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Little Message: News No. 132
Cinema SenseWisdom Is
Valuable But Liberation Is Even More Precious
--
Insights from Solomon and
By sister initiate Yang Tung-yin,
In the Ninth-generation of Celestial Jewelry, Master used the pattern of the Star of David along with beautiful sapphires to design the collection entitled "The Wisdom of Solomon." This series reminds me of a very meaningful movie - Solomon and Sheba. This film was adapted
from the biblical story about the first kings of Through God's grace,
King Solomon soon became far wiser than the other people of his time,
emerging as the wisest king in the history of Initially, King
Solomon was a wise and broad-minded king. He managed his country very well
and showed sincere faith in God. To maintain friendly relations with
neighboring countries, Solomon created alliances by marrying many foreign
wives. According to the Bible, among his wives he had seven hundred
princesses, as well as three hundred concubines. After becoming
over-indulgent in sensory pleasures, and affected by the gods and rituals
introduced by his wives, King Solomon gradually lost his devotedness to God
and forgot the vows he had made. Subsequently, This story conveys a
serious warning to us: While living in a world so full of temptations, if we
fail to remain alert at all times, even a person as wise and intelligent as
King Solomon, with just one careless mistake, can easily be misled by outer
influences and drift away from the right path. Sometimes, I find that, just
as King Solomon did, I make excuses or pretend to forget, and then continue
to do something that I clearly know is detrimental to my spiritual growth.
Afterwards, I feel unhappy, my conscience becomes restless, and I eventually
repent to Master. In this way, I not only obstruct my spiritual practice, but
also increase Master's burden. Precisely as the movie Solomon and Sheba portrays, God actually never punishes anyone.
But when we choose to go astray from God, and so deprive ourselves of God's
love, we experience the severest of punishments. After following
Master in spiritual practice, we realize that, though there are many wonderful
things in this world, none can compare to a millionth of Heaven's beauty.
Thus, we should always remind ourselves to cherish the brief existence of our
human body, work hard to elevate our spiritual nature, and absolutely not be
mesmerized by the things before us or forget our original path. Remarks:1. For a historical discussion of King Solomon,
please refer to the Bible, Old Testament, First Kings, Chapter 1-11. Elevation of the SoulSupreme Master Ching Hai's Latest MP3 CDMP3-7 (part 2 of 2) Seven-day Retreat at the Hsihu Center, Formosa, July 29 - 9. Master Speaks of Dreams at the White
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Items |
Expenses (in Canadian dollars) |
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Rice, candy, tea |
$635.97 |
A |
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$270.74 |
B |
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Total expenses (in Canadian
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A reporter came to
interview me today. "Where does this power of Maya, or the negative
power, come from?" he asked.
"It comes from
God," I replied.
"How can that
be?"
"The Bible says,
'God created the universe and everything. There is nothing that is not
created by God.' So, if God didn't create this power of Maya, who did?"
"You are right.
But why did God create this negative power?"
I told him that the
negative power is very useful to us, when we learn how to transform it into a
useful force. For example, electricity is also very dangerous. We get shocked
and might even get killed if it flows through us, or if we come too close to
a high voltage point. However, if we have learned how to make use of
electricity, we will have no problem. Money, for example, also induces many
people to break the law, violate the precepts, and commit evil acts. However,
if we have learned how to make use of money instead of being enslaved by it,
it is very useful to us as well. Instead of being controlled by money, we
manipulate it and become its master. If it is the other way around, then we
cannot survive without money. Some people are very greedy for money and would
steal it, or kill or resort to evil ways to acquire it. At this time, money
becomes a negative thing. If we know how to make use of it, however, it
becomes positive.
Let's take
electricity, for instance. It is bipolar; only when the negative and positive
poles are connected will electric current be generated. Likewise, there are
two kinds of power in the world. On the positive side is God's power, which
encompasses compassion, love, care and benedictory power. On the negative
side is the power of Maya, which confines people to this world, and tests
their greed, anger, infatuation, wisdom and strength in surmounting
obstacles. By its origin, this power is neither good nor bad, but it becomes
good or bad, depending on how we use it. The negative power helps us learn
how to overcome and transform it into something useful.
All the Enlightened
Masters -- Shakymuni Buddha, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Socrates, and Plato,
among others, descended to this world to teach human beings how to overcome
the negative power, the power from the left, and how to integrate it with the
positive power. We Chinese call it the "integration of Yin and
Yang." It is better to have both Yin and Yang. Why? Do we humans lack
Yin or Yang? No, but most probably we have too much Yin and too little Yang.
We are not balanced and easily become like leaves waving in the wind without
self-determination. If we follow the ways of the world, and follow our greed,
anger, infatuation, and desires, then we are following the way of the Yin,
the negative power. At such times, the Enlightened Master will advise us to
take some Yang supplements. Otherwise, we will be too inclined toward the
left; we will have too much Yin and be forever bound by this Yin.
What is
"Yang"? It is the positive power, the power of compassion and love,
which is enlightening, radiant, blissful, and charged with blessing power. It
comes from "above," while the Yin power comes from the world, or
from "below." The former pulls us up while the latter drags us
down. In Heaven, or the abode of the angels, there is plenty of Yang, so the
heavenly beings have no idea what pain and suffering are, much less can they
sympathize with suffering people. In this world, we have too much pain and
anguish. Suffering is on our minds all the time. We think very little about
happiness. We have very little idea what happiness is, for we have very few
moments of joy, while we have plenty of painful times.
Let me cite an
example: We work for more than eight or ten hours a day. When we are home, we
enjoy only a few bowls of rice. Our moment of joy is mealtime, but we have to
work ten hours in exchange for it. When we are happy being with our spouse,
we say we are in Heaven, but we forget how many obligations are attached to
this happiness. For twenty, thirty, or forty years after marriage, we have obligations
toward that person and our children. From dawn till dusk, we work hard to
earn money for our food and clothing and to take care of our children until
they are twenty, twenty-five, or even thirty. And it does not end here.
Later, when they are married and have children, they bring their kids for us
to take care of. Therefore, in this world, heavenly moments or happy times
are very rare. We have to exert a lot of physical and mental effort before we
can earn a little happiness. (Applause)
Why do we seek the
Yang? How can we find It? We are unhappy because we have too little Yang; we
are exhausted by work and have very few joyful moments. At the time of
initiation, I help you to turn on the resource of Yang. We can compare this
to two water taps, one for cold water and the other for hot water. The cold
water tap is the negative power and the hot water tap is the positive power.
Once the two taps are turned on, and the cold and hot water flow together, we
can take a comfortable and delightful bath without catching a cold. We will
have fewer physical ailments and will have the energy and spirit to face the
future, as well as all the worldly vexations, work, and obligations. If we
are healthy, it may be all right to take a cold bath every day; otherwise,
our life could be in danger.
We have suffered too
much pain and vexation in this world. Just like having taken cold water baths
for too long, we yearn very much for a warm bath. This is why I come to tell
you that there is another tap that brings you hot water. Turn it on along
with your cold water tap and you will feel much more comfortable. You won't
fall ill so easily. If you are ill, you will feel much better, rather than
worse. However, the tap is now blocked. The tap is there and the water is in the
pipe, but the tap is blocked. Just allow me to fix it and you will have water
immediately. At the time of initiation, I am like a plumber or electrician. I
connect the wires for you and you have electricity. I repair the tap for you
and you have water. I am worried that you might fall sick and become
incurable after taking too many cold baths every day.
Some people might
object, "No, no! It is more economical to take cold water baths."
Well, I agree, but you may end up paying much more to the doctor or pharmacy
later! Some people may say, "I don't want to be initiated by You.
Transmigration is okay with me. I can endure the agonies of this deluding
world. I don't want to go to Heaven, because to do so I have to become a
vegetarian, which is troublesome! I cannot quit eating meat because it is
really delicious."
Or they may say,
"Not killing, not stealing, and no sexual misconduct! Oh, it is very
difficult! There are too many complicated and troublesome precepts. The price
I have to pay for initiation is too high; I don't want it!" However, you
should know that it will be even more painful when they roast you in hell! It
will be more agonizing than observing the precepts and giving up meat and
fish now.
Others may complain,
"I won't be able to get initiated and meditate for two hours! It is
better to spend these two hours indulging in worldly pleasures. I care only
about the present. Who can tell the future?" We can tell the future! It
will be too late to repent when we die. No one will come to accompany us.
Those moments of pleasure only give us more trouble. For instance, all the
meat, fish, and alcohol that we enjoy will bring physical discomfort later.
Hospitals are full of meat-eating and alcohol-drinking people; vegetarians
seldom fall ill. And when we die, all our karma will go with us; no one else,
not even our relatives or friends, can go with us.
If we practice
spiritually with an Enlightened Master, get initiated, and practice the Quan
Yin Method with our spouse, not only will we enjoy family bliss in this life
but we will also be together in the eternal life. We sacrifice an hour or two
to meditate together and then we will enjoy each other's company forever.
Won't that be much more worthwhile? (Applause) This is definitely not a
losing business! By practicing spiritually with me, you only gain profit; you
won't lose anything.
The law of Yin and
Yang is such that if we have too much Yin, we will be trapped in this Yin
dimension. This is causation. We have planted Yin, so we will have Yin. If we
have planted Yang, we will go to Heaven. However, if we nurture both,
balancing between Yin and Yang and integrating positive with negative, we
will become a well-balanced being - a Saint. A Saint is not all Yang, but is
comprised of both Yin and Yang. We can see this from the symbol of Taoism,
which is half Yin and half Yang, yet with a dot of Yin in the Yang, and a dot
of Yang in the Yin. This is what it means. A Taoist, a being who has attained
the Truth, should possess both Yin and Yang, instead of being all Yang or all
Yin. If he were completely Yang, he would not realize the Yin qualities of
sentient beings. He would not be able to tolerate sentient beings and
understand their hearts. He would not be able to communicate with them and
ease their suffering. If he were too much inclined toward the Yin, then he
would be just like us, eating, drinking, indulging in pleasures, ignorant,
unenlightened, and powerless; he would not be able to help us.
The positive power or
life-saving power is within us. This is the meaning of the "original
benevolent nature." Now we are stuck here, shrouded by karmic hindrances
and unable to see beyond them. If there is someone who can release the Yang
energy and repair it for us, then we will be benefited. Such is initiation;
the Master helps the fellow practitioners or disciples discover their
compassion and love, and then this merciful power of love takes care of them
every day. We Catholics call this "God"; knowing this merciful love
power is knowing God.
If we do not pursue
spiritual practice, where will we go after death? Does hell exist? Does
Heaven exist? The answer is yes! What is hell? It is created by our own
karma, our dark thinking, and our wrong actions; these generate a kind of
magnetic field or atmosphere. Nothing vanishes; everything is conserved in
this universe. The words we speak do not disappear; the thoughts we think do
not fade away. There is a special thing that registers our actions, speech,
and thoughts. Whether they are right or wrong, our actions, speech, and
thoughts turn into a special kind of sphere that surrounds us and follows us
wherever we go. It envelops us when we are alive, and the scientists call it
the magnetic field of a person. After we die, this magnetic field takes
another form and continues to hang around our astral body. It is not easy to
dissolve this magnetic field. Only a very great and powerful spiritual
practitioner can accomplish that. It takes several hundred years for this
magnetic field to slowly dissipate and shift to another dimension, or be
absorbed by some situation or beings, and then fade away.
Suppose we have a
large factory where a lot of cooking is done. Lots of fumes will be generated
and a thick dark cloud will form. This dark cloud will not dissipate
immediately. In places where there are many factories, the sky is filled with
dark clouds, which is detrimental to human health. There are many such places
on earth that are engulfed by dark clouds, and because there is insufficient
oxygen, both adults and children have to use oxygen masks.
Similarly, our inner
atmosphere also generates fumes that create a delightful or unpleasant aura,
making people feel comfortable or uncomfortable. We are the first ones to be
affected by this aura and other people will feel the impact as well, just
like smoking causes harm to a person and brings discomfort to those who inhale
the fumes around him. We spiritual practitioners are most helpful to others.
We take good care of our actions, speech, and thoughts, and refrain from
doing or speaking bad things to harm ourselves and others. Meanwhile, we
absorb the Yang energy from above; we absorb God's power, which blesses us
and makes us wiser and more capable of using the intangible miraculous power
to help others and ourselves. This power to which I am referring is not the
kind of "hula hoop" miraculous power used to flaunt ourselves. I am
referring to the Supreme miraculous power of the Buddha and Jesus Christ. We
spontaneously help people even without knowing it. Yet, we can feel it
distinctly. Sometimes we are conscious of it, though not deliberately. It is
like a flower that is naturally fragrant, but which does not purposefully
emit fragrance.
As the actions,
speech, and thoughts of we spiritual practitioners become purer, we have
greater wisdom and power. Anything we do benefits us and others as well. We
then become greater and greater, and naturally radiate a very pleasant and
serene aura that benefits others, instead of radiating a dark and tiring
atmosphere, which reflects the carrying of heavy karma, as we did before.
When Jesus Christ was
alive, many people knew about His great power. Once, a critically ill woman
stealthily touched His robe, and was cured of her illness. We cannot say that
Jesus Christ used miraculous power to save her. He didn't! He didn't know who
had just taken some of His power. So He looked around and asked, "Who
touched my robe just now?" The woman was afraid, so she stood out and
repented, "I just touched Your robe and now I am cured. Thank You very
much! Please forgive me!" To this, Jesus Christ responded, "Good! It’s your faith that has healed you." This is
real miraculous power. Jesus didn't do anything
deliberately. He Himself was the miraculous power! Anyone who was related to
Him or had contact with Him would benefit.
We have also heard
the story of how Jesus Christ helped a deaf man regain his hearing, but it
might not have been the same as physical hearing. As I understand it, this
"hearing" was the "hearing within." I have disciples with
hearing impairments, yet they can hear the inner Sound of Heaven and God.
Ordinary people have normal ears but they cannot hear this Sound; they hear
only the sound of the world rather than the sound of God; they are deaf.
Although those deaf people who come and become my disciples can not hear the
disputes of this world, they can hear the best Sound, the most beautiful,
pleasant, wise, helpful, and life-saving Sound. Listening to this Sound is
better than listening to external disputes! It is no big deal being able to
hear the sounds of the outside world. It is more important to hear the inner
Sound!
We don't need ears to
hear this inner Sound. If we can hear it by ourselves, then it is fine. If
not, then we should find a Master who can open this hearing faculty for us,
and seek His help so that we can hear the inner Sound. However, even if we
can hear it by ourselves, it may not be from a superior dimension. Sometimes,
we have already heard the Sound or seen the Light, but we still need to find
an Enlightened Master to confirm our experience and level. The Master can use
His power to help us go beyond this limitation and elevate our level. Some of
us may have practiced spiritually in our previous lives; therefore, we are
able to hear the Sound and see the Light in this life. But without an
Enlightened Master, we cannot attain the ultimate level. The Enlightened
Master comes from the ultimate dimension, so He knows the path and can lead
us to this realm.
Q: Master, I can understand Your explanation of the positive power, but
could You elaborate on the circumstances under which this positive power can
help us? You have given us many examples, but could You please cite another
example?
Master: The positive power is doing a lot of work in this world. We may not
feel it, but it is actually helping us. When we have opened and used this
positive power, we will always feel very happy. Suppose you see a poor, sick
and lonely man, and your sympathies are suddenly aroused. You give him some
money and take care of him for a while. For that, you feel very comfortable.
That is the positive power helping that person and you. It is not just a
superficial action or feeling. Later, if you fall sick, people will give you
much help, much more than what you have given. Suppose you have helped
someone with a hundred dollars; later, when you are sick, people might help
you with ten thousand dollars. Or if you often help sick people when you are
in good health, then you may never become ill in the future. This is how the
positive power helps us.
However, we seldom
use this positive power because we are too weak and are usually dominated by
the negative power. This is why we need a living Master to help us turn on
the tap of positive and almighty power. It is not working well now; we can
only get a few drops from it every day. Once the Master has repaired it and
we turn it on, more water will flow out than we can ever use. It will supply
us with lots of water, and no more repairs will be necessary. We won't have
to wait for it drop by drop, collecting only a tiny bit after a whole day. Any
time we turn on the tap, the water will gush out very fast.
The positive power is
within us. For instance, every day after initiation, we communicate with God,
the Self Nature, and the Saints. We see Jesus Christ, the Buddha, or the Quan
Yin Bodhisattva, face to face and can make any request. Our prayers are
realized immediately. We are connected to the almighty power and have more
things than we will ever need. This is the true positive power. From then on,
It will take care of our soul. In this world, It will take care of our daily
life, and we will be fine in every aspect! The Quan Yin Method can heal all
illnesses, including those arising from vexation, ignorance, greed, anger,
and infatuation. It can cure the illnesses of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals.
The only way open to us will be to Heaven, the
The positive power is
inconceivable. Before it is opened, we are in great pain and loneliness. But
once it is opened, we can feel ourselves grow greater and more powerful. We
become happier and more contented, and freer of needs and attachments to the
material world. Then we can easily renounce the world. Now that your positive
power is not yet opened, despite the fact that I have been talking for a long
time, you still cannot fully understand. When it is opened at the time of
initiation, you will understand and know how this positive power can help us
every day. What can we say when it is not opened? It is just like not knowing
what to buy when we have no money. But when we have money, we know we can buy
some bread, bean curd, or gluten. (Laughter) We can even get married.
Q: Master, just now You introduced the positive power. Could You
explain how the negative power can help us?
Master: If we can control the negative power, then it can also help us. For
instance, people say that money is a source of temptation. It makes us kill,
causes divorce, forces brothers and sisters apart, disrupts the family, lures
people to accept bribes and become corrupt officers, and turns good people
bad. However, if we know how to make good use of money, the more money we
have, the better. If more money is given to those who are greedy or bewitched
by money, they will only crave more. But people who can make use of money
instead of only possessing it will spend generously. It is good for them to
have lots of money, so that they can help the poor, the orphaned, and the
widowed, or build hospitals for the sick. In this way, money is not evil.
The negative power is
just like an electric pole that is negatively charged. Without a negative
pole, the lamp cannot shine. Therefore, the negative power and positive power
are actually the same power doing different tasks. It becomes bad only when
we do not know how to use it. Therefore, we need an Enlightened Master to
tell us how to use the negative power to benefit ourselves. Once we practice
the Quan Yin Method, we will realize that there is actually no good or bad,
no positive or negative. We see it differently only because we do not
understand. To an unenlightened person, even the positive power may not do
him any good. Not knowing how to use it, he might use it to do evil things.
For instance, if an unenlightened person notices that another person is very
kind, he may take advantage of the benevolence of that person and borrow
money for drinking and gambling purposes. On the other hand, an enlightened
person can turn even negative power into something beneficial.
The following story
reminds us to always honor our promises. Should we fail to do so, we will
create a lot of trouble for ourselves. Sometimes, when we have vowed to do
this or that, we should do it precisely. Otherwise, our faith will weaken,
our prayers will receive no response, and we will not be able to accomplish
anything we do.
There are times when we might cheat God. We promise that we will do certain things, but never do them. Thinking that no one hears us, or God does not need it, we ignore it and fail to keep our promise. I have told you several times, for instance, about when some refugees were escaping on the sea, they vowed to the Quan Yin Bodhisattva (the Goddess of Mercy): "If we can reach a third country smoothly, we will definitely keep a vegetarian diet for two years." But, they didn't fulfill their promise afterwards and postponed the two-year vegetarian diet for a very long time. They should have eaten vegetarian every day for two years, but later they could not do it or just forgot about it. Therefore, they said, "Oh! Never mind. I will eat vegetarian once a week or once a month." In the end, the two-year duration was extended to last very long.
This is a similar
story. One day, a child had a high fever. He was seriously ill and his parent
was anxious. After seeing the child, the doctor declared that his illness was
incurable. Therefore, the parent prayed to a goddess named Durga (the first
manifestation of goddess-energy in the Indian pantheon, her main task being
to punish the wicked). She is a very famous goddess in
Indian people worship
many deities, who must have been Enlightened Masters and who were famous in
different places in the past. Perhaps they were very efficacious when they
were alive, so everyone worshipped them. Therefore, when we say that Indian
people worship many gods, it is both correct and incorrect. Actually, they
are worshipping past Masters. Similarly, the goddess that the Chinese call
"
The Quan Yin
Bodhisattva was also a living Master in the past. When she was alive, anyone
praying to her would get a response. Suppose her disciples kept praying like
this and the neighbors of the disciples also did the same and also got a
response. Later, their children prayed, and people continue to do so today.
The Quan Yin Bodhisattva departed a long time ago, yet people are still
praying to her because it has become a custom. They do not know that it is
more efficacious to pray to a living aster.
Well, in this story,
the man went to pray at a temple of the goddess Durga. Most probably, at that
time, this goddess had not left the world for long, so she was still
efficacious. His prayer was: "My child is sick. Can you save him? If he
is cured, I will bring him here to worship you. I will also make an offering
of a hundred rupees to you." Perhaps a hundred rupees was a lot of money
then, perhaps equivalent to a hundred or even a thousand U.S. dollars today.
Money was more valuable at that time.
The goddess Durga was
really efficacious, and the child recovered naturally from an illness that
even doctors could not cure. Obviously, the goddess had blessed and helped
him. His father remembered his promise of making an offering of a hundred
rupees. But then he started to think, "Good grief! I have already spent
a lot of money buying medicine for the child. Now that the doctor has
prescribed lots of tonics for him, I have to spend more. My financial
situation is now rather difficult. Perhaps I can just offer fifty rupees to
the goddess. I am sure Durga will know my situation; she will
understand." He thought the goddess would understand, but still, he
didn't act immediately.
Several weeks passed
and he came up with another idea: "No matter how, surely the goddess
Durga cannot eat fifty rupees worth of food all by herself. Since she is a
goddess, how can she consume so much food? Besides, I have read in the
scriptures: 'If we make an offering to God with sincerity, the quantity of
the offering is unimportant. God will be delighted with even a small
offering, provided we are sincere.' God will not demand material offerings;
our sincerity will be sufficient. All the scriptures say the same thing. This
goddess also definitely knows that. Therefore, I think it will be good enough
for me to go to the temple, piously do some very special worship, and then
give an offering of five rupees." These thoughts went through his mind,
but still he didn't take any action.
Then one day, he
heard the temple bell chime. When people worshipped at the temple, they would
sound the bell. It reminded him of the offering that he had promised the
goddess. He quickly went out, hoping to find a five-rupee item as an
offering. He met a friend, who asked where he was going. He told his friend
the whole story, and that he was going to buy a five-rupee item as an
offering to the goddess. His friend said, "Come on! Don't be so silly!
Why would a goddess eat an offering of five rupees? You are so stupid! Let me
tell you, it will be fine enough for you to worship her piously in the
temple. Just buy a coconut worth about a rupee, and it will be okay! The
importance lies in your sincerity, not the quantity, understand?"
This sounded very
reasonable, and since the man was a very thrifty person, he went to the
coconut stall to buy a coconut for one rupee. The coconut vendor told him,
"Fifty paise for a coconut." One rupee was equal to one hundred
paise. The man said, "What? How could it so expensive? Sell me one for forty
paise, okay?" The vendor said, "If you expect such a low price, you
have to go to the wholesale market."
The man then walked a
long way to the wholesale market. The coconuts there were really forty paise
each. Yet he bargained with the seller at the market: "I have walked
such a long way here. If you are still selling a coconut for forty paise,
then it is not much cheaper! You'd better give me a bargain at twenty paise
each." The seller laughed and said, "If you really want to get one
for twenty paise, then you have to go to the plantation. It is cheap only at
that place." Hearing that, the man decided to make his purchase at the
plantation.
Again, he walked very far before he came to the coconut plantation. The coconut farmer there said, "Okay! I can sell one to you for twenty paise." Again the man bargained, "I have walked so far to come here. You should sell me one for ten paise instead of twenty. Twenty paise a coconut is not much cheaper. Why would I have spent all the effort to come here?" The farmer said, "If you want one for ten paise, you have to climb the tree yourself to get the coconut."
Very stingy by
nature, he wanted to save the money and really climbed the tree. He climbed
all the way up, but because he was inexperienced, he slipped and almost fell
from the tree. He could barely hang on to a branch and yelled for help. At
that time, the spirit of the goddess Durga spoke through the coconut farmer,
demanding a hundred rupees to save him. (Laughter) To save his own life, the
man agreed to pay a hundred rupees. After he was saved and had climbed down
the tree, he took the coconut farmer home and paid him a hundred rupees.
There was no room for any bargain. At that time, he understood. The next day,
he went to the temple and cried. He realized that all this had happened
because he had failed to honor his promise of making a one-hundred-rupee
offering to the goddess.
There was a joke
about a guy who sued another guy for calling him a gorilla. And the judge
asked him, "How long ago was that? When did your friend call you a
gorilla?" The guy said, "It was ten years ago." And the judge
said, "Why didn't you sue him ten years ago? Why are you suing him
today?" The guy said, "Because I just went to the zoo yesterday,
and saw a gorilla for the first time!"
There was an old man,
who was driving his car home on the highway. And suddenly the phone in his
car rang. It was his wife calling him, and she said,. "Hey John, I'm
sorry to disturb your driving, but you know what? A report on the radio said
there was a crazy man driving the wrong way on the highway. So please be
careful, okay?" And the husband said, "Oh, yeah! But it's not just
one person; there are hundreds of them!"
There was a lady who
was learning to drive, and she was very, very nervous. Whenever she saw a car
coming from the opposite direction toward her, she began to panic; she would
sweat and drive badly. Especially when it was only a two-lane road, she
became very scared.
But then after a few
days, she became very calm. Whenever she saw a car coming from the opposite
direction, she didn't panic or tremble anymore. So the instructor, praising
her driving, said, "Oh, you've improved! That's good; you don't panic
anymore when you see another car coming." And the lady said, "Yes,
now I've learned. Every time I see another car coming from the opposite
direction, I just close my eyes and don't see anything!"
Please visit the following web sites to enjoy the original video
versions of these jokes, and you may share the joy of Master's humor with
those around you as well.
http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/eng/news/132/jk1.htm (USA)
http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/news/132/jk1.htm (Formosa)
http://www.godsdirectcontact.net/eng/news/132/jk1.htm (USA)
We work for
ourselves, because only when we work frequently will our minds react quickly,
and when we encounter problems, we will manage to overcome them. This becomes
a habit, and later when we encounter difficulties or problems, we can deal
with them promptly and solve them quickly. People who do not work very often
respond slowly. They may have good intentions, but they cannot work quickly
because they lack common sense regarding work. They are not used to reacting
promptly, and are thus not very careful when doing their jobs.
We need to work more
often in order to become more mindful. The more we work, the more careful we
become through experience. Knowledge and intelligence come from experience,
not just from studying. It is the same when we do any kind of work. The more
we work, the faster we react naturally and the more capable we become. We can
train ourselves to cultivate this habit.
My quick reactions
and ability to perform all types of jobs did not come only after I was
enlightened. I have been this way since childhood, because I like to do
things. When I was about eight or nine and still studying in primary school,
we had three or four servants at home. However, I fetched water for myself,
and collected and chopped firewood. Occasionally, I cooked for my parents,
brewed tea for my father, and heated bath water for him. I washed my own
clothes, ironed them, took care of myself, and refused to have the servants
wait on me. That was in primary school. I took care of myself starting from
grade two. That was how I trained myself to react quickly. I didn't descend
from Heaven to become a Saint, and tell you to do this and that. You can see
that I can do anything, like cement work and carpentry. I can do everything
myself, and do it better than professionals.
Since our fellow
practitioners are used to transplanting trees, they now do it better than the
professionals. They dug up and planted all the trees on our hills. Even the
professionals were amazed by the way they did it, and exclaimed, "Wow! We
have never seen anyone do such a good job of transplanting trees!" To
move a tree, they not only dig it up but also bind its roots with rope. They
really do a beautiful job with the rope. Even the professionals do not tie it
this way, because they don't have the enthusiasm. Besides, they want to save
time, finish the work quickly, and go home early. They only care about the
money and lack the spirit of commitment. Even if they have this spirit, no
one binds the roots so painstakingly in beautiful layers.
The soil attached to
the roots can only be preserved when it is wrapped in the way our fellow
practitioners do it. Otherwise, the soil falls off. So, all the trees are
growing tall. Most of them have continued to grow after being planted. Only a
few have fallen leaves, perhaps because the trunks or branches are too weak,
or the soil came off during the planting process. But mostly they were
beautifully bound in neat layers. Trees purchased from outside are not
wrapped so nicely. Nevertheless, you do not cherish all this. I know it
because I saw it. I don't mean to praise our fellow practitioners. This is
how it should have been done, so there is nothing to praise. It is just that
people outside are doing it incorrectly, and our fellow practitioners are doing
it right.
Our fellow
practitioners are doing it the real professional way, because they are adept.
They also realize that we badly need trees here. One more tree planted is one
more source of joy for us, and one more piece of beauty added to the Center.
Tens of thousands of people coming here will enjoy the benefits, and I will
also be happier. That's why the initiates do it so painstakingly. They do it
so well because they do it with devotion. Outside people only aim at earning
money. They only want to finish the work quickly, so that they can do more
jobs. That is where they differ.
We should use our
intelligence to figure out ways to do things. For instance, the other day, I
told the fellow practitioners to use wooden boards to move the trees, because
it was better, faster, and less strenuous. When we are used to doing things,
we naturally react quickly. My brain is the same as yours, so why can't you
do what I do? By dissecting our brains for analysis and comparison, you will
find that the brain in each one of you is the same as mine, containing the
same material inside. You can't say that my brain is better than yours in any
way. Since you have the same brain as I do, why don't you use it? Isn't it a
great pity not to use it?
If you want to spoil
yourself, to sink lower, and continue to decay, and be lazy and slovenly, it
is your own choice. You can't blame God; you can't blame it on karma or
anything. It is all because you don't utilize your brain and let it function.
My brain has the same quality as yours. To be more precise, my brain is even
smaller than yours, and lighter in weight, so you ought to be smarter than I
am! If we make a serious calculation, I am at a disadvantage. How can you
still be looking for excuses?
So make your own
choice. Should you be willing to use your brain and force it to work, and be
strict with yourself, then I don't have to be strict with you. When you
demand of yourself strictly, it shows that you love me, because you save a
lot of my vitality. I don't need to reproach you and feel sad. Many unhappy
moments can be avoided, and the relationship between us, Master and
disciples, will not be impaired. Much time can be saved for doing better
work, and for me to enjoy tea with you, to share some important wisdom in the
universe.
Don't think that you
are great when you help me! Neither should you generate a kind of very busy
or exciting atmosphere, just because you are doing some work or contributing
a little effort. This will only make things worse, because people will think
that we have accomplished it, and so there is no need to help. Whereas others
can't do our work, each one has his own work to do. God gives us this talent
precisely because Hes wants us to do this job, and not another job. It is
also all right to do the other job, but then we have to come back again to
finish the job that we have left undone. This is because that job was
specifically given to us to learn a lesson.
Every job is only a
means for us to learn and grow. Actually, we do not do any work. You should
not complain and think that you are working too hard. It is only a means for
us to learn. God uses this method to educate us, let us become enlightened,
and give us a chance to develop our talents, cultivate our personality,
beautify our demeanor, and develop our mindfulness. Every job is the same,
because we can only learn other things through this method.
If we are truly
mindful in our work, we can learn something from doing any task. It is like
following an example that will lead us to realize other things. Therefore,
sometimes when we work, we suddenly realize many truths. Work is a way to
temper ourselves, helping us to measure our personality, stamina, talents,
and level of enlightenment. So, you shouldn't be afraid to work. Fear of work
is also a kind of phobia. The more we work, the more enlightened we will
become.
Goodbye, January,
Greetings, February,
The wind is gently blowing the snow,
From every leaf of the tree,
To renew nature once again.
I forget my past,
To step into a bright future.
We were together in May,
And now we are oceans apart,
But oh, my dear Master,
I treasure
Sweet memories of You in my heart.
All the hatred, anger and disgrace
Were washed away last night,
With sweet drops of rain.
Oh, my dear friend, don't you feel
Today that love is all around?
The stars twinkle,
The moon smiles at me,
Nature showers its love,
When I think of my Master.
On a cold winter's morning,
The birds come out
To bask in the sunshine,
The squirrel plays on the ground,
But..., oh, my dear Master,
I secretly steal Your smile inside my
heart...
With prayers and love to my dear Master
The world throws things at me
That I do not understand.
Even though I do my best,
I sometimes reap injustice, pain and
misunderstanding.
I am left alone in misery
Until I cry out to God:
"What did I do to deserve this?"
Oh, sweet Music of the Spheres,
Without your soothing melodies
My spiritual scars would never heal!
Oh, sweet Master of the Universe,
Without Your all-embracing Love,
My soul would be forever lost!
If there was anything I ever wanted
In this lifetime, in many lifetimes,
Of mighty schemes and broken dreams,
Of ignorance and longing,
It was, my sweet Angel of Mercy,
To follow You
Home.
Q: Do you consider it important in our daily lives to do things very
carefully, with attention to detail, with mindfulness and awareness, and with
full attention, like in the Buddhist tradition? Or is it mostly just
important to do the practice for two and a half hours a day and keep the
Precepts, and that's enough, and not to worry much about mindfulness?
M: I think you should also practice mindfulness. If you drive a car, I
advise you to use all the mindfulness you can. If you operate a machine with
full running power in a factory, I advise you to use Buddhist mindfulness.
It's just a way of
speaking. Actually, we are mindful every day. We have to be. If you work at
the computer, tell me you are not mindful of the computer, or the e-mail or
the Internet. If you are not mindful, how can you get things right? You have
to direct your finger so that the arrow will point where you want, and then
you have to read the information. So we use mindfulness all the time; we just
don't mention it.
But I do also say
briefly that in everyday life, whatever you do, do it with your heart and
with the utmost concentration. Give your best to it. That's a kind of
mindfulness. Otherwise, reciting the Holy Names gives you concentration also,
and that's mindfulness. Your mindfulness is why you don't take lives; you
take care that your diet is pure vegetarian. Your mindfulness is why you are
responsible for your family and job. Your mindfulness is why you don't commit
something against the law or hurt people.
All these are
mindfulness, all the time. I just don't specify too many different methods
and give them names. Buddha liked names; he liked numbers, also. He was a
man. I have more common sense. (Audience laughs, applauds) He gave names to a
lot of things. But when you have to learn it all by heart, you forget to
practice. There are the Four Sufferings, the Four Noble Truths, the Five
Noble Ways, the Eight-Fold Path, the Twelve Links, the Twenty-Eight whatever,
the Fifty Maya methods, the Hundred and Eight, etc., etc. He loved numbers.
And he named them all: the Four Noble Truths, the Eight-Fold Suffering, and
the
I just teach you
simply. We have only the Five Precepts, and you have difficulty keeping them
already. We are in the modern age. We don't have time for an Eight-Fold Path,
Four-Fold Suffering, Twelve-Fold whatever, and name the mindfulness and all
that kind of thing. There's no need. I tell you: Just do exactly what I have
told you, and you'll get it. I promise! It's simple. (Audience applauds.)
Q: And as we move into the Golden Age, won't that mean that a lot of
our initiates will start sort of "popping up" to the fifth level
and becoming masters? If that's the case, then I would like to ask to be
brought to the fifth level, because I am tired of being down here.
M: You are as high as you want to be. So you just have to want to be
that. Everyone is tired. But I think you are already a master. If you wait
until the Golden Age to pop up and become more of a master, then I don't know
where I will go. You are already a master of yourself in terms of your
destiny; you have everything you want. There's no need to number
"fifth" or "fourth" again. That's the Buddha's stuff. We
don't care.
We have to be happy
and then be confident, be positive. Every time you think that you are at a
lower level, throw that idea away. Every time you feel you are depressed or
beaten up, throw that idea away! It's tough, but that's how you beat the
blues. That's how you become higher. You cannot want to be at the fifth level
and be thinking at the same time that you are lowly, beaten up by karma and
being negative. I can't help you. You are the one who decides at which level
you want to be, not me. I can't bless you; you bless yourself. Suppose I say,
"Okay, go to the fifth level; I bless you." But your mind is still
used to thinking negatively and being depressed and pessimistic. You have to
train your mind. Tell it that you are the master; tell it what to think, what
to do, what to feel, and which level you command. When you can do that, you
know you are the master. You are already a master; it's just that you have a
hard time convincing yourself. You have to work with yourself.
Q: Please, I would like to know why the practice of the Light and Sound
is the best way to get enlightened?
M: Because it's the best. No explanation is needed.
Q: You can't explain a little more about it?
M: The more I explain, the more it sounds like garbage to me. Actually,
how can you explain the sun? It just is. Because it's ourselves; the Light
and the Sound are our essence. You go back to yourself. What else can make
you feel better than if you are yourself? What else can make the fish feel
better than if he is in the water? Why does he feel better in the water?
Because he is a fish. Ask me to explain: I don't know.
If you feel good, you
know this already. If you don't feel good, go find something else and then
run back. It's only the best; that's all I know. And if you look for
references, we can see them in the Bible, like
Q: So it's seeing our own light and hearing our own sound?
M: It's not seeing your own light; you are the Light. It's not hearing
your own sound; you are the Sound. You are the vibration that creates the
whole universe. You are that. You are the Commander in Chief of this cosmos.
The more you realize that you are that, the more power you have, and the
freer you become. Instead of realizing that you are this flesh, you are this
fingernail, you are this and that, you realize, "No, no, no, I am the
Creator. I am the Light; I am the Sound; I am that absolute thing."
Q: Good evening, Master. I have met during the last couple of days a
lot of beautiful and wonderful people. And one person happened to know a lot
about crystals and the energy of crystals. I happen to wear crystals myself,
but I don't profess to have any power with them. But this particular person
has some knowledge and wisdom about the use of crystal energy. And I think it
was mentioned on the little initiation form that some powers ought not to be
used. I think that he was of the understanding that perhaps he should not
pursue that, if he is practicing the Quan Yin Method. And I kind of had a
hard time accepting that myself. If he is full of love, and wanting to help
someone, why would that be bad? Is it bad? And should he not do that?
M: Try.
Q: It's not a bad thing?
M: No.
Q: Very good. I did not think so. And I just want to make it clear. So
he wouldn't think so, too.
M: But crystal is crystal. It is not God power, though. It's probably
for temporary use, just like medicine or herbs. So it's additional perhaps,
but it's not the ultimate power, that's all. And if people are clinging too
much to those external things only, then it's no good. Because we have
already been clinging too much to a reliance on things external - like we
rely on the doctor, we rely on medicine, we rely on the crystal, we rely on
magical powers, etc. So now when you come to me, I say, "It's time. Come
in. You'll get a bigger crystal in there. Use it; it's eternal, it's everlasting,
and it costs no money. You don't have to wear it; you don't have to shine it,
and you don't have to worry about losing it."
So it's up to you to
cut it off with those small toys. But you can still wear them, and if you
feel they are helpful, it's fine with me. But don't cling to that, that's
all. And do not preach to people that crystal can heal you and all that.
Because there is a greater power than crystal. Try to remind people of that.
It will be more lasting and healing.
Q: Is it possible after you do the Quan Quang (meditate on the Light),
on the second day when you return to your house and go to the room where you
were doing the Quan Quang, that you can hear the Sounds, the vibration?
M: Yes, of course! Even the walls vibrate, and the ceiling vibrates.
That's the way it should be, that anywhere you meditate, the energy stays in
that place.
That's why you should
do good things all the time, to surround yourself with good energy. Even
talking about meditation, talking about God, talking about the Master power,
and talking about positive and good things - also create good energy. So when
you meditate, of course it creates good energy, and it stays there. And the
more you meditate in that place, the thicker the energy becomes. The more you
talk about positive things, the thicker the wall of energy you're surrounding
yourself with. And then like attracts like, and you extract more good energy
from different directions. So wherever you go, you carry this so-called
"pocket" of energy, a halo of good energy. And the more good energy
you carry, the better you feel. And the better you feel, the more you talk
about positive and good things. The more positive and good things you talk
about and the more positive things you do, the more good energies you create.
The more good energies you create, the better you feel, and you do better
things, and it never ends.
So never, ever sink
into a negative cycle. Just stay positive. I know it's hard. Because sometimes
people drag you down. But be aware. Just be aware. Always try to stay
positive. Say positive things and do positive things as much as you can.
Protect yourself, and then you create a wonderful house, a movable house, so
that everywhere you go, you take Light, good energy, good vibrations. And the
more of that you take with you, the more you attract, and the more you
attract, the more powerful and more positive you are.
On
Through Master's
videos and books, we receive Her loving and merciful guidance each day, and
our spiritual harvest is really supreme. We thank God for allowing us to come
so close to a great enlightened Being, and to constantly receive Her abundant
blessings.
Wishing Master a
happy Ching Hai Day!
Beloved Master,
Once more we remember
the day when wise people realized Your greatness and pure love.
We wish You a
peaceful and happy day.
We love You,
Your children from
Dearest Master,
On the special
occasion of Supreme Master Ching Hai Day, we want to say "Thank You So
Much" for all the Love You have given to us and the whole universe. We
sincerely wish that you remain forever happy, beautiful and healthy, and
always successful in Your efforts to help us and the rest of the world
progress!
Happy Ching Hai Day,
our beloved Master!
Dearest Master,
We send You our
deepest love and best wishes for a very happy Ching Hai Day 2002. May all of
Your days be filled with the good health, peace of mind, and happiness that
we know will be Yours eternally. For having taken on our problems and those
of this world, we are forever grateful to You, and will try our best to be
good examples of Your beautiful teachings, which were honored by six state
governments in the
We love you,
All the
Dearest Master,
You are Omnipresent
and Omnipotent, and since You have appeared here in physical form to help us
Earthlings, we wish You our deepest gratitude and a fantastic "Supreme
Master Ching Hai Day"!
Dear Master,
You have entered
countless souls that longed for You and filled us with abundant love,
happiness and a peace that we had never known before.
Thank You, Master,
and Happy Ching Hai Day.
Five years ago, I had a dream in which a beautiful, chubby
little boy came to hug me and introduce himself to me, saying "Hello,
Mama, my name is Quang Hi." I smiled at him and replied: "Sorry,
Mama is too busy to keep you." But he kept playing around me. When I
woke up the next morning, I missed the little happy boy very much, and wished
to see him again and again in my dreams!
A few months later,
my sister-in-law, who is also one of Master's disciples, became pregnant and
found out that she was going to have a boy! I told her that it must be the
boy in my dream who had a happy face and chubby cheeks. And he looked like a
little monk without any hair. At first, my sister-in-law did not believe me.
But to my surprise, he was born on my birthday, was named Quang Hi (Happy
Light), and looked exactly like the little boy in my dream. It turned out
that I had to baby-sit him during the day due to his parents' work schedule.
Happy Light is now
four-and-a-half years old. He is a happy little boy, just like his name
suggests. And he addresses my husband and me as "Mama and Papa."
Through us, he has learned about Master and has even asked about initiation.
He saw Master in
On the night of
Christmas Eve 2001, Quang Hi knew that we were going to see Master in
Sometimes maintaining
the physical and spiritual well-being of children is not easy. However,
Master's teachings give parents directions about being good examples for
their children. We are very grateful for Master's guidance in all aspects of
our lives, including parenting.
After the four-day
retreat at the
That night, Master
again reminded us of the importance of positive thinking, and hoped that we
would all speak positive words in the future. For instance, when we describe
certain circumstances, we should try not to use such words as "bad"
or "ugly" and instead try to use "not good' or "not
good-looking". Though the word "not" is used in these cases,
there are still such positive words as "good" or
"good-looking." The positive and the negative each make up half the
sentence, but it is still okay. Since what we think will come true, and any
idea bears energy, we have to be very careful about that.
After Master's short
discourse, several fellow practitioners voiced their personal opinions and
gratitude to Master and some shared with us true stories about their lives.
For example, one fellow practitioner from
Another fellow
practitioner shared his views on "Golden Words," saying that his
words often came true. From his childhood, he has not dared to speak
irresponsibly. He remembered once seeing clusters of mangoes on the trees at
the
The wonderful time at
Master's house passed in joyful laughter, warmth and happiness. Master then
stepped out of the study after the clock struck twelve, leaving an atmosphere
of immense love to take us into sweet dreamland. For each fellow practitioner
present, it was a truly unforgettable night.
Place:
TV Station: Channel 54
Program: Videotaped lectures by the
Supreme Master Ching Hai
Time:
Language: English and Chinese, with
Spanish subtitles
For a schedule of the Supreme Master Ching Hai's other TV programs,
please refer to:
http://www.godsdirectcontact.net/events/tv.htm
Following the recent
release of the English edition of the Letters
between Master and Spiritual Practitioners, Volume I, a brand new
collection of letters between Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her disciples and
other spiritual practitioners has been compiled in Volume III of the Chinese
edition. Each letter is spiritually enlightening, and Master's penetrating
responses provide illuminating answers to your inner questions, oversights,
and clarify confusion in your spiritual practice. Its rich and extensive contents
cover all the details of practice, from attaining serenity of mind to
creating harmonious relationships. Master's wisdom is an illuminating
lighthouse leading us in the right direction on the spiritual path.
The meticulous
concern and Infinite Grace given by Supreme Master to Her disciples are
clearly evident in the exchange of correspondence between them. The many true
stories in this volume are moving testimonials to Master's unfathomable love
and omnipresent power. A steady stream of love between Master and disciples
shines through in these letters, and will touch your heart, strengthen your
faith, and increase your courage in facing the challenges of daily activities
and spiritual life.
Relevant website:
http://www.smchbooks.com/eng/books/books.htm (
I Have Come to Take You Home includes quotes by Supreme Master
Ching Hai, meticulously selected from lectures given throughout the world,
from interviews, and from informal conversations. In this book, Supreme
Master Ching Hai incisively elaborates on various spiritual topics. Since the
beginning of time, riddles about life and death have distressed sentient
beings. For sincere Truth-aspirants, the ultimate goal is to realize the
Truth of the universe, and return to our eternal Homeland. Today, we can find
answers to all our doubts and longings in this book.
Supreme Master Ching
Hai has said, "Our way Home was paved inside us long ago. Should we
forget this lifesaving map, we will be forever trapped in the cycle of life
and death." With this book as your guide, you will soon find your way
Home, and easily transcend the maze of life.
Relevant website: http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/aulac/publication/
Besides the Aulacese edition, I
Have Come to Take You Home is also available in English and other
languages. For further information, please contact:
Fax:
949-738-9992 (
E-mail: la_bookstore@yahoo.com
On February 19-24,
the Taipei International Book Exhibition 2002 was held at the
As in previous years,
The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association Publishing Co., Ltd.
sponsored a booth at the Exhibition. This year, the theme was "Spiritual
Congregation of Wisdom, Love and New Life," and initiates decorated the
booth exquisitely, giving it a different appearance than that of previous
years. In addition to displaying Master's publications, fellow initiates also
exhibited several Longevity Lamps designed by Master. Light from the lamps
and the illuminated paintings by Master on either side of the booth created
an enchanting atmosphere. TV sets continuously showed lectures by Master,
filling the exhibition hall with Her love. Along a nearby corridor was a
computer, on which visitors could explore Master's art works and publications.
Because the booth was near the entrance to the venue, it attracted numerous
passersby, including many fellow initiates and their families. Among the
hundreds of exhibits, our booth was the most eye-catching, with its
presentation of the music video One
World … of peace through music, and attracted countless visitors. Several
journalists from
The Exhibition ended
at
On the fifth day of
the Taipei International Book Exhibition, a Saturday, a happy atmosphere,
which continued from the Chinese New Year holidays, was felt at the venue.
Endless crowds of visitors came to the event, attracted by its large variety
of promotional activities.
Representative Jost
Feer of the Trade Office of Swiss Industries in
He greatly admires
Supreme Master Ching Hai, has attended many of Her Truth sharing activities,
and thinks that Her disciples are very active since they not only practice
meditation, but also take part in charity work. If more people can be like
us, Mr. Feer said, they will greatly benefit themselves and society. Although
Mr. Feer has not been initiated by a particular master, he constantly reminds
himself to search for the inner supreme Master and to merge with it.
His interview
comments reminded us of Master's New Year's message, in which She says,
"I love you very much as always, for what you are and what you strive to
remember - your noble and highest Self!" We thank Master for again
reminding us, through Mr. Feer, of this important message. Master helps us to
feel that God's love is always the same, and that all we have to do is
totally accept and place our trust in it. When asked if he had a message for
the people of
Another guest at our
booth, Products Manager Liu Yu-hsien of Hima-laya Records, who listened to
Master's music CDs, had a special preference for Her original vocal
compositions. Through their melodies, he said, he can feel Her love and
desire for world peace. When he saw the program One World … of peace through music, he said that it was fantastic
the way Master's unselfish and all-encompassing love was expressed through a
group of world-renowned musicians, and he supported the activity very much.
In addition, the
Exhibition's Russian Classical Literature Illustrations award winner, Mr.
Chelushkin Kirill, told us that he pays special attention to the inner meaning
of an artist's work. On visiting our booth, he remarked that artists use
their creations to communicate with the public. To the world, an artist's
works have certain meanings, and although people sometimes may not understand
them, these creations nonetheless have a subtle but far-reaching effect on
our lives. Ms. Natalia V. Tikhonova, the art director for a Russian company,
PIANT, said that she was impressed that so many people in Formosa were
concerned about vegetarianism and environmental protection. She added that,
to truly love nature, we must start by being vegetarians and practicing the
spiritual life. In this respect, fellow initiates are well on their way to
showing their love of the natural world.
Serial No. 44 of the A Journey
through Aesthetic Realms program includes a detailed report on the Taipei
International Book Exhibition and our interviews with special guests. The
program may be viewed at http://137.hichannel.com.tw (Chinese).
[
Also, on February
10-11,
[
Similar to the Body Health and Harmony Expo that we attend each year, the Living Expo promoted healthy living, spiritual information and books, natural healing, and body massage. However, ours was the only booth that provided information on meditation and spiritual practice, and thus it attracted considerable attention from fellow exhibitors and visitors alike. The local residents are very open-minded and friendly, so many guests received Master's sample booklets with great admiration, and several curious children asked for copies as well.
When the two-day
exhibition ended, our fellow practitioners went home, delighted that many
people at the Living Expo were happy to learn about Supreme Master Ching Hai.
We were also very
pleased and excited to find that afterwards, The Ipswich Advertiser newspaper
featured a front page article about our exhibit at the Expo, giving a large
number of local residents a chance to see Master's picture.
[Byron
Bay/Northern Rivers] Recently, fellow practitioners from the Byron
Bay/Northern Rivers Center, with help from
But even more
gratifying were the moving remarks made by the new Convenient Method
practitioners. People with glowing faces could not contain themselves
regarding their experiences , making comments such as "I have never
experienced a meditation like this before," "This is one of the
nicest days I've had in a long time," and "What do you think is the
reason for such a high feeling here?" Some tried to give us offerings,
but we explained that Master never accepts donations.
Master's love was
present in full measure. The initiates knew the feeling well, and it is
difficult to explain. But it was very satisfying to make it available to
share with others, to see the look of happiness and serenity on their faces,
and to have such a joyous and unforgettable day!
[
Posters and pamphlets
announcing the date and time of the cooking class were printed in a
completely new format, with the theme "Vegetarian Cooking Class --
Healthy Food and Spiritual Information: Let Peace Begin from Our Dining
Tables!" In the pamphlets, we also included some facts on vegetarianism
and reasons for following a vegetarian diet, so as to promote vegetarianism
among the public.
As the day for the
cooking class approached, more and more people registered to attend. One
gentleman said that in the past he had tried to follow a vegetarian diet for
a time, but found it difficult to completely give up poultry. Thus, he hoped
that this class would help him become a complete vegetarian. The cooking
class attracted teenagers as well. One woman asked if she could bring her
twelve-year-old daughter, for they were both vegetarians, and her daughter
often helped her prepare vegetarian dishes. Another lady who had just moved
to the city was very excited to learn that not only were we going to teach
vegetarian cooking, but also provide spiritual information, as she had been
looking for a meditation group to join.
On the day of the
cooking class, the venue was fully packed, and people continued to arrive, so
we had to keep adding chairs and still lacked adequate space. Each attendee
received a free information package that included information on
vegetarianism, recipes, and spiritual materials such as a sample booklet and
flyers.
During the two-hour
class, people learned how to make fifteen dishes from around the world,
ranging from Asian and Mexican to Western cuisines. We informed them about
the various sources of protein and vitamin-B for vegetarians (such as
textured vegetable protein-TVP, various tofu products, wheat gluten, miso,
seaweed, tempeh, etc.), as well as where these foods are available and how to
cook them in easy ways. The class also covered many Western favorites, such
as homemade vegetarian hamburgers, barbecued TVP slices, and several egg-less
desserts. The venue was filled with laughter throughout the class, as the
participants enjoyed it very much.
After the cooking
demonstration, we invited the attendees to taste the various vegetarian
dishes that fellow initiates had lovingly prepared . During this time, one
couple said that they previously had never liked tofu, but now they did after
tasting it. Many people asked if we would continue to hold cooking classes in
the future, because they wanted to ask their friends and family members to
come. Having learned a lot from the cooking class, the participants felt very
happy and satisfied.
While participants
enjoyed their vegetarian meals, we played videotapes that introduced Master
and Her teachings. Some people asked to learn the Convenient Method, and
others said that they would like to visit our center during the times each
week when it is open to the public.
After the cooking
class, many of our fellow practitioners asked for extra copies of the
vegetarian recipes for their friends and family members. They found the class
to be very informative, and helpful in maintaining a vegetarian diet while
traveling the spiritual path. There is no doubt that the cooking class
extended people's loving nature and brought them a major step closer toward
recognizing the True Love of God.
[
While doing our best
to accomplish the task of sharing the Truth, we all experienced Master's
blessings, God's love, and sentient beings' longing for liberation. We
sincerely pray that Master's grace and divine compassion can continue to be
passed through us to those brothers and sisters still struggling in hardship
and longing for spiritual insight.
All
[
The ceremony was
preceded by a documentary video introducing the rescue efforts of the
Association's land and marine training team members during Typhoons Xangsan,
Toraji, and Nari, special newspaper reports, and television interviews with
members at various disaster scenes. The documentary provided an understanding
of the training, efficiency, and capabilities of Association members. The
film ended with Master's heartwarming expressions of concern and
encouragement for disaster-stricken residents of
The inaugural
ceremony began with introductory remarks by chairman Lo, a brother initiate,
on the Rescue Association's formation through Supreme Master Ching Hai's
encouragement, the process and principles of its establishment, and the
objectives it hopes to achieve. Brother Lo especially mentioned how each
member of the Association had made his utmost effort, enduring pain and
hardship, to complete relevant training in physical fitness and professional
techniques, while bearing in mind that rescue work must be accomplished as
quickly and safely as possible. The members purchased the personal gear
required for their training from their own money. Moreover, several times
during the past six months, members from the southern and eastern parts of
After brother Lo's
address, the master of ceremonies read congratulatory messages from
The rescue team has
more than a hundred advisors in various parts of
After the
Association's agenda was discussed and its first board of directors and
supervisors was elected, the inaugural ceremony came to an end. However, this
event also marked the beginning of the Rescue Association's responsibilities.
Deep inside, each member reminded himself that, with Master's recognition and
encouragement, and support from society, he must truly put into practice the
spirit of "genuine empathy and self-sacrifice" in order to offer
his best service to God's people.
The inaugural ceremony of the Chinese Amphibious Rescue Society will
be broadcast in Serial No. 45 of the TV program A Journey through Aesthetic
Realms. For online viewing, please visit:
http://137.hichannel.com.tw (Chinese)
[
Director Hsieh
Shih-jieh of the Tainan City Environmental Protection Bureau personally
inspected the site and complimented the practitioners on their enthusiastic
participation in environmental protection, saying that he was deeply
impressed by the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association's
persistent efforts to clean the beach despite harsh weather. Mr. Hsieh
observed that it is ideal for a civic group like ours to inspire public
participation in environmental protection efforts, for such work is not only
a task for the cleaning staff of the Environmental Protection Bureau, but
also the common duty of every citizen. Director Hsieh further acknowledged
that he was inspired to join in the Association's next cleaning project at
the
On
Mayor Hsu understands
the importance of vegetarianism for the environment within the human body,
for ecological conservation, and in terms of the effective use of the Earth's
limited resources. Thus, environmental protection must begin with
vegetarianism.
The exclusive
interviews with Tainan Mayor Hsu Tien-tsai and Director Hsieh Shih-jieh of
the Tainan City Environmental Protection Bureau were broadcast in Serial 41
of the program A Journey through Aesthetic Realms. They can also be viewed on
the Internet at: http://137.hichannel.com.tw (Chinese).
[
It was remarkable to
see how many truth-seekers and open-minded individuals attended the Fair due
to its lofty ideals and elevating spiritual atmosphere. A woman working at
the booth next to us had experienced the Light before and commented on the
peaceful atmosphere of the fellow practitioners working near her. She asked a
fellow sister about the meaning of the different colors of the inner Light,
and happily accepted Master's magazine. After reading it for a while, she
said that she liked what Master said and added that she would read more when she got home. Many
others commented on the importance of meditation, were very grateful to
receive information on the Quan Yin Method, and received Master's teachings
with enthusiasm. Some people had already seen Master on TV and took home
reading materials. By the end of the day, the English sample booklets we had
on hand were all given away, along with Master's English News magazines and
flyers. In the end, fellow practitioners had to undo some bound volumes of
Master's News magazines, and separate the issues to give to enquiring guests.
Although fellow
practitioners worked very hard at this event, they also had a great deal of
fun. Sisters from the
Note: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an African-American
civil-rights leader. His birthday, January 15, is celebrated throughout the
On
To help spread
Master's teachings, disciples from
We are all very
fortunate to be learning under a true, living Master. Thus, helping to spread
Her teachings and guide other souls in finding their way Home is truly the
most meaningful experience on earth.
[
The Center was
beautifully decorated by the working team, with colorful lanterns, New Year's
paper cutouts and potted flowers creating a highly festive atmosphere. For
this event, we especially arranged drawing and handicraft competitions for
young fellow practitioners of different ages, and the children were eager to
earnestly display their artistic talents. Also, to wish Master a happy Lunar
New Year, fellow practitioners sent Her a beautiful greeting card signed by
everyone.
After the retreat
ended at
The program reached
its climax with a tea party. Brewed in a Heavenly Dragon gold teapot designed
by Master, the tea was extremely fragrant and delicious, and impressed
everyone, including our guests, each of whom also received a red envelope
fully charged with Master's love and blessing. Thanks to Master's blessings
and the selfless devotion of working team initiates, we enjoyed a wonderful
and unforgettable two-day New Year's retreat.
[
The seminar was
conducted at an elegant fine arts auditorium on the New College of Florida
campus, and attracted spiritual seekers of many ages, ranging from young
college students to senior citizens. Those who attended commented that they
were very impressed with our organization and program, and many wanted to know
more about vegetarian foods. After a free vegetarian buffet, approximately
two-thirds of the attendees stayed to learn the Convenient Method.
Following the
seminar, we found a location for the Convenient Method practitioners to hold
their weekly group meditation sessions. One woman who had missed the event
was able to come to a group meditation session to learn the Convenient
Method. When she discovered that practicing the Convenient Method would give
her liberation in this lifetime, she said that throughout her life, she had
always felt she had been tricked into coming back here this time, and swore
that it would be her last lifetime. Excitedly, she stated that now she knew
for certain this was her last time to reincarnate!
The weekly group
meditations give the new practitioners support, allowing them to ask
questions, watch Master's videos, borrow tapes and books, learn more about
vegetarian foods, and of course, meditate together. At least one Convenient
Method practitioner is awaiting initiation into the Quan Yin Method.
On the first day of
the Year of the Horse in the Chinese calendar, fellow practitioners around
the world were joyfully surprised to receive warm New Year's greetings from
Master. The words are charged with Master's love for those of us who are Her
children, as well as blessings and wishes for the New Year. We can only feel
that we are the most fortunate and blessed group of children in the universe.
The following is the text of Master's New Year message:
Lunar New Year -- The First Day of the First Month
Wishing you all, dearest brothers and
sisters in God, a very beautiful New Year in all aspects, full of love,
happiness and luck.
Renewing
our faith in the most merciful, almighty God, we start afresh in spiritual
and worldly endeavors, to serve the best cause for all beings.
I
love you very much, as always, for what you are and what you strive to
remember -- your noble and highest Self!
Ching
Hai
To celebrate the
arrival of the New Year, the Celestial Jewelry Group selected several sets of
extraordinary Celestial Jewelry in order to share with us the true love of
God. Unlike Master's earlier magnificent designs, these sets are simpler,
while at the same time being refined and elegant. They produce an immediate
visual impact, and the sophisticated mounting technique used in their
creation accentuates their extraordinary value. Each design has its own
spiritual meaning and unique aura, and each is perfectly versatile, being
appropriate for wearing at work, on a date, or at a party.
Latest Design:
·
S.M. Pendant (gold or plated
white gold)
·
S.M. Earrings (coral, jade)
Regarding the S. M.
logo, Master has said, "S.M. stands for Supreme Master. It reminds us
that we all have the power of a Supreme Master." The classic and elegant
S. M. Earrings, their bright red coral contrasting with green jade, set
against dazzling gold and glittering diamonds, reflect an elegant folk style.
Latest Design:
·
Figure "8" Necklace
(gold or plated white gold)
This necklace
featuring a figure "8" design comes in two different color series
-- gold and plated white gold. The figure "8" in its horizontal
form represents the mathematical symbol of infinity. When pronounced in
Chinese, "8" resembles the word "well developed." It
symbolizes superior development in spiritual cultivation through the grace of
God. The necklace is a perfect match with any S.M. pendant, creating a new,
appealing harmony beyond imagination.
Latest Design:
·
"Future Buddha"
Pendant
·
"Future Buddha"
Earrings-B
Since the beginning
of the post-modern period in the 1980s, a refined but simple style touching
on the cultural subconscious has led the avant-garde in the field of design.
The "Future Buddha" is exactly of this style.
The attractive single
pendant suspended from a simple necklace gives a rich sense of value and a
distilled feeling of elegance, and is simplified from its original
magnificent design.
Latest Design:
·
"Positive Victory"
Pendant
·
"Positive Victory"
Earrings-B
This splendid series
of Celestial Jewelry reflects the confidence shining from its wearers. Its
dazzling gold, diamond, and yellow topaz intensify its brilliance,
symbolizing that, through the radiance and wisdom of God, negative desires
(Z) cannot manifest and will be absorbed into the whole.
Latest Design:
·
"The Ultimate Glory of
Love" Pendant
·
"The Ultimate Glory of
Love" Earrings-B
With His blood, Jesus
Christ cleansed the sins of humankind, and His spirit of self-sacrifice and
noble nature have been respected throughout history. The new Cross shares
Jesus' divine Love with the world and reminds us that, as long as we believe
in the power of God, this world will exist eternally and the Supreme Holy
Love will embrace humankind at all times.
Latest Design:
·
"Light of Tower"
Pendant (sapphire, gold, and plated white gold)
Its shape is like
that of a beacon shining from a tower, and its brilliance symbolizes Master's
use of wisdom and love to light up our spiritual path and guide us along the
road to glory.
The elegant design of
the "Light of Tower", styled with a single sophisticated pendant,
goes well with both work and casual wear.