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The Pure-Tranquil-Ocean Bodhisattvas

2009-01-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

There are many grades of Bodhisattvas: First Grade, Second Grade ... Eighth Grade to Tenth Grade Bodhisattvas, and also the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas. Mahasattvas are Bodhisattvas of the highest grade - the bosses of all Bodhisattvas.
However, there is another kind of Bodhisattva who does not seem to save people. We revere them as Pure-Tranquil-Ocean Bodhisattvas. Their merits are as vast as the ocean - very pure and tranquil, so they are the Pure-Tranquil-Ocean Bodhisattvas. Their power is like the ocean and they work in absolute silence. Like pure water, no one can perceive their existence, though we are still aware of the manifestation form of the Bodhisattvas. The Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas are superior to the Mahasattvas.
In the universe, there are many levels waiting for us to attain, and many positions for us to achieve. Therefore, being new to the practice, there is nothing we can be proud of. Possessing only trivial magical powers, some people boast arrogantly. What is the use of knowing a little bit about the past, present and future? Even if we know that the world will be destroyed tomorrow, we cannot change anything. As well, during the time between now and tomorrow, we would be extremely frightened, and wouldn't be able to sleep or eat. For those who do not know that the world will end tomorrow, at least they can sleep sweetly and enjoy twenty-four hours more of peaceful time.
Therefore, it is really useless to know about the past, present and future. To pave our future, we should begin with our present actions. In our daily life, endeavor to be a moral person, clearly observe the Five Precepts that I taught you: do not kill, do not steal, refrain from sexual misconduct, do not lie, and do not consume alcohol. It is enough to keep these Five Precepts strictly; no need to talk about too many commandments. Should you be able to keep the Five Precepts clearly, it doesn't matter even if you don't believe in me, do not practice the Quan Yin Method, or do not want liberation from birth and death. Even though you don't believe in me, you still have to be a good person, and keep the Five Precepts well; so that at least you can come back again as a human. Otherwise, there is no other way.
I have never taught you any bad things. You may not believe in me -- the person, but you should believe in my teachings. I only teach you good things. It is simple if you want to be a human being. Simply keep the Five Precepts strictly, then you won't have any trouble. By strictly observing the Five Precepts, even though you do not practice the Quan Yin Method, you can still be a human being. Otherwise, it is not easy to get the human body again.
The human body is very precious, without which we would not have the six sense-organs and the six senses, which are essential for our spiritual practice. Of course, we know the six sense-organs and the six senses are the most disgusting obstacles, but we must also use them in our spiritual practice. We cannot pursue spiritual practice without them. Understand? Truly, we don't need the ears to hear the inner sound, but how can we listen without ears? The visions in meditation are also not observed with the eyes; but without this body, we also cannot perceive, cannot see the Buddha's world. We would be ignorant about heaven or hell, or the Western Paradise. Therefore, the human body is very precious.
It is easy if you don't wish to become a human; it is only difficult if you wish to become one. However, it is even more difficult to become a Buddha. It is difficult enough just to become an ordinary Bodhisattva; but to become a Pure-Tranquil-Ocean Bodhisattva, there are many more ordeals. To become a "Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattva" -- a formless, supreme Bodhisattva, one must go through innumerable inconceivable, indescribable and severe tests, which are extremely difficult to pass. We may have transmigrated into this world millions of times, yet we have never heard of such severe tests; we could never hear of them.
If we have read extensively, we would have read about the great spiritual practitioners of the past, about the ordeals and painful sufferings encountered on their spiritual path. However, even the most outstanding and painful ordeals could not match those suffered by the Pure-Tranquil-Ocean Bodhisattvas, both in frequency and intensity.
The Pure-Tranquil-Ocean Bodhisattvas are almost the same as the Buddha, except that the Buddha is "inactive" while the Pure-Tranquil-Ocean Bodhisattvas are "active." They travel the universe taking good care of it, and keeping it in good order. Their responsibility is to take care of the universe, while that of the Mahasattvas is to save human souls and bring them home. Whoever wishes to go to the Western Paradise should study under the Mahasattvas. They manifest themselves in this world to save people and bring their souls back to their homeland -- the Heavenly Kingdom, the Western Pureland.
You often chant the names of the Pure-Tranquil-Ocean Bodhisattvas, but without knowing who they are. Even if they'd appear before your eyes, you would not know. Only the Mahasattvas know who are the Pure-Tranquil-Ocean Bodhisattvas. Ordinary people could not possibly know, because they do not wish to reveal their level and power. They look very ordinary, very commonplace, more ordinary than any person. Even when they are in this world, no one knows that they are Bodhisattvas. They absolutely refrain from showing any magical power, and simply work silently, totally unnoticed by ordinary humans.
The work of the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas is different from that of the Mahasattvas. They absolutely refrain from intervening with people's karma, while the Mahasattvas do. They can save a person from hell and take him to heaven; or take any person, heavily burdened with karma, to the Western Paradise. In the same situations, the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas just observe on one side without taking any action. Their work is to take care of the functioning of the universe and maintain the existence of the universe. They don't save people. You may be starving to death or are being roasted by hell-fire, they are simply oblivious. To us, the ordinary humans, the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas may seem very cruel and remote; but they are not. It is only due to the different nature of their work.
However, it is not simple to become a Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattva; I don't think you can pass the trials. To become a Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattva, the training system that one must go through is extremely strict and severe. This agonizing training process cannot be described in words, and is totally unheard of and inconceivable by ordinary humans. Just like in the army, there are various types of training: infantry, navy, air force, spy, and the most risky--special task force. Trained even to kill enemies face to face, the training of the special task force is the most arduous. Right?
To become Bodhisattvas, different training is also required to attain different grades. Therefore, to become Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas, extremely arduous practice is required. Arduous practice alone does not make one a Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattva, but it is essential to go through the most bitter training. Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas are specially selected; we cannot become one just by wishing. Any spiritual practitioner who has not surpassed the three realms, has no hope of being selected.
All the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas are selected in the fifth realm. No one can become a Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattva within the three realms, as we still have to transmigrate. Our lessons in this world still have not been learned, so we won't be picked to undergo the most severe training. One must first become a Bodhisattva of the fifth realm, and be willing to become a Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattva, before one is qualified for selection. However, once selected, one has to undergo the most severe training, which is even more painful and severe than the system in hell.
There are many levels in spiritual practice, and the road of cultivation is very long. Therefore, as a new practitioner, one should not boast and exaggerate. I tell you not to reveal your experiences to others for your own good, not for me. You can tell the whole country if you like, I will not be affected. You only hurt yourself by divulging your own treasures.
So, practice in silence; because we have to protect our level, and climb slowly to become Buddhas, Mahasattvas, and superior Bodhisattvas. If a new practitioner has some magical power, and goes out to advertise himself because he is not stable within, you should know this kind of person is unreliable. Upon seeing these people, an attained spiritual practitioner can tell that they are experiencing obstacles -- suffering from the "Zen Symptom" we often mention. People not suffering from the "Zen Symptom" will not go out bragging.
spiritual practitioners should be humble. The higher their level, the more humble they are and the more they fear that people may detect their level and power. Some people are still okay in the initial stages of their practice. However, after attaining a trivial level and having some experiences, they brag everywhere. They talk so much that they run into many evil obstacles. The higher their level, the more evil obstacles there will be.
Therefore, the most terrible mistake in spiritual practice is talking about experiences. Having talked too much, the experiences become distorted in nature, or they simply do not come anymore, leaving only illusions. It is because the concentrated power is wasted, and the spiritual ambience is damaged. Originally, the spiritual ambience is a protective wall. However, as one leaks out too much, the devil will dig a hole in it and enter. In spiritual practice, we dread boasting and arrogant attitudes. The prouder one is, the greater his trouble.
I also know that it is not very easy for a spiritual practitioner to believe in a master. Therefore, if you do not believe in me, it is not your fault. It is due to the atmosphere of this final stage of the Dharma. This is why the present era is called the final stage of the Dharma.
spiritual practice is indeed not easy. It is said in the Surangama Sutra: In the final stage of Dharma, if a person is truly sincere in his practice, though he might have only practiced a little, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will come and render great help to him. Unfortunately, few people have the sincerity and faith for serious practice. Most of them choose the easier and more relaxed way, reluctant to take the difficult and austere path. To practice our method, one has to be a vegetarian and meditate for at least two and a half hours each day. Besides, we are forbidden to kill, lie, commit sexual misconduct, steal and consume alcohol. To most people, this is too strict and arduous.
Even in this world, if one wishes to get a Ph.D -- become a doctor or lawyer, or to earn prestige in society, one must study assiduously. Isn't it true? Naturally, it must be more arduous for those who wish to become a Buddha or Bodhisattva, and be liberated from life and death in one lifetime.
In this final stage of the Dharma, for a little bit of our sincerity, the Buddha and Bodhisattvas will help us a lot. This is really great. Otherwise, your two and a half hours meditation is nothing really! Shakyamuni Buddha meditated all day long. Many people meditate for ten to twenty hours without gaining anything. If the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas did not help us with their power, we would get nowhere in our practice.
Actually, spiritual practice is not really so bitter; it is more difficult to eliminate the arrogance, and even more difficult to keep this big mouth from leaking. Arrogance and exaggeration are the most difficult to rectify. Practitioners who do not have much experience or progress in their practice are mainly hindered by their arrogance. They talk too much. They are still new to the practice, yet they talk so much.
Shakyamuni Buddha also forbade His disciples to brag. Maudgalaputra possessed magical power, but the Buddha forbade him to use it. I also give you the same advice. As you practice, magical powers naturally come, but you must not boast about them. If you have the power to read minds, better not to let anyone know. Otherwise, people will be afraid of you, fearing that you will read their mind whenever they come to see you. Then, no one would dare to come to see you. Right?
Should you possess other powers like "heavenly legs" or "heavenly eyes," keep it a secret too. Other people may harm us if they know about it. There are no advantages. Some people would be jealous, as they would hate us for being higher than them. If we talked about something that they dislike, they would think of ways to harm us with black magic. Just like Maudgalaputra. He loved using magical power, but eventually he was harmed by heretics with black magic.
Therefore, I have kept advising you and warning you not to reveal your spiritual level to others. Nevertheless, some people still cannot remove this shortcoming. Being part of their personality, it is very difficult to change them, and this causes great troubles. If we notice this type of person, better keep away from him, and do not listen to his words. Otherwise, you will be infected, as with an infectious disease.
When we live with a person with evil obstacles--you don't even have to live with them, just by sitting close to them, you are already infected with half his problem. When you go to visit a patient -- mix around and have contact with him, half his illness has passed to you. You have to accept half his karma. Otherwise, why do the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, when they manifest and come to this world, become ordinary humans after they are born? They first become ordinary humans, and then practice to become Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. Although they are manifestations of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, they will still be contaminated by the world if they do not pursue spiritual practice.

Take Shakyamuni Buddha for example; you all know that He was the Prabhapala Mahasattva descending from the Tusita Heaven. His mission was to save the people on Earth. However, for thirty years after He was born, He didn't do anything to benefit sentient beings. He was a prince who didn't have to work, only enjoyed worldly pleasures everyday -- having no idea about spiritual practice.
When He was born, He could walk seven steps. Still aware of who He was, He said, "I am supreme, in heaven and on Earth." However, as He grew up, He also became ignorant, even more ignorant than ordinary people. Surrounded by so many pretty girls, He simply enjoyed the world everyday, and thought about nothing else. He was deliberately surrounded by a comfortable environment, badly pampered by His parents, and flattered by His subordinates. They kept Him from knowing any undesirable situations, and forbade anyone from reminding Him to pursue spiritual practice. Therefore, before He reached thirty, He was an ordinary human. He was the manifestation of a Mahasattva, and had attained Buddhahood long ago. Yet, when born in this world, He inevitably became an ordinary human.
Therefore, this world is really horrible. Without pursuing spiritual practice, even the one incarnated from a Buddha or Bodhisattva will definitely get lost. Therefore, under any circumstances, He must practice again.
You often ask me: "Doesn't every person have a Buddha-nature? Why are we still ordinary humans?" It is because, after coming to this world, we are "infected" and "delivered" by the ordinary humans. The world is just like an epidemic region. At first, only one person gets the disease. Soon it spreads to two or three persons. Then to more and more people, until the whole region is infected. Sometimes, all the people and even animals in a town are killed, not even a kitten or puppy can survive. So, infectious diseases are truly horrible.
Similarly, when the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas come to this world, they will also become ordinary humans if they do not pursue spiritual practice. Originally, we were all Buddhas, possessing a Buddha-nature. Then why are we not aware, and do not perceive it? It is because, we have been "delivered" by this world for a long time. Now that we have just begun to practice, how can we know immediately? However, through diligent practice, sooner or later we will become Bodhisattvas. "Those who practice will become Bodhisattvas; those who do not practice will become ordinary humans"--this logic is definite, and there is nothing else to be said.
You can see that even Shakyamuni Buddha took six years of practice to become a Buddha. Jesus Christ practiced for over a decade, and finally became a great Master. The Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng was already enlightened when he met the Fifth Patriarch Hong Ren, yet he had to hide himself and practiced for sixteen years, after the Fifth Patriarch Hong Ren had passed the Dharma to him. Bodhidharma did not deliver sentient beings during his time, because his power seemed insufficient still. (Master laughs.) No one listened to him, so he talked to the wall for nine years. I heard that because of his prolonged meditation, he could not walk afterwards. In later generations, we often saw his pictures portraying him walking--that was the image of his manifestation body for people to see.
The saying goes: "He who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and he who stays near ink gets stained black." Mixing with bad people, one will become evil; mixing with virtuous people, one will become virtuous; staying with learned people, one can learn something; staying with foolish people, one will also become an idiot. A person who speaks English fluently would also forget, if he has not spoken English for thirty years. To speak English one must practice everyday. If you stay with a non-English speaking person for a long time, later you cannot speak English, or cannot speak fluently.
Just like me, I do not speak Au Lac language very fluently now because I have not spoken it for a long time. I even have a problem with my English. (Laughter) However, there won't be any problem after I have stayed in the United States for a few days. However, if I carry on speaking Chinese everyday like this, thirty years later, perhaps I won't be able to speak English at all. So it is with spiritual practice. By staying with a certain type of person, you will eventually become like him. This is why one must be careful in choosing a real master in spiritual practice.
Now, do you still want to become Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas? (Someone answers: Yes.) Some people would immediately put on a long face just after a trivial scolding from me. How can they expect to become Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas this way? (Laughter) It is not simple to become this type of Bodhisattva. Once you have vowed to become a Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattva, you are in great trouble. Even an ordinary master has so many troubles, can you imagine those of the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas?
In this universe, besides the Buddha, the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas have the next highest status. The supreme position in the universe is the highest Buddha, the Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi. Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas are the second highest. They are above the laws of the universe. They go to heavens and hells just like we go to the markets to buy food. They go wherever they wish, and do whatever they like. Nothing else is more superior than they are because the highest Buddha is originally motionless -- the Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi is absolutely still. Therefore, in reality, the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas are the highest.
Q: May I ask, Master, is there only one Buddha?
M: No, the Buddha means the power. For instance, in England, the Queen is of course in the highest position; but she does nothing, and does not intervene in politics. She is only a symbol of the supreme position. However, Mrs. Thatcher is the most famous, and every country knows about her. Any person in the position of the Prime Minister is always the most famous. She is more well-known than the Queen. Everyone is afraid of her, and she can do whatever she wants. Of course, the position of the Queen is supreme, but not as powerful as the Prime Minister. Right? The Queen does not go from place to places, does nothing, and will not change any laws. However, the Prime Minister has to do everything. She is very stern, and is sometimes rejected by other people. For instance, Mrs. Thatcher is famous for being a stern Prime Minister. People call her the Iron Lady because she is very staunch in attitude, and has great power. Even the Queen of England can do nothing about her. She can only advise her, "Please don't be so stern, try to give in a little bit sometimes." However, she simply won't give in. Isn't it the case?
So are the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas. In this universe, they have the highest power. Be more diligent if you wish to become one. However, I am afraid you cannot endure the most severe training system. Therefore, take it slowly. Become a Bodhisattva first, then climb slowly. However, if you vow wholeheartedly, one day you will definitely become a Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas. We can become what we are determined to be--this is definite. But, it may not be realized so quickly -- perhaps in the next lifetime, or several lifetimes later. However, if you are willing, you may eventually succeed.
Q: Will the Pure-Tranquil-Ocean Bodhisattvas come to this world?
M: Yes! Why not? They are everywhere.
Q: Will they have karma when coming to this world? Will they also be infected by this world? (Laughter)
M: No, They won't have any karma, nor will they be infected by the world.
Q: Do they also come to this world with their manifestation bodies?
M: They are different from the manifestation bodies of the Mahasattvas. They are the law, and they possess all their powers -- fully equipped with magical powers, and can become whatever they want. Their magical power, their power and their authority are always there. They are different from ordinary Bodhisattvas.
Q: In this case, I would like to become a Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattva.
M: I know you want to be a Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattva, (laughter) but it is not that easy. Talk about it again when you have reached the fifth realm in your practice.
Q: May I ask, Master: do the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas have to go through the process of birth and growing up, when they come to this world?
M: It is not always necessary. They are different from ordinary Bodhisattvas.
Q: Do They come to the world only for their work?
M: Right! They come and go as they wish.
Q: But the ordinary Bodhisattvas must first be born when they come? Is that right?
M: Right! The ordinary ones must first go through birth, which the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas don't have to. They can transform themselves into anything they wish. Instantly, they can become a fly or a stone, but there is power within this stone or fly. Whatever they have transformed themselves into, they are fully aware that they are the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas. They vanish or come into being as they wish. They can transform themselves into a human or a dog as they prefer. However, this transformed dog is no ordinary dog, and is free of karma. When in the human form, they will not be infected with the karma from other people, nor will they be contaminated by the society. Whatever form they have taken, their consciousness is always fully awake. The Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas are at the highest position. If there is really a highest God, then they are only slightly lower than God. God is number one, they are number two. Understand?
Q: Where do the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas receive their training?
M: They are trained in the superior dimensions.
Q: Will They remain forever Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas, or will they eventually become Buddhas?
M: They are forever Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas. They can become Buddhas if they wish, but they don't have to.
Q: Master, You said the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas are absolutely apathetic to outer influences. Suppose a sentient being happened to meet the manifestation body of the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas, will they help him?
M: They won't help.
Q: Why?
M: It is because there are other Bodhisattvas doing that job!
Q: But They can still save people by the way!
M: Why should they save you? The Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas have no relationship with you. They take care of the whole universe, not only one or two persons, or groups. They are different from the Mahasattvas.
Q: If They found a dying person, would they save him?
M: How can they save him? If you are not a doctor, how can you heal patients when they come to you? They cannot do this type of work. They are too busy to care about matters concerning one or two persons, or even the whole world. They are very busy, extremely busy! They have no time to care about one or two persons.
Q: Would Master please illustrate with an example, the severe training that the Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas would have to undergo?
M: This cannot be described in words because there is no such training system in this world. (Laughter) I have just told you that this training is more severe and painful than in hell. It is beyond your imagination.
Q: How can there be such evil things in the superior worlds?
M: These are not evil things, but essential training.
Q: Can every person become a Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattva?
M: This is decided by their selection. Once you are picked, they will train you slowly.
Q: Who makes the decision?
M: The Pure-Tranquil Bodhisattvas do. They select whoever they want, and we won't know about it in advance. We only know after we have been selected, because we will have to go through certain ordeals or sufferings. However, you won't be picked while still in this world -- this I can assure you. (Laughter) Talk about it after you have reached the fifth realm. You can only possibly be selected, after you have surpassed the three realms.

Managing A Country And Pacifying The World Are Also Forms Of spiritual Practice

2009-01-14T04:59:00.000-08:00

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Hsihu Center, Formosa Sept. 10, 1995. (Originally in Chinese)

A Wise Person

Does Not Go To Extremes

Outer appearances do not necessarily reflect our inner level; it is most important to know whether our mind is pure and not wavering. Is that right? Therefore, Lao Tzu said: "Something that is too white will look unclear, and a person who is too virtuous will look flawed."

We may not be able to detect virtuous persons. Sometimes it is not very good if they go overboard. For instance, many ancient people, because of their blind loyalty to king and country, suffered greatly or even lost their precious lives. Too attached to their reputation of being clean, upright and virtuous, they sometimes went to extremes and hurt themselves without making any contributions to the country or society.

Take Bo Yi and Shu Qi for instance, why did they die of hunger? Only to protect their chaste reputations. Why did Qu Yuan jump into the river? Just to show his loyalty to a fatuous king. If it was a wise king, of course be loyal to him! You should protect him, support him, counsel him, and be loyal to him. However, one is a stupid fool to be faithful to a fatuous king. A loyal fool!

We spiritual practitioners must not go to extremes, or be too rigid. We should be flexible, and judge the situation with our wisdom to decide what to do. Sometimes, if we are too attached to reputation, to some virtuous aspects, or to a certain living style, then we are not really good spiritual practitioners, as we are short of wisdom. Rules, reputation and morals are there to protect people, instead of demanding people to protect them. Do you understand what I mean? (Audience: Understand.)

Many people were highly esteemed because they were loyal to their king and country, like Bo Yi, Shu Qi and Qu Yuan, but I feel that they were not that good because they had no wisdom. If it is not necessary, we should not harm ourselves, because the king is not the whole society. A fatuous king is not the entire nation and we should not limit our goals in life to him only. They did this perhaps because they regarded themselves too highly. If a stupid king won't listen to you then forsake him. Sometimes, you may also pretend to follow him, do things in his way, and then influence him later. Or, you may do good things in silence; do not present yourself as a very virtuous person. Who can stand you? The king is notorious while you have such a good reputation. Will he like you? (Audience laughs.) Will he listen to you? Will he spare you? Even if he spares you, he will not let you stay near him. Or, even if he lets you stay he won't listen to you. Right?

Therefore, if you want to help the world, save the world, then do not be attached to certain aspects. Simply observe the situation and help in whatever ways you can - in silence.

Guan Zhong, The Wise Prime Minister Who Benefited His Country And The World

Guan Zhong was a famous Prime Minister of Qi State. He behaved in the same way as the fatuous Qi Emperor. He did whatever the king did, and if the king was muddle-headed he was even more befuddled. Guan Zhong did not let the king "sense" his virtues, or give the impression that he was better than the king. That was exactly how he managed to reign in the country peacefully and successfully, and how he helped the fatuous king to benefit the people.

The people are the most important, not the king. You use him if you can. If you slay him, your reputation will be ruined. Just put him on one side, play with him, and teach him what to do afterwards. He will listen to you after he has confided in you. Besides, he sees that you are just like him - two idiots - (Master and everyone laugh) and takes you as his bosom friend. Because the two were much alike. Understand? When Emperor Huan of state Qi drank, Prime Minister Guan Zhong apparently drank even more. When Emperor Huan was dead drunk, it seemed as if the Prime Minister was in a greater mess. Deep in his heart, he knew the king extremely well. "One will be ever-victorious when he knows himself and the enemy thoroughly." Guan Zhong did not have to demonstrate his virtues or talents. He governed the country silently. The king was then not Emperor Huan, but Guan Zhong. It was better this way. (Applause.)

Although Emperor Huan was on the throne, Guan Zhong was the one who managed the country. Guan Zhong could pacify the world because he was very flexible, and could even make use of the evil people. He accommodated even the senseless, treacherous officials. Bao Shuya failed to do this, so he could not make a good prime minister. Bao Shuya was also a very good man, but too good, and too extreme. He loved the good people dearly. As to the evil persons, wow! He was not contented even if they were killed. (Master and everyone laugh.) He would possibly have slain them without blinking his eyes, so he could not rule the country as well as Guan Zhong.

Although Bao Shuya was a loyal and incorruptible chancellor, he did not benefit his country greatly. Guan Zhong messed about with parties, wine, tobacco and sex, just like the king did, but he benefited the country greatly and was the greatest hero.

We can learn something useful by reading history, not just by reading Buddhist scriptures or Master's lectures. If we have wisdom, we can learn from anything. Observe the way other people managed and pacified the country, and we will learn how to do it also. Understand?

Ruling the country and pacifying the world are exactly the same as pursuing spiritual practice to save sentient beings. There is no difference. The ways are the same, the strategies are the same, and the spirit of serving others is the same. If an ordinary prime minister can sacrifice his reputation for the country and people, then he is really loyal to the king and country. This is the only real loyalty. Without Guan Zhong, the State of Qi would have been swallowed up by other states long ago. King Huan could no longer sit on the throne, giving orders, and enjoying wealth and pleasures. Therefore, the really loyal Prime Minister was Guan Zhong and not those dictating, criticizing, and hurting the king with reproaches. They should do things silently.

Great Persons Conceal Their Talents

To manage the country and benefit the people, you should ignore your reputation even. Do not let people know that you are clean and upright, that you have great wisdom and talents to rule the country. Just do the work; do not explain or show off. Sometimes, it is better that way. Revealing too much of yourself to people, they will keep praising you. Sometimes, your morals are not perfect - you score only eight points but they award you twelve points, then you will feel irritated! Everyone is expecting more from you. Then, another person may praise you with fifteen points, while your worth is only half of it and you begin to have troubles. You become very nervous, doing things extremely cautiously and feeling uneasy. Since you are always trying to guard your reputation as expected of you by other people, you have difficulties working.

It is more comfortable to do things casually when people are not expecting much from you. People will think: This is the way he always is, no need to watch him. He is not serious, nothing great, no one wants him. He is filthy and casual, a mundane person, good only at enjoying pleasures; a useless person, just ignore him, don't pay any attention to him. He is not competitive. I am very virtuous and people will surely like me. That fellow is nothing.

In this way, you are free from competition, no one expects anything from you, and can do things smoothly. Do things indiscernibly just like laughing behind a mask, which no one can detect. Have you ever seen those masks, so dull and expressionless, covering everything except the eyes? No one can see you laughing or crying behind the mask. Similarly, while in this world, do not mind what other people think if we really wish to help people.

It is also easy if you really want to secure a good reputation. What you need is to make good advertisements, a good way of presenting yourself. Having paved the way for several years, people will come to know about your goodness. Then, if you wish to run for president, just for instance, it will be very easy. Should you really wish to run for president, make preparations well beforehand as if you have no such intention. You should go and pave the road by socializing with everyone, visiting all the temples, churches and organizations. By and by, people will nominate you. The whole country will see that you are the most virtuous, and rich in the demeanor of a spiritual practitioner. And then you will say, "Oh, please don't! It is so embarrassing!" (Laughter and applause.) When people insist on nominating you, you will say, "All right, but it is really embarrassing!" These are false virtues and a false reputation. The truly virtuous and reputable persons are often indiscernible because great persons always have their talents concealed.

Sacrifice Your Reputation

If You Really Love Your Country

Lord Wen of Zhou State was more virtuous than the king at his time. That king was really profane and greedy while Lord Wen was very generous. Later, he won the country and the throne. He could do anything better than the previous king, so people invited him to be the king. If Guan Zhong wanted to be a well reputed person, he could simply seize the throne from Emperor Huan of Qi State because Emperor Huan was notorious then. However, Guan Zhong did not do it. He did not wish to snatch the throne from others; he just wanted to benefit the country. What he truly loved was the country and not reputation, so he sacrificed his reputation even. For the sake of the country, he pretended to be even more befuddled than the king, so the king would not suspect him. His reputation was no better than that of the king, but that was how he managed to benefit the country.

Destiny gave you this king at that time, so what can you do? You would get a bad name by killing him. If another person stepped on the throne he might not be any better than Emperor Huan. Since Guan Zhong had won the king's confidence, he played the tricks accordingly and did his best according to the situation.

Fortunately the State of Qi had Guan Zhong, so the country was peaceful and later became almost the most powerful among the central states. What good was Emperor Huan? He was not worth a cent! His only merit was keeping Guan Zhong, and Guan Zhong's best trick was his ability to use this stupid king. (Laughter and applause.)

Besides using the king, Guan Zhong also used the bad officials by the king's side. He discriminated against no one, and that was how he got his way. He was really good. He was truly superb. It is not bad if we can learn from Guan Zhong in our spiritual practice! He was magnanimous. He was good, but not on the outside. That did not mean that he was not good within, he just did not want people to think too highly of him. He could accommodate anyone, and that was why he could rule the country and pacify the world successfully.

I think Guan Zhong was good! Sometimes, we can learn something from the ancient stories. So, when we comment on a person or want to realize someone, we must have wisdom to profoundly understand what type of person he is, instead of looking only at his outer appearance. We have to check the results of his deeds, of his actions, not only his behavior. Don't look at his outer appearance, look at his deportment, habits or ways of doing things. Outer looks often fool us; it is better to judge by the results of his deeds.

History did not give much credit to Guan Zhong, nor did his descendants enjoy any benefit from his reputation, power or property. He truly did everything for the people and not for a name in history. Therefore, his descendants enjoyed nothing from his reputation. He did not leave to his descendants any government position, power or financial benefits.

The later people also did not care much about the descendants of the prime minister; no one cared about him. It was because when Guan Zhong was alive the people observed very little virtue in him. All they could see was that he was enjoying pleasures just like the king. The king's name was already blemished, but his name was even worse than the king's. (Master and everyone laugh.) Do you understand?

Who could see through his outer mask, read his patriotic heart, and realize his loyalty? People of the world are very blind. Ordinary worldly people were not as good as Guan Zhong was, so they had no common quality that attracted each other. No one was his bosom friend, and no one could understand him. Therefore, people did not love or respect him, thinking he was only a flatterer to the king - patting the king's horse's nose, (Master and everyone laugh), and that he fooled around with the fatuous king for his own status and benefit. No one appreciated his talents in managing the country and pacifying the world, and his truly beautiful, clean, patriotic and loyal heart within.

The Golden Age Of Au Lac

In Au Lac, there was a prime minister who was as badly reputed as Guan Zhong. His name was Tran Thu Do, which is most probably strange to you. He was very famous. Everyone criticized him when he was alive, and history also discredited him. At that time, the king was crowned when very young, so the power naturally went to the prime minister. The prime minister even married the concubine of the former king. When the former king died, he married the concubine, out of love or out of ambition to control the whole court, it was never known.

The fact was he had complete control! As the king was ignorant, the prime minister decided everything. This prime minister was very stubborn so history criticized him as a dictator who threatened the young king and abused the court's power; and there were other accusations. However, if we read history carefully, we know that he was a very great revolutionary and democrat.

Nowadays, if we have a king and a prime minister, we call this a constitutional monarchy. Is that right? In that case, the king has not much power while the prime minister has great control. He was implementing a constitutional monarchy system then, but our Au Lac people were not used to it. To us, the king was the son of heaven. Whatever the king said was right; all the officials could only lower their heads and say, "Yes Sir! No Sir!" Therefore, we were not used to it, nor were the officials. He had too much power, and decided everything. The young king did not have a say. The king was so young and ignorant, if it were not for this prime minister Au Lac would not have been so peaceful then.

During that period, the country was prosperous in many respects. However, everyone criticized him as a dictator abusing his power and suppressing the king - all the accusations and no credit.

Even history recorded that he was bad. However, at that time, Au Lac was free and prosperous in many respects. If he were to listen to that senseless and ignorant king, how could he have managed the country? The nation would have been finished if he had obeyed the king! Sometimes, even when the king disagreed, the prime minister would still affix the seal. (Master and everyone laugh.) He affixed the seal himself, so everyone abhorred him.

The fact is he was really good. If he were bad, and since he had already married the concubine and grasped all the power in his hands, he could simply get rid of the king and sit on the throne! That was a common practice in those days. (Master and everyone laugh.) Very popular, especially in China, right? (Audience: Yes.) If the king was rather weak, and you happened to have some power, out you go! Then, the dynasty quickly changes, from sister Li to brother Wang! (Master and everyone laugh.)

Therefore, if Thu Do really wanted the throne or the power, he could get it quickly. The king was young, the power was in his hands and he was a powerful chancellor at the time of the former king. The former king had delegated all the power to him so that he could take care of the young king and the administration.

Read History Again With Wisdom

Thus, we see that Guan Zhong really had no desire for reputation because he discredited himself by behaving the way he did. He still kept the king there while he did everything. People abhorred him. In fact, we can see that he was a very good politician, by observing the results. Many accounts and comments in history make us - people of the later generations - think that some persons were bad, some persons were good, this one was virtuous, this one was loyal to the king, and that person was patriotic. We really need to read it over again and give it more thought. What actually happened might not be what was recorded in history. Besides, who were the ones writing the history? The officials, and they were only human beings, bearing prejudice, recording accounts with their own shallow wisdom, preconceptions and personal feelings including that of gratitude or resentment. Thus, we should not believe in history so easily; we have to use our wisdom. Should we really want to learn lessons from history, we have to analyze clearly to find out which persons were truly good and worthy for us to learn from.

The Preciousness Of meditation

2009-01-14T04:56:00.001-08:00

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai to foreign fellow initiates

in Hsihu Center, Formosa July 11, 1995 (Originally In English)

After a really good meditation session, you stand up like a saint, and no one dares touch you. If you really have a goodmeditation and sincerely practice, people sense that, and feel that, and they have nothing for you but reverence and love. And you have nothing at all written on your face except love and purity. And that I can see very, very clearly, like reading a book. Do you take notice? Those who meditate a great deal, and sincerely practice, you see their change? Yeah? That's why when you come here, you should, you ought to meditate all the time,
whenever you can. Not only sitting there meditating, but in your mind, you must concentrate. Don't try to find friends and,... idle gossiping everywhere. Even if I don't see you then, when I see you, I see. All the people see. It's written on your face very, very clearly. I tell you from all honesty of my heart. There's nothing you can hide, nothing at all. It's written on your face, in your eyes, on your forehead. It's a sense around your body, doesn't matter what kind of perfume you spray, no difference, really. So, very precious is the meditation.

Rely On Yourself

2009-01-14T04:53:00.000-08:00

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai On Sep. 6, 1994, Hawaii, USA (Originally In English)

We don't learn for the other people to know. We learn so that we know and that we can bless the world silently by our inner glory and inner love. Just like every other science you know and study, you have to develop yourself. That's why the Buddha said: Rely on yourself and no one else. Of course He said that to see the Buddha is very rare, the greatest blessing, that in a hundred thousand eons you wouldn't have one. Not once in a life time but once in many life times you would see a Buddha. Probably the Buddha is in front of you but you don't see, that's the difference. Many people see, but they don't stare, they don't see anything. They probably look but they don't see. They hear but they don't listen, they don't understand.

And Jesus also said: No one comes to the Father except through me. But nevertheless, He didn't say that now you have seen me, you go home to sleep, and surely you'll go to heaven. No, right? He tells you self-cultivation, love your Father, love my commandments, pray in a closet, love your neighbor. Wow, it's a lot of work. It's not that He said: Okay, now that you have seen me, Jesus, you'll surely go to heaven. No! He didn't say that. A lot of work He told us to do. Even to His relatives, you remember? He said, Who is my relative? Who is my mother? Who is my sister? Only the ones who do the will of the Father are my relatives, my mother, my sister. He said: Oh I have no relatives except you. You know, he meant those who do the will of the Father, who love their neighbors, and who keep the commandments, who love the Father with all the heart, the soul and mind etc... Remember?

Even Jesus, before He became the world spiritual leader, He had to go into the closet, and meditate and pray. And He had to undergo the humility of baptism, even though if He knew He was the son of God, He wouldn't have to do that. He still has to go through everything like us, to show us that when we are a human being, we must work. And He tells His disciples to go out and spread the gospel. He said: Whatever I tell in secret, you go and preach on the house tops. But don't give pearls to the swine. Is it not so? Yeah, He also said that not every one could accept His teachings.

Come To The World

To Learn Love And Service

Mostly at any period of time of our earth, the people who truly love God are very rare. There are also different levels of God as well, and different levels of our beings. And as long as we are in this world and we do not learn to understand the issue of spirituality, then even though we go to heaven, because the love of the Father is immense... Yes, Hes will not discriminate. Really, you love Hirm, fine. You don't love Hiem, Hes loves you. But still, then we go up there and we have not developed; we're still the way we were before, a selfish, stupid angel... Oh! Not all the angels are good, that's why they have to come here and don this physical raiment. In order to study, to learn how to love others, how to do service instead of just sitting there and enjoying the bliss of heaven all the time.

And now we are given the opportunity to study in this school of life. If we do not take this opportunity and learn well, then we will be very regretful in heaven. No one else will tell you anything. You, yourself, look back at your life. At that time it will be very clear to you, like a mirror. And then you will feel very, very sorry, that you were so weak, that you were so lazy, that you were so attached to the material things that the Father gave you, only as a tools so that you could progress.

Instead, you cling to these tools and forget the mission, forget what you are here for. That's why many souls are wandering around in transmigration. They are earthbound because they are so much attached to this world. Even though the gate of heaven is always open, we don't want to go back.

God is powerful, almighty. There is nothing that Hes can not do. It's just that we don't have enough power of sincerity. That's why many of our prayers are not answered and we think God is not there. Ah, that is the trouble. Poor God is blamed for everything. All these wars, disasters, hunger and all these things, we just blame it on God, or the hierarchy of heaven that doesn't help us. Truly it's our choice, the choice of the people who go against the will of heaven and the law of the universe. These people will make wars and listen to the negative force in nature which we call Satan or devil. They are always there. That's how the negative world, this world, stays in balance. In the heavenly world, there's no need for this negative force to exist.

Self Judgement

In heaven, there is no good, no bad, and people sometimes do not think of sins the way we do. They don't condemn you.

So at the time of death sometimes it's you who condemn yourself. You will be very regretful that you did not do the best, that you shouldn't have done the other way. You know you should have, but you did not do. That's what will torment you after your death. And that's what people call “hell.” There is no God who stays there and passes judgment. It's just at the time of death, you'll be shown the low level. That is if we did not practice any true repentance, and if we did not truly lead a virtuous life the way it has to be. Then we will be shown a kind of, like movies, but so fast. The whole lifetime goes by in just a split second. You will see everything, but you understand. Even at such a quick speed, you understand everything that you have done, what is wrong, what is right. You know everything and then at that time you will cry. You will know that you have done wrong. You will not be given the opportunity again. Or for a very, very long time because there are so many awaiting to come to be human beings. So you are a long way on the waiting list, because you've already been given the opportunity. That is the so-called eternal hell or eternal condemnation. But of course, nothing is really eternal. It's just that for an unhappy situation or feelings, it seems a long, long time. And when we are happy, the time goes so fast. Because our sins are not eternally committed, our grief will not be eternally carried out. It's just that we feel it's so long. We feel so regretful that we have been given the opportunity to do good, to improve our knowledge about the creation, about our Father, how everything functions, how we should learn to love one another, and we did not take that opportunity. That's the problem. That will make us feel very, very sorry.

I wish that it wouldn't happen to you. I am sure it will not because you have been diligent in your search for the Truth, for your own original abode and for God. Of course in this situation, sometimes, our mind is weak, the body is also weak. Sometimes, we want to meditate a long time but the body's so weak, the flesh is so weak, and the will also weakens with the flesh. Therefore we have to study again and again. Make firm. Start again. Today I failed. I didn't meditate very well. Tomorrow, next day I'll make more effort. Always try to strive for better, better will, so that we can progress in spirit. And we'll become a stronger and wiser person in heaven.

It's not that everyone is the same in heaven. Even though God is just and fair, Hes loves all Hiers children the same way. But nevertheless, because we do not strive ourselves, therefore we just stay there. Just like children in the school, some are intelligent, some are diligent, some just go out and play, fool with girls or do other things, drugs and things like that. According to the circumstances, when they are too weak to resist, and too rebellious to listen to the parents, then they harm themselves and cause a lot of trouble for themselves. Of course, the parents will be affected and be miserable. But the most suffering person is themselves.

Overcome Unfavorable Situations

Similarly, when we come down to this world we are given all the tools, equipment and circumstances with which we can thrive and try to overcome the situation, overcome the hatred that is bred by the circumstances. Sometimes, we are put into unfavorable conditions, to see how we can love our enemies. But we often fail to love our enemies. We often give into our flesh desires and also the temptations of the surroundings to hate our enemy, just the way we were taught, just the way we're used to, not the way of heaven.

So sometimes we will fail, sometimes we'll succeed. And the more successful we are, of course, the higher the position in the hierarchy of the universe. And we will be given more opportunities in the heavenly system to do better work, more interesting work and more universal work, that we can develop immense talent that we never knew we had, even in the wildest imagination. We will be given leading roles in heaven, like teaching a lot of heavenly beings, and things like that. Or when we go to this earth, we will become like master teachers of spirituality or some special position, leading mankind into the Kingdom of God.

Take Hold Of

The Opportunity In The World

Otherwise, we don't have this opportunity if we're slack in this world, the only time we are in school. Do not think that you always are given the opportunity and come back again. Not always, not always. It is the generations, the DNA that stay behind. The information from that DNA, these desires and all this energy of the desires, that stay behind, that reincarnate. Not you the soul, the person, understand? There are so many souls waiting to go into this school. I don't have the space for you to always stay behind. You can do that, but you wait a long time. And meanwhile you suffer and suffer from your own sorrow. The love of heaven is there but you will feel very sorry for the things you have missed. Yes, you wish you could have done it again, you would have done it better, and you will do it better.

But then when you are given the opportunity again, you forget. That's the problem. That's why sometimes we have to come back to relearn, if we truly are good and merit that, or have a good opportunity to go down. For example, to come down here, you have to exchange it for something. For example there is a mission for someone to come down and help the world. And then you say, "Okay, I'll join. Please can I join? I do anything, anything.. anything. I promise, promise, promise. I won't be like the last time. Really no, no, no." (Laughter) All right. So of course heaven is always a trusting company. They give you a next job. But when you go down there instead of helping that person and that group to better the world, you do something else. Maybe even against them because you become forgetful of what you had promised before you took birth in this world -- all of us, all of us.

That's why you see the Buddha, thirty years before He became enlightened; Jesus also. You know what I mean? Not that they are born immediately and say, "I am the Buddha. I have to go and help the world." They forget. So, there are so many pushing opportunities from heaven, like disasters would appear before you, or someone else edging you from behind or pushing you, or some situation happens that you suddenly will feel awakened. Or some friend will come along, some beggars on the street even, reminding you of the ephemeral nature of this world. These beggars are also angels.

Sometimes the suffering is there to awaken us. Some people come to do some great mission. Some people come to do a small mission in order to earn the merit of being a human. They can be in school and earn the merit so that they can advance in heaven and have another opportunity perhaps to advance again.

Remember The Promise You Made In Heaven

I have often told you that the Au Lac refugees, they are there of their own will. They want it to be like that, so that they can awaken the conscience of the world about how terrible the refugees' situation can be; how war can affect people and many nations, not only one, for example like that; and to give the people who helped them, who gave them shelter, food, support and sympathy, the merit of love. You know what I mean?

When we love someone, we love ourselves. We really boost our glory. It's not that we help anyone, we help ourselves. Please remember this whenever you do something good. It is the will of heaven. It's good for you. You should do more good, be more loving, try to strive inside, use your wisdom. Don't be a sheep in the crowd. You have already stepped out of the crowd. You already have done much better. You understand? Trying to remember more of the promise that you made to the Father and the heavenly hierarchy before you came. That's why you came here!

You will remember through meditation, through contemplation on the wisdom from the light and the sound, who you are and what you're supposed to do to advance yourself. Because you are in contact with the supreme wisdom again, and you remember what is your mission and what you're supposed to do. That's why you always change for the better, because you remember the heavenly being that you are. That's why you change. You become better and better. You become more angel, more heavenly like. That's all your work. All right?

Of course the Master and the heavenly beings always stand by and help us. But if you don't do it yourselves, it doesn't matter how much help, it's no good. We have to do it ourselves first. And then the heavenly beings will help us. The Master power always helps us.

Striving To Earn Money Is A Duty, Not A Sin

2009-01-14T04:50:00.000-08:00

Spoken by Suma Ching Hai to the foreign initiates, Hsihu Center, Formosa (Originally in English) June 3, 1995

What you should detach is the attachment for power and fame, not to be detached from money and fame.

The thing is that we had better strive, strive to have a better life all the time, not because we are materialists but because life should have joy and abundance in all things and in all aspects. We do not have to give power and finance to the negative class of people. You understand what I mean? If, for example, the good people don't strive to make income for themselves or to have some power within a society then all the power and the finance go to the negative power, all the bad people. They will in turn control the good people and the good people can do nothing; can not even spread goodness. So to me, to earn money, to make a business, to strive in your life to earn a good standard of living for your family, yourself and your country is a duty, not a sin.

I do not encourage my people to stay in poverty, and to give all the power and finance to the negative system that has no morals, to people who have no morals, who have no responsibility, no feeling, and who have no sense of sharing with other people. For example, we who are practicing moral standards, if we have money we always share with other people. We help people in disasters, we help the victims, we help the refugees, we help the poor, we help the needy, we help the sick and the orphans and things like that. So, it's very good to have money, very good. It's not capitalism. It's the power of finance that we must have and also the power, sometimes, of social activities.

If you are a politician, you should stay in politics and be a good politician and fight for your country and for the standard of living of other people. If you are a businessman, you must be a successful one. Always strive to be successful. Earn as much money as God gives you and then you can share. Money is very easy to use. If you don't have it then you can say, "Oh well, I don't care about money. I'm a practitioner. Money for me is untouchable." You can not do that, you know? Can not have such an attitude like, you don't have then you're lazy to achieve and then you say,"Oh, no, I don't care. I renounce everything." It's not true.

In the old times, the so-called practitioners, they always renounced many things. It's okay. You can do that for a while. But I don't think you should do it all the time. No? Well, I think you can, why not? Everyone becomes monks, we eat the air (laughter) and drink the dew in the morning and afternoon. That's it. What do we need? Actually, the practitioners don't need so much. What we eat is just vegetables and what we wear doesn't have to be always beautiful, truly. We don't really care for outside appearances, we really don't.

Sometimes, I put some make-up on, wear some clothes, and after three or four days, I'm so happy just to go next to the river and wear nothing, just be alone and be natural. Sometimes, the make-up and the clothes make you feel tired. The outer requirement of beauty and decency sometimes makes you tired if you are not used to it. Especially for the practitioners, we just like to feel natural. Sometimes we even feel that having no hair, no clothes, and things like that would be very, very relaxing. But if we want to do it for the sake of beautifying the world or to work in the society, it's also okay.

So for us, the so-called practitioners, we really don't need material comfort. We really don't. And that's why it's easy for us sometimes to think,"Oh no, why should I earn money, I don't really need anything anymore." It's a very easy way out. But when we come to think about it, if we still live in this world, many people depend on us, our family, our children, our parents, relatives, and friends. Sometimes they need our help. If we are not in a position to help them, who will? Because only very rarely do people in this world want to help the poor and needy.

Truly the people in this world very rarely would give anything, even in ordinary circumstances. So that is the way of working of the negative power, to make the people become greedy and grasping. Whatever they have is mine, mine, mine. They never let go. Even when they have more than enough, more than they can ever count, more than they can ever recognize how much they have, they still want more. No one else can have it. Therefore, if the so-called good persons, positive people, like the practitioners of moral standards, the practitioners of the Way, the Tao, the Truth, don't have money, who will help those needy people? That's it. That's the difference. That's why we need to earn money and make good business. Not because we need it but because in this world we can make use of this useful equipment, money, power or political standpoint, then we can help the people.

Make The Best Use Of Power To Work For God

For example, if I am a president of the United States -- if, huh? (Laughter) -- then I would have taken in all the refugees a long time ago. The Au Lac people, the Cubans, the Haitians, the Chechnyans and the Bosnians, whatever. Then I would tell my people how to take care of them. I would tell you. (Applause) You would. Even if each one of us just take one of or two persons, that'd be fine and we'd take care in no time. It's just because we are not allowed to do that even. We don't mind any of us, any country, all of us, the practitioners, my fellow practitioners. I believe all of you, if I'd say one word, "Please take care of this person or this family," everyone of you in Korea, in China, in Au Lac, in Formosa, in America, in France, in England, anywhere, you would immediately do that. Is that not so? (Everyone answers,"Yes.") (Applause). And then we'd have no problem, really. Instead of feeding them in the camps, we would give them the money to start their businesses or training and then they'd be on their feet in no time. Later they'd help other refugees. Then the world would have no more problems, right? Yes, really no problem.

That's one issue, the refugees. Another issue is abortion. We don't have to kill babies. I have written to the United Nations and other countries and said that we don't have to do that. We can create a special social care system, let these children be born and then give them to those who have no child. At the moment, there are so many difficulties in adoption, so much red tape and bureaucracy. Many childless couples long to have children, not one but two, three, four adoptions; and any race, they like it. So why are we killing this rare species?

I think as long as we go on like this, we are killing ourselves. Later it's we, the human species, who become a rare species that must be protected. Now birds, many jungle creatures like lions, tigers already have become rare species. Later, human beings will become even rarer, because now no one can have two children, for example, in many countries. It's forbidden to have more than one child or more than two children, etc. And any other children have to be wasted. Kill them. This doesn't have to be, right! We can just exchange. You don't have children, I have too many, you take some. Very easy. Why not? That's two issues. Now, at the moment the world's two worst issues are refugees and abortion. I think it's very easy.

Suppose I am the president of some powerful country. I just want to tell you one example like that so that you know that social power and financial power are not to be renounced, as long as you live in this world. Not because we want them. Just because we don't want them, we have to have them. (Applause) If we give these powers to the people who want them, they always abuse them. Just because they want them so much, they will always abuse them whenever they get them. Just because we don't want them, so we can use them in a very fair, peaceful, and useful manner for the whole world. You understand what I mean?

So, the problem is that many of the so-called practitioners, they like to renounce. It's the easy way out. Like for me, it's also easy not to have to teach people or not to have to receive you here, having problems, etc. I do know. What shall I do? I don't always take the easy way out. You see what I mean? For example, I'm your teacher. I don't have to work. No, I don't. I don't really because I don't eat that much. So, wherever I want to go, I say, "Look, if you want to invite me, give me a ticket, give me a hotel, give me this and that." You'd do it immediately, right? (Audience: "Yes!")

Master Sets An Example, Practicing What She Teaches

Well, I don't take that easy and cheap way out, I do it myself. I earn my own money and I do it myself. Whatever really, really, truly I need, then I ask you, but just small things. For example, like a disaster somewhere. "Please go and check for me because I'm in another country now, I cannot go there. Go and have a look and if there is anything we can do, alright. Or if you can help them, help them. Or if you don't have enough finances or manpower, we will help you." It's always like that, right? It's actually asking you to help yourselves, to help your people, also to demonstrate your loving power and the wisdom that you have acquired through your daily meditation. That is all I ever ask of you.

I never ask you to do anything for myself, even though I could do that anytime. Is that not so? So, whatever I do, it's just like a teaching for you. I don't always tell you, "You do this, do that." You just look at my actions and that's enough lessons already. There's no need to teach you anything really. It's just because you come here now and again so you expect me to tell you things, talk to you about stories, and explain to you this and that. But actually, you don't need to ask me to say anything. I don't even need to tell you anything. Everything I do is just what I teach you. Everything I teach you, I do.

It's very easy to say, "Oh, I'm a master. Why do I have to do work? I don't touch money. I'm pure. I'm above all things. I never touch money -- let it contaminate me or pollute me." I can do that. All excuses are welcome. Most of the so-called gurus mesmerize the whole congregation of their so-called disciples, and tell them whatever they want, and they do anything. But I don't do that.

Whatever I teach you is really good and pure, and good for you, good for the society. And whatever I do is what I teach. What I teach I do, right? (Audience answers: "Yes.") (Applause) I just want to tell you that even I myself can have it easy. I don't. Just because I believe that I must have the power and the finance to help the world, not to take the power and finance of the world for myself. I have to give them the power and the finance they need, not that I take the power and the finance from them, for my own personal benefit and glory. So in that case, I work for my ideals and beliefs. That's why I also ask you to do the same, if you can and if you want to. Only if you want to, because I believe there is logic; but of course you don't have to do anything. If you believe the same ideal and you think it's logical then you do it. I just want to explain to you why, why we cannot shun money, why we cannot despise political positions, because they are good tools, they are good instruments to work for God, to work for the betterment of the world at large. Understand now. (Applause)

Many people think because I'm a Master, why do I still make money and all this? Of course, I know they say that, but because they're ignorant, because they're stupid. Otherwise, they can see why I do it. I don't have to. If I were to take just one hundred dollars from each of you, I'd become a billionaire in one day. No problem. I don't have to work. (Applause) So, because I am not a materialist, because I don't care for position and money, that's why I work. Not the opposite. If it were the opposite, if I cared for position and money, I'd always control you. I'd make each of you give me some money every month. Everyone would be willing to do it, is that not so? (Audience answers: "Yes.") (Applause) You'd give more than that, not just $100. Even if I took one dollar from each person, that's all, from all my followers, in one day I'd collect millions of dollars, understand or not? One day only. (Applause) And everyday everyone would give me one dollar only. What would I have? Do you know?

Okay. Now. If anyone asks you why I make money, you already know why. Just because it's the right thing to do. It's the correct way to live our life honestly, earning our money with the sweat and labor of our own talent and our own endeavor. We put our labor, our talent, our work, our time into the production and then we can earn the money and then we can give it away. If I really want money, oh, this is the stupid way to do. This is a stupid way for a Master who has millions of followers, to go and paint a picture for many days and blind Her eyes with oil colors or to cut materials to make clothes and then go all over the world to advertise in such a stupid way. You know what I mean? It's a stupid way. Most of the masters in the world never work. They don't have to, only me. I'm the most stupid one.

So, truly, if they think I am materialistic and want money and position, they're stupid. The people who think like that really misunderstand very, very, badly. Is that not so? Just in Formosa would be enough. I want everyone to give me one day one dollar. Formosa would be enough, I don't need all you foreigners. I don't. I can buy hundreds of Rolls-Royces. I could build a paradise for myself anywhere I want in no time. I can buy, no need to build, building takes too long. Who does that? Masters don't build houses. Can not touch these material things, right? I don't even need to touch money, just tell the disciples buy me a house or buy me a palace over there. Immediately, it would be done. No need to stay in Formosa, in Sweden, in Switzerland, in France. Any castle I fancy, I'd have it right away. Is that not so? Don't have to talk about foreign disciples, Formosa's enough, for example, yeah!

So it is stupid that I go and try to make money this way and then people think I will make money from you. This is a stupid way. If I'd try to make money from you then I'd just put it here. I don't have to go around the world like that, doing all kinds of things. So, now you know. If you still have any doubts in your minds, cut them out. It's no good for you, it will make cancer inside, a lump. It's very, very bad for your health, for your spiritual health.

The world is upside down. All the masters who don't work, who don't do anything, their disciples just offer to them anything and they praise them, "Oh, holy, holy, holy man. Never touch money, no material, nothing." It's not true. It could be. But this is just one of the ways, it's not the only way. It's not all the masters who like to do that. It's not all the people who don't touch money, who just sit there and let people feed them, who are holy. It's not that way. But actually, I think I'm doing the things a little bit stupid in people's eyes, because all the masters don't do that. The disciples feed them enough, really. Why do they have to work and do anything. But I want to give you a good example of all perfection development. You don't only develop a moral standard and wisdom but you also make use of that moral standard and wisdom in daily life. Express it.

Use Your Talents

To Beautify The World

If you have talent and wisdom, then you can do all things. You have to beautify the world and make money for yourself. Take care of your own living so you don't burden other people. And if you have really good moral standards, then of course you have compassion and love for all the needy and desperate beings. And of course, you would lend a helping hand to anyone, regardless of race, color, creed, beliefs, and religious system, even your own enemies. So, that's how we know. That's how other people know that we truly have wisdom and moral standards. Otherwise, how do they know? And how do they teach themselves? You tell everyone to do good things, to have wisdom, and then you yourself don't show anything.

Just like an English teacher. If you never speak English, you never write English, and you keep telling all the students, "You must yourself speak English. From today, whenever you see me that is when you learn from me. And then you just speak English by yourself because everyone knows how to speak English." But the teacher never shows any examples, never speaks even ABC, never writes down any English words, never speaks any words. So how do the students know that he is an English teacher at all. Maybe he's even deaf and dumb -- can't speak anything. Maybe he can not even read nor write. So, a teacher is not only as good as his word but must be as good as his actions. Is that not so? (Applause)

At least you understand me. Many of the people in the world they don't know. They think the opposite. If I sit here pretty and you all come with flowers, food, everything around me, and bow to me really flat on the floor, things like that, then I am a holy person. Because I don't do anything, I don't touch money, that's when I am holy. Really useless holy, yes. (Laughter) And the people who strive to do good for the world, with their own hands and efforts and work hard for it, then many people scold or criticize them, thinking they are materialistic and they want power and things like that. Power, I have enough already. Materials I could have anytime; don't say one day. Just one hour, one minute is enough. Just the time for people to take to put the money in, that's all. Each person one dollar I have enough to live my many lifetimes of reincarnations. Not only one life. I put money in the Swiss bank and then when I reincarnate again as the next Tulku (a high Tibetan lama), living Buddha, Rinpoche (another Tebitan term for a high lama), whatever, (laughter) I know where my money is. Other reincarnated lamas supposedly know their last lives, so they know everything that belongs to them from the umbrella to the beads. They are supposed to, no? You know, huh? Okay. It's very nice that I just put money in the Swiss bank, and if I remember that account number, it will help me a lot. (Laughter)

Don't Let The Negative Power Control You

We must work. God has sent us here with equal opportunity, power and talent. So, if we don't grasp the finances and the power from the world then all the negativity will grasp it. We are under their control. The negative power wins, and then we can't do anything, we can't complain and say that God doesn't help us. God does, God sends us here, sends you here and even gives you opportunity to study like everyone else, the same as the negative power. This is just like a competition, you know what I mean? Both have opportunity, talent, and ability to take the same thing.

So, if you renounce it, of course, then the negative power will take it. They said, "Sorry, we don't want it." And then in this world, if we have no power, no money, what will we become? Beggars, of course. That everyone can be, but mind you, nowadays, even beggars cannot survive. Many governments don't like beggars, you see, even if you want to beg. If you renounce everything that doesn't mean you are safe. You got it. Many put beggars in a home and you are not free to do anything that you want. You can't have this and you can't have that and you have to do many things not according to your will. And in the home you must eat meat and you cannot eat vegetarian, etc., etc. So, what do you do?

So, it's not that you renounce everything then the negative power will leave you alone or will give you peace. It's not true. Fight. You have no choice really. Take away your wrong conception about money and fame. What you should detach is the attachment for power and fame, not to be detached from money and fame. You know what I mean? The desire for it, that's what you should renounce, not the money and the fame, just the desire. (Applause) Now so many people who practice spiritually have this wrong conception. So now you should not have this kind of wrong conception any longer since I have already taught you and showed you why logically. Not that I force you to believe me talking nonsense, but it's really logical. Is that not so? Okay. Now you know.

Renounce The Desire Not The World Itself

So, don't laugh at our brothers and sisters who are in Parliament or who are in Congress. They are doing their jobs. They're doing fine. Many of our brothers and sisters are in high political positions, as well as very famous and successful businessmen. I never tell them to get out of them. If they get out, I even say,"Why, are you crazy?" Yeah! Some of our brothers and sisters, just after initiation, renounce. Don't become Congressmen anymore, don't run anymore, and don't do anything. I say,"What do you want to do now? I don't need such a useless person around me. I have too many already. (Laughter)

We renounce the desire for the world, not renounce the world itself. Because the world is a part of us, a part of our relatives and friends, brothers and sisters, so we can't renounce the world. That is the wrong word. We renounce the desire for anything in this world, that's all we must renounce. Then you do anything you want. Earn as much money as you can, be in as high a position as possible, and use your power and finance to help the needy people. That's the right thing to do.

A Saintly Mind Expects Nothing In Return

2009-01-13T06:11:00.000-08:00

Spoken by Suma Ching Hai, at Hsihu Center, Formosa June 6, 1995 (Originally In English)

The retreat is over, so I think I'll let you go to sleep, you know, normal time. You don't have to meditate so long. You may go back to your tent and meditate longer, until you want to sleep. And in the daytime you may rest or meditate as you please, and follow the schedule here, like 4 to 7 and 6 to 9. Normally, you follow what is here. Sometimes summer and winter there is a slight difference in the schedule. So you're free, but try to meditate as much as you can; and don't gossip too much. If you have to talk then talk about God, something beneficial, something that vibrates positively in the air and contributes to the harmony of the world as well as to your spiritual progress and those of your neighbors. Whatever we speak, we'll give a vibration, and accordingly what we say, good or bad, will affect upon us again.
There are still many around. You'll stay a long time? Your family is okay? I told you if you have no obligations, family, children, job or any other duty, especially the family, the children, and the job.... If you have work to do, you must tell your boss before you leave or before you stay or whatever. You don't just go like this. Place yourself in other people's positions and then act accordingly. Don't be selfish and make a bad name for yourself and for our group.

Do Good Things Expecting Nothing In Return

We have to do good things in this world, not because we will have a good result, good karma. That is only for children, for the beginning, for the beginner of practice. Then they still need awards, merit, punishment, all these praises and blame. But as we go to a higher dimension, a higher level of consciousness, we forget all this. We do whatever to benefit other people and whatever is righteous according to our conscience. Not to expect anything at all in return.
If we look at the history of the world, not everyone who does the righteous things, not every act of kindness will be rewarded with the same level of goodness. For example, you look around, Jesus. All his life he tried to do good and be a good example of Godly qualities, but he had no fantastic reward in return. At least, I mean, when he was alive. And Buddha, he has done a great deal for the world and for his disciples. But he had a lot of slander, blame and curses, sometimes, even close to assassination. Gandhi, for example. He strived to do good for his people and his country. And to bring peace among religious believers in India, and what did he get in the end? A bullet. And many other people like Kennedy of America, Abraham Lincoln, etc., etc. All these good people. They sincerely tried to bring justice to the world and peace to human beings. But they all got a very tragic retribution for the good that they had done to the world. Politically speaking even, not only in religion. Like in Formosa here. Formosa is one of the founders of the United Nations 50 years ago. And now what do they get? They are kicked out of the United Nations, in preference to the Communism, which the whole world says is bad, and has to be eliminated, etc..., for example, blah, blah, blah, you know what I mean? So not everything that we do good will get the good things in return. So don't expect me to promise you that if you keep the precepts, if you eat vegetarian, I will give you all the power of protection so that your life will be smooth and have no problems, everyone loves you, no enemies, no sickness, no accidents, no diseases, no undesired accidents or anything like that. Understand? You keep the precepts, you do good things because it is the only way to be a human, be a worthy human being. Understand?
Surpass Praises And Blame
And moreover, if we want to step beyond human life to become a saintly being, beneficial to the whole universe, that is the meaning of being a righteous person. That's the purpose -- the only purpose. As long as you practice goodness and kindness, there will be always a negative power that tries to attack you, that tries to make you stray from your purpose and go in a different direction, sidetrack you. So it takes a lot of determination and principles to control ourselves, to check our way, to check our lives, so that we always go in the right direction without regret, without complaining when we don't have any good result out of this. Even I myself don't always have the correct result, and righteous result awarded to me. For one of the awards, or one of the praises I get a hundred slanders in return. You know what I mean? Just because you don't know about them doesn't mean they don't exist. Just because I don't care about them doesn't mean they don't exist. We do not take praise and blame very literally, very seriously. Therefore, we are not very affected by them. Doesn't mean I always get praises and smooth operation and cooperation from everyone. Even among disciples, there is no such thing as an easy way for a master at all. In fact, it's a way of great sacrifice and inner sufferings. Most of the people do not know. But still, despite all this obstruction and ungratefulness of mankind we continue to do good. We still continue to improve ourselves to do what is right, because it is right. Do you understand now? (Clapping) Because it is the challenge of this world that we always keep the way of God, we always keep the commandments of conscience. That's how we rise above all differences and all the praise and the blame to be a noble being.
Being A Noble Being Is The Only Way
Even though to be a noble being is a very difficult position and also very difficult to achieve, that's the only way. Or do we want to always sink into the lower existence, the lower thinking, the violent way of living or a very, very ignorant quality. Should we do that? (Audience: Of course not.) Right. You're right. So, that 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 and again, until there is nothing but goodness that resides within us, until we recognize nothing but the Kingdom of God within ourselves. What is the Kingdom of God? It is not the palace that is shining with gold, silver, diamonds, rubies and all kinds of precious stones. It is the purity, the loving kindness, the compassion, the peace of mind. That is the Kingdom of God. If we carry this Kingdom of God within us, then wherever we go we always feel that we are in heaven. So there is no need to yearn for the life beyond and to shun the opportunities to serve our brothers and sisters here on earth while we are still living. If we have already attained heaven within, whether we live or we die, it is ours. No one can take it away. But if we do not attain this, then even if we go to heaven, the outer environment of heaven may not even penetrate inside our darkened souls, and we still carry with us hatred, jealousy, bad, negative thinking, within our hearts. Then heaven is just another place in the universe for us, the same as everywhere because we have not changed ourselves.
Having Peace Within Us, Everywhere Is Heaven
So if we change, the situation changes. If we have heaven within us, peace within us, then everywhere is heaven, everywhere is peace. That's the purpose of being good, trying to do good, trying to be good, because that's the only choice. Unless we want to stay in hell forever. Well, then I don't know. That's very easy to do. To go to hell we don't have to try. There's no need for effort. It's the most easy way. Most crowded place. So I think it is better to go to heaven. Less crowded. More quiet. More room. More space. Everyone goes to hell, so why not we go to heaven? Just like in the cities, they are too crowded already. Why should we go there? So if we want peace and quiet and tranquility, we go to the countryside. There's more room, more space, the land is cheap and we are in a very green surrounding. It's good for our health and spirit, etc.
The same, huh? So I think we are very wise if we choose to go to heaven. Takes a lot of effort, maybe (clapping). It takes a lot of effort now, but if you want to try again later or next life, it's even harder. It adds up more garbage, more bad qualities, and more habits. It's difficult to clean. Now maybe we are already in the thousandth incarnation and if we come back again, one thousand and one, you know, and we come back again one thousand and two. Each life we accumulate more garbage and more bad habits. Then it's more difficult to kick off the habits. Right? So, however hard it is, try this time, try one time.

Pull Out Deep Rooted Habits And Hardness

You may think that you are already very clean and pure but I tell you, be careful. Don't think because we are vegetarian, because we keep the precepts, we are clean and pure. Not yet, not so easy. Watch yourself next time. Watch every moment, just one day. Spend one day watching yourself. See how you react in different situations. Watch carefully, then you'll know what I mean. Like some people they will come to me and they want to become monks and nuns, for example. I tell them no, you don't need. I don't want to tell them that they are not up to it. But I just tell them no need. Because even when they are with me, talking to me. . . For example, if a boy were talking to me, and then he hears a voice of another female coming to my room or coming to my place, immediately he brushes his hair. He doesn't know it even. I know it. You know what I mean? Or a girl, talking to me and then hearing a voice, only hearing the voices of approaching boys, one boy or two boys, doesn't matter whom. Immediately she also adjusts her dress, strokes her hair. (Everyone laughs.) Not the way we causally do it sometimes when the wind blows. In my office there's no wind, for example.
And many things that we ourselves do not notice, very, very trivial matters, very deep rooted and subtle habits that we don't know we have. You know what I mean? And many other things like love, compassion and sensitivity to the suffering of other people, we don't have too. For example, sometimes I watch movies with the monks and nuns, so-called monks and nuns here, huh? And many things in the film, sometimes about the war, sometimes about spiritual matters or sometimes about the things that are very touching in this world, like war, death, suffering and things like that. These things make me cry, or sometimes I am very shocked and very deeply touched. But to some monks and nuns, they just laugh away. Maybe they are at a higher level than me. No emotion. I have more astral feeling or what? (All laughed!)
But because I know it is a film, I don't see the film; I see the suffering behind, what they want to convey in the film. You know what I mean? It's not that I cry because the film person dies, I know that it is a film. I don't cry because that actor dies or loses an arm or a leg. But I am touched because of the suffering of this world which they try to portray on the film, which is very, very, very true.
But I saw some of my monks and nuns, they sit around and they just laugh because of some other incident in the film. I cannot laugh. Of course I am the one that laughs a lot. You know that. It's not that I don't know how to laugh, but in such a situation, I cannot laugh at all, and then I can sense some of them are so insensitive. So insensitive.
So these are the very subtle habits and subtle hardness that we have accumulated during many lifetimes and we don't even realize it.
Be Honest To Yourself
So make sure that you check out whatever undesired, deep rooted habit that you don't want to carry around with you. If you're comfortable with them it's okay with me. It's your garbage and not mine. But what I mean is that if we are truly honest within ourselves and want to improve and want to train our sensitivity to the suffering and to the happiness of others as well as to our own purity and well being, then we must always be vigilant. Always, always pay attention, otherwise it is easy to just pass the day, pass two days, pass three days, pass the whole life, in self indulgence, in bad habits and not get into a higher level of consciousness, not be able to understand a deeper meaning of spiritual life. You understand? And then we blame others, blame God, blame the method and blame the Master, blame everything. That doesn't help us. It is not true, I tell you. It is not true.
You can blame me, you can blame the method if you want, but that doesn't help you at all. It doesn't help you to get better. The best is for you to be honest with yourself and always be watchful of our deep rooted habits, and very undesirable affects that they have upon us. Always be careful.
I just told you a few examples. But there are a lot. I cannot even remember here. And of course I don't want to bring all the garbage to you. I trust that you are very intelligent and wise enough by now, to take from these examples some indications, enough so that you can check out yourself, other habits or other deep rooted karma that I did not mention. But you will recognize next time around, when you see them, when you sense them and when you watch them grow or creep into your life when you're not noticing. There are so many things. I cannot even remember and I cannot even tell you all. But you know, hmm, many small things.
Okay. From today you can go to sleep around 9:00, continue to meditate in your tent, then get up around 3:00 and meditate until 7:00, etc. Then in the daytime you rest, help around or cleaning. Try to concentrate all the time when you are working, and not to gossip and talk nonsense. Of course, no one will scold you or do anything, but since you are here you should profit from the free time and the environment and the atmosphere of the center to better your spiritual practice, understand?
In walking, sleeping, talking, sitting, laying down, always try to be concentrated on the wisdom center. In that way you speedily progress and then you will feel that. And the more you progress, the more encouraged you will feel and then the more you practice. It's a pity that we already have the method and we don't use it.
It is very conducive here for you to practice your meditation, no one disturbs you so much. Is that not so? So try to profit from it. Try to profit from the time you are here. That is all I have to tell you. Good-night. (Clapping) Thank you.

Coloring Our Life

2009-01-13T06:09:00.000-08:00

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai At The Group meditation, Singapore September 29, 1994 (Originally In English)

I read in the newspapers today that life a hundred years ago was very terrible for people. They didn't have it so clean like today. And they didn't have it so convenient like this, really! At that time, I think the cars were drawn by horses. And sometimes in the winter, it was very cold. And they kept the horses next to their houses, or in the buildings. And all the smell, you know, they had to share together. Because of the manufactories' smoke and environmental contamination, the people's health were a little bit endangered. That's why in the old times, people died younger than now, because the environment was so filthy and contaminated by all kinds of hazardous substances from the manufactories and the chemical waste from all these big companies.
Actually only one hundred years, and we, humanity, have made a big step of progress in all kinds of aspects. But they said even before we had cars, they had a lot of road accidents, more road accidents than we have now with cars. I could hardly believe it. But it could be true, because they said sometimes the horses, they broke loose and then they killed thousands. And sometimes they just ran around on the road and kicked people also. Today we have car accidents also. But even at that time, they did have road accidents with horses. That is one of the main reasons.
But even then nowadays still many sicknesses kill people, kill about eighteen million a year - different diseases. Because some of us also do not take precautions to guard our precious body which has been given by God to do some mission on earth for some purpose, also to realize our almighty power. Somethings like we smoke too much, we drink too much, we eat too much flesh and invite all these bacteria from the flesh into our systems, etc. All these killing factors make our lives miserable, a miserable time.

Live A Better Life

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 not ate because of the taste, and ate just a reasonable amount, then of course, our health would not be so much endangered. You see, most of the vegetarian people, they become healthier. Is that not so? [Audience: Yes.] Many of you became healthier after taking initiation and switching onto 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.
Not because the vegetarian diet is healthy in itself only, but because the vibration is very harmonious to our body. Whereby the vibrations of the animals are not that harmonious, not so peaceful. Actually, it is very easy, not difficult to live a simple and healthy life. There is no need so much for medicine, no need so much injection. Many of us harm ourselves because we bring 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 stay healthy.
You see, I work hard, I am very small, and I don't really take so much nutrition or I don't have time to consider so much. But still being a vegetarian saves me a lot of sickness, saves a lot of money for the doctors. Otherwise, if I have to keep going to the doctor all the time, it would be troublesome. I go to the doctor sometimes, but minor things. Compared to you, I go very little. Compared to the people outside, for my size. (Laughter) You have to consider my size also. Yes, I am blessed by God and Buddha to do my job.
And sometimes, if I don't do my job, I also will get sick, because the energy is built up inside and not let out. Therefore, you don't worry about hard work. You should work and spend your energy, because in our body, there are about seven chakras which can draw in the energy from the universe. They are just like a battery, automatically charged by universal power. That's why we can run our machine all the time. And when we meditate, this power is even in more abundance. So the more we give, the more it comes in. It will never stop. So we don't worry. Don't worry about karma and helping people, or taking karma and all that. If people need help, you help.
It's only when we try to interfere with the people's mind, like try to control them, or try to tell them to do what we want them to do for a selfish purpose, then we create karma. Otherwise, if we love people and we want to help them in their time of need, even if we truly get karma from them, it doesn't matter. Understand? It doesn't matter at all, because we should sacrifice for each other. We should live with each other in love and don't mind the karma.
Just like today, occasionally you have a buffet like this, it's also very good. You can eat different food, and you see how tasty it is, and maybe you try to ask them how to cook it. Or you buy some books, cookbooks, Indian cookbook, Chinese cookbook, vegetarian and then you can cook tasty dishes for your family, keep them healthy, and also introduce them to a vegetarian diet. Most of the people like to eat vegetarian. It's just that they cannot find tasty food. And then they cannot eat it. They cannot survive if everyday they eat salad and soya sauce. (Laughter) Yeah? You know what I mean? So if sometimes our family members don't want to eat vegetarian food, we have to check-up whether our cooking talent is up-to-date. If something is wrong with our cooking technique, we can improve it by asking a neighbor, learning from the big restaurant, or learning from the people giving courses, dish courses. It's very easy.
Always try to live your life with the most fulfilling program, yeah? Never idle your lifetime. Just do everything you want. Try to learn new things. Be outgoing. Be social. Be friendly, be loving to all the people and learn everything from each other. There is no need to sit there and feel miserable about your life, about your misfortune. There is no such misfortune in this life.
We always must keep positive energy because even if you think positive, even just thinking positive, if you can see your body, you will see each positive thinking will change the pattern of your aura, change your outlook, and change your energy inside. It becomes more overflowing and healthy. But if you think negative, just think anything negative or bad or miserable, and then your pattern changes immediately. Any psychic person can see this. That's why some people can read your mind because when you come in, they can see your aura.
They can see the pattern change in your energy counterpart of your body. Energy counterpart is the shape of energy which looks like the shape of your real organ. For example, your heart is like this. Suppose someone took your heart away, and that heart place is empty. But still it has the shape of your heart in it - something there. That is the energy counterpart of the heart. Sometimes this energy counterpart has problems, not the real heart; and so they have to fix it. So you are the best doctor for yourself if you think positive.
Make Use Of Our Inborn Advantage
Live a healthy life, and simple. Simple living and high thinking. Always think positive. 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 illness can be avoided. It's very difficult if you are a kind of doctor or nurse, or sometimes social worker to be positive all the time, because people will come to you with their sicknesses, their problems, their very low thinking and depressive energy. But for ordinary people, you can always keep up your positive energy. Always think that God is around you, masters from the ten directions are always protecting you. Because it is true. It is true.
We are not left alone in this world to do all things ourselves. We are always protected by angels, everyone of us, and always guarded by Master's spirit, even though we don't see them. Even if you don't believe in angels and spirit, you must believe there is a God who exists. Otherwise, we wouldn't exist. You know what I mean? We cannot run away from this God. So don't worry. Every problem will solve itself in time. Even if it doesn't, we live in this world for only a very short span, we can bear it. Okay? Because we have real hope in heaven which we'll go back to later. Each one of us will go back again sooner or later, when we leave this world. This is not really a real problem.
Most of the problems are our own making, because we think negative, we act negative, and we let the negative influence from people affect us. Sometimes if you go to see the doctor, they will tell you that some of the diseases are self-made. Not because you want the disease only, but you are run down in resistance. For example, like allergies. Sometimes you never get them. But only when you're run down, you are depressed, you are overworked, you are exhausted, then the allergies will come. You eat the same food everyday, have no allergies. But one day, you have them. It's because at that time, probably your resistance is very low. Your defense system broke down temporarily or something like that. Whereas if you think positively, the disease also will go quickly. Because sometimes the defense system is so run down already, it's like broken down, it's very difficult to fix it. At that time, then it's too bad. Either we live or we die.
So try to take care of your system and don't let it break down. Try to take care of your system by acting positive, thinking positive, talking positive. That is very simple. Even just thinking positive is already a tremendous help to you. Some people think if you think and you don't do it, then it's all right. But it's really not all right. When you think of killing someone, you actually also do it.
In India, there was a king who tried it. One day he came out and approached a man on the street. And he was thinking that he was going to kill that man. He was thinking only that. Then he asked that man to come up and to tell the king what he felt at that moment about the king. And he told him that he could speak honestly, because it was only an experiment. Also he should not be afraid that the king would kill him if he told his honest feelings. So the king encouraged the man to think, to tell him what he thought of the king when he first saw the king. Because at that time, the king was thinking he wanted to kill the man, the man said, "I just want to strangle you." Yes, exactly the same moment that the king wanted to kill him, the man also felt he wanted to come and strangle the king. Probably self-defense system.
Because the soul is omnipresent, the soul is part of God, it has the omnipresent quality. Therefore, if we think about someone, they know it; we talk about someone, they know it; whether they are present or not. That's why we should not talk badly, we should not talk bad about people behind their backs, we should not run down people behind their backs, we should not do anything bad behind someone's back; because they will know. Normally people say God knows, but that person will also know, even though you don't tell him. That's why many crimes, sometimes, they do them in the dark; but they will surface sooner or later. It's because of the omnipresent quality of the soul. Even if that person doesn't know, many invisible beings will know. The ghosts will know and sometimes the ghosts will tell.
Yeah, sometimes you read in the newspaper or see on the TV that ghosts manifest themselves occasionally and make trouble. It is because they have seen something, they know something that we don't know, we don't see. If they don't have the body, they have more intelligence, more freedom. When we have the body, we have also an advantage, that the body protects us from many of the negative effects and a lot of negative knowing. If we don't have this body, then we will know too much, know too much through the brain, like we will know who is going to kill us. That person thinks very bad about us and that person is going to do something bad. We will know too much all day long and then our mind will be bombarded with all kinds of negative seeing, feelings and knowing of the world. Even though our soul knows, but if our brain doesn't know, then we don't suffer so much. You understand? Yes, yes. Therefore, we have this body to protect us from this negative atmosphere of the world.
But nevertheless when we have this body, we also have the disadvantage of not knowing many things that the angels know and the other people who don't have the body know. So we have good and bad. But nevertheless, we can have both. We can make use of this physical body to shield ourselves from the negative influence. But we can also learn to leave it when we want to, through the process, the technique of meditation. We can go out of this physical prison and then learn something of the paranature quality, like we go to heaven, go to different dimensions to learn a higher wisdom. And then when we come back, we can make use of that to serve ourselves, our families, our nation and our world. Understand? So the people who don't have the body have less advantage than us. But only if we can make use of this life, make use of both the physical dimension and the beyond-physical dimension, then we have both advantages.
We are above the angels and better than all those disembodied spirits. We have more advantages. So try to take care of your life. Make use of your physical greatness. Even though the body is a very troublesome instrument, it is also excellent. Excellent. Actually when you practice very hard, sometimes you don't feel the body. Is that not so? You have this experience? Yeah, you feel very light, right? Yes. Like you are driving but it's not you who's driving, someone else. No effort. That's how we achieve the effortlessness in the physical dimension. Then we can do many things in a lighter way, and we don't feel so exhausted any more. The more we meditate, the better we feel, and the faster we work, and no problem.
And you must also try to pass on the news to our fellow beings to rescue them from their misery. Try to comfort them and bring them the good news that they could be lighter, greater, happier in their lives if they practice the age-old wisdom, getting in contact with the Kingdom of God within themselves, with the Buddha nature within themselves. Then they don't feel so miserable and worn-out, or blocked and feeling lonely in this world. That's the only cure for humanity. Otherwise, everyone will tell you that the end of the world is coming. (Laughter) But so what? Even if the end of the world comes, we have security. We already know where we are going so then we don't fear. We will have many other worlds to live on.
It looks like so many disasters are coming to the world, huh? But I don't feel like the world is going to end so quickly. Maybe it will end in some parts, maybe have a great destruction for different people. But the virtuous people, the blameless persons will be preserved for the next generation. And with the help of the positive energy from you during your meditation, during the group gatherings, during your silent prayer time, our world is preserved to a greater degree than we might have hoped for. And that's why I hope that you'll spread more good news to people. Adding more water into the pool so that many people can swim in it. Yeah?
Live A Fulfilling, Positive, Happy And Learning Life
Even if you have to sacrifice a little bit of personal taste or maybe your vegetarian wife cooks so lousy, but try to swallow it (laughter), for the sake of humanity. But the wife should improve the cooking, or maybe the husband. Why not? Why should the wife always be the one who cooks? You don't know men have more cooking talent than women. (Laughter) [Audience: Yes.] Yes, only they don't try. (Applause) I have eaten food from many men, they cooked very, very well; and you know all the biggest chefs in the biggest hotels are men, huh? Right? [Audience: Yes.] Very rarely we hear of a big women chef, right? So maybe men should have a try. Surprise your wife, and don't complain to me that 'my wife won't cook for me, so I cannot meditate'. (Laughter) It's nonsense. There is nothing we should say we cannot do. Is that not so? If it's a big thing, maybe you have an excuse. But cooking, washing, you try, you learn and have fun with it. Okay?
And we should make use of every minute of our life to live a fulfilling, positive, happy and learning life. There is nothing boring about this life, really. Nothing is boring. You try to look for books. There are many books you can read. Read anything that you like as long as it doesn't damage your spirit, doesn't pull you out of the righteous path, doesn't make you stray away from the righteous life, doesn't make you become evil. Then every book you can read. Newspapers, everything can give you information. You select what you read, of course, yeah? You can read anything to enhance your worldly knowledge. And then meditate to deepen your knowledge in heaven, so you have both knowledge in the world and knowledge in heaven. How can you get bored?
I sometimes don't have even enough time. Of course, I am busy doing spiritual work. But then I am also busy doing some charitable work. And then for that I am very busy. But still I have to make time. I read books and things like that. How can you get bored? There are so many things in this world you can amuse yourself with, I mean, intellectually. Also you can do sports if you need. Go swimming, or learn something. Make your life happy, healthy and very useful. There is no need to sit there and say, "My life is boring, my life is miserable." This is nonsense.
You do it to yourself. Is that right? [Audience: Yes.] Before I came here, I was reading, and I struggled for every minute. (Laughter) I kept reading and looking at the watch, because I wanted to read until the last minute before I came here. Of course, my duty I have to do. I have to fulfill my duty as a teacher, as a good friend. But I also make my life not miserable, by not only working. I also go swimming sometimes, if I have time. It doesn't take half an hour. Instead of sitting there idling and thinking something negative, you go swimming, yeah? Also good for your work, for example, or go walking, or take the children go out and play. Teach them to swim or teach them something that you like. Share with them your life and teach them to be intelligent. The children, you should not leave them to play with children. Children should learn with adults. That's how they grow up. And actually we should not have too many children if we can not individually take care of them. You should devote your life to children, one child at a time. You should always be there for them and with them. Then they will grow up very quick, become very intelligent, and become very useful persons in the society. Then they will save you a lot of headaches. They will be very good, very brave. So, of course, it's very tiring to play with children, but you will learn to play with them. And they will learn from you. You learn patience and love from them - unconditional love. And then they will learn from your wisdom, your intelligence, your way of life.
So make yourself a shining example by learning yourself. Read books, learn new hobbies, be healthy, sportive, live a simple life, be truthful, be virtuous. Then the children cannot help but grow up the same way as you are. So there are a lot of things to do in this world, really. Also hobby-wise. Don't come to me and tell me that you are bored, you are miserable. I don't accept this. You know I don't accept it. You should not be irritable. You should not be miserable. You should not be bored. There is no such thing in the practitioners' dictionary. Because you should be more intelligent, have more energy, and then you have more ideas. You should even be more active and more energetic. Is that not so? You don't feel better afterwards? [Audience: Yes.] So if any person comes to you and tells that they are miserable, you know they don't meditate either, for sure. And you can tell them, "Go and sit more and then you will feel better."
Meditate more and then outwardly we can be more social. Learn from each and everyone. Sometimes the questions you ask in your mind are answered by the neighbor or by the one who sits next to you. You have to feel. Sometimes you ask a question, and if you are not sure the Master has answered for you inside, you have to look for sometimes the answer outside. Sometimes suddenly you feel the person next door wants to talk to you. If it is so clear, then it is an indication that you should listen. And that is the answer for you. And sometimes you suddenly borrow a book, and then the answer is there. Or sometimes you listen to the tape, and then it just comes out that sentence for you. All right? If you can't be so intuitively clear about what the Master answers you inside, you try to look for answers outside. Okay? But it's all right if you make mistakes. It's okay. Don't do them again next time. Don't worry. All right?

Make Yourself A Shining Example

So I hope you enjoy the food. And then try to remember the taste also, and go home and cook the same for the husband, or wife, children. In that way they won't complain that the vegetarian diet is so difficult. If everyone eats the food like today, they would never complain. Is that not so? [Audience: Yes.] I told you already the time when I was still married to the German doctor, huh? All my neighbors came to eat vegetarian food. One day, my ex-husband felt sorry for the neighbors, that I was always cooking vegetarian. So that day, he bought some cold fish, already cooked, ready-made. He also bought some cold meat or something like that; and he put a lot there, a lot on one side. And I as usual cooked vegetarian food for both of us, the German doctor and myself.
But all the people came to the vegetarian side to eat. So all of us were hungry because I didn't cook enough. I only cooked for two. I believed that the German doctor was right, (laughter) and so I thought all the neighbors would come and eat all the food that he bought. So I only cooked a little bit for two. But everyone came to eat vegetarian food because it was so tasty. And they are engineers, lawyers, doctors, because we had similar neighbors. We lived in a very posh area, where only these kinds of rich people, so-called rich people live. They are not kind of average citizens; they are a little bit higher class. So even they said to me, "Wow, if vegetarian food is so good like this, we'd eat everyday." That's why they didn't want meat. I said, "Why don't you go and eat the fish and meat over there. The doctor bought it for you." They said, "No, we don't come for meat and fish. We have them everyday. We want your vegetarian food."
So from then on, I cooked only vegetarian food whenever I invited the neighbors. And when they invited me, they also cooked vegetarian food. So because we ate vegetarian food, all the neighbors became vegetarian. At least partially. And when I went to my in-laws, they also cooked vegetarian food for me, and gave me opportunities to try different dishes. They also thought they were very delicious.
So 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, because the good example in this world is rare. So make yourself a good example. Try your best in everything so that people will know that because you practice, you become better. Then you really are being useful, being useful for society. That's how you prove. That's how you help other people. That's how we rescue the world from the great destruction that may be coming.
For what I see, I don't need to be a prophet. I don't need to cast prophecies. I don't need to be a clairvoyant to see the future. None of us have to be. We can see that our world can encounter great destruction because of a lot of self-destructive drugs and weapons, the way we live our lives, and the way we infect each other. It could be the end of the world. There is no doubt about it. Or we can see our neighbor, how we affect their life? How one person who has AIDS can affect hundreds of thousands of people just by contacting or by careless actions somewhere.
Just like in France, some doctor just gave a patient an infected blood transfusion. And hundreds of people caught this disease, innocently by doing nothing. Even though they were all careful, they didn't go anywhere, and they didn't do any bad things themselves, they just caught the disease. This is not fair. You know what I mean? So in that case it is terrible. And then those hundred people might spread out to a hundred more. And then hundreds become thousands, thousands become millions. Every year, millions of people die of all kinds of nonsense. So we don't need to ask the prophet whether the world will end. If we continue the life-style that most people live today, we might have to believe that the world will end. Understand?
So it's our duty to rescue people if we love this planet, if we think it's a beautiful place, which it is. Takes billions, trillions of years to make one until it is beautiful like today, so beautiful like this. So we have to also make a contribution. If we can, we fix it. Of course, after all, we've tried our best and still the end of the world comes, then let it be. But if we can fix it, we do it. All right? So spread the good news and let the people go back to the natural way of life, the righteous way of life, that is, being vegetarian, being virtuous, keeping the precepts, and living a simple life and positive thinking. Then our world will be no problem, and we will probably live a few more thousand years in a better condition.
There are two choices now - one is total destruction, another is go ahead with progress in all ways of life, including spiritual. And the future is in our hands, really. There are no aliens who can do anything about it. There is no God who punishes us. There is no Buddha who blesses us. It's only ourselves. We have to make a choice, because that's how we grow - by making good choices.
Year 2000 - The Dream
Actually, in the future, if we get over this year 2000 apocalypse crisis, we will be able to develop further in the future. And I can probably imagine that the people in the future after year 2000 won't have to work so hard. We will have a different system, a wiser system, and people will probably work for hobby only. And we probably won't need money. Everyone will produce what we have and then we share with each other. Will be better. But that is what I imagine. I hope it will come true. I think it might.
At the moment, we work a lot for nothing. We work a lot, we earn little, and waste a lot of our time which we could use for more intelligent practices. Because actually if a man has more time, he can contribute more also. In his relaxed time, he can produce, he can learn, he can train himself in another way of work, and he can use his intelligence for his hobby developing. And sometimes people put more energy in their hobby and then it produces better results.
I think everyone should work only half a day. That should be enough. And the other half day should be used for hobbies, whatever they like to develop or their own invention, their own research. Hobbies don't always mean useless speaking or football, or anything like that. Anything done voluntarily under their own will and intelligence is called a hobby. But a hobby can be very productive and helpful to society.
Maybe in the future, we can go to that.

enlightenment Awakens The Positive Power

2009-01-13T06:04:00.000-08:00

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai, SingaporeJan 10, 1995 (Originally in English)Passing Through The Gate Of Illusion

Many people expect that the enlightened persons or to be enlightened, that being must be something extraordinary, must be perhaps seven feet tall or have feet like this or hand like that. Because we read the sutras, the Buddhist Bible, it described that the Buddha had such and such marks, like his feet link together like the duck (Laughter) or his leg look like the deer's leg and his eyes look like a cow's eyes, things like that. (Laughter) And they try to make the Buddha beautiful. But if you put all these together, it makes a funny Buddha, you know? (Master laughs.)
They don't realize that perhaps in the old time, these kings of animals are the best symbols of beauty and a noble character. That's why the one who love the Buddha try to convey to others that he's so beautiful, like the way he walks like the king of goose and his chest like the lion and such and such things. But when you put all these animal parts together you don't know what kind of Buddha that is.
Now this is the outside only, and the inside of us, each one is the same. I think all of you know that. But how same, and how can we know that? This is a difficult question. Even though it's very easy but it is difficult, because we have forgotten it. That's all. We have forgotten completely what we really are. And we are busy with chasing our dream everyday and trying to fulfill our immediate desires and we forget, we forget what we really are and where we come from. Just to tell... you know forgetful we can be, I'll tell you a true story of myself.
I went to Australia, I think two or three years ago, also due to invitation first time and we supposed to have three lectures in different cities. The first lecture went on all right, no problem. The second lecture also all right. I was on time. The third lecture I was late! The only reason is not traffic. It's not that I slept. It's not that I have no car or nothing. The only reason is that I forgot. I forgot that I have the lecture that evening.
I keep doing my things, like the room is a little bit untidy so I keep tidying it up and then I try to move things here and there like it's my house. Perhaps it balances my busy schedule, give me something to do. Perhaps so or perhaps I'm a perfectionist. Whenever I see something it's not in order, I try to put in order. But that was to the extent that I forget that I had the lecture that evening.
I forget until half an hour after the beginning time. And then some nervous disciples run in, broke in, kind of crashing in and said, "Master, where are you?" And then I said why, I'm here. Really cool. They said, "Master You suppose to be in the lecture hall." I said, "What! What lecture hall?" I've really completely forgotten. I guess no one as terrible as me, but perhaps we do forget sometimes. You do, or not?
Sometimes you are engrossed in some other business and you forget the main purpose of your goal that day. Did that happen to you sometimes? It does, huh, okay. And of course I have to rush and apologize to the people. I feel really terrible and I promise to God that if He made me lecture again, He must put alarm clock for me. So from then on I always put alarm clock everywhere, and whenever the lecture I set it on everywhere so that I will remember in case I forget. How can you forget a lecture? Oh! I even don't understand that. But that's what I did.
So now if we are here too long, one life, two lives, hundred lives, then of course we forget even more what the purpose of our coming here. Some of the people sometimes they die temporarily, for like a few minutes or twenty minutes even. Clinically dead, declared dead by the doctor, stop breathing, no pulse, etc.. But then after they came back, they told many stories of the other life beyond and then they also remember why they came here for, what for they came to the earth. But many of them, most of them forget immediately what they have seen in heaven or what they suppose to do in this life. They know that they have seen, the purpose of their life, but when they came back here, they came back to this life again, they forgot. They just know that they know, but they don't know what.
The Chinese have a saying that before we are born into this world again, the king of nether world would give us some soup, kind of hot drink, maybe chocolate or something. (Laughter) That is supposed to make us forget completely our past life and start anew. Many of us promise that we come here, if we are given the chance again to be human being, we would do this, do that, and others. And we will go and practice the meditation and so on, and then we get enlightenment and we dedicate all our life and energy to serve mankind, etc., etc..
And we really meant it well. But because of this soup, this "forget me soup", everyone forgets. So the only thing for us to remember again is that we must open the gate of secret knowledge. Without that gate open, we can never, ever peep beyond this world and the only thing we know is this material existence and all is suffering, joy and temporarily other things, and we would forever identify ourselves with this physical appearance and suffering with it.
The Suffering Of This World Comes From Ignorance
But why? Why must we remember the purpose of our coming here? Not because we have promised to do so, but because if we don't remember, we must come back again and again and again until we remember... until we fulfilled our mission in this planet and then we can go to higher existence or remember our original great position in heaven or in nirvana. The suffering of this world is not due to only the war. The war is not the catastrophe. It's not the lack of food and all these, but the suffering of this world comes from ignorance. Because we don't know our mission, our purpose, we mistaken the playground for home and overstay our due and sometimes suffer the cold, danger outside the house.
But even then the Buddhas, God Almighty always try to look for us, for the lost children, for the ones who love to play and forget to go home. Therefore the Buddha sometimes come down and endure the suffering of the human existence, endure the humiliation of the petty physical life in order to find the lost children, to bring them back to safety before it's too late. Because any house, doesn't matter how solid it built, one day it must be demolished by itself or by some other elements or some causes or have to rebuild a new one because it's too old. This world is a big house, very beautiful, very solid house, but it's not a permanent house.
That's why the Buddhas, the Saints, like Jesus, Mohammed, etc., they came down to us, extend their blessing to us. We walk one step, they walk hundred thousand steps to receive us and forgive our mistakes, cleanse our past unwholesome actions, and teach us the new kind of life, new beginning, or better speaking, and lead us back to the original way of life, the way we must live, the way we should carry out our life.
The Destructive Power Of Negative Information
Because up to now, all the cells in our body, all the nerves in our system listened only to almost negative orders from our information center. That's why we have war. That's why we have assassination. That's why we have competition at the cost of other people's jobs or business, or wife or husband, because we do not have a positive information in our brain center to order our body to do good things. And the people who are good in this world are also sometimes, or often overwhelmed also by the negative, by the negative influence in the society, also become shaky in their faith, became weaker in their goodness, and sometimes eventually also give in to the negative power.
So when we have only negative information in our brain, then of course we can only give out negative information or negative orders, and the cells in the body, the nerves in the system also can follow only the negative orders and then do negative things. That's why we have no peace in the world. That's why even up to now brothers are still killing each other. Even parents are killing their children for pleasure, for privacy, for individual freedom, "pro-choice", etc.. Not because they are bad, not because all these war makers, all these parents bad. Or the husband who killed the wife or the wife killed the husband or the brother killing each other, not because they are bad, just because their brain are fed only with negative information, only with negative ideas and that's what they carry out. Whatever the brain order, the cells complied, the cells have to do it, the body must function. And that's why we sink deeper and deeper into depression and that's why our world is almost any time in danger of disappearing, from our own making.
So the only thing to help us now is very logical, is that to feed us with positive information to change our information stream. Everyday we must receive good information, positive information, constructive information, enlightened, wise informations, and then from the brain they will direct the cells, the nervous system and everything will do only good, only peaceful, only wise, only constructive positive things, and that's how we save the world. Otherwise, it doesn't matter how much peace talks, how much money we spend on the arms, on the army, still we don't have secure feeling. Look, one day this country just finish the war, shake hands with each other. Okay. We start anew. And the next morning, we heard that the other country broke out in war. And then the United Nations run over there and that's not yet finished, the other one, the other country makes war with the other country over there and then over here, over everywhere.
enlightenment Brings Wonders To The World
And it's already nearly twenty-first century and we suppose to be civilized, peaceful, loving, helping each other. And for all the technical inventions, for all the wealth that we have discovered from the mother earth and from the universe, we could live a kingly life, all of us. Instead, we still have poverty, war, suffering, just because we don't have enough positive information to feed our brain and our whole system with. That's all there is about enlightenment. enlightenment is a way of positive life. It's a way of tapping into positive power, which is already existing within us. Because in the universe there are two kinds of power, we call yin and yang. Everyone knows. Now we are living almost in yin, no positive, no yang, because we did not open that resource.
This world is a negative world. So it is obvious that we have plenty of yin everywhere. And the negative or the yin is easily accessed. It is more accessible to everyone, except when we are wise enough to turn also into the positive department and draw there from, something for us for everyday supply. Then we are balanced. Then we can do wonders to the world. And of course there will be no more war, no more suffering. That's why we said earlier that the suffering in this world is not due to any individual or nations. It's due to the ignorance of us, the earth people.
enlightenment is nothing new and nothing that we have to beg for, nothing mysterious. It's just a positive power that we have within ourselves, laying, sleeping, unused up to now. So if someone to remind you where to look into or how to use it, and that is called enlightenment, and that's why it can be immediate. Because if you have something in your pocket or here, you can take it out right away. It's no need to go to supermarket to buy it. That's why it's immediate. As long as you want to accept it, it will be right there and I will show it to you, that it is immediate and you can use it right away and you can see your life improved right away in the first days.
Some people feel like they are born again, right at the time of initiation. They are so joyful. They could just go on the street and kiss everyone. Of course I advise them not to do that, especially in Singapore. It's just a way of expressing their joy. And from then on, their lives become as light as feather. They work without burden. They take care the family with love and not with so much struggling. Most of family members are often struggling with each other, also due to ignorance. So many people after enlightenment they find their family become heaven. And if everyone's like that, every family like that, then we don't need to go to heaven. Our planet will be preserved and then because due to our positive power, we can also elevate the vibration of the earth and make it become heaven-like.
The Difference Between Heaven And Earth
The only difference between heaven and this earth is the vibration, the frequency. The frequency of heaven is fast but smooth. The frequency of the physical world such as our earth is gross, is rough, uneven. That's why sometimes we have disasters earthquake and all kind of eventful weather. Of course, we can say it from weather forecast: "Oh, the wind in northeast, it winds", something like that, and causes all these and that. But it is all together also due to the vibration of the whole planet, and atmosphere around it. In heaven, they don't have it, they don't have typhoon, they don't have earthquake, they don't even have earth, they don't even have wind. Everything is different. And the heavenly beings, their vibration is also different, because they are different. They have their vibration different, therefore heaven is different. So if our vibration is different, our life become different, even if we stay here. Of course we cannot change the whole planet into heaven, if the people of the earth are practicing only in a small number. But if the whole planet or maybe even half of us practice in such a way, then the vibration of the earth will also change, then other half also will be benefitted without having to do anything. Just like in one family, the father and mother goes to work, and the whole family can also benefit from his or their parents' salary. No need for the children also go to work. They can, later, when they want to, when they grow up, as a duty to society, not because of necessities. And of course, the more money they earn, the better for the family.
Similarly, the more people practice into heavenly kind of life, and the more elevated our earth will become. At that time then, our house here is safe. Otherwise, it's not safe. As long as the frequency is so gross, rough, then it's bound to happen that one day it will break apart or explode. We learn that the finer the thing, the more invisible the thing, the more enduring. Similarly, our earth is too gross, too heavy, so it's bound to happen sometimes that it will destroy itself, if we do not destroy it before that with our atom bombs, with our environmental abuse, with our ignorance of the protection of the atmosphere around the earth.
We sometime poison ourselves with too much chemical, poison our earth, poison the water, and so it's bound to happen that it cannot last. Has no need to be a clairvoyant person or predicting well like Nostradamus or something to say that, the world is not everlasting. We can predict it ourselves. If we look around our neighborhood and see how we treated our planet and how wars have damaged each and every corner of the world, now and again.
The Story Of The Red Goblin And The Green Goblin
There is a story about two devils who live in a mountain. Actually they are not devils, they are kind of demighost, demiGod or ghost perhaps, perhaps half angel and half goblin-like. And they live together, two. One is green and the other is red. Just like the green light and red light outside. Green is for peaceful, smooth going. Red is for war, stop, obstruction. But both of them live together happily ever after, (Master laughs) before, ever before, together in the mountain and with no problem, no anxiety, no desire, nothing.
They live for long... many many hundred of years already. And often when they have nothing to do, they sat on top of the mountain and look down into the world below them, the world of humankind. And they saw all the business and the people, walking up and down and all that. And then they saw the world is always changing. So the green said to the red, "You see, we live here many hundreds of years already and our life never changes, everyday the same thing. But the world below, the world of human being, everyday change. How come?" And the red said, "Oh, yes, you're right, very interesting, their life is more interesting." But the green said, "How come, how come their life is so changing all the time?" And then the red thought for a while and say, "Oh, it must be because they always fight with each other. Because they build a building, beautiful and big and next day they fight and demolished it. And then they build another one and then have war and destroy again and that's why the world always have something to do. That's why the world is always changing. So now if our world here, the two of us, too peaceful, too boring, I think we have to start fighting with each other." That's what the red thinks.
And the green said, "No! No fighting. We are good friends, we've been friends for many hundred of years. How can we fight each other?" But the red said, "If we don't fight, then we can't have any change. Our life will always going on like this and it's boring and we don't make any progress, so let's fight!" So the green said, "No, no, no, no! I can not do it. No, we are friends." But the red insist and said, "From today you are my enemy. That's it.", Declared war right there and then. So then he left. He didn't live with the green anymore. He moved to the other side of the mountain and sat there alone, prepare for war. And the green also stay there in that corner of the mountain, felt so lonely and miserable. He missed the other goblin. So he was feeling very miserable.
And you know the goblin, the kind of demiangel, they have magical power. Apart from being able to fly, making things appear by themselves, seeing very far, hearing very far, they also have long nose which can stretch to no limit. So the green goblin sat there one day and feeling very bored and suddenly he notice in the world of humans below that something shining, flashing, shining all the time. So he was curious and he used his nose. (Laughter) He makes his nose long. He said, "Grow longer, grow longer, grow longer and then the nose kept growing long, long, long and then pierce into the world below where the shining and flashing is happening.
The shining and flashing came from the clothes of the princess of that city and it happened that the servants were hanging her clothes outside to air them and her clothes have gold flakes and also some jewelry studded with diamond, rubies, and etc., etc.. So it's glittering in the sun. That's why it were shining and flashing. So now the servants say to each other, "Oh, her clothes is so beautiful, but so many. Now we don't have enough bamboo pole to hang. What to do?"
At that moment the nose of the goblin just arrived on time. (Laughter) Did you hear this story before? (Audience: No) No! Oh! I'm glad. (Everyone laughs.) So, and then the servants thought, "Oh, we have a long bamboo enough to hang the rest of the clothes on it." So they put the rest of the clothes of the princess on this green pole and then happily went inside. Ah, to eat some chapati.
So now, the green goblin suddenly felt so heavy on his nose. So he was scared. He immediately pull his nose back to the normal size and there come all a bundle of glittering clothes at his feet. And he was thinking, "Ah, oh, it must be a lucky day." So he try it on and beautifully it looks. So he was proud marching around himself alone.
And it happened that the red came over. He wanted to start a fight, to progress. But then the green said, "Look here! I have some new clothes, beautiful, and I save some for you, half of them for you." And the red was looking with contempt and said, "Look, I don't wear these kind of ridiculous things, only crazy people do, like you." He want to start a fight, so he talk every nonsense. But the green is always green, so he's very cool; so he don't pick on it. So he say, "Okay, okay, fine. If you don't wear them, it does no harm. Leave them there. It's all right." So the red don't know what else to do, so he went home.
But actually he was very very jealous of the green and so he tried to get some clothes for himself. So now he also put his nose very long down into the palace and waiting for some clothes to be hung on. But it happen that the samurai, at that time there practicing sword together and when they saw such a long thing coming, they said to each other, "What's that? And the other said, "Ah, it must be the new invention of the enemy trying to attack us. Let's kill it first." "Oh, okay." Then "Pa" (Master imitates the sound of cutting) with the sword. And so suddenly the red feel such sharp pain and immediately he pull back his nose to the normal size. And then here it bleed and then he cry and cry so much.
And then the green heard his crying and came over and say, "What happen, what happen?" And the red was so embarrassed and angry and can not say what the true was and so he said, "Leave me alone" "And you don't bother me." And so the green said, "No, I don't bother you, I try to help you. It's bleeding. Look here. I know the medicine. I put it on. It will stop right away and your nose will become beautiful like before. Otherwise, you will have a big scar, a big hole there and then it will be very ugly. I just want to take care of you."
And so the red after all feel touched and said, "All right, all right." And then he cried his heart out, "Ah, it's really hurt. Please quickly, quickly help me. Make it better, quickly." And then from then on of course they make peace together because he had enough with fighting. He thought, fighting is no good. He learned the lesson of peace. From then on they wear nice clothes and drink tea together everyday, and no more war.
Only enlightenment Can Awaken The True Self
But our world has not learned this lesson of love and it is a sad affair. So now, instead of always writing on the newspaper, criticizing the government of this and that country, scolding this and that dictator, or telling the army what to do, because it has not been any use up to now... so instead of doing all these, or apart from doing all these, still, we have to find the way out for ourselves before it's too late. And the only way out is the so-called enlightenment. And an enlightenment is only getting back the positive information that we badly lack. And it's right there. Because it's already there, it's just that we didn't use it. When we are born into this world, everyone must take care of the immediate needs, such as cold, hunger, environmental infection, etc., etc.. Therefore the immediate reaction from birth or since childhood is all these material comfort, all these physical need. That is why we don't have the chance to remember the positive information that we must have in order to survive, in order to be wise and to fulfill our duty better in this world.
You see why we forget? You see why we don't have it? You see why we have it but we don't use it? Just because immediately this world overwhelms us with physical threat. So the immediate reaction from us is that to protect ourself, the body, feeding, drinking, clothing it, building house, buying more blankets, and getting a big car so that we can move around, building a big road so that we can drive the car on, etc., etc.. All these physical necessities immediately from birth overwhelmed us and take all our time up and that's why it became a habit to us to preoccupy ourselves with physical needs alone, and that's why we forget further and further, more and more about our other positive side of nature. And that's the only secret. Does it make sense to you? (Audience: Yes)
So now I have in brief and in logic explained to you or reminded you what is truly enlightenment. And there's no mystery about it, just the positive side of our nature. And we have both inside. Up to now we only use the negative, because the necessities of this negative world force us to always have to lean on the negative side to survive. And then, the more we do it, the more we forget the other side. That's all. But that is the thing that we should not do. Because without the positive we can't even take care of the negative well. Without the driver, you know what I mean, the car doesn't matter how good you take care, it will not move and it will move all wrong way around, killing people if it does. So now the driver must wake up. Wake him up and tell him to drive the car, drive properly. And that is all there is for enlightenment.

On The Alert Once Again

2009-01-13T05:55:00.000-08:00

Excerpt From The Lecture In Japan By The Supreme Master Ching Hai September 8, 1994

The Crisis On EarthThe several years between 1994 to 1996 or 1997 are the most sensitive period of our Earth. Therefore, many incidents have happened. In the last few centuries, we have done so much harm to our planet. Sometimes, the actions looked like we were helping the world, or making the world progress, but the price has been too high! We human beings are too ignorant. Just to earn money quickly in our business, we have disregarded the future consequences. So, now we better slow down and consider our situation, and that of our next generation and the background of the world. We have destroyed too much! For instance, we may cut down trees, but we should plant two trees for every one we cut! We can retrieve used materials for recycling, that is all right! We may also change our meat diet to a vegetarian one, because meat eating has used up most of the resources on Earth.
Each year, many forests are destroyed just for raising livestock. To raise the animals and provide beef for our consumption, forests and jungles equivalent to the area of England are being felled each year. Raising cattle consumes a lot of water, forage, time and land, and the land cannot be used again. After the trees are felled and the earth trampled by the animals, you have to wait fifty years to plant things again. Also, with the trees gone, the exposed rich soils are washed away by the heavy rain, erosion is out of control, and the land becomes barren and dry. There will be a chain reaction of one thing affecting the other, and the destruction is not limited, but has many aspects. Pure water sources are used for animals to drink and take bathes, leaving only the filthy water for us, and in insufficient quantity too.
We have abused technology and damaged the protective layer of the Earth's atmosphere. This has also affected our planet, the Earth is getting hotter. If it's hot then there is no rain, and no shading trees. Without rain, trees cannot grow, without trees, there is less rain. Therefore, the climate is becoming hotter and changing unpredictably. All these end up affecting our body, affecting our children, our business, our mental state and other aspects, and eventually affecting the moral state of our Earth. Without sufficient food, prices would soar, many people could not afford it. Business would be bad which would result in bankruptcy. People without money would resort to robbing and do evil deeds, or become homeless. They might even harm themselves and their families.
Everyone Is Responsible For Saving The EarthWe can change, change our world. We can save our world. We should rebuild our way of life - live a moral life, be a vegetarian, cultivate ourself mentally and physically and there will be immediate results. Our world will be changed at once! If everyone plants trees instead of cutting them down, then we would be saved very soon. Within ten years, the world would not be the same, not have so much problem. Truly there is hope, but only with the cooperation of everyone.
If a vegetarian diet can save the world, then everyone just has to sacrifice a little. The political and religious figures have great influence and authority over the people. They are free to use any means. They have television, radio and everything. They can talk about anything at any time. They should talk about good things, propagating a vegetarian diet and environmental protection. This is the right thing to do for ourselves and our next generation.

Good Deeds Have Happy Results

2009-01-13T05:54:00.001-08:00

Spoken by the Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu Center, Formosa Jan. 5, 1995 (Originally in English)

Help others is helping yourself. It's a pity that not all people in the world know this. That's why in the New Year's day, we made an awarding ceremony, so to remind the people of this country (Formosa) and of the world the noble action of charity, because only being charitable and loving can one rescue oneself from misery in the later life to come. If one has not met a Master to be liberated in one life time, one must be reborn again, and it is better to be reborn in a plentiful environment with not so much suffering in lacking of comfort like food, clothings, house, shelters and every other necessity of life.
Therefore, I encourage other people to practice charity, not because I need them to help me to help others, but it is for themselves because they need them! Because they never know whether next life they have enough merit to live such a comfortable life again like they do in Formosa now, so it's better they continue to sow the good deeds. That is if they don't see any Master.
When one sees the Master, whether one do good deeds or not good deeds, one still practice meditation and the merit is enough to liberate you, we don't have to come back again to enjoy good or bad life, so no problem. (Applause)

The Perfect Beings From Heaven

2009-01-13T05:51:00.001-08:00

Spoken by the Supreme Master Ching Hai in English
at the group meditation in Thailand.
September,10,1994
All of us are great beings from heaven. All of the human beings born in this world are great heavenly beings, and the most courageous. Because if we were not great, we would not be courageous, we'd never have enough guts to come down to this world. We never could come, we'd never dare come.
That's why if one of us here does something good for mankind, then all the heavenly beings rejoice and praise and have so much respect. And the more we can do this, the more respect we earn in heaven. Even though sometimes we have trouble by doing good to mankind and we probably have persecution from our fellow beings and other obstacles in this world, but that is just only temporary. Truly the universe rejoices in every good deed and loving kindness we can send to our fellow beings. And if we already are given enough equipment, enough opportunities to do good to mankind and we don't do it, then it is really a case to feel very sorrowful about.
Before we came here we came with the high ideal, with the best intention, with the good heart and a mighty determination to help and to improve ourselves spiritually, even also by helping people in this world. But when we came here, most of us forgot and we prefer to sleep, eat, and go around playing. We prefer to take care of our own interests and sometimes forget what's our purpose before we came here, why we came here. It is also good that we forget, it's good. And then we do not feel very sorry for ourselves because we'd like to go back there; it's better in heaven than here.
But if we meditate, then unconsciously our soul will remember. Then we don't have to feel too much suffering because we live in this very confined, very unhappy surrounding. And then we feel more settled down, not attached to the world but settle down in the world. And then we know that we have to finish our mission. And then whether we realize or not, inside we will, the soul will understand that we have to accomplish our mission on Earth and then we will go back home very soon.
There is a story of a woman. She died, went to heaven, and came back to this world. And in between time she was shown a lot of heavenly places and the intelligence of the universe and the purpose of creation and she was shown great beings like Jesus or maybe a part of God's representative. Or she thought it was Jesus, because nobody knows what Jesus looked like. (Master laughs.) Because that being had love and a great light around him, so she thought it was Jesus Christ.
Now after she saw all this, she just felt she was at home, of course, and she felt very happy and loved and she never wanted to go back to this world again. But then the heavenly beings told her that her time is not yet up so she has to go back. She said she didn't want to but then the heavenly beings showed her her mission, what she has to do later in the world to help. And then she agreed to come. But then the heavenly beings told her that after she has seen her mission, they will erase the memory, so when she comes back again to her physical life she will not remember anything about what she has to do. And then she truly forgot.
But when she came back here and she saw her ugly body lying there and she said, "Uohhh, I don't want to come into it." (Master and everyone laugh.) And when she came back in, she felt so tight and so confined and so locked up inside herself. She felt so miserable she cried. And it took a long, long time, many months before she became settled down with her body again. And then, she remembered the being told her that she has a mission on Earth, but she didn't remember anything about that mission. And after thinking too long time, she thought it's good that she doesn't remember. Because God knows if she remembers, then she will try to do it very quickly so that it's done and then she will go back to the heaven. (Master laughs.) Yeah, and she will not do it correctly. She will not do it properly. She will just try to finish it, it doesn't matter in what fashion, then she can be free.
Most of us are also covered up, God doesn't let us know. Even though after meditation, after initiation we are only shown a little bit, so that at least we have just a little bit comfort to carry on in this world, and not to feel too proud of our heavenly quality.
And also most of the time when you meditate, your soul goes out of the body but you don't feel the difference between going and coming, because the Master Power tries to lubricate it. The Master Power makes the transition between the physical world and the spiritual world smooth, so that you don't feel the sickness of having to come back into these small boxes after being so free and roaming the whole universe at will. But most of the people when they die, or when they nearly die and they come back again, they feel the terrible difference between the spiritual and the physical world. Therefore they suffer a lot. They suffer like that woman who came back to this world and she suffered for many months from depression.
Therefore many times while meditating, we went outside of the body, but sometimes we feel like we don't know that. And we come back we feel like oh something... Sometimes we feel like we have come back from somewhere but the transition was not so great and it doesn't disturb our ordinary life too much. Otherwise, if everyday, you know, too much of the differences, sometimes you cannot bear it. Because if we remember how beautiful, how relaxed, how loved we are in heaven, we'd never want one more second or one millionth of the second, we'd never want to stay here.
Many heavenly beings never want to come here. They don't have courage. For example, you are staying in a beautiful place like this, so clean and nice. If you had to go into a filthy... like a place where people put the waste water and garbage and things like that, and lock yourself in there everyday, would you like it? A small place, a small confined space with a lot of filth and garbage everyday like this, could you like, would you like? This is what happens to a spiritual being from heaven when they come down and take the confinement of this body.
Some come because they want to develop this planet into a more beautiful place. Yeah, because you remember when you read the history of the planet, the planet was not like this before. It was like a big dense jungle and nobody lived. And it was not comfortable and not beautiful. And because this planet is connected with heavenly plan of existence therefore we have to work together. And because we are also heavenly beings connected with other heavenly beings, so whatever we do here affects them also. A spirit if it's too high it's not affected, the lower a little bit affected. Therefore if we do something good, oh, they are very joyful and very happy. If we do something damaging to the world and then affect the universe, they are very worried and also very disturbed. That's why every of us have some so called "guardian angels", who are supposed to help us to do our mission in this world. And then depends on what kind of job we do, we will have more angels or less angels, stronger angel or just ordinary angel, etc...
The Indian people have a tradition to respect everyone they meet. Perhaps because in their mythological stories they were told that all the human beings here are spiritual, are great, wise beings from heaven. And sometimes when we meditate we also can see that. But sometimes we are covered so we don't think too much, so we don't feel too much homesick. (Master laughs.) So some of them when they meditate they can visit their home, at least have a look and come back here to work again. And other people they forget, they don't miss their home. They just want to stay here all the time. God gives them enough money, enough instruments to work for this world, but then they use the money, they use the instruments to enjoy, they forget. (Master laughs.) These people are very difficult to get liberation.
And that's why since ancient time there are always Masters and spiritual friends. They also sacrifice, they come here and wake up the people of the world, but it's difficult. Once they come here they forget everything from heaven. And sometimes the Master feels very sorry for these brothers and sisters. And sometimes the Master wants to run day and night just to keep calling them, waking them, and bring them back to their spiritual glory, because they suffer too much.
Due to their ignorance they forget their origin, they forget their noble purpose in this world, and they forget that whatever they are given in this world are only instruments so they can fulfill their task. But then they forget and then they are entrapped into these beautiful instruments or situations, and then they get bound here. They cannot go home. Sometimes it takes a long time until they wake up. Meanwhile all the spiritual beings in heaven are feeling sorry for them, want to help them, want to pull them up, but it's sometimes difficult. So it's good that you wake up. (Master laughs.) It's good that you realize that you are not the physical body of this world, that you have a home in heaven.
Actually we should treat all our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters like all spiritual brothers and sisters. Because actually that's all we are, that's what we are. Before we came here we made a covenant with each other saying, "Oh! You be my parents, you be my son, you be my sister, you be my teacher, you be my friend and all that." Everyone comes together to help each other to achieve the purpose of their mission and also to achieve a higher position in the spiritual world. It's not that because of a higher position that we come here. Just that we have been courageous, we want to try, we want to take the challenge. And then of course the greater the challenge, the greater our spiritual understanding and growth. And then we become, of course, a higher spiritual being through our knowledge and labor that we have offered to the universe. And then heavenly beings of course respect us more and then give us more, even higher responsibilities.
For example, if you are born in a rich family and then if you don't work, if your parents spoiled you too much and didn't let you go out and learn and work in different jobs to have experience of your growth, of your talents and your intelligence and your physical power, then you just hang around in the house and eating, sleeping, doing something, but do not have the experience and the capability of a grown up and mature person. And then even your parents cannot entrust you with their great possessions. So like if the parents go away and then maybe you inherit the possessions because you are the only one. But then you don't know how to manage the business and then you let the business fall apart and then you become poor also. That's why God let us come here, to study and to strengthen our abilities. The more we work, the more we try to help other people, the more we grow.
The most important in this world, regardless whatever our mission, is love one another, love each other. If we do not do that then we lack a lot of things. And whatever job we do we have to do it wholeheartedly. Moreover we still have to help our fellow beings in whatever way we can, make them happy, make them feel loved. And whenever the situation needs our love to show it, we have to show our love and we have to show some actions, speech and thoughts always in loving kindness. That's the best for our spiritual growth and best for our fellow beings.
Many children if they don't have enough love from the parents or family when they were very young, they grow up not a very loving person. Sometimes become very bad persons. And then that in turn will affect other people that they contact. And so the reactions, the influence is very big not only personal. So sometimes, we see a group or families, their personalities are very similar, the whole family. Or a group or a tribe, they have their own character and personality. Or larger, a nation, they have their own character, whether they are very loving or they are very fierce.
Of course there are always good and bad persons in any group. But, the outstanding major character is sometimes very distinguished from one group to another or from one country to the next. And sometimes when you meet one or two persons in a country, if that one or two persons don't treat you nice or there is something bad happens between you, then you will always have a bad impression about the whole country. And if that experience keeps repeating too many times, then you will think that the whole country is no good, you can never change your attitude, never change your bad impression toward that country. But if you meet one or two nice persons and then a few more nice persons in that country and then it doesn't matter what happened, you still tend to think that country is nice or the people of that country are nice.
So that happens also for religious things. Sometimes in the group only a few persons do something wrong or cause misunderstanding, and then the whole group are affected by this and are being persecuted for the things a few people do. So actually we have to be careful how we act in everyday life because it's not we alone that get the full scale of responsibility of what we do or what we say or what we think, but we might affect other people.
Actually our thinking is very important, we should take care that our thinking is always good, it's better, because thinking is the material for the physical appearance of all things in this universe. If it's too strong it will materialize right away, if it's not strong enough it takes some time to materialize. And if it takes too long we forget it. We think it happened alone, it had nothing to do with our thinking, but actually it's from our thinking that it happened. That's what is meant by karma - As you sow so shall you reap.
Be careful that our thinking is always pure, because many people can read our minds even. Most of the time people are protected from other people, so they don't know who is thinking what; it's better for them. But sometimes some people have this ability to read our minds, and the heavenly beings can read our minds. We are an open book to the whole universe, so be careful. So whenever we think something bad, better cut it out right away. Otherwise very embarrassing. Also because of our thoughts, we create good atmosphere or bad atmosphere for this world and the next. If our thoughts are very strong, then one individual thinking can make things happen, can make things good or bad happen. If not too strong, then a group of people who think the same thing will make things happen.
That's why we see, as mentioned before, sometimes a group of people or a tribe of people have very similar traits of personalities or have similar things that happened to them or similar things that happened to their country. That's collective karma, because the same minds attract the same things. That's why in our practice we are advised to keep our body, speech and actions pure, so we can keep at first our personal atmosphere pure and we can create also a pure atmosphere for the world in which we live and for the heaven, for the universe also.
So the more people practice like this, the purer the world will become or at least it's balanced, it's not too bad that nobody can breathe and nobody can stay inside. That's how we can fulfill our mission on Earth to bless this world. So do you see how important it is to keep our speech and mind and actions pure? We have to help also with social work. Whatever we can do to help lessen the suffering, that is the most noble work which will not only be recognized in this world, but also praised by heaven.
That's why when you give someone who needs it, needs the love or needs some material comfort, at that time you feel very good. Why do you feel good? Because at that time you are one with heaven. You're doing heavenly work. You're doing the correct work and you're truly representing heaven in doing all this charitable work. Maybe these people also are spiritual beings. They sacrifice themselves, they're born poor so that you can learn the lesson of love. That's why all the Masters from ancient times advise us that when we give something, we do good to someone, we should not be proud. We might feel good, okay, but we should be thankful that we have had the opportunity to do it.
There was a very famous book published recently in America, in which a person who died went to heaven and she was shown many different functions of the human beings in this world. In one of the things she was shown was a man, dirty, drunken, old and lonely who was kind of sleeping in the corner of the street. And then the heavenly being asked her if she knows who he is. And from heaven, she looked down, she said, "Why, it's a drunken, stupid man." Because he really looked drunk, stupid and ugly and dirty and filthy and old and worthless.
But the heavenly beings revealed to her his real identity after that. And then she knew that this person was a very great heavenly being, respected by all heaven. He sacrificed his time on the Earth existence to help his friend. His friend is a lawyer, is about a block away on the same street. And the lawyer is always doing some good work for poor people and for the injustice in the country. But every time he saw this drunken man he's determined to do more, otherwise he forgets or he slackens in his efforts.
But both of them have forgotten their promise with each other, to help each other before they came to Earth. Because they were good friends in heaven and that's how they help each other. But of course the lawyer will get all the glory and credit and the drunk gets all the cursing and all the despite from the people. And knowing and not knowing both of them are doing their job very well until the time comes, then they go back to heaven. And being a drunk man just laying there, (Master laughs) just always reminding his friend to try to fight for the poor, for the desperate people, the homeless and the like... o

A Benevolent Government Begets A Bright Future

2009-01-13T05:44:00.000-08:00

Spoken by the Supreme Master Ching Hai at a Group meditation in USA October 29, 1994 (Originally in English)
From USA and Canada, fellow initiates enjoying a reunion and group meditation with Master

The content of Master's lecture, as a politician with great perspectives, transcends the narrow national and sovereign standpoints. Based on the benefits of mankind and the elevation of spirituality, it points out the good and the bad, and the attainments and mistakes of political aspects. Anyone who reads this lecture carefully can achieve noble political and moral ideas: If one puts them into practice in his position at work, then his nation, his people and even the whole world will benefit immeasurably!

Good People Often Get Involved

Yesterday I was searched all over at the airport. They made me stand facing the wall, like those criminals in the TV. Did you see those on TV? Yeah! When they tell you drop the gun and put your hands on the wall like that. Why do they have to do that? You have to face the wall and put your hands on it; you have to do it in a certain position. You can't just stand facing the wall like Boddhi Dharma or sitting. You cannot cross legs and face the wall like Boddhi Dharma. Don't have illusion, you have to face the wall, put your hands on the wall like that. You know, and the officials search you from behind, not in front. (Is that the tradition in America, the custom?) Oh, if it's the custom, I don't think its a very beautiful one, but, the police will preserve it, for some certain reasons.
I don't smell of drugs, do I? No? People told me that when you project something, you know, project some atmosphere, then you will attract the people who will think of you in a certain way, but I don't think I projected a "drug" atmosphere. Nevertheless, the policeman "smelled" drugs. I don't know where from, and they searched me all over, and drilled me for one and a half hours, and turned my luggage upside down. Not that I had so much luggage; I had only one hand-carry luggage. And I told them I'd stay only four days or so, maximum two weeks, so I have only a few pairs of clothes, and some socks, and underwear, of course. (Laughter)
They asked me, "What do you have in your luggage", I said, "Clothes, underwear, socks and medical records." He said, "Why do you take medical records with you?" I said, "Because I am sick." He said I wouldn't take my medical records with me if I were staying here only for few days or two weeks. I said, "Well, my doctor told me I should take them with me just in case. Because my allergies have come up anytime since the last few months, and he has not found the reason for it yet, so I have to take them. I have a X-ray of the lungs, so the doctor tells me I have to take it everywhere in case, because he can't find any reason." So I suspect this is karma, but I don't think the police official understands about the karma. So I was very sparing with my words.
Anyhow, he was worried that I came here to take money from the American people, take donations. I said I never take donations, not only in America, but anywhere for myself, so don't worry. But it was difficult to convince him.
Do people put drugs in their socks? So I had to take my socks out, have a look. I took socks out, but they still wanted to look at my sole. (Master laughs.) I wonder how can you put drugs under your sole? Can that be possible? I said to the officer, "I am sorry about the trouble I caused you, but I didn't know that I smelt of drugs, because we are too far away from all these things, we are vegetarians." He said the reason why, because I went to Bangkok, to Thailand, and people coming out of Thailand normally bring something more than just gifts. That's what they told me. I said, "We are too far away from it, that's why we don't know, we don't know what Thailand will do. We are vegetarians, we don't take any drugs or alcohol, we are not supposed to have cigarettes even. We don't do these kinds of things, we don't know, we don't notice all this."
Even then, so much trouble every time I want to come to see you. And then, you always ask me why I don't come to see you, and the Thailand people also asked me why don't I come to see them. So everywhere in the world now we have a lot of trouble. We are not to blame the officers in the airport. I just tell you, that for the minority people's bad deeds, the majority people have to bear the ugly consequences. We are the last people the police should search for anything like drugs, but it happens that they mostly search the good people. (Laughter)
And I thought I came quietly, I came for conference here, concerning the Au Lac refugees' issue, so just by the way I came to see you, because since I am already here. I have to confess, I didn't come exclusively to see you. That doesn't mean I don't like you, but I don't like the search at the airport anytime. It's not the first time that they search me. It's not the first time they search our people, and I guess they search everyone when they feel suspicious. But, I think if I were a police officer I would not search a person like me. I wear white clothes, white shoes, white umbrella, white hat. I don't think the drug people would do that. They would be more anonymous, right? They wouldn't stand out like that, and because of my clothes, three people recognized me at the airport already, just when I stepped out of the airplane.
So how a drug dealer would do this kind of stupid thing, to stick out like a sore thumb in the crowd of the airport, right? They would wear something more ordinary. Well I guess I could wear something more ordinary, but I don't have any ordinary clothes. I only have these few. This is convenient for going to the "White" House as well as going to the "black" market. (Master and everyone laugh.) It's very convenient because it looks good and dignified. I don't like to show my behind and my front too clearly; not at every occasion. So, I prefer clothes which cover something of my "nothing to hide body". But I feel more comfortable that way, and I don't like too many colors. Occasionally I do, but normally I like simple colors. One color or two colors the most. The clothes you wear really affect you and also show how you feel inside. So normally I feel blank, (Master laughs) white, whitewashed. So that's the way I wear. I don't think any drug dealer would be so stupid as to make him or herself stand out, right? And so brightly, inviting like that.
Experiencing The Pressure Refugees UndergoBut nevertheless, this experience gives me a very good realization about the Au Lac refugees' feeling, and about many people in similar situations - how they would feel if they are persecuted or watched over every move in their daily lives. And because even I came here as an invitation from the State Department. I had an invitation and I could show it out to the policeman, but I was afraid that would make more trouble because they would ask me, "What for? How do you know this person? Why? What do you do?". And then I'd have to tell more history of my life and the refugees and that would take a longer time. Besides, I did not ask the State Department whether I could disclose my coming. I guess there would be no problem. Probably they wouldn't mind, but I didn't want to say things that may not be very public. I don't know, I didn't think I should.
What I mean is, I came with the invitation of the State Department, and I am a legal person, very protected. Especially I am not a very unknown person, and even then the police search and ask too many questions. I can feel the threatening atmosphere. They only do their duty, this is not to blame them! Even that, you can feel the shuddering atmosphere. How would it be for the people without protection, without any secure background and without anyone who they can rely on.
Like the Au Lac refugees, who were sent back to Au Lac and sometimes interrogated every week or everyday, or watched over for every move, and sometimes beaten up by the police weekly. Some of the letters I received are like that. It is very sad, very sad for them, and very sad for the government of Au Lac that they could not control every province of their country and let some of the local guards take control of the lives of the innocent people. Maybe the central government is not always aware of that, even then it is a sad affair that the central government cannot control the local governments, understand? That is if we make an excuse for the central government. I do not know if they work together. I cannot say what I don't know. So I cannot say for sure that the central government orders all these intimidating actions to frighten the people, to oppress the people who have no defense.
So, actually, the world is crazy. In every corner, there is something happening, and the only reliable source for us is the spiritual strength that we derive from our practice and from our faith which has been proved to us that it is efficient. Up to now, any of you who have practiced diligently since the day of initiation would have experienced this protective power which comes from the Almighty. And it is also within ourselves, because God dwells within you, Buddha nature is inside you. Every religious scripture would mention that. The religious scriptures are the experiences of the ancient practicing enlightened persons. So even if they were thousand years before, we can also verify now by our own inner spiritual attainment. Whatever it said in the Bible, we can understand clearly since we have practiced the Quan Yin Method.
Only By Attaining enlightenment Can One Truly Understand Religious Scriptures
Yesterday, I went to a Chinese restaurant, as an invitation of our disciples, because they also wanted me to meet some people in Washington D.C., some VIP's, perhaps, according to society. So then we were talking about spiritual practice and how similar the different religions can be in some aspects. One of our fellow practitioners who was with me is a Jew. "Enlightened Jew" he calls himself after initiation. And then we talked about the tradition of the Jews and how we have read many stories that are very much similar to our Quan Yin practitioners' experiences. And when you read those stories you will understand right away what the enlightened rabbis were talking about.
So there is really no Jewish religion or no Buddhist religion, it's just the experiences of the spiritual practitioners throughout the ages and then different religions they call them different names or different groups. For example, we have many meditation associations, so you put my name on it for identification, "Supreme Master Ching Hai meditation Associations". Actually, "Supreme Master" is our family name, our Christian name (laughter), and "Ching Hai" is also not my name, it's the name of "the ocean of love". But since we all came from this ocean of love, we can claim ourselves Ching Hai number one, number two, number three, number one thousand and one. (Master laughs.) So that's just the symbolic name for the Almighty loving power. My name is different, but I won't disclose it to you. National top secret. (Master laughs.) Actually any name is just the name of the body, that's the vestment that we wear. Just like Christian Dior or Max Factor make-up and things like that, or the name of the clothing. But it's not the real person who wears it.
In the Jewish tradition they have a prayer shawl, which is very sacred to them. I read in the Jewish practicing story, one of the persons went somewhere and encountered a group of ghosts in the ghost city. And in the ghost city they also pray, do all kinds of things like people, but they pray in the reverse way. Instead of praying to God, they pray to the devil. And so that person who was a Jewish follower, he used the prayer shawl to dispel all this evil. And he was thinking it might help but did not help according to this story, because the shawl is not a sacred object unless a person transmits his spiritual power into it, unless that person who wears the shawl was the real powerful practitioner. Merely following the Jewish tradition and wearing the shawl doesn't empower you and less for the shawl.
Maybe in the old times a real Jewish enlightened person could use his shawl or her shawl to dispel evil influence because he used that everyday to meditate. Just like when you do the Quan Yin Method you use it to cover yourself, or sometimes it's cold you cover your head with the shawl to keep warm. Meanwhile you do meditation, and then, by your spiritual power, the shawl will be empowered somewhat, or has some influence because when you use it, your power extends out and expands to the shawl. It's not because the shawl itself, not because you are Jewish, or not because you are a Ching Hai follower, and then your shawl will have power. Not if you don't practice, understand? Even if now you call yourself Ching Hai follower, maybe you have a shawl, but if you don't practice everyday even yourself won't have power, never mind your shawl or your beads or your whatever.
Sometimes the people come to a spiritual person or a priest or monk to ask for blessing, then the monk will put their hands on the head of that person for exorcism perhaps or for blessing sometimes, but it's not the hand of the person or not because he is a priest that he has power, it is because he practices. He has a certain connection with the Almighty power, therefore when he places his hand on people's heads, his power will be transmitted through the hand, to that person. Otherwise, if you just wear a priest's robe and you do nothing then you don't have that power, understand? So it's not the robe, it's not the shawl, it's not the appearance, it is the inner achievement of spiritual practice.
And by the way, when we were talking about that, we were also discussing about different religious, leftover traditions, and it is just exactly like what we're doing, like in the old times people when they practiced they had fear of persecution, just like in Au Lac now. It often happens, it even happens now in the full view of international law, never mind the old times when we didn't have law at all. So people had to use some kind of secret sign to recognize each other.
As you know very well in some countries they discriminate between religions. For example in some Moslem countries you cannot practice other religions or at least not openly. In some more tolerant Moslem countries you can go to your own temple, but not to let the Moslem people come in. Or when I go to Malaysia to preach, the government or the police say we must write under our poster that Moslems are not allowed to come in our lecture. It is not me who forbid them, it's the government law that we have to write that - not for Moslems. But at least we can come in and preach to other people who are not Moslems and that is already very tolerant. But in some other countries you cannot have open lecture, you can only do in a temple or church belonging to your own affiliation. But that is already good. Maybe in some other countries you're not even allowed to bring anything in.
Even now in Au Lac, for example at this very moment our disciples are persecuted everyday in different forms, so this is very difficult for them to gather and do group meditation the way you do. And if I go back to Au Lac now I don't think I'm allowed to see them the way I see you now, so easily and free like this. So even though the policemen search me at the airport but at least I can see you, after the search is all over and cannot find anything that I couldn't find in the beginning. (Master laughs.)
But there is a difference between a duty policeman and the kind of oppressive regime that search people everywhere and do everything to make people scared and feel insecure. That's different. Even though the police will search you at the airport when they do their duty, when they doubt you, but this is still a free country. You're free to pursue your religion and your speech, and you can even criticize the president without going to jail. In Au Lac you can't even say anything. You cannot say even good things, never mind bad things about the government.
Because last time I went to Cambodia some of the Au Lac people came over from the border. Only some because not every can come, just a few. And then they told me about the situation in Au Lac, that they are still threatened and watched over, and sometimes interrogated and oppressed everyday. So it's very difficult for them to gather and do group meditation. And even for initiation, they have to do it in such a secret way. That's why sometimes it causes so much trouble for some contact persons in Au Lac. Because the people misunderstand them that they don't inform them long in advance if there's an initiation. How can they inform them? Sometimes they don't have telephone, sometimes they could not even see them, and it has to be done quickly and discreetly so as not to provoke the attention of the police and the government. Or sometimes it's not easy to inform other people who want initiation, and many Au Lac people misunderstand, like they're kept out of information and things like that. But this is not true. They should realize more.
The Au Lac people who go to Au Lac should tell them more about the difficult situation, and tell them to keep quiet and don't make more trouble than they already have. They should wait for their turn. If they couldn't do it this time, they should wait for next time. In Au Lac communication is not that easy. So, these persecutions still go on in near the 21st century. So that's why in the old times people must use a kind of secret sign to communicate with each other to let the fellow initiates know that they belong to the same group. So they devised many different methods to greet each other.
For example Jesus, when He broke the bread and said the prayer in a certain way, then the disciples immediately recognized it is the Master. You remember in the Bible, yes? It did say so. Sometime after His resurrection people were not sure whether it was Him and then He broke the bread maybe in some way and gave to some people doing some certain blessing or praying style that people would recognize is the Master. Similarly, in Jewish tradition they have many different ways to recognize each other. For example the prayer shawl. And in India there are certain religious sects from Sikh religion, they also have to cover their heads with cloth when they come into a Sikh temple. But nowadays it's only symbolic. They do not understand the significance of it. So sometimes they don't have a shawl, so they just put a handkerchief on the head like that. So what is the use, the symbolic? Without this you couldn't go in the temple. (Laughter) You put a handkerchief. You have something on top of your head that's fine. Or the Jewish they wear a small hat on their hair. Maybe just for recognition.
Religious Superstitions Cause WarsAnd all religions are reduced into some form of ritual or another, and even further and further away from the original meaning. Even now while I'm still alive, people still make a religion out of me already. One of our disciples, the just mentioned Jew, he has a wife. She's so pious, she is so diligent in the practice. And then she went to a Bible study group in order to know everything in the Bible and then to explain to the people about our teaching. And then when some of the teachers in the class asked her what religion she belongs to, she put Ching Hai. (Master and all laugh.) Can you believe that? Of all sincerity, she did it. Well she said, "I cannot tell a lie." (Master and all laugh.) I said you don't have to lie but I'm not your religion. I'm just your teacher, to make you know your religion better, to make you a better Jew, a better Catholic, a better Buddhist. So you can state what kind of religion you're born with. If you're Buddhist, you say you're Buddhist, but you are an enlightened Buddhist. It's different from the unenlightened Buddhist, that's all.
And the enlightened Buddhist is the original Buddhist, the one who follows the true teaching of the Buddha and who also became enlightened like the Buddha, because the Buddha said, "I am the one who is enlightened, you will be enlightened, you will be the Buddha." And the real Buddhist is the one who found the Buddha nature inside. And the other Buddhists, also Buddhists, they call themselves Buddhists, we can't forbid that, but they have not found their own Buddhist nature inside. That's all. So no need to say I am your religion. There are so many religions already. We don't want to confuse the world by making another one. And then people will fight each other. That I'm afraid. But later, after our generation dies, we never know what they make out of us. They will build a big temple for me and put my bronze statue inside, a larger than life statue, and then call themselves Ching Haiism. You never know. The dead cannot talk. After we die, we just leave it.
So, sometimes I'm thinking any master who comes to this world has also good and bad sides. They brought people enlightenment and leave people to realize their own wisdom. This is fine. But after the master dies, it is inevitable that the teachings will be left behind and then the people will commercialize all these left-over teachings and make religion out of it. Religion is fine, but they will make commercialized items out of it, out of the teachings, and just build big buildings and take people's donations in the name of the Master and do anything with it. Make a hierarchy out of it and control people, manipulate people's way of thinking, way of life, and building an empire out of an empty shell of the left-over teachings of which they understand nothing at all. And even blindly leading people into superstitions, and blood thirsty religious wars sometimes. And this is a very sad side of any of the master's arrivals in this world.
We hope it won't be so in the future. We hope that the people will be more and more enlightened each time, each day, and then we will have no more of this kind of maya phenomena, illusion. But up to now, the king of delusion has been very successful in making the wholesale out of every master's teaching. Therefore, we have so many religions in the world, and so many wars. Many of them are religious wars, the Moslems in Bosnia, the Serbs, for example the Ireland bloody war for many years, and Iran war. Many middle east crises are fuelled by religious wars and even now still continue in different countries, in different parts of the world. A part of the wars are often religious, or religious behind-the-scenes-influence. Often like that. And it is a very sad affair for our world, huh? Religion is supposed to bring happiness and harmony for the people, but it does the opposite.
And very sad still, that sometimes the policies of the world also side with this, and make a miserable institution concerning religions. For example some of our monks and nuns in the refugee camps, we were supposed to take them out on September of this year, but then the U.S. immigration wouldn't recognize them. They said we are not a real Buddhist tradition, therefore these are not monks and nuns. And I don't really truly know what a real Buddhist tradition is. Apart from if you hit the wooden fish everyday and chanting some of the left-over Buddhist scriptures, I don't know what else the real Buddhist tradition monks and nuns would do that we don't do. In fact we do more than what the Buddhists traditionally do. We do charitable work, we keep the precepts, true precepts, and we meditate. We worship the Buddha nature inside and we are enlightened. So I don't know what a categorized Buddhist monk should be. If our monks are not monks, then I don't know if anyone else is a monk at all. Nevertheless, we already did all the procedures and we already paid the tickets for them, all ready to move. And the lawyers already cleared their case, that it is okay. Still, there is a block somewhere. So they'd rather send these innocent people go home to be persecuted by their so-called ex-opponents.
Communism Causes
The World To RegressSuddenly the world forgets communism and everything is okay. As far as economic benefit is concerned, human beings' lives are just a joke in political stage of the world. I hope this situation will change. I hope all the governments will become more spiritual. Otherwise the consequences are not predictable, because 'as you sow so shall you reap'. If we support the devil, the devil is all we will get. If we know it's wrong and we will not make an effort to correct it then we will get the wrong end out of it as well. It's not these pitiful refugees or monks' and nuns' problem, it's a problem of the world. When our morals are descended, degraded and reduced into a small crumple in the name of economics, this is very sad. We will bring misfortune upon ourselves even though the present situation may look rosy. Even though nobody will know what we're doing, but God knows. That's the problem.
To cheat ourselves is the worst crime that we could ever commit to ourselves and to anyone else. Because that shows the nature of our ignorance, the lowliness of our spiritual level of understanding. We are not politicians so we don't talk about communism or other idealisms in a political sense. But in a spiritual sense and in the civilization sense, the idea of communism is not good for the world, because it shows no respect for family values, for motherhood or spiritual heritage of mankind. That's why religion is not allowed in any communist country. Religion is regarded the enemy of communists.
We have tried very hard to climb up the ladder of civilization up to now. That's why now we know how to respect each other, we know how to live a harmonious life in family, we know to respect our parents, our father and mother. But in a communist system a son can kill parents without being made to feel guilty, can persecute his own children without any sense of remorse, of repentance. This is a spiritual and civilization degrading sign of mankind. And this is a kind of thousands of years backward in evolution. It brings us back to the animal standard of consciousness in which we do not recognize any value of social order. We just eat, sleep, and take care of the body. And whoever does not agree with that, we can kill and persecute. That is the animal standard, not human standard.
And communism has been successful in bringing this standard into our present civilization. They destroy any spiritual values and social order and family loving relationship. They destroy all this. And this is very terrible situation for mankind to fall into. It's a very wrong decision to accept communism in any country. That's why when communism came to Russia, Russia kaput. Came to China, China fell into darkness. Came to Poland, Poland is out of order. Came to East Germany, East Germany is in a poverty slump compared to West Germany, the way I saw it. Even to get a toilet roll is a hard task. Have to stand all day long and all empty shelves. All the shops are empty and people don't smile. When I went to Russia, went to East Germany, people don't smile. People don't talk to you, don't talk to each other. There is a darkened shadow cast all over the country.
And everywhere the communism controls, there is no progress for that country. There's only poverty, suspicion, oppression and spiritual deprivation. So you can see that for yourself. And I think all the governments of the world have seen that for themselves. Nevertheless, through weakness or through, I don't know, ignorance, they choose to support some of the communist countries. It's all right to try to have peace in the world and try a softer effort maybe to bring the communists into understanding. It's all right. But not too soon, not too soon as to sacrifice the lives of the innocent people or their psychological well-being. Psychological well-being and mental stability of the people is even more important than their physical well-being. In such a controlling and manipulating country, peoples' psychological security is at stake. No one feels good, no one can sleep very well. They all look very haggard, poor and depleted, because their spiritual well-being, their psychological security is threatened daily. It's not the food only that counts.
It's not for food that the Au Lac people flee their country, because I told you many times, for 5000 years no one did that. Even Au Lac had invasions from China or from France, and they had poverty also before. No one would say that the Au Lac people have been rich all these 5000 years, suddenly become poor now, that they have to fly out of the country due to economical reasons. Even children will know, will not accept this.
So all this is not only political things, it's the spiritual well-being of the people of Au Lac and elsewhere, concerning communism. But some of the government's do not try, do not want to recognize this fact, and just drive the people home because they have planned to do so. Even though it is a mistake, even though it is no good, they still want to carry out.
All right, let's pray that this situation will become better. We pray that God will bestow love on these people, and that it will smooth out the situation so the forced repatriated people will not experience so much suffering anymore. Since they don't want to reverse their order, what else can we do? We cannot make war with governments since we are nonviolent people. We only practice spiritually and pray for peace of the world.
I just want you to know that the situation is not ideal, and sometimes, even though the people who say they are against communism do not realize the importance of their saying and do not carry it into the practice. "Words are cheap, actions are more important." It's very difficult for me as a spiritual practitioner to take care of these so-called mundane situations, mundane issues, without having to be affected by political environment and people. I have tried my best to make the governments who are concerned to understand the spiritual issues of refugees, not the political and economical issues alone. But it's difficult, difficult, difficult. Because governments are made up of many different parts of the great system. It is not only one or two persons, yeah? And I do also understand the difficulty of governments in talking together, in governing their own machine.
It's just like in Au Lac, even though the central government might not want the returnees to be persecuted, nevertheless the local government will carry this violent practice all the same. And that's what makes the refugees afraid to go home. And that's what makes the Hong Kong government face difficulties when they try to drive the people home. In Hong Kong they were beaten to go home, and in Au Lac, they were beaten when they were home. Too frightened to stay behind and to go home. So in both sides they were beaten, threatened, and they are caught in between. That's the situation of the people in camps.
Yesterday when we were discussing the problem, of course, the government representatives are very defensive. They blame it on everything. I also understand their point of view. I understand their position that they want to clear out of this and they don't want to carry on any further; maybe tired, maybe want to make a move, maybe promotion, maybe... anything, different policy.
And they told me that only 5% of the people who came back home would be persecuted perhaps. But I said that 5% is a lot (it means at least 10 of thousands of people). There shouldn't be anyone. Even just one person persecuted, it should not be. Because for that person it's terrible. For us it's no problem, we talk in percentages and numbers. But for the individual who has to endure this suffering it's a hell.
And according to international law, it's not lawful. It's against their own commitment to their international refugee agreement in Geneva, that they vowed to protect all the political refugee or religious refugees. And now the CPA programme, even though it sounds logical to them, and maybe no one wants to argue about this, but still it's against their convention, International Peace Treaty and refugee convention.
Nevertheless, when people want to enforce something, if they have government backup it's difficult for anyone to intervene, let alone those like us. But we will try our best to protect these people. We still do.
Politics And spirituality Are InseparableThe situation of the world is crazy. Many of the governments are not based on spiritual understanding, but based on power and political motivation. This is what brings the world into trouble. If all the governments' people tried to practice enlightenment, more true enlightenment, not just verbal prayer and traditional rituals, then I think we'd have a better world. Yeah? We'd have better governments. I think in the future they will do. We pray that they do.
Then every government personnel is a Buddha, is an angel, a saint, and then we will take care of the world in a saintly way, according to religious standard and not according to economical standard or political standard. Then we will be fine. Then we will truly have a government, not just political figures who try to secure their position or to control, to take over the power and control the people. It's very difficult to separate the political issue from the spiritual issue.
What I have told you is not to blame any government. They only try their best, for what they know. Considering economical and political pressure, they think it's the best. But because lack of spiritual indication, inside direction, many times they make mistakes which could be avoided, that's all, that's what I mean. That's why all the government personnel should be enlightened before they become government instruments. That's a difficult thing to achieve. An enlightened government is very difficult to achieve. In the old times we had, but in the modern times we rarely see any.
Well, I have to add that for example the US government, along with the CPA programme, like forced people, orderly departure with force, if necessary tear gas as well, is welcomed. That is orderly departure, with tear gas and force; voluntary repatriation with tear gas and policemen, afterward. So, apart from this programme, the US government and some of European governments also have an aid programme to aid the refugees who return to Au Lac, with jobs and financial help. Well, this is very fine, this is a very good intention. From our part the question is, I told the people yesterday, the question is whether the Au Lac government does what the UN expects them to do or what we expect them to do. Like to treat the returnees with respect and human rights, that's the only question. And apparently, the Au Lac government don't do that. Well at least, not in every case.
So even then they admit that 5% are persecuted. Well that's a reduced size. 5% is a lot. Let's see, in case if 5% is an accurate figure, but I doubt it. But for any representative of the UN or government to admit that, it's already a lot for them, for their honesty. Let's say in case 5% is accurate, how many people will be maltreated? 5 over 100. For millions of people who return to Au Lac, thousands of them are persecuted. Alright? Thousands. That does not include our present disciples in Au Lac who are persecuted due to religious belief and spiritual practice.
If our Au Lac disciples have some kind of revolution, counter the government, then they can persecute them. But nothing, they only eat vegetarian, keep the nonviolence precept. They cannot even kill the communists, you know? Because they only practice nonviolence. So what is the reason to persecute them? So, let's not talk about religion. We accept that the communists are anti-religious. That we know. So, I never campaign for this religious issue actually. I campaign for the whole, you know. And now let's say five thousand of Au Lac repatriated people are persecuted. Isn't that a lot? Or not? Now, recently the US
government sent a lot of troops to Haiti, 15,000 strong, to restore democracy in that country. Just because there is a record that about 3,000 of the Haitian people were persecuted in different ways. 3,000 only! 15,000 strong US soldiers were dispatched in Haitian soil, in a matter of no time with a cost of millions, billions of dollars, in a few hours. According to the report, the Haitian military spent about 5 million or something for their entire army operation. The same amount, the US government spent in a few hours, for military issue. So now, for 3,000 cases of persecution, the US government are willing to spend billions of dollars and risk Americans' lives to restore freedom and nonviolence in Haiti, but turn blind eyes on 5,000 or more persecution cases to the refugees issue. So what is that? It confuses us, huh?
Not that I don't like President Clinton. Yesterday I told the people President Clinton is the best president for the United States, at the moment. And in the next election, I hope he stays there. Really, he is very good. You know, he tried the soft... many people don't agree with the lift of embargo in Au Lac, but I think he has tried his best, because he thinks 30 years of threatening force hasn't change the communists' attitude, so he tried a softer effect. Maybe it will teach them a lesson. And he thinks, maybe bringing a lot of money inside, then the government will change. Money changes people. That is a money policy, and we cannot blame him for that. If nothing else works, he has to try the other one. Even if he makes mistakes, it is allowed. And we don't know if it is a mistake yet. Maybe it's good.
Well, I also have to admit that Au Lac changed for the better, now. It's freer than before. Even people from one province can go to another province without having harassment and having to obtain a visa, an internal visa. Before, when you went from one city to the next, or one district to the next, you'd have to obtain permission, and why, the reason why you have to go there and how long you will stay there. And you are only allowed limited time. But now, people can travel freely. Even travel outside the country if you can afford it, and you have people to guarantee you. That's very good already.
I really have to praise the Au Lac government for this minimal effort to democracy. But still, there's a lot of violence and brutal treatment of the people still going on in the country and I hope the government will step further, move faster to learn from democracy, to learn from the unconditional help that the international body offers to Au Lac.
So, along with the repatriation programme, the US government as well as other governments have also financed the people who have returned. That is very good. And yesterday I have talked to many of them who came to the Au Lac and do some training programme there for the Au Lac refugee as well as the local people. What they do is, for one Au Lac refugee returned, maybe two locals who benefit in the same programme. You know? So that is also good. I have to praise this effort.
A Good Government Brings Happiness To The PeopleAnd I also tell them I hope the Au Lac government learns from this unconditional help, and speeds up with their democracy, and stops controlling and treating people with violence. Then, even though if they retain the communist label, we will approve them, we will praise them, we will work with them. We don't mind what kind of label people use as long as they are morally acceptable and they bring benefit, freedom, happiness to the people under its rule. Then it's fine. Is that not so? We aren't against the label, we're against the actions, only.
If the Au Lac government always boasts of "democractic country", "government of the people", "freedom of religion", they say, "everything is free", "even religion is free" - why do they persecute my disciples and confiscate all our books and tapes, and forbid them to gather together to practice? Just because I say the communists are no good, that's no grounds to persecute my people. If the communists are good, I will say they are good. It's just the true speaking things. I am anti-communist as long as the communists are no good. As long as communists don't bring happiness and prosperity to people and freedom to people, I will always be anti-communist. But when they bring all these necessary things to the country, I will not be anti-communist anymore. I will say communists are good.
So it's up to them to prove it. It's not up to me. I cannot change my speech as far as the truth is concerned. I will always speak the truth. If the communists are good, as they are improving a little bit now, I also praise their improvement. But it's not enough! They have to change their policy. They have to be more spiritual, more enlightened, more moral, more clean for the country to grow and for the people to be happy and free. They have to practice freedom, not just talk about freedom. Not to advertise for freedom, but have to practice it, to give people true freedom. Then I will be also pro-communist. (Master laughs.)
If communists are truly so good, we will praise them, we will cooperate with them. But up to now it hasn't been that good. It only brings disaster, and makes people homeless, makes millions of people become beggars in a strange land, where they are also brutally oppressed! That should bring shame on the government, that her subjects are brutally treated in another foreign land. This is no honor for any country to have that kind of event, right? If the police in Hong Kong beat the Au Lac refugees in Hong Kong's soil, that is a shame for the Au Lac government at home, because she couldn't take care of her people, and let her children wander out and become beggars, and subject to cruelty under foreign people's hands. This is a shame. How can I praise the communist government if they allow this thing to happen? (Applause.)
So that's no excuse for them to persecute my followers at all. Let alone non-followers, and beating them up and persecuting them, when they already returned home, when they already surrendered, with nothing more to rely on, when the free world turned their backs on them already. They have already kind of fallen from the horse. Any gentleman would not beat a person who has already fallen on his knees, right? So it is below the Au Lac government's dignity to beat up the surrendered opponent. This is below any person's dignity, never mind a national government. So this is what I criticize. This is what I say is "no good". And if a good government should accept my good advice, and change it, then it will be good. (Applause.) Otherwise, they just show their own lowliness, pettiness and revengeful attitude, and low spiritual understanding, and no manners.
So there's nothing to talk about when some people don't have manners, and don't have a sense of self-correction, and always revenge and take advantage of the weakness of the people who have nothing else to defend for themselves. Even the free world already turned them down and if the communist regime keeps treating people like that, how can I have respect for them? How can I say they are good? If they want me to respect them, they must be worth it, they must prove it. Instead of shutting my mouth up, or shutting my disciples' mouths up, they should prove their own worthiness and then we will shut up. I don't even want to talk bad about people, what for? You know what I mean? It's no good for me. I don't like it. I like to talk about happy things, enlightened things, about light, about peace, about enjoyment. They waste my time.
Now that's the reason why they persecute our disciples, because we are religious. They don't like religion. Besides, I say communists are no good. I speak truthfully and that's against communist rule. Maybe they don't like truth. That's the only sign that they don't like the truth. Because what I say is the truth. If I tell lies, they can persecute me, but I say the truth. And if they persecute me, that means they persecute the truth, that means they love lying. (Applause) And if a government who represents falsity, then it is not a true government. So that's why we cannot work with them, we cannot talk to them. That's why they don't like us, because they are the opposite of the truth. If they change and if they accept their failures, then we can tell that they represent the truth, but otherwise, we cannot.
Maintaining An Objective And Unbiased Judgement
So where were we before? Oh, President Clinton? Okay, I do not blame him for what he did. I still think he's a very good president because he boosts the American economy and he handles foreign affairs very well and he's a very loving person. He really tries to save Americans' lives. That's why he doesn't always jump into foreign wars, to get the praise that he's a national hero. Most American people love cowboy style. (Laughter) Bang, bang and here you are, kill them. If they're not with us, kill them.
But President Clinton is more prudent, a prudent president. But when it comes to a real decision, he can make it. I knew he would. That's why before I always told you that he's okay. Not only today right? Yes. Because I know he's a genuine person, he is very good for America. I have more sympathy with him. I don't have sympathy with presidents, not often, but I think because many people scold him and criticize him, that's why he wins my sympathy, because I know he is not that bad.
Well, he probably had affairs with women that I don't know. I cannot tell you that it's true. But he is not too good at defending for himself. That's why he tumbles into a lot of problems. But let's face it, maybe he's too handsome and many women like him. Sometimes when a woman likes a man and a man rejects her, she will cause trouble, also. Not necessary that he likes her that he causes trouble. Maybe he did not like her. Sometimes it's like that. You know what I mean? And rejection makes a woman feel very wounded and hurt, and she turns around and makes trouble.
In a recent time there was a monk in Italy who was accused for having affair with a woman, and the monk kept quiet because according to monastery rules he doesn't publicize his followers' confessions and affairs. And afterward, after a long time, maybe 20 or 30 years, the woman confessed that it was a false accusation because she loved the monk and the monk did not love her, and therefore, she turned around and blackened his name. But because of the monastery vow, the monk did not open his mouth, and kept quiet. Because something confidential concerning other peoples' honor and confession, the monk could not open his mouth.
You know what I mean? If someone confesses to the monk, the murder or something that he has done, the monk cannot tell it out to the police. If the monk knows a secret of a follower, he cannot tell it to the police, even if to save his life or to save his honor. So 20 years or 30 years later on, the woman finally uncovered the secret that it was her who had love for the monk and was rejected by him, and she was angry, and turned around and harmed him in this accusation. But the monk kept quiet.
So, who knows? Sometime later, maybe these one or two women will confess to us that it was the other way around. Yes. Even if he had these things in the past, he doesn't have it now. The present is important. "Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future." So we can only see what's the present situation, what the present offers to your country at that moment. That is more valuable than what he has done in the past.
Besides, it's difficult to prove all this, they have no proof of anything; about what he has done. He's not good at defending, he needs a lot of lawyers, I think. Oh, we have plenty, we can offer to him free of charge. We have enlightened lawyers who know better, who can talk better, in an enlightened and fair manner.
But never mind, he has to do it for himself, has to learn to defend himself. Nevertheless, I think he's a good president, politically speaking, economically speaking and human right speaking. And I think because of the lifting of the embargo Au Lac has become better, economically as well as manipulation is concerned. It has become better, freer. And who knows? In the future, it might become even a more democratic country, and true democracy probably will return in the very near future. We can pray for that.
The Haiti operation, everyone praises Mr. Carter. I praise him too. He's brave, eloquent, and very, very tactful, very good. He is also a very peaceful president which the American people did not appreciate while he was in office. Too bad. You still don't know with President Clinton. So try to learn the lesson. Now, everyone praises former President Carter. I do praise him also. But we forget, the main focus is President Clinton. He uses the strong arm tactic but at the same time, allows Mr. Carter to come with the soft tactic, to save a lot of lives, especially American soldiers' lives. And this is brilliant. People think Mr. Carter gets the credit, but if Mr. Clinton didn't use force, to threaten and to intimidate the ex-government, the military government of Haiti, I don't think Mr. Carter would have success. Because soft approach has been used for many years already on Haiti, and it did not work. So they needed some strong force, to intimidate them. And that's how the peace talks can succeed.
So actually the main credit goes to President Clinton. He knows how to use both: soft and hard, tough and tender, see? And he is very humble as well, because when he does that, the credit goes to Carter. But he doesn't mind, see? As long as people have peace, democracy and as long as his goal is achieved in a peaceful manner without losing Americans' lives, he goes for it. Otherwise he could just do it himself. 15,000 strong Americans will win, win the Haitian poor soldiers who are very limited in number and poorly equipped, already depleted with the embargo. Surely they'd win in the end. But he wanted peace, he wanted to save lives.
Only A Humane Government Can Earn Its People's Faith
Let's hope that in the future Au Lac will learn better. Only the Au Lac government has to change, not the Hong Kong government or not the Au Lac refugees' attitude. They cannot change them when they know that their comrades have come home and got persecuted or beaten up, or discriminated against or interrogated or watched over every day, every move. And then of course they are frightened to go home. If the Au Lac government changed, they would all go home. They would have no excuse even to protest, or go on hunger strike or commit suicide. It is because the Au Lac government gives them the excuse, and then the free world just forces upon them to accept the repatriation, and both sides force the refugees. Therefore, they're sometimes so tense that they commit suicide or protest. And that's why we try to help them, because they are so desperate.

The Enigma Of Yin And Yang

2009-01-13T05:42:00.000-08:00

Spoken in Chinese by The Supreme Master Ching Hai at Hsihu Center Formosa on Oct. 10, 1994.

Why would most people like to have a boyfriend or a girlfriend? It is because he or she lacks the Yin (feminine aspect) or Yang (masculine aspect). We are born with the desire to find God. Before we succeed, we take whatever is most convenient. Therefore, we seek boyfriends or girlfriends, or get married, etc. When in love, each person gives the other either Yin or Yang. So, the two of them are very happy, very much at ease and contented. Therefore, when you are really in love, wow! You are so happy, because you give naturally, and then you have the Yin and Yang naturally. God arranges them to flow between you. However, people tend to forget later, and become unnatural. When in love longer, they expect from each other! They have been so happy in love because the Yin and Yang energies have been replenishing each other naturally. Suddenly, one day, they will get used to this kind of feeling, thinking it is because of the other person that they are so happy, not realizing that God is charging them naturally. When you are not thinking, God flows this energy to the two of you simultaneously and naturally supplements you. This is being given naturally when you are not thinking, so the two of you are happy.
As you start to think, then we say "missing", missing the other person. We think we are happy because of that person. Then, we begin to have attachment, and want to bind him to our sides, wishing to retain this happiness forever, just like when freshly in love. As we start thinking in this way, the energy is transformed into a limited one. We think it is from the other person instead of from God, so the energy is suddenly severed, understand? The power of our thoughts is so strong that anything would come true accordingly. So, as your thought emerges, the system is disconnected. The two persons then rely on each other, because they feel they are lacking something! They will keep searching. Unable to get contentment, they would capture, bind and cling to each other, and sink deeper in agony together.
Originally, they were two persons, now they stick together as if they have transformed into one, but still with two egos. (Master and everyone laugh.) Do you understand? The energies stick together, but not the egos! (Master and everyone laugh.) And then the problem starts right here. Each of us originally have our own energy and ego, controlling our own life, and being our own master. Before knowing the other person, we were always our own master! Today, I will watch TV, eat a certain vegetarian dish and I myself want to eat it, without caring about anyone. As the two get together and become one later, they supplement each other, and are happy together. However, their egos have not become one. Both of them are not accustomed to having two egos, and would only follow their individual ego. She wants to go swimming, while he prefers watching TV. The two heads simply won't coordinate, and it could be very troublesome. Both of them want to be the boss, though not deliberately. They have forgotten that all their capital is now in the same investment, but with two bosses. (Master and everyone laugh.) Do you understand what I mean? (Understand!) Then, the two bosses start quarrelling, as both want to take charge.
So, you see, this is where marriage failures start. The quarrels carry on, not contented with the love, the two egos try to become the only boss, destroying or suppressing the other one. As both of them are doing the same, there are struggles and agonies. Love vanishes, followed by the energy also vanishing. The plug to the greatest energy supply from God is disconnected. Now, they can only rely on themselves. Their vitality is limited, so they feel it is diminishing. They start blaming one another: "You don't love me anymore!" Then, they would pick faults with each other. "Why are you becoming like this?" They never saw any faults before, when they were abundant in vitality and bliss. Even when his hair turned white, it would not be noticed, (Master and everyone laugh.) not even when the floor is covered with fallen hair. (Master and everyone laugh.) They simply sweep the floor while singing, "La-la-la..." (Master and everyone laugh.) The hair is beautiful, I love you..." Now, they can't stand seeing one single hair on the pillow. They are picking faults, here, there and everywhere. It is because they are no longer happy, not contented, also because of the two egos. The two bosses are fighting for control. Since both of them want to take charge, surely one of them has to be eliminated!
As a new spiritual practitioner, our greatest fear is being attracted to some heretical paths. Heretical paths, meaning side tracks, not necessarily those inscribing mantras, or reciting hu-la-hop. This is not definite. Heretical path simply means not the path that we want to walk on. New practitioners are not steady enough to resist the allure of lust and passion. Then we will become weaker, and forget to get the vitality from God. We are finished when we depend on the other feeble person to render us happiness. Once overpowered, our spiritual practice would stop dead, not an inch of further progress.
That was why ancient people advised practitioners to become monks. Having become a monk, you better don't look at girls anymore. There is an Indian saying: Even the girl is seventy years old, teeth all gone (Master and everyone laugh.), hair all gone, dying on her bed, still don't look at her. (Master and everyone laugh.) They were frightened to such extent, understand? It is because, they fear that the new practitioners cannot steady their mind. Once abducted, their affinity with God is severed. Without the connection, he would think the other person can give him happiness. Therefore, their vitality is getting less, because they rely on each other. Observing that you are relying on someone else, God would say, "Okay! You don't need me anymore! Good bye!" This is a natural and automatic system, understand? You get what you asked for. So, the Bible says: If you pray to God, and find your Kingdom of God within, all will be added unto you. If all you asked for is that tiny petty drop, then it is all you will get. This is the way with the automatic system. This is why people in the world cannot find God. They recite so many scriptures each day, but they can see no one. Whatever they prayed for is not answered, understand? They are either relying on people, or on those inscribed or typewritten words. What can God do about it?
When we are in love with someone, our vitality would be united with that of the other party, not detachable. Not detachable but with two heads. When the two heads are heading for different directions, there is big trouble, causing quarrels and arguments, understand? Now, do you understand why there are quarrels? Think about it and you can understand. Both of them want to be the boss. Sometimes, it is not intentional, not deliberate, just a habit. We were used to being single. From our birth until now, twenty or thirty years old, we always walk alone, making our own decisions, deciding when we will eat, and when to go to the toilet. (Laughters) Oh! That is still negotiable! (Master and everyone laugh.) But, negotiation won't work in most cases. Each one sternly maintains their self-righteousness. Sometimes, this may not be deliberate, only a habit, not realizing that they should also consider the other party. Therefore, most marriage and love would be broken at a certain stage. We really cannot blame the people outside for being in love today, but not anymore on tomorrow, getting married today, and getting divorced next year.... They simply do not understand the mental state and this kind of system.
When two persons are in love, they replenish each other. One providing the Yin energy, the other providing the Yang. Sigh! It is so healing (Master and all laugh) so delightful, and so you get addicted, understand? It's because humans also represent God, they are equipped with a power generator similar to that of God! Therefore, when that person loves you, it resembles God loving you, so you are very happy. If the two of you love each other, well, both of you are fully charged, right? You may have observed that people in love look like idiots, care about nothing. (Master and everyone laugh.) The most painful moment is when they are forsaken, or when the love has just been cut off. It is as if the vitality is lost, the electric current is abruptly disconnected, so it is very painful. This is why people love to be in love, because of the happiness. Actually, the happiness is not due to that person, but due to fact that the vitalizing energy was replenished.
We won't be disappointed if we go for the most mighty power generator in the very beginning, which is everlasting for our use. It is all right for us to fall in love after we have steadied our pace! It is all right to have a mate. I am just afraid that we might not want any at that time. It is all right to have one or have none. It is only more troublesome if you have one more ego. (Master and everyone laugh.) Otherwise, you have only one ego, save the trouble of two egos. Sleeping at night, one of you want to leave the windows open, the other wants them closed. One prefers to have the light on, the other wants them switched off. Even trifles could cause a quarrel, right? It will be even worse after you have a baby. One wishes the child would behave this way, the other one wants the other way. One teaches the child this, the other teaches another thing. No one would give in, and both think they are right, because they are both Gods. I am sorry! (Master and everyone laugh.)
Actually, the other half of our soul is not to be found in this world. Only when we have found our true self, then we have truly found the other half of our soul. Therefore, even when we were successful in marriage, wealthy, abundant in anything in this world, we still feel like we are lacking something! It is because one person could not have sufficient energy to revitalize another person, unless we understand where the vitalities of both parties really come from. Then, we don't have to worry about our supply being cut off. It might be simple to say, but difficult to understand. At least, you should have an idea about this, and then do your best to practice diligently each day. Our willpower will get stronger, and anything we wish for will come true. That is the time when we possess the almighty, invisible miracle power. Then, there is no need to recite any mantra. Simply think about it and you will have everything.

Toughness And Gentleness Together Make Perfection

2009-01-12T05:33:00.000-08:00

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai at Tien Shan Center in Satin, Hong Kong April 6, 1994 (Originally in Chinese)

Confucius And Four Of His Disciples

Liezi had written a story about Confucius and his disciples. There was a person named Zixia who asked Confucius, "What kind of a person is Yenhui?" Confucius had many disciples, one of them was called Yenhui, right? (Answer: Yes.) Confucius said, "Yenhui is more compassionate than I!" More compassionate than Confucius, not I! I don't have anything, anyone is more compassionate than I! (Master and everyone laugh.) He continued to ask, "What kind of a person is Zigong?" Confucius answered, "Zigong is more eloquent than I." Meaning more eloquent than Confucius, not I. I don't have any eloquence to be included. I worry that sometimes I say "I", "I", "I", and you don't know who "I" refers to. (All laugh.)
Zixia continued to ask Confucius, "What about Zilu? What kind of a person is Zilu?" Confucius answered, "Zilu is more courageous than I am!" meaning more courageous than Confucius, don't you mistake it for me. (All laugh.) I am pretty courageous. (Master laughs.) If anyone beats me, he'd know how courageous I am, because I'd run away immediately! (Master and all laugh.) Zixia inquired further, "Then what about Zizhang? What kind of a person is Zizhang?" And Confucius replied, "He is more solemn than I." Meaning he was more serious, unlike me, telling jokes all the time! We laughed for quite a while in the cave before I came down to see you.
Then Zixia stood up and questioned Confucius, "Then why do the four of them come here to learn from you?" (Master laughs.) The four of them were better than Confucius in a certain way, why do they come to learn from him? Confucius then said, "Sit down!" (Master laughs.) He was so disturbed that he stood up. "Sit down and I'll tell you why. Don't you understand, that Yenhui knows about compassion, but doesn't know when not to be compassionate." That is being compassionate without knowing when not to be. "Zigong who is articulate, but doesn't know when to be silent." He meant being a person who doesn't know arguing, understand? Not to act like one who knows everything and argues all the time to bore others! Right? But let me finish reading before I make comments. It may be more satisfactory or I can just comment freely. Whichever, I am not "Jin Shentan" who added his comments under every article he saw. I'll just make comments freely, whether under or over, head or top.
Confucius continued to say, "Zilu knows about bravery, but he doesn't know when to be afraid. "Understand? He did not know when to pretend to be fearful or when to be afraid. Well, not really "afraid", but to be meek at times. He doesn't know when to be meek. And "Shih!", means Zizhang, "Shih is serious and stately, but doesn't know when to accommodate and compromise with others. If you were to add all of their talents together and exchange them for all of my imperfections, I wouldn't take them!" Since they were so great, then add up all of the parts which were better than Confucius; and exchange them for the parts which were not as good as theirs. Confucius said he would not take the exchange. Therefore, those four people should come and bow to him as their teacher; they followed him wholeheartedly, without any thought of losing faith, without any thought of regret.

To be Or Not To Be Compassionate

This is a great story! Have you read it before? Why do you think it is this way? Why should we know about being compassionate and also know when not to be compassionate sometimes? Who knows? In our world, we all respect the compassionate people, right? Then why does it say here that sometimes we should be unmerciful? Who knows why?
What does being compassionate mean? It means that a person is very loving towards all, is that right? He is very generous, very understanding, ready to forgive others, never blame others, and is always loving. This is being compassionate. When we see others in difficulty, we love them and help them; when others make mistakes, we forgive. Then why shouldn't we uphold this quality? Why shouldn't we do so every time? Isn't this a better way? Why did Confucius say that we should know when not to be compassionate? What does it mean? Who knows? Quick! (Someone answered: When we deal with bad people.) (Another answered: It means capable of being a loving person and also being able to treat someone unlovingly. Being unkind to people means being unmerciful. We should have both qualities.)
Right! We should have both; yin (negative) and yang (positive) must be balanced. Be compassionate when we should be; but when we need to be unmerciful, we have to be unmerciful, this is what I mean to be truly good.
Under what conditions should we be or not be compassionate? For example, if we have a friend who is having difficulties. Being his good friend, of course we should help him, give him some money to run some business. Later he may become independent. If he has money, he may return to us, but even if he doesn't, we don't really care. If we have a lot of money, we don't mind if our friends use it, or if our brothers and relatives use it.
But if that person does not use the money to run a business but to do some bad things such as gambling, smoking, drinking and all kinds of terrible things, and he comes to us for more money, then at that time, we cannot continue to be compassionate! If we help him to be a bad person, a dependent person, then the more we are compassionate towards him, the more we hurt him. He will gradually become a person without an independent spirit and will not develop his abilities. Eventually he becomes a person who relies on others, a weak person, someone without a sense of shame or guilt, without conscience, without any integrity, and is not worthy of being our friend. Thus we not only lost a friend but we also hurt him. His life will become more vanquished and he will not be able to stand up on his own.

The Story Of How A Scholar
Mercilessly Helped His Friend

There is a Chinese story, I am not sure whether it is a Chinese or an Au Lac story, a story about Liu Ping and Yang Li. Whether they are Chinese or Au Lac people, anyway, there were two friends who were studying to take the Imperial examinations. One studied diligently, and he was selected to be the top scholar after the examination. He was given a high post in the Imperial Court and returned gloriously to his hometown. While the other friend, who enjoyed playing around and did not study as diligently, and even though he was very talented, as talented as his friend, he did not succeed in the Imperial examinations because he was lazier and did not study much. The friend who became the high official was very good hearted. He remembered his friend for they used to be close buddies. He thought his friend must not be in good shape now, so he sent for him.
When the friend arrived, the scholar pretended to be busy inside and let his friend wait outside for a long time. When his friend asked for him again, he purposely sent a little clerk out to entertain him and serve him a lousy meal. He was given the same kind of food given to the lower class workers or the very poor people, and was not treated well. When the friend asked to see the scholar, he pretended he was busy again and told him to wait or come back another day etc... On another day, the friend came back to see him, the scholar treated him the same way as before. Later, the poor, discouraged friend was very upset and felt very angry and insulted, so he did not come to see his scholar friend anymore. He went home feeling very disturbed! (Master laughs.) He felt very upset everyday. When he was feeling very down, didn't want to do anything, didn't even want to live, then, unexpectedly he met a girl. She was very beautiful, very graceful and noble, but was dressed in ordinary clothes.
She appeared suddenly from nowhere. After they met, she encouraged him and she understood his feelings, knew his difficulties and how he was betrayed by his friend, etc. She decided to support him and told him, "Don't worry. You continue to study, and I can weave and make lots of handicrafts to support you. I will also pray to the inner Master to help you. Don't worry." (Master and all laugh.) Therefore, the young man was able to focus his attention on his studies. He promised her that he would study hard and succeed in the Imperial examinations and marry her. The girl didn't say much, she only said, "We'll see at that time! You study hard first. This is a minor affair, we'll talk about that later!" She always said that and refused to let him get close. She always said that he must study hard, not to divert his attention on love affairs, that this matter is still very far away, and he must prepare to take the Imperial examinations first! She continued to work and supported his studies, and at the next Imperial examinations, he was selected as the top scholar!
After he also became the top scholar, the first person he wanted to see was his ex-friend, the other top scholar who was mean and wicked and betrayed him. He went to see him immediately, bringing along many subordinates to show his friend that he was also a top scholar now! He wanted to scold this bad friend on how he mistreated him before. While he was lashing out his anger, the old friend whispered something to his subordinate. The subordinate went inside and came out with a girl. The new scholar immediately recognized that it was the girl who worked and supported him while he studied for the past three years! He asked her, "Why are you here?" The previous scholar replied, "She is my wife!" (Master and everyone laugh.)
Do you understand? He sacrificed his wife to help his friend. He sent his wife there to work and support him, to encourage him to study so that he would not degenerate, waste his talent and bury his brilliance. This friend of course couldn't understand his scholar friend's good intention. He kept thinking that his friend had mistreated him and wanted to scold him in revenge. Later he understood. He kneeled and bowed down to him and they hugged each other and cried touchingly. You must know this story; is it a Chinese story? It is very famous in Au Lac. (Master laughs.) This is the mercilessness of a gentleman. Sometimes, the compassion of a mean person might hurt others instead. But the mercilessness of a gentleman is truly hard to come by; it can help many people, help himself and others. It is the true compassion. Therefore, sometimes we need to know how to be merciless. Do you understand what I mean?
The Truly Good Person KnowsWhen To Be Tough And Gentle
Through this story we can understand Confucius when he said, Know compassion and have compassion, but also know when not to be compassionate. This means that we should know how to manage toughness and gentleness effectively. Otherwise, we get attached and get stuck in our compassionate qualities. But it is also not good if we cannot let go. Sometimes we must let go! For example, we have some treasure. When a war breaks out, of course we will gather all of our diamonds, gold, agate, coral, etc. into a pack; we carry it on our bodies and do not want to let it go. Wherever we go, we carry it with us until we reach some safe place. But after we have arrived at the safe place, we have to put the package down. Or if our friends or relatives are hungry, we need to take some out to sell in exchange for money in order to buy food for them. We cannot hang on to the treasure and not care about others. Therefore, compassion and mercilessness should be used accordingly. If we know how to use it appropriately, mercilessness is compassion; otherwise, compassion becomes mercilessness, compassion becomes malevolence.
Many people misuse the word "compassion". They think a person should be compassionate and merciful all the time. Everyday, they smile and say to whomever comes "Good! Good!" (Master and all laugh.) That is stupidity; only a wooden Buddha would do that. Human beings shouldn't be this way. A gentleman should know how to deal with others; he should know when to go forward and when to retreat, when to be tough and when to be gentle. That is a truly good person. Therefore, Confucius said here that he was not as compassionate as Yenhui. This is the reason; because he was not compassionate sometimes. There were times that he seemed to have let go of his compassion and was rather merciless to some people. That's why he said Yenhui was more compassionate than he was. Perhaps Yenhui was compassionate all the time, and didn't know when to say "no", "I don't understand", or "I cannot". Understand! To take everything as "yes","yes" "yes", is not compassion, but stupidity.

A Higher Form Of Compassion

Therefore, even if Yenhui was very compassionate and very loving, he lacked the part of mercilessness and didn't know when to let go of his compassion. So in order to have a truly loving heart and greater compassion, he must come and learn from Confucius. You now understand what I mean! It is not that Confucius didn't know how to be compassionate, but he knew a higher form of compassion. Therefore, we say that a fully enlightened person is not all compassion. He is not as compassionate as we human beings imagine him to be; his behavior and methods are not what we expect them to be, within the framework of morality, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and faithfulness. Understand? He has transcended this level. When he should step inside this framework, he will come in. When he should step outside in order to help more people, to fulfill higher ideals, then he will step out, understand? He comes and goes freely. Most of us can only stay within this framework, do not know how to get out or come back. If we don't know how to get out, then it is not the same; it is more rigid, like a one way street, we only know to go forward and don't know how to come back!
The same way like Zigong. He was very articulate, very good at debating; but he didn't know when not to argue and be a simple person. When he didn't know, he should say he didn't know, for he shouldn't know about everything anyhow. All that we should know, we know; that which we should not know, we don't need to know. If I don't know, I can say that I don't know because I don't need to know about that, and I will not die because I don't know about that! I know all of those things that I should know, and all that I should do; for those that I shouldn't know and shouldn't do, then I leave them alone!
Even if we say that we know, but sometimes we don't really know. There are some people who always have an answer for you regardless of what you ask. (Master laughs.) Understand? Nobody can convince them otherwise; sometimes, people are just too tired to argue with them, but it doesn't mean that they know everything. They are too curious, too fond of winning. They wanted to know everything and understand everything. Thus it becomes a big burden sometimes, understand? And then you cannot afford to lose, you cannot become someone who sometimes is very ordinary, very simple, just like a child who does not know how to debate, and does not care who wins.

The Ordinary Way Is The Tao

Reading this story today, I feel rather comforted. It's because sometimes when I got into a debate, I could not convince the other party. The other party kept citing a lot of sutras and a lot of theories, that I thought made sense also. (Master and all laugh.) So I lost. After I came home, I felt, "How can I be a Supreme Master yet lose my face?" (Master and all laugh.) Oh, then I thought, "Well, since I didn't have a face anymore, who cares whether it got lost?" (Master laughs.) Today I read about what Confucius said that when we talk, we need to stumble for words once in a while. What he meant was, Zigong was very eloquent, he had excellent articulation, but he didn't know when he needed to stumble, understand? What good is it when we stumble for words? It does not mean that we don't have the eloquence, but just that we don't have to win every time, we don't have to be so great every time. Understand? If a person has to be so fantastic at every moment, then nobody can stand him! And he can't stand himself either, understand? If we don't know that we need to stumble once in a while, we are not used to that way, and we always win, then one day if we lose just once, we would commit suicide, because we are not used to it and we cannot take it. This type of person is just too rigid!
Therefore, in this world one cannot be too perfect, understand? Slightly imperfect is perfection indeed! This means to know when is a good time to do what; when we should explain and when not to argue. It is alright to be a deaf mute; it doesn't matter. Then, we can truly be uninhibited and free! If we try to be a good person all the time, try to keep our good names in perfect order, and are able to argue back no matter who says what, then this is too boring and too inflexible. It is not perfect and not fun. (Master laughs.) When things are the same all the time, then it is not fun anymore!

An Enlightened Master Handles
Situations Humbly And Accordingly

Confucius said Zilu, who was more courageous, but he did not know that he needed to be a meek and timid person sometimes. Sometimes it should be this way, really should! I have told you about what happened in the Philippines last time, that they tried to control us by force. There were a large number of us, and of course we could have reacted; but if both sides got tough, a fight would have erupted. Do you think the result would be good? Certainly not! Isn't it so? First, I was a guest in their country. Second, we are a spiritual persons. Third, we were there to help, not to complicate the situation and cause further misunderstandings. It would not have been beneficial for either side, right? Therefore, at that time, if I was not meek and did not leave, if I did not pretend to be afraid of their power and gave in, then there would have been big trouble! It would have become very complicated and terrible, and may not have been beneficial for the Au Lac refugees. What would have happened if we won? We still would have had to buy plane tickets to go home after a short while! (Master and all laugh.) We were not meant to stay there forever. We must not be too impulsive, and not judge a true hero merely by the outcome of an incident.
Since ancient times, all the martial arts practitioners, teachers or masters in China always forbade people from showing their martial arts randomly. They were instructed to be patient and tolerate it until they had to defend themselves. They were not to provoke a fight, accept a challenge to fight, or to show off. Am I right? It is not that they were not brave or had no ability to fight, but the true martial arts is tolerance and not fighting.
When we are being pushed against the wall, then of course we have to fight back. But it is not for us to show off any time, so that others know that we are not afraid of anyone, or to show how terrific our martial arts are, how talented, how powerful we are. Therefore, in this world, sometimes an enlightened master handles matters according to the natural flow of the situation and in a humble way. Such as Shakyamuni Buddha, even though he possessed great miraculous powers, he refused to compete with others when challenged. Jesus Christ was also full of miraculous powers. He heard that he would be crucified, He knew that was his destiny, he should be crucified to be able to save sentient beings, so he allowed himself to be crucified. It was not that he couldn't escape; he could have run away without using any miraculous powers, because he had a lot of disciples, and he knew his time was up beforehand. It was not that he did not know, and he could have simply run away without using any miraculous powers!

Appreciate Life, Start With enlightenment

2009-01-11T06:29:00.000-08:00

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai In Colorado, USA April 10, 1993

(Originally in English)

The Real Homeland Of The Soul

How is everyone? Still recognize me from last time? Is there anyone from last time? Please raise your hand. (Some of the audience rise their hands.) Oh! Fine! So, I don't have to start from scratch. No?! Is this still very early for you? (Audience: No!) No, ha? You don't work today? (Audience: No.) Oh, fine. And I have to work.
I had a lot of inspiration about what God is, and how to better our world, and how to better ourselves, and how to be in samadhi, etc,.. but I lost them all when I came to Colorado. I guess because Colorado people are very spiritual, and the environment here, it looks like Himalayas. So, I thought all of you are yogis, (laughter) yes. So, you don't need to prove that to me by any funny gestures, okay, or mudras or anything. (Master laughed.)
This is one of the places that I might consider to stay, and make myself at home. Consider only! Ha, Consider (Master and everyone laughed.), because I have many other people who consider that I should stay at their hometown. And I can never win because I am alone, and there are so many people. But today maybe I would like to take some of your time to introduce you to our real hometown , or maybe invite you to have a look at it.
Many people believe that God creates only goodness. And then other people believe that God creates also evil, because they say everything comes from God. Ah, what do you agree? The first one or the second? (The first one) Ah? The first one. Right? Then where does evil come from? Ah? (Audience: Image.) Image? (Humans) Ah, humans. Oh, so you're very enlightened indeed. (Master laughs.)
You see this place which is called our world, it's not the original plan of the universe. And it has become this and that and others, with all kinds of suffering and all kinds of undesirable situations, because of the by-products of humans and other beings' inter-relationships. If evil has truly existed, then it couldn't have changed from one place after another, or from one country to the other, or from one period of time to the other.

Humans Can Stop Evil

As you see, in the old time, we did not have guns, and we did not have atom bombs and all kinds of these things which could destroy mankind in no time. So, actually the evils that exist in this world are not God-made. It was not already there. Therefore, it changes from time to time, and from different countries, yes. Why were we talking about this? Because we must realize that if evil is man-made, then man can also stop it or avoid it, instead of blaming God all the time, or waiting in a corner of the church for God to descend and do something about it. For example, between I and Mr. Smith, whoever that might be, we never met each other and nothing happened between us. And suddenly someday Mr. Smith came to see me, or I came to see him. Suppose we are both very ignorant and then, we both wanted to do something. We both wanted to arrive at a position which is very lucrative and profitable and famous and all that for ourselves. Then both of us are in competition about that object. And then if one of us wins, of course the other will feel very frustrated. And if he is a bad tempered man, he might try to revenge in some kind, or make trouble for me. And therefore, in this process we breed another kind of atmosphere between us and apart from us. Originally both of us had no hatred and then, now we have hatred. And that hatred is the third energy which is born from both of our energies. So, you see, this is not necessary. It wasn't there in the first place. If we come to think about it like that, we couldn't blame God for anything that is unfortunate in this world. Most of the people think God has made everything including evil. I used to think that way. But I think, as I am getting older, and you know I have more sympathy for the Old Man. You get more understanding, you know, for old people as you grow older. (Master laughs.)
Yes, it's just like you and your wife or husband. Normally both of you have no children. But then, you got together, and then the third kind was born. Those are your children. And your children may be exactly like you in character, in intelligence and in ambition or virtues. But, they might not be. And they might cause you a lot of trouble and headaches. So, these are not your making, not entirely. Maybe some of it is your making. But, if you are very virtuous parents, and very exemplary, and your children are the opposite, then it is not your making. Similarly, our world has become, sometimes, intolerable. It is our own making. So now, in order to improve this or repair the world, or the house, the big house that we live in, with so many rooms which are the nations, then we should know that evil is avoidable. Evil is avoided by doing good, by keeping the commandments, by loving thy neighbors. But because our mind is so used to an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, it is difficult to do what we think we ought to do, or to treat others in a very loving, kind way. Therefore, we need a stronger force to help us, to pull us out of our habitual thinking and actions. That is why enlightenment is necessary. It is just like a woman who is already very beautiful, and if she dresses herself up, and wears a little bit more jewelry, and learns to walk in a graceful way, then her beauty is more enhanced.

Everything In This World Is Beneficial To Us

Everything in this world is actually also good for us, even evil. Evil is our mistakes, fine. But, then we don't have to stay in the mistakes forever. At least the mistakes are a kind of shock. When we receive the effect of our mistakes, we will be shocked into realizing that this is not a proper thing to do. And they cause us misery and unhappiness, therefore, we turn around. And even all things in this world which are beautiful, enjoyable, are reminding us of our true happiness within, or in our true home. Therefore, it's not a sin to enjoy the things that God created for us. But if we always feel very attached to these things, and God will remind us that this is not proper. And therefore, we will sometimes experience unhappiness, or misery from the things that we cherish most.
It is wrong to deny the world. But it is not right to sink deep into the world all the time. Because we miss the better half of life which is spirit, which is more enjoyable than anything in this world could afford. Everything in this world is just a reminder of the true happiness, the true glory and the true life that we should have, and that we should know, because we have forgotten.
Many people ask me about a kind of woman and man relationship and sexual pleasure and that. Whether it is sinful. I say: It is not. But you should know there are many more pleasures than that. And for example, sexual pleasure is only a copy of the true pleasure when you are in union with yourself, when both forces within you, the feminine and the masculine aspects within yourself are united. And the union between man and woman is just a duplicate of that one.
So, actually God sends us into this world not without any instruments to remind us of the Kingdom of God. It is just that we have forgotten that these are the reminders only, and we just love the copy and forget the original. And that's what makes our life miserable. And even then, we could not enjoy the copy completely.

Therefore, many of the man and woman relationships even, are rocky, and the sexual relationship between you is not that holy, not that mutually respecting. But it's a kind of sometimes abusing, and just a frustration release; a kind of instrument. Therefore, if we truly want to enjoy this life even, we should enjoy the true life which is a hundred thousand times better than the life that we know on earth. And by knowing that life, we can also enjoy this life.

More Intense Feelings Toward Things After enlightenment

Just like one of our friends just expressed her opinion-that after initiation or enlightenment she enjoyed life also. She would feel whatever is there, in very intense awareness. And when you are happy, you are truly happy. And you have no reservations for your laughter. You are not constrained and not feeling ashamed for laughing very loud, very heartedly with your friends, or even alone. And when you feel sorrow, you truly can weep. You weep all of your emotions out, and then you get relief. Not that after enlightenment we become like wood or stone, and have no feelings whatsoever.
Some people keep asking me whether I fall in love sometimes. Are you interested, by the way? No, ha! If not, I don't talk about that. It is private. Are you interested? (Audience: Yes.) Okay, okay. I thought it was too personal. You come here to talk about Buddhahood and God and all that. And here I bring things which sound very mundane, yeah. Never mind. You see, and I say yes, yeah, off and on, now and again. Or maybe I don't know if that is falling in love or not. Well, when I see a person probably I like him, and then after he is gone, good-bye. Is that in love or not? Steve, you have more experience. (Laughter.) Is that falling in love, Steve? (Yes.) Yes? Really! Okay! But not in Colorado though. I haven't... okay.
But before that, before enlightenment, I didn't know this kind of feeling. You understand? I never missed anyone. I didn't love anyone. I didn't care about anyone. I did not enjoy the friendship with the people. I was a very lonely child, very quiet. I did not feel lonely though. I was just a very alone person, until now, until I was forced into this job. (Laughter.) I was a very quiet person. I could not talk. I mean I didn't speak. I didn't make friends. I enjoyed myself. I felt I needed nothing. And you know what it's like in our society. You work and then one month a year, you have a vacation, right?! Even if you don't want to, you have to. It's the law.
So, when I was alone there, I wasn't married then. And then, this forced one-month vacation was the time I had trouble. I didn't know what to do, because I had no friends and there was no where I wished to go. But you had to go because if you didn't come back with a tan, people would not respect you that much. So, you come, you spend all your money and go to Costa Bravo or whatever. And laying there, bake yourself to death, spend all your time in the sun, and get burnt, get peeled, get scorched, and do whatever you can with the cream and all that to comfort yourself. And then go home, to show people, Here I am . Yeah, from Costa Bravo, cost a bomb , cost a lot of money . [Laughter] Yes, so that was the kind of life that I had. Probably some of you experienced the same up to now.
And then, after I became, you know, the "Main Bro" in this 'office', I became more talkative. I changed, I became an entirely different person than if you knew me before. Might have been five, six, seven years ago, you wouldn't recognize me now. When I was married, and my husband had a lot of friends from his medical doctors' circle. And they talked a lot to him about many things, yes. And also they talked on phone a lot. But I hardly could speak anything to him. And sometimes I stood around and felt very envious with these friends. I said, Jeez, if I could just talk half of the time like them, I would feel already very good. I felt a little bit inadequate because I couldn't speak. I mean, I am not a talkative person. I'm always quiet, do my job, and have feelings, but nothing more. And even the love for my husband, I don't know it was a love or not. Well, I missed him when he was away. And I was happy when he was around. But that was it, that was just about it. It was not very kind of passionate thing that you read about in a novel romance or watch movies, things like that. I thought, oh, looks like I am not the person of this world, don't belong here. The Fabulous Network Leading To God

But after enlightenment, you feel that your feelings and your emotions and your affections, and your... everything are very sharp. You know, you realize more that you are truly living beings. Many people fear that maybe after enlightenment they would shave their head, and yeah, cast off their beautiful clothes, and go into the Himalayas, or find a cave in Colorado somewhere. But it is not true, it is not true. Maybe you do that in the beginning because you are too fanatic, too eager, too eager to know God, and forgetting all the while that He is always here. Because you are God, you are the representatives of this God power, and we are all connected together in this marvelous network. And should we forget that, we will be very lonely. Deep in our heart we will never be satisfied. Doesn't matter how many friends we have, and how much money we earn, or how busy we are. Many of the moments of our lives will be in loneliness, dissatisfaction. We just don't know what is it that is lacking in our lives. So we do feel something missing. That is because we have forgotten to tune in with this network which connects us as the whole, with the whole universe. And therefore, whatever we do, we do alone. We work alone and we feel great burden on our shoulders. That's why Emerson says: A great burden falls from our shoulders when we let God run the universe. To let God run the universe doesn't mean we sit there and wait for bread to fall from the sky. It means that we work together with the whole universe. And whatever we do, it will be blessed, watched over, and helped by the whole power. Therefore, we will be the great beings. And everything within us including so-called human emotions will be very alert. We feel for the first time in our lives that we are truly alive, that we truly enjoy everything that God gives us in this life. Not the denial of the world. Not truly. Not like that. I don't think an enlightened person is so negative in his attitude. Because I feel, and I see, and I know that my fellow initiates, people - you can call them disciple, that's your word, yeah - they are very alive, they are very alert, and they are happy. They know that life is alright. Eh, not that all of them are. Very seldom that they want to run away from life. Maybe in the beginning because before I used to wear nun's clothes, and looked very serious. So people thought to be serious and become a monk is the end to all means of Buddhahood.

enlightenment Solves All Problems

After I realized that, I changed because that was a wrong conception. It's okay I wear the clothes if I want to. But that is not the leading motive of enlightenment. That is not the condition for enlightenment.
Enlightened people are very happy. And they accept the situation whatever it is. And I have a very positive knowledge that if all people are enlightened, then we don't need to change the world at all. We don't need to make India become rich, we don't need to change communism into capitalism, because everyone will be contented under whichever circumstances they are in. And we don't have to change anything. We don't need to even vote for a new president every four years. And Mr. Clinton can stay there forever, (laughter) whether he is good or not, because we are good. That is important. You see, one president however good can not do much. But the whole nation is strong when people in that nation are altogether, at oneness, because of the connecting network. And the whole world is altogether in unison because they're all connected with that network. And then, the president cannot help himself but to be good. He has to behave, right. I don't mean Mr. Clinton, please don't tell him. He might not give me visa next time. (Master and everyone laughed.) So the problems in this world are not to be blamed on politicians, not to be blamed on the economic system of any country or any ism of any nation, but to be blamed on the ignorance of our self-nature. That we do not know how great we are, that we do not know that we are the contentment incarnate, that we do not know that we are love personified. Therefore, enlightenment is a cure for all illnesses, for all worldly problems, for all wars, and is once and for all finished! And as long as all of us are enlightened, the world will never come to an end. Everybody predicts about the end of the world. I mean not everybody, everybody worries about it, just some people predict, and make many people worry. But even if the world comes to an end, the enlightened people will never feel bothered, because they know this world comes and then it will go one day. But the life eternal always goes on, and that nothing can affect it. Life eternal is what we are. Wisdom is what we possess. Love is what our nature is. And that cannot be destroyed with any bomb at all. It cannot be limited by space and time. Therefore, the masters initiate disciples without the limitation of the space and time. The master doesn't have to always be where the disciples are, but can help the disciples and bless them. And the disciples will grow into mastership, and also can do the same, yeah. So whatever I do you can do also. That was what Jesus said to us.

The World Is The Shadow Of The Kingdom Of God

But can we do it? Can we do what Jesus did? No, not yet, because we did not learn what He learned. We have not tuned into the Kingdom of God. We have forgotten our Father who is perfect. Therefore we live in imperfection.
Now to correct this is very easy. Yes, if we want to go northward, then we have to face north, and continue, begin and continue to walk or to go northward. But if we want to go south, then, of course we have to turn back and face south and begin to go there. It's very simple.
Therefore, everyday we face the world. We walk toward the world, we think toward the world, we merge ourselves in the world. All our attention, energy, emotions, best talents face the world. We don't face God. Now, it's very simple. Turn around. I will show you how at the initiation and there you are. Very simple. But you will ask me the question is that, If you face God, then you have to turn your back to the world? It is not so in the Kingdom of God. Because actually if there is no Kingdom of God then there is not this world. This world is only a copy of the real thing, of the real life. Therefore, you do not have to forsake the world in order to know the real. But you have to know that the world came from the real by realizing the real. Just like you get to know a beautiful lady instead of chasing after her shadow. Then you have both. If you want the shadow that much, you can include, because the shadow comes from this beautiful lady. It's no good always clinging to the shadow and not knowing the real. But soon as we know the real, the shadow also belongs to us.
Since ancient times we have always heard many stories about how fantastic a master is. Just like Jesus, yeah, Jesus, He is great, fantastic. He can do many things, and we admire Him. But He should not be the only one in this position, because it is said in the Bible that Know you not that you are the temple of God, and the Holy Spirit dwells within you.
We house God. You understand that? We house the almighty within ourselves. And here we are having nothing of this almighty glory. It is because we face the other way. We face the shadow, we chase after the shadow, and try to correct the shadow to suit our taste-that the legs were too long, the head is too flat, or the ear is too pointed. It was because of the light which projected the real and made it become the shadow. And if we chase that all the time, and trying to make it different, of course we make trouble for ourselves. We exhaust all our energy and we achieve nothing. We might be able to adjust a little bit here, a little bit there, but this is only a shadow. Right? Tomorrow it will become ah, ear, the ear will be pointed again. Therefore in order to truly enjoy we have to correct the real... we have to know the real one and adjust accordingly.
If you know the beautiful girl, where she stands, then you can even make the shadow become more beautiful if you wish. See, you can make the light behind her go a little bit above or under, and then her shadow will become very much like the real person; or do some technique to adjust the shadow. But if we do not know the real and try to adjust the shadow from the shadow itself, then we always have problems. That is the problem with the world. That's why our world is always in trouble, because we try to correct the shadow and not the real object.

A Peaceful World Comes If Everybody Is Enlightened

And so many heros have come and gone. So many great kings have reigned the world, but the world is still the way it is. If you have fixed some problems here, other problems will breed themselves elsewhere. If you have enough medical care for the people, now you have incurable diseases like AIDS for example, troublesome. And so we never come to an end without problems, if we always try to fix the world.
I have known one person, he is very much interested in our teaching and wants initiation and that. But he told me that he would like to stay in the world, to remain in the world as worldly people, in order to understand their problems and in order to help them. Many of the heros of our history have thought the same thing, and the world has not become a paradise. Even though we have a lot of better equipment, more civilized society, but then we have other more troublesome problems. So you see, our brothers and sisters, what the conclusion should be. It's not that after enlightenment we forsake our political career. Or leave the President alone in white house and all the aids will go out, because they're all enlightened. But we stay there, and we do better job because we know how to adjust the shadow now. Or we don't bother at all to adjust the shadow anymore. Whatever the shadow may be, fine, because we know it's not important. We may feel amazed at the shadow, of its changing shape and size and color, of different time of the day. We might watch it with amazement, but we no longer chase after that, and we no longer put great importance upon this shadow. That's why everyone should be enlightened. And the world will be at peace. No other thing needs to be done. I don't know if you agree, yes or no? (Applause.) I tell you from example, not sheer talk. See, for example. Now you look at me, I'm wearing beautiful clothes. Actually we designed ourselves, I designed myself and I have seamstresses who are monks and nuns, together yeah. I mean we are those who live together and do not have family ties and that. So we work everything together without wanting any wages or any position anyhow. So, now it's very inexpensive anyhow. But it looks beautiful, right?! So now I am happy because I am beautiful, fine.
But when I am alone and I have not to see you in such a great event and important greeting like this, then I just wear whatever it is, right - very old clothes but very comfortable and old shoes flat. And I don't even care to wash them very carefully because I would just pitch my tent next to the river and put my clothes in the bucket and some soap in it, river water and I use my feet to stamp on them and while I clean my teeth at the same time, yeah. I use my feet to just, you know, walking on the bucket, walking on the clothes after a while and then let it be in the sun for a while. And then after I clean my teeth or I bathe, and I swim, and then I just shake them loose, yeah and get the river water to clean them. Then I throw them on the rocks and after some time they are dry. And that's a life of beautiful enjoyment that I most cherish.

But nevertheless when I go out I stay in, sometimes, hotels, sometimes stay in a very beautiful mansion which some of the disciple lend us for few days, and I also enjoy that. You see, I also enjoy the freshly cut lawn and the beauty of the flowers that you plant around in your gardens and every so-called luxurious thing that you have. I enjoy. Yes.

An Enlightened Person Conforms To Circumstances Whatever They Might Be

Therefore enlightenment affords us the enjoyment, not the situation. So I enjoy in both cases. I do not deny luxury, and I do not cling to asceticism, because both have its beauty. Whatever it is there, you accept it and that is the simple life. Some people ask me, Simple life means going to the forests and living in caves and eating weeds, and all that? I say no no no. Simple life means you stay where you are enjoy whatever you have. If you are rich, you enjoy your rich life and share whatever leftover, too much, with other people. If you are poor, enjoy your simple life and be happy that you don't have to worry about thieves. [Laughter] And that is simple living. You see, simple living, yeah - stay where you are, enjoy what you have, that is in my thinking a simple living. Do you think that's alright? (Applause.)
Because if we try to change our life it makes us not simple. Right? You are so used to with clean bath rooms and all that. And now you have to punish yourself and adjust yourself to kind of outside open toilet and it freezes in the winter and maybe you are not used to with the cold. You'd get cold and you'd get sick. And then is that simple? No, then you have to be administered to in a hospital and get all the needles in your tongue, in your knees and wherever necessary. (Master laughs.) And that looks very complicated indeed. At least from the outside. Therefore simple living means you are comfortable where you are. But of course there are somethings we adjust to life. For example if we meditate a lot, then we cannot afford to eat meat too much because that excites our energy, stimulates the passion, and we would like to sit still in order to know our own treasure and wisdom. Therefore if we do not follow a simple diet then it will have some side-effects. Therefore, some people meditate at random and do not adhere to the vegetarian diet they come into a kind of disturbance, you see? Many people have mental derangements. It is because of violating the law of nature. The law of nature teaches us to be vegetarian.
You know all of this. And I think in the sample booklet that you were given it has already been proven scientifically that we humans are vegetarian species. Because our teeth and our intestines... is that right? yeah? okay - are made for vegetarian beings, yes. And the meat-eaters beings are different in the body construction and the inner organs and the digestive system are all different. Anyhow I'll be long about enlightenment and short about diet, okay? Because in case you are allergic to vegetarian diet I won't mention anymore.

The Quan Yin Method Is The Ultimate Method

But be enlightened anyhow, by all means and by whatever you can afford in your environment and in your mental state of preparation. There are many ways to enlightenment. But there is best way, quickest way, or longest way, yeah, safer way or a little bit risky way. Just like you climb the mountain there are many roads, but some roads are even and some roads are more rocky and some roads are dangerous.
So I have found that the Quan Yin Method, the method of observing the inner Word, the inner sound and the inner heavenly light is the best, and is the ultimate because ultimately we have to arrive to the light of God and to the Word of God in order to get the wisdom. All other roads are leading you to that state - that you could hear the sound of God and could see the light. Or other methods are having this same goal, but we are right here, - the teaching directly and you immediately experience the enlightenment taste, you see immediately. So you get this light and sound right away at the time of initiation. Whereby other methods, you have to take a long time or many years or many ascetic kinds of sacrifice in order to arrive there. Therefore, actually this is not a method. It's just a fruit and the meal is already prepared for you hungry guests. The others, maybe they are not hungry so they try to mess around with their food or cook all the time and not eat it. Many of our people who stay permanently in many of our centers around the world, their life is very simple, but they are very happy. Our life is so simple that when compared to the most simple life styles in other countries, theirs seems pale! The other day we were speaking with some of the people who work with the government in Au Lac. They are not the governmental officials, they are just working in a businesswise and so we had a chance to talk about this. And then, I said, Actually the Au Lac people in Au Lac if they were enlightened they wouldn't feel so troubled about communism even.
I say because, actually I am a true communist. Because whatever I earn I share it all with people. Communist means you have everything not for yourself, but for the community, you see. You live in a community. Therefore, actually I don't talk communism, but the communists should give me the best medal for it, yeah, because I live what they preach. (Laughter.) I live in tent. I live simple life. I don't earn money for myself. All the money runs around the world for the sake of my disciples, for the enlightenment of others, and for the poor and needy. And even my clothes I design for myself so it's cheaper. [Applause.]

Changing Ourselves Is Changing The World

Therefore, it's not what we should have in life but to what degree we are contented with life. To tell you honestly I have no better life than any of the people who live in the communist system. For example, from thirty-six or forty hours up till now I have only had one meal and that wasn't much. There was only maybe half a bowl or one bowl of rice, just a few tofu and a few vegetables. That's all there was. And I am working so, very... you can not say it's not hard. It's hard work because we run from one place after another and we are always packing and unpacking and talking to hundreds of, thousands of people all the time. I seldom rest with my voice, very seldom. I'll tell you my schedule. For example yesterday, the night before, I was in Seattle, yeah, talking to thousands and after that talking to the disciples and non-disciples, etc. And then, I did not go to bed until about five o'clock in the morning. And before that, I meditated for a while and then slept a little bit. And got up again at nine or something, got ready to go for the airplane. And then, at the airport I had to speak to hundreds of people and make them happy, right. And then, went to the air... (Laughter.) What, you're laughing at? It's not true? It's true, yes. Because, if not, then they are not happy. And then, in the airplane, I have to talk again to the neighbors because they will ask me where I come from and what I do and all that. Fine, I enjoy also. And then I had a little rest, maybe ten minutes. And then, again, came down to the airport. And hundreds of people were already there awaiting for me to talk again. Okay, I talked, until nine or something, huh? And then we went home. And then I had a little rest. And then came the telephone, and I talked again for about one or two hours, one hour at least. And then came out, and then all my disciples, their immediate friends, the Americans, they wanted to be exclusively treated. So only Americans were around, and I talked only in American language. Ah, that was about, yeah, just for a while, yeah? And then, I came and took that meal that I told you. Yes, and that was it. Up till... I had nothing from that meal until now. And before that I didn't have meal. Before that meal I nibbled two mouthfuls of bread and two mouthfuls of milk. That was before I left Seattle. And I came to last night and had that meal. The only meal up till now. So, therefore, I had in forty hours or fifty hours, actually only one meal. Nothing more. And if the communists are proud of their teaching, they should be more proud of the action, and they should give me a best medal. (Laughter & applause.) Actually I am too proud of myself. It's my ego at work, you see. (Master laughs.) Don't worry, I'll put it aside later. (Laughter.)
So, the problem is not to change anything of this world but to change ourselves you see. I would have complained before. Without enlightenment I would have complained. I would have loved to have my beautiful house, my lovely husband and my, whatever is mine. You understand? And I can't just sacrifice like that. But by the way doing this, I do not even feel sacrifice. You understand what I mean? Just very natural, very happy to do it. Of course I am tired and I complain sometimes. Because of some of the unnecessary tiresome questions or demands from people and disciples. And sometimes it agonizes you. You understand what I mean? Having to accompany kindergarten children while you are teaching in college, yes. It is very difficult also, but I get through, I get through. That's a reasonable complaint, no? Is it not? (Laughter & applause.)

Enjoy The World Within And Without

Thus, if the people in any poor country or in whatever situation if they get enlightenment, they would not feel suffering. Some of our disciples are relieved from even the most dangerous sicknesses after initiation or after they practice for a while. Yes, it depends on also their sincerity and karma. And some of them have to undergo sometimes this retribution, but they go with smiles on their faces.
Yesterday while I was in Seattle, even one of the women told me she had to undergo operation, but then she had prepared herself already to go to play in heaven while the body was undergoing operation. She told me: Ah, fine. I know already. I will go and let the doctor inject me and then meanwhile I will go to Buddha's land and have a look around. (Laughter.) Yes, that's what she did. And she had no fear of whatsoever. Yeah, yesterday some of you had heard it. Any of you from Seattle yesterday? Yes, you heard this, yeah. That was an Au Lac lady. She is about my age, maybe younger. But don't make me feel very old. (Master laughs.) Yes, that's what they do. And sometimes some of our fellow practitioners, their lives are not rich like you perhaps in Formosa. They drive taxi. Okay, they are taxi driver but while driving the taxi they can see Buddha's land or heaven, Kingdom of God at the same time. Therefore their lives pass very quickly. And whatever they do, they do it in joy. They enjoy the real life and the shadow of the real life, because both will blend together-there is no separation, no rejection of any kind.

The Beauty Of enlightenment

When I was in Indonesia or some other country, some people said, Oh, you look beautiful. Would you consider to re-marry? Yeah. What do you think? Do I have time for that? (Master and everyone laugh.) Yes, but I said to him, Why do you ask this question? He said, because he thinks that enlightened people would not care so much about these things and no love and very dry and all that. I said, No, if you consider you should propose first. Yeah, you propose and I will put you on the marry list. (Laughter.)
But then, that's the last I heard of him. (Laughter & applause.) Probably after a close examination of my face and figure and whatever, and my life style and he thought he had better not take adventure. (Master and everyone laugh.) So, my disciples everywhere are enough to scare the biggest hero on earth. (Master laughs.) They would run away you know. When you are at home, and you have only one husband and wife and if the third person comes, you already feel very scared, right, very frightened that your love would be shared. How much more if they see my disciples! They hang around twenty four hours, they eat everything with me, and they interfere with all kinds of privacy, except when I am in the bathroom. (Laughter.) My door is never be able to lock. Always coming up and down and my room is just like a restaurant. So whoever dare to be my husband should prepare for war. (Master and everyone laugh.) So, that's the life it is. You see whether you have or you don't have it's fine. It's very fine with you because you are contented within yourself. You do not reject life. But you do not sink into life deeply so that you know nothing else except the material existence of life. And that's the beauty of enlightenment. (Applause.)
Alright, I am ready for your questions, because there will be more talk by the way. You can ask anything, yeah. And I am free to answer or not, so don't worry.
It is a very good atmosphere today, huh! Right? Yes, for the first time and then you can laugh so much. I think we don't charge the lecture with money but we charge the laughter because this is very rare. (Laughter.)

Question And Answer Session

Q: In the Bible Jesus Christ said: I and my father are one . (M: Yeah.) But, how can I reach this state? M:Get enlightenment, yeah. Get initiation. That's what we are here for, to help you.

Q:Dear Master, I have never eaten vegetarian. However, after I listened to your videos and read your magazines, I started to eat vegetarian once or twice a month (M: Wa, big deal, big deal!) Can I meditate? If yes, is there any danger? M:Fine, it's already a big improvement, yeah. From thirty days to twenty-eight days.

Q:Dear Master, how to live a happy life? M:Didn't I tell you? (Master and everyone laugh.) To get enlightenment is a sure way of a happy life. Okay, I am very patient.

Is Abortion An Offense To The Precepts?

Q:Could you please explain your precepts against killing. Specifically against abortion.
M:Wa! You get me into trouble. Ah, Thou shalt not kill is the precept of all religious scriptures, not only Christians. It's even in Jainism, Hinduism and other religions also. If they truly take this thou shalt not kill in a true sense of the precept, abortion, of course, should be avoided. And the doctor should be very precise in determining what is the special situation that people should undertake this. Because maybe sometimes it's dangerous for the mother, yeah, or dangerous for both. So, the doctor should be fair in determining that situation. Otherwise I think we should save life in any way we can. Whatever special circumstance with you, that you have to answer, your selfconscience, and the doctor has to determine that. Okay? I am not here to condemn anyone, because I know life is very hard, and very difficult to say which is right and which is wrong. Because we are also all under the sway of karma, of the law of cause and retribution, and sometimes it is very difficult for a person to go above that, to be saintly, and to be decisive about anything in life. But, bear in mind that if you have faith in God, and in all our wisdom and if we are enlightened, no circumstance is difficult, no situation is hard to handle. So, I just propose enlightenment, and no condemnation for anything. (Applause.)

Q: Is it okay to receive initiation from more than one master? M:Yeah, it's okay. But why is it necessary? For example, if your master has already taught you the light and sound within you, and you are satisfied and you're making progress with that path, then you don't have to be initiated by another master who will teach the same method. But nevertheless, if you are not completely satisfied and you would like to have more, I mean you are more convinced in some other master, of course you may do so.

Respect The Talent And

Qualities Of Other People

Q:Jesus ate fish, why do you not?
M:You always put fish in Jesus' mouth. (Laughter.) Alright, suppose he ate fish, he is Christ, he can do many other things that you cannot do. Why you look at the piece of fish only and not at his qualities and his holiness? As soon as you become holy as he is, and powerful as he is, you can eat human beings, okay?! (Laughter & applause.) If you are that desperate for meat... Oh God! We always compare the things that other people do to suit our taste. But we do not respect their qualities and their talents, yeah. We have to know what we have and other people have, hm, and then we can say what we can do or not. The president he can stay in the white house, he has a lot of bodyguards, he has power over the whole nation. So, somethings he can do, we can not. Okay, right?!

Q: Are pain and illness always the result of present karma? If so, how do we clean them out?
M:We clean it out by enduring it. Alright? Because it's already too late now to reverse the wheel of karma. But we could minimize it, we could lubricate it by being enlightened, by meditation on the perfection of the Father every day through the guidance of a teacher, through initiation. Then, we minimize a lot of things. Yeah, um.

Q:Do you feel this initiation is important? Why can it not be done on our own?
M:The question answers itself, um. If you have done it yourself, then it's not necessary to get an initiation. But if you couldn't do it, if you haven't seen the light of God and the sound of heaven, then, initiation is necessary. Besides there are many steps to heaven that you must know, verbally, the instruction, and so many pitfalls that you should avoid. And if you do not know that, you'd waste a lot of time, and sometimes it's dangerous, um.

Q:Who was your Himalaya master and what lineage? M:I think I talked about that already in some of the tapes. You go and have a look, okay? Now I'm here and you keep asking about my master all the time. I am jealous. (Laugher.) I am so beautiful, and you don't care about me. (Master and everyone laugh.) You care about an old man with wrinkled eyes and cranky mood and doesn't talk to any one, doesn't accept disciples. (Laughter.)

Q:Master, specifically what is the difference between enlightenment and the power to initiate, and which one does the patriarch of the Bible have?
M:The power to initiate came first. You will have the power of initiation also if you are pointed by the master, because a master will initiate through you. And also you have the power, the true power, the perfect power, not the borrowed one, when you become a master. When you reach the fifth plane of consciousness, then you become Christ or Buddha, yeah. At that time you can initiate. But enlightenment is a part of it, part of the power. And you will expand this, and get to know more of your greatness, more and more until you realize your complete self. And that is the time you'll know God. That's the time you'll be able to initiate people.

In The State Of Samadhi

Q:Dear Master, is it right that we have to be at or beyond the second level of spiritual practice to have a samadhi experience? M:No, no. It's not true. It's just that deeper or shallower samadhi. If you see the light or hear the sound, that means you're already in samadhi. It's just a little bit not very deep. And sometimes you're in very deep samadhi, and you sit there and only aware of the inside, and sometimes aware of both, inside and outside.

Q: If initiated, can one practice meditation an hour in the morning, half hour in the middle of the day and an hour at night? Does one have to meditate two and a half hours continuously a day? M:No, no. You can separate it. You can do it on the bus, in the park, on airplane and the train, etc. to make up for the hours that you need.

Q:Please explain the reason for not eating or using eggs, and how do eggs represent life and death?
M:Because egg is a symbol of life and death. In it contains life, yeah. And many of the black magicians or white magicians they use eggs to withdraw some of the negative possessive spirit within some people, yeah. Therefore, if we eat eggs too much we tend to attract this negative force toward ourselves. Yeah, that's one of the reasons why we should not eat eggs, hm.

Q:Do you have homosexual disciples?
M:Yes. Do I have to report to you their private business? You see, homosexuality is just a misconception about their awareness. They misunderstand their body's function. And when they become enlightened, this will be less and less, because they will identify themselves less with the body, but more with the spirit. Therefore there's nothing wrong with that. Yeah, when the children are very young, they play with plastic models and they cling to their teddy bears, but when they grow up, they will leave them. So do not worry about your misidentification with your body or with your birth appearance. It's alright, just get enlightenment, and everything will fix itself in due course.

Q: Master, I often see that in meditation it is my mind watching my mind, I lose faith that I can't go beyond this technique. Any advice? Thank you!
M:Oh, of course, it's not the very suitable technique for you perhaps. Because if we use the mind to watch the mind, we are still inside the mind and inside the creation's destroying and nourishing process. We should go beyond the mind. Therefore in our meditation, we don't use the mind at all. Yeah, and that is the most advanced technique. So, maybe try ours, Okay?! Um.

Q:What happened to your husband?
M:Oh, thanks for your concern. We've lost contact for, I think, several years now. Well he waited for me six years, alright? And then, he remarried after six years. And during the time we wrote off and on, half a year a letter, or one year a letter. And after six years, he got married again, with a vegetarian doctor wife. And then he got a son and he reported that to me. That was the last I heard of him. If you are interested to know, maybe I'll go into the second level and have a look at his future. (Master and everyone laugh.)

Q:Master, how important is it to see the light eighteen inches in front of me. I only see it close to my forehead. Thank you. M:It's fine, It's a good beginning. Don't worry. It will grow further.

Why Budhi Dharma Sat Facing The Wall For Nine Years

Q: I don't know if it's my business to understand, but I would like to find out about Buddha's message when he came from India and sat facing the wall for nine years.
M: Oh! The patriarch, the Budhi Dharma? Facing the wall for nine years? Because He had nothing else to do. (Laughter.) If it weren't for you, I would probably sit and face the ceiling for nineteen years. (Laughter.)
You see. If they have things to do, they would do them whole-heartedly. If they have nothing to do, they just do what they want to do. Yeah, that's it. And if He loved the wall so much, why not? (Laughter & applause.) You see actually, of course I make a joke about it. But you see, to elaborate it further, you should understand that an enlightened person is very contented within him or herself, and does not desire to do anything when it's not necessary. For example, if I don't come to you or if I don't lecture or if nobody requires me to come out to see them or talk to them, I am always in my room. Yeah. Of course sometimes I like to take a walk in the garden or in the forest whenever it's there. If not, I stay in my room. I do nothing, I am just happy. Yeah, I may read books, or not read books. I might meditate, or not meditate. I may sleep, or I may feel awake. I may eat something or not eat something. I'm fine within the walls. You see! That's the problem with the prisoners. Because they are not enlightened, therefore they feel walls separate them. If they were enlightened they would sit pretty well in there and they'd never probably want to leave prison at all. Yes, it is because we are very contented within ourselves. You see. That's why the patriarch, He sat there and felt good. At that time, probably there was no lecture hall for Him, and not many people understood Him. So, He just sat there and enjoyed Himself. He could have done other things, but it wasn't necessary at that time.
There was a story about a Zen master and his disciple. I am afraid to lose your time. Is it okay to tell? (Audience: Yes.) Okay. One Zen disciple, yeah, very enlightened perhaps, came to see his master after some time, and then his master asked him, Ah, well, well, what did you do all these months? Yeah, you had a summer vacation, now what did you do? He said, Oh, in my backyard, there is a big piece of land. I cultivated it and planted some vegetables, and they tasted so good, they looked good. Yeah, and I feel very good about it. So, the master praised him and said, Oh, well, well, you did not waste your time, huh! You know how to use your time, it's very good, yes. And so the disciple asked the master: Then what did you do during this time that I was not here? What did you do? And the master said, Oh, in the daytime I ate and read books, in the nighttime I slept, hm. So, the disciple also nodded his head and said, Oh, well, well, master, you also know how to use your time, you didn't waste your time, you are very useful! You understand? Yes, it's very comfortable, huh! It takes an enlightened mind to understand an enlightened mind. So, that's what it is, with the enlightened people. If they have work to do, they do it. If they don't they don't miss anything. So, whenever we are on tour, we are sometimes in a kind of very famous place. You know? Like when we were in Mexico, we were next to the pyramid, yeah and of course people would like to go there. It was about one hour from our place actually, and my room was in the middle of the city, with all the noises and all the narrowness, everything. But still I didn't long to go to the pyramid. So, we never did go.
Even though I stayed there six days, and lectured only one day. But I saw people every day of course. But I had no longing to go to see pyramid, or anything else. I stayed always every day, every minute of the day in my room.
And so, I told you again and again, enlightenment is the only way for the cure of everything in this world. Otherwise, if anyone else, you put them in the room like that, yeah, and don't let them go to see pyramid, something, they will be unhappy. But we are not. I and my disciples, the immediate crew, you know, nobody wanted to go to the pyramid. I asked them, If you want to go, you are free to go. Don't have to wait for me or ask my permission. But nobody wanted to go. They are just happy to serve. They sleep when they have time. And when they wake up, they go and prepare for the lecture-equipment and all that. No one longs to go sightseeing, nothing. It's because we are very contented within ourselves.
Therefore, the first patriarch, Bodhi Dharma, the Budhist who came to China and faced the wall nine years, it was the same situation, um.

Why Ego Exists?

Q: During meditation do we need to keep ourselves awake so that we know that we are meditating? If I fall into a state of not fully being awake or I fall asleep, is there any good in my meditation at all?
M:Yes, it's a good sleep. (Laughter.)

Q: I have been on a vegetarian diet for three months, but I can't cross my legs because there is a problem with my legs. So, am I qualified for initiation? And can you comment on posture in meditating?
M:Then don't cross your leg for God's sake. Do what you want with your legs. I don't want your legs. I just want your enlightenment, okay.

Q: After initiation and if Master is not with us, if I have any problems with my meditation, what should I do? M: The Master is always with you, hm. Master is not the body. We are wisdom. We are connected with the whole universe. And the master who is worth his name is omnipresent. So, whenever you are in trouble, the Master knows. And the Master is always helping you to progress. Whether you see the Master or not, it depends on your power of samadhi. Otherwise, Master is twenty-four hours awake and taking care of you. So don't worry, okay?

Q: Master, You are very beautiful and have much to offer. I am glad to be here. My question has to do with the ego. What are we to do with it, if anything, and why does it exist? M: I see. The ego doesn't exist actually. The ego comes from the information that we collect during our time, and during our inter-relationships with others or with all things around us, yes.

For example, when you were born, you had no ego. But when you grow up and then you know yourself to be beautiful or handsome, yes, then, the ego begins to grow yeah. And everybody praises you. Wa! you're beautiful! And then, You have a Ph.D.! You grow more in pride, and that is the ego, yeah. But, don't worry about it. It's just a good accessory sometimes. And you can throw it away anytime you don't need. But, you have to have enlightenment first in order to know when to wear it, and when to put it down. Okay?

Initiation Is The Only Way To Reach The Fifth World

Q:What kind of light and sound can I hear when I reach the fifth level? I mean what symbol will let me know if I come to the fifth level of meditation?
M: That I tell you at the time of initiation. Because I cannot just tell you like that at random. I don't know what kind of meditation you do. If you want to elaborate further, maybe it's better, um. The fifth level is meant for the initiated people only, not for other disciples. They couldn't even reach the first.

Q:Dear Master, I'm married, but I sometimes have dreams of being with other beautiful girls. How do I prevent these dreams? Am I creating heavy karma? Please tell me. M:It's alright! Just enjoy your dreams okay?! (Laughter.) Just don't do it in the reality. Otherwise, your wife will not let you enjoy it. And keep it a secret. What can we do with dreams? Right? Forgive yourself. It's okay!

Q:When does the soul enter the body? Is it before our birth or after our birth? How can it happen if we are born as a twin? M: No, because you like to stick together, I guess, huh! You have affinity with each other, um. And you want to go out at the same time to have companion. No problem about twins, yeah. We are twins ourselves. We have both feminine and masculine aspects inside. And we, if we reunite that, we're happy, um. Forget about the physical aspect.

Experience Is Better Than Empty Talk

Q:Dear Master, please let us know more about energy, the relationship between energy, peace and love. The only thing we know from science is that energy can not be destroyed or created. Energy can be transformed from one kind to another kind. Some say God is energy, God is love. What do you think? M:I think these are only sayings. Before you experience that, all sayings are empty. I do not like to be a living dictionary but an example of the true knowledge. When you are enlightened, you understand this energy and all the metaphysical questions. Energy is many kinds, negative and positive. When we are enlightened, we balance both and make use of them for the purposes in life and in the right time, the right situation. I told you already. If we are enlightened, the world will be at peace. No need to change anything. Of course, that is peaceful energy that we radiate after enlightenment.

Q:How to affect our beloved, such as husband or wife, to be a more moral person. Is there a special method to help them? M:Yes, enlightenment. enlightenment helps you to be sharper in all feelings, yeah. And you'll be a better wife, be better husband even. Many of our initiates claim that their married life became much better after both of them practiced God's presence, yeah, the light and sound. Before that they just had a kind of very lukewarm relationship, or cold to ice cube. And after enlightenment they know how to care for each other and then feel more toward each other, um.

Q:Dear Master, I had a lot of nightmares in childhood. Now the nightmares are gone, but, I still dream frequently every night. Please tell me are these dreams involved with my karma? M: Maybe you had a very rough life before, um. You lived in truly nightmarish life . Therefore, the influence still lingers up till now. Well I sounds like advertising manager, but enlightenment is also for everything. If you want to live a fearless life, and dreamless life, then, of course enlightenment is the answer.

Q:Master, were Hermes, Zoroaster, the Essences, the Gnostics masters? And who were the first masters? And who is the great white brotherhood?
M:All masters, all true masters are one. They come from one source. And the highest master is the supreme master, the almighty which is in all of you. When we first came here we were masters before. And we came here, we blessed the world. And, we forgot all about our power and our glory. And our energies were also exhausted, because we paid attention to outer phenomenas. So, all the masters who came here are the ones who are awakened in this awareness and know their true glory, and they can travel the road home frequently. And they can lead us back home. So, no need to discriminate between any master. All the religions are founded after the master has gone. Therefore we have Christian after Christ, Buddhist after Buddha, etc., okay?!

Q:enlightenment always seems so lofty. In what ways will I be different after enlightenment ? How will I know? Is it in black and white?
M:Oh, you'll know it, you'll know it definitely. You'll know it, just like you walk inside the door and when you walk outside the door. It's very definite and very beneficial to your daily life. You will know it, very definitely. Just like an educated person and an uneducated person, there is a great difference.

Q: Is it true that to become fully realized one must practice the highest yoga-tantra and the secret mantra? And if Buddha performed these before full realization?
M:I didn't see anything like that in the scriptures. I only saw that He sat under the Bodhi tree for forty days or more. And He saw the stars at the time of realization. So, if you want to have this same realization as Buddha, you can have it, right now, um. And about tantra and tantrum, I do not know. I did not see anything in the Buddhist scripture referring to the Buddha's practice before He was enlightened. I only know that He saw the stars and He saw the light. So, if you want that kind, we have it. Okay?!

Q:There is a vow to refrain from intoxicants. What about chemicals on fruits and vegetables?
M:Oh, my God! You are fanatic. Wash them with the salty water, yeah, and eat them. Otherwise, you die, hmm? (Laughter & applause.)

Q: Since I started the vegetarian diet, my son who's seven years old asks, Is it another no-meat day? I realize my son was born with the great nature of not eating meat. But due to my ill-concept I started his meat eating habit. How can I restore his greatness and reduce my guilt?
M:Um, then take time. You have taken much time and efforts to force your son into meat, and now you have to take the same amount of effort and time to reverse.

How Dictators Emerge?

Q:Dear Maser, please explain what kind of karma it is when there were dictators like Hitler, Lenin, Ho Chi Minh, who caused the wars that killed millions of people, and made millions of others suffer. M:That is a collective karma of mankind which, as I told you, are by-products of the inter-relationships between humans and other beings in this world or other worlds. And those kinds of by-products became a kind of very forceful strong energy hanging around our earth's atmosphere. And when it is too condensed, then it has to manifest into some kind of visible, such as a very great dictator who kills millions, etc.
As you have asked, so therefore, these people are not to be blamed also, in a sense. But, ourselves are to be blamed. If each one of us leads a life of virtues, keeps the commandments, and refrain from killing of any kind - including the indirect killing, so keeping the vegetarian diet - and the world would never have bred these kinds of dictators in the first place. These are there to remind us of the virtuous way, and if we are not awakened yet, then these things will continue to remind us until the whole mankind is awakened.

How To Eradicate Anger?

Q:What is anger? Why does it boil inside us? And how do we release this anger?
M: Sometimes it helps to release it outwardly. Sometimes between husband and wife or men or parents and children there exists some kind of tension. And after you have cleared it together, you clear the air, it's also helpful.
Whatever comes naturally, just let it be. If you cannot control it or you cannot control it completely, just try not to bear hatred in it. Just express what you feel, express it in as best manner as you can okay?! Because sometimes anger, when swallowed too much of the time will breed disease within the body.

So the best is that, first we have the virtues of God, and then other passions like anger, greed, attachment, will subside by and by.

Q:You say only human beings can become a Buddha. I want to know if when a disciple passes away and he is on the 4th level, does he need to come back to this world to be a human being and after that to study until he becomes a Buddha?
M:Oh, no, he doesn't have to. He studies from there. The Master will continue to teach the disciple and never leave the disciple until the disciple completely realize himself, hm! (Applause.)

Q:You said You denounce immorality. What is meant by sexual misconduct? Is that wrong?
M: I do not denounce anything. I just propagate correct way of life. And you are free to follow it, okay?! I do not denounce anything. If you feel that is a denouncement, it's not true. Just that you go into the wrong direction. Now you should go back to the right one, if you want to arrive at your destination which is the Kingdom of God.
Too much sexual abuse and indulgence tires your body, exhausts your mental power which should be conserved for the greatest enlightenment, and to help yourself and to help mankind. It's more noble that way. That's all, yeah.
Sexual misconduct means you have too many girl friends, too many boy friends, too many husbands and wives. It exhausts your storehouse of energy, okay?!

Q: How do You suggest that a person go about attaining enlightenment when that person lives in extreme and almost constant pain.
M:There are many drugs that help you with pain these days. You do not have to endure that. Medicine, you can take in order to prevent the pain. And then when you are calm and peaceful, then you can meditate.

Q:Please let us know if God, the comforter that God sent, the spirit of truth, is only one comforter or a few comforters? If there are a few, please let us know how many? M:You want to shop, uh, shopping for enlightenment! (Laughter.) One is enough for you, right now, okay?! (Applause.) Because even if there are a few, who knows if they will come to you and when, and whether you are still alive when the other comforters come, understand? Okay?

Q:Oh, Master, I have a hard time meditating because my head hurts when I start to meditate. Please tell me how to stop the headaches?
M:Maybe you try too much. You should not have any effort, yeah. But I don't know what kind of method you study, so it's difficult to tell you. But whatever you do, relax, yeah. Just do it just like you are mowing a lawn or eating the breakfast. No need to put strain on your brain for concentration. In our method we do it without effort. We just sit there and the light comes. Therefore, it is better.

Q:What does it mean when some people are absent-minded when someone talks to them, and they just don't react, or they instantly forget what you've just said. Is it because they're too mental or they use their mind too much?
M:How do I know? You ask them?!

Q:Dear Master, when You die where does your soul go and what happens to your energy and karma?
M:Me or anyone? (Q: It says when You die.) I'll tell you after I die, okay?! (Laughter & applause.) It's too early. I mean I am still very young.

Heavy Karma Incurred In Meat Eating

Q: If after being initiated and I still make a mistake like eating meat or having an evil thought, does it mean that I'll be disconnected from God or suffer some bad punishment? M:Evil thought, you might not be able to control it immediately after enlightenment, because it's just like the car brake, you see. When the car runs sixty miles an hour, and if you want to brake it, do it slowly, yeah. So, it'll probably take some time to be able to purify completely yourself.
But the meat you can avoid it, yeah, except when you don't know it and you eat it by mistake, then that's fine. But you have to meditate more on that day to clean that, because that is a very heavy karma. That's what makes people ill, what makes our body suffer, and what makes us go to hell afterward to repay for the suffering of other beings. (Applause.)

Q:Dear Master, I sincerely thank You for the lecture today. I wish that You take care of Your health, so that You can continue to give lectures for the rest of the world, and save people who have the sincerity to find the way back to God's home. Thank You again. Please take care of Yourself.
M:Thank you, thank you. God takes care of me. You take care of me. Because you have love for me, you have good thoughts for me, you have loving wishes for me, therefore you take care of me. I can't take care of myself. I just flow with the water. Wherever there is demand, I just have to fulfill it. I have no time or actually no very fixed schedule to say that I can take care of myself. Never mind, I am okay. I work hard and I am alright.

Q:This question is about discipline. I find that I am very devoted to trying new techniques for a period of time. When I do not see results or when I get too busy or too tired, I just give up, I don't stay with the discipline. How can I push through my weakness and continue with daily routine and mastery? M: Ah, of course if you have a method and it doesn't work very well, and also maybe you do not follow the practice regularly and diligently and sincerely, then, you lose your faith, yeah. So, try to do what is instructed, and then your faith will grow more with the results. Of course if you don't have results, you don't have faith, and the less faith you have, the less results. So, you'll be in the circle.

Awaken The Primitive Force Of The Universe

Q:Master, sometimes during meditation with the Convenient Method, I feel a chill from my spine going up to my head, and then there seems to be a feeling of energy encircling in my head. What does this mean? Is this a bad or good sign? M:It's okay. It's your kundalini at work. Afterward you'll be used to it. It's only a Convenient Method, and still it works all so much, because of the master power blessing you. Other people they practice many years to try to awaken the kundalini, and they can't do it.

Q:Did Jacob receive bad karma for tricking Isaac into giving him the blessing? Did Benjamin receive bad karma for tricking his brothers into bringing his father to Egypt? M:Oh, he talks about Bible? (Q: Ah, the Old Testament.) Oh, what do we know about these people? Why do we care? They are all gone, yes. (Laughter & applause.) I think we have enough work to do with our own.
Okay. That's it? I am relieved? Ah, fine. Thank you for your attention. (Applause.)

The Great Fearless Spirit

2009-01-11T06:13:00.000-08:00

Spoken by the Supreme Master Ching Hai to the worldwide contact persons

During the International Seven-Day Retreat in Taipei, Formosa May 23, 1994 (Originally in English)

Make Big Goals For Ourselves

All I want is to teach you to be a great person, and you don't want it; you just want to be small. You have to expect big! And then, whatever left over, maybe it's enough. If you expect small, nothing there left. You have to expect yourself to be a president, and then maybe left over, you are at least a minister or something. Otherwise, if you expect yourself to be a chief of the police and then maybe you end up to be a taxi driver, or just a small sergeant in the army. You understand? ("Yes, Master.") Make a big goal, and if you can not do it, you don't lose anything.

Always kneeling around and expecting crumbs, and then? Beg for food. If you want to live your life like that I'm sorry for you, but I don't want to accept you. You have to represent me, represent the lofty idea of fearlessness. You don't have to fear me, you must love me only. Respect me but not fear. Fear is terrible. Fear paralyzes you, you can not do anything when you fear, understand? (Yes.)

But you know I won't kill you, you know I'm not terrible, so what is the reason for fear? The more you do like this, the more I have to pick on you, make you stand up, make you realize that you are terrible. You are too weak. You are harming yourself. Some centers are dragging around and having troubles and division, because you are too weak. All of you can not do anything. I appoint you to be my representative there and you don't use your power. You don't know how to act. You run around with everybody else's idea. Democracy is not like that. Democracy means we respect everybody; but the intelligent one must also make a choice, and the one who has authority must exercise it for the sake of everybody. Not that we use our authority to harm anybody, to do anything bad for the group but if it is something right, you have to make a firm stand, and make people understand.

Of course the contact person is not a boss over there, but if something you cannot solve, you can always write to me. Do not just give in to everybody, everybody just wants to be the boss; of course, everybody is like that, anywhere. But you can not have too many things, with too many persons and too many ideas - sometimes garbage ideas, and then you still respect it and want to use it. And then it's a big ruin. Ah. (Sigh) I have asked you to come up in case you,... I wanted you to help me with something. But when I see this kind of attitude, I don't know if you can really help me. I've already lost my inspiration.

Normally when somebody has been a contact person, then I would not change it, because mostly people are the same. Just to contact people... But when you're on the job for too long time, then you must learn also from experience - how to carry out the job more efficiently. Not just hang around there and have a name printed on the book and doing nothing.

If somebody is good in practice, he is not too good in social relations. And when he is very good in meditation he has no eloquence, or sometimes not a kind of public personality. So there are always problems. It's alright when we only meditate, like the old times, and don't worry about other peoples' suffering and need. But when we have to do some also social service, then we really need talented person, not just a good practitioner.

Develop Our Many Talents

All of you have good qualities; that is no doubt. Some are very sweet, some are very quick, some are very enthusiastic, some are very kind hearted, some are very devoted to a good cause. Every of you have something that perhaps I don't have. Or perhaps every of you have something more than I have. But because you don't have everything, you just have one thing, or two things. That's why it is difficult for me to make use, that's why we need so many, and only one Master. Or we try very hard to make use of whatever we have, okay? But sometimes you make more trouble for me than help. But nevertheless we just... because I respect you as practitioners not as social workers or heros or revolutionists or anything like that. Therefore we still have to put up with each other, otherwise it is very difficult that you can help me in anyway at all.

That's why many things I do, I do it alone. And many things I do, most of you don't know. Only a few next to me know. And some people who have anything to do with that, know, otherwise, most of the disciples don't know what I'm doing. You only know something. Yeah maybe, Costa Rica knows a corner, America knows another corner, or France knows another corner. But, in the whole, you can not know everything. Even then, sometimes, you make more trouble than help, but I hope you learn day by day at least to progress yourself. Even if my work fails at least you don't fail yourself, and you will develop further. Actually, a contact person must be a very good one. But up till now we just chose the first one. Like, for example, he was the first one who campaigned, and nobody else, or the one who introduced the Quan Yin Method to that group, or to that village, or to that country, and okay we also picked him.

Or sometimes I pick some good one, if there is one. Do not have an illusion that good people are all over places, and that every Master's disciples is a good person. He is good, yes good, meaning good heart, yeah, good mind, and very pure and clean, fine; but it doesn't mean he is good in everything. He is good for himself, yeah, at least. At least when he does things for himself and then he can not do it, then he prays to Master and then he can do it, fine, then at least he can help himself. But, he does not always possess the capacity to deal with the international environment, and people, and this is the problem why many of my humanitarian work has been delayed because I'm working almost alone. It's not that you don't want to help me. All of you want to help me. I believe, sincerely you all want to help me, but I also sincerely don't know how to use you. (Laughter)

When I go on lecture or when I go group meditation, at that time you can do, you can talk to people, you can tell them to come; but that's about all, not much else you can do. Or when I tell you to go rescue some of a disaster area, okay. “Here is three hundred thousand dollars. You go and buy goods.” Yeah, then you can go buy, and buy very cheap. That's very good - You know where to buy cheap things. Because maybe you do shopping everyday. That you know better than I do, yeah, sure, yes. If I go probably I buy more expensive things. I don't know where is the wholesale, but you know everywhere, especially the wholesale. Probably you know better - these kinds of things - and then you are very quick, efficient and very, very loving... lovingly do. That I appreciate.

Utilizing Our Opened Wisdom Properly To Serve The World

But then this, there are so many things I don't know how to ask you for your help. Like the refugee problem, really. If I ask you to come to Hong Kong and meditate, to do meditation, to protest, then you do right away. There is nothing I ask that you don't do. That I know. I appreciate that, but you have to learn also, to have your own initiative, to decide what is good, for that moment. You see, it might not be good tomorrow again. So you have to be decisive and use your wisdom that is already opened. Otherwise you already opened your wisdom but you always listen to your habit.

Like, "oh, last year I didn't do that," or "my mother never did that," or, you know, "I never see anybody do that." And then you don't do it. You know what I mean? That's why we learn so slowly. You have no daring initiative. Even though your wisdom tells you to do this, you say "Oh my mother will scold me. My mother will tell you not do that" or "I've never seen anybody do this before, I can not do it!" This is your habit, thinking. And that's why we have to meditate more and analyze more; using the mind, instead of letting the mind use you. You have to tell your mind, "That is different now."

You have to reprogram your thinking and reorganize your reaction. Otherwise, you have wisdom, you have blessing from Master, you have power to act for success, but you always step back and worry. Because of your habit, you think you cannot do that. Some of our disciples are still like that. For example, last time Hong Kong... everybody wrote a humanitarian letter, to send to Hong Kong Government, but the Hong Kong didn't write. Said “Oh no! No, we can not offend Hong Kong Government.” Things like that. They are brainwashed by some of the false information that some of the political people want to spread around to get the support from the people, so that they can get together and abuse the handful of the Au Lac refugees, because just want to get rid of them. And so even the disciples, they also go with the strong. You know, and suppress the weak.

Because actually, if we take care of the Au Lac refugees issues we go against 74 nations and other dozens sympathetic nations. We go nearly against the whole world. And the rest are only like communist countries which do not count already, or under developed countries, have no idea what's happening, or isolated tribes and all that. So it does not counting anymore. So actually when we do this, we go against the whole world, nearly the whole world. Therefore, nobody wants to do it. That's for sure. But why should we worry, why should we be afraid of the whole world if we are right? We are only afraid of one person even if we are wrong. But if we are right, even the whole universe, we are not afraid. Is that not so? (Yes!) Otherwise, what is the use of talking big, and being Bodhisattvas, and this saint and that sage, what is the use?

Extraterrestrials Suffering On Earth

I have read one story about the aliens, extraterrestrials, the good ones, who have been mistakenly captured by some of the powerful nations; sometimes in America. And then they froze them. They did not kill them, just took their blood out and froze them. Because they wanted to extract some information for technical advancement, and these people don't speak. These aliens don't speak. So they froze them,... so like that, in this case you are not dead and you're not alive. You know, you hang around in the frozen atmosphere and you can't let your soul go out of the body because you are not yet dead, officially, or your time has not come. So they just hang around in this frozen feeling. And they know full well that the injection will make them suffer but they still undergo, quietly, in order to keep the secret of the universe.

Because they believe that the human kind of this earth are not yet sufficiently sophisticated, not yet sufficiently virtuous enough, to handle this technical information. Giving it to them, they might do harm to themselves and to the universe. So they have to keep quiet. So the earth people punish them, freeze them alive. So they can not move, but they cannot die. So this kind of situation, fine, okay, this is the part of the ignorant earth people,... and then a part of the aliens is even worse. They do nothing about it. They just beg the earth people release their brothers and sisters and the information is very difficult to come through, first, second, they say they can not break the vow of non interference of this world.

Master Lectures The Extraterrestrials

"I catch hold of any of you, I'll "beat" you, and scold you and make you kneel all day long until you go rescue your brothers." I am here, helpless because I don't have UFO, I don't have machine gun which can freeze people for one or two minutes, I can have nothing of this technique. Therefore I can not rescue your brothers.

And here you send a message saying that if we know, we may be able to rescue your brothers and sisters. Everything you could do it, because I say you have everything! You have UFO, you have gun, not shooting people dead but to freeze people in space for one or two minutes, then you can take your brothers out. Instead you let them suffer there and then you even send messages to say maybe if I know, or She knows, or everyone else knows about this message maybe one day we can help your brother and sister.

We have enough work to do in this world and you help nothing, and you want us even to help your brothers and sisters. I'd willingly help them, because I feel so much suffering when I read that. You know, when I read the extraterrestrial people suffer, I suffer too. But, I say why don't you do something, you know? This is not interference. If you come here, invade our earth or shoot other people or do something, then they would say interference, and then you swear you didn't interfere. That I understand, fine. But your brothers and sisters who suffer so much, for years and you do nothing about it. And you say you fear of the law of karma and non interference and all that. And your brothers and sisters suffering there, and then you talk big and you do this and that and protecting the earth and all that kind of...

I said it is bad enough that the world people, because of ignorance, they don't know it, therefore they harm your brothers and sisters. But you are the ones who know, you should do better, you shouldn't let your brother and sister suffer in the hands of the ignorant! Suppose the tiger takes hold of my brother. Okay, I don't kill the tiger because of my vow of non violence, fine, but I can make the tiger faint for two minutes and take my brother out... I can not sit there and reason to the tiger, look here the five precepts, look the vegetarian diet the Master Ching Hai tells everybody have keep etc... How can you reason with a tiger, you understand? The world people are very, very ignorant, therefore they do that kind of thing. Now, you already know they are ignorant and you reason with them, until when, and let your brothers and sisters suffer. I cannot believe it!

Compassion Is Different From Weakness

In the beginning, I thought maybe they would come and help us also, but when I see this kind of stupidity I say you should go home and learn something more before you come here and try to help us. I think you should help yourself first, know what is interference and what is the flexibility of spirit in order to work in different situations and different circumstances, right? Not interfering doesn't mean you can not help your brothers and sisters out. If they help them they don't have to touch anybody. They just do it technically or using intelligence. They can do it, they know everything, they know where their brothers and sisters are, I don't. What is the use of letting me know this? Okay, I come and to talk to President Clinton about it, or what? What happens if he doesn't listen to me, right?

And the President Clinton, for example only, can not even interfere with the armies rule. They have their own set of rules, they have their secret work. Even many presidents don't know what they are doing. Nobody is supposed to know. And not every president has the perfect security clearance, that allows them to come inside military base. Ordinary people can not come in, only the perfectly screened, that oh he's good, he had no background with C.I.A., no F.B.A., no K.G.B. or whatever is that, or nothing - no drugs, no alcohol, no blah, blah, blah, blah, blah or maybe vegetarian and meditation two and a half hour, I don't know. Completely clean, then can go inside the... not all the presidents have this clearance. They have different levels of clearance, you see.

So you see, this is weakness, this is not compassion, it is not honor that you keep your promise, but stupidity and weakness in this case. You cannot kneel there and beg the tiger to have compassion with your brothers and sisters, just do something about it! Don't have to harm the tiger, but if you can rescue your brother without harming the tiger, it's so much better. But even if you have to sacrifice one or two tigers to help your human brothers then do it, for God's sake. Even if you have karma for yourself, so what, for example like that. Suppose that's what they believe. If we think that, okay, never mind, if the tiger eats my brothers and they will go to the Buddha's land, then it's fine with me, you know? But don't go around, boast around that because we are non violent people we can not do anything to the tiger. So, can you please do it? Asking somebody else to do things that you do not want to do when you are in a much better position and have more equipped ability to do it, this is stupidity and weakness.

Protect Human Rights

Why do I talk about this? What was it before? Oh yes, the Hong Kong disciples. And so, I was so sad. I didn't say anything. I just asked a few representing ones. I didn't ask all of them yet. But I thought they worked together all the time, they should know what the trend is. And sometimes when I talk to other people also, they also have the tendency to think that the government is right. How can it be right when it uses violence against unarmed and harmless people? It is not according to human amnesty and human rights, it is against international law to even detain people in such kind of prison - like conditions.

But the people in prison, they have even their own bed. They don't have that terrible condition, not cramped and crowded; one bed small like this and two persons, and all square. Everything, eat there, sleep there, anything else is there, children and... all together in a small bed. And then upstairs there is another one or two beds and upstairs is a metal sheet of roofing and not trees and nothing around. The prisoners, they have a better condition; they have library, they have workshop, they can earn money in the prison. Yeah, they have volleyball, football courts and tennis ball courts and television sets and everything! Except those that are very badly dangerous, then they put them in a cell and cuff them. Otherwise, most of the prisoners are free. At least in the prison they are free. Not like the Au Lac refugees, they have nowhere to go and nothing to do, and nothing to play with and cannot work even. So this is even already against human law.

But we don't blame that because we expect that every country does its best. We can not expect to the highest standard, but at least do the best. Okay, so maybe that's the only thing Hong Kong can do, or other countries can do, use their best. Oh fine, we accept that, but to use violence on the people for no reason, that people never react, even police say they don't react. This is not twentieth century standard. This is not human standard. This is lower to animal standard already. That even kicking and beating children and women while they are still bleeding and fainting with the gas. It was not tear gas only, it was mace. It was sprayed right into the face of the people. Many children now are still blind. Women and children still cannot see. Now, over one month after the attack, many people still cannot see clearly. Their vision is damaged.......

Dangerous To Mankind

Do you think it's okay? It doesn't matter if the Au Lac refugees suffer, I'm not talking about the suffering. It's obvious already. Even children can see it. I'm talking about human standard. Hong Kong human standard, it's so low! That they should feel sorry for themselves. That they should feel alarmed. That they should be shocked... at their own conscience! So minimum! You understand what I mean, now? It's not the suffering that we're talking about anymore. It is the low, low level of humanitarian... of humanity, that the Hong Kong people carry with them. That they can just stand by and watch women and children suffering and still agree with it. You understand what I mean now? It's alarmingly shocking and dangerous to human kind at large. Because if they treat the refugees like that, they can treat anyone like that, anytime, in similar circumstances, or when they have a chance to do. Understand now? And we can be infested with this kind of spirit if we just stand by, agree, or watch it, or just do nothing about it, or don't awaken ourselves, or don't warn ourselves of being infested. This is terrible!

Everlasting Loving Compassion

I tell you the truth. Even if the Au Lac people die, even if they kill all the refugees, it is not the refugees who are the ones being harmed. It is the Hong Kong people,who harm their conscience. Their standard of virtues has sunk so low, that's how, what for do we live as a human being if we don't have this human standard? You understand what I mean? The suffering of the refugees, or their death, is not that important, is not as important as a human standard of conscience and compassion and loving compassion. You understand now? Because life is short. Live or die, it is not that important. The important, is the everlasting loving compassion. And if we've lost that, nothing we can do. So it's not only that I'm fighting for Au Lac refugees' life. Because to me life and death is not that much matter. Also I fight for the human compassion standard, to raise it up, to awaken everybody: “Wake up, you cannot do that, you cannot lower yourself, lower and lower. Keeping like this you'll go to hell, you'll make Hong Kong become hell, you'll make the world become hell.” You understand? So this is the greatest mistake of human kind: to think that to treat somebody else inhumanly, that it's right. They think that it's the refugees who are being harmed; it's them who are being harmed! Because life, you can have it again. But this human conscience and compassion, when you've lost it, difficult to get it back. You know? And then you can infect the neighbor with it, infest the children with it, and make every of your friends, your neighbors, learn about it...even infest our disciples. Let them stop there, freeze there, and don't move, don't do nothing for the refugees. Until I came along. Until when all of us came and then meditated, then the Hong Kong disciples turned around, they understood better.

But they, some of them understood before that, because I had told them, you know, it's not the Au Lac refugees' problem anymore. Of course, it is their problem, but that is only a catalyst, ah, is that right? Yeah, a symptom of the main problem of the human conscience. You see, we have to be afraid of losing our conscience. It's not only the Au Lacese' problem. They can die, and they may have another life again. But our loving conscience... difficult to find. Because if we lower ourselves to animal standard, we will be born as animal. Then we've lost our human life. And those we kill come back again as humans, maybe better. You understand what I mean? So it's not the ones who are killed that are the victims. The one who kills is the victim of himself. But most people don't know that. So I want to let you know. I want to make people know this. I worry about the Au Lac refugees' suffering and life, that's for sure. I do. But I even more worry about the human standard... our life, the atmosphere of our life. If it has become like this, and it becomes more like this, then it become hell here. You know? Nobody loves anybody, and "when you come to touch my house, I kill you." You know what I mean? "This is my garden, my house. Nobody is allowed to come in, nobody touch my food, nobody come near me, or I'll kill you". Everybody will do like that. Yeah? That's what they do to the refugees, because the refugees come to Hong Kong. Hong Kong is their land: "If you come, I'll kill you. I have the right to do anything to you, because you come to my property." Understand? That's the only thing it is.

So low! So worthless a reason to kill, or to inflict suffering. Worthless! This is only a kind of ... this boils down to territory rights, territory competition. So then we become like dogs and cats and mice and any kind of animals, because animals they protect their territory. Even birds. Did you see any birds in your garden? Each one has one corner of the garden. If the other one comes in, he will poke him to death. At least, poke him to bleeding. I saw that when I had a garden. So when I fed the birds I had to stand guard as a police, because a big bird would come and pick on the small birds, and the small birds dared not come to eat. I said, "It's my food, okay? My food, my garden, alright? All of you have the right to eat, but not to fight." But they didn't listen to me, of course. They pretended not to understand German. So I had to stand there, like a guard, you know, like guardian police. And then I'd shoo all the big ones out first, let all the small ones eat. And then, when the small ones were all satisfied and flew away, and then I'd come inside and let the big ones be kings of the day. That always happens. Even my garden, my food, and they lord over it, and don't let anyone else come to eat.

All Land Belongs to God

This is the same thing. Hong kong, Formosa, United States, England: all are God's land. Before we came the land was already there. Before Queen Elizabeth or King Henry, or whatever, the land was already there. Who made the land for the English people? Who made the land for Hong Kong people? Nobody, only God made it. God gave it to us, everything! And they say, "This is mine, this is mine, everything is mine. You cannot touch it, you cannot come near and I'll shoot you." You see, that's what it is. It boils down to animal instinct. And then, people are proud of it. Can you see how low we have become, hmm? We're just like animals. Like the birds in my garden, like the dogs in my yard, like the cats. The dogs have their territory, competition, you know, they mark it by their urine, yeah. (Laughter) And human beings mark it with their... other thing, probably human toilet, yeah. You know, they make a territory, they mark it. Dogs mark it with urine, but man marks it with something else. Quite similar. Actually, just marking a frontier.

Okay, you mark your frontier is alright. But when somebody else needs it, you lend him for a while. Because it's all God's, it's not yours. Everybody says, "In God we trust." Even they print it on the money. But it's not in God they trust, it's in the money that they print it on that they trust. Things like that. And everybody says, “We are Christian. We love our neighbors. We take care of our brothers and sisters because all beings are born equal in God's name.” They say things like that, but they don't do anything that is according to their understanding. So now you see, huh? If you are my disciples, so-called disciples, no, fellow practitioners, brothers and sisters, and you don't do the things I do - you are afraid offend the worldly power and you're not afraid to offend God's power - then you are in trouble. Then no one else in this world that people can rely on to carry out justice, to fulfill the righteousness, so that everyone can enjoy a peaceful and normal life. You understand what I mean? It's very dangerous when somebody infests someone else with their low level of thinking and consciousness. So beware, take care that you're not infected. Even as good as our Hong Kong disciples, some of them also wavered, you see, and are afraid, and think with the big body of the world and Hong Kong, instead of thinking in the righteous way, and siding with the weak and the poor.

An Enlightened Living Master Is Better Than Scriptures

God says: Blessed are the poor and the weak, because the Kingdom of God is theirs. We read many things, we know all the Bibles, we know all the Baghavad Gita, the Buddha and Dharma Sutras, and bla, bla, bla, but we don't do anything accordingly; then it's useless, huh? That's why sometimes we need a teacher, a living one, not a dead one. Dead ones, we have too many already. They left so many books, but the books don't help you anything. You read it, and you forget it. You can memorize it, but then you don't do anything with it. You don't understand the deep meaning of it. Until a teacher, the living teacher, comes and shakes you out of your slumber, and points to you the direction, and the things that you should ponder, and things you should do, you see? It needs a force of a power, of a living being, to point things out for us. Can you see? There's no more question about why we need a living Master and not a dead one, huh? No more. Because all of you already old enough. Some of you have grey hair already. And still you cannot think that straight, huh?

If I did not point it out to you... I don't mean I'm so great, but probably I'm clear. I'm a little bit clearer than you, sometimes. So when I say it to you, you understand right away. If I don't say it, even though you read the same thing as I read, but, you don't understand it. You might even understand it, but you don't realize it, and then you cannot make use of it, understand? Even if I keep talking to you time after time and the same things again and again, still I have to repeat again and again, until you fully understand and digest it, and make it become your own property. See, then you're strong and then you can do things like I do, and you don't need me anymore. But why, why do I have to repeat all the time? Because you still listen to your habit, and forget to use your righteous wisdom, that's all. You have it, but you don't use it, then how can... what is the use, huh? Right? The wisdom I transmitted to you is the same as mine. It's no different. But why you don't do the things like I do? Because you don't use it the same way I do. You don't use it enough you're not strong enough to use all this.

It Is Still A Great Virtue To

Acknowledge And Rectify Our Faults

Just like a young boy is not old enough to know how to use the inheritance of his father. Even though his father gives to him as much as he gives to the older brothers, but he looks at the money and then he plays games with it, or he throws around and makes games with other children. He looks at diamond, and he thinks it's kind of a toy, you understand? And his beautiful father's furniture, maybe he brings it out and you know, makes a toy out of it. Things like that, you know what I mean? So it's as much as you can use your wisdom, then you have it. If you don't, it's just like every other people outside. They have it, but they don't have it. See, they don't use it, okay? Okay, we have to go down now. Anybody have a personal contact with the White House? No? Okay, I don't suppose so. Yeah? [Somebody mentioned writing to congressmen.] Yeah, fine. That's good, okay. Writing is different. You can write, but sometimes personal relations are even stronger, yeah? We can write. I write to many different Presidents but nobody bothers to answer me. Well, some of them do, but it's not that, not much fruitful, when it comes to action. They can be polite to you, they like you, they love you, but they don't take active measures about what you want them to do. They, even our disciples, like Hong Kong, I ask them to write only letters to express our disgust about their inhuman treatment, and they don't want to write it. You know what I mean? Even our disciples; so how can I blame outside people, huh? But of course afterwards they changed. They know, and they changed their minds, but because I told them. Because they are my disciples, they understand quickly. Even if they make mistakes, immediately they understand, that's fine. That's the best thing about you. You make mistakes, but at least, when somebody says something right, you know right away. You change. But other people: they make mistakes, but when you talk to them they don't know about it, they don't care about it, and they don't change. That's the only difference between you and the non-disciples. Nothing more big deal. Okay? (Master laughs.)

You make same mistakes but at least you have a Master, a teacher, a good friend like me, tell you. And then you realize immediately. But outside people, they don't have a teacher, they don't have a friend, they don't have a good Master maybe, to tell them what to do. So they make mistakes. Or sometimes, because their wisdom is not open, tell them, they don't understand. They don't want to hear, and they don't think they make mistakes. Just like today when we were in the park,there was a man who was drunk, and made a lot of noise and fuss, see? And our disciple tried to talk to him about wisdom and five precepts and not drinking alcohol and things like that. Do you think it was useful? (Everyone answered: No use.) Yeah, he heard nothing, he continued to shout. You know what I mean? Yeah? So it's good that you don't drink alcohol, and... You know now, huh? When you saw it today, he came to teach you a lesson, that the Master Ching Hai is correct when She tells you not to drink alcohol.

Steadfast in the Turmoils of the World

2009-01-11T05:54:00.000-08:00

By The Supreme Master Ching Hai in Bataan Philippine Refugee Camp. April 5, 1991(Originally In Au Lac Language)

The Au Lac Freedom Seeker

Au Lac's history goes back four thousand years, and never has there been a case where they had to leave the country to go begging for love and food from foreigners. This is the very first time, and it proves that your fleeing and quest for freedom is a legitimate one. Only those who do not have any wisdom, love or compassion would not be able to recognize that. It needs no explanation. The risk you've taken, fleeing for your lives in a tiny boat without food, water, fuel, money and security, seeking freedom should be enough to show the unbearable conditions under the communist regime. Only the deaf and blind would not understand this. In the past four thousand years of history, no one has ever had to leave the country. There were times when we encountered poverty, misery, wars, wicked rulers; not always at peace or wealthy, right? But has anyone left the country? Wars, thousands of years being overruled, a thousand years by the Chinese, a hundred years by the French, and then twenty to thirty years of Civil War, yet no one fled the country. Then why in times of peace, do we have to flee the country? That is the thing the world has to ask and answer itself. If they won't, then we have to let them know. The Au Lacese are very courageous; they risked their lives at sea, and killed themselves to glorify freedom. I'm not encouraging suicide, understand? It's a big waste. Because you've brought all of your valuables and skills with you risking your lives in order to come here, and then die. What a loss! Slow down and find a way out. Sometimes we have to pray so that the conditions will change, improve. You should console to your fellow countrymen, your relatives and friends with the things I've said. The sun will shine tomorrow. There are no endless nights, no days that shine forever. There is a constant alternating of positive and negative energy field. We must have hope in order to live. If we are dead, we won't know what is going to happen?

Diligent Practice Alters Fate

Therefore, the diligent spiritual practice of a person can alter the fate of the whole world, the universe and of themselves. The proof is that in the recent years, there are many different groups of meditators that have begun to eat vegetarian. Even the Americans, the Englishmen are vegetarian and practising meditation. Ever since I started preaching, a lot of Au Lacese have become vegetarian and have started to practice spiritually. Those refugees who have reached the free countries follow the spiritual path as well as those that are still in the camps. Even though the conditions are very unfavourable, lacking all comforts and food, they still keep the vegetarian diet.
There are so many people in the Hong Kong refugee camps that are practising my meditation method and keeping the vegetarian diet, and more than a dozen of them that have renounced and become monks. Because of spiritual practice throughout the world, the communist countries in Eastern Europe have collapsed. Gradually Au Lac and China will follow in the near future. Thus, we shouldn't lose faith. We should try to follow the spiritual path with the capabilities we have from within.
There is no way to avoid our own karma except by practising spiritually in order to change it. Therefore, Buddha didn't teach his child anything except to follow the spiritual path. Wouldn't allow his wife to do anything other than to practice spiritually. His son, barely nine year old, had already shaved his head to become a monk, his beautiful wife also became a nun. Why did he advise his son, Lahaula to become a monk instead of being a king? Because he knew that all the riches, pleasures, fame and power in society are nothing but illusion, like time passing by, like morning dew on a leaf. He knew that following the spiritual path, becoming Buddha is the only eternal way. Now, someone asks: "How can I become a Buddha by just practising. I have no hope so forget it!" That is just an excuse. You don't need to shave your head in order to do spiritual practice. You can practice at home. When Buddha was alive, there were four types of spiritual practitioners. The renounced men and women were called monks and nuns, the men and women who practised at home were called laymen, laywomen. That meant that they all practised. At anytime, there are always monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen.

Not Reborn As Refugee Again

Whatever method you follow, you should try your best to follow it until you get deep into Samadhi. That is when you attain the ultimate goal of that method. You just can't stand there commenting on which method is better. It's not necessary. Any given method is good. If you keep talking and never practice, then none of the methods are of any use. There are people who recite Buddha's name, kind of a meditation on the Buddha's name. They merge into Samadhi, merge into Buddha's land, and were able to see Amitabha Buddha. Now if you want to achieve this level, first you must follow the guidance of a true master; second, you must practice properly, must be a vegetarian, recite Buddha's name clearly. You cannot one day eat vegetarian, and the other eat meat; it would be very difficult for your practice. If you are not a complete vegetarian, becoming a Buddha is very hard, maybe only a fraction of it is gained. Some are vegetarians for only four days each month; they become Buddha for only four days and the remaining 26 days, they come back down here. Maybe you do it like taking a trip, right? For example, you live in Formosa and once a year you take a month's vacation, going to America for fun. So maybe you think it is the same, 26 days on this earth and then four days in Buddha's land. Being vegetarian for four days a month is not enough. If you want to become a citizen of Buddha's land, then you must be a vegetarian forever, you must sincerely, truly contemplate on Buddha's name, until you see Buddha, then you know you have gotten it. But seeing Buddha is not yet the highest level. At that time there's still the "I" that sees Buddha. When you become Buddha yourself, then that is a very high level. However, if I keep talking about this, you will think: "There she goes, preaching again, wanting us to become Buddhists, to practice spiritually." It's not like that, nothing like that at all! I only want to say that if you want to live a more comfortable life, not to be born as a refugee again in your next life, then you must start immediately. Don't wait until death comes, losing this precious body, then even if you want to practice, it's too late.

The Human Body Is Precious

I've tried so many methods already, have gone from heaven to hell, and have discovered that only through the human body can one practice and achieve spiritually, exactly what Buddha taught us before. Now, there is an exception. Those who practised during their lifetime and were not able to reach the Buddha's level yet, then when they die, lose their human form, they will go to different realms. There, their Master will continue to teach them and they'll still be able to reach the Buddha's level from there. But if we do not practice spiritually now, in this life, and have not met a true Master, then when we go to different realms, neither will we be able to find the way, nor will it be possible to practice spiritually. We must start from here and go up. Therefore, having a human form is a great blessing, very difficult to get a human form. So if you don't start now, it's a big waste, we will remain here in the future. From human form we can go to Buddha's land, Buddha's level. From other realms it is difficult to reach that. From human to Buddha is just like going from High School to University. But we cannot go from elementary to University, instantly.

Au Lac Is A Holy Land

You should take notice that Au Lac is a holy land; geographically speaking only. We have not yet talked about the spiritual aspect of it. Have you noticed the shape of Au Lac on map? What does it resemble? Does it resemble the letter S? Have you seen the shape of the symbol of Truth? It is a circle with an S shape in the middle dividing it in two, one side is white and the other is black. Have you seen it? It's kind of strange for a country to be shaped like that, resembling the symbol of Truth. Have you seen that picture? It's round, the symbol of Eternal Truth. A circle with an S shape down the middle, right? One side is white with a black dot and the other is black with a white dot. What do you call it? Oh, Yin Yang. The shape of Au Lac is similar, right? You see how good geography is. By just looking at its geometric shape, you can tell that Au Lac is a holy land with gifted skilled people. For these reasons, it is troubled with many trials, afflictions, to train, to discipline our spirit, our soul to be as bold, courageous, enduring and patience as the children of the "Heavenly Dragon."
From every misery hardship comes goodness, in every unfortunate circumstance there exists God's divine plan to make it better. Therefore, we now must accept our lives, away from our home, as they are. However, those living in this camp are the luckiest ones. This camp is nice, clean, seems elegant, and everything is provided for. The temple is big, the Buddha statue is grand, even the church is also very beautiful. You have everything including a courtyard to play ball. Entering this place, I feel like I'm in an model dream village in the sky, Heaven; it doesn't seem like a refugees' village. I have never seen any refugee camp that's as pretty as this. This is the most beautiful camp. The Philippine government and its people are very, very generous and good-hearted. Tears fell when I went on television thanking the Philippine government and people for their gracious attitude, their compassion towards the Au Lac people. Of course, there have been misunderstandings while working with each other, or due to the numerous people the quantity of goods is insufficient, or at times has not been pleasing for everyone. But, as a whole, the people and government of Philippines are very good-hearted, right? They've never treated the Au Lacese badly. Other camps are filthy, dirty. They don't care who you are. They overpower, rape, and do discriminating things to you. I dare not say this publicly in the world news fearing that the people from those camps might harm the Au Lac people, suppress them. I'm thankful their government has taken in the Au Lacese as refugees but I cannot forgive the irresponsible actions from the workers, the military-like-management there. We must be thankful for the good things, yet the things that are bad, we must say they're bad. Unfortunately, in this scorching time, this crisis, the more we talk about it the more it will do harm to the refugees. So in the mean time, I'll be patient, I will try to find a way to protect the ones that have been refused, see if I can reason with them so that they can stay or arrange a way for other countries to accept them. Therefore, we are forced to "sacrifice" those few that are being suppressed to save the many. Evidence of the suicides, being suppressed, I have it all. It will be used at the proper time in case of an emergency. That's our last resort, understand?

United Nations And The Refugees

I was also straightforward with the United Nations in saying: "We have proof of those bad, vicious, wrong actions. We could broadcast them. However, the reason that we haven't done it is because we want to protect your reputation and also because we are grateful for the help that you have given our people in the past ten years. These things that have happened are unfortunate and were not your intention, but because of it, the screening process was developed. And due to the slow processing of paperwork, strict rules and confining of the refugees inside the camps for too long, the people get agitated and thus an unpleasant environment is created." I suggested that they use the money to open up some kind of factory in the countries where the refugees are so that the Au Lacese will have jobs to be to able to support themselves and keep their dignity, instead of being dependent for food. No one can stand this; they all are very upset. We are not born to be a burden on society. Our principles would be damaged then and bad things would result.
I told the United Nations directly: "We know a lot of things, but we don't want to take it to any judicial system or say anything. The first reason is that we are still thankful to the United Nations and neighbouring countries for those years of assisting the many refugees in their time of need. We are very grateful and will always remember it. Secondly, it was not your intention. The third reason is that we don't want the workers in the camps putting more pressure on our people. So for now, we will keep silent. However, if you do not heed our requests, or continue to do those immoral things, then we will be forced to take action, bringing the truth to everyone."
I also want to let you know that I'm very grateful to the United Nations. Even though I argued or disagree with them on the refugee matters, I really admire the United Nations' generosity in taking charge to help the Au Lac people, the refugees, at the beginning of their hardships. I'm also touched by those countries throughout the world who went to great expense to feed and help the Au Lacese when they were destitute. Even though it's not enough, there are camps that do not have enough, life is miserable, but "a piece of bread in times of hunger is as much as a meal for the well fed." (An Au Lacese proverb). In representing the Au Lac people, I always acknowledge that fact and to not forget their good deed while debating with them. Whatever is good I'll say it's good, and whatever is bad I'll say it's bad. It's like a beautiful girl that has cancer, the cancer cannot be pretty, understand? The tumor cannot grow on the beautiful body and become nice and pretty. A beautiful person is a beautiful person, a tumor is a tumor; it must be removed! It goes something like that.

Launching A New Life

It's not that I'm neglecting or encourage you to disregard the favour from the United Nations and other neighbouring countries. We have to follow our Au Lacese tradition of being receptive to guests, friends, and always find ways to return the favour. You are one of the fortunate ones getting ready to go to a foreign countries, I have nothing more than to share the happiness with all of you. There's nothing left to say, no more tears to weep for you, the only thing left is overwhelming happiness. [Bataan is a transit center where Refugees are waiting to go to 3rd country for resettlement]
Just a reminder to you, if you want to hear, that when you're out there make the best of all of your skills, talents and time as well as your body, soul and mind to gather, study and merge in to a new life. Be a good citizen of that country to pay tribute to your second homeland, accumulate new customs that are righteous and beneficial for you and that country, and raise your children virtuously. Later on, if our country is at peace, we will return and be one of the pioneers to rebuild it, making it more heavenly and filling it with talented people. Our country has always been very prosperous and has never lacked food. The plants, trees are plentiful, the land is fertile. There are many minerals, resources all of which await your expertise, to be exploited upon returning, all await your money, assets to bring back and contribute to your homeland. You should never forget that you're Au Lacese. Even though we do not discriminate among the races, but each nationality has its own culture, responsibilities and should construct their own nation. A nation that's more civilized will affect the whole world. If every nation is self-sufficient, self-supporting and has close relations with each other, then the world will be rich, strong and peaceful, without any country invading, attacking one another for lack of food or the necessities in life. No outbreaks of war due to the stronger country taking advantage of weaker, more harmless country. Therefore, protecting your family is like defending for your country. Defending your country is like safeguarding the world. Do you understand? Freeing yourselves from the Communist regime is not enough. There are still many other duties.

Set An Example As A Good Citizen

You are the ones that God, Buddha, has arranged to be in the foreign countries to learn, study the rights and wrongs, and to increase your skills and wisdom. Later when you return, you will serve and help beautify the country, a very wondrous country, no other countries are anything like our country, Au Lac. You have to be good citizens, setting examples for others to respect, to follow, and not always remain a week citizen. If you say that you love your country, then make it better, brighter, right? It's not only important to fight and destroy communism. The second important factor, no less than the first one, is what to do once the communists are gone. Who will lead the country? What must be done to be better than the communists? Once they're chased out, the land will be empty and if no one does anything then it's fine! But, the communists will return because poverty still remains, the competitive selfishness is still there. As long as the uncivilized still exist, communist will be there. Do you understand? I'm not talking about religion at all. I'm talking about life. There is no one among you that are presently following my path so why should I talk about that! I'm just stating what your responsibilities are as a citizen. We are kind, gentle people who do not know how to fight battles, wars, kill people, therefore, we have lost to the communists' cunning schemes, sadistic tactics, but not because we are cowards. Do you understand?
You are ordinary, simple, too kind so that's why you've lost. Now, we're going to fight the war with our minds, hearts devoted with love for the country. We will use all of our skills and time to study the good things, refrain from luxuries, abstain from drinking and parties; we will not do things that are harmful to our bodies and minds, defaming our country. Our country is falling into ruins, the people are wretched. How can one sit there cheerfully toasting drink after drink, right? You must keep in mind, how can you be happy enjoying the materials of the world? I'm not forbidding you to drink. But you should think about it, how can one enjoy playing cards, doing those things, having the pleasures in life. You must uphold your mind, heart and soul, body, strength to perform good deeds, practice virtues, set a good example for those in the homeland who have not had the skill to go overseas to learn, and teach the people to better themselves. Those are the responsibilities of the people who have fled and are in the foreign countries.
It's fortunate that there is war therefore the majority of talented people get to go overseas. A long time ago, while there was still war, it was difficult for us to go to the foreign countries to improve our skills, right?

The spiritual Practitioners Are The Real Soldiers

Within the bad there exist the good. Just like roses have thorns, we can't always look at the thorns, we must gaze at the rose. We keep it fertilized not because we love thorns but because it will bear flowers, roses, so we ignore those thorns. We can trim the stem where the thorns are, but we leave the roses alone. Even though we keep the plant fertilized and the thorns grow bigger, we don't want to stop taking care of it because we want the thorns to be dainty. If we stop caring for it, the roses will also stop growing. That is how the good exist within the bad. This is not the time for us to sit here hating the communists or to call upon people to come and fight them. We must do something, prepare ourselves for when the communists disappear themselves. Then there's no other place for them to stand later on. So you see I'm also a fighter against communist, but in a gentle, harmonious, secure way; there's no way for the communists to influence the people that have followed me. That means the communists have lost quite a few members. In America, there are many that were with the communists. Now they all follow me, have received initiation, have become vegetarians. There are only a few that are still stubborn, that's all. It's a fight without actually fighting the communists, ending communism but without killing the people. It only changes them that's all. The ones that are practising spiritually are the real soldiers. Don't think that they don't know how to fight wars. They do, but with different tactics, more beneficial, long lasting, saving themselves at the same time as fighting.

Mentally Prepare To Rebuild The Country

You could also do something similar. Increase your wisdom, knowledge and skills, widen your avenues of understanding in the world of freedom, so that someday when you return to Au Lac, you will be able to propagate sturdy, prominent concepts; concepts that are encouraging, progressive, enterprising for our people. Thus, there won't be any place left for the communists to stand anymore, right? Only when the people are weak, backward, without a firm belief in independence, then that's when they can be deceived and influenced by the communists. Once you're accidentally in, you can't get out. Right now, you have a crucial task. When you leave here, you must study conscientiously the advancement of technology, educate your children properly, what is right and wrong, so that it will be useful when you return. Au Lac will not always be communist. You have to mentally prepare yourselves to return and rebuild the country, understand? That's all, thank you!

Forgive Yourself

2009-01-11T05:44:00.000-08:00

A lecture by the Supreme Master Ching Hai
at Fremont Hindu Temple, CA, USA, on November 25, 1993.
(Originally in English)

The spiritual Food

Thank you that we have the opportunity to see each other and also to have a devotional day to God, in whatever form and name we may call this Supreme God Head. I have to thank you and all of the people who have made the effort to push me here, because otherwise I wouldn't do anything. (Master laughs.) So every time I have a chance to give a lecture or to be in a gathering, I will be again thankful and thankful, cause then I feel that I am doing something right. If nobody demands or requests or pushes me into this kind of work, then I won't do anything. Yes. And I also don't feel anything about it. I mean I don't feel regret or I don't feel remorseful that I don't do the job.

I don't know why such a beautiful job I never desire to do. I don't know why. But every time I do it, I feel it's good, you know? It's good that I should do it, but then I never desire to do it again. Then somebody push me out to give a lecture, then I am grateful again that I will do it. Do you know what that is? Must be laziness, I think. (Laughter) I really don't understand myself. People just say that, "When you are enlightened; you are Master, you are supposedly to know yourself." But I must confess that I don't know! (Master laughs.) I don't know. I can just equally be happy stay home and sleep. (Master laughs.) So I really don't know. But when I am here, I am very happy and grateful that I am here. When I am in bed and sleep, I am happy and grateful that I sleep. But I truly am grateful that you have pushed me to come here and you know, I feel just good, very good, that probably I become a little bit useful.

Also a temple is useful, that we can gather together and have a nice devotional day to the Supreme God. Or do you just came for lunch? (Laughter) No? I didn't make a mistake, no? You came for God, right? (Yes) Okay, good, then you are entitled to lunch later. (Laughter) Surely if we don't have spiritual food, it doesn't matter what we eat; it will never satisfy us, mentally and physically. Therefore, we keep getting hungrier and hungrier, again and again, and even we eat a lot of nice food and vitamin we still get sick and sometimes distressed and indigestion. In the Bhagvad Gita, it is mentioned that the food which was prepared for offering to God first and then we eat it, should be very nutritious and full of blessing for us. If, however, we prepare the food just for personal satisfaction then we truly make mistake. And that will give us a lot of dissatisfaction, and sometimes trouble, indigestion and all that. Actually, in the Bhagvad Gita it says stronger than this, very strongly, like: "You eat in sin if you don't offer first to God." So it's not me who spoke like that; it's Krishna (Master laughs.)

The Heartbreaker

Now, everything is the same; it's not only food. All of you know the Bhagvad Gita or not? That is the book of wisdom of ancient India. It is about five thousand years old. Yes, it was spoken by the Supreme Master of that time, Krishna, the beloved black beauty. (Master laughs.) His complexion was dark, you know, like many Indian people, but he was so beautiful and handsome that people call him "heartbreaker". It's also because he breaks everybody's heart when he leaves. (Master laughs.) And wherever he goes, people love him, adore him and make offering to him, just following him madly. I hear that he had about seventy thousand wives, no, sixteen thousand wives. Well, the Indian people, sometimes they exaggerate things, (Master laughs.) but he must have a lot of followers. It's not really wives, you know, disciples. Probably mostly were women, because probably he was very handsome, I hear! I wasn't there. Maybe I was there but I forgot. (Master laughs.)

So the Bhagvad Gita is the record of the teachings of the Master, Krishna. You can find much wisdom and guidance in this book. I still look at it from time to time. I still do, yes, because it is very beautiful, concentrate and wise. Sometimes you get solace and calmness by reading that book. If you truly understand and digest it, it is a wonderful masterpiece of wisdom. Many of the masters of the past have connection with the Indian law, therefore we could not not to mention India and the Bhagvad Gita. Even Milarepa, do you know? The great yogi of Tibet. Even that great yogi of Tibet, his possession consisted of a pot and the Bhagvad Gita. Now, in that book it is mentioned that not only the food that we should first prepare in the spirit of offering to God before we take it, but also everything else we do in life must be an offering, must be a sacrifice, to the Supreme Spirit. In that case we will never reap any bad or any good result out of that, because bad result or good result bind us to this material world. Even if sometimes we cannot help ourselves, we lose our temper; we get angry, and we know we shouldn't. And then sometimes we feel very very sorry for a long time, after our anger has already subsided.
Forgive Yourself

But, I tell you, forgive yourself. Forgive yourself anytime. Whatever you do, just make offering to God and let it be, whatever the outcome, because we are not the body anyhow. We are not the action. We are not the doers of anything in this world. Even if we are; suppose we are the doers, we still have to forgive ourselves. Forgive ourselves when we make mistakes or when we cannot help with our habits, like anger or sometimes greed and sometimes lustful thoughts, because these things also arise from circumstances. It's not truly the Self; it's not truly the soul that desires all these things. So we always have to try again and again, and forgive ourselves after all, I mean, above all. Because the inside is God, the Supreme Wisdom, we can't scold it; we can't abuse it; we can't be rude to it. You understand what I mean? So if we are angry with ourselves, we should be angry only with our habits, our accumulated habits. Or we should blame the situation also, not to blame the Supreme Wisdom, the real Self because the real Self never err, never make any mistakes.

Suppose we are even the doers and we are in society like this, sometimes we get angry. It's not always our fault. Most of the time it is not. Sometimes everything can make us angry. For example, you work in a company and you work with the wrong personal, right? Whatever you tell him, he just doesn't understand. Or he understands but he does the other way around. He just makes you angry and angry. Even you forgive him again and again, he repeatedly does that. A very small thing, even a small thing irritates our minds and makes us feel miserable. So it is good that we know that there is something else above the mind and above the body. The body is composed of only material substances, like earth, water, iron. Well, our iron inside is much enough to make a few nails. Do you know? (Master laughs.) And water, earth and maybe fire, the vital fire so that the body would be warm and all that.
meditation Is A Way To Reprogram Our Thinking

The mind is consisted of what? It's just a collection of all kinds of information, bad and good. It is just like a computer, whatever you program it, and when you push the button, it comes out the same, right? One of our fellow practitioners, he has an electric organ, and he programs it into different musical rhymes, and he can play it again from the cassette. So the same thing with our brain. It would be empty; it would be absolutely blank, just like a brand new computer, until we start to record things and information, and sometimes good, sometimes bad. If we happened to record the good information and when we want to make use of it, then the good information come out. If we happened to record the bad information, then of course the bad information comes out.

So now, to meditate, to pray to God or to study the holy scriptures is just a way to reprogram our thinking, our way of life. Because we reprogram it in a good way, the result that comes out is always good, or at least not as bad as before, or at least not all bad. Even though we can't help to record some more bad information daily, the number will be less than before, right? It's because we keep recording good things, like we meditate; we meditate on God name, we meditate on God power and we get the God power coming tHRough us, filling us with joy, virtues and goodness. Then even the bad information comes in, it has no room, and also maybe minimized. And because of the goodness and the powerful energy from God, tHRough meditation each day, we will be able to dilute or maybe digest completely any information that is harmful to our minds and our souls. That's why we cannot not to meditate! We cannot not to study the holy scriptures.
Understanding The Holy Scriptures After enlightenment

Many people don't like to study holy scriptures, why? Because they don't understand. So I hear that many of the holy men from churches, or from temples, they complain that the young people or the people of today do not like to study scriptures; do not like to study holy book. It is because most of the holy scriptures are too profound, too sophisticated, too deep, sometimes too difficult for the modern man, for the layman to understand. But we have one solution, first, we have to open the understanding power, then we can understand the Bible or the scriptures. Anything you get into your hands, any book, you will be able to understand. I also could not understand much of what is said in the Bible or in the Bhagvad Gita or in the Buddhist scriptures or in the Lao Tze books and all that. Kon Tze and Lao Tze book I read. I understood somehow but not as profound, not as deep, as I do now. After our power of understanding is open, the wisdom is made to be useful again, then we can understand many things.

So if we do not understand the scriptures, and the best thing is first to get enlightenment. Enlighten means you open the power of understanding, and then the heavenly light, Godly light, will shed all understanding upon any object that we wish to study. So that's why even now in college, people teach the students many kinds of meditations, at least to calm their turbulent minds. And if they have a better meditation, the good kind of meditation, which can even open the seat, the door of wisdom, the power of understanding, then so much better for them. Therefore many of the students who study in college but at the same time meditate, they find it easier to master any subject that they want to study. And they are always very good at school. This is a fact that everybody knows by now.

The Water In A Cup Is One With The Ocean

Why is there reincarnation? It is because we do not know the real Self and we chase after the container of the Self. Therefore we chase after one to another. For example, the water in the sea is all one. If we happened to put it in a cup, or we put a cup into the sea like this and then we seal it, then the water in the cup is separated from the ocean. But as soon as the cup is broken, it become one with the ocean again. And if the water inside the cup is attached to the container and then after it's broken, it goes to seek another cup. Then it will forever be separated with the ocean. Similarly, our real Self is not contained in this body, never! It's because it's all pervading, and this is just one of the station, one of the things, that contain a little bit of ourselves. Therefore, when we broke this limitation, we will be one with the whole. We don't have to break the body to go out, (Master laughs) there is a way to go out. For example, we don't need to break the cup to free the water in the cup; we can just, you know, where it is leaking or there is a hole somewhere, and so even the cup is still there and the water is still inside, but at the same time the water is in and out all the time and connected with the whole ocean.

Similarly, our cup here, the body, has a hole, and it is blocked. It's made blocked so as to keep the soul, the water of life inside, but we can open it. Similarly some of the cups, you know, are all made like this (Master takes up a cup.) but there is a hole in the bottom and then they use a plastic cover to cover it, right? Or sometimes medicine bottle also. We just take a little cap, plastic cap or something, and then we can connect with the content inside. So there is a place where we can be connected with the whole Universe while still keeping this instrument, the body. That is the third eye center, the seat of wisdom, the seat of the soul. If it is opened, by any mean at all, by our own perseverance, power of desire for liberation or tHRough a master, then we will be connected right away with the whole Universe, with the Most High, which is all over the places. The power of the Most High is not only contained in this body but it's in the air right now. It's everywhere. It's in every blade of grass and the leaves of the trees, in all Creation. It is easier to open it if we have an experienced guide, you know, who has already been connected with the whole Universal Power. Then he is very powerful because he doesn't use individual power anymore. He uses the whole Universal Power, because he is already connected. Just like the water in the cup, even though it's still in the cup but it's always connected with the ocean water tHRough the hole; and there is always fresh water coming in and out, even though it is still contained in the cup. Therefore a master, or an enlightened person, is like that. The initiated person is the one who has this connection, has the button open, and the master is the one who realizes the Universal Power.
Be The Master Of Your Own Destiny

Even though we all have it, the master is the one who realizes it. It's just like if two persons have the same amount of money inherited from the father, but the one who knows it, who knows where it is can use it. The other one, even though he has it but he puts it somewhere or he never knows where it is, can he use it? He cannot! Similarly, we are all the same, but if we know where to use our Universal Power, then we will become masters of ourselves, masters of our destinies, and we can lead many others to become masters of their own destinies as well. Otherwise, even though we are equally great, we don't know our greatness and that's a waste of time. Therefore, we have to come back again, again and again in search for this treasure, until we find it, then our journey ends. Very simple! We are here to search for this forgotten treasure and we never give up until we find it. That's why our lives are never satisfactory because we always know there is something else, something greater than what we have right now. We always somehow know that we are not this container, the flesh, because after we so-called die, the body is still there but we cannot move; we cannot do anything; we cannot love any person; we cannot open our mouths; we cannot do anything at all! That means we are not the body. Something in the body is there to make the body move and work while we are living. Something in the body left when we die, so we cannot move any of our bodily instruments. So somehow we know; very deep in our hearts we know. Well, I know! I don't know if you know. (Master laughs.) Do you know? You must know.

That's why sometimes when you have time, when you are in trouble especially, you sit down and you don't want to be with anyone; just want to be alone. Then you think, and then you feel better and better, because you thought there is something there, something that sometimes comforts us in silence. I used to be like that before I know the Quan Yin Method. I used to pray a lot. I pray to Buddha and I pray to Jesus. I am afraid that one of them cannot hear. (Master laughs) So I pray to anyone I know. Sometimes I pray to Krishna, Hindu God. (Master laughs) There is no Hindu God; there is only God, actually. Just sometimes God resumes an Indian form or a Chinese form, so we call this Hindu God or Chinese God, actually there is no such thing.

So sometimes when I was in deep sorrow, before I know the Quan Yin Method, I prayed very deeply, just to be alone; not to pray very loud, but to truly lament inside. Then I felt like something lifted me up, and I felt so soothing and so smooth and I felt that there was nothing to worry about. That is the time when we realize that something is greater than life; something is always there to listen to us.

Most people pray, and they say they don't have any response. It's because they don't pray deeply enough. That is why we have more response when we are in deep sorrow because we are truly sincere at that time. We pierce tHRough all the layers of pretending of hypocrisy and we pierce tHRough our false self and we get in touch, somehow, even briefly, with the true Self. That is when we get the response. But I suggest that we don't have to wait until we are in deep sorrow to do this. That would be too traumatic. Yes. We have a better way to do it. We practice it even when we are not in sorrow; that would be better.

The Link Between A True Master And God

We practice before we die; that would be better. So when we die, it is just like walking from one room to the next. No problem! And we can walk out forever. We can break the whole cup and be united with the whole ocean, or we can keep it; we can seek another cup in order to satisfy someone else's longing or to help someone else. It's like the master, sometimes the master reincarnates again and again, into different bodies, in order to help mankind. Some masters just like to enjoy Heaven, enjoy Nirvana and never want to go back again. Some masters never, never ever incarnated on this Earth, with no intention to do so. Some masters incarnates again and again in order to help the children who are suffering, who have the great treasure but don't know how to use it; therefore, being very poor, poor and miserable.

In India people appreciate the masters very much. They worship the master even more than God because of this reason. They say, "Oh, if both the master and God appear right now, I would only worship the master. I don't care about God." (Master laughs.) It's just a kind of adoration and gratefulness to the master. Actually, they worship the master because of God; they worship God because of the master. Without the master, they don't know that true God exists or not. Yes. Without God power, the master is also nothing, understand?
We Are Much Greater Than Our Intellectual Understanding

So we all come from God, whether masters or not masters. The master is the one who knows God, and the non-master is the one who doesn't know God yet, but they still have God; they are still from the same. I told you about the story of the cup, the ocean water in the cup. So at the time of initiation, you know already, the button is pushed open so that we can get in touch, somewhat, to God, at least for some moments. Then we continue to do that everyday, until we completely realize that we are one with God; there is no separation.

You see, there are many things that the initiated persons understand and know, but it's difficult to put them into words. Me also. If nobody demands anything from me, I would not even think of God. Do you know what I mean? He is just kind of always standing around or He is just inside me. So I don't even think of Him. I don't talk about Him. I don't miss Him. I don't seek Him anymore. Just for other people's sake I talked about God. I talk about these things. Sometimes it's difficult for me to talk about God. Maybe that's the reason why I don't desire to go for lectures or anything like that, because I am just satisfied wherever I am and whatever I do. The initiated people are mostly like that. Many of them have this satisfaction right away at the time of initiation and continue forever.

Some of them have to wait sometime to realize that they have found the treasure. Why is it so? Some people's curtains are thicker than the others, because we are obstructed by intellectual understanding and by many of the knowledge that we have accumulated during our lifetime, and we are proud of it and cling to that. That's why we have forgotten that we are greater than this knowledge, greater than the Ph.D. certificate, greater than the name that we are proud to have, like Dr. so and so, or such and such position. We are greater than this, greater than any king on this Earth. Sometimes we don't even realize that we have this ego and that we are trapped into this ego, the Maya net. We don't even realize it until we practice more and more. And the more we practice, the more we realize that we are obstructed by our own habits, by our own collections of garbage, of a lot of nonsense thinking.

The Secret To Attain The Whole World

Similarly, everyday we are busy with our daily work and we busy with our worldly knowledge and we think we know that much, this much, and then we forgot that we are the great ones. We know more than that. We know above all these things, including these things. Now, the greatest power, the great wisdom, is so big like that, for example, so great, so pervasive, and then we use that great wisdom just to understand a little bit of the worldly knowledge, for example, the medical knowledge or the lawyer knowledge or anything, and then we cling to that. The whole wisdom we use just to pay attention to this corner of the knowledge. Therefore we forgot the whole. Do you understand what I mean? That's it. And we thought that we are very great already, we are this doctor and that Ph.D.. I don't mean to talk about you. I said "we", meaning including myself. Sorry!

So now we think we know that much. We are beautiful. We have this and this certificate and that. In fact, we lost the whole 99.9999 percent of our great wisdom just to pay for that much worldly knowledge. In the end we have nothing because this is ephemeral; this knowledge will change. We know many medical definitions or many medicines have been proved outdated and then replaced by another. Or scientific facts have always been changed, removed and replaced by another idea, and then it would be replaced again and again, as mankind progress into a higher consciousness. Therefore, it doesn't matter how much knowledge we gain from this world or from the brain power of research, we will never have the whole thing, just one little point in the Universe. Just like the water in the cup is proud that he is so big and he doesn't know that he is the whole ocean, you know? When he is connected with the whole ocean, he became the ocean. I guess you understood what I say.

Questions And Answers
Masters And Religions Are Crutches

Q: Master, why Krishnamurti said, "Gurus and religion are crutch?" So he refused to be their crutch for his students.
M.Why didn't you ask him? I am not responsible for anybody else's teaching. Everyone has his own independent thinking and philosophy, provided he keeps it for himself. Probably what he meant is that if you are too attached to religious dogma or to any teacher at all, then you will be handicapped. In that sense he is correct. The teacher or the master is not the one on which you lean, but from which you gain experience and wisdom and then you walk yourself, Okay? Most of the time if a teacher is worth his salt he should teach the student this way. Do you know what I mean?

But never mind! Even then, if a student of any master should feel that he is not yet able to develop himself, then he can pray to the master, in the initial stage of his spiritual practice. Later when he grows up, he just automatically drops the master. It's just like a person; not everybody can walk straight. I need an umbrella to walk; my legs are weak sometimes. But when my legs are okay, I don't need it. Yeah? Somebody, sometimes they are naturally born handicapped or accidentally handicapped, and then they need the crutch. It's okay with him. Can you just kick him out? And say, "You don't need the crutch. It will make you dependent!" Understand? (Yes.)

So we cannot just say like this, black and white; to say that the master, the guru or the religion are no good absolutely for people. It's good to someone. Right? If you don't need it, it's fine. If you need it, stay a while until you don't. So I don't preach anything extreme. In my opinion, religions are also very good for many people. At least they learn the virtuous way of life. They fear God. They fear the law of cause and retribution, and many people became good. I tell you the truth. But, as long as we know that this is not the ultimate. Do you know what I mean? Yes, not the ultimate, just like, for example, the master, in the physical body is not the ultimate, you know? The ultimate is inside the master, and inside you! THRough the master you will find the ultimate. That's fine! If you have not found it yet, you can rely on the master, to help and carry you for a while, and then you can walk. It's fine. But there is no such thing as extreme as to tHRow everything altogether. Is it not so? (Applause)

Q. Master, how long have human beings been on this earth?
M.Wow! I have to count with my fingers. (Laughter.) Do you know how long? What for do we know how long? It's enough to work everyday! It's been a long, long, long time. Some have reincarnated. Some have been liberated. Some come back again and again. So if you want to count this, it's difficult. You can say, aeons has past.

Q. Does one have to give up all other teachings, gurus, etc. when initiated by Master Ching Hai? If one doesn't become initiated, can one still pray to Master Ching Hai and receive Her blessing?
M.You don't have to give up your teachings and your teacher; I told you already; nor religion, you don't have to give up religion neither. For example, I am initiated; I still talk about Bhagvad Gita. I still talk about the Bible, the Buddhism and all the things, all the masters, even past masters. So I didn't give up anything! I just enrich myself with more wisdom, more knowledge from different masters, past, present and maybe future. The future masters, you can meet in the higher sphere because they have not yet descended on Earth, but while in meditation, you can see the future masters as well and learn from them. So you lose nothing; you only gain. Okay? If you are not initiated and you pray to the so-called Master Ching Hai, I don't know if She helps you or not? You have to ask Her at that time. (Master laughs) Maybe She does; may be She doesn't. It depends on how sincere you are and your karma.
The World Is The Best School For Practicing

Q. Master, when I meditate, I cannot keep my mind concentrate at here. It runs all over the place and it talks about all kinds of different subjects. How do I concentrate and meditate better?
M.Is that the initiated or not? (MC: Are you an initiate?) Because I would answer differently. Who asked that question? (Somebody answers: Yes.) That's why we have to go to group meditation. Because the concentrated power will help us, and we have to take time; some people can concentrate right away; some people take a longer time. I have mentioned previously in the lecture. Also forgive yourself. The situation in this world is not conducive to our tranquil meditation and calm thinking, but try again and again. In this world, we have an advantage, that because this world is so difficult for us to practice, God's blessing is with us many folds. So we walk one step and the Master Power will walk a hundred steps to help us.

If we are in Heaven and practice, it's not that lucrative. Therefore in Heaven if you want to practice, it takes a longer time. For example, here we practice one day it is equal to one hundred days in Heaven. That's why many devas, heavenly beings, they like to be incarnated into human bodies, in order to practice faster. It's because here we have all kinds of rubbing force, like karma and situation and disaster and war and suffering and happiness, all these mixing. It's a kind of a high degree fire to forge us. These fires will forge us into a strong, useful tool for ourselves and for the world.

While we are practicing here, we have also the opportunity to help our fellow beings and, therefore, we gain more merit as well. For example, you meditate alone at your home, so you have only one personal merit. But, if you, tHRough your effort or tHRough your eloquence, you offer your place, for example, for a hundred persons to meditate, then you have a hundred more merit to add up to your personal merit. So you have a hundred times more quicker, you understand what I mean? Or you get another hundred persons to come in to get initiation, these merits are also yours. Because after all we are one, the more we connected with more people, the more expand we become and the greater we become, in terms of merit. Mathematical wise speaking, it is like that.

So it is better than in Heaven. In Heaven everybody is having a good time and so they take it easy. They don't have the motivation behind them to push them to concentrate. That is why I say when you are in deep sorrow or when you are despair you pray better, and sometimes you meditate even better. At that time you remember the master more; you say, "Oh, Master, please, please, please ..." (Laughter.) And then you get better experience that day, bigger light, stronger sound or feel more elated, more near to God. So it is good to practice in this world even though it is difficult.

I am happy that many of our fellow initiates practice very diligently. Some come to the center just to look around but later... Well, they don't look around that long because everybody closes their eyes. So they feel embarrassed after sometime and they also close their eyes, and then they see something inside, instead of looking at pretty girls outside. So there is a very good advantage of having a temple or having a center, where people come together and do the same thing, concentrate and one-pointedness thinking of God; that helps very much. So you take your time. You can look around for a while, and then when you are fed up with it, you close your eyes and meditate with all the people. Okay?

The mind is always having trouble to be controlled; that's why we have to practice everyday. Otherwise, I would tell you, "Get initiation and you are the Buddha." No more work! Right? It is because our habit is long term. It has been many thousands of years of time, maybe more! So to take one lifetime to clear all these is hard work, but it's worth it. Or you want to stay here a thousand more years to continue to do that? Well, it's fun! So that is why I tell you to have to meditate longer time, two and half hours or tHRee hours, because the first twenty minutes is struggling. Just go on, go on with it and after about twenty minutes, it begins to settle down. After half an hour, you begin to enjoy, and forty minutes, you are gone. (Laughter)
Learn To Balance Yourself In Life

Q. For what purpose has mankind been created in this life form? Is there any humanlike life in another planet in the universe?
M. Yes. There are human lives in other universe, in other planet. And for what purpose? I don't know. That you have to ask the Creator when you go up there. I never ask Him why, cause I don't ask many questions. I am kind of a quiet person. (Master laughs) Okay.

Q. How do we know to liberate ourselves from suffering, painful emotions, at the right time when we want so bad to let go of the lives, the circumstances around us? But it's so hard to see tHRough because of the people we are attached to, and know that there is more to life itself than just ourselves and love of someone else we couldn't let go?
M. I told you, just forgive yourself and try again. Sometimes in some circumstances we are able to control ourselves, but with some great effort, and some other times we don't want to control ourselves or we can't control ourselves. In either way you just do what is good for you at that moment. Okay? Don't worry much about the emotion. It is only the waves on the surface of the ocean. It is not the ocean's fault. It is the wind. It is the rotation of the earth that makes the waves. So the ocean cannot blame itself all the time, and says that he makes waves, he makes troubles for the boats and he makes trouble for the people, etc. He cannot help himself. The ocean cannot help herself or himself. Is it him ocean or she ocean?

MC. Whatever You want to call it.
M.We never know. Well, let's make it a she because I am Ching Hai. Ching Hai means "pure ocean". Actually in India they name it Vishudananda. I think I have to change my name into Indian name now to attract more Americans. (Master laughs) The other day one of the American disciples said to me, "Oh, all the Americans like Indian teachers only, so that's why You don't attract so many of them. You attract only the Au Lac people and the Asian." I said, "Okay! Why don't I change my name?" He said, "Do You have an Indian name, by the way?" I said, "Yes, I do, Vishudananda." (Master and the audience laugh.) That's the translation of my name. Anything "Ananda", Da Da Da, will do. (Laughter.) Sounds very much Indian. (Applause) Now you may call me, Ananda, Vishudananda. It sounds very Indian, right?

Q. How do we attain inner peace or happiness in everyday life?
M.Slowly. After initiation, the more wisdom, the more this peace and grace from God we receive, the more peaceful our lives will be, but only if you don't become a master. I can't promise you a peaceful life if you want to be a master. But if you are a disciple, everything perfect. (Master laughs and audience applaud.)

Q. Dear Master, I always make the same mistake that I don't want to make. I feel there are two of me inside, one good and one bad, how can I stop this?
M.Well, maybe that's the balance proportion in your life that you need to learn. Actually we can't be too good all the time. You will break! Yeah? You see the man in the circus, when he walks the rope, he has to walk this side, that side. You know what I mean? One time he dips in this side, the other time he is siding to this side. Otherwise, if he walks just like this, he will fall down. This life has two sides anyhow; one is positive, and the other is negative; one is happiness, and the other one is misery. Sometimes we can't help ourselves to dip from one side to another. It's okay! Forgive yourself. Try if you can; if not, forgive yourself. Alright?

Do other things in contradiction to that, to counter attack this habit if you think it's bad. For example, if you are normally very stingy; don't want to give to people, now force yourself to give. Every time you want to take, you give instead! So next time you dare not want to take any more, because every time you want to take, you lose the business! (Laughter) For example, if you want to take one dollar, then force yourself to give two dollars. So next time you dare not to want any more! Or if you normally like to look at other woman besides your wife, so every time you want to do like that, just go home and look at your wife. So next time you are fed up, and you don't want any more. Maybe you try it. (Applause.)
The Reason That Many Prophecies Never Come True

Q. Some religions are saying the end of the world is coming. What is the true meaning of this saying?
M.No religion ever says that!

Q.Only the CHRistian Religion, right?
M.What? CHRistian religion says so?

Q. I mean, the Bible.
M. The Bible doesn't say that we end at 2000. The Bible just have some revelation about some kind of destruction of the world, but that is one man's experience only. And we, some of the people, sometimes have this kind of experience. When you enter into some kind of destructive past, when you have seen it before in your previous life, and now you saw it and you thought it would be this time for this Earth. It is not true. Maybe you see the end of the other galaxy, the other planet, and you mistaken that for this world. Or sometimes you see it in the past, mistaken for the present time. Sometimes you see it in the very, very, very remote future and you miscalculate the time; you think that it is now. That is why many prophecies never come true.

Just recently somebody in Keeth has predicted the end of the world and she shifted tHRee or four times. Supposedly it should be on Friday, then Friday was holiday, so it became Sunday, then on Sunday it never came. (Applause) But never mind, the end of the world comes when we die anyhow, so make preparation for that day. Be prepared so that when we leave this world, we go with God, instead of going with the angel of death. That would be the end of our world.

Q. What is the relationship between compassion and mindfulness?
M. Mindfulness means you concentrate well. Compassion means you love other people. Compassion, you have mercy, you love other beings, love animals, love people. You don't want to harm them. You want to help them when they're in need. That is compassion. Mindfulness is the concentration degree you get when you meditate.

Q. Earlier You said that if when you open your mind to the Universe, then you can gain the wisdom, knowledge and will be able to understand any book. My question to You is, "What if you were born with not so bright a mind? How can you be able to learn the knowledge from the Universe once you open your mind?" Learning new knowledge would take time and hard work. For me, in the past I had tried to learn to become a professional person. I failed because I am dumb. Can You show me the way?
M. Not being able to learn in school doesn't mean you are dumb. Maybe you lack courage, maybe you lack good teacher, good friends or good circumstances, or maybe you lack patient. Some people learn quicker; some people learn it a little bit slower. But that doesn't mean you are dumb; doesn't mean you are stupid. Not to know your own great wisdom is the true stupidity. (Applause.) So I invite you to come for the initiation and get to know your greatness, then you will understand many things. It is because everything I say is just a big mouth, talk too much. Anything without experience is just advertising. It doesn't matter how much I tell you the orange juice in my cup is very good and is very nutritious and good for you and a lot of vitamin C, and you drink it, it quenches your thirst. But if you don't ever come and drink it, it doesn't matter how much I say, it is all big mouth. Do you know what I mean? It's nonsense! Talk too much. So the best thing is just to drink it. Get enlightenment! (Applause.) Any Living Master Will Respond To Our Prayer

Q.I feel lost. I have searched and searched but have not found Home, that is what I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to do. How does one find Home here on Earth?
M.Get enlightenment. Home is very near. It is next to you. It is nearer than your skin. But if you don't have the light, you can't see it. You can't see things in the dark; it doesn't matter how near. You might have a feeling about what it is, but you don't see it; have to have the light. The light of God will shine on everything you want to search for, including Home. But this is all abstract speaking, really you have to have experience, and that comes only with diligent practice after initiation. You know how to practice and you do it and then you realize day by day.

Q. Why is it that after so many years of religious teachings and past masters that the world has not gotten better but much worse?
M. It is because the past masters cannot teach you. You have to look for a present master, who can answer your question, help you when you are in doubt and take you by the hand back to the Kingdom of God. We need a person to person contact, not the past lives. Just like it doesn't matter how great the beauties of the past; you cannot marry her! She cannot produce any children to you; cannot produce the love feeling that you have with a living wife.

Q. I was taught in my fundamental CHRistian church that we were to pray only to God, not to Jesus, not to virgin Marry, not to the angels, not to anyone or anything but only to God, the Father of Jesus, the Creator of the Universe. Why then are people praying to You as a master, or to any master?
M. I don't know. That's their problem. (Master laughs.) Just like before, somebody asked me if he doesn't want to get initiation, that means he doesn't want to get direct contact with God, can he pray to Master Ching Hai? What can I do about that? Well, if she prays, she gets the response, so she continues to pray. But I always advise that you go for initiation, and get contact directly with God and pray directly to God. That's the best way. But if somebody don't want to choose that way and want to choose the second way, easier way, no vegetarian, no two and half hours meditation, no rules, nothing, just want the benefits, then she will pray to whoever give her something. And it happened that probably she prayed to Jesus or Buddha and didn't get any help, so she prayed to Ching Hai. When she gets help, she keeps praying again. People are like that; they like profit. Yeah! (Applause.) You know, the truth is that any living master will respond to our prayer.

But then when that Master passed away, people continue to pray because they learned that from their parents, from their ancestors. They continue to pray and they forgot the difference between a living master and the past masters. So they continue to pray to the past masters and sometimes they blame that they don't help them. But, actually, when you pray to any master that means you pray to God anyhow. Do you know what I mean? Because the master is connected with God, you just pray to God. What is there inside except God? You think you pray to Ching Hai? Who is Ching Hai? When you think of her, who is she? What is that? Only God resides in her body; nothing else there! So you pray to her and she is connected with God, then it's the God that you pray to, understand? (Applause)
Get enlightenment And Know All The Answers

MC.. He would like to know if it is so wrong that he separates his parents for a good cause, because one of his parents does not allow the other one to practice meditation. And he would like to know if his action is related to karma? And if he practices this meditation, will that correct the wrong action of separating them?
M. Never mind, you should let time take its course. And whatever concern your parents, you don't worry. You don't worry because the time will come when things will change. If you try to force the issue before time is right, you incur some trouble and sometimes you incur, of course, the karma.

Q. Master said that water in the cup is the same with water in the ocean, but because of our egos which separates water of the cup from the ocean. Is it right that meditation means making a hole at bottom of the cup to have the water merge with the ocean?
M. Initiation means that. Yes! Open the connected hole and so the water can come in and out all the time. So the water in the cup is the water in the ocean, and the water in the ocean is the water in the cup. Yes. Everyday when you meditate, it's just like water flowing in and out all the time, making it fresh so that the water in the cup does not become rotten.

Q. How should one meditate?
M. You meditate the way you want. If you don't know, you come for initiation and we help you, okay? Actually you should not ask me any question at all! Because it doesn't matter how many answers you have, what's the use? The best way is that we get enlightenment and know all the answers, or we get to the state where we don't care for any answers at all. And then we set ourselves free, forever, from any inquisitiveness, from every desire to know things. That is the time when we know everything. Whatever we need to know we will know right away, and whatever we don't need to know we still know it, but inside, we don't use it. Understand?

Q. My husband has a terrible skin disease, for eight years already. I love him very much and I have tried many ways, doctors, medicines, religion, meditation and hope to cure his disease.
M. All kinds of meditation as well?

MC.Yeah, meditation too.
M. He meditate, himself?
MC. Yeah.
M. Or the wife?

MC. It doesn't say. But it's getting worse and worse everyday. Now every time I look at him, my tears fall. And even worse, I began to dream about other man when I am so sad. Am I bad and disloyal? How can I cure my mind and my sadness?
M. No! You are not bad. Just the situation is bad. She forgot to mention that if her husband meditates or she meditates. Her husband should meditate and pray for himself.

Q. Is God a person, a being, a supernatural entity or what?
M. All that, all that and more.

Now, everyone when we have sickness, we should try to first accept it; secondly, try to find a way to cure it. There must be some way to cure things. Above all, we have to pray to the Supreme Power to help us. We pray, but pray deeply. Sometimes the diseases are caused by past karma, past reaction, past retribution, that we have done something wrong or harmed somebody else's appearance, therefore now we have to reap this result. But after sometimes, if the karma wears off, then it begins to get better. There are many ways to cure skin disease. I have seen many people with a lot of very bad looking skin, but they still have a cure for it. So maybe you didn't search enough. You have to ask for many more ways to do it, or tell your husband to pray himself, or meditate.

I cannot guarantee you that initiation will cure your disease, or your husband's disease, because I don't want to attract people to come to our group just because of the physical condition. That is not enough to liberate you, because we are still clinging to the material instead of wanting God, the giver of all things. Once we truly want God, He will give. If we only want things, you know what I mean? Sometimes He gives, sometimes He doesn't. That's the trouble.

In India there was a story about a king who liked to give all his things to his subjects. So he arrayed all his treasure around and told everyone to come and take whatever they like. And people took diamond, took gold or took treasure, took antique cups and all that, and then everybody was happy and went home. One girl only, she didn't want nothing. She just walked straight up to the king and she said, "Are you also a gift? (Laughter) I only want this gift." So, of course, the king was very surprised and happy that somebody wanted him for his sake, not the things that he gave. Of course, the king married her and then everything belonged to her, no? (Laughter) Yes. (Applause) The story is like that. Do you know the story? And there is another story to prove it.
The Story Of Shiva
There was a story about Shiva. Do you know Shiva? The God Shiva, is he here, by the way? (Master turns and looks behind Her.) Yeah, yeah, that's it, with a half moon and the tridad. Shiva was one of the past masters. He was supposed to be the God of destruction. He destroyed negativity, actually, not people. Some people misunderstand so they worry that he'd destroy them so always keep blackmailing him with all kinds of fruit and cakes. (Master laughs) So in the past he meditated very deeply in the Himalayas. He never woke up from the meditation, never ever. Nothing stirred him. This is a legend from India. I don't know if it is true. I just tell you the power of God.

He meditated all the time in the Himalayas, deep in the meditation, never stirred. But some of the Gods in heaven were afraid that he didn't have a wife, so he would not pass down other generation, the holy seed or something like that, the sacred bloodline, so they worried very much, because he was so holy and they wanted to have another generation of this kind. So they sent out a beautiful, beautiful fairy. Her name was Parvati. She was very beautiful and her figure was enough to make all the men fell down. But she couldn't stir him. She tried all her best to kind of dance around him or make all kinds of things, but he never stirred out of meditation. So finally she was fed up, so she went to the other side of the mountain, a little bit longer way, selected a mountain range and she sat there and meditated. She said, "Now, all this is nonsense! I meditate on God and I get liberation and eternal bliss. That's better than to chase a man who is like a stone, and have no feeling, nothing!" (Laughter) "And me, so beautiful like this and he never stirs!"

She was fed up, angry and frustrated, so she went to the other mountain, Mountain Kailash, which is the most famous and holy mountain according to Indian belief. It is very high and it has also a very beautiful lake in the vicinity, called Mansarouar. So she stayed there and meditated, and after sometime she attained the blissful state. So Shiva, suddenly, during his deep meditation, he felt something stirring him. There was some very strong, powerful feminine energy. It was kind of disturbing him. Not disturb, also disturb but made him feel good and still excited somehow. So he opened his third eye, had a look and said, "Wow! There's a beauty over there." So that was how the romance started. You know the rest. So that's the power of meditation, the power of God. It even makes the God stir. Do you know what I mean? It made the most ascetic yogi excited. (Master laughs.) Well, if you want to get a husband, it maybe a good advice. (Laughter.) Actually, when you don't want it, you get it.

Parvati was trying her best to charm him but she did not succeed because she tried with the ego, with the limited power of possessiveness and mundane thinking. But when she became holy, her attraction became different. Why? Because his vibration was very holy, his standard was very high. If she used her mundane vibration and energy to attract him, how could he come down? You know what I mean? You have to be at least equal in order to attract the opponent.

Actually it's like that. Many people have no attraction before, then suddenly after initiation and meditate for sometime, they begin to attract people. You know, not necessarily physically, just attract them. They just love them and they just want to be near them. It is because of your vibration, your loving God energy. You cannot conceal it. It just radiates out and then attracts people like magnet, because the souls in themselves are also Godlike. So they just feel attracted to you, the same that people are attracted to the masters, but that is by no means a crutch. It is just a self attracted to a higher self. So after sometimes they just realize that both of them are one. Therefore, who is there to get the crutch? Who is there to rely on whom? So actually that is also the answer to that question about master and religion are crutch. It depends. Okay? So, have lunch! (Applause)