Spot Light

Unconditional Love

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai At The Long Beach International 5-Day
Retreat, California, USA December 28, 1996 (Originally In English)

Q: I would like to know, how can we develop more unconditional love, humility and compassion.

Like yesterday, I told you how to take care of your husbands and wives. Even if you call it a "loveless relationship", you have to work at it. After a while your love will become his love as well. Then, mingled together, your loving relationship is reborn again. For example, we women always say that the men run after us. Why don't you run after the men?

Try a new style. Imprint your own life-style. Instead of waiting for the man to buy you a rose or the husband to buy you a rose, why don't you buy him one? I always bought flowers for my husband when we were together. He bought me flowers too, but I didn't always wait. You just be the one you wish him or her to be, or whoever that is with you, to be, then that person can learn too. Maybe he is shy, or maybe the person you come into contact with is shy and doesn't know how to express themselves. You have to be bold and make the move. Show the world. Teach them, lead them. Let them more freely express their feelings through your actions. Not just, "love you, love you" and don't do anything about it.

If you love your husband, hug him when he comes home. Hug him whenever you can. For no reason, give him a present, or give your wife a present. Even not on a birthday, anytime, every day. Renew your love, show your feelings. Don't just say, "I love you. You know that already, don't you honey?" She may know, but she may not know. He may know, he may not know. Men, women are always insecure, "There are a lot of men and women out there! Why me? Why does he loves me? How can he? I'm so ugly, I'm so imperfect. How can he loves me?" He does! But we cannot help feeling insecure sometimes. So renew your love, express it all the time. Then it becomes unconditional because the other knows, "Oh, I'm not perfect. I know I'm not perfect. I made this mistake, that mistake, but she still loves me." And that is unconditional. Practice it. Don't just talk. Do something! Do something all the time.

There is another kind of practice. Easy! You walk on the streets all the time. If you see someone who needs help, just help him and then leave! You see a homeless person on the street, standing there hungry, just hand him some bills and leave! An old woman walking across the street, help her across the traffic lights slowly, lovingly, like a daughter; and leave. Do anything like that all the time. Your neighbor has trouble -- write a loving letter and pop it in the letter-box and leave! Sign your name if you want; if you don't, don't have to also. Or just do something unexpectedly. Anything.

Sometimes you have to look out for the opportunities to serve and to practice unconditional love. Normally you scold your daughter and son all the time. Now instead, reflect. Sit down and see what their needs are. Surprise them with some loving gesture, some loving present, something they've asked for for so long. It's harmless, it's good for them! Don't wait for Christmas! Well, at least Jesus was born, so that you give each other something each year. Any day you can do it, make an excuse even. On your birthday, instead of asking people to buy presents for you, buy presents for the poor people you know. Christmas: instead of waiting to get presents, buy presents for the people you know; or on the streets even, people you don't know also. If you go and seek all the homeless, give them presents. That's the best Christmas.

Hug your colleague! Tell her she is good, she is okay because she sometimes has an inferiority complex; has a problem of her own. Forgive the one who always hates you and picks on you -- buy her a present, compliment her on her dress, make her feel happy as a human being. They can hate you, they can make trouble for you, but you have to always be kind and loving. Their way is hatred and revenge, your way is kindness and loving. We have to choose our own way despite the situation.

The same with journalists or something. If they want to come, they want to interview -- treat them kindly, give them the information they need. Whatever they write is their problem. We have to do our best. Always treat everyone with kindness, compliments and sincerity. Don't push them out. If they want to know you, it's fine, let them know. Tell them that we are spiritual practitioners, that we are not good at formulating headlines, we probably don't know how to speak. So ask them to try their best, to make the best out of whatever they can. We are not professional preachers, not professional lecturers. So sometimes when we talk, we fumble about here and there. That's why we are afraid of interviews -- wastes their time and perhaps don't know how to bring the information to fulfill their wish. Just warn them like that. Don't push them away.

Have to treat them kindly, because they also have to do their job. They have to earn their living. They are struggling just like you are for survival in this world. It happens that they have to be journalists not by choice or by situation. So we help them to gain more knowledge, to gain a better understanding about us, instead of blaming them or disliking them for what they have written. They just have the wrong information, so you have to supply them the right one. After all your best efforts trying to supply everything and they still write bad things, which has happened many times to me, it's okay too. Forgive them! That's unconditional love too. You see, opportunities all the time, everywhere!¡¹

News 79 Index

Eternal Melody

Best Wishes To Master

Written according to Thu Ho's thoughts

(Originally In Au Lac Language)

To the Great Master, we joyfully give our best wish
In Springtime, and in New Year, plenty of bliss.
God's grace has given to sentient beings safety,
And sacrificed to the poor, with all of Her heart;
The faithful disciples, sincerely praying.
God's divine goodness will send menace away;
Learn and behave in Your ways with sincerity;
Following Master, blissful we will be.
Best wishes to Master, best wishes to You;
Humanity bows to wish the best wish to You.
 

News 79 Index

Open Space

Message "Umbrella Two Thousand" Recognizing The Savior Of Our Time The Second Interview By A Fellow Initiate

On February 2, in the most famous newspaper in Jakarta (the Compass), there was a prominent report on a very special topic -- "Umbrella Two Thousand" It was about a lady painter who tried to portray the saviour with her inspiration, and the picture was that of a lady holding an umbrella. The article itself was touching and vivid, and the saviour it described was unmistakably our Master. The whole article is quoted here for your reading.

Message "Umbrella Two Thousand"

The Compass, Jakarta, Indonesia Feb. 2, 1997

(Originally In Indonesian)

To make a prognosis is a futurolog's job. Meanwhile the futurolog know that the future can not always be calculated using the brain. To read the future they need intuition and feeling. That's why, to make a good prognosis, only by using knowledge and science, will not be enough for a futurolog. Beside that he has to have abilities like Orakel Delphi, which is not far from using transcendency in catching and interpreting the sign of the time. Science is always behind to face coincidences, which could not be calculated. And those coincidences for the futures are somehow always hidden. Not the science but art and mythology which could give us hints to those hidden matter. That's why there is no harm to hear about the future from art and mythology side.

Tini wanted to draw an umbrella. It was to be a normal umbrella. She asked her child to hold an umbrella and make a sketch of it. At the same time the electricity was down, the lighting dim and the wind blew strong from time to time, pushing at a "door" which was closed to her.

"I felt like I had to hold the umbrella tightly. Then as I continued paint- ing, suddenly I wanted to draw the spokes of the umbrella as spinning clouds. I enjoy moving the brush following the stirring clouds, then the spokes were made of clouds and they had to be in white", said she.

She continued following the circling of the clouds. The more to the top the more faded is the white color. The top of the umbrella is colorful and more rough, not as delicate as the spokes .Tini saw that inside the umbrella was some kind of scene.

Tini mentioned how difficult it was for the white color to penetrate through the other colors. The farther the white color from the hand of the woman who is holding the umbrella, the more the white color is contaminated. The white color is fighting very hard to cleanse the other colors. "The world has to be cleansed first, then a new life will begin," said Tini.

While painting Tini felt that things like cars, aeroplanes tried to stick to the top of the umbrella, but they fell off. The situation was turbulent and disorderly. When you take a closer look the roof of the umbrella has holes like those in the ozone layer. But however turbulent it is, the umbrella is still protection for everything and everyone. Even four planets are on it. "Umbrella of protection, the place where we can have refuge," said Tini. The umbrella is just like the universe with all its contents and problems. So it must be very heavy for the person to hold the umbrella. And in Tini's painting, she deliberately chose a woman to hold it. "It is not clear who that woman was, maybe my mother or my oma. But for sure that being is not from Earth. She comes from the outer worlds, and I feel very sorry for her. How will she be able to hold that mighty umbrella, in the middle of the storm and the tough rock?" Asked Tini. According to Tini, the woman must bear a very heavy load. She is the picture of a woman full of suffering, entering the new century. But only through that woman can people get protection. "Will I be saved?" Asked Tini.

"Be careful." This message is not only coming from the futuristic surrealism. The message is coming from people who believe in a better future. Those worlds are an eskathologic message: People should be more careful because there is something better waiting in front of us, which is more perfect than what we have today. An eskathologic attitude is just like the attitude of a woman giving birth. She doesn't know what will happen with her child later on. It comes from her, but it doesn't belong to her. Having courage to give birth means she has to have the courage to lose.

Parallel to this, facing the future means having the courage to relate to what one has reached today. That means an eskathologic attitude is actually an attitude against the arrogance that one could reach everything today. Human beings were asked to be careful not to worship the arrogance or success of today.

Unfortunate, the attitude to be careful does not come automatically. Human beings always have to be warned, e.g. by natural disasters. That's why, for several old folks, the Mount Merapie's eruption is the warning sign to be careful.

Fortunately, this Merapi activity was not so destructive, but the potential eruption may happen again. And it seems that this eruption was not without such a significance to happen in this period of time (moving into the new century). It's understandable that, for human beings to enter the new age, there will always be an abundance of tests. For that we should always be aware and beware.¡¹

¡iOpen Space¡j==============================

Recognizing The Saviour Of Our Time

Xiao Yao Reporting From Indonesia

No wonder, when people ask Master why She always carries an umbrella, she only smiles but doesn't answer. Now we understand, besides from being a symbol of the supreme power, the umbrella also signifies the holy mission of protecting all sentient beings. True indeed are the words of the spiritual painter: "Unfortunately, the attitude to be careful does not appear automatically. Human beings always have to be warned, e.g. by natural disasters." But why must we learn so painfully? Why can't we prevent it from happening? It is futile saying that catastrophes are coming if we don't know how to prevent them or to save ourselves. Therefore, it is more important to find a correct and feasible "method" that can save the world from doomsday.

In "The Way to Save the World from Doomsday," Master began with: "You have to practice and meditate diligently, purify yourself. This is very helpful to the atmosphere of your country. We are helping the world in this way, so I say you are the saviours of the world." However, to meditate is not just to close your eyes, cross your legs to reflect on God. The real meditation requires you to be a vegetarian, observe the five precepts, and communicate with the inner light and sound of God, the Holy Spirit.

Heed the warning of the spiritual painter: "Be careful, the time soon approaches." All of us should take immediate actions to recognize the enlightened Master who is trying save the world. Follow Her to pursue spiritual practice so as to help ourselves and others. Call for more people to join and walk on the path of spiritual practitioners. Let us gather all our power to penetrate the darkness before dawn, and welcome in the brightness of the twenty-first century -- the golden era!

----------

One of our fellow practitioners visited the painter and had a brief conversation with her....

After talking to the painter on the phone, the fellow practitioner had the urge to visit this painter, so he acted according to his intuition. He immediately went to book air-tickets, but none were available because of the Chinese New Year. He didn't give up, but went with his wife to the airport and waited for seats on standby. Due to their sincerity, they finally got on the plane and reached the destination. Here is a brief record of their conversation:

Madam Tini had never studied painting before; she is naturally talented. All her paintings are related to planets and the universe. Her husband is also a painter, and they have a son and a daughter. Tini is not an ordinary person. She and her younger brother often have sightings of UFO's.

This painting will be used as cover pictures for the Pacific Asia Art Magazine, the "Basis" magazine published by Father Sindhunata, and the Women's Magazine in the Philippines.

Tini said she once dreamed that she was riding a motor cycle with this "lady in white clothes" (Tini was pointing to Master's photo in white clothes). The strange thing was, thought Tini was sitting in the front seat, it was the lady in the back who was driving. The bike went down a very steep slope and headed straight into the sea. She turned back and saw that there was also water behind. The lady steered the bike fantastically like a martial arts expert and kept them out of the water. Later Tini asked the lady to help her. The lady told her to close her eyes, and then both of them landed in a very high realm.¡¹

¡iOpen Space¡j==============================

The Second Interview By A Fellow Initiate

When we visited her this time, we gave her a big poster of Master, in which She dressed like a Thai queen, with one right shoulder exposed, and She was carrying an umbrella. The Saviour in that painting also had Her right shoulder exposed. She asked immediately: "May I hang it in the main hall downstairs?" Of course we had no objection. There was a strange coincidence. One day before our visit, a painting of an old eagle in her hall fell off, so there was an empty space. Probably it was reserved for Master's photo.

Ever since Tini read Master's sample booklet, she has switched to a pure vegetarian diet and is awaiting the initiation. So are her younger brother and sister. After practicing the Convenient Method, she has truly thanks Master for connecting her with the holy spirit within. She believed that she could paint even better in the future. After we left, the three of them continued to watch Master's videos, and were moved to tears. Later on the telephone, she told fellow initiates that she is really happy to know Master.¡¹

News 79 Index

Poem

Lament Of Happiness

By Brother Initiate Nigel Khoo, U.K.

(Originally In English)

I was inspired to write this poem on the way back from Paris after seeing Master.

In Duality I have found unity,
One that fleets and flies.
In Light have the shadows fallen,
Ones that fall behind the walls.

The heart has its maladies
But to bring forth the heaven inborn,
Is to uplift thine heart to melodies,
Melodies that soothe the Heart forlorn.

Only when the pain subsides does the light shine forth,
Pounding the mind's stone to dust,
Bringing brightness to the Body's North,
Resounding right to the Inner Crust.

For years I've waited for heaven,
But alas heaven's awaiting me.
Now met you, I have, and the walls above fall even,
And no pain now do I ever see.

Here and now I have found my Boushba partner
One who feeds such vitality and thunder
One who brings shivers up my spine
To bring heaven and me align

And these last words to you, my Love
Ones I live to cherish and fulfill:
I LOVE you...now and forever!!
 

News 79 Index

Media Reports

The Master From The Himalayan Cloud "Divided Existence" Lying Down To Rest In The Way Of A Lion King,Not The Way Of Hungry Ghosts Or Astral Beings

The Master from the Himalayan Cloud

Once upon a time,
A true peace lover wandered around the many worlds
In search of eternal happiness.
She walked on the face of the Earth, the suns, the moons and the clouds.
At last she found,
That it was all the while hidden in her very heart.
Then she sat down,
And was about to enjoy the new-found Bliss,
But suddenly she looked down,
And saw countless beings were still groveling in darkness,
For they were searching for happiness without.
Just like her before, erring over millions of ages.
Her tears were then rolling down...
One drop, two drops...and many more...
Each drop became a shining jewel,
And soon the sky was studded with glittering tears,
Which are the stars today.
They are too shy in the day,
And too restless in the night to go to sleep.
For all Truth aspirants,
The stars are there to light the Way,
And to remind them of the compassion of a holy Sage.

By Supreme Master Ching Hai ( from her anthology of poems called "Silent Tears" )

She eventually arrived in India, a land that has been graced with many great Masters over the centuries. In discussing Her travels in this mystical land, Supreme Master Ching Hai commented that, "There are many spiritual practitioners in India who eat only one meal each day. They practice a number of methods rather than a selected one. Without a permanent home, they go everywhere on foot, searching for Masters and paths. They meditate every day, never forgetting to practice even for a minute during meals or sleep. They do not meditate briefly, just for one minute. You can imagine how terrific their inner power is. Some of them can walk on fire without getting burnt. However, these are only minor tricks that cannot lead to the ultimate level. It is more important to attain wisdom and liberation. We have tremendous latent power. If we practice well and have absolute faith in ourselves, nothing is beyond us."

Her faith, selfless devotion and all-consuming passion to serve others is made apparent when She describes Her time at one of the many ashrams She visited. "When I had the time, I did anything that needed to be done. Since most people disliked chores, like washing dishes and scrubbing the floor, I did these jobs though office staff like us were usually exempt from laborious work. I was a quick worker, and if I found things strewn around everywhere when I had finished my office job, I promptly cleaned up the mess because I disliked untidiness. I knew how to put things back in order, so I could do it very fast."

"The more we work, the more enlightened we become. Frankly speaking, it gave me great joy to scrub the staircase and floor in India. I said to myself in jubilation, Oh! I am so honored to have the chance to clean the staircase for these saints. Their feet walk past this place every day; it's as though I am washing the feet of the saints. I felt highly honored! This thought was a spontaneous one; no one had taught me that. Merely washing the staircase trodden by the disciples was enough to make me feel so honored. How much more honored would I have felt had it been the staircase used by the Master? It is better for us to work unconditionally. Serve others, and all will be given unto you."

"During my times in the ashrams, I never clung around an enlightened Master or asked him to look at me while I worked. I only served. I scrubbed the staircase, cleaned the floor, watered the plants, and did things that no one else wanted to do. I washed the eating utensils because it was the last thing that people wanted to do. After each meal, eating and cooking utensils piled up like a mountain. Yet I found happiness in washing them every day."

After working tirelessly in many ashrams, Her truly remarkable search had its final chapter in the highest and most enigmatic mountain range in the world, the Himalayas, the place that for centuries Indians have believed is the abode of the gods. For this reason, millions of devout pilgrims venture into the Himalayas each year to visit the numerous sacred sites and perhaps meet with one of the rare enlightened beings that are said to live in seclusion in remote, secret caves. Sadly, many pilgrims die along the way due to severe weather conditions, landslides or the dangerous icy terrain. There are few conveniences, so some are even consumed by starvation. Fear prevents most pilgrims from venturing too far. Only an extremely rare being with unshakable faith in the Universal Power and tremendous courage would ignore the obvious dangers.

When speaking about Her numerous Himalayan treks that took Her increasingly higher and deeper into the snow swept region, Supreme Master Ching Hai said, "When I was in the Himalayas, I couldn't afford to hire a horse or a coolie. I had nothing, so I could only walk. Perhaps my continuous walking kept me warm. Otherwise, I would have frozen, as I was wearing wet clothes and shoes amid the rain and snow in the mountains. Some peaks were high and lofty, and looked awesome. I must have been as crazy then as couples who are madly in love, and oblivious to everything else. Lovers are blind to the risks and burden of marriage and family life, nor do they think about the future. They are enthralled by their amour for each other, and live only for that moment in time."

"However, God blesses idiots like me. When I was looking for an enlightened Master, I had only two sets of clothes, but I never caught a cold traversing the Himalayan trails. Sometimes, I couldn't even afford to buy firewood to dry my wet clothes, so I went near other people's campfires, holding them in my hands. The heat made my clothes dry faster and I could also warm myself. I must have been blind and "God-crazed" I probably wouldn't have dared to do it now."

"All I had on my mind then was God; and all I could see was God. There was no room for family or money. I was stupid enough, but nothing else could penetrate my mind because I had only God in my heart. It is like when we are in love, we are completely blind to the faults of our lover, and we refuse to listen to any unfavorable remarks against him. Probably that was why God gave me protection, or I would have died long ago."

Supreme Master Ching Hai's devotion to God enabled Her to overcome the many hardships associated with traveling alone and the inhospitable mountainous environment that She experienced. " In some parts of the Himalayas, the low atmospheric pressure made it difficult to cook food well. I could only wash the food in the Ganges and eat it raw. It was delicious, though. The Himalayas is the most wonderful place. I could do without hot water. It was fun taking a cold dip. It was so cold that it felt as though my body had shrunk. I would count to 5, and then jump out from the ice-cold river. My body seemed to bloom then as thousands flowers and I felt so exalted."

On what would be Her final trek into the abode of the gods, Supreme Master Ching Hai began like She had often done before with only two sets of clothes, a pair of sports shoes, a sleeping bag, a water bottle, a couple of books and a walking stick. She was almost constantly wet and cold as She ascended ever higher. The further she went the more belongings She discarded to conserve energy. Having discarded virtually everything, She put Her life entirely into God's hands.

All things come to those who seek God and God alone. So it was inevitable that one day She would find the Master She had incessantly yearned for. That Master was the great Master Khuda Ji, who lived in seclusion deep in the Himalayas. Master Khuda Ji was four hundred and fifty years old when He initiated Supreme Master Ching Hai into the ancient art of meditation on the heavenly Sound and divine Light. He had remained patiently in His Himalayan abode waiting for Her. She would be His first and only disciple. Although, She had practiced this form of meditation before, Master Khuda Ji was to impart to Her the ultimate spiritual transmission that is the essence of Initiation. Only the few great Masters, who have attained the Ultimate, can perform Initiation.

Supreme Master Ching Hai rarely speaks about Master Khuda Ji, who left the physical realm soon after His noble mission was accomplished. She acknowledges all those who taught Her at each point during Her search but saves the highest accolade for God. “I had many Masters, both tangible and intangible, and each of them taught me different things. The truth is, God is my only enlightened Master. However, once when asked by one of Her initiates about Her great Himalayan Master, She said, "Oh, I followed an enlightened Master - a very great one! However, He has passed away. He had only one disciple, that was me. And I must carry on His work."

Returning to the plains, She visited one of the ashrams She had stayed at previously. While She sat innocuously reading a discarded newspaper, one of the ashram's most long-standing disciples, who had practiced under three successive Masters in the lineage, unreservedly performed a full-body prostration before Her in full view of all around, touching and even kissing Her feet. Of course, Supreme Master Ching Hai was startled and overwhelmed, as She later explained. "That was not the first time we met; we had worked together for several months and had had tea together. However, he prostrated to me after I came back from my trip to the Himalayas. I was afraid that my ego might grow as tall as the hill! Like everyone around us then, I was really startled. I was so shocked that I couldn't think of anything. My mind went blank and couldn't give the incident a further thought. I only knew that I should leave." And so She did, immediately.

She tried desperately to remain inconspicuous as She traveled widely throughout India. However, Her sublime Inner Light was impossible to conceal.

At India's Maha Kumbh Mela festival that is held every twelve years at Hardwar on the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh, millions of Hindus from all parts of the country congregate for an entire month. It's a rare gathering of spiritual Masters, many of whom venture down from the Himalayas only on this occasion, so pilgrims go with questions and all kinds of offerings for them. Perhaps not surprisingly, Supreme Master Ching Hai's visit caused quite a stir. "When I was at the Kumbh Mela, many people followed me. In India, if a woman goes out alone, people would throw stones at her, thinking that she is a bad woman. However, although I was traveling alone, people bowed to me and offered spices, coconuts, flowers and food to me. They even gave me the best tent, the kind usually reserved for great Masters. They let me use a big tent all by myself while some other Masters had to squeeze into one tent."

"There was nothing about me that would attract attention. I didn't nail myself or grow a beard; nor did I blacken myself with ash; nor was I as lean as a skeleton. You recognized saints the moment you saw them. They had been exposed to the sun all day long, so most of them were dark. They grew a beard because they didn't have the time to shave. They had long hair too. You could immediately recognize that they were enlightened Masters or Saints. I didn't look like one at all."

She eventually left India but no matter where she went people intuitively knew of Her spiritual greatness. She had no desire to attract followers; but no matter how many times She fled from those who found Her, they just kept coming. Finally, in Taiwan, just as had happened on other occasions in India, in New York City, and in other parts of the world, She was found by a group of spiritual seekers who were divinely guided to Her. At the time she was living anonymously behind a small, little-known temple. She was touched by their sincerity and realized that she could no longer avoid Her life's mission. The seekers sincerely sought initiation, so Supreme Master Ching Hai eventually granted them, and so began Her public life as a Master.

While Supreme Master Ching Hai's mission is first and foremost a spiritual one, nevertheless She provides necessary material assistance to people in need whenever possible. As a result, during the last few years She has received numerous awards recognizing Her humanitarian commitment that has assisted millions of people all over the world in coping with natural disasters, poverty and disease. The most notable so far has been the 1994 World Spiritual Leadership Award that was presented by the Governors of six States in the United States (viz., Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas, Missouri and Minnesota) for Her generous aid after the 1993 Mississippi flood. Most of Her other aids were unnoticed as they were done not through the governments. Her undiscriminating compassion, like Her patience, determination and perseverance, which She has displayed throughout Her life, are important qualities for all spiritual aspirants. These are the qualities that were also taught and exemplified by the great past Masters like Jesus, Shakyamuni Buddha, Krishna, Lao Tzu, Mohammed, Guru Nanak, etcetera. Yet while each Master's life is unique, the spiritual path they take is and always has been the same. That path is the path of meditation on the heavenly Sound and Light. Supreme Master Ching Hai has called this the Quan Yin Method, because She gave Her first public teachings in Formosa. Quan Yin is a Chinese term that means observation of the inner Vibration.

This primal Vibration or Sound is in its nature transcendental and therefore perceived in silence. Jesus' disciples called it the "Holy Spirit" or the "Word" (which is from the Greek word "Logos," meaning sound). "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." After Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, He spoke of this Sound too, calling it the "drum of immortality" Krishna equated Himself with the "sound in ether" Mohammed perceived this Sound in the cave at Gare-Hira when He had a vision of the archangel Gabriel, and Lao Tzu described the Tao as the "Great Tone".

Spiritual Light also manifests as an aspect of the Divine Presence. Hence, the great Masters impart both transcendental Sound and Light, as Supreme Master Ching Hai explains. "So, we get in contact with this Spirit, which is a manifestation of divine Light and Vibration, and by doing so, we know God. In fact, it isn't really a method. It is the power of the Master. If you have it, then you can transmit it. The method is a transcendental one that cannot be described by our language. Even if someone describes it to you, you will not receive the Light and the Vibration, the inner peace and wisdom. Everything is transmitted in silence, and you will see your old Masters like Jesus or Buddha. You will receive all that you need to follow their footsteps, and little by little you will become Christ-like, and you will become one with God."

In less than ten years, the ancient message of the Quan Yin meditation has spread to many countries across the globe. Supreme Master Ching Hai's many lectures and informal discussions have been transcribed to numerous books, and audio/video tapes in several languages, and hundreds of thousands of people from different faiths have been initiated. Supreme Master Ching Hai accepts all sincere spiritual aspirants for initiation, which like Her public lectures, is always offered free of charge. Aspirants must agree to a lifelong commitment to basic ethical codes of conduct, including adherence to a lacto-vegetarian or vegan diet. She finances Her mission with the proceeds derived from the sale of Her colorful artwork, exquisite fashion and fine jewelry designs, that have all been exhibited internationally to critical acclaim.

The rapid pace of Supreme Master Ching Hai's vital and self-sacrificing work continues today, and with God's grace will do so long into the future. Her work will enable as many beings as possible to have the chance to connect with a most precious, fully enlightened Master. She has often said that such connections are made perhaps once in millions of years, so naturally, She welcomes all those who feel their time has now finally arrived.¡¹

¡iMedia Reports¡j==========================

"Divided Existence"

United Press, Formosa November 14, 1996
Reported by journalist Chang Cheng Lik, Taipei

A report on a lecture by Prof. Lee Si-chen about the "Divided Existence" theory of atoms that states that warm objects have the potential to emit light.

Lee Si-chen said that science had already proved that the same atom could exist at different places separated by eighty angstroms (one angstrom equals to 10-8 cm). In other words, in the microcosmic world, “divided existence of the atom did exist. Whether the same phenomenon could exist in the macrocosmic world would need further research to ascertain. He also said that all warm things could emit light -- this is a recognized physical phenomenon -- only that the wavelength would be different. The light could be strong in someone but weak in another, or it could be seen by some but not by others.

It was in 1992 that Prof. Lee Si-chen formally established the “Special Studies on Human Body Potentials course in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the National Taiwan University. Within four years, after numerous repeated experiments, he found that four students had special potentials. He used sophisticated machines to measure their physiological parameters (such as electrical brain waves) and compared these with those of Chi Kung masters to see if there were any similar physiological patterns, trying to reveal the mystery of the human body potentials.

Lee Si-chen said that more incredible findings came out from research into “recognized words with fingers or “recognizing words with ears that were actually factual. However, this non-visual “vision had to be accompanied by the releasing of electricity from the palm of the hand and the lowering of blood flow to the brain and blood pressure. Also, the temperature of the hand had to be below 340 Celsius.

He emphasized that if scientists could find out the secret of recognizing words with fingers, “restoring vision for the blind would not be impossible.¡¹

¡iMedia Reports¡j==========================

Lying Down To Rest In The Way Of A Lion King,

Not The Way Of Hungry Ghosts or Astral Beings.

China Times, Formosa January 4, 1997
Authors: Dr. Guo Zheng Dian, Aspiratory Therapy Department,
Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and Dr. Chen Gao Yang,
Medical Department of Tao Yuan Provincial Hospital.

By analyzing the variation of heartbeats, our research proved that the Buddhist way of sleeping like a lion king -- inclining to the right with overlapping legs, is capable of increasing the activity of the parasympathetic nerves. This is the best posture for taking a relaxed rest, and is highly recommended to busy modern people who need a good rest but who suffer from insomnia. We also found that, among three lying postures, the recumbent position induces the highest rate of activity of the sympathetic nerves, and therefore makes it hard to stabilize the body and mind.

In many medical columns, Mr. Qiu Hong Hsiang has introduced a meditation method for lying down. We think this method is based on the lying king's posture of Buddhism. Here we cited the relevant parts from the scriptures for your reference....: Three Thousand Codes of Manners for Senior Bhiksus; Chapter 20 of the Madhyamagama Treatise, the chapter of the King of Longevity, number 12 scripture for the Sleeping of Most Reverend Seniors (the second chanting of Siao Tu Cheng); the Dirghagama Treatise; the Senior Rules for Monks and Nuns, Chapter 35....¡¹

News 79 Index

You May Not Know

Master's Fascinating Answer To My Questions An Evening's Chat On The Chao Phraya River

Master's Fascinating Answers To My Questions

By Brother Initiate Dr. Jacky Chantraine, Brussels, Belgium
(Originally In English)

Then Master came to London, and I took the opportunity to ask Her the question.

"I don't remember exactly the words but in the small book Aphorisms coming from Master, it is written somewhere that sometimes Maya could be also Buddha and that means ourselves if not a Buddha, we couldn't be a Buddha. I don't understand this sentence very well.... I have some meaning but I'm not sure."

"Okay, tell your meaning. Tell your understanding first," Master requested.

I said, "Oh, my understanding is that even the devil if he turns, could also become one day good and become also Buddha because everybody could become a Buddha, even the bad ones. And that's the reason why Buddha is Buddha. I don't know it is the real meaning exactly."

Master then replied, "Well, it's correct in a sense. The meaning is like this: the Maya is also the Buddha. It's like this because originally everything came from one place -- the Nothingness, the beginning of all things. So where can the Maya come from, if not from Godhood, from Buddhahood, from the Kingdom of God? In the beginning we all were Masters, or part of the Master plan, part of the whole of the creation, like a piece of cake of apple pie, of the whole apple pie. All right? But then each of us carries something individuality, different; like, okay, this one has tomato on it, the next one has mushrooms, and the next piece of pizza has some olives on it. Okay? And some part is smaller, some part is bigger. Smaller for children to eat and bigger for adults to eat, for example like that.

"So in the beginning we were Masters anyhow, or at least part of the Masterhood, but then if we want to have fun in the world, then we have to divide ourselves. Each one takes up a different role. So one takes up a role as a Buddha, and the other one takes up as the opposite of the Buddha, just like in a theater play. In the beginning all the actors, actresses belong to the same company, but the one who is cut out to be the main actress, she must be so-and-so beautiful with so-and-so figure; and the other one is designed to be a maid and she has to wear a such-and-such dress and behave in a such-and-such way and has such-and-such kind of portion -- the body (Master laughs). Things like that.

"So, we are the same. But when we descend into a lower level of existence such as this world, then we have to relinquish our right as a Master in order to play another role. So if you play that role too long, it could be possible that you forget everything that you have done in heaven, or forget what you are, your greatness. That's why I tell you the Master is within you.

"So Maya is actually playing the role of Maya for the purpose of balancing the creation, for the purpose of making it “spicy . If there is no opposite, how do you recognize the other part? If you have never ever seen a woman in your life you would not recognize yourself as a man. Therefore, there must be a Maya, there must be a Buddha, things like that. That's why all the Masters tell you: 'You are equal. You all are children of God,' or 'You all are the Buddha, you have all Buddha nature (God nature) inside and that's the only truth there is.' "But that doesn't mean that when you look at somebody doing evil things and you say that is good. No, evil is evil, good is good. Because for that purpose they are evil or they are good. God makes them like that so we know good. If there is no evil we don't recognize good. Just like when there is no sorrow we don't know what happiness really means. So there must be opposites, what we call ying and yang, so that we can recognize ourselves. Okay? Each one helps the other to recognize their greatness. So, no problem about that. You got it??"

"Not exactly," I answered.

"Not exactly. Maybe I didn't make myself clear. I'm sorry. Well, you are the professor, you're so used to with complicated explanations and books, so it's difficult for me.

"Maya is the Buddha, because there is no Maya in the beginning. That is only Buddha who's masked as the Maya in order to play the bad guy. Because without trials, without bad guys, how can you prove that you are good? How can you realize that you are good? All the heroes are born from situations. All the medicines and all that all came from sickness. If there is no sickness, there is no great doctors, no great medicines, no great discoveries. If there is no need for light and industry like that we'd have no discovery of electricity.

"Okay, there is just a purpose of badness so that everyone can recognize what goodness is and keeps on to it. But the bad one has done that, has masked himself as bad for that purpose, so that you'll be great, so that you know, “Oh, this is bad. I should not do this. I have to keep on with the good one. Because you compare to yourself, “Oh, this is really bad. This is good. Because if you don't have a bad one to compare, you don't know. Okay? You've lost your direction and the purpose. So there must be a Maya, but they are the Buddhas (enlightened beings) who are masked behind the Maya. Got it or not?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Good! Bless you, bless you. It's abstract, you know, and it's very difficult to understand, that I know. But I'm very proud of you that as a professor of your age, of a great university in Belgium, and you have practiced humility enough to ask me this question, and to even to admit it when you did not understand. I really appreciate that.

This debate about maya and Buddha was a lesson in humility. Instead of pretending that we understand everything about Master's teachings, sometimes it is better to ask Master, Herself, the right answer and not to be afraid of saying that we don't understand!¡¹

¡iYou May Not Know¡j======================

An Evening's Chat On The Chao Phraya River

Recorded By Brother Wu Pei Yuen, Bangkok, Thailand

This restaurant belonged to Mr. Min's girlfriend, Miss Done. She personally prepared and served several Thai vegetarian dishes which had their own unique sour and spicy taste. Master praised that the Thai vegetarian dishes were very special. The hostess served the rice, soup and drinks and treated Master like the most honored guest. Master was very touched by their sincere, courteous and conscientious reception.

As it was the weekend and there was no need to go to work the next day, everyone went to the Oriental Restaurant next to the Chao Phraya River to have a cup of tea after dinner. As Lieutenant Boonchai and Mr. Min were both pilots, they asked Master for advice on the meaning of dreams. Master answered: "It's better to be unable to recall what you see in dreams." Mr. Min said that sometimes he would dream that the aeroplane that he was flying fell down from the sky. But because it was the duty of work then he still had to fly. He could not stop flying just because of the dreams. Master said straight away: "Right! One should not stop flying just because of this..."

It was easy for times of happiness to pass by quickly. Everyone bid each other good-bye in merriment. The friends hope that they could have the chance to see Master again.¡¹

News 79 Index

Love In Action

"Sending Warmth In The Cold Winter" Continues... Report From Kaoping Envelopes Of Love Delivered To The Needy Report From Taichung Report From Jiayi A New Year In Palawan

"Sending Warmth In The Cold Winter" Continues...

Reported By Kaoping News Group, Formosa

While Formosa continues to be embraced by chilly
weather, the third phase of winter relief work after Master's
compassionate instruction to help those in need. In total, there
were eleven poverty stricken Kaoping families and native residents
of the remote Fongliau area that received aid.

Those who received aid were either low income families;
people who had been suffering from long-term illnesses; single
parents with several dependent children; or those having to
cope with sudden family upheavals. Not surprisingly, all had
sad, desperately unfortunate stories to tell. When they learnt
that the aid came from our compassionate Master, grateful
smiles appeared on their long, sorrowful faces. They
were very thankful to Master, whose timely
help enabled them to have a warm, en-
joyable New Year.

¡iLove In Action¡j========================

Envelopes Of Love Delivered To The Needy

By Taoyuan News Group, Formosa

There was one family, with the head of the household being terminally ill with cancer, that had spent all their life savings on his treatment expenses. As a result, the children have had to drop out of school to make a living. When the relief group arrived at their home with financial assistance expressing Master's care and concern for them, they were all touched and deeply grateful.

Ms. Chen in Fu-Shin county lives in a ramshackle, sheet-metal house. There is no water or electricity. She survives solely on the charity from others. When she received the relief money, she happily exclaimed: "Now I can have electricity!" Understandably, members of the relief group were all happy for her.

By Taichung News Group, Formosa

In order to let those who are poor and helpless enjoy a happy, warm New Year with sufficient food to eat, fellow initiates in Taichung overwhelmingly responded to Master's instruction to "send warmth in the cold winter". During their continuous aid program, there were many warm, touching interludes.

The Catholic Tsi-Ai Education Center for the Handicapped in Leizhong Street, Taichung, is especially for children from three to fifteen years old, who are severely mentally handicapped. The Center always has difficulty raising funds. Master's contribution was undoubtedly the biggest and best encouragement for the loving and devoted staff.

There were two families introduced to us by social workers at Ren-ai Hospital. One family, the Yang's, consisted of two brothers who depend solely on each other to survive. The elder brother has been sick for a long time and is still under intensive care in the hospital. Sadly, the younger brother does not receive sufficient income to pay all the medical expense. Obviously, he was extremely grateful for Master's unexpected help.

The Li family lives in Dali City. Three months ago, a car accident severely injured all three family members. Their time in the hospital meant the family no longer had an income. When accepting Master's loving care and financial aid, Mr. Li emotionally said to the relief group members that he would never forget the love rendered to him and hoped he would have the ability to contribute to, and repay, society in the future.

City & No. of Households             Amount

Taoyuan:  15 households             270,000
Kaosiung: 2 households               40,000
Pingtong: 8 households              160,000
Taichung: Catholic "Tsi-Ai          100,000
   Handicapped Education Center"
Taichung: 19 households             380,000

Total                               950,000
 

Report From Jiayi, Formosa

Towards the end of the lunar year, the weather was very cold. Fellow practitioners from the Jiayi Center went to visit the Universal Love Old Folks' Home and the Ji Mei Old Folds' home. Their splendid dancing, singing, dramatic acting, and story telling brought cheerful laughter to the usually quiet old folks.

According to the superintendent of the Universal Love Old Folks' Home, our Association's relief team is different from other charity groups in that we really showed that we sincerely and wholeheartedly care for the helpless residents.

When fellos practitioners were performing at the Ji Mei Old Folks' Home, Ms. Chang Wen Yin, Mayor of Jiayi City, together with staff members from the Social Department of the Urban Council, also came to visit the residents. The fellow practitioner hosting the program invisted Mayor Chang to the stage to speak. Upon his departure, the mayor shook hands with each fellow practitioner and thanked Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her continuing concern for the elderly.¡¹

¡iLove In Action¡j========================

A New Year In Palawan

Report From The Philippines

(Originally In Au Lac Language)

With boundless compassion, Supreme Master Ching Hai understood the longing of these people and comforted them in Her own special way by instructing the Quan Yin messengers and fellow practitioners to present New Year's gifts to them during Tet. Although the gifts were rather simple (e.g. watermelons, candies, cookies and preserved fruits), they nonetheless fulfilled a timeless Au Lac tradition. Moreover, they were also full of Master's love, reserved especially for Her compatriots. Her meticulous compassion and care for suffering people seemed to also touch God, who responded with gentle raindrops that comforted every soul.

News 79 Index

Selected Questions & Answers

Love Is The Only Religion

An interview given by Supreme Master Ching Hai at the Quan Yin Vegetarian
Restaurant to Ms. Helen Stone of Radio KLDE, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
on November 14, 1993. (Originally in English)

M: I wish whatever you wish -- peace, prosperity and love between brothers and sisters.

Q: Do You think that there is a message in all the human tragedies that we are witnessing, one event after the other -- the hurricanes, the floods, the fires, the earthquakes?

M: Yes, definitely, I think you know. I think all of us know.

Q: What are we missing? Are we doing something wrong? Are we doing something to displease the universe or anyone?

M: We are doing it all the time. And we have been doing it for thousands of years. That is, being unkind to each other; killing each other; suppressing each other, including our younger brothers and sisters, like the animals. I know I will displease many people by saying that, but since you've asked me I have to be absolutely frank.

Q: Please, by all means.

M: Anything in the universe will return to where it began. Since we are in the Western world, in the Bible it is said: As you sow, so shall you reap. And if we believe in the Bible, we have sowed too many things that unfortunately will yield undesirable fruit for us. Sometimes, it has accumulated to such a great intensity that individual cleansing or purification is insufficient, so there has to be a kind of great cleansing action, just like disasters -- earthquakes, fire, floods and hurricanes, etcetera -- as you have mentioned. So the only thing to avoid this, to avoid the fruit, is to avoid the sowing of the seed.

Yes, we have to start to be more God-worshipping, God-loving, God-fearing. It doesn't mean we go to the temple and “blah, blah, blah all day long how we love Hirm; but we have to love in action, love Hirm and love Hiers children.

In the Bible, it is said very clearly, I think it's Psalm 78. If I'm wrong, please forgive me because I'm not good at scholarly statements. But it's something like: Who told you to kill all these she-goats and he-oxen to make offerings to me. Repent your sins because your hands are full of innocent blood. If you do not stop all this, then I will never listen to you when you pray. And when you seek me, I will turn my head away.

God doesn't permit us to kill even to make offerings to Hirm, how much less to kill to satisfy our very temporary physical appearance. So, this is the cause of most of our disasters and sickness in this world.

Scientifically speaking, we can prove that in America the majority of the people love red meat and they eat a lot, so their rate of cancer is number one in the world. Other poor countries where they don't have so much meat, the rate of cancer is very, very, very low, just like nothing, compared to America. That is according to the research of all the doctors and scientists, so don't scold me.

Therefore, you can see the connection between the facts, science -- and the religious statements. I'm not saying that we all have to be Catholics or anything. We just have to be loving and that's the only religion there is.

Q: Is there any way that our faith can assist us in trying to combat diseases such as AIDS and cancer? Is there some strength to be found in Your spirituality, in knowing and focusing more on your soul as opposed to your physical temple, your body?

M: Yes, there are ways and means, provided people want to listen. Last night someone talked to me about how beneficial they have found our meditation practice and my advice, how their lives have changed, and how many sicknesses have left them. Even if they have sickness, it's reduced into half size or nothing. Sometimes instantly. So I thought, "Yes, it's a pity that not many people listen to me."

And they said, "Yes. If they all listened to you, the world would be peaceful long ago."

I said, "Yes, if only they'd listen then no more suffering ever in this world. We would turn it into paradise in no time."

Q: Do You see there being something special, something unique about You being a female Master? About You being so youthful? Why perhaps were You chosen as You are in this particular form to be our living Master?

M: I guess this is the will of the Most High, and I cannot do anything about it. I guess we need a change. Always having male Masters is boring. We need a change. (Master and audience laugh. Applause)

You know, being a female spiritual teacher has also some advantages. Like, many women don't like or feel shy talking to men teachers, so maybe they find it easier to communicate with a female teacher. Maybe that's why God chose me to do this job.

Q: And with our various religions as they are today, why do You believe we've had such a history of so many different religions? What has man through the ages been seeking through religion and philosophy? What is that need that we're seeking to satisfy, or that fear?

M: Yes, fear is one of the reasons. Another reason is that, we, inwardly are the essence of the Most High. You know we came from God, otherwise where did we come from? You think we came from plants, from the wall or stone? So, we must have come from God, the Most High, the most intelligent, the Highest Consciousness. So that inner, inherent, latent consciousness always keeps seeking itself despite all the coverage -- like dust, position, wealth, fame and all this worldly knowledge -- that keeps occupying our attention outwards.

Before you came to this world and got a Ph.D., became Mr. and Mrs., and had all kinds of knowledge and habits that you call yourself, you knew, that is another self. The real Self is God-like, belonging to the Kingdom of God, are God children. We're called God's children, it means we are God-like. Yeah, the God qualities always keep reminding us that we are not this, that and the other.

Q: Are we supposed to believe then that we are part of that universal and divine God energy (M: Sure.) and intelligence?

M: Not supposed to believe, you just are. (Q: You are.) Now you look at what do you identify yourself with ?Mrs. so-and-so and I have so much knowledge, I have so much wealth, and I have such and such habit. All this is not you. You are the one behind all this and all this is covering us. Therefore we make ourselves suffer because we identify ourselves with our mistakes, our success, our failure, our this, that and other circumstances that affect us. We forget the real super Consciousness, the supreme inner Self, the supreme Spirit which is God, which dwells within us. That's what the Bible says: God dwells within you. That means you are God, apart from the body, it's God inside, nothing else.

Q: Are we closer to our true Selves when we are children? You were wonderful with the girls up here a while back. Are we more God-like as children because we've learned less or is it when we get older that we take on all those trappings and become too physical and materialistic?

M: You're right. Yes, when we were born, at least we were cleansed already, partially, from the residue of the last life or whatever existence we had. So when we were born, we were nearer to God. We just came directly from the "resting place," more peaceful and abundant. So that's why children are more innocent and forgive easily. They have no worries, nothing.

But, the more we grow up, the more we accumulate all these experiences and then we identify ourselves with that. For example: I'm an angry person, I'm an agitated person, and I'm a bad-tempered person. This is not you. It's just that you grew up with all kinds of circumstances that made you like that. Then you think you are like that, that is the 'you'. It's ridiculous. When you were born you were not like that. Or, "I'm an alcoholic." It is not true.

Q: There is so much crime in the world now, so much one-on-one violence with mankind. What can we do to begin to have a greater respect for ourselves and human lives so that we're not killing one another, so that we are not so violent and so cruel to one another?

M: Spread the love message all the time. Always progress positively. It's better to tell children, "Honey, you..." Just say it in a positive way instead of a negative way like we most often do. For example, we say, "Don't be so dirty." Instead we could say, "Honey, keep yourself clean." And the word "clean" will go inside the mind instead of the word "dirty". It doesn't matter whether you say “don't or “do . It's the essence of the sentence that's important. Most people say, "Don't be so dirty," "Don't be so cruel," or "Don't be so nasty," this, that and the other. Instead, just say, "Be kind, be gentle, be gracious, be graceful," and then the essence of the words will boil down to "kind,"gentle," “graceful . And when everything else is gone, only the essence remains. We always keep telling children: "You are dirty," "Don't get so dirty," "Don't stay up late." Just say, "Go to bed early." I make that mistake too. I'm still learning also.

Q: Well, American television and all the messages that it sends, the various media, as a matter of fact, the newspapers, the magazines, the movies -- do You think that we have a long way to go in order to reorient ourselves towards a better way of life, a higher spirituality?

M: Yes, we have a long way. But I hope it's not too long. We try our best. You see everyone has to try.

I was thinking on the way here. We met our neighbor, and I invited him to also come along. Then we talked to the driver who let me stay in his and his wife's house. I said, “Why don't you have parties more often and get to know your neighbors. Start from individual. That's what I did when I was married to my ex, or last, or what... (Q: Only.) (Master laughs) the best husband. I always organize parties. At that time I was not practicing Quan Yin Method, I just meditated with another kind of method, and we were vegetarian.

I thought, in Europe, the neighbors don't know each other. It's different from our tradition like in the East or in Africa, people are more friendly toward neighbors. So I said, “I'll start . I had parties once in a while, maybe once every few weeks, and invited all the neighbors. Whoever wanted to come, came. I just dropped the invitation in the box, saying: “Hello, we're having a Know-Your-Neighbors Party. (Master laughs) Can you come? If they didn't come that week, they came the next week.

So, if everyone does this, and spreads love and the message of togetherness, then all the neighbors will know each other and the whole nation will know each other. Then we have better communication, better understanding. You wouldn't fight with the one who you at least know and have dinner with. At least something will stop you. You think twice before you want to harm him, at least. This thing will keep people together.

Why don't we all start to do that? Each one just takes care of his neighbors -- enough. Then the whole nation will be taken care of and united in love and friendship. Before we start to talk about heaven and Kingdom of God, enlightenment and anything else, why don't we just love our neighbor? Very easy.¡¹

News 79 Index

Master Tells A Story

The Roc And The Bird

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Yang-Min Mountain, Taipei, Formosa
October 10, 1990 (Originally In Chinese)

Across the valley lived a roc (gigantic bird of Eastern tales) which had practiced for millions of eons and reached a high spiritual level. Some animals can practice. Have you heard of that? Human beings don't practice (Master laughs), but the animals do. You can tell from Shakyamuni Buddha's stories. In His previous incarnations as the king of the deer, peacocks, birds or lions, He had been pursuing spiritual practice all the time.

Now this roc was a spiritual practitioner too. It had practiced for eons upon eons, or maybe billions of years, and it had great magical power -- very great power. It live without food or water. It could become invisible and enlarge or shrink as it wished. As it was very big, it had to climb up to the top of the mountain whenever it wished to fly, and then one or two flaps of its wings would take it as far as millions of miles away.

The roc practiced every day, and heard the painful sobs of the bird. As the former was bestowed with all kinds of magical powers, ranging from telepathy to celestial vision and celestial hearing, it looked out from its celestial eye and saw a little bird flapping around in agony, its body injured all over, its wings ragged, and its feathers fallen off.

The roc then listened with its celestial ears. Wow! Only to hear the heartbreaking cries of the bird. I don't know if they would break a human heart as well. Probably not, otherwise its owner would have set the bird free. Anyway, the cries broke the roc's heart. By telepathy, the roc perceived the bird's yearning for liberation, which was so strong as if to explode the roc's head. As the roc could not bare such a painful, longing and ailing heart it used magical power.

One night as the bird was asleep, the roc finally shrank itself to exactly the size of the bird. Well, it could enlarge or shrink as it wished, but only when it was alone. It wouldn't let other beings see it perform the magic, so it used its magic only when no one was around -- could not make it public. Anyway, it shrank itself, flew into the cage and slept beside the bird.

As the bird woke up, the roc introduced itself by saying, "Hello, I'm your friend. Last night I came in here of my own will. At the sight of you suffering, I couldn't help coming here to console you. Just take it easy. Don't flutter your wings in the cage, or else you will get hurt and break your wings. Then if you're to be free again, you won't be able to fly as you did before."

The bird scowled, "Nonsense. I used to fly thousands and even millions of miles, but now you're telling me I shouldn't fly?"

The roc said, "You could fly before, but now you can't. You only bump into the cage, hurt yourself, and weaken your body."

The bird didn't listen. It stood up and flapped its wings. It fluttered and pecked around in the cage until it fell and lay flat with a bleeding beak and broken wings. The roc then healed the bird with its saliva and wings. It massaged and fanned the bird until it was cool, and applied its saliva on the wounds of the bird.

A few days later, the bird got better and tried to fly again. As expected, it got hurt again.

The bird was so badly injured that its saliva was not nourishing enough. So it went back to its shape as a huge roc, and set out for mountains millions of miles away, like the Himalayas, to get a most precious herb. It chewed the herb into tiny pieces, mixed it with its own saliva and hid the mixture under its wings. It shrank itself, came back into the cage and fed the mixture to the bird, which got much better and a little more enlightened, realizing that it shouldn't fly in the cage.

It no longer tried to flap around or struggle in the cage, but only when the roc was there comforting it, reasoning with it or singing to it. When the roc was away, the bird would again attempt to take flight and ended up getting hurt. Therefore, the roc had to shrink itself every day. Besides, the roc couldn't go out of the cage, because if it had to be with the bird at all, it had to act the way of the bird, so that the bird would not get suspicious. The roc had to eat and drink the same things as the bird did.

The roc would sometimes tell the bird, "I'm not an ordinary bird. I shrank to what I am just to keep you company and make you feel better, but I can get out and back in again any moment I want. I'm a huge roc, able to travel thousands of miles with only one flap of my wings. I can fly higher than the clouds if I want to."

Well, sometimes the bird believed the roc, thinking that this loving friend would not lie to it. Sometimes the bird got suspicious, because it, having stayed in the cage for a long time, could hardly imagine such a creature that could fly so far and high -- even higher than the clouds -- shrink and enlarge as it wished, and get into and out of the cage at any time. After all, it had never seen the roc getting out of the cage. (Master laughs) Since the roc only slipped out when the bird was asleep, the bird never knew it.

The bird became suspicious that the roc might want to take advantage of it. (Master laughs) Perhaps the bird coveted its food and water that its master had brought it. It told the roc in suspicion, "Don't be too boastful. You are just like any other bird. Probably you were starving outside, you saw my delicious food, so you came in here for a bite. I don't see any difference between you and me. You can't fly away either. Both of us are confined in the cage. Why did you say you could fly thousands of miles with a flap of your wings? You had better keep your mouth shut."

The roc replied, "I wouldn't lie to you. Believe it or not, it's up to you. I came here for you, to comfort you, to keep you from further injury, and to protect you from getting into a worse condition. That's why I came here, to share your joy and sorrow. I ate the terrible, stiff, lifeless food and drank the lousy, rotten, polluted water with you while I could have used the pure nectar dew and taken pearls for food. In the mountains where I come from, I didn't eat these uninteresting things."

One day, the master, having two birds right now, was very happy. He thought he should get them a bigger cage to give them more comfort and convenience. He made a more beautiful, sturdy but more visible one and planned to move them there. But before he had time to move them into the new cage, he had to take a trip somewhere on business.

He told his son, "I'm taking a trip on busineww and will not be here for a couple of days. You move the two birds to the new cage and prepare fresh water and food for them. I have painted the outside of the cage and planned to move the birds when the paint dries. But now something urgent has come up. I need to go right now. I can't wait until the paint dries, but I don't want the birds to wait until I come back either; they would have to suffer the inconvenience of the small cage for a few more days. So move them to the large one as soon as possible."

The son replied, "Okay."

The paint dried in three days. So three days later, the son planned to move the birds during the day. But he went out for a picnic with his girlfriend (Master laughs) and didn't come back until nearly midnight. After he got home, he wasted no time in moving the birds, for his father would return the next day. If his father should see the birds still in the old cage, he would be harshly scolded.

But when he was about to move them, strangely enough, there was only one bird. The other one must have got out. Where had it gone? The cage was almost empty. There was hardly any corner to hide in. Unable to find the bird, he began to panic. And the bird -- I mean the real one, the small bird, not the roc -- was confused too, because it woke up and found only itself. "He was sleeping beside me, but now he is gone. Where is he?"

Only now did it realize that it was all alone. It began to panic and struggle. Meanwhile, it saw a person reaching his hand into the cage to grab it. It didn't know he was trying to move it to a larger cage, so it struggled even harder, bumping itself everywhere in the cage. What a terrible sight! Its wings were virtually broken. The man struggled to catch it but it struggled to run away from him. Both of them struggled there for a very long time.

At this moment, the roc came back from afar. At the sight of the situation, it became hesitant, wondering if it should go inside. If it didn't, the little bird would be in danger. If it did, it would be seen using its magical power and then it would end up in danger too. If it should be caught, it could no longer perform its magic. Once it was tied up, it could never get out. It hesitated for quite a long time until it couldn't help it anymore, because it saw the bird struggling desperately and bleeding all over with its wings broken. The roc flew right in.

Meanwhile, the bird was calling the roc's name, because the roc had told it before, "If you have any problem, just think of me, and I will be here to help you. I will be by your side if you think of me. This way, you won't be alone or afraid."

Therefore at that time, the bird kept calling the roc's name. The roc couldn't stand it, so it went right into the cage. The bird, seeing its friend, was very happy. The person was also very happy to see the second bird come back. (Master laughs)

The person then tied up the roc's legs. He tied up the two birds and waited for his father. If he didn't do so, the roc would fly away again, and he would be in trouble. (Master laughs)

The bird asked the roc, "Where have you been? Where have you been hiding? Are you keeping something from me?"

The roc replied, "I saw you were sound asleep, so I went out for a cruise. It's so small in here. I needed to go out for a break." The bird snarled, "You can't go out as you wish, you are tied up now, just like me. You are confined to the cage and your legs are bound together. If you can really get out any time, show me! If you can still fly, show me!"

Because the bird had been caged for too long, it was very much bothered and a little violent in its attitude. If we are confined to a house for too long, we will become upset too. Those who have been deprived of their freedom are usually very upset and snappy (Master laughs), because they are very unhappy. So all day long, the roc was busy comforting, saving, helping, and healing the bird, whereas the bird kept pecking the roc with its beak and fierce tone of speaking. But the roc put up with all this. It understood that the bird had no magic or power and couldn't possibly know how great it was, so it remained silent.

While it was bound together with the bird, it was very tolerant and kept healing the bird with its saliva. The bird was deeply touched after what the roc had done, so it offered the roc the delicious food that it had incidentally caught sight of. The roc smiled but didn't take it.

The bird had no idea why it suddenly had such good food today. It had never seen things like this before. In fact, the delicacies were brought back from the Himalayas by the roc, but the bird didn't know this. It thought the food was its own, and then offered it to the roc. (Master and audience laugh) The roc was fairly touched and delighted, and it gladly took the food. Then both of them were very happy, waiting for their master to return.

After the master came back, he would surely set the roc free. He would loosen their ties. After that, the roc would be free to go around again and take back more good food for the bird. It would give the bird more training and win its confidence, little by little, as the bird had not trusted the roc very much yet. Because of the disbelief, the bird had not been very interested in whatever the roc was trying to teach. Even if the bird did listen, it listened to only half of it. However, the roc waited patiently.

When the bird believed in it completely, it would teach the bird its magic, and then the two of them would fly away together. Let's hope that some day they will make it. That's all. (Laughter and applause)

You feel very touched after hearing this story, don't you? (Audience: Yes) Touched by the hearts of the birds. I don't know if human's hearts would feel touched or not? (Laughter) Do you feel touched? (Audience: Yes) Why? Are human beings the same as birds? (Master laughs) Which part is the same? Not enlightened! (Laughter)¡¹

News 79 Index

Supreme Master Panorama

Australia Canada Austria USA United Kingdom

Report From Australia

Vegetarian Food Fair At Bondi Beach

The weather did not look too promising for this outdoor venture as light rain fell while helpers prepared vegetarian food for the barbecue. However, all were in high spirits, anticipating the opportunity to introduce vegetarian food to the local residents and hoping for thousands of visitors to this beautiful and historic tourist spot.

The organizers provided an area for all the participating organizations to display literature. We also had initiates on hand to answer questions and to introduce the Quan Yin Method to the interested visitors.

¡iSupreme Master Panorama¡j==========================

Report From Canada

Natural Food Expo Sends Quan Yin Method Message

One of the Expo organizer's staff purchased one of Master's videotapes then returned to the booth and happily chatted with fellow practitioners open-mindedly and joyfully, all the while praising Master.

On the Sunday of the Expo the public were invited to a video presentation about the Quan Yin Method. After the group discussion, many local people registered to learn the Convenient Method. Master's teachings had been successfully spread to the people of this French-speaking city.

The Sherbrooke Center is still quite young, so naturally local practitioners were delighted when a report about Master was published by the Sherbrooke Journal with a very warm introduction.

Fellow practitioners in Montreal also went to Quebec City to spread the news about the Quan Yin Method. After listening to Master's taped lecture, many guests registered to learn the Convenient Method and to receive free sample booklets as well as magazines in French. Master's teachings had reached the people of Quebec.¡¹

¡iSupreme Master Panorama¡j==========================

Report From Austria

A Dream Comes True -- A New Center Is Established

Sharing God's Love With Homeless Friends

All the things that the Center needed were voluntarily contributed or made by fellow initiates. The fellow initiates who were skilled in carpentry made a clothes stand, shoe cabinet, bookshelves, etcetera, through their own initiatives. Master's publications are displayed in the brand new bookshelves, which emit a happy radiance. Besides putting up a picture of Master that was taken when She visited Vienna and a letter in Master's own handwriting, the new Center also displays Her painting, "The New Era," which is a symbol of our new beginning.

The renovations did not affect our group meditation and monthly one-day retreats. The Center's library has collected more and more of Master's books, audiotapes and videotapes. Borrowing, returning, and circulation of library items is all self-service. We expect that over time we will improve the Center in all respects, thus allowing it to completely perform all its functions smoothly.

It has been very cold this winter, especially in the beginning when we had a sudden, unexpected arrival of a cold current from Siberian. More than one hundred people froze to death in Europe within only a few days. On one icy, rainy evening, fellow initiates prepared sandwiches, hot coffee, hot tea, fruits and chocolates and went to every major subway station to convey Master's care for the homeless. Among the homeless that the Vienna fellow initiates found, some were old and weak, some were alcoholics, some were mentally disturbed, and some were young and strong but homeless because they could not get jobs.

While greeting and talking to our fellow initiates, another middle aged homeless person even shed tears. We gave him a copy of the sample booklet. Looking at Master's picture, he could not stop crying.

In the Franz-Josef-Bahnhof subway station, we met a group of homeless people. When they received the vegetarian food and hot drinks from us, they happily said, "You must be children of Jesus Christ!"

After this loving activity, the fellow initiates continue to give clothing, sleeping bags, boots, etcetera, to the homeless in need, and these gifts that symbolize God's love have all been delivered to them personally.¡¹

¡iSupreme Master Panorama¡j==========================

Report From USA

Sacramento Celebrates New Year Festival

The people of Sacramento are very friendly and open-minded, so fellow practitioners found it easy to share with them all the information they had available. Sample booklets were available in Au Lac language, English, Chinese, Spanish, German and Thai. On the second day of the fair, some people returned to our booth to have another look. The children were especially fascinated by Master's colorful photos. They often lingered to look at Her pictures and enjoyed trying on the necklaces and pendants.

¡iSupreme Master Panorama¡j==========================

Report From The United Kingdom

A New Celestial Jewelry Show In Birmingham

The fair enabled the European initiates to be the first to see Master's new celestial jewelry designs. The fellow initiate in charge of making the new designs had just enough time to finish the work before she got on the plane.

The fair was held from February 2nd-6th at the National Exhibition Center in Birmingham. There was quite a wide range of locally manufactured and international products throughout the sixteen exhibition halls. The S.M. Celestial Jewelry display booth was situated with hundreds of other jewelry exhibitors.

For a long time, the UK, as well as the international market, hasn't seen such elegant, beautiful and fascinating designs. Exhibitors and visitors alike came to admire the jewelry. Their enjoyment and wonder was obvious as they gazed at the jewelry. When fellow initiates introduced the designer, Supreme Master Ching Hai, and the Quan Yin Method, the admirers were surprised and amazed.

A professional jeweler from the USA told us that it had been a long time since she had seen such elegant and high class designs. She seemed very impressed when she was told that Supreme Master Ching Hai also designs clothing, as well as paints. At the conclusion of her visit, the woman was smiling happily as she took several sample booklets and copies of the News magazine.

For a long time, jewelry was regarded only as a symbol of money and power. Master's Celestial Jewelry has changed this incorrect concept for us because it serves to remind us of the heavenly kingdom that is always within us. In short, it is a reminder of the highest Truth.¡¹

News 79 Index

Elevation Of The Soul

Latest VIDEOTAPES

< In English >

International Christmas 5-Day Retreat December 25-29, 1996

*Creat A Spiritual Village Wherever We Live
Internationsl Christmas 5-Day Retreat (Part 1)
Hyatt Hotel, Long Beach, CA, USA  Dec 28, 1996

*The True Manifestation Of A Living Master
International Christmas 5-Day Retreat (Part 2)
Hyatt Hotel, Long Beach, CA, USA  Dec 29, 1996

*A Surprise Program (I)
International Christmas 5-Day Retreat (Part 3)
Hyatt Hotel, Long Beach, CA, USA  Dec 28, 1996

*A Surprise Program (II)
International Christmas 5-Day Retreat (Part 4)
Hyatt Hotel, Long Beach, CA, USA  Dec 28, 1996


 

< Special Edition >

A Evening Of Musical Performances & Poetry Recital (I.II.III.IV)
Traces From The Past & Love Songs
Long Beach Convention Center, CA, USA  Dec 29, 1996

 

< In English with Chinese subtitles >

*The Side Effect Of A Nonvegetarian Diet
Buddha's Birthday And International 7-Day Retreat (III)
Phnom Penh, Cambodia  May 11-17, 1996

*We Are Always Together
Europe International 3-Day Retreat (IV)
Hamburg, Germany   Aug 25-27, 1995

========================================
 


 

Latest AUDIOTAPES

< In English >

ER11

International Christmas 5-Day Retreat  Dec 25-29, 1996

*Create A Spiritual Village Wherever We Live & How To Be Rich (I.II)
Hyatt Hotel, Long Beach, CA, USA  Dec 28, 1996

*The True Manifestation Of A Living Master (I.II)
Hyatt Hotel, Long Beach, CA, USA  Dec 29, 1996

*All Of You Are Perfect
Hyatt Hotel, Long Beach, CA, USA  Dec 28, 1996
 

News 79 Index

Between Master And Disciples

The Touch Of A Master

By Sister Initiate Rachel Sumner, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
(Originally In English)

As she walked down the aisle and came close to me, I stuck out my hand so that I could receive blessings from Her touch. Master, sensing my longing, touched my hand and stopped to talk to me for a minute. Looking into Her eyes was like staring at God, and Her sweet perfume lingered on my hand even after She had left the room. I felt that I was in heaven.

Later, I asked another initiate who sat next to me, if Master had touched her (Master had touched several initiates who held out their hands). The fellow disciple told me she did not put out her hand in order to spare Master the pain She feels when touching others. Our heightened emotions at the retreat affect Master because She is so sensitive. Forever giving of Her love, Master touches us, despite Her great sensitivity, in order to satisfy our longing to be connected to a great master.

The next time Master passed me at the retreat I remembered my vow and put my palms together as She passed. To my surprise, Master gently placed Her hand on my cheek and caressed my face like a mother who does for a small child. Her eyes were filled with the truest love I have ever seen and She said with great compassion, "It's okay."

Master had not only responded to my great longing to touch Her but had gently and compassionately washed away my fears and guilt of putting Her in pain. She always knows what we need at all times. She gives us everything unconditionally in the hopes we will give ourselves and the world the same love She transmits to us. We are truly blessed.¡¹

News 79 Index

Pearls Of Wisdom

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai At The Long Beach International 5-Day Retreat

December 28, 1996 (Originally In English)

God can make everything happen, but we must have the purity in our heart to accept it. We must have the power of faith to make it come true. We can reject it, by our own expectations of a God. Already everything is there, God made everything already; but if we don't know where to get it, if we are blind, if we don't have enough faith, it doesn't come, it doesn't materialize.

News 79 Index

Wonderful People

The Cultivation Method Of The Golden Age Personal Responsibility

The Cultivation Method Of The Golden Age

By Alert, Formosa

"So many things, so many inventions, so much research has been successful. We could have paradise any minute we want, if only we want. But sometimes we choose to live in misery."

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai At The International 5-Day Retreat,
Long Beach, California, USA, December 28, 1996 (Originally In English)

Well, in Hsiluo Town, located in southern Formosa, there is a farmer who is quietly cultivating crops using materials that contain absolutely no chemical substances. Furthermore, the crops that he grows are richer, more beautiful, sweeter, hardier and healthier, and also "full of energy," compared to conventionally grown crops.

Rice Needs No Chemical Sprays

The year before last, brother Yongshu Cheng did not work in his rice fields at all after he seeded them by machine. His neighbor criticized him saying, "Why don't you spray farm chemicals? I've done it once already."

Brother Cheng answered,"I'll wait."

After spraying a second time, his neighbor went to scold him again and asked him whether he did not want a harvest. He answered, "If there is no harvest, let it be. I'll just wait and see." His neighbor sprayed four times and each time after he did it, he berated brother Cheng for not taking care of his fields.

At harvest time, brother Cheng's yield was greater than that of others and his rice was more fragrant and more beautiful. His neighbor was surprised,"How strange it is! Why didn't you rice need to be sprayed?".

So how did brother Cheng achieve this result? Well about two years ago, he deeply regretted the harm that agricultural chemicals have caused to human beings, animals and crops. Originally, he planned to quit farming but later he consulted the older generation of farmers hoping to avoid the use of chemical fertilizers by using traditional methods of cultivation. However, even the old farmers still used poisonous weeds to kill insects, something which he did not want to do. Fortunately, heaven did not let this sincere seeker down because brother Cheng finally found "The Vigor of Nature" fertilizer that is produced in Japan. It not only promotes plant growth but also has the amazing quality of sterilizing plants and thus driving away insects. Its raw materials are one hundred percent natural vegetarian and it is absolutely harmless to human beings and animals, and ultimately beneficial to insects.

In addition to this fertilizer, brother Cheng applies milk and ground soy beans to his crops to accelerate their growth. He also blends chilly peppers, vinegar, garlic, onions, etc., together, dilutes the mixture, and then sprays the solution on crops to avoid insect pests. Compared with other crops grown with so-called modern cultivation methods, brother Cheng's crops are undoubtedly healthier and more beautiful. Even when compared with "organic crops" his crops have a richer color and luster, and are far better in quality. An even more wonderful thing about it is that with this method, his fields have become increasingly richer and require little maintenance even after three years, while others fields cultivated with chemicals need to be left fallow after several years.

Ordinary farmers use chemical fertilizers to stimulate the growth of crops. This makes the growth of crops abnormally fast and they develop an unhealthy constitution. Such crops have a weak resistance to diseases and insect pests. Therefore, farmers have to apply more chemicals to sterilize them and kill insects. Some farmers even apply chemicals containing non-organic toxins to edible crops. And some farmers even spray chemicals on crops a day before the crops are harvested and sold at market. Nowadays, since insects and bacteria have developed antibodies resistant to farm chemicals, farmers feel compelled to use stronger and stronger chemicals, and as a consequence, this causes more and more harm to humans.

Cultivation Methods Shared Openly

Brother Cheng would like to share his cultivation methods with those who care about nature and sentient beings. First, spread the organic fertilizer and spray called "The Vigor of Nature" before ploughing the soil. After ploughing the ground with machines, spray "The Vigor of Nature" again. Since organic fertilizers contain bacteria, spraying "The Vigor of Nature" not only sterilizes and drives away insects, but the energy released from this product is also absorbed by the soil and crops.

Pretreatment of the soil is followed by seeding and then spraying "The Vigor of Nature" again every fifteen days to let the vegetables absorb the nutrition directly through the surfaces of their leaves.

Besides applying organic fertilizers and "The Vigor of Nature" to provide essential nutrition for crops and to prevent diseases and attacks by insects, brother Cheng offers the following secret recipes:

(1) For enhancing nutrition: after crops germinate and grow for a while, sprinkle ground soy beans onto the soil and then spray with water to allow the soy beans to ferment. This will stimulate the crops to absorb more nutrition through their roots. Every seven days, spray milk powder diluted with water onto the leaves of the crops to be absorbed through the surfaces of the leaves.

(2) Preventing diseases and insect attacks: expose crushed onions to the sun and then lay them aside for one day to let them ferment. Blend chilly peppers and garlic with water and vinegar (about 200 to 300 ml each) then add the fermented onions. Then dilute the mixture with 16-20 liters of water and spray the liquid onto the surfaces of the crop leaves. This is based on the principle of completely utilizing nature and keeping destructive insects away. One can also set up fine nets around crops to keep insects away. Growing chilly peppers, mint, etc., also has the effect of preventing insect pests from attacking crops.

With his attentive care, vegetables in brother Cheng's garden are all high energy, hardy and healthy. They even take on a joyful appearance and emit a fascinating radiance. In his little garden, brother Cheng has molded an embryonic form of heaven on Earth. We hope that more people will use such healthy farming methods and exchange their ideas from experience and research, and enable the glory of the Golden Age to spread to every corner of this village we call Earth sooner!¡¹

¡iWonderful People¡j======================

Personal Responsibility

George Bernard Shaw was a committed vegetarian. When lying with an injured ankle, his doctor told him hi should eat meat. He responded that he would go to his death, rather than make his stomach into an animal's graveyard.

LIVING GRAVES

We are the living graves of murdered beasts,
Slaughtered to satisfy our appetites.
We never pause to wonder at our feasts,
If animals, like men, can possibly have rights.
We pray on Sundays that we may have light,
To guide our footsteps on the path we tread.
We're sick of War, we do not want to fight--
The thought of it now fills our hearts with dread,
And yet-- we gorge ourselves upon the dead.

Like carrion crows, we live and feed on meat,
Regardless of the suffering and pain.
We cause by doing so, if thus we treat
Defenceless animals for sport or gain,
How can we hope in this world to attain
The PEACE we say we are so anxious for.
We pray for it, o'er hecatombs of slain,
To God, while outraging the moral law,
Thus cruelly begets its offspring-- WAR.

 

George Bernard Shaw

Dublin Ireland

1850-1950

 
 
No flocks, that roam the valley free.
To slaughter I condemn!
Taught by the power that pities me.
I learn to pity them.

Playwright and dramatist whose works are like staged internationally.

 

News 79 Index

Aphorisms

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai (Originally In English)

Love our relatives but be independent, be alone all the time and only with God. God is our only true relative, friend and everything. We'll be with God, and we'll be forever satisfied.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai (Originally In English)

Try to be independent and to be free in our movement, our thinking and our speech and do not let anyone, whoever that may be, take hold of our lives so much that we couldn't breath, and we couldn't have space, we stop there, we couldn't grow.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai (Originally In English)

Man is the greatest creation in the whole universe, greater than the angels. Therefore, when we are virtuous and enlightened, there are angels who will surround us, protect us, and serve us.

Our wisdom is the source of all learning, of all intelligence in the world. The Lord is the source of all love, be it mundane, fatherly or between man and woman. When we seek this love, all our desires are quenched.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai (Originally In English)

We fight with this present situation in order to grow above it, instead of just using a psychic way to heal ourselves and feel good, and then finish it. Sometimes the struggling and fighting spirit is also very good for us. It makes us strong!

News 79 Index

Let The Love Free

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai At Group Meditation In Los Angeles, CA, USA

December 30, 1996
(Originally In English)

To Truly Love Someone is to Set Them Free

I don't have to take you with me because you're too many. My heart...(Master laughs)...would break. It is already beginning to break now because you're going.

Take care of yourselves. Take care of your family members like you would take care of me. That's the best way to serve God, because we cannot love everyone, really, I mean not personal love -- so strong. So at least we must love our family members. If they want to join us, it's all right; if they don't want to join us, it's all right because all of them are Gods, all of them are Buddhas (fully enlightened beings). There's no need for them to do anything they don't want to do. Same with you. We are all free.

Set yourselves free, set your family members free, in your heart only. But hold on to them because if you have a very nice family, very sweet relationship with your relatives and friends, you feel very happy. It's almost like heaven. Despite the fact that we meditate, we follow the precepts or if we're enlightened inside, in the physical existence we still need friends, we still need personal warmth and love. So take care of your "treasure" at home. Do not think that after you're enlightened, you don't need anyone. Even if you don't need, you must care because they need you. And that's why they're with you. The reason why we are together with someone is because there is an affinity, there is a necessity that we join together somehow to learn to love each other. If you cannot love a human being, maybe you just take care of a dog. Let him teach you how to love -- unconditional love. The dog would not care whether you are a vegetarian or whether you eat hot dogs. He loves you all the same.

Similarly, we must have such devotion for our family members. After one week of separation, you will probably feel more closeness to them and more appreciation. That should be so. And that should continue every day of your life. Make every day special. Don't wait for your relatives or friends to treat you nicely. You treat them nicely. Why not? The problem with us is that we always wait for someone else to treat us nicely. Then we're disappointed and cry. We should be the ones to treat them nicely and the result would be obvious. You believe in karma, the cause and the consequence.

Perhaps in the beginning of your journey to your spiritual home, you probably felt that maybe your family members didn't understand you. But you must understand them. If you think you are enlightened, you have better knowledge now and you've discovered all the knowledge inside, you must be the ones who understand your family members. So no more complaints to me. They are all Buddhas. If they choose to stay here longer in this world to do their other work and their other training, their enjoyment, let them be. They don't all have to be vegetarians, and don't all have to practice meditation. Not everyone must do it. They do what they want.

Allow Everyone To Walk The Path Of Their Choosing

Everyone has freedom. The same as you have freedom to choose to walk this way, to walk in Truth, beauty and virtue, they have the freedom to choose to walk the other way. You must understand this, and no more quarrels. No more "you-must-follow-me" kind of attitude. No one must follow anyone. We all have to follow ourselves, because we are the Buddha, we are God's children. They follow themselves. That's the course of their lives. Some have a "map" that they have charted for themselves before they descended into this world. You have no right to interfere into people's way of thinking and their choice of life-style; and not because of the different choice of life-style. We should not make a dispute between each other.

We can always have different opinions, but we can love each other -- no problem. You can love birds, dogs, cats, elephants, all kinds of beings. They are different from you, are they not? They eat differently to you. If you love an elephant and you force it to eat tofu, that's ridiculous. That's unfair for it. It'll die.

In China there is a story about a king who loved a bird so much that he trapped the bird and put it in a golden cage studded with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, etcetera. Every day he fed it all kinds of delicacies that he loved like spare ribs, beef steak, hamburgers, McDonald's chips, Kentucky chicken. He also fed it whiskey, vodka, rum, etcetera, because these were the best things that the king could think of to offer to his most beloved pet. But as you know, birds don't drink whiskey. Or do they nowadays? No. Okay. And birds don't eat chicken. Birds only eat some kinds of grain, drink pure spring water, and sing and fly in all freedom with the vast sky above it and limitless universe around it. So if the king loved the bird, he should have set it free. Let it be what it is -- a bird. Let it chose what it wants to eat. Let it fly whenever it wants to fly. Let it sleep when night falls. It lives with nature and it's happy.

Similar to us, everything good for you might not be good for someone else. Vegetarianism, meditation -- everything good for you because you like it, because it benefits you. But other people might not want to try. So that's no reason for us to be distant from them. You must always show your love, doesn't matter how people treat us. It's how we treat people that is important. Why just criticize people all the time and say that they're no good, they're bad, they're cruel. Don't have to. We have to do what we want to do. Other people do what they want to do.

Make Love A Habit

There was an Indian master. Once when he was crossing a river on a boat, he saw a scorpion -- this is Indian folklore. The scorpion was drowning in the river. He extended his hand and tried to take the scorpion into the boat for safety. The scorpion stung him and he dropped it, crying: "Ah! Ah, ah!" (Laughter) After a while, the master put his hand back into the water and tried to rescue the poor drowning scorpion. But the scorpion stung him once more and he cried, "Ah! Ah!" After a while, he extended his hand again into the water and tried to pick the scorpion up onto the boat for safety. Before he reached the scorpion, his disciple stopped him." Don't do that, master."

The master said, "Why, I want to rescue it."

The disciple said, "It will sting you again, won't it?" The master said, "Yes, it will." The disciple said, "So why are you rescuing it? You will only suffer again." The master said, "The habit of the scorpion is to sting anything that touches it. It cannot change that. And my habit is to help anyone who comes in contact with me. I also cannot change that." (Applause)

So make a habit of always extending your loving kindness, doesn't matter how people treat you. You may be firm sometimes. Some people stubbornly disturb you sometimes with their misunderstanding, even though you have tried your best to explain. Nevertheless, never forget your loving kindness inside. And whatever way you can, and whenever possible, always extend this loving kindness from inside, because that is you, that's the real you, the unlimited love which is Godly. Because of the situation of the world, because of the hardships of life, of the trials and tribulations that we encounter daily, we tend to withdraw within ourselves and shield the love that we once had in abundance and lock it away somewhere.

From today, from the day of initiation, from any day, we must open that lock and let the love free. That is the only way to make your life happy. That's the only solution. If you ask me how to be happy, that's the only solution, unlocking the love within you and let everyone share it. It doesn't matter if he still locks his, she still locks hers, you open yours first and later, they will open theirs. No one is really a hard nut to crack. No one is truly very, very difficult and unrelenting inside. They just get "stung" by the poison of life, so-called contact with the difficult-to-exist world and they just close themselves and defend themselves all the time.

Just like an oyster. When you touch it, it closes. Even if you want to stroke it, comfort it, it just closes immediately out of habit. Just like a bird, if you shot it, wounded it before, every time it sees a bent tree or branches, it's afraid; it thinks it's a bow. But from now we already know. We know that even if we protect ourselves with the hard shell outside and lock our love inside, that won't make us happy. That won't protect us at all. We rather die happy than live miserably. (Applause)

Understanding Family Members Is Important

Try to understand your family members, your husbands, your wives. If your husband is serious and rather hard to get on with, maybe his work is too demanding for him, taxing his energy and nerves. You find out what drags him down and maybe try to help him. Or maybe your wife, being a woman; being so delicate, so fragile, so pure, but because of the economic situation, she has to plunk herself into the harsh world of men, of competition, of power, hunger and fame searching. So she feels less feminine than she should be. She feels more defensive and more tired, less passionate towards you. You also must find out how things affect her at work or anything that affects her. Then you help her, show your sympathy and understanding. That's how your love will grow stronger and stronger.

If you are parents, your children, when they grow through adolescence, they have a lot of changes in their hormones, in their bodies. They're clumsy, they are very, very anxious and scared about the changes from a child to an adult. It scares them. Unconsciously, they know they're going to face the world very, very soon and they are not sure whether they are ready for it. They're so pure, so weak inside, so fragile, like a newly hatched chick. Try to understand their difficulty in adapting, try not to be too harsh, not to be authoritative, too demanding; but talk to them, find out what is bothering them, what really makes them feel good. I cannot tell you all the details. You imagine the rest.

Like sometimes you have been married to each other for a long time, and you don't think you should buy your wife a rose anymore. You should! Not on her birthday, any day. Surprise her. Or take each other out for dinner. If the husband doesn't take you, then the wife takes. Yeah, take him to a candlelight dinner, buy him a rose, surprise him. See what an idiot he looks like (Master laughs), if he will look very surprised. You can see his reaction. Even the children, sometimes they follow Master Ching Hai and the parents forbid them and things like that. There's no need to worry. You just do your children's duty and then everything follows. Even if your parents don't like your teacher, it's okay. It's not possible that everyone likes me, not possible.

I don't expect anything. You like me or not like me -- it's up to you. I hardly have contact with the people that like me or not like me, the same. They like me, they come; don't like me, stay away. Very simple. But you must do the children's filial duty. Open the door for the mother -- car door, house door -- whenever you can, whenever you see. Move the chair out for her to sit on or push it back in. Don't let it stay there. When you go to restaurants, or even at home. Take care of the elderly in this way, and they will be touched by your love. They don't have to follow me. Your parents are independent individuals as well as your children, also independent souls.

They came to you for some reason, not necessarily to practice the same method with you. That might not be their reasons for coming to this world at this time. There are many reasons for human beings to be together, as family members, as husband and wife, as sisters, brothers, friends and relatives, etcetera. Among them is to practice together. That's just one of the reasons, and it's not always included in all the reasons that you have to be together. So if your family members are not willing to practice with you, let them be. Be kind to them, love them as usual. This you must do, if you say you follow me. That has been the only thing I've wanted since the beginning of my teaching up till the present day, and it will continue to be so.

If you cannot do this little thing, then don't ask me why you life is in trouble; why your family is not in harmony; why your relatives don't listen to you and respect your Master. You don't make a very good representative of mine if you don't serve them, you don't love them. Serve them and love them unconditionally, not with the thinking that "Okay, I'm going to love her so she will follow Master Ching Hai." No, that's also not unconditional. We have to do it because we must. We have to do it because that's the way it has to be. We have to do it because we have to represent love and nothing else. We have to do it because that's the only way, means and weaponry to destroy all hatred, all discomfort, all troubles in this world and in your small world as a family unit.

That's the only reason you must do it. Not because they have to follow me, not because they have to love you in return, not because they think you are great. No need for anything else, but to be loving for the reason itself.

Always Listen For The Inner Master

I know some of you still have some questions, which are all nonsense. Some of you older initiates know, in the beginning when you first get initiated you are eager to come and say, "Mama, I want to ask this, ask that," all the time. If you don't have the opportunity to ask me, or you had the opportunity to ask me, a few years, a few months later, you look back and see how ridiculous you were. There's no need at all to ask so much, because all the answers you get inside. You just look inside, because you are the master of yourselves, master from heaven. None of you are not a master. None of the people in this world are not the master.

If you really have questions and you want to ask me, you can write a letter, anytime. You can send to me or not send to me, but write it down; because as soon as you write it down, the answer will come. Listen to it, listen to your intuition, the inner voice, which is quietly telling you what you need, what you should do at every moment of your life. Just write down what you want to ask, formulate clearly what you want to know, and sit quietly for a moment and the answer will come. If you're too noisy and you couldn't get the answer yet, it will come later, when you're still, when you meditate. No problem. You are in God's hands. You are in your own destiny. There's nothing that can befall you. Besides, life is dangerous -- it always ends deadly. So nothing else to fear. We are already in a dangerous game. No one escapes it. In the end, we die.

You are already in it. Nothing else can make us fearful or afraid. We came with nothing, we will go with nothing. So renunciation is a must, all the time. Must remember this. We might die tomorrow, or any second, so there's nothing really so important. Most of us are middle aged, like me -- I mean I'm old for middle aged, but don't tell anyone this. I give us fifty more years, all right, sixty. And for the young people, I don't wish you to die so young. Stay there, do some work. When we are gone, nothing matters anymore. So many things that have happened, that mattered to us so urgently -- fifty years ago, forty years ago or thirty years ago, they don't matter anymore today, right? All the sorrow, all the sickness, all the sadness, all the impossible desires -- gone. Similarly, fifty, sixty years from now, also gone. Gone out of existence. Of course, we will begin in some other existence. But this existence will not matter to us at all once we've left.

Okay, I've talked too much. I wish you a happy journey home and a very lucky, prosperous, enlightened new year. (Applause)

Before you leave the hotel, don't forget to thank the staff members, whomever you meet. They took care of us so kindly and so understandingly, even though we are such a huge crowd. It scared them somewhat. It's good that you had a good record last time in Chicago. Maybe that's why they let you in. Otherwise you'd be standing outside of the hotel, just reading the name only.

This is a very high class hotel. For them to accept us like this, it's very generous, kind and trusting of the hotel management. We also wish them a happy new year. If you see any of them, just shake hands, good-bye. Oh! Too many thousands of people -- don't shake hands. (Laughter) Just say, "Happy New Year" if you can. If you cannot, pray for them inside your heart, and pray for everyone in America as well as the world. That's it. Love you. (Applause)

Thank you. Sorry you can never have enough of me. You never will. That's the way you are. See you. Remember, take care of your families. Thank you.

News 79 Index

Fulfilling One's Duty

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai
At The Long Beach International 5-Day Retreat, CA, USA
Dec. 28, 1996
(Originally In English)

(Master's response to those who wants to leave home.)

Where else would he go but home? Then they are happy together; meanwhile still criticizing me, “Oh, the Master is not as I thought. She got mad, She kicked me out. She was angry. She was unreasonable. She was...ah, God! I'm so disappointed in Her. Yes! Some people not only left me, afterwards they had a bad illusion about my attitude -- negative thinking -- because of the way I kicked him home. I had to kick him, otherwise he wouldn't go home if I'm always sweet to him.

Yes! One couple -- I got along well with one, but the other one prayed that he'd come home. So we just had a quarrel. I had to kick him out. He hasn't forgiven me yet, because his ego was hurt. I had to kick him, really hurt him terribly, so that he could leave me. Otherwise, he would never leave me. He loves me so much. He likes to be around me. That I understand. But how about the wife? She likes her husband more than she likes me. Fine! I understand that. But he had to go home, so one of us has to be the bad guy. It's me, always.

How could he be the bad guy? He is a disciple. Already devoted and wanting to come to me and nothing could change him. But both of them are my disciples. Each one prayed for a different purpose. Sometimes I cannot choose. It's very difficult to be a Master, do you know that? Sometimes I cry too because I have to do things I don't like to do. For the sake of what? If the husband loves me more than his wife, if the wife loves me more than her husband, then she comes to me, he comes to me. But the husband wants her, more than she wants Master. Then I say, "Then you come along, both of you! Then both of you have me and husband as well."

"No, I like family life better." Well, that's her choice. But that choice puts me in trouble.

That's the problem. So think twice, think two hundred times before you follow me, I mean closely. Be a resident for good. All this devotional talk and vows -- watch out for me. I love all of you. I would have loved to have built a big house, big village, so that all of you could come any time. Be my guest, be at home. I'd have allowed that, more than anything. But it is not practical in this world. You have too many ties, too much karma and the Maya force is very strong.

I can make use of all of you. But where would we go, where would we stay? What would we do with all your wives, husbands, kids, families, brothers, sisters and friends. Even brothers, sisters and friends make trouble. Some people follow me and then their relatives sell me, because they get mad. Not follow me like a resident, just come eat vegetarian, meditate, and improve your qualities even. I have never taught you anything that is bad for you or your family. Did I? Never. Everything is good for you and for them. But they don't like it. They don't like that you love someone else besides them.

Yes, that's it. The way you love me, they don't like. “Why? She has nothing to do with you! She is not even a blood-tie, nothing. Who is that Supreme Master Ching Hai anyhow? Why do you listen to Her and not me? Doesn't matter if She says the right thing and I say the wrong thing, as long as you listen to Her, it's wrong. You must listen to me! Things like that.

The family member would dictate: "Why? You have always listened to me before. Now you've changed. You can't! You have to listen to me all the time, even if I know that I'm wrong!" That's the human nature. Then they go out and sell me to the newspaper or whatever.

The newspapers are not always guilty. They listen to all kinds of gossip and then they print what they know. For me, I live through all this, no problem. Just by the way, so you have to think more about what you want to do. It's not as easy as we think. Things are not so simple. It may be simple and pure at this moment only, or for a few days and weeks. Then it develops differently.

So, any one of you who wants to follow me, wants to go with me, please think about it. Don't bother, don't rush and it's okay where you are! I told you already, you have to make a village where you live! If you cannot attract anyone else, then make a village for yourself alone! Why? You are the chief, you are the village inhabitants, everything. You control your world! Right! This is also a village. You are with the master, you are with God. Three of us, it is crowded enough for a village.

News 79 Index

Spiritual Correspondence

You Were Jesus Christ

By Sister Initiate Thu Hong Nguyen, Sydney, Australia
(Originally In English)

I'm sincerely saying "thank You" very much for sending me to the Long Beach International 5-Day Retreat, USA, last Christmas. On the first second of the first day of the retreat, I was so glad and so grateful to receive the most powerful, deep, deep, deepest in me and forever long lasting blessing from You. A great source of bright light from heaven shone upon me and the strongest intensity of light filled me continuously. From then on I realized that the Holy Names were automatically resounding in me and I immediately understood that was "24-hour meditation" which You had mentioned many times before. Through it I understand that the more we love and care for other people, the more we will get in return but millions and millions times more.

Master, when You came to visit us on the third day of the retreat, I was so happy to watch Your every movement. My heart opened widely to greet and welcome You; and when You came in front of me, I realized that You were Jesus Christ. I came closer to admire You and adore You. I completely devoted myself to God and apparently my Jesus Christ with shiny waving hair was giving love and care to all of us. On the nigh of the concert, when You stood up from Your seat and tried to explain the program to the foreigners, once again I visualized You were Jesus Christ, shining in front of everyone, giving Your teachings, Your care, Your love and Your blessings.

Master, thank You for giving me this golden opportunity to come to the retreat. It was very special for all of us. Besides receiving the valuable blessings from You, we all had a wonderful time with You. I also received some other lessons from my dear brothers and sisters from all over the world. Thank You.

News 79 Index

While On The Path

The Quan Yin Method Shows Me How To Love

By Sister Initiate "Small Dust", Munich, Germany (Originally In English)

After the initiation I went to help at our local Center a lot. At that time, my boyfriend felt that he was being ignored by me and suggested that we separate. I agreed immediately without thinking, since I knew that Master would take care of everything for me. Since then he has been strongly against Master, spiritual practice and meditation. I felt sorry for him, but I was satisfied with Master's love and I did not care about how others felt.

Then one time I saw on a videotape Master said: "After initiation you should love your family members even more." Since then I began to reflect upon myself and I soon understood why my boyfriend was against Master. Of course he would be against Master, since he saw how I had behaved and changed, which was not good at all. I realized that I hadn't understood Master's teachings at all. I just wanted to satisfy myself without any consideration for others.

From then on, I dared not look down upon any so-called non-initiates. I shall learn from Master the universal and unconditional love and give the world more understanding, supportive energy and encouragement. This is the only way we can help people. I don't expect anything from my relationship with my boyfriend because I know God takes care of everything. Whatever will be, will be. At least he is not so negative towards meditation and Master now. Presently, we are living in a much more harmonious and loving atmosphere.

Our practice is not to change everything into a topsy-turvy state, but to better things. Only when we give those nearest to us a good example can we show them the advantages of spiritual practice.¡¹

News 79 Index

79

Cover Illustration: The sympathetic understanding in Your eyes and Your boundless patience gently open the Door to the hearts of sentient beings which has been locked for thousands of years.

Master's Wonders

Master Satisfies Everyone's Longing Being With Master In A Good Dream

Master Satisfies Everyone's Longing

By Young Initiate Wang, Taipei, Formosa

Once, my mother, my younger brother and I all joined a tour to Europe. Several days before we went abroad, we visited this particular fellow sister. She worried that my father would feel bored being left alone at home, so she gave him some of Master's books and videotapes. When the three of us returned from our European trip and stepped into our house, we heard the enchanting sound of Master's Buddhist chanting. Immediately, father proposed that we should switch to a vegetarian diet, and explained his dramatic 180 degree change of attitude.

While we were abroad, he suddenly felt interested in reading Master's book "Key Of Immediate Enlightenment". Unexpectedly, just after reading a few lines, tears rolled down his cheeks like a waterfall, as if he was shedding a lifetime of tears. He watched the videos all the whole night through without feeling tired. He told us, one moment he was crying and the next he was clapping in admiration. His rapture was like that of a child seeing his mother after many years of separation. Of course, our whole family got initiated later, without any problems!

When I got up the next morning, all my sorrow was gone. Glancing at the box of candy at my bedside, I couldn't help whisper in my heart: "I love You so much, Master!"¡¹

¡iMaster's Wonders¡j======================

Being With Master In A Good Dream

By Sister Initiate Chang Yen Fang, Taipei, Formosa

News 79 Index

Spiritual Interlude

My Wish Has Been Fulfilled Soaring Into The Sky

My Wish Has Been Fulfilled

By Brother Initiate Xiaoyou, Taoyuan, Formosa

During a recent charity sale of Master's personal items to raise money for the poor people in Formosa, I had more confidence to go there with fellow initiates to participate and I understood the importance of the project. I initially thought I would at least go there just to satisfy my longing, however, once there, I did not know where I got the courage to order a precious item that Master had used. At the time, it was such a spontaneous decision that I did not think at all where I would get the money to pay for it.

Even though my mind kept denying the extent to which I could use my ability to help, Master ingeniously made my wish of devoting myself to others come true. Although my contribution was limited at that time, I felt very honored, rich, happy and joyful, and these feelings overflowed in my heart.

Through this personal experience, I have realized why Master wants us to always, in every thoughtful moment, look at the good side and think positively because changing ourselves is indeed changing the whole world. Now, I have both visible and invisible treasures with me. I do not feel at all that I have made any effort, because I know that everything that I have obtained is due to the grace of God. Thank You, Master!¡¹

¡iSpiritual Interlude¡j==================

Soaring Into The Sky

By Sister Ruth Tsai, Montreal, Canada (Originally In Chinese)

This poem was inspired by Master's story "The Roc and the Bird."

¡@

Before Your holy love descended,
I was confined to the cage so ingeniously contrived by Maya.
Day after day, year after year,
Trying to break free,
Only to suffer wounds and broken wings,

Upon which time You silently appeared
In the form of a little bird
To keep me company in this cold, lifeless cage.
You found me rare nectar,
And fed it to me, sip by sip, with loving tenderness.
When I was upset,
You hummed soothing, melodious tunes to my soul.
Bearing my criticisms, resistance, and suspicions,
You wiped Your tears away quietly, waiting patiently
For the day when I would recover,
And You would lead me high into the clouds
Back to Your eternal paradise.
 

News 79 Index

Special Reports

Supreme Master Ching Hai In Paris -- The Paris International Jewelry Exhibition Lesson Time With Master A Lesson In Freedom Master's Enlightening Visit To London The Brilliance Of The Celestial Jewelry To Find The Lost Lambs A Living Example Of A Great Master The Significance Of The S.M. Celestial Jewelry

Supreme Master Ching Hai In Paris

The Paris International Jewelry Exhibition

By The Paris News Group

Also attending this feast of beauty were fellow practitioners from a dozen countries in Africa and Europe. Master cordially greeted them, and introduced Her own creations. While showing the Heavenly Dragon Cutlery Set to fellow practitioners, She said, "I have used this cutlery set." Her special recommendation was the latest addition to the Celestial Jewelry -- a dazzling and exquisite collection made immaculately with gold and diamonds, featuring a heart-shape ring and bracelet that represent love.

On camera in the exhibition hall, reporters continued to interview Master. They asked many questions regarding Her art creations and humanitarian actions. Master showed several pieces of Celestial Jewelry to the program host, who exclaimed: "They are beautiful!" Many spectators were attracted by the live interview broadcasted on the big TV screen in the exhibition hall.

That afternoon, Master was invited to hold a press conference in the meeting room of the exhibition hall. Mr. Vincent Dupont, a reporter from Le Figaro -- a French newspaper, Mr. Francois Chen of the Chinese Department of the French International Radio, and Miss Nadia Saadad of Radio Enghien attended the press conference. The reporters were undoubtedly impressed by Master's delightful conversation amid a cordial and friendly atmosphere.

Later, Master asked fellow initiates and the non-initiated people longing to see Her and were waiting outside, to enter the room. Master was wearing a long skirt in cheerful but soft colors, with a pink belt at Her waist, giving everyone a relaxed and delightful feeling. She said that She loves France and Paris, and that the media in France are superb because they respect the privacy of others. Again, She emphasized that She likes people who pay attention to positive thoughts, speech and actions.

An Enlightened Master Recommended By Jesus Christ

Among those listening attentively to Master was an eighty-six years old lady. Having longed to see Master for a very long time, she finally succeeded. According to this old lady, once when she was meditating, Jesus Christ appeared and introduced a great enlightened Master to her. Later, she received a copy of Master's sample booklet, and she was definite that Master was the great Master that Jesus Christ recommended to her. Since then, she had been longing to see Master. She even introduced Master and Her teachings to her friends, encouraging many of them to believe in Her. Responding to the longing of these earnest souls who wished to return to their holy Homeland, Master consented to give them the initiation. With great emotion, this old lady held Master's hands and said, "I want to be initiated!" Gently caressing her hands, Master said, "Okay! No problem." She also instructed the contact person to take special care of this old lady and prepare her for the initiation.

This rendezvous between Master and disciples lasted only a few hours, but for the fellow disciples it was a historical moment, a milestone at an important stage of their life.

Half past seven that evening, Master invited several reporters and their families dinner at the White Swan Hotel. To commend their diligence, Master presented gifts to the reporters, and took pictures together with them.

Tell Your Body To Comply With Your Will

The afternoon after the initiation, Master gave disciples another chance to see Her. She encouraged fellow initiates to shatter their notion of believing in what they think they are. She cited Her own experiences as examples. Sometimes, She felt extremely exhausted, and there was pain all over Her body. Still, She used Her willpower to command Her body to do what She wanted it to do. She told the body to comply with Her will. Master urged fellow initiates to walk out of this self-confining box, and break through the feelings of weakness and loneliness. She then gave a bunch of flowers to a fellow initiate who believed herself to be weak. Afterwards, this fellow disciple said that, though it was only three short days, this encounter with Master had given her a taste of the greatest spiritual ecstasy.

That evening at the Hotel George V, Master was interviewed by the host of World Music, a special program on Radio Orison FM. This one-hour program introduced Master's poems which Au Lac musicians had used to compose into music, fully portraying the undiscriminating love of the poet.

The Paris International Jewelry Exhibition lasted five days, from February 24th-28th. The S.M. Celestial Jewelry booth entertained many people who wanted to place orders for the Celestial Jewelry, or to make inquiries. The most common phrases of admiration expressed by the spectators were: 'Really beautiful!'; 'Extremely noble!'. These were good responses to Supreme Master Ching Hai's expectation of: "Show the utmost beauty in this world to people, to wake up the most beautiful and noblest quality in them."¡¹

¡iSpecial Reports¡j========================

Lesson Time With Master

By Brother Initiate Jaspal Sian, London, U.K.

(Originally In English)

When we arrived at the venue my wife said, "Go and buy some flowers for Master. Quickly before She arrives." As I rushed out of the hall, to my surprise I encountered Master. I greeted Her with closed palms and She said, "I like your earring."

I replied, "Thank You" with what must have been a surprised look on my face. I have worn my earring for nearly three years and not many people have ever noticed it, since it is a very small, simple stud.

This incident reminded me that we have to always look at the small details in our daily lives, because these things sometimes can become our stumbling blocks. Also, we must cherish everything no matter how small it may be because all things are important and part of the whole. It also reminded me that my ego must become like this earring -- very small -- and my way of life, very simple, to realize God!

¡iSpecial Reports¡j========================

A Lesson in Freedom

By Brother Initiate Shahid Mahmood, U.K. (Originally In English)

My intention of going to Paris was to serve. When I went to Los Angeles I just enjoyed the retreat, but this time I wanted to help others by being a security guard or doing anything else that was required. I wanted to put my own interests and comforts last.

In Paris, on the day of the jewelry exhibition, Master arrived at Her display booth in the afternoon. There were several hundred people there also. She looked splendid! She explained about the designs and their meaning -- it was so joyful. I was standing there and suddenly I felt a wave of intense gratitude rushing through my body. I had to hold myself up. My face quivered and tears of inexpressible gratitude streamed from my eyes. The experience made me feel very humble.

The following day was quite long. There was a group meditation and an all day initiation. Later in the afternoon while everyone was meditating, Master came in and spoke to us. I was sitting at the back and I asked Master a question. During the most blissful moments of my meditation I had been sending love and kind thoughts to Her in an effort to help ease Her suffering. I asked if this was a good way to do it. Master was very happy. She thanked me for my kind thoughts and threw me a rose. It was so beautiful. She explained that whenever we send a loving thought to anyone, that person receives it. I felt as if those thoughts had materialized into the beautiful rose as I looked at it. I noticed how pure my gaze was. I looked at Master in the same way, it was like when a baby looks at its mother in a pure, innocent way. It felt so good. Before we returned home I invited Master to the UK.

We all felt very blissful due to Master's visit and during the time we spent with Her we all learned some very important and valuable lessons. I have personally learned that the best way to progress quickly in spirit, is to selflessly help others until it becomes part of one's nature. Also when we make a mistake due to the ego or temptation, we need to pick yourselves up again and carry on, like when you are singing a song and you sing just one word incorrectly, you just need to continue and finish the song, instead of getting stuck there -- worrying and blaming oneself. We need to be the Master of ourselves -- strong and noble. We are only weak when you choose to be. Sickness or struggles actually help us to rediscover our immense strength. Most limitations are self imposed.

The last lesson was a very special blessing from Master that made me realize that I am totally free; that life is a series of choices for me to decide.¡¹

¡iSpecial Reports¡j========================

Master's Enlightening Visit To London

By Brother Initiate Jaspal Singh, U.K.

(Originally In English)

To be immersed in the glorious burning light of happiness and joy of my Master, our Master, was all that I could desire and the desire was fulfilled. I was blessed by the sight and sound of the one who has lifted this lost soul from the darkness of Maya's world; a darkness that caused sadness, anger, hatred, possessive desires and most sad, a darkness that fed and nourished an already enormous ego. How can such a blessing be measured?

To sit there, with fellow initiates, new initiates, and those who are still searching for the absolute Truth, was an experience to cherish, an experience which seemed to pass in an instant. From the moment Master allowed us to bask in Her divine presence (during which time She answered all questions to everyone's satisfaction); to the happy, tearful moment when we were all presented with blessed food; to the sad moment of Master's departure and all interim moments, passed in an instant.

I can understand that there are other lost souls in this world who are praying to God to be saved, and I know that Master is answering their prayers and showing them the way back to God.

While I wait seemingly endlessly for another meeting with Master, I will end with the words of a past disciple to a past master:

When I don't see you for one time measure*

It is like the length of the present era

(*The length of time of one time measure is 24 minutes)

¡iSpecial Reports¡j========================

The Brilliance Of The Celestial Jewelry

By Sister Initiate Chuk-Yee Nan,

London, England

When he saw the ring, he liked it, as I expected. However, he said that the diamond on the ring was too small. Later, he went to sleep wearing the ring, having forgotten to take it off.

Through this miracle, I have realized that we should always have faith and positive thoughts, and become God's tool at every opportunity. Only when we meditate more and practice diligently can we perceive Master's invisible message and accept all kinds of situations in our lives with a gently and agreeable state of mind.¡¹

¡iSpecial Reports¡j========================

To Find The Lost Lambs

By Sister Initiate Chen Wen Hong, Paris, France

After noticing our exhibition booth, an exhibitor accompanied his friends and relatives to visit us every day. He was especially mesmerized by the dazzling Heavenly Dragon Imperial Cutlery Set, causing him to stand as if glued in front of our counter. He shook his head and said emotively, "I have never seen such beautiful golden ware."

Only eight months old (since my initiation), it was my greatest honor to be able to take part in this exhibition of the Celestial Jewelry. The merciful Master educated me in the most sublime ways while I was working. With laughter and tears, my soul has benefited greatly from this extra nourishment.

¡iSpecial Reports¡j========================

A Living Example Of A Great Master

By Brother Initiate Duan, U.K.

The most memorable thing for me is the incredibly deep and boundless love that Master spontaneously gives at all times wherever She may be. Whenever Master saw an old, homeless or needy person on the street, She would stop and talk to them and give them Her warmest wishes. If She discovered that they needed money, She would give them financial help. Master once told me, "I have only this opportunity to meet them."

In the hotel where Master stayed there was an elderly doorman who often stood in the cold wind until very late in the night. She understood the hardships he has to endure to make a living, so She often gave him an extra tip.

The taxis at the hotel entrance often needed to queue for a long time to pick up passengers. Sometimes Master only went out to nearby places so therefore the fare was quite low. In such cases She would apologize to the driver and give an extra tip to compensate.

Master never forgets to bring happiness and satisfaction to those She meets. Once we did some work with a pretty young lady. When departing, Master reminded me in Chinese to tell the lady we all thought she was very beautiful. I am sure the young lady was in ecstasy all day that day.

Within only several days, I deeply realized how Master lovingly teaches disciples. I noticed that She was capable of managing Her work all by Herself, however, in order to train us, She provides opportunities for us to learn. Whenever our egos were at work with our preconceived ideas resulting in poor judgment, Master would personally make a thorough investigation and then make the correct decision. We would then witness how much better the work proceeded to a successful completion in the shortest time possible. Each time, our preconceived ideas were completely shattered.

Recalling the time I worked closely with Master, none of the imagination I had proved to be correct. I realized deeply that if we work with our egos, we only succeed in obstructing Master's work.

The experience gained with Master will have a major impact on all aspects of my life. It will encourage me to work hard at my spiritual practice, to expand my love, to eliminate my ego and eventually to become one with Master, in order to repay Her for Her tremendous love and blessings.¡¹

¡iSpecial Reports¡j========================

The Significance Of The S.M. Celestial Jewelry

By Sister Initiate Carol Chen, England

(Originally In English)

When the exhibition day finally arrived, it was the first time I really paid attention and looked at the jewelry. I have seen it in the News magazine, seen it in Cambodia, but each time I never paid much attention to it. I realized now that the Celestial Jewelry represents the Truth, beauty and virtues. It reminds us of the beauty, the glory that is always inherent within ourselves. It reminds us to seek the Truth, the eternal kingdom. The design, the selection, the cutting and composition of the each gem are secret codes to trigger and awaken our long term memory.

There is one particular piece that totally negates my preconception of jewelry as a rich man's toy. The sister who in charge of making the S.M. jewelry told me that it is the only piece in the world. The artisans had tried very hard to make another piece for exhibition purposes, many times, but without success. Therefore, they borrowed this piece from Master.

Master once said: "When we hear the sound of the church bell, it means that we are at the level of 'never returning'." Then comes the eagle (ego). This is the biggest obstacle that binds us within the three realms. Once we can overcome the ego, then we will be home, safe and sound. As for the harp, if you practiced the Quan Yin Method, then you would know its significance.

I sincerely thank God for giving me this opportunity to work, to learn and to serve others. Thank You, God, for sending Supreme Master Ching Hai to us. You are truly a nice Guy!¡¹

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