================================================================== ======= Contents ======= ? Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest Books | DVDs | CDs ? The Essence of Mastership - Master Yourself and Become Perfect ? Supreme Master Ching Hai -- Manifestation of Love ? Cameroon | South Africa | Finland | Belgium | New Zealand | Australia | Canada | Mexico | Korea | Singapore | Hong Kong | Formosa ? The Bait | The Bribe that Backfired ? Germany | Formosa ? Higher Spiritual Attainment Brings Great Wisdom and Blessing ? Learning That All of Creation is One | Combining Business with God's Mission in the African Bush ? The Rewards of Sincere Practice ? The Detached Mind is the Enlightened Mind ? A True Master Transcends the Duality of Time and Space | Knowing God is the Highest Virtue | Poverty Would Disappear if We All Shared Our Abundance | The Best Blessings are Born of Inner Development ? The Noble Bearing of God's Children | Scientific Discoveries Must be Balanced by Spiritual Wisdom ? The Quan Yin Method is the Most Exact Science ? The Quan Yin Method Returns to an Ancient Civilization | Southeast Asians Grow Strong in the Heavenly Light ? A Most Brilliant and Sacred Ritual | Walking on the Golden Path ? Jesus Christ -- Quan Yin Master and Vegetarian Advocate ? Decline of Animal Dissection Shows Humanity's Growing Compassion | Vegetarian Alternatives to Meat-based U. S. Holiday Foods on the Rise ? Japan | Panama | Formosa ? Japan ? Cultivating the Habit of Cleanliness ? Longing -- The Flowing River of Life | Verses of a Great Enlightened Master ? Our Liaison Practitioners around the World ? Quan Yin WWW Sites A Little Message: In speaking of God or the Supreme Spirit, Master instructs us to use original non-sexist terms to avoid the argument about whether God is a She or a He. She + He = Hes (as in Bless) Her + Him = Hirm (as in Firm) Hers + His = Hiers (as in Dears) Example: When God wishes, Hes makes things happen according to Hiers will to suit Hirmself. News No. 155 Published: January 15, 2004 Founded: April 1, 1990 Published By: The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association Publisher: Hsieh Hsin-Lin The Supreme Master Ching Hai News magazine is published on the Internet in the following languages: Aulacese, Chinese (in both traditional and simplified versions), English, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese and Thai. Please refer to the "Quan Yin WWW Sites" of the News magazine for related websites. ================================================================== Elevation of the Soul Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest Books The Key of Immediate Enlightenment, Volume IV The Key of Immediate Enlightenment book series -- a quintessential collection of Supreme Master Ching Hai's teachings -- has long been regarded as required daily reading by Quan Yin practitioners. The Japanese edition of Volume Four is now available to benefit Japanese readers. As in all of the Supreme Master's other spiritual publications, in this book She explores many profound topics. She also anticipates that two thousand years from now people will be going about their daily lives without desires or demands and happily sharing love with each other. In addition, Master addresses questions such as how environmental conservation can ensure a beautiful appearance for our planet, how Earth's glorious past civilizations such as that of Atlantis emerged and disappeared and how enlightened Masters descend from superior realms to help elevate human culture. In this text Master Ching Hai also provides insights into how Jesus Christ and Lao Tze became enlightened Masters through practice of the Quan Yin Method. The Key of Immediate Enlightenment Volume 9 This volume is a collection of Supreme Master Ching Hai's discourses given in Aulacese, Her native tongue, between 1989 and 1997. Its brilliant contents include discussions of many topics related to religion and spiritual practice. Supreme Master Ching Hai, with wisdom as immense as an ocean, encourages Her compatriots to embark on the spiritual path. With each chapter, readers are guided more deeply into an illuminating exploration of the higher realms. In these discourses, Master uses vivid metaphors and vibrant explanations that are not present in most of Her Chinese and English lectures. Her wording, though simple and easily understood, is imbued with profound philosophical truth. Thus readers will feel as though they are sipping Heavenly nectar while perusing this illuminating, soul-nourishing text. Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest DVDs 260 New languages in this edition: Arabic, Bulgarian, Dutch, Tagalog and Romanian The Mystery of the World Beyond Lecture delivered at the United Nations, New York, NY, U.S.A., June 26, 1992 Summary: In Her talk, Master examines the dimensions beyond the material world and the physical, emotional and mental changes that come about when we rise to these levels through spiritual practice, as well as the transformations that occur in our daily lives. She also discusses why enlightened Masters from the superior levels choose to remain at the Fifth Realm instead of rising to higher dimensions, whether the spiritual level that practitioners attain in this life is decided when they were born, and how we can use our wisdom to solve the problems of overpopulation, environmental destruction and inadequate food supplies. 604 Spiritual Life and Professional Ethics International Four-day Retreat, Washington D.C., U.S.A., December 23~24, 1997 Summary: Master reminds disciples of the concepts to be embraced and guidelines to be followed on the spiritual path, emphasizing that spiritual attainment is the only worthy goal and the top priority of human existence. It is not enough to simply pray daily for material comfort or smooth solutions to our problems; we must also practice until we are one with God and know that we are God. Paying excessive attention to material possessions is not only onerous, but also lowers our spiritual level and greatly hampers our progress in meditation. In addition, over-eating makes our meditation unstable; being eighty percent full is enough; only then will the next meal be more delicious. And we must fulfill our family obligations before we can make spiritual progress. 184 Maitreya Buddha and the Six Children The Truth about the World Group meditation in Hsihu, Formosa, August 4/September 1, 1991 Summary: In this DVD, Supreme Master Ching Hai addresses the following questions. From the spiritual perspective, what is the significance of Emperor Qianlong's legendary trips to southern China? What is the connection between the inner levels and the six children playing by Maitreya Buddha as typically depicted in Buddhist iconography? What is the meaning of the Chinese term "rulai"? Why does the Quan Yin Method bring us increasingly closer to the level of rulai? Each time we are beaten down on the spiritual path, the soul becomes weaker, has difficulty recovering and may even have to begin anew. In this discourse, Master wholeheartedly encourages us to hold on to our ideals after initiation so that we will continue to be elevated. 356 Let God Serve through Us Lecture delivered at the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, April 20, 1993 Summary: Master examines how great kings since ancient times have realized God's will in ruling their countries, why people today are able to attain immediate enlightenment while ancient spiritual seekers had to undergo prolonged trials by enlightened Masters before they could be initiated and enlightened, and the type of lifestyle that befits a great person. She also offers an incisive explanation of why many individuals who wish to do so fail to create peace on Earth, and encourages initiates working for the United Nations to be brave pioneers in walking "the way of God" on Earth. Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest CDs CD-E720 Monkhood Begins with Asceticism Group meditation at the Florida Center, U.S.A., June 4, 2001 CD-E724 Sincerity and Purity of Heart Group meditation at the Florida Center, U.S.A., June 12, 2001 CD-ES105 How to Get in Touch with God Every Day Lecture in Costa Rica, November 22, 1989 ================================================================== Master's Words The Essence of Mastership -- Master Yourself and Become Perfect Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Group Meditation in Los Angeles, CA., USA, March 13, 1996 (Originally In English) Videotape #536 A Master isn't a perfect person -- never is, never will be. You must know that. But a Master is one who can master His or Her mistakes. We can learn from them and vow to make ourselves better each day. Just like being a genius is continuous hard work to maintain, so is Mastership, which is all about mastering yourself and nothing else. If anyone else follows you, it's just by the way, just because of your aura. Your true sincerity attracts them from inside. That's why you don't need to talk. You don't even need to tell them anything and they believe you. Mastership is like that. Don't believe that I was born perfect, I'm perfect at the moment or I'll ever be perfect. No! I'm learning like you. But I've mastered myself. I don't let my mind dictate to me what to do because I know the mind. I make friends with it; we make a deal, saying, "You do this and I'll do that and we won't bother each other. If you do it well, I'll reward you. I feed you well, don't I?" I tell it, "I give you anything when you want it." It's just that now it doesn't want much because it knows it can't get much with me, so it forgets it. Even when it wants to sleep, I say, "No, get up and work." Then it has to do it. So it's gotten used to it after ten years. It says, "It's no good talking to this girl. She's very stubborn. She just does what she wants, and it's no good arguing." That's all there is to being a Master, continuous striving for perfection, for a better, nobler personality -- a better ideal not really a personality because when you talk about personality you mean you still want fame and all that. You know you still have ego, wanting to be proud of yourself; it's not true. It's just that you think that whatever you want to do, whatever you think is noble, is highly idealistic, benefits others, is good, then you must try to do it. It doesn't matter what the cost is, you just do it and don't talk. That's the only difference. Otherwise, what's the difference? If we were to be operated on right now, none of our brains would be much better than the others. Maybe I'm of a little bit higher IQ or you're higher, but that doesn't mean that we're much different. Our brains are the same. Our will power is the same, except that if you exercise to make it grow stronger or not, it's your free will. Most of us abuse our free will in a harmful way, in a retarding way, slowing our progress to higher consciousness. Don't ask me why we have to strive higher. It's more comfortable to be a noble being, to be a wiser being, than just always being ignorant, sluggish, slow, lazy and a "couch potato" just lying there and waiting for things to happen. It's better not to worship me, better not to follow me; just follow my example. Worship the result that comes out of my efforts and then do it. Do the same, and then you'll become a Master in no time. Teach yourself to do what's better than ordinary people, to do the things that other people can't do when it benefits humankind and yourself, to endure what other people can't endure when it benefits people and betters your judgment and wisdom. Do whatever is in your power to know yourself, to discover that your greatest strength is still further to be discovered, that you're nobler than you are at present, that you can do many other things that are a lot of benefit to yourself and other people. Then when you die you'll know. At that time it might be too late to look back and regret, but you'll feel very painful. That's why when most people die they're in agony. They haven't finished the things that they should have done, and their conscience strikes them. Their mind controls the body and the conscience affects the physical being. So if your conscience doesn't feel well, you feel sick, you feel painful. ================================================================== Poems Supreme Master Ching Hai -- Manifestation of Love By would-be initiate Fon Fon Christopher, Duala, Cameroon (Originally in English) Oh, Master! My first encounter with You was in a dream; Strange things do happen in dreams, But this was different. It was more than a dream. Each daily step I take toward You is energy, Oh, Light energy! How fast I gain consciousness, Consciousness from drunkenness, Consciousness from smoke and darkness; My whole household is filled with brightness Before I could hardly bow, But now I bow low. In silence and ever present, You transmit Your love, Gentle, simple and kind like a dove. Oh, Master! My first encounter with You was in a dream; Oh, no! I now understand it wasn't a dream. You came to wake me up, To reignite me. You came to remind me of my real Home, To remind me I'm part of God's Kingdom. Oh, Master, It wasn't a dream! Master, I thank You sincerely. Written at the Cameroon Center's celebration of Ching Hai Day in Golden Year One ================================================================== Panorama of Events Report from Cameroon A Spirited Celebration of Ching Hai Day in Golden Year One By Little Tree, Douala [Douala] The fellow practitioners of Cameroon followed up on their first successful Ching Hai Day celebration in 2003 with more remarkable festivities prepared with confidence and close cooperation in Golden Year One. On the evening of October 25, 2004, the disciples and their guests from around the country gathered at the newly renovated Cameroon Center to celebrate this meaningful occasion. The participants expressed their gratitude to Master through poetry recitations, singing, dancing and piano recitals, while rejoicing in Master's love, which pervaded the atmosphere like a cool evening breeze. Our great Master always gives generously, never asking for anything in return, and Ching Hai Day is but an excuse for us to share Her boundless love. On this grand occasion celebrated throughout the universe, let us sincerely wish good health to our dear Master and for oneness among all human beings in the world. Moments Reflective of Eternity -- A Ching Hai Day Special The Ching Hai Day Special on the Quan Yin websites provides a detailed introduction to the origin of Ching Hai Day along with a fine collection of congratulatory cards written to Supreme Master Ching Hai from disciples around the world. Also included are interesting photos and footage recording Ching Hai Day celebrations at various centers. For an experience of the immense love of a spiritual Master for all beings, and the wholehearted gratitude of Her disciples, please visit the following Websites: http://www.Godsdirectcontact.com/chinghaiday/eng/ (USA—in English) http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/special_report/chinghaiday / (Formosa—in English) Report from South Africa The Master Power Always Finds the Truth Seeker By the Johannesburg News Group [Johannesburg] On November 13, 2004, brothers and sisters from Johannesburg conducted a long awaited video seminar at their center to share Master's teachings with local residents. To open the event, a DVD of Master's lecture at the 1999 Parliament of the World's Religions in Cape Town was presented to a highly attentive audience. After the question-and-answer session, approximately half of the guests stayed to learn the Convenient Method of meditation. Some of the participants had interesting stories to relate about how they had found Master. For example, one man said that a long forgotten copy of Master's sample booklet "jumped" at him as he was looking for something on the top shelf of his cupboard. When he learned about the video seminar from a friend, he knew he had to attend. He is now a proud CM practitioner and is planning to adopt a full vegetarian diet in preparation for initiation. In addition, two women who appeared to be mother and daughter were drawn to an announcement about the seminar they had seen in a local newspaper, and were determined to attend and find out more about Master. Now they are CM practitioners as well. Another woman said that she had been practicing meditation on her own and was looking for a group to join. After participating in the video seminar she too is preparing for initiation. Yet another lady, a palm reader, whom the practitioners had met the previous weekend at a spiritual fair, came to the seminar after experiencing strong energy coming from the initiates' booth at the fair. She explained that during the fair she had stopped three times while doing her readings as she sensed the positive energy coming from Master's DVD-lecture, and felt that she and the initiates had been placed near each other so that she could send many of her clients to the initiates' booth after telling them that Master's teachings were what they really needed. These and the other happy stories that emerged from the November 13 seminar can only be attributed to Master; as sincere Truth-aspirants realize that She always calls them to Herself rather than the other way around. The Johannesburg initiates are very grateful to Master for the wonderful opportunity they were given to share the good news about Her teachings in Golden Year One. Captions: Audience members attentively watch Master's DVD lecture. Report from Finland Master's Teachings Reach the Land of the Midnight Sun By Anne Nyström, Helsinki [Helsinki] From October 16 to 17, 2004, Finnish initiates conducted eight video seminars at the Fair of Spirit and Knowledge in Helsinki, capital of Finland, known as the Land of the Midnight Sun because during summer the sun shines twenty-four hours a day in the northern regions. Twenty thousand copies of magazines about the Fair, which included information about the Quan Yin Method, were delivered to households all around the country. Approximately 10,000 people attended the event, including residents of Finland, Russia, Estonia and even several Arab countries. Numerous attendees visited the initiates' exhibition room, which housed Master's photos, books, DVDs and other materials. Outside the room the initiates placed a beautiful lamp with a flowing waterfall symbolizing the inner Light. On both days, four seminars were held every two hours, and many guests came before the seminars began, being attracted by Master's video lectures shown on a 120" video projection screen in the seminar room. The initiates encouraged the visitors to enter and offered them warm tea as the weather outside was quite cold. Many guests spoke with the sisters and brothers about their spiritual paths, and some even praised Master's extremely pure energy. Others discussed the meaning of various Bible passages, and many inquired about the vegetarian diet. One woman, who organizes similar spiritual fairs in Estonia, liked the atmosphere so much that she asked if the initiates would go to Estonia, which borders Finland, to conduct a seminar. Each seminar started with a presentation of one of Master's lecture videos, and then an initiate briefly explained the Quan Yin Method and initiation. Afterwards, any participants who were interested stayed to learn the Convenient Method and then were given a chance to pose questions, but most were so satisfied with the meditation that they had nothing to ask. All in all, about a hundred people received the Convenient Method over the two day period of the seminars, and as a result seemed lighter and gained a brighter, more beautiful appearance. All during these colorful events, Master's blessing power felt exceptionally strong, and at the same time very tender and loving so that many people's hearts were touched by the purity and presence of the Divine. Report from Belgium Sharing Master's Teachings at a Unique Venue By Luu Kim Huyên, Gent [Mechelen] On Sunday November 21, 2004, Belgian initiates conducted a videoconference at a spiritual bookshop in Mechelen, near Brussels, Belgium. Master's News magazines and photographs were displayed at the bookshop entrance to greet guests as they entered the store. To begin the event the guests were shown Master's lecture at the 1999 Parliament of World Religions. And afterwards several audience members, including the bookshop owner, remained to learn the Convenient Method of meditation. After meditating with the initiates for thirty minutes, the new CM practitioners asked to receive copies of Master's magazines and sample booklet, and also expressed their wish to participate in vegetarian cooking lessons. The initiates who took part in the Mechelen videoconference thank Master for giving them such a pleasurable opportunity to share Her love and blessings, and eagerly look forward to next year's event. Report from New Zealand The Wonders of Sharing the Truth By Ruth Stannard, Nelson [Christchurch] On October 9-10, 2004, fellow disciples from Nelson and Christchurch participated in the Body, Mind and Spirit Festival held in Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island by setting up a booth to share Master's teachings with the public. During the Festival, the initiates witnessed many instances of the Master power making the best possible arrangements for them. For example, on October 8, just as they were feeling troubled about their booth being too small, the exhibitors next door with a larger booth canceled out of the Festival and thus made more space available. There have been many such stories in The Supreme Master Ching Hai News, but to personally experience it was really great! On the first day of the Festival, the Master power was again at work as many people were drawn to the booth. One young man said, "I was standing back looking and just had to come to your booth after feeling a peaceful energy emanating from it." Also, the woman working in the adjacent stand felt very happy to be right next door to the initiates' booth and said, "I feel a peaceful atmosphere and energy enveloping me and am very grateful." On another occasion, a young man who was very sincere spoke to the initiates for quite a while and on leaving said, "Although I've never met you before, I don't want to say good-bye because I feel we're long-time friends with a strong connection." He then said he was sure that after practicing a breathing technique for many years the Quan Yin Method would be the final step on his spiritual journey, and eagerly asked for a contact number in his area. There was also no stopping youngsters from seeking the Truth, as an eight-year-old girl walking by hand in hand with her mother pulled back to grab a sample booklet while the mother continued walking. In addition, many babies toddled past with their parents, gazing in awe at the beautiful pictures of Master on the booth walls. One infant, about two years old, could not get enough of Master's image, completely forgot his father and left him behind to get near the booth to touch the TV presenting one of Master's lectures. Overall, the weekend was extremely uplifting for initiates and visitors alike, with many guests young and old going home with their little treasures -- Master's sample booklets. On returning to the Nelson Center on Monday, all the initiates who had participated in the 2004 Body, Mind and Spirit Festival felt blessed to have had the opportunity to spread Master's teachings and enjoyed strong blessings the following day while meditating. They also hope and pray that anyone who gets a similar opportunity to do God's work will not pass it up. Report from Australia A Highly Elevating Seminar for All By Magenesta and Zonti, Byron Bay/Northern Rivers [Byron Bay/Northern Rivers] On Sunday, November 28, 2004, initiates from the Byron Bay/Northern Rivers Center held a seminar at a beautiful hall in Murwillumbah, New South Wales. With the help of fellow practitioners from Brisbane and Formosa, preparations for the event were completed smoothly. On the day of the seminar, many guests attended, including several who came from as far as Australia's Gold Coast about 40km away. The video lecture was very well received and was followed by many highly thoughtful questions. Also, a palpable feeling of excitement could be felt in the venue as a large number of guests came back the following week to learn the Convenient Method at the Center. Indeed, many experienced Master's energy so strongly that they expressed great interest in receiving full initiation. Afterwards the initiates felt well rewarded for their efforts in arranging the Murwillumbah seminar because of the guests' highly enthusiastic response. In addition, all the participants, initiates and guests alike, were elevated by the warm energy from Master that permeated the event and raised the vibration, creating a strong feeling of oneness and brotherly love. Report from Quebec, Canada Nectar Showers in an Ancient Land of Saints By Van Nguyen and Ella Fert, Montreal [Montreal] In celebration of Ching Hai Day 2004, local fellow practitioners held a video seminar at the Montreal Center to introduce Master's teachings to the public of Quebec, long known as a blessed land of living saints, who have left many marks of their sainthood by way of street names and public monuments. In the week before the seminar, the initiates actively distributed flyers and placed notices in local newspapers, triggering many inquiries. And on the day of the event, the Center was thoroughly cleaned and nicely decorated with fresh flowers. During the video lecture presentation, a happy sense of upliftment and joy pervaded the seminar hall, and afterwards the audience members asked few questions because all had been answered while they watched Master's video. Then, several guests learned the Convenient Method of meditation. One Spanish man told us that he had known of Master since Her lecture at the University of Montreal in the Spring of 1993, and was reconnected with the Montreal Center after seeing the Center's ads in the local Metro newspaper. This time he made a firm commitment to sign up for the Convenient Method. In addition, a tai chi enthusiast, now a Convenient Method practitioner, shared his experience of seeing an angel in a vision while doing tai chi. He was excited to learn that he could repeat this experience in his everyday practice and moreover get numerous benefits that can lead him to a calmer, more carefree life. Thus, his search for a meditation method ended when he encountered Master's teachings. The greatest joy of working on the Montreal video seminar came from seeing the happiness and benefits others received from the event, which not only introduced Master's teachings to Quebec residents but also brought about various joyful experiences that benefited all. The Montreal sisters and brothers are thus most grateful for the opportunity to have learned the spirit of unconditional love and care shared among neighbors. Thank You, Master! Report from Mexico Master's Divine Guidance Brings Numerous Souls Home By M. O. Ramirez and G. S. Nieto, Queretaro [Queretaro] Queretaro, the scene of several important events in Mexican history, is one of Mexico's most ancient colonial sites, embellished by beautiful classical buildings and gardens. On Saturday, November 13, 2004, local initiates were inspired by Queretaro's kindly people and their desire to know God while presenting Master's teachings and the Method for attaining eternal liberation at a video seminar in the city. For several days before the event, fellow practitioners from other cities in Mexico joined in the preparations. And through our beloved Master's loving blessings, numerous posters and flyers were distributed to Queretaro residents. The local newspapers and radio stations also provided information about the event, and a brother-initiate was interviewed about Supreme Master Ching Hai and the benefits of the Quan Yin Method, surprising radio listeners with the fact that the Method is taught free of charge. Due to the great compassion of the Supreme Master, Who never forsakes longing souls and guides them back Home, all arrangements for the event were made in an orderly and timely fashion. For example, while handing out flyers for the seminar, a sister met a gentleman who said that he had previously met Master in a vegetarian restaurant in the United States. However, at that time he could not obtain a sample booklet in English or Spanish since only Asian language copies were available. But after meeting the sister he could at last acquire a sample booklet in Spanish, which he accepted with gratitude, and as he said goodbye a deep feeling of joy overcame the man because his longing for the Quan Yin Method had been fulfilled, in his home city! On the day of the seminar, many guests arrived early so that that they could get front row seats, and as the hall quickly filled, more chairs were put in place, but there was still an insufficient number of seats as numerous people continued to arrive. Luckily, however, the new arrivals did not mind the inconvenience and sat in the aisle or remained standing, motivated by their sincere desire to learn about Master's teachings. After the video presentation, with the entire venue immersed in a serene, blissful atmosphere, the audience members asked many thoughtful spiritual questions, and when a guest asked about Master's refined, modern look, several audience members wisely answered him that Master harmoniously balances material beauty with spiritual practice and inner realization in order to set an example for others, adding that they were delighted to meet such a beautiful Master. These insightful comments were a remarkable indication of the audience's attentiveness and rapid understanding of Master's teachings! After the question-and-answer session, almost two thirds of the guests stayed to learn the Convenient Method, and after the meditation session many reported having had inner experiences, some with inner Light or past Masters, and some with the Light form of our beloved Master, thus confirming for them the great spiritual power of the Supreme Master and the Quan Yin Method. Full of hope, and with freshly radiant faces, the new Convenient Method practitioners said they looked forward to starting a local meditation center to continue their marvelous journey back to Heaven guided by Master's divine hand. Captions: The seats at the Queretaro seminar are completely filled by Truth-aspirants, who attentively watch Master's lecture-DVD with several even sitting in the aisle. Report from Korea A Great Public Response at a Martial Arts Festival By the Seoul News Group [Chungju] Chungju City in South Korea's Chungbuk Province is famous for its splendid scenery, including the nation's largest lake, Chungju Lake, and for its delicious apples. The region is also home to Korea's traditional martial art called Taekkyon. Thus, from October 1-7, 2004, the City was host to the Seventh Annual Chungju World Martial Arts Festival, in which sixty martial arts teams from 34 countries participated, attracting 910,000 guests. This year Korean members of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association participated in the Festival for the first time by operating three booths: one for meditation, another to promote vegetarianism and a third to showcase alternative medicine. And of all the booths at the Festival, the Association's booths were the most successful and popular. In preparation for the event, initiates from Centers all over South Korea, especially Youngdong, Seoul and Daejeon combined their efforts to make the affair successful. The Seoul Center organized the meditation booth, the Daejeon Center was responsible for the vegetarian corner, and two Seoul sisters provided free medical advice for guests at the third location, while residents from the Youngdong Center coordinated all the activities. In the meditation area, Master's videos were shown continuously on a large TV so that all the visitors could be enveloped by Her blessing energy, and Master's artworks were also displayed in the booth so that guests could soak in their divinely artistic atmosphere. The initiates arranged numerous chairs for the visitors' comfort and provided free coffee and tea for those watching the lecture videos. Meanwhile, in the vegetarian corner, the Daejeon sisters and brothers offered free, delicious vegetarian food samples, and also sold reasonably priced vegetarian box lunches, which proved to be very popular with Festival participants. A wide array of visitors from around the world was attracted to the meditation corner, including yogis and martial arts practitioners. And because the booth was constantly filled with people, the initiates could not teach the Convenient Method of meditation on site; however, the many eager guests who applied to learn the CM were taught at a special house in a different location, and everyone was extremely satisfied with the arrangement. In addition, some who learned the Convenient Method also applied for full initiation. After conversing for two hours with a Youngdong resident, the head of a neighboring booth promoting yoga applied for initiation, and the director of the Hapkido Academy in Daejeon City also applied because he had long practiced Hapkido (a martial art form emphasizing self-defense), but experienced the limitations of a strictly physical practice and was looking for something to take him beyond the material realm, so he became very interested in the Quan Yin Method. Moreover, a university lecturer from the U.S who had practiced many spiritual techniques such as yoga and Zen but sought something higher was introduced to the Quan Yin Method thought it could be the ultimate practice, took a sample booklet and a couple of days later also applied for the Convenient Method. As the Festival came to a close, several Chungju City officials visited the initiates and said the booths operated by The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association had received much attention and interest, and thus the Association was invited to participate in next year's Festival. The officials then added, "We greatly appreciate your efforts in contributing to the success of the event." In conclusion, the 2004 Chungju World Martial Arts Festival was a meaningful opportunity to share the Quan Yin Method and the benefits of vegetarianism with many residents of Chungbuk Province. During the activity, fellow initiates from all over Korea came together in joyful harmony and truly experienced the wonders of the Golden Age. Sharing God's Gospel is the Source of True Happiness By the Busan News Group [Busan] From October 21-23, 2004, Busan City hosted the Busan NGO Festival in which The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association participated, along with approximately 120 other organizations. The Association's booth, set up by Busan Center practitioners, was located near the Festival's main entrance so that the attention of all the visitors entering the gate was caught by Master's clear, graceful voice through audio or video recordings. Many people were also attracted by Master's beautiful photos and by the fellow initiates' congenial manner. The practitioners had initially set up a TV screen on a grassy field at the Festival venue so that guests could watch Master's DVDs; however one of the event's supervisors told them to move elsewhere. Thus the initiates were inspired to set up a tent theater featuring a projector and large screen in an area with long benches so that people could watch Master's lectures in comfort and without interruption. The initiates deeply thanked Master for this magnificent arrangement! Several visitors who watched Master's DVD lectures asked the brothers and sisters spiritual questions while others discussed Master's wonderful publications and the nature of vegetarianism. During the Festival the Busan practitioners sincerely contributed their time and effort in sharing the good news about true enlightenment and eternal liberation with visitors. In describing her experience at the event, one sister-initiate said, "I personally feel the benefit of knowing the Truth so I try to share it with others as much as possible. As well as carrying out my work and family duties, I also like to devote my time to doing God's work." Even more inspirational is the fact that many local practitioners attend almost every Truth-sharing activity in the area with a similar ideal, so their hearts and souls are constantly filled with happiness and spiritual strength. After this year's highly successful Busan NGO Festival came to a close, all the fellow practitioners who participated gathered at the Busan Center, meditated together and then joyfully celebrated the 11th anniversary of Ching Hai Day. A Vibrant Celebration of Artistic Inspiration on Ching Hai Day By the Seoul News Group [Seoul] On Sunday, 24 October 2004, Seoul Center initiates observed Ching Hai Day with an arts festival entitled "As Autumn Unfolds and Spiritual Practice Grows, Artistic Talents are Nurtured" at the newly refurbished SM Vegetarian Restaurant in Seoul. The initiates, inspired by Master's loving example of creating Heavenly art with Her divine talents and then using profits from the sales to help the needy, showcased their own poems, paintings, sculptures, photos, vegetarian cuisine and other creations. Thus, the sisters and brothers, their family members, friends, and the Youngdong residents all came together for an artistic event filled with happiness. Since everyone was beautifully dressed, the event provided a perfect opportunity to take a group photograph featuring a banner that read "Happy Ching Hai Day," and the picture was later sent to Master as a greeting card. Master's poems and cartoons were also on display, attracting much attention, and providing an ideal opportunity for the guests to discover more about Master and Her creative talents. Caption: A drama adapted from a story in Master's book God Takes Care of Everything joyously entertains the audience. An Invigorating Food Festival and Mountain Hiking Event By the Seoul News Group [Youngdong] On November 7, 2004, the Youngdong Center held a food festival and mountain hiking activity that was attended by approximately 250 fellow initiates from centers all around Korea. Before coming to the event, the initiates prepared special meals and brought them to the Youngdong for a great food party, which began after the center's specially scheduled 4:00-10:00 AM group meditation session, and then went on a one-and-a-half-hour hike around the Center's grounds, which cover approximately 830,000 square meters. Most of the practitioners had not explored the Center since its opening in 1998, and since much of its terrain is mountainous, the trek was quite strenuous. When the hikers encountered steep grades, they caringly held hands for support, gaining a greater appreciation of each other and of the Center's beautiful environment in the process. From the November 2004 food festival and hike, the Korean initiates came to feel deep gratitude to Master for giving them a virtual paradise on earth, and for allowing them to enjoy a unique event that offered a pleasant balance between spiritual practice and physical exercise. Captions: 1. Korean initiates help each other climb a mountain during the Youngdong Center's November 2004 hiking activity. Report from Singapore A Lively and Productive Video Seminar By Situ Wai Keong, Singapore [Singapore] On Sunday, October 24, 2004, local initiates held a video seminar at the Singapore Center for their friends and members of the public. Just after the event began, the 200 seats in the seminar hall were filled to capacity. During the activity, the initiates presented Master's lecture Face Life with Courage, delivered in London during Her 1999 European Lecture Tour. The guests were completely enthralled by the talk, as it featured many fascinating questions by London audience members, which were answered insightfully by Master. After the video presentation, over thirty guests learned the Convenient Method, and each received a CD containing Master's sample booklet and the last several issues of the News Magazine in both Chinese and English. Through God's grace, this fruitful Truth-sharing event was spiritually satisfying to both the initiates and their guests. Report from Hong Kong Sharing the Way to Elevation [Hong Kong] In October 2004, Hong Kong fellow initiates held a Truth-sharing video seminar at the Shatin City Hall entitled -- Elevation of the Body, Mind and Spirit," attracting a large audience. To promote the event, the initiates showed their strong commitment to Truth-sharing by distributing 20,000 fliers and posting two hundred posters in all of Hong Kong's nineteen districts. A sacred, solemn atmosphere spread through the venue as the seminar began with Master's lecture video The Way to End Wars, and the guests were totally absorbed in Master's brilliant discourse. During the subsequent question-and-answer session, the audience members raised a number of discerning questions about Buddhism, meditation and liberation. And among the many guests who later learned the Convenient Method, some had already adopted vegetarian diets and were enthusiastic about religion while others had previously practiced other spiritual methods. All expressed interest in seeking further purification and elevation of the body, mind and spirit through the Convenient form of practice. Through Master's blessings and the dedicated efforts of the Hong Kong sisters and brother, who exercised their individual talents to bring about a successful Truth-sharing activity, the "Elevation of the Body, Mind and Spirit" video seminar turned out to be an uplifting and enlightening experience for everyone involved. Report from Formosa Inauguration of the Kaohsiung Center By the Kaohsiung News Group [Kaohsiung] Fellow initiates in the southern Formosan port city, of Kaohsiung had long desired a group meditation venue near the downtown area. So when the lease on their old center was about to expire, they put their faith in God and decided to build their own center. Funds for land acquisition were quickly raised, construction began and with Master's blessings "The Golden Hall," was inaugurated on October 24, 2004, the eve of Ching Hai Day, Golden Year One. For Kaohsiung disciples it was a dream come true after many years of longing! From land acquisition to site leveling and final renovation, the new center was completed in eight months through hard work without a moment's respite. Costs were minimized as fellow initiates young and old worked together to transform a piece of wasteland into a beautiful paradise for spiritual practice. In the process, they learned how to help each other, become unified and responsible and embrace a spirit of self-sacrifice. Thus, the project indeed represented a rich spiritual harvest! Filled with gratitude for Master's magnanimous gift, the Kaohsiung initiates sped up the construction work and had the center ready on the eve of Ching Hai Day. Then an inauguration ceremony for The Golden Hall was held, along with traditional Ching Hai Day celebrations. Brothers and sisters from all around Formosa and resident practitioners from Hsihu came to share the local initiates' jubilation as spectacular performances were presented, followed by a great feast featuring over a hundred delicacies. The irresistible cuisine had more than two thousand fellow practitioners and guests in attendance spread out in long queues before numerous food booths. The Kaohsiung Center also provided spiritual nourishment through an exhibit of Master's art works and publications. Another piece of good news was that more than twenty guests learned the Convenient Method that day. After the party, the fellow initiates meditated together for two hours, and only when they were fully charged with God's love and blessings did the celebration conclude. The Kaohsiung disciples deeply appreciate and cherish all that Master has bestowed on them. Filled with gratitude, they vow to practice with diligence to repay Master's grace. The Kaohsiung Center is a spiritual temple belonging to all fellow practitioners, and local disciples wholeheartedly welcome initiates from around the world to visit them at The Golden Hall. A Glowing Joint Celebration in Golden Year One By the Taipei News Group [Taipei] On October 24, Golden Year One, Taipei initiates gathered with relatives, friends and guests at the Love Ocean Arts Center to jointly celebrate Supreme Master Ching Hai Day and the Center's first anniversary. During the activity, initiates from various work groups presented a series of brilliant entertainment programs. Performances interspersed with quizzes, singing contests and prizes brought joy and wonder to the participants' hearts. For example, a sister from Au Lac who had been initiated just two months earlier in Hsihu was excited and thrilled at her first opportunity in Formosa to express her longing for Master by singing in a traditional Aulacese outfit. She could not find words to describe her gratitude to Master for helping her come to Formosa, smoothly receive initiation and enjoy the privilege of attending daily group meditation at the Love Ocean Art Center. Also, brother-initiate Liu of the Center's Life-Beautifying Group, who wore Arab robes for his performance of a traditional Arabian dance, observed, "Having the chance to help with Master's work is a reward of the highest degree." Through his efforts, he had enhanced his wisdom and stamina and learned the spirit of self-sacrifice. A choral rendition of the Formosan popular song "A Grateful Heart" marked the end of the Love Ocean Art Center's meaningful Ching Hai Day and first anniversary celebration. Then, filled with gratitude to Master for bestowing on them Her great blessings, the participants went home fully charged with the supreme love. We Should Treasure Our Animal Friends By the Taipei News Group [Taipei] On November 20, Golden Year One, members of the Light and Sound Society of Formosa's National Taiwan University, together with fellow practitioners from other universities and colleges in northern Formosa, again organized campus Truth-sharing activities during the University's anniversary celebrations. To transmit the message "all sentient beings are equal and all life should be respected," the initiates prepared a special computer program on frog dissection and virtual medical experiments on animals, attracting many young friends and helping students understand that they can acquire biological knowledge without harming our fellow creatures. After viewing the program, a student from the Department of Veterinary Medicine remarked, "The concept of treasuring life has received increasing importance in class," suggesting that humanity is growing more enlightened about the oneness of all beings at the dawn of the Golden Age. A Vibrant Spiritual Luncheon with Artist Friends By the Taipei News Group [Taipei] From November 19 - December 31, 2004, Formosa's Second Indigenous Wood Sculpture Exhibition was held at the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei. This year's event had the theme "Carving Mountains and Rivers." During the first Exhibition in 2000 and the Traditional Indigenous Wedding Exhibition in 2003, initiates from the Taipei Center of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association extended timely assistance, concern and encouragement to the organizers. This year, the Association was again invited to visit the Indigenous Wood Sculpture Exhibition and engage in a further exchange of ideas. Also, in a show of interest and support for Formosa's indigenous cultures, and in hopes of giving aboriginal artists a chance to appreciate Master's artworks, the Taipei Center conducted a luncheon party entitled "A Feast for the Body, Mind and Spirit" at the Love Ocean Arts Center on November 23, aiming to foster friendship through art. Guests who attended the party included Mr. Chen Zheng-rui (nicknamed Ah Shui), chief of the Kavalan tribe of Dulan, Taitung County, as well as several indigenous artists and traditional singers from various tribes. Other distinguished guests included Mr. Jia Wei-jie, chief executive of the Chinese Taipei International Olympics Committee; Mr. Zong Long-hui, director of the International Peace and Anti-Drug Foundation; Mr. Li De-wei, chief secretary of the Diverse Cultural and Art Troupe; Ms. Alice Takiwatan, host of the Carving Mountains and Rivers exhibition; Mr. Lin Zhi-wang, chief editor of the arts and culture magazine Origin and Mr. Tang Si-fu, husband of the heroic nurse Ms. Chen Jing-qiu, who died while caring for SARS victims. The Association's artist friends presented the initiates with exquisite indigenous handicrafts, and in return received prints of Master's paintings Heavenly Flowers and Filled with Grace, as well as a set of The Key of Immediate Enlightenment books that sculptor Elder Chen Wan-de accepted on behalf of the Maolin Township Library in Kaohsiung County. In addition to enjoying vegetarian delicacies prepared by fellow initiates, the guests watched a video introducing Master and appreciated Her art work. The attendees said that they could not help but greatly admire Supreme Master Ching Hai, Who is a philanthropist, an artist and a great spiritual leader all in one. Everyone at the party agreed that those who focus on artistic creation enter the inner realm, which has an impact similar to that of meditation. And as the Feast for the Body, Mind and Spirit came to a successful conclusion, many guests and artists decided to adopt a vegetarian diet and learn the Convenient Method! Captions: 1. Mr. Chen Zheng-rui, chief of the Kavalan tribe of Dulan, Taitung County presents exquisite indigenous handicrafts to members of the Association. (sp20-2.jpg) 2. Many artists and other guests learn the Convenient Method. (sp20-3.jpg) The 2004 National Book Fair -- Immersed in Master's Ocean of Love By the Taichung News Group [Taichung] During the 2004 National Book Fair held at the Taichung World Trade Center from October 30 to November 7, local initiates endorsed the theme "Trust and Contact God to Make Life Colorful." This central Formosan cultural event attracted over a hundred publishers and included captivating activities conducted by the initiates that introduced large numbers of book lovers to Master's teachings. The Quan Yin booth was specially designed to facilitate entry on both sides, and featured a cozy corner where Master's publications were displayed, as well as comfortable seats from which visitors could quietly enjoy presentations of Master's ethereal music. On the first and last days of the Fair, the initiates' Truth-sharing program featured precisely timed shows in which models wearing gorgeous Celestial Clothes displayed Master's spiritual books, accompanied by concise and pertinent introductions by an announcer. These programs were well received by large audiences, who sought spiritual information from the initiates even before they were completed. The public also learned about Master's publications through interactive methods such as a story-telling session by an initiate dressed as "Sister Mosquito," quizzes with prize giveaways, a concert featuring Master's music, a cooking demonstration based on the Supreme Kitchen cookbook and a seminar at which local celebrities introduced Master's books. Guests who added to the warm ambiance at the Quan Yin booth included the principal, teachers and students from the National Taichung School for the Deaf, children from the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families and the director, teachers and students from the local Youth High School's advertising design department. Mr. Hong Ming-cai, principal of the School for the Deaf, had read the sample booklet The Key of Immediate Enlightenment more than a decade earlier and felt great admiration and respect for Supreme Master Ching Hai. While pledging to work more diligently in pursuing spiritual development, Mr. Hong said the following about the benefits of meditation: "Based on my past experience in educating our students, I have found that meditation encourages us to reflect on our inner Self. Our school would like to have more opportunities to promote meditation so that every student can see his own Self more clearly." More than ninety teachers and students from the School participated in a November 2 quiz on Master's book God Takes Care of Everything, and happily went home with prizes they had won at the contest. During the closing hour of the 2004 National Book Fair, as other exhibitors seized their final chance to promote their publications, the initiates on the work team meditated to express their sincere gratitude to Master for allowing them to learn spiritually and serve as God's tools through the event. While the sisters and brothers sat in meditation, Master's love permeated the venue and many initiates were moved to tears by the inner bliss they experienced. Highlights of the above-mentioned book exhibition on the Sun TV Program A Journey through Aesthetic Realms #119 may be viewed at: http://Godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/hichannel/index.htm (In English, with Chinese subtitles) Caption: Principal Hong Ming-cai of the National Taichung School for the Deaf (left) attends the opening ceremony and accepts gifts of books from initiates. ================================================================== Master Tells Jokes The Bait Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Florida, U.S.A., October 3, 1999 (Originally in Chinese) A policeman stood patiently outside a nightclub waiting for the drunken men inside to come out. He waited for a long time until the nightclub was about to close before a man finally stumbled out. The man wobbled unsteadily, sometimes muttering and sometimes yelling. Then he took out a key to open a car, but couldn't open the door. He tried one car after another, but couldn't open any of them. Meanwhile, the rest of the customers came out of the nightclub, and each found his or her car and drove away. After all the customers had left, the man suddenly stopped wobbling and began to walk in a normal manner toward his car, opened the door and sat inside. Then the policeman immediately went over and said to him, "I've been watching you for a long time. Now I'm going to give you a breath test for the alcohol concentration of your blood using an instrument to determine whether you've violated the drunk driving regulations." However, the man's blood alcohol level was "zero," and the baffled policeman asked, "Just now you looked intoxicated. Why is there no alcohol in your blood?" "I'm not drunk," the man replied. "I just put on an act to distract you, so that the others could leave smoothly!" The Bribe that Backfired Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Florida, U.S.A., October 3, 1999 (Originally in Chinese) A teacher was collecting test papers from his students after a test when he noticed a hundred dollar bill and a small note tucked inside one of the papers. On the note it said, "One U. S. dollar for one point." After grading the test, the teacher handed back the test papers to the class. The student who had tried to bribe the teacher received his test paper, together with sixty-four dollars in change! ================================================================== Frontline Germany A Beautiful Precursor of the Future -- Master's Light Shines Brilliantly on the Frankfurt Book Fair By the German News Group (Originally in German) The Frankfurt Book Fair, whose origins date back to the fifteenth century, is the largest book exhibition in the world. This year's event, held from October 6-10, 2004, was a special occasion in the Fair's history as Frankfurt had the privilege of welcoming more than ten thousand exhibitors, authors, artists and intellectuals from around the globe, including guests of honor from seventeen member nations of the Arab League. With its motto "The Arab World -- Visions of the Future," the Fair's cultural exchange provided a radiant symbol of hope and a bright, beautiful precursor of humankind harmoniously united in love and understanding! Members of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association participated in this special event in hopes that the Fair would be a first step in bringing the light of the precious Quan Yin Method to a large audience, and in turn the manifold blessings that accompany spiritual practice and God-realization. The initiates felt extremely honored to be part of an event of such great cultural, political and historical significance, in which many celebrities and political figures from Germany, many Arab nations and other countries around the world took part. To prepare for the Fair, the initiates quickly completed the second edition of I Have Come to Take You Home in German, added German subtitles to several DVDs, and obtained a new Arabic edition of I Have Come to Take You Home, an Arabic revision of The Key of Immediate Enlightenment sample booklet, and the addition of Arabic subtitles to several DVDs/VCDs. Also, a number of Master's poetic works were translated into Arabic. During the event's opening ceremony, one of the distinguished speakers was Amre Moussa, Secretary-General of the Arab League, who expressed his hope that the 2004 Frankfurt Book Fair would be an "important milestone" in relations between East and West and that despite its cultural diversity and differences, human civilization was "one single entity." Mr. Moussa went on to say, "Both the Islamic Orient and the Christian Occident believe in one and the same God," expressed hope that through this meeting it would be possible to reduce violence and racism, and called on everyone to act together against the "dark forces" to create a brighter future. His speech ended with a fervent plea to "bring down the walls" and to use this opportunity to make the shared garden of culture flourish and become filled with light. His comments were greeted with enthusiastic applause, and some members of the Arabic-speaking audience were moved to tears. Fellow initiates from Austria, Belgium, England, Formosa, France, Germany and Hungary cooperated to make The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association's participation in the Fair a success. Also, three Muslim initiates from Morocco, Pakistan and Sudan now living in Europe made a special trip to Frankfurt to help introduce Master's teachings to Arabic-speaking guests. The practitioners formed several multicultural work groups, and although some of the team members had never met each other before and could not always communicate in the same language, everyone worked together harmoniously as one family. The Association's booth was located in the Fair's Religion and Spirituality section, among German and international exhibitors of various religious denominations, including Muslims, Hindus, Sufis, Buddhists and several Christian and non-denominational spiritual groups. The atmosphere in the section was calm and relaxed, and the initiates openly exchanged information and sweets with their visitors and with exhibitors from neighboring booths. The focal point of the Association's beautifully decorated display was a large video screen, on which Master's video lectures were shown continuously. Many Fair visitors felt attracted to the beautiful foreign lady giving the lectures, often pausing to watch, inquire about Her teachings and obtain Her publications and information packets on the Quan Yin Method. While at the Fair the Muslim initiates became acquainted with representatives of a publishing house specializing in Islamic literature, who conducted a lively discussion with the initiates, asking many questions about the Quan Yin practice and how it was compatible with Islam. Also, for several days a Muslim visitor from Pakistan came to the Fair and actively joined in these discussions. In the beginning, the Muslim exhibitors seemed put off by this "strange" method, but when the initiates explained that they were not propagating a new religion, but a way of direct communion with Allah that would allow them to understand their own religion better, they became very interested. The Pakistani man then immediately asked for all available information on the Quan Yin Method. The next day he came back to the stand with a big smile on his face and said, "I read through your publications last night. They are good!" In order to reach as many Arabic speakers as possible, the work team also offered Arabic flyers and sample booklets and other information to visitors at the Arab Pavilion, where more than 3,000 books on the Arab World and many works by Arab authors and poets were exhibited, and a number of cultural events took place. Most of the Arabic-speaking visitors were happy to receive the information, especially Master's beautiful sample booklet. In general, Muslims sincerely long for God and are deeply devoted to leading a spiritual life in accordance with the teachings of Islam's sacred scripture the Holy Quran. Thus the initiates were touched by their high standard of morality and astonished by the great artistic skill and refined tastes displayed in the dance performances and Arabic literature at the Arab Pavilion. Altogether, the sisters and brothers managed to distribute approximately 500 sets of Arabic information in the hope that these first seeds of light will soon sprout. Among the international visitors to the Association's booth were an English-speaking man who exclaimed excitedly, "I have been looking for this!" and eagerly asked for more information on the Quan Yin Method. Several Chinese visitors also spoke to the initiates, including a man from Berlin who had attended Master's lecture there in 1993. Another Chinese man came to the booth with his entire family, including his parents, and returned on the last day of the Fair to acquire a large collection of Master's books and DVDs. Generally speaking, the response to Master's message at the event was very positive. For instance, one man commented: "Not everything you see at the Fair is good. But what you are doing is very, very good!" And several other visitors sincerely wished us all the best. Also, in order for more people to benefit from the occasion, the initiates organized three spiritual seminars on the weekend; two in German entitled "See God and Attain Happiness and Inner Peace" and one in English called "Experience the Divine." At each seminar, excerpts from Master's lectures were presented and afterwards a Convenient Method teaching session was conducted. The audiences at the seminars, which included Muslims, were from many countries, and about a quarter of those who attended stayed afterwards to learn the Convenient form of practice. In addition, the initiates organized an informational forum entitled "Peace Begins within Us" located in one of the international halls near the Fair's Asian section. The activity began with a solo performance on the pipa (Chinese lute), followed by an introduction to the Association and its publication company, a reading of Master's poetry, and a musical recital featuring the pipa and monochord (an ancient Western stringed instrument). Then an introductory DVD on Master and Her lecture DVDs were presented. In the lectures Master discussed the nature of peace and how it can be attained through meditation. The event ended with another solo pipa performance, during which the instrument's lively yet peaceful sounds attracted a huge crowd of Asian exhibitors and visitors from nearby stands, some of whom later went to the forum's information desk to obtain sample booklets and other information. Both before and during the Fair, many miracles and wondrous manifestations of the Master power occurred, more than can be mentioned in this article. For example, on Saturday October 9, just at the time of day when the greatest number of visitors were attending the Fair, not enough initiates were present to take care of the crowd at the Association's booth. But just then a family of Chinese initiates turned up and enthusiastically began distributing sample booklets, flyers and catalogues, without anyone having asked them to do so. Their little daughter was especially diligent, continuously asked for more flyers, and did not stop working even when her parents paused to have lunch. On the afternoon of Sunday October 10, when the 2004 Frankfurt Book Fair ended, the initiates were exhausted but also full of joy and in high spirits so they spontaneously celebrated with a little party. And in the days following the event, many people contacted the local center asking for information about Master and the Quan Yin Method. The participating initiates thank Master for giving them the opportunity to contribute to this beautiful precursor of a future world, in which people of all nations and religious backgrounds will live together in peace and harmony. While working together at the Fair, the initiates sincerely felt that this dream was already materializing, for they were all one in spirit! Formosa A Brilliant Meeting of Spirituality, Art and Science at the Hsinchu Science Park Spirituality Leads Science in Search of Truth Supreme Master Ching Hai has said that the synchronous development of spirituality and technology through the ages has given humankind an adequate command over knowledge. Inspired by Master's words, on September 23, Golden Year One, initiates from the Hsinchu Center in Formosa held an event entitled "A Seminar on Spirituality and Technology" to celebrate the purification and elevation of human consciousness. Like scientific research, the Seminar emphasized theory and experimental evidence, and included a video presentation of Master's detailed lecture on the links between science and spirituality, an exclusive talk on integrating the two fields and a question-and-answer session. An exhibition of Master's art works was also held. To provide experimental evidence on the effects of spiritual practice, a Convenient Method teaching session followed the discussions. Thus the event, which incorporated a scientific perspective, offered both theory and experimental data highlighting the importance of seeking the True Self within. The seminar was conducted in the National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) Library's International Conference Room, located near National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), several national laboratories and the world-renowned Hsinchu Science Park. When the fellow initiates were on campus to arrange for use of the venue, they met with NCTU President Mr. Chang Chun-yen, who generously granted his permission. Posters and fliers announcing the event featured an image of Master in meditation surrounded by a UFO and a Longevity Lamp against graphic representations of the solar system and circuit boards, signifying the Golden Era when spirituality and science advance hand in hand. To one brother organizing the event the poster came as a big surprise because the UFO looked almost identical to one he had seen in real life thirty years earlier! Besides distributing fliers and bookmarks and sending out invitations, the Hsinchu Center announced the event through radio broadcasts and cable TV ads. News of the seminar also reached the scientific and academic communities through email and the BBS, a global information network. In addition, a lively call-in session was arranged that included a book giveaway on You & I Radio, the most popular station in Hsinchu, to deliver a vivid message to the public. In response to these promotions, the Hsinchu Center's Book Circulation Office received many inquiries, especially about the teaching of meditation, reflecting the increased longing for spiritual knowledge among citizens of the Golden Age. Heavenly Art Exhibits and Delicious Vegetarian Snacks For two days before the event a continuous drizzle fell on Hsinchu, but at 10:00 AM on the day of the activity, the rain stopped and the sun shone brightly. Thus, metaphorically, God had cleansed Hsinchu's air with nectar showers before sending fine weather to welcome guests. Many more fellow initiates than expected arrived early to decorate the venue, hanging an eye-catching banner outside and adorning the access road with flags that attracted the attention of students and faculty alike. Preparations that would normally have taken two days were completed within hours by the sisters and brothers, winning high praise from the library's exhibition staff. At 3:00 PM, the event began with the inauguration of the art exhibit in the foyer, which was elegantly and magnificently decorated to showcase Master's paintings, Longevity Lamps and publications. Meanwhile, several disciples dressed in Celestial Jewelry and Clothes mingled with the guests in the foyer, and inside the conference room a DVD of Master explaining the symbolic significance of Her art work was shown continuously on two large projection screens, which became an added attraction besides the art exhibit. The initiates also served vegetarian snacks that were complimented by practitioners from outside Hsinchu as being of "six-star" quality. Many guests were so enchanted by the venue's elegant atmosphere that they lingered for a long time before leaving reluctantly. In addition to NCTU faculty members and students, many off-campus guests attended, including professors of fine arts and school teachers with groups of students. Mr. Chen An-bin, director of NCTU's Institute of Information Management, came to the art exhibit in the afternoon, and while watching a DVD of Master's 2000 lecture at Taoyuan Stadium he said, "I'm amazed that the venue was filled to capacity with tens of thousands of guests!" Mr. Chen then promised to attend the evening seminar. Another visitor to the exhibit was Mr. Zheng, CEO of a local technology company, who had learned about Master from an initiate while studying in the United States and subsequently visited the San Jose Center. Also, Mr. Wang, an R and D supervisor at a local company who had studied painting from his youth, attentively examined Master's paintings and went on to inspect Her art album as well, noting the great attention to detail She demonstrates in Her outstanding works. NCTU President Chang had come to the exhibit with a group of visiting Chinese academicians, all of whom were invited to the seminar later in the day. Inspirational Talks and Meditation Awaken Wisdom The evening seminar on spirituality and science was the central feature of the day's activities, and its participants included faculty, students and staff from NCTU and nearby colleges, universities, research institutes and national laboratories, as well as local residents and employees of various government departments and high-tech companies in Hsinchu. The seminar received a warm response from all who attended, with the 400-seat conference room being filled to near capacity. Among the honoured guests were NCTU President Chang and his wife, Director Chen An-bin, and Tseng Kuo-hsiung, president of Kainan University. Arriving before the seminar, Mr. Chang watched Master's entertainment DVD One World ... of peace through music in the conference room, while Mrs. Chang viewed the art exhibit in the foyer. Caption: Mr. Chen An-bin, director of NCTU's Institute of Information Management (fl1-4.jpg) The seminar was conducted by two co-hosts in a relaxed atmosphere. First, NCTU president Mr. Chang, a prominent figure in the semiconductor industry, member of Formosa's Academia Sinica and foreign associate of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, was invited to speak. During his talk, Mr. Chang said, "After meditation, the mind becomes more transparent, purified and profound, and thus we gain clearer thinking to solve problems." Afterwards, the seminar continued with a video on Master's life and the DVD lecture Face Life with Courage (1999, London, UK), which discusses the relationship between science and spirituality and explains the disappearance from Earth of an advanced ancient civilization. Caption: Accompanied by fellow initiates, Mr. Chang Chun-yen (middle), president of NCTU, appreciates Master's art exhibit.£fl1-5.jpg£ Then two talks were presented, the first by Mr. Zhou Er-nan, head of quality control at United Microelectronics, one of the world's largest computer-chip makers. Mr. Zhou's topic was "The Integration of Spirituality and Science and their Mutual Benefits." "From observing the information technology revolution," he said, "one can discover that the fruit of many years' research often proves what spiritual practitioners realized in ancient times." Mr. Zhou also stated that the way in which disciples follow their Master's method to enable themselves to experience the same level as the Master's is similar to the scientific method, citing research by Dr. Andrew Newberg of the University of Pennsylvania, who showed that spiritual experiences can be objectively verified through scientific experiments. Mr. Zhou further noted, "Many inventions and innovative breakthroughs originate from inspirations in dreams and are realized by saintly scientists who have descended from Heaven." Mr. Zhou then used the spiritual perspective to suggest solutions to the current global crisis being caused by international conflicts and misuse of technology. Finally, from the angle of religious studies, he pointed out that the great Masters of all religions attained inner enlightenment through the same path -- the Quan Yin Method. Mr. Zhou concluded his talk by quoting Albert Einstein: "Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind!" The second speaker was a fellow initiate, Mr. Liu Pei-xin, former technology director of the German firm Essen Technologies and now a Ph.D. student in computer science at NTSU, whose talk was entitled "Relaxation Improves Learning Efficiency and Happiness Enhances Inner Talents." Brother Liu supported his argument with brain wave theories and learning approaches, pointing out that a focused mind and positive mental attitude can increase learning efficiency. By focusing the mind one can transform less stable ¦(beta) waves into deeper ¦(alpha) waves, thus substantially increasing one's ability to judge and understand, and subsequently producing a drastic and noticeable improvement in learning efficiency. At the same time, a positive attitude can help one overcome obstacles in learning, offset the negative aspects of the subconscious and enable one to interpret the environment from a constructive standpoint. And like focusing, positive thinking also improves learning efficiency. Brother Liu then discussed how latent talents can be developed based on studies of brain waves. Finally, he cited a personal experience to show that the Quan Yin Method can make substantial use of brain waves to develop innate abilities and improve learning efficiency in a relaxed way. During the seminar's question-and-answer session, two Quan Yin messengers joined fellow disciples on stage to provide detailed answers to participants' questions. The next step was to obtain support for the assertions made during the seminar through experimentation -- the teaching and practice of meditation. The Convenient Method was then taught by one of the messengers, and so dozens of guests of different ages and professions had a chance to get immediate validation of the seminar's theories. The NCTU Library already housed several of Master's books, and after the event the Hsinchu Center donated more of Her publications to the collection, in hopes of providing readers with greater access to the divine teachings. Wisdom Emerges from the Supreme Teachings and Guests Enthusiastically Respond to Divine Love Mr. Tseng Kuo-hsiung of Kainan Univeristy, who has conducted extensive research on the development of human brain characteristics, was impressed by Mr. Liu Pei-xin's speech and so he wrote down the lecture's main points in his notebook. In addition, Mr. Chen An-bin, who has studied The Diamond Sutra for over a decade, had a long talk with fellow initiates after the seminar, praising the Quan Yin Method as a remarkable path, and expressing admiration for Master's greatness in edifying people and elevating the world's spiritual consciousness. Another participant who responded well to the seminar was the mother of a sister-initiate, who, despite having encountered Master's teachings over a decade ago, remained unconvinced of their truth until that evening, when she decided to learn the Convenient Method. The following day, she jubilantly invited her daughter to celebrate the beginning of her spiritual practice! Also, before and during the event, the conference hall manager provided great assistance to the initiates, showed a strong interest in Master's teachings and frequently watched Master's lecture videos on the big screen. After the seminar, he sincerely asked to learn the Convenient Method and thus joined the ranks of spiritual practitioners. Also among the guests was a gentleman who lived near the NCTU campus and had resigned from his job in 1989 to focus on religious studies and spiritual practice. After learning the Convenient Method, the man repeatedly compared Master's books to The Diamond Sutra and confirmed that the Quan Yin Method is the only path leading to the Truth. Another guest noted, "The two speeches given today conveyed profound inspiration and spiritual significance," and after learning the Convenient Method, she approached the work team to ask for a video recording of the seminar. Moreover, a Convenient Method practitioner said that he had had a miraculous experience during an illness in 2003. In a dream, he saw Master's inner Light form come to rescue him. At the seminar, he saw the souls of the fellow initiates in pristine form, and in a dream after the event, envisioned initiates appearing in the compassionate and dignified form of Heavenly Guards to save him from his ordeal. Many people who could not find time in their tight schedules to attend the event also earnestly asked if similar activities would be held in the future. Conclusion: A New Spiritual Awakening In 1988 Master gave a discourse at NCTU, and on this same campus sixteen years later the Hsinchu Center held the well attended "A Seminar on Spirituality and Technology" and art exhibition to share Her divine love and message in a way that combined spirituality, science and art. The event produced a lively response in the Hsinchu area and has encouraged more people to pursue a spiritual lifestyle. The participation of prominent figures from the academic and high-tech sectors reflects society's growing realization that science and spirituality are complementary. The activity has also sown more spiritual seeds in the fields of science and technology. Hopefully, the new understanding of spirituality generated by such events will lead to further technological development and bring greater benefits to humanity during the Golden Age. Highlights of the above-mentioned events on the Sun TV Program A Journey through Aesthetic Realms #116 may be viewed at: http://godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/hichannel/index.htm (In English, with Chinese subtitles) ================================================================== Pearls of Wisdom The Quan Yin Method is the Most Exact Science Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Stanford University, California, USA, March 16, 1991 (Originally in Aulacese) The Key of Immediate Enlightenment 3 [Aulacese] Practicing the Quan Yin Method is a matter of science that's more exact than the most exact science in the world because worldly science sometimes seems correct to us, but tomorrow someone else will prove that it's incorrect. But the science that my fellow practitioners and I are studying right now is not incorrect at all. For example, each person has a different level, but the path on which he or she travels is exactly the same so we know that it's exact. For example, suppose ten people get initiated at the same time, but each has a different level. If some of them are at the same level, they'll see exactly the same thing or have similar experiences. But people's levels are different from each other's. For instance, say four of these people are at the first level, three are at the second level, two are at the fourth level and one is at the fifth. In such a case, all of those who are at a certain level will have experiences specific to that level. So we know that this science is quite exact. ================================================================== Aphorisms Scientific Discoveries Must be Balanced by Spiritual Wisdom Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Seoul, Korea, May 8, 2000 (Originally in English) Videotape #694 Our world has developed very speedily over the last century: in technology, in science and in many other aspects. But it behooves us to develop spiritual wisdom along with scientific discovery. Otherwise, we'll be in danger of imbalance; our way of life will become too one-sided. We'll be too attracted to and reliant on technology and machinery instead of relying on our true Self and the true World, which are more everlasting. We're in danger of destroying ourselves if we don't have enough spiritual wisdom to handle these technological advancements. The Noble Bearing of God's Children Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Manila, the Philippines, May 3, 2000 (Originally in English) Videotape #691 When you shower kindness on the weak and needy, even though you haven't always been as fortunate as you would have wished, that's a mark of true generosity and kindness. Because if we give and we're kind only when we're in fortunate situations or when we're rich and comfortable, it's not much of a surprise. But when we give from a very humble situation or even amidst our own trials, then the Lord really knows that we truly are Hiers beloved children and that we're bringing the love of God to this planet. ================================================================== Master Says Higher Spiritual Attainment Brings Great Wisdom and Blessing Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa, July 21, 1991 (Originally in Chinese) Videotape # 183 Nothing in this world belongs to us. Even if we do something good, it's not we who did it; Creation prearranges all things. Therefore, we say, when we're one with God, one with Creation, there's no individual "I" because we know that everything is arranged by God. Perhaps you might ask me, "Since everything is arranged by God, why does Hes often arrange for us to run into difficulties? When we pray for this, why do we get that instead? Why do we get undesirable things although we've prayed for good things?" The answer is very simple. It's because, in the universe, there're good things and bad things; there's black and there's white. It depends on where our hands reach, and we get hold of the things there. It's the same when we look at the human body. Take the example of a beauty; her body structure is exactly the same as that of an ugly person. If we grab her foot, we'll discover that it looks just like the foot of an ordinary person; it won't be shaped like a hand or a mouth. If we want to look at her mouth or kiss her lips, we have to move upward a little bit. However, should we wish to kiss her feet, we have to bend downward. Of course, the foot of a beauty may look nicer than that of an ugly person, but it's still just a foot, however beautiful it may be. Higher Attainments are Accompanied by Greater Blessings It's more or less the same with our spiritual development. When we reach a superior level, we have access to finer things. Anything we want will be superior. In fact, anything we get will be top-quality; even if we get it effortlessly, it'll be something excellent. Before we reach a higher level in spiritual practice, however, even if we carefully and painstakingly strive to get something good, we can't get it. Instead, we often get awful things. For example, there're destitute people and rich people in this world. No matter how hard a poor person tries, he can't save much money. No matter how he craves to wear beautiful, elegant clothes, he can't get any. Or perhaps he wants to eat tasty food and use exquisite cutlery, but he has none. However, a king or wealthy person only needs to open his cupboard and reach inside with his eyes closed, and he'll get some very fine cups or cutlery. Everything in his home is nice; he can't possibly lay his hands on anything that isn't nice. On the other hand, no matter how painstakingly and deliberately a poor man wants to get something nice in his house, he can't because there's nothing nice in his house in the first place. Thus, people who don't practice spiritually always desire a lot of things. The less they practice, the more difficult life becomes, and the more they crave to get good things. All day long they pray for all kinds of things, wanting this or that, but getting none of them. It's because they live in a "poor family"; how can they possibly find anything good or elegant? Perhaps you may respond, "Although he's very poor, there could be one precious object in his home, or an antique left by his ancestors. Good! But even if this is true, there can only be one or two such objects. It's impossible that his home is full of precious objects. If all the things in his home are treasures, then his is not a poor family. In the same sense, people who don't practice spiritually may sometimes get a good thing after they pray, but this won't happen often. Conversely, even without praying, spiritual practitioners live a comfortable life that's good in every respect, and they often get nice things. The higher their spiritual level, the more precious and excellent the things they will get will be. The Power of Spiritual Practice Transcends Professional Techniques When worldly people who aren't spiritual practitioners, paint, sing or play music, they emit coarse vibrations; though some of their works may also be beautiful in some way. We can feel it. It's because people who don't practice spirituality are often full of troubling and secular thoughts. They can't ascend to the very high realms, and thus can't express the artistic concepts of the superior realms. On the other hand, we spiritual practitioners who may not have learned certain professional knowledge or skills can still excel in our performance if we want to. Should we wish to understand something, we can also comprehend it clearly. That's why, although the Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng was not a learned person, nor had he read any scriptures, he could instantly understand any scriptures read to him. He could even explain them to people. In contrast, some people are highly educated and have read all the scriptures, and are even able to recite them, yet they can't understand what the scriptures are discussing. Once when I was playing the piano, a brother initiate said to me, "Master is playing the piano in the modernist style." I said, "I have no style; I never really tried hard to learn it. I only learned a little bit a very long time ago." When I was still living in Germany, I did have a piano as a house decoration. Later, I bought a songbook and flipped through it, and then, "Plink! Plink!..." In this way my piano learning was over in a few days. That's how I acquired all my knowledge -- in the same way that I learned to play the piano. Then the brother asked me, "Have You ever studied singing? Have You ever studied this or that...?" All these things we can do naturally if we need to. There's virtually no need to learn so much. The more we learn, the more we're confined within "formulas," such as the proper way to paint a picture or coordinate colors, and so on. Time is wasted in working out these formulas. Weeks go by and the painting is still incomplete. After all our effort, when the painting is finally finished, we wonder, "Can this painting be sold? What will people think of it?" Having to worry about so many things, all our inspiration just vanishes! Without having to think so much, we spiritual practitioners can do things very well. The better our spiritual practice is, the better we can accomplish things. As long as the situation requires it, we can always do our work. However, if we try to show off, we won't be able to do it well. We can do it well only if we do it naturally. If we do it deliberately, trying to demonstrate to people that we're talented, or flaunt ourselves to earn people's praise, we won't be able to do it no matter how much we've practiced spiritually. This indicates that our spiritual practice still isn't good, which is why we have such ideas in mind. If we paint purely because we have the inner urge to paint, because we love to do it, then naturally we can do it quickly and well. When some people paint, superficially it seems as though they're doing so very casually, but actually this isn't true. It's only because they're very adept that they can paint very quickly. When someone is very familiar with a certain job and has gotten used to doing it, he can do it very quickly. Everything in the world is arranged by Creation; we create nothing so we have nothing to be proud of. If we have any innovative ideas in our field of specialization or in art, or have invented some machine, it's only because we've practiced spiritually so that our mind has greater insight and more inspiration. Our spiritual level has been elevated to a higher realm so that we can access the things there and manifest them in this world. That's all. In fact, while depicting things here that belong to the higher realms, we may sometimes make mistakes. If our spiritual practice isn't good enough and we have insufficient wisdom, we'll write incorrectly or make mistakes. And the end products won't look as nice as those in the higher realms. The Truth, Goodness and Beauty of the Superior Realms Although our Earth is one of the planets in the universe, it's rather underdeveloped. Our planet is somewhat backward; everything here is rather coarse and imperfect. For instance, take our jewelry, such as diamonds or precious stones. They may look radiant and be loved by every woman, but they're really nothing when compared to those in the higher realms. They're simply too coarse and rigid! Though we say that diamonds are forever and are the hardest substance, there's something that's capable of cutting them. And as time goes by, they'll also be broken or destroyed. However the diamonds and precious stones in the superior realms are not that lousy. Not only do they look extremely beautiful and charming, but they also emit light that makes people feel very soothed. Although they're very hard, we can penetrate them; they're hard yet very tender; tender, but indestructible, unlike noodles. I mean their vibrations are extremely subtle, and their existence doesn't obstruct anything. In our world, any material substance that exists can obstruct other things. Even the very best material may cause obstruction. Suppose we place a huge diamond in the middle of the road, then our car can't pass through. Though diamonds look transparent, and are the most precious gems, they still block our way. It's different in the higher realms. All the things there exist only for one purpose -- to depict Truth, goodness and beauty. They aren't intended to manifest in material forms and then obstruct other things. That's why we say the Heavenly Kingdom is infinite and boundless, without boundaries. Even the boundaries there look very comfortable. Whatever people want to use, they just manifest. In the inferior realms, however, even diamonds cause a lot of trouble. If we want to turn them into jewelry so we can wear it, it requires an awesome process involving lots of tools and effort. But you can turn the diamonds up there into any shape you want and they won't obstruct you in any way. All things in the superior realms are there to help sentient beings rather than obstruct them or require so much strenuous effort to process the material. This is very troublesome! All the good things in this world, though they're helpful to us, still require much effort to be processed. For instance, all the rice, fruit and other foods are here for us to enjoy, yet we must put in a lot of effort to plant, tend and irrigate them. Sometimes, a typhoon comes and then nothing is left. Or when there's a flood, many people die of hunger. Therefore, you see, there's no reason for us to linger in this world. Staying here one more day is another day of trouble. It's best that we never come back. There are many more advanced realms for spiritual practitioners to go to that will satisfy any yearning within us, and allow us to feel mentally comfortable and very happy. ================================================================== While on the Path Learning That All of Creation is One By Little African Tree (Originally in Chinese) In early 2001, brother-initiate Jian and I had a phone conversation about my participating in the Truth-sharing work he was then conducting in West Africa. >From my previous stay in Africa, I knew that the continent was materially backward, and at the time I was planning to pursue further studies in the United States. So I was unable to come to a decision about helping him. Then not long after our talk, a company unexpectedly recruited me to work for a year as a business representative to Cameroon. Due to this unusual opportunity, I was once more able to visit the region. Then in August 2001, with brother Jian's earnest assistance, we established the Cameroon Center, and later a Quan Yin messenger arrived to conduct an initiation. However, while working on the project my attitude was not especially positive, and the Center, which was not in an ideal venue, grew very slowly. Finally, in October 2002 brother Jian along with another Quan Yin messenger visited the Cameroon Center and together we found a clean, quiet new location. During this time, I learned from brother Jian that he had been living alone in Africa for six years and was spending only a couple of months each year with his family in Formosa. While in West Africa, he expended a great deal of time, energy and finances on Truth-sharing work and in establishing centers. I asked him about his motivation and he replied, "I too once wanted to quickly return to Formosa. However, while watching Master's videotapes one day, I was shocked to hear Her say that some fellow initiates had yet to share Her love with the world. So I decided to do more Truth-sharing and thus convey Master's message to more people." After hearing this explanation, I too was taken aback by Master's words. Noting in retrospect that I had failed to conduct any such activities while living in Africa for over three years in the past, I was truly ashamed. Since then, I have committed myself to transmitting Master's love as much as possible. In the beginning of my second stay in Africa, I had a large ego, felt tremendous pressure, failed to think positively and constantly calculated my own gains and losses. Yet, I continued to feel imbued with Master's energy, slowly learned to work by relying on the Master Power, forgot about personal rewards and came to understand how to contribute selflessly. Then two more years quickly passed, and despite many ups and downs, my situation got better and better as I reaped a positive material and spiritual harvest. Only then did I truly understand Master's words: "Helping others is helping ourselves. Thus, we should constantly purify our thoughts, and extend unconditional love and goodwill without demanding anything in return. This is the best way." Master has helped me to comprehend much truth through my work, as my ego slowly diminishes under the powerful influence of the Light and Sound meditation. Though I have yet to reach the ultimate realization that all of creation is one, I believe that one day when the "cup of my ego" is totally dissolved, the water within me will become one with the Ocean of Love. I am sincerely grateful to Master for giving me the precious opportunity to learn and grow during my stay in West Africa! Combining Business with God's Mission in the African Bush By brother-initiate Andr?MacCarthy, Pretoria, South Africa (Originally in English) During 2003 and the first part of 2004, I grew increasingly dissatisfied with the real estate business I managed because, despite my best efforts to provide honest, efficient service to my customers, they often showed an ungrateful attitude. Fortunately, however, around that time I got a chance to market herbal medicines for a local company, predominantly in the poorer parts of South Africa. Although the business was not very profitable, it gave me the chance to speak with a wide variety of people, which happens to be my favorite pastime! Surprisingly, as I went about selling my wares, most of my customers spoke quite openly about their fears and insecurities, and we inevitably came to discuss inner peace, the meaning of life, the mystery of death and related topics. Some of the most intriguing conversations I had occurred during business calls to small, remote villages deep in the African bush, where I met a colorful array of locals. For example, in Bollantlokwe I spoke with a group of grizzled old men about life after death, in Lebetloane I discussed Master's teachings with several middle-aged women, in Ga Habedi I spoke of the AIDS issue with some young people, and in Dikebu a bright, crippled woman, her blind husband and I examined the nature of karma. During several of these talks, young refugees from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Pakistan, who were trying to make a living as informal merchants, called me "brother" when they realized I was more interested in their spiritual well-being than in the details of their religious beliefs. Painful memories of terrible atrocities experienced in their home countries were clearly visible in their eyes, and it took some explaining to convince them that ultimate peace was to be found within and not in the mundane world. In Vosloorus, a sprawling, dangerous and crime-ridden township, I failed to make any money because I spent almost an entire day speaking with a young girl, who listened enraptured and whose eyes shone as I told her about Master and Her teachings. All the people I met who could read were given a copy of The Key of Immediate Enlightenment sample booklet, and as a result a Pakistani man came back to see me, eager to hear more good news about the Quan Yin Method. During this period, my most wonderful feeling of fulfillment came when Master's blessing power ignited an atheist's belief in the inner Master, and allowed me to impart the Convenient Method of meditation to him and his wife. Also, witnessing the wife's hunger for spiritual release and enlightenment is something I will forever relish. Initially, I was mystified as to why I was being led to so many strange places to meet all these wonderfully diverse people while doing my marketing work. But I gradually realized that there was something behind it and it dawned on me that it must have been Master's arrangement to have me go on a mission to speak with numerous souls who were ready to hear about the Truth. In some places I visited I had a sense of lurking danger but felt no fear because in my heart I knew I was under Master's close protection. Now, however, I have to leave the herbal medicine business because it appears She has something else in store for me. Thank You, Master, for giving me this marvelous opportunity to share in God's work. ================================================================== The Quan Yin Family The Rewards of Sincere Practice Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Videoconference with initiates from the Toronto Center, Ontario, Canada, August 4, 2002 (Originally in English) Videotape # 746 Initiate A: My life has changed considerably. I used to be a very quiet, shy person, and I hated to talk in public. But for the last few months, I've had one success after another in the office, and the executives have come forward to seek my advice. (Master: Wow!) I want to tell You how grateful I am for being part of the Quan Yin family. Thank You so much, Master. Master: I thank you for being such a good, good practitioner. You're reaping rewards from your beautiful efforts. So you can see the success already right in front of your eyes. You're good. Look at you: proud, confident and successful. I'm glad; I'm proud of you. Every one of us should be like that. I mean, in different ways. That's good, good, good. I'm very proud. Initiate B: Master, we're here quickly growing healthy and strong. Each time we get together we all feel very grateful to You. As for myself, I still remember what You said to the new initiates: "Come back to ask questions after three or four years." M: Yes, that's better! B: And after three years of practice, I have no more questions. (M: Oh, good!) I feel absolutely contented. M: Yes! You're the picture of happiness and perfection. B: I feel that I'm not as strong as you are, Master. I'm still like a disciple. M: Go slowly; enjoy your childhood. Don't grow up too fast or you'll lose it. It's all right. When we're still children, we're spoiled, more loved, more nourished and more nurtured. When we become Masters, it's a lot of work. No one even knows how much you work, and sometimes they blame you for not working enough or not seeing them enough. So just enjoy your luck. You feel that your life is better; that's what's important, and it's getting better and better all the time. That's good news. I'm so proud of you. You're progressing so quickly! You must be very diligent, very sincere and very honest with yourself. That's why you've achieved success in just a few years. Even the old practitioners who stay in a cave, eat only once a day and don't see any women or anything for years -- in this case, they don't achieve what you've achieved. I'm really proud of you, and I thank God that I have people like you as my brothers and sisters in this big family. I'm so happy! (Applause) ================================================================== Master Tells Stories The Detached Mind is the Enlightened Mind Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Group Meditation in Los Angeles, CA., USA, March 13, 1996 (Originally In English) Videotape #536 There was once a Zen Master who had some disciples and one of them wrote to the Master every now and then after initiation, just like you write your spiritual diary and send it to me, or sometimes report to me on what kind of "progress" you've made. So that disciple wrote to the Master and said, "Master I'm really deeply involved with enlightenment right now. I spend all my time in search of my inner true Self." The Master only read the first line of the letter and then kicked it into the dust bin. A long while later the disciple wrote another letter to the Master, saying, "Oh Master now the whole universe responds to my innermost thoughts. How incredible the Truth is! How magnificent human wisdom is! How great the universal Power is!" But the Master just blew his nose with the letter (laughter), and threw it into the toilet. Then in a third letter the disciple wrote, "Oh Master, I now have compassion for all humankind and all underprivileged beings! Even an ant, I hear his heart throbbing and feel his soul striving! Oh Master, what a wonderful discovery! I'll strive even more, I promise you! I'll be your best disciple, you'll see." So then the Master wiped something with the letter. (Laughter) You know where; I won't say (Master and everyone laugh), and then threw it into the toilet and felt hopeless. Later, in a fourth letter, the disciple reported, "Master, now I'm one with the universe! Everything is me and I am everything! There's nothing that's not me. I'm everything. Oh, I congratulate myself!" (Laughter) But the Master didn't even bother to touch it, just let the wind blow it anywhere it might go and didn't want to say anything anymore. Then, for a long time the Master said, "Don't bother writing to me anymore. You're just wasting paper and pen." So the disciple didn't write anything anymore. Many years passed by and the Master was kind of feeling a little bit sorry for having been so harsh to the disciple the last time. Remembering his fantastic disciple -- long time no see and no hear from -- he kind of sent a message to him and said, "Hey! What's happening now? How's your spiritual progress?" (Laughter) Perhaps he missed his nonsensical, "big universal" letters. So the disciple wrote back only two words on one big piece of paper: "Who cares?" (Laughter and applause) Do you know how the Master reacted then? He went and drank coffee, tea or non-alcoholic beer with Seven-Up. (Master and everyone laugh.) That's the way it should be. Only when you know that you're OK do you not care. Otherwise, it doesn't matter how much you write to me, saying, "I love You, the universal Power, compassionate me," and whatever; all this is nonsense, theory. That's why many teachers of theory open their mouths and talk about compassion, enlightenment, wisdom and all that, but they don't do anything about it. They don't even know; they just talk about it. That's very boring, and it's very difficult to make them realize that we don't need talk. Why I talk all the time is because you like it. (Audience: Yes.) Besides I don't talk to teach you. If you think I'm teaching you, you're wrong because I'm hopeless with you, too. I know I can't teach you anything. I just amuse you with my different expressions, hoping that you might catch something you like and hold onto it. Then you'll remember me and won't forget to practice. One day you'll know everything yourself; not only through my teachings, maybe thirty percent through my teachings. But it's more or less just so that you'll remember me and then we can connect inside. To be honest with you, I don't believe that anyone can teach anyone else at all. But whatever I can do, I just try my best because you ask for it. You demand it so I do it, not because I believe I can teach you through words, through talking, through language. But I believe that we can establish a very deep connection with each other, and through that deep connection we can communicate inside. That's the only teaching that might perhaps happen. Otherwise you're already a Buddha. You're an entity just like I am. What's the need of me telling you what to do? You have everything I have. It's just that through our inner connection with each other you're willing to be reminded of your true Self inside through my inner true Self. Then our inner true Selves become one together, and there's no teaching at all. Originally there was no need and there will never be any need for any soul to learn anything. ================================================================== Selected Questions and Answers A True Master Transcends the Duality of Time and Space Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Three-day Retreat, Cape Town, South Africa, November 29, 1999 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 674 Q: Master, You state in Your book I Have Come to Take You Home that there are two kinds of Masters: those who are always in ecstasy and those who are both in and out of ecstasy at the same time. My question is whether the Master's consciousness moves back and forth between ecstasy and normal consciousness or whether there's a duality. M: It's the same thing at the same time. Q: That's what I don't understand. Is there a way you can help me with that? M: Yes. Everything in this world is divided by time and space because of our concept of the duality of things: "There's God; there's me; there's Heaven; there's Earth." It's because we're in the physical body and we're surrounded by the physical illusion that there are things in space -- that you're there and I'm here -- and that there's a past, present and future because of time. But those are the only things that make us believe that we're separate from God. And that's why we can enjoy God again. We create this illusion! So things won't always happen to us at the same time. For example, you can't eat and blow a harmonica at the same time. And you can't be at a party drinking and sun bathe on the beach at the same time. But nevertheless, in the higher dimensions, things happen simultaneously all the time, but they don't coincide with each other. You can choose to have it all at once, or you can choose to have only one thing. For example, here in this world, I'm here and you're there. Or, you're in Africa and I'm in England. So we're divided by the space between England, the ocean of England, and Africa, with many other countries in between. And if I want to see you or you want to see me, you have to take an airplane or I have to take an airplane or boat to come see you, which takes time. In Heaven, however, even though you're there and I'm here, if I want to see you, you're here instantly! Or I'm there. Because you're there and here at the same time. But we don't crowd each other. We can choose to be with a person, with a thing, with a place or we can choose to feel alone. This is the freedom of the celestial dimensions that we don't have here. So a true Master is one who masters two worlds. She can be here and there at the same time, doing both jobs at the same time. She can be here and there, and She can be in England and Africa and everywhere at the same time and speak all kinds of different languages in that dimension. In this dimension She might speak English, Aulacese, Chinese and so on. At the same time, anyone in Australia or Germany who prays to or wants to talk to Her -- if that person is highly developed enough -- can converse with the Master in English, German, Swedish or Dutch while the Master is sitting here talking in English -- at the same instant! Because the Master has transcended the difference between time and space. That's how that Master can lead you here and continue to lead you in the life after simultaneously -- or after She's left the physical body, or after you've left the physical body and the Master is still here. The Best Blessings are Born of Inner Development Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Malaysia, February 25, 1992 (Originally in English) Videotape # 219 Q: Master, I think You're doing a Heavenly job and not a ‘local' one, but what's involved in You as a Master giving blessings to people? For instance, say that you want to give blessings to the people here tonight. What are the conditions for doing so? M: I haven't said that I would give a blessing to you or anyone else. It's just that when people are extremely unhappy, they request it, and unless I do something -- anything -- they don't feel satisfied. You can call what I give then a blessing. I myself never feel that I give blessings to anyone, but if God consents to give a blessing to someone through me, then Hiers will be done, no problem; because I'm all there for God. Q: So, can we request a blessing from You tonight? M: But what should I do? What can I do for you? Why don't you bless yourself with your own God power? Then you get blessings every day and forever instead of receiving a blessing just once from my hands, or my feet or my eyes. That's short-lived and it's borrowed. It's better to earn your own money and invest it to become a millionaire in no time. The best blessing is your own blessing when you develop yourself morally and intellectually. Then you also have your own wisdom. You know that God is within you, you contact that God and get blessed every day, unasked, in plenty until you're filled up with blessings, and then you give them to someone else. I can't bless you if you don't bless yourself. I might be able to give you some kind of comfort and upliftment in the moment, should you be receptive to that. But the best and longest blessing is initiation; it's enlightenment. Poverty Would Disappear if We All Shared Our Abundance Supreme Master Ching Hai's Interview with SABC TV Station, Cape Town, South Africa, December 1, 1999 (Originally in English) Videotape #676 Q: We've heard that You go to places of suffering, places that have been hit by disasters and so forth. M: Yes. Q: Why do You do that? M: You'd also go if you were me! If you have the means to help people, if God gives you more than you need, you should go and share the things you have with people. Because that's why they're given to you! Much is expected from those to whom much is given. God doesn't give it to me so that I can eat more or sleep more; Hes gives it to me so that I can share. Just like when you have a big water tower in a city, it's not the purpose of the tower to hold the water there, but to share it with the whole city. So I'm just one of the pipes that directs the water to where it's needed. And since I'm alone, or even if I'm with my whole family, we don't need all the money that I earn. God has given me a lot more than I need, my family needs or even my disciples need. So we share it. That's a normal thing to do, no question. Poverty exists because we don't share. You asked me why I go to places where disasters have hit or why I give my things away or why my members are also encouraged to give directly to people. They give all the time! We give some things because it's official. But the unofficial things we give as daily "basics." For example, we give to people on the street; we stop our cars at red lights and give. So some giving is official and some unofficial, but we give all the time. Regarding the question of poverty, it would never exist if all the people in the world shared what they have. We have enough food; we have more than enough of everything in this world to feed the whole planet! It's just that some keep too much and some don't have the opportunity to get their share because of where they were born or because of their background or because of some political situation that stops them. Sometimes we want to help in certain countries, but the political systems don't allow us to come in. Many times we still manage; through the Red Cross or the United Nations or through other organizations we manage to get through to those brothers and sisters. Poverty is man-made. God doesn't intend it. God gives us so much! Each one of us has enough, and then some. It's we who keep it from ourselves. Knowing God is the Highest Virtue Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Athens, Greece, May 20, 1999 (Originally in English) Videotape # 653 Q: Do you believe God tests us or gives us trials to overcome in order to continue being on Hiers path? M: God doesn't test anyone. You'd be surprised. God only loves you and stands by you. God gives us all the free will and wisdom to choose what we want to create, what we want to experience on our journey through eternity. We are God so how can a God test a God? We are one with God so how can God test Hirmself? It's difficult to explain this, but we've chosen to be separated into different "offices" and to make different choices so that the universe will be colorful. But because of this, the physical prison blinds us and makes us forget what we're supposed to do. So we struggle, we're confused, we're frustrated, we suffer and we don't know what our role in this life truly is, or what the will of the Divine really is. That's why we have to return to God again to get the contact, get the message. Then our lives will become free of trouble and always smooth, happy, blissful and wise. ================================================================== Quan Yin Messenger's Travel Log Southeast Asians Grow Strong in the Heavenly Light By a Quan Yin messenger (Originally in Chinese) Through the sustained influence of their traditional cultures, spiritual cultivation has become an essential part of the daily lives of many Southeast Asians. I recently had a chance to travel to the region to visit local centers in Indonesia, Thailand, Laos and Singapore. And despite a tight itinerary that allowed little time for sleep, I felt the intense blessing power of Master's divine love while participating in initiation and group meditation sessions at the various centers. The inhabitants of Indonesia are pure and simple, as shown by the fact that in Bali and Surabaya the initiation session was held on a work day, and the local practitioners rushed to their center after work in the evening, while the initiates-to-be took the day off to be initiated. And because I was leaving the following day, the initiates cherished my rare visit so much that they held an extra group meditation session from four to seven A.M. Although the initiation ended late at night, it did not detract from the great sincerity with which the sisters and brothers meditated comfortably in the divine light of Master's Longevity Lamps. In addition, another initiation was held at the Jakarta Center, and despite the uproar created by an outdoor ball game being played nearby, the initiates practiced with deep concentration and enjoyed the inner blessings of love, unperturbed by the noise. The initiates of Laos are new members the Quan Yin family. The Laotian people grow up in a religious culture, and as the New Age trend of healthy vegetarianism has begun to set in, restaurants serving simple vegetarian meals have sprung up around the country. Through Master's incredible arrangements, fellow initiates in neighboring Thailand often extend their assistance and care to the Laotian practitioners, as the people of these two countries have always been like brothers and sisters. Besides, most Laotians can speak Thai so they enjoy the blessing of being able to read Master's News magazines and other publications in that language. For Lao initiates, these materials represent God's most precious messages. In Thailand, the Bangkok Center holds one- and two-day retreats at regular intervals and houses a publications office on the first floor, which has been remodeled in an urban style to provide greater opportunities for Truth aspirants to study Master‘s teachings. One corner of the Center features a professional art gallery, where prints of Master's paintings are on display, attracting many tourists. In addition, the Center holds frequent video seminars to share Master's teachings. During my visit, many seminar attendees were initiated and became members of the ever-expanding Quan Yin family. By participating in the Truth-sharing work before and during the seminar, the Bangkok initiates came to realize that helping others embark on the spiritual path actually helps their own spiritual consciousness expand. As they felt their inner levels rise, the Thai sisters and brothers were naturally filled with Heavenly bliss and simple joy. Caption: The art gallery at the Bangkok Center (qym1-155) Upon arriving in Singapore, I immediately joined the local initiates in group meditation. Before the meditation session, one of Master's lecture DVDs and the TV program A Journey through Aesthetic Realms were played. This practice is beneficial because attentive viewing of Master's discourses calms the mind and makes it easier to enter samadhi during meditation. Then after the session, a brief multimedia slide show was presented to introduce the initiates to Master's latest publications, and everyone in attendance was overwhelmed by Her enormous blessing power. If all potential practitioners can develop the good habit of studying Master's teachings as much as possible before initiation, they will be readily able to absorb spiritual nourishment from God and have a correct concept of spiritual practice. Not only will their meditation bear greater fruit, but their spiritual levels will also be elevated more quickly. Through my Southeast Asian excursion, I came to realize more fully that the gate to the Heavenly Kingdom has been opened wide, and God's love and grace are pervading the earth's atmosphere. We pray and hope that people around the world will grasp the special opportunity of our age, which comes about only once in millions of eons, to follow a living enlightened Master in practicing spiritually so that we may all rise together to the realms of enlightenment and bliss. The Quan Yin Method Returns to an Ancient Civilization By a Quan Yin messenger (Originally in Chinese) Through Master's mercy and the diligent work of a few local initiates, the spiritual seeds sown in Iran have sprouted, come into full bloom and yielded fruit as the Quan Yin family recently opened its arms to a new group of Iranian members, giving the country greater positive power for a peaceful and brilliant future. This process began with the initiation of an Iranian brother who was initiated abroad and became convinced of the benefits of Quan Yin practice when he discovered that the Method conformed to his Islamic faith, which fact he grew to understand more deeply through contemplation of the inner Light and Sound. Upon returning to his homeland, he overcame all obstacles and persisted in his vegetarian diet and meditation practice, doing everything possible to introduce this superb method to his relatives and friends and touching their hearts with his wisdom, love, faith and sincerity. Thus, in response to their earnest longing to be initiated into the Quan Yin Method, our compassionate Master sent a Quan Yin messenger to Iran to conduct an initiation session for the Iranian sisters and brothers. The would-be initiates asked many questions of the messenger before the doubts in their hearts were erased and smiles of satisfaction lit up their faces. After receiving confirmation that the Quan Yin Method is in complete accord with Islamic doctrine, the sisters and brothers were happily initiated and all were blessed with wonderful visions and experiences of the inner Sound during the session. In addition, an elderly woman in the group, who suffered from a chronic backache that limited her Convenient Method practice to no more than ten minutes, twice entered deep samadhi and could not be roused while attending group meditation sessions during the messenger's visit. The sister sat upright the whole time, looking dignified and tranquil, and upon emerging from samadhi, she strengthened the faith of the other new initiates while describing the beautiful lights she had seen within. The brother who had introduced her to the Method said it had taken four years of effort to persuade her of the benefits of meditation and for her to begin practicing the Convenient Method, and it is now impossible to keep her from meditating! These remarks caused everyone listening to smile with understanding. Unable to contain her emotions, another newly initiated sister noted the close ties between the Quan Yin Method and Islam and how the path has given her deeper insights into her religion. She said she now realizes the real meaning of the Muslim custom of having women wear headscarves, and why their prayer mats are so sacred to Muslims. For another Iranian sister living abroad, her father's objections to her meditation practice dissolved after he observed the unbiased altruistic spirit of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief workers who assisted victims during the recent earthquake in Iran. Being touched by Master's absolute love, the man earnestly and courteously welcomed the Quan Yin messenger as an old friend. The transformations that occurred among the Iranian brothers and sisters strengthen our faith that the Quan Yin Method is the source of all religions as stated in ancient scriptures. In Her lecture in Turkey in 1999, Master also said that before their prayers five times a day, Muslims have to quiet their minds prior to reaching the inner level of Prophet Mohammed when He communicated with the angel in the mountain cave near Mecca. Similarly, the Quan Yin Method is a deep, silent prayer that brings us into direct contact with God through the inner Light and Sound. Upon his arrival in the land of the pure, benevolent Iranian people, the Quan Yin messenger found himself warmly welcomed by the local fellow practitioners and their children. And later, several of the teenagers in the group drew pictures as gifts representing their love and friendship for the messenger, who was truly touched by this sweet gesture. (Refer to photographs.) May God bless the kind, pure and sincere Iranian people so that many more can soon come to practice the Quan Yin Method, experience the Heavenly realm while living and return to their Heavenly Home. ================================================================== Master's Wonders A Most Brilliant and Sacred Ritual By brother-initiate Arka, Jakarta, Indonesia (Originally in English) On Sunday, September 12, 2004, a sunny day full of God's grace, the Jakarta Center held an initiation for Truth seekers, and I was asked to serve as a Dharma guard for the event. I was already honored to be one of Master's disciples, and felt doubly privileged to be a guard on this auspicious occasion. As the initiation process began, I witnessed Master's power touch everyone present, a great phenomenon that came about through God's supreme love. Many times, after practicing for years, our fellow practitioners seem to forget such feelings and experiences that they have during initiation and so take the great blessing power of these events for granted. For this reason, I would like to present my experience so that it might rekindle memories in initiates' minds and offer hope to others. The initiation began as usual, except that a live basketball game accompanied by music was taking place simultaneously at a sports field across from the Center. But the initiation continued and the attendees did not seem to mind the noise, as they were paying serious attention to the Quan Yin messenger's explanations and instructions. Not long after we began the initiation meditation session, as I stood watching over the new initiates, a strong light like the flash of many cameras suddenly surprised me. This powerful energy moved very quickly from the front to the back of the room, and as it passed the initiates, each of them turned into a pure white, radiant being before my eyes. As I watched this amazing event, another larger and stronger light, more like hundreds of camera flashes, quickly swept over the room, and as it moved, I no longer saw any human forms at all, but instead many bright lamps the size of human bodies. After a few more moments, an even larger and more powerful light emerged, this one like thousands of camera flashes combined together. As this light swept across the room, a part of me was also carried away, and I suddenly felt weightless. At this point I no longer perceived any beings in front of me, and all the big lamps had dissolved into one brilliant light. I also could no longer hear any noise from the street, and moreover felt as though I had ceased to exist. At that moment, everyone in the room merged into one light, and all were held in the sway of a beautiful melody that seemed to come from nowhere, and from some unknown instrument. This experience continued until the Quan Yin messenger gave the instructions to finish the meditation session. When the initiation was over, I felt completely blissful. The world seemed exceptionally beautiful, and I loved everyone. Also, many wonderful things that I cannot describe in human language suddenly occurred in my life. And at this moment, while I am writing all this down, I feel an overwhelming sense of love--I love You, Master. I love you, brothers and sisters. I love you, life. Thank You, God and Master, for giving me the opportunity to witness Your infinite glory and love. Walking on the Golden Path By sister-initiate Raffaella D'Agostino, London, U.K. (Originally in English) In July 2004 I returned to London after a three month trip to Italy to nurse my older sister, who was receiving chemotherapy treatments for leukemia. No one in my family in Italy follows a vegetarian diet or meditates so it was difficult to meditate alone for the whole three months and eat food prepared with dishes and utensils used for meat; in addition, my family drinks wine with meals. However, I was fortunate enough that my relatives at least tolerated my behavior, which was very strange to them. During my stay, I constantly prayed to Master to help my family, looked inward, played Master's chanting tape in my room and recited the Holy Names as much as possible. Thus I survived my visit without slipping away, and my sister's condition improved by 70% during the time I was with her. Back in the UK, I was again able to rejoin our Quan Yin family and attend group meditation sessions at the London Center. Participating once more in group meditation was truly an amazing feeling full of blessings, true devotion to Master and pure love, and I cherished every moment. It was a wonderful gift and I had not felt so at home in a long time! Also, I was overjoyed to return to England in the knowledge that my sister had gone through the worst of her illness and that her condition was continually improving. In addition, I have since been blessed to be able to move into a house with two brother-initiates. Together, we have begun a routine of evening group meditation practice, as well as individual meditation in the morning before work. During this time I have experienced a tremendous feeling of elevation, and have been getting increasingly stronger, with each day being a genuine blessing. It is normally difficult to follow the spiritual path in a city such as London, but through regular attendance at group meditation, everything seems easy. I have never felt so much love for such a harsh town -- love for strangers, love for the silliest little things, even love for rush hour! Being able to feel God so strongly with such heavy energy around me is truly amazing. My initiate housemates are very special to me because when we all arrive home from work we prepare a huge feast of blessed vegetarian food and then dive into group meditation; it's a superb feeling! Our evening meditation sessions have also made our morning sessions a true pleasure. In addition, my sister called me recently to say that the latest results from her DNA tests, which are used to analyze levels of cancerous blood cells, showed no presence of cancer in her body! The harmful cells had practically vanished. It has been six months since she began her chemotherapy treatments, and amazingly, she is now working part-time and looking after her three-year-old daughter! Master is truly remarkable. I feel extremely blessed to have the Quan Yin Method of meditation in my life and cannot find words to express my gratitude for being part of such a wonderful group as the Quan Yin family, and for being able to meditate even in the harshest of conditions and still come out smiling and grateful. Thank You, Master. ================================================================== Introductory Book Notes Jesus Christ -- Quan Yin Master and Vegetarian Advocate By sister-initiate Love-Light, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (Originally in English) The view that Jesus Christ was a Quan Yin Method Master and promoter of vegetarianism is supported by many passages in The Essene Gospel of Peace: Book One and The Essene Gospel of Peace: Book Four —The Teaching of the Elect, published by the International Biogenic Society. These texts were translated by Edmond Bordeaux Szekely from ancient Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts in the Secret Archives of the Vatican and from old Slavonic writings in the Royal Library of the Hapsburgs (now the property of the Austrian government). You can also read summary versions of these books by visiting: http://www.thenazareneway.com/index_essene_gospels_of_peace.htm Jesus' Advocacy of Vegetarianism The Essene Gospel of Peace: Book One contains numerous references that clearly express Jesus' views on vegetarianism. For example, at one point Jesus is asked, "Moses, the greatest in Israel, suffered our forefathers to eat the flesh of clean beasts, and forbade only the flesh of unclean beasts. Why, therefore, do you forbid us the flesh of all beasts? Which law comes from God -- that of Moses or your law?" To this question, Jesus replies, "God commanded your forefathers: ‘Thou shalt not kill.' But their heart was hardened and they killed. Then Moses desired that at least they should not kill men, and he suffered them to kill beasts. And then the heart of your forefathers was hardened yet more, and they killed men and beasts likewise. But I do say to you: Kill neither men, nor beasts, nor yet the food which goes into your mouth. For if you eat living food, the same will quicken you, but if you kill your food, the dead food will kill you also. For life comes only from life, and from death comes always death." Jesus then goes into more detail, mentioning specific foods that his followers should consume: "For your body is that which you eat, and your spirit is that which you think. Wherefore, prepare and eat all fruits of trees, all grasses of the fields, and all milk of beasts good for eating. For all these are fed and ripened by the fire of life; all are the gift of the angels of our Earthly Mother. But eat nothing to which only the fire of death gives savor, for such is of Satan. So eat always from the table of God: the fruits of the trees, the grain and grasses of the field, the milk of beasts, and the honey of bees. For everything beyond these is of Satan, and leads by the way of sins and of diseases unto death. But the foods which you eat from the abundant table of God give strength and youth to your body, and you will never see disease." These excerpts from the Essene scriptures support Master Ching Hai's assertions about Jesus' Essene origins and vegetarian heritage: "Jesus was vegetarian since He was born, and even when He was in the womb. Jesus was born [into] a vegetarian family, a vegetarian tradition, the Essene tradition. This you can study in [a] book about the life of Jesus. You should study the life of Jesus in another separate book, not the Bible." Here Master even appears to make reference to the Essene Gospels -- "another separate book, not the Bible." The Light and Sound Meditation Also, as mentioned above, Jesus reveals that He is a Master of Light and Sound Meditation in the Essene texts. For instance, in The Essene Gospel of Peace: Book Four -- Teaching of the Elect, Jesus makes mention of the inner Sound stream as follows: "For I tell you truly, there is a Holy Stream of Life which gave birth to the Earthly Mother and all her angels. Invisible is this Stream of Life to the eyes of the Sons of Men, but the Sons of Light are given the secrets of communion with the angels. And the eyes of your spirit shall be opened, and you will see and hear and touch the Stream of Life that gave birth to the Earthly Mother. And you will enter the Holy Stream of Life, and It will carry you with infinite tenderness to everlasting life in the kingdom of your Heavenly Father." In the same text, Jesus discusses the need to become silent or attain a meditative state before experiencing the Sound: "For in the beginning of times so did we all share in the Holy Stream of Life that gave birth to all creation. And when the sun is high in the heavens, then shall you let into your ears the Holy Stream of Sound; for It can only be heard in the silence. Think on the streams that are born in the desert after a sudden storm and the roaring sound of the waters as they rush past. Truly, this is the voice of God. For as is written, in the beginning was the Sound, and the Sound was with God, and the Sound was God. It is ever in our ears, [but] we hear It not. Listen for It, then, in the silence of noontide; bathe in It, and let the rhythm of the music of God beat in your ears until you are one with the Holy Stream of Sound that [It] may carry you to the endless kingdom of the Heavenly Father where the rhythm of the world rises and falls." Moreover, in Teaching of the Elect Jesus advocates meditation on the Light: "In the moments before you sleep shall you think of the bright and glorious stars, the white, shining, far-seen and far-piercing stars. Let your thoughts before sleep be with the stars; for the stars are Light, and the Heavenly Father is Light, even that Light which is a thousand times brighter than the brightness of a thousand suns. Enter the Holy Stream of Light that the shackles of death may loose their hold forever, and breaking free from the bonds of earth, ascend through the blazing radiance of the stars, into the endless kingdom of the Heavenly Father. For at the beginning of the times, the Holy Law said, let there be Light, and there was Light. And you shall be one with it, and the power of the Holy Light Stream will fill your whole body, and you will tremble before Its might." Finally, in summarizing the power of the Sound and Light as the ultimate source of liberation and enlightenment, Jesus tells his disciples, "I tell you truly, your ears were made not only to hear the words of men, the song of birds, and the music of falling rain, but they were also made to hear the Holy Stream of Sound. And your eyes were made not only to see the rising and setting of the sun, the ripple of sheaves of grain, and the words of the holy scrolls, but they were also made to see the Holy Stream of Light. Enter the Holy Streams, even that Life, that Sound, and that Light which gave you birth; that you may reach the kingdom of the Heavenly Father and become one with him." Reading manuscripts such as The Essene Gospel of Peace: Book One and The Essene Gospel of Peace: Book Four -- The Teaching of the Elect, which present Jesus' ancient comments on the inner Light and Sound and the vegetarian diet can help reinforce one's confidence in the contemporary message of Supreme Master Ching Hai, as both Masters reveal that the Light and Sound Meditation (Quan Yin Method) and vegetarianism are truly the divine way to liberation and entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. Both Jesus' and Master Ching Hai's teachings are in turn part of the eternal message of Truth promulgated by all the great Masters through the ages. As Master puts it, "In a sense, Jesus never died. Jesus works through all the Masters throughout the centuries, throughout the ages, to liberate and enlighten us, the ignorant, who are still left behind." ================================================================== Media Reports Decline of Animal Dissection Shows Humanity's Growing Compassion By the Los Angeles News Group (Originally in English) A recent article on the CNN website (http://www.cnn.com/) reports that the State of Virginia in the U. S. has enacted a new law requiring its schools to offer students alternatives to animal dissection in science and biology classes. Virginia thus joins a growing number of American states with laws that allow students to opt out of dissecting cats, earthworms, fetal pigs and other creatures, reflecting a global trend toward more compassionate treatment of animals as humanity enters the Golden Age. Young people are often especially sensitive to the plight of our fellow beings, as shown by the case of Virginia high school student Grace Kendall, who knew back in the seventh grade that she did not want to cut open a preserved frog in her science class. Her teacher allowed her to use a computer alternative, and she has refused to dissect animals ever since. As Grace puts it, "I thought there was something really wrong with dissecting a dead animal when I knew there were other options. Dissecting something that was killed so we could learn about it was unsettling." These highly mature and compassionate sentiments from a pure-hearted girl reveal the growing enlightenment that many youngsters around the world are experiencing with respect to the loving treatment of all beings. This trend can also be seen in the recent rise of vegetarianism and animal rights activism in high schools, colleges and universities around the globe. Grace also said she is glad that Virginia has joined the other states in the U. S. that have enacted laws allowing students to avoid dissecting animals. Beginning this academic year, all Virginia students must be told that they can choose not to dissect animals without being penalized, and instructors must provide them with alternative learning tools such as computer programs, Internet tutorials and plastic models. The law is also being supported by many teachers, such as Rebecca Ross, a senior anatomy, physiology and biology instructor at Cave Spring High School in Roanoke County, Virginia, who is also president-elect of the National Association of Biology Teachers. Ms. Ross agrees that students with "moral, philosophical, religious or ethical" objections to dissection should be able to use alternative learning methods in the classroom. Virginia is among nine U. S. states that require school districts to provide options to dissection. In 1985, Florida was the first to pass such a law, followed by California in 1988. New Jersey is also considering similar legislation. On the international level, Argentina, India and Israel are among the nations that have completely banned animal dissection in schools. This trend away from dissection is largely driven by groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States, which encourage students to oppose the practice, arguing that animals used for dissection suffer during their capture, handling and killing, and that the practice thus devalues animal life. "We believe that dissection in the classroom is an antiquated [teaching] method and promotes the widespread abuse of animals," says Jacqueline Domac of PETA. The Humane Society estimates that currently six million animals -- mostly frogs, fetal pigs and cats -- are dissected each year in American high schools. The Society distributes anti-dissection videos and loans alternative instructional software to schools to help in eliminating the practice from the U. S. educational system. The movement away from dissection in education is a needed step in enhancing humanity's compassion and awareness of the oneness of all life on the planet. For, as Supreme Master Ching Hai says, we have been blind to our fellow creatures' welfare and right to co-exist with us for far too long: "For thousands of years we have been unkind to each other, including our younger brothers and sisters, like the animals. In the Bible it is said, ‘As you sow, so shall you reap.' And if we believe in the Bible we have sowed too many things that will yield undesirable fruit for us. So the only [way] to avoid the fruit is to avoid the sowing of the seed. We have to start to be more God-worshipping, God loving, God-fearing. We have to love in action; love Hirm and love Hiers children. God doesn't permit us to kill even to make offerings to Hirm, much less to satisfy our very temporary physical [existence]. So this is the cause of most of our disasters and sickness in this world. We just have to be loving and that's the only religion there is" (Excerpt from videotape #395 Love is the Only Religion). Vegetarian Alternatives to Meat-based U. S. Holiday Foods on the Rise By the Los Angeles News Group (Originally in English) The daily newspaper USA Today reports that for the U. S. harvest-time holiday Thanksgiving, where roast turkey, ham, meat sauces and other animal-based cuisine have been standard fare for centuries, a growing trend toward vegetarian and vegan options is in evidence. Specifically, 2004 sales of foods such as tofu- and wheat-based "roast turkey," dairy-free pumpkin pies and other non-animal-based items are continuing a decades-long advance. These formerly rare products are now becoming mainstream commodities even in major supermarkets, indicating a change in consciousness toward healthier living and compassionate eating among U.S. consumers. Nutritionist Cynthia Lair, a lecturer at Bastyr University in the State of Washington, believes this trend makes sense in terms of health, stating, "A good feast should have high-quality ingredients." And from the animal rights perspective, Seth Tibbott, founder of Turtle Island Foods, maker of Tofurky (a turkey replacement made of tofu, wheat gluten, vegetable seasonings and spices) says, "It's a mystery to us why anyone would put a dead bird on the table." For Thanksgiving 1995, Turtle Island sold only a few dozen Tofurky Feasts -- Tofurky and trimmings, including gravy with tofu giblets (artificial turkey innards) -- which feed four people and cost $20 apiece. But for the 2004 holiday, it expects to sell 160,000. As growing numbers of shoppers buy these products for health, ecological and ethical reasons, the foods' manufacturers are revealing equally high standards. For instance, the Turtle Island Foods website states, "We try to be ever attentive to our humble, environmental roots and produce products that support the residents and life systems of Turtle Island (the Native American term for North America), our home. Our goal is to supply meatless food products that are delicious, nutritious, convenient and affordable." Seeing such noble thinking presented on a commercial web page is highly encouraging, and reflects the enhancement of sensitivity and growth toward natural perfection that countless individuals around the world are experiencing as the Golden Age progresses. Hopefully, more and more individuals and companies will continue to follow the trend toward vegetarian living and high ideals shown in the rising production and use of Tofurky and similar foods in the U. S. ================================================================== Love in Action Report from Japan Bringing Loving Solace to Typhoon and Earthquake Victims By the Tokyo and Gunma Centers (Originally in Japanese) Storms and Rain are Strong but Love is Even Stronger On October 20, 2004, Typhoon Tokage twice made landfall on Japan, first striking Kochi Prefecture at around 1:00 PM and then hitting Osaka Prefecture at 6:00 PM. The eye of the Typhoon cut across the whole of Honshu Island, and since the storm's diameter was massive, it caused severe damage. The Typhoon also brought unusually heavy rainfall to a vast area of the country, which in turn caused serious flooding. The most devastated regions were Hyogo and Kyoto Prefectures, where more than 40,000 residents were forced to evacuate their homes. In Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, ninety percent of the local households suffered from flood damage. Upon receiving instructions from our compassionate Master Ching Hai, fellow practitioners from the Gunma Center went to the affected area early the next morning to assess the situation. And the closer the initiates got to Toyooka, the more obstacles they encountered on the road, so it took nearly twelve hours to reach the city. After discussing a plan of action, the Gunma and Tokyo Centers cooperated in obtaining a four-ton truck, fully loaded it with urgently needed mineral water and isotonic drinks, and rushed to the affected area to provide timely relief to the victims. Heart-warming Concern Eases an Earthquake's Devastation Then, on the afternoon of October 23, before the people of Japan could recover from the effects of Typhoon Tokage, a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.8 on the Richter Scale struck the north-eastern region of their country from Tohoku to Kinki. The quake's epicenter was in Chuetsu (central Niigata), Niigata Prefecture, and the main tremor was followed by a series of strong aftershocks, which completely disrupted traffic and caused the first ever derailment of the high speed Shinkansen (bullet train) Railway. Also, in outlying areas, water, electricity and gas services were disrupted and many villages were completely cut off from outside communication, becoming like isolated islands. Once again, Master instructed local fellow practitioners to render material and spiritual aid to the victims. And in order to more efficiently convey Her love, the Gunma and Tokyo Centers launched independent relief operations. The Tokyo initiates split into three teams, and on October 24 the first team went to the affected area in Niigata to distribute snacks at a middle school that was accommodating victims, and then rushed to Mitsuke City. On the way, the relief team noticed that all the local roads had been seriously damaged, and many houses had been toppled by landslides. After arriving in Mitsuke the sisters and brothers contributed more than ten cases of mineral water to the local relief supply center, and then distributed aid materials at a nearby primary school and child-care center where victims were raking refuge. The initiates also distributed twenty-six cases of mineral water and seven boxes of snacks to people living in the vicinity, who expressed their wholehearted gratitude to the practitioners for their support. Then on October 27, the second team went to Ojiya City, the area most severely affected by the quake. In the beginning, the initiates were unable to make any progress because all the roads in this mountainous region had been destroyed. However, through Master's blessing, they soon found it possible to travel through local villages, and successfully reached four communities in the Kawai region. Observing that the mountain roads had been destroyed, the villagers had created a temporary road that zigzagged through their fields and lands so that the relief team members could reach their destination. On the 28th, bringing along flashlights, batteries, sweets and other materials they had purchased, along with twenty new wool blankets contributed by a shop owner, the initiates visited three small communities in the Iwasawa area. Most of the villagers had gone to take refuge at the homes of friends and relatives, leaving behind only the elderly, who had wished to remain in their community, and who were extremely delighted to receive the materials. The relief team then had difficulty leaving the region because they were unfamiliar with local roads, but incredibly, someone would always appear at the right time to show them the way. On the 29th, the initiates heard that Yoshitani, a small village nearby had been severely devastated by the earthquake so they immediately determined the victims' needs and distributed flashlights, batteries, fruit, rice balls and small stoves. This time, the shop owner who had earlier contributed blankets provided more blankets along with free eating utensils, and the victims were overjoyed to receive the items as well as the other relief materials. The third team of fellow practitioners went to Ojiya City to distribute flashlights, heating packs, bananas, instant soup and canned food. As many houses in this district had collapsed, the initiates also helped many victims to tidy up their ravaged homesteads. On the evening of the 30th, the second and third teams joined forces to prepare food for the victims and volunteer workers at a local general welfare center. The items the initiates served included American style tomato soup and udon noodles (traditional Japanese thick noodles) with vegetables. The center housed about two hundred victims, along with more than a hundred volunteer workers from across the country who were staying there temporarily. Observing the people's satisfaction and appreciation of the delicious food, the relief team members were greatly delighted and encouraged. Then early on the morning of the 31st, the sisters and brothers planned to prepare rice balls for the villages that had been visited by the second team. While they were pondering how to cook the rice, another group lent them a huge electric cooker, showing that the sincere wishes of spiritual practitioners are always quickly realized. The relief team members then prepared 250 rice balls and sent them to Yoshitani. The freshly prepared food was still hot when it reached the hands of the victims, thus warming both their bodies and spirits. Disaster Victims Greatly Appreciate Udon Noodles Prepared with Love The advance team of fellow practitioners from the Gunma Center entered the affected area ten hours after the October 23rd earthquake hit. A group of initiates who had previously gone to Toyooka to assess the damage caused by Typhoon Tokage also proceeded to Niigata early the next morning to distribute relief materials. At the same time, a backup team was standing by at the Center round the clock gathering information, analyzing the situation, maintaining constant communication with the relief teams in the field and providing them with the latest news on conditions. After discussing strategy, the Tokyo and Gunma disciples decided to work together to distribute milk powder, paper diapers and toilet tissue to the victims. Another concern was that the local residents were living without water, electricity and natural gas and so could eat only dry, uncooked food. Thus the initiates decided to serve the victims steaming hot udon noodles cooked with rich ingredients. To make sure they would convey their love and concern to those in the greatest need, the sisters and brothers proceeded to the region closest to the quake's epicenter, which was heavily devastated and where government relief was late in arriving. Most of the roads leading to this area were damaged so the relief team had to make numerous detours. At some places, both sides of the road had collapsed and the road surfaces were twisted and deformed. To deal with this situation, the team members kept reciting the Holy Names in their hearts, and fumbled their way through the rough mountain passes. Thus, through Master's blessing, they smoothly traversed many roads that even the local people had failed to navigate. During their trip, the relief team served the cooked food at very remote primary schools, welfare centers and child care centers. And although the number of people taking shelter in these places was often many times greater than the initiates had estimated, everyone managed to receive attractive, fragrant and delicious udon noodles within a short time. After having eaten only bread and fast food for several days, the victims were delighted to be able to eat the boiling hot noodles lovingly prepared with sumptuous ingredients. Many cried openly while savoring the food, exclaiming that they had never eaten noodles that tasted so delicate and delicious, and that they would never forget the experience for the rest of their lives! One bedridden elderly gentleman said, "Since the earthquake struck, this is the first time that my stomach has felt so contented. Even my physical condition has improved!" Also, the daughter-in-law of another bedridden older man said with great courtesy, "After the earthquake, my father-in-law hasn't been able to eat anything. However, he said that he might be able to eat some udon noodles if there were any available. This is his first meal in a couple of days. I wonder if you could give me some more?" At that moment, we truly understood why Master had guided us to these far-flung places. For the earthquake relief workers, transporting the foodstuffs, cooking utensils, water, tents and other equipment from one place to another was a strenuous task. However, when they saw how happy the victims were while enjoying their meals, all their diligent effort became deeply meaningful. And after witnessing the miserable lives of the victims left homeless by the disaster, the sisters and brothers began including increasingly sumptuous ingredients in the udon noodles they prepared. In addition, they not only served victims but also post-disaster workers, who worked hard day and night to restore the community's utilities, enduring cold and hunger in the process. Among them were technicians from the local electric company whose energy was replenished by the lovingly prepared food, and who after eating bravely resumed their work in the pouring rain. In gratitude to the relief team, some recipients closed their palms in appreciation, some bowed deeply and others tearfully said thank you before they left. Besides providing hot meals, the initiates also distributed blessed food, medicine, heating packs, damp tissues and other items to extend their concern to children and the bedridden elderly. Some of the old folks poured out their grief to the practitioners about their suffering due to the earthquake, while others vividly described events during the disaster. To many of the elderly, Master's love conveyed through the initiates provided some measure of solace in this difficult time. In addition, many miracles occurred while the disaster relief project was conducted. For example, everywhere the fellow practitioners went, electrical power had been cut off so the victims were restless and could not sleep at night. Even if they could get some sleep, they would soon be awakened by aftershocks from the earthquake. However, in several places where the quake victims enjoyed the initiates' udon noodles, the power supply was soon restored and the lights were turned back on! Master had brought light back to the people, and everyone present clapped and cheered! Thus many victims finally had their first peaceful night's sleep after the quake. Epilogue During the October 2004 typhoon and earthquake relief operations, the initiates of Tokyo and Gunma had many precious experiences, and realized that when we do Master's work, we might be short-handed at times, but as long as we can follow the guidance of the inner Master, seemingly impossible things become possible. Thus, Master's infinite love is similar to an intangible suit of armor that always protects us so that we can efficiently bring physical and spiritual comfort to disaster victims and others in need. Master! We are truly grateful to You! Expenditures by The Supreme Master Ching Hai for relief provided to typhoon and earthquake victims in Japan (Currency in Japanese Yen) Event Items Amount Appendix Typhoon Water and transportation 486,322 (US$4,694.54) A1~5 Earthquake *Food: water, milk powder, fruit, vegetables, canned food, soy protein, udon noodles, seasonings *Cooking utensils *Daily necessities: diapers for infants, hygiene materials, disposable eating utensils, slippers, flashlights, heating packs, disposable heating stoves, woolen quilts, medicine *Gasoline and transportation 1,433,872 (US$13,789.44) B1~24 Total: 1,920,194 (US$18,483.98) ================================================================== Letters of Appreciation (Originally in Japanese) Dear Sirs, Thank you very much for your kindness and for serving warm delicious udon noodles early in the morning after the earthquake. The Kamitsubono townspeople are still experiencing intermittent aftershocks due to the earthquake and do not know when their water supply will be restored. So we will be inconvenienced for a while, but will try our best to get through this situation with the cooperation of the town authorities. We would like to apologize for sending this thank-you card late, and would also like to send our appreciation for your warm-hearted thoughts. Yours respectfully, The Kamitsubono townspeople of Ojiya, Niigata, Japan Report from Panama Human Solidarity in the Midst of Panama's Deluge By the Panama News Group On the evening of October 22, 2004, Panamanian initiates were astonished to watch a TV broadcast showing yet more floods caused by heavy rainfall overwhelming their country. For with Master's help the initiates had just finished conducting relief work in response to local flooding that had occurred in late September and early October. As with the earlier deluge, this round of floods caused great devastation, leaving many victims homeless and without possessions. Most of the relief team members were not in Panama City when news of the October 22 flood broke. However, through Master's arrangement, the following morning one sister from the relief team, who had stayed in the city, was able to deliver clothing, mattresses and bags of relief items to families in the Rio Cabra region, which had been affected by flood damage. More initiates and several Convenient Method practitioners were later able to join in the aid work, carrying bags of supplies to areas such as Nueva Esperanza Arriba and Arnulfo Arias-Caminos de Omar, where the team had not previously visited. Almost a hundred families thus lovingly received material assistance. The relief team workers were happily surprised to see that the victims in one area still had faith in God and were gathered in a house discussing their situation and praying for help when the aid arrived. Thus the sisters and brothers told the recipients that the support had come in the name of the Almighty and Supreme Master Ching Hai and that they were simply instruments of the divine. One woman hurried to cook the food the initiates had brought because the victims had previously had nothing to eat, and she was very grateful to our beloved Master for providing the much needed items. During the October 22 project, the relief team members worked continuously for an entire week, and so it was difficult to sustain their energy, but they persisted in carrying our Master's supreme love to their Panamanian countrymen, who now know of Master and are extremely grateful to Her for providing relief supplies to thousands of families. Thank You very much, dearest Master for all the happy moments of human solidarity experienced during the relief effort, and for allowing the Panamanian practitioners to be Your envoys of love in their tropical homeland! Report from Taipei, Formosa A Rising Sun in the World of the Disabled Some stand still waiting for the light to come, while some search high and low for the light, and others kindle lamps illuminating all corners of the world. By the Taipei News Group (Originally in Chinese) On Mid-Autumn Festival Eve 2004, to realize Master's teachings and experience firsthand the lives of the severely disabled residents of the Taipei County Ai-Wei Center on Huafu Hill, Bali Township, initiates from Taipei's Love Ocean Arts Center conducted an activity entitled "Great Love Fills the World with Warmth." During the activity, motivated by Master's great love, the sisters and brothers brought the Ai-Wei Center residents many needed items including adult diapers, pads of paper, digestive biscuits and snacks, and moon cakes specially baked by fellow initiates. "Most of our disabled come from low-income households," said Ai-Wei's Supervisor Chen Li-ruh. Some were abandoned by their families, some are bed-ridden and some are chronically ill senior citizens who had previously been living alone. Since the only financial assistance the residents receive comes from social welfare and neighbors, the Center has to assume heavy monthly expenses of over a million NT dollars to supply their daily necessities, diapers and bed pads. With deep emotion, Supervisor Chen said, "This is a job that calls for giving without receiving any applause in return. It's the affection felt among fellow countrymen and the religious sentiment based on Christ's unbiased love that supports each staff member at the Center." The facility's limited staff works on rotating shifts to look after their 192 residents, never forsaking anyone. With a few donated computers, they have set up a computer-learning room in which the residents spend most of their time keeping in touch with the outside world, gaining new knowledge and exercising their often deformed and withered fingers. Another ingenious contribution by the staff members is a small audiovisual room with touch-control machines. Bit by bit, the staff's love and effort have taken material form in such self-made rehabilitation equipment. For this, the visiting fellow initiates admired them with all their hearts! After their half-day visit, the Quan Yin practitioners were deeply impressed by the love that Supervisor Chen and her staff show to the disabled, who have brought a rising sun into the lives of Ai-Wei Center residents. The initiates came to realize that while they rest safely in Master's protective arms, countless numbers of their fellow human beings are still searching for the light of life. Thus, those who are fortunate enough to be members of the Quan Yin family should strive diligently to uphold Master's spirit and great love, and become like the Ai-Wei Center staff -- rising suns, bringing daylight and hope to all people. Report from Hualien, Formosa Parolees Greet the Morning Sun of Life By the Hualien News Group (Originally in Chinese) On September 17, 2004, initiates from The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association and staff members from the Hualien District Court Prosecutor's Office held a joint activity to express their concern for local parolees and help them adjust physically and mentally to building new lives through spirituality. When the participants entered the Hualien Social Welfare Hall, each received a rose from the initiates and their forlorn faces immediately brightened up with smiles. Two hundred candles were then lit in a prayer offering for world peace while Supreme Master Ching Hai's rendition of Her own song "I Will Forever Love You" was presented on a large screen TV. The sacred ambience of the event moved many people to tears, and when one of Master's lecture videos was shown, the audience watched calmly and attentively. Then the participants learned the Convenient Method and meditated with deep concentration. Finally, as the activity drew to a close, the parolees spontaneously queued up to receive food packets from the initiates and many expressed their heartfelt gratitude and inquired about Master and the Association. "The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association has lovingly held many activities for prison inmates and parolees," said Chief Probation Officer Hsueh of the Parole Office. "These individuals are very receptive to and keenly moved by your spiritual influence. Although several activities have been conducted for them, this one is the most orderly. The parolees are very polite and cooperative." In summary, through the Hualien parolee project, the participating fellow initiates realized that many who had once stumbled and spent time behind bars are benevolent and sensitive by nature. Thus, Master's selfless love, concern and open-hearted acceptance will surely guide them on the path to life's morning sun. Report from Formosa Expenditures for Charitable Activities in Formosa from July to October 2004 Total amount in Tables 1 and 2 = NT$1,293,260 (Approx. US$38,262.13) Table 1: Details of expenditures for charitable activities in Formosa, July-October 2004 (Currency in NT$) Place Date Activities Amount Appendix Nanto ? 2004.07.10 Contributing urgent relief supplies through the Ren-ai Township Office to local residents affected by landslides brought on by Typhoon Mindulle in mountainous areas of Nanto ? 147,980 A Miaoli 2004.07.11 Sweeping the Miaoli No. 28 Highway in support of environmental protection efforts by the Hsihu Township Office 1 ,530 B Tainan 2004.07.21 Visiting inmates at the Tainan Mingde Labor Prison; holding soul-elevating seminars and teaching the Convenient Method (voluntary support by fellow initiates) 0 Tainan 2004.07.29 Visiting inmates at the Tainan Prison; holding soul-elevating seminars and teaching the Convenient Method (voluntary support by fellow initiates) 0 Pingtung 2004.08.22 Holding an exhibit of Master's art, a soul-elevating seminar, Convenient Method teaching sessions and other activities at the Pingtung City Ren-ai Primary School to purify people's minds and beautify society 58,623 C Tainan 2004.08.26 Visiting inmates at the Tainan Prison; holding soul-elevating seminars and teaching the Convenient Method (voluntary support by fellow initiates) 0 Tainan 2004.08.29 Exhibiting Master's spiritual publications and art works; conducting soul-elevating seminars and Convenient Method teaching sessions at the Tainan Book Fair in the Beiru Exhibition Center, Rende Township, Tainan County to purify people's minds and beautify society 240,236 D Hualien 2004.09.17 Visiting parolees under the aegis of the Hualien District Court Prosecutor's Office; giving Mid-Autumn Festival gifts and holding a soul-elevating seminar and Convenient Method teaching session 24,400 E Tainan 2004.09.22 Visiting inmates at the Tainan Mingde Labor Prison; holding soul-elevating seminars and Convenient Method teaching sessions (voluntary support by fellow initiates) 0 Hsinch ? 2004.09.23 Providing spiritual nourishment to Hsinchu residents through an exhibit of Master's art, a soul-elevating seminar, Convenient Method instruction and a vegetarian food tasting at National Chiao Tung University. 29,451 F Hsinch ? 2004.09.25 Extending concern and contributing relief materials to victims of Typhoon Aere in Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County 65,230 G Tainan 2004.09.30 Visiting inmates at the Tainan Prison; holding soul-elevating seminars and Convenient Method teaching sessions (voluntary support by fellow initiates) 0 Taichung 2004.10.07 Extending concern to victims of Typhoons Mindulle and Aere in the Songhe Community, Bo-ai Vilage, Heping Township, Taichung County; donating computers and hardware to the community's post-disaster reconstruction committee 475,800 H Miaoli 2004.10.10 Sweeping the Miaoli No.28 Highway in support of environmental protection efforts by the Hsihu Township Office 8 10 I Tainan 2004.10.20 Visiting inmates at the Tainan Mingde Labor Prison; holding soul-elevating seminars and Convenient Method teaching sessions (voluntary support by fellow initiates) 0 Miaoli 2004.10.24 Participating in a charity fair held by the Miaoli County Yuan Home for the Physically and Mentally Handicapped (proceeds totaling NT$15,780 donated to the Yuan Home) 9,000 J Tainan 2004.10.28 Visiting inmates at the Tainan Prison; holding soul-elevating seminars and teaching the Convenient Method (voluntary support by fellow initiates) 0 Keelung 2004.10.30 Cleaning the Changtanli Beach at Badouzi in support of environmental protection efforts by the Keelung Environmental Protection Burea ? 4,200 K Total NT$1,057,260 Table 2: Relief funds distributed to needy households in Formosa, July-October 2004 (Currency in NT$) July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 Place Households Amount Households Amount Households Amount Househ olds Amount Appendix Keelung 1 2,000 1 2,000 1 2,000 1 2,000 1 Taipei 4 10,000 4 10,000 4 10,000 4 10,000 2 Taichung 1 3,000 1 3,000 1 3,000 1 3,000 3 Nanto ? 7 26,000 7 26,000 7 26,000 7 26,000 4 Kaohsiung 1 4,000 1 4,000 1 4,000 1 4,000 5 Pingtung 2 6,000 2 6,000 © © © © 6 Taitung 2 8,000 2 8,000 2 8,000 2 8,000 7 Pengh ? 1 3,000 1 3,000 1 3,000 1 3,000 8 Subtotal 19 $62,000 19 $62,000 17 $56,000 17 $56,000 Captions: 1. A thank-you letter from the Songhe community, Heping Township, Taichung County expresses the residents' gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her contribution to re-build their community after Typhoons Mindulle and Aere. (Please refer to the News #154 for details) (love0-1.jpg) 2. A thank-you letter from residents of the Yuan Home expresses their appreciation to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her help and caring support of disadvantaged groups. (love0-1.jpg) ================================================================== Spiritual Interludes Cultivating the Habit of Cleanliness By sister-initiate Yang Dong-yin, Keelung, Formosa (Originally in Chinese) On October 30, the Keelung Environmental Protection Bureau held the 2004 Autumn Beach Cleaning Activity for Greater Voluntary Participation at Changtanli Beach in Badouzi. As in previous years, The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association participated earnestly in this public-interest event. Years of experience have made local fellow initiates experts in beach cleaning. More importantly, participation in such events has helped the sisters and brothers develop the good habit of cleanliness so that they immediately move to clean up the environment whenever they encounter a mess. In fact, once when a doctor from the National Taiwan University Hospital learned that I was a disciple of Supreme Master Ching Hai, he humorously asked me, "Are your fellow practitioners addicted to cleanliness?" He had come home one day, thinking he had entered the wrong house, for it had been cleaned and tidied up by a fellow initiate who was visiting his family. Thus, fellow initiates evidently exhibit their good quality of cleanliness wherever they go. On this topic, Master once said, "Loving cleanliness is also a kind of charity because we bring feelings of comfort to the people around us." Perhaps there is no one who really dislikes clean and beautiful places. So for initiates, beach cleaning not only serves the public interest, but also helps develop the good quality of cleanliness and helps to beautify every corner of the world. ================================================================== Supreme Art Longing -- The Flowing River of Life By sister-initiate Profound, the Philippines To commemorate the jubilant and glorious annual event of Supreme Master Ching Hai Day, I would like to share a precious experience I had on October 25, 2002. That year, to observe this unique holiday, Philippine initiates gathered as usual to participate in a group meditation session. After meditation, I hesitated to leave the meditation hall and instead sat in a chair staring at Master's photograph on the wall because it seemed as though Master was smiling at me. I looked at Her with fascination, and suddenly felt a clear, blue river of energy flowing into my eyes. So I turned to look at the painting Longing, which was hanging near the photo, and perceived that the river depicted in the piece was flowing! I was shocked because it was part of Master's art work and not a real river, but somehow the water seemed to be running. Since early childhood, I have always appreciated art, poetry and nature. So I love all of Master's poems and paintings because to me, each one has a different and profound meaning. I often contemplate Master's art works, and at such times experience a strong, wonderful, gentle and comfortable feeling such that I want to touch them and hold them close to see. Master's love and blessing are powerfully present in everything that She owns or produces. And when we concentrate, we can see that all these objects are full of life and energy. Thank You, Master, for blessing me with a worry-free existence and giving me the Quan Yin Method, a supreme technique possessed of infinite power, which I know I can attain if I work diligently. Verses of a Great Enlightened Master By brother-initiate Thomas Ha, San Jose, California, USA (Originally in Aulacese) Master's poems are filled with tender images, Quiet streams and tranquil skies, Remote mountains and silent forests. As wistful as the evening clouds, The wind tentatively whispers nostalgia. Tidings from the Beloved can not be found. In the infinite horizon or deep ocean -- where are You now? A human life is like a misty dream, After many upheavals, we are then gone! Master's poems are filled with vivid illumination, Mountains and forests imbued with joy from Heaven. ================================================================== P