but your mind is not strong enough to invest the power of mental control over this thinking, then even if you think, it's just a thought for a fleeting moment. It doesn't have any effect. So, we must meditate. We must harness the power of our will again in order to focus it together. And once we are focused and we concentrate the power in whichever direction we want to use it, or for whatever purpose, it would be powerful. But before that, whatever you want, whatever you think, is just very flat - no power. So, people just go with positive thinking, but nothing is done. Nothing happens. Then they will doubt the people who say what positive thinking will do. But, it's not the author who says that who is wrong. It's the person who practices, who is wrong. He didn't have enough power to even think, never mind negative or positive.
Q: We must work outside spiritually, but we cannot always choose our work and our boss; and sometimes some bosses are not honest and they force us to follow them because we work for them. They exploit us, they want money, and we have to follow. How can we consolidate this with spirituality? If I could work twenty-four hours a day for You I would do it, but I have to earn money.
M: You don't have to work twenty-four hours for me. Meditate two and a half hours for yourself and that will be enough. Regarding your question, you don't have to follow the boss; you just work for the boss. You do your duty, perfect your job, and earn the money that is assigned to you. Whether the boss is honest or not, you don't care, because you don't really know if the boss is honest or not. If you know and if you feel uncomfortable, then leave and seek another job.
To be a boss is also a very difficult position. As you have pressure from the boss and the job, he has pressure from his job, the environment, and the connecting aspects with his position and his business. He has to struggle in the world of great competition to survive. Sometimes he's forced to do things that he might not conscientiously like to do. So we do not really know. Just forgive him if he is wrong, and do your best in your job.
To be a boss is very difficult, I can tell you. If you make one mistake, you might lose millions of dollars, the whole company will be closed down, and thousands of people will be out of work. So, sometimes the responsibilities and pressures upon the boss are enormous. Maybe we should understand the boss better.
Q: Sometimes I get confused about love and attachment. When you love a person, it becomes attachment. I understand that an attachment results in suffering, so sometimes I feel it's worthless to fall in love.
M: If you fear attachment, then don't love. If you love someone, you have to pay the price. Surely, love includes attachment too, whether we deny it or try to cover it with, "No, I'm not attached to him; I just love him." But this is also a kind of attachment; otherwise, why do you need to love him? You are attached to an object because you love that object. People can tell you to minimize your attachment to give each other more freedom and not to control each other, but just to love unconditionally and try to adjust to each other. That is love with minimized attachment, but not without attachment.
Anyhow, there are many kinds of love. Even the best kind of love in this world, which we say is between a mother and child, still has attachment. Who dares to take a mother's child away, harm or say something bad about her child even though she knows it is true? Her child is the best, better than all the neighbors', even though she knows it is not true. This is also attachment. She cannot leave her child; most can bear it, but not willingly.
Everything has attachment except when you love God. Then you love without attachment because there is nothing to be attached to. You don't gain what we gain materially as in this world. You just gain bliss, happiness and contentment. You cannot be attached to something when there is nothing there. The more you love God, the more relaxed and non-attached you become. But still you can love people in this world because your heart is large. A heart that is large can include anyone, even enemies; otherwise, it is difficult to love your enemy.
Q: Dear Master, are you willing to establish a university to nurture the most excellent and moral students?
M: I have already established a university. The Quan Yin Method I teach is exactly that! (Applause) Our disciples are the most moral and excellent ones. They do not gamble, smoke, speak untruths, engage in sexual misconduct, take what is not offered, or kill man or animal. They are all vegetarian and meditate every day to find their inner wisdom; this is the highest morality. (Applause) Yes, that's right. Our Quan Yin Method is the supreme university.
Q: Master, You said that only a Living Master could lead disciples; so, my question is what will happen to Your disciples when You pass away?
M: I don't "pass away" because I was never "born." It is just my physical instrument that gets rotten sometimes, just like your car after twenty years. We are always connected with each other spiritually. We are not the body. You and I are not the body; therefore, after you leave the body, your body is still there but it doesn't function. So, you have to understand that basically, we are not the body. I just borrowed the body to connect you with the spiritual Power. Once we are connected, we'll never be apart, and even if my body passes away, you are connected. That's important.
We are not the body. And in the True Self, the big Self, we are all together as one. ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
M: That's right! Yes. Make it like a pleasure. It is a pleasure!
D: I even apply this to my work. For example, when I feel exhausted because of my work, I feel too tired, and have no more energy, but then I ask myself where the energy comes from, and remind myself that it comes from the universal source, not from my body, then I suddenly feel myself filled with an inexhaustible strength. I don't feel tired, and even if I do, I still recover quickly. Therefore, I think we have two choices; either we choose this humble "I" and are very limited, or simply think, "I'm nothing. I'm nobody. It's the universal power that does things." This way I feel very good. I see no problem.
M: Yes. That's right. When we sit, we should relax. That's right. We should thank God for giving us time to rest. The other yoga schools usually refer to meditation as "a time to relax." Nowadays, if you read newspapers or magazines, the regular ones, you'll find them mentioning meditation, or when they talk about how to live longer and healthier, they'll somehow mention that we must find time to "relax," rest or meditate. They do mention meditation.
Meditation is very popular now. They don't say "meditate to find God," but "meditate to relax, to become healthier, feel better, live longer and be successful." That is, to be successful in every aspect, we must choose a time during the day to rest, not to sleep, but to meditate, or breathe in, breathe out, or whatever. Everyone knows about it now because science has proven it. If we choose a time during the day to rest or meditate, our bodies become healthier. One of the best methods is meditation; that is, choosing a time to meditate every day. Now all the magazines, even the lousy ones, mention this. Meditation has been accepted by science and people worldwide. So don't make it sound so painful, like "Oh God! I have to meditate now; otherwise, I can't attend group meditation, or the contact person will say this and that." It's not like that. It's good for you.
It's a time for you to treasure. We've worked all day, busily taking care of the world and others. So whenever we meditate, that's a time for us. We must love ourselves first - love others but also love ourselves. Whenever we meditate, at that time we concentrate all the treasure onto ourselves alone in order to nourish our body and mind. It's not because I say this and that that you have to mediate enough otherwise this and that will happen. No. It's very good for you. The most precious time for you since the moment you were born and until you die is meditation time. It's the best thing you do for yourselves. No one can give it to you; only you can give it to yourselves. It's the best thing that you can do for yourselves - meditation. While you do it for yourselves, others will naturally benefit as well. Your family, relatives, dogs and cats will also benefit. Trees and flowers will benefit too. I've already told you this.
So when we meditate, the people and all the things around us benefit but we're the ones who benefit the most. It's the best thing that you can do for yourselves, the best medicine to nourish your bodies, the strongest energy to nurture your brain, the best book to develop your wisdom. No matter how beautiful a car you have, how big a pearl you get, and no matter how expensive they are, they're not as precious as the time you spend meditating for yourselves. That's the most precious gem in the whole universe that you can offer to yourselves. Like one initiate said, meditation is resting, nourishing ourselves, bringing in all the precious jewelry to beautify you. Who wouldn't want that? When our mind hears "precious gem" it says, "OK!" or "rest," it says, "OK. I like it. I don't like work. Relax, man! OK, I'm ready." It's just the brain.
Our brain only knows how to discriminate between "good" and "bad," "black" and "white." Work is a problem, or "job," "Oh, no!" It's been working all day already. "No. No. No." But if you say, "OK, let's take a break," then it's OK. Our mind knows what "good" or "bad," "resting" or "working hard" means. So whatever we say, it understands that way. We must teach it. Also, the cells in our body all listen to us. If you say it's good, then it's OK and if you say it's bad, it thinks so as well. Therefore, Buddha said, "All things are created by the mind." Our mind we must create; we must speak good things, think good things, and then we'll change the negative to the positive. We teach the cells in our own bodies to think positively. Whatever good you think or speak, your mind, your body, and the millions and billions of cells in your body all listen to it immediately. That's why I say you're your own master. You don't need me, but you've forgotten how to teach yourselves.
All day long you've been dragged down by the negative power, listening to bad stuff, and then repeating this trash in your head. Whatever your mind hears, you let it think that way. Therefore, I've told you, "Don't listen to bad things, don't think bad things and don't speak bad things." That's purifying your actions, speech and thoughts. If you hear anything bad, stop and toss it out. If you've already heard it, then tell your mind, "That's not true. She's wrong. Don't listen to her." We tell ourselves so our mind understands "Ah! These things are false information. Toss them out. Trash them." Because if we accept it, our mind will think this information is OK so it'll record it, and later it will spit it out. All the good and bad things in our lives are created by us. We say good things and our mind takes them and thinks, "OK! It's good." We speak bad things, and our mind hears them and thinks, "OK! It's bad." So, who else is our master but we ourselves?
For example, when you want to drink, is it you who tells your hands to get the water, or do you ask your neighbor to tell your hands to get it for you? And when you're hungry, is it your mind that tells you to look for food? Isn't it you who gives the order? And when you want to go to work, you must either look for a bus or drive a car yourselves to the office. We're our own boss in everything. Thus, we should direct ourselves with a positive perspective, in virtue and goodness, so that our lives will become better each day. The bad things that happen in our lives are all created by ourselves - if they weren't now then they were in the past. We put them in here, but we forget to cleanse them out, and thus they come back to harm us later. Therefore, don't blame anyone. From now on, whatever bad things you hear, you must tell yourselves immediately that this information is not true, is negative, is not good and not beneficial to anyone or ourselves. Stop it. You must get rid of it immediately. When you go home, at night, recite the Holy Names to cleanse it out. And in the morning, pocket a big reserve before you go out. Therefore, you should meditate in the morning, and at night, when you come home, if there's some leftover garbage in your pocket from outside, meditate to cleanse it out. The more you cleanse yourselves the better; the more surplus in your pocket the better; so that when you run into some garbage, you can cleanse yourselves right then so there's no need to carry it home with you.
The most important things in this life, in our principles of spiritual practice, are loving others, loving ourselves and being liberated from all hatred, prejudice, criticizing attitudes and negative thinking. And once you're already liberated in this lifetime, you'll surely go to a higher level. Because these are the negative things, the burdens that bind us to this physical world or within the Three Worlds. If we have none of that, we're liberated while living. That's most important, not visions or sounds. These are only the food to support our well-being.
Q: A new book is out called "Embraced by the Light," and it's about a near-death experience that a lady had some years ago. One of the events she wrote about was that after her near-death experience, she was pursued by demons or what appeared to be Satan. And I'm wondering whether Satan as a personality exists, or is he more of a symbolic kind of evil that may reside within each one of us?
M: Yes and no. Yes, we have both negative and positive power; that we all know. But the devils are sometimes inside of us and also outside. They come from other people as well. But if the positive side of us is very strong, our negative power is subdued; that's first. Secondly, other people's negative power that has surrounded us or has been aimed against us also has to give way.
That's the point of practicing being in God's Presence and meditating every day: to develop the positive side of our qualities. So when that lady saw these kinds of so-called demons, she actually saw them because they're also all over the place. We just don't see them because our positive power is strong. If somehow we wade a little bit into the negative side or if we want to peep into the negative region, then we might see them.
As for the negative forces, I have to explain to you where they come from. I can use the Buddhist scriptures and explain it scientifically. Now, in one of the very famous Buddhist scriptures, the Lankavatara Sutra, the Buddha says that human beings can create all kinds of demons through their behavior or way of living. For example, eating meat or being aggressive or hateful becomes a kind of energy, and then slowly it will form this kind of dark force. And then it can even appear as any form, like energy that can appear as form sometimes.
For example, with electro-magnetic energy, sometimes you just push some buttons and forms appear on the screen. You can create a cartoon out of nothing, out of just electricity or electromagnetic energy. Sometimes we can create a force, with form or without form. Similarly, these kinds of evil forces can appear in a form because they're also energy. They can be charged and then they can be formed, and they appear like devils or demons, with very distorted figures because they're negative power, so they can't be very beautiful. And therefore people can sometimes see them.
So we humans also create them, but these things aren't real. In a way, they're illusionary, just like the angels. They appear to have form, but they're not real. They're not eternal; they can be destroyed; they can be chased away; they can be multiplied; they can be minimized. They're not real forms. They're not eternal. They don't have the God quality within them.
People sometimes can train themselves to see devils, just like we can train ourselves to see God. Therefore some of the voodoo people, or the so-called witchcraft people train themselves to deal with demons, to subdue them or use them for some purpose. That's possible. You can even make them; it's been proven that we can make things happen. They can be formed through the energies.
Now, if you read a book called Magic and Mystery in Tibet by Madame Alexandra David-Neel, it will tell you that in Tibet people can use their own power in the practice of concentration to make another being in whatever shape or whatever appearance they want. You can make a monk appear; you can make a common person, or you can make a beautiful girl. These are the methods that Heaven uses to create angels. And these are the methods we use, sometimes purposely or unintentionally through our deeds and thoughts, to create demons.
She herself, Madam Alexandra, made a monk, just to try it through that method. So she made one. But afterwards, he got out of control. He actually appeared in the form of a monk. And she said that at first she made a very jolly one, a happy, fat old monk, the easygoing type. But later, as he developed, he got out of her power and got out of hand. He became thinner and more mischievous and more aggressive. So she eventually had to destroy him, using all her might. Because once you create something, it's difficult to destroy it if you don't have that power. But these things aren't far-fetched fairy tales. People nowadays still can do it.
Q: How do You deal with the fear of letting go of the self, of becoming selfless, egoless?
M: I don't remember how I dealt with it. It just naturally goes by getting in touch and merging yourself with God. You just naturally have no more self. Slowly, slowly the self will go out. That's it. I don't deal with it. To have to deal with it is a problematic thing. The self is very big; therefore, let God deal with it. After you practice this Method, you have less and less self, and then you become greater and greater. The less you become, the greater you are. This is a paradox of God. It is not for us to understand.
Q: I go back and forth between surrender and wanting to ask God things, and then feeling like if I ask, it may limit something greater that God has. What should I do?
M: It's good that you asked this intelligent question. If we have to ask, then we ask. God knows how much to give. Hes shouldn't give according to your limit, but Hes should give in Hiers limit, if Hes is God. So why bother? Ask when you need to. When a child is very young, he can't pretend to be an adult and not want milk. If you need milk, ask for it. Later you will grow up and give it up. Don't worry. God knows what you truly want.
Q: Can we go within and allow ourselves to ask things of God?
M: You can ask, and say, "God, I probably shouldn't ask You this, but let me ask You anyhow since it will settle my mind, and then whether You give it or not is up to You. You see what I need. I ask, but You don't need to give what's not good for me."
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
When we truly ask, truly have courage, truly hunger for, and sincerely pray, God and the saints in the ten directions will help.
Q: What makes You the equal of other great Masters?
M: The same thing that makes you equal with other great masters makes me equal. All of us are equal. You are as great as Jesus and Buddha - if you want to be, if you know where your greatness is. I know; that's what makes me great. If you don't know, okay it's fine. If you want to know, you will be as great as any.
Truly, we have to devote more time to spiritual practice while in this world, but we should also try to make our lives more comfortable and fun. Recently, I converted a cave that had served as a cow pen into a cozy living room. I cleaned it up, and then covered the ground with a few straw mats and a carpet -- all very inexpensive materials. An ordinary carpet costs little, and it makes you feel snug and warm. Then, with a few cushions, you can meditate there. This is not a luxury. We can make any place beautiful as long as we know how to decorate it. That cave was dark, dry and dirty, and had originally been used for rearing cattle. But it was converted into a beautiful place; that is a way to balance your life.
If we act as a teacher instructing people about the Truth from morning till night, and do not find balance in life, our brains will complain. For me, this kind of work is an excellent hobby. (Master and audience laugh.) An attendant once said to me, "Master, You've overworked Yourself and gone without sleep the last few days. You must be exhausted. Why are You spending the whole night on building that fireplace?" So I told her, "You don't understand. If I didn't do this, I might go mad!" (Master and audience laugh.) This is a way to find equilibrium in life.
The attendant had thought that Master would be physically exhausted after working day in and day out, and should spend the next seventy-two hours in bed to make up for lost sleep. But I said, "Doing these things gives me a respite. I can't stay in bed the whole day and night. This is a break for me for it brings a change into my life." When I do the work that I like, it means I'm resting. Otherwise, I'd be devoting all my time to making others happy, and leaving none to pursue my own interests. The two are different.
Although I work to make you, others, refugees and needy people happy, and I too am very happy, it's in response to requests and circumstances. I have no control over the work, nor do I have any say in the matter. For example, when someone asks for two kilos of rice, I have to bring them to him. In this kind of situation, I can't act as I wish for it's done to meet the requests of sentient beings. This is different from being your own master and making your own plans and designs to suit yourself.
So I still have to find a balance in my life. Otherwise, my mind will be unhappy. It's not I or the soul that's unhappy, but the mind. It will not be accustomed to it. So I told the attendant, "This is the way I rest. You don't have to worry." She thought that I had already worked quite a few days and nights at a stretch. Besides traveling overseas to deliver lectures, I had rushed to help the refugees in the Philippines. So why did I stay up the whole night building a fireplace in a cave when I was so tired? She felt pity for me. (Master and audience laugh.) I said, "No, that's the way I rest. Otherwise, I can't go on." Then I asked her, "If you were required to sit the whole day without doing anything, not even your laundry, and food were brought before you, would you be able to stand it?" She said, "No, I wouldn't." Of course not; she would still want to wash her own clothes and handle some of her own personal matters.
I'm no different. I can't devote all of my time to others, without having some interests of my own. When it's something that interests me, I can go without sleep at night and use my time as I like. In this way, you won't be affected because I save the day for you. I am here whenever you need me. Should any emergency arise, or any urgent papers arrive, I can deal with them immediately. I only make use of the intervals between events, or do my own work while waiting or by sacrificing my sleep. At those times when I do not have specific public-interest work to do or documents to read, I do my own personal work in order to maintain mental balance.
Don't ask me why I'm attached to these material things. No, it's not attachment! I have built things at centers in a number of countries. But I do not live in any of those places. These designs and creative works are all left there and not reserved for me. Of course, things like the paintings that I have drawn, I can take with me. But I don't really take them with me; rather, I send them to the Miaoli Center for the residents to keep in a special room so they won't be damaged, and copies can be made for everyone to appreciate. If I carry those paintings around with me, I can't take good care of them because I'm always tied down by other things. I'm only responsible for painting them. After taking a few looks at them, I leave them in the care of the residents. I can't look at my own paintings for long so sometimes I miss them. When I was abroad previously, sometimes I would think of returning to Formosa to take a look at those paintings. (Master laughs.) But those were just passing thoughts; getting to look at them or not doesn't really matter. So even though painting is my hobby, it's you who get the benefits. You can collect my paintings; whereas I myself can't collect anything.
But unlike the paintings, the artwork in the cave cannot be moved to Formosa for the residents to preserve. (Master and audience laugh.) Some things can be moved, and others can't. Those that are stationary are left in their original place for everyone to appreciate. I create these things not for the sake of possession or preservation, but to fulfill my desire to create. Sometimes it's a form of relaxation. It's the same with all my hobbies; they're only for maintaining balance in my life so I am able to continue to serve all people. Thus I converted the cave not because I liked it, and I won't be staying here long. Besides, I can't transport it anywhere I go.
While practicing diligently in this world, if you do not also try to find balance in life or enjoy a little of the colorful world, then once you go up to Heaven, you might think, "Why is it that after following Master in spiritual practice, I have no idea what the mortal world is like?" Then, you may blame me, and quietly and secretly run back down here. You can't hold me responsible then. (Master and audience laugh.)
You are mature and very intelligent. Your IQ is very high. (Everyone laughs.) And you know many things that I don't know so why should I tell you everything? I can only tell you one thing: You have to become livelier. And whatever you want to do, do it! Whatever is fun for you, do it, as long as you don't hurt other people. So if you want to get to know a movie star, then chase him! If you want to see the President, write to him.
If what you want has anything to do with political or social change in the world, it's a little bit difficult. But concerning your own ambition or your own fun, it's not that difficult, really. Just do it with all your sincerity and all your wish to succeed, and then you'll get it. Most of the time, we're miserable because we can't succeed in what we want to do and because we have fear. Sometimes you love a person but you say, "Oh, he's too handsome for me." Who knows? Maybe you're too beautiful for him! You never know. I don't encourage you to chase around with boys. But, you see, that's what makes our lives miserable: We don't believe in ourselves, and we don't try.
It's very easy. For example, when I was very young, I looked up to those who worked in television or who owned television or radio stations, like they were God or second to God. But now I know it's nothing; I could do it. I could make one; I could even buy one. It's very easy and no big deal. Because if you don't find out how people run or operate a station, you think they're God. But it's no big deal.
When I was in high school, I lived next to the Saigon Radio Station. It was a big one. I was next to it every day. And I didn't know anything about it so I worshipped all the singers who came up and down, in and out, and all the personalities who passed around or next to my house, going inside that big massive God-like station. And I just sat around and dreamt that maybe one day I would sing or recite a poem in there; I just dreamt about it. And I never thought it would happen.
But sometimes the people in the radio station would have some kind of competition, like you would write a poem or answer some question and then they gave you a prize. So I tried and I won! Just once, but I never thought I could win. I thought it was too far-fetched for me. But actually, I only tried it once, and I won.
Afterwards, I changed to another district and didn't have anything to do with the radio station anymore. I stayed there maybe only one or two years, but that was long enough. I could have gone inside and talked to the people and told them that I wanted to sing or recite a poem. I recited very well, so why didn't I do it? Because no one told me the way I'm telling you to do it. (Applause) Of course, it's no big deal that I didn't become a singer. I would eventually, anyhow. But I lived all those years there, standing around the station not doing anything that I wanted to do. I could have, and I'd have had fun meanwhile. But maybe God didn't want me to so it's also fine.
What I mean is that you should just do it. I don't think all of you will become Masters anyhow so why not have fun! (Laughter) Maybe God wanted me to become a Master so Hes "prevented" me, prevented the world's most talented singer and artist at the time. (Applause) But nothing prevents you from doing what you want and fulfilling your dreams. Have fun "the last time!" Actually, I also have to try to have fun. I try all kinds of things to keep myself here. Otherwise, there's nothing to keep me here so what can I do?
People keep asking me all the time, "Why do you put make-up on? Why do you wear beautiful dresses?" and things like that. Before I became the Supreme Master, the Master Ching Hai, I was just like this. (Master points to Her 'ordinary' clothing.) And then for a long time I wasn't like this. And now I've become like this again. So it's kind of puzzling for me also, but it's nothing puzzling. Just like when an old person becomes old, he becomes like a child again. So maybe that's happening with me.
It's very simple. It's just like the story I told you about with the king who would go out and play the fool in the dirt, in the commons and sometimes in a dirty restaurant or dirty street. He would walk alone with only a few attendants, just because he wanted to be free: free from glory, free from security, free from the fear of walking on the street as a king. You know what I mean: just to be free. So I wanted to be free from sainthood. And now I'm liberated! (Applause) I was sick; I had meditational sickness or Master sickness. Well, it let people know that I was a Master. But I'm free now; the sickness is probably gone.
So sometimes we practice for some time and become sick. That's what we call "saintly sickness." But you have to cure yourself. Whatever trace of Sainthood you wear around your face or your nose or your ankles, or that you hide in your heart - you should cure it, one by one, slowly or quickly, it's up to you. Just now I remembered a story to explain this to you once and for all. Because everyone loves to know why I wear clothes like this instead of asking me how I became an Enlightened Master. They keep asking me many questions and finally they have to say, "Wow, I have just one question, but I dare not ask you; can I ..." And finally, the cat is out of the bag: "Why do you wear this?" So it's like that.
In Tibet, there are many people who practice flying. How do they do it? It's just like in China where they practice Chin Kung (a kind of Chinese martial art, that trains practitioners to become very light). You can fly, you can jump onto the roof, very high or very far. People still do this form of practice in China. Sometimes you see Kung-Fu that's not real. But it represents the truth from the olden times when people could still fly.
Nowadays, some people in Tibet can still fly; due to the difficult situation in Tibet they have no cars. They have only mountains with freezing snow all year round sometimes. So they have to go a very long way without much food or many restaurants or anything in between. They have to take very small packets of things. Sometimes they don't even have horses, or they just have what they call a yak (a large, long-haired, dark brown Himalayan ox). And then they have to go with what there is. They can't be too long; sometimes they have to go quickly for some urgent matter. So they have to practice this kind of flying. And some people practice so hard that they can never land on the ground again. They always remain flying in the air. You can read the books of Madame Alexandra David-Neel about this. It's all the truth, but I have to refer to her so that you know I'm not speaking nonsense. You'll know that people write about it and you'll have proof.
So what happens to these people when they fly all the time in the air is that they have to come down sometimes, I mean at least for the toilet or to take a bath. (Laughter) After flying too long, they smell, too! So they have to come down sometimes. They have to put a lot of heavy metal iron chains around their bodies so that they can control and balance their take-offs and landings. That's what they do.
So some time if you go to Tibet and look up into the sky, you'll see something like that. And you'll think they're torturing themselves by chaining their bodies and so on. But that's what they have to do. If they fly too high and they're too light, they have to make themselves heavier so they can land on the ground and stay on the ground as long as they want. Otherwise, they'll just fly in the air all the time.
Similarly, when we first practice spirituality, after some time we become a Saint or a Buddha and say, "Oh, I don't believe that; I don't look at that. I don't talk to that person; I don't wear those kinds of clothes." That's when your sickness is the most serious. (Laughter) Then, after some time, you're too saintly, and you have to cure yourself. You have to pull yourself down to the ground again, in order to integrate into the society and do something about your knowledge, your Sainthood or your Wisdom. Because many people need you; you can't just lie around in Nirvana all the time. It's also no good for you while you're here. If I were always in Nirvana, I wouldn't care about anything; I'd just stay in Nirvana all the time. I mean as a state of being, not that I'd have to fly to the sky. But then I'd have nothing to do with you, and I'd never understand how you suffer. I wouldn't know anything about your mentality. I wouldn't know anything. I wouldn't understand your suffering or your love, your hate, your failures or your virtues. I wouldn't understand anything because I'd be too saintly, too pure: P-U-R-E. (Laughter and applause)
So these are the chains. It doesn't matter what color. They're only dirt: yellow dirt, blue dirt, white dirt - so why bother? Those people who criticize me are saints; that's why. They're in the hospital of sainthood. So as soon as they come out, they'll recognize. They'll be normal again and we can talk to them. So don't worry; being too saintly is also no good. We're out of touch with reality, and then we can become imbalanced. Just like the people in Tibet who always fly in the sky and can never come down for the rest room. Just make sure that if they don't have chains on, don't pass under them. (Laughter) You might be in trouble. Changing your clothes is not always convenient in that kind of cold climate and altitude. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Q: Master, just now when I was meditating on the Sound, my whole body vibrated vigorously. I was sitting on this rock; I toppled and fell down, and then woke up. (M: Do you feel comfortable?) I'm feeling very comfortable. I had a headache yesterday, but now it has gone.
M: Sometimes, the vibration is stronger than we are, so we cannot get used to it. The moment we get used to it, we become stronger than it. Then we will feel very natural. It is as though a person has been starving for a long time, not having enough to eat and suffering from malnutrition. If he is suddenly given a lot of food, he may swallow too fast, resulting in indigestion. That is why we have to meditate seriously and regularly. When we have gotten used to meditating for a longer time, it will become a very ordinary practice, and we won't even be aware that we are meditating.
Why does a baby cry when he is born? In the mother's womb, he was immersed in water like a fish. When he suddenly emerges into our world, his skin gets in touch with the air for the first time and he has to begin breathing with his lungs. Therefore, it hurts and is very uncomfortable all over; that's why he cries. As he cries, he has to use his lungs, and then he will get used to our world. He now understands that there is no more water, that it has been replaced by air. He will get used to it slowly.
Our spiritual practice is similar to the situation of the baby. As we practice more diligently, we will get used to the higher vibrations. These vibrations are much higher than ours and that is why we are unaccustomed to them. A newborn baby also cannot get used to our comfortable and free-living environment; instead, he is accustomed to the dark and confined environment in his mother's womb. Therefore, when he is just born, he feels scared and unsafe, as if he has lost everything.
Similarly, it is not difficult for us to be liberated; the only problem is that we have to get used to the free and liberated state. When we eventually get accustomed to it, we will not want to come back to this bodily prison again. Sometimes in meditation, we enter deep samadhi and go to very high dimensions; we feel absolutely free and unrestricted. However, because of our unpaid karma and unfulfilled obligations, and the fact that we still have lessons to learn in this world, we have to come back to this physical body. The moment we are drawn back, we feel extremely frustrated and agonized; the feeling is so bad that we may cry.
There are difficult moments on our spiritual path. When karmic hindrances come, we really have to exert our greatest effort to overcome them. Suppose a baby refuses to go out because he has lingering feelings for the safety of his mother's womb. Would it be good for him? Though the environment is more familiar, safe, comfortable and warm, he cannot grow in there! He will only make trouble for himself and his mother. Therefore, he had better go out when it is time to be born.
During the process of delivery, the baby has to squeeze through the narrow and bony places in his mother's body, which can be quite painful. It is as though his head has to squeeze through two stone gates and is going to split open; it is really difficult. So you see, even such a tiny baby must make the breakthrough when the time comes. Originally, he lives like a fish in his mother's womb where there is no air, no sunshine and no material contact. After he is born, he has to live in a totally different world where everything is just the opposite! Anyway, it is good for him to force the exit; it may be uncomfortable outside, but it is still better than hiding inside indefinitely, because it is not his permanent abode in there.
In spiritual practice, we may sometimes encounter obstacles; we may feel very exhausted and want to quit. There are also times when we are battered hard by our karmic hindrances. However, we ought to stand up again, because we are human beings! We ought to be brave, and act like a hero! We just cannot lower our heads and surrender to the situation every time or give in to our insignificant obstacles.
Yesterday I read you the story "The Journey to the West". The first part of the book describes a group of monkeys, some old and some young, some very clever and so on. However, none of them dared to go beyond the waterfall just because they dreaded getting wet. What they didn't know was that there was a paradise behind the waterfall - a very beautiful cave. Whoever went in could live in that brilliant and comfortable cave. Being adults, if we fail to constantly think about making breakthroughs, then we are weaker than babies! Where can we put our pride then? Therefore, remember that we must not lose to the babies, as they are also very brave!
Pearls of Wisdom ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
We must always react quickly so that we can protect ourselves and get accustomed to the faster vibrations. Sometimes, Master will suddenly tell you to do something. It is good to do it immediately because karma also comes suddenly. We must be trained to always be ready! Then, when karma or disasters come unexpectedly, we won't be frightened and stuck there not knowing how to react.
Many decades ago, when I wasn't on this "job" yet, I read in the newspaper that, one day, people would be able to talk together and even see each other's picture through the telephone. So this is what we have; the prediction came true. And soon we'll have much more exciting news. I'm not sure how we're going to realize it. But a lot of things you already know, like when I told you about the other planets where people don't need to carry babies in the mother's womb.
In this world, we'll have the same thing. It won't take long. The technical advances are so awesome that we have no time to even catch our breath before something changes again! In Japan, I heard that they've already developed a kind of box in which they put some liquid that corresponds to the natural liquid inside a mother's womb when she's pregnant with a baby. And they'll try to raise the baby that way.
So maybe in the future, if you want to have ten babies, it'll be no problem. (Laughter) For nine months, you can come see the baby every weekend or every day, whenever you have time, even after work. They can even make the shape of the baby, the way he or she looks, and choose the sex and whatever. It's very exciting; we're catching up with the advances of the higher planetary systems.
And right now we're also using laser and light to heal patients. Remember, in one of my earliest lectures in Formosa ? at that time, I didn't even speak Chinese well ? we mentioned the light therapy used on other, more advanced planets. Those scientists have been born on this planet now, and they're bringing their treasured memories with them. So they're making our planet a better place in which to live, as far as physical comfort is concerned.
And also, maybe soon, or not very far in the future ? we're talking about years only ? we'll probably have flying cars and so on. And it'll probably be easier to see each other, with less traffic congestion. And we'll have a faster commuting service.
All of this is very exciting for me, too (referring to Her view of Centers in a worldwide conference). Seeing your pictures right here, thousands of miles apart, is really good. So, it's because we're also practicing very well, thanks to you, all the beautiful, lovely, happy yogis. (Applause) All of this has to do with us. So as much as I'm excited about this news, I also want to thank you and many other groups of practitioners. Maybe they don't belong to our group, but they're also doing their meditation on the Light and Sound, or maybe some other less advanced techniques. But they're trying their best to contact God. And that's how we uplift the ambience of this planet.
And so, because the planetary vibrational frequencies have been lifted up into the higher levels, those highly developed scientists from the higher planets are able to reincarnate into our world with less suffering, without losing much of their memory about where they came from. And hence we have such wonderful advances in technology nowadays, thanks to you.
This is beautiful. So we should continue to practice, even if we're not scientists or computer wizards or anything. But as long as we meditate diligently, to purify ourselves, our aura, our environment, we indirectly contribute to the progress of our planet. And that's really the great contribution we can make to our society. This is wonderful. So all the things you enjoy right now are not only the labor of the scientists and the laboratory people, but also the fruit of your own spiritual endeavor.
It's so wonderful to see the outcome of spiritual practice. You see how we didn't have anything before! And suddenly, in just one-and-a-half decades, everything has developed and we even have a hard time keeping track of our technical developments. But you can see the difference.
So this is a practical outcome of our spiritual practice. It's not just spiritual enlightenment, it's not just individual happiness and blissfulness, it's worldly development as well. We're catching up with Heaven. We're catching up with the more exciting and more advanced planets. Can you imagine? And soon, if we live that long, we're going to be traveling to other galaxies, other planetary systems live: not just sending a robot, not just going to Mars to pick up some dirt, but going to some populated and spiritually advanced planets to say hello. And we can even teach from here; we can even say hello from here. And we can see each other from zillions of miles away, light years away. We can say hello then like we're saying hello to each other right now. Won't that be wonderful? (Yes!)
So keep on your Golden Path and never doubt for one second. You're on the right track. I guarantee it. (Applause)
Q: There is so much crime in the world now, so much one-on-one violence within humankind. What can we do to begin to have greater respect for ourselves and human lives so that we are not killing one another, so that we are not so violent and so cruel to one another?
M: Spread the love message all the time. Always progress positively. It's better to tell the children, "Honey, you . . ." Just say it in a positive way instead of the negative way that we most often do. For example, we say, "Don't be so dirty," but we could say, "Honey, keep yourself clean." And the word "clean" will go inside the mind instead of the word "dirty." It doesn't matter about the "don't" or the "do". It's the essence of the sentence that's important. Most people say, "Don't be so dirty," "Don't be so cruel," or "Don't be so nasty," this, that and the other. Instead, just say, "Be kind, be gentle, be gracious, be graceful," and then the essence of the words will boil down to "kind, gentle, graceful." And when everything else is gone, only the essence remains. We always keep telling children, "You are dirty," "Don't stay up late." Just say, "Go to bed early." I make that mistake too, so I'm still learning also.
This is a story from India. Once an enlightened master asked his disciple to renounce the world and join his monastic order. However, the disciple said that his wife, parents and siblings all loved him very much, and he could not forsake them. His departure would bring unbearable pain for his family. "Well, let me show you how much your family members love you," said his master.
Together, they came to the home of the disciple. Then the master gave the disciple a pill and hid himself outside, pretending to be a stranger. After swallowing the pill, the disciple became like a dead man, with no heartbeat or breathing. His body turned stiff and icy cold. His family members burst into tears, crying and imploring God to save him, but to no avail.
Suddenly the master entered and said to them, "I can save your relative." On hearing this, they became very happy. They bowed down and begged him to waste no time saving the man. "But there is one requirement," said the master. "For him to be revived, one person must die in his place, because this is the law of cause and effect. If I raise him from death, then I have to die for him. But I am not his kin! He is your relative. Since you love him so much, you must be very happy to die for him. I am just a passer-by. How can I die for him? So if one of you is willing to die for him, I can immediately bring back his soul. As we cannot transcend the karmic law of cause and retribution, an exchange has to be made."
None of the relatives were willing to die for him. They found very good excuses. "If I die, who will take care of this home?" "If I die, who will take care of this business?" Though the wife of the disciple loved him very much, and had cried desperately and rolled on the floor, she answered, "No, no! If I die, there will be no one to take care of my two children." Then they said, "Oh, well! The man is already dead. Then let it be so. Let us just send the body for cremation." Hearing that, the disciple got up immediately and said, "I am not dead yet!" Then he said good-bye to his family and left with his master.
There are many stories like this. Sometimes when we love someone, or when someone loves someone else, there are always some aspects of imperfection. Usually we do not love others to the extent of forgetting ourselves, or to the extent of being willing to die for them. Hence, with certain things, we do not know the truth without personal experience. We perceive only the outside appearances, which are not correct.
The attachments that we feel for this world are not the ultimate. It is best that we do not have to come back anymore because no matter how deeply attached we are, after a while we still have to leave. So, it is best to be prepared beforehand, and at the time of departure, to be gone forever. Otherwise, the next time we come back, we will again become attached, and get tied up with one another. After a while, we will have to leave once more. Again at that time, our relatives will feel great pain. Therefore, it is best to just be gone once and for all, without any need to come back again to trouble others. This is also an act of filial piety. Don't you think so? (Audience: Yes.)
It is this way between husband and wife. After a while, each goes his or her own way. Since both feel so attached and miserable at the time of separation, do not repeat it. Hence, we should be prepared spiritually. It is better to leave in a clear-cut manner. Do not come back again to re-play these painful scenes. Otherwise, we will be miserable and so will be the other party. What good will it do us?
There's a story about the spirit of Cholera. One day he passed by a meditation practitioner and said, "Hallo, I'm going to China." And the Spiritual practitioner said, "Oh! You're going to make trouble again!" And Cholera just smiled and flew away to China.
So, about a month later, when Cholera came back from China, he just passed by again and said, "Hallo! I'm back." And the practitioner, perhaps a Quan Yin Method practitioner, said, "Oh, so you killed 50,000 people in one month?" And the Cholera ghost said, "No, no, only 25,000." He added, "The other 25,000 died from fear. I didn't even have to touch them."
So sometimes the actual situation is not as terrible as we imagine. And if we face it, it won't be so bad. It's just that if we're very afraid and fearful and run away, we make a lot more trouble than if we just face it.
We've heard it said by the Buddha: "I am the Buddha; you will be the Buddha; everyone is equal." So what's the difference? Why are we not the Buddha? It's just because we don't think in the way of the Buddha; we don't do things in the way of the Buddha. We don't act in the way of the Buddha; we don't live the life of a Buddha.
The Buddha, He meditated, and then He was not attached to any possessions. People might have given Him a golden bowl for food or some beautiful silk for His dress, but even though he would take it or wear it, He was never attached to it. He always sacrificed His life and His time to teach other people. He used His time to remind people to set an example of the noble ideal of humankind, of a Buddha. And all the time, His mind and His thinking were always set on the Buddha, on the highest ideal, on the noblest goal of humankind and of the universe. He never thought of anything else, and He never feared anything. So Maya, the so-called negative force, came and bowed to Him. But here we sit and bow to the negative Maya. That's the difference. Fear makes a lot of trouble for us; it pushes us below our dignity. So we have to choose a different way of life.
If you don't think of these negative things, they won't exist. That's why I tell you not to watch all those bad movies. Don't watch ghost movies, and don't go to see all those mediums. Then you believe, "Oh! There's a ghost coming inside of him." And then you come home and think, "Oh! Maybe that ghost followed me home. Maybe the ghost thinks I'm handsome." Things like this affect us, too.
But this is just our feeling; it's not real. Sometimes fear and attachment stop us from doing many things that we originally could have done or would have been able to do if we hadn't felt so afraid or weren't so attached to more comfort and an easier way of life. So try to concentrate all the time on the Buddha, not on ghosts.
There are two very effective methods to keep ants out of the house. They are economical and simple, and do not pollute.
1. Put vinegar around all the openings and entrances to your house. Ants produce a pheromone that smells similar to vinegar, and once the ants smell the vinegar, they will think other ants are already colonized there and won't enter the house..
2. Sprinkle red pepper flakes down around all the openings and entrances to your house, and keepthem there for about two weeks. Then sweep them up. This will remain effective for a very long time. You need to do this only once or twice a year.
We expect our partner to be this or be that, to do that or do this. And when they don't do it, we're disappointed. When they aren't the one we like, we're disappointed and get hurt and all that, and we get out of the relationship. But the relationship is not meant for you to expect the other person to do what you want. It is for you to do what you want yourself, to be who you are, to show what you are, how good you are, how you want to be and what kind of person you want to be in that relationship or marriage. You might want to be a good wife, a "super-wife," the tolerant one or the faithful one. It's what you want to be in your role, and not expecting from your husband all the time what he's going to be, how he's going to act toward you or how he's going to talk to you.
But that's the problem with marriage; you've got it all wrong. You think, "Okay, now I've met him or her, and my life is changed. It's fantastic. He or she is going to make me happy." This is not true! You are going to make yourself happy or not in that relationship. But most of the time, we expect our partner to make us happy, to be the one that we like in our picture. And that's the problem. We forget to be what we want to be. We forget to make an idealistic kind of agenda for ourselves. Instead, we make an agenda for our partner, a kind of appointment or picture for our partner to fit into. And then both expect the same way, and that's why things fall apart.
We've got it all wrong. In whatever situation, we have to check ourselves only. What are we going to do with this situation? What are we going to be? What do we want to show? Which part of goodness do we want to present to the partner or to the world? It's not the partner who has to present us with anything. Whatever he or she wants to present, that's their problem. Our problem is just ourselves; it's always us. But most people, when they are married or when they have a partner or a friendship, they pay all their attention to the other part, the other half, and check it out: "Oh, he did it wrong. She did it badly," or "She's no good. He is not nice." Forget that! We have to check ourselves. We are the one who is important. Any relationship, any situation is for us to learn, not for the other person. The other person is only a catalyst, an excuse for us to exercise our power and our imagination about ourselves.
That's the problem. That's why marriages often don't work. So check out your marriage and revise it. It's not about your husband or your wife, but about yourself, what kind of person you want to be, or what you want to show him or her in this relationship. And if he reacts well to it, fine. If he or she doesn't react well to it, there's not much you can do about it. But just check yourself, see if you're still balanced, if you're still on a good track and if you are OK or not. And if he stays with you, he stays; if he leaves, he leaves. You can't do much. You cannot pay all the attention to him and then lose yourself and forget. Then the more you pay attention to him or her, the more you go wrong. And then, he or she criticizes more, and it becomes worst!
Spiritual Practice Repairs the Mind
Although after initiation you're liberated from birth and death, you still have to practice spiritually. Because if your mind doesn't allow you to become an enlightened saint, it will be difficult for you. Your mind will tell you, "You, a saint? Don't be ridiculous!" Or others might also say the same thing. Without self-confidence, it will be useless being a saint of any kind. Even if you've become a saint, what purpose could it serve? We still need to have a deportment that befits the superior realms. Before we've become well-trained or practiced diligently, our mind won't be convinced. It will assume that we're cheating, and refuse to let us ascend. It's we who obstruct ourselves. So, we still have to diligently practice spirituality to thoroughly convince our mind and allow it to realize that we're now different, that we really befit the status of an enlightened saint. Only then will it totally accept this status, and we'll have no more problems.
Spiritual cultivation is thus a process of repairing the mind. Life after life, the mind records too many undesirable things and ensnares us with a guilty conscience. That's why we have to train and rectify it, illuminate it with Light every day, educate it and also brighten all our bodily cells. Every single bodily cell is imprinted with all the good and bad impressions, or karma, from many lifetimes. That's why sometimes people only need to take a look at you or your body to be able to tell what you did in previous lives or what you've done in this lifetime. It's because each of our cells, each vibration of our bodies, distinctively records all our actions, behaviors, thoughts and desires. We can't cheat anyone.
We've heard that after we die, when we go to see the Yama King (the King of Hell), we'll see a mirror that shows the details of our entire life as clearly as we watch television, except that it runs very quickly and in a relaxed way. This is absolutely true. This is our personal "video recording" function. Therefore, spiritual practitioners can perceive and identify who is who, what they've done in previous lives, what they're doing now, and what they'll do in the future. Our personal record is encrypted in our bodies and in our mind, or in the atmosphere around us. Each of us - whether we practice spiritually or not - has such an aura. But the more we practice spiritually, the lesser this aura will be.
Developing Protective Power by Continually Remembering Master
Now when we mingle with people in society, we definitely run into such an atmosphere. The more we practice spiritually, the more sensitive we become. Don't ever think that longer practice will strengthen your protective power. It will, but your sensitivity will also increase many hundreds and thousands of times. Do you think that Jesus Christ didn't suffer when He was nailed to the Cross? He was in extreme agony! He felt greater pain than others because His body was different than those of ordinary people. He was highly sensitive, as all His bodily cells had changed completely. In this world, such individuals are in great danger, are very pitiful, very miserable and very helpless.
Whatever we do - good, bad, evil or charitable - will become attached to our bodies and be distinctly recorded. Whether we're spiritual practitioners or not, we can detect this if we know the secret method. So if we mingle with people in society, inevitably we're sometimes contaminated by their auras. Our blessed rewards fly onto their bodies, even if they don't want them. When you have two pipes or barrels full of water, one at a higher level than the other, the water will definitely flow from the higher to the lower one. So if you want to protect yourselves, to close off the water pipe, you should constantly recite the Holy Names. This is the only way.
Sometimes there's still some leakage because you forget that the Master is always by your side. However, as soon as you seek help, you'll receive an immediate response. If it's a matter of carelessness on your part, of course Master's power will rescue you. But if you willingly do something bad, you do it despite knowing that it's wrong, and you refuse to let me intervene, then of course I can't help you! Don't blame me then. You'll continue to sink lower. It doesn't matter if you forget about me, but don't refuse me. Don't think that you're great and can solve all your problems by yourself. No! No! No! This world isn't a place for fun. The positive and negative forces are almost equally powerful. They're both aspects of the power of the Universe, which anyone can use. It only depends on where it's being applied. The negative force is also very powerful. It's not something that we can play or have fun with. This is one aspect of nature with which we should not casually meddle.
Q: Recently I told Master in my meditation that when I check out of here, I would like to go straight to the Fifth Level. (Laughter) I really don't want to come back here.
M: You don't ask for much. (Laughter) Well, it shall be done. (Q: I don't care what it takes.) It shall be done; don't worry. (Q: This time, I've had enough.) Don't worry, you'll change.
Q: So, do you think it's possible?
M: Yes, it's possible. If that's all you want, that's all you'll get. It's no problem. If you keep that idea in your mind all the time, until the time you die, then you're there.
Q: If I work to reach the Fifth Level even before I die, I'll be able to help Master better here.
M: Oh, sure, sure. (Q: If that's possible) It could be possible, too. But I don't know if it's possible with you. It depends on you. (Q: I'll do anything) No one needs you to do anything. You have to control your brain. It's not that you need to do anything. It's not like you die a hundred times and then you become a Buddha, or you offer anything and become a Buddha. It's not that. It's just the determination of the soul inside, whether he wants it in this lifetime or not.
Q: Does he have to prepare for that before he comes? How spiritual he wants to ¡K?
M: It depends. Everyone wants to prepare for this. But when they come down, it's just that they sway around a little bit. And then, because Maya, the king of illusion, is there, waiting for you, saying, "Ah, hah! Welcome home, baby. Let's see how strong you are. Here's a beautiful girl, here's a presidential position and here's a big company with big money." And then you work yourself to death, you serve the girl, and you're so tired that even if you wanted to go find the Master, you wouldn't know where. You lose your energy, you get sick and then you die. And then you say, "OK, it's my time to go now. Next time, I'll try again."
Q: The director says, "Cut!"
M: Yes, "Cut." But it doesn't really matter. You're determined to find God, anyway. Before we come down here, that's what we're going to do. We want to know ourselves as God by being "not God." You want to find a mirror so you can see your face. Although the mirror is an illusion, you need it. The one inside there is not you, but you need it to see yourself. You look into it, and you recognize yourself. How else would you see yourself? Should I stand here and look at myself, or stand where? The mirror is an illusion. The one who looks inside is you, yet it's not you. So this world is full of God, yet it's not God. God is inside looking at the God outside here.
Q: It's a bad reflection of the real thing, right?
M: Well, it's a good reflection. It's just that we look into the mirror and we get confused because this mirror of Maya is different. It's a magic mirror, a "mirror on the wall." It's not the mirror, but the mirror of the mirror. So we get confused here, and we see all things reflected together in the mirror. And then we say, "Oh, what's that there? What's that over there? And what's that?"
You even forget to look at your own picture, the mirror is so big. It reflects everything in it, and you get lost in that illusion. You chase one thing after another. "Oh my God, this looks good. That looks good." And you get lost in your mirror. You forget. The time it takes you to realize it's a mirror is maybe a fraction of a second. But the time we take to realize Buddhahood is also a fraction of a second in universal time.
*"Mirror, mirror on the wall" is a line from a fairy tale called "Snow White," in which the step-mother believes that the reflection from the mirror on the wall is real.
Q: Recently, I've been reading a book called The Ocean of Love by Kabir; he was an incarnation of the true God. (M: Yes, yes) He talks about the mouth of Kal. After uninitiated souls die, the messengers of death come and kind of trick them. The souls go towards Kal, and then Kal chews them up. I don't understand what that means.
M: If you are not initiated, Kal, meaning the negative power, will come to you. Kal means negative power in Sanskrit. If you're initiated, the Master will come, and Kal cannot trick you. After initiation, Kal stays away because the soul doesn't belong to him any more; he cannot control you. But he still tries to trick you, of course. He tries to make trouble, but that's his job. And your job is to walk your way, no matter what he says.
Q: It just sounded scary.
M: Ah, no, life is scary; its end is always deadly! (Master and everyone laugh.)
Q: It's scary for uninitiated people.
M: But you are initiated, so you are always protected by the Master. If you really, sincerely want to go Home, even 10,000 Kals can do nothing to you at all.
Q: Is it the same for the people we love and our close friends?
M: Yes! Definitely, yes. The Master will take care of them all. That is the great, great merit of being initiated. If you knew about it, you would die of gratitude and the shock of knowing how great it is, this initiation. Really, it's great.
I cannot describe how great it is. I can only be happy for you. You're really lucky -- yes, very lucky. Absolutely, you have no idea. There's nothing that can buy you this, nothing you can exchange for this and nothing that can earn you this, except God's grace. Of course, it's your time also. But otherwise, even if you pray for a thousand years, you won't get this gift.
It's the greatest thing you can ever have anywhere in the whole universe. Anyone who doesn't have it, even some higher spiritual beings, will envy you. They will envy you very much because you are on the road to mastership, and they're still just spiritual beings, or angels or devas (beings living in the various realms of Heaven). They will die one day, but you won't. They will go lower, but you won't. You'll keep going up all the time, past them, higher than they are, being more glorified and more beautiful. You'll have anything, anything at all. You'll be next to God while they're still swimming somewhere in the three worlds, looking for guidance.
It's very difficult to get this initiation. Oh! My God, when I think about it, oh, wow! Do you know how to win the lotto for six million dollars? This can compare to that in the spiritual world. If you know too much, you might have a heart attack. But how lucky can you be? In the whole universe, you are the best, the picked ones, the selected, the very, very fortunate.
Really, you do not know until the time comes. Sometimes you have to work in this world, so God lets you know very little. Also, we are still in prison, no matter how many things your parents give you to comfort you. You might have a TV or a radio there. But you can't have a lot of things, like your fast car, your helicopter, your palace, your 'air-con' living room, your swimming pool, etc. You're only comforted in prison; you just have livable conditions.
But once you're in there, even when your time is up and you're free from your sentence already, you still have to wait for the bureaucracy. Also, there may be some things you have to take care of. Or maybe your time is not up yet, even though you will be free soon; the lawyer is helping you to get free more quickly, and for sure you will be free since you're not sentenced to death. But still you have to wait. While in prison, you are as comfortable as a prisoner can be; you have the best in the prison. But you're still a prisoner. You have use of all the facilities, but you're still in prison. Therefore, when you really know what your parents have for you to welcome you Home... my God, you cannot imagine it!
Actually, what I will show you is a self-teaching method. Your own Buddha will get up and teach you. Your own God will get up and teach you. But first I must show you how to wake up that God or that Buddha within yourself, which is the greatest teacher. The Kingdom of God within or the Buddha inside you, that is the greatest teacher, not I. But I just know how to wake Hirm up and introduce you to Hirm, tell Hirm to get up and do the work right. That's all my job is.
Q: How can I stop being ambitious?
M: It's not easy. Only when you see the beauty, the glory of the kingdom of God, can you forget the ambition for success in this world. That's why I offer you the Quan Yin Method, so that you might see the glory of God, of Heaven, and then lose the desire for the material gain and fame. It is like the baby - if you give him milk then he will not suck the dummy.
Q: Can you tell us about God, the Father? What does Hes look like?
M: Hes is like you. Hes has two parts: a good part and a naughty part. The naughty part, Hes uses to make life go on in bitter and sweet, and in all the follies so as to amuse whoever likes to see these things. The good part, Hes uses to give us strength, spiritual knowledge, and all the holy, noble things that we can do.
If we say, "God is all good and love", it is fine also, but then we can't explain all the devils in this world. There is actually no evil in this world. It's just the way we look at things, that we do not know how to play the game with God, and that makes things turn sour and become negative. If we learn to contact God, things reconstruct themselves, and then we see things in a different light. We know how to mix them, just like some so-called poison, even. The scientists know how to use it for the benefit of people's health, but if we use it in a layman's manner, it kills.
God is not a person or not even a "non-person." It is the Supreme Power that pervades the whole universe, and we are within It; we are of It, and also we are the totality of It. We know this God according to our diligence in searching, according to the grace of God, which comes in proportion to the sincerity of our thirst for knowledge of the kingdom of God within. That is a temporary explanation of the so-called God. Otherwise, look at your neighbor if you want to see God. It's next to you; look at each other and try to see whether you find God within him, because the Bible says so.
When you do something good and noble with all love to your neighbors or to someone you don't know, that is when you realize you are God. That's when the God within you awakens. When you do something that you think is undesirable or harms some person, that is when you allow the naughty part of God to take the upper hand. But it's all a game, anyhow. We have to be enlightened to tolerate both, and turn bad into goodness.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
God is our True Self, with all wisdom, beauty and virtues. These are the true qualities of a human.
This is very difficult. It's even harder than breaking off a love relationship. Why? It is because the ego is the self-pride of humans. Therefore, to eliminate the ego is very difficult, as we have been used to being the father, the mother, the saint, the God, for such a long time. However, there are ways to eliminate your ego. Just look at your practice diary each day and see if the things you have done are good. If the good deeds are few and the bad ones are many, and if we are full of greed, anger and hatred, then we know that we should be ashamed of ourselves. Then, gradually, we will become more humble, and we will not dare to criticize others because we can see that we are charcoal-black. Is that not so? If our own feet were soaked in mud, how would we dare to use a torch to shine on others' feet? So our ego is lessened.
When you practice the Quan Yin Method, gradually, the ego will be lessened. This Method allows you to use the Divine Light, God's Love, the Source of infinite power or our own true Self, to erode the mundane ego. It is not that we use our limited human power to control it. Many people practice by strictly disciplining themselves. They dare not do this or that; dare not open their mouths too wide when they laugh; dare not walk with big strides; dare not run; dare not do anything. Even then, the ego still cannot be eliminated. Why? It is because they are using the mind and their mundane experiences to eliminate their mundane egos. Both of them are at a mundane level, therefore, it's difficult.
Pearls of Wisdom ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
You are attached to the existence of "I", attached to an "I" doing this and doing that. That is looking for trouble, letting yourself forget your great inherent wisdom and ability to save the world. This is the only difference between you and me. When you completely forget the existence of "I", you'll understand who you are. All your troubles and pains will disappear. If you meditate more, you'll be able to purge yourself of "I" and erase those records of the past. If you create interference and erase "I" with the inner Sound, you'll forget it more completely.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
If we sense in ourselves any ego, any motive that is not pure, stop it immediately; do not go on with it, or make some change instead. In this way, there will be no problem.
To kill our ego is to merge ourselves with God. When we are one with God, then we lose ourselves. It's as simple as that.
Q: Please explain more about mass suffering. Are people guilty from before, and that's why they suffer?
M:No one is innocent. I'm not condemning anyone at all. It's all a process of learning lessons. Learning is very painful. Once you're awakened, however, you see things in a different light, and you know it's all lessons.
Look at the mass killing that we do every day in order to keep this body for a hundred years. How many lives have to be sacrificed - all the fish, all the shrimp, all the chickens, all the pigs, all the buffaloes? Do you think all this energy will be dissolved without war, without suffering, without physical ailments? Everything we do is recorded in the air. Nothing is lost; it's only diluted with a different energy. It's only equalized by different actions, not lost. For example, if air has already become ice after being water, and if you want it to disappear, you have to put sun rays, a lamp, light or heat on it, in order to get it back into the form of air again. So if we've been killing, conducting mass massacres all the time, all these animals are suffering, and they also have consciousness, thoughts and hateful energy, all this hatred and fear condenses itself into a powerful energy and hangs around in the air. Too much of that will result in mass suffering.
We have to pay for everything we use in this physical universe. Therefore, all the Masters emphasize following a vegetarian diet, which has the least cost to the various forms of existence. Animals have life, plants also have life, but they incur the least cost. Just like if you earn only a hundred dollars and you want to spend two hundred, of course you go into debt, and you're in trouble. If you try to buy cheap things and satisfy yourself with the minimum cost to live, then you have no worries about debt. That's why we choose the vegetarian diet - fruit, nuts, milk or cheese. All these things have less crime, less consciousness within themselves. Now if you take milk from a cow, will the cow die? If you take a few nuts from the trees, the trees still have plenty of nuts to grow thousands more nut trees. They won't be lost. If you cut a flower, or a branch of a vegetable, it will grow even more from that cut stem, even more vegetables will come out of it. So in this way, we know that the vegetarian diet is less harmful and incurs less cost.
Q: What causes the problem of alcoholism? What causes it to arise in the alcoholic's spirit?
M: There are many causes. First of all, a lot of people are weak and they cannot resist the temptation to run away from problems. Instead of facing their problems, they run away. People run away from problems in different ways. Some people choose alcohol; some people choose to literally run away from the scene of the problem, or from the person that they think is causing them problems or embarrassment. Instead of solving problems by talking with each other, they run away. They use any excuse, or go to another house, visit other friends, or do anything to run away instead of talking. Or instead of making the person understand why he or she is angry, they just run away.
And other people cannot talk and cannot run away because they have no chance, no choice, or are too lazy to run away, and then they consume alcohol. Running away in the mind, pretending to be deaf and dumb to the world, they make a mess of themselves. And then they make themselves worse, so people don't even bother with them or talk to them, and they just pretend to be dead. This is a way of running away from problems. These people are weak. That's all. This is a sign of weakness.
Because we are all God's children, we are used to heavenly bliss over there in heaven, and when we come here, nothing is to our liking. Everything is so terrible; everything is so hard on us. And then when we have a few more problems, we can't bear it any more and we try to run away. We try to recover the peace that we once had in heaven and so we use all kinds of substitutes in order to shut out the problem. That's alcoholism. And then they turn to alcohol, drugs, women, gambling, or whatever. And sometimes if they are weak, bad spirits, ghosts, also possess them and make them drink. If they don't believe in God too much or if they're too prone to negative, dark thinking too much, then they will attract the dark elements.
When I talk about spirits, it doesn't necessarily mean ghosts. There are bad elements everywhere, as well as good elements. If we clean ourselves and become good, and our energy is good, then we attract more good energy, more positive elements and they surround us everywhere. And if we are bad or dark, then we attract more dark elements in the atmosphere of the surroundings. Do you know where the dark elements come from, and where the good elements come from? - From human society. When people think badly, they create the dark elements, dark energy, and woe to us if we become dark and susceptible to this kind of dark element; we say that we are possessed by bad spirits.
If we are cleansed and pure, and we raise our thinking and spirit to a noble level, then we attract more noble energy, noble elements, from a noble group of people whose thoughts are noble and elegant and beautiful. Then we attract that. So, say, if the people who are dark, who give in to the pressures of life and want to run away, don't elevate themselves, then they will attract this kind of bad energy from people who generate bad thoughts. Everything we think and say generates energy, and it hangs around in the air everywhere. And whoever belongs to that group catches that kind of thing.
So, with the people who are alcoholics, sometimes it is like that. Or gambling addicts, they are like that. But don't blame the spirits for anything. Blame yourselves. We have to choose. That's why I say, "Choose your lifestyle." You have to choose whatever you want to be. You have to choose it with all your might or else you are weakened. And then all the bad energy will overpower you, and you can't get up anymore. Once you are down, it's difficult to get up. Choose your way of life. The way you have chosen is good already, so just continue to make it better and better. Then you will just attract better and better energy. That's why your life has started to become better. It's not due to me; it's due to you. You've chosen a better way of life. You chose to walk in the sun, so you see the sun. If you choose to stay in a dark room, you will see darkness. It's all your doing. I am not doing anything.
You should pursue spiritual practice in a moderate way. It's OK to become a Saint tomorrow, so why must you rush to make it today? You have waited for many lifetimes, so what is the big deal in waiting just a few more days? The more you are anxious, the more you obstruct yourself.
In ancient times, there was a person who followed an Enlightened Master to practice. One day, he asked his Master, "Master, how many sincere persons like me can you find in this world?" His Master replied, "The universe is full of disciples like you." (Master and everyone laugh.) Still skeptical, the disciple asked again, "Master, I am truly sincere. If I were to renounce everything, including my parents, wife, children, relatives, and friends, then how many years of practice would I take to reach Sainthood?" His Master told him, "If you are diligent, you can achieve it in five to fifteen years." The disciple asked further, "This is too slow. If I refrain from eating and drinking, and even skip sleeping, and only meditate with my legs crossed twenty-four hours a day, when do you think I can become a Saint?" His Master said, "In this way, perhaps it will take you thirty to fifty years to become a Saint." (Master and everyone laugh.) Do you know why? He was being too anxious. Who did he think he was? Who cares whether he becomes a Saint or not? Who would need a person like him?
Shakyamuni Buddha was very magnificent, and India was a holy land. Lots of people were vegetarians, and knew that they should pursue spiritual practice. Yet, He delivered no more than several tens of thousands of people. Even after His departure, some people still defamed Him. Other religious sects said that He was a heretic, an evil practitioner, and a demon! Similarly, people also slandered Jesus Christ. The two of Them are still defamed by people today. It is because They were predestined to become Enlightened Masters, and were assigned by God to deliver people, so They had no choice but to come to deliver sentient beings. When sincere aspirants pleaded with Them to impart the Truth, They didn't have the heart to refuse, because They didn't want to break their hearts. Therefore, there is no big deal in becoming a Saint; eventually, everyone will become a Saint .
Shakyamuni Buddha used to have a disciple who didn't sleep even at night. It seemed that he meditated in the day and chanted the sutras at night, until later his eyes almost became blind. Shakyamuni Buddha told him, "The way you are practicing will soon make you Maya instead of a Saint. When you play the zither, and the strings are stretched too tightly, can they produce any sound?" The disciple answered, "No!" "And if the strings are too loose, will any sound come out?" He said, "No, none." Then Shakyamuni Buddha said, "The best way is the middle way."
Therefore, a balanced life is the Tao; an ordinary mind is the Tao. We should not crave for anything. Craving to become a Saint quickly is also a kind of greediness. We ought to be moderate in whatever we do. How can you demand a newborn baby to ride a bicycle? You may be anxious to see him grow up and become a capable person, but you must not rush him. He cannot even walk steadily, so how can you ask him to run? Even if he forces himself to run, he will soon fall down. When a toddler learning to walk tries to run, won't he fall down in just a few steps? As a result, he will break his nose and injure his body, all because he is too anxious.
We should first take good care of our mind. Check whether or not we have a pure and noble ideal, that we have reined in our greed, wrath and infatuation, that we are loving and patient enough to others, that we are magnanimous, understanding and generous enough to tolerate others' mistakes. When we have achieved all these things, it is still not too late to become an Enlightened Master or Saint. Before we have reached perfection, who can benefit from our becoming an Enlightened Master? We have not yet erased our guilty feelings, or cleared up our preconceptions and ignorance. Being still very narrow-minded, we cannot tolerate many people. Our love is still too insignificant to love a lot of people. Then what is the benefit of rushing to become an Enlightened Master? Even if all the Saints and Masters pour all of Their power into such a narrow-minded, agitated and ignorant person, what is the use?
Endowed with power but not love, one will become Maya. There is no significant difference between Maya and a Saint. Both have similar power, but the Saint has love, which Maya lacks. Maya is very selfish, demands everything and takes all. He only criticizes and never forgives. The Saint not only criticizes, but He also forgives. He criticizes when it is the right time to do so, in order to help people to progress, and let them realize their own shortcomings. When it is time to forgive, He will, giving people due encouragement to live on, without being burdened by heavy feelings of guilt.
To really become a Saint, we have to be perfect in every aspect, not just a particular aspect. If we are only magnanimous, but never criticize, then it is also no good! For instance, at times when you should criticize and educate people, you praise them instead, then you will only spoil them and ruin their judgment ability in spiritual practice. That's why I say, "One must be balanced in Yin and Yang to become a Saint." We should penetrate all aspects of this world. Living in the world, we still need to eat, sleep and interact with people; therefore, we ought to be normal. As to our inner level or spiritual progress, we should just keep it to ourselves, and refrain from revealing it through our outer deportment.
Q: Suppose I'm doing something; how do you know it's karma causing me to do it or if I'm making new karma?
M: It's hard to tell now because we are very deep into the trouble, so just try your best to avoid what you can avoid and to finish what you have to finish - what you cannot avoid. Also, you can tell sometimes whether it's new or old karma like this: if something happens to you and you cannot avoid it no matter how much you dislike it, that is old karma. Surely the force of karma is forcing you to do these things. If there is something you can avoid, but you like to do it by your own will, then you know you are creating trouble, new karma. You know that it is wrong and you can avoid it but you still want to do it, then you know you're getting into trouble. If it's a good thing, of course you do it and forget it, thinking that it's God, Who is doing a good thing to benefit others through you, and then it's fine. But if you know it is a wrong thing and you still deliberately want to do it even though you can avoid it, that is new karma and surely you'll have trouble.
Q: Master, how do I overcome fear? Does fear come from our imagination, or is it because of our karma or poor spiritual practice?
M: There are many ways, but it is also very difficult. You have to be diligent and courageous. Even spiritual practitioners may not immediately be able to get rid of this feeling of fear because it has been with them for too long. It is a kind of predestined karma for this life. Most probably we have intimidated or hurt many people before, so the vibrations of these victims' souls hang around our magnetic field and make us feel fear. We may not see or feel anything, yet we have that fearful feeling. Therefore, we should be more loving and charitable, endeavor to comfort others, and send out vibrations and thoughts that give a sense of security. This may help us a little and may be practiced by visualization. When we practice it, we close our eyes and imagine we are sending out courage, comfort, and love to the orphaned and the widowed, to the soldiers and police officers patrolling alone in the dark, and even to people we dislike or once detested. We send our love in all directions. Once we have practiced this method for some time, courage will grow within us. Try and see if it works.
If we want to progress in our spiritual cultivation, the best way to do so is to introspect on ourselves more. We should find out our shortcomings and anything illogical in our actions. We must analyze and review ourselves daily. If there's anything that we've handled improperly, we should find out the reason. Was it because we didn't utilize our brains properly or didn't analyze the situation carefully when we acted? Or was it because we didn't give careful consideration to our options? We must be careful to remind ourselves! Otherwise, we're all "refugees." Whatever people say, we agree with; whatever people teach us, we accept. Then, we become garbage bins!
We have very good brains. Each person's brain is more or less the same. But why is it that Shakyamuni Buddha could use His intelligence to good advantage while we can't use it properly but waste it instead? Thus, we must remain vigilant. Whatever the situation may be, we should always analyze it and check thoroughly to see whether or not it's correct. Shakyamuni Buddha said that, even regarding what He said, His disciples should analyze it clearly before they believed it. We shouldn't blindly believe anything that people say, but believe only when it's logical. He elaborated on this very clearly and even cited His own words as an example to educate His disciples. Thus, we ought to be cautious. Any ideas, either new or old, if they're illogical, unsuitable, too troublesome, too complicated, and do not benefit us or others, then we shouldn't act on them.
Q: Deep in my heart, I know Master is an enlightened Master, and I can feel the blessing of Master's loving power. Why then do I still occasionally have suspicious thoughts?
A: All through our previous lives, our mind has recorded many dark thoughts and wrong conceptions that cannot be erased in a short time. In fact, we have two kinds of forces within. One is positive, and the other is negative. This is the cause of our inner struggles. We practice the Quan Yin Method to develop our positive power. As long as we can practice methodically and persistently, and communicate with the highest Power every day, the God Power within will bless us and cleanse all our dark thoughts.
Master Ching Hai initiates sincere people longing to know the Truth, into the Quan Yin Method. The Chinese characters "Quan Yin" mean contemplation of the Sound Vibration. The Method includes meditation on both the inner Light and the inner Sound. These inner experiences have been repeatedly described in the spiritual literature of all the world's religions since ancient times.
For example, the Christian Bible states, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) This Word is the inner Sound. It has also been called the Logos, Shabd, Tao, Soundstream, Naam, or the Celestial Music. Master Ching Hai says, It vibrates within all life and sustains the whole universe. This inner melody can heal all wounds, fulfill all desires, and quench all worldly thirst. It is all powerful and all Love. It is because we are made of this Sound, that contact with it brings peace and contentment to our hearts. After listening to this Sound, our whole being changes, our entire outlook on life is greatly altered for the better.
The inner Light, the Light of God, is the same Light referred to in the word "enlightenment". Its intensity can range from a subtle glow to the brilliance of many millions of suns. It is through the inner Light and Sound that we come to know God.
The initiation into the Quan Yin Method is not an esoteric ritual or a ceremony for entering a new religion. During the initiation, specific instruction in meditation on the inner Light and inner Sound is given, and Master Ching Hai provides the "Spiritual Transmission". This first taste of Divine Presence is given in silence. Master Ching Hai need not be physically present in order to open this "door" for you. The Transmission is an essential part of the Method. The technique themselves will bring little benefit without the Grace of the Master.
Because you may hear the inner Sound and see the inner Light immediately upon initiation, this event is sometimes referred to as "sudden" or "immediate enlightenment."
Master Ching Hai accepts people from all backgrounds and religious affiliations for initiation. You do not have to change your present religion or system of beliefs. You will not be asked to join any organization, or participate in any way that does not suit your current life-style.
However, you will be asked to become a vegetarian. A lifetime commitment to the vegetarian diet is a necessary prerequisite for receiving initiation.
The initiation is offered free of charge.
Daily practice of the Quan Yin Method of meditation and the keeping of the Five Precepts are your only requirements after initiation. The Precepts are guidelines that help you to neither harm yourself nor any other living being. These practices will deepen and strengthen your initial enlightenment experience, and allow you to eventually attain the highest levels of awakening or Godhood for yourself. Without daily practice, you will almost certainly forget your enlightenment and return to a normal level of consciousness.
Master Ching Hai's goal is to teach us to be self sufficient. Therefore, She teaches a method that can be practiced by everyone, by themselves, without props or paraphernalia of any kind. She is not looking for followers, worshippers, or disciples, or to establishing an organization with a dues paying membership. She will not accept money, prostrations, or gifts from you, so you do not need to offer these to Her.
She will accept your sincerity in daily life and meditational practice to progress yourself towards sainthood.
The Five Precepts
1. Refrain from taking the life of sentient beings*;
2. Refrain from speaking what is not true;
3. Refrain from taking what is not offered;
4. Refrain from sexual misconduct;
5. Refrain from the use of intoxicants;
*The keeping of this precept requires a vegan or lacto-vegetarian diet with no eggs.
Q: Master, why is it important to meditate in the morning?
M: You can meditate at any time. It's just that in the morning, most people have a night's rest. And in the morning it's still quiet. Like from three to six, most people are still sleeping: no traffic, no noise, no children and no telephone ringing. And your mind, after a night's rest, is calm. And your body is also still not fully active. So you can sit better and you can attain samadhi, meaning Heaven, more and more quickly. If you do it at home, it's even better. Because you're calmer there; you feel more secure and quiet.
And the morning has the best hours. But that doesn't mean you have to do it in the morning. I do it at any time: on the bus, in the car. Our people do it anywhere except when driving, please. (Laughter)
Q: Previously I was devoted to another master to whom I am indebted for his grace. I also took a serious oath in front of God. I only realize the outstanding superiority of the Quan Yin Method now. Will I be punished by God if I leave that master? A: If you fully understand the pure purpose of spiritual practice and desire to progress by practicing a method that will give you eternal liberation, but your teacher cannot teach you such a method, then of course you should find another teacher who can truly bring you into the lineage and give you the proper guidance on the right path.
Actually, if a master of any belief is incapable of leading sentient beings to liberation, we should look for another master. A real master should be able to transmit the correct method to you, initiate your wisdom, and enable you to attain the Truth, henceforth to return to the kingdom of God. It is just like a ship, the chief function of which is to bring us to the opposite shore. After we reach the other shore, we don't need it anymore. We must not cling to that ship and forget about the real objective.
Let's take another example. When we graduate from primary school, our teacher should allow us to be promoted to junior high school and then high school. We should not feel that we have disappointed or betrayed our primary school teacher just because we have been promoted to senior high school.
Q: Dear Master, how does a man cope when he's been married unhappily but then falls in love with another married lady?
M: You have to look to your own marriage and see whether it is absolutely not salvageable, amendable or improvable. Or whether you are seeking love in another relationship just as an excuse for your own pleasure. Because it's already troublesome enough to have one marriage. So it is better if we can take care of our marriage relationship. I know it's difficult; everything is difficult in this world. But that doesn't mean it's impossible.
Talk to your wife about where the problem lies. But don't talk to her about your affair, please. If you talk about that, there may be no more solution. It's alright; if you think it was a mistake, you may try to cut it down or forsake it. But talk to your wife about how to improve your relationship: where she is failing, or where you are failing, and where you need her attention or improvement, or where she needs you.
Talk to each other. Buy new presents for her; buy a beautiful dress for her. Adorn her with beautiful things; make her your beauty. Make her the beauty of your life, instead of spending time and energy on somebody else's woman. Because you don't possess her anyhow. It's better to take care of what you have, and not waste time and energy on other people's possessions. It doesn't matter how much you like the neighbor's car, you don't go and spray gold on it. Spray it on your own car! Take care of your car, because you drive the car and you need it every day. The car is necessary for you. The neighbor's car you can admire quietly, but don't spray gold on it. Don't look after it too much and neglect your car. One day maybe the driver of the neighboring car will drive that car away, and suddenly you will have to go without anything. Your car is in the garage, broken down, uncared for, and now you are in trouble.
So work for your marriage, if you think it's worthwhile. And then also, at the same time, respect other people's marriages. It hurts to forsake the things you love. But think of the other man. If you were in his position, would you feel happy? Would you not prefer your wife to be faithful and devoted to you? So make your wife a good wife, and make yourself a good husband. And make the neighbor's wife also become a good wife to her husband. That would be the best solution, if you don't find a better one.
Thank you for trusting me with your personal family problem. But this is also very important. If your heart is not peaceful, no matter how many wives you have, your business and everything will go wrong. It's better to be satisfied with what you have, and take care of it and beautify it. Make it more beautiful and more suitable for your taste. Just like you cultivate your garden and plant your roses, make what you have more beautiful for yourself.
Q: Could You tell us something from the spiritual point of view about the influences of war?
M: What can I say? What can I say about the ignorance of humankind that drives people to kill one another in cold blood? What can I say to those who have suffered tremendous agony in the war, who lost their parents, who lost their children, who lost everything that they had worked their whole life for? I can only pray that their sorrow will be eased somehow, that God will bless them inside so that they know that life is eternal, and God always loves them. It doesn't matter if they are bad or good, and it doesn't matter how much they lose in this world, Heaven is still theirs.
I can only tell you that if we, the spiritual aspirants, try our best to raise our consciousness to a higher level of understanding, then the world will be a better place. This comes only by knowing that we are God inside, that we can respect the God who sits in front of us or next to us. Only with God's love can we erase all the hatred and differences between brothers and sisters, and then the wars will stop.
Since ancient times we have been warring with each other, destroying the property and the nutrition of this planet. We have even destroyed the teachings of the spiritual Masters; we damage their bodies and their way of life. And what has it brought us? We gain nothing out of this war or any war. I feel sorry for the ones who caused the war, and I feel sorry for the victims. But I feel even sorrier for the ones who caused the war because they are so far from God; they are so desperate that they feel they have to resort to violence.
They feel so much lack of love within themselves that they break out with crimes of such a violent manner because they are so desperate. They are so deep in the illusion of life. For the one who does not know right from wrong anymore, we can only feel sorry. And we can pray that God will bless them with more wisdom and more love, so that they will be awakened to a better way of life. We can help shorten the war and ease the conflict into a better state or even stop it if we all put our positive energy and thinking together, and we meditate daily for the betterment of this planet. The victims of the war, even though they suffer so much in this physical life, will be welcomed by God in the life after.
So I am here to try to remind you that you have the power within yourself to bless the world, to stop the war, to ease the suffering. It is up to you to make use of it. The more awakened the people, the less trouble in this world. Our world is getting better. There are more spiritual practitioners and more vegetarians. In a few more hundred years to come, we will see almost Heaven on this planet. If we live that long!
Q: Master, in one of the News magazines recently, You said that there was no Maya, only God wearing a mask. When You do good things for us, we always have obstructions ahead, so I am wondering whether that is the Maya doing a bad scene to prevent You from doing everything for us?
M: Of course there is a struggle, because Maya is just another force trying to keep the people here, and the Master Power is another force trying to uplift people, because the people who come here are the ones who want to remember they are God. But if it were so simple - you just get a mother, come into the womb, become a baby, and then grow up to become an enlightened Master - then it's so easy, so cheap; what for would you even have to come to the physical body?
So there must be something, like a test in the school. The teacher who gives you very difficult tests is also the one who teaches you every day, who loves you, and who guides you in every step of your education. But he has to test whether you've become strong enough, whether you've understood it, whether you've grown up, whether it was beneficial for you. So Maya is just a test. If you fail the test, then you fail and you will have to begin again, and sometimes it's more difficult. Every time you fail a test, it's doubly difficult the next time. And if you fail the third time, it's six times more difficult.
Be careful all the time with your actions, speech, and thinking; don't fail the test. Whatever is good for other people or good for you, you know you must do it; and there's not even any "in case" and "suppose to" about it. Just do it if you can do it; and don't listen to the Maya, the mind, telling you, "Think of yourself first. Why are you doing that? You have your life to take care of. Forget about her, forget about them; forget about everyone else except yourself. Just do what you want right now regardless of how many people suffer." If you listen to that voice, you will fail. If you listen to your soul, you will pass with flying colors.
So, Maya is no problem; the problem is you, is us. Suppose you go to school and there are no tests, no exams, then what for? How do you know if you're good or not? All the people in the Olympics have to pass their tests also. It's very difficult to pass the tests, and they would say, "Oh! That's Maya!" Most of the time, it's very, very difficult. Often we fail. Only once in a while we succeed in standing up. Once we can stand up, we feel the real difference in progress. We feel we have been uplifted to a much higher level; we feel like a burden has been lifted from our shoulders and we will be stronger, more clear, and more proud of ourselves. Try it! I have tests all the time also. I do.
Q: Since You are an enlightened Master, and if the Maya tests You, is there a way to know the Maya is testing You?
M: No, it doesn't test me straight away. It puts a lot of disciples and trouble in front of me. If it tests me, I would just say, "Get lost! I know you." It just tests my attendants, my disciples, my loved ones, my friends, relatives; it brings that person trouble, and in turn, he troubles me. That should be enough. It never tests me alone, no! It knows me. For example, I want to go to group meditation, and then probably I have only one driver or one attendant at the time. Normally, we don't have any problems with each other, but suddenly, just before I go to group meditation, all kinds of problems come. Maybe he's sulking; maybe he is thinking of going home, maybe he is thinking of his girlfriend, maybe he is thinking of going somewhere else instead. And then he makes a lot of noise, a lot of trouble: anger, arguments, and walks or drives away somewhere else leaving me alone there. Maybe I am late for group meditation, maybe I couldn't come at all; maybe I am too tired and exhausted after trying to win him back onto the right path. Just to rescue one person alone sometimes can be very exhausting because that person is next to me, and all the force of Maya is on him. So I have to help him; and in helping him, I am exhausted. Then I can't go to you, I come late, I come with a big head, or I come in no mood at all to talk.
That's the way it works; it doesn't test me. Nothing can test me. How - money? Give me money so I'll stop being a Master or what? Give me a lover so I'll stop, no! I cannot. Even give me money, okay, I'll accept it, but I'll continue my work. [Applause] Give me a husband, okay, come work with me. What now, make me become a president? Make me sick? Okay, I'm sick, fine. I'll go to the doctor, get a shot and all that, and then I'll get up to do it again. It can only stop me for a while and not for long; it knows that.
All these sicknesses and troubles on my part are not Maya's tests on me; they are tests through my disciples, through my close ones. It is always like that, one hundred percent of the time like that. So even if it doesn't make me sick directly, through the disciple, it can make me sick, make me worry, make me sleepless, make me hurt. Then I get sick, and that also can, in turn, hinder my work or make me weaker for my work, make me work with effort, with suffering that I have to try to overcome. That's all. How else can it test me? The Maya can't do much. Even if it kills me, that's the worst. Then I'm free.
Talking about Maya, I know it every day. It just hides behind some of my people; it never comes face to face with me. Never! But I know it is somewhere. The problem is that most of the disciples are Maya themselves. Like attracts like. If you're strong and good, how can Maya attract you, how can Maya use you? You know immediately that you're doing wrong to yourself, to the Master, and to the public, and then you stop. But they don't know; they think they are doing good. They help the Maya to trouble me, often times. So you can see whether a person is weak or strong by seeing his actions or her doings. You know right away whom he is helping, who he is working for, who the boss is. Anything that works to help the public or the Master is the work of the Master Power; anything that goes against that for any reason at all is the Maya. That is very simple.
You see it right now, but you don't see it when you're around me because that's the time the Maya will dig out the Maya in you, and use it. Now it's lying asleep under control. You will know how much Maya there is when you come face to face with a test; when you have to work for the public; when you have to sacrifice your ego, your time, your physical being, and your likes and dislikes for the benefit of other people. At that time, then you will know how much Maya you still have in your body, in your mind. Otherwise, you will never know. Nothing changes. It's just that you have it inside, and the Maya or the God quality comes when the time, when the situation comes. When it's required, that side of nature comes out. Then you will know how much God Nature and how much Maya nature you reveal to yourself and to other people to see. Everyone can become an enlightened Master. It's just that they don't choose to, that's all. They choose the easy way, the habitual way. That means they take care of themselves first. To take care of yourself is very good, it's a duty, but not at the expense of everyone else. That is disastrous; that is when you are really working for the devil.
Q: What can I do to maintain a daily meditation schedule, when there aren't enough waking hours in the day?
M: You can't wake up? Me, either. No one likes to wake up when we're snug in bed, but we have to try. Suppose you have a job and you have to get up to go to work, then you must. For something like two thousand dollars per month, you wake up every morning at five o'clock. But for God, you don't wake up! So what am I to do? You make your own priorities. We can wake up a little earlier than usual and then get used to it.
For example, say it's too early to get up at three o'clock; then don't wake up three o'clock. If you normally wake up for work at five o'clock, then wake up at twenty to five the first day, or ten to five, or even five to five, and the next day or next week, at ten to five. Get yourself used to the idea and reward yourself abundantly. Tell yourself, "If you wake up early today, I'm going to give you a double bagel or one more cup of cafe latte." Whatever your mind loves to have, reward yourself with it.
You must also love yourself because let's face it, we have only this one physical body, and we're very tired sometimes. We work hard for eight or ten hours a day, just to keep this machine running. And then we sometimes have to attend to other work such as family: a wife, children, parents, friends, neighbors, relatives, and so on. We really make very hard demands on this physical body.
So of course, if you can't wake up in the morning for meditation, forgive yourself. Don't be too hard on yourself, but train yourself slowly. Watch less TV, go to sleep a little early so you can get up better. Whatever activities you used to do too much before to pass the time when you were bored, use that time for knowing God. It's a matter of organization. I'm also pretty busy. You don't believe it; I sit here and look pretty, but I'm very busy, too. And it's also hard for me to get up early sometimes. But you have to put on the alarm clock. Sometimes it's like that.
In the old Indian tradition, there was a saint who could wake up all night, but he slept sitting instead of lying down, so it was just the same. (Laughter) Our people are the same. When they go to our retreats, they sit there and look very good, but they sit in any fashion. (Master humorously drops Her head to one side to show someone "nodding off.") So never mind. Try your best; that's what counts. The saint in India had long hair like me, and he tied his hair to the ceiling. I'm not kidding! And then he became a Master, because he tried so hard. He tied his hair to the ceiling, so whenever he nodded off: "Oh! OK! Ow!" (Laughter)
I'm not saying that you should grow your hair long or do that. But find your own way. Like you can wake up early; for example, in the beginning I had to put a flask of ice water next to me. And then when the alarm rang, I would reach for the ice and throw it on my face: Oh! The ice comes through your clothes and everything, and you just have to jump out of bed.
You don't have to do that; you'll have your own way. But when you want to do something, you can. Believe that you can because you're God. There's nothing impossible with God. Just remember that you have God inside you and no one else there. Don't listen to the mind and the brain; it's just a computer. The mind tells us, "Oh, sleep. Sleep is good for you." But that's not God's voice. God's is behind that.
Q: What was the physical feeling at the moment You found the Truth? What did You feel?
M: There are many ways. Sometimes you have no physical feeling whatsoever. You enjoy in a different dimension. It does not always relate to the physical feeling. You do not use a physical body to enjoy the heavenly bliss. It is a different kind of enjoyment which also manifests sometimes in a physical feeling, like you will feel very peaceful, that is, nothing will move you at all: no anger, no hatred will arise in your mind, and your body will feel so relaxed and so beautiful. That is a lighter kind of samadhi.
Once you are in a deeper samadhi, there's no connection whatsoever with your physical body, and you can't tell. But when you come back, the manifestations of the Light take place at the physical level. For example, you will be more loving to people, you will do your work faster, you will think more quickly, you will be more tolerant, and you will look at all the books and understand them in no time. In other words, you are more intelligent, more loving, and calmer. That is how it manifests through a physical body. But otherwise, when you are in very deep samadhi, you are disconnected from the body, with no physical feelings.
Q: Is it necessary to pray before doing the meditation?
M: We can, but it's not necessary. Meditation is the deepest prayer through which you get anything you want. Anything that is good for your spiritual and physical well being will automatically come your way, whether you pray or don't pray for it. That's why the life of a Quan Yin practitioner is full of contentment and satisfaction - he wants nothing. The more he practices, the less he wants. The more he practices, the less he prays. Seek you first the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added unto you.
Q: Is there any difference between initiation by Master and initiation via the Quan Yin messengers*?
A: There is no difference. As a matter of fact, the power of initiation originates from the Master and not from the Quan Yin messengers. With Master's permission, the Quan Yin messengers only explain those pertinent and salient points that pertain to spiritual practice and the meditation technique. They are merely conveying Master's omnipotence that constitutes the source of the dharma (holy teachings). Therefore, no matter where one is in this world, as long as one sincerely prays for initiation and Master's blessing, it is as though the power conferred by Master through the Quan Yin messengers were administered by Master in person.
*Quan Yin messengers are resident practitioners who administer oral instructions during the process of the Holy Initiation when the physical presence of the Master is not possible.
Actually, when we're very happy, it's very difficult to meditate. And when we're very miserable, it's also very difficult to meditate! That's why we always try to strike a balance in between, so we don't feel such extremes that we forget that the real happiness is inside. Truly, it is!
It doesn't matter how much we love someone, or how much someone loves us. One day or another, he or she will disappoint us. And then it hurts. Maybe we misunderstand, or maybe it's true. But it hurts. Even with our children or husband, if we truly want them to love us, we have to be like a slave 24 hours a day to their every wish. Then they'll be happy, and then they might stick with us. But even then it's just maybe.
Sometimes children also make trouble for their parents because they misunderstand their parents, or they want their parents to be with them all the time and give them all of their time. But sometimes, if the parents can't satisfy them, they just don't care. So even children sometimes cause a lot of pain for their parents. And sometimes a husband and wife cause pain for each other because of too many expectations or even just normal expectations.
Still, they're not always easy to fulfill. Like today someone loves you and then you expect tomorrow he will be the same or maybe even better. But then something happens tomorrow. And then he's cranky and moody, and he doesn't want to talk to you. It may not be your fault. But then you say, "If you don't care about me, why should I care about you?" And then you both say it, and then you separate or at least feel bad about each other. And then it takes many days before you reconcile with each other again, or maybe never. Sometimes even just small things make people fall apart, and it hurts a lot. It's not that it doesn't hurt. If it didn't hurt, it would be OK. But it does hurt.
Actually, if we truly rely on the inner happiness, then everything will come. Then we'll never be disappointed or have to rely on anyone. If someone comes, it's OK, or if they don't come, it's OK. We don't feel so hurt or pained inside.
So all the pain, sorrow and misery come not from the outside, not from other people. They come from our inner ignorance. We expect too much from everyone and everything, and then we're disappointed. So the only source of happiness is inside. Whenever you meditate, try to get in touch with that source. For your sake, for your own happiness, contentment, satisfaction, you must always try to get in touch with that joyful center which is inside all of you. That is where the Master power is. That is where every miracle in the universe can manifest. That's all loving kindness, that's where all loving kindness is born. That's where all the Virtues, beauty and the Truth laying dormant there for you to discover.
Otherwise, sooner or later we all die and go where, who cares? At least when we're living, we must live a very worthwhile human life. We should be happy and be able to carry on our life in a joyful way. Because that befits our dignity as a human being, as the "Top Ten" of all the animals in this world. We're the top of physical creation. We don't know if we're the top of the universe yet. Maybe not, but at least here, we're the top of creation. So we must carry on our life as dignified as a human being should be, and not be fearful of everything and stupid and in misery, especially when we have the treasure inside that we can always use.
That's the only purpose of meditation: that you know yourself and know what true happiness is, not because the Master says so and you have to obey the Master. You obey the Master because it's good for you, but you must know why. You must know it's for you, not for the Master. The Master doesn't care. I don't care. If you don't meditate, you don't meditate. It's your life. I can't control you, and I don't want to. If you control someone else, you're bound to him or her. Just like the policeman with a criminal, they're both handcuffed. The policeman has to take care of the prisoner.
I don't want to be in that position. So whatever I tell you is good for you, and if what you hear is logical and you know it, then carry on. Not because I force you or anything like that. It's an honor, it's a privilege, and it's the best fortune of our life to be able to know such a secret. It's not being forced, it's not a bargain, and it's not an obligation. It's the best of all privileges, the best of all luck, in thousands or millions of lifetimes, that we're being so easily shown such a door to liberate ourselves of all misery. So work on it. That's all there is to it. (Applause)
Sometimes, if I work until very late, sometimes until twelve o'clock or one, two o'clock, I still meditate before I sleep. I always long to meditate apart from all of my obligations and duties. I never feel like I shouldn't meditate, or that meditation is terrible. Never! It's a joy, a source of relaxation, a way of recharging, even physically.
That's not talking about becoming a Buddha or anything. If you don't meditate during one day, you can never recover from the whole day's exhaustion and all kinds of mental bombardment of society's negativity. So don't complain to me if you're tired, if you're all this and that and the other. If you don't meditate enough, that's it. That's the price you pay. In the beginning, maybe you're unsettled. But the more you meditate, the more you feel like that's it, that's the only method. Now even if someone gave you one million dollars to change the Master or change the method, you wouldn't do it. You never would. Because you just know it; you can't lie. You can't lie and say that this not the method for you. Even if your meditation is lousy, you know it's only your fault. (Master and everyone laugh.) You honestly know that.
And then when it comes to deep down in your introspection: The Quan Yin Method is the only way, right? That's it, full stop, finished, no argument, no "but," "however" or "nevertheless." That's it. That's the feeling we have in our heart, and that's what we know. And that's the only thing that's sure. So if you know that, then you know it. I don't have to tell you.
Q: Can we reduce our karma by praying?
M: Yes, we can if we are sincere enough, because a very sincere and deep prayer is a kind of meditation. We are in a meditative mood and therefore it reaches the deepest recesses of our great store, our merit and our blessing store. And it affects our karma; it cleanses it. Only if you are truly sincere and deeply longing for forgiveness, does it help.
Q: Do You see there being something special, something unique about You being a female Master? About You being so youthful? Why perhaps were You chosen as You are in this particular form to be our living Master?
M: I guess this is the will of the Most High, and I cannot do anything about it. I guess we need a change. Always having male Masters is boring. We need a change. [Master and audience laugh.] [Applause] You know, being a female spiritual teacher has also some advantages. Like, many women don't like or feel shy talking to men teachers, so maybe they find it easier to communicate with a female teacher. Maybe that's why God chose me to do this job.
Q: I'd like to know if the things that happen in our life have meaning: good things, bad things, natural disasters and so on. And is it good to be aware of the hidden significance behind these events?
M: Well, they happen for our spiritual development even though sometimes during a crisis or event we might not be able to understand it. But everything has some purpose. If you can be aware of the hidden meaning, it's fine. If you can't, just let it be. Things happen; it doesn't matter how they happen. It's not what happens but how we react to the event that's important. The event is there so that we can reflect on ourselves and our development. Then we know how far we've grown up, to what height.
I'll give an example so it's easier for you to understand. Some journalists write some things about us that aren't true. Some people get upset, and they tell me. They cry and all that, thinking that because of the journalists, I get my name blackened, and they're upset for me. But I say there's no need. The journalists write what they write. I am what I am. How I react to them is what's important, not what they write about me.
If they write something good about me, if I'm proud or very excited, happy and feel very arrogant, then that's bad for me. So it's not that writing good things about me is good, but whether my attitude toward it is good or bad. It's for me alone. And then if they write bad things about me and I get really upset, I feel bad for a long time, I hate them or I want to make revenge, and that's also no good for me. It means I'm not truly so developed as to have my peace at every moment, in every situation. So, if you look at the situation like this, then how you feel, how you react and how you solve a problem, that's the lesson. That's the tool to help us remember who we are, how great we are, how tolerant, how loving and how understanding.
I also feel upset sometimes for a very short while because the situation should not have happened that way. It should have happened in a more beautiful way. That's just my expectation. But I'm not upset because of bad people who write bad things about me, nor do I expect them to write good things about me. They write bad things because they don't know me. Even you don't know me so how can outside people know me? That's a very obvious reason; they don't know me. And I'm not going to go out into the world and tell all the journalists how good I am. Even if I tell them, whether they believe me or not is another question. Why should they believe me?
Even you, so-called disciples, came here by yourself voluntarily, and you really love God so much that you can even humble yourself to ask questions and learn from me. But sometimes you doubt me. You think bad things about me. You look at my appearance and my actions in a distorted way and then criticize me and leave the path. You look at my personality instead of my teachings. I was born the way I am. God made me the way I am. I can't 'wig-wag' myself to please everyone the way you think. I am what I am and I'm perfect: finished. You're also perfect: finished. If you don't know you're perfect, then you have to know.
You have to learn how to accept yourself as perfect. Anything that's not perfect according to your opinion you can change if you want. I think I'm perfect. (Applause) I don't mean that sometimes I don't make a mistake according to your opinion, but that's all right. I accept my mistake, too, as long as I don't stick there all the time thinking it's good. But maybe it is good! (Master laughs) Maybe my mistake is necessary for someone else. It looks like a mistake, but it might not be. It might not be a mistake.
Say for example, there's a man who's crying in distress and emotion. Maybe he looks handsome and good-looking. And I might hug him or comfort him. In your opinion, maybe I shouldn't do that. Maybe I should refrain from hugging him because I'm a woman and he's such a good-looking young guy. But I care not about what you think. So maybe in that instance, you think I make a mistake. But maybe my mistake was necessary for that man. He needed my mistake. Maybe I shouldn't have done it in order to keep my reputation more flawless and to keep your respect. But I don't care. Why should I care about everyone's opinion? His or her opinion might not always be correct. I just do what I feel is correct at that moment according to my understanding. And I always stand for what I believe in and what I feel at that moment only. For anything else, I'm not responsible. That's the way it is. (Applause)
So that's one thing. If all the newspapers or people outside talk bad about me and I feel very hateful toward them, it means I don't understand. It means that I still have to practice harder, I have to control myself and try to look into the situation better, with more intelligence. That's my job. Their job is to write what they want. They're responsible for their actions and I have to be responsible for my actions. So I look at it this way: They don't know me. They can't understand me and that's fine. They write according to their beliefs, their understanding and their opinions. And that's all right with me. If I can, I'll explain it to them. If I can't, then I just forget it.
I have to tell you that even though we're spiritual practitioners, we don't always immediately have understanding about every situation that we encounter in our lives. We may not always understand, but at least because we practice, after a few minutes of anger and immediate reaction, we reflect and say, "What is this here?"
So don't blame yourself if in some moment of natural reaction if you feel angry or you feel you want revenge. But afterwards, after it subsides, you think, 'This is not the way I should react to this situation. How should I react? What should I do in this situation that's the most beneficial for me and for the opponent?' And that's the way it is. It's not that you don't get angry sometimes, but that you don't overdo it. You don't overdo it and you don't let the anger override you for a long time so as to affect your health, your spirit and your situation. It's not that you don't get angry sometimes. It's good to be angry sometimes. It's healthy. But what you do with the anger, that's another thing. Don't let it destroy you. So for any event that happens in our life, it's up to us to measure how we've grown already in our spiritual development. If you can look at it that way, it's fine. And try to know how to react to it in the best way for yourself.
Q: Why can't I see the transformation body of Master when I meditate?
A: Master is always around us. Seeing the transformation body is not the only way to communicate with Master. You are communicating with Master whenever you think or pray sincerely to Her. How each of us communicates with Master depends on how well we concentrate while we meditate, how pure our heart is, and furthermore, how well we cultivated ourselves spiritually during our previous lives. When we reach higher cultivation levels, we will see the inner Master. The Master's vibration is very delicate. If your acts, speech, and mind are not purified enough and your vibrations are too coarse, you will not be able to see the transformation body of Master.
Q: To live in today's society, competition with others is unavoidable. As such, does this infringe upon the merciful teaching of the enlightened Masters?
A: Master has said that a competitive attitude is not necessarily bad, as long as the competition is lawful and fair. For example, when we make food, it must be better than the others and worth the money the buyers spend. Genuine competition not only calls for beautiful packaging, but the food also must be delicious. If the food is not good, not well packed, is inedible, or if we ask God and the Master to help ruin our competitors' business, that is not a good attitude.
Actually, a competitive attitude is a good one because we can learn from the successes of others and by looking at our mistakes, so as to correct them, improve our business, and make it more attractive. In such circumstances, we have the right to compete because it is legitimate, rational, and ethical.
Q: Master, what are the manifestation body, the reward body (the physical body), and the dharma body in Buddhism? How do we attain the three-fold body?
M: The dharma body is the Truth or the Tao, the True Self, the Heavenly Kingdom, God, or Creator. It exists eternally. It has never been born and will never perish. It is indivisible, neither good nor bad, compassionate nor wicked. The manifestation body comes from the dharma body - that, which is neither good nor bad, has never been born and will never perish. Therefore, the manifestation body is also the dharma body. We sentient beings pray a lot because we suffer much anguish. These prayers form a kind of atmosphere, which can transform itself and move to some place, where it emits a beam of light. This light is the manifestation body. It originates from that huge Source of Light that has never been born and will never perish, which is dazzlingly brilliant and nameless, has no upper limit, and does not move. We can say that the beam of light thus transmitted from this huge Source is the manifestation body. It becomes denser as it descends and takes a form. At the higher level, this form is light, transparent light, and is intangible. It can be seen, though not by the physical eyes. However, sometimes it is visible to the physical eyes as well. As the beam of light descends further, it becomes denser and changes into a physical body of flesh. The physical body looks just like the brilliant, transparent body above, except that the brilliant body is more beautiful, attractive, better-looking to the eye, and more powerful because it is not confined by this silly tool of flesh. So, this is the meaning of the dharma body, the manifestation body, and the physical body.
A person who has attained the Truth should be able to use his three-fold body. We, who have not attained the Truth, have only the physical body. We are always falling ill. We are helpless, unable to help ourselves, or take care of ourselves or others. A person who has attained the three-fold body through the unity of the physical body, the manifestation body, and the dharma body is able to do anything. His physical body is connected to the manifestation body, which, in turn, is linked to the highest Power in the universe - that which exists forever, has never been born, and will never perish. Therefore, the three are together in oneness. Catholics speak of this as the Trinity. This is the meaning of the three-fold body of the Buddha in Buddhism. A person with a three-fold body is an Enlightened Master, a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, a Christ, a Saint, or one who has attained the Truth.
Q: Why is it that although we're all equal in God's creation, some of us suffer so much misery while certain others, though they live a life of evil misdeeds, prosper materially ?
M: That's because of the different paths that we've chosen. When we gain material wealth or comfort, it doesn't mean that we're blessed or we're anything good because as soon as we die, we leave everything behind. If we gain spiritual knowledge and wealth, that's everlasting .
So don't envy those who only acquire material possessions, but have nothing for their soul; because soon they'll be empty. But you, even though you don't have many material acquisitions, are rich in your heart. You have great love, great compassion, great knowledge and wisdom. Like the Buddha or Jesus, they were walking in bare feet. They didn't have any money; they didn't have cars. They didn't have anything, and yet people fell at their feet to worship them. People still listen to everything they said and worship them, two or three thousand years later. So who's richer, the millionaires out there or Jesus and Buddha? You already know the answer. There's no need to compare ourselves with others. We have to know what we're worth inside. That's what's important.
Q: From my understanding, the way to practice the Quan Yin Method is by meditation. I'm wondering how meditation can help change the world to become peaceful and in harmony - an ideal world.
M: That's the right question. Meditation doesn't change the world; it changes you. And then if everyone changes himself, the world becomes peaceful.
We only make war because we're not peaceful ourselves, because we don't know that the person next to us is God. We don't realize that we are God, and we don't realize that the ones we kill, we shoot, we torture, are also God. And that's why the world is not peaceful.
Meditation doesn't mean you just sit there like a statue. You have to really reconnect with God first; then that's the true meditation. Once that's taken place, your being is changed forever. You become a peaceful example of a walking God on this planet.
And even if you don't do anything, people see you and they feel peace. They want to be around you. They want to take advice from you. They want to learn from your example. And that's how the world will become peaceful. It's very logical, nothing mysterious.
If we did not eat meat, no one would kill, no one would raise cattle. All the food would stay where it is, and they could eat it and become healthy and strong. It would be good for every nation and good for our nation as well. We waste a lot of money on arms and on raising animals. All the arable land, or most of it, is wasted nowadays on raising cattle, pigs and the like. If we used these areas to cultivate wholesome, healthy food, I think the nations would benefit more and our nation would have more peace and there would be no need for armed defense.
If every nation lived according to the Bible, according to the Buddhist teachings, Thou shall not kill, Thou shall not steal, etc. then the world would have no more need for peace conferences and would not need to waste so much coffee, champagne and cake at round table discussions that go nowhere. The more we talk about peace, the more war we have. It is because we go about it in an inconsistent manner. If everyone practiced meditation and ate a wholesome diet without any killing involved, the world would long since have been in a peaceful state and we would have no hunger.
There's no need to give away your property; just give up the meat-based diet. That would be enough to save the world, as well as your own and the nation's health.
Q: I hear from a lot of different sources about the end of the world at the end of the century, in terms of ending an era.
M: Aquarian age and Golden age?
Q: Yes, impending changes and physical changes. Is there anything that relates to this practice?
M: Yes. It also happens because you've changed. It happened to you individually: you've changed; you got initiation, you are vegetarian, you feel better now, you are wiser. In that case, it's true. The whole of humankind gets uplifted and turns themselves toward goodness and God. So in that sense, this clairvoyant prediction is true.
Q: A lot of people have made prophecies about the year 2000 - significant changes, but not necessarily for the good, more likely the opposite. Because 2000 years ago we had Buddha, Christ, and so on, so the 2000 mark seems to bear some significance throughout history.
M: So you want me to become another prophet and make another prophecy, right? My prophecy is: let's wait and see. The surest way is to live until the year 2000 and then we'll see what happens. It's more fun. You see, if you're reading a detective book and someone tells you the end, is that fun? I don't like to spoil the fun. What will happen will happen anyhow whether you say it or not. Where can you run to? How can you run out of God's hand? Let Hirm play what Hes wants. We'll watch.
We have no fear of anything. We play the game. Let's have that attitude. It's better than knowing what will happen in the future. Let's have the attitude of: "Whatever will happen in the future, I'll face it. That is braver, more courageous and more fit for your dignity, than just to want to know things about the future and feel fearful or resentful, or anticipate some kind of boredom, or disappointment, relief, and things like that. It's no good. It affects our natural growth, and affects our surprise.
I don't like to know anything about the future. If I have that gift, please ask God to take it away from me. I like to enjoy surprises. Don't you? Can you imagine being born and knowing everything about your life? Better to be dead, no? Would you like that? Born with a clear book about every detail of your life until you die: how many hairs will be grayed, how many teeth will be lost, how many lovers you will have and how they will treat you. You enjoy all the pleasure and pain beforehand. Would you like that? And when you eat, when you taste it again, it's like secondhand stuff, like already digested food. No fun! I wouldn't like it. The real wisdom is not to know the future. It's just to know the present. Enjoy everything at the present, and don't worry about the past and the future.
The wisest person is like that. The wisest person knows nothing, and doesn't want anything; has no desires and no fears, because he has no ego. Who is that person who wants to know things and what for? What is the good of knowing things? What is the good of having anything and knowing anything? He must have a big ego to want to know all these things.
A Purification of the Planet
The beginning of 2003 was a time of great change for the planet. As war broke out in the Middle East, the world was going through a spiritual purification on a much grander scale due to the grace of a great spiritual Master. This purification began with the 2002 Christmas retreat, during which 2000 initiates meditated in silence for five days, and Master explained that She was "cleaning up our group." At the end of the retreat, She disclosed that one initiate had reached a very high level of enlightenment.
Even while Master was attending to disciples during the retreat, She began the laborious task of overseeing the repair and relocation of several buildings at the Florida Center. Master supervised everything down to the types of screws and nails we used. The work continued until late at night on some of the coldest nights of the year. This was the time when Master was supposed to be resting, to cleanse the karma collected during the retreat. For a period of weeks, construction also took place in the room adjoining Her bedroom so Master was never able to rest properly. She would often meditate in the morning amid the noise of hammers, drills and circular saws. It was like a construction site where workers passed through Her bedroom, and could even see Her clothes stacked neatly in the corner. She never complained about the situation but walked around calmly, as if nothing were happening.
Then on February 20, 2003 Master announced that four days earlier She had achieved another great level of realization in Her spiritual practice, explaining that there were levels of enlightenment that could not be described in worldly language. At 2:00 AM on February 24, Master called the Hsihu Center with the wonderful news that many of our Quan Yin Family members, including some resident disciples, had achieved the non-regressing state of consciousness. During the phone call, Master kept leafing through a pile of papers, explaining that over the last few weeks She had been keeping count and that the information would come at any time. Thus She had to write it down wherever She could. After finishing Her call to the Hsihu Center, Master was in a state of great excitement and continued to drink tea with us until 5:00 AM. Then She suggested we immediately go to the meditation hall without sleeping although none of us had slept since the previous night.
Education and Love from Master
After we had meditated, Master called us again and told us that this was a good day, and we should go to a certain place at 2:00 PM. and meditate until 9:00 PM. This was unusual, and we would never have expected what happened next. She called us after about four hours and said we had meditated enough. Upon returning to our rooms, we noticed that something was different. One of the senior monks came out and asked what was going on - someone seemed to have taken a shower in his bathroom. We then realized that what had actually occurred was that Master had come and cleaned all of our bathrooms!
Three days later a mysterious notice appeared in the kitchen, stating that it was not necessary for the day's cooking team to prepare the meal. When we came for lunch we found that someone had prepared a pot of the most delicious noodles, large enough to last until the next day. For the next three days, Master came secretly each morning and prepared the meals for the entire resident group. Master thus completely turned the tables on the residents. In two hours, She would prepare more than enough food for the whole group, without making a big fuss or using many utensils, and they were the most satisfying meals we had ever eaten! She prepared just one dish per day - one day it was noodles, another day curry with bread - containing both protein and vegetables, blended together harmoniously. It was such a joy to eat in this simple way that we decided to follow Her example with our regular cooking teams in the future.
Master also encouraged us to live a balanced life, checking each person's daily schedule, making sure that we all balanced our indoor work with doing outdoor labor and cleaning the environment. She jokingly said that otherwise our muscles would sag to the floor and we might step on them! Master was even concerned about what kinds of soaps, shampoos and similar items that we used, telling us which brands to buy - generally the milder and more natural varieties. Another excellent suggestion Master gave us was to put little signs that said 'Remember God' at various places around the Center. It is amazing what a positive effect these two simple words have!
Another new instruction was to use the title "saint" instead of our first names, or perhaps our "Tong" names; however no one was given extra respect. Beginning with the first saints, as each new saint was elevated we would refer to him as saint so-and-so. This created a very elevated atmosphere at the Center, similar to when we look at each other's wisdom eyes. This also encouraged those who had not yet been elevated to practice harder.
Master once asked one of the saints how she had progressed so quickly. The resident replied that she had been very happy for a long time. Master explained that when we are happy and relaxed, it is easier for Her to pull us up. Perhaps this is why She let us celebrate so much at that time, often inviting us for tea and telling jokes. One time She laughed for a whole hour at a single joke, which She told and retold in many versions. (Please see the "Newspaper Ad" below.) Master also watched films with us although She sent those who needed to meditate off to do so; as She knew immediately who needed to practice more. When one brother had to take a retreat, Master personally sent a resident disciple to bring him blessed food every day.
Master was especially generous to the first saints, even lending them Her car when they went out, and supervising the renovation of four small houses for their personal use. The climax came when Master sent members of the resident group shopping for two days to buy whatever they liked, such as clothes, books and movies. One resident did not want to go out in order to finish some work, but Master told her later that sentient beings have been suffering for thousands of years so we should not think our work is so important that we cannot celebrate. When we returned from shopping, we found that Master had prepared sandwiches and fruit salad for us and placed them in a beautiful concentric arrangement.
A few days later, Master came to dinner and gave a final gift to everyone who had helped construct the house for Her birds. She rewarded us with red envelopes containing cash! Master truly takes nothing from this world. After She handed us the presents, She apologized and said that She had to leave to take care of some business. While we were out enjoying ourselves, Master had been on retreat. She stayed in a remote part of the Center the whole time, and was so quiet that we were unaware that She was still in the area. She did not ask us to bring Her food or anything else, doing everything Herself. Sometimes, however, residents would see Her late at night going out to check on the animals.
On April 24, we received news that millions and then billions of sentient beings had reached sainthood since the last retreat. This was a great surprise to us - while Master was training the residents personally, She was also blessing the whole world. This period was a great test for the Florida residents. We were thus very joyful when Master called at 5:00 AM on May 15 to inform us that everyone who had stayed at the Center through this period had reached a high plane of consciousness - except one - a 'bad boy' who had gone even higher and was the first resident to reach the Fifth Level! Although no one had told Her, we were just finishing a two-day retreat, Master could tell. As we huddled around the cell phone outside the meditation hall, we could all hear Master's cheerful voice like a songbird heralding the new day!
We will all forever cherish this amazing time, a great turning point in the evolution of the planet. Whether or not we have been blessed with Her physical presence, Master has elevated us all. Thank You, Master! Thank You, God!
Lessons from a Birdhouse
Master recently designed a beautiful and innovative house for birds. She explained that domesticated birds depend on humans for everything. However, since they do not have to hunt for survival like wild birds, they can attain a high level of consciousness. Every day, Master visits each of Her birds individually and talks to them as if they are human beings. There are many amazing stories to tell. For example, Master can understand from Her birds what happens during the day, what they are given to eat, and so on. She even warms a spoon before feeding them by hand because She knows cold metal is uncomfortable for them to eat from. If the sunlight is too strong or not strong enough, She moves all of their cages to the other side of the room, twice or more times per day.
When we built the birdhouse, Master told us to use clear plastic instead of glass -specifically, plastic that was not wavy. However, we built the whole house out of wavy plastic, thinking that it was the same. As soon as Master saw it, she asked us, "What's the use? Would you like to look through something like that?" She said that we have no love. How could we not think of what it would be like for the birds to look out through this distorted plastic all day long? Could we bear every day to look through this wavy plastic? We ourselves could not bear it so how could we do this to the birds? Master also noticed immediately that the silicone sealant we had used on the house was toxic and would thus harm the birds' delicate throats.
Master later explained that many of us want to help Her and She has no doubt that we love Her, but without wisdom our help is useless. She stressed that wisdom must accompany love. Because we had not even considered the birds' point of view, we had to reconstruct the house from the foundation.
Only when it was completed did we realize Master's inspiration. It's the most beautiful birdhouse in the world. During the day, the walls are transparent and full of light. At night, accordion-style doors unfold to cover everything. The ceiling has a row of thin, elegant skylights, with a graceful transparent canopy over the window. Master designed everything on the spot, based on the materials we had available. She even tried to think of possible uses for some leftover PVC pipes. One of Master's most practical and innovative ideas was to paint the outside of several roofs at the Center sky blue. Most houses have dark colored shingle roofs, and no matter how colorful the walls are, no one thinks of painting their shingles. However the sky blue color of these roofs gives the whole Center a cooler atmosphere.
Once the birdhouse was finished, Master conceived a revolutionary design for birdcages. Actually, it is a very simple idea from the birds' point of view, but only Master realized it. Birds are normally confined in small metal cages. However Master's cages are more spacious and have clear plastic walls. The ceilings and floors have metal grills so that air can flow through. Master worked until late at night for several weeks to complete the cages, kneeling on the floor with Her hair tied back in a pony tail, and hammering and drilling along with the residents. She joked that She no longer needed a blanket at night because She had become so used to the freezing cold during this time.
While the cages were being constructed, Master often consulted with Her birds. On one humorous occasion, She asked a bird to try out a ladder. So the bird walked over to the ladder, went up a few steps, turned around as if to say "OK," and then walked away as though it had more important business to attend to! Master made sure that every detail of the cages' construction met with the birds' approval. She went to many pet stores looking for a proper eating bowl, but felt that none of the available designs showed any consideration for the birds' convenience. Thus, She ended up taking parts from four different bowls in order to make one bowl.
The night on which the birds moved into their new home was very cold, and they had to wait outside in their cages while the room was being prepared. Thus Master was very concerned about them, holding all the birds individually and touching their feet, saying, "Oh my God, his/her feet are cold!" For many nights, She stayed up late arranging space heaters and blankets for the birds. She once called a resident after midnight, apologizing for waking him up, and telling him that the heaters' electrical power cords were extremely hot. The resident did not know what to do, short of rewiring the house, but while he was getting supplies, Master figured out a way to run all four heaters without overheating the cords.
Stories of Master with Animals
Master takes care of all animals, even those that are not Her pets. For instance, when She saw a moth fly into a halogen working light and die, She immediately changed all the outdoor lights to low-heat-emitting bulbs. On another touching occasion, when Master was shopping, She passed a pet store and said that for some reason She had to go in. Inside, She found that the store happened to be having a sale on puppies. Master knelt down and talked to each puppy for a long time, assuring them that they would definitely find a good home. When the resident accompanying Master heard Her speak to the puppies in such a loving tone, he almost burst into tears in the middle of the store.
One story the residents will never forget involves a stray dog that wandered into the Center four years ago. After Master left the Center, She continued to care for him and once called to send him a special bed, which She had seen while traveling. Unfortunately, however, the dog had been given away and gotten lost. Master never turns Her back on such adopted pets. Even four years later, when Master met with the Florida Center residents She cried for a long time when discussing this event. She often thinks of this dog and said he has reached a very high level.
Master always puts Her dogs' comfort before Her own. For example, recently, Her smallest dog got a painful bruise, which no one else but Master could detect, and She immediately knew he was suffering. She then sent someone to buy painkillers, but he forgot to bring them to the dog. Master said, 'If you forget to bring me food, I'll forgive you, but if you don't bring the dog's medicine I cannot forgive you!' Later, when the weather became hot, Master slept in the heat and directed Her own air conditioning unit into Her dogs' room rather than let them suffer.
Master has long been famous at the local vet's office because of Her concern for Her animals. Several months ago, She called the vet in the middle of the night to care for a wounded possum She had found on the road even though possums are rodents that most people exterminate. Later, when one of the vet's clients wanted to give away four birds that she had kept for fourteen years, the vet referred her to Master. Master then sent someone on a long trip to another state to pick up the birds, along with special toys and cages for their long journey back. However, after having the person try to talk to the birds many times, Master did not feel that they wanted to leave. So She persuaded the woman not to abandon her pets - only after paying to have the woman's garage apartment converted into a birdhouse!
The Miraculously Felled Tree
Another dramatic instance of Master's love and wisdom occurred when we cut down a huge 40-foot tree at the Florida Center. The tree was alive but was leaning dangerously over a house. Master told us to explain the situation to the tree, thank it for all it had done, and then wait for two days before cutting it down. She said we should finish by 10:00 PM so as not to awaken the neighbors. However we somehow managed to mix up the message so that two days later, at precisely 10:00 PM, we began to cut down the tree without even a chainsaw. We would have been there all night, had Master not called at 2:00 AM. After sincerely repenting, we resumed work the following afternoon.
But there was one problem. The entire group of residents - four of whom had engineering degrees - tried to maneuver the tree for six hours using all sorts of cables and anchors, but no one could agree on how to direct the tree so that it would avoid falling directly through the roof of the house. Just as we were reaching the critical moment when the tree was to fall, a brother informed us that Master was inside the house! We immediately informed Her that any minute the roof might collapse on Her, but She was not in the least bit afraid and walked casually outside to see what we were doing. She immediately told us to pull the tree in the opposite direction. Just in time, we moved a tractor with a cable in that direction; the tree began to fall, and as we pulled with the tractor, the tree descended approximately one centimeter past the corner of the roof! Master thus had to come and save us despite all our engineering degrees!
Love for a Humble Cactus
One day in March 2003, Master had the idea to go and look for some small pine trees in the forest at the far end of the Florida Center. She called a few of us who were planting trees to come with Her and we walked slowly together through the untouched pine grove. Master said that this area was very pure as people never went there. Master walked slowly and carefully on the forest floor, which was sprinkled with pine needles, reminding those who followed Her to be mindful as there were many small cacti growing among the trees. She saw a wild rabbit and spoke to her, telling her not to be afraid and apologizing for the fact that we had disturbed her home. Next Master picked out a few small pine trees, explained that they would be suitable to move, and told us to mark them or make a note of their location. As we were leaving the pine grove, Master stopped because She saw in front of Her a small cactus that had been squashed and was now growing flat. She was delighted to see a small fruit growing from the cactus, and told us that if we were in the desert and hungry we could eat such cactus fruit to survive. Master then thanked the cactus, and the gratitude in Her voice made me feel that the purpose of the cactus' existence was to grow just for Her. Next She said, "Ah, he's trying so hard even though he's flattened like a pancake! Thank you, honey." This was one of those precious glimpses of God's love for all beings revealed through a living Master.
I don't know if we can help much. We can only do what we can, what our ability and time allow. The world is really big, and the suffering is so great, but even if we can only do a little bit of something, it's better than nothing. And if every one of the world's people does a little bit, like we do, then the world will really become a paradise. No one will be hungry at all.
So we should not wait for the whole world to do it. We should do it first, and if other people do it, then it's even better. It's very easy! Our group is very small. If such a small group as ours can do things like that and everyone in the bigger group does it and the whole world does it, then it's no problem, really. We'll have no fear and no need to go to Heaven.
Some people are wise from having experienced difficult marriages in the past. So they avoid marriage now, and maybe become monks because of that. They probably have had enough experience in marriage, and don't need any more experience in such study or experimentation. So they do not marry in this lifetime. They feel satisfied alone.
But if you are already married, try to stick with one partner. It doesn't matter how hard it is. For example, I heard that Tolstoy had a very difficult wife. And one day when he was talking to his friend, his wife was showing him up terribly. She was degrading him and making him feel humiliated in front of his friend.
So his friend said, "You are bigger than she is. She's only a small thing. Why don't you just show that devil what force you have and be done with it! How can you put up with all this?" Tolstoy said, "Shhh! Don't talk too loud. I tried that before, in the last life. That's why I have 'double income' now! I'd better not do it again, otherwise I will have triple income in the next life." He said, "I have to put up with it. Because if I do that again, I'll never get out." He knew it would be triple income and more, all the time. Therefore he tried to put up with it.
If you have a so-called terrible partner and you feel you need her after all, then it is your last life connection with each other. You have to pay for it. So try to bear it and do whatever you can, with all your might, to satisfy that person in order to pay the debt quickly. The best way to get rid of the enemy is make him your friend. The best way to get rid of a terrible wife is to please her, or a terrible husband is to please him, to submit to all his demands. And then he will become your friend.
Q: What should I do if my feet get numb while meditating?
A: Try to adjust the height of your cushion. Tolerate the numbness as long as they do not hurt because not changing your posture too often will lead you to samadhi (a blissful state of consciousness) more easily. Being a beginner, you are not yet used to it, but you will gradually become accustomed to this after practicing for a while longer. It is not necessary to cross your legs when you meditate. As long as your back is straight, you may use the most comfortable posture for you, even sitting in a chair.
Q: As we approach the 21st century, what would You wish for humankind and the world?
M: I wish whatever you wish - peace, prosperity and love between brothers and sisters.
Q: Do You think that there is a message in all the human tragedies that we are witnessing, one event after the other - the hurricanes, the floods, the fires, the earthquakes?
M: Yes, definitely, I think you know. I think all of us know.
Q: What are we missing? Are we doing something wrong? Are we doing something to displease the universe or anyone?
M: We are doing it all the time. And we have been doing it for thousands of years; that is, being unkind to each other; killing and suppressing each other, including our younger brothers and sisters, like the animals. I know I will displease many people by saying that, but since you've asked me I have to be absolutely frank.
Anything in the universe will return to where it began. Since we are in the Western world, in the Bible, it is said: As you sow, so shall you reap. And if we believe in the Bible, we have sowed too many things that unfortunately will yield undesirable fruit for us. Sometimes, it has accumulated to such a great intensity that individual cleansing or purification is insufficient, so there has to be a kind of great cleansing action, like disasters, earthquakes, fire, floods and hurricanes, etc., as you have mentioned.
So, the only thing to avoid this, to avoid the fruit, is to avoid the sowing of the seed. We have to start to be more God-worshipping, God-loving, God-fearing. It doesn't mean we go to the temple and blah, blah, blah all day long about how we love Hirm; but we have to love in action, love Hirm and love Hiers children. In the Bible, it is said very clearly: Who told you to kill all these she-goats and he-oxen to make offerings to me? Repent your sins because your hands are full of innocent blood. If you do not stop all this, then I will never listen to you when you pray. And when you seek me, I will turn my head away. God doesn't permit us to kill even to make offerings to Hirm, how much less to kill to satisfy our very temporary physical appearance. So, this is the cause of most of our disasters and sickness in this world.
Scientifically speaking, we can prove that. In America the majority of the people love red meat and eat a lot, so their rate of cancer is number one in the world. In other, poorer countries where they don't have so much meat, the rate of cancer is very, very low, just like nothing, as compared to America. That is all according to the research of the doctors and scientists; so, don't scold me. Therefore, you can see the connection between the facts of science and the religious statements. I'm not saying that we all have to be Catholics or anything. We just have to be loving, and that's the only religion there is.
Q: Is there any way that our faith can assist us in trying to combat diseases such as AIDS and cancer? Is there some strength to be found in Your spirituality, in knowing and focusing more on your soul as opposed to your physical temple, your body?
M: Yes, there are ways and means, provided people want to listen. Last night some people talked to me about how beneficial they have found our meditation practice and my advice, how their lives have changed, and how many sicknesses have left them. Even if they have sickness, it's reduced into half size or nothing, sometimes instantly. So I thought, "Yes, it's a pity that not many people listen to me." And they said, "If they all listened to you, the world would be peaceful long ago." I said, "Yes, if only they'd listen, then no more suffering ever in this world. We would turn it into paradise in no time."
Q: I want to ask about dimensions. There's a law in physics that says that energy with the lower vibration always has to go to the higher vibration. So I'm wondering when sometimes we mix with people that are not initiated and it affects our meditation, if the law is still true that the lower vibration goes to the higher vibration?
M: No, the higher vibration goes down to the lower vibration. The low cannot go up, only the high can come down. Is yours coming down? What are you wondering about? Are you wondering whether it's going up or coming down?
Q: No, I'm wondering if our presence, because we're meditating and we're initiated, is helping others to come up or is it also bringing us down?
M: Well, both ways. In order to help them to come up, you have to first come down.
Q: I know sometimes it has affected me in my meditation, but I'm wondering does it actually bring my level down or is it just a natural karmic interchange with people that we mix with?
M: If you talk in terms of business, then you've lost something. But then, you will be replenished again if you are strong enough. Sometimes if you are not strong enough then people will drag you down for a long, long time. So make sure your reservoir always has plenty of blessings. That's why you must meditate every day, or else you would have become fully enlightened already, or you would have remembered that you are already God. You would have no need to come here, no need to see me. You would feel no need whatsoever about anything anymore if you didn't have to give anything to people.
That's why we are here also. We can't just come to this world, take a lot of food, eat, do everything, grow up and meet the Master, teacher, whatever; and then just say: "Okay, that's it folks. You are on your own." You have to do something, automatically. Just like the electric or water bills come automatically from your bank account because you've used them. Actually, the things we use from this world are material, but now we can only repay spiritually. That's okay. We're all brothers and sisters. We give; it's fine.
Q: So sometimes if we feel that we've been pulled down a little bit, we should just meditate more and hopefully we'll go back up?
M: Yes, of course. Meditate more or let it go; let it be. This is the system that is the best system: the ones who have should give to the ones who don't have. It doesn't matter whether it's material or spiritual. That's the way it should be in every world. Our world is so depleted, so degraded, has so much suffering, because people don't give; the haves don't give to the have-nots - even materially. That's why we're so miserable the way we are. So we should change. We can't change the whole world, maybe. We can change ourselves, at least our environment, so that we can live in heaven, heaven inside, knowing that we are good, knowing that we do the things we should do.
As soon as this world becomes the way we are right now, in terms of materialism only, our world will never suffer from hunger, want or disasters anymore. Even if there are disasters, we should help each other very quickly. No one should be hungry in this world if we follow the automatic system the way we're doing with our spiritual heritage. We have blessings inside and we don't even think about it. Automatically, we give it to people. Sometimes, you go to the hospital or somewhere visiting someone, and just by sitting there doing nothing, they will feel better because you have the blessings with you, and they just deduct them. That's the system of the universe - the haves must give to the have-nots. That's the only way we can be God. That's the only way that God is, because it's love. There's nothing else except unconditional love in the universe. That is the most important, and if we can't learn that lesson, we never can arrive anywhere. We have to come back again and again, feel sorry and feel bad until we really do what we have to do -- if we don't know, it doesn't matter; but if we know and we don't do it, then we will feel very bad.
Q: When I'm around other fellow initiates, it doesn't matter whether I can speak to them or not, whether they're Chinese, Au Lac or whatever, I feel really comfortable, like I'm at home and they're family. It feeds me, so I know naturally, just intuitively that being around disciples is more elevating to my spirit. And when I'm around people who are not initiated, sometimes I feel really drained. So I'm wondering if it is harmful to my spiritual practice to hang out with people who are not initiated, or is it instead a natural process of what I'm supposed to be doing here in my practice in the first place?
M: Just let it be. You can't avoid people. Besides, we don't practice to hoard all the blessings for ourselves. So just hang around with anyone that you have to. Be happy that you don't have only the non-initiates in this world, that you have also the initiates. You have to look at it that way. Then you can come together again, comfort each other, help each other, and go out and give to the world, get kicked, get knocked, and come back. We're lucky. We have a big family; we have people with whom we can share the same ideals, the same common interests, who understand us, who support and help us, and who are really honest and sincere with us. That is a great comfort. Other people out there don't have it.
So, you should go out more. Let them know what a good person you are. Let them see that there are still trustworthy persons. Let yourself be an example, and they can follow you or not follow you; that's their problem. Why hide? It's okay. Go hang around. I go to all kinds of places. [Laughter and applause] I don't just hang around here. I'm happy to see you, but I hang around everywhere. What do you think? I stay in hotels, I eat in Denny's Restaurant, I go for coffee "n'importe quoi". I go to MacDonald's sometimes, eat chips and apple pie. Actually, I go anywhere. I don't even think that if I go here I'll have trouble or not have trouble. I just go. Everywhere is God's place. Everywhere is your house.
Q: Are we to consider that we are on this Earth to make a contribution as good human beings, as caring human beings, as loving creatures?
M: Yes, but that is a side effect. The most important is that we are happy within ourselves; we are satisfied. Only when you are satisfied, can you then satisfy others. Only when you know how to love yourself and you know how great you are, can you make others great or respect the greatness of other people. Therefore, all the Masters say: "Know yourself." "Seek you first the kingdom of God which is within you." That means your Self. "Seek the Holy Spirit which dwells within you." "Know you not you are the temple of God, and the Holy Spirit dwells within you." "Seek your Buddha nature, the highest Buddha Nature"; it's the same thing.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Originally, a joyful heart is the fruit of practice.
Here in this world, the mind controls everything. The preconceived ideas, the prejudices, the collected data, control everything and make us forget our inborn Nature and that we are not these preconceived ideas. We are not to forget our judgment; we have to find our inborn Wisdom.
This world has entered the Golden Age! The Golden Age is for spiritually advanced people to live in; the unsuitable ones will be gradually eliminated. That's why you will see the occurrence of more and more diseases that had previously been unheard of.
It's clear that, in the world, if there's no plague, there will be war; if there's no war, there will be natural disasters or storms; it's all because of our immoral actions; the karma is too heavy and the collective karma is too great! Therefore, if such collective karma can't be erased by the death of one or two persons, it will become an infectious disease that can eliminate a great number of people. Life in this world is unreliable. We can't rely on medicine all the time and sometimes even medicine can't save us in time.
God is very clever; Hes doesn't just let us have the diseases we already know about but creates new diseases so that we'll be forever running behind Hirm. We think we're very civilized, but the King of Karmic law is even smarter. He can catch us as he likes, and we're unable to react very quickly! We may die as soon as we have a high fever, and it will be too late to call a doctor. The doctor is also helpless and may be infected by the same disease.
If those patients get this disease because their time is up, their karma is due, they may also go. But there's no guarantee going like this; those who don't practice the Quan Yin Method may not be saved in time if they go suddenly, and their souls will have nothing to rely on. We'll die sooner or later, but it's safest to have the "All-powerful Insurance Company" to rely on when we die. (Audience laughs and applauds.) Truly, we feel very secure when we practice the Quan Yin Method. Even if we have a disease, we're not anxious, as we know there will be no problem. Our soul seems to be very calm and peaceful and we don't know why we feel so peaceful and restful, but our wisdom, our soul knows, and we feel great!
Spiritual practitioners are just in a different kind of school that is higher than worldly universities. The learning of worldly knowledge ends in the university. If we want to know about the greater or more mystical things in the universe, we have to walk on the spiritual path. You are also in a kind of school with me, a spiritual Master, but here, you learn different knowledge that is higher than what we learn in a university. Worldly knowledge cannot compare with spiritual knowledge, because there are many mystical things that cannot be explained in a worldly way. Of course, universities offer some benefits. They teach numerous subjects. But, everything is taught here in our group; it is taught inwardly. No worldly language is necessary. Therefore, our school is a transcendental school.
When we're in the higher dimensions, we see everything in the innumerable worlds emerge and disappear in a fraction of a moment, just like bubbles! We can't even say it takes place in a moment. Things disappear almost as soon as they emerge. It's the same with all the illusory worlds we see in the higher dimensions.
We seem to go through long periods of suffering because of our ignorance. We're trapped in the cage of time and space; that's why it seems to be a long time. In reality, it's not that long. To God, it's even shorter than a second or a fraction of a moment. It can't be considered time. It passes really quickly! But since you're trapped in a corner, you can't see the whole and you think that you're just there. This isn't true! You're omnipresent. You're just stuck there and can't fly out. Then you consider yourself to be there, and you're just that one or this one.
Sometimes little birds or insects get stuck on our windows. Since the windowpane is transparent and the room is lighted, they don't realize that there's a window and they crash into the pane. Their heads become swollen and their eyes blinded, and in a short while they unconsciously fall on the floor. They don't enter through an open space, but fly right into the windowpane.
We do the same! We should renounce everything, even our happiness, and then we'll be fine. We shouldn't even ask for peace, health, success, reputation, riches or family. We should ask for nothing at all. Then we won't suffer! It's just that we ask for too much so we get stuck here and there, with our nose caught in there, too. And then we cry out for help.
We are born from God, and we are one with God. No matter how long we have run around in the cycle of transmigration, thinking we are heterodox or orthodox, we have never left the Tao (the Truth). Heaven and hell are also in the Tao; they are only a little distance apart. Just like a wave in the sea, sometimes when there is a strong wind or when the Earth moves vigorously, the wave will rise higher. Actually, it is still linked with the sea, still on the sea surface, still one with the water. It might think that it is great and no longer has any relationship with the water, yet when it falls down, it still has to go back to the water in the sea or river. This is very logical. Of course, the sea wave doesn't understand these things. It just rises and falls innocently, so it has no karma, and will not have to transmigrate. It doesn't know what transmigration is.
It is all because our mind is too complicated, thinking we are incurring karma, that we are separated from God, that we are sinful and lowly human beings. Then, we forget we are forever with God. If, after we die, we have no such concept about transmigration, and have no greed, we would float as if we were in the air, and definitely would not transmigrate again. We transmigrate because of our senseless concepts; we cling to the mind and keep trying to grasp anything that it desires. The soul and the mind are connected. In order to experience, the mind says, "We have not yet finished with our game!" Then, both of them have to come back. When the mind has learned all its lessons, and the soul is aware, then they will not come back to learn again. We are tired of this world even before we leave. We have enjoyed everything and have no more attachment. We have realized it thoroughly: we are tired of fooling around here life after life. Then this time, we definitely won't have to come back again.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Our last moment's thought is very important. If all you think about is misery, you will go to hell. If all you think about is Master, happiness and bliss when you are with the Master, you will be in Nirvana in no time. So that's the secret.
Just remember God. Even though you don't see Hirm, Hes is forever merciful. Hes is not a vengeful God; Hes is not jealous God; "He" is forever loving, "She" is forever loving and forgiving. So, at the time you die, you must remember that God is the only one, and God is forever loving you. Just remember this so that you can go directly to heaven. Do not believe in hell; do not believe in punishment from God. God loves you always, no matter who and what you are, because you are Hirm.
Q: When we feel intense fear, what's the reason for it? What's life trying to tell us?
M: It depends. If you're in a fearful situation, it's all right to feel fear. But we don't have to let the fear overcome us so that we'll be paralyzed and don't know how to react in a better way. Fear is a natural emotion. Fear and love are natural emotions. You don't have to suppress it; you just have to understand it and handle it.
For example, do you think I don't have fear? I do. I feared coming here and not knowing what to talk to you about. I feared that I wouldn't know how to make you understand what I understand. I really did fear. Today, I arrived earlier and went to have tea in a shop because I didn't have anything to eat since yesterday. I couldn't eat on the airplane; I was very tired physically because I had to rush with a lot of things in order to pack and then go. I hadn't slept for a long time, so when I got on the airplane, I didn't eat anything. I just tried to sleep or quiet down. Then this morning, I worried that I might sleep in the lecture hall! So I went and had some tea. And then I saw a lot of people sitting there; they were having tea and talking about all kinds of things. And I was wondering: How am I going to tell all these people about God! Do they really care about God? They're so happy with their physical life: Who am I going to talk to and about what?
So I was also scared. Not truly scared but really not very encouraged or enthusiastic and not so confident. But then I still did it. You see? I had fear, but I went through with it. It's not that I don't have it. We have fear, but we have to go through it. If it's a fearful situation, we have to think about what we can do to make it better. If it's a fearful person, we have to try to use love to overcome our own fear. The person who's sometimes bad to us makes us fearful, because he or she is an insecure person. So it depends on the situation.
Anyway, even if we have fear, we must calm down and think, "OK, I have fear, but now what must I do in this kind of situation to get myself out of this fear?" You have to take control of yourself to get rid of the fear. Taking control of ourselves means dealing with the situation so that we become more secure, and then the fear will disappear. We can't suppress the fear. We have to deal with it and make it better.
We should try our best to help others as much as we can. However, this doesn't mean that we have to go out and help a certain number of people every day. We should do it in a natural way, spreading our love very naturally. For example, sometimes I see street people or destitute people and I immediately give them what they need. (Fellow initiate: But there seem to be too many people who need help and there's no end to it.) Just do it naturally when you see people in need; do it when you can; if you can't do it immediately, then wait until the next time! You don't have to force yourself.
Helping others is a great honor and pleasure rather than a job or responsibility. If you feel obliged, then don't do it; offer your help only if it makes you happy and joyful for it is your honor! It's truly a great joy to give; it's truly very comfortable to help!
For example, the day before yesterday, I was planning to get a sofa for my dogs. The sofas in the shops were too big for my small house, and I thought there would be no room for them. The dogs have their own beds, but they wander around outside during the day. Sometimes when they're tired, they don't have a place to sit, so they usually sit on the sofa at home (Master laughs). That's why I decided to buy one for them.
I went into a shop, but before I could find the sofa section, I saw two sad little children pleading with their mother, "Please, please! We want to have it today." I overheard their conversation, and it seemed that the mother wanted to buy a double-decker bed for the children. But they would soon be moving, and if they made the purchase that day, they would have to pay transportation charges again when they moved. Besides, the bed would have to be dismantled and then reassembled. Thus the mother had reservations about buying the bed for it would incur additional costs.
"Can I pay the transportation charges for their move?" I asked the manager. "I can pay you now, and you can help them move when the time comes." The two children were delighted to hear this! They asked for my address, phone number, name, etc. (Master and audience laugh). But I said, "No, no! Sorry, I'm very busy! This is a gift for you. I just want you to be happy. Don't ask any more." Then I ran away.
I was very happy in my heart to see the children's eyes sparkle with joy, as they said, "Oh! Is it true? Thank you! Thank you! You're Santa Claus, aren't you?" (Master and audience laugh; audience applauds.) Then the smaller one said to his mother, "Mama, Santa Claus does exist!" If they had not made the purchase that day, they would not have been able to sleep in the new bed on Christmas, and would have had to wait until after they moved the following year. The bed had captured my heart as well (Audience laughs). The design and colors were just right for kids; it was very bright, but not the disorderly or gaudy kind. It had a cozy blend of two or three colors. I thought the children had very good taste, but the mother might have been reluctant to spend the extra fifty dollars, thinking it might be a waste of money. For them, that might not have been a small sum.
Then the manager of the shop asked me, "Do you know that it will cost fifty dollars?" I said, "That's all right! It'll be worthwhile if it can make the kids happy." I gave him a hundred dollars and said, "In case fifty dollars is not enough, you can cover the expenses with the other fifty. Please make sure that the children get the bed today. Christmas is coming and it's important to make children happy. I love children; can I entrust this job to you, please?" He said, "Sure, no problem!" Then I quickly slipped away. Originally I had intended to buy a sofa for my dogs, but under the circumstances I dared not stay (Master and audience laugh), and left without looking for it."
The children kept coming around to ask for information such as my phone number, saying that they would like to send a thank-you card, etc. But I said, "No, no! It's really not necessary." If we allow people to send thank-you cards each time, our mailbox will be too small! (Master laughs.) I slipped away as soon as I gave the money, feeling very happy. The children's happiness was infectious.
When we were little, we'd feel terrific if we could have something we liked right away! If we had to wait a couple of months for it, who knows what changes could have occured during that period of time, right? (Audience: Yes.) And it was Christmastime, too! Their mother didn't say she wouldn't buy the bed; she already loved her children very much. It was just that I felt they didn't seem to be very well off. That was why when I offered to pay for the transportation, they were amazed beyond speech. I simply said, "I love children; besides, it's Christmastime." So, they thanked me repeatedly, and I replied, "No, no! It's I who should thank you because you gave me this opportunity to make myself very happy." It was truly so.
Therefore, when we have an opportunity to help others, we should thank those at the receiving end. I was truly grateful to them for giving me the chance to help the two children and make them happy. Some people are skeptical about your intentions and don't accept help readily. Besides, the manager was very cooperative. It was like everyone supported the idea, making me feel very easy and comfortable.
Thus, helping others is not a responsibility, but a great honor that brings you immense joy. I was very happy that entire day. (Master laughs.) (Disciple: But the mere thought of so many people needing help makes me tired.) No, it doesn't have to. Where do you see so many people in need? You help when you see someone in need. We can't help the whole world, and even if we did, there are still beings in hell, and then there are animals! Just do whatever is necessary at present, and it's all right to do one thing at a time. You don't have to think that you'll have to do ten things. If you find someone who needs help today, and if you're capable, just help; if not, then just be supportive in your mind.
Like in the example I gave just now, we could also have told the mother, "Oh! This is really a nice bed so do whatever you can to give it to the kids!" This is fine, too; we don't have to offer money. If we have a supportive heart, making them happy and giving them encouragement, that's also good. If they had failed to buy it that day, it would have also been all right. You could tell the children, "Never mind! One month is very short and passes very quickly, and then you'll have it." You can try to encourage people and you should really want to do it. You don't have to force yourself to interfere in any situation, no, no! Do it naturally. God incidentally gave me the opportunity that day so I felt very smooth doing it, very happy inside. I was really very happy to help! If in case I couldn't help at that time, I would feel very sorry. Because the thought of the two kids going home empty-handed and unable to get the bed until a month later would have made me feel very uncomfortable at heart. So I was delighted to be able to do it then!
That's why I tell you that helping others isn't a responsibility but something that brings happiness and comfort. I often do it, and I often feel happy. (Master laughs.) Happiness doesn't come only that first time or the second or third time. I feel happy every time I help others. Of course, there are different kinds of happiness each time. To be able to help truly needy people, oh! I feel so comfortable, so contented! Perhaps sometimes we may suspect whether those people really need help or not, but if they ask, I give. We shouldn't suspect that they're lying. Even if they're lying, that's their business, and I still help them. At that time I may not feel very happy. However, it's better than withholding help skeptically. Because after I get home I may think, "Ah! I should have helped them at that time."
Sometimes we might pass by street people, but we have already driven past them, so we have to drive a long distance before we can turn back. And I feel happy only after I've helped them. If I just drive past without turning back to help them, I surely feel uncomfortable after I get home, feeling that I failed to take an extra step to help people. So I don't know why it's so hard for some people to help others. You don't understand, really don't understand! When you give more, you'll know how happy you are. The more you give, the more joyful you feel, believe me! (Master laughs.) You don't have to give a lot. Give as much as you can, but you don't have to give away all your property leaving nothing for yourself and your family. No, no! We should also take care of our family. Then, if we're still in a position to help others, we should try to help, and then we'll feel very happy.
When we give help to people in need, we feel very comfortable in our hearts, just as though we're receiving help; we feel an empathy with those people. The reason is very simple. If you were the one in need, and suddenly someone came to help you, wouldn't you feel great? (Audience: Yes!) You'll know it if you think this way. It's not necessary to have magical power to know it. The happiness of that person becomes your happiness because you clearly understand what he feels, like knowing how hungry people feel when they get food.
Likewise, when I help others, it's as if I become that person; that's why I feel so happy. Whomever I give to, that person seems to become me so he and I both feel very happy. However, I'm happier than he is because I not only feel his happiness, but I also know that I've brought him happiness. The two together make me happier than he is. That's why we say, "The giver is happier than the receiver."
Therefore, if you don't give or help others, it's really a great pity! Such a pity! You miss those happy opportunities. I'm not forcing you to give alms. I'm only telling you that it's is an opportunity to have happiness and joy. Karma or no karma, we can talk later! Never mind karma when you give. Only think of those in need, without thinking about yourself, and only then will you be happy. If at that time you're still thinking about karma, feeling afraid while giving, then don't give because you won't be happy at that time. When you give, you should completely disregard the consequences. Only then will you feel happy.
Q: Is a liberated soul is really liberated from greed, anger and lust?
M: Yes, the enlightened person, when he is angry, is not really angry; he is not deeply shaken. Or, the person who the anger is directed towards is not affected with hatred or with a negative atmosphere. The enlightened person is never angry for selfish purposes. He's never angry because you don't give him enough money, because you run away from him, or his wife runs away with another man or vice versa and he tries to chase her back and find other ways to harm the rival. The enlightened person may appear to be angry, but for different purposes.
Sometimes he has to use so-called "aggressive energy" to break through obstacles in order to work and to advance in his mission. He's not angry because no one feeds him, no one gives him money, or no one loves him. You cannot get away from anger. You must use it. There is a difference between real anger and the one who is enlightened and uses anger as a weapon.
It's just like a knife in the hand of the surgeon. It's different than the knife of a murderer. It's still the same - it hurts, it makes one bleed, but it also heals. The surgeon knows how much to cut, where and how long, but the murderer just blindly kills people out of hatred or for selfish interests.
Anger, greed, lust and all the so-called negative qualities all come from nirvana; all come from the kingdom of God. They are all noble qualities. Why are we greedy for the things of this world? It is because we came from the glorious kingdom of God. We are used to glory and richness, and we are used to things that we don't need to work for. That's why we are mostly lazy and don't like to work. We just want money; we just want diamonds. [Laughter] We must know in this world, it is different. We use this greed to push ourselves through this world in order to achieve the precious Stone, which is inside us, the wish-fulfilling gem.
Greed is not bad; anger is not negative; lust is okay. It is just that we have to use them in the right way: as tools to heal, not to kill. Then everything is okay. Nothing is negative. It's our misconception that makes things negative. [Applause]
Q: I want to ask you about soul mates. Is it necessary to contact one's soul mate, and if so, what happens?
M: In this life, if it's necessary, then it's necessary. If it's not necessary, then it's not necessary. You'll know. We have plenty of soul mates really, not just one. It's just that our paths don't always cross because it's not necessary.
Q: I have a problem with the meditation. Before, for a few years, I was taking quite a few hallucinatory drugs.
M: So what happens now? If you don't take, it's good for you. Of course, you damaged the brain cells a little; but it's all right, we'll repair it. So you have problems when you meditate. What kind of problems?
Q: Concentration.
M: Concentration - that's why you have to practice, of course, but I think you're okay; you are repaired. Don't worry about that. Concentration is just a common "disease" of this world's people, so don't worry; take it easy and when you meditate you always have to remember here (Master points to the wisdom eye) with all sweetness and loving kindness. Then it massages your inner brain. Use your love, contact inside, that's all you need. Because you didn't take drugs for too long, it's okay. It's repairable. You do the Quan Yin Method and it will repair more. It will mend all the tissues and recharge them with new life and energy. Don't worry about that. You have to do it more diligently. Even if you can't concentrate, you do it. When you do the Quan Quang, the Light, of course, it's not easy to concentrate. But the Quan Yin Method, even if you don't concentrate, it's also there so it will help you. The Quan Yin Method means the "Sound"; it's the most beneficial for this kind of problem.
I'm very happy that you have quit the nasty habit and come back to your beautiful Self, fragrant with the elixir of love. It's more suitable for you, for such a handsome guy. So he is very clever and strong. It is very difficult to get out of that habit. If you are in, I think you're finished. Many people are finished. Sometimes they end their lives because they can't do anything about it. You know drugs are very nasty. When a drug addict has no food, drugging "food," then he feels like millions of needles are pinching him from inside and his whole body is like it's on fire and things like that when he can't get it on time. Terrible, and they're in agony all the time; or it's like thousands of snakes are biting them at the same time everywhere, from inside the brain. That's how drugs damage the nerves of people and make them die a horrible and slow death.
That's why all of the drug-selling people are the most horrible beings in this world. They trade such a poison, killing people's brains, energy, youth and their precious intelligence. The drug-selling people are terrible. If they realized what harm they do to the world, I think they would stop. I don't think they realize it because, as the drug dealer they probably don't take it themselves. They know it very well and don't take them. If they do take them, they always have enough supply, so they might die eventually from the poison but not in such agony; they would die from the drugs, that's all. Overdose and die quickly, but not in such agony, so they don't realize what harm they are doing to the youth of this world.
It's terrible. See how terrible it is? Very rarely can people get out of that habit. This is really terrible. All the time the world is in trouble. Actually drugs are one of those things we can avoid; therefore, we must avoid them. We must avoid spreading suffering to humankind by trading drugs, encouraging the use of drugs, having anything to do with drugs, or covering for the people who buy, sell or accidentally stumble onto drugs and become the victim of them.
We must avoid them - drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and things like that. It's a disaster that we can avoid, so we must avoid it. We can die anytime of anything, of course; but if we inflict suffering upon ourselves and upon other people, then we take the karma.
Of course, in war too, the people who order war take the heaviest karma. If we go to hell, we see all kinds of people there. If one day you're bored and you want to go "shopping" in hell, you have a look. Almost all the famous murderers are there and they are suffering all the time. They are suffering the feelings that they caused to millions or billions of victims when they were alive. That's what is called "hell". There is no need of a devil to pinch you, to fork you, to chop you, to grind you - no need; your eternal turmoil is enough to kill you every day. The more people you kill, the more people you abuse or agonize, the more suffering and the longer you will have to experience that.
Watching videos calms your mind and answers many of your questions before your meditation. It helps you a great deal. Don't think it's useless and then you just run around or do something else. Listening to holy chanting or videotape lectures will help you a lot, even if you do not truly pay too much attention to it sometimes. But sometimes you will, because some of the sentences will shock you awake or calm your nerves.
If paying attention to the talk on the screen calms you, then it will help you in your meditation. That's the purpose. It's not that you have to look at me every day on the screen for any reason. The group meditations also help you a lot because of the collective energy. So, I hope you always abide by my instructions, not abide by my body; my instructions will give you lasting good, not the body.
Q: What should I do when I often have thoughts about having an intimate relationship with the opposite sex?
A: One can be easily led astray by the numerous temptations in our society. We should try not to read those newspapers or magazines that make people excited. Read more about morality found in religious scriptures, and stories about the past saints and their spiritual practice. Only then will we be able to weaken those unwanted thoughts. When we meet people, we can look at their wisdom eye instead of into their eyes. In this way, not only will we be polite, but also everyone will benefit. When sexual thoughts arise, fellow initiates can immediately silently recite the Five Holy Names and think of the Master, while non-initiates can silently recite the name of the saint in whom they believe. Try to suppress such thoughts; however, if you cannot suppress them, you should find someone to marry. Leading a normal married life will help in this area.
If we see a person bound by affection for another, we know that he is at the astral level. If he is eloquent but with no affection for others, we know that he has gone beyond the first realm and has reached the second. If a person has no feelings for others, and does nothing good or bad, or has great creative talent, we feel that he has gone to the third realm. We do not know his inner visions, but we can tell a little by what is shown outside. What if he possesses all three qualities? For example, if he has affection for others, he is eloquent and creative then we know that he is at the third realm. But if he is very clumsy and cannot accomplish anything, we know that he is still at the astral level. It does not matter how good he is with his words.
Then, is it true that a true master who has reached the fifth realm has no affection for others? I mean that he has passed the third realm and reached the fifth realm, and then does he not have any astral sentiment? Is he not the same as those who are ignorant? (A: He can control it!) Since he can control it, why does he still have it? Why does he need affection? (A: In order to understand others!) In case he wants to teach the people at that level, he can use it.
For example, now that we walk on the spiritual path, we have no desire for money. We do not really need much money. We do not want to be high-ranking officials. However, in case we are already high officials, we need not throw away our positions, but we should use our positions to help others. If we have plenty of money, we can use it. There is no need to throw it into the sea. We can give it to the needy. Therefore, it is not that sentiment is not good. It is not that eloquence and creativity are not good. We can use them wisely and should not discard them.
If a person only has those abilities but does not have countless transformation forms and does not do any good deeds, then we know that he is not a true master. He is merely an astral being. If he also has astral sentiment, or he seems to have affection for or have whatever relationship with people, as well as billions of transformation forms, transcendent powers, great compassion, and indiscriminate love, then we know that he is not stuck at the astral level but possesses those qualities and uses them as the situation requires. This is the difference between true masters and people who are ignorant or at the astral level.
Thoughts are very important. When we think nobly, the whole universe admires, loves and serves us; and waits for us to visit their place. When our thoughts are not noble, not glorious and not as generous as the enlightened ones, we become ordinary sentient beings. This is what is meant by: "All is created by the mind!"
Sometimes you may think that it is merely a thought, it is not very important. No! It is very important. As human beings, our actions, speech and thoughts are interrelated. If the atmosphere generated within us is not one of purity and benign practice, or is dishonorable, it will be expressed in our actions.
Live a healthy, simple life - simple living and high thinking. Always think positively. Even just thinking changes your pattern of living, changes your day, and changes your fortune. So always try to keep being positive. Then a lot of accidents, a lot of illnesses can be avoided. It's very difficult if you're a kind of doctor or nurse, or sometimes a social worker, to be positive all the time; because people come to you with their sicknesses, their problems, their very low thinking and depressive energy. But for ordinary people, you can always maintain your positive energy. Always think that God is around you, the Masters from the ten directions are always protecting you because it's true.
So try to take care of your defense system and don't let it break down. Try to take care of your system by acting positively, thinking positively and speaking positively. It's very simple. Even just thinking positively is already a tremendous help to you.
Q: What is the difference between Master's blessing power and magical power?
A: The so-called "magical powers" imply chanting mantras, hand mudras, willpower, or curing illness by touching certain parts of the body. These are still at the level of the body, speech, and mind. Magical power at any level derived from the body, speech and mind still consists of the "ego" and is within the three realms. When these magical powers within the three realms are being exercised, only one phenomenon or one response can be affected each time. For example, when you ask for the wind and rain you will only get the wind and rain. You can only cure a sickness when you want to cure one. However, when the Master is blessing, there isn't any concept of "I am blessing you." Everything is being generated naturally and without any deliberate action, just as naturally as having a meal and drinking water. But all those who are blessed will receive a corresponding response of enlightenment according to their needs. This is the "egoless" magical power of the Master.
Q: On the nature of purity, it's easy to understand that being kind, loving, compassionate, and loving beauty is pure; but I don't understand how sound can purify.
M: Just like water can cleanse your body, the Sound can purify the spirit.
Q: Is purity also a vibrational frequency?
M: Yes, it kind of filters the negative influences that sometimes enter your being, your magnetic field, by contact with the world or contaminated situations that you inherited from the situation or environment, or kind of "past life leftovers. It will filter those out just like a filter or like water cleanses the body.
Q: How?
M: How does water cleanse the body? It just does. When you pour water over your body, put on a little soap, and then you rinse with water, the dirt will go. Similarly, invisibly our minds are contaminated by bad thoughts, by negative thinking, and if you continue using the sound at a higher vibration, it will eliminate the lower vibration, just like some electronic work.
This is metaphysical, but it does cleanse; that's why you become better and better. It doesn't matter how, as long as you're cleansed, it's fine. Not everything can we explain with the worldly language, but as long as the result is there, you know it is like that. How? We have to know inside, not with language. As long as it's clean and we feel better and better, more and more pure every day, then we know it does work. Just like water - we don't know how it cleanses, but it does cleanse. As long as you pour the water on your body, then later on you'll feel clean, so the result speaks for itself. We feel better and better, purer and purer every day. More simple. The proof is that you don't want to be famous or to have money anymore, or you don't really feel attached to the worldly, material comforts anymore. You do have it and you do know how to take care of yourself, but it doesn't bind you like before. This is the way that sound cleanses us and makes us feel more and more pure and liberated.
Q: Does impurity set up a certain vibrational frequency in the structure of the physical, and then you have these sound waves coming in and they vibrate at a different frequency? Do they alter the frequency of the structure of the body?
M: Yes, you can say it like that, but actually the way it works is not materialistically. We are not the body actually; we're also not the computer brain; we are the spirit. So, if the sound with the higher frequency enters or reenters our being, or reopens to us, then we are just elevated above all the contaminated situations. That's how we become purified more and more every day. Actually, it's not "purified"; it just lifts us up, lets our consciousness become higher, then we don't think of the bad things or have negative thoughts anymore. The negativity cannot reach us anymore. Well, this is metaphysical - as long as it does cleanse, it's all right. Maybe you can use science to prove it, but then you still cannot say "how." It just looks that way, but it might not be that way. Sometimes people try to explain too much and it is not the way it really is. It's more invisible; it's more metaphysical.
Q: So, would continued meditation explain the answer just by the experience?
M: Yes, by the fruit, shall you know the tree. If it yields apples, then no doubt, it's an apple tree. We keep arguing, "How can you say this is an apple tree?" - Because it bears apples.
When we practice well spirituality, our karma will be erased, and we'll naturally recover from our illnesses. That's long-lasting magical power. I've also taught you about virtues, precepts and the vegetarian diet, and that's even more everlasting magical power, which will better and forever protect the body and spirit, and we'll not have to suffer many illnesses. So I hope you'll erase your own karma through your spiritual endeavor, and then many of your obstacles and ailments will diminish naturally!
Q: Why can't God prevent wars?
M: Why should Hes interfere with our game? Wars are caused by us human beings. As long as we don't realize that others and all creatures are ourselves, we will still have wars. Until we are bored, we are hurt, or others are hurt, we will not get enlightened. Eventually, we will long, from inside, to search for the Truth. We will understand that wars are useless. We should have peace. We should love others as we love ourselves.
This is our lesson, so God lets us learn this lesson. Hes does not prevent wars. Hes could terminate wars, but that will not do us any good because then we would not learn our lesson. We should prevent wars by ourselves. We should get together and end all wars. Only then will we truly understand what true eternal peace is.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
If everyone in this world would share with others what they have in excess, then peace and happiness would reign in the world. There would be no more war or theft.
Q: Why do You ask us to sincerely recite "Namo Ching Hai Wu Shang Shih?" Is it the only way to be saved and liberated, or is it a form of self-glorification?
M: "Ching Hai Wu Shang Shih" is not my name. It's the name of the greatest Creator, the Father. I'm Hiers daughter. I just have the same name. It is just like if you are from Mr. Wang, you are the daughter of Mr. Wang, and then your name is also Miss Wang. "Wu Shang Shih" is not my name; it's your name also, but you don't know it. You deny your glory; that's your problem. Don't ask me to deny my glory.
But I don't ask you to recite "Ching Hai Wu Shang Shih." It's my disciples who ask you to recite it, if you want to. It's not an obligation. They recite it and it helps them, so they want to share this goodness with you. Take it or leave it. It doesn't glorify me any more, because I'm already glorified. I know my glory. I don't need you to praise me.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Every time we remember God, every time we remember the holy names of God, we are empowered with purity, holiness, and blessings.
There was a monk in India who devoted himself to God, like all monks are supposed to do. So he had only one piece of cloth with which to cover his body. And he had only one pot, in which he would put water and also cook and put milk and so on.
And it so happened that the lid of the pot broke. But the monk didn't buy a new one; he just used one corner of his cloth to cover the pot. Anytime he sat, he would sit near the pot. So a man came along and said, "Why don't you buy a new lid for your pot?" And he said, "I've already sworn that whatever I have here, I'll never get more, and just use what I have."
And then the man said, "But why are you so stubborn? One lid is no problem; how about buying a new pot?" The monk said, "No, no. You increase this, and tomorrow it's that and the other. Just like one monk..." He then told the story of another monk. It was a true story, and went like this:
There was a monk in India, who used to go out begging for things. He had a loincloth that covered where he thought he was supposed to cover. (Laughter) But it was no problem; he was content. Every day he went out and got alms from people; he would beg and get enough to eat, and then he would go and meditate. It was very beautiful. And he had a small hut.
The problem was that he had only two cloths: one that he washed and one that he wore. So, sometimes when he went out, he put his cloth on the roof to dry. And then came a mouse that always tore his cloth into ribbons. And then he would have to go out and beg for another piece of cloth. It happened many times like this.
So the monk was at a loss as to what to do. Then the neighbors advised him, saying, "You can't go on forever begging for cloth. Why don't you just keep a cat, and the cat will take care of the mouse. Then you'll have no problem. Otherwise, who's going to keep donating cloth to you all the time like this?"
So the monk, after many times begging, said, "OK, that's not bad." So he kept a cat. Someone came along and gave him a cat. And then now the cat was there. But he had more trouble. He had to go out and beg for milk for the cat. And then some good-hearted person came along and told him, "You can't go on forever, going out begging for milk and food for the cat. Just keep a cow. (Master and everyone laugh.) Because we don't mind giving you milk, but if we have to give milk for the cat as well, it's a little bit too much. It's OK that we give, but everyone else is not the same. They won't give it to you every day. Then you'll even have to sacrifice your own milk for the cat. So keep a cow. We have a cow; we can donate it to you. It can be very convenient for you to have milk for yourself. And the cow will also give you some whey that you can use for cooking; everything will be convenient."....
So they also had a cow ready for him. But in India, you can get a cow at any cost. They just walk around, and maybe you can just take one; some of them are ownerless, homeless cows.
Anyhow, after much consideration, the monk accepted the cow. But now he had to milk the cow and all that. And now he had to go out and beg for straw for the cow. Because he was a monk, he didn't know what else to do. And he lived in the part of the Himalayas with not much grass. He had to beg for straw and build a shelter for the cow.
Now, so far, so good. But then someone else came along and advised him by saying, "You can't go on begging forever for straw. Who's going to give you straw all the time for the cow? We'll feed you, but we're not obliged to feed your cow and your cat and all that. So, keep a housemate. Or marry a wife; get married."
So now the monk was having serious problems. Because he didn't know how to cultivate land. Therefore, a good adviser said to him, "You can keep a housemate, like a male farmer. Or, marry a farmer so that you can cultivate the land. There's so much land around here, all over; you can cultivate it, and have enough straw for your cow. And also you will have enough corn, wheat and so on for you to eat."
Now the monk was getting more and more serious. So he married. And afterwards, he and his wife cultivated a farm. Then they had children and they had to take care of the children, and then they had to get a teacher for the children and so on. And it was getting to be a bigger and bigger business.
So one day, his Master came back. And he kept asking for the so-and-so monk that was supposed to have been living in a thatched hut next to the river three years ago. But no one knew if there was such a monk at all. So he kept asking his way up to the farm of the monk.
And then he realized what had happened all because of a piece of loincloth, one extra piece more. If he had had only one, and wore it, there would have been no problem. But he had two - one to wear and one to wash - and that's why there was a problem. So that's what happened, and that's a true story.
The monk had much regret after his Master came back. But the Master didn't want to stay. He said, "I told you to practice spirituality. I didn't tell you to keep cows, dogs, cats, a wife and children." And then he had a whole farm. He had to hire many farmers, because so many things grew, and they kept expanding. It had become a farm. He left everything in the world to become a monk, to be detached from the world and to have the minimum necessities for his life. And then he ended up wealthy: a big farmer, with many cattle and a wife and children and many workers. It was getting bigger and bigger all the time. And he was so busy counting money and checking the harvest that he had no time for meditation anymore. It was all finished. The monk's job was finished; he had gotten another job.
For the initiates, I told you it is the soul, not the body, not the outside. Someone might repeat the Holy Names all the time but not do the good things that the Master teaches. They don't really respect and want the Lord. But the person who is very pure and innocent, like a farmer, and doesn't deliberately forget the Lord and the Holy Names longs in his heart for the Master all the time. Even though he might forget, he still remembers and wants the Master.
So it's not just the Holy Names that bring you to the Kingdom. It's the soul. If the person really wants it, then the Master can do anything. Even without initiation, the Master can take them. They don't need initiation. People with the Convenient Method can go up to Heaven. For people who just see the Master one time and then are praying in their heart at the time of death, the Master comes.
But some initiated people are stubborn. They think that being initiated means they can do what they want. They have to learn their lesson. If they want to go back to transmigration, it's their own choice. The Master doesn't interfere; the Master just helps. This is the problem with many initiates of different traditions, maybe including ours. They rely on the Master power. They think initiation gives them everything. And then they go out and do wrong things. Many of the so-called sects in India and elsewhere do a lot of wrong things to people; people are scared of them. Because they think that if the master initiated them, they can do anything they want and they will never transmigrate. That's wrong!
But there are those who at least try in their hearts. They try their best under the circumstances, within their power. It's not that they have to try their best according to the Lord, or to the Master, but try their best according to their ability and their strength. For the people who don't want to try even when given the opportunity, it means they want the world, not the Lord. And they have to go back to where they want.
It's very difficult alone. That's why we need group meditation. If a person doesn't meditate, if he doesn't repeat the Holy Names and doesn't eat vegetarian, then he goes on his own. Whenever he is ready, the Master will come back again. But at the time of death, if he still is not ready, if he still doesn't call upon the Master, and he still doesn't care and wants to go back to the world, then he can do that. It depends.
Sometimes outwardly people don't meditate very well, but inside their hearts, they do. So whether a person wants it in his heart is also important. But this is a subtle thing that you cannot always explain in words. You must know it from your heart. For example, if you love a woman, you just love her - you know it in your heart. And she is the only woman you love. You can't explain that, and you can't prove it to anyone. But you know in your heart that she is the only woman. It doesn't matter how many beautiful women are around you, you still love only that one.
That is the same thing with spiritual commitment. It doesn't matter what I say, and it doesn't matter what you say - you know in your heart that you want God or don't want God. And that is the important thing. It's not that you sit so many hours, or you go to so many group meditations. Group meditation only helps you. Suppose you really want God, then group meditation helps you more. It strengthens your faith and makes you sit better.
But just because you go to a lot of group meditation doesn't mean you want God. Not necessarily! You might want to see the lady next door, instead of going to see inside. It's like love. You have it or you don't have it. No one can force you to love another woman, no matter how much more beautiful, intelligent or rich she is. You love that one, and that's it. You know it. It's final. (Applause)
It's very simple. I don't want to give you the wrong notion that initiation physically alone will bring you to God, because that would be blasphemy. That would be forcing you to do it. Suppose you want to change your mind afterwards. I can't force you to go to the Kingdom of God. It's all by your free will that you come, and it's all by your free will that you stay. And it's by your free will at the last moment of your life to come back to where you belong. In the last moment, if you change your mind and say, "No, Master, forget it! Bye-bye! I want to go back to see that lady next door." Then you will go. We are all God, remember!
No one can give you anything that you don't already have or that you don't want. Initiation just awakens your own God power, if you want it. If you don't want it, you can put it aside, just like before, and then continue with your ignorant life, no problem. Initiation is a help, group meditation is a help, vegetarianism is a help, and discipline is a help. They're not the ultimate. They're not the end. They are a means to an end only. Your heart must want it above everything else. Then all these things will help you.
If you don't want God, you can eat vegetarian for a thousand years, you can sit for two thousand years and you can get initiated three thousand times, but you are still nowhere. These are just outer rituals, like people who go and bow to so-and-so. They don't understand; they don't commit. But there are other people who don't look like they meditate well, and they can't even repeat the Holy Names properly. But God knows. And they know that they want God. It's simple! (Applause)
If you are single, you have a problem. If you are married, you have a problem, too. But being single, there is a little less of a problem, I must say, more freedom, and maybe more lonesomeness. When you are married you have more fun, but more trouble also. You pay for everything that you want to get in this life. And you have to be willing, either way. So make your own choice. It's not that if you are married, you cannot become a Saint.
The Buddhist scriptures say that you are the Buddha and that the Buddha Nature is inside you. The Bible says that God lives within this temple. So who else is in there, except God? If we are the temple and God is the only one who lives in there, who are we then, except God? If we don't remember, that's fine, but we are still God.
So whatever we choose to do as the God of all gods that we are, we should respect. As the Father/Mother of all of these beings that we are, we should respect our own wishes and our choice to live and express our divine Selves in whichever way we want.
That's why Jesus told us that we should not judge people. Because we don't know the path that another being has chosen to walk. He or she does his/her thing so that she/he might come to know God in a different way. He or she might choose to be a seemingly bad person, a very lowly person or a very so-called immoral person. But that's his/her way of knowing the divine. By choosing to be ungodly, that person will one day know that's not him/her. But they have to go back and learn the whole being again. Because if we always stay in Heaven and are Gods all the time, we won't recognize ourselves as God. So we need to lower ourselves and come down to this physical level so we can once again recognize our own greatness. That's our choice, and that's why we came here.
So the answer to our question about why we are here is: Because we want to know God. When we feel the time is up, that's the time we choose to remember ourselves again. That's the time we come to seek out spiritual friends, a spiritual group or maybe a spiritual teacher so that we can remember quickly; because we have forgotten how to remember and where to look. So some friend who has already remembered Himself/Herself may be able to help us. And then we recognize that we're nothing else but the Supreme Being, but God. We recognize the Supreme Being that's housed within this body.
But actually, Hes is not housed within the body. Hes houses our body. But then again, spiritual terminology is never a very exact science. So no matter how much a teacher tells us about God or how eloquently a spiritual friend might speak about the Divine being within us, we cannot understand just by listening. So the spiritual teacher, guide or friend has to show us practically, not just theoretically.
For example, when Jesus came to our planet, He taught His disciples both ways: the theoretical way and the practical way. And that's why later, His immediate disciples could also do wonders, could also see Heaven, could also hear the Voice of God as the Word of the Creator, could also see the Light of Heaven, could ascend to Heaven and even see the angels or see the Father. The Father spoke to them, like the Father spoke to Moses. And the angels also spoke to them.
Likewise, we can do that. Because as great as Jesus' disciples were, we are also great. We and Jesus' disciples are the same because Jesus said to us that we are all children of God. But because we have forgotten sometimes one or two friends have to come to remind us, but only when we are ready. Because if we aren't ready, no one can do much for us.
Q: I'm confused about whether there's a difference in levels between people who can see the inner Light and those who can't. Is the level of people who can see the inner Light higher than the level of people who can't? Those who can see the inner Light, have they just come from heaven or have they just been reincarnated recently? Those who can't see the inner Light, have they been reincarnated for a very long time?
M: It's not that the level of people who can see the inner Light is higher than anyone else. It's only that their ability to focus their attention and to concentrate their thoughts is stronger. It could be that their professions do not require the extra exertion of brainpower that causes mental fatigue. It could be that their education did not involve excessive brainwashing and therefore, their minds are still innocent and simple. Thus, when they meditate, they can go into samadhi (a blissful state of consciousness) immediately. They no longer worry much, nor do they ponder, "Oh, Newton said so-and-so, and Einstein said so-and-so, then why on earth does Madame Ching Hai say so-and-so now?" This creates more trouble. The more we know, the more we get into trouble. People who have a peaceful and simple heart, or whose profession does not require excessive mental hardship or worry, are able to see more inner Light as they go into samadhi more quickly when meditating.
We all came from heaven. None of us came up from the Earth at all. Don't worry. It is because of differences in the karmic burden of each person. What is karma? It's simply the path that each person has chosen. When we first came down here, we were God and Buddha, who had no fear of choosing that path at all. Whether we chose a path full of suffering or not, to us at that time, was no problem. It was only after we chose to come down here did we know how full of suffering it is. Since we had already chosen it, we had to go along with it. Based on our choice, we became a highly educated person or a person who had a simpler life with less education, for example. Because of our past choice, when we come down here our spiritual life is affected based on our chosen path. One chooses to walk on a straight path while others choose to travel on a winding road. Traveling on a winding road takes a longer time, but it's not because one's spiritual level is higher than another's.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
If we want to get back to the purity of the kingdom of God, or Buddha nature, we should by all means always try to be concentrated in whatever we are doing at that moment.
There are many benefits to practicing the Quan Yin Method. Some gain heavenly wisdom, some have inner experiences, some hear heavenly Sounds, some get into deep samadhi, some develop love, some have faith in God, some feel that they can depend on the supreme teaching, and some cultivate eloquence. These are the results of their spiritual practice.
Q: Master Ching Hai, have You seen God?
M: Yes, I see God, anytime, just like I see you. All of my disciples see God to some degree; they see Jesus, Buddha, the Indian Saints, or other Saints and talk to them, learn from them. They are representatives of God, and we can also know God directly.
Q: What is involved in the process of You, as a Master, giving a blessing to people? For instance, when You want to give a blessing to the people here tonight, what is involved?
M: I have not said that I will give any blessings to you or anyone. It's just that when people are extremely unhappy, they request it. Unless I do something, anything, they will not feel satisfied. Then, would you call that giving a blessing? I myself never feel that I give blessings to anyone. And if God consents to give a blessing to anyone through me, then it will be done. No problem! It's because I'm all there for God.
But what can I do for you? Why don't you bless yourself with your own God power and get the blessing every day and forever, instead of just once by the blessing from my hand, my feet, my eyes, or whatever? It's short-lived and it's borrowed. It is better to earn your own money, invest it, and become a millionaire in no time. The best blessing is your own blessing. When you develop yourself morally, in purity, and intellectually, then you will have wisdom. You will know that God is within you. You can contact that God and get blessed every day, unasked, and in plenty. If you get fed up with your blessing, then you can give it to someone else.
I cannot bless you if you do not bless yourself. I might give you some kind comfort and upliftment for the moment, should you be receptive to it, but the best and longest blessing is initiation - enlightenment.
~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Actually all blessings come from ourselves, and the Master is one with ourselves. It's just that, in duality, in a dual world, we have to see Master, disciples and different multiples of people. But once we step beyond the door of duality, we see things as only one - only glory, peace, love, and just a unity of all beings.
Q: Most people say that God is omnipresent, God is everywhere, and God reaches from the highest heaven down to the deepest hell. God is present in all the beauty of life when miracles happen; God is also present when everything is dark in our lives, when nothing is going right. Since God is omnipresent, the qualities of God must also be omnipresent, such as the quality of love. What's happening with the quality of love when God is in the deepest hell, when everything is going wrong in life?
M: That is another form of love to remind us to go back to the more noble side of the scale. It's like a staircase: if we go up a little bit, then we can see more sunlight; it's higher. If we stay down, it's darker down in the cellar. It is like that, but it still belongs to the house. The darker side of God is hell; it's our own conscience. When we deny God, then we don't see Hirm. It's not that God doesn't exist at that time, but just that we have turned our face away because we did something ungodly. So, hell is our own creation. Hell is just a place where our conscience faces its own retribution, its own judgment. There's no God who created it.
We've chosen many ways to exercise our power, even the power to be dark, to be negative, to be wicked, to be very ungodly. We chose to play around and to explore the universe. We chose to learn, to know what else we could do, except just to be God as Hes is. We chose to do many things, to explore many corners for ourselves.
When we chose to do something ungodly, then we had to face the so-called hell. That is when we denied the noble quality of God. We chose to turn our back away, just to see what it felt like. This is at the soul level; the mind is not conscious of it. If the mind were conscious of what it was doing, it wouldn't do it. The mind is just an instrument of the soul. The soul wants to experience something new, to explore its own power, to go into the deeper corners of the universe and back, to go to the farther side of the cosmos to see what's there, wants to do something terribly wicked to see what it feels like, and then relearn to be God and be noble again.
It's just another form of love. Hell is there to remind you not to be like that, not to be wicked, not to be negative, not to be dark. Return! Return! Return! That's it. When you feel terrible, already you are facing a corner of hell; you are facing the wall. You face corners and a dark and terrifying atmosphere, and then sooner or later you will have to return. So that's another form of love; God is there in that darkness to remind you to go back to the Light.
Q: Dear Master, I practice the Convenient Method. Once when I meditated, I saw a bright yellow Light and another time I saw a bright white Light. Can You please explain this?
M: What else can I explain? You saw the Light, which means you saw your own Nature. Even if I just teach you the Convenient Method, you still have a taste of the kingdom of God within.
The more we see the Light, the more intelligent and the more loving we will become. This is the result of meditation. It's not that seeing the Light or hearing the Sound is good, it's just good because of the results. Just like when food is tasty, it is fine, but we also derive nourishment from it, and that is the best part of eating food.
Similarly, if we taste the Inner Food, it will not only lift our spirit, making us feel happy and charged with energetic power, but it will also open our inner wisdom, enabling us see things in a better light, to endure hardships in a better way, and so on. We can solve problems more quickly and in a better light, understand everything better than before, and become more loving and tolerant toward other people.
Q: What happens to people who have been initiated but then leave the practice?
M: They will have to come back again to do their homework. They choose it. Unless, during the course of their life, they are so bitten by retribution and all kinds of karma that have come to them that they turn their mind and pray to the inner Master for help, and then return to spirituality; or in the last moments of their life, they truly, one hundred percent, one-pointedly, sincerely, want to be liberated, then the Master will come and take them. Otherwise, such people who have failed are normally tempted by society, go back to their old habits, incur even heavier karma than before, and don't even think of the Master, pray or things like that, anymore.
If you don't ask, it is very difficult to get help. Especially if you want to sink yourself in the ocean of suffering, then it's your free will. The Master has the duty to take people to liberation, but people have free will also, and that must never be interfered with. Even God doesn't interfere with people's free will, and it is that free will that causes us a lot of trouble. If we don't control our free will, we will get into a mess all the time. The Master just stands by, because free will is the most privileged, the most honored gift that humans get, and no one should interfere with it.
We can reason with them. We can say, "Look here, you come back. It's better for you." But if they choose to fall, then we must let it be. They can come back one time, two times, until they are fed up, until they truly want to go Home again. Then another Master will come - same power, different body, and they will be rescued. Don't worry about that. Those persons never truly lose touch with the true Master; He/She always keeps an eye on them, but just lets them run around for a while.
There's only one way to live our lives, and that's the right way. There's no other way. The choices in our lives make us God or anti-God, even though Indian philosophy teaches us that we're all God, and God is within us. But if we make the wrong choice, we will go in the opposite direction. God creates both light and darkness, good and evil, so that we will be able to understand, to know, to exercise our wisdom to choose the right way. Some of us tend sometimes to give in to weakness and forget that the price of strength, the price of honoring our own ideal, is greater than material gain, much, much greater. We have to strive for that. We have to honor ourselves by choosing the right way.
God gives us free will. Of course, Hes never says, "You must do this, and you must do that or I will punish you." Punishment comes from us, from our own conscience. We know what's wrong and what's right, and when we do something wrong and don't feel good, that's our punishment. It's worse than hell when our conscience feels very, very bad about what we've done. And when we feel good about it, that means we're doing God's will. So Hes gives us the free will to choose, and lets us remind ourselves and the world that we have to choose Hiers way. That's the only way to represent ourselves if we think that we're God. If we think that we're one with God, that God even dwells within us, then we have to represent that.
My secret in spiritual practice is: There is no secret! (Master and audience laugh.) I am really very naive! In the past, I gave myself totally to God and to my Master when He was alive. After He was gone, I began to regard everyone as my Master. I believe very much that my Master takes care of me at all times. Wherever I go, He takes care of me. No one can hurt me. Therefore, I trust everyone.
I treat everyone well, in the way I treated my Master, not because I respect him as a person, but because I can see the Master inside everyone. Very clearly I can see one's inner God Nature. I see God's Light shining everywhere. All sentient beings possess God's Nature. Everything is the manifestation of the highest Master.
But this you cannot imitate, because you have not yet reached this level. So it is better to be discreet. I am still around! Having faith in me is enough for you. If your heart gets too distracted, you cannot practice with undisturbed attention. If you do not believe in me, then sever the connection. Go believe in someone else, and serve him with undisturbed attention. Follow his words. Try and see if there are any results. It is better this way. Do not stand with your feet on two different boats; you will fall into the sea after a while.
I cannot speak of the secret in my spiritual practice. The fact is that I have no secret. Perhaps the only secret is my naivety! God looks after naive people. Because they are as helpless as a baby, everyone wants to protect them. When we see an abandoned and helpless baby, we quickly pick him up even if we are not his parents. Seeing him cry, we pat him. Seeing that he is hungry, we quickly feed him. This is because a baby is too innocent and clumsy. Therefore, everyone wants to look after him.
Perhaps my secret is just "naivety." When we are so naive, God takes care of us. Then we are always by Hier side, because Hes will not leave us. We are just too naive. We will die if Hes leaves us. We look after a baby who is too little, innocent, and unable to do anything, and are constantly by his side, protecting him twenty-four hours a day. If we are like babies, then we are together with God always, and everything is done by the "grown-up."
I rely on God's power to transmit the Truth to you. Everything I do is done by God, not by this layperson. It is safer, because the layperson may make mistakes, but God will not. As the saying goes, "The wise looks like a fool." If we are foolish to that degree, God cannot ignore us. Hes will do everything, and we will not err.
When I was a disciple and was misunderstood or framed by fellow practitioners, I would just ignore them. I thought, "My Master knows all. He will handle it." I had great faith and did not complain or try to explain myself. I completely placed myself - thoughts, words and actions - and my life - past, present and future - in the hands of my Master. So I felt safe, like a baby, without having to do anything on my own initiative. Perhaps this is my secret. At that time I felt very safe without having to take responsibility. Therefore, I was very relaxed, with no sorrow or worries "because my Master knows all. He is the greatest." I felt like that in my heart.
I have never felt sorrow until now. Previously things were perfect when, as a student, I left everything to Master's arrangements. There was nothing to complain about because I knew in my heart that He would take care of me. This is the only secret I have: total faith. If you do not have faith in me, then have faith in the highest God, the highest Buddha. Hes can see all the actions of us sentient beings and will take care of everything. Hes really will!
Q: How does enlightenment affect the future of a nation?
M: Of course, it's much better if everyone in your country is enlightened. It's like seeing God walking all over the country. This doesn't only affect your country; it will affect the whole world. There will be no more war. There will be more love, more peace, more abundant food and more necessities for everyone, not just for this nation. The blessings will be shared more equally. So even if this country is very prosperous and peaceful, we still should think more of the world. And we should also be enlightened so that we can bless the world more because there are still many more suffering beings in this world.
Q: I have a dilemma and it's between me, who I am, and my profession. I'm a lawyer; I represent large companies and corporations. The people we sue are oftentimes injured, either physically or even in some cases, someone has died, and my job is to make it so that the company doesn't pay any money. The dilemma that I have is that many times I look back on what is a success professionally, but for myself is troublesome because I feel like on many occasions there are people that deserved to have received some sort of payment and didn't because of my actions. I am quite troubled by that and I was wondering if you could lend me some comfort.
M: You are not the only one who has this question. Well, either you have to do it the way that the company wants because you are paid for it, or quit and get your own office. A lawyer often has to do things that he knows are not proper, and if he does it too often, then he may forget that it is not proper, and it becomes a habit. Therefore, it is up to you to do it the way you want, or to do it the way the world wants. You choose between your conscience and your payment and fame. Did you watch the movies, "The Devil's Advocate" and "The Rain Maker"?
They are similar. Go watch them and then you will have your own answer. There are many other jobs to do. Also, you can teach in law school, or is that also in terms of breeding other lawyers? [Laughter] A lot of people feel the same way as you do because they started out very idealistic as newborn lawyers. They wanted to fight for justice and to defend the weak and needy, but then situations forced them into doing the opposite. Many times, they come home and do not feel very good; they don't feel the money they earned is entirely clean. I don't know if there are other choices for lawyers or not. Maybe you can open your own corporation, but there is so much competition.
It is very difficult to be successful in this world and to keep our standard at the same time. It is up to you to choose your way of life; I cannot tell you what to do. As long as you are paid by the company to defend for it, you have done a good job. That is what you are paid for, and you are faithful and loyal to your company. No one can blame you for that.
On the other hand, your conscience will tell you that that poor employee has nothing left. After he dies or has an accident, his life is finished, his family's future is darkened, and your conscience will not rest. That is the problem, and not that you are wrong or the person is right. It has nothing to do with that. As far as your job is concerned, you have done excellently. That is what you have to do because you are paid to do it. You have done well, but it is up to you now to choose between being a successful lawyer and a conscientious human being.
There are other jobs to do, like selling tofu [Laughter] or delivering pizza. The problem with us is that once we climb the ladder of success, it is very difficult to stop there or climb down. But it's very easy once you renounce inside your heart, knowing that a clean conscience and peace of mind are worth every piece of gold in this world, and then you can decide.
We don't have to live in Beverly Hills; we don't have to live on Capitol Hill. We can live in a mobile home, which is very cheap. A secondhand mobile home costs about $15,000 or $20,000 or sometimes even five or ten thousand dollars. You don't have much to clean, and you don't need servants once a month or once a week. That's what I do; I am living in a mobile home right now, and you can laugh at me if you like. I can afford more than that, but at the moment, it's not necessary. If I had a bigger house, then I would have to depend on a lot of people for cleaning, mowing the lawn, and all that. There are many unnecessary expenses. It is a privilege and prestigious to live in a big house, to have a name-brand car and all that if you can afford it. If you cannot, a secondhand car will do and a mobile home will be fine.
You will feel very happy when you don't have debts to pay, when you don't have anyone that blames you, and you don't blame yourself for any wrongdoing. That is the best "mansion" that you can ever have for yourself - peace of mind and a clear conscience. That is why many Masters tell you to forsake the world in order to gain heaven. Whoever clings to life will lose it. Whoever forsakes life will find eternal life. [Matt 16:25] That is the meaning of it.
We are too bound to material comforts and "musts, do's, and don'ts," and we forget to liberate ourselves from all this; we don't need all that. We don't need to go to Beverly Hills to parties; we can forsake them all. We can leave all the friends that are posh and rich, and make us feel competitive and as if we have to be forever climbing to be like them. After awhile you are tired of parties, big friends, names, and all that, and you just like to stay at home in your own room, even a small room would be fine. You just meditate and you feel so good inside; you do not need any material things to show off, and then any job will do. We don't depend on jobs; we don't depend on fame and prestige to live our lives. We depend on God; we depend on inner tranquility and a clear conscience. That is why Jesus said, Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall know God. [Matt 5:8] You have to become like a child in order to enter the Kingdom. That's what it is.
We cannot become like a child if we forever have to strive to be like next door. To go to this and that party because so many names are there, we have to be someone also or else we are no one, and we cannot go there; we feel ashamed. We should not feel ashamed. We should feel ashamed if we do something against God's will. If we are not a morally equipped person, if we are not conscientiously noble, then we should feel ashamed.
We never should feel ashamed if we lack material means, if we in live a humble house, or have a secondhand car. That is what binds a lot of people and makes them stick to a position and work against their own conscience and will. They suffer so much internally, all the gold in the world cannot make up for it. Then they will feel sick, and later all the sickness will boil up into cancer and those kinds of things. It's not worth it. I am just telling people what binds them and how to liberate themselves. Money is poison. It poisons many people and damages a lot of good persons with its fame and illusionary prestige.
Q: Does playing the video and audiotapes clear the atmosphere in a certain room or area, and even if it's low and the ears cannot hear, does it help?
M: It does help, generally, because vibration is vibration. If it's good, it's there; if it's bad, it's also there. So good vibration, of course, helps. That's how curses and blessings occur. You speak kind words to people, and it happens; you curse people with damnation and it happens, especially if you have determination and put your will power into it.
It helps, and normally the good vibration remains a long time. That's why when you go to a very holy place, you sometimes feel better. Then, when you go to a different place, it affects you because of the vibration of that particular place.
It does help, yes. Some people play my chanting tapes and cure themselves of sickness. There was one man who had been bedridden for eighteen years. He is finished with his trouble now. Nothing could cure him for eighteen years. He just listened to the tapes every day; that's all he did twenty-four hours a day. After a few months he got up and walked. He is still alive. This is a recent story. The vibration does heal you and it does clean the atmosphere. Whatever affects you is also the vibration of the atmosphere, so of course, we can counteract that with different vibrations.
Q: Please explain twin souls and the male and female aspects of oneself.
M: There's no such thing as twin souls. We're all separate. But sometimes we encounter someone who's very compatible with us, and we call that person a soul mate.
If we've been working, living with and loving that soul for a long time before, in different incarnations, then when we meet this so-called soul reincarnated again in a different body, we feel a sense of familiarity. Because we did things together all the time before, everything is easy; everything is compatible; everything is harmonious.
So that's what we call a "soul mate." We encounter it all the time. And people who have encountered this so-called soul mate are happily married to each other, or they become a very good sister and brother together, or a good parent and child together. The relationship is very good. This is what is meant by a soul mate.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai at Georgetown University, Washington D.C., U.S.A. April 14, 1993 (originally in English) Videotape No. 352
Q: Is there such a phenomenon as soul mates in this world? If so, what is its spiritual significance for the people involved?
M: A soul mate is someone that when you meet him or her, you feel a very great attraction to each other and you both will be able to complement each other in life and especially in the spiritual process. That's what's called soul mates. But in the world of non-duality, there's no soul, there are no mates; it's just the terminology of this world. So whoever you feel is very attractive to you and very helpful to your daily life activities as well as spiritual endeavors, then that's your soul mate while we're here, if you need a mate at all.
Q: I have been initiated for quite a few years. Why is it that the level of Light and Sound I experience now is still about the same as when I first received initiation? What is the key to quick progress in our practice?
A: As the background and stage of spiritual practice over past lives differ for each of us, it seems that there is great progress for some people who have only just started on their path of spiritual practice. Sometimes we think that we have not made any progress, but in fact, as long as we are not falling behind, we are making progress. We cannot use our inner experiences of Light and Sound alone to determine whether we have made any progress or not. We have made progress once we've started spiritual practice if we find our lives run more smoothly, we are freer from obsessions with worldly, mundane matters, more relaxed physically and spiritually, our wisdom and love for others is enhanced, and we have a deeper sense of security and contentment about life and our fortune.
If we feel that we have not progressed both inwardly and outwardly, we should ascertain that we are indeed meditating for two and one-half hours daily as instructed at initiation, and that we are keeping the Precepts clearly with our bodies, speech and minds. Also, it could be that by not meditating in the correct way, we do not make progress.
How much progress we make depends on whether we have a pure heart. Having a heart that is pure and kind, being able to accept the Master's instructions completely, and having steadfast faith in the Master are the most important keys to making great progress.
Q: Why is it that after receiving initiation, I, myself, or my relatives still suffer from mishaps and illnesses? Does Master not take care of all the misfortune?
A: During initiation, Master takes away the karma, which we have accumulated life after life and helps us to get in touch with the Almighty Power within. After that, we need to cleanse our new karma; Master can only help us to a certain extent and cannot cleanse it completely. If our fixed karma were to be completely cleansed, we would pass away because we would no longer have any reason to stay in this world.
Therefore, we still need to pay our debts. We will be ill and we will have misfortunes due to our fixed karma. However, Master will try to dissolve some of our fixed karma in our dreams. But if our karma is too heavy and cannot be dissolved completely, we will have to experience at least half of it physically. This depends on one's situation and karma.
We should practice diligently according to Master's instructions and listen to Her completely so that we can give Master an excuse to help us. We should believe that everything Master does is for the best and have faith in our path of practice. We should not be afraid of the prompt arrivals of the effects due to the causes we made. We should not be afraid to take the responsibility of paying off our debts. Then, we can attain the Truth and eternal liberation quickly in this lifetime.
The One-dollar Offering
There was a very stingy person who never practiced spiritually. Since he also never gave charity, he was very much afraid of monks coming to beg for alms. His wife had strong faith in Buddha, however, and liked chanting the Buddha's name and practicing spiritually, which the man abhorred. One day the man's mother passed away and his wife suggested, "Let's make a pilgrimage to the Ganges, where we can perform a ritual to ask for the Buddha's blessing so that our mother will be elevated." The man replied, "OK! But let's not take such a long trip for it will be very expensive! We can go somewhere nearby."
Halfway on their pilgrimage, they decided to visit a certain temple. However, they were worried that there might be some monks around when they arrived and they would have to make the customary offering to the monks. So, they went there when all the monks were asleep. Indeed, when they entered the temple, there was no one in sight, only a few statues of the Buddha and the Quan Yin Bodhisattva.
Detecting the man's stinginess, the Quan Yin Bodhisattva manifested as a monk and sat there. After paying respects to the Buddha statues, the man was astounded to see a monk! The monk, who was the manifestation of the Quan Yin Bodhisattva, said to him, "You've earned infinite merit by paying respect to the Buddha and offering incense. Would you like me to perform a ritual of elevation for you?" The man replied, "No! It's not necessary! I can do it myself." But the monk insisted, "It's all right. I can do it for you. You don't have to make an offering to me now; you can pay later. Just let me know how much of an offering you want to make." It's a common practice for worshippers to make offerings at temples.
Then the man thought, "It's all right for me to promise him now. Later, I'll just leave, and he won't be able to find me." So, the man said, "OK! I'll make an offering of one dollar." And the monk said, "Fine! One dollar is enough, as long as you're sincere." Then the monk went on to chant many scriptures for him. After the ritual of elevation was over, the man told his wife, "Now that the ritual has been done, we've made the pilgrimage and paid respect to the Buddha, and a monk has chanted the scriptures for us, we can go home tomorrow."
A few days after they got home, the monk suddenly appeared at their house. The wife went inside and told her husband, "The monk from the temple is waiting outside. You promised to offer him one dollar. Now he's come to collect it." The man was terrified and said, "Good grief! I don't want to give him a dollar. Go and tell him that I'm seriously ill, and can't entertain any guests now. Ask him to leave." Of course, the wife knew very well how stingy her husband was. She could only go out and tell the monk, "I'm very sorry, but my husband is very ill and can't entertain you. Will you please return to your temple?"
The monk said, "So he's sick! Then it's even more proper that I should fulfill my obligation. (Laughter) I'll chant the Buddha's name for him, hoping he'll recover soon.' The wife went inside again to report to her husband and the man said, "No! No! Tell him that I'm dead (laughter) and ask him to leave." The wife had no other alternative but to go out and tell the monk, "I'm sorry. My husband has just passed away. I think you had better leave." But the monk was eager to offer his services. Not only did he refuse to leave, but he also insisted, "If this is true, then I definitely must go in to chant the scriptures for his elevation."
Now that the man was "dead" he couldn't object any more (laughter) and his wife couldn't stop the monk from entering the house to chant the scriptures, recite the Buddha's name, and perform a lot of rituals. Finally, the man was placed in a coffin and sent to a crematory. But just as he was about to be cremated, he jumped out of the coffin, shouting, "Hey! Don't burn me! I'm still alive."
At that time, the monk resumed his original form of the Quan Yin Bodhisattva and said to the man, "I'm delighted to see you make so much effort and express so much sincerity in making the pilgrimage. Now I'll grant you a wish, which I'll realize for you." Then the man knelt down and cried, and do you know what his wish was? He said, "Please forgive me, Quan Yin Bodhisattva, and please waive the one dollar that I promised to offer!" (Laughter) Hearing his words, the Quan Yin Bodhisattva shook Her head and left. This is how sentient beings behave. It's useless even when Buddhas descend to save them.
One Who Worshipped Wooden Buddha Statues
A person practiced austerely under a spiritual master, who gave him a statue of the Earth Store Bodhisattva and taught him to recite the Incarnation Mantra. He also instructed him to bow to the statue of the Earth Store Bodhisattva several thousand times each day, and repeat the mantra tens of thousands of times. His master told him that he definitely would progress by following these instructions.
The disciple practiced diligently for a year, but did not feel anything. So, he complained to his master, saying, "Master, I beg you please! Will you teach me another mantra and give me another Buddha statue that's more powerful and merciful. I'm giving up the Earth Store Bodhisattva. I've worshipped Him for a year and chanted the mantra until my throat was dry, yet He never gave me any blessing or response. I don't want to worship Him anymore. Will you please give me a better Buddha statue?" So his master said, "OK! Now I'll teach you the Amitabha Buddha mantra, and you may worship the Amitabha Buddha. The Amitabha Buddha is very compassionate. He made grand vows, and has great affinity with sentient beings. You'll definitely progress by worshipping Him."
The disciple believed his master, carried a small statue of the Amitabha Buddha home and started reciting the mantra. He persisted in chanting the mantra and the holy name of Amitabha Buddha very sincerely. However, a year passed and he received no response. Again, he complained to his master, "Master, the Amitabha Buddha is not efficacious. He didn't make any response. Please don't test me any more! Please give me initiation and teach me a better method of spiritual practice. Otherwise, I can never make it on the spiritual path!"
Knowing that this disciple was very sincere, the master told him with a smile that he would definitely be enlightened this time. However, the disciple still had to practice and become enlightened himself. "I now give you this statue of the Quan Yin Bodhisattva to worship at home," said the master. "The Quan Yin Bodhisattva is very merciful. All of Her worshippers find Her very efficacious. You'll surely get a response through worshipping Her." This disciple had great faith in his master's words and was much delighted. He decided to worship the Quan Yin Bodhisattva piously at home and chant Her holy name day and night.
That day, upon reaching home, he immediately lit the best sandalwood incense before the statue of the Quan Yin Bodhisattva and worshipped piously. He placed the statues of the Earth Store Bodhisattva and Amitabha Buddha on the bookshelf and paid no more attention to them even when they were covered by dust. He thought that these two were not efficacious, so he didn't worship them any more, but let them rest on the bookshelf. He now worshipped only the Quan Yin Bodhisattva statue.
While worshipping, he noticed that the fumes of the sandalwood incense drifted towards the nose of the Amitabha Buddha statue and thought, "This isn't right! I'm only worshipping the Quan Yin Bodhisattva. This Buddha statue isn't efficacious at all, and so isn't worthy of enjoying my incense." (Laughter) Then he took the Amitabha Buddha statue and sealed its nose with plastic tape, so that it couldn't smell the fragrance. Suddenly, the wooden statue of the Amitabha Buddha vanished, and the original form of the Amitabha Buddha appeared right before his eyes. The disciple was frightened to death, and quickly fell on his knees to beg for forgiveness. So Amitabha Buddha said to him, "I'm impressed by your faith and sincerity in seeking the Truth. Now, whatever you ask for, I will realize for you." The man said, "I'm overjoyed to see You, and meanwhile I don't know what to ask for. However, will You please explain why You only appeared after I sealed Your nose? What does that mean?"
Amitabha Buddha said, "It's because previously you only regarded me as a Buddha statue, just a wooden statue. When you thought of worshipping me, you bowed to me. When you didn't feel like worshipping me, you pushed me aside. When you were fond of me, you bowed to me. When you didn't like me, you stopped offering any incense. Also, you didn't pay attention to me when you were busy. This is a wrong concept. Now your thinking has changed and you regard me as a real Buddha, which was why you wanted to seal my nose. Being worried that my nose would really be sealed by you, I had to appear quickly." (Master laughs)
Correct Concepts in Spiritual Practice
In spiritual practice, if we're sincere and our concepts are correct, even a wooden Buddha statue will turn into a real Buddha. If our spiritual cultivation is poor and our concepts are incorrect, however, even a living Buddha will become like a wooden statue. Therefore, how we see things is very important. If we don't have a correct concept about an Enlightened Master, it will be futile even if a real Enlightened Master descends here.
In the first story, the man knew that the real Buddha had come, but he didn't ask for liberation, Buddhahood, or great wisdom. All he asked for was the Buddha's pardon and waiving of a one-dollar offering. Can you imagine that? This is why Enlightened Masters can't deliver sentient beings. Sentient beings don't pray for great things. Instead, they're trapped by worldly habits, bound by secular habits and concepts every day. Every word they utter is about worldly things; every thought they have is about worldly things; every wish they make is about worldly things. Therefore, it's useless for Enlightened Masters to come down here!
In the second story, though the disciple treated the wooden Buddha statue rudely, his concept was more correct, which meant that he was relatively enlightened. He no longer treated the Buddha statue as a piece of wood. At that moment, he saw that everything was Buddha so he even regarded the wooden Buddha statue as a real Buddha. What I mean is that only the concept underlying the wooden statue is important. It's important that we worship the real Buddha, and not the wooden statue. When we have right concepts and are enlightened, whatever we do to the Buddha, He won't mind. When our concepts are wrong, even if the real Buddha appears before us, it's useless. When our concepts are correct, even a wooden Buddha statue will turn into a real Buddha, but when they're not right, even if we're in the company of a living Buddha, it will be as though we were with an ordinary human.
There is an ancient story that goes back to the times of Sakyamuni Buddha, when Sariputra built a huge ashram for Him. At that time, Sariputra found a giant ant beneath a tree. Pointing to the ant, he told the people around him, "This ant has been here for many lifetimes and has listened to the lectures of several Buddhas. However, it's still not enlightened because it continues to cling to the level of an ant."
Of course an Enlightened Master is capable of helping us to transcend the level of an ordinary human, but we ourselves must be willing. If we're unwilling, but love to stay at the childish level, the Enlightened Master can't force us. This is similar to a doctor treating a patient. He can prescribe medication for us, but if we refuse to take the medicine, and cling on to our illness instead, the doctor too can't force us to do otherwise.
Q: Dear Master, do You think that there will ever be a day when we can all just go back Home and not have to deal with these earthly issues and matters anymore?
M: Definitely, we'll go Home.
Q: I mean all of us!
M: All of us! No one will be left behind. There's no second coming for you, [Laughter] unless you want it so badly because a beautiful woman is left behind or something like that. Because this time is a very bad period for our world, the Master Power decided that we have suffered enough. So, if we just make a little effort and have just a little sincerity, the Master will embrace us and disregard everything. [Master sighs] To be honest, you can't meditate in this world. You really can't. So, whatever time we can meditate or whatever the outcome, truly comes from the grace of the Master. I mean the Master Power; I don't mean this person.
During the night, the Master will take us to different levels where it's safer and better. In the day, we are too busy. Our mind is running against the spiritual Power, so we have to do it quickly this time. If you keep the Precepts, meditate, and go to group meditation, you'll see yourself improve so fast that you cannot imagine. When you look back at yourself, it's like someone else behind there, really! And they'll tell you that - the people who have experienced it. I don't say this because I know it from books, but it's from my own experience and the living examples of your brothers and sisters.
It's nice to see your family members (fellow initiates) once a week, no? It's good, but not many people can keep up although it is very beneficial for them. And if you cannot go to group meditation, if you don't want to, or for any reason, please meditate at home. There's no "must" for anything; it's just that it's beneficial for you. Whatever I tell you is only what is good for you. There are no forbidden items! If you keep it, it's good for you; and if you don't keep it, well, you'll experience some setbacks or some obstructions and then you'll know why.
Q: Do You mean to say that there are no evil spirits, because an evil spirit is sin, which actually, to You, is an illusion?
M: Yes, there are evil spirits, but they are also illusions. Therefore, there are no sins because sins are all illusions. But, as long as we live in this world, we cannot say, "These are all illusions so I can do what I want," because we will still have a bad conscience from it and we will have guilty feelings. Anyhow, even if we live in an illusory world, we also should behave accordingly.
Why shouldn't we kill someone else because we know it is only an illusion? - He doesn't know it and he will suffer. Therefore, we have to spare the feelings of other people and other beings, even if we know it's all illusion. Avoid evil and do good, because it's good for other people. We have to live together whether you are enlightened or not. It is just like if you are a father and when your children play with toys, you would not scold them if they break the toys into pieces, because these are nonsense. They are toys; they are plastic; they are childish. You play with them and even say, "Wow! This car is beautiful, fast!" It is a small, plastic car and you run, vroom, vroom, and say, "Wow! Beautiful and fast! You and I race together." And the children are happy. All the while, you know this is a child's game, but you don't criticize. You behave accordingly when you play with your children.
Q: I wanted to ask You how high I have to be in this life spiritually to not have to come back after I die.
M: Be as high as you can. Otherwise, the Master will push; the Master will be there to take you to whatever level and continue guiding you upward. Otherwise, you would have to pass through the three worlds. With any other master, you would have to pass the third level in order to not come back. But with this Supreme Method, it's OK; you can. Because sometimes it's not your fault that you didn't reach a high level.
For example, suppose you get initiated today and die tomorrow. It's the Master's responsibility to take you up from wherever you are before you leave the physical body, or before the Master leaves the physical body. We're OK. This time, we just have a fully open house to help everyone. Whoever is sincere, the Master power will help this time, very generously. This century, it's very generous.
Q: Why is this century so special as opposed to a thousand years ago?
M: Because every now and again, the Heavens open "wholesale." (Master and everyone laugh.) Like at a garage sale: Everything's one dollar. It depends on which Master came down. You see, we're all Masters. But some Masters are newly remembered again; they just became enlightened again this lifetime. Some Masters have been enlightened all the time. Some Masters have never left Heaven, and have just come down this time. Some Masters come and go, come and go all the time, and have affinity with a lot of beings on this planet. And when She or He comes back again, it's to all old friends: "Anything you want, it's OK. We knew each other." (Applause) Maybe we were old friends; that's why.
If the Master has just newly come, then he doesn't have too much affinity with many beings. So he just takes a few disciples to begin with, and then continues again and again the next time. If the Master has just remembered again that he's a Buddha this time, then of course he also has to develop more experience. It's not that the Master doesn't know, but just like everything else, you have to practice. You practice how to deal with the human mind, how to deal with the bureaucracy of this world, how to protect yourself from all the harassments on this planet and how to keep yourself intact in order to help people quietly without bringing trouble to yourself.
But the new Master doesn't know that. The new Master goes out with all full colors, blasting trumpets and everything. And maybe after three-and-a-half years, he's gone, or two-and-a-half years, or three-and-a-half months. The spiritual power is the same; it's from the universe. But the way to handle the disciples, the way to deal with political power in this world: That has to be learned because these are mind things. These are skills and abilities. They have nothing to do with enlightenment and the soul. Of course they have, because the more enlightened you are, the more quickly you learn. But if He or She has already had experiences, life after life, there's no need to learn so much.
Because how can a person learn so much in one lifetime? Even though you're enlightened, you can't learn auto mechanics, airplane piloting, sailing, business accounting, computer software, hardware and every other thing. You could, but your life is too short. These things are not soul things. These things are abilities that you have to use your mind and brain or hands and physical body to understand and master. So, if the Master has already learned all this stuff, about how to be a Master -- not "how" to be, but meaning that as a Master, you have to encounter and you have to be able to do many different things.
Therefore, being this kind of Master is easier and quicker. It's simpler. It's just the know-how of the world. The method is the same, the teaching is the same, the power is the same and the Truth is the same. But the Master Himself/Herself is capable or not capable: concerning the public, concerning how to teach the disciples the best and the quickest way to progress. The Master can teach the same method to the same people. But two different Masters might teach even the same method to two different disciples. And the one from one Master will progress differently or more quickly than the one from the other Master. It's like that. It also depends on how the teachings are imparted into his or her mind. Because if the mind doesn't understand, the mind doesn't accept it, then you cannot progress quickly. You don't feel so good. You don't feel convinced, or you don't feel confident. (Applause)
Tha's why there are times when we err, want to quit, are reluctant to practice or find no fun in practicing. We may feel depressed, but don't know why. This is the character of the "winter of spiritual practice." At this time we should quickly have tonics to nourish ourselves.
The weather changes constantly. Sometimes it brings us discomfort. Sometimes it is fine, and we feel cheerful, relaxed, happy and carefree. This is what we are like when we practice well in spirituality and everything goes smoothly. We keep our precepts clearly, we are stable in meditation and strong in our faith; we have peace in our family and success in our work and business. So we feel great. At that time we think that Master is blessing us, or God and the Saints are helping us.
But sometimes we encounter difficulties in spiritual cultivation, just as we feel uncomfortable when the cold, wet winter sets in. We seem to waver in keeping our precepts and our faith is not very strong. We seem to have regressed or come to a standstill in our spiritual progress, and we feel very sad. That's the "winter of spiritual practice." When we practice smoothly, we can call it "spring" or "summer." There are seasonal differences as in spring, summer, autumn and winter, and so there are similar differences in our spiritual practice. We can't be the same every day. That's why there are times when we err, want to quit, are reluctant to practice or find no fun in practicing. We may feel depressed, but don't know why. This is the character of the "winter of spiritual practice." At this time we should quickly have tonics to nourish ourselves.
For instance, if we don't feel well or strong in the winter when it's wet and cold, we can see a doctor of Chinese medicine and take some tonics. Or we can eat more nourishing food or an extra meal every day to build up enough physical power to last until spring. In the spring we don't eat that much, and in the summer we eat very little, but we feel very comfortable, and aren't as tired or depressed as we are in the winter.
When our spirituality doesn't progress smoothly, it's like the wintertime. But we'll get over it after a while. When we're in the "winter of spiritual cultivation," we're likely to get confused, quit, or be cheated. We may feel dull, make no progress or be reluctant to practice; or unsatisfying, obstructive situations may arise. However, we should know that everything will be all right after a while. At that time even if we make mistakes, regress in our practice, or lose faith, we should just forgive ourselves. If possible, we should quickly get some "tonics!" For example, we can attend retreats, go to see Master and meet initiates more often, go to group meditation more, read more of Master's books or listen to Her tapes etc. All these are our "spiritual tonics." We'll feel much better after taking them. And then we'll be able to continue practicing until "spring" comes. During the springtime we'll feel much better and won't need that much tonic.
Q: Dear Master, I try my best to meditate two and a half hours as I promised. But sometimes, due to daily basic life activities, I find it hard to fulfill this requirement. Please give me some advice about this dilemma.
M: How can I give you advice? You say your life doesn't allow you so what am I going to do, kill you and kill all the people around you so that you have time to meditate? Of course, life is like that. Don't let it take over. You should take over life. Don't let life take over you. You have only one life. You never know what future you will have so have it in this life now. Try to make time for meditation. Cut down on whatever is unnecessary,, less talk on the phone, less newspaper reading, less television, less contact with friends, less coffee; just meditate whenever you can, even if it's for five minutes here and ten minutes there. Any time you have free time, meditate. Try your best at any time! You don't have to just count the time when you can sit properly on your meditation cushion. You can count the time, any time when you're free, you close your eyes, think of God and meditate. Make any break your meditation time. Muslim people pray five times a day and at least I ask you only one or two times a day. Do it!
Q: What does one do if one cannot just sit down and meditate?
M: Then stand up, walk around for a while, wash your face, or take a shower. Take a walk and come back; try again. Don't give up. When you meditate every day, it's not that every day you will get good refreshment and results, but you must do it every day. You must do it whenever you can because God's grace doesn't make a rendezvous with us; doesn't make an appointment with us, saying, "Tomorrow, I will come to give you peace; tomorrow, I will give you a vision; tomorrow, I will take you to the third Heaven." No, no! It comes anytime, any second, even when you least expect it. So you just have to persevere with whatever technique you meditate, and pray to the Godhead, the Most High within us, to guide, help, sustain, and bless us.
Every day we must meditate, with or without success. And anytime, maybe tomorrow, maybe the next minute, you will get it. Just don't give in. Just like when we open a shop to sell things, you never know when the customers will drop in. You have to be open all day long and wait. With or without customers, we have to be open. Sometimes the last customer comes and buys the whole shop, or half of the shop.
Q: Is it all right for elderly people to practice the Quan Yin Method?
A: Age has no definite effect on the results of spiritual practice. However, in order to practice the Quan Yin Method, one must receive transmission of the Method by being initiated by Master. At the time of initiation, Master will erase all the accumulated karma of many lifetimes. If an elderly person's karma changes too quickly, one's behavior, speech, and thoughts may be unable to withstand the sudden impact of Master's blessing power.
Furthermore, it may be difficult for an elderly person to pacify the mind in order to practice because of having eaten a purely vegetarian diet for only a very short period of time, or never before. Also, an older person's body may tire easily or he may not be able to concentrate well enough to do the required meditation, causing frustration. Therefore, people who start their practice at an older age indeed do have more difficulties than younger people.
However, this doesn't mean that elderly people cannot practice. The merciful Master has provided us with the Convenient Method to satisfy the needs of those who sincerely long for liberation in this lifetime, but are unable to receive initiation. Master takes care of all who truly believe in Her omnipresent power whether or not they are fully initiated. In fact, some non-initiated persons have better experiences than initiated ones because their minds are kind and pure, and they completely trust in Master. For instance, a non-initiated person in Mainland China witnessed the soul elevation of his five generations just by sincerely practicing the Convenient Method. Master once said, "Sometimes, a person with great faith can be liberated just by reciting my name." Therefore, elderly people should not be disheartened. Faith is the foundation of all meritorious methods!
Q: Master, do we have to pay attention to our dreams?
M: Yes, you do, sometimes. If you feel that it is a kind of forewarning, then you can take precautions accordingly. If not, just forget it.
Q: If we make some mistakes and we feel guilty in dreams...
M: Sometimes whatever you think in the daytime, you will dream at night, and that is okay. It is very normal, because you didn't wash yourself enough by meditation before you sleep. Also, sometimes you read a newspaper or hear or see something bad, or have some previous life experiences that are brought into your dreams. So there are various kinds of dreams. The best thing is just to pray to the inner Master Power to help you. If it is a bad dream, It will protect you, and if it is an impression from your last life, please help to clean it and meditate more. And if it is a good dream or good luck [Master laughs], wait for the bright future, if it ever comes.
When we meditate, we minimize a lot of bad things, bad influences, for ourselves. And sometimes in the dream, we pay off karma, too. Say, for example, last life you killed someone, and in this life you are supposed to be killed by him. But then, because you meditate well, keep the Precepts, and are sincere, the Master Power within you will erase the bad effects of that karma and make you die only in the dream. Many dreams are experiences also, just like when you meditate and you see visions.
There was once an Indian woman named Devi. Indian people usually have sacred and great names related to God. A "Devi" is a female Deva (Heavenly being), and the name bears great meaning. Sometimes, Indians name their children after Indra (the mythological king of the abode of the gods) in hopes that they will be better humans.
This Indian woman Devi had a young son named Lahuve. The mother and child had to flee their home, which was occupied by an evil spirit that had killed many members of their family, including Devi's parents-in-law and Lahuve's six uncles. Therefore, she decided to take her teenage son away from the haunted house for they were the sole survivors in their family. Devi took her son to another place, where she ran a business for a living.
Several years later, Lahuve, now grown up, asked his mother: "Mom! Where did we come from? My friends always ask me this question and I don't know how to answer them. They want to know why we left our ancestral house." Indian people, like the Chinese, the Aulacese and other people in Asia, highly treasure their ancestral homes.
Thus, his mother told him this story: "In our old abode, eight members of our family were killed by a ghost. Fearing that we would be his next victims, I decided that we shouldn't live there anymore for it would bring us harm." And Lahuve said, "Well! What's so strange about people dying in a house? Where there is birth, there will be death. People die when their time comes. They have already died. Why should we leave our ancestral home? We should return; nothing will happen to us!" His bravery was so convincing that his mother finally consented. They then packed their luggage and went home.
Nevertheless, fear dwelled in Devi's heart. Every day, she would make offerings to the ghost before each meal, and Lahuve was very curious about her behavior.
One day, Devi prepared one of her son's favorite dishes, and he wanted to have the ghost's share as well. Of course, his mother forbade him. So he asked, "Why? For whom is this food reserved? I like this dish very much and I didn't have enough." Devi said, "This is an offering to the ghost. He has already killed eight of our kin. If we don't offer him food, he will kill us, too."
Lahuve was unconvinced by his mother's explanation, and said, "How could this be? Why do you pay so much attention to the ghost? He might not have been responsible for our relatives' deaths." Devi firmly believed that the ghost was behind the family tragedy, for her eight relatives had died one after another. But she had never seen the ghost; she just imagined everything. Her disbelieving son insisted: "Just let me eat it! There is no ghost!" He wanted the food very much, despite his mother's disapproval. She then said, "Please! Don't eat it, don't! Let the ghost have it. If you eat it, the ghost will kill you. What will I do then?"
That day, the ghost really came to enjoy the food. Lahuve sat there waiting for him to appear. When he did, Lahuve asked, "Hey! Ghost! Who are you?" and the ghost told him, "Young man, I am the third brother of your grandfather. After I died, I killed your grandfather and your uncles, because they robbed me of my wealth and let me die in poverty and pain. Therefore, I took my vengeance by killing them all."
Lahuve then asked, "What power do you possess?" The ghost said, "I am extremely powerful. I killed your uncles and grandfather as easily as you swat flies. No problem at all! I could have killed your mother as well, but she fled. Though she has come back, she offers me food every day, so I spare the two of you. Listen carefully. I can fly to Heaven, the abode of the angels, in an instant. I can also fly to the abode of the ghosts. Don't you think that I am terrific?"
Lahuve said, "If you are really so powerful, can you take me to the deities and angels?" The ghost said, "No, I can't." Lahuve said, "Then, can you convey a message to them for me?" The ghost said, "Sure! What do you want to say to them?" The young man said, "Please ask the angels how long I will live here? How old can I live to be?" The ghost said, "Okay, I will." Then he left.
The ghost came again the next day and said to Lahuve, "The angels said that you can live to the age of sixty." Lahuve asked, "Please ask them again if it is possible for me to die earlier, say around forty to fifty? Can I be killed earlier? If this is not possible, then can they let me live longer until I am a hundred years old?" The ghost said, "Okay, I will ask again for you." He then departed again to ask the angels.
The next day, the ghost came back and said to Lahuve: "I have conveyed your request to the angels, but they wanted me to tell you that it is not possible. You can die neither a moment earlier nor later, because the length of human life is predestined."
Upon hearing these words, Lahuve immediately swallowed the offerings set aside for the ghost and rushed into the kitchen. He picked up a big piece of wood, lit it, and used it to beat and chase the ghost away. He said: "If you do not get out, I will kill you; I will continue to beat you." The ghost displayed his deadly fangs and claws trying to scare them. Devi implored her son to stop doing that. But Lahuve said, "Mom! Don't you worry! The angels told me that we can't die any earlier or later. So, why are you still afraid of the ghost?" The ghost threatened to kill them both if they did not offer him food. However, he had also heard with his own ears the angels say that it is impossible to die earlier or later. Therefore, he had nothing more to say, and was beaten out of the house by Lahuve. After Lahuve had learned the truth, the ghost could not threaten him anymore, and the ghost was aware of that, too. (Applause)
If we have God and Buddha in our heart, will we still fear ghosts? God and the Buddha are the highest. If we are still afraid of ghosts, that shows we do not have enough faith in God or Buddha. Our faith is still too weak. Therefore, ghosts can only intimidate weaker people; they fear those people who practice spiritually and have stronger willpower.
Q: When I saw the light, the light was very big; then I stopped, and said, "Not yet, not yet," and I came back.
M: (Master says lovingly) Stupid, you will come back in time, don't resist. Just take yourself up for a while and bring yourself back again. If you resist, you'll never go up.
Q: I didn't want to go to You. I was very afraid.
M: You should go high and come back. It takes only a few minutes or half an hour to come back again. But everyone's afraid like that. They want to go to heaven, but they say, "Oh, no, no, I'm afraid there's nothing there." They are afraid to die. And when the Light takes them up, they say, "No, no, no, not yet! I am not a saint." You never know if you will die tomorrow and then will have no chance. We always have the big ego to resist the Master's instructions and help, and that makes our progress very slow. It is true that if you always let go, you will become a saint in no time. When you go with the Light or Sound, you will come back. You'll die only for a little while.
Q: But I don't have that level of elevation.
M: It's your ego that is talking. How do you know better than I do? If the Master thinks you are not worthy, then the Master will not take you. Let your inner Master decide. Why argue? If you think a Master is good for you, then you just have to listen.
Only the inner Light and Sound can help us in any kind of situation in this world. So for us, in dealing with any kind of karma, any kind of burden from the past, present or future, there's nothing else in this world that we can rely on. The Light and Sound, are the only methods, the only equipment that God bestowed on us when we descended into this world so that we can protect ourselves, so that we can remember the Kingdom of God, so that we can resolve any difficulties and obstructions on our way to finding the Kingdom of God. Any troubles in this world - be they in your business, in your family circle or in personal love relationships - are there actually just to make trouble for you, just to sidetrack you from the journey back to the Kingdom of God. And God knows that beforehand so we're given this equipment, the Light and Sound, so that we can slash them all asunder and then advance further. Without the Light and Sound, we can never make it back Home ... never, ever. Just like without an airplane, you can not make it here to Cambodia so fast and trouble-free.
So any time you have a problem, be it with yourself, with any of your loved ones, with any kind of employment or businesses, or with anything, just sit down and meditate. Then the problem will become clearer to you and you'll know how to solve it, or the problem will just disappear by itself in time. Sometimes we panic, really because the world seems to press upon us for certain things, or at a certain time and certain demand. We panic and say, "Oh, my God! I can't make it. I have only one more day or half a day and I just don't want to do something else. I want to do this thing right now and other things just come making demands on me." But then after we meditate for a while, the world withdraws its demand on us, or the problem just goes somewhere else and then we find we panicked for nothing. So, just keep cool. C-O-O-L. (Laughter) Keep cool, baby (Master and audience laugh), and everything will be all right.
Listen to your intuition inside. Sometimes it's difficult. You have to see which is the strongest voice and remain steadfast on that strongest intuition because sometimes you feel like you should do this, continue to do this job, but some other people come and demand that you do another job, and the other people come to tell you that this is better and it's no use now - "It's going to be no use. You'd better run fast in the other direction and do this, that and that." But then you feel inside that you should do this, but it makes you feel like you're in a struggle and torn apart from different directions. Then you need to sit down and meditate and listen to your own Buddha voice, the intuitive voice inside, the silent voice that tells you what to do. Or at least stay calm and you can see clearly for yourself which direction is better for you.
I tell you all these things from experience. I'm not telling them to you from a book. Books don't teach us this kind of thing, not too many. And it always works because where else can we run and what else can we use to deal with the world as it is? There's so much overwhelming suffering, so much nonsense, so much pressure on us small creatures, and sometimes we really don't know what to do and it makes us feel very anxious, very restless. Meditating on the Light and on the Sound are the only things we can do in such times of necessity.
Q: In order to practice the Quan Yin Method, could one attain a higher level of practice more quickly by leaving home to become a monastic disciple rather than a lay one?
A: To leave home really means to leave the home of the Three Realms, to be liberated from greed, hatred and desires, to leave the home of ignorance. Finding one's True Self, the Tao within, has nothing to do with outer appearance and formalities.
The situation is different for each person because of what has happened before. Some have finished their work in this world so they can leave home and practice with undivided attention. They do not have any more ties with this world and can offer their bodies, speech, and minds to God for service to all sentient beings. But if laymen can practice with sincerity, the occasional obstacles will only help them with their practice. There are many lay fellow practitioners who have very good spiritual experiences and have attained high levels. Therefore, we should not worry about outer formalities such as whether to leave home or not.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
You have families, but you dedicate yourself and your whole family in the care of God. You are the caretaker of this family for God's sake; that's also renunciation. It's more difficult to renounce that way than to shave your hair and hide yourself in the temple. If you can do that, you are true saints.
Q: To take time for yourself to be self-fulfilling, is this truly selfish?
M: It's not selfish. For example, if you take time to eat because after a whole day's work for society you're tired and hungry, and need to regain some energy, it's not selfish. If for this body alone, so ephemeral and short-lived, we have to work so hard and invent so many things and cook so many meals to feed it, how much more must we take time to feed our spiritual body? It's not selfish; it's the right thing to do. It's because we are not used to it, we are used to doing things the hard way, the wrong way, and now we get the correct way and we think it's selfish. It's not true.
If everyone in the world never eats, but you feel hungry and eat, they will think you're selfish. [Laughter] But we should eat, inside and outside. It is because we don't eat this kind of spiritual food that we are hungry, we suffer, and we are ignorant. We don't know what to do next, we struggle so much, and we're always lost in this life. It's not selfish; it's absolutely unselfish.
Time is running out! We must be really sincere in our spiritual practice. You can see that the climate is constantly changing, and people are coming and going; no one can exist forever. ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Only through the QuanYin can we get through all kinds of levels of consciousness. That's why we see many people who meditate on the Light but haven't yet gotten to the level at which to contact the Sound, and their lives don't change much.
With many kinds of meditation that are on the intellectual level, like asking the meaning of koans (Zen Buddhist riddles), or that focus on a lamp, people see Light also, but their lives don't change much. Because some Light levels are below the elevating Sound level. Some people meditate on the Light, and in Samadhi, or in moments of extreme concentration, they will also contact the Sound automatically. And at that time, they're also doing the QuanYin. So, they have the Sound and Light together. But they don't know how to get to the Sound without effort because they haven't been connected with the Sound by a competent friend, a competent guide. So, it's easier for us because we know how. In the modern day, "know-how" is the key to success. So, know-how also applies in the practice of meditation. Therefore, even if we haven't been in true Samadhi, and we still get some taste of the benefit of the Sound Current, it helps to revive our body and spirit.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Mexico City, Mexico, May 23, 1998 (originally in English) Videotape No. 627
Whenever we're tired of the world's abuses, we're tired of the endless struggle for survival, we're tired of mental fatigue, and we sit down and do the Quan Yin for a while, we feel every bit of the happiness that shuttles back and forth in our inner soul.
Q: I often have nightmares and wake up terror-stricken during the night. What is the reason?
A: We have reincarnated many times before, experienced many different conditions, and have done a lot of good and bad deeds. All of these things are recorded in our subconscious. If a person always has nightmares, one of the reasons is that he is being influenced by past karma. Another reason is that asura beings may be trying to control and possess his body and mind. Also, because of our daily contacts with people, we may also have nightmares if others have radiated bad vibrations to us. If we lean toward the negative direction or hold thoughts and concepts that are not correct, we can easily have nightmares, too.
In order to change this condition, we should always be on the lookout, checking our bodies, speech, and minds. Our bodies should be used to serve and benefit all sentient beings. Our speech should only concern moral things that guide people to goodness. In our minds, we should wish for the well being of others and pray for world peace.
At the same time, each night before going to bed, we should concentrate our attention on our wisdom eye in the center of our forehead, and meditate or pray before retiring. Then we can cleanse the contaminated atmosphere that we have gathered during the whole day, and protect ourselves in peace the whole night through.
Q: Everything I read says that we are entering a millennium of harmony, peace, and prosperity. Can we give people a word of encouragement about the good things to come? In fact, we can even use the bad things that have happened as an opportunity for growth.
M: Every opportunity is an opportunity for growth; every millennium is a golden millennium. It depends on what we feel inside and how we see the world outside. When we develop our wisdom eye, we see things differently. Every age is a golden age. If it's not, we are not developed spiritually, and every age is a dark age. No problem; for us, the golden millennium is already here.
Q: Master, I've been doing the practice for several months. Sometimes I've cried quite a lot, which feels like I'm releasing, so that I can go on.
M: That's good. You have to cry at least once a day. It's not only the Quan Yin Method. The Quan Yin Method is only the starting point. Then the Master gives each individual an extra method as well, an extra push - some cry, some laugh, some feel happy, and some feel a little bit remorseful. But things change all the time. You can't always feel happy, and you can't always feel regretful. You just feel improved each day through whatever means you are given. The Quan Yin Method is a complete one. It gives you everything that you need. It guides you in every direction that you want to go, and gives you all kinds of instructions that you need for your growth, inside and outside.
Let's hope for and teach our children by setting a good example. Let them be courageous and outspoken and honest. That is your duty; you have to set a good example for them.
Children learn very fast, and they learn a lot of bad things in school. Because there are teachers who don't always teach the right thing ethically, and there are classmates who don't always set a good example for our children to follow. Some of our children here I sent to school. But before they went to school, they were much sweeter, better, calmer and more obedient. After they went to school for some years, they became different. They didn't listen to their parents like they did before. Sometimes they even fought back with words, or sometimes with gestures, very violently. This is very shocking to know.
Growing Juvenile Issues
But I cannot stop them from going to school. If I do, then people will say that I don't let the children go to school, and we'll all be in more trouble. But if I let them go to school, we are only one person, and they are in the school all day long. And when they come home, they're busy doing homework, and then they go to sleep. So the time spent with their parents is less than the time spent with their classmates. That is the problem with the kids today. And when one kid learns something wrong, all the other kids follow. It's very difficult for them not to follow, unless they truly have courage and intelligence. Because if they don't follow all the other kids, the bullies in the school will bully them into following. Or sometimes they shame them into following the wrong thing. Because they say, "You are not boy enough. Look at you, 'Goodie.' You don't know anything! You don't know about girls, you don't know about drugs, and you don't know about cigarettes. You know nothing! And we know everything. Come on, you don't have any courage. You are a..." They will call the kid 'a rabbit,' or 'a chicken,' and things like that. And so the small boy's pride gets hurt, and then sooner or later he joins in.
So originally our children are not bad, but when we send them to school they become terrible; they become gangsters. And they can get away with anything, because they are minors. They can't be put in jail, and they can't be electrocuted, so they can't be punished too harshly. Some of the children know this. If you read the newspaper, you know. They even announce it. They say, "We can do anything, because we are minors. We know we won't go to jail for very long. We know that no one can punish us too harshly. We can get away with anything. Even with murder!" Nowadays, children with guns or knives go to school and threaten the teacher. And even then not many people do anything about it. They get together and become strong, but they are minors. There are always excuses like this.
So this is a terrible world we are giving our children today. It has a lot of freedom. Children today have a lot of money and time, and a lot of equipment to help them learn. So they learn quickly, and then they have a lot of free time and freedom. And if you touch them, people say, "Oh, child abuse!" And you'll be in more trouble. Actually, some parents are scared of their children, because the children come home and beat them, and bully the parents into giving them money and all kinds of things. So there is even an "Abused Parents Anonymous," or something like that. In many countries they have this.
Balancing the World's Negativity through Spiritual Practice
Sometimes the parents are scared of the children because the parents work hard, earn money and wear themselves out in time. They get older, and they get sick from the worry and anxiety of bringing the children up. The children, on the contrary, have nothing to do. Besides eating a lot, they have a motorbike, CDs, cassettes and TV. And they learn all kinds of bad things, reading Playboy and things like that. And then they become strong and bad, and negative. So they scare the parents, because the parents didn't have such experiences when they were young. They don't have the mental preparation to deal with such children in today's society. Many of the parents are very helpless, and they feel very frustrated and threatened. So sometimes they have to get together and protect themselves from their own blood line, from their own children. The children are supposed to be more obedient, weaker, and protected by the parents. But sometimes the parents need protection. Children nowadays even sue their parents for money! All kinds of things can happen.
So if the parents do not think more in advance, like taking the children to Miaoli to learn the Quan Yin Method, learn the Five Precepts and learn how to behave, then later they will regret it very badly. Most of the parents will. So if some of the people go against me, wondering why I teach this and that and the other, I teach nothing bad here, I teach only what is good for them and for their children. If they all knew how good it is here for their children, they would come quickly and let the children become good persons. Because they will bear the consequences. The parents are the first ones to bear the consequences of bad children and bad education. Of course, I would not dare say that all the children who come here will become like angels. But at least 80 percent will, which minimizes the risk of their becoming irreparable children. At least we have a kind of balance or control for the 100 percent negativity in this outside world. That's already something! It's better than 100 percent bad and nothing good inside, nothing to counteract or balance the negativity.
As adults, we are what we were as children. If we learn well in childhood, when we grow up to be adults, we will definitely become good. There is no doubt about that. So I don't understand why some of the outside people go against me. They should come to me, get the teaching quickly and get their children in, if they want to avoid this trouble in the future. And all the leaders of the countries should bow to this kind of teaching-not bow to me, but to this kind of teaching. That's what I mean. Then it can spread to all the governments, into every country, to all corners of the nations, and make the countries strong, and create world peace without having to talk, without having to resort to guns and violence, H-bombs and G-bombs, and all those kinds of things. I don't know why people don't do that.
Reinforcing Education through Group Meditation
On the one hand, they say they are moral and ethical, and they know what they are doing; they respect spiritual standards, and they respect inside, like "In God we trust." But on the other hand, they do not recognize where true goodness lies. To talk about goodness is not enough. We have to have an enforced kind of togetherness, like in a group. And then we have to reinforce it every week or every day, until it becomes second nature. Because we have learned bad things all through our childhood until now. So if we don't keep cleaning it every day, or at least every week, we have no hope of ever becoming improved at all.
So the best thing is to teach from childhood. I think the best thing is for every country, government and leader to take our teachings, make them become national, and teach the children from childhood on, and then reinforce the teachings together every week in group meditation and learning by videos. Together we're strong, right?
That's why, when you are in group meditation, you improve. Because when everyone else sits quietly, you cannot not sit. Similarly, children can be reinforced by the group energy. If the entire school meditated at a certain fixed date or hour, and at a certain time repeated the Precepts and explained the goodness of keeping a pure life, of course the children would learn.
Learning from childhood
If they learn it in childhood, they will know it forever. They will take it to heart. Whatever we learned in childhood, we remember now; we cannot forget. All the incidents from childhood affect us our whole life. That's how many psychiatrists earn their money, because of all the people affected by their childhood circumstances who become disadvantaged, abnormal or very sick, frightened, discouraged or depressed. Most mental illness comes from these childhood impressions. If a child comes from a very happy family, he grows up a different person. If a child comes from a very hard-trained background, he grows up more able than a spoiled child. That's a fact, and everyone has known that for a long time now.
So you see, if our children are trained from childhood with this kind of pure discipline and logical, ethical conduct, then they know. Because their souls at that time are still very pure. Maybe we don't get 100 percent who become good. Maybe out of 100 children, we get only about 50 who become good. But that's already very good! Or 60 percent, 70 percent of them become good. Thirty percent of them may be bad, but they cannot be 100 percent bad. Maybe they are not as good as the other 60 percent or 70 percent, but they minimize their violent tempers. They minimize the inner urge to do bad things in society. They will be affected. So it is very, very useful, this kind of teaching. Because most of our children in different centers have become good. So that's what they told me. That's the feedback that I heard.
So I am very happy to do this job. Not only for you, but for your children and for their children as well, for future generations. Our teachings are very strong, and the power will still be carried on for the next several hundred years, after I die. (Applause) And after that, it's up to God's will and your children's children's children, whether they are strong enough to carry on our lineage. Otherwise, someone else will stand up, and then another lineage will continue. It's the same lineage, but it will spring up in a different place, that's all. So I do truly hope that all the nations will come and take our teachings to their countries. All the governments, all the leaders and all the parents will then accept this kind of pure teaching into their families, into their nations and into their organizations, and make this world become Heaven.
Q: How can we help our brothers and sisters in war?
M: The best way to help is to get yourself enlightened, and once you're enlightened, if you have relatives and friends, you can even pray for them better. Because you can tell God what you want. God also knows what you want, but you don't know God. You don't know what God wants. That's the problem. That's why many prayers are not answered. God answers but we don't hear because God talks in a subtle language. We have to quiet down in order to receive it. We call this meditation, contemplation or quiet prayer. But we have to open our contact with God first. We have to plug back in, reconnect the telephone. Then we can talk to Hirm, and we can receive the answer. Now God tells us to do one thing, and we do another. Because we aren't connected, that's the problem in this world.
We can help by giving our loving thoughts and loving power, but our prayers must be powerful. At the moment, our prayers don't have power, because we aren't connected with the power inside. That's why Jesus didn't waste His time trying to go around stopping any wars. Buddha didn't go around trying to make peace between countries. They were busy teaching people to get enlightenment; because they knew that's the only solution to any problem on this planet, and on any other planet in the universe.
We can help through sincere prayer, but we must be enlightened. We must be connected with this God power first. Then whatever we think will come true, whatever we want will come true. At the moment, we want something but we don't have anything to back it up. Just like we want to buy a dress, or we want to buy shoes, but we don't have money in the bank. Have money in the bank first, then anything else you want, you can buy.
Q: I often find myself feeling anger and hatred. I think that's preventing me from knowing this Wisdom. I see people who have a great spiritual practice, and they tend to be very loving and very calm. I wonder how and why that is so. Can You give me some wisdom as to why there are anger and hatred, and how one goes about stopping them?
M: First we have to know the nature of anger and hatred in order to root them out. Anger and hatred are just ways of protection. Sometimes you feel threatened by other people's opinions, their way of life, or behavior. They may harm your ego, your pride, your body, or your mind, so you become angry and resentful.
Hatred is a very strong word. I wouldn't like to use it every day because actually what we do is resent, not really hate. Hatred is deeper than that. Mostly we resent others when we feel threats to our security. Therefore, do not blame yourself too much when you become angry. Just analyze where that anger has come from and whether you are in the right or in the wrong. Sometimes you have the right to show a little outward anger in order to protect yourself. The question is not to stop anger, but to know when you should show a little anger and when you should not; and to control it and to use it to your advantage, not to stop it altogether.
I have a little story about a snake for you. There was a very big and vicious snake. He lived in a tree hole, and he always ate the chickens and scared and bit the people, so everyone in the village was scared of him. One day a great yogi came to that place, sat there, and meditated. The snake felt very peaceful and transformed. He asked the yogi how to suppress his vicious, bad nature - how to become a good snake. The yogi taught him the Five Precepts: you shall not harm people; you have to eat vegetarian; you do not tell lies; you do not do such and such; you do not gamble - which the snake didn't know about anyway. So, the foremost thing for him was not to harm people. The snake said, "From today, I will practice meditation, eat vegetarian, I won't eat chickens any more, and I also won't bite people."
One day the yogi had to go away for some days. He told the snake to stay home, practice meditation, and wait for him. The children passed by and saw the snake now sitting very quietly in meditation and in samadhi, so they were not afraid of him any more. They wanted to avenge because before they had been afraid of him, so they took a stone and threw it at him. The snake didn't do anything. The Master didn't say you should not be angry, but you shouldn't harm people. He meant that you should not show any violence at all. Ahimsa means nonviolence. The snake kept quiet and tried to meditate again, but the children kicked him, pulled his tail, and whirled him in a circle. The snake got very dizzy. Then they threw him, beat him on the tree trunks, and did all kinds of things.
All of his body was bruised, black and blue, and he lay there half dead. The Master came home and said, "What happened to you?" The snake said, "It was because of the Five Precepts - nonviolence." The yogi was very surprised, "What nonviolence?" "You taught me not to be violent, so yesterday the children came, pulled my tail, and threw stones at me. I didn't react, so they carried on with their play until now; I nearly died." The Master said, "You are stupid. I didn't tell you not to hiss. You can hiss to scare people away."
That is the difference between having wisdom and not having it. When we have no wisdom and are not enlightened, we are carried away by our own emotions. When we have wisdom and enlightenment, we use emotions to suit our occasion and advantage. It doesn't mean we should altogether eliminate emotions; we just know how to use them. It is just like a gun in the hand of a good man. He can just shoot where he wants; he doesn't shoot all over the place and kill many people. Now if you want to have this control-power, and wisdom, you have to have enlightenment, and the way to get enlightenment is through an experienced Teacher. Just like if you want to learn English, you have to find an experienced English teacher, that's all. I can offer you this.
Q: Some of the teenagers of this generation have no respect for their parents. Is it because we're not good parents?
M: No, I don't think so. It depends. I wouldn't say that all parents are good, but most of them are good. You see, the teenagers of this generation probably have not been groomed enough in morality, in seeing their parents as representatives of God on Earth, who take God's place to raise the children and to educate them.
If the parents somehow hinder or obstruct the children when they want to realize God, then we can say these are not very good parents. But otherwise, there are no such things as "no good" parents. Maybe the different outlook of our teenagers nowadays is because of the influence of bad news, violent pictures, many undesirable means of communication, bad company, bad influences and bad friends. That makes the teenagers the way they are today.
So the solution again is that we have to go back to the Golden Age. We have to live the way the Bible teaches us to do, through the way of non-violence, the way of love, the way of enlightenment. Then we can bring our children back to their innocence, back to their ethical way of life. And even children can get enlightenment, too. Then they can know for themselves, and they will change their way of life.
So, if all the children know the way of Truth, maybe they will choose it. And then they will discover love within themselves. Then they will respect their parents more. And then in turn, if the parents are more enlightened, they will be more understanding and clearer about how to raise their children.
Q: It's difficult to know our will from God's will, and the struggle of saying, "Is this a miracle? Did I imagine it or is it true?
M: One thing you may do is: If whatever you want doesn't hurt other people, then it's all right. Whether it is from the ego or not, it's okay. When it's the Divine Will, then it will be done. When it's your will, then you will know; you'll have a lot of trouble. If you do your best, but then, when it's not carrying on smoothly, you know it's not Divine Will. Always do your best.
Whether Divine Will or your will, if it doesn't hurt people, you may carry on until it succeeds or fails. If it is a success, you know that it is according to the Divine Plan. If it's not successful or has harmful effects or something, then you know it is not.
You just do it and don't think. The time will come that when you do, you won't even know that you do. That is the time when you've reached the Master's level. Everyone will come to listen to you, and you will be doing a lot of things, but you won't know. The physical things you will know, but some of the spiritual things, you may know nothing. You want the universal power, you do not want the individuality anymore; your body still exists, but you don't exist. You're connected, so you don't bother to stay in your body anymore. You are still connected, but looking from the higher dimension. At that time, your brain doesn't know what you are doing. Then, that is the time when you do without doing, you know without knowing.
Pearls of Wisdom Supreme Master Ching Hai Phnom Penh, Cambodia, May 11, 1996 (Originally in English)
As practitioners, I think we should understand the flexibility of the precepts, of life standards, of God's will and blessings. We have to be very attentive to everything that happens around us in order to detect what God's will is.
We must always react quickly so that we can protect ourselves and get accustomed to the faster vibrations. Sometimes, Master will suddenly tell you to do something. It is good to do it immediately because karma also comes suddenly. We must be trained to always be ready! Then, when karma or disasters come unexpectedly, we won't be frightened and stuck there not knowing how to react. ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Q: Even after initiation, I may not be a full vegetarian, so can I still be initiated by You today?
M: You know the answer. I am very touched by your honesty and sincerity, but we have another way for you so as not to completely reject you. You can practice the Convenient Method, and you can try vegetarian food for ten, fifteen, or twenty days per month, whenever it's convenient for you until you are completely satisfied with the idea that God comes first. When God comes before everything else in life, before every reason, before all logic, before all pride, then you can get initiation. Otherwise, it's not fair for everyone else; otherwise, I could initiate the whole theater, the whole hall. Why you alone? Most people like my teachings and would love to follow the initiation process. It's just that they cannot maintain a vegetarian diet, so why you alone? Then I could just make it cheap - wholesale. Everyone is welcome. It's not that I care whether you eat meat or are a vegetarian, but you must know what you want and pay for it.
Q: Master, I just wanted to know if there is anything preventing people who are spiritual from taking part in married life because most people who are spiritual are single people as far as I know, such as priests and many others.
M: Oh, so priests are spiritual. Are you sure about that?
Q: They are religious; I can say that.
M: Okay. You can be single if you want, or you can be married if you want. There is no difference. But the difference is in how you handle it. Marriage doesn't mean you cannot find God. Otherwise, God wouldn't make man and woman, but God would make man alone or woman alone. Okay? Number one.
Number two, actually once you're married you get more used to that life, and you are even more concentrated on spirituality after awhile. Because you know what it is, you don't crave for it anymore, and after you live with your wife for some time you become friends. It's mostly like that. So single or married is almost the same in the end. But most people, when they are married, they are too concentrated on their partners and it's difficult to concentrate on God. That might be a problem. But if you know how to handle the energy of a relationship, that will help you even more spiritually, because you're happy physically and your mind is happy. When somebody loves you, you're happy physically, emotionally and mentally. So your spiritual life speeds up more. God doesn't invent love for nothing. It is all there is. Physical love or married love is a part of God's love; it's a replica of God's love. It helps you to find a greater love. Don't have an allergy to marriage. Just be normal. If you want to marry, marry. If you want to stay single, stay single.
Q: A new book is out called "Embraced by the Light," and it's about a near-death experience that a lady had some years ago. One of the events she wrote about was that after her near-death experience, she was pursued by demons or what appeared to be Satan. And I'm wondering whether Satan as a personality exists, or is he more of a symbolic kind of evil that may reside within each one of us?
M: Yes and no. Yes, we have both negative and positive power; that we all know. But the devils are sometimes inside of us and also outside. They come from other people as well. But if the positive side of us is very strong, our negative power is subdued; that's first. Secondly, other people's negative power that has surrounded us or has been aimed against us also has to give way.
That's the point of practicing being in God's Presence and meditating every day: to develop the positive side of our qualities. So when that lady saw these kinds of so-called demons, she actually saw them because they're also all over the place. We just don't see them because our positive power is strong. If somehow we wade a little bit into the negative side or if we want to peep into the negative region, then we might see them.
As for the negative forces, I have to explain to you where they come from. I can use the Buddhist scriptures and explain it scientifically. Now, in one of the very famous Buddhist scriptures, the Lankavatara Sutra, the Buddha says that human beings can create all kinds of demons through their behavior or way of living. For example, eating meat or being aggressive or hateful becomes a kind of energy, and then slowly it will form this kind of dark force. And then it can even appear as any form, like energy that can appear as form sometimes.
For example, with electro-magnetic energy, sometimes you just push some buttons and forms appear on the screen. You can create a cartoon out of nothing, out of just electricity or electromagnetic energy. Sometimes we can create a force, with form or without form. Similarly, these kinds of evil forces can appear in a form because they're also energy. They can be charged and then they can be formed, and they appear like devils or demons, with very distorted figures because they're negative power, so they can't be very beautiful. And therefore people can sometimes see them.
So we humans also create them, but these things aren't real. In a way, they're illusionary, just like the angels. They appear to have form, but they're not real. They're not eternal; they can be destroyed; they can be chased away; they can be multiplied; they can be minimized. They're not real forms. They're not eternal. They don't have the God quality within them.
People sometimes can train themselves to see devils, just like we can train ourselves to see God. Therefore some of the voodoo people, or the so-called witchcraft people train themselves to deal with demons, to subdue them or use them for some purpose. That's possible. You can even make them; it's been proven that we can make things happen. They can be formed through the energies.
Now, if you read a book called Magic and Mystery in Tibet by Madame Alexandra David-Neel, it will tell you that in Tibet people can use their own power in the practice of concentration to make another being in whatever shape or whatever appearance they want. You can make a monk appear; you can make a common person, or you can make a beautiful girl. These are the methods that Heaven uses to create angels. And these are the methods we use, sometimes purposely or unintentionally through our deeds and thoughts, to create demons.
She herself, Madam Alexandra, made a monk, just to try it through that method. So she made one. But afterwards, he got out of control. He actually appeared in the form of a monk. And she said that at first she made a very jolly one, a happy, fat old monk, the easygoing type. But later, as he developed, he got out of her power and got out of hand. He became thinner and more mischievous and more aggressive. So she eventually had to destroy him, using all her might. Because once you create something, it's difficult to destroy it if you don't have that power. But these things aren't far-fetched fairy tales. People nowadays still can do it.
Q: Would you say that in some cases modern music encourages a certain mood and atmosphere, the kind that can create more of a demonic environment for young people today or perhaps even the world, just from the mood that it tends to create?
M: Yes, part of it. Part of it has already existed through centuries from the different moods of humankind. And if we deliberately add ingredients to it, then of course it becomes stronger. Music is very influential. It's been proven scientifically that if you give people soft, kind, gentle and loving music, they feel calm and relaxed, very gentle and loving. But when you give people discordant, very terrible music, they go crazy or fight with each other.
Just like when they go out to fight in battle, do you know what kind of music they give to people? It's not "I love you!" or anything like that, but "Bong! Bong! Bong! ... Boom! Boom! Boom!" All kinds of deathly tunes and aggressive melodies are given to the soldiers. So they just march and march and then die blindly. Because that's the time when they want to kill, they're in the mood to kill. So music is very important, of course.
Meditation is like refueling and recharging a car to keep it running; or it's like having to eat to gain energy to keep working. Since we have to eat as much as we can every day to remain healthy and be able to go on working, we should also recharge our souls with energy so that we can do great things. Why do we want to do great things? It's not because we want fame or regard ourselves as a big deal, but because we see too much injustice in this world. Some people suffer too much. Some people can't enjoy human values or even the basic dignity of being human. People treat each other like savages. That's why we want to help the world. In order to help the world, we have to cultivate ourselves first, practice diligently and be strict on ourselves, then we'll know how to do it. Otherwise, we won't be able to do it even if we wish to.
Normally, people say that the neighbor's wife always looks better. But I don't think so. Reports say that 90% of men would like to marry the same woman again, if they could. So don't fool around, feel sorry and become one of the 90%. That's why from the old times until now all the Masters recommended faithfulness and loyalty to one partner. Because they know you will feel sorry, anyhow.
It takes a long time to get on well with one person, a stranger. Whether it's a woman or man you love, he or she is a stranger to you. You have never known them before. Even if you knew them as a schoolmate or something like that, there's still something inside that you don't know about until you actually live together.
Because when you are dating, like boyfriend, girlfriend or fianc? you share the same joys but you don't worry about the same problems. You part, you go home, and each worries about his own problems and takes care of his own responsibilities. You share only the joys when you're together. So things are different, rosier. And even if you quarrel a little bit, because of the distance and the need or the habit to be together, you get back together again and forgive quickly. But once you are living together, you have to share the same responsibilities and the same anxieties; then things go differently. It takes a long time to mature this loving relationship, to learn each other's habits and the deepest aspects of the other person's inside being.
This comes out with time. You get used to their shortcomings and "long-comings" and "late-comings" or "early-comings" home, and things like that. But it takes a long time to get used to it. And once you've created a good relationship with each other and have mastered the differences and matched it all up already, then it becomes like your own creation. Your relationship is your creation, so you feel good. Just like you have built a house for yourself. Even if it's not as good as the neighbor's house, or it looks different or some people don't like it that much, it's your house. And when you create it with your own hands, you love it. You feel that you are part of it. So that's why when you divorce a long-time wife or husband, you will feel miserable. And if you have to begin anew with another person, it takes another ten years, at least.
Well, I am still trying hard with all my "wives and husbands" here in the Center. I still don't know them yet. I am surprised all the time; they always give me big surprises. I can never tell if I know them all inside-out already. I know some parts of them but I don't know them all - their personalities, not the inner God quality. Also, I have attendants but sometimes when I change one, even if it's the worst one, I feel very bad. I have to teach them all over again and it's very, very tiring. And no matter how bad the last attendant was, she had some good points, too. I had become used to getting along with her bad and good points already; I knew how to deal with the bad ones and accept the good ones. And now the new shortcomings and bad habits are coming, and I have to deal with all brand new ones again. It's exciting but exhausting, too.
It's similar with wife and husband. Because when they first come together, they vow to stick together and sincerely want to build a nest together. They will put all their heart and mind into building the relationship and the home. They're very sincere. And so now, they become like a part of each other. Really, that's why we call them 'partner' or 'the other half' or 'the better half.' So after they part, it's like they're halves; they're halved into fifty percent. And generally they feel something is missing. To build a house with another partner would not be the same; to build another relationship would not be the same.
Every human being has good points and bad points; there will be something missing in each and every being you encounter. So sometimes you daydream that the next person is better, or the other half or the neighbor's wife is better, but it's not necessarily so. Research has shown that most men would like to re-marry the same woman, which just proves that the religions, the Bible and the commandments were right all along. Because everyone is God anyhow; whether it's this female God or that female God, it's still God. So we might just as well get used to one God. Each one just has different attributes to make them a little different. So lately if your relationship has gone sour, or if something is not good in the family, you must think again whether you really want to get rid of this woman or this man, or if you have made a mistake, and what would happen if she were really gone. So if you are really not sure, then just leave home for a few days, go on retreat or something like that.
People say the more you resemble your partner, the better the relationship. That means you like each other so much that you unconsciously absorb each other's qualities and become like one. Even your expression changes. It's just like dogs and cats and their owners, who look exactly like their dogs and cats. Because they love their dogs and cats so much, they imitate their expressions. For example, they kind of pull their nose to make it longer, like an elephant's, if they love an elephant. (Laughter) I have seen many people who love pets that look exactly like their pets. You know it; you've seen them, too. When people walk in the park with their pet behind them, you just can't tell who belongs to whom! They both look so much the same. And they both get along well, the dog and the owner.
It's similar in human relationships: The more you look alike, the more that means you get on well in the relationship. First, because you like each other, you look more alike; because the expression and the thinking are the same, and so your outer appearance changes. And that's why people, after they practice the Quan Yin Method, look more beautiful. It's natural. You want to become God, and God is beautiful. And you are moving toward a more God-like, more angel-like quality. That's why, when people look at you, they just feel you are beautiful, even if you're lame, if you're an amputee or you're bald, or you walk like a hunchback. Because the inner God quality shines; it's shining and shining and makes everyone feel very good. Because you look like God now. And God loves God; like attracts like.
So if a couple looks very much alike, they will love each other more and more every day. Because let's face it: We love ourselves the best. Is that not so? We take hours to look in the mirror and comb our few left-over hairs, and take care of a few strands of beard and things like that. We love ourselves, and that is correct. Problems only arise when we hate ourselves. That's the most sinful thing we can do. We are God. If we cannot love ourselves, no one else can. And if we don't love ourselves, it means we don't love God. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot love anyone else. It doesn't matter who tells you to love others before yourself, love thy neighbor and things like that. Love yourself first and then thy neighbor will be the same.
If you don't love yourself, you cannot love others in the same way. You don't know what love is. Only if you love yourself can you take good care of yourself. Then you know what the other likes, too - what it feels like when you really love yourself and take care of yourself, what is comfortable for you. Then you know how to offer the same to the next person, because you know what makes him or her comfortable. Everyone likes me, because I know how to take care of myself. I know what's good for me. And I love myself, as you can see. So when I take care of someone, he is smitten. Or she is smothered, and swoons out. I know just exactly what she likes because I know exactly what I like.
You see that whatever I wear you like, no? Because I know what to wear to make myself look good. I love myself. It's not that I spoil myself; I look good in anything, and it's not because they're expensive and not because my clothes don't look like yours. It's just that I know what suits me. I look good in almost anything because I just choose the one that suits me. It's not that I buy expensive things. I wear expensive things, too, but that doesn't mean expensive things make me look good. Anything makes me look good. And I look good in almost anything because I buy the colors that I like. I just have the feeling that it would be good for me. That's why it looks good. I love to make myself look good. If I spend the same money, why do I have to buy something that makes me look ugly? I have to take the same trouble - washing and ironing and taking time to wear and all the same trouble, then why should I pay money to make myself look worse? That's the principle.
So if I know how to look good and how to take care of myself, and if I happen to take care of someone else, if necessary, then that person must feel good. There is no choice but to feel good. I do not overdo it. Everything I do is just exact and quick. And it looks good and perfect and it feels good. Because I know how I like people to treat me. I don't like nonsense or taking a lot of time, overdoing things and smothering people. Just go right to the point.
So if you really can take care of yourself and love yourself, there is no one that you cannot take care of, and no one who does not feel comfortable around you, even if you don't take care of them. Because they feel you are just the kind of person they would like to be, very easy and exact and simple and never going wrong.
So love yourself; take care of yourself. But don't take a lot of time. Someone told me, "You always look happy and satisfied with yourself." I said, "Yes, I look good, and I feel good. I am good!" I just feel confident. Maybe I don't look like the best woman in the world, but I look good. So make yourself feel good. Pamper yourself sometimes, even if you are busy. And take time sometimes for yourself. Because you are the most worthy person on this planet. Everyone is. You have only your own worth to take care of; other people are worthy but that's theirs. So your worth is the most valuable. Take care of yourself because you are God. Be good, feel good and be noble. And go toward the goal of what you want to be.
Q: What's the purpose of epidemic diseases such as malaria, AIDS, etc. Are humans interfering with the natural process by trying to find cures for these diseases?
M: Even you find some cures for these diseases, another disease will breed itself out. Only when human beings realize that they should surrender to God, to the Almighty Power which is within us, only when humans realize that in them there's a great power to heal all diseases and that they should rely on this power alone will all diseases cease. All these things are warnings to tell that we should return to God.
This is the night I will tell you a ghost story to test your courage, and see how you will sleep tonight. You will know, OK?
Now, there was a very young and beautiful wife, who became sick and nearly died. She was on her death bed and told her husband, "I love you very much, and I don't want to leave you. Please, after I die, don't marry another person. You promise me! Okay?
Then she worried that her husband would not keep the promise, so she threatened him. She said, "If you marry another wife, I will become a ghost and take care of you." It's terrible! That's what she said to her husband, "I will make you suffer, always, forever, and eternally!" So the husband was maybe afraid of the wife. But here (Master points to the book) they say, "respected the wife." We always respect the wife, do we not? We respect the wife, but we're not afraid! So the husband respected the wife and didn't think of remarrying another person.
But as God always makes trouble for human beings, he met another beautiful woman, younger, charming, sweeter and more attractive, and richer even! Rich! Oh, terrible! And she even loved him very much and maybe more than the wife. Oh, too bad! That was only three months after the funeral service. Now what can we do about that?
So he got engaged to her. After the engagement (the engagement happened during the daytime), that night the husband saw the ghost of the wife coming. "Ah ha! As promised, here I come." She appeared in front of him and scolded him and nagged him, saying that he had broken his promise; that he did not love her; that he was not sincere; that he was a bad husband; that he had no conscience; that he was a lousy man; that he was a terrible human being; that he was not a virtuous Quan Yin practitioner, etc.
Then the husband got very scared! Because this ghost was so terribly intelligent; she knew exactly what had happened between the husband and the new fiancée. She told him what time he did what with her, and what time he gave her what, and talked to her about what. She knew everything, everything! So he couldn't deny it. But he was very scared.
He was so scared that he could not sleep, he could not eat, and he dared not go to see his fiancée often. And their love affair nearly went on the rocks. So some people told him that he should go to a temple and talk about his suffering to a Zen master, and maybe the Zen master could help him. Oh, my God! The Zen master takes care of everything, including ghosts and marriage.
So the Zen master truly helped him. He said to the husband, "Your ex-wife has become a ghost." (This we knew) "And she is very intelligent. So she knows everything that you did with your fiancée. Actually, you should respect such a ghost. But there is a way to drive her away. Now, next time if the ghost appears, you have to make a bet with her." The Zen master said that she knew everything; she knew too much already. But probably there was something she didn't know. If she answered incorrectly, then she should not come back and bother him any more. Then he could marry the one he loved.
Because she was dead! She could not serve him in any way. She could not cook for him. She could not take care of anything. So the husband asked the Zen master, "What can I do? What should I ask her?"
And the Zen master said to him, "Next time when she comes, take a handful of mung beans in your hand and ask her how many beans are inside. She surely cannot answer that. And then she will disappear. Because, if she cannot answer that question, you will know this is only an illusion of your own mind, your own conscience or your own imagination because you're already too scared, afraid of the wife and imagining, an illusion of your mind. If she doesn't answer, if she cannot answer, then you know it's an illusion and she will vanish."
So, the next night, truly, the ghost appeared. And the husband told her, "Oh, yes, you know everything. You are very intelligent; I cannot do anything about it." And then the ghost said, "Yes, I know. And I also know that today you went to see a Zen master and you talked about us."
So the man said, "Okay, since you know everything, now, can you tell me how many beans are in my hand?" As soon as he asked this question, the ghost disappeared.
So you know, was there a real ghost? No! Then you shouldn't be afraid tonight.
This is a folk story passed down by the Jewish people. There was a very rich man who had plenty of property. One day, he suddenly fell seriously ill and couldn't recover. Since he was very rich, his family invited many famous doctors from places around the country to cure him, but none succeeded.
The man's health deteriorated and he seemed to have no hope of getting healed. Just when his family was in utter desperation, a spiritual practitioner who came from afar passed by and told them, "If you can find a very happy person, take his clothes and let your father wear them, then he'll be cured."
Upon hearing this, the rich man's family set off in all directions looking for a happy person. However, after searching high and low, they could not find a truly happy person. The so-called happy people they found weren't perfectly happy in every way so they couldn't be regarded as truly happy people. The family carried on searching until they finally gave up. Nevertheless, one of the rich man's sons was extremely filial. Unable to bear separation from his father, he was determined to see his father healed. Thus he left his hometown and went to faraway places, with his mind set on finding a truly happy person.
One day, the rich man's son became exhausted by his tedious journey. Dusk was falling so he tried to find a resting place and came upon a cave where he decided to spend the night. As he approached the mouth of the cave, he heard a resounding voice from within saying, "Oh! I'm such a happy man! I had such a wonderful day today. I'm happy every day! Everything is fine with me. I'm delighted and happy with everything! I'm the happiest person in the world! I'm a truly happy man!" These words were repeated over and over, accompanied by joyful laughter. Finally, the voice said, "Oh! I'm sleepy now. I'm going to sleep in happiness. Even if I were to die now, I would still be very happy!" (Master and everyone laugh.)
The rich man's son rejoiced to hear this and thought, "I've found the cure for my father's illness!" He then quickly slipped into the cave, hoping to find the person and take his clothes from him. But when he went inside, he found that the man was completely naked! (Master and everyone laugh.) He wasn't wearing anything! The son stood there stunned, not knowing what to do.
Seeing his disappointment and frustration, the happy man asked, "What's wrong?" And the rich man's son replied, "I failed to find something that I'm looking for." So the happy man asked, "What are you looking for?" The rich man's son replied, "My father is critically ill, and a spiritual practitioner told us that if we could find a truly happy person, we should take off his clothes and let my father wear them, then he'd be cured. That's why I'm here to take your clothes. I never dreamt that you wouldn't be wearing anything!" The happy man said, "Sigh! If I were wearing something, I wouldn't be so happy now!" (Master and everyone laugh. Everyone applauds.)
What he meant was that if he possessed any property, he would be burdened and wouldn't be so happy. Precisely because he had nothing, he was free of any pressure, not having to worry about losing anything, about his things being stolen or destroyed. He also didn't have to worry about what to do should he not have a certain thing the next day. Since he had nothing to compare with others, he didn't have to worry about other people having something better. Therefore, he was free of worries. He didn't have to worry about anything, such as people stealing his things or hurting him. That's why he was so happy.
This story is quite relevant to spiritual practice. It doesn't mean that we'll be happy if we don't have any property; it also doesn't mean that we'll have worries or be happy if we have a lot of wealth. Whether we're happy or unhappy can't be measured by our wealth. It mainly depends on our heart. If we have some wealth, but we don't cling to it and we use it in the right place, then we can say we possess no wealth and aren't attached to it. Suppose we have no wealth and can't earn money, but then we say that the grapes are sour because we have no grapes to eat (Master and everyone laugh), then we're not truly happy people.
The man in this story most probably was a truly happy person. We can tell from the way he talked. In fact, true happiness at heart is not to be derived from wealth or poverty. However, for most people, excessive wealth can easily lead to bondage. Even if they hate to be bound, sometimes, they will still be bound unknowingly. They have to take care of their wealth, develop and manage it. Besides, they worry that others may take possession of their wealth, that they may arouse jealousy, or that their wealth may be squandered by their children; many conditions worry them. It's not that we're being greedy. However, if we do have some property, we have to manage it. If we don't have anything, then we don't need to bother.
Q: In practicing the Quan Yin Method, when we reach the highest level, are we not supposed to hold on to anything, including the "Method?"
A: Yes, when we are at a very high level of samadhi, we are not aware of the "Method." There aren't any methods there and we naturally will not try to hold on to them. However, when we are back in this body, there are still methods. This world is different than that other world. In this world, we should practice not just for ourselves, protecting ourselves from interference by negative forces, but also we should bless this world and cleanse society by using our good vibrations to counter negative vibrations. Therefore, we should continue to practice according to the "Method". Furthermore, even when we have reached a very high level of practice, we still depend on this "Method" to go up, like using a ladder. Also, we should be good role models for our relatives, friends, and other disciples. If we do not practice, they will not either.
You cannot always be intimidated by the greatness of any Master, or any person, and stay in the shadow of that person. You have to grow up and be yourself. However great, however small, it's you, but with the knowledge of yourself - that I am that person. And, of course, whatever undesirable habits, you try to cut down, and whatever you think is good for you, more ideal, more noble, then you try to fulfill in your capacity, in your time, by your own sincerity and endeavor. But don't always look upon a master, a teacher, or any great person and forget to grow!
That's why I cannot always be around you, or telling you everything that you must do or not do. That's no good for you! You have a brain, you have a mind, you have the wisdom, and you have to use them. Every time you use them, they become better and better. Otherwise, I could never tell you everything. Of course, you can learn something from me if you think it's good for you, if it's suitable for you. You learn something as an example, but not as something that you always rely on or look upon and then forget your own talent and your own intelligence.
Q: How can we tell true Masters from false masters?
M: That I don't know; I haven't met any false ones. I've only met true Masters. False or true, it's up to you. There are many ways to discern a true Master. When a so-called master just clings to one part of the Truth and forsakes the rest, and then teaches the disciples only one part of that from the whole Truth, then we call him a false master. But actually the name is not correct. Maybe he is a kind of "partial master", a part-time job, a part-time master, but not false.
And when a master teaches you the whole Truth that is with yourself and awakens that which already exists within yourself, that is the true Master. Because He/She awakens the true Master within yourself, that is the true Master. And what is your true Nature, what is the true Master within yourself? That is God, that is the Holy Spirit, which dwells within your church, your temple. And when that God manifests, we can hear the teaching through the heavenly Music, we can see Hirm through visions or through abundant illuminations like a thousand suns, sometimes. That is our true Nature when It is awakened.
So, if any master can awaken this heavenly wisdom, vibration and heavenly Light within you, which is your Self Nature, which is your self-mastership, then that is a true Master. It takes One to know One.
Q: Do You think that there's a change occurring in our time, specifically 1985 to the year 2010, that allows for a more global, larger change?
M: Yes. This is a kind of uplifting. Because when a great quantity of spiritual energy gathers together or condenses in one period of time, there is more urging than usual. Especially when the planet may be in more turmoil, with more troubles, more turbulence, more war and more disasters, the grace of God is more urgent. Because more people pray for the grace of God in these times of need. The more that people sincerely pray, the more the grace of God will descend upon this planet.
Q: Every time after I have meditated for a while, I want to stand up. I cannot continue to meditate, because I feel a power pulling me up.
M: What power? [Laughter] You don't blame your own laziness, but you blame an outside power. You always blame ghosts, Maya, foxes, rats or cats. You do not think whether it is your own problem. If we practice diligently, we will eventually have inner experiences, but we must truly be diligent and not blame negative powers for disturbing or pulling us away. Actually, there is no power pulling us away except our weakness. Even if Maya bothers us, it is all because we are afraid of it.
There is an Au Lac saying, "When Maya wants to trouble you, it will look at your face first." This means that it will see whether you are fierce and courageous or not. If not, Maya will bother you. If it sees that you are fiercer than it is, it will not dare to bother you.
In "The Journey To The West," when the king of hell wanted to take the Monkey King to hell, he arrogantly said to the Monkey King, "Ha! Ha! I am the king of hell!" However, when he was defeated, he kowtowed to the Monkey King, saying, "Oh! Your Greatness! Please spare my life! Please spare my life!" [Laughter] We should be like the Monkey King. If we are too weak, we will be intimidated by Maya. If we are always afraid of Maya's power, it will come to us, because we are actually expecting it to come. Otherwise, what power in the world comes to you only but not to others?
Therefore, when we encounter obstacles, we should not be bothered. Even when we feel a negative power, we should continue with our meditation. If we cannot meditate, get up and walk around for a while and then try again to meditate. While reciting the Holy Names and praying to the inner Master for help, we continue to meditate and see what the negative power can do to us. [Applause]
We should be positive, optimistic and courageous and then this will become our habit, because everything is created by the mind. If we lack self-confidence and courage, we will feel scared even when a rat moves; we will imagine that it is a horrible thing or that Maya or some power has come. But it may actually be just a rat. So don't be afraid of anything.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
To be a noble being is the only choice - to walk forward, doesn't matter how difficult; to fly upward, doesn't matter how far, how high, we just have to try again and again.
Every day I feel that God's grace keeps pouring out more and more, and people are realizing more and more of this Godly grace. And I am just so excited and so happy that I don't know how to explain it to you. Sometimes I feel that I'm out of patience because I work too slowly for Hiers commands. Hes wants to move faster. But the body has limits, and a human's mind sometimes has limits about understanding something that's almost like new such as God's grace, even though it's not new at all.
If God says we're Hiers children, if the Buddha says we all have the same Buddha Nature, why can we not become like them? We must live a life of glory, a life of wisdom, a life of happiness, a life of intelligence, a life of positive power. We must because we are the children of God and we can do that. (Applause) Of course, I will show you how. And it will cost us nothing now, later, between and after, never cost you anything at all. Because the Kingdom of God is yours. It's not that I give it to you so I cannot charge you for the things you already have. And there's nothing you want that Hes will not give to you. Hes will take care of the minor details of your life, including waking you up when you're late. Really! During this hectic schedule, Hes takes care of me in such detail that I sometimes cry. I always go into a strange country almost for the first time, and don't know how to go anywhere; Hes always puts me in a good hotel and puts me next to a Chinese restaurant, Aulacese restaurant, shop or whatever so that I have everything I need. Otherwise I would probably go hungry.
Every day, miracles happen in our lives once we reconnect ourselves with God. All we have to do is just sit there and try to listen to what Hes says. That's all we have to do. That's why we call it meditation, silent praying in the closet or contemplating on God -- whatever you want to call it. It's just a silent communication with God so that we know what to do with our lives. After that, we never worry about anything because we know that God takes care of us in every way. Before that, even when things all go smoothly, we still worry that they might go wrong afterwards.
But when something goes wrong now, we wait and see because we know that later God will bring us somewhere else we're supposed to be, and we know that's why things went wrong in the first place. So we live in peace, in security and in the immense love of God every second of our lives, awake or asleep. Because we have made the choice to leave this coarse, gross or rough level of energy behind us and we have made the choice to ascend to a higher level of life that exists at the same time, and to take the goodness from that higher level.
Before now, if we were not connected with God, our only choice was this material energy of existence. That's why even though we try our best every day, we often fail in our endeavors, and we often feel unhappy. Because the material energy on this planet is heavy and always gives us pressure. But after the reconnection, we can go higher and higher, and then we can be clearer. We know the wisdom of God, and we can take care of things better when we come back down again. That's why the Bible mentions that Heaven is within you. It means that when we quiet down and disconnect ourselves from this material world for a while, we can find something else that exists within us.
That doesn't mean within our body; it's just another world within this material world, which is much better and much happier. We can always go up and come down. We can live in this world and also enjoy Heaven at the same time, or at least sometimes during the day and then later continuously when we're more adept. That's how we become holy because we have everything, and then we won't want anything. Then we will know that The Lord is my shepherd; I shall never want. Because there is great contentment, great peace and great blessing after we're reconnected with our Father. At that time we may have money but we're not attached to money. We have everything that God gives us for comfort, but we can even throw that away if necessary. But God would not want us to do that. God wants us to enjoy this material life as well as the Heavenly life at the same time. We have both worlds in our hands.
When I began to seek God and then began to know Hirm, I renounced everything because I didn't feel I needed anything anymore except our Father. I was so happy to have Hirm that I didn't want anything else! But then God wanted to give me so many things - everything that I ever wanted, or didn't even want. And so I said, "Why? I don't need them."
I said, "My Lord, I can go without food, I can go without drink and I can go without any comfort. If I can only see You every day, what else could I want?" At that time I ate only one meal a day and had only three pairs of clothes and a sleeping bag to take wherever I went. But God said to me, "No. You have to change. You have to show the world that I give you everything. You have to set an example of the glory in Heaven as well as on Earth; so the people who see you will see that I am a generous Father and that I am the Father who takes care of all my children so they will have everything."
I was a little reluctant, but of course I said, "OK, Father, all right. Whatever you say, I will do it." So Hes has been giving and giving and blessing me in abundance ever since. I can not even use up all the things Hes gives to me. I'm so happy that I can share with other people whatever I have. And I think our Father is right: I should have money. Nowadays everything is very progressed and scientific. Suppose I wanted to come to see you, I would need to buy a ticket, but I wouldn't want to ask for it from you. I should buy it myself; that's very good.
God has given us and our planet greatly progressive procedures and timing. And we have to update ourselves, with Hiers grace so we live according to the times on this progressive Earth. To be able to use all of these new inventions and comforts that God has bestowed upon us, we also need sufficient material. Then we can make use of all the new scientific discoveries to relay God's message to our brothers and sisters.
Q: What does the word "Master" mean?
M: "Master" means you already know how to master yourself, and you are not torn apart by different obstacles in life.
Q: I don't know some of the spiritual realities that were revealed to You in Your studies in the Himalayas. In my constructing these questions, I was thinking about an audience out in radio-land listening on Sunday morning who might not be familiar with Your teachings and who might want to become initiated, who might want to better understand the Quan Yin Method or the Quan Yin route to spirituality.
M: So you mean I should talk about the inner realizations? There are too many to talk about. First, because the universe is vast and it's contained within ourselves; I can only tell you a few. For example like, for an ordinary person to get enlightenment, you normally will see Light and hear Sound - Light of different colors or brilliance, sometimes more than a thousand suns. Some people will see less than that. Some people just see kind of moving black clouds for some time, but very rare. Most people see immediate Light from God.
Light represents wisdom, the super consciousness; the Light without shadows, the Light that you don't see with your eyes but you see with your inner awareness. That is called enlightenment when you see that. Then you hear the Sound, the silent Sound from God, which brings you the message from heaven. It's kind of like music, but without instruments. You can't make out what it is; but it is so beautiful and melodious, it lifts you up above the mundane level of consciousness and brings you back to where you are supposed to be.
From that higher standpoint you direct your whole life into a more righteous direction. Then we clean all the mess and entanglement that we don't see when we are too low here below. We see better when we are higher. So to say higher, it doesn't mean we have a ladder of something, just higher in consciousness, in awareness, in intelligence. We are back to the true source of wisdom, our True Self, which is God-like. We're back to God, who dwells within our holy temples here. So we truly recognize ourselves, who is who, and we stop occupying all the habits and all the knowledge that bind us from the outside.
The more you contemplate on this inner wisdom, the more you remember your Real Self, the wiser you become, the more your life becomes smoother, and everything goes better and better until you completely know a lot of things, or all things, and you become like omnipresent, omnipotent. Everyone who prays to you, in any corner of the universe, you will know. You will help them immediately, according to the situation and according to what is beneficial for that person. That is the highest achievement of a so-called Master.
As long as people forget God, there will be war again. We have to truly know the God inside, contact Hirm in order to know the other person is also God, and then one God cannot kill another God. Then war will stop. When we don't know this, we just look at each other as another human being; we just look at personality, character, habits and national traditions. We forget that there is a God within that person, and that's the main thing.
~ Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Prague, Czech Republic, May 28, 1999 (originally in English) Videotape No. 654
God can't give us peace on Earth if we don't make peace ourselves. We have the power. We're the representatives of God here; we must do the things we should on this level because we exist here. Only if we have peace within ourselves can we make peace; only when we see God within ourselves can we see God in others.
~ Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Sofia, Bulgaria, May, 18, 1999 (originally in English) Videotape No. 651
Loving thoughts and positive thinking always make the atmosphere brighter, more positive and more loving. The more people who have the same thoughts, the better will be the influence. And the more concentrated each person's thought is, the more the influence. So actually if we want to have a more energetic influence on some matter, we must ourselves gather this concentration force and concentrate on this God power within us first. But we must know how; then we can direct that God force to influence the world. And that's why I'm here, to share with you the secret of how to find this God power again so that you can give the world a more positive influence whenever you want.
~ Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Rome, Italy, May, 22, 1999 (originally in English) Videotape No. 646
We should conquer someone else's heart with goodness, love, beauty and virtue, not with weapons.
~ Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, May 5, 1999, Madrid, Spain (originally in English) Videotape No. 644
To be the master of ourselves, to have victory over our own weaknesses, our ego and our evil tendencies is the best victory of any war.
~Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Budapest, Hungary, May 24, 1999 (originally in English) Videotape No. 652
The more people know God, the more people contact God directly and become happier, the more peaceful the world will be, the less war there will be, and the more we can bring Heaven onto Earth.
~ Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Rome, Italy, May, 22, 1999 (originally in English) Videotape No. 646
If everyone on this planet could know God, or at least half of humankind could know God ... if one-third of humankind could know God, or even one-fourth could know God, there would be no more war, no more famine, and no more trouble of any kind. This planet would become Heaven. There would be no more battles between different religions or even within the same religion. Because everyone would understand that we have only one God.
Q: What should we do besides meditation and social interaction in order to help our country regain social harmony and togetherness and learn to correct itself into the most developed nation, which we believe should not be measured by publicly stated revenue and the commonwealth, but built through God's grace, peace and loving power.
M: Do what you can that's within your power. When you meditate, of course you generate good will and blessing for your country, and then after you get out of meditation you still have the blessing from the samadhi; so whenever orÿwherever you go people will feel peace and harmony affecting them such that in turn they will react with the next person in harmony and peace. That's how the planet will become better and better and the country will become better and better, but of course, everything takes time. It's good that you love your country, very good! We're doing our best everywhere.
Q: What do You think of the relationship between quantum mechanics and some principles of Buddhism?
M: This only confirms the Buddhist discovery about the different levels of consciousness. You can say that it is energy or you can say it's the different planes of existence. But then the scientists have discovered only matter. They have discovered all the energy as matter, not as the flexible intelligence behind the energy. Therefore, it is a little different here. People use energy as a means to sustain their lives and to make more comforts for their lives, but they do not know that behind the energy is flexible intelligence, wisdom.
Q: Some of science seems to be similar to the law of karma. Please explain.
M: Yes, but what we know by the method of science is too little compared to what the Buddha knows or what Christ knows; that is all there is. But science has helped our lives very much and has helped to prove many theories in Buddhism and Christianity. There's no harm in science, it's just that science has discovered too little.
Q: My question is about the purity of vegetarian food. I am concerned about people who need medicine and they might take something that contains animal products, like some things that are made from shellfish are very good for people who are sick in a certain way. I'm thinking of things where such a small amount of animal material is involved. Do You know why is it so detrimental?
M: It's your mind that is important. If we tend to take anything just for the body at the cost of our spiritual, moral understanding, then of course, we will pay for it. If there's another substitute, then we can take the substitute, if absolutely not, then we just take that. Then it's all right. It's the mind that's important; it's our determination to do anything at all to keep our purity and to avoid the violence. That's it. It's not that you take a little animal and you go to hell or anything like that. It's just that you lack determination, and you will hinder yourself and weaken your willpower.
Willpower is very important for going ahead in any field, and if you belittle yourself by giving in to anything, by giving up your high standards in exchange for some physical comfort when you could do otherwise, then you just harm yourself; that's what I call detrimental. It's not that God punishes you or the devil comes and takes you to hell or anything. You have to keep your standards; that's what it is.
Q: So many medicines come in little capsules and they've made of animal products, gelatin. If you don't know, then is it okay?
M: If you know, then don't take them for your own sake. That's all. The animal is already dead. You take it and he won't die anymore, but it's just that if we want to keep ourselves absolutely in control, like you control your situation; you control what you eat, you eat what you want and not what's forced upon you by any circumstances, then you keep your own power. Nothing can shake you then because you do what you want in any circumstance. That's what it is.
But suppose if nothing else can be substituted for that medicine and you need it to sustain the physical body while you continue to realize God, then take it. Don't be a fanatic. It's just for your willpower that you should fight to keep it. [Applause] The thing we should keep is our level of consciousness, our standards; otherwise, you can do anything you want.
The Precepts and the rules are not for you to keep; actually they're for you to realize whether you're up to that standard or not. If you give up and sink down, that's already detrimental because you've lowered your standards already. Anyone at the college level has to pass certain tests, has to understand certain subjects. If you lower yourself, then you will become high school level again, no need to ask. If you slacken your effort in maintaining your college level and slacken your effort in progressing, then you just go backwards or stay there. You are just being harmful to yourself.
I would like to tell you something about the other worlds. We have many bodies; there are different names for them; let's just say the physical body and another kind of body, the psychic body. The people who drink wine, and who smoke and take drugs, or something like that, are doing damage to their spiritual bodies, the material body and also the spiritual body. And after they die, the people in Heaven have to heal them, cure them and help them like a medical doctor does here. After a long course of this kind of treatment, these people recover and then reincarnate as human beings again. They undergo many experiences like that until they learn their lessons, then they want to practice spiritually, and then they can become higher.
On another planet we call "Venus," they have many small "hospitals" like that for different kinds of people. And the people who live in that Pure Land are very highly intelligent people, very spiritual, very high level. They are mostly nearly Masters, most of them can become Masters. And they don't use medicine or equipment to heal these kinds of people. They use different kinds of energy, rays or light to heal this kind of patient.
Just like here in this world sometimes we use different laser rays to heal people, to treat cancer. These people are only like higher scientists, better scientists. Masters are just more highly developed scientists. They know how to change the energy in the atmosphere, and make you become different. Just like if you're a good scientist in this world, you can change sunlight into energy, into electricity.
"Venus" is just one of these Heavens. Don't be attached to the name. Because there's not only one Heaven; there are many Heavens curing people like that. Many sentient beings of other pure lands also help us all the time. They use the energy of light to help the patients there, the people on Earth, and the beings in hell. They help a lot of poor people and desperate people, praying people and suffering people.
You often hear of people who kill themselves for certain reasons. But that's not the only way to commit suicide. There're two kinds of suicide. To kill this material body is very bad but it's not the worst. When you kill your spiritual body it's even worse. You can kill it by taking alcohol, by taking drugs, by taking care of just the material life, and never going to church, never going to temple, never going to any spiritual discourses, never meditating, never practicing spirituality, never reciting any holy names, never getting in touch with the virtuous teachings of any religions, and every day you're just sociable, have liquor and meat, go dancing and listen to music, watch TV, read newspapers, and do all kinds of things except taking care of your soul. This is destroying the spiritual body. This is terrible.
If you have relatives who practice spirituality, who have faith in the Truth, then at least you can go to Heaven after you die. It doesn't mean that you go with them, but you can ascend to Heaven because of their merits. But after going to Heaven, you lie there like a dead body.
Normally after you die, you have a light body, but these kinds of people have no light. Their appearance looks like this body, but with no feelings. Because your mind is so much attached to material things, in your mind, you bring this body with you to Heaven.
It's not the same body, but they create another body that looks like this body in their minds. That body looks like stone, or like wood, with no feelings, no thinking, no intelligence. Because their relatives practice or have faith in the Truth, they have a little of this merit so they can go with them to Heaven because of the blood linkage. But they don't have a clear consciousness up there, they don't know their relatives. The angels take them, and put them into the hospital. And they lie there for a long, long time like a piece of stone.
And then all the good people, the people there have to heal them with their light, their own power, and use their power and their love to pour into that body, to pour their love and energy of light into that body. For a long time it's like that, and then they can begin to live again. Then they can recognize their families, their loved ones who live there. Then they are happy together.
But that's so if these people are not too heavy, with heavy karma, otherwise even if many people help them, they can't receive their help. Some are so heavily bound in their own bad thinking, in their own bad way of life, that they can't receive this loving help. So they become forever lost in the darkness. This kind of case is very sad, of course, but there are some cases like that.
And therefore the people who meditate, or at least who go and listen to the words of the Bible, or the Buddhists, at least they are in contact with the higher power and there are some protective things. The higher power protects them a little. The more you practice, the better.
Of course, if you're in direct contact with the Light of God, you can see the Light in this life already. And you'll definitely go to the higher region. Like in our Method, you see the Light on the first day you get initiation. Otherwise, all the people who do it slowly see the Light after they die, or slowly see the Light later after practicing for many years. Because in the higher world they only use Light for everything, to make babies, to make clothes, to make houses, to make trees, to make every comfortable thing for themselves; everything is made of Light. And even in Heaven, there are also different levels, like in our country there're some rich, poor and middle class. But in the high Heaven, they don't fight with each other.
What should we do if we want to meditate a lot and not feel tired? The secrets are: Talk less, don't look around, don't think of others' goodness or badness and just recite the Holy Names 24 hours a day. If you feel unstable in doing the Sound meditation, then recite the Holy Names for several minutes before doing the Sound meditation again. Should you feel any part of your body ache or become numb, just take no heed of it ! When you are in samadhi later, you don't sense that the whole body exists. Therefore, don't scratch around. When you get tired of doing Sound meditation, change your posture and do Light meditation. Your legs will then be very grateful to you for that. For they ache a lot and the head is taut from the previous posture. If you change your posture and do Light meditation at this moment, it will feel much better. So you should do the Light and Sound meditations alternately, and they will be helpful to each other and you can meditate longer without tiredness.
Some of our fellow practitioners can meditate for the whole night. It is because they do the Light and Sound meditations alternately. But don't do that too frequently and change your posture in five minutes, for this is useless. For the longer time you remain in the same posture, the better. The Light and Sound meditations are helpful to each other. When having sat for too long in Light meditation, and sometimes you feel tired and achy, you can change your posture and do the Sound meditation in this way. You will then feel much better, for there is seemingly something to rely on. This secret in practicing meditation is quite unknown to many.
Q: God is so pure, but we still commit sins, how can God dwell within us? If God dwells within us, definitely there is no more sin.
M: Yes, that is a paradoxical thing that the Bible says. On the one hand, it says we are so sinful, we are so bad; on the other hand, it says God dwells within us. So, I will advise you to go directly to Hirm and ask Hirm why. Otherwise, if I answer you, you will think I am being blasphemous. I am not God; how can I know that God dwells within you?
Q: Do You have an answer to it?
M: I could, if you press me, if you would believe me. We were originally not sinful, and we never are. It's just our experiences in life, our interactions with other species of life, that make us react in different ways according to circumstances and according to our judgment at that time, whether bad or good. Then, accordingly, we feel that we have done that badly and we have done this wrong, and we say that we have sinned. And accordingly, we think we have done that very well and we think that we have merits. Maybe according to God both are merits or both are sinful; we can only know when we know God. Once we know God, we will see differently because we see with the eyes of God, with the eyes of nondiscrimination, with the eyes of love and understanding.
Q: What happens if I break the Precepts after my initiation?
M: That's just like asking me what happens if I have an "extra" affair after I've married my wife. How shall I answer you? Make up your mind. No one is here to force you. It's only you, yourself, and God; you make a covenant with God. You say, "I make You my priority. I'll do anything to know You. I don't need all these stupid things in order to survive; I can live without them. I can live without killing my neighbors. I can live without telling lies. I can live without drugs and alcohol. I'm strong; I don't need these substitute intoxicants. I can have Divine intoxication. I can live without having to have sex with every man or girl who walks by."
Make up your mind. Present yourself as the being you want to present. If you're one who likes to present yourself to everyone else as "I'm one who tells lies; I'm one who's always drunk, takes drugs and all that; I'm one who covets my neighbor's wife; I'm one who likes to kill and murder people," if that's how you want to present yourself, then go ahead. It's your choice. But if you want to present yourself as an enlightened being, as a wise person, as a happy being, as a helpful, compassionate, loving, truthful person, then there's also that choice. You see, there are two choices, but it's your choice. They're not my Precepts; they're a way of life. It's a choice you make, to present yourself to the world, to God and to your own Self when you look in the mirror at the kind of person you want to see. No Precepts; we don't need Precepts. You know what you want to be.
If and when we feel that our life is not going smoothly, we should understand that we have formed undesirable affinities in the past; therefore, we have to strive hard. If we have good affinities, we should also understand that we have done something good in the past; therefore, we must cherish them. We must strive persistently until our mind is entirely stable, absolutely uncaring about anything and not attached to any situation, and until nothing in this world can bind us. Then, it is truly good. ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
The past decades, generations, and eras of our Earth's history were mostly very dark. If we had been the Earth's inhabitants, we would have gone through one of the kind of happenings, which is very difficult for us to forget. Should we be able to remember, it would give us tremendous suffering and depression so that we wouldn't want to even know about it! That's why it is a blessing from the Most Intelligent that we don't remember our past lives. ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Q: How long must one meditate to reach enlightenment?
M: Enlightenment comes immediately. As soon as you sit down with the Master and sincerely want it, it comes immediately, sometimes even before initiation. Sometimes I have not finished the instructions and people have already gotten enlightenment. Some people are in a hurry and they have no time to wait.
But meditation takes place daily because we always want to be in the enlightened state, and we always want to renew our acknowledgment of enlightenment. We want to strengthen and expand it until infinity. Otherwise, even if you meditate for 100 years, you won't get enlightenment.
Meditation doesn't bring enlightenment; the Master Power does. During the initiation or the so-called "meditation" in our Method, you do not meditate because meditation means effort, but in our way, it is effortless. You might sit there, sometimes even feeling sleepy, and enlightenment comes even then. Or you will be enlightened during sleep, because the Master Power will awaken your soul during sleep. While your mind is asleep and your body is at rest, your soul will be awakened into the world of Light and Wisdom.
Therefore, meditation is not a means to enlightenment. But for lack of vocabulary in this world, we have to call it meditation. Actually, you just sit there receiving the grace of God and acknowledging your own Supreme Power. Actually, there's no meditation that is involved, because anything that is earned or is a result of some kind of action is still a worldly production; it is still within the material framework. Therefore, our meditation is a non-meditational meditation, an effortless meditation.
Q: Dear Master, how can we help children in junior and senior high school to become gentle and understand the love of their parents without any doubts?
M: It depends on the karma of the parents and children. Originally, children are good at heart, but become exposed to social influences outside. Today, the social environment is not favorable for children because violent movies and pornographic posters are everywhere, and they do affect our children. At present, courses in morality are not included in the school curriculum. This may change in the future; perhaps the governments will include these courses in the educational system. Have the children read a moral story or meditate for thirty minutes each day. Then the children will become better. (Applause)
India has already included this in its educational system. Now it seems that some universities in the west have added this subject as well. Their students meditate a half hour every day. They have found that these students become more intelligent, more stable at heart, and have better attitudes toward their teachers. So, if we want to change our children, we need to fix them from inside, not outside. All the people in society should cooperate and everybody should take good care of his own personality. The parents also have a responsibility. They cannot only ask their children to change; they themselves have to change too.
A deceased Master, who also practiced the Quan Yin Method, had a son. This son told his master some stories about himself. He said that since he was very little, about only three or four years old, he saw his parents get up very early for meditation every day. Though he didn't know how to meditate at the time, he still sat with them. So he had been learning how to meditate when he was very little and got up early to meditate with his parents every day. He also saw many moral people visit his parents and many practitioners come to meditate with them. His parents lovingly took care of these people who came to have group meditation with them. Every evening or on Sunday, his parents would read some scriptures, something about morality, or good stories to the family. Sometimes they listened to audiotapes before meditating together. He was brought up in such an environment. No wonder he became a famous master in India when he grew up. He is still very famous internationally.
Therefore, don't blame the children, for we adults sometimes make mistakes, too. For example, the clothes we wear may not be dignified enough, our personality may not be noble enough, or our morality may not be profound enough. We begin to educate our children from the family, not the school, for the parents are the greatest, the most basic, and the most important teachers. What do you think? (Applause)
Q: Dear Master, all things are said to come from the inner God Nature. If so, is there real free will or free choice?
M: No, we just dream that we have free choice. We make a lot of mess with this free choice, which we should have given up in the beginning, anyhow. But we can only do that with sincere devotion to God or whomever we believe in. And we can only do that through enlightenment, because then we know it's not we who do things, it's the Universal plan. Then we will not reject our job, we will not throw away our wife or children, get a divorce, or anything; we will know what it is and we will lead a more contented and happy life.
You see, this is free will: for example, God's plan is that I have to put my umbrella here. But now I don't like to put it here. Why should I put it here? I feel I should put it there, and so I put it there. Why not? Now I upset the environment and the plan for a while. Then I feel very uncomfortable, and my umbrella breaks over there, and I don't know why. If I had put it here, it wouldn't have broken. So now, eventually, I will have to bring it back and put it here.
Suppose you divorce your wife or husband or reject your job, and think, "Now I am free; that's it, fantastic. I have taken the matter into my own hands, and I am free of her or him." And you think you have done a decisive and very wise thing; and what happens? Maybe a few days or a few months later you meet someone else, maybe worse than that one. So, you have to go through the experience anyhow. You think you have changed it. But no! It's just been postponed, or maybe God lets you turn the corner, but you go back onto the same road again.
Make sure that every precept you keep is physically, astrally and intellectually all clean and pure. Of course, we can't help it if a habit rises up again. But we can help by stopping it, not following it and not making excuses for ourselves.
Q: I heard, many years ago, that Quan Yin was the Japanese goddess of love and happiness or goodness and health; and I was confused as to how we might now have the Quan Yin Method and have it span numerous cultures and go beyond Japan?
M: Quan Yin is not a goddess of the Japanese alone. She is a goddess of the Chinese, Au Lac, Indian, and Tibetan people. They called her different names: Avalokiteshvara, in India, and they call her something else in Tibet, I've forgotten what. And in India and Tibet, is a "he". Come to Japan, China and Au Lac, it becomes a "she". [Master laughs] So, I don't know who that is! Anyhow, it's just a mythological figure.
She was one of the masters of the past, just like Moses. When she was alive and people prayed to her, she responded, but only when she was alive. All her disciples and the non-disciples who were sincere had benefit from her presence and her blessing. Then people just continued like that even after she died. The same is true with Jesus and Buddha. That's why we don't have responses so much, because all the masters have ascended. We have to pray to the living master, but then after a master dies, people continue to pray, because their grandfather prayed and it helped. The grandchildren continue to pray and forget the essence, that the blessing field, the magnetic field, of the master is gone.
You can pray to a master after he has died for a few hundred years, but not longer than 500 years. After that, it is of no use, because his magnetic field is gone. What causes the magnetic field is the devotees' hearts. They are connected spiritually. The disciples still stay for a few generations after he has died. Their hearts carry the magnetic field, the loving atmosphere of the master, because they still love the master. They love the master and they were already connected with the master while he was still alive - at least the very advanced disciples. Therefore, the living lineage, the living bloodline, still continues after the master dies and passes it on to a few generations. That would be at most 500 years. It is because of the disciples, because the master is still living in the hearts of the disciples. Therefore, his blessing and love are still there through the disciples. But after he has gone, the connections are all gone, the disciples are all gone, and you don't have good disciples to keep the lineage alive, if you pray to that master, it is no good.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Think like a Buddha (Enlightened Master), behave like a Buddha, and speak like a Buddha, and you are a Buddha.
During a group meditation, a fellow initiate asked: "Master, could You speak a little bit about the fact that our ego gets in the way of our close relationship with the God within. How do we get rid of it?"
M: There is no ego, really, just the environmental effects. When we were young and did something wrong, we were punished, and when we did something good, we were praised and sometimes overly praised; then we learned to show off because we got praise and candy, something like that. And later on when we were in school, we learned that the brilliant ones or those who knew how to go about socially, had an advantage. We learned the same things again: how to be on top, how to talk smoothly, how to do things that please people, even though sometimes these things are not very honestly done, just to win the praise.
That's how we get into the habits of managing things the way we want so that we will get the spotlight. That is what we call the ego. There is no ego to begin with, and then we become so used to failure and success, and we are proud of ourselves. We think, "Ah! I have accomplished this, and I have done that. I outdid him; I tricked them", and things like that. And then we get prouder and prouder, and that is the so-called ego.
Actually, it is all habit. We are not born with the ego. That's why I told you that the environment is very important to individuals. Two persons with the same level of intelligence, if brought up in different environments, will react differently to the same situation that they are confronted with because of the habits they have acquired, because of the things they learned during their childhood and their lives. So there is no ego really. Now we try to deal with the habits only.
For example, now you want to meditate, but you're so used to running around - at 7 o'clock you go for coffee and 8 o'clock you go dancing, and now I tell you to sit here; you are a miserable thing, and don't even see God - sometimes, not always. Some lucky fellows see God all the time and take it for granted, and some sit there, their bottoms nearly falling off and don't see anything. So of course, these things will make you feel unhappy. And then it is difficult for you to believe that there is such thing as God, and that Hes is even loving at all. "If Hes is loving, why doesn't Hes come to me? Why does Hes come to the neighbors?"
You tend to learn as you grow up to compare things the way the worldly people do. They teach you the neighbor is better than you; his car is more expensive. "Why does God give to him but not to me," and things like that. This is the so-called "ego", the argumentative mind that you have collected from the influences of society. So now, what we have to do is go contrary to that; every time we think some nonsense, we say," Okay, that's just your habit. I don't believe your garbage." And then just do your work and don't listen to the mind; slowly you will get used to it.
The people who are pure in the heart are simpler. They get to God quickly because they don't do too much thinking and make too many comparisons, and have too many studies to overcome. The more intellectual people, or sometimes the more accomplished people, are more complicated because they have to be to succeed in this kind of field, for example like that. Therefore, they become habituated to thinking, analyzing pros and cons, and success and failure - "If I sit in meditation, what will I get from God? Will I get anything at all? Is that worth it? You know, time is money," [Laughter] and things like that. And then subconsciously, we obstruct the way to heaven for ourselves. That's what we call ego, but actually, there is none.
For example, many children who grow up in a battered home become criminals. They were not loved as a child and they grew up not loving anyone. They only know violence; they only know force, using muscle force or whatever force they can get to win the enemy, to become the stronger guy. Most of them are unloved, and then it is very difficult for them to change that. You would say that's their ego; actually, I would say that it is just a habit. When we say "habit", it's easier to understand, and also seems easier to reach and to correct. To say "ego" sounds so frightening, like an entity or something with which we have to fight. It's not that difficult.
Even brushing the teeth - many people don't brush three times a day because they don't have the habit, and they can't bother to change. I didn't brush three times a day when I was young, but when I grew up I understood it hurts my teeth, and I wanted to be beautiful. [Laughter] Then I started to realize the importance of this habit, brushing the teeth after a meal, and I do it. That's it, just a habit, so forgive yourself and try to change.
Q: Are pain and illness always the result of present karma? If so, how do we clean them out?
M: We can clean them out by enduring them because it's already too late to reverse the wheel of karma. But we can minimize them, lubricate them by being enlightened, by meditating on the perfection of the Father every day through the guidance of a teacher, through initiation. Then, we can minimize a lot of things.
= It is not easy for us to leave this world because there are so many beautiful things in it. Many people want very much to leave this world, but cannot because of its many beautiful things that they fall in love with at first sight. If we have not seen more beautiful realms, of course, we will think that this world is the most beautiful; so it is not easy for us to go away.
= But never mind, we have practiced the Quan Yin Method, one day we will know which realm is really beautiful. Perhaps we still do not know it, but there are fellow initiates who do. After listening to their descriptions, we already can feel the inspirational power urging us to practice spiritually and we want to be like them.
= Someone wrote to me saying, "Master, can you please take back this blessing power? After the seven-day retreat, I feel so blessed that I don't seem to be able to cope with this world." (Laughter) Isn't that being stupid beyond words? (Audience: Yes.) Some people pray to Master, hoping to receive a few more blessings; but then, someone feels that the blessings are too powerful and want me to take them back. Why should I take back the blessings?
= This blessing power is not controllable. It is not that I press a button here and you have the blessing. It is not like that. You want me to take it back, but I won't! (Master and audience laugh.) When it is given, it is given. What is there to take back? It is not like cows regurgitating the grass they have swallowed to chew it again!
= The blessing power is very precious. Very few people can transmit it. You cannot have it even if you exchange the whole world for it; and here you ask me to take it back! If I really do, you will be meditating for nothing and suffering even more than you do now. It is because previously you had not had that uplifting experience of not clinging and non-attachment to the world. Now you have experienced it and realize what is good. If I really take that away, you will feel more miserable than before you began spiritual practice. Previously you did not know what happiness was, and you could live on. Now that you have known happiness, you will not be able to live on once it is taken away.
= I once told you a story about an Indian woman who received immense blessings. Perhaps she had just returned from a seven-day retreat. She remained elated every day. Whenever she was making chapatis (round Indian flat bread), she fell unconscious; her soul would fly out and leave her body behind. The flour would fall all over the place and her whole body would be stained with flour and become white. Things were strewn around, the pan in front and the chopsticks behind. You know that kind of situation. Or maybe no one does.
= Then the hungry husband came home and saw his wife lying there. There were no chapatis. The butter was left here and the milk spilled over there. It happened like that every day. He thought that his wife was lazy and slept too much. So he beat her, and the wife went to her master and cried, "Master, please take back your blessings." Just like our stupid fellow initiate! She begged her master a few times saying, "My husband beats me every day. I cannot bear it anymore. Look at the bruises all over my body."
= Then the Master said, "You should bear this. The blessings are very precious. You can go into samadhi any time. Not many people can have this." Because her inner Sound was very powerful, her soul was pulled out whenever the Sound came, leaving just the body behind. Our body is just like our clothes. When the soul goes out, it is like a person taking off his clothes and leaving. However, she said, "But I can't bear it. There is no peace in my family. Every day my husband beats me when he comes home. Please! You must take back the blessings." Master said, "All right, I will."
= After her master took back the blessing power, it became even more unbearable. The woman came and cried again, "Master, it is worse now! It was better before. Even when my husband beat me, I could sometimes enjoy the experience of samadhi. Now, although he does not beat me, I can no longer hear the inner Sound. There is nothing! That won't do!" You know disciples are all like that, fond of creating trouble for the master. Then her master said, "Go away, and don't bring me trouble. You want it today and do not want it tomorrow. It cannot be this way. This is not something to be joked about." The woman left and continued to suffer a lot. Of course, her master would still take care of her when she passed away. But after that day her whole life became meaningless, and there was no more experience, nothing! That is because she considered the mundane world more important than her spiritual practice!
= Therefore, we cannot chop and change again and again in our spiritual practice. We should realize that this world is ephemeral; so are all the pleasures, anger, grief, happiness and suffering. We should not lose our eternal treasure for these ephemeral things. We receive blessings, enter samadhi in meditation, and have wisdom. These things are the most precious. We cannot trade them for anything in the world.
= Many spiritual practitioners were threatened in ancient times; history tells us that spiritual practitioners were not very safe sometimes. When Jesus Christ was alive, His disciples were intimidated and punished. For example, people cast stones at them, beat them and killed them, using barbarous ways to punish those who followed Christ and practiced the esoteric method. But they persisted in their practice resolutely. They were willing to die for the Truth. It is the same in India today. Many spiritual practitioners are misunderstood by others and subject to oppression, threats, harassment and punishment, but they still continue their spiritual practice.
= Not very long ago, the Sikhs were also suppressed by some government or king, and many people were killed. But they did not waver and continued to practice spirituality. A master of the Lotus Sect in Japan was also threatened, suppressed and chased away when He preached in public. Some of his disciples were also killed by people in power, but the rest remained firm.
= The government of Formosa here is very kind, allowing its people to have religious freedom, and it is even better that they are protected by its laws. But you are aware that I also encounter calamity sometimes. What you know is only a very small part that is exposed. There are many things you do not know and I have not told you. What I mean is that even if we have mundane problems and troubles, still we should not trade our fortune and merits in spiritual practice for worldly comforts in life because these are too valuable!
= We should bear any difficulty or trouble we have in our spiritual practice. We should regard any adversity as a test to measure our confidence and courage. We should not withdraw, with shaken confidence, crying and complaining when a situation arises. What kind of spiritual practitioner is that, with no courage and acting like a child?
= When we practice spirituality, we should check on ourselves, instead of keeping our eyes on others. We should look after how much courage we have, and whether our faith is strong. We don't have to look at how well or poorly others are practicing. It is enough already to look at ourselves. Each day we take care of our courage, our conduct as a great human, and our faith in the spiritual path (Tao), not allowing them to diminish, waver, or be destroyed. This is our responsibility.
= If any fellow practitioner puts the Truth first and this mundane world second, he will be liberated for sure, no matter how quickly or slowly he progresses in his spiritual practice, or how much or less his experiences are. This is the best way to measure it. The world exists only for the purpose of tying us down. All the pleasures, anger, grief and happiness in this world are there to test our confidence and courage, our attitude as great humans, and our faith in the Tao.
= It will be too cheap if everyone who practices casually also can become a Saint! What then would a Saint be if he is just the same as the ordinary person? If anyone can become a Saint even though he cannot tolerate anything, do anything, or pass any test, then what good is a Saint? How can he be worthy of praise by humans and heavenly beings? How can he be worthy of being a "Teacher of heavenly beings" or a "Compassionate Father of the Four Forms of Birth"?
= So if you want to be a Saint, you should clearly understand that any unfavorable condition is there to test us. We should live on bravely. Even if it is very painful, things will get better in a couple of days. The darkest and longest night will only last till the next morning. The night cannot last forever; neither can our suffering. We must have learned this lesson as a child, that no painful situation will last forever. Even the most painful situation will not last too long. The happy situation will last even less time. So this world offers nothing for us to hold on to, nothing for us to become attached to!
= Only one thing is eternal, and that is our inner Sound. It is always present and takes care of us every day. After a while we can rise and reside in that eternal place, where there is no night or day, no spring, summer, autumn or winter, and no pain like we have here. But when I say this, maybe someone will think, "Every day would then be the same and it'd be so monotonous!" It would not be monotonous! It is because our mind is still at the level of the mundane realm and we cannot imagine that kind of realm. That is why after reading the Amitabha Sutra, some people have asked me, "Who wants to live in that kind of realm?" And I've answered, "That realm is not as boring as you imagine."
= Only after we have personally experienced it will we know the Pure Land and want to live there. Otherwise we cannot understand just by listening to others talk about it. When Shakyamuni Buddha was in the world, He had a disciple who was a queen. As a queen, she already enjoyed the most beautiful things and the happiest situations in the world. However, when she visited the Pure Land, she was eager to stay there. She asked Shakyamuni Buddha, "Can I live there after I pass away?" The place she had seen was that beautiful!
M: No. Q: Why not? Because he was initiated in the past...
M: But he doesn't want to go back! Q: Because at the time of initiation, initiation goes to the soul, not to the body.
M: I know that. But if that soul doesn't want.... Q: Because my son is initiated, but he does not meditate.
M: I know. That's what I am trying to tell you now. The soul is initiated, if he comes for initiation. Maybe he comes, but the soul does not want it; maybe just his body comes. So that's why after initiation he drops everything. He's just curious. He comes there, but he is not committed in his soul.
So the soul is important. If he comes there, and his soul is still not ready, he doesn't want to go home yet. So he doesn't meditate; he doesn't repeat the Holy Names; he doesn't keep the precepts. Then it's up to him. It's his freedom. I cannot force him to go Home. Q: Because he got initiated by the Master ...
M: I know that, but he himself has to want it. Q: He wants Master to take him, so I have him initiated so he can go in this life, go back to the Lord.
M: If he wants it. Q: Will he go to the Lord in that condition?
M: If he wants it. But I also said that if you want, you can come back. If your soul wants it, you can come back. I also said that. The soul has to want it, not the body. Q: Not the body.
M: Yes. So at the time of initiation, if his soul doesn't really want it yet, he might come with you, because you are the father, because here is the Master, but he isn't truly committed. If the soul still wants experience in this life or the next life, then he is free to experience again. Then he will find another Master another time. Because I am talking about the real initiation. Q: Master must go to meet him, because he belongs to the Lord; he appreciates the Lord.
M: Then he has to do his own work. I don't initiate lazy people! I did not say that initiation brings you to the Kingdom of God. I said initiation gives you enlightenment. And meditation, discipline, vegetarianism, and the longing of the soul will give you the Kingdom of God. You have to earn your keep. Otherwise, I would say, "Okay, come, come, come, everybody's initiated; you don't even need a vegetarian diet, then go home." It's not fair! Brother, you want cheap food. (Audience laughs)
Q: How do you distinguish between "bodily illnesses" and "karmic illness?" How do you treat them?
A: Illnesses that can be treated by conventional medical means are considered "bodily illnesses." "Karmic illnesses" are associated with the damaged magnetic fields of the sick. To repair a damaged magnetic field of a sick person is not a simple task. It takes a special person whose magnetic field is very pure and strong, which can absorb any bad magnetic field and dissolve it completely. Therefore, sometimes when people go to visit a spiritual practitioner, just by sitting next to him/her, their long-time illnesses suddenly are cured without taking any medicine. It is because the practitioner's magnetic field is so kind and pure that it can dissolve the karmic forces exerted by the vicious external spirits and convert them. That's why these illnesses cannot be cured by usual scientific means.
To treat an illness, one should go to see a physician first. If the doctor cannot cure it, then one must look into one's own karma, repent for one's sins, and find a way to restore one's magnetic field. For instance, we should do good deeds, respect and follow spiritual practitioners, reduce our intake of meat and liquor, and eliminate greed, animosity, and attachment. We should search for a high-level method of practice to cure ourselves. This is the most fundamental way of treating illnesses.
Q: I heard on some of Your tapes that You recommend not mixing practices. Perhaps You can clarify for us what You intended by that.
M: Only when it has anything to do with breath control; that is all. Otherwise, there is not much there. For example, there are many kinds of so-called meditation. People say anything is meditation, so we are confused. But actually there are different types. There is a kind of mantra practice; they recite something. People also call that meditation, so that's confusing. People tell you to pay attention to your breathing- you breathe in and breathe out, and that they also call meditation. Some people say you have to pay attention to the solar plexus, the abdomen, all the time; that they also call meditation. Fine, there is nothing wrong with that.
But we abuse the word "meditation" too much and confuse people; because otherwise, I would say that everyone meditates anyhow. This morning when some of the television interviewers said, "We are not used to meditation; we don't know what is meditation, and you tell us to meditate," I said "Yes, you meditate all the time; some people meditate on money, some people meditate on girls, some people meditate on drugs when they don't have enough of them." That's their meditation. When you pay attention to something to a very extravagant degree that is when you meditate.
Therefore, I say to you, "Be concentrated, be one-pointed with my teachings". That's why you get the best results. If you meditate on my teachings and meditate on money at the same time or meditate on a mantra at the same time, of course, you are divided and that's very logical. I am not a dictator. I just tell you what is good for you. Whatever you want to do, you have to pay all your attention to that point. Whether you meditate, you fix the car, or you drive a taxi, if you don't pay attention, you will get into trouble.
That's very simple, but people think I am forbidding you this and that. No, everything I tell you is just good advice as a duty of a teacher. Whatever you know, you have to tell them. Of course, you make the choice. If you don't follow my advice, it's okay. You are responsible for your actions, the success of your meditational practice. But I am responsible to tell you what is good for you, so don't misunderstand that it's a kind of prohibiting or dictating. Everything I tell you is the age-old essence of a practitioner who wants to get away from all the traps of this materialism and rise above this mind-matter controlling power so that he can realize there is something greater than his own body and his own machine brain, the computer.
That's it. All of these are kind of secret codes, secret methods, to speed yourself on the highway of spirituality. There is nothing dictating about that because if you don't do it, I will never say anything to you. I will never scold you. I will never ring you and say, "Hey, you didn't do it." Or I will never check up on it. It's all your choice. The path of freedom is a path of responsibility, self-responsibility, so I never impose anything. Just to suggest, just to tell you, "This is a good way. If you do it, you surely will get that. If you don't, okay, you'll get half or maybe three quarters."
Please remember to do the Quan Yin according to the proper proportions. The Quan Yin is the one that cleans. Sometimes people sit there and they don't do the Quan Yin. In that case, they cannot progress very quickly.
Also, try to check your thoughts. If you check your thoughts, there will be no bad speech and no bad deeds. If one thought arises and you check it immediately, it will not come out of your mouth or result in action. So, thought is important. Don't follow your passions or your thoughts in your mind.
You remind each other. The Precepts begin from your thoughts. Purity begins from your thoughts. So, check your own thinking.
You are mature and very intelligent. Your IQ is very high. (Everyone laughs.) And you know many things that I don't know so why should I tell you everything? I can only tell you one thing: You have to become livelier. And whatever you want to do, do it! Whatever is fun for you, do it, as long as you don't hurt other people. So if you want to get to know a movie star, then chase him! If you want to see the President, write to him.
If what you want has anything to do with political or social change in the world, it's a little bit difficult. But concerning your own ambition or your own fun, it's not that difficult, really. Just do it with all your sincerity and all your wish to succeed, and then you'll get it. Most of the time, we're miserable because we can't succeed in what we want to do and because we have fear. Sometimes you love a person but you say, "Oh, he's too handsome for me." Who knows? Maybe you're too beautiful for him! You never know. I don't encourage you to chase around with boys. But, you see, that's what makes our lives miserable: We don't believe in ourselves, and we don't try.
It's very easy. For example, when I was very young, I looked up to those who worked in television or who owned television or radio stations, like they were God or second to God. But now I know it's nothing; I could do it. I could make one; I could even buy one. It's very easy and no big deal. Because if you don't find out how people run or operate a station, you think they're God. But it's no big deal.
When I was in high school, I lived next to the Saigon Radio Station. It was a big one. I was next to it every day. And I didn't know anything about it so I worshipped all the singers who came up and down, in and out, and all the personalities who passed around or next to my house, going inside that big massive God-like station. And I just sat around and dreamt that maybe one day I would sing or recite a poem in there; I just dreamt about it. And I never thought it would happen.
But sometimes the people in the radio station would have some kind of competition, like you would write a poem or answer some question and then they gave you a prize. So I tried and I won! Just once, but I never thought I could win. I thought it was too far-fetched for me. But actually, I only tried it once, and I won.
Afterwards, I changed to another district and didn't have anything to do with the radio station anymore. I stayed there maybe only one or two years, but that was long enough. I could have gone inside and talked to the people and told them that I wanted to sing or recite a poem. I recited very well, so why didn't I do it? Because no one told me the way I'm telling you to do it. (Applause) Of course, it's no big deal that I didn't become a singer. I would eventually, anyhow. But I lived all those years there, standing around the station not doing anything that I wanted to do. I could have, and I'd have had fun meanwhile. But maybe God didn't want me to so it's also fine.
What I mean is that you should just do it. I don't think all of you will become Masters anyhow so why not have fun! (Laughter) Maybe God wanted me to become a Master so Hes "prevented" me, prevented the world's most talented singer and artist at the time. (Applause) But nothing prevents you from doing what you want and fulfilling your dreams. Have fun "the last time!" Actually, I also have to try to have fun. I try all kinds of things to keep myself here. Otherwise, there's nothing to keep me here so what can I do?
People keep asking me all the time, "Why do you put make-up on? Why do you wear beautiful dresses?" and things like that. Before I became the Supreme Master, the Master Ching Hai, I was just like this. (Master points to Her 'ordinary' clothing.) And then for a long time I wasn't like this. And now I've become like this again. So it's kind of puzzling for me also, but it's nothing puzzling. Just like when an old person becomes old, he becomes like a child again. So maybe that's happening with me.
It's very simple. It's just like the story I told you about with the king who would go out and play the fool in the dirt, in the commons and sometimes in a dirty restaurant or dirty street. He would walk alone with only a few attendants, just because he wanted to be free: free from glory, free from security, free from the fear of walking on the street as a king. You know what I mean: just to be free. So I wanted to be free from sainthood. And now I'm liberated! (Applause) I was sick; I had meditational sickness or Master sickness. Well, it let people know that I was a Master. But I'm free now; the sickness is probably gone.
So sometimes we practice for some time and become sick. That's what we call "saintly sickness." But you have to cure yourself. Whatever trace of Sainthood you wear around your face or your nose or your ankles, or that you hide in your heart - you should cure it, one by one, slowly or quickly, it's up to you. Just now I remembered a story to explain this to you once and for all. Because everyone loves to know why I wear clothes like this instead of asking me how I became an Enlightened Master. They keep asking me many questions and finally they have to say, "Wow, I have just one question, but I dare not ask you; can I ..." And finally, the cat is out of the bag: "Why do you wear this?" So it's like that.
In Tibet, there are many people who practice flying. How do they do it? It's just like in China where they practice Chin Kung (a kind of Chinese martial art, that trains practitioners to become very light). You can fly, you can jump onto the roof, very high or very far. People still do this form of practice in China. Sometimes you see Kung-Fu that's not real. But it represents the truth from the olden times when people could still fly.
Nowadays, some people in Tibet can still fly; due to the difficult situation in Tibet they have no cars. They have only mountains with freezing snow all year round sometimes. So they have to go a very long way without much food or many restaurants or anything in between. They have to take very small packets of things. Sometimes they don't even have horses, or they just have what they call a yak (a large, long-haired, dark brown Himalayan ox). And then they have to go with what there is. They can't be too long; sometimes they have to go quickly for some urgent matter. So they have to practice this kind of flying. And some people practice so hard that they can never land on the ground again. They always remain flying in the air. You can read the books of Madame Alexandra David-Neel about this. It's all the truth, but I have to refer to her so that you know I'm not speaking nonsense. You'll know that people write about it and you'll have proof.
So what happens to these people when they fly all the time in the air is that they have to come down sometimes, I mean at least for the toilet or to take a bath. (Laughter) After flying too long, they smell, too! So they have to come down sometimes. They have to put a lot of heavy metal iron chains around their bodies so that they can control and balance their take-offs and landings. That's what they do.
So some time if you go to Tibet and look up into the sky, you'll see something like that. And you'll think they're torturing themselves by chaining their bodies and so on. But that's what they have to do. If they fly too high and they're too light, they have to make themselves heavier so they can land on the ground and stay on the ground as long as they want. Otherwise, they'll just fly in the air all the time.
Similarly, when we first practice spirituality, after some time we become a Saint or a Buddha and say, "Oh, I don't believe that; I don't look at that. I don't talk to that person; I don't wear those kinds of clothes." That's when your sickness is the most serious. (Laughter) Then, after some time, you're too saintly, and you have to cure yourself. You have to pull yourself down to the ground again, in order to integrate into the society and do something about your knowledge, your Sainthood or your Wisdom. Because many people need you; you can't just lie around in Nirvana all the time. It's also no good for you while you're here. If I were always in Nirvana, I wouldn't care about anything; I'd just stay in Nirvana all the time. I mean as a state of being, not that I'd have to fly to the sky. But then I'd have nothing to do with you, and I'd never understand how you suffer. I wouldn't know anything about your mentality. I wouldn't know anything. I wouldn't understand your suffering or your love, your hate, your failures or your virtues. I wouldn't understand anything because I'd be too saintly, too pure: P-U-R-E. (Laughter and applause)
So these are the chains. It doesn't matter what color. They're only dirt: yellow dirt, blue dirt, white dirt - so why bother? Those people who criticize me are saints; that's why. They're in the hospital of sainthood. So as soon as they come out, they'll recognize. They'll be normal again and we can talk to them. So don't worry; being too saintly is also no good. We're out of touch with reality, and then we can become imbalanced. Just like the people in Tibet who always fly in the sky and can never come down for the rest room. Just make sure that if they don't have chains on, don't pass under them. (Laughter) You might be in trouble. Changing your clothes is not always convenient in that kind of cold climate and altitude. Don't say I didn't warn you!
We have various options in this world. The universe is not as rigid and dull as you might think. It's really up to you to decide what you want to do and how much of a load and responsibility you want to handle. You can do it as long as you don't hurt other people. God has a few wishes, but we make the choices ourselves. Otherwise, it would be too boring if everything were predestined. We can change things, but we must make good changes, and then it is okay.
Take, for example, this package of tissues in my hand; I can keep it for my own use, or I can toss the tissues to people in need - two or three of them. I can toss them in different directions. I can also discard the package in the dustbin and then no one can use it. If I keep it, I am the only one who can use it; however, people can make use of these tissues if I put some everywhere. In this way, I have many choices. It's up to me to decide, and that's all right. It's impossible to say that God has arranged for me to throw this package of tissues to a designated person. It can't be like that. The universe isn't that monotonous; we have many choices.
All kinds of religions talk about free will, which sometimes brings harm to many people, as well as ourselves, and makes us transmigrate. If we make a good decision, the result will be good and we'll reap the benefits. Otherwise, we'll have to shoulder a heavy responsibility that makes us feel uncomfortable and is very tiresome. Even worse, we'll have to come back to amend the things we've done wrong, to compensate for the harm that we've done or the losses that all those people have incurred. That's just the way it is.
It's true; nothing is really good or bad in the universe, it's only a cycle. Everyone plays his or her role, and we go back to rest when the time comes. However, this is not an excuse for us to act irresponsibly. Certainly, we must choose to do good things because they will benefit us and others, too; and we won't have to exhaust ourselves with transmigration. There are many obstacles each time we come here. It's not definite that we can fix the things we've done wrong within the periods of time that we're back. Consequently, we have to carry on this way until all has been amended, and sometimes this takes thousands of years.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Hsihu Center, Formosa, October 27, 1995 (Originally in English)
Actually there's no limit to our free will. It depends on how strong the will you have is. For example, there is a limit to good will because of our karma from past lives. If last life, we obstructed many people's practicing or we tried to do some bad things to many people, then this life that kind of bad karma will come back and obstruct us, make a lot of trouble for us. Even if we have a very good will, we have the free will to be able to change our life and to choose between good and evil, sometimes the karma from the past life obstructs us, makes so much difficulty for us to fulfill our good will that we can't do the good things that we want in such a quick way and smooth way.
That's why we say there's a limit to free will; otherwise, there's no limit to free will at all. That's why we must practice very hard, using our strong almighty Power inside in order to overcome any obstacles that we, ourselves or anyone else, planted before or at the present time on our road.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai New Jersey Center, USA, June 25, 1992
Freedom doesn't mean that you fly in the sky, stay there, open your mouth, and wait for the berries to come. Freedom means that you have great responsibilities. It means that no one should have to tell you what to do, but you should know what to do. You have freedom by choice if you know what to do and how to take care of your life and your work. But if you still let people tell you what to do because you don't know what to do yourself, then you are not free. It doesn't matter how much you want to be free, you are not, because you are bound within your own ignorance. You let your mind cheat you into thinking you are free and you are okay, but you are not. So, there's much work for you to do, and your level is up to you.
Aphorisms
"Freedom of speech" doesn't mean you say what you want; it's just that you know what you should say or not. "Freedom of thought" doesn't mean you think what you want, but whether you know what you are thinking is free, real, correct, and is right or not. "Freedom of action" doesn't mean you just do what you want, but you know what your actions are and you know what you are doing. ~ Supreme Master Ching Hai
Q: Why is there war in the world? And what can we do to stop war?
M: War exists because we have created some kind of warlike energy on this planet. Every time we hate, every time we want to kill, every time we don't love one another like God loves us, we create a warlike energy. And when enough of this energy sticks together, it materializes into war.
Hatred, envy, and all these kinds of negative feelings have energy, just like love has energy. When someone loves you or when you're in love with one another, you feel very blissful and happy. Even though you can't touch this love and you can't explain it, you know it's there. You bathe in this love, and you feel exalted.
Similarly, when we hate one another, we feel very uncomfortable. We even feel sickened sometimes because of it. Hatred, jealousy, possessiveness and ignorance - all of these will make war at any time. That's why we have to take care of what we think, what we do, and what we want in our daily lives.
Enlightenment is the only solution to all kinds of trouble in this world. God's love is the only medicine for all kinds of disease on this planet.
s Four-day Christmas Retreat,Florida, USA, December 26, 2001 (Originally in English)
Practitioner: There is physical evidence today that when you bless something, you change its molecular structure. I saw on the Internet that there is this Japanese scientist who took some water, like polluted water, for example, from a river in Japan. And then he froze it and magnified it 500 times. And he took a picture of it. The water that was very polluted had no shape; it looked like mud, just a big mud thing.
And then he went to a temple and asked one of the priests to bless the water, the same exact water, from the same sample. Afterwards, he froze the water, took a picture, and the muddy look of it became a beautiful crystalline structure. It's like a snowflake. And then he decided to continue the experiment. He took another water sample and put "Thank you" on the container of water; he taped the words on it. And then he took a picture of that water and it had a different structure, he got a different picture, like the water had a language.
And then he took the water, and he said, "Let's apply some music to the water." So he put the water near hard rock, heavy metal rock, really noisy music. And that water was all distorted, and it looked like it had faces in it. Then he took the water and he said, let's say, "Mahatma Gandhi," or "Mother Teresa" near it. And every single thought or every single word produced a different image. The water changed every single time, even the polluted water. So it's really amazing when we think about Master's blessing food, and even ourselves, that we do even change the structure of the food or the water. And there's physical evidence of this.
Master: You know, I'm very shy. When you ask too much about what kind of power I have, I have a hard time explaining it. So I probably just tell you that they like the food or they like the cakes or something like that. But you have to find out for yourself. I'm not a very good advertising agent. I rarely talk about things like that.
If I say something, I say, "the Master," or "the Master power." It's not me that I'm talking about. The Master or the Master power, that is impersonalized. But just for the physical evidence, any priest or anyone with good intentions can bless something and make it better than nothing. When someone with spiritual power blesses water, it has light. And you can see it. When you put two different waters here, one that's blessed and one that's not blessed, the one that's blessed will sparkle with light.
Kids, they will go to it, or dogs will go to it. You don't have to tell them which one is the blessed water. They will go and take it instead of the other one, because they can see the light. Not all kids can see; younger kids can see, and many dogs, they can see. They can see the spiritual auras of people. That's why some dogs bark at some people, but they don't bark at anyone else.
So there is such a thing as spiritual power or different energy from different people. Sometimes you go out to eat in some restaurant or somewhere, and even though it looks clean, you still feel dirty. That is the energy; there's some blessing power that's missing. So a lot of people bring food to the temple or to the church to ask the priest or the commissioner, the nun or the monk, to bless them. This does have some effect, even though these monks and nuns, maybe they are not really practicing Quan Yin or anything. But they are sincere, they're pure and they have some blessing power. So it does work, to some extent, but not as well as with an enlightened person, of course. But it's better than nothing, like the Japanese scientist showed. And when you say to someone, "Oh, bless your heart!" or, "May God bless you," it really has an effect. So, do say these things. Do wish people well.
When you come here to practice, do not rely on your work achievements. Because we all help each other in spiritual practice, everyone makes some contribution. Even those fellow practitioners who have never put up a lecture poster, never helped me do anything, or never contributed any money have helped me a lot, too. Their coming here is already a help. Their practice is already a help. Their faith in me is already a help. They have been helping a lot by trying their best to be good, observing the precepts and a vegetarian diet, and keeping their own thoughts, words and deeds pure.
If you can offer some extra help in addition to that, then it is for your own good. It is your own merit. What is there to talk about? For instance, you help post a few posters. There is no way to know if anyone will see them. However, you have already gained merit. When you help in my work, you will have merit, regardless of success or failure; so there is no need to talk about it.
The more you help in my work, the more merit you will have. But you should not rely on this type of achievement, or it will be ridiculous! And besides, some people are sentenced by the Heavenly King to come down here. If they do not do well and gain merits here, later they will not be able to go back up there. For example, the Monkey King, Pigsy, the Water Spirit and the White Horse (characters in the Chinese literary work Journey to the West) have to help their master bring back the Buddhist scriptures and will attain liberation only after their mission has been accomplished.
Therefore, in helping to do my work, you have no idea whether it is your own merit or your karmic debt. But whatever it is, just do your best, and don't talk about it. Maybe some people will think that it is because of your karma that you have to help me, just like the Water Spirit and Pigsy. That only makes it worse! They do not acknowledge your contribution; instead, they say you have karmic debt and make you feel more miserable! So when you do anything for me, just do it quietly. If you talk about it, after a while, there will be obstruction from Maya. Some of you have experienced this already.
Sometimes during retreats or group meditation, you are allowed to talk about your inner experiences. It is all right when I allow you to share them in my presence. However, if you happily reveal yourselves afterwards without my permission, saying, "That day Master said that I had attained a level of .." If you continue to speak without discretion and then feel proud of yourself, you will encounter Maya's obstruction after a while.
It is not that I want to scold you. I just want to remind everyone that this "self-pride" will bring us trouble. If this Maya of pride emerges, it will be bad news. Some people may degrade or be kicked out without being aware of it. Only later will they feel the pain, but then, they will not know how to turn back. Maybe only after the karma has been eliminated can they return to start anew from scratch, and that is not good!
That is why I often say that you can only share your experiences with my permission. Without my permission, don't talk about it. Even if we talk with no pride but with much humility, we will still encounter hindrances because others may come to bother us. Hearing that our experience is so good, sometimes they may come and ask, "Hey, what has your level of spiritual practice been recently? What's the big deal in telling about it! I admire you so much!" Then they open their eyes so big. (Audience laughs.) Ah! At that time we cannot bear not to tell, and the more we tell, the more trouble there will be!
And then they will agree with us, making us feel great about ourselves, as though we can slash demons and kill monsters. And after a while, we will lose this power. And when people keep complimenting us, we have to keep matching up with their imagination. Suppose we originally do not have this power, or have not yet reached this level, but people keep praising us, and then we feel ashamed to pull down our face. As a result, our level keeps floating up in the air, without a seat. Then we are unable either to come down or go up. Therefore, there will be obstructions!
It is the same with our merits. It is best not to let others know. It does not matter if others come to know about it naturally. We do not have to take the initiative to talk about it. Otherwise, we will really get into trouble! I know too many such examples, but I do not want to reveal names. It will do so for these people to know it themselves. From now on, they should repent and mend their ways.
Q: Sometimes I think when you're working, you feel apprehensive about becoming successful because your ego will grow with it. So I find that a bit confusing in the sense that if you're doing a certain job and you become materially successful, I think then you become more and more materialistic towards the work as well. And then because of your success, your ego grows as well.
M: I'm not sure about that. Sometimes you derive joy from being successful and having done something completely. It has nothing to do with the ego. For example, an artist sometimes will carve something in a dark cave alone, for himself. It has nothing to do with the ego. No one will go there and applaud him and say he's successful. He's just happy that the work is done the way he wants it.
We're also creators. If we create and complete something, we feel good! Even if it's ego, that's fine; it's not a bad form of ego. The ego is only bad when it harms someone, when it obstructs you from spiritual practice and progress or when it hinders someone else's progress because you prosper at their expense. Then it's bad.
So ego is just a word. Depending on how you use it, it's fine. That's the last thing to go before we die, which is good. But before that, we have to keep a little in order to work. Without the so-called ego, we don't even want to eat or to sit here. What are you doing here? You want to become a Buddha; that's also ego. You have to have something. It's just a motivation, a behind-the-scenes push to get us to do this and do that.
But if we give in completely to the ego, we become obsessed with it. And we become arrogant, we become ignorant, and we become consumed in all this kind of fame and glory or illusionary honor, then it's bad. But the so-called ego is like fuel for a car, or mud for a lotus or fertilizer for a rose. You can't go without it all the time.
There is nothing bad about marriage. It is not good only when some people use it as a means to indulge in physical enjoyment. If a couple can treat each other with respect, bear children to carry on the family name, live in peace and harmony, raise their children, take care of their parents, and serve society, then their marriage is good. It will encourage us and let us live in a stable atmosphere. It will give us a sense of reliability and warmth, as well as courage and an enterprising spirit to work and face the future. This kind of marriage is very good.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 23, 1996. (Originally in Chinese) Videotape No. 561
There is good in both marriage and friendship in this world. The greatest advantage is that we can provide mutual help, and remind each other of the Self Nature within and the importance of spiritual practice. If there is any situation or relationship that can always remind us of spiritual practice and the Self Nature inside, it is a good relationship, with good affection and emotion.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Malaysia, February 25, 1992 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 219
God is not so narrow-minded as to forbid us to love our husband or wife the way we used to. God is not so cruel as to separate loving couples in order to attain Hirm. We must enlarge our hearts to love God and also to include other beings, including our own family members. If we can love other beings who are distant from us and strangers to us, why can we not love our family members, our immediate loved ones?
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Singapore, March 10, 1993 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 329
Personal problems, family problems, don't seem to belong to the spiritual field. But they do. Because what is the good of you, of me, teaching you to do meditation and to become a Saint while your life is in misery, your husband is in trouble and lonely, and your children are feeling unhappy because of a split family? And I already want to bring Heaven to you now, not hell. Therefore, everything you can use of this world to make your life better, to beautify your surroundings, and to solidify, to consolidate your marriage, then please use it, and do not be bound by it, but just use it.
We have to concentrate on everything we do; otherwise, we might have an uneasy conscience, which will bring forth a negative aura. And then, even if Master doesn't blame us, other people will. We'll then be baffled and wonder, "Why am I always scolded?" It's because our own atmosphere is not good, and this makes other people uncomfortable. Our aura is invisible, but spiritual practitioners can see it with their wisdom eyes, and their wisdom can perceive it. So we cannot cheat anyone! After being scolded, our first reaction is usually to be angry with the person who has scolded us and to feel resentful toward him, or we may feel unhappy with Master instead of examining our own behavior, motivation, and heart.
When we are reproached by anyone, we should examine ourselves at once. If we know that our motive is very simple and pure, we should know it is all right. At that time, we will feel at ease; if we find that we have done something wrong, we should retrospect on ourselves. Don't blame others all the time. When anyone rebukes us, if what he says is correct, then he can be our teacher; if what he says is incorrect, we can just consider it our karma (laughter). That's the simplest way to deal with it. What else can we do? When we live with other people, we can hardly avoid friction sometimes, due to our different characters, levels of spiritual practice, or karma from past lives. Therefore, we cannot expect everything to go smoothly every day.
This world is very fair. You don't have to worry that your merits or sincerity are overlooked because we know it ourselves! We are God; we have God inside. Why should we worry that others don't know it? Didn't you say you have a hundred percent faith in Master? Do have faith in yourself as well! God is within us. It's also said that Master is omnipresent. Then, why should you feel anxious that others do not know, and compete for credit or show off? We have to be honest with ourselves all the time, and be simple and pure in doing everything without being contaminated by any purpose at all. As a result, we'll find that we're more and more liked by people, and Master will also notice us.
It is best if we do things with truly unconditional devotion, in order to offer our services, and then we'll have everything. In the past, when I stayed at others' ashrams, I wasn't attached to seeing the masters all the time; nor did I demand that they glimpse me or anything else. I just offered my services: cleaning the staircase, mopping the floor, watering the plants, etc. I just did the work that no one wanted to do, especially washing dishes, which was the least desirable job. After people cooked meals and ate a lot, the bowls and chopsticks were left there like a mountain. I washed them every day, and was very happy. It ends up now that there're people who wash dishes, clean the staircase and mop the floor for me.
So, don't expect anything; just serve. God will arrange our fate. We shouldn't expect too much. We practice spiritually in order to be liberated from our desires for fame and fortune, and our competitive mentality. If we can't be liberated now, when will we be able to? If we cannot see Heaven while living, how can we see it after we leave this world? We won't be able to get used to it! (Master and audience laugh.) Because when we get used to something, it's hard to change, and our habits come back to us, and then we struggle.
Whatever we do, if we have a clear, calm conscience, that's correct. You don't have to ask Master, nor should you do it for anyone. After we do it for a long time and get used to it, it will naturally become second nature to us, and we will sense and know what we should do. We will do whatever work is left undone. By that time, we won't dislike any work. What you're doing now is public service work, all of which I have done before. It's no big deal. No work is menial. Before I had so many disciples, I also mixed cement, built centers for disciples to live in, built toilets for disciples to use, etc. There was nothing I couldn't do. Just because there're so many of you now, and you have enough talents, I just let you do the work! Even if I did it myself, you would feel sad, right? (Audience: Yes.) There're many "heroes" among you, who must be eager to protect and help me maintain my figure! (Laughter)
Of course, there's no interest or pay for the work we do, but we have glory, we have honor. It's an honor to serve people, to serve sentient beings, and to serve our fellow practitioners. That's our highest award. Otherwise, it's easy to obtain worldly fame and wealth; as long as we work hard, we can get it. It is just that this work is a kind of glory. We do not work for reward or to win Master's favor. It would be a kind of bribery if we had that kind of motive. We should work because we are willing to do it ourselves and we enjoy doing it; that's the highest prize. There's no need to expect anything else. It's the same case with Master. Not many people in the universe can do my job, but I can. That makes me feel good! Even though I'm not very willing to do it, it's all right. I just do it; why should I expect any blessing from it? (Applause)
Q: When the Masters who are born as Masters come to this planet, why do they need initiation or why do they need a Master?
M: They don't need one, really, but do you remember what Jesus said? "Let the law be done." He was baptized by John the Baptist, and people also asked Him the same question. He said, "Let it be done." Let the law be fulfilled - the law of the physical universe. Suppose I come to the United States and I'm a British citizen, I have to obey the laws of this country even though they are a little different from England's. I have to drive on the right side, and not on the left side like England, or I will get into trouble, just to be like everyone. -And why not?
It's no big deal to have a guru. Besides, if you have a guru, then everyone else also follows. If you have your master, they feel it's normal that way. If everything is too miraculous, it scares people also. Suppose I just drop down from heaven and say, "Here I am, the Supreme Master, blah, blah, blah..." I think people would not like it that much. They would think it was hypnotism; they'd think it was cheating, or the workings of the devil. You really can't. It's already bad enough that any master should take the physical form, any form of the physical body, because many people cling to that form. They think, "Oh, this is the form of the Master, any other form is no good."
God cannot always appear right here in front of us in one form or another. Suppose Hes were in the form of Jesus; all the Buddhists would say, "No, no, not for me!" And suppose Hes appeared in the form of the Buddha, like many people would like to see, then the Catholics would say, "No, no, that's heretical," and things like that. It's very difficult. So we have to find the Truth inside; it doesn't matter whether the master has a guru or no guru. He comes here; he has to eat; he has to be born, and physically he has to grow up, has to study, and everything else is the same. So, it's the same with initiation.
Also it's good to be humble, to sit at the feet of someone, to learn to be a disciple first. It's no problem with the master. The master can be anything, so why not a disciple? Besides, another thing I want to tell you is that any master who comes to this world physically, all the memory, all the glory, and all the power, are wiped away from him after the age of maybe four or something. Then he doesn't remember anything. Like everyone else, he has to learn anew. He has to get the key again, the key from a living Master, who hands over the key to him.
Q: Some Masters, when they get initiated, they get self-realization very fast, in six months to one year, and some require years, all together twenty years, twenty-five years, and then they experience self-realization, even though they might be born masters. Why such a long time?
M: Oh, no problem. It is just their own wish to do that, just to show many different people that, okay, you don't have to be fast. Even me, I took twenty-five years, so don't worry about your own slow progress. It is just that the master is trying to show people, encourage people. For example, suppose I get enlightenment, realization, "great" realization in six months, and many people like it. A type of people who like that, quick, come to me and say, "If She got it in six months, I can get it in six days!" [Laughter] Some people feel inferior if they take too long. If they look at some other master, either in the past or in the present, and say, "Oh, that master took twenty-five years to become a Buddha, so I'm okay. Even though I don't progress very fast now, look at that master. He was born as a master, and he still took so long." So it doesn't matter very much. That's one thing.
Another thing is that there are two kinds of masters. One master is made, and another master is born. The "born master" is quick. And the "made master" is like any of us here, who has been wandering so many centuries and thousands of lifetimes in this world. It's the first time he comes to realization and he endeavors to become a master. And it can be his destiny, his predestination. He's destined to be like that. And the other master is born by destiny, born with the glory of the master already, with all the power from the past, present, and future to bring to this world to do the work. So that's fast. There's no difference between being slow or fast, because we have all been masters in the past anyhow. It's just that some masters have realized it already long ago, and come back again as born masters. And some are just newly made here.
Q: Some of the perfect Masters, the strong Masters, sometimes never come out from the caves of the Himalayas. They continue to stay there, and only a small number of people can get the benefit from this.
M: That is the master's work. Who are we to tell the master what to do?Each master has his or her own destiny, or own mission to do. To sit inthe Himalayas is just as good as to preach to the people. Some masterslike to go out to share the joy with the people, and some masters justsit there and benefit others by radiation, by their presence in this world.It is fine. Some doctors become professors and teach in the university.Some doctors just work in the hospital. Some doctors retire and don't work.[Laughter & applause]
We benefit from the Master not only in terms of the physical presence, but there are also good will and light from the Master when he meditates in the Himalayas, or meditates anywhere. But of course it's more direct for those who have affinity with some certain masters, coming in contact with the physical master so they can realize it more quickly. And the other master sometimes sits in the Himalayas and mentally or spiritually supports the working masters. Everyone has his or her work, and there is no problem with that.
Karma isn't always created by a sense of guilt; it also comes from our habits. Our brains deceive us by pressing a button to automatically replay the same reaction whenever similar situations arise. So we should think clearly. Whatever we don't feel good about, or whatever displeases us, it's just as bad as disasters, and we must break through instead of remaining attached to or bound by our habits. It's that simple.
With this inner meditation and contact, we will soon discover that everything is arranged, everything is okay under the sun. God takes care of every minor detail of every being's life. That's why we're happy; that's why we're satisfied; that's why all the sorrows and miseries in this world cannot affect us. We know the Truth, the one and only Truth, the solid Truth - that God takes care of everything.
Submit Our Will To God's Will
Since God is omnipresent, we cannot escape from God. We might just as well remember and submit our will to Hiers will, so that our life will have more meaning and our purpose of being a human will be quickly fulfilled. If something is there and we keep denying it, it is a waste of time and a waste of energy. We just naturally accept it, and that's it. It is better for us, and it is better for God.
~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
M: They asked me, because I'm Aulacese, (I was born in Au Lac), apart from promising that I will help people like the refugees and offer some kind of symbolic help, if I have any kind of plan to raise the standard of living of Au Lac, make the people richer, for example, or stabilize the economic and political situation. I said, "Yes, I have a plan. I tell all the Aulacese people to practice the Quan Yin Method, and then the country will change."
But I have no plan in the physical way because we cannot change the environment if our karma has not changed. Our environment is the result of our karmic pattern. If the environment could be changed through an enlightened Master's power, then the Buddha would have changed it long ago. When He was still on Earth, His country was at war also, and the people are still in poverty even up till now. So, they can't blame me if I don't change the Au Lac people's situation. The Buddha couldn't and even Jesus couldn't; They were greater in history and had more followers than I. If They couldn't do it, how can I?
We have to change our way of thinking, our conceptions, and then the environment will change. The Kingdom of God is within us. This means if we know the Kingdom of God within, then everything is the Kingdom of God; if not, we cannot have the Kingdom of God without. That's what the meaning of the "Kingdom of God" is: God is within. Also, it is said in the Bible, Seek you first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added unto you. And we seek all the other things first and ask the kingdom of God to be added unto them, to be one of those things only, and that is a perverted view.
So, there is no plan necessary for Au Lac except that the Aulacese or any country's citizens should change their viewpoint. They should raise their level of understanding and know the true conception. And that's the only plan that we should endeavor to bring forth.
If we just keep a vegetarian diet and follow a virtuous way of life, we will fear no sickness.
Q: Master, I have a question about angels. Today there are many books published about angels: guardian angels and special beings who are supposed to be here just for us so that when we have troubles and problems, we can look for a guardian angel to help us. Do you believe, Master, that there are guardian angels for this purpose? And how do we know if there is a guardian angel for us?
M: You can order one: mail-delivered, with a money-back guarantee. (Laughter) Well, I believe there are angels, what we call guardian gods, small gods or goddesses. There are two types. One is ordered from Heaven to help those who are righteous and weak and who have faith in God, with or without the Master. Those who are righteous and very virtuous have angels helping them. They do what they can do to help in different situations.
But the ones who have the Master power with them are the strongest, the fastest, and always have more power and can help in most situations. Other angels, their power is limited because they have to consider a person's karma, whether that person's worthy or not worthy. The Master power doesn't consider that. As soon as the person is a disciple, and sincerely wants to change his/her life, the Master will help anyway. And so the Master sometimes dispatches so-called angels to help people, as well as Her/His disciples. And the Master Himself/Herself helps the disciples personally, through the transformation body. That's the most powerful. Everyone has to give way when the Master is there. (Applause)
Now a second type of guardian angels are those deceased spirits who have already gone out of this world but are still in training or have a desire to help those who are still living, who have a connection with them, or maybe with their relatives or friends or pupils or those who are in the same profession they are, in order to help them further develop their talent and education from "behind the scenes." So there are two types of beings that help us: those angels who are from Heaven, and those who are deceased. There's kind of a range of angels. But those human beings who have become angels have more benefit from God.
The angels are also made with qualities that are different from human qualities. Angels can be destroyed without any problem, without any effect on the whole cosmos. Because angels don't have the eternal qualities that humans have. Therefore the angel's rank is not above that of the human being. Human beings are ranked above the angels. Angels can be made, (Master snaps Her fingers, indicating "instantly") can be destroyed, can be ordered, can be multiplied, can be minimized, but human beings never can because we're eternal. (Applause)
Q: How do we distinguish whether it is our real inner great wisdom or our human mind that is functioning?
A: If we do anything that is harmful to another person, other beings, our nation or society, then we should not do it. Similarly, if we do anything that is beneficial to ourselves, to our family, our nation and society, then we should do it immediately. At that time, we are acting with wisdom.
If we are following a real living enlightened Master to practice, we should do and believe whatever this Master says that is correct under any circumstance. Whatever this Master says that is wrong, then we shouldn't do or believe that. This is a very simple method to help us be discriminating and to prevent us from being cheated by the mind. Later, as we practice and reach higher levels, we will meet inside the transformation bodies of the Buddha and saints or our own Master. They will tell us inside what is good, what we should do, what things are only illusions, and how our mind is cheating us. We will understand more clearly.
Q: Master, I was thinking about how You said not to kill sentient beings. Does that include pests, bugs, termites, and mosquitoes?
M: Well, we have to do what we need to do for environmental care, but then, we will have to pay for that. But they are small bugs; they are not a bigger form of life, so when we meditate for them, they will be all right. The important thing is not the act of killing. The most important thing is the violence in your heart that must be terminated. Some people don't actually kill with their hands but they kill with their thoughts. That is even more important than the act of killing. So, what we try to minimize is the violence in our hearts, the tendency to want to destroy other beings.
But if we have to do it for environmental hygiene, we must do it. And pray for them in our meditation. But it is best when we can avoid it - like we keep our place very clean so that ants and other insects won't come around. And if you spray around so that they will leave, they will not die. There are some ways to avoid killing. You have to take care of that. The less killing, the better, even the small insects, but sometimes they are too harmful for the children and babies, and then the mother has to do it, because after all, human life is more precious. We don't do it because we are bad or malicious; it's just the situation.
We're all monks in different ways; we're walking monks. We walk on the street, and we mingle with people. It's the same. It's just that in the old times, it was very difficult for people to go out and spread the teachings. So you had to be a monk. You didn't work, and you relied on charity so that you could walk far and wide to spread the teachings of the Buddha or Jesus. Nowadays this isn't so necessary. You can do so from your own home and be a monk at home.
And another reason was that in the old times, people saved their sexual energy in order to do other things. Because if you had a family and a lot of kids, it was difficult for you to walk around on the street and preach the Truth. So you had to renounce that pleasure of family and lovemaking in order to walk along the way and spread the message. Because sexual energy is very distracting to the work that monks do so they had to do it that way.
So to be a monk or nun or not to be one, to me, is not the real question. The real question is whether you understand things in your heart, and you find God yourself. And so many of the householders are also very attractive to outsiders because they practice diligently in their hearts. And they are really enlightened. They also can spread the teachings from their homes, and they do a lot of wonders.
It's a different time now. We have this very wonderful method, which covers everything. So we don't have to starve ourselves physically, mentally or emotionally in order to reach God. I tell you, God is wonderful! Hes is so generous, so powerful. Nothing can distract you from Hirm, let alone a little pleasure with the woman or the man that you love. So it doesn't matter; the monk or nun is inside.
When I talk to you about marriage and love, please do not think that I am going beyond my responsibility. No! I do it because you cannot go into Samadhi in your meditation if you do not have a happy marriage or good relations with your spouse. You feel inner anguish and emotional turmoil. Your mind is filled with all those things. You cannot even recite the Holy Names, not to mention entering Samadhi! At that time your partner is more important than the Master. But I do not blame you because such things are unavoidable. At that moment, you do not even want to go into Nirvana. Even if you do, you cannot because you are unhappy. I have gone through all this before, so I can be your teacher now. Such situations are difficult to avoid and control.
Of course, when we progress spiritually, we know how to deal with our loving marital relationships. However, there are some fellow practitioners who feel emotionally depressed and miserable inside. Therefore, I have to talk to you about worldly affairs because they are related to spiritual practice. When you are happy, you are in Nirvana. No matter who comes to you, you feel happy, and you can love anyone or forgive anyone or give anything to anyone. But when you are not happy, you don't want to do anything or take any responsibility. You can't, even if you want to, because you don't have the inspiration to do so. At that time, you are tired of everything and want to forget the whole world. That's why there is a saying that goes, "The Dharma exists in worldly affairs." Am I right? (Audience: Yes.) That's it. You have all experienced it.
Therefore, I often say that if you want to proceed smoothly along the spiritual path, you have to protect your emotions and your marriage. Those of you who are still single should protect your relationships with your loved ones as well, if you truly love each other. It will be too late if you try to make amends once you break up. Beautiful times do not last forever. You don't always meet someone you really love and want to share your life with. So take care once you find him or her.
Don't think that it is a trivial or worldly affair. No! No! People often feel lonely without a companion. Some can bear it, but most can't. So take care to protect it if you still need it.
Even small pearls are protected and cherished as treasures, let alone love! It could be very helpful to you. Though you should not be attached to it, you cannot ignore it, either. A car may not be a person like you are, or a part of you, but you still need it to come to Hsihu. It would be too inconvenient and time-consuming to come on foot. You can't say, "I come to Hsihu to practice spiritually and get enlightenment. Why do I need a car? It is only a physical vehicle. Just abandon it by the roadside!" You can't do that. It takes you much less time and brings you to me more quickly. You can save much time for meditation. Of course, you can come on foot, but it would take you several months, and I would have probably left by the time you arrived.
Q: The key to a happy life, what does it really mean to You? I thought that the only key to a happy life depends upon you and whether you live your life the way you want it. Is this necessarily true?
M: It's not that we live our life the way we want that brings happiness. This most often brings disaster. If we live our lives the correct way, yes, then we are free. Then, of course, we will be happy, not because we do what we want. [Applause]
In everything, there is some judgment and some kind of definite way. For example, if we say, "I have a car, and I can drive anywhere I want," - that will bring problems. But if we drive within the proper roads and with the proper attention, then of course we'll be at our destination very fast. If we run all over the place, we'll bring trouble to ourselves, even though we call that freedom.
Freedom without discipline will bring disaster, and the way many of us lead our lives brings misery, as you see all around you. Therefore, there is a definite way to lead our lives in order to have true and lasting happiness. That is the life of a gentleman. That is a life of the sage who does things according to the Universal harmony and not according to the dictates of the restless mind.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
You have to understand that in order to have fun, you have to keep the rules and maintain discipline. ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Q: Dear Master, when we have problems, how do we know which are fixed karma and which are tests from Master?
M: Actually there is no testing for us; we test ourselves. Just like when we have some hardship, we say, "Oh, God has tested me!" It is not true. It is because of our karma, because of our tendency toward the negative way that we experience hardships. So, the only way is to turn back to the positive, and then we will experience a different way. We can do this through self-discipline or prayer. Then we can turn everything into a better way. Whether it's karma or God testing us, it will become better.
Q: After initiation, I understand that all my ancestors of the past five generations will be saved and taken to better worlds by Master and that we should no longer perform superficial ceremonies such as bowing and paying respect or having religious chanting gatherings. However, sometimes it is inevitable because of traditional customs. What should I do then?
A: We worship our ancestors and hold religious chanting gatherings for our ancestors in order to show our remembrance and respect for them. It is not that they are still on the nameplates*. In case you must do that for the sake for your family, do it with your heart thinking all the time of the Master or the highest Almighty Power, which is also your God Nature. However, you must be aware that you are doing all these things to comply with the traditional customs. Never think that the soul of the deceased family member is still there on the nameplate. If we understand this clearly and we are not attached, then our spiritual practice will not be affected.
* Nameplate: a wooden plate engraved with names of ancestors for worshipping in an Oriental tradition.
When we grow up a little bit more and become teenagers, we always have various kinds of pressure: from school work, from competition with classmates, from girlfriends, boyfriends, or girl and boyfriends together and from family members as well.
And sometimes we share the pressure of our parents, too, or that of our brothers and sisters if they have problems. Even if they don't tell us or if they only tell us a little bit, we perhaps know the financial situation of the family or the marital atmosphere between our parents, and so on. All of these things add to the pressure on our soul. And thus sometimes children feel suffocated.
So children may take pills, take drugs or kill themselves. Or they may run away from home, or have all kinds of bad company just to escape the pressure. That's what they think, to substitute these things for the happiness that they have lost or that they cannot find.
And I think the pressure on children is sometimes of a greater intensity than that on adults. Because when we're adults, we're more or less trained and more or less strong enough to be able to take of these problems. But children are a little bit sensitive, innocent and helpless; therefore, they don't know where to turn. And they don't know how to express themselves: They're fearful or timid and shy and all kinds of things. So I don't think being a child or being young is as terribly beautiful as people describe in novels.
That's why when children do something wrong, it's not entirely their fault. It's the situation, the pressure of the society, the circumstances and the family background; there are many things put together. So it's lucky for those children who have good parents or a good family and who feel happy and loved within the family. I didn't feel it that much when I was young. But those who practice with their parents on the path of Truth are better, much better. They have inner comfort to rely on. And that will give them a lot of the strength and wisdom they need to grow and to survive the pressures of this world.
Sometimes our parents or family members alone cannot give us enough satisfaction or inner strength to go through life. Because there are also many things we can't talk about with our parents. Parents have their own problems and their own pressures. Even if they wanted to love their children more or share more of their children's pressures, they could not by human effort do so in a complete way.
So I think all the children should come and learn the Quan Yin Method and eat vegetarian. And if they have problems, they can talk to me. That's better than going and talking to bad friends! I can be their father, mother, friend, lover, teacher or anything so that they will survive the young period. And then later, when they grow up, they can do things for themselves.
Q: Those who practice the Quan Yin Method do not care for fortune telling. However, there are some fellow practitioners who study fortune telling. Can they use it to persuade people to do good deeds and begin spiritual practice?
A: Quan Yin practitioners should have a clear understanding of the Master's teachings, accept the logical concepts regarding spiritual practice, and trust the Quan Yin Method and the Master, having in mind only a longing for the great wisdom and eternal liberation. On the other hand, most people who go to fortunetellers do so because they are superstitious.
Fortune telling is not accurate. Your fate can be predicted to be such and such today, but the next day when you do something good or bad, the situation may change. Thus, there is no need for us to use any tricks or supernatural powers (including fortune telling) to attract people to start their spiritual practice. Most people attracted to fortune telling are those who wish to acquire supernatural power and who are greedy for good fortune in this world. They do not really want to get away from the "three Realms" and be liberated from the cycle of life and death. It is not the right way.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Destiny is in your hands. You can become whatever you want with determination.
Q: How can we know the motives of all our actions - if we're doing something out of service, out of proving our qualities, or if we're just doing something because of our ego?
M: We do know what we're doing, don't we? You know what you're doing it for. You can feel it right away. And even if you don't realize it in the beginning, later you can check yourself and you'll know why you're doing this and why you're doing that. If you've doing it for ego, then just check yourself, turn around, and be more selfless. Many times in the beginning, probably we do not know why we do this and that. We take up some service, some work, probably out of a competitive kind of attitude. But then as soon as we realize that we're being competitive, we turn around immediately and say, "Oh, no! I should not think that way. I should not feel this way. I should take this honor and opportunity to serve people selflessly." That is nobler.
The moment that we realize we aren't noble enough in our behavior and in our intentions, we just check on ourselves, and then change our attitude. The service remains the same, but just the attitude should be changed. Even if we didn't have a noble intention in the beginning, we still can change in the middle of it.
It's sometimes difficult because we cheat ourselves too. The mind cheats us into thinking, "Oh! I want to serve humankind." But sometimes we serve more out of self-interest. After we check ourselves for a long while, we become more prudent in our attitude, in our thinking, in our motives. Then it becomes that we're just selfless by nature. Even sometimes if we do it with the ego, it's all right. Just forgive yourself. At least someone else is being served; someone else benefits from your actions. Then it's okay. But it is better for us, if we know that our intentions are noble so that we know we're on the way to becoming a better, more improved being.
Q: Do You love Your students equally, regardless of their levels of attainment, or do You take care of Your students even if they do not practice well?
M: That means you want to come (for initiation) and you're already prepared not to practice well. You want to get assurance from me, right? You should not come with this attitude. You should come with a very determined mind to do your best, not always expecting something, but to offer, because this business is for your own sake.
Of course, I love my disciples equally, if that's what you want to know. But that's my business. Your business is to do your best in order to get the best out of yourself, not for my love. Even if I love you, and you are lousy and your level is low, what's the good of that for you? What you get is important for you whether I love you or not.
Actually, most bad children are not really that bad; most of those who commit homicide or robbery are also not that bad. They become bad only because no one teaches them good things, and they are exposed to people who teach them only bad things. Ethical and moral codes are barely taught at school. Children are merely taught to memorize facts in mathematics, history, and other classes, and to graduate quickly from school, find a job, and earn money. The only motivation they receive from the family is: "Should you fail to study well, you won't be able to earn money when you grow up, and without money, you cannot marry a good wife" and things like that. All schools stress this; therefore, future generations will be in a very miserable situation!
Next time, before you condemn a robber or reproach a child for being bad, think again, and reflect on yourselves: "As parents and elders, have we really fulfilled our responsibilities?" Perhaps we ought to be ashamed of ourselves! However, we are not to blame, because the older generation didn't teach us any good things either. Therefore, we must begin from our generation and not delay any longer; we must quickly teach our children and ourselves good things. We must find another way, or else our children will degenerate. Bad children are not born bad; no child is bad from birth.
In the United States, there is a special prison reserved for younger inmates who have committed homicide or robbery. Of course, there are many such prisons in the U.S., but this one is unique in that it places greater emphasis on edification. Research shows that, although those who have committed violent crimes have served time behind bars, they often repeat their mistakes after they are released. However, in that particular prison, different systems are employed to educate the young convicts, give them a sense of responsibility and feeling of shame, and let them understand why they must stop acting the way they did. Statistics show that of the 160 young men convicted for homicide who have been released from that prison, only one has walked the same disastrous path again!
The inmates are educated and their masks of superficial coolness and denial of their mistakes are removed to let them face their own conscience. Eventually, they realize that it is bad to do such things. The inmates realize that they must be responsible for the life of another person in the same way they are responsible for their own life. The inmates also play the role of the victim, to feel his pain and the subsequent agony of his relatives, children, and friends. The inmates receive such education until they burst out in tears and truly repent, then they will not commit the crime again after they are released.
If the prisoners do not admit their mistakes and face their conscience, but continue to wear a mask of coolness and ignore their inner feelings, they will commit crimes again after they are released, and killing will grow into a habit. They will treat a human just like an object, not realizing that human life is very precious. They do not consider the feelings of the victims or those of the victims' relatives and friends. Therefore, this method of edifying prisoners is very effective.
Those children or prisoners are not really that bad. Their behavior is mostly due to their wretched family backgrounds. For instance, their mother might have been a drug addict, or their step-father might have been addicted to gambling or alcohol and often beat them up. Such family backgrounds account for the misdeeds of the children, who vent their wrath on other people. Therefore, the educational system in this prison also has the inmates face this kind of background. The inmates are advised not to vent their animosity on innocent people, who could be as miserable as they are, and come from the same kind of family background.
Different methods are employed to educate prisoners from different family backgrounds, and the results have proven the education to be highly effective. A total of 160 prisoners have been released from this prison and only one has committed another crime. However, the prison can only accept 24 such prisoners into this program each year, because this is a task that takes time and patience.
Therefore, it is better to take good care of our children when they are young; and we only have a few children to take care of. Do not wait until they are grown up and become a heavy burden on society.
The foundation of ethics and morality should be established at a young age, so that when children grow up, they can do everything resolutely, correctly, and free from errors. Therefore, in addition to practicing spiritually yourselves, you should also take care of your children, educate them, and let them know the benefits of spiritual practice. This is not merely the obligation of parents. It is also the obligation of every citizen of the nation, and of every brother and sister in this world. We hope that the twenty-first century will be a glorious era, with every family devoted to spiritual practice and each person a saintly person. It will require the effort of all of you to accomplish this goal. (Applause)
Q: I have the need to become more spiritual toward life. How do I react to the negativity around me?
M: If we have spiritual tendencies, we're more tolerant toward all things, including negative influences and any negative outlooks on life. We're more tolerant and more understanding. Also, our positive Self radiates a healing energy, which will somewhat correct the negative atmosphere.
So we don't need to do anything, really. If we're truly spiritual, things will better themselves to some degree. And should anyone come to us for advice or want to become better also, we'll be in a position to suggest what to do.
Q: Sometimes when I am meditating on the Light, I get something like an energy surge; and it just sort of rocks me one way and the other in various different ways. What is this?
M: It's okay. Sometimes the negative and the positive are trying to battle with each other. As we are not yet completely stable and a hundred percent pure, it's like that. Later it will become stable. Don't worry. You don't have to go with the feeling; just let it go. That's why we have to keep ourselves pure with the Precepts and these all kinds of things, so that we can receive this kind of pure and tremendously strong energy. Try to take care that your food, speech, actions, and thoughts are pure; the problem will become better or disappear altogether.
Sometimes, if you are trembling too much, sit on the floor. Don't sit too high, in case you fall down. Or, try to sit on the wooden floor; it will absorb some of the energy for you and then you won't feel so badly shaken. Sometimes when you do the Quan Yin, it feels like a burning sensation. If it feels like you can't bear it anymore, then sit in another place. Don't sit on a cushion; find a wooden, cool floor to sit on or put your feet on a wooden board or maybe on the earth. It will neutralize some of the strong effect of the vibration while you're not able to withstand it. Only in that case, but continue to meditate on the Sound. The Sound is particularly strong.
If you are not pure, it is sometimes because you have had contact with people, and it's not necessarily your own karma. So, don't blame yourself all the time for whatever happens. Sometimes we have contact with people, and their impurity and their karma also affect us. Sometimes we eat food that we don't know is impure; it also happens. So, whatever leads you to this, meditate more.
If you sit on a cushion and you don't feel comfortable, it could be it is too hot for you; sit on a wooden floor or on the naked earth, on the soil. Put your feet up and meditate, or sitting on the floor with a tatami mat is all right. It is more airy and cooler for you, because sometimes the cushion we sit on is made with plastic foam and it doesn't absorb the heat. It gives us trouble, is irritating, especially when you do the Quan Yin. Try to change your position, maybe change the place, or change your sitting cushion, and then it will be better for you.
Q: Dear Master, I am a senior high school student. After reading your books, I have found that we do not learn the method of liberation from life and death by attending school. So, should we negate the value of receiving an education at school?
M: No, you should not. If I hadn't studied at school before, I would not have been able to speak fluently here today. Receiving an education does help. It is just that our educational system does not offer courses on spiritual enhancement. They teach things that are not very useful and they don't give children a good moral education. In many countries, education emphasizes degrees and diplomas. Children go to school only to earn a diploma, so they study under great pressure. Sometimes, they even have to study through the entire night. They stay at school all day long, leaving them little time with their parents. After they graduate, they use very few of the things they learned at school. Thus, children are really pitiful. However, our world is like that. I can't change it that much.
India has a better educational system. Its education is more natural and liberal, and the schools can decide how to educate the children. For instance, members of the Quan Yin sect in India educate their own children. They select useful courses for the children, such as mathematics, science, music, morality, ancient scriptures, spiritual knowledge, filial obedience and devotion to parents, etc. In addition to these useful courses, they also teach the children to meditate and be vegetarian. Consequently, all these children are well-behaved. They are going to be a great benefit to their country when they grow up, and they will be very moral people in society. It is a pity that very few countries follow their example. Even in India, this kind of school is not found everywhere.
Q: How do You meditate?
M: Everyone already knows how to mediate. It is only that you meditate on the wrong thing. Some people meditate on pretty girls, some meditate on money, and some meditate on business. Every time you pay a lot of attention to one thing, one-pointedly and wholeheartedly, that is meditation. And now, I pay attention only to the Inner Power, to the compassion, to the love, to the merciful quality of God, and that is my meditation. But to do so officially, we should just sit in a quiet corner and be by ourselves; that is the process of meditation. But it is not by sitting quietly in a corner that one gets something. No, no! You have to get in touch with that Inner Power first, and with that Inner Power, we meditate. Actually, it is like that. This is called Self-awakening. You must awaken the Real Self, inside, and let Hirm meditate, not you with your human brain and mortal understanding. That Power will meditate: Hes meditates, Hes awakens Hirmself, Hes knows how to work now.
At the moment, you let Hirm sleep and you do everything mechanically by orders from the brain, so even when you sit down, you think of a thousand and one things, and cannot subdue your own passions. But when your Self awakens, the real inner Self, then the God Power within you will control everything, will meditate, will come back to its own Self, and that is the real meditation. You only know real meditation after you are awakened by transmission from a real Master; otherwise, it is only a waste of time. The mind and body are wrestling. You only rest your body, but the mind is struggling and fighting. That is not real meditation.
Q: Why am I often disturbed by invisible beings during my meditation and in my dreams? What can I do about it?
A: It is caused by karma between you and those beings. Now you are practicing the Quan Yin Method, the cultivation for liberation, and you still need to pay some karmic debts that you are supposed to pay back during this life. It's as if you had borrowed something from someone and you have to return it. Then you may leave this world without burden. There are some karmic debts that we can't handle in our daily life and the Master helps us to resolve them in our dreams. If you expect to reach the aspired levels without following the Five Precepts, and purifying your acts, speech and mind, then you will provide the opportunity for Maya to interfere. So, we should keep our minds simple and we should not crave an unattained level to avoid such obstacles. Remember to silently recite the Holy Names at all possible times. Focus your attention on the wisdom eye, recite the Holy Names, and ask the Inner Master for help if you are disturbed. Before you meditate, make sure there are no uninitiated people around and recite aloud the Holy Names for about an hour. No matter what you think, do, speak or hear, make sure it is only good and noble. Have positive and bright thoughts, and then you will attract only goodness to yourself. If you meditate more seriously, it will help you to exceed the low level influences more quickly.
Q: Master, I want to know about the importance of group meditation. Because some people don't want to go to the Center for group meditation. They say it is not important, and they meditate in their house.
M: It is very important. It's better for you if you can go to group meditation. We say that all the time. When you sit together with other people, you are more strengthened. It's more fun to sit with a lot of people, number one. Number two, the collective power will help you. For example, that's how the bank works, economically and practically speaking. Everyone pools his money in one bank, and they get rich. One penny, one dollar, two dollars, one hundred, two hundred, one thousand - everyone pools his money and the bank becomes powerful. But everyone who participates in the bank benefits also. If one person keeps the money for himself, he doesn't get the interest. But if many people pool the money in a bank together, the bank benefits a lot. And the people benefit too; they get the interest. So practicing spiritually is just like doing business in this world. It's very logical. One person probably cannot lift this chair or lift the stage, but many persons together can lift it. It's very simple.
Q: I have a full-time job and I am also a church minister. And I do funerals and hospital visits. (Master: You have to do your duties, yes.) And so I can't go at the time they have set for group meditation. I know how important it is to congregate; I know it's good for me. I wanted to ask you about it because I'm concerned about my responsibility toward the group. But I also have a responsibility to my church.
M: Just try your best to meditate. Whenever you have time, go to group meditation. It doesn't have to be every week. If you cannot make it, maybe go once in a while, like once a month - whenever you can. Sometimes the time is also not convenient for people. For example, if you can meditate Saturday but the other people work on Saturday, or the kids happen to be off school on Saturday, or your parents always visit on Saturday, that kind of thing. Of course, whatever benefits you, try to profit from it. But if you cannot, it's no sin. It's no problem for anyone, just yourself. But you made the effort to come here, so that means you are trying your best. And God knows that, and it's all right. It's just that you enjoy maybe a little less progress than others probably enjoy. That's all; you go more slowly.
Q: This question is picking up on something You mentioned earlier about sexual energy causing problems. Could You explain how that happens and what we should do to deal with it?
M: There are many kinds of energy, different levels, which we possess. Sexual energy most resembles the ecstasy that we have during samadhi. Some people enter samadhi and experience the ecstasy, so they are able to control the sexual energy. Most people, when they have not reached that level and they experience the sexual energy, it feels so good that it makes them off balance. Their body cells react differently. Just like after initiation or when you come out of samadhi, sometimes your body feels weird, is shaking, or something. That's the way it is.
That is why when people are in love, it is just like walking on clouds, and they are cuckoo sometimes. Because of the sudden change in chemistry with the chemical reaction and the side effects of it, it puts the mind off balance. They become either overly happy or agitated for no reason, and they cannot reason with themselves or with the partner anymore. That is why people in the old time advised you not to do anything until your marriage. Not only because of the old-fashioned concept to keep the virginity and all that, but just to let you both have time for the body chemistry to get used to each other so when you finally experience that ultimate feeling at the pleasure center, you don't offset your balance. You can continue to be friends and get on with each other, much as before you had sex.
If you have sex too soon, your mind hasn't got the time to assimilate and to know each other; and the chemistry of the body, of the cells, is not trained to be with another person with a different chemistry and a different program, DNA and all that. So when you have intimate contact too soon, the sexual energy will kind of explode and make you both off balance. That is why people say if you have sex too soon, your marriage will not be very good. It is not because sex is a sin or anything, it's just that your body is not used to it; it's just that your mind is not used to it; your spiritual body has not been programmed to be so intimate so soon. When two persons' powerful energy meets together, it is like a bomb. So, nothing is bad; it is just the way you handle it.
For most people, when you don't have enlightenment to go with it as well, and the whole society tells you that sex is sinful on top of it, psychologically, physically, mentally, and emotionally, you feel guilty. That is bad for your relationship. That is how relationships go wrong. People condemn sex too much in the society, and on the other hand, they don't explain and they don't program people into accepting sex as a part of life or part of the relationship. Then from the psychological effect alone from the society, from the moral standards from your background, you feel already off balance and guilty and that's why you struggle within yourself. You can't handle it. Also, the sexual energy is very strong; it's almost like samadhi. For mortal people, it is just too much for them.
Q: So how should we handle it then if it seems like it's too much for us?
M: You have to understand the nature of sexual energy. But to understand is one thing and to accept it is another, because we have been brainwashed for thousands of years that sex is bad. I can't even change that. If I go out and preach to everyone that sex is good, sex is okay, they would kill me. [Laughter] So all I can do is tell you to take it easy, reduce it; slow it down if you can, if you want to and if that makes you feel good. If you can't handle it, then the only thing is to reduce it or cut it off until you're strong enough and can decide what to do. And if you want to experience the fire, then you have to take the consequences. Even if I sit here and tell you sex is not sinful or it is okay, you still cannot accept it. Even if you trust me, your mind cannot accept it so quickly.
You see, nothing is really bad; it's just the way we are programmed. For example, I say to you, "Don't gamble." Many of you probably wonder, "Why? It's harmless. You just play a few paper cards and bet one or two dollars. What harm can it be?" It is no harm, but it's the side effects. Sometimes you lose, you become a bad loser, or the other person loses, he becomes a bad loser, and this produces a bad energy between each other. You lose a friend and hate each other, and things like that create bad energy, negative energy that you have to bear. You feel choked, you feel pressured. And if it comes to the worse case, you'll be addicted if you win. If you lose, you'd want to regain it. If you win, you want to continue. It's the human mind. It keeps training and training, and after a while, you get used to gambling and you want more. You go to bigger places and you might lose bigger time. Then you hurt yourself - you lose your job, you lose your family, you might sell your wife and kids, even. Some people do that. You see, it is the side effect that is bad. It is not truly gambling that is bad.
Suppose I sit here and do some gambling - would you think that I'm very bad or sinful? No. It might not be so because it means nothing to me. I could play the whole night, I could play my whole life, and it wouldn't mean anything to me. It would not affect me at all. I would not sell you to make more money. But for most people, they can't handle it - just like sex, they can't handle it. They are too weak for these powerful addictions. Like cigarettes - you smoke one, tomorrow two, next day you have the whole package, and then you can't quit. Or alcohol - how many people start with one glass? That's all they start with, even half a glass, or even a sip. Cocaine, anything, is the same. They start with this much, and that's how it grows into trouble. That is why I say stay away from them, even though I do not condemn anything. I know the soul chooses its own path, but whatever you have chosen, whatever you want to choose, you have to know the consequences and choose wisely. If you want to go Home quicker, if you decided that this time you want to go Home, stay away from these distractions. It costs you too much, mentally.
Do you know why you're so good? Because you are me. (Applause) We get on fabulously well because we're one.
The nature of the soul is not that I am here and I have one soul in here. It's not like that. My soul is bigger than just in here. It might be all over here. (Master makes a gesture encompassing the area of the room.) It might be all me, but it looks different. It's not like God is one and everyone is one with God. It's not in that sense. It's in the sense that one individual can have a great soul that encompasses many so-called bodies. So we can happen to identify just like we are each other.
Just like sometimes there are two persons, but they think exactly the same thing at the same moment. That's because that is one soul, not because they are one with God or they are one with each other. But they are one soul, just like twins or soul mates. A soul mate doesn't mean only one; it can mean a lot. Because some great souls encompass many other beings for their own purpose. Therefore, we feel like brothers and sisters; we feel like one. Sometimes you feel very good with your sister or your brother, your mother or your father because that's you! You make it become family, but it's only one: one soul and many individuals. (Applause)
That's why sometimes we say, "I have affinity with that person." Or, "She's my soul mate; he's my soul mate." Because it's you; it's really you. I mean that's your individual soul group, in one soul. Apart from being one with God and one with everyone else, we also have the individual soul, which can house many big groups of people as just one soul. But it looks different.
Thus sometimes we feel so good with a group of people. And the more we're with them, the more we feel strengthened because we're at home with ourselves. We're together, and we're at peace together. It's no wonder; no wonder we work so well! Can you imagine you are me? (Laughter)
Q: Is it appropriate for practitioners of the Quan Yin Method to learn chi kung to heal people, or on the other hand, to receive therapy from a chi kung practitioner?
A: Our practice will not be affected if we learn chi kung to strengthen our physique only, for example, tai chi chuan, etc. Generally speaking, the so-called "chi kung," which supposedly cures illness, uses the intervention of outside spirits to generate some supernatural power that can cure diseases by stimulating the acupuncture points and by transmitting the chi. This kind of therapy, which belongs to magical powers, originates from our acts, speech and mind; thus, it will chain us within the three realms and keep us from liberation.
As a matter of fact, all kinds of spiritual energy already exist within us and there is no need to look for them outwardly. We, the practitioners of the Quan Yin Method, are searching within ourselves for the greatest, most primary, underlying Power, the most natural life-saving Power, in order to cure our disease of ignorance, which causes us to transmigrate life after life in the cycle of birth, old age, illness, and death. Therefore, there is no need for us to use those magical powers for healing illnesses, which inevitably will recur tomorrow or soon after being cured.
If we accept the therapy of these chi kung practitioners who permit the intervention of outside spirits and absorb the karma of other people, of course, we will be affected by their atmosphere, more or less. Because advanced practitioners are more sensitive, they will be affected to a greater extent. Master always reminds fellow disciples to silently recite the Holy Names at all times in order to protect the purity of their own magnetic field, and at the same time benefit other sentient beings.
Nowadays, some so-called doctors are still very inclined to the old theory that people need meat to survive. But you can find plenty of books using research from other scientific work, and many other doctors who say that meat protein is harmful, toxic and bad for the body. And they have proven a thousand and one percent of it. So don't listen to one theory alone and be convinced about it. We don't need a meat diet, not at all. No one needs it. Actually, many people are cured of sickness after beginning a vegetarian diet. Is that courageous enough instead of listening to the other theory? We can be hypnotized into believing in one type of theory and convince ourselves of that theory, and then believe that meat is essential to us. But it's not true.
Q: Is it possible to have a balance in life by having the yang and the yin, the good the bad, the suffering?
M: Yes, sure. Now we have to do it, because we live in this world. It's too late to say, "I can avoid it altogether," so we have to accept suffering as a part of our yin-yang, balance of positive and negative. But nevertheless, we don't sow more for the future, first. Second, we don't sow suffering for our neighbors. Also, we will minimize the results of our past actions by adding more strength of the positive spirit into our daily lives through meditation, by thinking of God the right way. Everything has a way, actually.
Q: Do You believe in the anima and the animus - the male spirit and the female spirit - within each of us, and having a harmony and balance therein?
M: That's what we call positive and negative forces. Yes, the female is supposed to be a negative force. Whatever is weak, slow or kind of inert, we call negative. The other, a little bit kind of outgoing and strong, we call it positive. Many people call it different names, like creative power; that is also called negative, actually. But then it has side effects because when you are created then you're supposed to be demolished one day. But in the whole, when they're both balanced, then we are in equilibrium with the universe, in harmony; and we don't have much suffering.
Pearls of Wisdom Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Phnom Pehn, Cambodia, May 11, 1996, (Originally in English)
There are only two choices, the positive and the negative. If the positive doesn't act, then the negative will come. If we don't use our positive thinking and power, then there's only one other choice. When the time comes, we will use the negative because the chance has passed. Then, the more we use the negative, the more we get used to it, and we will never do anything else except keep using it again, again and again. We will never get out of it. That's what we call the "wheel of transmigration", because we keep running inside that circle again, again, and again.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai New Jersey Center, U.S.A., June 24, 1992 (Originally in English)
We also have a destroying nature inside us. Depending on each person, the destructive tendency is higher or lower. But try to control it, otherwise, you will carry on the whole time with your destructive spirit, and that's very negative. We have both negative and positive inside, but we only use the negative when necessary. It's not that I'm saying we can't use it, because, a negative power, when you use it in the right place, is very good.
Just like the children at home, you're always positive with them, encouraging them, loving them, and telling them all good things. But when they're too naughty, when they try to be stubborn, are not obedient enough, and do wrong things - harm other people or the neighbors, then you have to use a so-called negative attitude; but actually in that case, it's positive.
You have to scold them, or maybe punish them lightly, like they have to kneel, stay at home when you go out, or you cut down on some of their enjoyments, pocket money, or whatever. These look negative because parents are always supposed to be loving, forgiving, smooth and soft-spoken. So, why punish the children? But they deserve it; they have to be punished, otherwise, they can't turn to the positive.
That's when the negative power is for a useful purpose. Don't always say that the negative can't be used or the positive has to be used all the time. If you use positive power or a positive attitude in the wrong way, it becomes negative. For example, your child is very naughty - you have given him everything already, but he goes out to steal just for fun or because he associates with bad guys; or he gets on drugs, and goes out and breaks into people's cars, and you tell him, but he doesn't change. If you still keep rewarding him, loving him, forgiving him, then you are negative. Then your attitude is negative. You're spoiling him, you're harming him, you're harming his future, because one day the police or the neighbors will catch him, or another stronger guy will hit him, break his bones, break everything of his future, and your heart as well. In that case, your positive attitude is absolutely negative.
So, we have to understand this Yin-Yang nature, and make use of both accordingly - not dislike one and cling to the other, but know how to use them. That's the art of living; that is wisdom. Otherwise, how else can we survive in this world with ourselves and our loved ones? There has to be some limit. It's the same with me; so don't always expect me to give you candy and smile all the time. I have to do some of my negative work, and turn it into positive, turn these negative people into positive. Otherwise, you'll never grow up.
Q: I had an experience a couple of weeks ago when I was meditating. I fell forward and I kind of surrendered to that great Power. I saw myself coming out of my body, but this way - down, down this way. I just wonder if that kind of leaving from the body takes me to the lower realms, if I go down instead of coming up?
M: It's just your feeling; there's no down and no up in that dimension. But did you feel good afterwards?
Q: Yes, but at that time, it was quite frightening. Fast speed, and it was like going through a tunnel.
M: You went through the transmigration tunnel. You were dead for that moment; that's why. You came back to life. That's what real "resurrection" is. It's good. No problem. Don't worry about it.
True renunciation is renunciation in the heart. For one can also convey the gospel of "liberation in one lifetime" to people around the world, to those who are suffering, so that they can achieve self-realization. Whether we become monastic practitioners or remain lay spiritual practitioners, whatever work we do, or even if we work in a factory, we can still convey the message of the Truth among our colleagues. Look at my clothes; they don't look like monastic robes. As long as your hearts are not attached, you don't look like lay people either.
Therefore, it doesn't matter whether you take a monastic vow or not! The main point is that you're able to progress in your spiritual practice, are happy and free in both body and soul, and also are able to help others enjoy this bliss. That's our goal. Our goal is not to join the monastic order, but to bring happiness to others. That's how we should be, no matter where we are or what the situation is.
I don't mean that it's no good for you to become a renunciate. This ideal is good and noble, and I approve of it. It's just that the situation is not viable for some people. Even if you haven't shaved your heads and you wear layman's clothes, but your hearts are unoccupied and free, then that's true liberation. We should not be attached to outer appearances.
Q: What You think about the combination of aggressiveness and the fact of being an initiate. If you are obliged to be very aggressive in your profession for instance, if you have to defend other colleagues or make negotiations with the government, and so on, you are obliged to be aggressive to defend the people. After that, you sometimes feel very wrong because you say, "Okay, I am an initiate. All this day I was very aggressive, it was bad." But I am aggressive for the good things, to defend people. So, is that compatible with the initiate's philosophy?
M: If you have to work in the world, sometimes it's unavoidable in some situations to be kind of more "go-getting" or you can say "aggressive," but we can't help it. Sometimes people do not take sweetness for an answer; they do not take a reasonable attitude for a kind of friendship or nobility. They take it as a weakness. They like to meet people who are more forceful, who are straighter to the point, and are not afraid in anything. So, in that case, you have to use the weapon that they demand.
We are spiritual practitioners. That doesn't mean we always have to use only one kind of weapon or one kind of attitude. It would be like a one-way street! The worldly people need a lot of streets and a lot of ways to go here and there; you cannot just use a one-way street forever. So, aggressiveness or sweetness you have to use accordingly.
Do not blame yourself. Whatever you use for success is all right as long as you don't harm the opponents by your hatred, by your real vicious intention to damage other people's reputation, wealth or position. You have to do what you have to do in order to attain what your job demands, and that is your duty, no problem. Just like when we have children, sometimes the children are bad and we have to use some kinds of authoritative measures to deal with them in order to put them back into line.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Only when we are empty can God then fill us with wisdom and love. If we are still somebody, if we still have something, we cannot become completely empty, and we cannot hold all the God Power that wants to fill us.
What you should be detached from is the attachment to power and fame, and not be detached from power and fame themselves.
Q: I'm a student, and I've lost my motivation and ability to concentrate. How can I get this back? With the Quan Yin Method maybe? I can't really start with my studies yet, and am suffering very much. Only You, Supreme Master Ching Hai, can help me and other students as well.
M: When you start to grow up in your teenage life, there will be many distractions. That's why it's difficult for you to concentrate. But you can also practice a little bit of meditation. If you want the Quan Yin Method, that's fine. If you don't, then you can practice a simple method of concentration to help you. Also, try not to watch too many distracting movies. And try not to look around at beautiful women or handsome men too much.
After you finish your studies, of course you can do anything you want. Think of your parents and your benefactor, who have worked very hard to pay for your studies, and try to fulfill your obligations. Because the student time of your life is actually the best time; and later you will regret it. Tell yourself you must finish the studies in front of you first, and everything else will come later. Be determined to finish.
A: Before we started to practice or if we do not practice well, we cannot fully understand the cause of the karma; then, of course, we will be affected by the karma of the other person if we get involved. It is like trying to save someone from drowning when we cannot swim ourselves. It is dangerous for both of us.
However, if we see other people in distress, we should be obliged to lend a helping hand without pondering whether we are getting involved or not. There will not be any problems as long as we are clear within our minds that it is not "I" who is helping others, but that we are just the tools of God Almighty, without ego and without thought of any reward.
Q: I want to ask you about soul mates. Is it necessary to contact one's soul mate, and if so, what happens?
M: In this life, if it's necessary, then it's necessary. If it's not necessary, then it's not necessary. You'll know. We have plenty of soul mates really, not just one. It's just that our paths don't always cross because it's not necessary.
There are many ghost stories in China from earlier times; for example, Liao Zhai Zhi Yi (Tales of Fox Fairies and Ghosts, a book of Chinese ghost stories), and so on. Some of the ghost stories are not completely fictional; there is some truth in them. Because the human psyche is funny; it can create a lot of things. That's why people can have psychic power.
It is said that, in Tibet you can practice devotion to a kind of deity. And then one day you will see the deity appear as a real person; you can create it. If you don't have a deity that you already like, you can create one in your mind - as a deity, a monk, a woman and so on. After a long period of practice, these imaginary personages will become real. And each has a reality and a personality of his or her own. And sometimes if you're not powerful enough to control this created apparition, it will even harm you.
Similar to ghost stories, many things happen in our life because of our mind. So if people say, "Everything comes from the mind," it means that our thinking affects our living standards and everything around us. If you think the flu is contagious, you should know that the thought process is even more contagious than that.
But there's no need for harm. Besides reciting the Holy Names, you can pray to God, meditate and think all the time of the good side of things. You must check your psychological lifestyle as well, such as being too obsessed with some kind of idea. For example, if your body is very healthy, and you live in an environment that is always propagating or encouraging people to have intercourse with the opposite sex, then the cells in the body will sometimes listen to that message.
So you have to keep your mind at a different level (Master points to the wisdom eye) and tell the cells the opposite. If you can't do that, then sometimes the bodily demands are greater than your mental ability to control them. And then sometimes you see a ghost appear to you, like a beautiful lady in your dreams or not in your dreams, making more trouble for you. In that case, you should know that this is a psychological apparition. It's not real.
So in that case, if you want to deal with this kind of ghost, you can ask something that he cannot answer. Anything you think in your head, the ghost will know, because he is you. So make sure it's something that's puzzling. For example, if the ghost comes again, you can hold a handful of rice in your hand and ask him, "How many grains are inside?" and surely he can never answer; then he will disappear. In that case, you'll know it's your own psychological apparition that appeared to you because you suppress yourself too much. So try not to suppress yourself so much. Get married, or do something legal. (Master and everyone laugh.) So you don't have to make trouble for yourself and invite a ghost.
We have to check our thought processes. It's not the action alone that counts; it's the thought inside. For example, sometimes you hug someone, and if you love him or her, they will feel different than when you just hug out of social etiquette, like, "Yes, hello, how are you?" And the other person freezes. So similarly, with the family relationship or husband and wife, don't think that you can cheat on her and she doesn't know it. She feels it. And there will be turmoil in the family; you just won't know why. You think that she doesn't know anything, that she's become moody these days or she's become lousy. It's not true. Inside, the knowledge is transmitted through space, through time, and is recorded.
Everything is recorded. It's funny how we think that we're alone all the time. We're not alone. Everything is recorded and transmitted. For example, television and radio or CDs - they're nothing, just pieces of metal and plastic with everything recorded on them! How can the ether or God power not be able to record an even finer version than that?
So we should be aware all the time of the naked visibility of our inner thinking, not to mention our actions, which are coarser and more visible. That's why we must always try to keep our thoughts, speech and actions as pure as we can control them. Because we'll affect the next person.
Q: Does the blessed Virgin exist? I come from Ireland, which is supposed to be quite a religious country. She is supposed to have appeared in Ireland and Lourdes. A lot of people believe in her existence and power. I was just wondering what is Your opinion?
M: When people see an apparition, because they are in a Catholic country or a Christian country, they presume that it is the Virgin Mary. Nevertheless, She can also exist, and why not? The Virgin Mary does not actually have to be a person. It is a power of the Universe, or maybe an angel that can also assume the appearance of the Virgin Mary to bless people. Maybe the kids or the people who saw that vision were pure at heart, and were praying with sincerity, so the angel, the spiritual inner Master, or whoever, took pity on them and appeared to comfort them, to bring them happiness, or to bless them. It is just like when you meditate sometimes you see Jesus, Buddha, and all that.
That happens, but the thing is that it is rare. You can see how rare it is in the religious world when just one or two see the Virgin Mary here and there. We see that a lot here in our group, but because the children, or whoever saw the vision over there, they thought that the Virgin Mary appeared there, but it is not true. We can see the Virgin Mary anywhere - even in our own home. Some of our meditation practitioners see Her or Jesus or Buddha, but that doesn't mean They appeared there. It is because you went into a different dimension and saw them at that time. But of course, the children could not explain that because they did not even know how to explain it or whoever saw that did not have much spiritual experience. They were just blessed with the vision once or twice.
Because you come to my school and I explain it to you, when you see that, you know what it is. You can even bring that vision back again because you know how. So, you see how rare it is? A person of Christian faith saw Mary in Lourdes, and everyone in the whole world flocks over there because it is so rare for Christian people to see Her or for Her to appear in Ireland or anywhere. So far, I have heard that She has appeared in only three or four places in the whole world. Do you know how many millions of Christian faithful there are on this planet? And only a few, three or four, have seen Her. That's how rare it is. And here we take it for granted that we see Jesus - no big deal. This is a proof also because it is so rare.
In this age of much trouble and disaster, we also have great hope, because God has ordained many saints to come to our world. ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Pusan, Korea, May 15, 1993 (Originally in English)
The world is a big house and we have many rooms. Because we are very busy with our daily lives, we do not have much chance to see each other, but if everyone in this world realized that we are all brothers and sisters, then there would not be any discrimination and war.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Costa Rica, February 9, 1991 (Originally in English)
I hope that one day the world will be without frontiers, so that neighbors can come and go to neighboring countries, have a cup of tea, drink a cup of coffee, talk together, and go back home on the same day or in the same week without any problems about documents, without any trouble, without any interference from policemen, and all kinds of terrible bureaucracy. There should never be any refugees at all, let alone people refusing them. Every person should have the right to travel where he or she wants, and to make a living where it is suitable and favorable to his or her condition.
Until that day, our world will remain in suffering, conflict and war. We should not bother to ask ourselves why. The reason is very obvious. It's because we are possessive. We think, "This is mine, this is ours, this belongs to us." We have forgotten to whom all these things belong. We have forgotten that God is the only King, and we do not act according to the rules of this almighty King. We never think in this life. Everyone just takes care of him or herself. Even if people have too much to eat and too much to drink, they don't give it to their neighbors in need. Therefore, war is inevitable.
Q: A person knows nothing before he is born. After birth, because of having the brain, there is consciousness. After a person dies, he should also know nothing. Why is it that there is still a world of eternal happiness for him to go to?
M: Why do you say that you know nothing before birth? If you didn't know anything before birth, how did you know that you could live for nine months in your mother's womb? Why did you not go up to the roof of the house to live for nine months? You must have known, is that not so?
If you didn't know, how come you cried immediately after birth? You also knew that you wanted to eat. It is not that only when we are born do we have consciousness. We have it when we are still inside. It is because of this knowing that we come into this world. Otherwise, we would have run to the roof, the concrete floor, or inside the house.
Before He was born, Shakyamuni Buddha already knew; therefore, He walked seven steps when He was born and said, "Above and beneath the heavens, I am the only Supreme." However, He forgot about it as He grew up. It took thirty years before He woke up again. We are the same. Before birth we have consciousness already. It is not that we know nothing. It is after birth that we start to know nothing. If we knew only after we were born, then we would not have forgotten the past, present and future. However, we all forgot after we were born! Therefore, we should say we become "know nothings" after birth. This is the correct way to say it.
Aphorisms ~ The Supreme Master Ching Hai
The more you use your inner wisdom, the more you know that you know.
We have to concentrate on everything we do; otherwise, we might have an uneasy conscience, which will bring forth a negative aura. And then, even if Master doesn't blame us, other people will. We'll then be baffled and wonder, "Why am I always scolded?" It's because our own atmosphere is not good, and this makes other people uncomfortable. Our aura is invisible, but spiritual practitioners can see it with their wisdom eyes, and their wisdom can perceive it. So we cannot cheat anyone! After being scolded, our first reaction is usually to be angry with the person who has scolded us and to feel resentful toward him, or we may feel unhappy with Master instead of examining our own behavior, motivation, and heart.
When we are reproached by anyone, we should examine ourselves at once. If we know that our motive is very simple and pure, we should know it is all right. At that time, we will feel at ease; if we find that we have done something wrong, we should retrospect on ourselves. Don't blame others all the time. When anyone rebukes us, if what he says is correct, then he can be our teacher; if what he says is incorrect, we can just consider it our karma (laughter). That's the simplest way to deal with it. What else can we do? When we live with other people, we can hardly avoid friction sometimes, due to our different characters, levels of spiritual practice, or karma from past lives. Therefore, we cannot expect everything to go smoothly every day.
This world is very fair. You don't have to worry that your merits or sincerity are overlooked because we know it ourselves! We are God; we have God inside. Why should we worry that others don't know it? Didn't you say you have a hundred percent faith in Master? Do have faith in yourself as well! God is within us. It's also said that Master is omnipresent. Then, why should you feel anxious that others do not know, and compete for credit or show off? We have to be honest with ourselves all the time, and be simple and pure in doing everything without being contaminated by any purpose at all. As a result, we'll find that we're more and more liked by people, and Master will also notice us.
It is best if we do things with truly unconditional devotion, in order to offer our services, and then we'll have everything. In the past, when I stayed at others' ashrams, I wasn't attached to seeing the masters all the time; nor did I demand that they glimpse me or anything else. I just offered my services: cleaning the staircase, mopping the floor, watering the plants, etc. I just did the work that no one wanted to do, especially washing dishes, which was the least desirable job. After people cooked meals and ate a lot, the bowls and chopsticks were left there like a mountain. I washed them every day, and was very happy. It ends up now that there're people who wash dishes, clean the staircase and mop the floor for me.
So, don't expect anything; just serve. God will arrange our fate. We shouldn't expect too much. We practice spiritually in order to be liberated from our desires for fame and fortune, and our competitive mentality. If we can't be liberated now, when will we be able to? If we cannot see Heaven while living, how can we see it after we leave this world? We won't be able to get used to it! (Master and audience laugh.) Because when we get used to something, it's hard to change, and our habits come back to us, and then we struggle.
Whatever we do, if we have a clear, calm conscience, that's correct. You don't have to ask Master, nor should you do it for anyone. After we do it for a long time and get used to it, it will naturally become second nature to us, and we will sense and know what we should do. We will do whatever work is left undone. By that time, we won't dislike any work. What you're doing now is public service work, all of which I have done before. It's no big deal. No work is menial. Before I had so many disciples, I also mixed cement, built centers for disciples to live in, built toilets for disciples to use, etc. There was nothing I couldn't do. Just because there're so many of you now, and you have enough talents, I just let you do the work! Even if I did it myself, you would feel sad, right? (Audience: Yes.) There're many "heroes" among you, who must be eager to protect and help me maintain my figure! (Laughter)
Of course, there's no interest or pay for the work we do, but we have glory, we have honor. It's an honor to serve people, to serve sentient beings, and to serve our fellow practitioners. That's our highest award. Otherwise, it's easy to obtain worldly fame and wealth; as long as we work hard, we can get it. It is just that this work is a kind of glory. We do not work for reward or to win Master's favor. It would be a kind of bribery if we had that kind of motive. We should work because we are willing to do it ourselves and we enjoy doing it; that's the highest prize. There's no need to expect anything else. It's the same case with Master. Not many people in the universe can do my job, but I can. That makes me feel good! Even though I'm not very willing to do it, it's all right. I just do it; why should I expect any blessing from it? (Applause)