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Invitations One Heart - Universal Wish

Media Reports

Feature Reports Experiencing The Great Love-The Trip To Thailand

Letter Between Master And Disciple After Practicing The Quan Yin Method, Is It Okay To Keep On Practicing Chi-Kong?

Aphorisms Persistent Optimism In Adversity

You May Not Know To Obey The Master Is Better Than Following The Teachings
An Unexpected Visit By An Honored Guest

Master's Wonder A Frightening Journey A Collection Of Miraculous Stories From China

Poems After Meeting Master
Creation

While On The Path A Precious Learning Experience In The Kitchen At Hsihu Center Your Child Has Grown Up

Between Master And Disciples Love Includes Self-Confidence And Courage

Master Says The Perfect Beings From Heaven

Front Line The Prosperous Spiritual Season Creating Good Affinities... Spreading The Truth On Che Chu Island

Spot Light To Be One With The Group

A Child's Letter Love

Special Reports Report From Korea/Philippines/Formosa/Fellow Initiate's heartfelt Words

Master's Words The Fallen Angels Of Our Era

A True Account Of A Miraculous Person The Legend Of A Taoist (Part I)

Elevation Of The Soul

Our Liaison Practitioners Throughout The World

Master Says

The Perfect Beings From Heaven

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

Master's Wonders

A Frightening Journey

By Thailand News Group

Thailand fellow practitioners were going to a local Au Lac refugee camp. The truck was traveling at a very high speed, carrying lots of things to be distributed to the refugees. Suddenly they heard a loud noise. The back tire exploded! The loaded truck began to tilt losing it balance and control. Several times the truck almost fell into the ditch along the side of the road, however, it seemed to be supported by some unknown force and was pushed back to its normal position again and again. The initiates dare not imagine how disastrous it would have been if the whole truck had fallen down into the ditch. Going at such a high speed, if they had tried to stop the truck by pressing the brake, the situation would have been even worse. Therefore, they all immediately sincerely prayed to Master to help.

The truck continued in this way on the rough road. Fellow initiates in the truck concentrated on their meditation and also comforted the driver so that he would not panic . The most frightening moment came when the truck tilted to the left, gradually getting closer and closer to the ground. Finally it hit the ground. With a great impact it rubbed the road surface for a few seconds. Coming back from the shock, they noticed that the front windshield was not there. This became their way out, so all of them easily got out of the truck. They found that they had no serious injuries, only a few minor pains. When they recalled the whole frightening incident it seemed like a dream. They could hardly remember any of the details except that they had maintained total faith in Master.

After the accident, they transferred all the over-turned things to another truck without being tired, and then went on with their journey as if nothing had happened at all. Later when a fellow initiate began to think about the incident, he realized that he should have been injured the most since he was sitting on the left, they had the truck window opened, and none of them wore seat belts. However, all of them were safe and sound after such an accident. Only those who have had this experience can understand the fear, danger and urgency of the situation at that time. Therefore, they felt even more grateful to Master for Her omnipresent care! o

A Collection Of

Miraculous Stories From China

Compiled By Resident Disciples, Hsihu, Formosa

Contest Of Miracle Powers

Among Master's followers in Mainland China, there is no lack of people who have practiced miracle powers, chi-kong or the so-called magic. From their inner cultivation and experiences they have learned that Master is at an "extraordinary level", and She is truly an enlightened Master who has great power. After receiving initiation, they all forsake their miracle or psychic powers, and concentrate on practicing the Quan Yin Method, the supreme method that leads them to eternal liberation and the great wisdom.

More than ordinary people do, these fellow practitioners know that miracle powers bind people within the Three Realms. It is because praise from the public all too easily nurture human's ego, making one become arrogant. As time goes by, one forgets the noble ideal of "attaining the Tao", and puts his mind solely on the study of the illusive practice of miracle power.

Here are several stories of their miraculous experiences, including some which describe how they came to make affinity with Master.

The Lucky Pilgrims

Several earnest spiritual practitioners got together, took with them simple luggage, and made pilgrimages to various Buddhist holy places all over the country. During their travel they often had to stay in small inns in remote places, and so inevitably they came across thieves and bandits. However, due to their strong faith in the Tao, and because one of them possessed miracle powers, disastrous situations that confronted them were all averted.

Once they met one fellow initiate at the foot of the Chiu Hua Mountain. During their conversation they found that they seemed to have some affinity with each other, so they rented and stayed in one large room together. Consequently they had a chance to exchange experiences and opinions about their spiritual practices.

One of them showed great interest as he listened to the fellow initiate introduce Master and Her teachings. Another had his eyes closed, taking a rest. Afterwards, when both of them learned the Convenient Method, they immediately saw, in a vision, Master's manifestation form. The one with miracle powers, who closed his eyes to have a rest earlier, said that while the fellow initiate was talking about Master, he wanted to get up and argue. He did not because somehow he suddenly felt a spasm of sharp pain in his eyes. That enabled him to understand more about Master. Come to think of it, the pain in his eyes was Master's kind arrangement! Also, as he put on a necklace with Master's photograph, the evil spirit inside of him wanted to prevent him from doing so. However, he ignored it, and the spirit ran away, never to return.

Most astonishingly, when they practiced the Convenient Method for the first time, their eye complaints immediately got better, and their eye-sight improved. Hence they had great faith in the Quan Yin Method.

Immeasurable Merit From Initiation

A spiritual practitioner gained some understandings from inside such as the concepts of: "it is useless to recite the scriptures; do not interfere with other's cause and retribution; do not do the salvation ritual for the deceased..., etc." However, he could talk to no one about them, because people could not understand him or believe him. When he read Master's books, he was very pleased that he finally found someone who was in tune with his insight.

On the initiation day, while on his way to the fellow practitioner's house, he again heard the voice inside him saying, "The place where the initiation will take place is very dignified and sacred. Guardian angels from the ten directions will come to bless it, and even the biggest demon could never enter it." He was also told to keep quiet and be respectful once he got there. Before he received initiation, he already saw Master's manifestation form strolling around blessing the scene. During the initiation, he saw all the Five Buddhas (enlightened beings) come down together. So he could not help but repeat that there is immeasurable merit from initiation.

When he related his spiritual experiences, his tour of the Buddha-land in the ten directions, he said that Amitabha Buddha was no longer in the Western Paradise. Because He had accomplished His mission there, He has now risen to a even higher level to practice. Amitabha Buddha represents a level of consciousness, not a particular person. Anyone who has the same love, vow to help sentient beings, and merit from spiritual practice is the patriarch of the Western Paradise, the Amitabha Buddha. Indeed, his understanding can be comprehended and agreed upon by all who practice the Quan Yin Method.

The Magical Powers That Failed

A fellow initiate was the head of a certain chi-kong organization. When he first practiced the Convenient Method, he immediately saw the divine light. After receiving initiation, apart from sincerely recommending to others the ultimate method, the Quan Yin Method, he also stopped healing people's illnesses by using chi-kong. He deeply understands that ignorance is the greatest sickness. If you do not heal your illness from the root by keeping a vegetarian diet and practicing spiritually, there will be no end to your illness.

Once he went to the home of a practitioner from his previous spiritual practicing group, with one of his previous patients. Then he sat aside, focused his attention on his wisdom eye and silently recited the Five Names. His friend tried to display some magical powers such as "lighting a fire from a long distance" and "obtaining medicine from the air", but he failed to do any of them. He thought that it might have something to do with his presence, and so he left the scene. Sure enough, his friend then successfully performed the magical powers. So he curiously tried again and confirmed that magical powers could not be carried out in his presence. He could not help praising the Quan Yin Method, that it provides the best protection!

Return Of A Lost Sheep

This artist initiate-to-be was a typical northerner. He is not only fond of meat and alcohol, but frequently got blind drunk. Very often in his sleep he had nightmares of people attacking him, and he suffered greatly. Someone explained to him that it was the result of the karma he had accumulated from eating meat, and that he was being demanded in his dreams to repay his debts, to fulfill this retribution. From then on, he dared not eat meat any more. However, he still could not change his old habit of drinking.

His wife, an initiate, introduced him to Master's teachings. He could perceive a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere from Master's paintings. However, because they were distinctly different from his "defiant and shifting" style of painting, he feared that if he took initiation, his painting would have the same style as Master's. So he was reluctant to go any further.

One day, when his wife was troubled by not knowing what to do about his drinking problem, she put a Master's sample booklet under his pillow. A miracle happened. That night Master's manifestation form communicated with him. Since then he often asks Master many questions, all of which She has answered. He even learned about his affinities and the causes and effects of this life. It happened that the purpose of his present life was to follow Master and practice to attain a higher spiritual level. However, he forgot that purpose as he came down to this world. Due to his ignorance he created a lot of karma for himself, and his level dropped drastically. In his next life he would have to become a pig to pay off his karma. If he did not turn back and begin to practice in time, even Master could not help him.

This initiate-to-be was very grateful for Master's reminders, and vowed to become Her good instrument and disciple.

The Life Saver On Earth, The Living Quan Yin Boddhisattva

In sister Yang's kitchen hundreds of pieces of coal were stored. One day, as usual, after she took the unburned coal out of the stove, she went to visit her sister. At her sister's home, for no reason, she felt uneasy and cried continuously. She even felt in her heart that Master was saving her from some terrible things.

When she returned home, she found that all the coal was burning, but the house did not catch fire. What was most fortunate was that the several tanks of gas beside the burning coal were safe. Outside her house was a large public sink for washing hands, and if the gas tanks had caused an explosion, there could have been a fatal accident.

Sister Yang is very grateful to Master for saving her. She often heard other fellow practitioners talk about miraculous incidents, people walking away unhurt or even the car was not dented in traffic accidents. It is indeed very fortunate to have Master looking after everything in all respects.

Celebrating A Bumper Harvest

Master often looks after the fellow practitioners in need in their everyday life. As long as we are sincere, and we practice earnestly, Master will make the best arrangements for us.

Before a married couple received their initiation, when they began to be vegetarians and were awaiting initiation, they could not decide what kind of grain or vegetable they should grow. So they delayed planting for a month. Unexpectedly there was a flood disaster at the normal time of harvest, which led to a very poor harvest for everyone. However, the fellow practitioners' harvest was delayed, and hence not affected by the disaster. Not only they yielded a bumper harvest, but also sold it for a very good price. The money they made could last them for over a year. In their hearts they knew that Master had been silently looking after them even before they were initiated, so that they could practice with even more peace of mind.

In Shensi Province, a fellow initiate brought with him to a group meditation a few pieces of sweet-corn that had full round seeds kernels. He related the following story. He lived in a neighboring county near Xian, Shensi, where the weather is dry all year round. The harvests of the crops are usually poor due to the shortage of rainfall, and it was exceptionally bad this year. He decided to pray for rain, to improve the condition. So he prayed to Master sincerely, and began to meditate. A few hours later, it started to drizzle, and then the rain became heavier and heavier, so much so that the maize in the fields almost toppled. The odd thing was that every corn stock in the fellow practitioner's fields, which were scattered throughout the area, remained standing upright, receiving the blessings of the sweet rain. Lastly he happily told everyone, "Spiritual practice gives one the greatest Reward!"

Master "Appeared" And Saved Those With Affinity

Last year, there was a period of time when fellow practitioners in Mainland China frequently asked one another, "Is Master in China? Someone saw Her at Wu Tai Mountain!" Further investigations concluded that, this was another story of the appearance of Master's manifestation form!

This story turned out to be from a friend from inner Mongolia who made a pilgrimage to Wu Tai Mountain. He met a lady practitioner in a yellow robe. He was deeply impressed by Her dignified and solemn appearance. When he returned home, he happened to be given a sample booklet. The moment he saw Master's photograph on the cover, he told our fellow practitioner that he met Her at Wu Tai Mountain. So the message was promptly passed on from one fellow practitioner to another.

In Szechwan there was also a fellow initiate who ran into Master on the street. Master passed by him very quickly, giving him a bag of money for his travelling expenses and told him that he should go and take initiation. Another fellow practitioner, before he was initiated, also saw Master in the congregation at a temple. He saw Master appear as a nun, so dignified and holy, which deeply attracted his attention. So he watched Her without blinking for half an hour.

A fellow practitioner from a certain area also talked of the amusing incident about his initiation. One day, he received an anonymous cable instructing him to go quickly to a certain place and seek the Darhma. Although he was puzzled, he still hurried to the place. It turned out that it was the venue for an initiation session. Until now he still does not know who sent him that lucky cable. Maybe it was also one of Master's mysterious ways of saving sentient beings! o

You May Not Know

To Obey The Master Is Better Than Following The Teachings

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai in English,

at the Group Meditation in Melbourne, Australia March 13, 1993

To do everything for the Master, according to Indian philosophy, it's the highest attainment, it's the highest devotion, because sometimes we have different ideas about how to serve a Master. We think we do this and that and other. Actually we don't do what the Master requests us to do. But what is the problem in this? What is wrong with this that we don't do what the Master requests. Will we go to hell? No! We make the Master angry? No!

Maybe the Master pretends to be angry or scolds you or something like that. Or whatever way the Master uses is to open your understanding, let you know that in this situation where you are wrong? Try to teach you to become better next time. But the Master will not be truly angry inside. Just like loving parents never truly hate their children. They just, sometimes, pretend to smack their bottoms or scold them or give them some kind of reprimanding in order to rectify the children, so make them become better persons in the future. That's all. But parents always love children dearly.

Now, so why is it that if we don't obey the Master, that we are not a good disciple? Not because the Indian philosophy states so. We don't have to believe everything in the religious book. We don't have to believe it just because the Indian scripture says so or Krishna says so, or Buddha says so, or even the so called Master Ching Hai says so. But why? Why do we have to respect the Master and obey the Master all the time? Is that because the tradition says that if we don't obey the Master, we are no good? We are afraid of people who will say we are bad disciples? No! Because we have no more ego. Ah! That's it.

And that not just because Master says you have to obey the Master, so you do it blindly. It's just because your level is so high that it doesn't matter what Master says, you just take it as natural. That's okay. You have no more self. Yourself is so restrained, that you don't even have the ego anymore to argue with the Master. We have absolutely lost ourselves in the unity with the Master. Not because I say so, so you do it. It's just because at that moment your level is very high already, so you absolutely have no more discrimination what the Master says right or wrong, whatever she does right or wrong. You just know it's right, and according to the circumstances, you do it.

In that case, if the Master requests it and if it's truly necessary, you do it. That's the best practice. But in order to be able to do that, we have to have this high level. It's not that because I say you to do it, then tomorrow you do it. No, very seldom! You say, "Yes, yes! I understand. Everything I do whatever you say." And then tomorrow, "But that I won't do. That can't be..." Then your brain, your ego starts to confuse you, starts to make you trouble, because it's the habit, understand? Because since childhood we learned that this is no good, that is no good, and the Master is like this, the Master should be like that, the Master can not wear this, the Master can not speak like that. So when we are confronted with this similar situation, we immediately have this prejudice, this preconceived notion about what the Master should be or the Master should say or what anyone else should do and should say in such circumstances. But we don't consider the differences between the background.

Why do we absolutely obey the Master? Just because we are already in the high level, or at least we have trained ourselves, to restrain ourselves, ego self, until we reach that effortless self restraint, we don't restrain. We are self restrained, but we don't even make effort to do it. That's the best way. And then whenever we are confronted with any similar situation in life, we immediately have the correct answer from our wisdom. We have trained a new habit, that is very flexible. From previous life times and life after life, we have been trained in a very rigid framework, that whenever you see this, you do that.

So, to obey the Master doesn't mean always giving him a lot of food and making his house become a supermarket of all kinds of things, but to do what is requested, what is beneficial to the Master and for the whole mankind, because what benefits the Master will benefit the society, the human beings at large. We always have to be flexible in everything we do. That's why we obey the Master. Just because we want to be trained to be flexible. Understand what I mean? Not because any Master is so dictatorial that whatever Master says you have to do it. It's not true. Because our mind is so fixed in one direction or another, that the Master has great difficulty breaking it apart. And then to retrain us again to become very supple and easy to manage. So that's why the Zen masters or the masters of old, sometimes, they do something very sudden, or shout to your head, making you break your own thinking.

Only when we truly implicitly obey the Master then our mind becomes already very soft. And we can deal with all circumstance in true justice, and not with preconceived ideas, prejudices, because we are so used to flexibility, so used to all kinds of sudden changes, we are so used to immediate action, spontaneous action, not preconceived action. That's the best way.

Now for example, everyone says to you, "The water is very dangerous, don't jump in there. You'll get wet and you'll get probably drown..." But once we're trained, all the time, already, we have taken a few gulps of water, but then later we are not afraid of water anymore. When we jump into water, we know what to do. Right? Just because we have trained ourselves in a new habit.

Everything is a habit. We learn the way of wisdom is the way of flexibility. Learn to use your intuitive understanding for every dealing in life as well as in heaven. That's why we need to learn. Not that we don't know already. We know enough, but we don't know how to use it in a correct time.

An Unexpected Visit By An Honored Guest

By Resident Disciple Wu, Hsihu Center, Formosa

An attendant drove Master to Chiang Mai night market to buy some cloth. After driving a short distance, Master was recognized by the crowd, somehow the intensive campaigning of fellow initiates in putting up posters all over the city had taken effect. What followed was a traffic jam caused by the crowd trying to get near Master. The beautiful Master became the focus of the crowd in the streets.

Master, always being wholeheartedly courteous, immediately directed initiates to get lots of soft drinks and candies. She then personally gave them to everyone in the crowd, young and old. As they received the blessed food, all had big smiles on their faces like blooming flowers. Some asked Master to hold their hands and some asked Her to touch their heads to give them blessings. (Ah huh! Somehow they knew that such an opportunity was truly rare.) The atmosphere was fervent and joyous. Even observing foreign visitors seemed to have felt the atmosphere. One of them came up close to greet Master. When Master grabbed a whole handful of candies and stuck them in his large hands, he smiled widely with joy and repeatedly thanked Master.

Later Master praised the simple-minded and good-hearted Thai people. They know how to respect an enlightened Master, therefore they know to ask for blessings. Even though Master said that She wanted to buy some cloth, She actually created more opportunities for the sentient beings to establish good affinities with Her. Thai people are truly lucky!

While On The Path

A Precious Learning Experience In The kitchen At Hsihu Center

By Fellow Initiate Lu, Taoyuan, Formosa

Whenever I come to Hsihu Center, there is always a huge crowd. When the gong is struck at meal time in the morning, fellow initiates pull out of their bags the most useful gadget - their stainless steel cups, and proceed to the designated areas to enjoy the delicious food. Each time, just like the other fellow initiates, I would admire the hard work of the kitchen staff while enjoying the huge amounts of delicious gourmet prepared by them. Gradually, my curiosity got the best of me, I wondered how the staff did it, prepare so many delicious dishes for thousands of people in such a short time. As I watched the kitchen staff working hard, sacrificing their precious meditation time in order to prepare food for the fellow initiates while I roamed around leisurely with my steel cup, another thought began to stir within me...

Finally, I had a chance to actually work in the kitchen! It was during the recent three-day retreat, attended by several thousand people, in celebration of the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day". My participation in the kitchen not only satisfied my curiosity and learning desire, but it made me realize that the kitchen is an excellent environment for spiritual practice as well. In there, Master's Buddhist chanting tape continuously filled the air while more than ten fellow initiates worked at a table, attentively chopping vegetables. One by one, basketfuls of fresh fruit and vegetables were laid on the table, and after some preparation work, were quickly carried out in large containers. At the taps, the staff very quickly soaked the vegetables in salt water, and then after rinsing with fresh water, placed them in the baskets.

The cooks meticulously put the ingredients into huge woks, stirring with great effort until they became delicious dishes. Everyone recited the five names silently, no one talked or joked around. Only a few of the fellow initiates, who knew the menu, walked around and gave instructions. One by one, the delicious dishes were prepared, put into large containers, and carried to the designated serving areas to be enjoyed by the Bodhisattvas and Arhats (enlightened beings) who just came out of their blissful meditation. No one rushed to do all the work, yet no work was left undone; everything was completed in perfect harmony. Before the meal was over, the empty serving pots and utensils were carried back to the kitchen. There began the job of tidying up the kitchen, washing and drying, sweeping and washing the floor. Just as everyone finished his meal, all the cleaning jobs were done.

During the three-day retreat, although I did not have time to meditate for long periods of time, and at times fell asleep during the early morning meditation sessions because I was not used to physical labor, I gained a lot from a different perspective. I have always lived an easy and comfortable life; I have never been good at, nor interested in, doing housework. But now I have improved, and I have come to understand the reason why I have not been able to easily accept the services of others before; because I myself lacked the spirit to serve!

Actually, when I stepped into the kitchen and got involved in the busy, yet harmonious work, it never occurred to me that I was serving others. I only felt that I had found an excellent environment for spiritual practice. I have learned one more lesson. In there, I found wisdom and observed efficiency at work; moreover, I felt the love of the fellow working staff. o

Your Child Has Grown Up

By Fellow Initiate Bee, Taipei, Formosa

Before initiation, I had never met Master nor any of Her disciples in person. It was only by chance that I saw a video tape of Master giving a lecture on TV. When I first saw Master on the screen, I intuitively felt, "This person is very unusual. What does She have to say?" Who would ever expect that after a few minutes of listening, I would be so delighted. I had finally found a bosom friend. I wanted to follow Her. Master's teachings were so delicate and logical. Very rare! I especially respected Her for having the courage to talk about the Truth. Although I often had similar ideas, I kept them to myself; I didn't dare to speak out.

After initiation, I longed to see Her in person. Thank You, Master, for fulfilling my wish. I finally saw Master during the four-day retreat in Hawaii last year. Originally, I thought I would be satisfied, but that didn't happen; I missed Her even more. I wanted to see more of Her. It was not easy for me to wait until I saw Master again at the International 7-day Retreat in Formosa this year. When I saw Her, my heart cried out with its deepest feelings of admiration, "Oh Master! I miss You so much that my heart is broken in pieces!"

Master's delicate magnetic field received my longing call, and the night before She left Formosa, while strolling around and answering the questions of another initiate, by chance She stood in front of me for a long time. She even said, "Really? I'll let you see enough of me!" Her words were so full of love. My heart finally settled down. Since then I have been able to feel Master's spirit with me always. Actually, Master has never left me. I didn't feel Her presence before, only because I was at such a low level. Since then, I have been able to concentrate better on my work and integrate Master's teachings and ideals into my daily life. I can understand what Master said, "Love is not looking at each other in the eyes. Love is looking in the same direction."

This time when I knew Master was back in Formosa again, I was very glad, but unlike before, I was no longer unsettled or overly yearning for Her. I am happy that I have grown up! I hope I can handle directing myself from now on, learn my lessons well, and be a good disciple ready to contribute my share in working for Her ideals.

Poems

After Meeting Master

By Fellow Initiate Ha, San Jose, USA

(Originally in Au Lac Language)

Carelessly time passed.

Time went on endlessly.

Time, like a bouquet of colorful melodies,

At each step it twinkles.

At each drop it sparkles.

Universal space was so unknown;

Without meaning, empty and untouched.

Now,

Space embraces countless holy beings,

Angels and saints on their flights,

Full of treasures of light and love.

The green grass road sides were nothing but weeds.

Alive or dead year round unnoticed.

Now,

Grass is a friend, grass has a scent.

How loving and how sweet!

This worldly life was so complicated.

Anything could become an entanglement.

Now,

Everything is free from darkness.

Everything is peaceful and smooth.

Everything is shining with love and affection.

Creation

By Fellow Initiate Huang,

Kaohsiung, Formosa

Spring,

With the elegance of a dancer,

I greet You.

You lead me,

With graceful movements.

To bring about the splendor of spring.

Summer Day,

With the appearance of a painter,

I encounter You.

On the canvas of my empty heart,

You lightly stroke your colorful brush

And painted a picture of joy like the lotus flowers.

Autumn,

With the mood of a poet,

I converse with You.

In my nearly desolate field of a heart.

You nurture it with beautiful poems.

Through the sounds of mother nature.

Winter Night,

With the grace of a musician,

I envision,

In my tightly strung heart,

You reaching out with jade-like hands

Performing stunning music.

Hence,

Through the changes of the four seasons,

I finally understand,

You

Are Creation Itself.

Spot Light

To Be One With The Group

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai

in Los Angeles, USA, April 4, 1993

(Originally in Au Lac Language)

I have never thought of any center as mine. Not for a single minute, a second or even a tiny fraction of a second have I thought that. I was very happy for our fellow initiates every time we were able to buy a center. I regret that I do not have enough money to buy one for every location. However, in the last three, four years it has been better; we have been able to pay off many centers and do not have to pay any mortgages. You know that I don't like to have debts. If I died while still owing someone money, then I would have to come back to pay it, and that would be very tiresome! What I am saying is that you should make yourselves comfortable here, and consider me as one of you. Actually, I do not have any personal rights in this center, because I seldom stay here. You are the owners of the place. We do not have any possessions in this world; we only borrow them to use temporarily.

Life in America is not that easy, working hard everyday from sunup to sundown just to have a little extra. It can mean living on credit with debts to pay for 40 to 50 years. People live just to pay their debts, so life here is not at all what it was in Au Lac. Therefore many Au Lac people found it was difficult when they came here. Likewise this is true in spiritual practice, like when we've just joined a group, or even after a long time we find out there are different opinions because of different levels of understanding and misunderstanding. So before you misunderstand someone, or are ready to debate about something, you should consider whether you have understood correctly what the other person really meant, or whether what you are about to do is what the Master would want you to do. Constantly reflect on your inner self in order to get in touch with your inner wisdom. Your wisdom will not misguide you.

Why do other practicing groups have problems and obstacles? Because they forget to look at themselves, they forget to overcome their desires for fame and profit. Of course, for practitioners of the Quan Yin Method the desires for fame and profit becomes less and less, but a new practitioner may forget, because it's an old habit. So you have to remind each other. Most of the time, the opinions we carry on the outside, such as at work, are different from what we use in the practicing group. When we practice, the mundane outside opinions and working attitudes we bring into the center can sometimes cause conflicts among us.

For example, if some initiates haven't wanted you to work for the center, you get disappointed and upset, then leave saying that you can't practice. Your personal emotions are harming the whole group, or something like that. That is only one example, but you don't understand, and you are not open enough, then you stand there criticizing inside, "Why do they treat me that way? Is it because I am a newcomer to the group? Is it because I am not initiated yet that they treat me badly?"

Wherever we go, we have to act accordingly. Sometimes, perhaps it is because people hold separate meetings for particular members, and we aren't allowed to go inside. However, after a while they'll let us in. We shouldn't take that matter as a reason to complain. Wherever we go, we should respect the rights and customary rules of the organization.

Similarly, religious groups also have rules and regulations that help build cooperation, eliminate complications in their communal lives, and avoid wasting too much time. If within a group, everyone has the same ideal, compromises with each other, and serves with a noble ideal, then it would be very comfortable and pleasant. Once you step in you don't want to leave. You want to stay forever. (Everyone applauds.) So, I also feel very happy like you, seeing our group doing so well.

The greatest enemy our organization and we ourselves have is nothing but our ego, our own pride. Having others scold us or degrade us is not so important. We know that has nothing to do with us, so we can push it aside. However, if we cannot get rid of our ego and pride, it is difficult to cleanse them away, because they come from within, they are inner sicknesses. The sicknesses on the outside, physical things, are not a big deal, a little ointment and medicine can resolve the matter.

Many times, when we work for Master, even though we have not made any mistakes, but sometimes it is because of collective karma, we feel very heavy, and we don't know where this feeling has come from. We just feel very oppressed, unstable and disturbed, but we don't know why. At that time, we should pray to the Master inside to help us overcome our hardships. There is no other way. We should then meditate more, do more Quan Yin, and it'll be better. We will feel that all our questions have been answered.

We have to go to group meditation, so we have the chance to rub against each other. (Applause) In going to group meditation not only will we improve spiritually, but our personality will change. If there is no rubbing against each other, we will not know our sharp corners and our thorns, so we cannot change. After we interact with each other for a while, some conflicts will arise, and when we go home, we will think it over again, "Ah, I was wrong today." We will know, right? If we never face any challenges, how will we know how high our level of martial arts is? With no one to practice with, how will we know our own level? That's why we have to go to group meditation. Whoever goes to group meditation a lot will definitely improve. I see that very clearly. Do you? (Applause) Therefore, by practicing in our group, we improve not only spiritually, but also in our personality.

At the center, we have to help each other and divide the work. For instance, if all fellow initiates agree that a certain person has some skills, then request him to do some work in that area. If that person doesn't accept, then find someone else. We shouldn't fight with others to do the work. Fighting for the work even when we lack the skills will result in obstructions for everyone as a whole. We have to know our own potential and capability. If we have some talents, but no one knows, then volunteer: "Let me work for one or two months, and if you see that I can't do it, then choose someone else."

We always have to be like that. Understand? Don't always be fighting for the job and say, "This is my job. I've always done this. No one else may do it." Don't be like that. If we lack the skills, then step aside, because here we are working for the universe, for heaven sake, not to gain a little fame or to have satisfaction in our job. Doing it like that is creating karma for yourselves.

Yesterday, the driver said to me that sometimes during his meditation, he travels to a place where it is very bright. There, he saw a lot of sick people, some had lost their arms, some had lost their legs. Each of them had lost some part of their body. That means their body was not whole. He saw Master passing by this place to heal these suffering people one after another, and to see what She could do to save them or to take them out of this suffering place, to see if they could be useful doing some work. Because yesterday Master said that sometimes She goes to visit hell to look for those who have improved in order to bring them up, he asked whether that was the same case as what he had seen.

Taking this opportunity, I explained to him that the missing parts of their bodies represent the mistakes in their spiritual practice and the work they have done. They had made someone suffer in many previous lives or the last life. Since they had created suffering for someone, they must suffer the same and therefore their body was not whole. Actually, healing their body is done in the high realm and not down here. The bright place is where bright light is used to heal people with missing body parts. It takes a long time but eventually it will get better. Those who want to get healed faster would come down here and follow Master to work, using the merits that they earn to remedy their previous mistakes, and then their soul will come back as a whole again. That's all.

Therefore, when you work you are helping yourself, and not only for the public. When you are working not for reward, but only from love, then everything will go very smoothly. We need not worry that this work will bring benefit for us or for someone else. We only do because things need to be done at that moment. This way, we will feel that our spiritual life is improving day by day. We will have more endurance; the more we work, the more we offer, the faster we will improve. We don't need praise from anyone. We know this ourselves. We know this during meditation, right? If we sit there but there is no peacefulness inside, because of too much greed, anger and lust, then we know that we have not travelled very far. We know that we are still at the astral level. o

Special Reports

caption

1 Prisoners watching a video tape of Master's lecture.

2 At the Taipei Women's Prison, fellow initiates' open and sincere talks earned a resounding response from the inmates.

3 At Taoyuan Prison, Section chief Chiu introduces the purpose of our group's visit to the prisoners.

4 The gospel talk gathering at Tainan Prison.

5 A sister initiate, on the stage, is sharing with the prisoners her life experiences, before and after spiritual practice.

6 The enthusiastic scene of prisoners eagerly asking for Master's photos and necklaces right after the speech from initiates.

Series Of Activity Reports On

"Love Among Human Beings, Compassion On Earth"

A rehabilitation teacher at the prison told our fellow initiates, "One sentence spoken from you is far more powerful than ten or one hundred sentences spoken from us." The enthusiastic responses, clapping, laughing mixed with glittering teardrops, of the prisoners who were listening attentively below the stage made the fellow initiates visiting the prison look at one another understandingly. They thanked Master for Her blessings which had brought love and light to shine warmly and brightly in this dark corner of the world, and it had also ignited new hope in the prisoners' hearts.

Several years ago, like the timely rain, Master gave lectures all around Formosa. She visited the prisons in Ilan and Hualien to let the prisoners have a chance to listen to Her teachings. Master always reminds fellow initiates that those people locked in prisons are a group of the cleverest people, however they have no way to make use of their abilities and intelligence, and their power is not utilized in the right way. Therefore they are driven by circumstances and become the falling angels of our era. If their power could be redirected and fully utilized for practicing and helping society, their achievements and contributions would be immeasurable.

This time follow Her instruction, fellow initiates extended Master's tender loving care and encouragement to all the prisons. As Master's wished, it was arranged that some fellow initiates, who had been prisoners before, would tell their own experiences as examples to encourage fellow prisoners to take good care of themselves, to cherish and value this time to learn a special skill in order to serve themselves and others in the future. Fellow initiates also encouraged them with, everyone has God's nature inside, has the same glorious brightness. Any person who has found his true Self and his great wisdom within is a real person with freedom, only then will he be able to have eternal peace.

Report From Pusan, Korea

By The News Group, Pusan Center, Korea

Several Hundred Prisoners Sang A Song "Asking An Enlightened Master To Give A Dharma Talk"

It was a touching moment, when several hundred prisoners together sang a song "asking an enlightened Master to give a dharma talk". Our fellow initiates could feel the longing in their hearts for Master. We conveyed Master's care to them, and that even though Master couldn't come personally, Her love would always be with them. They then showed them a video of Master's lecture. They watched Master's video with sincerity and cherished looking at Master's sample booklet.

After watching the tapes when it was time for questions and answers, the prisoners asked without hesitation. Their questions included, "Is it possible to feel Master's grace twenty-four hours a day?", "How can we learn meditation?", "How can we get enlightenment?"..., etc.; their longing for Truth was so sincere.

One of the prisoner's said, "Several years ago, my wife mentioned to me that Master had come to Korea, but I couldn't meet Her as I was in prison. How fortunate that I can see Master's lecture today!" While we were leaving, we gave Master's lecture video tapes to the prison, hoping the prisoners would get some spiritual comfort from them.

We also had printed in Korean, in the newspaper which is read by the prisoners and those in correctional centers, Master's lecture entitled "Forgive Yourself" spoken at the Hindu Temple, San Francisco, U.S.A.. The newspaper was distributed to all the prisons in Korea. Some prisons even particularly requested us to send them Master's books and cassette tapes.

In the future, every center in Korea will continue to visit the prisons, bringing Master's love and care to the prisoners.

Report From Palawan, Philippines

By News Group, Palawan Center, Philippines

Prison Can Not Lock Up The Heart Of Freedom

In a Palawan Island prison in the Philippines, many people are waiting to practice the Quan Yin Method, in the hopes of being liberated in one life time. With Master's blessing power, a Quan Yin messenger, took every opportunity to help them learn the Convenient Method. Due to their deep sincerity for the Truth, their wish was finally fulfilled. They overcame their overcrowded and noisy environment, gathered together to meditate, and received a lot of inner experiences. Perhaps it is due to the fact that materially there is nothing worth clinging to, that they can persevere in concentrating their minds on spiritual practice without being lazy. Therefore God especially blesses and loves them.

The living conditions in the prison are quite difficult, yet they still continue to make all efforts to be vegetarian. A Quan Yin messenger often brings them vegetarian food and conveys Master's love. Master's books in the Filipino language and every issue of the News magazine are precious spiritual nourishment in prison. These sincere practitioners feel that having one of Master's elegant pictures is the highest gift and form of encouragement.

The inmates in the prison have the opportunity to listen to and share the blessing of Master's teachings, because of an Au Lac prisoner. This Au Lac inmate who was once a refugee, had the opportunity of meeting Master when She came to the Philippines to visit and console those refugees who wanted to commit suicide in their desperation for freedom. After that meeting, he contacted the Quan Yin messenger there, offering to help us spread Master's teachings and play Master's video tapes in the prison, so that these unfortunate people could receive Master's love. Even the workers in the prison ward and the warden came to see these lectures. They showed much love and respect toward Master.

Through Master's books and video tapes, the prisoners receive Her loving spiritual consolation. Presently many Filipinos in the prison have started to become vegetarians and practice the Convenient Method. These pure hearted and sincere people have very good inner experiences, and are extremely grateful to Master.

Report On Taipei Penitentiary, Formosa

By The News Group, Taipei Center

The Return Of

The Prodigal Son Is More Precious Than Gold

One afternoon in early winter, a group of fellow initiates drove to the Taipei Penitentiary on Turtle Mountain to convey Master's care and teachings. Master's love dissolved the wall between the inmates and the initiates within a few hours of the visit. The inmates were deeply touched and responded with enthusiasm creating a friendly atmosphere.

Among the group of visitors, initiate brother Wu, an ex-prisoner, described to the male inmates how he changed his bad behavior into good and his experiences in attaining a new life by following Master to practice spiritually. His wife, sister initiate Huang, talked to the female inmates about her own difficulties in life and how she walked out of the darkness into the brightness of a new life with the strength of Master. Their open and sincere talks gave great encouragement and earned a resounding response from the inmates.

The journey through which brother Wu found his spiritual path was a very unusual one. He was imprisoned for manslaughter when he was nineteen years old. For more than ten years, he was in various prisons. When he got out, he operated a gambling establishment and lived an indulgent life style. He was listed as a super vagabond by the police department, and had to deal with the fair-weather friends of the underground society, the gamblers, the police and his subordinates each day. The difficulties of helplessness and the pressures could not be understood by the outsiders. He no longer had any choice once he became involved in this type of business.

Because of the great pressures of his reckless life style over such a long period of time, his whole body became seriously ill. His doctor declared that he had less than one year to live. At this point, he began to think about the true meaning of life. He thought about what he had gotten out of his life. What had he left? Under the advice of a good friend, he began to visit Buddhist temples to pray for blessings and worship the Buddha in search of some peace of mind. Once in his dreams, Buddha told him to search for a living Buddha, a female master from abroad.

His affinity with Master was ripe. After being invited many times by his wife, an initiate, he went with curiosity to one of Master's lectures. In the first lecture, he saw Master manifest as five golden ancient Buddhas. He was in great shock. His dream was verified. He began paying full attention to Master's speech. He followed Master all over Formosa attending many more lectures. Finally, he surrendered under Master's perfect wisdom and eloquence. Master's infinite compassion for sentient beings deeply touched him and awakened his soul's longing for liberation.

However, he wasn't sure if a sinner like him was worthy of being Master's disciple. He didn't dare to register for initiation. Instead, he wrote a note to Master, asking sincerely, "Would You initiate a sinner like me?" Master answered without any hesitation, "No problem! As long as you truly reform your behavior, follow the five precepts, and be a good person after initiation. The merits of meditation can cleanse the karma accumulated in many life times." From then on, because of Master's compassion, this "Big Brother of the gangsters" became one in the circle of saintly spiritual practitioners.

A Bridge Built By Our Mutual Love

As brother Wu, spoke with fervor and assurance, describing his various feelings of the journey in his heart, the inmates gradually dropped their defensive shields. Similar encounters and experiences, echoed like voices in their hearts; all the inmates listening to him attentively had shared the same feelings. As brother Wu talked about how he got initiated and all the wonderful experiences and incredible changes that took place after initiation, the inmates became very interested.

Then, brother Wu explained the harmful effect of drugs, to an individual, to the family and to the society as a whole. He sincerely advised the inmates not to try using drugs out of curiosity and those who were already addicted must think of a way to rid themselves of this addiction. His sincerity touched all the inmates; they responded with loud applause.

After he spoke, the Quan Yin messengers explained Master's teachings, the requirements for initiation and the benefits of practicing the Quan Yin Method. They encouraged the inmates to find time to meditate and to learn a skill so that when they were release, they would be able to earn a living. If they encountered any questions regarding spiritual practice, they were welcome to write to Miaoli Center. Their letters would have priority in being answered.

Some inmates asked questions about spiritual practice. Some eagerly registered to learn the Convenient Method. Master gave special permission for those in prison who wished to follow the spiritual path to learn the Convenient Method to be able to do so immediately on that day. This shows Master's love and concern for the inmates.

When the lecture concluded, there was continuous applause, indicating their approval and trust. It was very touching when some of them came over to help our working staff pack up before leaving, trying to take advantage of the precious time together to learn more about Master and spiritual practice. The prison supervisors were very grateful for our visit. They also confirmed Master's positive influence on the inmates.

A Witness Of God's Love

Through Master's love and concern in the process of our visit to the prison, we saw the attitude of these inmates change from distrust to open heartedness. By the time we left them, they were even unwilling to let us go. This great change was the visible work of God's love. Master's loving care brought the rare message of liberation to those who needed genuine hope and had real longing. We believe that as long as we continue our work with sincerity and faith, it will be helpful to many others who have temporarily misused their intelligence and have found themselves in trouble with the law.

Through this visit, Master let us see the other side of love and Truth. She also let us realize that the ignorant and unenlightened mind is the true prison, the true life-time sentence.

The visits to the prisons will continue. Master's love and the Truth of the universe will also continue to flow to all those who yearn for it.

Report On Taoyuan Prison, Formosa

By The News Group, Taoyuan Center

Learning A Lesson

For Oneself!

We received Master's instructions that all centers should visit the prisons to spread the Truth, but due to the working habits of the mundane world and the lack of confidence, we judged the difficulties of the task before any actual attempt. As a result, nothing was accomplished. Later, some fellow initiates mentioned, "Why not look in the phone directory and contact the prisons directly?" This one sentence awakened our narrow-mindedness. After we made some contacts by telephone, in one day, we gathered a lot of the information about the various prisons, and received positive responses.

Our first stop in spreading the Truth was Taoyuan Prison. Mr. Chiu, a section chief of the prison, told us that the crime rate in our society is rising sharply everyday. Because rehabilitative manpower in prisons is not sufficient, they really need help from the public, and he hoped that we could start with the prevention of drug addiction and giving the inmates a clear view of life so that they could benefit themselves in a concrete way.

After passing through a series of iron gates we came to an auditorium in one of the men's wards. We could see that the inmates were looking at us curiously, kind of helpless and with resisting eyes. However, with Master's blessing and the inner sincerity of the fellow initiate who spoke, the inmates began to feel more open in Master's boundless love and started to listen more attentively. Eventually they set aside their inner doubts and the barriers came down dissolving the distances among one another.

At the conclusion of the talk, unexpectedly, two-thirds of the inmates registered to learn the Convenient Method! As we were leaving, Mr. Chiu said surprisingly, "It's very hard to believe that the inmates were willing to meditate with you for such a long time." Under the shower of Master's saintly love, even plants and stones feel it, not to mention these human beings who have blood and can cry.

The next day, we went to another section of the prison, a woman's ward, where the inmates sang a 'Welcome Song' to greet us. Fellow initiates, spoke respectively, from the experience of a reborn ex-prisoner and the point of view of a doctor, on the negative effects of drugs to the human body, and the benefits of practicing the Quan Yin Method. It was a very moving scene, both the audience off the stage and the speaking initiates on the stage laughing and crying in unison. The female inmates were also as eager as the male inmates to learn the Convenient Method.

Because documents are delivered from one ward to another in person in the prison, the news of our preaching in the wards was widely spread. When some female inmates doing the delivering met our fellow initiates in the prison, they hoped that we would visit their wards too. They said that they had read Master's books and hoped to be initiated and become our fellow initiates soon.

In the process of preparing to bring Master's teachings to the prisons, we went through many tests. We are grateful to Master, for letting us experience the real life situations so as to let us measure our growth in spiritual practice. From it we have truly realized that while doing Master's work we should break free of our own habits of worrying and aloofness due to fear; we should be fully prepared to act under any circumstances; we should have the attitude of cautiousness but without anxiety over the job's success or failure; we should continuously coordinate and communicate with each other but without depending on others.

Every assignment instructed by Master is full of Her unlimited love in disguise, and is also intended to help the disciples in their spiritual practice. We have, through this activity, allowed our spiritual practice to progress further. The most important thing in these prisons is that the seeds of spiritual practice have been sown because of Master's omnipresent power of love.

Report On Tainan Prison, Formosa

By The News Group, Tainan Center

A Would-be Initiate Sheds Tears Of Happiness

Fellow initiates gave a lecture at the Tainan Prison. After giving an excellent testimonial, they especially allowed some time for inmates to ask questions concerning spiritual practice. Two of them raised their hands and asked for initiation. One was so touched that tears fell from his cheeks and he could not speak. After being comforted by the Quan Yin messengers, he calmed down, and then he told the moving story of his search for the Truth.

He had been in prison for several years. Before that, he had attended Master's lecture in Tainan. At that time he didn't perceive the ephemeral nature of life, and did not take the opportunity to get initiated. While in prison, his heart was filled with misery. He wrote to Master and asked Her to initiate him in prison. However, Master couldn't initiated him in private because the conditions in prison did not allow it. To comfort him, Master sent Her love in a letter, teaching him the Convenient Method, with the hopes that he would practice diligently while serving his prison term. He had been keeping a vegetarian diet for several years and had obtained good experiences in practicing the Convenient Method; he had communicated with the inner Master all the time. Still, he longed for the initiation and to practice the supreme method that would give him eternal liberation.

Miraculously, even though there were several thousand inmates in the Tainan Prison, only a few hundred were arranged to attend the event that day, and the probability was very small that this prisoner, wishing to be initiated, would be among the few arranged to be present at the meeting with the Quan Yin messengers and fellow initiates. Master's power arranged everything perfectly to satisfy his soul's longing. As for the fellow initiates, it was quite an emotional experience to see the suffering of a would-be initiate in prison. They could better understand that whatever Master instructed them to do, was all in response to the longing of the sentient beings; and no delay and laziness should be tolerated.

The Tainan Detention Center

A fellow initiate who works at Tainan Detention Center had turned into a different person ever since he got initiated. He used to smoke, drink, and socialize constantly after work. Now, he goes home right after work and immediately after dinner goes into his room to meditate.

Because he is the only initiate at work, he has no one to share all the happiness and experiences with. Daily, he has to face the prisoners, carrying heavy burdens in their minds. Besides often introducing Master and the Quan Yin Method to the inmates, he prays to Master to add some initiates to his work environment. Recently, when he was checking the prison cells, he discovered that some prisoners had started worshipping Master's sample booklets. Since Master instructed fellow initiates to send love to the prisons, the Tainan Detention Center has been under the illuminating light of God. Some have already started practicing the Convenient Method. It seems his wishes will come true very soon.

A Visit To Min-te, An Open Detention Center

Min-te Detention Center is situated in a mountain village in Tainan County. The scenery is beautiful. The red-tiled roofs of the Fu Kien style buildings, surrounded by the rolling mountains, look so simple and tranquil, a paradise away from the hectic world. It gave us the feeling that this is a good place for spiritual practice. Although there are some prisoners serving life sentences there, it is usually only those with good behavior that are sent there. Apart from the difference in uniforms they wear, it is hard to tell the prisoners from the workers.

We came to Min-te Open Detention Center to arrange a gospel talk. We talked with a man in the rehabilitation section about the concepts and understandings of spiritual practicing for a while and discovered that he was one of the prisoners. He had read almost every one of Master's News magazines, of which a few dozens are sent there each month. He hoped that we would be able to give them Master's cassette tapes, to share amongst themselves, to learn more about Master's teachings. Fellow initiates looked around this tranquil place once more and jokingly said, "If the few hundred people here all practice the Quan Yin Method, Min-te Open Detention Center would then become 'Min-te Meditation Center'!"

Report On Kaohsiung Prison, Formosa

By The News Group, Kao-Ping Center

We Are All God's Children

When Master compassionately requested every center to try their best to extend loving care to the prisoners, we all knew Master was preparing a completely new lesson for us to learn.

Kaohsiung Prison is classified as a grade one prison; half of the prisoners are repeat convicts or felons. At present, there are several thousand prisoners in the jail. After fellow initiates had drafted a request document and paid a visit to the warden of the prison, expressing Master Ching Hai's care to the prisoners, the warden enthusiastically invited fellow initiates from our center to visit the prison and spread Master's teachings.

Beginning the session that day, the liaison fellow practitioner brother Su first told the story of his initiation with Master Ching Hai. His humorous and interesting talk brightened the dull atmosphere in there. Master's lecture video tape "Meditation Is The Source Of Love" was then shown. Master mentioned practicing the Convenient Method of meditation. She said, "If we can meditate everyday for a while, in the morning and in the evening, it will make our souls feel relax and free." At that time, almost all the convicts present really paid attention to Master's talk. (Strangely enough, even those who fell asleep woke up!) Mr. Xia, a rehabilitation teacher, even took the initiative to ask questions and hoped to know more about "meditation" and the "Quan Yin Method".

After that, a sister initiate came up to the stage to tell her life story. She frankly, sincerely and bravely shared all her experiences with the convicts, mentioning that she has walked the same road that every convict has gone through, she has felt the pain that they all have undergone, to encourage them.

She disclosed her unpleasant experiences while she was being wean-off drugs. Later with the help and encouragement of the fellow initiates, she luckily went to Miaoli to see Master, begging Master on her knees for initiation. From then on, Master's positive compassionate power changed her escaping and suicidal tendencies, enabling her to face her life in prison bravely. Moreover, through Master's wonderful meticulous arrangements, she gained more and better care. Because of Master, her dark life completely changed to brightness. So she encouraged all the convicts to open their hearts to welcome Master just as she had done, and let Master bestow a new life on them.

After the sister's story, many of those present sharing the same feelings shed tears. Fellow initiates joyfully understood the reason why Master had instructed them to do this project. They realized that in the eyes of God, everyone is the same. Everyone is God's child, the most pure, the most benign, the most bright.

An Opportunity For Self Development

Following the project of spreading Master's teachings in the Kaohsiung Prison, the fellow initiates from Kao-Ping Center set off again to visit the inmates in the "Kaohsiung Detention Center", located in Yenchao Village, Kaohsiung. That day, the Judicial Chief of Administration happened to be there on an inspection tour of the south. Chief Ma repeatedly expressed his admiration and gratitude towards the Supreme Master Ching Hai; due to Her loving concern for the spiritual needs of the inmates, She has instructed Her disciples to visit the prisons.

Most of the inmates in the center were being held there awaiting trial and sentencing. They appeared very emotional because they were terrified. Many felt so inferior that they had already given up hope. They appeared to be very unstable. Some were so scared that they committed suicide even before they were sentenced. Inspector Shih was in charge of keeping order and rehabilitation. "At times, we instruct them to meditate for a few minutes before bedtime," he said, "so as to help them steady their nerves." He welcomed us to teach the inmates the correct method of meditation that would benefit them. Of course, Master already knew this and that's why she had instructed all centers to carry out this project. Through meditation, Master blesses them with love and comforts their injured souls.

Inspector Shih said, "The prisoners are the outcasts of society." He was glad that the government was sincerely concerned about the prisoners, providing their living and material needs. On the other hand, society needs spiritual organizations like "The International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations" to care about the prisoners' spiritual longings, and to help give them the courage to establish a new life. If the prisoners become lawful citizens after their release, it is a blessing for society and for the nation as well.

During our visit, a fellow initiate introduced Master and the "Quan Yin Method". We then watched a video of Master's lecture together with the several hundred inmates there. We encouraged them to purify and uplift themselves and recognize their perfect inner Self through meditation, since only the love derived from meditation can change the outer habits. Through God's love radiating from within, we can truly benefit our family and society, and contribute to our country.

Fellow initiate Wu talked about his personal experiences and vividly described his life experiences before and after practicing spiritually. He encouraged the inmates to treasure and love themselves, to be drug free, to be at ease and confidently embrace their new life after their release.

The entire visit was filled with Master's loving and humorous words, and the sincere encouragement of the fellow initiates. The atmosphere was very lively yet relaxed, and it seemed that no one fell asleep. Inspector Shih said, "This is really a rare phenomena!" Afterwards, fellow initiates gave Master's books as gifts to the detention center. The photos of Master, pendants, bracelets, sample booklets and magazines, etc. that were brought, were eagerly and warmly received by the inmates. Watching how happily they accepted the gifts and their longing expressions, fellow initiates then took off the pins with Master's photo that they were wearing to give to the inmates. Fellow initiates also left the poster sized photo of Master, that they used to decorate the room, to be put up in a common area in the prison.

As we watched the prisoners reveal their inner emotions like innocent children, we realized more fully that everything Master instructs us to do always carries immense and profound meaning - other people's happiness is our happiness! o

Fellow Initiate's Heartfelt Words

The Suffering Has Not Been In Vain!

Narrated By Sister Initiate Huang, Miaoli, Formosa

Recorded By A Resident Disciple, Hsihu Center, Miaoli, Formosa

Being the wife of a rascal who was also a big brother of an underworld society (mafia ring), there was nothing luxurious and honorable in her daily life, and no happiness either. There were only senseless beatings, verbal humiliation and endless pain. In her despair, the Buddha and Bodhisattvas opened a window in her heart - to learn Buddhist teachings to seek peace of mind. At long last, she learned of Master and the Quan Yin Method. Like being born again, her life had new meaning and vitality, which also brought new changes to her family life. Her innocent heart full of gratitude and thankful words can be condensed into these few sentences, "Even though I have been suffering half of my life, it has reminded me to seek the Truth, and has also brought me to Master. The suffering has not been in vain!"

The Change Of Karma Depends On An Enlightened Master

The father and brothers of sister initiate Huang are all good examples of family men who take good care of their families and neither smoke nor drink. So, since young, she has always looked down upon and has been angry with those indulging in smoking or alcohol. But God's arrangement always astounds people. Looking back on her past sorrowful times, she said softly and smilingly, "Maybe it is karma! You simply have to encounter the kind of people you used to laugh at. Luckily I have the affinity to meet an enlightened Master so that the karma can be changed. Otherwise, I don't know for how long I would have had to be tortured!"

Why A Master Is Needed In Studying Buddhist Teachings?

During those days, sister Huang had tried, until she no longer had any tears left, all good words when talking to her husband. In her despair, she started to concentrate on Buddhist chanting and worshipping. She went every morning and evening to a nearby temple to practice and was never absent from any of the early morning chanting sessions. In this way, she put her mind at rest. Although frequently, someone would try to persuade her to worship this or that master, she was never enthusiastic, because in her heart she said to herself, "I am chanting and worshipping Buddha the same way as they are. Why should I worship them as a master?"

God Has love For The Benign People

In trying to encourage her to attend Master's lecture, once a Buddhist friend told her, "There is an Au Lac female Master. Her eyes emit light when She gives a lecture!" She still didn't quite believe it. However, everything was so coincidentally and smoothly arranged. On that day, someone drove her to the lecture hall. Though she did not understand what Master was saying, in her heart she could feel that this Master was really different. When she applied for initiation, someone took the initiative to help her fill in the forms as she is illiterate. As her relationship with Master was formed, her fate was also changed.

After initiation, though she was not well acquainted with the teachings, she practiced meditation diligently. Extraordinary events gradually happened making her firmly believe that Master truly has power. Firstly, Master healed her hand problem; her right wrist, which was injured after being beaten by her husband, had always been very weak. Once during meditation, she heard cracking sounds from her wrist. It was also a bit painful. Surprisingly, the next day, her right hand could move at will and it has gradually become stronger and stronger. Also, when she went to the group meditation for the first time by herself, she did not know the address and was unfamiliar with the surroundings. Coincidentally, she met someone to show her the way on the bus. She believes that Master had been silently taking care of her all along.

Another time, during meditation, the inner Master gave her a handful of blessed popcorn. She had remembered Master saying that if you eat one piece of popcorn it is already enough. But why did Master give her a handful? The outcome was that, that night her husband came home drunk. He beat her up and kicked her without even a word said, but she didn't feel any pain at all. She knew Master was protecting her again. She was grateful and ashamed that her own misfortune had affected Master.

Since then, she has been following Master wholeheartedly. She has been more attentive and sincere in her meditation, often enjoying the inner bliss. When she attended Master's talks, she always had them audio-recorded. When she returned home, she would immediately ask somebody to translate it into the local Formosan dialect. She said happily, "It was strange that when I listened to Master's words I could not understand, but if there were parts that concerned me or if there were answers to what I wanted to know, then I could understand. Master said that the lectures are for the soul. That is indeed true!"

New Lessons In Life

She was very reluctant in her heart to give talk at the female prison this time. She was willing to do anything except to give a talk. However, it was difficult not to comply with Master's instructions, so she followed the request. Regardless if her talk was good or bad, it was Master's arrangement. She only hoped the sisters in the prison would accept and benefit from her words, which may be helpful to their lives.

She could not sleep as the time of the talk approached. For a few days, she meditated all night. She could also feel Master's blessing. Thus, even though she was still nervous, she was not as frightened as before. That day, she shared her heartfelt feelings, in a local Formosan dialect: how she overcame her suffering, the physical and mental benefits of spiritual practice, why the more she practiced, the more happy, contented and secured she felt... It was all because Master had always accompanied her on the road of her life. She also wished the sisters in prison could find eternal peace and happiness like her.

After finishing the talk, the first she had ever done in her life, she felt relieved as if a stone has been removed. Life then returned to its usual quiet and calm. There maybe more "first times" waiting for her in the future. After this lesson, she feels she can face anything in life with more confidence and flexibility.

Invitations

One Heart - Universal Wish

After Master completed Her lecture tour in Thailand, She agreed to go to Singapore to spread the Truth in response to the sincere prayers of the initiates there. Meanwhile, invitation letters from all over the world started to pour in like falling snow flakes asking for Master's visit and lectures. So far invitations have been received from the following countries: South Africa, Hong Kong, Formosa, Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, England, Germany, France, Austria, Spain, Hungary, Holland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Ukraine, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Russia and Vienna International Centre Esoteric Society. A total of 36 countries and 46 localities have sent invitations to Master. Their longing for Master's presence and the Truth is very touching. This issue prints a few representing letters.

Mexico

20 November, 1994 (Originally in Spanish)

Dear Venerable Master,

We wish You good health! First of all, we are extremely grateful to You for sharing Your wisdom with us. Through Your lectures, we can better understand the path of spiritual practice, which leads us back to our Father in Heaven. This is the longing of all human beings. It would be most fortunate for us if you would set foot in Mexico again.

We are sincerely anticipating Your arrival. Please remember to put down our earnest invitation in Your pocket diary. We are always ready, and awaiting Your reply.

Please let us present to You our infinite love and gratefulness.

Formosa

9 December, 1994

To Our Most Venerable Master,

Wishing You good health!

Formosa has been most fortunate, being the first place on Earth to be illuminated by Your divine light. Under Your love and care, tens of thousands of fellow initiates are practicing diligently, following Your teachings. However, there are even more lost beings longing for Your divine light to come again, to rekindle their long dried souls, and give them new life.

All the fellow practitioners and Truth aspirants in Formosa sincerely beseech You to come and give lectures, thus opening the gate of Truth for these innumerable lost beings, bringing their souls back to the homeland.

The sincere invitation from all the fellow practitioners and Truth aspirants in Formosa.

Brazil

23 November 1994

Dear Master,

It is a great blessing for the souls in the universe to have an enlightened Master living on earth. For an enlightened Master to grace a place, the people there must have even greater blessing.

Brazilians are optimistic and contended. They have always believed that their country is the most fortunate land in the world and they themselves are the happy children of God. People often say that God is Brazilian. However, not long ago the table turned. Now people often say that God has immigrated to Europe and North America!

The fellow practitioners in Brazil cannot bear to see their brothers' and sisters' suffering, so they have vowed to "invite" their "God" back for them.

Our compassionate Master, please do not forget Brazil if You do make a trip to South America. Fellow practitioners in Belem, in the northern province of Para, and friends in the Republic of Paraguay enthusiastically support the Sao Paulo Branch Center, and preparations are being made in earnest in these places to invite You to give lectures there.

We sincerely wish that the kind people of Brazil will be able to have such good fortune.

Wishing You, Master, the best of health.

Respectfully Yours,

All the disciples in Brazil.

Aphorisms

Persistent Optimism In Adversity

By The Supreme Master Ching Hai

Since ancient times, all great spiritual practitioners, great kings, and great men have succeeded through perseverance. They did not succeed in an instant. Therefore, when we encounter difficulties, we ought to thank the Creator, God Almighty for giving us the opportunity to discipline our patience.

No matter what situation we are in, we must look on the bright side. Look at the optimistic side. Don't pick on the little things. We should turn the undesirable situation into one that will benefit us.

Even though we live in a place where there is no freedom, but if our hearts are filled with happiness and satisfaction, obtaining the inner source of happiness, then we are truly free.

There is a kind of freedom, which, once we have obtained, no one can tempt away from us nor can anyone destroy it. This kind of spiritual freedom can only be achieved by spiritual practitioners. Once we have this kind of freedom, even if our bodies are confined or tortured, our spirits will not be affected.

Nothing is truly difficult. It depends on whether we want to change ourselves, to recognize honestly which are the good qualities in us and which are deceiving and harmful to us. We have to be honest with ourselves because no one can tell us. Even though we know, but if we are too stubborn or too lazy to change, or too concerned about our image to admit and correct the fault, then it will bring a lot of trouble.

It is enough for us if everything we do is from inside and we know our own nature and standpoint. We should not imitate others.

Every time we extend loving kindness, tolerance and understanding to others, at that time we create heaven. (Originally in English)

A Child's Letter

Dear (Uncle and Auntie) Editors,

How do you do? I am a sixth grade pupil at the Sholang Elementary School in Taipei County. I would like to have my composition published in Master's monthly magazine. This article and person have already been honoured by our school under "Good Persons and Good Deeds", but I am especially hoping that it can be published in Master's monthly magazine. Please give me a chance.

Thank you!

Wishing you all the best!

Love

Although she is approaching fifty years of age, she still looks young and pretty, because love vibrates in her heart, love dances on her eyebrows, love shines in her eyes, love shows at the corners of her mouth. Because she is so full of love, she treats us little rascals like her own. She respects us like little Buddhas. She does not like physical punishment. She always forgives our mistakes with great magnanimity. She gently tells us stories about Buddhism, opening our wisdom towards goodness. She is our light - Ms. Huang.

Because she has such boundless love, besides taking care of us, she has also adopted a handicapped pupil, who needs her care even more. Without preconditions, she offers her spiritual support, as well as helping generously financially. She is neither afraid of fatigue, nor trouble. She keeps her promise of bringing two to three pupils to visit the handicapped child each week and at the same time, she gives us a chance to develop our loving hearts, hoping that we will recognize how fortunate we are, appreciate it, and bring it to others.

She follows Master's teachings strictly. She spreads love and care to every corner of the world. She is a lovable Quan Yin messenger. Our entire class love her very much and wish her happiness and success in her spiritual journey.

By Student Chen Shin Yu

The Latest Video Tapes Of
The Supreme Master Ching Hai
(In English)

A Happy Life Is The Best Gift To Master (I, II) Group Meditation In Hawaii, USA
September 4, 1994

Be Your Own Master (I, II)
Group Meditation At Austin Ashram, Texas, USA August 27, 1994

The Power Of Thought
Group Mediation In Houston, Texas, USA November 13, 1993

Love Is The Only Religion
An Interview With The Supreme Master Ching Hai At The Quan Yin Restaurant, Houston, Texas, USA November 14,1993

The Work Of A Master
Group Meditation In Houston, Texas, USA November 13, 1993

Love Is The Greatest Law In The Universe Lecture At Amara Hotel, Singapore
September 26, 1994

The Different Aspects Of God
Lecture At Amare Hotel, Singapore
September 27,1994

Zen Tales - A Ghost Story
Group Meditation In Austin Ashram, Texas, USA August 14, 1994

The Saintly Standard
Group Meditation In New York, USA
June 20, 1994

(In English & Chinese)

International Human Rights Conference (I, II) Taipei International Convention Center, Formosa May 25, 1994

(In English With Chinese Subtitles)

All Masters Are One
Group Meditation In Singapore
March 6, 1993

Heaven's Perfect Being
Group Meditation In Montreal, Canada April 18, 1993

Forgive Yourself
Lecture At Fremont Hindu Temple, CA, USA November 25, 1993

(In English With Au Lac Subtitles)

You Are The Supreme Master
Lecture In Brisbane, Australia
March 20, 1993

(In English With Korean Interpretation And Chinese Subtitles)

Forsake The Ego For The Benefit Of People

The Latest Audio Tapes Of
The Supreme Master Ching Hai

(In English)

E42
The Power Of Thought (I, II)
Group Mediation In Houston, Texas, USA November 13, 1993

The Work Of A Master (I, II)
Group Meditation In Houston, Texas, USA November 13, 1993

Love Is The Only Religion
An Interview With The Supreme Master Ching Hai At The Quan Yin Restaurant, Houston, Texas,USA November 14,1993

E43
Mistake Is The Mother Of Perfection (I, II) Group Meditation In Seoul, Korea
April 15, 1994

Believe In Yourself
Group Meditation In Seoul, Korea
April 16, 1994

Zen Tales - A Ghost Story
Group Meditation In Austin Ashram, Texas, USA August 14, 1994

E44
There Is No Difference Between Us (I, II) Group Meditation At Austin Ashram, Texas, USA August 20, 1994

Be Your Own Master (I, II III IV)
Group Meditation At Austin Ashram, Texas, USA August 27, 1994

(In Chinese)

CR13
Special collection -
3-Day Retreat At Tien Shan Ashram, Hong Kong

All Beings Are Born Equal
April 1-2, 1994

The Fish Selling Story (I, II)
April 3, 1994

The Year Of Dogs - Stories For Children April 4, 1994

Group Meditation In Pusan Center, Korean May 14, 1993

(In English With Portuguese Interpretation And Chinese Subtitles)

Where The Inner Peace Comes From
Lecture In San Paulo, Brasil
November 11, 1989

(In English With German Subtitles)

The Mystery Of The World Beyond
Lecture In United Nations In New York, USA June 26, 1992

Leading The World Into A New Era
Group Meditation In Hsihu Center, Formosa April 10/May 8, 1992

You Are The Supreme Master
Lecture In Brisbane, Australia
March 20, 1993

Let Peace Begin With Us
Lecture In Penang, Malaysia
October 1, 1989

The Way To Reach God-Realization Levels Is To Find Your Inner Master
Lecture In Boulder, Colorado, USA
March 9, 1991

(In English With Spanish Interpretation And German Subtitles)

Some Truth About Buddha, Jesus Christ And The Real Enlightened Master
Group Meditation In Costa Rica
June 2, 1991

(In English With Portuguese Subtitles)

The Mystery Of The World Beyond
Lecture In United Nations In New York, USA June 26, 1992

Find Your Inner Master To Realize God Lecture In Boulder, Co, USA
March 9, 1991

(In Au Lac)

The Correct Conception Of The Spiritual Practice Group Meditation In Cambodia
October 21, 1994

(In Chinese)

The Earnest Benevolent Prince (I)
Ching Hai Day Three-Day Retreat
At Hsihu Ashram, Formosa
October 23-25, 1994

Anniversary Celebration For Ching Hai Day (II) Ching Hai Day Three-Day Retreat
At Hsihu Ashram, Formosa
October 23-15, 1994

The Story Of Cats
At Tien Shan Ashram, Hong Kong
May 12, 1994



Front Line

The Prosperous Spiritual Season

By Fellow Initiate Chung, London, Canada

In late autumn, October, red maple leaves cover the entire city of London, which is located in the southwestern part of the province of Ontario, Canada. The cool autumn wind also brings spiritual messages to this "city of forests." Fellow initiates from the London Meditation Center participated, for the first time, in the annual "Holistic Health Fair" and organized discussion sessions on the Quan Yin Method at a local university.

The Holistic Health Fair

The day before the fair, fellow initiates, who came to help from Toronto and Buffalo, N.Y., USA, had a one-day retreat with us. Early the next morning, all initiates, filled with Master's blessings and love, came to the venue to decorate and arrange the display items. The visitors were mostly vegetarians and spiritual practitioners. When they saw Master's poster-sized photographs and sample booklets, they, one after another, stopped and asked, "Who is Master?" "What is the Quan Yin Method?" The amazing thing was that several visitors simultaneously talked about their remarkable experiences: A few days ago, they all naturally had a strong urge to search for an enlightened master. And today, the enlightened Master appeared. What a coincidence!

A gentleman took a sample booklet for his daughter. He read it during his lunch break and liked it very much. He then came back and took another one for his granddaughter. A little boy, reluctant to leave, stood in front of the TV screen watching Master's video tape for a long time. Later, he brought his mother to watch the video tape with him. A frequently asked question was, "When is Master coming to London?"

At the fair we also handed out invitation cards to the visitors, inviting them to attend the introductory and discussion sessions on the Quan Yin Method to be held a few weeks later at a local university. Many of them expressed their willingness to attend. Many also left their addresses, hoping to receive Master's monthly magazine. Just before the end of the fair, we also distributed sample booklets to all the personnel in every stall in the fair.

Discussion Sessions

On The Quan Yin Method

Soon after the fair, fellow initiates began preparations for the introductory and discussion sessions on the Quan Yin Method. During that period of time, we deeply felt, "As long as we are sincere and have faith in doing Master's work, Master will take care of all the details." That is why all the preparatory work, such as renting the venue and placing the ads went so smoothly.

Several discussion sessions, both in Chinese and in English, were held. All participants were very sincere. They bought Master's video and cassette tapes to continue their studies at home. One lady called frequently to ask if Master had given permission for her to learn the Convenient Method. Because of her longing and faith in Master, she had great inner experiences, which she never had before while practicing meditation using her own method. As of now, this would-be initiate has learned the Convenient Method and is earnestly awaiting initiation.

Several days later, we held a few more discussion sessions in English in a conference room at the university activity center. Due to the good affinities that had been established at the fair, the telephone at the home of the contact person rang almost continuously. People called to inquire about the upcoming discussion sessions. The participants this time were mostly people we had just met at the fair. One professor had seen our sample booklet before in a book store. This time when he saw our advertising poster on campus, he came immediately. Many came some distance, from the surrounding towns and villages. o

We briefly introduced Master and the Quan Yin Method, then we showed video tapes of Master's lectures. Finally, we answered questions from the visitors. At the end of the sessions, many signed up to learn the Convenient Method. We also prepared some vegetarian food and recipes to introduce, encourage, and help the visitors to become vegetarians. They all had happy and smiling faces as they rather reluctantly left, showing that they had gained much that day and that their trip was not in vain!

During all the activities, whether it was the one-day retreat, the fair or the discussion sessions, fellow initiates all felt the continuous blessings from Master. While the discussion sessions were under way, a drizzling rain silently nurtured the whole city; Master's loving blessings filled the entire land.

Creating Good Affinities At A Loving Festival

Collected And Recorded By Fellow Initiate Lyu, Taipei, Formosa

The Taipei Meditation Center participated in a Loving Festival, sponsored by the "United Self-Progress Association" in co-sponsoring with various organizations. The goal of the festival was to raise funds for handicapped people. Fellow initiates set up a stall selling vegetarian food to raise money. The exquisite and mouth-watering vegetarian food prepared with love by fellow initiates attracted passing guests with its color, smell and taste. They put up Master's beautiful pictures and posters in the most prominent places in the stall. Many photographs of Master's, collected over the years by fellow initiates, were displayed with the best angles along with every issue of the News magazine and the sample booklets.

Some people came to the stall being attracted by Master's hanging pictures. Once there, they would curiously browse through each of Master's photographs. One guest said with amazement, "Your Master seems to have become more and more beautiful!" Fellow initiates happily and proudly thought, "Wow! Your wisdom eye is opened!" The small children liked Master's picture stickers the most. Given one, they usually asked for more, "I have a small brother at home, could you give me another one?" One father took a sample booklet and casually handed it to his child. This little friend on seeing Master's picture on the cover gazed at it for a very long time, as if trying to recall an ancient old memory.

Some guests asked where they could buy these beautiful necklaces with Master's picture on them, while others wanted to learn more about how to meditate. When we attempted to hand a sample booklet to a foreign guest, he said, "I am a Christian. Is your Master a Christian too?" Opening the English sample booklet, Master says that She does not belong to any religion, She belongs to the Truth. This foreign guest happily accepted the sample booklet and he also took away with him some other reading materials. Even the friends that accompanied him also requested more information about Master.

We felt so happy to hand out sample booklets. From many fellow initiates who have narrated their own experiences in getting to know Master, we know that if the person who took the sample booklet did not get to know the Quan Yin Method through it, it would be given to another person who needed it.

Among the guests, there were some who wanted to learn more about Master's teachings and some who had doubts. After having a sincere talk with them, both sides benefited a great deal. Master was right when She said, "The reward of the work is the work itself." The wisdom gained through meditation was put into practice now. Faced with guests who did not yet understand Master's teachings, we came to know more and more that patience and acceptance were better than arguing in dealing with them. When other people asked questions that we ourselves didn't understand clearly, we felt even more deeply that we should study Master's teachings even harder.

At the close of the activities, when we were packing up, one guest came forward and asked humbly, "Is the Supreme Master still in Formosa?" and requested more reading materials. Because of his longing, we gave him many issues of the News magazine.

The activity let all the fellow initiates who took part understand deeply: instead of saying 'serving', saying 'sharpening ourselves' would be more appropriate. The essence of any task is actually part of our spiritual practice! o

Spreading The Truth On Che Chu Island

By Resident Disciple Chin, Hsihu Center, Formosa

Che Chu Island, Korea, is a world famous tourist resort. In response to sincere invitations, the Quan Yin messenger and fellow practitioners from the Pusan Meditation Center organized a gospel propagation group. They brought a large number of sample booklets and photographs of Master and flew to Che Chu Island, which has the reputation of being an "Island Of Peace". Thus the several day tour to spread the Truth began.

When we arrived on the island, we rented a car and went to the Che Chu University to visit some friends and to hand out sample booklets. That evening fellow practitioners made arrangements for us to meet some friends who were sincere seekers of the Truth. They included chi-kong and martial arts masters, bank managers and spiritual practitioners, etc... who all showed great interest in the Quan Yin Method. Having self-cultivation backgrounds these people immediately had spiritual experiences when they received the photographs of Master. Some saw Master's photographs radiating extremely bright white and golden light. Someone perceived a white ray of light shooting out from Master's wisdom eye in the photograph, which then went into his own wisdom eye and came out the back of his head. Another person sensed the powerful energy that filled the entire room. He then recharged himself by absorbing this most pure and delicate energy.

These chi-kong masters, who have supernatural vision easily experienced the omnipresent and inconceivably great power that a completely enlightened living Master emits. Their achievements in their practices hardly compare to this supreme yet gentle and comforting power, that is beyond man's imagination and comprehension. At the end of the meeting, the chi-kong masters were in a state of wonder and joy having found the most precious treasure. They bought all the photographs of Master, the necklaces, books and other items. Some people decided to become vegetarians right away, hoping that they could be initiated into the Quan Yin Method soon.

The next day the local fellow practitioners gave us a guided tour of the island. We met with the local people, and handed out Master's sample booklets, so that everyone who had affinity with Master could be blessed by Her boundless love. The island is a crime and violence free paradise, populated with honest, simple natured, law abiding people, who also have a strong desire for spiritual practice.

Mr. Park Thei Su, chairman of "Psychological Consulting Research Association" on Che Chu Island, invited us to a "Quan Yin Method Seminar" in the evening. The video of Master's lecture given last year at the Pusan Stadium, Korea, was shown during the seminar. Among the guests who attended were professors and students from the Che Chu University, instructors from the "Psychological Consulting Research Association" and other spiritual practicing groups.

At the end of the seminar, the guest had an in depth discussion on Master and the Quan Yin Method. This group of friends, having a strong desire for the Truth, raised various opinions and questions. One could feel their carefulness towards spiritual practice. Fellow practitioners responded enthusiastically, sharing the benefits of their spiritual practice with the guests. After the seminar, some of the guests reluctant to leave asked us for more information and materials to study at home. We are grateful for Master's blessing, which made our journey to Che Chu Island a smooth and successful one. o

Feature Reports

Following You!

By Fellow Initiate Wang, Hong Kong

It has been several months since Master left Hong Kong. It was really an "extra bonus" this year being able to attend Master's lectures in Thailand. The sincerity of the Thai people towards Master was truly touching. Although I didn't understand Master's lectures which were spoken in English, I was satisfied within because of my heart to heart communication with Her. I was moved to tears several times. Observing Master's selfless sacrifice, I was more determined to follow Her footsteps in order to progress.

My beloved and venerable Master, I love Your noble personality; You have the majesty of a monarch, the demeanor of a great person, the compassion of a merciful mother, the magnanimity that encompasses the universe, and the style of great wisdom and courage. With my remaining lifetime, I shall strive for these ideals, and serve all sentient beings; hoping one day I shall be as perfect as You are.

Experiencing The Great Love

- The Trip To Thailand

By Singapore Co-ordinating Group

(Originally in English)

Singaporean fellow practitioners joined the lecture propagating work for the first time, and they really learned a lot. As the lectures were tightly arranged, the working team had to work very hard, very often the whole night through. They might have been physically exhausted, but mentally they were in bliss. The realization of Master's power supporting them gave them great courage.

They approached the chief administrators of the governmental institutions, universities and hospitals. Even though they couldn't communicate in the local language, they successfully gained permission to put up Master's lecture posters simply by showing them the posters. Some schools even announced the lecture news to the students in the classrooms for us. Throughout everything, fellow initiates experienced the miraculous arrangements of Master's almighty power.

The Thai people are simple and cordial. Their sincere attitude in reading Master's sample booklets and the leaflets revealed their longings for Truth. The beautiful poster of Master wearing the majestic Thai dress seemed to have irresistibly attracted them. The working team had difficulty trying to explain to the people that the posters were not meant for personal collection or for worshipping at home, but that they must stay on the walls to let people know about Master's lectures. Nonetheless, many posters were still taken home by some enthusiasts as a precious item to be collected.

As the co-ordinating team worked hard day and night distributing sample booklets and leaflets on the streets, the local inhabitants seemed to have become familiar with us. Very often, when we approached them, they would give us a cordial smile and acknowledging nod, and then indicate to us in a friendly manner that they had already received a copy of the sample booklet or leaflet. Also in the fully packed lecture hall, some seemingly familiar faces would smile and nod cordially to us, like friends getting together. It is hard to describe the blissful feeling of realizing these souls have been saved by Master's mercy.

The lecture tour ended successfully; the seeds of Truth have been embedded and sown in the hearts of the Thai people. Compared to the visible and invisible work Master does and the pressures She has to bear, what we have done is not worth mentioning. However, this remarkable experience has been indeed a very precious lesson for us. We cannot help but be eternally grateful to Master.

By Fellow Initiate Ho, Hong Kong

We have benefitted tremendously from this trip to Thailand. Besides attending Master's lecture, we also realized the importance of sincerity and faith and how the omnipresent Master is taking care of us with Her love at every moment.

When distributing leaflets and sample booklets in the park, I suddenly felt the raindrops falling on me. As the sky was getting darker, I returned to the pavilion in the parking lot intending to distribute the leaflets to the people taking shelter from the rain. At the pavilion, a fellow sister was delighted to see me, and asked whether I had any Chinese sample booklets. It happened that a Chinese tourist showed great interest in Master's teachings after having read the leaflet, but the fellow sister only had English and Thai sample booklets on hand. Fortunately, I had one copy in my backpack! As I stepped out of the pavilion, there was not a hint of rain in the sky. I realized that Master was taking care of everything perfectly.

Another time, on returning to the pavilion a security guard asked us to remove the sample booklets. With the help of another fellow sister from Singapore, we moved the boxes of sample booklets to another spot. Coincidentally, a large crowd of students was there asking for sample booklets from a fellow sister who had just finished distributing what she had. We brought her the required sample booklets just in time. This location also turned out to be a better spot for distributing sample booklets. So, we discovered that even the rather rude security guard was also a tool sent by Master!

I couldn't help feeling hurt when I observed some of the leaflets being discarded on the ground. As a result, I became more selective in distributing the propagating material. Later, a fellow sister told me that she went to Master's lecture and got initiation just because her husband had picked up a leaflet on the street and brought it home to her. Having heard her story, I was greatly relieved. My feeling was that each sample booklet or leaflet is alive with the power to draw sentient beings with affinity to Master. As long as we keep reciting the Five Names in our hearts, think of Master, avoid selecting with our minds, naturally the leaflets will be distributed very quickly. With the attitude of "cultivating hard, not focusing on the fruit of our actions", our bodies and minds become filled with bliss instead of being exhausted.

Combined Reports From Formosa's Co-ordinating Team

Many tourists remark that Thailand is a poor and undeveloped country, but Master mentions Thailand as one of Her favorites. If we did not make this trip to Thailand, we could not understand Master's feelings. On the road from Bangkok airport to Chiang Mai, we passed through many poor and isolated villages. However, the people there have not lost their dignity in life just because they are poor. Instead, they decorate their simple houses with natural flowers, trees and potted plants which shows their taste for beauty. They are living a pleasant life.

Upon receiving the leaflets distributed to them, most Thai people would keep them carefully and not discard them casually. They would even gratefully acknowledge our good will with a smile. When attending Master's lecture, even if they had to leave early for some reason, they would first put their palms together to pay respect to Master. Their attitude is really touching. Then we really understood why Master praises the Thai people. Filled with gratitude, we thank Master for letting us learn, through this process, how to break through and surpass the false, superficial look of things and probe into their true nature with a non-biased view.

The cover photo on the sample booklet with Master in traditional Thai dress attracted the admiration of the Thai people; thus they were most eager to receive a copy. It was a pity that we could not answer their further inquiries in their language. However, our job was sowing the seeds. God will pick His children.

Many co-ordinating teams went deep into the mountain areas spreading the good news of Master's lecture to every corner of the country. Even up to the last few hours before Master's lecture, all the fellow initiates were still charging forward and working hard. Disregarding their fatigue, they encouraged each other and struggled until the last second before Master arrived. The lecture hall was fully packed. Fellow initiates had to stand to attend the lecture. However, they had absolutely no complaints. They were so happy seeing that so many people could hear the Truth and see an enlightened Master. From the anxious eyes of the audience awaiting Master's arrival, from their attentiveness during the lecture, and from their wet eyes when Master was leaving the hall, we understand why Master is willing to bear all this hard work and exhaustion.

Incredible things will always happen when a Truth propagating event is going on...

When waiting for the plane to Chiang Mai at the Bangkok Airport, we met dozens of Korean fellow initiates. They were praying to Master to help them get seats on the plane to Chiang Mai, as they only got air tickets from Seoul to Bangkok. Shortly after we were seated on the plane, we found that the Korean fellow initiates also got on plane one after another. After asking them, we learned that all of them luckily got seats. It was really incredible! Not until then did we find out that some of the earlier canceled bookings were actually reserved for this group of Korean fellow practitioners, who virtually had no idea that air tickets from Bangkok to Chiang Mai were so difficult to get. If they were to take this long journey by coach, the lecture would have ended long before they arrived.

There was another elderly fellow initiate on the plane who had just had a minor operation several days ago. To be able to attend the lecture, she begged the doctor to delay taking out the stitches for one more day. The doctor warned her that to delay may cause her great pain. She replied immediately both verbally and from her heart, "No, no, there won't be any pain!" That was exactly what happened during her whole trip; she was high spirited and blissful.

The working team stayed at the Youth Hostel in Chiang Mai. The young landlady was eager to cooperate with our work right from the start. Being a vegetarian herself, she cared for us like a fellow practitioner. Even though we had to move to another hostel after the rental period had expired, she still allowed us to use her place for the preparatory work. When Master arrived at Chiang Mai, she accompanied the fellow initiates to greet Master. At the airport, her plump lovely daughter constantly received Master's blessing hugs. In just a few short days, she had felt the loving power and perfectness of the Quan Yin Method. On the evening of the lecture, she joined the initiation and became a new fellow initiate. Master also jokingly remarked that we now have an place to stay, which could also be used as a meditation center.

There were times, when we were distributing the leaflets and lacked a Thai fellow initiate to lead the way, we might have gotten lost because of the language barrier with the local drivers. However, Master's almighty power would always arrange some English speaking persons, who were interested in Master's sample booklets and wished to know more about the teachings, to come to us to be our timely interpreter, and helped us get to our destination smoothly. Master's assurance encouraged us to work fearlessly in this strange land.

Some fellow initiates paid a visit to a temple in suburban Chiang Mai. On the way the driver suddenly put on the brakes. The entire inside of the couch was filled with black fumes. All the passengers had to get out, because the cooling tank had over heated and was broken. Also, due to the abrupt braking, the steering wheel even fell off! The coach had stopped half way up a slope, yet all the fellow initiates were safe and sound. Of course, we all knew that was Master protecting us, as always. Even the tourist guide had the same feeling, and asked our fellow initiates to give her Master's photo to wear.

A fellow initiate purchased some timbre in Bangkok. When the goods were delivered to the meditation center, the fellow initiate gave the sample booklet he was holding to the young delivery boy. Later, as some information from the booklet was needed, he approached the delivery boy trying to get back the sample booklet. He was surprised to find that the young man had locked himself in the car, blissfully reading it. Upon seeing this no one would dream of disturbing him. This blessed person kept on enjoying Master's blessing, totally unaware that we were knocking on the door outside!

It was almost midnight. A fellow sister was distributing leaflets at the night market. She was still working on the streets because there were still some sample booklets and leaflets remaining. At that time, the red traffic light came on and she saw a car stop at the intersection. She immediately ran over trying to distribute what she had. Getting closer, she saw that Master was in the car. Master lowered the window waving and greeting her. The sister was a bit shy but so excited! The timely appearance of Master made her feel as delighted as a child being cradled by her mother. Filled with joy, she pulled herself together and continued to distribute the sample booklets. As if sharing her bliss, the pedestrians also happily accepted them.

Last New Years Day I visited Thailand for the first time with the feeling of meeting a long lost family member. I was weeping voicelessly when I saw Mother Master. The spiritual comfort She bestowed upon me was better than any words. I came to Thailand again this time with a different feeling as I was joining the co-ordinating team, but the warm and lingering feeling from the last visit still remained in my heart.

Through the spreading-Dharma work, new life experiences were learned each day. Although it was not the first time for me to distribute sample booklets, but I was still a bit scared because I was shy in nature. However, observing the fellow initiates, old and young, working with total devotion, sincerity and egolessness, I really learned something. A fellow sister, because of her exceptional vigor and enthusiasm was given, by the fellow initiates, the title "little heroine on the road". I was touched by their good examples, and worked in higher and higher spirits!

Participating in the designing of the posters, I had the opportunity of working with some Thai fellow initiates. Despite the language barrier, our work was not affected. I deeply felt their sincerity, cordialness and no complaints in doing any assignment, just working silently and eager to help others. Among them was one fellow sister, who was happy to receive any assignment, big or small. If we worked through the night, she would also work with us. "Thanks to Master!" was her motto.

The days have flown by since parting with Master, I still often hear the English song that She sang to us through the car window as She left: I will follow You, follow You to wherever You may go....

Being a new initiate this year, I have never attended any of Master's lectures in person. When I received the message from the local center that Master would be giving lectures in Thailand and that the disciples may attend, I was so excited and nervous! After the initial shock, I started to cry out of joy, or perhaps it was because I've missed Master too much.

The location of the lecture was to be in Khonkaen. We were very quiet on our way there from the airport until we came into the city and saw Master's posters along the roadside. We exclaimed with excitement: "Master!" "There's another one!" "Here's a large one!"... The commotion created was like lost children who suddenly found their mother, calling out to her with exciting and sweet love!

The second lecture we attended was to take place in Chiang Mai. Early in the morning, as we went out to put up more posters, we saw someone removing our posters. We quickly ran over to negotiate with them, but they could not understand English and refused to return the posters to us. One of the sister initiates hung on to their truck and kept pleading, "No! No! No!" We could not speak the language, and standing under the hot sun, our hearts were afire with anxiety! We could only recite the Five Names silently and pray for Master's help.

They would not budge and insisted that we pay the fine in exchange for the posters after a few days. While a brother initiate was negotiating with them, I quickly took the time to clean the removed posters with tissue paper and put them into a neat pile. I thought if we could not keep the posters, at least we could make them clean and neat for the people to take them. Then a miracle happened! Those two people who were at first very stern and uncompromising were now helping to put Master's posters into a neat pile. I was kneeling down on the road as I cleaned Master's posters, and they helped to move them onto the sidewalk. The posters which were on their truck they respectfully stood them up so that they would be facing the road. Finally, they even gave me some tissue paper. I was dumbfounded! We were so happy after we got the posters back. We felt Master's love with us; we knew that as long as we were sincere, no language was necessary.

The lecture at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok was the last of the lectures, thus attracted even more people. It was also the last night of our stay in Thailand; we were flying back to Formosa the next day. Master felt the strong longings of Her disciples and allowed us to sit in front of Her during the initiation, and blessed us by touching our hands and our heads. As we went back to our hotel, we were all beaming with joy and had contented smiles.

Dear Master, You have been travelling around and have exhausted Yourself for the sake of liberating the sentient beings. Even when You worked through the night, Your eyes were still filled with love and compassion, You still talked with humor and laughed heartily; You never showed us how tired You were. Dear Master, thank You for giving me the chance to work for You and learn, while working, how insignificant I am. Thank You for Your love and "electrifying power" that is ever-flowing, thank You for... I can never thank You enough. I only wish to learn more in every way, to practice diligently and to progress faster spiritually, so that I may become a good instrument for Your work.

News Magazine NO.41

Photo: Master, You said, that everything one does is for one's own self, but Master, everything You do is for us. As the year ends and the time for thanksgiving approaches, we wish You good health and the universe everlasting peace.

1. International Reports

   Thailand/Philippines/Formosa/Korea/Spain/U.S.A./Canada/Australia

2. Invitations

   One Heart - Universal Wish

3. Media Reports
4. Feature Reports

   Experiencing The Great Love-The Trip To Thailand

5. Letter Between Master And Disciple

   After Practicing The Quan Yin Method, Is It Okay To Keep On Practicing Chi-Kong?

6. Aphorisms

   Persistent Optimism In Adversity

7. You May Not Know

   To Obey The Master Is Better Than Following The Teachings
   An Unexpected Visit By An Honored Guest

8. Master's Wonder

   A Frightening Journey A Collection Of Miraculous Stories From China

9. Poems

   After Meeting Master
   Creation
   

10. While On The Path

    A Precious Learning Experience In The Kitchen At Hsihu Center Your Child Has Grown Up

11. Between Master And Disciples

    Love Includes Self-Confidence And Courage

12. Master Says

    The Perfect Beings From Heaven

13. Front Line

    The Prosperous Spiritual Season Creating Good Affinities... Spreading The Truth On Che Chu Island

14. Spot Light

    To Be One With The Group

15. A Child's Letter

    Love

16. Special Reports

    Report From Korea/Philippines/Formosa/Fellow Initiate's heartfelt Words

17. Master's Words

    The Fallen Angels Of Our Era

18. A True Account Of A Miraculous Person

    The Legend Of A Taoist (Part I)

19. Elevation Of The Soul
20. Our Liaison Practitioners Throughout The World

The Supreme Master Ching Hai News No.41 Published: December 25,1994
Published by: The International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations

International Reports

Report From Thailand

The Supreme Master Ching Hai Receives The Honorary Award Of "Star Of Noble Life"

The Press In The Weekly News Association in Thailand invited Master to Bangkok to accept the honorary award of "Star Of Noble Life" to honor Her outstanding contribution to mankind. The award was presented by Mr. Kriengsak Meesrisak, Director-General of the Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs of Thailand. After the award ceremony the Supreme Master Ching Hai met with those present and the President of "The Press In The Weekly News Association" of Thailand for a press conference.

After the conference, Master donated two hundred thousand Thai dollars to a scholarship fund for poor students. Receipts are shown in the attachment.

Report From Thailand

Summary Of A Great Event

A Round-The-Country Lecture Tour Of Thailand

To satisfy the longing of many souls, Master made the first "round-the-country" lecture tour of Thailand, disregarding Her own body fatigue. The journey covered several thousand kilometers, including both north and south Thailand. Four lectures were arranged within a short period of time, in Songkla, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

Since this was a great event in Asia, and the lecture schedule was so tight, fellow initiates from all over Asia happily flocked to Thailand to help in the preparation work for the lectures. All those fellow initiates coming to attend the lecture and to see Master also enthusiastically joined in putting up posters and distributing leaflets and sample booklets, so that none of the souls with affinity and longing to return home would be missed, and God's light could shine in every corner.

Master has often praised the Thai people for their simplicity and kind nature. The respect and reverence they show from their hearts towards an enlightened Master is also rarely seen in other countries. Although Songkla and Khon Kaen are both remote places, the lecture halls which could accommodate thousands of people were completely packed. The earnest longing of the souls for Truth is the same no matter where they come from. Although it was the first time Master had come to those cities, the Thai people's admiration for an enlightened Master immediately manifested when Master entered the hall. Ladies in traditional Thai costume showed their welcome to Master by respectfully scattering fresh flower petals in front of Her and by offering a dance to the living Buddha (a fully enlightened being). Their sincere reverence was unforgettable.

Chiang Mai is the old capital of Thailand. It has a rich Buddhist cultural atmosphere. When the initiates distributed the leaflets and sample booklets on the streets, and saw how the local people joyously treasured them, they felt deeply that the tiring work and distant travelling was worth while. On the day of the lecture, the hall filled up quickly. Even though the working staff continuously added chairs to accommodate the ever increasing audience, they still did not have enough chairs to meet the demand. In the lecture, Master especially mentioned that the atmosphere there was very nice, and extended the lecture time for them.

The lecture at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok was even more grand. Master's posters were seen on every street. The whole city was filled with bliss, as if a dharma meeting for both heavenly and human beings, was about to occur. On the day of the lecture, Master appeared in an elegant Thai dress sitting on a royal sedan chair; it was like the reappearance of a magnificent and awe-inspiring scene from the Buddha age. The guests and initiates were all bathed in this splendid atmosphere and their souls uplifted.

Besides the perfect lectures most worthy of praise, the glorious exhibits of Master's works of art outside the lecture halls were also dynamic: the fairy clothing, jewelry, painted fans, etc.. Those rare artistic creations complemented by the matching graphic art and greenery looked so beautiful as if they were something beyond this mundane world. There manifestations of heavenly truth, virtue and beauty received continuous praises from the onlookers.

Immediately after each lecture, Master always gave initiation. Besides blessing the new initiates, Master also compassionately explained and answered the doubts and questions in their hearts till midnight. She also arranged a group meditation the following day to satisfy the new initiates' souls and give them encouragement.

Master ignored Her own bodily fatigue working for the well-being of the sentient beings. We wish fellow initiates would develop and flourish everywhere, with the hope that Thailand would become a more spiritual country with both inner and outer beauty!

Report From Thailand

A Friendly Visit From A Special Delegation Of The Cambodia Government

After Master had successfully completed Her lecture tour in Thailand, She specially invited fellow initiates and the propagating groups, from all countries, for a meal. Master and disciples enjoyed the relaxed reunion and shared a good time together. The initiates, before they went home, received such love and care from Master, making the trip to Thailand an unforgettable one.

Coincidentally on that day, a special delegation from the Cambodia government came to visit Master. Among the visiting officials were Mr. Ted Ngoy, Vice President of the Emergency Relief Committee; Mr. Kang Y, of the Cambodian Central Bank; Mr. Suon Sothy, Prime Minister's Secretary; Minister Nhim Vanda and Mr. Ponna Rith, Secretary to the Minister. The purpose of their friendly visit was to express gratitude to Master on behalf of the Prime Ministers and the people of Cambodia, for Her charity and help in the flood relief effort.

During the meeting, it was disclosed that the Cambodian people were almost starving due to the present drought in their country. Master extended Her infinite loving care. After learning they urgently need 300,000 tons of rice, She immediately said She would launch an activity to collect rice donations from all the people abroad apart from our own donation. Master also offered the delegation concrete solutions to the current problems in Cambodia's foreign relations, economy and national security. Master particularly emphasized the importance of keeping national stability and peace. Members of the delegation expressed high respect and gratitude to Master for Her compassionate concern for all sentient beings and Her outstanding enlightened viewpoints on world issues. Her wise opinions could bring a bright future to Cambodia.

The delegation presented Master with a gift, a traditional wood relief sculpture. Master praised the delicate craftsmanship on this rare artistic creation. She was deeply touched by the sincerity of the Cambodian government.

Report From Palawan,

Philippines

A Three-Day Retreat Of Prayers Commemorating the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day"

In order to welcome the arrival of the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day" which represents the ideal of universal peace, fellow initiates in Palawan, a tiny corner of the world, also held a diligent three-day retreat to pray for the refugees in the camp and all the unfortunate people throughout the world, as well as to wish that the spirit of world humanitarianism and love would greatly expand.

During the three-day retreat, fellow initiates not only meditated inside and outside the main hall, they also went to the seashore to meditate. The cool and refreshing air by the sea made fellow initiates feel very relaxed, clean and pure. The meditation time passed by very quickly. Only at sunset, with the remnant sunlight illuminating the mountains, did the fellow initiates get up and return.

The joyous "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day" arrived on October 25. With the help of the Quan Yin messenger, fellow initiates worked together to bake "love cookies" full of Master's blessings to share with the children in the refugee camp, and also to prepare delicious food to entertain the guests. Besides the friends in the neighborhood, all the teachers and students in the camp, the representatives from Van Duc Temple also came to the center to take part in the celebration of the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day".

The festivities were very warm and joyous. Entertainment programs showed the fellow initiates' feelings of appreciation and their respect towards Master, who is busily traveling around the world to help and save sentient beings and to promote world peace. The entertaining programs of songs and dances, because they communicated their true feelings, made the night's atmosphere warm and serene. They received warm rounds of applause. This small refugee camp became part of the joyous atmosphere of the whole world celebrating the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day".

Fellow initiates in Palawan performed traditional songs and dances and prepared vegetarian food in celebration of the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day".

Report From Changhua, Formosa

Clean Up The Environment; Befriend The Neighbors

The fellow initiates in Changhua routinely participate in environmental clean up programs. The most recent activity was cleaning up Foothill Road, Yuanlin, which is near the local meditation center. The fellow initiates picked up trash and cleared weeds along the roadsides. Despite the profuse sweating, everyone enjoyed the work without feeling tired. Shortly afterwards, the once trash scattered streets were now clean and tidy again. The residents in the area all expressed their respect and admiration towards Master's way of teaching Her disciples.

Activities like this gave examples to the residents in the area reminding them to keep their homes and neighborhoods clean, as well as developing a friendly atmosphere among the neighbors.

Visiting A Home For The Elderly With Love

During the holidays, fellow initiates visited the Provincial Nursing Home For The Elderly in Changhua, Formosa, and brought along Master's love for those who needed loving care. The Nursing Home is situated on Bagua Mountain, with fresh air and a serene surrounding. After listening to the purpose of their visit, the head nurse was delighted to give fellow initiates an introductory tour of the Home, briefing them on the current admissions.

According to the head nurse, the most earnest desire of the elderly in this Nursing Home is to have spiritual security. That is why they often have monks or nuns come from the temples to give lectures and to comfort them. There are chapels in the Home for the Catholics, the Christians and the Buddhists, to comfort their spirits. When the fellow initiates offered to provide videos of Master's lectures for the elderly, the head nurse gladly approved. They also gave her the sample booklets, magazines and gifts they brought for the elderly, and inquired about any future assistance the Home might need.

As fellow initiates prepared to leave, they watched the elderly move about in their wheelchairs in the clean and spacious hallways, ever so slowly along the path of life. On the right side of the wall were a few words of encouragement: "Even though the sun is setting, still it lights up the entire sky with brilliant colors." We believe that through this loving visit, Master's light will give the elderly the most brilliant colors of their lives.

Report From Ilan, Formosa

Love Binds Us In Oneness

In response to Master's love and concern for the sick and needy who are alone in society, fellow practitioners went to the Saint Francis Home For The Elderly in Ilan - a clean and tidy little world of its own. The arrival of fellow practitioners put the old people, spending their twilight years there, in high spirits. When fellow practitioners put the bracelets representing Master's love on them, Master's love reached out to these strangers' hearts, and the warmth deep down in their hearts was once again shown. One of the old folks, accompanied by the fellow practitioners, even sang happily along with the music from the karaoke. A happy and warm atmosphere filled everyone. Love had melted the shyness and the boundaries.

Upon learning that the birthday of several old folks was a few days away, fellow practitioners gladly promised to visit them again on that day. Lastly, to express concern for them, money and everyday use items were also given. Before they left, the staff at the home warmly invited the fellow practitioners to come back again!

Thank You Master, for giving fellow practitioners this opportunity to visit them. From the longstanding volunteer workers at the home, fellow practitioners could see loving concern and selfless giving. From the perplexed and helpless elderly, they could see the ephemeral nature of this world and the importance of spiritual practice. Their faith in spiritual practice had thus become even more steadfast.

Fellow practitioners from Ilan bring Master's love and concern to the elderly in the Home.

Report From Pusan, Korea

There Is Love In The World

Fellow initiates went to a hospital for the elderly in Pusan to visit those who were suffering from illnesses. Most of them were very sick and had no children to take care of them. When they received the loving care from fellow initiates, they were so overjoyed that tears ran down their cheeks. Fellow initiates also couldn't hold back their tears. They decided to take turns to go there on a regular basis to take care of these people.

Later, fellow initiates tidied up around the hospital and distributed Master's sample booklets. Our meditation center also talked to the city authorities to unconditionally help clean up any part of the city that need cleaning.

Report From Madrid, Spain

Master Arrived Early!

The cool, October breezes in Madrid make the temperature just right. It's the golden time of the year which the people love the most.

After hearing about the upcoming initiation at the Madrid Meditation Center, initiates from Valencia arrived in Madrid a few days early to have group meditations with the Quan Yin messenger and over ten would-be initiates. Fellow initiates and the Quan Yin messenger discussed Master's teachings and shared experiences as a result of their spiritual practice. They all felt they had benefited a lot.

On the morning of initiation during meditation, an initiate saw Master sitting on top of a lotus flower, floating in the clouds towards the center. The initiation wasn't until that evening. Master had arrived early to give Her blessings! Thus, fellow initiates felt even more energetic in preparing for the initiation. They all felt Master's love and were full of indescribable happiness.

During the initiation, initiates, new and old, all felt an abundance of Master's blessings and love. To celebrate the rebirth of the new initiates, the meditation center specially prepared a delicious vegetarian meal. Peace, harmony and bliss filled the room. All initiates were immersed in Master's light, fully satisfied both spiritually and physically.

Report From Valencia, Spain

A Really Living Buddha

The day after the initiation, initiates from Valencia eagerly invited the Quan Yin messenger to visit Valencia. Within the few days in Valencia, the Quan Yin messenger not only attended a party given by both the Valencia Branch Center and the Vegetarian Association in Spain, but also held a few discussion sessions to introduce Master and the Quan Yin Method in a simple but profound way. Because of the interesting subject and its contents, in each session, people signed up to learn the Convenient Method. Some of them had very good experiences; they were deeply touched. One said, "I can't talk about my inner experiences, but I'd like to say something: Master really is a living Buddha (fully enlightened being)!" They are now studying Master's books day and night, eagerly awaiting initiation.

Repaying Society In Action

The Quan Yin messenger also accompanied the initiates in Valencia to local hospitals to distribute Master's sample booklets. The hospitals were full of sick and helpless people, suffering greatly. Seeing such miserable conditions, fellow initiates deeply felt that they should appreciate what blessings they already have and treasure Master's abundant grace.

In response to Master's instructions about the "Clean Mountain & Clean Water" activity, the Quan Yin messenger together with the fellow initiates took to the streets to clean up. For many initiates, this was the first time participating in such an environmental clean up activity. During the few hours of cleaning up, they not only did not feel tired, they even felt full of energy. Under the blessings of Master's love, fellow initiates, besides accomplishing the street cleaning job smoothly, they also distributed many sample booklets, gaining good responses from the local residents. Through this cleaning activity, fellow initiates learned the meaning of diminishing one's ego and repaying society. They especially appreciated Master's way of using various means to improve their spiritual growth.

A Collective Report From Various States In The U.S.A.

Celebrating The "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day"

Three-Day Retreat Together

In commemoration and in celebration of the first anniversary of the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day", a day of glory and honor, fellow initiates in the United States, with Master's kind permission, held a wonderful three-day retreat. From many states they came to attend this special event. The retreat took place at Lake Perris Park located in San Bernadino County. Under the magnificent natural beauty and tranquility of the park, fellow initiates meditated calmly, enjoying the peaceful and serene bliss while immersed in holy communion with God.

A large, white tent was set up on the open lawn as the meditation hall. Surrounded by mountain ranges overlooking the colorful horizon, it stood proudly against the emerging foggy lake. The usual daily schedule for retreats was followed. During the resting hours, some enjoyed the natural beauty of the park under the shady trees, while others enjoyed the autumn sun on the lawn. Graced with Master's love, the fellow initiates were exhilarated with inexpressible joy.

Besides diligent meditation practice, there was a relaxing evening camp fire. Amidst the cozy and warm atmosphere, everyone surrounded the crackling fire, happily enjoying the delicious food, chatting, singing, and watching other fellow initiates' wonderful performances. Although Master was not there physically, everyone felt Her presence and was spiritually recharged by Her blessing power. We were over flowing with Her divine love.

The three-day retreat was over in a breeze. The park officials were quite pleased with us because of our cooperative and cordial manner. We respected the environment by cleaning up and complied with the park rules. We thank Master for this unforgettable "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day" Three-day Retreat!

Report from Houston, U.S.A.

Blankets Donated To The Flood Victims

In mid October, Texas experienced heavy rain for many days. Many places in the state, especially, Houston's surrounding local counties were flooded. Water rose to the highest level that some local counties have ever experienced in the past several decades. Water covered the entire roofs of many houses. The water level stayed so high that over ten thousand persons suddenly became homeless. All the shelters were quickly filled with flood victims.

After the flood subsided, Houston disciples brought blankets and went to the hardest-hit areas, where low income persons reside and were badly affected by the flood. They stopped at the first house in the area and the owner informed them that the Mayor had just been there donating mattresses. However, all their belongings were wet or destroyed by the flood, including warm clothing and blankets. They said: "The Mayor gave us mattresses, but no blankets. Do you have any for us?" After learning the Houston disciples had arrived with several vans loaded with blankets, one woman thanked Jesus Christ for answering her prayers. Fellow initiates knew in their hearts that all of this was, once again, Master's arrangement. They smiled inside and thanked Master for guiding them at the right time to the right place with the right supplies, fulfilling the true needs of the flood victims.

Report From New York, U.S.A.

Whole Life Expo

The Whole Life Expo was held in Manhattan Center, New York City in mid November and was attended by different religious sects and spiritual organizations. The New York Branch Center had rented a booth there. They displayed Master's paintings and publications, and showed video tapes of Master's lectures. Fellow initiates, one after another, volunteered their services to distribute sample booklets and News magazines, as well as to introduce the Quan Yin Method and Master's teachings. They also answered the questions raised by the visitors at the exhibition.

Since this international gathering for spiritual practitioners is held only once a year, there were many different kinds of participants. Because of Master's blessing power, fellow initiates worked very smoothly during this exhibition. They often noticed people in deep concentration reading Master's sample booklet or The Key Of Immediate Enlightenment. Also, there were people lingering around the TV screen broadcasting Master's lectures, reluctant to leave. A lot of people asked for the telephone number and address of the branch center before their leaving. It is believed there will be more and more people with affinity come to learn this ultimate method which can lead people beyond this world to liberation.

Thanksgiving Day Banquet

The New York Branch Center held an unique banquet after Thanksgiving Day. The banquet was originally planned to be a farewell party for a fellow initiate who was going to be transferred by the United Nations, to work in Guatemala. However, due to the enthusiastic response from participating in the Whole Life Expo held earlier, this farewell party was expanded to become a big vegetarian promotion banquet open to the public.

Fellow initiates worked cooperatively to decorate the banquet hall. Master's pictures and paintings were hung on all the walls, and Master's video lectures were played continuously. The long banquet table was full of a wide range of Chinese, Western and Au Lac delicacies prepared by our fellow initiates. Not only the excellent appearance, smell and taste of the food, but also the splendid array, variety and delicacy of the vegetarian dishes amazed and shocked the non-initiate guests. Apart from tasting the delicacies, they were also very interested in Master's teachings and enthusiastically asked many relative questions.

Everyone either stood or sat on the floor to enjoy this delicious vegetarian meal and at the same time shared Master's teachings and Her boundless loving power. This warm and cordial atmosphere was a great contrasted to the freezing cold weather outside. This bountiful banquet was concluded with a feeling of thanksgiving. They also deeply believe that Master's teachings will soon be spread smoothly in Guatemala.

Report From Oregon, U.S.A.

Helping Friends In Need

Fellow practitioners learned from their friends that an Au Lac refugee, who came to the U.S.A. from the Philippines, unfortunately passed away. His wife and several children suddenly had no one to depend on for their, originally poor and meager, livelihood. They did not even have any money for the funeral service. Although the local fellow practitioners are neither great in number nor wealthy, in the spirit of helping anyone in need, they did their best to help. They promptly contacted the Los Angeles Branch Center and worked out a plan to raise funds. Fellow practitioners also meditated together and prayed to God to bless the soul of the deceased. Then they got in touch with the social welfare department, so that the family of the deceased would be taken care of in the future. Within days, arrangements for both the survivors and the deceased, were settled.

The local Au Lac Association was very grateful to "The International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations" for both their monetary and physical help to strangers. Due to this incident, many people in the local Au Lac Association came to know Master, which made fellow practitioners most happy.

Since practicing the Quan Yin Method, fellow practitioners deeply feel that they have become more relaxed in their everyday life. However, should a situation require it, their prompt actions enable them to do what is necessary efficiently. Of course, it is most important that everything be left in Master's hands, and let the great wisdom and great power of the universe take care of it. The fellow practitioners world-wide are just like extended eyes and hands, which can see any corner that needs help, working together helping each other, offering everything necessary. This feeling of oneness is like the Quan Yin Bohdisattva (enlightened being) with a thousand eyes and a thousand hands!

Report From Atlanta, U.S.A.

"United Nations" Initiation

Recently, the branch center in Atlanta held an initiation. The new initiates came from different countries and backgrounds. There were people from India, Formosa, Beijing China and Au Lac people from Canada. The rest were Americans of Australian, African and Jewish descent. The initiation resembled an "United Nations" gathering.

Although many of the fellow initiates came from different cultural backgrounds, yet because of Master's holy love, everyone was united in the Truth, so harmonious and warm, like family members. On this special day, we thanked Master for cleansing our past karma which had accumulated over so many lifetimes thus enabling our souls to obtain liberation in this life.

Report From Arizona, U.S.A.

Vegetarian Seminar In Phoenix

Fellow initiates in Phoenix attended a special Conference on Vegetarianism. This conference was sponsored by the Concerned Arizona for Animal Rights and Ethics (C.A.A.R.E.) group. The purpose of this group is to encourage people to act more lovingly towards animals and to promote vegetarianism. Representatives from the International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations Vegetarian House were invited to set up a booth at the venue, to introduce and promote vegetarianism to those in attendance.

Although the conference was not a spiritual event, it did offer people many good reasons to become vegetarian. Doctors and dietitians provided health and nutritional information on vegetarian diets. The keynote speaker was a well-known dietitian. People were interested in Master's teachings, books and Her meditation techniques. They were also amazed at the variety of appealing dishes the Vegetarian House offered. For many people, it was the first time that they saw the many and varied types of conveniently packaged vegetarian simulated products.

Report From Montreal, Canada

Spiritual Practice Needs A Living Enlightened Master

A would-be initiate, seeking the Truth for many years, studied many different religious scriptures since he was young. He meticulously researched and practiced the teachings of different masters and obtained some super-worldly experiences from these practices. Later, after receiving initiation from a master, he had higher experiences in his spiritual practice. After his former master died a few years ago, he continued to practice according to that method.

Last year when Master was invited and came to Montreal, Canada for a lecture, he attended the lecture with his friends. He was very impressed by Master's presence. Master looked so graceful and yet so supremely dignified, he was intrigued. At that time, in order to test if Master is a true enlightened Master, he tried physically to force his inner power on Her to see what level of power Master has. Consequently, he hurt himself, he felt a lot of pain in his chest as if his heart was on fire. As soon as he stopped, the pain stopped. He immediately apologized to Master in his mind. After that he saw light coming from Master, as if showering him with white flower petals. This experience was wonderful. He felt immense gratitude towards Master, as he now had the answers which he had been longing for, for many years.

Since then, he often thinks of Master, and sees Her in his dreams. He recalled what his previous master often said to him, that it is smoother and easier to progress on the path with the guidance and help of a living master. He is now waiting to get Master's permission as soon as possible, to be initiated and become a Quan Yin practitioner.

> Report From Ottawa, Canada

A Retreat In Celebration Of The "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day"

Ottawa Center organized a retreat. The neighboring centers, Kingston and Montreal, etc., attended this retreat to commemorate the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day" together. The chief purpose of this retreat was to celebrate the glorious and splendid "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day", so it was full of a joyful atmosphere. After the meditation, participants enjoyed a delicious vegetarian cake while watching "Master's Songs and Compositions" video tape. Everyone felt Master's strong love and blessing. One of the fellow initiates smelled the fragrance of sandalwood throughout the center.

Report From Toronto, Canada

Start With Ourselves - Love In Action

Toronto Center organized a food and clothing collecting activity. Fellow initiates brought nice clean used clothing, as well as dry and canned food to the center. These donations were then given to the needy.

A fund raising event was organized by the fellow initiates in Canada to help the flood victims in Au Lac. This was the worst flood ever to hit Au Lac in over the past ten years. The funds collected were sent to Au Lac via the Au Lac Embassy in Canada.

Report From Sydney, Australia

Put The Lessons Of Love Into Practice

In our modern life of haste, fame and profit, Master's great love waters and nourishes the spiritually arid sentient beings without discrimination of nationality or class. All people in need of loving care are comforted. The trip to a nursing home for the elderly was just another one of the countless lessons of love waiting to be put into practice.

Bringing with them flowers and Master's sample booklets and News magazines, fellow initiates paid a prearranged visit to a nursing home, starting their comforting activity. The supervisor of the home welcomed them warmly. With the assistance of one of the professionals there, they visited the rooms one by one. They cordially asked about the well being of each patient, gave them Master's sample booklets, and explained the merits of practicing the Quan Yin Method.

Even though the nursing home was well equipped, with technically advanced medical instruments that can prolong people's lives, it could not cure them of their spiritual needs. The elderly people looked dejected, worrying that the god of death would suddenly descend upon them. Only memories or conversations about their glorious past brought some light and pride back into their faces. They wished that they could get to know Master and be liberated spiritually, so that they could enjoy heavenly peace and happiness and be more carefree in this world.

When they talked with the supervisor again, they found that he already knew about Master's teachings. A few days ago when he entered samadhi during meditation, he saw the Quan Yin Bodhisattva (enlightened being) sitting on a lotus flower informing him of today's visit. After hearing that, fellow initiates were deeply touched, very happy and full of heartfelt love and gratitude towards Master.

Letter Between Master & Disciples

After Practicing The Quan Yin Method,Is It Okay To Keep On Practicing Chi-Kong?

By Fellow Initiate Michael, New Zealand, Australia

(Originally in English)

Dear Master Ching Hai,

Will You provide clearer advice regarding the rule on the initiation form that states disciples should not practice breathing techniques of any sort as this will damage our spiritual development?

I have practiced a kind of chi-kong, and have some awareness of moving energy inside and around the body by using mind concentration. Some exercise movements I learned have self-healing effects, they assist the healthy maintenance of my body, and when I practice one of the exercises, a kind of chi-kong walk, up to a more advanced level, the energy can feed all of my body regions. I also use the exercises to spread my love and compassion to the land and surroundings I walk on.

I have actually stopped exercising since taking initiation due to my uncertainty as to what my understanding is of breathing exercises. A Quan Yin messenger once told me that I can do chi-kong but no breathing exercises of any sort. I have difficulty understanding that if I can direct my breath so it is more efficient hence speeding up my enlightenment then why stop? So I would like to know if I can flow chi around my body with my awareness. I would like my life and spiritual practice to be one, so I wish to receive an answer.

Thank You very much Master, for the many miracles which have been helping me and my family in many seen and unseen ways.

Yours sincerely

With warmest regards

Michael

Dear Michael,

You may carry on with your practice of chi-kong, as long as it is for the purpose of physical exercise or training. However, always remember to concentrate on your wisdom eye. This is most beneficial for you. It's not natural to consciously adjust our breathing, or to focus our attention on the chi moving in our body. It is because the chi in our body is also ephemeral. It did not exist before we were born and will not after we die. Our spiritual practice shouldn't rely on the ephemeral things.

Being the supreme method, the Quan Yin Method also includes the effects of chi-kong which comes naturally. This inner sound current, the most superior vibration of the universe, nourishes our spiritual body and also naturally adjusts our physical condition and the circulation of the chi. So, there is no need to interfere with this natural system with our intended consciousness. If we still try to control the chi with our consciousness, then our spiritual development will stop at the mind level, cannot go above it.

For example, your are already in university, so you don't have to do primary school mathematics by using your fingers anymore. You know the answers without thinking even. Similarly, the Quan Yin Method is the most high and the ultimate method. It is a natural, automatic system of doing without doing.

As we practice the Quan Yin Method, we are approaching the origin, the "Tao", and we are naturally filled with love. When we meditate, we are in direct contact with the greatest Love Power, the highest Almighty Power of the universe. Through us, the merciful blessings of God are spread to the whole world, even without our mind knowing, so we will not be affected by our "ego".

Wishing you progress in your practice!

Between Master And Disciples

Love Includes Self-Confidence And Courage

By Fellow Initiate Cheng, Taipei, Formosa

I don't know if my yearning and longing for Master is more than others, but I do know that even just the tiniest bit of longing would be with all my heart.

During the three-day retreat, after the barbecue and the fireworks, when Master was giving a talk in the Forest Meditation Hall, She suddenly asked, "You people sitting in the front, do you have any special merits to be able to sit in the front?"

"Because we love Master the most!" "Because we miss Master the most!" were the answers from some of the excited fellow initiates. Some said that there happened to be empty spaces in the front. Master said with a smile, "How could there be such a 'happened-to-be' thing."

Sitting in the front row and 'happened to be' there, two days in a row. I saw Master's eyes gazing at my face. I wanted to tell Her loudly, "Because in the many nights of missing You, I had thought of You until I cried... Those countless thoughts and longings closely surrounded me..." But I did not have the courage.

Suddenly, I understood! My shyness is because I do not think highly of my love, thinking that my love is of no value even though God Almighty has already extended His hand to embrace me! In fact, Master understands my utmost longing for true love and to be loved. Yet because I lack the self-confidence I have shut myself off from the sea of love. It is not that Master has forgotten me, but my inferiority complex has refused Master.

Will Master still love me, who has fallen down on the spiritual path? Will Master still love me, who has been stuck in the mundane world and unawakened? If the whole world has deserted me, will Master still love me? Yes! Yes! No matter what I may have been like, Master's love has never been a bit less! In Master's heart, I am the most valuable! From the beginning until the end, I am Her treasure.

I finally understood, I also, like the others, possess the deepest love of God Almighty. In His eyes, everyone is precious. Between Master and I, there is no one else...

The love in the mundane world is ever changing. It hurts more often than it heals, making people feel terrified, unsettled and heavily burdened. Master's love is always cleansing the dust in our hearts in visible and invisible ways, healing the numerous wounds and making life fresher and more lively each day. Confidence has been injected into my soul. I am no longer worried about loss or gain and I no longer belittle my own worth.

Master! Now I finally have the courage to pour out all my sincerity, love and admiration. Please stay a while and listen to the sounds of bliss beginning to race deep in my soul like the roars of the surging waves hitting the shores and like the turbulent sounds of the deep-lying underground volcanos.

Master! I am deeply enjoying our holy love! o

Master's Words

The Fallen Angels Of Our Era

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai

(Originally in Chinese)

Sometimes, we can transform an undesirable situation into a beneficial one, like the old man who lost a horse then becomes lucky! (a Chinese proverb.) In every situation there is always something good. We can perceive it as long as we remain optimistic.

Truly you are not influenced much by the outside in here; you don't see any crimes and you don't know any of the gossip. You may consider it a time for spiritual practice. It gives you more time to contemplate your ideals and make plans for the future, or adjust your time schedule to do something more interesting, since you have so much time on your hands. It is also very good.

In here, you have no responsibilities; no one comes here to bother you; no one calls you on the phone and nags you all day long; no one comes in here to puff smoke right in your nose; no one gets drunk and beats you up. In here, you don't have the chance to bargain or compete for fame or fortune. This is a perfect opportunity to purify your hearts and think about your future, or organize your idle hours to do something more meaningful.

- Quoted from the lecture at Hualien Penitentiary, Formosa on July 27, 1989

It is easy to be in a state of happiness. If we want peace, we should search within, not without. We all know that since ancient times, many of the rich and powerful people were not necessarily stable within themselves, while the monks or the so-called Taoists or the spiritual practitioners were very, very happy, even though they might have worn rags and lived in huts hidden in the mountains. Therefore, happy or not, it should not depend on the outside.

We are all prisoners, more or less! Some people are locked up in a building, while others are bound by their minds; that is the only difference. Being locked up in a building is the most simple and hopeful; it is not so easy to break free of being confined by the mind. For example, we are imprisoned for a period of time because we made some mistakes, and when the time is up, we are free to go. However, if we are imprisoned by the mind of ignorance or by the desires of greed, anger and obsession, then it is not so easy to break free or know when we will be free, perhaps, not even when we die!

What we need to change is our concepts and not the outer environment. If this is already the situation for us, then we should be patient and try to live happily. When the time comes, everything will change. Just like winter, it is over in three months, the same with spring and summer. There is nothing that remains the same everyday. Look at how our emotions change from day to day; sometimes we are happy, sometimes we are depressed, and there are times when we are half happy and half depressed; sometimes we are irritable, and sometimes we are more at peace, etc.. Therefore, we must learn to be patient. When the time comes, the situation will change on its own. Even the most glorious era fades away when its time is up. When we are the most miserable, it will also change for the better. So, search within and find the happiness in your true Self, and you'll be fine!

- Quoted from the lecture at Ilan Penitentiary, Formosa on March 21, 1989

The Legend Of A Taoist (Part I)

Narrated By Fellow Initiate Hu Nantou, Formosa
Recorded By Resident Disciples, Hsihu Center, Formosa

Intrinsic Wisdom And An Opened Heavenly Eye

The Taoist, Hu was born into an extraordinary family. His father and grandfather were both famous Taoists in their area. They were experts in topography, and in drawing mystic symbols and reciting mantras in order to dispel demons. Hu was given the Taoist training by his father since he was very young and his heavenly eye was opened at that time, thus enabling him to see the invisible worlds and communicate with the invisible beings.

The Taoist, Hu spent all of his energy and money in search of true masters. After he went through more than twenty teachers, he concluded that only three of them had truly attained the Tao and possessed real powers. One of them was Formosa's most distinguished Taoist, Patriarch Peizhong Liu of the Kunlun Sect. Another one was the highly respected old Buddhist monk Guang Ching. (During his samadhi in meditation, Hu had a vision of this old monk Guang Ching emanating about six inches of strong and bright golden light. He knew that only extraordinary persons who had truly attained the Tao could emanate this light.) The third one was the Supreme Master Ching Hai.

In 1940, when Patriarch Peizhung Liu of the Kunlun Sect came to Formosa from Mainland China, Hu was among the first group of several dozen disciples. He was only nineteen years old then. Master Liu was an expert in astrology, topography, martial arts, Taoist sorcery, medicine and a special method of foretelling. He was very compassionate and helped all people both noble and lowly; he also trained his disciples very strictly.

Retreating And Helping People After Training

The Taoist Hu followed and studied with Master Liu for about a year. One night when they were together, as they usually were, a disciple presented a letter of inquiry to the master. Master Liu then instructed all of the disciples present, which was then about 90 people, to meditate and try to perceive what was written in the letter. Out of all the disciples present, only the Taoist Hu had the answer to the contents of the letter. After hearing his answer, master Liu told him coldly, "Go back and pack your bags! No need for you to come here as of tomorrow." He was shocked and asked, "Master, what have I done wrong? Why did you ask me not to come here anymore?" Master Liu replied, "I want to send you out to set up a new temple and save sentient beings. You shall stay there and practice diligently. Later, you'll understand."

At that time, the Kunlun Sect sent out very few disciples to set up new temples; their rules were very strict. Number one, no offerings of any type may be accepted during the first three years. Number two, all traveling expenses must be paid out of one's own pocket. Number three, one was not to accept meals that were offered, thus bothering others; so one should eat before going out to do any work for people. Number four, never find excuses to refuse to help others. Number five, after three full years, one may accept offerings, but never bargain about the price of the work to be done; just accept whatever is given, and even help those who are poor. Therefore, when master Liu was alive, he was highly respected and had increasing numbers of disciples.

After master Liu passed away, Taoist Hu stayed in the mountains. He practiced and served the public, while still travelling extensively in search of enlightened masters. He had visited over twenty teachers, and each time he returned disappointed. Finally, he decided not to waste any more money and energy searching. He retreated into the mountains for fifteen years and cared nothing for the worldly matters.

An Extraordinary Vision In Samadhi

One afternoon fifteen years later, while Hu was meditating in his temple facing east, he suddenly saw a sun appear in the east. "How strange," he thought, "the sun should be in the west at this hour. Why is there other sun in the east?" Even more astoundingly, myriad rays of brilliant light emanated out of this large sun, and from each ray of light, there appeared a Buddha (a fully enlightened being). The appearance of the Buddhas in the center of the sun kept changing and transforming into other Buddhas. He had been a Taoist all his life and had never worshipped any Buddha. Therefore, he did not know the names of any of the Buddhas he saw.

He kept watching the transforming Buddhas in the center of the sun, and then two words appeared - "Ching Hai". He was very confused, because he had never heard a Buddha called "Ching Hai", but still, he was ecstatic, "a living Buddha was born," he thought, "and had come to Formosa to save the sentient beings!" The sun continued to emanate brilliant golden light, and the images of the Buddhas in the center continued to change. Finally, an image of the Supreme Master Ching Hai sitting appeared. Before he had ever met Master physically, he had already seen Her clearly in meditation.

He then prayed sincerely to Master to let him know where She had come from, vowing to save sentient beings, and which Buddha She was. Master granted him the answer and he believes that She is truly the reincarnation of an ancient Buddha, the "Mother of all Buddhas" who has existed since the beginning of Creation. Then the manifestation body of Master told him, "I shall come to see you in three days." He was very puzzled, since he was always in retreat in the mountains and seldom ventured into the outside world. He could not imagine how this Master who had never seen him before, would be able to find him. Besides that, She said She would even come to see him! Since his inner experience was so vivid and clear, he had no reason not to believe it.

There Is Indeed A Ching Hai Buddha In The World

After he came out of samadhi, he wondered where is this living Buddha named Ching Hai? Suddenly, he had an inspiration. He remembered an old lady from the small village in the mountain. She often visited the temples all over Formosa. If he went to ask this lady, perhaps she would know of such a person. So he went to the small village and came across the old lady there. He stopped her and asked, "Since you often visit the temples, have you ever heard of someone named 'Ching Hai'?" The old lady was startled and asked, "Why do you ask about this person?" Taoist Hu then told her about his vision in detail. The old lady finally said, the 'Supreme Master Ching Hai is my Master, and I am going to Taipei tomorrow to see Her."

"You don't have to go so far to see your Master," Hu told her, "She is coming to see me in three days. I'm not joking!" The old lady replied in disbelief, "That is impossible! My Master never goes to the home of a lay person." But since he was so sure, the old lady decided that it wouldn't hurt to wait for three days.

As it turned out, on the third day, Master and a few disciples came to the village in an old pick up truck to visit the old lady. (In the early days before Master became famous, She had only a handful of disciples, and this old lady was the first disciple from the village in that mountain.) The old lady was totally surprised and so overjoyed at the sight of Master. She immediately told Her about the Taoist Hu and took Her to his temple. As Master arrived at the temple, the Taoist Hu welcomed Her by beating the big drum and ringing the big temple bell as the highest respect to the last Master in his life - the Supreme Master Ching Hai, a true ancient Buddha who has come to this world to save sentient beings. He then established a strong affinity with Master, and many remarkable supernatural events occurred between them.

The Prophetic Poem Left By The Patriarch to Awaken The World

The Taoist Hu recalled when he was nineteen years old, master Peizhong Liu once told the disciples present, about ten or twenty people, "About forty years later, an extraordinary lady from abroad will come to Formosa to save sentient beings. You may follow Her and be Her disciples if you have affinity with Her." Then he recited a poem revealing this truth, "The lotus grows out of the water. Its blossom fills the world. Its radiance showers upon all realms. Passing by one's front door everyday, yet no one recognizes the true Being, the true God."

Now as he looks back, Hu realizes that in Formosa, Master Ching Hai is the only extraordinary lady from abroad, there isn't anyone else. When Master started to spread the Truth, She travelled all over Formosa, including all regions in the east, west, south and north; She went into the mountains, and to the seashores, and through the streets, large and small. Yet at that time, most people did not acknowledge Her teachings. Doesn't this reflect the passage in the poem, "Passing by one's front door everyday, yet no one recognizes the true Being, the true God?"

It has been over forty years since master Liu recited this revealing poem. The prophecy was foretold about one or two years after Master's birth. Many of those who had heard the revelation in this poem have already passed away. At the time when Hu was sent out to set up a temple in the mountain to practice, master Liu told him, "Later, you'll understand." Now he has finally understood! After more than forty years of sincere practice, God has finally rewarded him by sending him a real, "Super Super Enlightened Master"!

--To be continued in next issue--

Media Reports

The Morning Sun Newspaper, Australia

Wednesday November 2, 1994

Celebrating The Supreme Master Ching Hai Day

Reported By Huong Kieu

(Originally in Au Lac Language)

The "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day" was celebrated by the disciples of the International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations in Sydney, on Sunday the 23th of October 1994 at the meditation center in Cabramatta.

World renowned, the Supreme Master Ching Hai has dedicated Her whole life to spiritual and humanitarian endeavors. For example, She has especially helped the Vietnamese refugees who are still being detained in refugee camps in Hong Kong, as well as those in the other camps throughout southeast Asia. Recently, She was globally recognized when She received the "World Spiritual Leadership Award". She has also received many other awards, honoring Her efforts in promoting world peace and in elevating the spirituality of mankind.

On the 25th of October, 1993 in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Supreme Master Ching Hai was awarded an honorary American citizenship, and a bronze bust of the Master was made in Her honor by the U.S. government in Hawaii, and placed in a public park there, to be revered by everyone. Also during this ceremony, the U.S. government in Hawaii declared the 25th of October to be the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day". Now, every year, the meditation centers of the International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations around the world celebrate the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day" to show their appreciation toward this enlightened Master who has given them enlightenment.

With the same idea of giving due recognition, the International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations in Sydney celebrated the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day" on 23th of October at the meditation center in Cabramatta. The celebration officially opened at noon, with the participation of about 250 people, including friends and relatives of the fellow initiates.

The celebration included:

- Playing videos of the activities of the Supreme Master Ching Hai helping the Vietnamese refugees, as well as Her activities in spreading the Truth.

- An interesting spiritual program: "Picking the Flowers of Enlightenment". This was a unique draw with the ten winning prizes to be distributed at the end of the celebration.

- Between the two above programs was an entertainment show, performed by the Sydney meditation center entertainment group.

The film shown was entitled "The Unbearable Pain of Vietnamese Refugees". The first part of the film showed some of the Supreme Master Ching Hai's activities in spreading the Quan Yin Method, prepared by the Vien Thao TV program on an U.S. television network. The commentator on the program was Mai Han. The next part of the film showed the activities of the four-day retreat in Hawaii and the three-day retreat in Chicago, collected by the meditation center in Sydney. The entire film was in both Vietnamese and English. The guests watched the thirty minute film with great interest.

The most interesting and exciting program of the celebration, which carried profound spiritual meaning, was "Picking the Flowers of Enlightenment". Twenty-five numbers were drown by chance from 250 tickets. Every chosen person came up to choose his own "flower of enlightenment" from the green trees placed in the middle of the room. During the draw, Master's aphorisms, which were written on each "flower of enlightenment", were read aloud both in English and in Vietnamese for everyone to contemplate. This happy time won a warm response from the guests; rounds of applause resounded whenever a number was read. The celebration ended after the gifts were distributed to the ten winners.

The entertainment show was excellent; most outstanding were the solo and group singing performances and the solo zither performance, by fellow practitioners. The most special songs were those composed by the Chinese fellow practitioners, "We Are The Supreme Masters" and "Tears Of The Holy Mother". In addition, there were some lovely folk and love songs that depicted aspects of one's homeland and characteristics of the people, for example "Full Moon Festival", "Rain Drops On The Green Leaves", "Knowing The Origin", etc...

The celebration ended at 3:30 the same day. An appetizing, unique and pure vegetarian meal was enjoyed by everyone in an atmosphere of joy, friendliness and love of the fellow initiates.

The celebration gave all in attendance a peaceful time and spiritual comfort. On the way home, beautiful and lively impressions of the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day" activities, which were organized by the practitioners of the Sydney Meditation Center, still remained vividly in everyone's hearts.

RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

Published on November 21, 1994

No Forced Repatriation For The Vietnamese In Cambodia

In the most influential Cambodian Newspaper in Phnom Penh, comparable to the L.A. or New York Times in U.S.A.

(Originally in Cambodian)

None of the Vietnamese in Cambodia will forcibly be repatriated to their homeland if they comply with the conditions in the Immigration Laws. Of those Vietnamese living illegally in Cambodia, in the future, not another one will be repatriated.

Mr. Klauk Boudy, Chief Cabinet Minister of the Interior said that discrimination and repatriation of the Vietnamese should not be adopted even though they entered Cambodia illegally. He also emphatically criticized the idea of repatriating all of Vietnamese from Cambodia, by saying that this is the wrong point of view, this could be a danger to Cambodia.

Immigration Laws are not created to get revenge, but they are there to provide all illegal Vietnamese and foreigners the opportunity to live legally in Cambodia. There are approximately 100,000 Vietnamese and 60,000 Chinese actually living in Cambodia, said his excellency Sar Kheng Co, Minister of the Interior. But this figure is not accepted by everyone, because no doubt, there are a lot more Vietnamese now than in the past years.

The Immigration Laws were promulgated by the National Assembly on the 26th of August and generally enacted on the 22nd of September of this year. Presently the Ministry of Interior is working very intensively on different sub decrees in order to make them effective and fair in practical use.

By the end of this year, they are expected to be completed, along with the Nationality Laws. Mr Boudy told "Rasmey Kampuchea" that it is necessary to present three of the seven sub decrees in order to process these Immigration Laws and put them into action. Mr. Boudy believes that some foreigners are living legally in Cambodia. The ones who are illegals have the right to ask for permanent resident cards. All illegal foreigners must report themselves to the authorities in order to get permission to live in Cambodia.

The foreigners who live legally in Cambodia do not need to get a Khmer identity card, because they will automatically become a Khmer National after a period of 5 years according to the Nationality Laws.

Mr. Boudy has emphasized that the first step in carrying out the Immigration Laws, is that a notice will be given to all foreigners to report themselves to the authorities even if they are living illegally in Cambodia.

We are going to discuss check points on the borders with the neighboring countries, like Thailand, Laos, Vietnam. After we have designated where the check points will be, all foreigners who enter Cambodia not through the designated check points will be considered illegals and should be repatriated.

All foreigners who want to enter Cambodia should carry a passport and obtain an entry visa from the Cambodian Embassy or Consulate in their country. They also need to pay all the required Immigration Law fees, including airport tax, and provide a criminal record certificate from their country.

Translated by:

TED NGOY - President of the Cambodian Business Association