The Supreme Master Ching Hai News No. 97

Aphorisms

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai

(Originally In Chinese)

We ought to be responsible for ourselves. Don't think that we can do whatever we want just because Master or other people do not see us. We have to train ourselves in this spirit of honesty until we act in the same way whether we are observed by others or not.

It is not good enough just to help others, but we have to help them the way they need it, not the way we want to do it. We are never considerate enough in this respect.

We should not fear anything in this world; we need only fear that our minds are not stable and our wisdom is not developed enough, and therefore we do not understand the true meaning behind those things.

Spiritual practice is an action that requires us to be prepared to overcome difficulties, and never succumb under adverse circumstances.

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Personages In

"The Journey To The West"

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Retreat In Hong Kong

October 1, 1993 (Originally In Chinese)

"The Journey to the West" is a book about experiences and pitfalls in spiritual practice. The more I read it, the more I admire the writer. He has given very vivid descriptions about our lives and inner qualities and uses all kinds of metaphors to depict the obstacles in spiritual practice and ways to overcome them. The more we practice, the more we will understand the meaning of this book, and the more strongly we will feel that this is not just a fairy tale. Truly, there are very good teachings in the book. After you have started to practice the Quan Yin Method, you will understand it better; you will see your true self and become enlightened!

In "The Journey to the West," Xuan Zang (also known as Tripitaka) is a very kind and solemn master. But what about his three disciples? They look ugly, and they kill. Ordinary people are scared to death just from seeing them. But Xuan Zang is not afraid. He accepts them as disciples. And they wholeheartedly support him in his successful quest in search of the scriptures. Without these three ferocious disciples, Xuan Zang might not have been able to reach the West. Therefore, everything has its use. If we understand the laws of the universe and the secret of Creation, we'll be able to make use of everything. There is nothing that's not useful.

Don't ever think that the Monkey King, Pigsy and Sandy don't exist. They represent our very inner nature and the struggle that Xuan Zang goes through in his journey to get the scriptures. The Monkey King represents his intelligence and wisdom, and the almighty power. He seeks help from the Buddha and gets his problems solved each time. Pigsy stands for his laziness and fondness for women. Sometimes he finds a beautiful woman alluring and becomes greedy when he sees good food. Sandy represents the time when he is peaceful, balanced and in a state where neither good nor bad exists.

The Monkey King described in the book is very, very smart. He has the power to transform himself into seventy-two different forms. Before he attains enlightenment, he causes tumult in the heavenly court and calls himself the Great Sage Equal To Heaven. That represents our inner struggling quality. If he were as high as the Lord of Heaven, he wouldn't have had to stir up anything! He's just like us. We know we have the qualities of God inside, which are the highest. But since we haven't attained that level, we can't believe in ourselves. Or we have faith in ourselves today but not tomorrow, then again the day after tomorrow, and then lose faith in ourselves the day after that. If it happens that we are enlightened and know who we are, we feel very noble and one with heaven and Earth and everything.

But there are many difficulties in this world. When we run into obstacles and a lot of trouble, we fall down to the level of a mortal. We doubt ourselves, and feel we are very weak, helpless and powerless. Then we feel very frustrated. No matter how people may tell us that we are Gods or saints, we don't want to listen. We lose our confidence. All Quan Yin practitioners go through the experiences of the Monkey King. That's why we struggle and cause a lot of trouble. One day we want to become God, and the next day we don't. Today we are God and tomorrow we are not. One day we are God, the next we are Maya and run around. This is Xuan Zang's inner conflict. The writer uses the monkey as a metaphor for our unsettled minds. But the mind is very smart and powerful. It can have whatever it wants and go wherever it wants. But no matter where it goes, it's still within the realm of the mind and can't go beyond the Three Worlds.

You have read in "The Journey to the West" about the Monkey King accompanying Xuan Zang on a westward journey in search of scriptures for the sake of saving sentient beings. But God keeps sending demons and spirits to harm them. The eighty-one sufferings are all created by God. What does this mean? It means that without trials and tribulations, we can't grow up, just like a soldier cannot become good without training and a child won't study hard without tests. Therefore, tests are good for us so we know whether we've made any progress and whether our faith has wavered.

You have seen in the novel how both master and disciples are hurt by trees, shackled by flowers or hurt by mountain deities, et cetera. That's just like what I've told you: The outside world is sometimes unsafe and dangerous for us. If we look too long we'll get lost there and forget our original nature. Then it's easy for us to be bound there. Just like when we are used to living in one place, we don't want to go anywhere else or can't sleep when we go to a different place. It's the same with a spiritual practitioner. Sometimes he passes through some places and wants to stay there. His original goal is to find the scriptures and attain Godhood. When he arrives in some places and sees the beautiful scenic landscape, pretty trees, blooming flowers and bountiful fruits, he just wants to stay there rather than move on. He thinks, "Okay, why do I want to become God? I'll stay here to enjoy the flowers and trees, and then write and recite poems!"

Therefore, in "The Journey to the West" some tree and flower deities come to tempt Xuan Zang. And he almost falls in love with them. That's because he is beginning to become fond of the scenery, not because there is a real tree deity to trap him. He is attached, which is the same as being bound by trees and flowers. Moreover, the trees and flowers have their own spirits too. If we come to like them, they will communicate with us. Then the more we like them, the more they will bind us there. And our level will stop there. We should keep moving ahead in our spiritual practice and not stop anywhere. That's why we say that it's dangerous to look at the outside world. That's all it means.

The Monkey King represents our more mature wisdom. Therefore, if he's not careful and complies with the worldly habits of Xuan Zang, he will get stuck in disasters too. But because he is the Monkey King, he escapes sooner or later and is not stuck for too long. But Pigsy is! (Master laughs.) Therefore, at one time, God manifests as three beautiful girls. Pigsy, not knowing about it, is deluded by lust and is caught in the net. Even though he is not hurt, he is bound for a while. What is the bondage? Even if a person is truly beautiful and is a true transformation of God, and you fall in love with her, you are tied down by your feelings. Your initial intention is to go to the West to get scriptures. But you stop there because of your love for her. This delays your spiritual journey. Therefore, even if the person is God's manifestation, we shouldn't mind! Be careful not to be bound by so-called good and beautiful women, or the good things of this world.

Once, Xuan Zang is trapped in a spider's cave. He is bound by beautiful women and many children, who are transformations of spiders. This is the idea of the family. Maybe at that time he wanted to have a family, wondering why he should go through so much hardship to get the scriptures. Why not marry, and then have a few lovely karmas? Wouldn't that be nice? (Laughter) As soon as you have that kind of thought, you are tied there! Even if you don't have a real wife or children right next to you to bind you, when you think of it, you are already bound and your level changes! Then, if you let that idea stay with you for a long time, you are tied there during that whole period of time. Therefore, it is not that there are real spider spirits or little spider spirits to tie him down. These are his own thoughts. He ties himself to that situation. Sometimes because of the length of the spiritual path, we inevitably change our minds every now and then. The writer uses these stories to describe Xuan Zang's mind and his spirit in overcoming all kinds of inner obstacles.

There is also a white-bone spirit that can transform itself into a beautiful woman to entice people and then suck their blood. What is this white-bone spirit? It's the spirit within us, or our quality of wanting to entice other people sexually. Therefore, spiritual practitioners from the old times used the method of white-bone visualizing to control their lust. They practiced until they could visualize everyone as white bones. That's also correct. If you see through a beautiful woman or a handsome man, what they have within them is nothing more than white bones or a skeleton!

When we see the Monkey King tricked into wearing a golden ring on his head by the Quan Yin Bodhisavatta, we may think, "Why is it that the Bodhisavatta has no mercy?" But if she didn't do this, there would be no way to control him. The Quan Yin Bodhisavatta wanted to teach him and help him. So she had to give him this golden ring. Otherwise, there would be no way to change his personality. And he wouldn't be able to attain any level. Therefore, God and saints don't always smile and give you candy. That would spoil you. It would be like buying you a ticket to hell!

Do you understand the metaphors in this story now? We all have the qualities of pigs and monkeys within us. Animals also eat, bear children, and take care of them. They are not much different than us. Therefore, if we don't practice, we are not much different than animals. Thank God we practice meditation and develop our wisdom. Animals can't know as much as we know. Therefore, you need to take good care of your Xuan Zang spot (Master points to the wisdom eye) and your corner of compassion. Don't let your pig and monkey qualities control your everyday life and dirty your precious "home". t

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai Hsihu, Formosa

August 1, 1991

(Originally In Chinese)

Beware The Monsters On The Spiritual Path

You see, everywhere Xuan Zang went, there were monsters and spirits anxious to capture him and eat his flesh. Here, "flesh-eating" doesn't mean cutting the flesh into pieces and eating it; rather, it means giving spiritual torment, making life unbearable, causing the loss of appetite and sleep, and zapping one's physical strength. Such spiritual torture is the same as having one's flesh eaten.

Some monsters can zap people's energy or vital life force. The greater our yang energy, the more hungry the yin monsters are for our vital life energy. Excessive loss of life force to these monsters can lead to loss in our level of consciousness. Some monsters take human form. In "The Journey To The West," there was a "white skeletal spirit" who killed a person by draining him of his vital life energy, occupying his body, and then seducing more people through him. We cannot recognize the spirit from its outward appearance. Some people who are possessed are monsters in human form. When they come near us, we feel weak all over and become unlike our usual self. If we fall victim to their seduction, we lose our original nature. I have seen people who have succumbed to Maya's temptations. They look different. Even after they regret it, they still look different and it takes them a very long time to recover. They may not even know that they have given in to temptation, just like a person asleep is not conscious of his state, a drunk person doesn't know that he is inebriated, or a mental patient is unaware of his mental condition.

Sometimes, a little carelessness or too many bad thoughts can let Maya make use of an ordinary person. Maya finds its way into him and contaminates him. He becomes half-human and half-Maya, acting strangely and having weird thoughts. He will not behave like his usual self. How terrifying! Therefore, we must keep our actions, speech and thoughts pure, and refrain from having negative or dark thoughts, otherwise we will have trouble. You all have free will. The Master cannot always forbid you to think about something. You have the right to think. You must take care of yourselves. Only when you let the Master protect you can He do it; otherwise She cannot intervene. It's fine if you don't seek Her help, but do not resist if She tries to help. You have free will. If you resist, neither God nor the Master can intervene. This is the law of the universe and this is why the world is in chaos. If God could interfere with our minds, we would be fine, but then there would be no play, no suffering and no joy. All realms would be the same. All the people would be transported to Paradise.

You must understand that you have to rely on yourselves to pursue spiritual practice, kindle your own light, and walk by yourselves. If you are sick and cannot walk, of course, the Master will carry you. But if you resist the Master and walk in the opposite direction, He can only follow you. Although She knows that you will walk farther and farther away, She still will follow you. She cannot abandon you, and He cannot intervene.

So, beware! There are many monsters. It's not that you encounter monsters only when you go on a pilgrimage to the West to get the Buddhist Scriptures. Here, you are also a pilgrim who is headed West in search of Buddhist Scriptures every day. It is farther away than India and your journey is more difficult. You may stumble and fall, but you must remember to come back. When you fall, you should know that you must not resist the person who helps you up. Only then will danger be minimized. Even when you fall, do not lie by the roadside. Do not intentionally let yourselves roll down, thinking that you are still very good. t

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Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest Video Tapes

The Importance Of Keeping Pure Actions, Thoughts And Speech March 12, 1996 L.A. USA

Europe 4-Day Retreat (5) Cultivating Good Habits

August 24, 1997 London, UK

The Real Meaning of Ahimsa

November 22, 1997 Puna, India

Ching Hai Day Celebration

October 25, 1997 Bangkok, Thailand

International 4-Day Retreat(1)

Spiritual Life And Professional Ethics

December 24-27, 1997 WDC, USA

International 4-Day Retreat(2)

The Purpose Of Enlightenment

December 24-27, 1997 WDC, USA

A Journey Through Aesthetic Realms (Part 1 & 2)

Live at Washington DC DAR Constitution Hall

December 27, 1997 WDC, USA

Liye Tze - Ride Upon The Wind /

Yang Tze's Philosophy Of Life

September 17, 1995 Hsihu, Formosa

Shiva's 112 Way Of Concentration (I)

December 24, 1995, Hsihu, Formosa

1996 Ching Hai Day International 4-Day Retreat (IV):

The More Sincere Our Devotion Is To God The Less Desire We Possess February 19, 1996 Hsihu Formosa

Let God Serve Through Us

April 20, 1993 United Nations, Geneva

The Way To Gain The Kingdom Of God Is Through Enlightenment

February 24, 1991 Harvard Univ. USA

Enlightenment Is The Key To Everything

April 10, 1993 Colorado, USA

Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest Audiotapes

CL 16 A (3 tapes)

Where To Find The "Muni Pearl"?

July 2, 1989 Lecture in Hong Kong

The Methods Of Acquiring Merits (1)(2)

July 3, 1989 Lecture in Hong Kong

CL 16 B (4 tapes)

The Final Method (1)(2)

July 7, 1989 Lecture in Hong Kong

A Master Who Reprimands People (1)(2)

July 8, 1989 Lecture in Hong Kong

CL 17 (5 tapes)

To Nurture The Wisdom One Needs An Enlightened Master (1)(2)

September 22, 1989 Lecture in Hong Kong

Mystery Of Human Conception (1)(2)(3)

September 23, 1989 Lecture in Hong Kong

ER 14 (3 tapes)

Realize That You Are Perfect In Every Way

October 23, 1997

International 4-Day Retreat, Bangkok, Thailand

Finding True Happiness (1)(2)

October 24, 1997

International 4-Day Retreat, Bangkok, Thailand

ER 15A (5 tapes)

The Purpose Of Enlightenment

December 23, 1997

International 4-Day Retreat, W.D.C. U.S.A.

Spiritual Life & Professional Ethics

December 23 ~ 24, 1997

International 4-Day Retreat, W.D.C. U.S.A.

Faith & Experiences (1)(2)(3)

December 25, 1997 International 4-Day Retreat, W.D.C. U.S.A.

ER 15B (5 tapes)

Maya Is Just The Training Field

December 25, 1997

International 4-Day Retreat, W.D.C. U.S.A.

The Methods Of Spiritual Improvement (1)(2)

December 26, 1997

International 4-Day Retreat, W.D.C. U.S.A.

Working & Growing Together

December 26, 1997

International 4-Day Retreat, W.D.C. U.S.A,

Do Your Best & God Will Do The Rest

December 27, 1997

International 4-Day Retreat, W.D.C. U.S.A.

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They were exchanged between Master and disciples while having lunch and/or dinner together.

Jokes submitted by LA fellow initiates, in U.S.A.

(Originally In Au Lac Language)

The Lamp Shade

A girl walked in a store. She tried on hat after hat, but found nothing to suit her taste. She then asked the store owner: "Huh! Why is every hat here the same style? Don't you have another style at all?"

The store owner replied: "Miss, this is a lamp shade store, not a hat shop!"

Who Is Nuts?

In a hospital for mentally disturbed people, when the doctor walked into the room of a patient, he saw him dangling from the ceiling. Being frightened, he called the nurse to come and pull him down for fear that the man might fall to his death. The nurse said: "Doctor, every day this patient thinks that he is a lamp, therefore, he often hangs from the ceiling!"

The doctor said: "No, you have to pull him down at once; otherwise, he'll die if he falls down."

After a pause, the nurse answered: "But the light will go out after I pull him down?"

Weather Forecast

A media reporter came to visit the Montagnard tribe. Overhearing that the Montagnards are skillful in weather forecasting - being able to tell if it will rain or shine by simply watching the sky, or if there will be a storm by simply observing the wind conditions - he proceeded to conduct an interview by questioning a Montagnard elder living in the village: "Hello sir. What do you think about the weather today?" The old man answered: "Oh, despite the cool weather this morning, there will be a storm in the evening, and then there will be rain at midnight and the water level will rise roughly half a meter."

The reporter was amazed and asked himself how this old Montagnard man could know the weather in such detail, so he commented: "Excellent! How is it that by simply watching the sky you can tell the weather for the whole day?"

The old Montagnard man calmly responded: "It's not that difficult at all! I listened to the weather forecast on the radio this morning!"

The Lost God

A businessman had two sons. One was six years old and other was nine. Since both husband and wife were busy doing business, they did not have time to educate their children; therefore, the two kids became so restless and hyperactive that they got involved in any fight and minor theft. After going to court for their children's wrongdoings, the couple was so depressed that they both agreed to bring the kids to a church in the village and asked the minister to educate them in hopes that they would become better boys. Upon their insistence, the minister finally agreed to spend some of his spare time to educate the youngsters. He told the couple to send the younger one to him first. The couple was elated. They took their younger son to the church the next morning and went home with excitement.

The minister took the boy into his office, thinking that he would teach him a little bit on religion and virtue. Using a gentle voice, he asked the boy: "Do you know where God is?" The boy did not say anything. He was just quiet and looked around the room. He looked at the pictures on the wall, and in the corner of the room, and bent down to look under the table, et cetera. Finally, he looked at the face of the minister without saying one word.

The minister felt uneasy, but he reluctantly asked him one more time. This time, he raised his voice thinking that, perhaps the boy had not heard him clearly before. He repeated: "Do you know where God is?" Hearing his loud voice, the boy's face looked a bit frightened. However, besides looking around the room, he did not say a word, and then again turned his eyes toward the face of the minister.

At this point, the minister could not bear it anymore. He pointed his finger at the boy's face and yelled loudly: "I...I, I'm asking you for the last time. Do you know where God is?"

This time, the boy was truly scared. He hurriedly pushed aside the chair and ran home. As he arrived home, he immediately looked for his brother. Without saying a word, he pulled him to a corner and said with a shaken voice: "This time, the matter is very grave!" Watching his younger brother in such a terrible state, he was also worried. He asked his younger brother again: "What happened? You look so miserable?" The younger brother answered in a broken voice: "God...has been stolen, and they suspect... suspect... that we are the ones who took Hirm!!!"

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LOVE-layout.txt

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A Mid-Autumn Prayer Event For Parolees

By Fellow Initiate Qing Huaxing, Hualien News Group, Formosa

In cooperation with the Hualien District Prosecutors' Office, the Hualien Center convened a Mid-Autumn Festival Prayer Event for ex-prisoners on parole, when the parolees came to make their routine report. The sincere intention of the initiates was to help these hardened men, who had sustained mental wounds, to pray for themselves, for their families and for world peace. It was also hoped that their souls would be elevated indiscernibly.

The most touching moment of the event occurred when a prayer was read aloud on behalf of all those present, while the tape of Master singing "Nam Mo Quan Yin Bodhisattva" was being played. The participants lowered their heads and prayed in silence and some of these stern men even shed tears from the depths of their hearts. The initiates could truly feel that God and the saints were blessing the assembly. Master's love melted hearts that had long been frozen in ice. The prayer event ended with the releasing of balloons into the sky. When those strong hands let go of the little balloons, allowing them to soar upwards, they made a wonderful sight. How we wish that the world could henceforth be peaceful, allowing all of us to live freely and without worry, as if we were in heaven. v

"Life-care" Bazaar

Report From Miaoli, Formosa

The Miaoli Lifeline Association sponsored a bazaar on October 10th of this year, which is the National Day of the Republic of China, to raise funds for the construction of new premises. Officials of the Miaoli County Government and many charity organizations were invited to celebrate the occasion together. Fellow practitioners also participated in the event. At the venue that day, the initiates set up a vegetarian food booth, attracting a large number of people eager to sample the diverse variety of vegetarian food, snacks and drinks. The demand was tremendous, and so was the demand for Master's sample books and News magazines. At the end of the day, fellow practitioners contributed all the proceeds from the event to the Lifeline Association in a practical show of support that was expressive of Master's love in action. v

Media Report Ilan Times, Formosa September 3, 1998

Children At Family Helpers Enjoy SumptuousVegetarian Meal

A Happy Afternoon Sponsored By The Loving Food Restaurant

[Ilan] Fifty-three children from the Ilan Family Helpers program enjoyed a sumptuous meal at the Loving Food International Western Vegetarian Restaurant yesterday during a delightful afternoon for these youngsters from destitute families.

According to manager Zhou, the Loving Food Restaurant is founded on the ideal of "love" and expects to serve every customer delicious and nutritious food. Yesterday's feast was held in the hope of sharing some happy moments with the children from the Family Helpers program so they could experience the warmth of society in its brighter, more positive aspects despite the imperfections in their lives.

Under the guidance of bigger brother and sister volunteers, the children learned to dine with Western table manners, including using knives and forks . The youngsters were quickly transformed into young ladies and gentlemen. When someone did not hold the cutlery properly or made a noise with the plates, the children would burst out laughing. When the main course, vegetarian steak, was served, the children picked up the cutlery and ate it with careful attention to their newly learned manners. Some of the children even wanted some of the food packaged to take home for their mothers. Thus the happy afternoon went by amidst joy and laughter.

According to Family Helpers Director Lin, these children have rarely had a chance to eat out in Western restaurants. Most come from families with financial difficulties, and the busy parents have little spare time or money to take them to restaurants. The children were delighted to have this chance to enjoy a magnificent feast, which also turned out to be their first gift of the new school year.

Formosa have been working on a long-time basis with an organization named the Great Enlightenment, which is concerned about prison inmates. These practitioners have been visiting prisons throughout Formosa to provide care and encouragement to those behind bars, and to introduce to them Master's teachings and the Quan Yin Method. On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, initiates shared Master's love by presenting gifts of mooncakes and fruit to inmates in central and southern Formosa. Under the auspices of the Great Enlightenment, the initiates visited the Nantou Detention Center, Changhua Juvenile Center, Kaohsiung Juvenile Supervision Center, Tainan Juvenile Supervision Center and Tienchung Juvenile Center.

The initiates received special permission from the authorities of the Tienchung Juvenile Center to hold a seminar of encouragement and inspiration for its several hundred young detainees. There, they shared stories of their pasts: how they became involved with the underground and thereby endangered the lives of their families, how they met Master and turned over new leaves, and how spiritual practice with Master has changed their lives completely. The initiates encouraged the detainees to love and care for each other, abide by their supervisors' instructions, never give up on themselves, and have confidence in their future.

When the authorities at the center saw the mooncakes and pomelos that are usually eaten on the Mid-Autumn Festival, they were very touched and commented that this was their earliest reminder of the coming of the Moon Festival.

The initiates came to the prison with love and left with tender feelings of warmth. v

As the balloons soar up into the sky, they take with them the shadow of gloom replacing it with hope.

As Master's chanting tape was played, the participants piously closed their eyes in prayer.

Mooncakes are presented to the participants as gifts.

Becoming acquainted with the public through delicious vegetarian food.

Fellow practitioners from Miaoli, Formosa participate in a bazaar held by the Miaoli Lifeline Association.

The little children enjoy a Western meal while minding their manners.

[Photo by reporter Chen Yi-Ling]

The director of the Tienchung Juvenile Center expresses his gratitude at the initiates' visit. (Seated in the middle is Hsu Cheng-hsiung, chairman of the Great Enlightenment organization.)

A visit to the Nantou Detention Center

Fellow initiates share stories of their past association with the underground and how they changed after they met Master.

[Love 2#-97]

Expenditures Of Love In Action Activities In Formosa:

Love2#-97

Place

Activity

Amount (NT$)

Receipt No.

Taipei

Visit to Happy Mount Home

47,961

A

Sponsorship of the Lungshan Junior High School "Light in the Dark" Fund

30,000

B

Miaoli

Donation to the Miaoli Lifeline Association

15,490

C

Taichung

Visit to Taichung Prison

19,058

D

Changhua

Visit to Changhua Juvenile Center

20,650

E

Nantou

Visit to Nantou Detention Center

72,000

F

Hualien

Visit to the parolees in Hualien

40,000

G

Total:

245,159

Expenditures Of Visits To Needy Households In Formosa, August to September 1998:

Place

Number Of Households

Amount (NT$)

Receipt No.

Keelung

2

4,000

1

Taipei

21

47,000

2

Taoyuan

4

8,000

3

Hsinchu

2

6,000

4

Miaoli

6

18,000

5

Taichung

10

20,000

6

Nantou

13

36,600

7

Chiayi

12

26,000

8

Kao Ping

8

18,000

9

Ilan

2

4,000

10

Hualien

5

10,000

11

Taitung

13

31,500

12

Total:

98

229,100

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Reincarnation For Chocolates

By Xiaoming

Master often talks to us. It seems like a casual exchange at the time but, in retrospect, we realize that every word is meaningful!

I used to have an insatiable desire for candy, especially chocolates. Chocolates were such favorites of mine that you could even find them in my bed. I would grab chocolates in the middle of the night and eat them even as I slept. This habit did change later, however. After I became a nun, I worked closely with Master and had almost forgotten about it until, one day, when we were in the United States, Master asked me to buy chocolates as presents for people. At the time She remarked, "Strange, why do so many people like chocolate?" I told Master what I thought. And She asked, "How do you know?" "Because I used to love chocolate," I replied. To this, Master immediately responded, "If you like it, then eat as much as you want so you won't have to reincarnate because of chocolate."

All the chocolate I had bought had been given away except one last box. It contained all kinds of handmade chocolates. Master gave it to me and said, "Finish the whole box so you won't have to be reincarnated again." It sounded like a joke, but it gave me the shivers. I had thought that only concepts were the causes of reincarnation. Could eating habits trap us in the cycle of birth? Even though Master had spoken casually, I took Her words seriously and gobbled down those chocolates. American chocolates are especially sweet, and I ate and ate until my stomach hurt. From that time on, I have felt sick and queasy whenever I saw chocolates.

As a matter of fact, the consumption of too much sweet food had caused an imbalance in my body and I easily got disturbed. I could not think clearly. My movement and thinking had been affected. By the time Master helped me get rid of my love for candies, my body had already become severely toxic. I did not realize that until I was in hospital for a complete medical checkup. I did not know that I had been living under Master's blessing power. Later I started to use the 'get fed up' strategy to change some of my habits. And it was truly effective. I used to suppress my desires or deceive myself before, and things only got worse. My desires only grew stronger.

Another example I would like to mention is watching movies. Most of our generation grew up watching TV. We are addicted to it. Therefore, Master used this 'get fed up' strategy, letting everyone watch movies and seeing who would be the last to quit. She often asked us to bring our steel cups and monthly supply of goodies when we watched movies. Watching two or three movies at a stretch was nothing out of the ordinary. When we got to the advanced level, however, we watched dozens of videos nonstop. Master carefully selected all the programs, but movie watching became a hard battle to win. We watched movies day and night until I felt my eyeballs were going to fall out. I wanted to go back to sleep in my tent but was reluctant to leave Master. Sometimes people fell asleep at the back while Master remained sitting upright in the front. It even got to the point that when it was time to watch movies again, we would sigh and drag our feet as if we had been asked to do something we really didn't like to do. I thought of my early days, of how I tuned-out everyone and everything else when I watched TV. I could not have imagined then that one day I would dread watching it. Oh, my highest admiration goes to Master for Her unique ways of using eating, drinking, and having fun to free us from our attachments. v

Pineapple Chancellor

By Bai Jie

I have loved eating pineapples since childhood. I love to eat them as fruit, cooked in soup with assorted ingredients, stewed with bitter gourd, stir-fried with lantern peppers, barbecued with other vegetables, blended with celery as juice, brewed in water as natural fruit syrup, or in any other way imaginable.

One day, at the Tian Shan Center in Hong Kong, Master dipped the pineapple slices in a batter and then deep-fried them in oil. While they were still hot, we dipped them in cinnamon sugar. They tasted really delicious. They were like a serving from heaven that is rare in this human world. Everyone enjoyed this delicacy, and I especially. I made it a point to remember how it was prepared and was determined to cook some for myself later. Just as I was enjoying the deep-fried pineapple slices, Master suddenly said something shocking. She said, "Bai Jie could kill for a piece of pineapple." Though that was only a casual remark, it shook me to the depths of my soul!

A few years have passed but this remark remains fresh on my mind. I have seen people wage wars for food, killing each other and forgetting to seek their "true self". I have seen them waste their lives just for money, without a goal in life. Like the rootless duckweed, they drift in whichever direction the current takes them. I thought that I had probably incurred heavy karma because of food. Had I not met Master in this life, I might have walked on the same path as others and remained trapped in the cycle of transmigration. Tears of emotion surged in me and welled from my eyes as I came to this realization, "No one knows me better than Master."

On another occasion, also at the Tian Shan Center, we were having a barbecue with fellow practitioners from Hong Kong. I prepared barbecue packets for Master, wrapping chunks of pineapple, vegetarian meat and assorted vegetables in aluminum foil and then roasting them in the fire. Minutes later, I served the roasted food to Master. Having sprinkled some Maggi sauce over it and tasted them, Master remarked, "This is delicious! Bai Jie has added some pineapple chunks in here. All right, I shall confer the title of Pineapple Chancellor on her."

Most probably I killed someone for pineapples in my last life. Fortunately, in this life I have received an honorary title from Master that has given me the comforting thought that I have redeemed my sin. (* It was more fun when Bai Jie told it personally. Written words often kill the funny tone of a story!) v

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Genuine Gifts

By Hanxiucao

Each time we meet Master, She shares and gives away all the flowers and candies around Her as mementos. For sure, these gifts are charged with Her blessings. However, in addition to these blessings, both visible and invisible, She brings us a precious message....

"What I give you are not flowers but the lesson in sharing."

The following is an excerpt from Master's talks with initiates at US airport upon Her arrival in 1996.

"Now all of you share the flowers. The other ones don't be jealous. If you can not get flowers, it's alright, it's me that you wanted, no? (Yes) Pass to another person if you already have some. You should be greedy for the inner development, not flowers. You have to learn the lesson of sharing. It's not flowers that I'm giving you, it's a lesson. So if you keep everything for yourself, that means you should feel sorry. That means you didn't get it. You didn't get the real gift. The real gift is not the flower."

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai L.A. Airport, U.S.A.

March 12, 1996 (Originally In English)

Thinking Alike

Fellow practitioners in mainland China can not easily get to see Master. A mainland Chinese sister was denied a visa and could not see Master. In her dejection, she told a touching story about a scene in one of Master's videotaped lectures which left an indelible impression on her mind.

"On a Sunday group meditation at the crowded Hsihu (Formosa) Center, a group of little initiates were lining up to receive blessed foods from Master. One little sister had waited for a long time before it was finally her turn! Suddenly, someone behind her moved and she was pushed away without receiving the blessed candies. She stepped back quietly and watched, happily and contentedly, Master busily engaged with other children. Then she left satisfied with a smile on her face.

The mainland Chinese sister often thinks of this little girl and her exemplary attitude. Whatever the circumstance, we spiritual practitioners should always remain contented, satisfied and polite. v

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Everything Is Created By The Mind

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

July 23, 1996

(Originally In English)

Any time you want to ask yourself a question, you should first ask the question, "Why am I asking this question? and "What's the need for the question?" Anything that you can not solve you should try to change; that's all. You have all the power, all the ability and all the assistance from heaven, the angels and the masters in the ten directions to help you. There is nothing you can not do, so just make up your mind and say that you want to follow through with the hardship, with the course, with the crazy plan that you have laid down as God but you have to take care of as a human being.

That's the difference between when you were God and you didn't know what it was like to be a human being. You had never been a human being before you came here. So you laid down all kinds of complicated patterns, all kinds of strategies and projects and you thought you could follow through with them. Of course you are God so you can do anything you want. But once you come down, you become a commoner, a human being and you have to take all of God's plan and that's why you cry. So just in case you think you can not do it, then just leave it. Don't hold on to your pride. Make a new plan, something easier, and then follow through with it.

Sometimes we are not successful in some endeavor, and we blame God or blame the Master power, blame our neighbor, blame the boss, but first we have to think what the problem is with us. If you lose your job, you have to think about why it happened; maybe because unconsciously you didn't want that job anymore. If you lose your wife, or if you're unhappy in marriage or your marriage goes on the rocks, you must check inside whether lately you have been neglecting your spousal duties or unconsciously you want to change partners, you wish that your neighbor's wife would become yours, that the two women would exchange houses.

Subconsciously you will manifest this kind of situation for yourself, that maybe suddenly your wife becomes cold, or she becomes more agitated, aggressive and makes much trouble in your marriage. Then if she walks out or if she makes more trouble than you can bear, then you must remember that maybe it's you. If it's not you, then it might be her. There is no God in there. God doesn't care so much what you're doing but Hes stands by. The God power always stands by in case we want to change our plan, in case we want to have Hiers assistance because our plan has become too complicated, too troublesome to take care of.

That's why every time we call out for help, help will be there. But help will not come the way you wanted sometimes because the way you wanted is not always good. So it just comes, whatever it is. Normally a sincere prayer is always answered; it never goes unheard and unnoticed. So if you lose your job suddenly or your boss is nasty to you, check whether lately you have grown very tired of this job, or unappreciative and wish that you had an easier life, an easier job - the boss is lousy, the job is too much, or anything like that.

You lose it and then you feel, "Oh, it wasn't that bad. I was just complaining a little bit inside." But actually our thoughts, our speech and our actions are very powerful. Especially for the Quan Yin practitioner because you're already reconnected with your own Godly power. So whatever you think, whatever you wish, whatever you say will eventually come into being, come to pass. So please take care that what you think is only truly what you want. Don't always think nonsense and then later regret it because you're God. You create everything with your thinking.

That's why the Buddhist scriptures say: Everything is created by the mind. It's truly like that. So try to create a favorable environment for yourself if you don't want to be uncomfortable. Try to create friendliness, peace, harmony and everything smooth for your life with your precepts, with your pure thinking, with your positive desire. So even if it becomes difficult, you will feel more comfortable.

Most people speak in a very habitual manner like: Someone is clever, if we love him, we might say: "Oh, he's a little devil," and we say things like, "Oh, hell!"; "What the hell, she's a beautiful girl!" or "Oh, my life is damn fortunate." So we always connect damnation with our luck, our beauty and our happiness, and this is not good for us. It would be more proper if we counted our blessings and blessed every situation that we happened to be in, have left behind, or encountered. Even if it was a thing we didn't like, we should just say: " Bless you! God bless You! "and then go somewhere else. If a plan is not good then you should just leave it . Realize your mistake and make another plan. Because you are God, you are Buddha, you can create anything you want, absolutely anything, but you must believe it.

The trouble is we've lived in the negative power world too long and our faith has become very thin, worn out with bad experiences that we've created for ourselves. Actually we create all the bad experiences and all the negative effects for ourselves so that we can struggle. That's the game. But then after some time we get too tired and it's time to pray. Then we get the Quan Yin Method and go home. Even then, after we practice the Quan Yin Method maybe, we still encounter problems because our mind very habitually creates new problems again. It will say things like: "What a hell of a woman! " you know," What a beautiful woman! " In Au Lac we say things like that too: "Oh, she is terribly beautiful!" or "Oh, he is awfully nice!" That's the English saying, "Awfully nice!", or "She was terribly beautiful! "or "He is a hell of a guest!" or host. Oh, it's terrible.

Why not just say "He is a wonderful fellow" or " She is such a blessedly beautiful women" or "This kid is terrifically intelligent," not "He's a devil, or He's a little devil." Because he is very clever, we call him a little devil or say, "Oh, he's a clever devil." These are just some examples of our habits, and so we damn every situation that we encounter, even the happiness and the good fortune that we get. It's no wonder that our life is always a kind of mixed salad. We have a little happiness, and we also have a hell of a lot of problems. Wow, there are a lot of bad words we learn from some of the media, we watch it and think it's so funny. We don't think there's any harm in it, we repeat the same thing and we imitate them. It's just done in a very innocent spirit. But because we are God originally, everything we think, every word we add we must be careful about, because it's powerful. If it's just idle thinking, then maybe it doesn't take effect so much. But if it's really serious, sincere thinking and a deep rooted desire, then it will come true.

Just because it doesn't come true right away after you wish for a wish, you think it comes from nowhere or it's just like a very coincidental fortune or misfortune. But actually you have created it somehow, somewhere, sometime before or just now and you have forgotten it. I have had experiences like this. So try always to think good so that everything that comes to you is good, favorable. Even if it isn't good, at least you are always thinking of good, and that's clean and you will feel good that you think good thoughts. At least you don't feel responsible for the bad things that happen to you or to someone else.

Actually if you just lie half-heartedly, or say something not nice, just idly or absentmindedly, then maybe the effect is not so great. But it could come true. It depends on how powerful you are. That's how witches, black magicians curse people into trouble, or people are possessed and feel ill by any curse or black power. These things happen because witchcraft is just like any other science. It's just black science or white science. It becomes more powerful with time, with practice. It's just like you keep reciting some mantra, and you meditate on one thing and it becomes real, becomes powerful.

Similarly, if you practice negative actions or negative mind power, then you also develop that kind of black power. Because we are God, we are made from God, we are as capable as God of creating absolutely anything whatsoever we want to create. It's like we have created this body, we have created this universe, we have created everything that we need at one time or another, by group power or by individual power. Group power is stronger, of course, and that's why you can see in many of the nations, most of the citizens inside are very much alike in thoughts, in actions and ways of living. So people say, "Wow, I'm proud to be American." There is truly such a thing as American or English or French because of group consciousness.

That's why group meditation is very powerful - if we all think the same thing or have the same goal, then the power will mix together very powerfully. It's not that one person is not powerful but everything in a mass is powerful. Like a drop of ocean water; it truly is ocean water and it truly has all the potential and qualities of ocean water, but it's only a drop. Whoever puts together in the ocean even just a drop like that becomes the ocean. No one can say he is only a drop in the ocean anymore but he is the ocean now. That's how it is with group consciousness and group meditation.

That's why you should make sure when you go to group meditation that your mind is pure and try to go in the same direction as everyone else, the way Master and God want or the way you want. It's not the way Master wants, really, it's the way you want, isn't it? It's you who want to become Buddha. It's you who want to be one with God again; it's you who want to realize yourself. So make yourself that which you wish. Change your thoughts, your speech and your actions into those of a God-like being. Set for yourself a high standard: "Okay, now I want to be God." Then just do everything that you think is God-like, at every moment of your life, in every minute of your daily activities. That's how you get near to your goal. That's why you meditate, you keep the precepts, you eat vegetarian, you are tolerant, you keep all beings in love and harmony, you try to do your duty and you try to be as good as God, a mini-God even, but better than nothing.

Then one day the drop will become the ocean. Once we enter the ocean we will become the ocean. Sometimes the water is already in the ocean but is separated by a cup or plastic bag. That's our karma, our ego. So one time, one day the cup will be broken somehow or the plastic bag will have a hole in it. Then the drop will become the ocean. But we should make an effort; It's not that every effort will not bear fruit and not that karma is always there and whatever you do it will be the same. It's not the same, is it? It's not the same because you have decided to change the course of your life now already, so everything has changed.

That's why since your initiation, you are connected back with yourself and you try to live the way of God, and your life has changed. You feel better, more worthwhile, more real, more like the way you want yourself to be; you feel more noble and that's the way it is. That's how we become God, by following our goal, by trying to lift ourselves up to the standard that we want to reach. That's all there is.

If you want to be God and you say: " I want to be God. I want to be God," and you recite it like a mantra, it will never take you anywhere. It will only bring you the wanting to be God and nothing else, so you'll want all your life. So don't want anything, just do it. Do whatever you want to do and don't say, "I want money. I want money." Go and earn it. If you keep wanting, wanting, then all you have is want. It's not that you should just force yourself to think positively but you must know why. Everything you think falls back upon you so you have no choice but to think positively, think good about yourself.

So any time if something really goes wrong, then we must check up on our own inner self whether lately we have been lacking in effort, lagging behind in something, or maybe we don't want that thing anymore until we lose it and then we feel sorry. So don't let things go so bad and then feel sorry. But even when it's already going bad like that, you can change it.

You are God and are being good, you feel good and noble, and go toward the goal that you want to achieve. Now I want to be God, I want to be good, and I want to be noble, so then just go. Then you will be more and more beautiful each day, because you became what you think, you became what you love. It's like a couple; they look like each other because they love each other. Like the owner looks like the dog because he loves the dog. Then if you love God, of course you will become like God, at least outwardly, and inwardly too, because the inner changes the outer.

People who love and have dogs and cats don't go for plastic surgery to change their appearance. They just change from inside. Their heart just goes into watching their dog every day, loving him, paying attention to him, playing with him, worrying about him, missing him, thinking about him, dreaming about him, and eating with him. They eat chocolate or ice cream together. The owner licks, licks, and then gives the dog a lick; especially children do that; they share candy, ice cream, chocolate, everything. They eat from the same plate, too, cutting a sandwich in two halves and then the dog takes one, and they take one. Anyhow, if we just love a dog or partner and we can come to look like a dog or partner, so much, then if we love God of course we will become beautiful and like God.

Looking like God might not be having our appearance look like God, but the inside will look like God and God will recognize it. We will know we are God because we will feel good and other people will recognize the beautiful God-like appearance in us. But also the appearance outside changes too. That's why, sometimes immediately after initiation, I hardly recognize some people, they change so much, so beautiful, so young, so handsome and looking like a child. I can't believe that it's the grumpy person who just came in half an hour earlier, yelling at everyone and doubting everyone. No one could even go near him.

After that, he looks like a child, like an angel; and really he becomes so different in his appearance, like he has undergone surgery to change his face; and the way he talks, the way he walks, and his complexion, everything. I don't know how long he can keep it but it is so good after initiation. Many of you too, you change and change and change every day. The more you are diligent in practice the more beautiful you become, men and women alike. Sometimes after a few months you come back and I can not recognize one or two people. If you didn't see a person for a long time, afterwards you see them and say: "Oh, how did she become so beautiful - younger eyes, more sparkling, the smile has more energy and the skin has become tighter, pink, young and smooth, very different?" t

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Practicing The Quan Yin Method

Gives Us A Protective Shield

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai Taipei, Formosa

August 26, 1986

(Originally In Chinese)

All illnesses stem from our minds. Originally the so-called "I" didn't exist. Therefore, the concept of "I am ill" didn't exist. When an illness first begins, if we have a firm attitude about rejecting it, don't allow the concept of "I am ill" to come into being, then the illness will run away immediately.

However, you're all too weak. You often feel, "Oh! I have a pain here. I have discomfort there." Frequently, having these thoughts is like pushing a door open. The door is open only a little bit in the beginning; however, since you keep thinking about "becoming ill," the slightly opened door will be pushed wide open by the power of your negative thinking. As soon as the door is wide open, the illness will quickly invade your body. If you always have a clear consciousness at every moment, and don't allow any bad things to come in, then nothing can invade you.

Getting sick is like digging a hole on our outside layer first. Originally, there's a layer of protective energy covering our bodies. It guards us against the invasive negative power outside. When we get sick, it's just like having a hole poked in the layer of protective energy, so that the illness can directly enter our bodies, through the hole. That's how we get sick. If the layer of protective energy remains intact, the illness can't get in. Spiritual practitioners are generally healthy, so they don't get sick; whereas, non-practitioners are easily disturbed by outside influences, and that is equivalent to opening the door first, and inviting illnesses to come in. Therefore, if we keep calm, a disastrous atmosphere can be resolved naturally. Our "fixed karma" can be changed in this way, just like a light can dispel darkness.

Some people believe in fortune teller's predictions; like on such-and-such a date they will get such-and-such illness, or have such-and-such an accident or disaster. Then they'll have fearful thoughts in their minds. As soon as they have fearful thoughts, it's like opening a small door in their bodies, and then all kinds of bad things can come in naturally.

If a practitioner has a pure spirit and concentrated mind, the protective layer of energy around his body is like a diamond shield, and it can't be penetrated by any illness. Even if we really have some illness, we shouldn't let it perplex us. When we know that we're ill, we should practice even more diligently, and use our power to drive it away. This body is our house, and we are the owners. Without the invitation of the owner, how can anyone come in? If you can drive it away with a firm attitude, no illness will stay. Even if it's the invasion of a small cold, a sensitive person can feel it at a very early stage. However, those who don't practice and aren't sensitive, won't be aware of such things.

If we want to sense the invasion of illnesses, we must keep an absolutely clear consciousness, and let our bodies stay in a highly alert state. Once we feel the invasion of an illness, we should immediately meditate, recite the Holy Names, and firmly tell ourselves, "I don't want the illness. Illness isn't the Truth. I don't want anything that's forced upon me. I only want the Truth." Then the illness will run away. Those who have practiced a long time, and have strong minds, can eliminate an illness in one or two seconds. Those who don't practice don't have this will power, and therefore they don't believe that they have healing power.

In fact, our bodies naturally have resistance to illness, and can heal themselves. Many doctors tell their patients, "These medicines are for you. But you should mainly rely on yourself to cure the illness." It's because we're great beings, and there's nothing we can't do. However, the amount that you can do depends on how much you believe it. In other words, this latent and limitless power can appear differently, because of the extent that each person applies it.

We Quan Yin practitioners are more powerful than others are. This involves the power that we use to drive illnesses away. If you get ill, it's because you want to be ill. Your mind may not want it, but your body does. Therefore, we should educate our actions, speech and thoughts. If certain parts of our bodies like to be ill, we should gradually teach them with the correct concepts, like we teach children. If they don't understand, we can give them some medicine and tell them, "Okay, you're safe now." When we let our bodies truly give up the illness, they'll recover.

However, people normally do the opposite. They try to look after their bodies in every way, but ignore their spiritual practice. That's why I teach you to keep your actions, speech and thoughts, clean. If your thoughts are clean but your body isn't, you'll be in the situation that your mind is perfect, but your body is still vulnerable and can get ill. Therefore, we should use our minds to teach our bodies. We should teach them that there actually isn't a so-called 'I' who can get ill, to let them truly give up everything, and give up the idea of "getting ill," and then they won't get ill.

Illness is actually not karma. The real karma is our ignorance. Because of ignorance, we have dark and impure souls. If our souls are purified, there will neither be God nor Maya, not to mention illness. Originally, we didn't have illness. Therefore, in the Heart Sutra, it's stated, All dharmas amount to emptiness. They neither arise nor cease, are neither tainted nor pure, and neither increase nor decrease. Hence in emptiness, there are no forms, no feelings, no perceptions, no mental formations, and there is no consciousness; there are no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; there is no vision, no hearing, no sense of smell, no sense of taste, no sense of touch. If there is nothing, how can we get ill?

Because we cling to our bodies, we have so much trouble. We should do more Quan Yin and meditate more, and then we won't have any trouble. t

Spiritual Interludes

A Competent Gardener

By Brother Initiate Zheng Fengji, Taipei, Formosa

During a recent Sunday group meditation at Hsihu Center, fellow practitioners split into groups to tidy up and beautify the environment. I was assigned to do some horticultural work. In the course of my work, I gained deep insights into life. If I were to be a competent gardener, I would have to prune the older and withered twigs, weed the grass, and water and fertilize the plants in the garden regularly. Only in this way would I be able to cultivate a beautiful, thriving garden.

Fellow practitioners know that they must practice diligently to attain the ultimate level, but what subtle points should we bear in mind? As I was engrossed in pruning the hedges, I noticed that I had to trim the irregular branches until the bushes looked uniform. That inspired me on to this introspection: If we go off the track or become sluggish on our spiritual path, that is the time when branches grow in all directions. And that is the time when God has to use Hiers pruning shears on us, to give us a hand!

Just as I was glad that I had finished my job, the brother in charge came along to inspect our work. He commented that we had not been thorough enough, and more trimming was required. Again, we started to prune the out-of-place twigs. When the job was finally done, I was suddenly enlightened! Never for one moment should we be complacent in our spiritual cultivation and think that we have completely followed Master's teachings. If we fail to introspect thoroughly, we will fall easily into traps of self-delusion. Fortunately Master has been educating us through all kinds of work, and reminding us of our faults in our work and spiritual practice through the words of a third person.

Although we were wet with perspiration as we worked, deep inside we felt blissful for having realized some spiritual insights. Having finished our work, we took a shower and changed into clean clothes, which swept away our fatigue. As we looked back at the garden so full of life, so beautiful and clean, we felt comforted both in mind and body! t

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By Sister Initiate Akiko Akita, Kanagawan Ken, Japan

The Big, Beautiful Eye Of Mercy

Not long after I was initiated in 1994, I visited the Itukusima Zinzya in Hiroshima. There was a grand hall where the Quan Yin Bodhisattva was worshipped, and no one was inside. I sat down and began to meditate on the inner light. Suddenly I saw a big eye of infinite mercy; and there was a teardrop suspended from the eye. I was amazed and wondered why the statue of the Quan Yin Bodhisattva would cry. I quickly opened my eyes, but I saw no tears in the eyes of the Quan Yin statue in the hall! That was really strange! On second thought, perhaps the Quan Yin Bodhisattva felt pity for this miserable lamb that had lost her way and gone through great suffering before finally finding her way home!

Several years later, when I was half in sleep and half in samadhi, again I saw a big and extremely beautiful eye. I was deeply moved that there was such a beautiful eye in the universe that was truly mesmerizing. Then the beautiful eye vanished and was replaced by a lovely blue sky and the Milky Way studded with stars. It seemed to be a panoramic view of the universe with its clusters of planets. This majestic vision was more than I could describe. This was the first time I beheld such a vision. I was thrilled and in my heart, I couldn't help cheering loudly, "This is Master's eye! This is Master's eye!"

The Power Of Thoughts

Shortly after I purchased a piece of Celestial Jewelry designed by Master, I acquired a dream house situated in beautiful surroundings. Both my husband (who is also an initiate) and I agreed that this was due to Master's and God's grace. Our house stands against a hill, facing the sea and flanked by a forest on one side. Here, we can hear the birds singing sweetly. There is even a spa bath in the house. Every day we thank God for having given us such a wonderful house that is ideal for meditation.

One day, I was watching the seascape from the balcony, but my view was partially obstructed by a big tree right in front. I thought selfishly, "How nice it would be without this tree!" The thought only flashed across my mind. Unexpectedly, several months later, the management office chopped down this big tree, leaving only a short stump. When typhoons came, without this big tree to shield the house from the wind, the rain hit directly onto the windows. Water seeped in around them and we had to collect the dripping water with mugs.

Painfully I regretted having that bad thought for which we now have to bear the bad consequences. I am so ashamed each time I see the tree stump that I apologize to it with my whole heart, "I am so sorry! Please forgive me!" To compensate for my wrongdoing, I have decided to plant two trees. Dear Master, You once said, "Natural disasters and human calamities are created by our bad thoughts." Only now have I realized this fact. Fellow practitioners, please take heed of my painful lesson; on our spiritual path, we must keep our acts, speech and thoughts pure. t

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The Best Foreign Husband

Resident Disciple Bai Jie

Hsihu, Formosa

I was still single when I was 28. My parents were concerned and arranged for me to meet many men. But each time, their matchmaking efforts failed. Either the other party found some fault with me or I with him. One day, a friend enthusiastically introduced me to a fortune-teller to find out who the man of my life would be. After studying my facial features and analyzing the date and time of my birth, the fortune-teller prophesied, "You will marry a foreigner when you are 32. Your husband will make lots of money and you will be the one who does the bookkeeping. Money will come to your doorstep all by itself." However, I remained skeptical about his prophecy.

When I was 32, Master visited the Tainan Workers' Vacation Center to deliver a lecture. Later that year I was initiated and started preparations to become a nun. Master was on a self-retreat at Ilan Center, and I was working and living with the monastic group there. One day Master assembled us for tea. I was sitting in the back. "That sister, what did you do before you came here?" She asked. "I used to run a beauty salon, Master," I replied. "Who did the accounts for you?" Master asked again. "I did them myself," I answered. "Okay, then you will be the accountant for the monastic group." And that was what I have been since that day. I didn't like accounting and thought that I could get around it. Man proposes, God disposes. But Master knew my thoughts and didn't let that happen. It is true that fixed karma cannot be changed. The more we are afraid of something, the more likely we will encounter it.

Master is good at everything. With Her all-around talents, She has made handicrafts and painted. She has taught us how to earn our own living so that people would come to us to buy the things we made. We have therefore never been financially in need. We are able to not only support our monastic group, but also make regular donations and provide occasional disaster relief and aid to others. Since Master comes from Au Lac, this has confirmed the fortune-teller's prophecy about my marrying a "foreign husband." t

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Dream Analysis

By Doo-Er

One day Master came to the women's office without notice. As soon as She saw us, She eagerly shared with us a dream She had had the previous night but whose meaning She wasn't sure of. "Doo-Er, do you know anyone in the monastic group who can analyze dreams?" She asked. "Maybe Tong Half-God can," I replied. Master nodded and asked me to immediately summon her by phone. She also asked me to summon the nun-in-charge.

Soon Tong Half-God and the nun-in-charge arrived. There were a few nuns working in the office at the time. We formed a warm, cozy picture as we all sat around Master. Then She told us Her dream. "I dreamed of a large fruit tree with all kinds of fruit - persimmons, wax apples and apples - on it. Later, a wind blew, and a big, plump apple dropped down. I tried to catch it in my hands but was too late. The apple dropped to the ground and got bruised all over. I immediately checked the other fruit and found that most of them were being blown away. Only a small persimmon and a small wax apple were left on the tree. Because they were still very small and grew close to the thick foliage, they remained safe even in the gusty wind. I felt pity for these two weak ones, so I picked them and put them in my pockets, one on each side."

As soon as Master had finished Her narration, She asked Tong Half-God to explain the dream. I don't remember her interpretation but I remember that Master was not satisfied with it. Later Master gave the best analysis. Although She just spoke very casually, we all knew that She had given the best interpretation of Her dream.

She said, "I think that the big apple represents those disciples who have done well in spiritual practice and attained certain levels. They thought they could withstand the strong winds and heavy rains and didn't need the protection of the tree any more. They made themselves distinct and assailable targets. So when the wind and rain came, they were the first to fall! There were other disciples who had not attained high levels, yet they knew how to seek protection by growing close to the tree. So finally they were put into Master's pockets and remained safe there." t

Wharf Of Sadness

By Girl Thirteen

One day Master watched the video series "Emperor Qian Long Travels in Southern China in Disguise" with us. The series included a plot about the emperor falling in love with a southern beauty. Meanwhile, however, he is forced to return to the imperial court to handle official matters and cannot stay any longer. Qian Long is so in love with this woman that he tries all he can to take her back with him to the capital city. He even risks his own safety by divulging the secret schedule of his homebound trip by water, hoping that she will meet him on the wharf and he can smuggle her on board. For some reason, which I cannot recall, the woman does not show up. As the ship sails farther and farther away, Qian Long stands on the deck looking forlornly back into the distance. His lonely reflection in the green waters mirrors his unspeakable sadness. The camera stops on the scene of the solitary ship sailing in the distant horizon. Here, we heard Master speak faintly, "Isn't this scene so familiar? So familiar! I know this feeling. It seems that I've been through this before." Then she asked, "Have you ever felt like this?" Her voice was full of helplessness.

Master once made an analogy in another story. Once upon a time, there was a king who was determined to give up his throne to seek the Truth. His wives and concubines and the royal family wanted to follow him, not knowing that there would be trial after trial waiting for them. His mother was overcome by fatigue. Then the queen collapsed from exhaustion. Even as he saw them fall and stop one after another, the king kept going. Though he felt sad for them, he had to go on and only those who could keep up continue to follow him.

During a seven-day retreat, Master asked the group of fellow practitioners, "Are you ready to climb mountains and cross rivers with me?" Everyone rubbed his or her palms and replied, "Yes!" Even as the words rang in their ears, many had begun to fall behind or drop to the ground. Some, though still on their feet, had already quietly retreated into the mundane world.

My dear Quan Yin family, persevere. Let us not have our Master feel that unspeakable sadness on some other wharf again. t

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An Upside-Down World

By Resident Disciple Chen Hsihu, Formosa

Master once said that the mountain and water spirits in the novel "Journey To The West" were metaphorical allusions to spiritual practitioners' attachment to scenic landscapes.

At one time, resident disciples used to live in tents. But whenever we settled down somewhere and the flowers and trees we had planted were just beginning to bloom and grow beautifully, it was time for us to move on again. Later we moved into caves that we built ourselves and we were all excited, thinking that finally we would each have our own little world. Many of us racked our brains for ways to beautify our living quarters. When everything was almost in order, Master sent an instruction, "Males and females are to switch living areas." Suddenly we no longer had our very own personal caves.

When we were about to don the new red and blue monastic clothing, Master wisely and ingeniously reversed the concept that "red is for women and blue is for men". Then, when we gave up our monastic clothing, it marked an even greater breakthrough in our concepts about spiritual practice.

Several head resident disciples served different terms ranging from a day to a week or two weeks to several months or years. This was another way to break our attachments to fame and position. When we are unknowns, we are not aware of our desire for fame and gain. But as soon as we have them, we immediately become aware of them. The desire for fame and gain lies concealed sometimes. For instance, some people compete with others and are proud of their spiritual progress, of eating only one meal a day, and of meditating all night without the need of sleep. After they have practiced in this way for some time, they may appear all-powerful in their spiritual practice when in reality they have gained more and more obstinate pride inside. We are very fortunate to have a living Master who does not hesitate to break our ignorance and attachments in time.

Master also used the kitchen as a classroom to let us understand that true renunciation is possession without attachment. When we first joined the monastic group, the kitchen was nothing more than a piece canvas stretched out over two big woks. Later when Master's artistic creations brought in some money, She built a beautiful kitchen for us, all equipped with modern cooking facilities and a sofa set. We were delighted that we would no longer have to endure in the wind and rain. However, the enjoyment lasted only a few months before we left for Cambodia, where we went back to the old simple lifestyle but were as happy as ever.

Before we followed Master, we thought that the ideal model of spiritual practice was living a thrifty and simple life, looking sincere and meditating diligently. When we first renounced lay life, we thought that we would live in a quiet remote place to cultivate ourselves. However, just as we realized deep down that simple living was the most comfortable, unexpectedly Master pushed us back into the mundane world to let us learn some more lessons. In order to be in tune with society, we started to wear business suits and ties, which was a big sacrifice for us because we had to give up what we really liked. However, as time passed, we gradually realized that there is no such thing as mundane life, that everything we encounter in daily life is a lesson in spiritual practice. Again, we picked up one by one the things that we had previously renounced.

We know that Master prefers to dress simply, but in order to save sentient beings, She wears beautiful clothes and jewelry, which is just like being shackled. In renouncing the world yet remaining active in society, She is truly the acme of perfection. Masters of the past sacrificed their reputation, were condemned for being uncompassionate, let disciples freeze in the snow, burned disciples' arms to erase their suffering in hell, pretended to eat meat and drink alcohol, were subjected to disciples' criticisms and doubts - all for the purpose of breaking their preconceptions about spiritual practice. We can understand the painstaking efforts of these ancient masters. However, we doubt if we can ever anytime or anywhere find another like the Supreme Master Ching Hai, who has sacrificed Her own reputation and done many things that other spiritual practitioners would want to renounce, just to elevate our spiritual level.

Since ancient times, all enlightened masters have stressed that spiritual practice must entail three aspects: ordinariness, diligence and enlightenment. For most spiritual practitioners, diligence has become the yardstick for measuring spiritual progress while the other two aspects have been overlooked. Only one who is truly enlightened can be truly ordinary. That is why we say that a person of great wisdom often appears slow. Only then can one be in the light while in dirt. We cannot be ordinary when we still have preconceptions about spiritual practice, when we are still afraid of others' comments, and when we still live by other people's opinions about right and wrong, and good and bad. Likewise, we also frame our Master within our preconceptions. When Her actions fall outside of our preconceived framework, we criticize Her relentlessly, forgetting that spiritual practice is not perfect without ordinariness.

The Lotus Sutra states very clearly that the Buddhas (fully enlightened beings) can transform themselves into all kinds of beings, including gods, ghosts, kings, officials, ordinary people, wives and servants, in order to deliver sentient beings. As long as it benefits sentient beings, the concept of being ordinary, low, does not exist. Master has set an exemplary model of delivering sentient beings through song, dance, musical compositions, chess, poetry, painting and clothing. Indeed, She is the most realistic and perfect interpretation of the Lotus Sutra. t

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Perfecting My Spiritual Cultivation To Repay

My Parents

By Tung Xin

One year, during the harvest season, I went into the mountains with my father to pick tealeaves. When lunch time came, the female tea-pickers thought that I had not prepared lunch for myself, so a vegetarian among them invited me to share her lunch. Actually, I had brought a lunchbox. My father was on the side, listening. Knowing that the lady was not a pure vegetarian, he answered before I could reply, with a trace of pride on his face, "Please don't bother! She is a pure vegetarian!"

I could not help laughing. I could still remember the earlier years when I stirred up a family revolution because I wanted to pursue spiritual practice and become a vegetarian. My parents' attitude has changed drastically since. Though they are still not serious about doing spiritual practice themselves and even pass a sarcastic remark now and then, I can feel their love for me in this regard. It is because I have not been tactful that misunderstandings have arisen among them. One must reflect on one's own actions in order to understand this.

Occasionally, during the Chinese New Year or other festivals, I go home to visit my parents. Worried that I may not be having enough to eat or not getting enough nutrition, they often suggest ordering a full course of pure vegetarian dishes for the whole family. When I lovingly prepare some simple but nutritious vegetarian dishes for them, they really enjoy it and would even advise me not to eat processed foods. Mother is really cute. I never force her to eat vegetarian food with me, but she always eat vegetarian during my short stay at home. She even mischievously blames me for letting the non-vegetarian food she receives from others decay, because she cannot eat it when I am home.

I often tell mother interesting and heart-warming stories about the monastic order, and how we work to beautify the Center. As time has gone by, I have noticed that mother has changed slowly; she has become more interested in the enjoyable and aesthetic aspects of life. She has begun to plant flowers and herbs outside the house to create an atmosphere of welcome. She also grows big and attractive fruit which she presents to others to reciprocate for the gifts she has received from them. Sometimes, she pretends to be naive and nag me, "You ought to change!" And I would respond, "Yes! One has to change. So please switch to a vegetarian diet like I have!" Then she laughs like an innocent child.

The selfless sacrifice of our parents for us has constantly brought this question to mind: Can I make the same selfless sacrifice on the path of spiritual practice? I can not repay my parents with worldly position, reputation, wealth or tangible materials. Nevertheless, I have told myself deep within to be sincere in spiritual practice, and to use this precious human body to serve the multitude, so as to repay my parents for the sacrifices they have made in a meaningful way. v

Pearls Of Wisdom

The True Meaning

Of Freedom

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai

New Jersey Center, U.S.A. June 25. 1992

(Originally In English)

Freedom doesn't mean that you fly in the sky, stay there, open your mouth, and wait for the berries to come. Freedom means that you have great responsibilities. It means that no one should have to tell you what to do, but you should know what to do. You have freedom of choice if you know everything; what to do and how to take care of your life and your work. But if you still let people tell you what to do because you don't know what to do yourself, then you're not free. It doesn't matter how much you want to be free, you're not, because you're bound within your own ignorance. You let your mind cheat you into thinking that you're free and you're okay. But you're not. So there's much work for you to do and your level is up to you. v

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By Sister Initiate Little Lotus

Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Knowing You (written in Indiana)

Before knowing You,

The world was a broken mirror.

In a million fragments, I was lost,

A million of me.

The wind of doubts,

Undulating like ripples,

Writes on the lake of life.

After knowing You,

The mirror is again full and flawless,

Perfect and complete.

Once more You let me perceive,

The stars, the sun and the moon....

Night after night I am living,

Wakeful in vivid dreams;

Day after day I am dreaming,

Wakeful in life.

Only after knowing You,

Do I know myself.

Dedicated To You

(written in New York)

How thankful I am.

For the youthful, beautiful, yet melancholy past.

How happy am I,

For the tranquil, fresh, and blissful days of today.

How anxious am I

To live the unknown, joyful and eternal life of the future.

Desperately in the past I sought,

Never realizing

You have always been with me.

Having realized, and found You,

Now I pray,

Let me

Become You!

Your Eyes

(written in Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

From Your eyes,

The current of light

Smoothes the ruffles of suffering.

One merciful look

Melts the glaciers in the heart.

The crystalline radiance

Purifies the muddy brain.

Dazzling as lightning,

It illuminates the deadliest corners,

And fast as a saber,

Shatters diehard rot ages old.

By Your divine gaze,

The most poor now

Own the whole world.

When you gaze at me, oh!

Time exists no more!

Into nirvana I zoom,

Immersed in extreme ecstasy

that the universe cannot contain!

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Just In Time

By A Quan Yin Messenger

In October 1995 when I was in Ciudad Del Este, Paraguay, there was a Chinese couple who practiced the Convenient Method. When I first arrived there, they welcomed me warmly. The husband was very forthright. He said, "You can live in our home. We will not only cook vegetarian food for you but also observe a vegetarian diet ourselves." Their sincerity was touching.

Because of their help, I did not have to worry about food and lodging. Brother Wu from Brazil and I went about planning a videotaped lecture by Master, placing newspaper advertisements, printing posters, and distributing leaflets. We printed the home telephone number of the couple on the leaflets. I did not expect that the next day the husband, looking much troubled, would ask me not to print his phone number on the leaflets, even though he and his wife supported our activities and even had their employees put up advertisement banners for us. He was worried that some extremists might cause trouble for them. The couple had put their lives at risk by coming to this industrial city, where the crime rate was high and social order was bad, only to do some business and make some money. Worried that it might affect their business, the husband asked me to take his telephone number off the leaflets. This unexpected request left me at a loss. The couple were the only people we knew in the city. How could we find another contact telephone number at such short notice? It was the first time that I was to share Master's teachings in a place where there were no fellow initiates. And inexperienced as I was, I had no idea where I could rent a portable telephone. I could only pray silently to Master for help.

Surprisingly, the husband told me the next day that someone claiming to be a fellow initiate would be arriving soon to see me. This unexpected good news made me overjoyed. I did not know that there was a fellow initiate in this city. When we saw each other, we learnt that he was from Argentina and had come to Paraguay on business. I asked him how he found me. He said that he had just arrived but when he was walking around the city with a friend, the friend suddenly said to him, "Hey! Your Master will be coming to give a lecture." He replied, "You must be kidding! Why would my Master come to this remote place?" His friend said, "You can see for yourself. There is a poster over there about Her lecture."

Overjoyed, he called the couple's home and found me. I immediately asked him, "Do you have a telephone?" He said, "I am here on business and have just rented a place where there is nothing but a telephone and a fax machine." How fantastic! Only we practitioners of the Quan Yin Method are lucky enough to have such coincidences.

We immediately replaced the original telephone number on the leaflets with his and the urgent problem was solved. Meanwhile, brother Zhao pitched in to help in our preparations for the lecture. Later, some people in Ciudad Del Este were initiated and many people from the capital city of Asuncion learned the Convenient Method of meditation. Brother Zhao very naturally became the contact person taking care of the Quan Yin family in Paraguay and remains so until today.

Master once told us that there are many guardians around the world supporting the Quan Yin Method. They are scattered in different corners of the Earth. When the need arises or when the time is right, they will come and offer their help. t

Master's Driver

By A Quan Yin Messenger

When I first arrived in Beijing in October 1997, I knew only the Zhangs, an initiated couple. A five-day retreat was going to be held in Thailand at the time. Brother Zhang's wife could go but he could not because of his work. For this, he was full of regret.

One day, I had to go out on business and the couple gave me a ride. Mrs. Zhang saw Master's transformation body also sitting in the car and told her husband about it happily. He couldn't help but say joyfully, "Although I can not attend the retreat, I still can drive for Master here at home!" t

Three Sacred Treasures

By A Quan Yin messenger

For a sister initiate in Xian, China, life has been plagued by impoverishment, chronic illness and an unhappy marriage. Her only consolation has been the blessing of love and spiritual inspiration she receives from Master during her daily meditation. She prays to God day and night to give her guidance and help her through the difficult times. Her sincere prayers have at last received a response from God.

One night in August of 1996, the sister saw in her dream Master's transformation body giving her three jewelry items: a gold ring, a ruby and a jade pendant. Master told her that she could sell the first two for money to support her family, but not the jade pendant, which Master might take back anytime. When the sister woke up the next morning, she found these three sacred items on her night stand. She did not know where they had come from, but there they were just as she had seen in her dream. Cradled in a small square box under a transparent plastic lid were a square-shaped gold ring with a dharma wheel design; an oval ruby about one centimeter long; and a two-centimeter-long, translucent light-green jade pendant shaped liked a tear drop and tied with a fine silk ribbon.

When local fellow initiates heard about the incident, they came to her home to share in this inconceivable sacred episode. The most miraculous was the third treasure. Over a dozen initiates saw in the pendant a changing spectrum of countless manifestation forms of Master dazzling in resplendent colors! Happiness and gratitude toward Master for Her grace moved the sister to tears. She said to herself, "I must not give up no matter how difficult life may become. I shall not sell the holy treasures for money."

Master has taught us that the most important thing in life is to have a sincere longing for the Truth. This intense longing for spiritual practice and enlightenment is by itself a blessing and a great merit, and more important than acquiring experiences. Master's words come true for every fellow initiate who practices sincerely. t

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Supreme Art

Light From Heaven Appears In

The Painting "Rescued"

By Artist Brother Ha Cam Tam, San Jose, California, USA

(Originally In Au Lac Language)

"It is like a person, struggling in the world surrounded by thorny bushes and covered with blood and tears. One day, the strong light from heaven shines upon him, and then he comes to life. At first, this person appears to be shy and uncertain, but slowly and steadily he is convinced, and begins to unfold and reach out." Regarding colors, highly contrasting tones of red versus green, and purple versus yellow, are used throughout the painting "Rescued." A narrow horizon also unsteadily exposes itself against a brightly red sky. With respect to artistic composition, the formation of stones and rocks as the work's dominant presence fills virtually the entire area of the canvas frame. The saintly artist adopted quite a bold and definitive drawing technique in this piece.

In the right portion of the painting lies the background of light, dark green and faded yellow with scattered red stains from a blood stream, resembling smeared teardrops. Vivid colors depicting subjects with distinctive paint strokes enable viewers to deeply feel a sense of extreme pain. The monumental centerpiece of the painting "Rescued" is the symbol of a vigorous human with an upright stature in dark brownish purple. This figure is like a giant knotted rope, which has just been untangled to freely bounce with arms wide open to greet three large streams of bright light from the Supreme Master and merge with the almighty power of the immense universe.

Supreme Master Ching Hai has used unique colors to tell art admirers the story of hardship endured by humankind in the mundane world, of sorrows endured by a soul kept in confinement, of heavenly and oceanic love from Nature, of the boundless power of creation, and of the omnipresence of metaphysical energy. The image of a tightly knotted coil of rope suddenly rises up to unwind itself in order to receive light and reinforce its own faith, to realize clearly that God's eternal love is everywhere, especially in places where human suffering is most prominent. I attentively listen to words of tenderness that are full of love, originating from the heart of a Person who has forsaken Her entire life to become a guiding light for those longing to return to the Truth. I reverently bow in deep gratitude to You, Master Ching Hai.

By Supreme Master Ching Hai

Oil Painting, 50.5cm x 60.5cm,

Satin Center, Hong Kong, July 1993

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Supreme Art

"Chuang Tzu's Dream"

An Enlightened Artist's Inspiration Condensed Into A Magnificent Painting Of A Fan

By Artist Brother Ha Cam Tam, San Jose, California, USA

(Originally In Au Lac Language)

After viewing the painting, the colors of the butterfly and flowers, and the initials "CH", one is able to fully grasp the beauty of the dream, the gentleness of a saintly spirit through the lingering image of a butterfly, flowers and leaves under an immense sky. Wearing a jade inlaid crown and a glittering diamond imperial robe, the butterfly looks both majestic and romantic, like a prince venturing into the middle of a beautiful, heavenly palace. The signature of the artist Ching Hai embodies the image of an enlightened Master, who solemnly stands on the crescent moon tenderly taking care of that very glorious and naive butterfly.

The painting "Chuang Tzu's Dream" was created using mainly nuances without a single prime color. The flickering white, jade and dark purple on the lavender background vividly express the freshness, simplicity and childlike nature of a fairy story and depict a pleasant dream, a light hearted philosophy of existence and nonexistence, and the illusory quality of human life.

Chuang Tzu was a saint in ancient times. One night, he had a dream of being a butterfly. Upon waking up, he was unable to tell whether the butterfly had had a dream about him or he had dreamed of the butterfly! Despite its humor, the story clearly conveys Chuang Tzu's concept that "All Beings are One." The inspiration of the saintly artist has been spontaneously transformed into a marvelous painting on an elegant and charming fan. Art admirers should be in great joy to have a chance to view this painting of "Chuang Tzu's Dream" depicted with magnificent strokes accented by thick, yet crystal clear colorful brush work, just like glittering pearls in the morning sunshine.

Fan Paintings By Supreme Master Ching Hai

Please refer to The Collection Of The Art Creations By Supreme Master Ching Hai, page 145

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Show Our Goodness

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

July 26, 1996 (Originally In English)

If we use our creative thinking and our creative energy for good purposes, then the world will go up and up and up, in all kinds of developments and all kinds of benefits. If we use them in a lower way, then we also create a very, very big kind of negative force that can destroy humankind or the planet. That's why we have a lot of atom bombs and wars that kill millions of people, a lot of very terrible chemical and germ warfare weapons, which also create a lot of suffering for humankind and other living beings as a whole. Some human beings prefer to use their genius in that way. It's a pity, but the world is like this.

So it's not that we come here and try to expect that everyone becomes as good as God, or an angel, or ourselves. But our purpose is to show how good we are. That's all, and nothing else in return. That's our duty. We always have to show how good we are; that's it, not to wait for other people to show how good they are. Whatever they are, they are. To fulfill our purpose, our duty, and for our own good, we always have to show that we are good. That's the part that we must develop. And that's the only choice we have if we want to go back to the Kingdom of God and be God-like, or return to be one with God. If that's our purpose, we must always be good, be noble and disregard how other people choose to represent themselves at any moment in our lives, or our encounters.

Now you understand why the world is like this, because of the choices that people have made and the choices that we made in our past lives, too. Some of the choices we didn't make, by being indecisive, also caused trouble. If we see something good, and we have the urge inside to change, and we don't do it, that also creates bad karma. We also have to partake in the consequences of that, of our indecisiveness, of our weakness, when we see good things, we see the things that we should defend, that we should change, and we don't, or we did not. So it's not only our actions that bring consequences. Our inaction also brings consequences. Anything in this world, whatever you think, wherever you walk, you breathe, you turn around, you talk, everything brings some result, bad or good, depending on how you think, how you react, or how you talk.

So we have to always be good, think good thoughts, and speak good words, so that the consequences in the future will be good, or at least less bad or neutral. That's why we always have to recite the holy names. They sort of remind ourselves of this holy and higher qualities of creation, until we became one with God or go back to the master's house. We need to be masters of ourselves. That is the place where we can feel eternal happiness. Because we already know ourselves for what we are, we have no need to make trouble and create bad things again. When we have finished our journey, our realization, finished the experimenting process, then we become masters. Then we know everything. v

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Report From Texas, U.S.A.

The 1998 Austin Whole

Life Expo

[Austin] Disciples from all over Texas participated in the 1998 Whole Life Expo in Austin. There were thousands of people representing all kinds of spiritual backgrounds and endeavors. As the sample booklets and News magazines were being distributed to the visitors, the initiates were very surprised to discover that many of them had heard of Master already and had even seen Her lectures which have been frequently broadcasted on the public television station. One man said that watching Master's videos on TV is one of his favorite things to do. Another man said, "She is so true it is not even funny." Consequently, many of those sincere truth-seekers took this good opportunity to request the initiation.

The Texas initiates also promoted Master's teachings on vegetarianism by providing lots of vegetarian food for the public. There were people standing in a long line just for a taste, and the initiates couldn't cook fast enough to meet the demand. Then, one of the organizers of the Expo said how much she loved our food and how it made her feel so good, and it drew even more people to our booth.

On the last day, the disciples stayed at the Expo until almost all the other booths had closed. A man who was walking out the door ran back and asked for a sample booklet. It was the very last one, as if they had been counted in advance. Everyone went home feeling closer to Master after doing Her work, and knowing that She had reached everyone who was ready. v

Report From U.K.

Pure Sound Heard At

The Body, Mind and Spirit International Festival

[Manchester] Fellow initiates from the Manchester Center participated in the annual Body, Mind and Spirit International Festival held at the G. Mex Center in Manchester, England from September 11 to 13, 1998. The initiates, participating under the name of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, were the only group offering teachings on enlightenment and liberation. Most other booths focused on spiritual healing.

The sound from Master's videotaped lectures flowed through the exhibition venue like a stream of pure water. Many visitors stopped to watch the tapes, asking initiates about Master's teachings and requesting the local contact telephone number. They showed great interest in the experiences of initiates who practice the Quan Yin Method. Visitors left the booth carrying printed and audiovisual publications about Master and Her teachings, together with the best wishes of the initiates that they would soon begin their homeward journey.

A videotape showing a divine array of dazzling Celestial Clothing also attracted many people. Visitors complimented Master's talents, indicating that never before had they seen such perfect balance between spiritual practice and outer accomplishment. v

Report From Canada

Montreal Center Hosts Seminars

[Montreal] The new Center in Montreal recently sponsored three seminars to share Master's teachings with the public, two in Au Lac language and one in Chinese. The seminar commenced with a guided tour of the Center, where Master's artistic creations were introduced to guests, and initiates volunteered explanations of pictures portraying the worldwide activities of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association. Meanwhile, the kitchen staff prepared a diverse variety of vegetarian delicacies and drinks that were served at a buffet following the seminar.

Under Master's guidance, Truth-aspirants gathered to listen to Her teachings. Several attendees of the Au Lacese seminar also showed up at the Chinese seminar, some with their friends, which indicated their interest in Master's teachings and in watching Her videotaped lectures. In the positive atmosphere that enveloped the seminar, several guests asked to learn the Convenient Method of meditation and purchased Master's publications for more in-depth reading at home.

The Montreal Center is presently preparing for a seminar for Westerners. Through giving these seminars, initiates have learned how to improve their teamwork and help each other progress faster and grow stronger on the spiritual path. v

Report From Formosa

A Trip For Love And Life

[Ilan] Ilan fellow practitioners and their families recently participated in a cool, refreshing recreational activity to chase away the sweltering summer heat. The initiates went on a picnic in Wulaokeng, where they played in the water and shared in the fun of water activities and games. This enjoyable outing was intended to provide relaxation in a beautiful, natural environment and to bring participants in harmony with nature, thus contributing significantly to their work and spiritual practice, while also bringing families closer together. v

Seminars of Master's teachings presented through the videotaped lectures have helped many find the true meaning of life.

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Fellow initiates in Moscow, Russia celebrate the Moon Festival in a toast to Master.

God's little children in front of Master's poster.

Master has delightful surprises for Her big and small children.

In Hawaii, all initiates get set for the Moon Festival celebrations for the children.

In Austin, Texas, adults join the children as they form a circle around the local Center each carrying a brightly lit lantern.

In the state of Minnesota, dazzling smiles light up the faces of the children.

With lanterns in hand, the Dallas children celebrate the festival.

With a lantern, moon cakes and red envelopes of lucky money, Costa Rica's fellow initiates and children cheer and enjoy a romantic oriental festival.

In Sydney, Australia, the initiates go moon-gazing by camping outdoors.

Pusan initiates celebrate the Moon Festival with little children from an orphanage.

Seoul - The energy, innocence, and purity of the small children in Seoul, Korea brighten up a joyful and heavenly time for the adults.

Laughter and songs beside a campfire provide fellow initiates in Taejon, Korea with a beautiful Moon festival night.

Fellow practitioners in Malaysia invite children from orphanages and destitute families to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together with them.

Children play games with their parents at the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration.

Macau fellow practitioners and their children celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Master's Loving Arrangement For A Happy Moon Festival For Children

The Moon Of This Mid-Autumn Festival Is Especially Full

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the three biggest festivals celebrated by the oriental people throughout the world. During this festival time, Master particularly instructed every Center around the world to prepare cookies, candies, toys and basic necessities as Moon Festival gifts for the children of fellow initiates and guests who come to Centers. In addition, an extra small amount of pocket money (US$10 or NT$400) was to be given to the children of less fortunate families. With all of us sharing a lot of love at this time, an atmosphere of warmth and joy will most certainly be kindled throughout the world.

Moscow, Russia

(Originally In Russian)

Dear revered Master, I am one of Your new disciples and my name is Anatoli. I am very happy to have received Your blessing, which not only helps the cultivation of my soul, but also helps to satisfy many of my family's material needs!

My daughter and I received many gifts at the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, and felt really blessed. We are extremely grateful to You, Master. I sincerely send You my best wishes, and hope that You will visit Russia in the near future.

Montreal, Canada

(Originally In English)

The celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival was a delightful surprise for all the big and small fellow initiates of the Montreal Center! While packing candies and sweets into individual bags, and making decorations, we felt joyful like small children, smiling when thinking about the delighted faces of the big and small children when they would arrive the next day for group meditation and see this unexpected addition of the Center.

On Sunday morning, laughter had already started to bring a festive atmosphere to the Montreal Center when we watched the video tape on the celebration of the Moon Festival in Hsihu, Formosa. The celebrations began after the group meditation ended. It was the children who were the distinguished guests of the party as they seemed to be larger in number than the adults. They ran around everywhere in the venue, all very impatiently waiting for their turn to receive red envelopes (containing lucky money), toys, cakes and candies from Master. When their turns came, the children chose the toys they liked, and returned with their arms full of loving gifts. They immediately opened and showed their new toys to daddy, mommy and their new friends. Those children who could not come that day did not know that a surprise would be waiting for them, their parents came up to receive Master's gifts for them under the thundering applause of other initiates.

San Diego, CA, U.S.A.

(Originally In English)

After the weekly group meditation, fellow practitioners worked hard in cooperating to prepare for the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration. While some fellow practitioners were busy preparing gifts, some waited at the entrance to welcome guests, and others prepared food and drinks. The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations were about to begin! Fellow initiates' relatives and children came with smiles on their faces. Never before had the Center witnessed such a large crowd of children. Everyone got a gift. During lunch, fellow practitioners enjoyed talking and laughing with each other, and opened their gifts of toys to play with their friends. All of them had a great time!

Hawaii, U.S.A.

(Originally In English)

Fellow initiates of the Hawaii Center finished preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration within a very short time, after which they brought their families to enjoy the love, laughter and fellowship at the event. The children were delighted to have their favorite sweets, treats and toys that had been especially prepared for them. Everyone enjoyed a delicious vegetarian lunch with an array of beautiful fresh fruit and vegetarian moon cakes that enhanced the festive mood. Through Master's compassion, love and thoughtfulness, all Her children, young and old, enjoyed each other's friendship and love.

Minnesota, USA

(Originally In English)

Thanks Master for the blessing food and toys that You provided. The sisters, brothers and children in the Minnesota Center all had a very good time. We all also thank You for Your thoughtfulness and love.

We are sending You a photo of all Your happy-face children in Minnesota, with all our love.

Austin, TX, USA

(Originally In the Au Lac Language)

Due to Master's wonderful blessing power, this year's Moon Festival at the Austin Center was a great success. After enjoying pure and delicious vegetarian food and moon festival music, all the Center's children and adults were given lanterns in various shapes and bags of candy, and asked to line up and display their lanterns. The children's faces lit up with joy as they walked around the Center with their lanterns, talking endlessly to each other.

Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.

(Originally In English)

Centered on the theme "Celebration for the Children," a party was held for both half-initiated and non-initiated children to mark the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival. During the party, each child lit a traditional lantern in tribute to the Mid-Autumn festivities. The children played together and celebrated in a very blissful manner under the blessing of our Master. The only thing more beautiful than the glow of the lanterns was the warm, soft spiritual glow emanating from each tiny, beautiful face.

Costa Rica

(Originally In Spanish)

For those of us who live in the Western Hemisphere, the Moon Festival celebration activities were something new and very interesting. We are very glad to have had this opportunity to gather together, and share the blessings and good fortune bestowed by Master. Everyone got a red envelope (containing lucky money) according to the oriental custom. Also, we shared a special moon cake dessert prepared by Chinese fellow initiates especially for this occasion, and then watched the bright moon above us.

Seizing this opportunity, initiates cut a red ribbon to inaugurate the newly relocated Costa Rica Center. Amid the playing of Master's audio taped music, we all felt joyful, friendly, peaceful and united at this spiritual family meeting.

Joy abounded among the children. They received balloons, toys, candy and cookies, and were the ones who most enjoyed this special occasion. As for the children of poor families and orphanages, fellow initiates brought them toys, envelopes with money, and food packages.

Sydney, Australia

(Originally In Au Lacese)

In New South Wales of Australia, the Mid-Autumn Festival this year fell on the same day as Labor Day, a public holiday in Australia. Fellow initiates organized a three-day camping activity at the Bents Basin Park, where they were joined by fellow practitioners from other states. At the camp ground, they held regular meditation sessions, but most of the time, they were free to enjoy all kinds of activities including a barbecue, singing, and swimming in the river. Each child received a gift packet of candies, biscuits and a lantern. All the participants sang joyously and blissfully around the campfire .

Perth, Australia

(Originally In English)

To our dearest, darling and romantic Master,

Thank You very much for giving us a wonderful present, that is, our recent Moon Festival Celebration. Everyone enjoyed it, especially the children. They were very happy to receive the lanterns, books, stationeries that were especially prepared for them. When we had the beautiful and nutritious moon cakes, we could not help thinking of You and missing You, though we knew that You were with us spiritually there and then.

Auckland, New Zealand

The Auckland Center received Master's loving directive the night before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Fellow initiates immediately went to purchase assorted gifts, and many of them spent the night preparing moon cakes and sumptuous snacks for the occasion to be held on the following day. Their efforts were meant to ensure that the children of the Quan Yin family could savor the love of their merciful Mother.

The celebration fell on the monthly one-day retreat held at the Auckland Center. After the meditation, many fellow practitioners from other places came to rejoice in the occasion with us. The Center was filled with joy. Children came one after another to receive the gifts prepared for them, and their joy was written on their faces. What made us especially feel Master's immaculate love was the extra pocket money that She had arranged for the children from less fortunate families.

Like blooming flowers, each child burst into radiant laughter, while the newly initiated brothers and sisters took this precious opportunity to exchange insights and ideas.

Surabaya, Indonesia

(Originally In English)

Marvelous Master continuously pours Her love on us. After receiving Her instruction, motherly love, we happily prepared sweets, jellies, biscuits, fruit, moon cakes, and toys for the children who would come to the Mid-Autumn Festival. Many new initiates took part in packing the gifts. A dinner was held at the Supreme Master Ching Hai Vegetarian House. Many children came to celebrate, feeling very happy and exulted to receive cute toys and pocket money from Master. They were very grateful for Master's love and concern for them.

When some of the fellow initiates and guests knew that the event was arranged specially by Master, all were very touched and said: "Master really loves the fellow initiates"

Seoul, Korea

(Originally In English)

The first special party organized for youngsters by the Seoul Center in celebration of the Moon Festival attracted many children of initiate and non-initiate parents to the S.M. Vegetarian Buffet Restaurant. Many enjoyable games were arranged for the evening and the children innocently showed off their talents in many respects, their cute and lively spirit drawing bursts of laughter from all those present. While both parents and children enjoyed the party, they also thanked Master sincerely for arranging such a wonderful gathering. The event was indeed a "heavenly time" with the little angels.

Pusan, Korea

(Originally In English)

On the day after we received Master's fax instructions, we happened to make a regular visit to an orphanage on the outskirts of Pusan. In our conversation with the director of the orphanage, we learned that no activities had been arranged for the children on the day of the Moon Festival. Thus, we invited them to join in our celebration. To this, the director responded happily, "These children have been very curious about our Center and have been eager to visit it with me when I go for group meditation. Their longtime desire is about to come true and I am very happy for them."

When these young guests arrived at the Center on the day of the Moon Festival celebration, they first watched some performances videotaped during a retreat before enjoying a wonderful dinner with fellow practitioners. After the dinner, fellow practitioners put on a show to entertain everyone. The children and guests received gifts prepared in advance, and some of the children bowed before Master's picture as a token of gratitude. On the way back to the orphanage, a twelve-year-old girl said, "I will be a vegetarian from now on." Fellow practitioners and their families stayed on at the Center, sipping tea and watching the moon, enjoying the wonderful moonlit night arranged by Master.

Taejon, Korea

(Originally In English)

The Mid-Autumn Festival celebration party was held at an initiate's house set in a beautiful, scenic rural area. On that day, initiates who had time came to the venue early to prepare a barbecue party and vegetarian food. More brothers and sisters arrived later with their children. Each child received special gifts loaded with Master's love. We sat around a campfire, shared food, and set off firecrackers, which elated us to no end. We had a wonderful time with our children singing songs together. Late at night, we said good bye to each other under the golden light of the full moon, and then headed home carrying Master's love with us.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

(Originally In English)

Apart from fellow initiates' children, we also invited children from orphanages and destitute families to celebrate the Mid-Autumn. The children all were very excited about the toys and gifts in great variety, displayed on the stage. They were very happy and had a good time together watching one of Master's video programs. The whole venue was cheery and lively.

When the festival ended, some felt that it was over too soon and expressed their wish to participate in future festivities. Thank You, Master, for giving us a memorable Mid-Autumn Festival and an opportunity to learn to give and share the love of God with others.

Singapore

(Originally In English)

The Singapore Center celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival this year in the form of a family day. Two chalets near the sea provided the venue for the activity. They were decorated with beautiful balloons and lanterns that enhanced the festive mood of the occasion. Knowing that Master had instructed that gifts and pocket money be prepared for the children, they were all excited. Fellow practitioners and their family members arrived at the venue late in the afternoon. Awaiting them were lots of yummy vegetarian delicacies and moon cakes. Everyone enjoyed the food very much. At sunset, the true fun began.

Adults and children gathered in front of the chalets and started to play games. These included Chinese and English riddles, musical chairs, and some games designed for parents to play together with their children. When the games were over, we started to distribute Master's presents to each child. The gift pack included toys, stationery, sweets and a lantern. All the children were very happy to receive the gifts. With lanterns in hand they marched around the big field, while some of them played with sparklers and raced around with their friends.

The evening ended on a happy note when balloons were distributed to the children to take home. After that, all of us went home in bliss.

Hong Kong

Together with their children, fellow practitioners in Hong Kong joyously decorated the Tian Shan Center with beautiful balloons and streamers to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. A pure and lovely atmosphere pervaded the Center. Family members of fellow practitioners were also invited to the Center to share Master's love. When the young fellow initiates and guests received Master's gifts, they held onto them tightly and would not let go. One of them happily announced, "Finally I have a new pencil box." Master surely knows what is in the children's minds; that was indeed the happiest day of the year for the children.

Macau

The Macau Center held its Mid-Autumn Festival celebration on Sunday evening. It was raining, but in a serene and blissful atmosphere, everyone enjoyed delicious festive food while watching Master's lecture videos. Especially excited were the children, who attentively opened their special gifts blessed by Master's love. Both adults and children had a peaceful and happy evening.

Formosa

Many children were very excited when it was announced at the group meditation that gifts from Master would be presented to them in Hsihu on Sunday. Very early that Sunday, the children anxiously urged their parents to take them to Hsihu; apart from their anticipation, they were also permeated with Master's sweet love. Especially happy were those parents with newborn babies, who looked forward to receiving a symbolic and auspicious gift for the babies born in the Year of the Tiger.

Normally, many fellow initiates cannot join the major group meditation at Hsihu on Sundays because they have to look after their children. However, that Sunday was an exception; the disciples all brought their children "home" for the occasion. Nearly two thousand children gathered at Hsihu Center, which reverberated with innocent laughter. It was a noisy but delightful sight! Some children were specially dressed in traditional Chinese costumes. The Center was decorated with colorful balloons, and sitting under a tree was a big statue of the legendary Jade Rabbit believed to be in the moon. Immediately it became the main attraction of all the children who had great fun playing around it.

After lunch, the children wasted no time queuing up in excitement. Each received a big package of delicious candies and biscuits, as well as toys, stationery and books commensurate with their age. Children from families that were not so wealthy received extra pocket money from Master. It has been a very long time since the Formosan children last saw Master. Therefore, they especially cherished the gifts they received from Her. Their innocent faces could hardly conceal their joy and gratitude! t

A mountain of candies, biscuits and gifts, yet not as great as Master's love for the children.

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The King Who Became

A Farmer

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Pingtung Cultural Center, Formosa

January 30, 1988 (Originally In Chinese)

In ancient India, a king went to pay his respects to a saint - a genuine and omnipresent saint practicing the Quan Yin Method. He had heard from many people that by seeing a living saint, one could receive immense blessings and benefits, and the karma accumulated through many lifetimes could be changed completely. When the king went to the saint, he asked, "I've heard that my karma can be changed very quickly by seeing a saint. How is this done? What benefits can I derive from seeing you?" The saint answered him briefly, "As you sow, so shall you reap." Then he sent the king back to his palace.

The king was very disappointed. He had heard that one could derive great blessings and benefits from seeing a living saint, but all he got was this short reply, "As you sow, so shall you reap." He thought, "I already knew this. So what good was there in visiting him?" He was frustrated. His country had received a bad reputation and he had hoped to see improvements after his meeting with the saint. He had never dreamt that the saint would only offer him these few words . Feeling bored, he left the palace and went out hunting. He got lost deep in the mountains while pursuing a rabbit. Overcome by exhaustion, he lay down for a rest.

In his sleep, he dreamt that he was a poor farmer. There was a famine and the village had run out of food. He had a dozen children, a wife and his parents to feed, but he was so poor that he didn't have any food left. In desperation, he went out searching for food. He saw some sour fruit on a tree and attempted to climb the tree to get some. But he was so weak that he fell from the tree before he had plucked any fruit. The fall woke the king from his dream. He found himself lying under that very tree, his clothes covered with dirt. He became even more frustrated. "I have gained nothing from my visit to that saint today; and now I have this strange dream. I had better not see him again!"

The king was alone, having lost his way and been separated from his entourage. He had awoken from his dream feeling hungry. He got on his horse to go and look for food. As he came to a village, a large crowd rushed towards him yelling, "So here you are! We've been looking for you all over. Where have you been hiding? Your family is starving to death. You were supposed to go and find food, but you hid yourself. Instead of bringing food for your family; you have stolen these handsome clothes and this horse. Why have you suddenly become so wicked?"

The king was perplexed. "What is wrong with all of you? I am the king!" Of course, no one believed him. "How dare you speak such nonsense and call yourself the king?" The crowd dragged him into the village, reprimanding him all the while, "Your parents, your wife and your many children are here starving, and you claim to be the king. You are really talking nonsense!" Thinking that he was dazed, the villagers beat and admonished him. There was no way the king could convince them.

In the nick of time, his entourage arrived, as did the saint. The king quickly entreated, "Oh, saint, what is this all about? These people insist that I am this woman's husband and that these are my children." The king was terrified by the sight of what was allegedly his large group of children. The saint explained, "As I have said, "As you sow, so shall you reap." The king still did not understand. He pleaded with the saint to elaborate further. "It was your fate that you should be a hungry farmer for sixty years, and be obliged to feed your parents, wife and children," said the saint. "However, because you came to see me today, I have turned your predestined karma into a dream lasting five to ten minutes. This is what has happened." The king nodded, "Now I understand." The villagers also understood and comforted the farmer's family, "He should have been your husband, but his fate was changed; he has become the king even though he looks very much like the farmer."

A fully enlightened saint is capable of changing the whole universe; there is nothing that he cannot change. You must have read in the scriptures that a fully enlightened saint can reduce the size of the universe until it is small enough to be put in a pore of his skin. Have you heard this before? Maudgalyayana was only an arhat (a liberated saint), yet he could make two countries so small that they could fit into his alms bowl. A fully enlightened saint can change fate. He can easily put the whole universe in his heart without anyone knowing where it is. None of the myriad beings in the whole of Creation are aware that they are in a pore of the skin of a fully enlightened saint. This goes to show that a fully enlightened saint has inconceivable power. t

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Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai

Tainan, Formosa

January 12, 1989

(Originally In Chinese)

Building Courage And Rising Above Obstacles

Q: Every time after I have meditated for a while, I want to stand up. I cannot continue to meditate, because I feel a power pulling me up.

M: What power? (Laughter) You don't blame your own laziness, but you blame an outside power. You always blame ghosts, Maya, foxes, rats or cats. You do not think whether it is your own problem. Well! (Master sighs.) If we practice diligently, we will eventually have inner experiences, but we must truly be diligent and not blame negative powers for disturbing or pulling us away. Actually, there is no power pulling us away except our weakness. Even if Maya bothers us, it is all because we are afraid of it.

There is an Au Lac saying, "When Maya wants to trouble you, it will look at your face first." This means that it will see whether you are fierce and courageous or not. If not, Maya will bother you. If it sees that you are more fierce than it is, it will not dare to bother you.

In "The Journey To The West," when the king of hell wanted to take the Monkey King to hell, he arrogantly said to the Monkey King, "Ha! Ha! Ha! I am the king of hell!" However, when he was defeated, he kowtowed to the Monkey King, saying, "Oh! Your Greatness! Please spare my life! Please spare my life!" (Laughter) We should be like the Monkey King. If we are too weak, we will be intimidated by Maya. If we are always afraid of Maya's power, it will come to us, because we are actually expecting it to come. Otherwise, what power in the world comes to you only but not to others?

Therefore, when we encounter obstacles, we should not be bothered. Even when we feel a negative power, we should continue with our meditation. If we cannot meditate, get up and walk around for awhile and then try again to meditate. While reciting the Holy Names and praying to the inner Master for help, we continue to meditate and see what the negative power can do to us. (Applause)

We should be positive, optimistic and courageous and then this will become our habit, because everything is created by the mind. If we lack self-confidence and courage, we will feel scared even when a rat moves; we will imagine that it is a horrible thing or that Maya or some power has come. But it may actually be just a rat. So don't be afraid of anything. t

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai Tianshan Center, Hong Kong

October 1, 1993

(Originally In Chinese)

Getting Used To The Higher Vibrations

Q: Master, just now when I was meditating on the sound, my whole body vibrated vigorously. (And then?) I was sitting on this rock; I toppled and fell down, and then woke up. (Do you feel comfortable?) I'm feeling very comfortable. I had a headache yesterday, but now it has gone.

M: Sometimes, the vibration is stronger than we are, so we cannot get used to it. The moment we get used to it, we become stronger than it. Then we will feel very natural. It is as though a person has been starving for a long time, not having enough to eat, and suffering from malnutrition. If he is suddenly given a lot of food, he may swallow too fast, resulting in indigestion. That is why we have to meditate seriously and regularly. When we have gotten used to meditating for a longer time, it will become a very ordinary practice; and we won't even be aware that we are meditating.

Why does a baby cry when he is born? In the mother's womb, he was immersed in water like a fish. When he suddenly emerges into our world, his skin gets in touch with the air for the first time and he has to begin breathing with his lungs. Therefore, it hurts and is very uncomfortable all over; that's why he cries. As he cries, he has to use his lungs, and then he will get used to our world. He now understands that there is no more water, that it has been replaced by air. He will get used to it slowly.

Our spiritual practice is similar to the situation of the baby. As we practice more diligently, we will get used to the higher vibrations. These vibrations are much higher than ours and that is why we are unaccustomed to them. A newborn baby also cannot get used to our comfortable and free living environment; instead, he is accustomed to the dark and confined environment in his mother's womb. Therefore, when he is just born, he feels scared and unsafe, as if he has lost everything.

Similarly, it is not difficult for us to be liberated; the only problem is that we have to get used to the free and liberated state. When we eventually get accustomed to it, we will not want to come back to this bodily prison again. Sometimes in meditation, we enter deep samadhi and go to very high dimensions; we feel absolutely free and unrestricted. However, because of our unpaid karma and unfulfilled obligations, and the fact that we still have lessons to learn in this world, we have to come back to this physical body. The moment we are drawn back, we feel extremely frustrated and agonized; the feeling is so bad that we may cry.

There are difficult moments on our spiritual path. When karmic hindrances come, we really have to exert our greatest effort to overcome them. Suppose a baby refuses to go out because he has lingering feelings for the safety of his mother's womb. Would it be good for him? Though the environment is more familiar, safe, comfortable and warm, he cannot grow in there! He will only make trouble for himself and his mother. Therefore, he had better go out when it is time to be born.

During the process of delivery, the baby has to squeeze through the narrow and bony places in his mother's body, which can be quite painful. It is as though his head has to squeeze through two stone gates and is going to split open; it is really difficult. So you see, even such a tiny baby must make the breakthrough when the time comes. Originally, he lives like a fish in his mother's womb where there is no air, no sunshine and no material contact. After he is born, he has to live in a totally different world where everything is just the opposite! Anyway, it is good for him to force the exit; it may be uncomfortable outside, but it is still better than hiding inside indefinitely, because it is not his permanent abode in there.

In spiritual practice, we may sometimes encounter obstacles; we may feel very exhausted and want to quit. There are also times when we are battered hard by our karmic hindrances. However, we ought to stand up again, because we are human beings! We ought to be brave, and act like a hero! We just cannot lower our heads and surrender to the situation every time or give in to our insignificant obstacles.

Yesterday I read you the story "The Journey to the West". The first part of the book describes a group of monkeys, some old, some young, some very clever and so on. However, none of them dared to go beyond the waterfall just because they dreaded getting wet. What they didn't know was that there was a paradise behind the waterfall - a very beautiful cave. Whoever went in could live in that brilliant and comfortable cave. Being adults, if we fail to constantly think about making breakthroughs, then we are weaker than babies! Where can we put our pride then? Therefore, remember that we must not lose to the babies, as they are also very brave! t

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Humorous Wisdom

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu Center, Formosa

July 29, 1989

(Originally In Chinese)

Who Is At Fault?

Once a person found a mirror lying on the road. Picking it up, she looked at it and sighed, "Ah!" She said to the mirror, "You are so ugly! No wonder someone threw you away!"

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My Experiences of Xian Tao

(The Way of the Saints)

By Kim Tae-Young

Published by

Yoolim Press,

Korea 1997.11.10

/ First Edition

(Originally In Korean)

The Supreme Master Ching Hai

And

The Quan Yin Method

The following is an excerpt from Volume 37 of the truth-seeking novel series, "My Experiences of Xian Tao," by Kim Tae-Young. The author is a journalist-turned novelist, who worked for 23 years at The Korea Times and The Korea Herald, Korea's major English newspapers. He has won three prizes for literature from such organizations as the monthly literary magazine, Hankook Moonhak; the Samsung Art Foundation; and the MBC Broadcasting System. He is a spiritual practitioner of Sam Gong Xian Tao, which includes three way of practicing: body, mind and Chi, that was created by himself. He has a large number of students following his meditation practice; and he and some of his students also practice the Convenient Method of meditation taught by Master, and follow Her teachings.

Volume 42 of Kim Tae-Young's, "My Experience of Xian Tao," was published September 15, 1998. Mr. Kim has also written several other novels, including "The Peoples' Army Soldier," "The Restoration," "The Ancient History of the Handan" and "The Dan Koon."

The following are questions and answers between Mr. Kim Tae-Young and his student Mr. Woo Chang-Seock (referred to below as K and W respectively).

W: I nearly understand the meaning of Quan Chi (concentrating on Chi) and Quan Nian, (observing conceptions) but Quan Yin is a bit unfamiliar to me. Can you tell me about the Quan Yin Method?

K: Quan Yin signifies the practice of observing sound in the literal sense. It is not the crude vibratory sound of matter we hear from the outside, but the deepest inner sound heard from the real self and the Truth.

W: What is the benefit of contemplating the inner sound?

K: Shakyamuni Buddha said in the Surangama sutra that the Quan Yin Method is the highest method, and that we can be liberated from life and death by practicing it. In this way, contemplating the inner sound leads us to an even higher state of consciousness and, at last, attainment of enlightenment.

W: What do you think is the essence of the Quan Yin Method taught by Supreme Master Ching Hai?

K: She allows anyone who promises to keep the five precepts and to meditate two and half an hours a day for the rest of their lives to receive initiation. The five precepts are "Not to take the life of sentient beings, 'No Stealing', 'No Adultery', 'No Lying' and 'No use of intoxicants'." A special thing is that She provides spiritual transmission. So, it is likely that the books are named The Key of Immediate Enlightenment because of this fact.

W: Do you believe it?

K: At first, I didn't believe it, but I do now.

W: I can't possibly believe that She can give spiritual transmission. What made you say that so confidently?

K: Because when I read Her books, I continuously felt a unique atmosphere and strong vibrations from Her. I knew that it was the 'sound currents' She described. Actually, I heard the sound currents before I knew about Supreme Master Ching Hai and the Quan Yin Method.

W: You mean the inner sound?

K: It was 12 years ago that I began to practice Xian Tao. At that time, I was deeply absorbed in Xian Tao, and didn't even want to know why the sound was heard. Sometimes, it sounded like a cricket singing or the shrill chirp of a locust. Also, it was like the sound of waves, wind and huge waterfalls. The sounds got louder and louder.

I was afraid I had some problem in my ears, so I consulted a famous doctor at an ear, eye, nose and throat hospital near the newspaper that I worked for. But the otolaryngologist said I was okay and had no problem inside. "How could there be nothing wrong?" I complained to him, when such a loud noise kept ringing in my ears. Including his father and grandfather, three generations of his family had become otolaryngologists, and he was very famous. He kept poking in my ears with medical instruments as if he had lost his face and gotten embarrassed. The only thing that came out was earwax.

No matter how many times I cleaned my ears, the strange sounds would not go away. I went to the hospital the next day and the day afterward. But I only had inflammation due to irritating the ears from trying to clean them and the sound would not lessen in the least. So, I gave up going to the hospital. Since then, I have not been able to find anyone who knows about the strange sounds.

I continued to observe the sound. It seemed like it was not from in my ears but from a deeper part of the brain. At first it was strange to me. But, after I got used to it, I didn't care anymore.

In the meantime, I read a story about the Quan Yin Method in the book, "Message," by Park Sang-Cheon. I've already cited the part, but it was just knowledge. Since he didn't present any systematic method like Supreme Master Ching Hai, my interest was not aroused. I involved myself more with the three ways of practicing: Zhi Gan (practice mind), Tiao Xi (practice Chi Kung) and Jin Chu (practice body).

Meanwhile, one of my close disciples brought me five books of "The Key of Immediate Enlightenment". He had borrowed them from a friend of his who worked in the Supreme Master Ching Hai Center. The title was very unusual to me.

I could not agree with the title, The Key of Immediate Enlightenment. I thought our realization of the Truth would start to sprout only after we have let go of selfishness and worldly desire. So I wondered how The Key of Immediate Enlightenment could exist. Besides, I had too many books to read already. Not until a month after my disciple brought the books did I open the pages because of an attraction by a strange force. I became absorbed in the books immediately.

Reading Her book, I came to realize that the strange sounds were the sound currents She had described. That assured me that the very sounds I heard were the sound of Brahman, the sound of sea waves and the sounds of the extraordinary worlds mentioned in the chapter on the Quan Yin Bodhisattva! I found an answer in Her book that no one else could give!

W: I don't know what to say, because I haven't heard it. What in the world makes you think the sound is so precious?

K: Just as it is very important for us in practicing Chi Kung to feel the Chi, success in the Quan Yin Method depends on the experience of sound currents. I mean it is the basic condition for the Quan Yin practitioner to experience the sound currents.

Supreme Master Ching Hai explains repeatedly what the sound currents are in Her books. All things in nature are made up of sound waves, including the milky way, the solar system and the Earth. The essence of minerals, animals and plants is all sound wave. This sound is the very essence that composes all of nature.

Actually, the beginning of the Book of John in the Bible says:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by Hirm; and without Hirm was not any thing made that was made. In Hirm was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

'Word' in the above sentence means the sound that the Quan Yin Method refers to, because the Word originated from sound. Therefore, the source of all things is the 'sound'. We can find a similar saying in the Tao Teh King:

The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The Name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name. Conceived as having no Name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; conceived of as having a Name, it is the Mother of all things. Always without desire we must be found, if its deep mystery we would sound; but if desire always within us be, its outer fringe is all that we shall see. Considering these two aspects, they are really the same; but in the course of development, they receives different names. Together we call them the Mystery. Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful.

In this quotation, 'Name' means the sound because phonemes are necessary to pronounce the 'Name'. Only when sound exists do 'Word', 'Name', and light come into being. Such original sound, which created the Universe, is the sound of the Truth, God and the Buddha nature.

Since the Buddha nature/God is within us, it's a natural principle that the sound of the Truth flows all throughout our body. The Quan Yin Method is a practice that focuses on the Truth within us by the constant contemplation of the sound. By the way, the sound currents are written of not only in the Bible and Tao Teh Jing, but also in the ancient Korean sutra, San Yi Shen Gao.

W: In which part of the sutra?

K: They appear in the second chapter, 'Shen Xun' (God's Teachings) Here is the translation:

God is in the highest position in the Universe. With Hiers great virtue, wisdom, and power, Hes created heaven, ruled every place, and made all things in nature. But, Hes didn't pass over anything in the slightest degree. Hes is so full of light, so sacred that we dare not name Hirm. If we pray with sound-Chi, Hes will appear without fail. We should search for Hirm only through the real self, because Hes descends to the wisdom center.

The sentence in question is "If we pray with the sound-Chi, Hes will appear without fail." Praying with the sound-Chi means practicing Quan Yin meditation. We know that all things in nature consist of energy, that is, Chi.

The essence of matter is small particles. Modern physics concludes that it is neither matter nor non-matter; it's just energy waves. This energy transforms itself into sound, heat, light, word and any other phenomena according to necessity. With this, we know that our ancestors practiced the Quan Yin Method 10,000 years ago. They practiced a method for liberation even before the Shakyamuni Buddha's age. It seems that Chi Kung was developed into the Quan Yin Method later. Shakyamuni Buddha had a good reason to say in the Surangama sutra that the Quan Yin Method is the highest method, and we can attain liberation from life and death by practicing it.

W: I understand the Quan Yin Method to some extent. But, I have had no actual experience yet, because I have neither heard the sound currents like you, nor received spiritual transmission from Supreme Master Ching Hai.

K: It may be because you are either not ready to hear, or to receive it from Her.

W: How does one become ready to receive the experience of enlightenment?

K: After having the desire to practice, you should keep the five precepts.

W: Five precepts?

K: To keep the precepts is a must for practitioners. The five precepts are as follows. The first is 'No killing'. Second, 'No Stealing'. Third, 'No Adultery'. Fourth, 'No Lying'. Fifth, 'No use of intoxicants'. You may think that whoever wants to be liberated from life and death can keep the five precepts easily, but it's not the case.

W: Why?

K: It is said that it's the most difficult thing for young monks and priests to endure sexual desire. A still more difficult thing is 'No killing'.

W: What? Killing?

K:Right. Killing doesn't meanonly direct killing, hunting and fishing?

W: What is it then?

K: If you eat the meat other people killed, it is also a kind of killing. Of course, you didn't kill the animal with a gun or knife, but you definitely became an indirect killer. If no one buys meat to eat, butchers will not take the lives of animals, and if no one eats fish, fisherman will not catch fish. Therefore, as long as meat-eaters exist, killing will go on forever. Do you know what is the heaviest karma for human beings?

W: It is murder?

K: Murder is the worst crime, so the law gives the criminal the supreme punishment. Murder is not limited to the ordinary person only. Leaders of nations who kill people also receives the judgment from the law. The former president who was involved in the massacre in Kwang Ju went to jail.

As you see, though this society imposes severe punishments on murderers, it doesn't regard animal killers as major offenders according to the existing law. So, butchers and fisherman carry on their jobs, and also hunters and anglers freely enjoy their hobbies. But true aspirants who want to be liberated must not kill.

W: What is the range of killing?

K: Don't you know the range of killing?

W: Killing means taking the lives of any living things, doesn't it?

K: Absolutely.

W: If so, plants and grains are also living things, right?

K: Of course.

W: Then, if we eat plants and grains, is it also a kind of killing!?

K: That's right. As you continue to argue in that way, you know that it is a premise that people kill other living things. We can live without food for a few days, but without air we can live only for a few minutes.

Every human being relies on air to live. A number of microorganisms are living in the air. They are killed when we inhale air into our bodies. Besides, they get stuck on our clothes. When we use various detergents to wash clothes, it's unavoidable that they die. Microorganisms are living on our body, too. They die when we wash our hands or take a shower. Sometimes, microorganisms, bacteria and germs are killed while living in our organs.

However, these microorganisms and the plants we eat have very low consciousness, unlike animals. Especially, plants and grains hardly feel a sense of being killed when we pick them. Therefore, they bear no grudge against us. On the contrary, plants and grains want people to eat them.

W: Why is that?

K: By doing that, their species can be spread. How can a tree full of apples disperse its seeds, if people don't pick and eat the apples but instead just leave them there on the tree? The apples will fall on the ground and go bad. Even if the seeds on the ground sprout, there is no possibility of surviving, being overwhelmed by the much bigger, grown apple tree. But, if people eat them, the seeds will be dispersed to more distant places. Then, the seeds can fall and sprout on fertile soil where apple trees can grow. Because of this, they can be grateful to people rather than bear revenge.

Animals are different than they are. Not only ferocious animals such as monkeys, tigers, bears and foxes, but also domestic animals such as cows, horses, pigs, sheep, goats and dogs, run away as soon as people approach in order to slaughter them. Above all, a cow cries very sadly on the way to a slaughterhouse. I'm sure that it protests that people repay its lifetime of service in such a way. So do dogs, fowl and pigs. They are all filled with fear when they face death. Then, they bear a grudge against the human beings who kills them.

W: Nevertheless, human beings give food to groups of domestic animals like cows, horses, pigs and fowl. Don't you think, then, that they have every good reason to die for human beings?

K: That is a very selfish way of thinking. Originally, domestic animals lived in fields and on mountains with freedom as wild animals. It's not that they voluntarily became domestic animals but that people forced them to be after catching them. It had nothing do with their free will. They cannot help bearing a grudge, because they feel mortified not only to be tamed by force, but also killed by human beings.

At the time of death, the grudge returns to the people directly according to the law of cause and effect. Since you take another's life, you bear the karma of being killed by others someday. In this way, transmigration continues forever. That's why killing is prohibited by all of the high-level religions on Earth. Especially, practitioners must not kill! As long as we like to kill, we cannot be liberated from life and death. Moreover, there is every probability of being born as fierce animals that like to eat meat. In addition, we can understand how a meat diet does us harm if we do spiritual practice.

W: How can I know?

K: Try to meditate after you have killed an animal. You will never be able to do it.

W: Why is that?

K: The spirit of the animal killed by force won't forgive you. Actually, practitioners do not kill animals themselves. However, many practitioners still eat meat. You will know if you try to meditate or do the breathing method right after you have eaten a lot of beef or pork. You will not be able to breathe well because of the low vibrations and the impure energy given off by animal's meat.

In addition, a sensitive practitioner can feel that he is possessed by its spirit. He will feel like the middle Tan Tian (heart charkra) is clogged up by low energy, or the Bai Hui (crown chakra) is being suppressed as if something is covering it, or the spine gets stiff or physical discomfort overwhelms him. Anyway, his body and soul will be exhausted.

A practitioner, if his wisdom eye is opened, can see clearly that he is possessed by the animal's spirit, because he ate its meat. As you see, we know how much a meat diet obstructs our spiritual practice. If a practitioner wants to be liberated in this life, he should not eat meat.

W: Really?

K: If you take another's life, how can you expect your life not to be taken? Since the law of karma dominates this world, it is really a dream with no probability of being fulfilled. If you wish to be liberated on a meat diet, it is like wanting to go to London sitting in a plane bound for New York. It is as foolish as wanting to go to heaven sitting on a train to hell.

W: Now I know why the Supreme Master Ching Hai emphasizes strict vegetarianism to initiates.

K: Right. Among the five precepts, 'No killing' is the most difficult for practitioners to keep. Strict vegetarianism is the most obvious requirement of the Quan Yin Method.

W: What is the next requirement?

K: Two and half an hours a day of meditation after initiation, whatever may happen.

W: It may be quite difficult to spare two and half an hours a day.

K: It's probably difficult for laymen to meditate two and half an hours a day, but not very difficult for those who have practiced Chi Kung for a long time.

W: Why?

K: When a Chi Kung practitioner gets accustomed to the practice, the solar plexus works spontaneously without concentration, even while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. Similarly, after you get used to the Quan Yin Method, you can practice all day long.

W: Is that true?

K: Certainly, it is.

W: On the other hand, I know for a fact that the inner sound the Supreme Master Ching Hai describes is the same as the 'Word' in the Bible, and the 'Name' in the Tao Teh Jing. What does She say about the inner sound?

K: In the last part of The key of Immediate Enlightenment, 'Initiation', Supreme Master Ching Hai explains it as follows:

It vibrates within all life and sustains the whole universe. This inner melody can heal all wounds, fulfill all desires, and quench all worldly thirst. It is all-powerful and all love. It is because we are made of this sound, that contact with it brings peace and contentment to our hearts. After listening to this sound, our whole being changes, our entire outlook on life is greatly altered for the better.

People don't know what that means because they have had no experience of the inner sound, that is, sound currents; but it is the case. (To be continued in the next issue.) t

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The First Zen Patriarch - Mahakasyapa

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai

Hsintien, Formosa

July 5, 1987 (Originally In Chinese)

Mahakasyapa was the first Zen patriarch. Without his organized collection and compilation of the scriptures, we wouldn't have Buddhism today. Soon after Shakyamuni Buddha went into nirvana, Mahakasyapa gathered together the high-level disciples of the Buddha - the great saints - to compile scriptures for their fellow practitioners and the later generations. Mahakasyapa and Ananda have brought us immense benefits. For this, we are extremely grateful. So I think that it is appropriate to talk about the Zen patriarchs.

Mahakasyapa and Shakyamuni Buddha began pursuing spiritual practice at about the same time. Mahakasyapa was of Brahman descent. The Indian people were divided into four classes - the Brahmans, the royal families or saints, at the upper end; and slaves or labor workers, who were not learned and had no social status, at the other end. As the most respected in society, the Brahmans formed the dominant and highest class in India at the time. Mahakasyapa was born in the country of Magadha. His father was Yingzhe and his mother was Hsiangzhi. At a young age, he looked dignified and handsome, his body radiating a golden hue which manifested from his spiritual vibration that was invisible to ordinary folks. His golden light shone far and wide long before he renounced his layman's life. At his parents' request, a highly reliable fortune-teller prophesied, "This child has great, inconceivable merit. He seems destined for monkhood." Upon hearing these words, his parents feared that they might lose their son to the monastic order. As you all know, people often say, "It is great for other people's sons to become monks, but not mine!"

Mahakasyapa's parents decided, "No way! When he grows up, we must find a beautiful girl and have him marry her immediately. Once he is bound by a female, he won't be able to think about becoming a great man or a monk, or getting liberated." His parents' plans were set. So when Mahakasyapa reached the age of fifteen or sixteen, they wanted him to get married. But each time, he refused. His parents coerced and threatened him, trying all kinds of tricks and using a teary approach, "If you don't get married, I will take my life...." Mahakasyapa refused many times but finally gave in to their persistent efforts. "Well, I respect your opinion, but you must find a girl who is the same color as I am," Mahakasyapa said to his parents. "She must radiate light, have a golden body, and look like me. Only then will I marry, otherwise I will remain single!"

Have you noticed that some couples look very much alike? The name "Mahakasyapa" means "absorbing all other light." This means that Mahakasyapa radiated such an intensely brilliant color of golden light that all other lights paled in comparison and seemed as though they had disappeared. So Mahakasyapa means "great light". Once Mahakasyapa's parents learned that he wanted to find a girl of his own likeness, they had a sculpture of him carved in gold, because not only did golden rays of light shine forth from him, but his physical body was like gold as well. A nationwide search was made for a girl resembling the sculpture. Finally, one such a girl was found, and Mahakasyapa had to honor his promise and marry her. This story explains why Mahakasyapa married the girl.

Now let me tell you about this part. Why was there a girl who had such noble looks? A long, long time ago, before the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, there were seven enlightened saints. One of them was called Vipasyin. When Vipasyin went into nirvana, his believers built a temple where his relics were worshipped and a statue of him was molded. Many years later, the statue became worn out and the gold plating on its face cracked. A poor woman went to the temple to worship the saint and noticed that the statue needed repairs. She took her only nugget of gold to Mahakasyapa, who was a goldsmith at the time, and asked him to melt it for the facial repair. Moved by the poor but sincere woman, Mahakasyapa was very happy to help her. They became good friends. Later, this common objective of restoring the saint's statue united them in matrimony, their nuptial bonds founded on a shared sentiment, mutual understanding and respect rather than sexual desire. They vowed that they would be husband and wife in the lives to come.

Therefore, in their last lifetime, Maha-kasyapa had to marry her even though he wanted to join the monastic order. Until the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, they had been reborn ninety-one times, each time with golden bodies and happily sharing their lives together because of their vow, the merit of repairing the saint's statue, and the offering of gold to the saint. At the end of each lifetime, they went to the Brahma (God of creation) heaven, where they enjoyed their time before descending to Earth as human beings again. In this last lifetime, they were both born into wealthy families, again because of their merit. And it was their parents, their karmic relationship, and sincere vow that united them in wedlock.

So, sometimes when we see people getting married, we cannot assume that it's not good and based only on sexual desire. They might have made a vow that now ties them together. Therefore, we cannot say that all marriages are no good. After Mahakasyapa married the girl, they lived like intimate friends but slept separately, treating each other like fellow practitioners and not having a sexual relationship. A long time after their marriage, they both sought permission from their parents to become monastics, pleading until their wish was granted, whereupon they joined the monastic order and went to different places to pursue spiritual practice.

After practicing asceticism in the mountains for some time, Mahakasyapa heard a voice in the sky, "Now a Buddha has descended to the world to teach people. You must go look for Him and follow Him." Mahakasyapa went to Shakyamuni Buddha's bamboo grove and, with utmost sincerity, requested that the Buddha accept him as a disciple. Shakyamuni Buddha said, "You are a monk with good merit. Please go shave your hair and beard." Mahakasyapa was thus initiated into monkhood and followed the Buddha. He progressed very quickly, easily understanding the profound teachings of the Buddha, and becoming His favorite. He practiced diligently and soon attained arhatship.

On one occasion, Mahakasyapa returned from far away to see Shakyamuni Buddha. Although he had been born into a wealthy family, he practiced asceticism and cared little about his outer appearance. He came in tattered clothes, looking thin, awful and undignified, most probably because of his ascetic practice and lack of sleep and food. He did not deliberately make himself appear so. At the time of his arrival, many other monastics and disciples were gathered around the Buddha, listening to His lecture. They looked at Mahakasyapa with disdain because of his appearance. These disciples were usually by the Buddha's side, their ample supply of food and clothes ensuring that they looked good and healthy, while the penniless Mahakasyapa practiced asceticism in seclusion in the mountains. Thus, the monks and nuns looked down upon him.

Shakyamuni Buddha noted their reaction and said, Mahakasyapa, come here. I'll share my seat with you. Mahakasyapa dared not comply and sat on the floor instead. I have great mercy, samadhi (joy from meditation) and boundless merit to dignify myself, said Shakyamuni Buddha to his disciples, implying that one should be dignified through merit rather than clothes. Some people look ordinary, but we respect them all the same when we meet them. Here, Shakyamuni Buddha is quoted as saying He had boundless merit to dignify Himself and so did Mahakasyapa. He praised Mahakasyapa for his merits and wisdom, as well as his high spiritual level that put him on a par with fully enlightened saints. Thus the Buddha wanted to offer half of His seat to him, that is to say that Mahakasyapa is the same as I am. These words shocked the monastics, who finally understood and immediately became respectful toward Mahakasyapa.

One day during a lecture on Mount Grdhrakuta, Shakyamuni Buddha held up a lotus flower. The audience did not understand the gesture. Only Mahakasyapa smiled with understanding at this revelation. This is the Chinese ancient saying about "Mahakasyapa smiling at the Buddha holding up a flower". I have the profound method for the complete opening of the wisdom eye and attainment of nirvana. It is not expressed in words and is transmitted beyond my verbal teachings, said Shakyamuni Buddha. Today I pass it on to you, Mahakasyapa. You must carefully protect this method and ensure that it is passed down forever without getting lost. You may pass it to Ananda in the future. The Buddha asked Mahakasyapa to go to Him and offered him half His seat. He put his robe - the so-called "Sanghati" (patch-robe) - around Mahakasyapa in a gesture signifying the passing on of the Masterhood and that this disciple was no different than the Buddha, sitting on half His seat and wearing the most noble robe. This robe was later passed down to the sixth Zen patriarch Hui Neng.

Here, Shakyamuni Buddha recited a poem, This method is not a method; it is one without form. Yet even a formless method is a method. Today I pass on this formless method; but no method is a method. Mahakasyapa's inheritance of the Masterhood from Shakyamuni Buddha earned him the title of the first patriarch later in Buddhism. Shakyamuni Buddha was acclaimed as the Master and the Great Guide, while the first patriarch, His successor, is called the first patriarch.

When Mahakasyapa received news that the Buddha was entering nirvana, he and five hundred other disciples rushed back to Kusinayara to see Him but arrived too late. A sad Mahakasyapa walked around the Buddha's golden coffin three times. The Buddha, though gone, was moved by the disciple's action and stretched out His feet for Mahakasyapa to behold. Mahakasyapa was so touched that he prostrated before the Buddha's feet. This is the story behind the saying "prostrating before the Buddha's feet". When Mahakasyapa touched and prostrated before the Buddha's feet, he felt much consoled. Because he had arrived too late to see his Master, the Buddha, who loved him dearly, let him see His feet for the last time. After the Buddha's cremation, Mahakasyapa said to the monastics, We shall ask the celestial beings and guards to protect the Buddha's relics. However, we monastics shall be responsible for compiling the scriptures for future generations. The disciples of the Buddha shall not yet enter into nirvana. Those of you who have magical powers shall gather together to compile the scriptures. Seven days after Shakyamuni Buddha went into nirvana, Mahakasyapa assembled five hundred arhats to carry out the compilation work in a big cave on Mount Grdhrakuta.

However, there was one man who could not participate. Do you know who that was? It was Ananda. At that time, Ananda had not yet attained the level of a perfect arhat. He still had "leaks" - dark and gloomy sides. He had not been cleansed and had yet to attain one hundred percent purity. Therefore, Mahakasyapa did not allow this incomplete saint who still had the qualities of a mundane person to join in the work and even reprimanded him, You are not pure! Don't come here to contaminate the gathering of the saints. Well! If an ordinary person had heard these words, how do you think he would have reacted? He would have said, "How dare you speak to me like this?" An ordinary person would have objected and problems would have arisen. He might have waged a battle, argued, fought, broken cups, or hurt his legs. He might even have resisted or begged to go home.

However, Ananda was a saint. Though annoyed, he knew that he was unclean and had not done well in his spiritual practice; he talked a lot each day and did not keep the precepts strictly; instead, he relied solely on the Buddha's love. He was a relative of the Buddha and thought it was enough to remember everything that the Buddha had ever said. Shakyamuni Buddha had warned Ananda several times and instructed him to practice more diligently. However, he took things easily and did not work hard. Only now that the Buddha had gone did he realize there would not be another one who would spoil him like the Buddha did. There was no one to rely on and there was nothing to do. Ananda had served as the Buddha's attendant and attended to Him every day. So he had excuses, "I'm very busy!" "I don't have time to meditate." "The Buddha asked for me just as I was about to meditate." "I'm sacrificing myself for the Buddha and the people."

After Ananda was sent away, he remained awake all night, meditating sincerely and entered samadhi. In just one night, he became a true arhat (with "no leaks"). He immediately went to the cave to see Mahakasyapa, who knew what had happened as soon as he saw Ananda. So he did not reject Ananda but rather praised him in front of the other monastics, Our monk Ananda is our primary source of information. He often listened to the Buddha's lectures and remembers everything that the Buddha said not forgetting a single thing, just like a bottle that does not allow a single drop of water to leak out. We shall invite him to compile the scriptures with us to make the work perfect. We shall also ask the nuns to compile the precepts. The monastics happily agreed. The compilation of the scriptures marked the end of Mahakasyapa's mission of delivering sentient beings. He summoned Ananda and said, When the Buddha was about to go into nirvana, He instructed me to pass the method of opening the wisdom eye to you. I will be leaving soon. So now is a good time to pass the method to you. You must carefully protect it. Do not let it become lost.

That was the story of Mahakasyapa. Without him and Ananda, we wouldn't have known who Shakyamuni Buddha was. To them, we are truly grateful. By studying their stories, we may be inspired to pursue spiritual practice. And as the story goes, Mahakasyapa was not an ordinary man. He was born with a golden colored body which emitted brilliant light. He also had the noble inclination to become a monk. You may have heard that people saw that I have a golden body. My master had seen it before I practiced the Quan Yin Method and became a nun. In "The True Meaning of the Amitabha Buddha Chant" -The Key Of Immediate Enlightenment, Chinese version Volume III, some people saw my body as a colored glaze emitting very strong light; some said that my body radiated white light and others said that it gave forth other kinds of light. People see different kinds of light depending on their spiritual levels. But if I were to go grocery shopping with you, you might ask a peddler in the market, "Do you know that my Master has light?" He would say, "You are crazy! What are you talking about? I'm only selling vegetables. Why do you ask me that? I don't know what 'light' is!"

The story here says that Mahakasyapa had light, because the writer must have been a high-level disciple who might have seen Mahakasyapa's golden colored body. Why do I say that? Because the book says that Mahakasyapa's golden light shone far and wide. It would have been invisible to one who did not pursue spiritual practice and had no great wisdom. The writer was a high-level disciple of Maha-kasyapa's, so he perceived his Master's appearance and the story he wrote was closer to reality. An ordinary disciple could only have written about how learned his Master was, where he was born, how old he was, what method he taught, whether he had a merciful personality or not, whether he worked hard or not, how many disciples he had, how many hours he slept, and how many meals he ate each day, and so on. I'm sure that this story was written for us by a great practitioner.

Another thing is that Mahakasyapa's parents objected strongly when they learned that he wanted to become a monk. We all know that people of any country or religion hold monastics in great reverence. People like to visit churches and temples to worship masters or eminent monastics and respectfully make offerings to them. They like monastics, but they make trouble when their own children want to renounce lay life. This is understandable. Parents have been the same throughout the ages. They like monastics, thinking, "It's fine for someone else's child to become a monastic, but not mine. My child must get married and have a son to carry on the family line; he must get a Ph.D. or become a lawyer to earn big money; he must marry the most beautiful and well-behaved girl and become a father."

From ancient stories, we know that the life of monastics is the most noble. That's why Shakyamuni Buddha gave up the whole world and the kingdom. His son Rahula was only nine years old and was supposed to inherit the throne, but Shakyamuni Buddha also took him along and made him a monk. Shakyamuni Buddha even allowed his own wife to become a nun. This means that being a monastic is better than being a king. If we have an accident tomorrow, we will have to leave everything in the world behind. When we go to hell, the king of hell will not ask us what academic degree we earned. When we go to the Western Paradise, Amithabha Buddha will not ask us whether we graduated or not. If we are virtuous, we can go there; if we are not virtuous, we cannot, even if we have ten academic degrees. Therefore, it's not that monastics give up good things, but that the worldly people truly give up good things - they give up nirvana, give up great power and freedom, and give up eternity for some small things.

One other thing I have noticed in many scriptures is that when Shakyamuni Buddha said, You are now a monastic with good merit, that person's hair would fall out automatically. But this story is the first one that recounted Shakyamuni Buddha as saying, Please go shave your hair and beard. So this story may be more accurate, because I know very well that Shakyamuni Buddha wouldn't have used magical power. Why would He use magical power to make a person's hair fall out? He did not need to; it was a trivial thing that could be done with a razor. He did not even perform big deeds with magical power, so why would He shave people's hair through magical power? That is only like child's play. I don't believe that Shakyamuni Buddha would have done so. Of course He could have, but He wouldn't. Why would a Buddha do such things to attract people to Him? If He had done that kind of thing, I think that the entire nation would have become His followers, because it was cheap. So I believe that the translation of this story is closer to how it was, while the translated versions of other stories are exaggerated (or just symbolic).

When we respect a person, we exaggerate about him - we say that he did this when he actually did something else. For example, many people maintain that Master Kuang Chin performed spiritual healing, but I don't believe it. I don't think he did it intentionally. Because of his high spiritual level, people who had an affinity would naturally feel better when they came near him. Also for example, you may have heard that I have healed many people, but it was done invisibly. I did not recite mantras to heal them. No. I did not do anything intentionally, but the power of my spiritual practice has become medicine and comfort; when people who have an affinity with me come close to me, they feel comfortable and are healed immediately.

There is a grandmother in Tainan, whose home is open for group meditation on Sundays. She was once unable to walk and was confined to bed. But when I visited her, she was healed immediately and could sit up and walk. She was very happy and talked all day long. Now she can walk and work as a gatekeeper. I did not do anything intentionally, but a spiritual practitioner has the power to help others. When people come near him, they are healed immediately. I wouldn't heal you intentionally with magical power to entice you to come for initiation, nor would Shakyamuni Buddha. So this translated version says, Now you are a monk with good merit. Okay, please go shave your hair and beard. I'm glad that I finally found an objective and wise scripture, which is not superstitious and does not exaggerate. Shakyamuni Buddha detested the use of miraculous powers to attract others. I too do not allow you to use such powers. I'm an ordinary person, yet I know this; so why would Shakyamuni Buddha show off his magical power in public and make a person's hair fall out?

When Shakyamuni Buddha was transmitting the Masterhood to Mahakasyapa, He chanted the poem, This method is not a method; it is one without form. Yet even a formless method is a method. Today I pass on this formless method; but no method is a method. I say the same thing when I give initiation: I initiate you with this method, but I do not have a method to teach you, not that I do not teach you the method, but that you will not get a method. To put this into worldly language, I should say that when I initiate you, I give you a method which is formless. All methods come from "the formless method" and are nothing. The statements, "Nothing is happening in the world" and "Fundamentally no Bodhi (wisdom) tree exists," both mean the same.

Only after I practiced the Quan Yin Method and was able to initiate others did I understand that this method is formless. When I was initiated and first practiced the Quan Yin Method, I did not realize that right away. However, without a Master to initiate you, you cannot learn this formless method. Who would understand what I say? Only you would. Those who are not initiated cannot understand. The master who teaches this method understands it the most clearly, because he doesn't teach anyone and has no method to teach. That's why when Shakyamuni Buddha passed this formless method to Mahakasyapa, He said it was not a method, because all methods were formless and no methods were a method. v

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APHORISMS

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai

(Originally In English)

It's true that the Master will bless us with whatever we desire; but we should not be satisfied with that and feel proud of that achievement, because this is just nothing.

Meditation is just to fill our tank with some more cleverness and intelligence, so that we can know what to do.

Say sorry only once, and get better all the time. That's the best way to apologize.

We should always strive to be righteous and right. Then no matter what we do, we will not fear anything.

You have to understand that in order to have fun, you have to keep the rules and maintain discipline. ::::::::::::::

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Pearls Of Wisdom

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Phnom Penh, Cambodia May 11, 1996 (Originally In English)

There are only two choices, the positive and the negative. If the positive doesn't act, then the negative will come. So if we don't use our positive thinking and power, then there's only one other choice. When the time comes, we use the negative, because the chance has passed. Then the more we use the negative, the more we get used to it, and we never do anything else, except keep using it again, again and again. We never get out of it. That's what we call the wheel of transmigration, because we keep running inside that circle again again, and again.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Phnom Penh, Cambodia May 11, 1996 (Originally In English)

So as practitioners, I think we should understand the flexibility of the precepts, of life standards, of God's will and God's blessing. We have to know, we have to be very attentive to everything that happens around us in order to detect what God's will is.

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Pearls Of Wisdom

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

May 11, 1996 (Originally In English)

We can understand by feeling and by seeing. You don't have to understand by language or by your own experience even. Wait until you have your own experience, and it's too late. So if we live our lives very inconsiderately, very unlovingly, unkindly, then God must make us understand through a very difficult way. Like one time or another lifetime we must go through hunger, lack and be short of everything ourselves in order to understand what it means to be hungry. Then this impression will always be in our minds, and we will never forget it again for many life times. But to learn the hard way is difficult, so we should always consider. That's practicing, that's meditating, not only sitting here seven days, or sitting at home two and a half hours and feeling pretty.

Aphorisms

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai

(Originally In English)

We have to live our lives fully and naturally and just be ourselves. There's no need to let other people influence us so much. As far as we can, don't let other people bother us with their own feelings, with their own ignorance, with their own mood or with anything. ::::::::::::::

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Dear Master Ching Hai,

Hello, how are You? I am a girl called Wai Nam Man. I'm 12 years old and I'm a disciple but not a full initiate. Hopefully I will be fully initiated soon. I am looking forward to joining the retreats, because I want to be part of the Art and Decoration working team.

I've written a poem about whales. I hope You like it, and I also drew You a picture. My friend, Mandosa On, and I wrote You a second poem. We hope You enjoy it.

Please take care. I'm hoping to get initiated fast and I hope to see You at some of the retreats soon.

Yours sincerely.

Love

Wai Nam Man

Whales, Oh Whales!

By Wai Nam Man From England Centre. Age 12

(Originally In English)

Why. oh why,

do we kill whales just for food?

Hearing the whales splashing in the water,

watching on T.V about the slaughter.

I can see the whale's tail,

flapping like a bird's wing.

To each other the whales sing.

Hear I am standing on a cliff.

The sound of the whales lights up the sky.

I can smell the fragrance of the whales.

I can see the boats with tall sails.

At the break of dawn,

I see the reflection in water of the sun.

The whales must certainly know the

Humans have won.

Dreaming

About You

By Wai Nam Man, Age 12

And Nandosa On, Age 11

(Originally In English)

The clock struck 9 o'clock.

Mother tucked me in bed,

I said goodnight.

I closed my eyes.

All I could see was bright blue sky

and fluffy, white and soft clouds.

Then I saw a figure standing in a gateway.

The figure was shining with light,

all different colors,.

Then I remembered I saw You

in my previous lifetime.

I walk up slowly with a smile on my face,

I knew what would happen next.

I could feel Her power.

As I found out who it was,

excitement grew over me.

As I approached the Lady,

She held out Her hand.

I placed my palm in Her hand.

It was warm and gentle like a peach,

so soft and delicate.

As I held Her hand I started to

rise off the ground.

We went high above the ground.

She took me to fun land!

When we got there, lots of children were there.

They were so kind and friendly.

It was time to say goodbye,

Mother was calling me.

She was saying what are you dreaming about?

Why are you laughing?

I replied, "I was just dreaming, dreaming, dreaming........"

ZzzzzZZZZZZZ

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Contents

01 Master's Words----Show Our Goodness

02 Panorama Of Event----U. S.A./ UK/ Canada/ Formosa

04 Noteworthy Book----Personages In "The Journey To The West"/ Beware The Monsters On The Spiritual Path

07 Humorous Wisdom----Who Is At Fault?

08/43 While On The Path----An Upside-Down World/ Perfecting My Spiritual Cultivation To Repay My Parents

09/41/43/44 Pearls Of Wisdom----The True Meaning Of Freedom

10/22 Master's Wonders----The Big, Beautiful Eye Of Mercy/ The Power Of Thoughts/ The Best Foreign Husband

11 Master Says----Everything Is Created By The Mind

11/28 Aphorisms

16 QYM----Just In Time/ Master's Driver/ Three Sacred Treasures

18 Spiritual Information Desk----Building Courage And Rising Above Obstacles/ Getting Used To The Higher Vibrations

20 Children's Letter----Whales, Oh Whales!/ Dreaming About You

21 Master Tells A Story----The King Who Became A Farmer

23 Exchange Of Spirituality----The Supreme Master And The Quan Yin Method

27 Master And Disciples Tell Jokes----The Lost God/ The Lamp Shade/ Who Is Nuts?/ Weather Forecast

29 Elevation Of The Soul----Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest Video/Audio Tapes

30 You May Not Know----Dream Analysis/ Wharf Of Sadness

30/31/33 Spiritual Interludes----A Natural Way To Learn English/ The Perfect Inner System!/ A Competent Gardener

32 Spot Light----Practicing The Quan Yin Method Gives Us A Protective Shield

34 Special Reports----Master's Loving Arrangement For A Happy Moon Festival For Children

40 Between Master And Disciples----Genuine Gifts/ Thinking Alike/Reincarnation For

Chocolates/ Pineapple Chancellor

44 Special Series Of Zen Patriarchs----The First Patriarch - Mahakasyapa

49 Love In Action----Combined Report From Formosa

50 Media Report----Ilan Times, Formosa

53 Liaison Practitioners Throughout The World

56 Poems----Knowing You/ Dedicated To You/ Your Eye

Inner Back Cover/ Back Cover----Supreme Art "Chuang Tzu's Dream"/ "Rescued"

The more we consider people, the more we expand ourselves; expand until we become one with everything, and we become Buddha.

~ Supreme Master Ching Hai ~

The Supreme Master Ching Hai News No. 97

Published: November 30, 1998

Founded: April 1, 1990

Published By: The Supreme Master Ching Hai International

Association

Publisher: Lin Ping Xing

The Supreme Master 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.chinghai.org.tw/ (Formosa)

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

http://www.light-sound.com (Korea)

http://www.jps.net/kannon/index/index.htm (Japan)

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

http://mason.gmu.edu/~lduan/index1.html (U.S.A.)

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

http://www.spiritual-discovery.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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Pearls Of Wisdom

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Bangkok, Thailand

October 23, 1997 (Originally In English)

So the important thing is to improve ourselves, practice for ourselves. If we can't change anyone, then we should change ourselves. When we change ourselves, it will influence others. It will spontaneously influence them and then they themselves will influence others. It naturally has to change. No need to pray, criticize any government or any regime that it is bad, that it must be put down. For example, this tree is short. We don't need to cut it down, just put a taller tree next to it and we will see that it is short. When we make our life better, then automatically the bad aspects of it will leave; because they cannot be together.

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By Chian Chian, Formosa

Spiritual Interludes

A Natural Way To Learn English

Master often delivers lectures overseas, many of them in English. When I watch or listen to Her teachings every day, I often hear new words and read the Chinese subtitles. In this way, without any conscious effort, I have gradually come to understand about sixty to seventy percent of Master's English lectures.

I usually feel that I am listening with my soul and immersed in the beautiful vibrations of Her voice. As my mind has recorded Her tone and choice of words, my English has become more fluent. And I have just picked it up naturally. The positive meaning of Master's lecture titles has also been imprinted on my subconscious and elevated my positive thinking.

With this experience, I no longer intend to learn any skills purposefully. I will learn them naturally when the situation requires it. Although I may not be very good, the skills I pick up are adequate to serve my needs. After having the chance to practice my skills, I have asked myself whether I am competent enough. But I have not received a definite answer. I did not think that I was proficient in anything, having no specific grounds for making an answer. Silently I vowed that I would use every one of my skills, however weak, to uphold the noble ideal of serving humankind. With this thought in mind, I have discovered that skills I had once been unable to master have become much easier, and I have gradually been able to gain good command of them. t

Spiritual Interludes

The Perfect Inner System!

By Yunxiu, Formosa

When I was a student in evening school, I worked at a simple job during the day to earn my tuition. Once I got a job as a typist at a company where conventional manual typewriters were still used. When several people were typing, the discordant clatter of the typewriters gave me neurasthenia.

In an effort to block out the noise and with a longing to hear Master's voice and teachings, I wore earphones to listen to Master's audio-taped lectures at work. During one such session, I unconsciously reached perfect concentration and my fingers hit the keys so fast that I was practically as quick as a typists with two years' experience. I did not have to look at the keyboard. Typing became an automatic reflex action and my fingers could find the right keys with perfect precision.

Although I had this experience only once, it left a deep impression on my mind. I realized that only when we establish contact with the inner system will there be such a wonderful subtle reaction. If we can practice focusing our concentration daily and let the inner power function on its own, everything will be simple and perfect. t

Pearls Of Wisdom

Be The Teacher Of Your Own Children

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai

Hsihu Center, Formosa October 9, 1994 (Originally In Chinese)

God gives us children also to remind us to behave like a teacher. We have to perfect ourselves, because a child is waiting for you to help and guide him. God entrusts a child, a new soul in your hands, demanding you to take care of him, polish him, and create a prototype. So, don’t complain about having children! They are your lessons to learn how to be a teacher.

God gives us children to train our latent talent of being a teacher. You have to know everything if you have a child. The more you know, the wiser your child will become, and more definite his direction. Most parents in the world do not know much. They themselves are not steady, are unclear about their direction, morally not stable, and not wise enough. This is why we grew up and became so wishy-washy. This is why the whole world continues to be so wishy-washy, fighting only for wealth and fame, virtually without thinking. They do not realize only spiritual food can satisfy us the most. Everyone is still greedy and sinking, because they are not satisfied with anything. They are not satisfied with the highest position, the greatest wealth. All because they have not experienced the vital essence.

Now, if more of us, the adults, would practice spiritually, truly and accurately got in contact with our inner nature, understand morals and wisdom, our children would grow up in a splendid way. Should the whole nation pursue spiritual practice, all the children would become saints, saints from childhood. Subsequently, the whole world would be in peace, virtually no need for any weapons. Everything would develop prosperously and naturally.

Parents are the initial teachers, the most important teachers. They raise the children from when they are small; the initial stage is the most vital. Therefore, parents are the best teachers of children. If they are not guided to the right path then, how can we do it later? They will have already travelled a long way, too far away to be pulled back.

So we ourselves must be clear about the path we are walking on before we can guide our children. What you have taught them, the books you let them read, the friends you advised them to have, and the conditions and background that you provided for their growth, will eventually be reflected in the result. He is born carrying the genes of past lives. If you do not help him to improve from childhood, guiding him to a better direction, later he will act according to his previous genes. He will be exactly as he was before. Doesn’t matter how many hundred times he was born, he remains the same type of person, or even worse. Because his genes are bad, he attracts bad things, and he becomes worse and worse.

Sometimes, you can find some valuable teachings when watching the television. Therefore, before showing a cartoon to the children, watch it yourself beforehand and understand it well. Sometimes, you have to explain it to the children. Don’t think that the children cannot understand. They can, if you explain it to them. I have played with many children and found that they are just like adults. I respect them very much. Sometimes, I am so shocked that I dare not treat them too casually. They are really smart, often surprising the adults. This reminds us that they also have a soul, a Buddha within. We should not recklessly remark that they are only kids. Of course, every child is different. However, should we know how to teach them, they would all behave well. If we don’t know how to treat them, they observe our weakness and start being mischievous. Once their mischief becomes a habit, it is difficult to change them.

If you do not teach them well and put them on the virtuous path while they are small, it will be too late to correct them afterwards. However, educate them, and show them a sacred and correct path.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Pingtung, Formosa December 1, 1988 (Originally In Chinese)

Today’s society is harmful to children. It’s full of violent movies and pornographic posters. All of these posters, movies, and violent images affect our children. Schools also lack courses in morality. This can be changed. National governments could introduce morality courses, letting children read an ethical story a day, or meditating for one or half an hour each day. Then things would improve. (Applause) India has already started this system. Now western universities also have added courses to have students meditate for one or half an hour a day. It was found that students who meditate are wiser, mentally more serene, and treat their teachers better. I think if we want children to improve, it’s better to improve them from the inside rather than from the outside. Also, the whole society should cooperate. We should take care of our own moral qualities as well. The parents are responsible. We should not only ask the kids to improve, but also should improve ourselves.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Los Angeles U.S.A. April 3, 1993 (Originally in English)

You have to set an example. First be a shining example, and then the children will follow you; there’s no need to force them. One example is better than twenty years of talk.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Sao Paulo, Brazil November 11, 1989 (Originally in English)

As you know, we don’t use 95 percent of our brainpower. In this 95 percent of the brain lie a lot of secrets, a lot of treasures, and a lot of bliss, happiness, and wisdom.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Los Angeles, CA., USA October 20, 1989 (Originally in English)

Meditation is meant to help us dig out the 95 percent of our dormant ability, to trim and polish it, and to take it out and use it.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Raising Center, Cambodia July 21,1996 (Originally In Chinese)

You should train your children when they are still young. Let them share in the chores, teach them the value of money, and educate them by giving them rewards ?showing them that it is an honor to be able to work well and fast. Then, when they grow up, they will associate work with glory, heartwarming feelings, and love and praise of their parents. It will become their habit when they grow up.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai in Cambodia March 27, 1996 (Originally In Chinese)

Young children do not demand much. As long as we pay attention to them and share with them, they are happy. They do not ask for dolls every day. Because no one plays with them, they play with dolls.

Find ways for them to play. Playing with your children is not just going out and buying many expensive toys all the time. On the contrary, if you bring them along more often and let them work with you, their IQs will improve; they will become smarter, livelier, and more careful. Also, they will understand their parents?work more clearly. Later, you will be able to communicate with them easily. Whatever you say they will understand your loving efforts.

No matter what you do, let them practice the spirit of serving people.

As children grow older, the more you share with them the happier they are. It’s not that buying many toys for them makes them happy. If you play with them, then they are happy. Of course, they like toys, too, but toys cannot replace parents?love. If you play with them each day, talk with them more, explain things to them more, they will become very smart and be one with their parents. When they grow up they will be like friends, because they have been with their parents. Whatever you do, they will know. When you just mention it, they will understand. There’s no need to wait until they grow up because by then it will be very difficult to explain if you are used to communicating only by throwing toys at them.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Singapore March 9, 1993 (Originally In English)

We should serve our families in whatever way is beneficial to them, not to us. We should not demand but always give and sacrifice. And if each member of the family does the same thing, then of course there will be harmony and love in the family.