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