The Supreme Master Ching Hai News No. 92

Let Spiritual Practice Become

A Habit To Face All Circumstances

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Costa Rica December 26, 1990

(Originally In English)

We must practice every day so that in emergencies and at the time of death, when we're very agitated and when we're suffering and in pain and in fear, we won't forget. Not that we practice every day in a peaceful and normal condition, and when danger comes, when we need God the most, we throw Hirm out, forget all the Guru's blessings, and the mantras all go fly out, of the window. Yes, that's why we practice every day, that we should not fear in time of danger and keep our balance and tranquil mind so that we don't lose ourselves.

If we have to die at that moment, we die in remembrance of God; and our next birth will definitely be of a very high level. If we don't remember God at the time of death, where we will be born is not guaranteed. So we must practice every day for that moment. And for dangerous situations, because in dangerous situations, we don't know if we will survive or not. So when we're in a normal state of mind and in normal conditions, we must practice, practice so it becomes a habit, so that even in danger, we will not, cannot forsake this habit; because when we're in an emergency or near death, that's when we need it most. We practice all our life just for that.

I remember when I was still with my husband, I did not have the Quan Yin Method yet. I repeated the names of Quan Yin Boddhisattva, meditated using the breathing method, and also recited the sutras. That was my practice. Every morning, every night, I did this. All the time, I repeated the Buddha's name. Now, once we went on a weekend holiday to a very faraway place in the countryside. I think he wanted to go skiing, so we had to go to a very high mountain where there was a lot of snow.

Now, when we came back, it was very dark and late, and the road was very slippery because there was ice on it. It was very late in the countryside, so the people probably did not think to put sand on it. And we didn't put chains on our tires. My husband is a good driver, but as he drove down the hill, suddenly the car swerved and wanted to turn. It didn't, it only wanted to. Before that, I warned him; I said suddently, "Be careful." I just said that and the car began to go out of control. He tried very hard to gain control, very dangerous. I put my hand on his heart and said, "Don't worry. Quan Yin Boddhisattva will protect us." I said it very calmly and very matter of factly.

Suddenly the car just stopped going down hill; it was of course, on the steep side of the road. It ran off the side of the road and fell into the snow. So we struggled to open the car, got into the snow, and came up. We were not wounded and the car had no problems. We walked just a few hundred yards and found a farmhouse. How wonderful, the farmhouse had a truck with a crane that could lift the car up.

So in no time, our car was back on the road again and we just drove back home. No problem. So even if we just practice a little bit, we can feel calm in times of trouble. So believe in it, have faith and practice. Whenever you remember, repeat the Five Names. Whenever you remember, pay attention to your third eye. The repetition and the attention here will help us to draw our current up to the third eye center. Then from there, the sound current will lift the soul, or lift us up. Not the repetition and not the attention at the eye alone do the work. The sound is important. Its very strong energy will lift us up.

Normally we hear the sound, but it's very feeble. Only when all our attention is drawn up to here, then the sound can lift up us to very higher worlds; because up there is a center where we can make contact with the higher world. But we must go up there to make the contact. What you experience sometimes or at the time of initiation, that's just extra blessing. Otherwise normally, it takes long, long years of practice to empty ourselves up to that point. Once we're up there, contact can be made with the higher world.

The sound is important. We have to meditate, meditate, meditate and practice until all the currents are habitually drawn up here (wisdom eye) whenever we want. Then we can go whenever we want, and we don't suffer. Most people suffer at the time of death because their currents are still lingering around every pore of the body. When the time comes it suddenly has to push up and then force out, very violently, involuntarily, with so very much suffering, like a thousand ants biting us.

Now, by the practice of meditation, we get used to the drawing of the currents up to the point at the third eye center. So when we die, it's just like when we meditate every day. Also when we have the help of the Master, the currents draw up fast and naturally. We leave the body before we even know it. At the time of death, Master comes with all glory, beautiful music and beautiful scenery in heaven. So we don't feel any suffering and we don't feel attached to the ugliness and darkness of this world.

Pearl Of Wisdom

Positive and Negative

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, New Jersey Center, U.S.A.

June 24, 1992 (Originally In Englsih)

We also have a destroying nature inside us. Depending on each person, the destructive tendency is higher or lower; but try to control it. Otherwise, you carry on the whole time with your destructive spirit and that's very negative. We have both negative and positive inside, but we only use the negative when necessary. It's not that I'm saying we can't use it, because, a negative power, when you use it in the right place, is very good.

Just like the children at home, you're always positive with them, encouraging them, loving them, and telling them all good things. But when they're too naughty, when they try to be stubborn, are not obedient enough and do wrong things -- harm other people or the neighbors -- then you have to use a so-called negative attitude; but actually in that case, it's positive.

You have to scold them, or maybe punish them lightly, like they have to kneel, they have to stay at home when you go out or you cut down on some of their enjoyments, pocket money or whatever. These look negative because "Oh! Parents are always supposed to be loving, forgiving, smooth and soft spoken, so why punish the children?" But they deserve it, they have to be.. . Otherwise they can't turn to the positive.

That's when negative power is for a useful purpose. Don't say always that the negative can't be used or the positive has to be used all the time. If you use positive power or a positive attitude in the wrong way, it becomes negative. For example, your child is very naughty -- you have given him everything already, but he tries to go out to steal just for fun, or just because he associates with bad guys; or he gets drugs and goes out and breaks into people's cars --and you tell him but he doesn't change. If you still keep rewarding him, loving him, forgiving him, then you are negative. Then your attitude is negative. You're spoiling him, you're harming him, you're harming his future, because one day the police will catch him, the neighbors will catch him, or another strong guy will hit him, break his bones, and break everything of his future and your heart as well. In that case, your positive attitude is absolutely negative.

So we have to understand this Yin-Yang nature, and make use of both accordingly. Not to dislike one and cling to the other, but to know how to use them. That's the art of living, that is wisdom. Otherwise, how else can we survive in this world with ourselves and our loved ones. There has to be some limit. It's the same with me. So don't always expect me to give you candies and smile all the time. I have to do some of my negative work, and turn it into positive, turn these negative people into positive. Otherwise, you'll never grow up.

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Pearls Of Wisdom

Frustration Is Bodhi

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Hsintien, Formosa, August 22, 1986

(Originally In Chinese)

Wherever we go, always observe the world with our wisdom eye, and treat sentient beings with our God heart. When we treat people fairly without discrimination, people will naturally treat us with good will in return. Even if they treat us badly, it is another form of "benevolence," because it is God testing and giving us an opportunity to learn.

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Taipei, Formosa, March 2, 1990

(Originally In Chinese)

Sometimes people complain, "I have practiced so diligently, yet have gained nothing." Probably they have not been sincere enough. Instead of complaining to God, losing faith in the Buddha or doubting our Master, we should examine ourselves for any spots or knots that have not been untied! When we know we are truly sincere, all the results will come. However, even if we sometimes think we do not have sincerity, we have to persist in our spiritual practice, improve ourselves, and carry on. One day, the world will give us sincerity. The occasional illnesses, agonies, pains or bad moods will give us sincerity; those unhappy situations or frustrations will awaken us. Therefore, there is still hope for us.

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Aphorisms

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai (Originally In Chinese)

All is created by the heart. If our hearts do not change, the world will not change. Don't wait for someone else to save the world with miraculous power; a change of heart will save the world.

Why do we have to practice spiritually? It is because our wisdom grows and our minds become open with spiritual practice, letting us see things accurately. When we perceive the Truth, we will no longer misunderstand, be deluded by imagination, or be biased with preconceptions.

* Always practice introspection, then we will know why we have not progressed and our spiritual level is so low.

* Spiritual practice is not difficult, neither is the quest for Godhood; simply behave like a child!

* When people scold us, imagine that it is Master scolding us, then we won't feel hurt. Instead, we will tolerate them and thank them for getting rid of our karma.

* The supreme power of the Highest God and the Master are our own power. We were originally one with the supreme power, the Master and the Creator. Therefore, when we completely forsake the world, we come very close to the Way, the Creator, and we will have the power to save ourselves. That is why we say, "The God is in the heart."

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Aphorism

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai (Originally In English)

Spiritual practice is not difficult, neither is the quest for Godhood; simply behave like a child!

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Aphorisms

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai (Originally In Chinese)

* Our demeanor and virtues cannot be bought with money or manifested in magnificent clothes. We have light within that will eminate naturally to make people feel comfortable and respectful. This is our dignity, and our magnificent clothes, generated naturally. Wearing beautiful clothes does not necessarily win people's respect.

* Time is running out! We must be really sincere in our spiritual practice! You can see that the climate is constantly changing, and people are coming and going; no one can exist forever.

* Being spiritual practitioners, we must aspire to seek great wisdom; we must be able to do, understand, and realize everything. However, there is a higher level or superior quality called "love". We will dry and shrivel up if we only have wisdom but no love.

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Aphorism

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai (Originally In Chinese)

* The "Natural Magical Power" means our omnipotent inner Master will make all the arrangements for our needs. If Hes does not arrange it for us, it means that the place or plan is not good for us.

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Hearts Dedicated To Master

From A 7 year-old girl, Munich, Germany

(Originally in Au Lac Language)

February 17, 1998

Our Revered and Beloved Master,

I realize that how busy Your schedule is, but my little daughter (Anna) keeps reminding me and insisting that I send her drawings and letter to You.

Before she was initiated, Anna had attended the Ching Hai Day celebrations and Celestial Jewelry show in Munich. The following night, she dreamed of You. In her dream (according to what she said), You were wearing a white gown that radiated a brilliant, flashing light and was decorated with glittering stars.

Anna also saw on television, momentarily, cows being slaughtered due to BSE disease. She was hurt by this and decided to become vegetarian and to definitely not eat meat, regardless of what people might say. When offered meat after that she always responded by shaking her head. She was initiated three months after at the precise age of 6 years and 4 months.

After initiation, Anna began creating many drawings, which were put up all over her room. Now, she wants to send them to You:

Drawing 1: Dear Master! My name is Anna, I am 7 years old. This is my drawing depicting You along with my Dad and Mom. Anna takes Dad to see Master. (Dad has not been initiated.) In the drawing, I am standing by Master and Master says, "Do not eat meat. You should eat the leaves of vegetables, vegetarian food." Do You see that it is beautiful? I often meditate and listen to Your stories. When can You come to see me?

Drawing 2: Master took Anna for a stroll in heaven, then returned home with Mom.

Drawing 3: Anna takes friends to see Master.

Drawing 4: Hearts solely dedicated to Master.

Drawing 5: Dear Master! I drew many stars; the heart has eyes, a mouth and a smile; and Mr. Sun.

[Mom wrote this letter for Anna.]

Anna Hoang

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Contents

Love is the greatest law in the universe. Anything can be cleansed away by true love. So, when you do things in a charitable manner, do it with love. Don't worry about karma.

- Suma Ching Hai -

Inner Front Cover - Supreme Art

Re-encounter With Fear/Master's Shoes And Fan

2 Master's Words

Let Spiritual Practice Become A Habit To Face All Circumstances

3/18/23/29 Pearls Of Wisdom

Positive and Negative/ Frustration Is Bodhi/ Clearly Distinguish What's True and False/ A Simple But Elegant Spiritual Method

4 True Stories

Practicing The Quan Yin Method Has Helped Me Overcome Death/ The Red Child In The Pit

7 Selected Questions & Answers

Determination Is Better Than Anything/How To Make Our Motives Selfless/How Does Sound Purify Us?

8 Cute Encounter

Have You Been Reciting?

10 Reflections On Spiritual Practice

Break Dancing/ A Question People Dare Not Face/ The Way Causality Works

11/16 Spiritual Interludes

The Treasure-Digging Child/ Following The Middle Way/ Bound Heart To Heart

The Treasure-Digging Child/Following The Middle Way/ 12 Master Says

The Omnipresent True Nature

14/15/20/28/33/37/44 Aphorisms

15 Master Tells Jokes

Your Time Has Come!/ We Are Not Peace-Loving/ What Is God's Religion?/ God Too Has No Solution

17 Between Master and Disciple

Ask Your Inner Master

18 While On The Path

An Interlude On My Spiritual Path

19 Little Initiates' Column

Hearts Dedicated To Master

20 Spiritual Information Desk

Why No Light?

21 Master Tells Stories

Who Is Who?/ A Pure Heart Sees Maya As God

24 Master's Wonders

The Story Of The Lock/ Seek You First The Kingdom Of God And All Other Things Shall Be Added Unto You/ Unusual Pre-Initiation Encounter

26 Suma Panorama

Formosa

26 Media Report

China Daily News/ Chieu Duong Daily News/ China Times

29/42 Poems

Joy/Relying On You

30 Front Line

A Feast Of Truth, Beauty And Virtue - Enjoying The Art Of Dining and Dressing

31 Love In Action

Love Never Dies/ Love Has No Barriers

34 Vegetarian Era

Diet For Your Pets - Feed Them And Help Them Elevate/ Vegetarian Pets Leave Vets Goggle-eyed/ Overwhelming The Kingdom Of Non-Vegetarians-The National Tai Chi Competition

38 Our Liaison Practitioners Throughout

The World

42 Elevation Of The Soul

43 Group Meditation Events

News From The Home Of The Sakura Flower, Japan

44 Supreme Art

True Love - God's Grace

Inner Back Cover - Supreme Art

Seventh Generation Celestial Jewelry - True Love Collection

Back Cover - Supreme Art

Magnificent Moving Sound And Colors In The Chalk Painting "Tien Shan Cactus"

Suma Ching Hai News No. 92

Published: June 15, 1998

Founded: April 1, 1990

Published By: Suma Ching Hai International Association

Publisher: Lee Yen-Fang

Chief Editor: Lee Yen-Fang

Registered at the Government Information Office, R.O.C.

Under No. 8288

The Suma Ching Hai News Magazine is published in different languages:

Au Lac language, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Indonesian, Korean, Portugese, Spanish, Thai and is available upon request.

Also available on World Wide Web:

http://www.sumachinghai.org.tw/ (Formosa)

http://www.chinghai.com (Singapore)

http://quanyin.org (U.S.A.)

http://mason.gmu.edu/~lduan/indexl.html (U.S.A.)

http://www.spiritweb.org/Spirit/audiovideo-archive-sumachinghai.html (U.S.A.)

http://www.quanyin.com (Canada with Real Audio service)

http://members.aol.com/ChingHai/d_hpage.htm (Germany and in German)

http://mach.ulb.ac.be/~ifaybish/ (Belgium)

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/quanyin/ (UK)

http://www.bookzone.com/bookzone/10000190.peek.html

(Book order - I have come to take you home)

News Group: lovesrc@www7.clever.net

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News From The Home Of The Sakura Flower, Japan An Inspiring Game

By Tokyo News Group, Japan

The two-day retreat celebrating Ching Hai Day had just ended, and in this pleasant atmosphere, fellow initiates prepared and enjoyed a Japanese-style gourmet meal. Reluctant to leave, they gathered in small groups, chatting cheerfully like members of a big family coming together for a reunion after a long time. The bustle and excitement reminded one of New Year's Day.

Casting aside age differences, initiates started to play children's games. One of the games is called "Kaluda" and the rules are as follows: A person draws a card from a stack of cards and composes a sentence that implies its name. All other players try to guess the name and to be the first to find the matching card from another stack. The winner is the one who makes the most matches before the cards run out.

This is an ancient Japanese game and was, therefore, difficult at first for non-native Japanese initiates. Although the card reader emphasized that anyone could play the game well, in order to encourage non-native players, native Japanese players were asked to wait for three seconds before they could start searching for the matching card. Slowly all the players got very much involved and enjoyed the game. Many onlookers could not resist the temptation of fun and joined in the game one after another.

After a while, the players needed less and less time to find the matching card. They noticed that the so-called language barrier had vanished all of a sudden, and the restriction initially applied to the native Japanese players was removed. Through this game, participants realized that in spiritual practice, every second counts, and they must strive to grow to maturity, and group meditation is a good way to progress faster. As in the game, competition is another form of mutual help that can stimulate initiates' latent ability and correct their bad habits. Preconceived notions are obstacles in spiritual practice and not too easy to perceive. However, when practitioners attain a certain spiritual level, these obstacles surface and the problems can be seen clearly.

As the game continued, suddenly the initiate who was playing the card reader began to compose some excellent sentences:

"On Ching Hai Day, we gather together

and enjoy a gourmet meal."

"The ocean is deep,

but Master's love is deeper."

"Practice diligently and

meditate at least two and a half hours each day."

Those three cards were specially made by fellow initiates to express their gratitude to beloved Master. After the game, they thanked Her from the depths of their hearts for arranging such a great and inspiring day.

Remarkably this activity brought fellow initiates in Japan closer, regardless of their nationalities. The activity also made them realize that language is not a barrier to communication and spiritual practice; as long as they have a common goal and work in concerted effort, there is nothing they cannot achieve. This new starting point strengthened their faith and determination in spiritual practice.

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Cute Encounter

Have You Been Reciting?

By Hsinchu News Group, Formosa

Sister initiate Chen of Hsinchu has been practicing very diligently since her initiation, constantly reminding herself to recite the Holy Names. One day, on the way to attend her first group meditation, she rode her motorbike into a gas station to buy some gas. As she rode in, the service worker immediately asked, "Have you been reciting?" She was absolutely amazed! She thought, "Master is truly fantastic! Not only is She constantly protecting me, but She also sends someone to remind me about spiritual practice." However, after observing the worker for some time, she just could not see that he was a fellow initiate or a spiritual practitioner. So why did he remind her to recite the Holy Names? Finally, she could not resist asking him, "How did you know about this?" The worker pointed to the back of her motorbike; there was a sticker saying: "Always recite Nam Mo Ching Hai Wu Shang Shih."

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Suma Ching Hai's Latest Videotapes

Kyoto, The City Of Many Holy Stories

Group Meditation, Bangkok, Thailand October 16, 1994

Meditating Wholeheartedly (Part 3)

International 4-day Retreat, Sydney, Australia May 9 - 12, 1997

Let Your Life Be Harmonious And Beautiful (Part 4)

International 4-day Retreat, Sydney, Australia May 9 - 12, 1997

Bring The Love Back With You (Part 5)

International 4-day Retreat, Sydney, Australia May 9 - 12, 1997

Loving God Will Pacify The World

Group Meditation, Munich, Germany August 18, 1995

Delivering Warm Love To Northern Thailand

Ching Mai, Thailand December 5, 1996

Forgive Yourself

Group Meditation, California, U.S.A. November 25, 1993

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A Feast Of Truth, Beauty and Virtue

- Enjoying The Art

Of Dining and Dressing

By Kaoping News Group, Formosa

Kaohsiung and Pingtung initiates in southern Formosa held a feast of Truth, beauty and virtue at Laiyi Center on March 29. Relatives and friends were invited to participate in this love-sharing Youth Day activity focusing on the theme: Live a life of Truth, beauty and virtue, and share the art of dining and dressing.

The activity was the result of an inspiration from Master's reminder: "We should be the representatives of Truth, wisdom and beauty from inside and outside." "Any manifestation of Truth, beauty and virtue represents God." We are exalted to have Master's rich collection of supreme art creations to remind us of our perfect inner qualities.

The activity featured an exhibition of Master's creative work of art, a fashion show and a presentation of vegetarian cuisine. A wide variety of Celestial Clothes were presented by initiates acting as models in a fashion show. Be it elegant casuals, shopping attire for the happy at heart, work clothes for the confident, classy and glittering evening gowns, or even genteel coats for the men, every one of the celestial clothes was a beautiful manifestation of confidence, freedom and joy. Even though none was professional, every model carried a natural air of nobility, elegance and harmony that shone right through their very own special set of Celestial Clothes and Celestial Jewelry. A sumptuous feast of exquisite delicacies was prepared and served by the Kaohsiung and Pingtung kitchen staff. Participants not only had their fill of vegetarian cuisine but could also take home recipes to try on their own.

Thousands of people participated in the event, half of whom were relatives and friends of initiates. Those who saw Master's art creations for the first time were amazed at how an enlightened spiritual practitioner has been able to present vividly Her view of universal oneness in real life! They were also surprised to learn that Master's teachings are not restricted by social conventions, thus ensuring harmony in life and in spiritual practice. This amazing enlightened Master won nothing but admiration and praise from the guests. Initiates attended this activity with a heart of learning and sharing, taking care of all the work, including the background decorations, stage design, lighting and music. What deserves special mention were the models, half of whom are mothers. Their noble air of inner confidence and joy left the audience greatly impressed of how they had changed since they started practicing spiritually.

The feast of Truth, beauty and virtue is just a beginning to real-life practice. The real message is to remind fellow initiates that every day is a day of Truth, beauty and virtue; and at every moment of their lives, they should remember the beauty of heaven and create beauty in their lives as part of an effort to beautify the environment.

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Spoken By Suma Ching Hai,

International Four-day Retreat Bangkok,Thailand

October 22, 1997 (Originally In Chinese)

Your Time Has Come!

A person went to Africa and was captured by the native tribesmen. The savages encircled him, threw him on the ground, and yelled loudly. Frightened to death, he prayed to God, "Oh, God! What shall I do now? Good grief, perhaps my time has come. Please save me quickly!"

God replied, "No, your time has not come yet."

The poor fellow asked, "What shall I do then?"

God told him, "It's all right, just listen to me. Stand up bravely, snatch the knife from the chief's hand, and strike right at his heart."

The man acted accordingly; he seized the chief's knife, thrust it through the chief's heart, and killed him. Then the poor man asked again, "God, I have thrust the knife through his heart, so what now?"

God answered him: "Now your time has come!" (Laughter and applause) His time had not yet come before he did that. (Master laughs)

Therefore, taking the initiation doesn't mean that your time has come; if you go home and indulge in pleasures or commit crimes, then your time will come!

We Are Not Peace-Loving

I made up this story, so I own the copyright. (Master laughs)

One day, a large group of Suma Ching Hai's disciples meditated together to pray for world peace. However, the more they prayed, the more the world was not at peace, so they were furious! They got together for a three or four-day retreat to pray for world peace, but still it was futile. There were conflicts and wars all over the world, and every country was having problems. Totally frustrated, they complained to God,"God, You do not respond! For the past few days, our fellow practitioners from around the world have been praying here for world peace, but the world is still not at peace! Why has it not been effective?"

God shook Hiers head and said, "Well, I am sorry! But I have also been praying for world peace for a very long time!" (Laughter and applause)

Whether the world will have peace or not depends on us, not on God! Hes tells us to be peace-loving but we don't listen, so what can Hes do? The poor old fellow!

What Is God's Religion?

A black person went to a foreign country and wanted to rent an apartment to accommodate his family and himself. However, the landlord refused to rent the place to him because of his color. Most of the tenants there were white, or at least yellow or brown; he was black, so the landlord refused.

Frustrated, he complained, "God, I want to live in that apartment, but they discriminate. They asked me many difficult and unreasonable questions to keep me out. God, they really discriminate!"

God shook Hiers head and said, "I too dared not venture inside!"

The black person asked, " What? Why didn't You dare go into that apartment?"

God replied, "What if I went in and they asked me what my faith is, how would I answer them?" (Laughter and applause)

God Too Has No Solution

I just made-up this joke. (Applause)

Two countries were at war. The bigger country prayed to God, "God, our Lord! That country may be small but they are very vicious! They refuse to obey us or offer tributes to us every year. Would You please help us hit their capital and kill them all tomorrow!" God didn't say anything.

The next day, the bigger country came back: "Why? Didn't we ask You in our prayers to help us strike their capital and kill them all? Why did You send our missiles into the sea. What do You mean by that?"

God replied, "Well, I am sorry! But your rival country also prayed to me for exactly the same thing!" (Master laughs) (Applause)

Now, do you know how difficult it is to be God? (Yes, we do.) So, we had better not sit here and pray for all kinds of silly things. If you get a response after you pray, then it is good; if not, it is also all right. God cannot give us everything. Whatever we pray for must be reasonable. If we ourselves do not know what we are praying for, we will laugh to death when we pray. Then what can God do except laugh with us?

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Report On Assistance To The Needy In Formosa, March 1998

Love Never Dies

The monthly relief activity got under way as scheduled, as initiates in Formosa, bringing Suma Ching Hai's love, paid their monthly visits to their friends in need. In spite of their unfortunate situations, these ailing and destitute souls have found the courage to face the trials and counter the obstacles standing in their way, as they receive warm and loving concern from more and more people in society.

Initiates offered them words of encouragement, looking forward to that day when they would emerge from the darkness and sea of bitterness to rise in joy and exuberance.

Letter Of Appreciation

March 1998

Greeting to the Benevolent Members of the Suma Ching Hai International Association,

My name is Liao Mei-feng. Thank you very much for the NT$2,200 contribution which we have received at this time of greatest need. As school enrollment is at hand the fund has come just in time for me to pay the registration fee. I would like to thank you on behalf of my parents. Words cannot express my gratitude, and I can only say "thank you" to all you loving aunts and uncles.

Best wishes for your good health and success.

Your sponsored child,

Liao Mei-fung

Monthly Relief Fund For Needy Households In Formosa, March 1998

City/County Number of Households Amount (NT$) Receipt Number

Keelung 1 2,000 1

Taipei 10 20,000 2

Taoyuan 2 4,000 3

Hsinchu 1 3,000 4

Miaoli 6 12,000 5

Taichung 6 12,000 6

Nantou 8 18,600 7

Chiayi 6 12,000 8

KaoPing 3 6,000 9

Ilan 1 2,000 10

Hualien 5 10,000 11

Penghu 2 4,000 12

Taitung 27 31,000 13

Subtotal 78 136,600

Taitung:

Medicines for Medical Serices 1,200 14

Food for Medical Serices 5,200 15

Mischellanous for Medical Serices 1,090 16

Total 144,090

Taitung Center Serves Indigenous Tribes

[Taitung] At the arrangement of the Taitung Center, initiates provided free medical services and hair-cuts as well as financial contributions to indigenous people living in Hairui Rural Township along the eastern coast of Formosa in March of this year.

Upon their arrival at Long Chuan day-care for children in Dar-Kwang-Yuan community, the team quickly organized themselves, bringing medical equipment, medical supplies and gifts they had prepared for the local residents. When everything was ready, local inhabitants came up for the services. Sister initiates moved their hands quickly and with agility as they trimmed the children's hair. Brother initiates who are licensed doctors diagnosed the physically unwell, while sister initiates who are qualified pharmacists prepared medicine for the patients. Other initiates separated into groups to take care of children and senior citizens who had come with their families. Local residents received medical services and hair-cuts services as well as copies of the Suma News magazine, the sample booklet and food, for which they expressed their appreciation to Suma Ching Hai. Accompanied by the town magistrate, another group of initiates visited needy households to offer financial contributions on behalf of Suma Ching Hai.

Love Has No Barriers

From Paris News Group, France (Originally In English)

Master is always saying that we have to serve others and forget about ourselves. There are many situations in which we can apply this teaching, especially in big cities where people in need are everywhere. This winter in Paris, we organized a distribution of clothes and food to some poor families. Because Master had just instructed: "You should wish a Happy New Year from me to the poor people and give them what they really need."

The day we began it rained a lot. As we were trying to find an address where we planned to distribute things, a woman in the street told us where we should go. Because of the rain we offered her a ride to her house. While in the car, we told her what we were doing, and she was so touched that she gave us the coat she had just picked up from the dry cleaners. This coat fit the mother of the family we were visiting perfectly.

It is true that it would not be possible to help the whole world even if we wanted to, but what a satisfaction it is just to see a smile or a face lite up when a person receives help.

At the end of 1997, we finally gained access to a prison near Paris. Through a magazine, we got to know a prisoner who was interested in Buddhism, and started to correspond with him by sending him the sample booklet and a Suma Ching Hai News magazine. After a short while, the prisoner asked to learn the Convenient Method.

When we went there to meet him, he and the initiate in charge of teaching the Convenient Method talked together; the ambiance was very happy and friendly. It was as if they had known each other for a long time. We were happy to have a brother in jail who could benefit from Master's blessings. There are no barriers for God. Hes arranges everything for the ones who really wants to know the Truth. We pray to be the servants of God and to be able to be Hiers assistants.

Aphorisms

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai (Originally In English)

* When people scold us, imagine that it is Master scolding us, then we won't feel hurt. Instead, we will tolerate them and thank them

for getting rid of our karma.

* The supreme power of the Highest God and the Master are our own power.

We were originally one with the supreme power, the Master and the Creator. Therefore, when we completely forsake the world,

we come very close to the Way, the Creator, and we will have the power

to save ourselves. That is why we say, "God is in the heart."

* Always practice introspection, then we will know why we have not progressed and our spiritual level is so low.

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Ask Your Inner Master!

By Hui Re

Once when I was making a report to Master over the phone, She asked for my opinion. I thought to myself, "How would I know? You decide. Please don't ask me!" Master felt my unease and tried to get me out of my embarrassment by saying, "I will meditate and ask my inner master. You do the same." I remained motionless for a while holding the phone in my hand before I realized that I had to do what Master had just told me to do. I closed my eyes and prayed. However, my mind remained in a chaotic state. There was continuous interference on my "screen". Before I could even concentrate, Master called back. She told me in a very relaxed voice, "I got the answer. She said it was okay." As She quickly gave me some instructions, I jotted them down while praying silently, "Please do not ask the results of my meditation." Master hung up in compassion without doing so.

This was a few years back. Thinking back on the incident, I have come to realize Master's intention at the time. For the last few years, I have not followed Her teachings as well as I should have. From the very beginning, She had reminded me to communicate with the inner master at all times and to use the wisdom to the things. Nothing can escape Her sharp eyes -- not the spiritual levels of Her disciples, the trials and tribulations they would encounter, nor the lessons they need to learn. She always offers Her guidance in a natural and spontaneous way, and Her tests always come as a surprise.

On another occasion, one of us made an inappropriate proposal to Master. Although many of us knew about this beforehand, none of us expressed our opinions or said no, thinking it had nothing to do with us. When the proposal was presented to Her, She was not very pleased. All of us were in trouble. We started to blame each other. Eventually someone made a fair comment, "We should really blame ourselves for our lack of wisdom." After hearing this, everyone remained silent. It is true that we are all one. So, if one is hurting, we all feel it, we all suffer. We had only our selfishness and ignorance to blame! Again, we had failed the test of truth and courage!

Pondering over these stories, I realize that we have wasted many lifetimes! We love to create an idol to follow and to rely on for everything big and small. We do not thinking first ourselves and use our own wisdom. Such slavish blindness prevents us from seeking our own inner master.

When we sing to Master about how much we love Her and how much we need Her, She is never carried away by our astral sentiments. She insists on the principle, and constantly reminds us to become independent and seek the almighty God within.

I remember Master once told us that She has no idea how many promises She has to make before She gets to see God each time. She is so strict on Herself yet so patient, understanding and tolerant toward Her children. Truly great people are so humble!

We should continue to seek God. However, before our "computer screens" are properly adjusted, the weak and insecure sentient beings as we are, need our Master to take care of us for a while.

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Media Report

China Daily News, Formosa, March 23, 1998

Chiayi Charitable Bazaar For The Severely Disabled Draws Large Crowds

[Reporter Su Yi-jie from Chiayi]

A charitable bazaar to draw public concern to the severely disabled began yesterday at 9:00 A.M. (March 22) in Chiayi City Stadium, central Formosa. The event was sponsored by the Chiayi Welfare Association for the Mentally Disabled in cooperation with a number of other organizations, including the Chiayi Women's, Chiayi County and Chiayi City chapters of the ROC International District Kiwanis Club, as well as the Chiayi Center of the Suma Ching Hai International Association. Over forty booths were set up at the bazaar selling drinks, toys and food to visitors. Local government departments of police, health and environmental protection, as well as St. Martin's Hospital, also set up booths to offer services to the public. The event attracted large crowds, including Mayor Chang Po-ya who visited the bazaar to express her concern and appreciation.

This major holiday event sponsored jointly by government and civic organizations filled the stadium with an air of warmth and excitement. The sponsors worked to offer their best services to the public in generous acts of love and concern. The Suma Ching International Association, once considered a controversial organization, also participated in the event, putting into practice the spirit of love and social concern. Visitors were highly impressed and their doubts cleared by the strict discipline observed by the followers of Suma Ching Hai and the compassionate services they extended to the local community.

The total contributions of day were NT$27,000 which was then given to the International Chiayi Women Mutual Aid Association by the Chiayi fellow initiates.

Saturday March 14, 1998 (Originally In Au Lac Language)

Participating In "Keep Australia Clean Day"

In keeping with their annual tradition, a large group of Suma Ching Hai International Association Sydney initiates participated in "Keep Australia Clean Day" at exactly 8:00 a.m. on Sunday March 1, 1998. After attending a 2-1/2 hour group meditation, the local disciples used every means possible to go to Bondi Beach as a group to collect litter and thus help keep the beautiful resort beach near the Sydney clean.

In a special gesture, this year a Sydney Bus Company provided free transportation so that fellow initiates who did not have personal vehicles could participate in "Keep Australia Clean Day."

In the festival at Bondi Beach, the Suma Ching Hai International Association Sydney joined the "Spiritual Expo" which featured many booths displaying a variety of vegetarian foods representative of many countries around the world. This was an endeavor to promote to the Australian public the tasty and nutritious vegetarian food of various distinctive styles represented in the Association.

In addition to its two vegetarian food booths, the Suma Ching Hai International Association also had another booth that displayed books, tapes, magazines and pictures of Suma Ching Hai in order to share the Quan Yin Method of meditation. This booth attracted many Australian people and other guests who stopped by for a visit.

With sincere devotion, and an ability to follow our great enlightened Master's advice to always become a good citizen in the country of residence, and an exemplary fellow initiate to help society, our fellow initiates indeed tried to accomplish both, on Sunday, March 1, 1998, in sharing the Quan Yin Method of meditation while actively participating in the government sponsored "Keep Australia Clean Day."

1. Members of the Suma Ching Hai International Association at work cleaning Bondi Beach.

2. At the gathering site.

3. Unique vegetarian food booth.

4. Booth displaying Suma Ching Hai International Association activities.

5. Fellow initiates at work introducing Suma Ching Hai's books.

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Mystic Tibetan Medicine

China Times, Formosa February 23, 1998

Compassion And Wisdom

The Celestial Eye, Third Eye and Non-Visual Vision

By Dr. Andy Sun, National Formosan University Hospital

The Compassion and Wisdom Tibetan Buddhist Art Exhibition held in Taipei, Formosa recently displayed many rare and mystic Tibetan Buddha statues having a third eye. Sitatara had seven eyes -- three on the forehead and one on each palm and sole. Does the third eye truly exist? Can there be "non-visual vision"?

In 1979, a person was found to have the paranormal ability of "identifying words by the ear - without using the sense of hearing" in Dazu County in Sichuan Province of mainland China. This discovery launched a study among Chinese scientific circles of the paranormal abilities of the human body. Other discoveries followed -- the palm of the hand, sole of the foot, armpit, nostrils, mouth and other parts of the body were found to have the ability to read and identify objects. The viewing ability was found to be acquired through direct contact (by bringing the sensitive part of the body in direct contact with the objects), remote viewing (by seeing objects through the air or a medium from a distance without coming in direct contact with the objects), or relay perception (by receiving the visual signals from a blood relative or another psychic who actually sees the object). These are commonly known as "non-visual vision".

Psychics participating in a word-reading experiment reported the appearance of a "screen" in their foreheads and of words on this screen. It is worth noting that this virtual screen appears not only in word-recognition, but also in telepathy, telekinesis and the use of paranormal writing and other abilities.

Further understanding of the virtual screen with regard to telepathy has been achieved. It conveys shapes and colors of objects in addition to textual messages. Experiments have shown that short textual messages can be transmitted over 1,000 kilometers while messages of up to 41 words can be communicated over shorter distances. Although it is uncertain as to how far messages can travel and how long the messages can be, researches have indicated that while visual messages can be transmitted by telepathy through the use of the virtual screen, auditory and gustatory information cannot.

The same virtual screen also appears when one attains a certain level in meditation or Chi Gong practice. In my personal experience, the screen appears static initially but becomes dynamic and, with progress, will be subject to voluntary control as opposed to one's lack of control in earlier stages.

Referred to as the "celestial eye" in Chinese culture since ancient times, the virtual screen in the forehead could ultimately lead to clairvoyance, or "celestial vision" in Buddhist terminology. A specific energy point in Chi Gong practice, the celestial eye is located slightly above the glabella in the middle of the forehead in a triangular formation with the physical eyes.

Archaeologists have found in ancient human skull fossils an orbit-shaped cavity above the two eye sockets, the three forming a triangle. Some assert that it was the third eye of ancient human beings, which was gradually covered by the expanding cerebral cortex of the frontal lobe and so disappeared from the surface of the skull as the human race evolved. Scientists at a British science institute have identified in the anterior cerebrum the remnant of a shrunken eye, the location of which corresponds to that of the so-called "celestial eye." ~ Excerpt ~

Aphorisms

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai (Originally In Chinese)

* Spiritual practitioners who practice well will find everything going smoothly and unhindered. Those who fail to practice well will feel restrained and uncomfortable, even though they have the same Master who transmitted to them the same method and the same power.

* In spiritual practice, don't care too much about having progressed or not. Instead, we should care about our sincerity, whether or not we are truly long for liberation.

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The Omnipresent True Nature

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

July 19, 1997 (Originally In Au Lac Language)

At this very moment, while we're sitting here and talking, we're simultaneously living through all the levels, which we have or have not realized. It's not that we only live the life of a human being here. We become fairies, saints, Gods and Buddhas as well; even ghosts by the way. It's because there are many such levels in the universe.

For example, you're going to have a vegetarian barbecue today. Someone is going to give you a skewer, on which you put a variety of things. A piece of bell pepper over here, a piece of tofu over there, a piece of wheat gluten, a piece of ham, so on and so forth. Then, when you hold the whole skewer up, you will be able to see its entire contents. Everything is in your hand. Human life is the same. In one instant, we're able to embody all nature, and knowledge of every level in the universe. It's just that we don't know this.

It's because now we're living in the world as a human being. We chose our life to be in human form, and therefore, we only close all the other gates in order for us to be able to fulfill the human life at this time. If the other gates were wide open as well, you would know that you are also a fairy, Buddha, God or past, present and future; then you would not be able to fulfill the responsibility, the duty as well as the journey you have chosen to take in this life. Hence, there are no third, fourth and fifth levels at all. Everything is us. The third is us, the fourth is also us, and the second is us as well.

If we want to return to all the things of which we possess such an immense knowledge again, then we should practice the Quan Yin Method to regain all this knowledge. The higher the level we practice at, the more we are able to know that we are indeed everything. All beings are one, for that matter. If we choose not to practice, then we only know that we are just a human being who goes to work day and night like walking on a treadmill. We go back home, go to work, to take care of spouse and children and then argue with them, argue with our husband. Then that's all we do without knowing anything else.

Whereas, if we see that the chosen journey of being this human being seems to be a mistake, which makes us bored and we want to know more, then by practicing the Quan Yin Method, we'll be able to know more. Our life will naturally become different. (Applause)

What's happened? What made you applaud so noisily? (Audience:Very good) You understood? Oh God, I had such a poor discourse but you all understood anyway. You're so good indeed. It's true. Actually, I was afraid that you would not understand because this subject is so complicated. It's hard to explain.

For example, now there's a skewer that has everything on it; but while you bite a piece of tofu, you only know the tofu taste. Ah, we're hungry and tofu is our favorite, so we eat the piece of tofu first, and we only know the tofu taste. At that time, we only chose tofu to enjoy just its taste; our mentality, our enjoyment was focused on that piece of tofu.

Although, we have a skewer full of other things, we don't pay attention to them, so we don't know. Not paying attention also means that we don't know, because we just don't pay attention to them. Naturally, we have it all but we either do not pay attention to it or ignore its presence. It's because of our mind. Our whole attention is being focused on a piece of tofu. Since we so enjoy eating it and only think of enjoying its taste first, we inadvertently forget the others. Nevertheless, we know what happened before and after. Similarly, only when you choose to enjoy other tastes will you be able to recall something spontaneously.

Therefore, while living this human life we often think that we have the sixth sense. In retrospect, since childhood we often have had such an experience even before we practiced the Quan Yin Method. Sometimes, you've experience that. While sitting in one place, we sometimes intuitively feel that we seem to remember something so unfamiliar. We have never done such a thing before, but we know. Also we think that oh, sometimes we want to do something in the future but we feel frightened all of a sudden. We then call it the sixth sense. The sixth sense told us that we should not engage in such a business.

Sometimes, when we are in the middle of doing something, we think: Oh, this definitely can not be done. We know that instinctively. How could we know it when we haven't done that yet? Many say it's the sixth sense. Others say it comes from our past life experience. Actually, it's not. It's just a talk of the sub-conscious, a talk of a past life or future life experience.

Actually, there is no past life or future life. There's only human life, which is an infinite and endless chain. It's because we differentiate it into past and future, we chose it to be like that.

In so doing we have isolated and different experiences that are separated, each section. Like our home, we divide it into separate rooms. Actually, it's still our home. Before we subdivided it, it was an open space. Even when all the walls have been removed, it's still an open space anyway. We divide it in order for us to have separate areas to do our own private work.

Similarly, in the eternal life of a human being, of a being not entirely a human being, of a sentient being, there are many sections for that reason also. But, in reality, it is a long and endless chain. As we go through our present life, there is also past and future. It is because there is no time and space. They are just a result of our choosing to become a human being alone, to do the work we wanted to do now.

Otherwise, it would be so boring if we were to complete all the past and future work in one life. It would not be like what we wanted originally. What we wanted was to descend to this world at this time just to choose to become a human being only. We will then choose to be a fairy or a Buddha at another stage. Then when we want to choose to become a ghost or demon, we would choose to be it at another time. We would shut the time and space gate to create an isolated area in order for us to become a human being, ghost, demon or fairy.

Actually, the life of every being is a long and endless chain. All is housed in this time frame only, without any past, future and present at all. It is we who chose a certain angle of life to complete the program that we wanted or to experiment with what we like. We like to do it in order to experience it; that's all (Applause).

Hey, it's very difficult. But, actually, if at the same time we knew that we were also a saint or a Buddha, then we wouldn't be able to fulfill our duty as a human being at all. (Applause) It would be impossible because anything that we work on with our full devotion and energy, would be completed with its full taste and depth. But if we already knew that we were God then it would be impossible for us to sit there and cry after being left by a husband. Crying without real passion (Laughter, applause).

If we sob without real passion, then we wouldn't be able to feel the suffering of a wife being left by her husband. We wouldn't be able to completely fulfill the role we designed to test ourselves. We try it in order to know how deep the suffering will be. Thus, when someone speaks of the suffering of the one who was left behind, we can understand and express our sympathy toward him/her. We will then try to help resolve their problem for we have already walked the same road before.

If the Buddha would have sat still in one place, he wouldn't have anything to do at all. He wouldn't have had sorrow or worry, and it would still have been considered okay. If we happen to choose such a journey, then it's still all right. There are many people who choose to try all tastes of irony and bitterness just for fun. Because in the long, long life of eternity in the universe, if we didn't choose to try this today and try that tomorrow, then we would be bored to death. (Laughter) Today we leave the husband, tomorrow he will leave us and that's fun. (Applause, laughter)

For example, while the Buddha is sitting here, he has chosen to be a human being. At the time he's a human being, if he still thinks that he's the Buddha, then how would he react when his wife leaves him or when her husband leaves her? Oh well, all right, someday I'll go and find another husband. It's no big deal, life is so eternal. Then he looks into the future and says, "Ah, another wife is coming; she's even better." Then, he says, "Oh well, just leave, go away." And he's no longer sobbing.

Okay, now we should talk about a less complicated subject -- actors and actresses, for example. Your favorite actor or Liz Taylor. At the time she played the role of Cleopatra, she must have used all her mental strength, energy, focus and knowledge in order to perform that role well. If, at that moment, she still recalled that she was Liz Taylor, then she would not have been able to play the role well.

It was because the Liz Taylor in Beverly Hills had a husband, and had already left eight husbands, so this one was different. (Laughter) If she recalled the husband who had left her, she would sob her heart out about this sad story of her husband. Then how would she be able to play the role of Cleopatra? When she played the role, she had to be there, she had to be Cleopatra. From that, we should understand right away.

The saints or God are the same. When they have to play the role of a human being, they have to play it right, meaning that it has to be one hundred percent human. Whereas, if they still associates themselves with the sainthood or God, then they will never be able to play the role of a human being. The saints and God are so great with magical power, who couldn't sit there and sob his heart out because his wife had left him. It would never happen. That's it. (Applause)

Therefore, sometimes when I said you are a Buddha, a saint, you did not understand anything at all. It's because you have chosen to forget yourselves. Now you are so bored with being a human being; you haven't learned much. It's no fun to have chosen this path. Since it's not a good choice, you like to go back to being a saint, a Buddha; or you have been a human being for too long, you have tried this kind of life over and over without being able to get out. It's so boring; just think of it. Since there's nothing exciting anymore, we want to go back to being something highly conscious. Then, we should choose the Quan Yin path to follow (Applause).

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The Story Of The Lock

By Would-Be Initiate Zhou, Mainland China

One evening in September 1997, I came home and found that I could not unlock the door; the key just kept turning round and round in the keyhole. This went on for half an hour without success. Some friends came to help and concluded that the lock was definitely broken. Then my husband came home and tried for quite a while but did not have any luck either.

Our apartment is on the fifth floor and there is no other way to get inside. When I realized that the door could not be opened, I sat on the staircase and began to meditate. During meditation, I could not help praying to Master for help although I did not want to trouble Her about such a trivial matter. Suddenly there was a spark of light in front of my wisdom eye and I felt that Master's transformation body was right beside me. The thought occurred to me that I should give it another try. I immediately opened my eyes and stood up. I put the key into the keyhole, and turned it. The door unlocked!

After getting into the apartment, I stood in front of Master's photo and said, "You are truly an omnipotent Master!" When my husband returned later, he was surprised to find me cooking in the kitchen. Wide-eyed he exclaimed, "How did you unlocked the door?" I told him how I had meditated and prayed to Master for help. He looked at me speechless for a while and said, "Master is really all-powerful!"

Seek You First The Kingdom Of God

And All Other Things Shall Be Added Unto You

Narrated By Sister Initiate Chen Jin-nu, Nantou, Formosa

Recorded by Nantou News Group, Formosa

About three years ago, prior to her initiation, sister Chen used to grow fruit in a partnership with friends. However, conflicts arose frequently due to the many partners involved. The pressure and frustration often made sister Chen want to quit. But she had to earn enough to cover her family's living expenses and her children's education. It was a very hard decision for her, and it took her a long time to finally decide to start a business on her own. She started by selling fruit in the market but did not earn much, only a few hundred NT dollars a day, despite working long hours. Thus, she was very frustrated.

One day, sister Chen went to sell fruit as usual. At noon she went to a vegetarian noodle stand for lunch. Seeing one of Master's books on the table, she picked it up and started to read it. The owner of the noodle place was Master's disciple. She enthusiastically invited her to visit Master at Hsihu Center. So one Sunday, sister Chen and her son went to the Center. As a devout Buddhist, she was shocked when she could not find a temple of worship in the Center. All she saw were lots of people sitting on their cushions in meditation. She was so confused! At that time she knew nothing about meditation!

She wandered around for a while before taking a rest in the shade. When she was half asleep, she saw Master appear in front of her in her dream. She told Master the hardships in her life and prayed to Her for help. Master's transformation body smiled and nodded as though in consent. A miracle happened the next day! Some kind-hearted people came to look for her and asked if she wanted to sell fruit in another market. They even found a spot for her in the market place. There, her business suddenly became better! At times she could earn five or six thousand NT dollars in one day.

After a series of miraculous experiences such as the above and acquiring an understanding of Master's teachings, she realized the importance of being initiated. So she and her sons received initiation from Master. She has since meditated diligently and whenever she has problems or difficulties, these are always solved easily. Her example again proves what Master has been telling us: if we practice well, God will take care of everything.

Unusual Pre-Initiation Encounter

By Brother Initiate Giao Su', Hamilton, Ohio, USA

In the fall of 1994, before ever hearing about Suma Ching Hai, I had an unusual and auspicious dream about a beautiful and powerful woman. She was dressed in royal golden robes from some oriental land. Her clothes were magnificent, with long, tapering lapels that touched the ground, and a circular gold headpiece or crown that surrounded her head like a halo. She appeared to be elevated above the ground on a pedestal or throne. I got the impression that she was regal in stature and "above" the Earth, in a position beyond the level of ordinary human beings. She seemed to preside over an estate or compound in a tropical forest where two large panthers were living in a bamboo pen, and moving toward its edges in an attempt to escape.

After waking from sleep, I felt a strong affinity with the woman in my dream, and felt that I was her follower or helper, but could not figure out who she was. She seemed familiar, yet I could not remember having seen her before in my present life.

Several weeks later, I received a call from a professor who had been my advisor in doctoral studies at a local university. She asked if I would help a Chinese student who was interested in writing about meditation for her Ph.D. thesis. The professor contacted me because I had written about meditation in my doctoral dissertation. Well, the student and her roommate turned out to be disciples of Suma Ching Hai! The student's roommate seemed especially interested in talking with me after I arrived at their apartment, because she had seldom met any Westerners who were interested in meditation.

After a discussion where I said I had tried various forms of meditation for several years, the student and her roommate began telling me about Suma Ching Hai and the Quan Yin Method. At that time I was doing a form of mantra meditation, but was dissatisfied with it. I seemed especially ripe for a new meditation practice, and the initiates must have felt my longing, as they talked with me for several hours, showed me Master's sample booklet and one of Her video tapes, and fed me a delicious vegetarian meal. I had been a vegetarian for about nine years and had tried many spiritual paths without success, so I became quite excited about following Master and practicing the Quan Yin Method. Upon first viewing Her video, I felt an instant affinity with Master, appreciated Her wisdom, wit and loving nature, and said that I wanted to learn the Convenient Method.

Several weeks later, after I had begun practicing the Convenient Method, I was in the disciples' apartment again, when I glanced at one of Master's pictures on the wall. I suddenly realized that the woman who had appeared in my dream a few weeks earlier was Suma Ching Hai, because the royal gold Au Lacese outfit She was wearing in the picture was identical to that of the powerful and beautiful woman in my dream!

I had found my true Master at last, and She had arranged for me to have a dream of Her beforehand, so that any doubts about Her power and my affinity with Her would be dispelled from my mind. The two panthers in the dream seemed to represent my own nature, struggling for release from my old life at the last moment before meeting Master. It was an experience that I had never had with any other master, and it made me appreciate the greatness and compassion of our loving Suma Ching Hai, who helps aspirants on the spiritual path through auspicious dreams and visions, so that they might be stronger in their faith and come to understand Her infinite wisdom and blessing power.

Thank You, Master, for giving me the chance to meet You in this compassionate way, follow You toward eternal liberation from the cycle of birth and death, and attain the ultimate Truth!

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An Interlude On My Spiritual Path

By Resident Disciple Hillary, Hsihu, Formosa

When I first began pursuing spiritual practice, I read the Chinese edition of "Silent Tears" but did not find anything special about it. It did not rhyme, neither was it elegant in style, and it carried no profound meaning. I wondered, "Can these be called poems?"

Two or three years later, a brother initiate confessed how he always cried when reading "Silent Tears," because each paragraph of the book fully described the feelings he experienced during the course of his spiritual journey. I also heard that many fellow practitioners liked to read "Silent Tears" before meditation so they could go into samadhi more quickly while feeling touched. I picked up "Silent Tears" again and flipped through it, trying to feel what the author had experienced. However, I still could not squeeze any feelings out of myself, nor could I find anything special about it.

According to the brother initiate, each paragraph of "Silent Tears" described a part of our spiritual journey and the book covered the entire journey from the initial stages right up to the level of complete enlightenment. I was puzzled, "Why was it that other people understood it and were touched by it? Why was I not the least moved by it? Maybe my spiritual level isn't high enough." With such thoughts, I closed the book feeling bored, and seldom read it after that.

I practiced in a muddled-headed way for some more years. Meanwhile, many things happened in my life and I learned the most difficult lessons. When I felt confused and depressed about the limitations, imperfections and ephemeral nature of my mental and physical capacities, and hence truly started to understand and longing for the Supreme Truth, by chance I opened "Silent Tears" and read it again. I found then that it described all the arrogance, ignorance, attachment, setbacks and struggles that I had encountered on my spiritual path as well as my longing for the Truth. Well! At that moment, I truly and completely admired Master from the depths of my heart, for She was able to clearly and appropriately describe every stage of spiritual practice with a few simple words. Her humorous, free and lively style was indeed beyond compare.

Now, I am in love with "Silent Tears," because it can calm my restless and whimsical mind and increase my inward concentration when I meditate. From this book, I also understand that I still have a long way to go in my spiritual practice, but now that I know where I am headed, I do not struggle anymore.

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Break Dancing

By Brother Initiate Lu Ren, California, USA

In a book written by an electronics expert who once participated in the US Star Wars program, the author discussed his findings in his studies on several fallen UFOs (Unindentified Flying Object). According to him, UFOs do not look very big from the outside, but after entering them, one might spend twenty minutes walking without reaching the opposite end (due to a conversion of time and space). Unlike an aircraft cockpit with dashboards and maneuvering devices, the UFOs have only a few seats, surrounded by walls which themselves serve as jumbo TV monitors. There are no complex integrated circuits, only large crystal blocks. The whole UFO is controlled by the electronmagnetic thought waves of the aliens. In my opinion, if the aliens had wandering minds and evil thoughts like human beings, their UFOs would have gone berserk like disco or break-dancing.

Although these aliens that visited the Earth by UFO were closer to the material form and level of human consciousness, having lower vibration frequencies than many other alien races, they were already advanced to a degree that would appear incredible to the human race. How much more so would be the higher alien beings like the saints and enlightened Masters?

When I look up at the sky at night, there are innumerable stars on the canopy. If we human beings remain complacent about our own civilization and intelligence in this closed system of thinking and scientific development, we will probably remain limited in our outlook and excluded from the galactic federation, similar to a frog living at the bottom of a well.

A Question People Dare Not Face

In modern society, what troubles us is usually not whether we have enough to wear, but rather, that the woman next door has bought a beautiful new dress or that our friends' children performed much better than ours. Throughout our lives, we are influenced and directed by other people's viewpoints. We cannot even harness our own minds, which others should not maneuver or gain control over. We do not know and dare not ask where we come from and where we will go after death. We just let destiny run our lives. Feeling helpless, we keep running away from knowing our true selves, and occupy ourselves with all kinds of business and trivialities, trying to forget the vital question that shamefully we cannot answer. Looking around, we find that no one has the answer, and everyone knows that no one else has it, so that no one feels hurt or embarrassed. Anyway, there are many senseless competitions to engage in.

After I began my spiritual practice, however, the more I practice, the more I became aware of my shortcomings. Previously I had not been able to see, or had no courage to face them, because I had no solution for them. Now that I know how to approach these problems, I can face them directly. As more and more problems are solved, my heart becomes more and more open. The many things that I once wished I could do, I have now done. It's well said: The Quan Yin Method, the method of all methods, is the last door to sainthood. Indeed!

The Way Causality Works

Sometimes when we are ill, or have disasters and frustrations, we think God is unfair, and we feel mistreated, wronged or hurt, not knowing to whom to reveal our heart. The laws of the universe, including that of causality, have always been true and impartial. Nothing escapes the net of justice. We feel things are unfair because we are forgetful and cannot look very far back or ahead. Strict and monotonous as they might seem, these laws repeatedly remind us of the ephemerality of this world by means of birth, aging, illness and death; they make us aware that we have often violated the rules with many of our ignoble thoughts and actions.

The world is a huge arena, in which we have to abide by the rules whether we join its game voluntarily or not. If we don't, we will always lose and attempt to take revenge, and there will never be an end to this game. We have to obey the rules (precepts) and follow a certain path (an enlightening method) under the guidance and protection of a Master, to get out of this labyrinth and discover a whole new world beyond.

Spiritual Interlude

The Treasure-Digging Child

By Sister Initiate Jingle Bell, Taipei, Formosa

A few years ago, I stayed at Hsihu Center for a short period of time. One night, sleep eluded me and I kept wrestling with my mind in the tent. Many ideas emerged and every idea was soon replaced by a better one. Even when I thought that an idea was complete, it would soon be overthrown by a new one. It occurred to me that the "ego" is also a castle built with many concepts. Even when we think we have a good concept, we still have to erase it. Spiritual practitioners should be like a wise child; we come up with ideas when the situation requires, otherwise, we should not accumulate any.

When daylight broke, I felt extremely relaxed and relieved, as if I were a child, a treasure-digging child with a heart filled with thankfulness.

Following The Middle Way

We were meditating in the forest main hall in Hsihu one afternoon when it suddenly began to rain. The guards ask us to find a shelter, but most people, including myself, stayed put, not wanting to move. All kinds of rain protection appeared; even a plastic ground sheet was turned into a raincoat. Later, Master appeared and spoke in compassionate regret for not having provided shelters for us. Then, in all seriousness, She said, "Heaven is afraid of you so it dared not rain heavily, but are you aware that some other people may need rain?" Master's powerful words reminded us that we should follow a middle way in our spiritual practice; we ought to be natural rather than cling to a certain corner.

My experiences over the past few years have let me understand better the nature of the "middle way". Perhaps I am not progressing very fast, but I assure myself that I will constantly strive to elevate myself.

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Spiritual Interlude

Bound Heart

To Heart

By Sister Wang Xiang-mei,

Taipei, Formosa

Once, I was greatly wronged. I stood in front of Master's picture and cried for several minutes, sharing with Her all my troubles. When I raised my head, I saw tears in Her eyes.

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Relying On You

By Brother Initiate Ricardo Lasa, Costa Rica

(Originally In Spanish)

The song of the little bird

Is like a sad lament,

Crying out for compassion

In the face of so much suffering.

That celestial song

Evokes such yearning

That I should reach the highest peak,

Where your Excellency is residing.

You've come from the East

To show us the Way

So that we won't have to ever return

To this miserly world.

Blessed is Master

For the forbearance God has granted Her;

Trusting, I now wait

For my journey's end.

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Joy

By Sister Initiate Helen,

Texas U.S.A. (Originally In English)

Joy, joy, joy,

Lots of joy overflowing in my heart!

I have a Master! I have a Mother!

A friend, not because She grants me a good life,

She has given a golden key to unlock the sleeping beauty in me,

Love, peace, joy and wisdom have been awaken in me!

Master, Mother: I've come to know that I am truly the son of God!

Daily, I drink the heavenly nectar of life;

Daily, I bathe in the river of love.

Master, Mother: Though I am still a worm crawling on the earth,

I know I am a beautiful butterfly in the world of light!

With a little excitement, Mother,

I am silently waking up like a little flower,

In the sweetness of Your love!

In the sweetness of Your love!

I love You, Mother! Master!

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Pearl Of Wisdom

Clearly Distinguish What's True and False

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Group Meditation, Pune, India

November 23, 1997 (Originally In English)

Don't be misled by a so-called similar teachings; don't be tempted by an easy way, a cheap substitute for enlightenment, cheap happiness, and then mistake that for enlightenment. Don't be mistaken, irresponsible in your behavior and have a lowly way of thinking toward liberation. Liberation means you're liberated from all that, from all that which is bothering you, from all that which is no good, from all that which is not noble, from all that which is not beautiful, which is binding you, suffocating you, and making you feel guilty, making you feel that you're not God-like. All desires make you feel like you're burning, you're passionate, have wanting and lust; lust is different than love, sex is different than offering yourself, celebrating the love between two people, even though the actions may look the same. Don't be mistaken.

Similarly, don't be mistakenly irresponsible, and engage in irrational behavior for liberation. Liberation is not enjoying yourself at the cost of others' suffering. Liberation doesn't mean that you lower yourself at the expense of your noblest being. Liberty has many costs. The people who go around killing people, they say that is liberty, and also freedom. Freedom doesn't mean you take away other people freedom. Joy doesn't mean you have to cause other people suffering.

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Pearls Of Wisdom

A Simple But Elegant Spiritual Method

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Pingtung, Formosa

January 13, 1990 (Oringinally In Chinese)

We should have a job, take care of ourselves physically, and fulfill our obligations to our parents, society and country; but we should also spare two and a half hours for ourselves. The eight or ten hours (we spend on worldly jobs) are only for our physical body and don't do us very much good, because we get tired, sick or exhausted when we work too much. But we won't get tired when we meditate. The more we meditate, the better and more powerful we become, so it really pays off to meditate.

Even though we work eight hours a day but don't get so much benefit from it, we still do the work because we're supposed to do it, and because we have this body, society and customs that require us to do it. In contrast, the two and a half hours we spend meditating can benefit the whole universe, the whole world, the whole society, our ancestors, descendants, relatives, friends and anyone we love. So this two and a half hours is the time we really work. If you want to find God, you don't have to go anywhere. Just sit at home meditating. As soon as you calm down, Hes'll come to you. There's no need to look for Hirm. It's very simple, nothing difficult.

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Tainan, Formosa

July 1, 1990 (Originally In Chinese)

The method we are practicing is wonderful. We can meditate anytime we want. When we are tired, we can meditate for a while, and then we will feel very comfortable. When we are bored, we can also meditate, so that we have something to do, something to rely on, something to make us feel elegant. The people outside like drinking, smoking, seeking promiscuous relationships, and then end up harming their own bodies and minds and contaminating their own spirits. In contrast, we meditate, which is very much like the elegant way of spiritual practice in the ancient times. I feel very proud of this method and a life like this, because we can always meditate and practice spiritually.

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Determination Is Better Than Anything

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai International 4-Day Retreat, Sydney, Australia

May 9, 1997 (Originally In English)

Willpower is very important in going ahead in any field, and if you belittle yourself by giving in to anything, by giving up your high standards in exchange for some physical comfort when you could do otherwise, then you just harm yourself; that's what I call detrimental.

Q. My question is about the purity of vegetarian food. I am concerned about people who need medicine and they might take something that contains animal products; like some things that are made from shellfish are very good for people who are sick in a certain way. I'm thinking of things where such a small amount of animal material is involved. Do You know, why is it so detrimental?

M. No, it's your mind that's important. If we tend to take anything just for the body at the cost of our spiritual, moral understanding, then of course we pay for it. If there's another substitute, then we can take the substitute, if absolutely not, then we just take that. Then it's alright. It's the mind that's important; it's our determination to do anything at all to keep our purity and to avoid the violence. That's it. It's not that you take a little animal and you go to hell or anything like that. It's just that you lack determination, you hinder yourself, you weaken your willpower. (Applause)

Willpower is very important in going ahead in any field, and if you belittle yourself by giving in to anything, by giving up your high standards in exchange for some physical comfort when you could do otherwise, then you just harm yourself; that's what I call detrimental. It's not that God punishes you or the devil comes and takes you to hell or anything. You have to keep your standards; that's what it is.

Q. So many medicines come in little capsules and they've made of animal products, gelatin. If you don't know, then it's okay?

M. Yes, if you don't know. If you know then don't take them for your own sake. That's all. The animal is already dead. You take it. and he won't die anymore, but it's just that if we want to keep ourselves absolutely in control, like you control your situation. You control what you eat, you eat what you want and not what's forced upon you by any circumstances, then you keep your own power. Nothing can shake you then because you do what you want in any circumstance. That's what it is.

But suppose if nothing else can be substituted for that medicine and you need it to sustain the physical body while you continue to realize God, then take it. Don't be a fanatic. It's just for your willpower, that you should fight, to keep it. (Applause) The thing we should keep is our level of consciousness, our standards; otherwise, you can do anything you want. The precepts and the rules are not for you to keep; actually they're for you to realize whether you're up to that standard or not. If you give up and you sink down, that's already detrimental, because you've lowered your standards already. Anyone at the college level has to pass certain tests, has to understand certain subjects. If you lower yourself then you'll become high school level again; no need to ask. If you slacken your effort in maintaining your college level and slacken your effort in progressing then you just go backwards or stay there. You're just being harmful to yourself.

How To Make Our Motives Selfless

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, International Four-Day Retreat,

London, U.K.August 25, 1997

(Originally In English)

Q: How can we know the motives of all our actions? I mean, if we're doing something out of service, out of proving our qualities, or if we're just doing something because of our ego?

M: We do know what we're doing, don't we? You know what you're doing it for. You can feel it right away. And even if you don't realize it in the beginning, later you check yourself and you'll know why you're doing this, and why you're doing that. If you've doing it for ego, then just check yourself, turn around, and be more selfless. Many times in the beginning, probably we do not know why we do this, and why we do that. We take up some service, some work, probably out of a competitive kind of attitude. But then as soon as we realize that we're being competitive, we turn around immediately and say, "Oh, no! I should not think that way. I should not feel this way. I should take this honor and opportunity to serve people selflessly."

That is more noble. The moment we realize that we aren't noble enough in our behavior and in our intentions, then we just check on ourselves and then change the attitude. The service remains the same, but just the attitude should be changed. Even if we didn't have a noble intention in the beginning, we still can change in the middle of it.

It's sometimes difficult because we cheat ourselves too. The mind cheats us into thinking, "Oh! I want to serve humankind and all that." But sometimes we serve more out of self-interest. After we check ourselves for a long while, we become more prudent in our attitude, in our thinking, in our motives. Then it becomes that we're just selfless by nature. Even sometimes if we do it with the ego, it's all right. Just forgive yourself. At least someone else is being served. Someone else benefits from your actions. Then it's okay. But it is better for us, if we know that our intentions are noble so that we know we're on the way to becoming a better being, more improved.

How Does Sound Purify Us?

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai International 4-Day Retreat, Sydney, Australia May 10, 1997 (Originally In English)

Q. On the nature of purity, well, it's easy to understand that being kind, loving and compassionate, and loving beauty is pure; but I don't understand how sound can purify.

M. Just like water can cleanse your body, the sound can purify the spirit.

Q. Is purity also a vibrational frequency or something?

M. Yes, it kind of filters the negative influences that sometimes enter your being, your magnetic field, by contact with the world or contaminated situations that you inherited from the situation or environment, or kind of "past life leftovers. It will filter those out just like a filter or like water cleanses the body.

Q. How?

M. How does water cleanse the body? It just does. When you pour water over your body, put on a little soap, and then you rinse with water, the dirt will go. Similarly, invisibly our minds are contaminated by bad thoughts, by negative thinking, and if you continue using the sound at a higher vibration, it will eliminate the lower vibration, just like some electronic work.

This is metaphysical, but it does cleanse; that's why you become better and better. It doesn't matter how, as long as you're cleansed, it's fine. Not everything we can explain with the worldly language, but as long as the result is there, you know it is like that.

How? We have to know inside, not with language. As long as it's clean, and we feel better and better, more and more pure every day, then we know it does work. Just like the water we don't know how it cleanses, but it does cleanse. As long as you pour the water on your body, then later on you'll feel clean. So, the result speaks for itself. We feel better and better, purer and purer every day. More simple. The proof is that you don't want anymore to be famous or to have money, or you don't really feel attached anymore to the worldly, material comfort. You do have it and you do know how to take care of yourself, but it doesn't bind you like before. This is the way that sound cleanses us and makes us feel more and more pure and liberated.

Q. Does impurity set up a certain vibrational frequency in the structure of the physical, and then you have these sound waves coming in and they vibrate at a different frequency? Do they alter the frequency of the structure of the body?

M. Yes, you can say it like that, but actually the way it works is not materialistic. We are not the body actually; we're also not the computer brain; we are the spirit. So, if the sound with the higher frequency enters or reenters our being, or reopens to us, then we are just elevated above all the contaminated situations. That's how we become purified more and more every day. Actually, it's not "purified"; it just lifts us up, lets our consciousness become higher, then we don't think of the bad things or have negative thoughts anymore. The negativity cannot reach us anymore.

Well, this is metaphysical... (Laughter) As long as it does cleanse, it's all right. Maybe you can use science to prove it, but then you still cannot say "how." It just looks that way, but it might not be that way. Sometimes people try to explain too much and it is not the way it really is. It's more invisible; it's more metaphysical.

Q. So, would continued meditation explain the answer just by the experience?

M. Yes, by the fruit, shall you know the tree. If it yields apples, then no doubt, it's an apple tree. We keep arguing, "How can you say this is an apple tree?" Because it bears apples.

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Why No Light?

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Tainan, Formosa, May 21, 1989

(Originally In Chinese)

Why do you sometimes hear the sound but not see the light when you practice the Quan Yin Method? Because of breakdowns -- television breakdowns. Therefore, we need to repair it very diligently every day. How? We have to be pure in thought, speech and action. We should not hate anyone, we should endure everything. No matter how others treat us, we have to use endurance and love. That is the way to repair our breakdowns.

Why do we have breakdowns? Because our angry atmosphere becomes a very hard substance. It stands in front of us and keeps us from the Truth. We ourselves create all our breakdowns. When we are angry, we form a very dense and unpleasant magnetic field. The thick, dark and unpleasant magnetic field covers us like a wall and keeps us from goodness. It covers us and is very close to us just as though it were our clothes; very dirty ones which make it impossible for us to connect with the good magnetic field. That is why we cannot see the bright Buddha Land; we only see the painful karma.

That is why we have to purify our thoughts, speech and actions, and keep the precepts in order to repair our broken-down television and watch it every day. The TV outside takes money, cables and performers, but the inner TV doesn't need any of those. A little repairing is enough. We have to use this TV every day, watch it every day, then we will develop a habit and be able to use it whenever we want to.

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True Love - God's Grace

By sister Initiate Wang Qing-yao, Hong Kong

I did not intend to visit the jewelry exhibition held in March this year. Having purchased the "Positive Victory" set of Celestial Jewelry last time, I was absolutely satisfied. I have been obsessed with jewelry creation since childhood. Before I even set my eyes on Master's Celestial Jewelry, even the most precious stones that I saw in the show windows never impressed me; they might have been beautiful but they looked monotonous. At that time, I only looked but did not buy; I was also afraid of losing them. You might say that I was not the least interested in possessing valuable items.

Recently, I felt the urge to leave the country for some reason. While packing my luggage at my son's house, I saw the photographs of some of my relatives, most of whom were not initiated. Looking at these people, I realized how little I had cared for them all these years, having focused all my attention on Master's teachings. At that moment I felt it was time that I should be concerned about them, but I had no idea how I could do that. A Celestial Jewelry exhibition was being held, and I was suddenly inspired to buy each of them some Celestial Jewelry from the "True Love" collection. I decided to make the purchase immediately.

At the venue, I set my mind on buying only what I had planned and nothing else. But since I was there, I thought I might as well appreciate Master's art creations to my heart's content! Each time I see these creations of love by Master, I feel as though I am reading letters from my dearest parents, filled with their loving words and tears, as well as their words of blessing when they see me off: "Take care of yourself on the way! Come home quickly once you have completed your studies! Your dearest parents are waiting for you." Each time, I long to see these state-of-the-art masterpieces at the Celestial Jewelry exhibition, but I try to run away from those words of love and warmth that seem to echo in my ears. As a matter of fact, my love, how could I not miss You, how could I forget Your advice and words of love? I know I am coming Home soon.

Suddenly, the laughter of sister initiates drew me back to reality. As they helped me try on the "True Love" Celestial Jewelry, my determination not to buy anything for myself vanished without a trace. Eventually, I ordered a few sets of Celestial Jewelry that I liked, and I also decided against leaving the country. I realized that everything is God's grace to enhance our strengths and weaknesses. The power that we derive from practicing spiritually in this world is hardly adequate. Therefore, God makes up for our shortages, by letting us serve sentient beings. Hes also reminds us that we already have everything, only that we do not know how to use it all. These extra blessings from God give us a happier life in this world. Oh! I think I have realized something!

Aphorisms

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai (Originally In English) December 28-30, 1995

Until we know everything we'd better not accuse, blame, or criticize anything, because God is very wise. When God makes everything, it's for some purpose. It's just that we don't know.

That means always concentrate, remember that. So, you see, the masters teach you nothing new, only to concentrate.

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Re-encounter With "Fear"

By Sister Initiate Zi Yi, Taipei, Formosa

I remember Master once said that painting flowers is by no means easy, inspiration is essential. Minute details have to be taken care of and creative touches are required to yield a good painting. The picture frames designed by Master make a perfect match for Her paintings. There is no comparison between Master's and the ordinary rectangular frames.

Once in a dream, I saw myself at a place where there were many exotic flowers and trees. They could talk to me and I could understand them. They told me that I was in their country named the "Moon Land". Later, when I bid farewell to them, they shook hands with me with their tiny leaf hands.

At the group meditation in Hsihu on Ching Hai Day, some replicas of Master's paintings were put on display. My eyes were immediately drawn to a painting entitled "Fear" depicting some flowers falling from above. Each flower seemed to have its eyes wide open, and the leaves were exactly like those "tiny leaf hands" in my dream.

As I was not financially secure at the time, I did not buy the picture; I just said good-bye to "Fear" after appreciating it. The following day, as soon as I stepped inside Sung Shan Bookstore, where I work, I saw "Fear" being displayed right next to Master's photo. Later, I learnt that a fellow practitioner had purchased it and offered it for display at the bookstore. I looked at "Fear" and smiled. I had thought that it would have gone to the home of some fellow practitioner after the retreat on Ching Hai Day. To my surprise and delight, now I can see "Fear" every day when I go to work.

MASTER'S SHOES AND FAN

By Fellow Initiate H.M.H, Indiana U.S.A.

(Originally In English)

Disciple: Dearest Master,

Here is Your fan,

There are Your shoes.

But where can I find You?

Master: I am the Light to shine on your path,

The melody to sing you Home,

The Love that fills the entire universe.

I have no shape nor form.

Why look for me?

I've always been within you,

Since eternity!

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Magnificent Moving Sound And Colors In The Chalk Painting "Tien Shan Cactus"

Chalk Painting, 50cmx34.5cm, Santin Center, Hong Kong, October 1993

By Artist Fellow Initiate Ha Cam Tam, San Jose, California, USA (Originally In Au Lac Language)

In a rocky and dry area, among thorny shrubs, and dense hanging roots, bloom three golden flowers with magnificent beauty and fragrance: One has fully bloomed like a full moon, while others hold their buds like the glittering stars in a sky of serenity. In the upper right corner of the painting, the October sun shines forth, shedding its light throughout the universe. Autumn gently steps into the spacious world, into the heart of each person, and the petals of each flower, each leaf.

All respond as if they are dancing to a celestial melody woven by colorful strokes delivered through the love of a saintly artist, which is expressed through the chalk painting "Tien Shan Cactus". The chalk strokes spontaneously glide over the paper surface, creating tidal waves like "traces of the previous life," which appear in various wonderful colors that emerge magically, so plentiful and mysterious.

"Tien Shan Cactus" explicitly mirrors the talent of a gifted artist who quickly completed the painting like a miracle. It also depicts the normal, gentle and graceful gesture of an artist who produced the painting as though She were having fun, as though painting but not painting. In a instant, viewers are able to be in tune with the confidences communicated by the wild flower species, the brightness of hardened souls, and the maturity of natural scenery with each passing minute and second.

Surely, the group of "Tien Shan Cactus" plants must have felt exhilarated being the model for the brush work of a perfectly enlightened artist, and also knowing its own bright future. Art admires also receive overwhelming joys, while merging into supreme love and bathing in a great ocean full of peace and bliss. Lying on the rocky soil next to the cactus roofs is the "Ching Hai" signature, also in dark green, which simply and spontaneously merges with flowers, leaves and God.

By simply "transferring the stone into gold," Suma Ching Hai has moved a wild flower shrub nearer to us, a shrub that is normally overlooked. She is just like a close friend who tells us words of wisdom so that we may gain enough strength to overcome our difficulties and leave the flower widely blooming even if life is very dry and rocky and the world is stormy.

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Report From Formosa

Loving And Protecting Land And Water Resources

[Chiayi] Hiding behind the morning mist, Orchid Lake is like a bride behind her veil. The enchanting mountains and water are tinted with an esoteric touch. Although the lake is a popular recreation site for local residents, this paradise bestowed by God has been ruined by the garbage on the lake front. Fellow practitioners from Chiayi and Yunlin in central Formosa gathered on March 29 to restore the beautiful landscape and preserve the pure water source. On this Youth Day activity, participants cleaned up the areas in and around the water fronts in the vicinities of Orchid Lake and Jenyi Lake.

Over the past few years, fellow initiates had occasionally cleared up the garbage that had accumulated in the vicinity of these two reservoirs. However, this was the first time that initiates attempted to draw public attention to the need for environmental protection. Speaking through loudspeakers on a vehicle, initiates reminded tourists and local inhabitants of the importance of environmental protection and invited them to join in the effort to clean up the environment.

Several fellow practitioners brought their families, some including members of three generations, to participate in this meaningful activity. They divided into groups and launched a carpet search in the area, the main targets being places they had not covered before. Meanwhile, the vehicle moved around the area promoting the concept of environmental protection. The beautiful photo of Suma Ching Hai and the flags on the vehicle attracted the attention of many tourists. Via this unique means of sharing Master's teachings, many people came to know about Suma Ching Hai.

The morning of hard work restored a new look to the two reservoirs and the roads around them. Dozens of filled garbage bags spoke for the endeavors of fellow practitioners but also for the need to further raise the ethical standards of the people. Through this activity, initiates hoped to call people's attention to the need to protect the environment and to refrain from destroying the beautiful landscape and contaminating their own water resources.

Later, at a pavilion by Jenyi Lake, participants in the activity savored a delicious lunch while enjoying the fascinating view and cooling breeze on this happy and meaningful Youth Day.

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Who Is Who?

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Hsihu Ashram,

September 28, 1990

(Originally In Chinese)

This is an Indian story. In a city in India, there was a very honest and benevolent Hindu. The Hindus worship God, and any of Hiers symbols, including stones or so-called God's shadows -- past enlightened Masters. They worship all of them and chant their names the way we chant the names of Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Sakyamuni Buddha. That is how they pray for blessings. Some Hindus are very pious and pure at heart. Although they do not have the power of being omnipresent or omnipotent, any magical powers, anything spectacular, or many disciples, they are pure at heart and live a very comfortable life. They are poor but they live a life of ease are full of faith, and free of worries. Indian people are always laughing; they may be very poor or even have nothing to eat the next day, but still they laugh. Of course, the dying people are too ill to laugh, but we really can't blame them.

One day, two great masters, perhaps Hindu monks or Brahmans, arrived at the city where this Hindu lived. Being a pious believer, he would pay respect to any great master, spiritual practitioner or monk that he knew. When he went out that day, he met one of the masters who lived near his house. Forgetting that he had not brought any gifts, milk or fruit for offering, he prostrated and said, "Oh, great master! Please have mercy and protect my family. You have immense blessing, so please bestow a little on us, and your humble servant would be extremely happy! Allow me to prostrate before you!"

The next day, he bought some fruit as an offering to the master, and took the opportunity to ask, "Master, I heard that another great soul has come and he is staying on the west side." The title they use is Mahatma, which means a great soul, great wisdom, great sage or great master, as in Mahatma Gandhi whom they revere. It simply means a very great person. The Hindu asked, "Master, do you know about that great master living on the west side, the other side of town?" The monk accepted his offerings and said, "Hmm! I know him; he is a bull!" (Master laughs) "Really?" The man was amazed. "So he is a bull! How grateful I am for your guidance. I am such an ignorant person that I am not able to tell a bull from a human. I am really sorry! Thank you very much, master. Now I understand."

He went home and quickly bought some fresh grass (laughter) as an offering to the master on the west side. He laid the grass before the master and prostrated. "Please accept the prostration and modest gift from this humble servant and ignorant being. Will you kindly give protection to my family, and bestow a little wisdom and blessing to your humble servant? I will be extremely grateful to you, master."

As he bowed down, do you know how the face of this master change? (Laughter) It was not a bull's face; it became a horse's face because it was stretched very long. He asked, "What do you mean by making this offering of grass to me? I don't understand!" The Hindu said, "Oh! It is because the master on the east side told me that you are a bull, so I thought you will definitely love fresh grass." (Laughter) The monk exclaimed, "That man is an ass! You go and tell him that he is an ass." (Laughter)

Hearing his words, the man said, "Oh! I see, so he is an ass! Thank you very much for your guidance, and I am sorry for having offended you just now. Being an ignorant being, your humble servant knows nothing, has no knowledge, no aspiration, nothing.... Owing to my ignorance, I didn't realize that you were a great soul. Instead, I thought you were a bull as that master had told me. If you hadn't denied it, an ignorant being like me would never have known the truth." He kept apologizing and then left.

He went to buy some cotton seeds to make an offering to the first master. "Master, will you please accept my humble gift and bestow some protection and blessing on me in return? Your modest servant is truly ignorant and has no blessings at all. I will be grateful if you would give me some blessings and accept my sincere offering." The face of the monk turned green and he didn't looked like an ass, but like gr-ass. (Master plays with the words.) "What do you mean? How can I eat this? I am a human being. Why did you buy this instead of other things?"

The man replied, "How do I know that you are a human? As an ignorant being, I know nothing. Your humble servant has never studied any Vedas or practiced with any enlightened master. I am just an ordinary person, so how can I discern what a great soul like you truly is? Thanks to the guidance of another master, I know that you are an ass. (Master laughs) That was why I quickly went to buy this to make an offering to you. Please pardon my ignorance." The monk was furious. "Take me to see that man; I'll teach him a lesson and show him the way to treat his elder."

When the two monks eventually met, they had a fierce quarrel. Watching on one side, the farmer (the Hindu) was extremely amused to see a bull quarreling with as ass. (Master and everyone laugh)

Because of their ignorance, they didn't realize that they were in fact alike! They behaved that way because they were not enlightened. If they had been enlightened, they would have known that speaking ill of others is speaking ill of ourselves. Instead of talking face to face, they talked behind each other's back, not knowing who the bull was and who the ass was.

The world is really funny! Everyone indulges in these games; no one is serious. They really have nothing to do! You don't have to feel frustrated either. Nothing truly happens in the world; all troubles are self-created. If we could recognize our original nature, we would feel very peaceful and happy within, knowing that nothing is happening. We create everything, just for fun. It is true, and it is real fun!

Transform into a butterfly and see how it feels. For the same reason, some take the form of an ant, a bird, a lion or a tiger. Oh! Everyone is having great fun with the game. Actually it is the same electric current flowing through, only the connecting cables are different. Some are very thick, some are very thin, some very beautiful, some very dark. The color and thickness may vary, but it is the same electricity inside, coming from the same powerhouse. (Applause)

A Pure Heart Sees Maya As God

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa,

October 15, 1990 (Originally In Chinese)

An east Indian person who truly believed in God treated everyone like God; even cats and dogs were God to him. One day, a dog stole the chapatis that he had baked and put aside. He quickly chased after the dog with a pot of butter in his hands, saying, "Oh God, please wait, I have not put the butter on the chapatis. It won't be tasty if you eat it that way." His profound belief in the almighty power made him see God in all beings.

One day Maya came to get him. He was afraid that this man might surpass his position with his strong belief in God, so he tried to harm him. The man was fetching water from a well when Maya appeared and tried to throw him in. However, upon seeing the two horns on Maya's head, his black face and mouth so big and red, with two protruding teeth, (Master shows the protruding teeth), the Indian man said with a smile, "Oh, my dearest God, my Buddha, let me humble myself before your infinite merit. How blessed am I to be able to see you in person." After that he sang an ode, "God is the highest and the prettiest, with teeth this long, (Master is singing this) (laughter, applause) , complexion so dark, a mouth so huge, horns so big and nails so pointed. Hes doesn't even need to wear clothes. I really want to take Hirm home, to offer Hirm a set of beautiful clothes, and feed Hirm milk and chapatis." As he sang, he danced and prostrated. Stunned by his naivete, Maya didn't know what to do with him. He could only laugh and say, "All right, all right! You win!"

Thus, we must preserve our purity of mind at all times to live a happy life.

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Practicing The Quan Yin Method Has Helped Me Overcome Death

By Brother Initiate Ni Youcai, Kaohsiung, Formosa

My name is Ni Youcai and I am 69 years old. It has been almost six years ago since I was initiated by Master into the Quan Yin Method. During the past six years of my spiritual practice, I have experienced joys and sorrows of all kinds.

The year after my initiation, I was diagnosed as having stomach cancer. Doctors at two of the largest hospitals in Formosa informed me that I had one more year to live if I underwent surgery, but without surgery, just four months at the most. There was no cure for my illness. After hearing the doctors' verdict, I decided to go home and wait for death to come. At that time, I suffered unbearable pain and even lost my voice. I struggled on the edge of life and death and had nowhere to turn for help. Although I prayed to Master for help, I did not know where She was.

When the pain became unendurable, I complained why Master had not come to save me. In my ignorance, I said unpleasant things about Her, but immediately heard a voice saying, "Okay. Now you've forced me out by criticizing me. Let me tell you, sickness is a blessing. Why do you complain?" At that moment my daughter-in-law came into the room. I asked, "Who was that talking in the house?" She replied, "No one. No one else is here!" I realized then that it had been Master talking to me.

Overcome by shame, I cried out loud and prayed to Master. Apologetically I confessed that I had not meant to criticize Her. I also repented for my ignorance. Then I heard the voice again saying, "Even Gods make mistakes!" I immediately realized that I had acted senselessly but Master had forgiven me. "Thank You, Master!" I said to myself. Then I begged Her to let me leave this world sooner, because I was in too much pain. To my disappointment, She said, "Don't be impatient!"

Meanwhile, my family was extremely worried, not knowing what to do. I told my daughter-in-law, "Don't worry. It's all right. I am a disciple of Suma Ching Hai and practicing the Quan Yin Method. All will be well if I die. Then I'll be free. Why worry?" Then I thought, "Since I'm still alive, I should continue my spiritual practice. I'll practice for one more hour if I live just one more hour; for one more minute if I live one more minute; or for one more second even if I live just one more second." I remembered Master's words: "We must be courageous, sincere and persistent in our spiritual practice; then we will progress." I became determined to follow Master's teachings even if it would cost me my life.

As I was in the final phase of stomach cancer, I could not sit up for meditation, so I meditated while lying down; I could not eat, so I just let it be. By that time, my body had lost all sensation, but my mind was clear. It was sad that I was reduced to a mere skeleton and drank only a half cup of potato and cabbage juice each day. I had been on this diet for two months, and was still alive despite doctors' prediction. I grew more and more self-confident and felt much better. I started to meditate diligently, eight hours a day at a stretch -- three hours on the sound and five hours on the light. Three months later, I had changed inconceivably and the pain was gone. Then I meditated even more diligently, ten hours a day. Another three months later, everything had changed and it was just great!

Upon regaining my confidence through meditation, I simply locked myself in my room and refused to see anyone. Strangely, many of my old friends came to see me around that time. Before my initiation into the Quan Yin Method, I was founder and chairman of another spiritual group. But after being initiated by Master, I resigned from that position and showed a complete lack of interest in worldly affairs. In order to be able to concentrate on my spiritual practice, when my former fellow practitioners came to see me, I acted the fool and refused to see them. Some of them said, "Brother Ni has become obsessed by the devil since he began observing a vegetarian diet and meditating." Some said, "He has a mental problem." And some said, "He has problems." They did not know that I had cancer. That was very funny!

When they stopped coming to see me, I had more time for spiritual practice. I meditated twelve hours a day. Then an inconceivable thing happened! I gained weight and began to look healthy, as if I had never had cancer. Things got even better when I began meditating fifteen hours a day. For six months, Master's manifestation form stayed with me and blessed me twenty-four hours a day. Then I took a retreat for another month and meditated until my mattress was worn out and only my meditation cushion was left.

Before pursuing spiritual practice, I was very ignorant. But now I not only understand the benefits of spiritual practice, I have also overcame death, becoming younger and healthier, and feeling freer and more blissful. These are all blessings that Master has bestowed upon me, and I am truly grateful to Her for Her care.

The Red Child

In The Pit

Narrated By Brother Initiate Chen Xin-yi, Pingtung, Formosa

Recorded By Brother Initiate Wang Xi-kuan, Pingtung, Formosa

I love to climb mountains to pick exotic plants for food or simply just to collect them. Back in 1985 on a cold, wintry morning in December, I set out alone with a haversack and some simple equipment on a quest to fulfill my childhood dream of conquering Mount Tawu.

As I reached the end of the paved roads in the mountain area, I ventured into a narrow path to begin my tedious journey uphill. Bathed in perspiration, I surmounted countless difficulties to conquer peak after peak in an attempt to reach before nightfall the summit of Mount Tawu, towering some 3,000 meters above sea level. At four in the afternoon, light began to fade and the mountain area was shrouded in the twilight haze. I could no longer tell the direction, and fear began to creep over me. Crows hovering above my head squawked as they made their way back to their nests, adding to the terrifying atmosphere on that desolate mountain. All at once I regretted having made such a reckless decision to be heroic and venture up the mountains alone. Night was falling, and I was caught half way. It was impossible for me to double back because I could not find my way. I was lost.

Like a grotesque black cloud, darkness slowly enveloped me. I ran and charged about frantically, hoping to find my way out of the terrifying mountain forest before it was completely dark. In my panic, I missed a step and found myself tumbling like a falling rock before landing heavily at the bottom of a deep pit. I had no idea how much time had passed before I slowly regained consciousness. It was so dark that I could not even see my fingers. I turned on my flashlight and looked around. I was trapped in a steep pit almost thirty feet deep. It was impossible for a climbing expert -- not to mention Spiderman, to climb out.

"Help! Help!" I shouted at the top of my voice. Though I knew very well that there was no one around, my desire to survive made me call out in desperation. In my endeavour to escape, I pulled down all the creeping plants hanging down from above, and the weeds and plants growing on the walls of the pit also met the same fate. Still, I failed to get out of the pit.

"What to do now?" I fell frustrated to the ground and wept. In the pit, I slept when exhausted, and shouted when I woke up. I had no idea how much time had passed. Having eaten all the food I carried, I ate wild fruit and plants. When I finished the last bottle of mineral water, I quenched my thirst with my own urine. My strength was ebbing slowly.

Suddenly, a thought flashed into my confused mind: "Oh! Master!" All the while, my panic and confusion had made me forget You completely. It was true that I was in a desperate situation, and Master had often said, "Your prayers will definitely be answered, if you pray sincerely." I decided to give it a try! Immediately I sat up straight, held my palms together, closed my eyes, and then prayed to Master to help me get out of this predicament. As I prayed, I felt so sad that I cried like a baby. Not knowing how long I had prayed and cried, in a half-awakened state, I suddenly saw a ball of light moving before me. I looked closely and saw that it was a child wearing a red bib and with two buns on his head. He was climbing slowly up the wall of pit. Finding encouragement in the easy way that he was ascending, I got up, followed his example, and inched my way upward. Suddenly, a dazzling brightness almost blinded me! I had finally climbed out of the pit!

"I am saved! I am saved!" I yelled and jumped in joy. Was it a dream? With suspicion, I pinched my thigh with force. Wow! It hurt! It was true. I was not dreaming! In great excitement I looked back, wanting to embrace the adorable child who had helped me get out, but he had disappeared. I realized then that he was not an ordinary child; he was Master's manifestation form who had come to save me in answer to my prayer.

With great emotion I put my palms together and prayed, "Thank You, Master!" I looked up and saw the clear skies and the shining sun; the cold front had passed. I took a deep breath of the fresh air and stretched my sore body. But how was I supposed to get out of this maze-like mountain? My short-lived joy was soon replaced by a new worry. No matter what, I could not hesitate; to survive, I had to gather my confidence to challenge the impossible. I would rather get lost in the mountain than sit here hopelessly. I must keep going; only then would I have a chance. "Master, please help me once more, so I can reach home safely." After praying in my heart, I roused myself and picked up my weary body, ready to go.

"Hey...!" Suddenly I heard a cry from nearby. "Hey...!" I answered joyfully. Again I put my palms together and thanked Master. As the voice came nearer, I saw a group of indigenous people running towards me, and of course I happily ran forward to greet them.

"Are you Mr. Chen? Mr. Chen Xin Yi?" The leader asked me. I feebly replied, "Yes!" "The police station had received a report from your family saying that you were lost on Mount Tawu, so we came to look for you." "Oh! Thank you very much!" I grasped each young man by the hand and thanked them. I told them in detail the story of my accident and how I incredibly climbed out of the pit. They were amazed. Only when they told me the date did I know that I had been trapped in that pit for six days. Observing that I was very weak, the young aborigines cut some bamboo branches and made a simple chair to carry me downhill.

I had survived it! I am wholeheartedly grateful to Master for saving me, and also to Master's messengers -- the young aborigines, without whose earnest help I could not have reached home safely, even after I had climbed out of the pit. Thank You very much, Master!

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Diet For Your Pets,

Feed Them And Help Them Elevate

By Sister Initiate Zheng Xiao-Xuan, Taipei, Formosa

Vegetarian Pets, The Latest Trend

You may not be aware that there are growing numbers of vegetarian dogs and cats today. A wide assortment of vegetarian food for pets is now available in the market. However, you may be skeptical: Is a vegetarian diet healthy for pets? The answer is: it absolutely is. Dogs and cats that have been on a vegetarian diet for some time not only become healthier but also develop a greater immunity to diseases and are less likely to get infections. Their coats become soft, shiny and fluffy, and they are more gentle, calm and peaceful.

Is it difficult switching pets to a vegetarian diet? Not at all! Information from books and the Internet, as well as surveys we have conducted indicate that some basic knowledge and the right diet for your pets is all you need to eliminate their dependence on canned food -- "junk food" made of meat from dead animals, or dogs or cats put to sleep by injection; organs and skins of sick animals; seasoning and color pigments. Dr. Ann Wigmore, founder of the Hippocrate Health Institute, pointed out that malnutrition and excessive intake of chemicals contained in animal food are the cause for the high proportion of blind pets. So be cautious when choosing food for your beloved pets.

General Guidelines For Feeding Pets With Vegetarian Food

Owners have fed their pets different varieties of vegetarian food, all with excellent results, which indicate that animals quickly adapt to new diets. However, here are some principles that you might find useful.

1. Dogs and cats have a very sharp nose while their taste buds react less quickly, so it is basically unnecessary to add seasoning or salt to their food. Salty foods often cause hair loss.

2. Animals lose their appetite when they are physically unwell. It would be better not to force your pets to eat at this time. Instead, give them large quantities of water, and some wheat grass might help detoxify metabolic waste.

3. Their appetites change according to their physical condition. So, if they suddenly refuse to eat some of their favorite foods, just give them what they want at that time.

4. Usually, it is more important to let pets lose weight than to give them more food.

5. Unrefined foods like wholemeal bread and brown rice are of great health value to pets as they are for human beings.

6. Few dogs and cats can resist the temptation of strongly aromatic foods like seaweed, cheese and milk.

7. If possible, try to prepare some fresh vegetables or juices for your pets, because the high nutrition of raw food makes them healthier and more energetic. The enzymes from raw food also helps their digestion and assimilation.

8. You may prepare food like sweet corn that needs chewing and gnawing so that your dogs or cats, which are carnivores, have a chance to grind their teeth. They'll love it.

9. Except for sticky food like glutinous rice and spicy food like hot pepper, you may feed them virtually any kind of pulse grain and/or vegetable.

10. If you are yet not completely assured, you may buy some vegetarian nutritional supplements for your pets like vegetarian yeast, enzymes or vitamins. However, natural foods are still the best choice.

11. Should you have difficulty converting a carnivorous pet into a vegetarian one, you may employ a gradual approach by reducing its meat intake daily while increasing the proportion of vegetarian food. However, in Yonghe City in northern Formosa, Miss Chen used a "shock treatment" on her dog. No meat was given to the dog even when it refused vegetarian food and it just fasted. Three shock treatments later, her puppy developed a very good appetite and now eats almost anything. In addition to its main staple of sweet corn and cheese, it also loves bean sprouts, vegetable stalks, peanuts, pine nuts, guavas, tomatoes, pears, custard apples and other sweet fruits. Remember, though, to give your pets enough water should they go on a fast.

Field Survey

Located in the eastern district of Taipei is the Tang Tang Kitchen, a locally well-known vegetarian restaurant. The owner has three cats, and had previously cared for six ailing stray cats that she later gave away to other people. When asked how she feeds her cats, she said it is very easy. Just milk, wholemeal bread and seaweed are enough for her kitties to grow healthy and chubby. This is all too evident in their soft and shiny fur.

The cat named the Eldest Brother is especially beautiful and often praised by customers as looking "very noble". "It has been a vegetarian since birth; it gets diarrhea if it eats impure (not pure vegetarian) food," said the lady owner. "When I took it to get the prophylactic inoculation, the veterinarian was convinced that a kitten would not grow on a vegetarian diet. However, it grew to be so big and strong in six months." Three years old now, this Eldest Brother shows no sign of senility and remains as charming and lively as a kitty.

The Second Brother lived on meat with its former owner. When it moved to Tang Tang at six months old, it had no difficulty switching to a vegetarian diet; the only noticeable change was that its dry, flaky-like coat became soft and shiny after a few weeks. The Third Brother, a stray cat, adapted to the vegetarian diet most easily. The three of them live with their owner and family in a small apartment in Taipei. Though there is little room for them to move around, they never fight, living in harmony and peace.

Let Your Pets Elevate With You

The writer interviewed several pet owners over the telephone. From their different experiences, I found one point in common: Animals, like man, that adapt to a dietary change, their health and beauty very often come with the vegetarian diet as long as they do not go hungry. I am truly happy for animals; with man's help, even carnivores can quit eating meat. They can also elevate in the cycle of eternal life. I think this is the most precious help that human beings can give our animal brothers on Earth!

You do not have to feed your pets by following other people's ways to the word. However, these successful examples may be of some referential value to you. Although this limited space does not allow for a recount of all samples of our survey, there is growing information on related research and findings on vegetarian pets.

Notes:

1. Those interested may access more information on the follow

ing web sites.

http://dolphin.envirolink.org/peta/vegdog/index.htm

http://dolphin.envirolink.org/peta/vegdog/comments.htm

http://dolphin.envirolink.org/peta/vegdog/vegedog.htm

2) Dr. Ann Wigmore, founder of the Hippocrate Health Institute, strongly recommends feeding animals with fresh vegetables and fruits daily. For details, please refer to the last chapter of her book, "Be Your Own Doctor -- Let Living Food Be Your Medicine" published by Hippocrate Health Institute.)

Vegetarian Pets

Leave Vets Goggle-eyed

By Sister Initiate Penelope Spalding, Quebec, Canada

This article discusses what I hope to be the answer to our fellow initiates' current obstacles concerning adopting and feeding some of the growing number of lost, hungry, abandoned and homeless animals in our society today.

I have been graciously guided by Master to the one "needle in the haystack" that had to be found to make it possible to adopt and nourish these little ones without feeding them meat! Cats and dogs have been carnivorous (meat-eating) only because nobody had scientifically researched exactly what nutrients they require, and found vegetarian alternatives. But there is one man in this world who has done so! In the small town of Troy, located near some of the last remaining wilderness in the continental United States, a man called James A. Peden has developed products like Vegecat and Vegedog and set up a headquarters that changes the way people feed their pets. He is dedicated to feeding dogs and cats with superior nourishment, meeting all the known nutritional requirements for different stages of an animal's life, while reducing large scale animal suffering in agribusiness, and making one step for humankind toward the closing down of slaughterhouses!

Many veterinarians are adamant that neither dogs nor cats can survive without meat, especially cats, so I checked this out personally. Master arranged to have three cute, lost and starving little kittens sit outside our back patio door. They were searching for sunflower seeds left out for the chickadees. I meditated before letting them in, and the feeling was to take care of what Master had placed in front of my nose! All three patiently waited at the front door while I was asking Master for guidance! I brought in the three frozen little homeless, sick and starving munchkins, and they shared our macaroni dinner with us as we scrambled to fix them milk and oats. They ate everything -- the fact that there was no meat did not matter at all!

Here you will find all my research on vegetarian pet food condensed and simplified, including the cheapest, simplest and most nutritious way to feed kittens and cats the vegetarian way! For dogs, simply replace the Vegecat mentioned below with Vegedog.

The Vegecat/Vegekit, Vegeyeast and Digestive Enzymes are necessary because, like meat, Vegecat and Vegekit contain taurine, which cats and kittens need to avoid blindness and heart failure. The Vegeyeast supplies protein, B Vitamins, flavor and a high acid content to prevent urinary failure, and the Enzymes are living digestive enzymes that cats need for digestion.

Recipes for Vegetarian Cats and Kittens:

Supplies needed:

Staples (garbanzo beans, rice, lentils, oats, seitan or gluten flour

TVP (texturized vegetable protein) or tofu

Soy sauce or tamari

Canola or olive oil (or safflower, peanut, sunflower, sesame oil)

Vegetables (frozen peas, corn niblets, sweet potatoes, avocado, grated carrots)

Vegekit/cat, Vegeyeast, Enzymes

Garlic and onion powder. (Add 100g Vit. C daily per cat.)

1 large pot to cook food, 1 salt shaker for Enzymes, 1 spice shaker for yeast to sprinkle over their dinner. To save time, all the recipes can be simplified to this:

2.5 cups cold water to 1 cup dry staple. Add rice, lentils, oats, or beans to boiling water for 3 minutes, then simmer until done. This recipe is for 1 cat for 2 days - to make more just multiply amounts by the number of days/cats.

Add and mix into the 1 cup of cooked staple food

(3/8 cup uncooked):

1/4 cup TVP/tofu cubed

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oil

Vegetable of the day! (1/4 or 1/2 cup)

Mix dry ingredients in big bowl:

2 teaspoons Vegekit/cat

5 tablespoons Vegeyeast

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder (Add Vit. C 100g daily per cat.)

Add the wet to the dry ingredients, stir in additional water as needed, and cool. When serving, try adding tomato juice and stir in slightly or pour over top. Sprinkle Enzymes lightly, then Vegeyeast generously over dinner - this is the trick for finicky cats -- they love the taste! The recipes come with your order. Try nori seaweed, and cats also love cantaloupe (fresh Vit C). Cheese, and parmesan cheese sprinkled on any dinner is often a winner. They cannot resist it!

Total cost per month is about $23.73 (less than $1.00 a day!) Canned petfood costs about the same, but contains (low ash/mg diets included) diseased meat, euthanized pet cats and dogs, road kills, poultry feathers, sweepings from milling room floors, dirt, fecal matter, diseased organs from operations, fur, beaks, drugs, litter. All is then "denatured" with carbolic acid, fuel oil, and/or kerosene, with added flavour & dye! YUM!

To make an easy transition for previous meat-eating pets, mix a small amount of vegetarian food in with usual food and increase daily until transition is complete (from 1 day - 6 mos.). When pets eat completely vegetarian meals, their appetites expand to include a large variety of all kinds of food, their fur becomes soft and sleek, their litter no longer smells strong, and veterinarian bills are almost nil. Cats become like little kittens -- healthy and playful! Just add some catnip toys, hugs, kisses and lots of love!

There are some distributors for vegetarian pet food:

Canada:

Barney's Choice

Tel:1-514-279-2075 Fax:1-514-279-0658

U.S.A.

Jan's Wow Bow

Tel:1-800-326-0230 Fax:1-516-254-6036

Overwhelming

The Kingdom Of Non-Vegetarians,

The National Tai Chi Competition

By Brother Initiate Qiu Chui-huan, Miaoli, Formosa

The Formosa Tai Chi Competition concluded at Taipei Municipal Lanya Junior High School this year after one and a half days of vigorous competition. Fellow initiates on the Miaoli team performed superbly against some of the best Tai Chi boxers selected from around Formosa to win the championship, shattering the misconception that vegetarians are not as strong as those who eat meat.

The heated contest drew the very best out of the exceptionally talented participants striving to emerge victorious over powerful competitors. The Miaoli team made up of fellow initiates who love Tai Chi, attracted a cheering crowd of fellow practitioners from various parts of Formosa, and even from as far as Brazil. The team lived up to the expectations of their enthusiastic supporters by capturing the first three prizes in their level in an extraordinary feat.

The coach leading the Miaoli team was brother Qiu, also a Quan Yin practitioner, who challenged the misconception among most people, especially athletes, that a meat diet is the best way to nurture strength. As a matter of fact, inner strength is built by not only adopting a vegetarian diet and giving up the meat diet but also by developing one's spiritual strength. The combined effort of wanting to harmonize the body and mind while mastering the timely preservation and use of strength can bring about the unification of the body, mind and spirit.

Although athletes usually develop their strength through muscle training and large intakes of animal protein, this in fact only serves to nurture an explosive energy that is reminiscent of the beasts. Those with a harmonious body, mind and spirit only require vegetarian protein, vitamins and minerals containing energy that are peaceful in nature. This is because after vegetables, minerals and grains are digested and absorbed in the human body, they release a vibrant life force much like the energy they originally contained. This gives vegetarians a perfect sense of balance in countering outside forces, and enables them to fully exercise their superb stamina and inner strength in any form of sport (with or without an opponent).

Spiritual practitioners who eat only plants and minerals are absolutely superior to meat eaters in terms of agility and dynamic power because they are also building up their spiritual strength. When they are in competition with opponents, their sensitivity lets them instantly detect the intent in attack and weaknesses in the defense of their rivals. Therefore, in the lightning fast hand-moves (Tai Chi boxers mainly use hand-pushes against their opponents), they can defeat their rivals in a matter of seconds. Regardless of the explosive energy they come up against, vegetarian, spiritual practitioners can easily dissolve strong aggressive forces with their inner energy. Compared to people who gather animal strength through meat consumption, vegetarian, spiritual practitioners can develop greater power and an inner energy of superior quality.

In this new era, many concepts have changed and evolved rapidly. We are very fortunate to be living at such a crucial moment in time, where we can do our share to promote the evolution of the human race.

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-r--r--r-- 1 7793 Jun 5 1998 mw.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 1499 Jun 5 1998 pw2.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 8248 Jun 5 1998 st.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 861 Jun 5 1998 ap3.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 1551 Jun 5 1998 qa1.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 1940 Jun 5 1998 cl.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 2587 Jun 5 1998 op.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 1292 Jun 5 1998 PW1.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 3185 Jun 5 1998 md.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 283 Jun 5 1998 pf2.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 164 Jun 5 1998 ap2.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 4168 Jun 5 1998 jk.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 1282 Jun 5 1998 ap1.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 990 Jun 5 1998 cu.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 9267 Jun 5 1998 qa.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 10824 Jun 5 1998 ms.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 548 Jun 5 1998 po1.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 810 Jun 5 1998 es.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 6100 Jun 5 1998 pf.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 11133 Jun 5 1998 tr.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 8043 Jun 5 1998 Mt.TXT

-r--r--r-- 1 3752 Jun 5 1998 content.TXT

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