================================================================== ======= Contents ======= ? Don't Let Worldly Beauty Distract You from Inner Concentration ? Mexico | USA | Canada | India | Australia | Korea | Cameroon | Formosa ? Divine Love beyond Boundaries: Raising Earth's Consciousness through Spiritual Practice--Report on the 2005 Taipei International Book Exhibition ? Focus on Spiritual Development and Become a Complete Being | Contribute Both Spiritually and Physically to the World ? There is No Need to Fear | The Price of Wearing Long Hair ? Only the Enlightened Can Know God and Benefit Humanity ? Advanced Body-contouring | The Best Form of Healing | The Way to Rejuvenation ? Creating an Affinity with You ? The Miraculous "Ninety-nine Percent" | Master's Care is Omnipresent | Master's Power Liberates My Two Mothers ? Inner Visions Cannot be Experienced on Demand | Expectations Hinder Spiritual Progress | Seek Ye First Inner Peace and World Peace Shall Follow | Earth is Best Preserved through Humankind's Spiritual Awakening | Increasing Our Spiritual Treasure Every Moment of Every Day | Master's Healing is God's Blessing | Each Soul Determines Its Own Journey ? Lost Lambs Reborn through Master's Immense Love | Adverse Conditions Can be Perfect for Finding Master ? Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest DVDs | Collections of Poems | CDs | MP3s ? Au Lac | Costa Rica | Sri Lank ? Enduring Humiliation is a Saintly Quality ? Korea | Costa Rica | Sri Lanka | Expenditures for Relief Work in Costa Rica and Sri Lanka | Expenditures for Charitable Activities in Formosa during January and February 2005 ? Daily News, Sri Lanka | British Police Dogs Fitted with Protective Boots | Dolphins Save Swimmers from Shark Attack ? Dear Master, Would You Please Send Us Those Most in Need? | The Story of Bong-Soon ? Immense Benefits Accrue from Master's Love and Wisdom ? The Loving Intelligence of Dogs | "Animals Have Feelings Too," Say Scientists ? Make Yourself the Perfect Picture of a Wonderful Yogi 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. 157 Published: May 1, 2005 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. ================================================================== Master's Words Don't Let Worldly Beauty Distract You from Inner Concentration Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, International Four-day Retreat, Washington DC, U. S. A., December 27, 1997 (Originally in English) Videotape #610 The reason that we don¡t use outer aids such as beads, stones, incense, candles or things like that in our spiritual practice is to avoid more attraction to the outward appearance of things in this world. Because everything in this world, although beautiful, attracts our attention, and so we try to minimize that. We can enjoy the world; we can enjoy all the beauties that God has created for us, but we should know how to say ¡When.¡ At least during meditation, we should forsake all these things so that we¡re able to concentrate better inside; because only inward concentration will bring us liberation, happiness and peace. Of course, after a while, if you reach a higher level of consciousness, even while you¡re working or doing anything like looking at a flower with concentration, you can still enter samadhi; you can still see the inner world of reality. That¡s another thing. Some people do get that while other people take a longer time; so be patient. The reason we have to cut down on all kinds of outer attractions, outer performances and outer use of artifacts in order to remember God is that we¡re already too attached to the outside world and too outwardly dispatched with our attention. So we have to always try, anytime we can, to draw it inward. That's why in the old times, many people tried to go to the mountains or into solitude to concentrate and forget more and more the attractions of this world. If we have to, it will help. You know very well, for example, how even sometimes a beautiful song or a nice performance of poetry will keep ringing in your ears all the time once you hear it and like it. It's OK, if the poetry or song is elevating in nature and makes you feel more spiritually inclined, or helps you in any way. But suppose that the song or poetry is very sad and melancholy: if you try to get rid of it, you just keep going crazy. Because the one you don't like the most keeps coming back into your mind all the time, especially if the singer or reciter has a beautiful voice. It really becomes imprinted in your mind and then it's very difficult to get rid of. And you forget the Holy Names or the ¡Five Hundred Names¡: You don't remember any! Then at some point you suddenly remember and say, "Oh, my God! What am I doing?¡ Then you try to shake it out of your head and you recite the Holy Names. That's also good. That's why even outside music, theater or movies, everything disturbs us. Everything tries to pull us back into this lower world of existence. So if we don¡t exert our utmost effort to control the tendencies of the wandering mind, we¡ll have a hard time entering the highest Kingdom of God. That's why it¡s very difficult for you to practice in the world. Today you¡re OK and tomorrow you¡re not. At lunch you¡re OK, but by evening you¡re miserable. Your meditation goes up and down all the time. That's why we have to keep at it every day, or else we¡ll lose the battle. That's why some people lose the battle, lose it to the ego, lose it to the outer beauty of the illusory world. Some people even lose it just for their titles. ================================================================== Panorama of Events Report from Mexico The City of Flowers Glows with Spiritual Light By the Veracruz News Group [Xalapa] Xalapa, capital of the state of Veracruz, Mexico, is known as the ¡City of Flowers¡ due to its numerous parks, gardens, trees and flower bushes that flourish throughout the city. Besides its beauty, the city also boasts the major government, cultural and educational institutions in Veracruz State and warm-hearted citizens deeply interested in both cultural and spiritual matters. In order to introduce our beloved Master¡s teachings and the Quan Yin Method to Xalapa¡s residents, local initiates with the help of practitioners from other cities in Mexico held a video seminar in the Theater of the State, one of the city¡s most beautiful auditoriums, on Friday, February 18, 2005. On the day of the seminar, a number of eager guests arrived an hour early, and a few minutes after the scheduled starting time the auditorium was almost full. While Master¡s video-lecture was being presented, the place became filled with a blissful atmosphere, and afterwards more than two thirds of the audience members learned the Convenient Method of meditation, with some having good inner experiences. In fact, one guest even had a vision of Master¡s Light form. Subsequently, all of the new Truth seekers were invited to the Xalapa Center to join in CM group meditation and several asked to receive initiation. Report from Mexico A Powerful Holy Fire Appears at Queretaro! By the Mexico News Group [Queretaro] On March 11, 2005, residents of Queretaro, Mexico enjoyed a public video seminar on the Method that leads sentient beings to their true Home at the city¡s State Cultural Center. Prior to the seminar fellow initiates from Mexico City and Texcoco helped local Convenient Method practitioners put up Master¡s posters, distribute thousands of fliers and publicize the event on several radio stations. The activity was also promoted on TV, and when the initiates approached the manager of the local TV station his response was remarkably supportive. After they explained their desire to share Master¡s teachings and the Quan Yin Method with local citizens through a public video seminar the manager immediately accommodated them with an interview the following morning. Also, a day before the seminar a particularly astounding phenomenon occurred. After a group of practitioners had finished distributing fliers and were walking back to the meditation center, one of the brothers exclaimed, ¡Look, the grass is on fire!¡ But as they drew closer to the area that appeared to be ablaze, surprisingly there was no fire, but only a Quan Yin flier lying on the grass. Upon rescuing the blessed flier, they realized the immense power behind our beloved Master¡s teachings, which on that occasion manifested as a Holy Fire. Thus, in all Quan Yin materials there appears to be an unspeakable divine quality! On the special day of the seminar hungry Truth seekers of all ages filled the venue, and moments before it began, a local newspaper reporter interviewed several brothers and sisters about the Quan Yin path and took photos. Afterwards a Convenient Method practitioner and a sister-initiate shared their experiences with the attentive audience. The CM practitioner¡s mother, who was sitting in the audience, began crying while listening to her daughter as she was overwhelmed by the young woman¡s sincerity. Later the sister-initiate spoke and everyone marveled at how young and beautiful she looked at sixty years of age. Thus, she was moved to explain, ¡Being vegetarian and practicing meditation is good for the soul and keeps your body healthy.¡ During the screening of Master¡s DVD lecture all the guests were moved, and during the question-and-answer session only deep spiritual questions were posed. Afterwards, most of the seminar participants stayed to learn the Convenient Method of meditation and had great experiences of inner Light, past Masters and our all compassionate Supreme Master Ching Hai. When the event ended some people stayed on to learn more about Master¡s teachings and get more details about spiritual practice. The Mexican practitioners who participated in the Queretaro video seminar are all deeply grateful to God for giving them this chance to grow in wisdom, gain rapid spiritual progress, and act as vessels for the infinite Ocean of Love that delivers sentient beings to the other Shore. Report from Mexico Master¡s Guidance Produces a Perfect Seminar By the Texcoco News Group [Texcoco] On February 4, 2005, initiates from the Texcoco Center presented a video seminar at Texcoco´s Social Care Center to spread Master's sacred teachings to local residents. Although the sisters and brothers encountered many obstacles while preparing for the event, Master's infinite blessings and loving care allowed the project to end up perfectly. For instance, local city regulations restricted the distribution of flyers and posters within city limits so the initiates obediently went to the outskirts of town to hand out seminar information. And to their surprise, they found many sincere individuals in search of God living in these areas. For instance, one elderly woman read her flyer and expressed gratitude that young people have an opportunity to find a noble path such as the Quan Yin Method that can give them a way to be closer to God and gain great benefits. In another case, an initiate who volunteered to hand out flyers was involved in a hit and run accident with a car while driving her scooter. She could have been very seriously injured but instead received only an ankle injury and decided to continue her mission to distribute flyers. By the end of the day the sister experienced severe ankle pain, and that night she dreamed that Master came and healed her ankle and the next day the pain was completely gone. Soon, the much anticipated day of the event arrived and the venue was filled to capacity. When Master¡s video was shown, the entire audience listened attentively, and the presence of Master's love was sensed so strongly that all the attendees experienced tremendous joy and happiness. Because the consumption of meat is very high in the Texcoco area, the fellow practitioners worked hard to prepare information about vegetarianism. And when the time to explain the vegetarian diet arrived the guests showed great interest in learning about this new way of eating. During the discussion, the initiates described the physical and spiritual basis for being vegetarian. And afterwards a woman attending the seminar shared her experience with the audience, saying, ¡I once saw a truck full of pigs being transported and could hear the crying of the pigs asking for mercy. After that experience, I could never eat pork again.¡ The woman added that she did continue eating fish, but after hearing the initiates¡ explanation of the benefits of pure vegetarianism, she would never eat fish again. After the seminar, thirty guests learned the Convenient Method of meditation, and the great majority had good experiences. One person was cured of back pain and tiredness, and others said they could feel the infinite compassion and love of Master toward all beings. The divine miracles and love witnessed by the Texcoco initiates before and during the February 4 video seminar have inspired them to continue sharing the good news about Supreme Master Ching Hai, Who has come to help us and take us all Home. The brothers and sisters are thankful to Master for giving them the chance to humbly serve their community, and words cannot express their gratitude for what Master does for the world in both the visible and invisible realms. Caption: Many attendees fill out applications to learn the Convenient Method. (sp4-1.jpg) Report from California, USA Greeting the New Year by Sharing the Holy Teachings By the San Jose News Group [San Jose] As in past ten years, in February 2005 initiates from the San Jose Center, USA shared Master¡s teachings by conducting a booth at a major Lunar New Year festival organized by the local Aulacese community. The initiates¡ stand, located in a hall visited by thousands of people, featured a large photograph of our beloved Master along with Her beautiful art work, including paintings and Longevity Lamps. One gentleman observing the exhibit admired the Lamps so much that he inquired about acquiring them, and other visitors happily picked up free vegetarian recipes, sample booklets and News magazines. On a large TV at the booth the initiates continuously showed Master¡s DVD lectures with Aulacese subtitles, which a young girl of about three watched with fascination and concentration as her mother enjoyed a complimentary egg-free fortune cookie containing Master¡s aphorisms. Several minutes later, when her mother said it was time to go, the young Buddha reluctantly took her eyes off of Master and departed. Throughout the festival, visitors inquired about meditation, vegetarianism and the Convenient Method, and some said they were familiar with Master¡s teachings through The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association¡s radio and TV programs broadcast in the local area. In fact, one visitor volunteered, ¡I listen to Master¡s lectures on Her radio program every time it¡s aired!¡ During the event, visitors were also introduced to the initiates¡ new radio website http://www.TrucTiepCauThongThuongDe.net (meaning ¡God¡s Direct Contact¡ in Aulacese). Besides being the only official website for San Jose radio broadcasts, the new site features text versions of Master¡s teachings excerpted from the News magazine and arranged by subject, as well as short video clips, thus enabling visitors to learn more about Master¡s teachings through a variety of media. All during the 2005 Aulacese New Year festival, the San Jose brothers and sisters felt Master¡s intense love and blessings so they would like to say, ¡Thank You Master,¡ for giving them the chance to share Her holy message and bring spiritual benefits to many of God¡s children. Report from Texas, USA Happy Lunar New Year¡Sharing Master¡s Gift with the World By the Houston News Group [Houston] On February 2, 2005 the Houston Center of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association participated in the spectacular Lunar New Year Festival held at The Reliant Center in downtown Houston, which is well-known as the venue for large concerts, special shows and other major attractions. On this occasion, the facility was host to many celebrators of the Chinese New Year, and amazingly, through Master¡s grace the unpleasant weather that had been forecast for the day gave way to bright sunshine, changing the sky into a Heavenly blue canopy. The Center¡s booth was brightly decorated, with Master¡s name displayed in bold yellow, blue and red letters, and throughout the event the brothers and sisters offered Master¡s unconditional love and spiritual guidance by introducing the Quan Yin Method of meditation to visitors. Guests were also able to view Master¡s video lectures, read Her literature and ask meaningful questions, allowing the initiates to share their thoughts, experiences and knowledge. In addition, some visitors quietly found an empty area to read Master¡s literature, whose beautiful words filled them with great blessings. Interestingly, some of the visitors were already aware of Master Ching Hai and were extremely grateful for Her presence in the world and for the work She has done on behalf of all sentient beings. The initiates also provided sumptuous vegetarian dishes for the visitors, who said, that the food was healthy, nutritious and extremely tasty. All the practitioners who worked side by side sharing Master¡s gift with the world at the Lunar New Year Festival in Houston felt immense pride and blessings bathe their souls during the event. Moreover, in recognition of Ching Hai Day, the Houston practitioners held a two-day retreat in Master¡s honor from February 19 to 20, during which the sisters and brothers prayed and meditated for peace in this challenging period of human history. Report from California, USA A New Year¡s Resolution in the Year of the Rooster By the Sacramento News Group [Sacramento] Each year the Aulacese community in Stockton, a small farming community about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Sacramento, California welcomes in the Tet (Aulacese New Year) by organizing a festivity for all to enjoy. This year, the Year of the Rooster, the community invited The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association to conduct a booth at the fair held on February 12, 2005 as the organizers were already familiar with the Association through various local Quan Yin TV and radio shows. Initiates from the Sacramento and San Francisco Centers were pleased to participate in the activity because it gave them a chance to share Master¡s teachings with local residents, who could thus reap the spiritual benefits of the Quan Yin Method. The booth attracted numerous visitors, young and old alike, from various ethnic backgrounds, some of whom recognized Master from the TV and radio shows as well as from Her charity work. For instance, one visitor stopped by the booth and expressed his deepest gratitude to Master for Her efforts on behalf of Aulacese refugees, including himself, during Her visit to a refugee camp in the Philippines in the early 1990s. During the festival, many youngsters came to the booth for gifts offered by the initiates such as candy, red envelopes (traditional Chinese/Aulacese monetary gifts given at the Lunar New Year) and balloons bearing Master¡s aphorisms. Interestingly enough, when it was time for the initiates to pack up and leave the fair, young visitors still kept coming to the booth hoping to obtain the left-over balloons that had been used as decorations. It was a cheerful site because they acted as if they already knew Master and felt very much at home. In addition, on February 12 and 13, 2004, Sacramento initiates participated in another Tet festival in south Sacramento that featured music, lion dances and singing along with many booths, including their own, which introduced Master¡s teachings to the public. Many people could not believe that the sisters and brothers were giving away Master¡s video and cassette tapes free of charge, and those who stopped by would often take several items such as Master¡s magazines, sample booklets and tapes. An especially interesting fact was that quite a few small children seemed mesmerized by the videotape playing at the booth, which featured Master¡s poetry. In a word, most of the guests had a positive impression of the initiates¡ activities at both the Stockton and Sacramento Tet festivals. And so the Sacramento and San Francisco practitioners made a New Year¡s resolution to participate in the events again next year to humbly work as Master¡s tools and share Her teachings with people from all walks of life. Report from Ontario, Canada Conveying God¡s Message at the 2005 Tet Festival By Dewi Prajna, Toronto [Toronto] On February 5, 2005, hundreds of visitors gathered at the Hershey Center, Mississauga, Canada to celebrate the annual Tet Festival (Aulacese New Year). And to share the Quan Yin Method of meditation and Master¡s love with the local Aulacese community, Toronto initiates conducted a booth during the event. Despite the distraction of other colorful exhibits at the Festival, many passersby made a point to stop and gaze at the booth¡s elegant poster of Master with deep admiration. One woman who had visited the initiates¡ booth last year came back this year and asked for more News magazines, adding ¡Your Master is very beautiful and I want to collect more of Her latest pictures.¡ Regardless of the loud music blaring from neighboring booths, many guests attentively watched Master¡s video lectures being shown on a TV monitor and acquired more information. The initiates who attended the 2005 Tet New Year¡s Festival in Mississauga rejoiced in their hearts. For many fortunate souls were silently touched by Master¡s love during the event. Report from Quebec, Canada Celebration of the Chinese New Year in God¡s Glory By Delphine Pan Deoue and Nghia Nguyen, Montreal [Montreal] On January 30, 2005, the Lunar New Year was beautifully celebrated by more than ten thousand Aulacese residents of Montreal at the city¡s Olympic Stadium. The activity was especially well attended this year due to superb weather in the middle of the area¡s normally chilly winter. Thus, as in past years, Montreal Center initiates had a golden opportunity to introduce Master¡s teachings to local residents by conducting a booth at the event. Early on the morning of that auspicious day, the practitioners gathered to decorate their stand with Master¡s pictures, paintings, publications and an array of beautiful fresh flowers. The atmosphere was tranquil and uplifting, and Master¡s was the most outstanding booth at the festival because of Her celestial presence in a photo wearing a traditional Aulacese dress. Her smile, which was enhanced by a spotlight, was most warm and welcoming and attracted many to the stand. In addition, two TVs at the booth presented videos of Master¡s decade-long material and spiritual work to help people around the world. To highlight this year¡s zodiacal sign, a sister-initiate designed a greeting panel bearing an image of a beautiful green rooster dancing gracefully, wishing everyone a happy New Year and making the Center¡s stand particularly appealing. The combined beauty and uplifting ambiance of the display attracted many to listen to Master¡s message and wonder at Her work. Part of the display included pictures of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association¡s flood relief efforts at Tingwick, Warwick and Chesterville, Quebec, along with photos of rescue and relief aid rendered to particularly hard hit orphanages. This year, people were most interested in the Center¡s activities and some were surprised that our organization worked so hard to reach so many people around the globe. The gentle love emanating from the visitors as they stopped to view images of the fellow practitioners¡ compassionate work with orphans, the less fortunate and disaster victims was heartwarming. During the festival, the initiates distributed hundreds of News magazines, sample booklets and flyers at the guests¡ enthusiastic request, and invited them to visit the Montreal Center if they wished to learn more about Master¡s teachings. It was deeply moving to see people acquiring booklets and then reading page after page right on the spot. The booth stayed busy all day long with many more interesting episodes occurring, and three hours before the end of the festival all of the French sample booklets had been distributed. Children visiting the booth were most attracted by Master¡s voice, and touched the TV screen as if they wanted to contact Her in person. Also, a French Canadian girl of about six came alone to the stand, studied Master¡s photos on several publications and asked if she could take a sample booklet. When the initiates told the girl that the booklet was free of charge her eyes became bright and she smiled and took one. The youngster then walked a few steps, stopped and looked at Master¡s picture on the cover for about fifteen minutes, and returned to request another booklet for her mother. Thus, although her parents did not visit Master¡s booth, their child gave them the most precious gift at the event. At the end of the day, the Montreal practitioners who participated in the 2005 Lunar New Year festival were extremely happy, felt Master¡s immense blessings and were deeply grateful to Her for giving them the chance to help more of God¡s children learn about the Heavenly teachings. Report from India The Quan Yin Method Returns to the Buddha¡s Land By the Mumbai work team [Mumbai] In the spring of 2005, a group of brothers and sisters from Thailand, Formosa and Germany participated in the Mumbai International Book Fair held at the Bandra Kurla Complex from February 4-13, and a video conference at the Indian Merchants¡ Chamber in Mumbai. The Book Fair Produces Boundless Spiritual Fruit The day before the Fair, while the exhibits were being set up and later as we were leaving for the day, many workers asked for Master¡s sample booklets in Hindi. In India it is customary to call a female Master ¡Holy Mother¡ and we were deeply touched by our Holy Mother¡s invisible omnipresent power, guiding these longing souls back Home. The workers were very sincere and helped us greatly during the Fair. Throughout the exhibition, the sisters who served as receptionists dressed in attractive saris (traditional Indian dresses), and the local Hindi-speaking guests responded with sincere interest as many eagerly perused Master¡s publications and were surprised that the fine free sample booklets we offered were available in sixty languages. Several scholars asked about translating the sample booklet into other Indian languages such as Marathi, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam and Kannada. And representatives from a local TV station visited our booth and reported about it on the evening news. Numerous schoolteachers and students also stopped at our display, saying that they most liked the loving eyes of Master on our posters and felt as if She were physically present. Most guests expressed love for the exhibit, saying that it radiated light and energy in every aspect, including the fresh flowers arranged by the Thai sisters. In addition, many visitors inquired about Master¡s Longevity Lamp Moon Light, which was set up at the booth. They felt that the Lamp emanated joyful, peaceful energy, and admired our beloved Master¡s outstanding design. We also had a very good relationship with the other booth operators, some of whom visited our display several times during the Fair. In fact, the owner of the booth opposite ours even distributed our flyers to passersby. Moreover, the police and security guards working at the Fair stopped frequently for the candies we offered or to watch Master¡s videotapes. And feeling a strong force and invisible light radiating from Master¡s huge poster, many spiritual seekers signed up for initiation, while representatives of several educational institutions and hospitals invited us to introduce the world¡s supreme ancient practice¡the Quan Yin Method¡at their facilities. Another guest attracted to the booth was Mr. M.A. Srinivasan, author of several books on Indian spirituality, who said, ¡For each of Master¡s words can be found a proof in the vast treasure of India¡s Holy Scriptures.¡ After learning the Convenient Method and applying for Initiation, Mr. Srinivasan also said that he wished to write a book on ¡Holy Mother Ching Hai,¡ including relevant quotes from the Hindu scriptures. The Seminar Receives a Warm Response Six days after the Fair we conducted a video conference at the Indian Merchants¡ Chamber in Mumbai. Beforehand we happily cooperated in distributing promotional flyers, and thus helped make the program a success. On the day of the seminar, approximately 270 Truth seekers attended, and while watching our Mother¡s 1999 London, England lecture Face Life with Courage subtitled in Hindi, the audience was deeply touched by Her wise guidance and humorous remarks. Throughout the presentation, the audience members seemed to greatly admire Master, laughing and clapping their hands and becoming one with Her energy. After the lecture showing, 173 participants eagerly stayed to learn the Convenient Method and 121 sincere seekers registered for initiation. Thanks to Master¡s blessings, the 2005 Mumbai International Book Fair and video seminar were both highly successful. And all during the events the brothers and sisters who participated were impressed by the Indian people¡s discerning spiritual eyes, which allowed them to immediately recognize Master¡s greatness, accept Her noble teachings and begin the journey Home through Her loving guidance. Report from Queensland, Australia The Heavenly Teachings Reach Far Northern Australia By Matthew Sirpis, Cairns Highlands [Cairns Highlands] During the past year, two initiates from southern Australia moved to the mountainous far north of the country. Being located in the tropics, the area is one of the most beautiful in the world, yet due to its high elevation it has milder weather than the coastal zones. The region is covered with natural lakes and rainforests and is host to several towns with a total population of about 20,000. The highlands¡ natural beauty attracts many spiritually minded people who are sincere and live a simple life. On February 6, 2005 the initiates held the area¡s first seminar featuring Master¡s videos in the Atherton Neighbourhood Centre. Although only a few dozen guests attended, the event proved to be a great success as the audience eagerly watched Master¡s video lecture Spirituality Shines in Adversity delivered in Dublin, Ireland in 1999. At the end of the seminar, three fourths of the group registered to learn the Convenient Method of meditation the following Sunday. Also, about four months earlier, after hearing of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association through a member who had obtained one of Master¡s books at a health expo, the local Theosophical Society invited a Cairns Highlands initiate to speak at one of its meetings. On the day of the initiate¡s talk many miracles occurred. For example, the video shown by the Society before the initiate spoke discussed the nature of sound and how the universe is composed of sound vibrations based on the philosophy of Pythagoras, whose ideas parallel Master¡s teachings on the cosmic Sound. During the Atherton Neighbourhood Centre seminar, a woman who attended said she had found a copy of Master¡s sample booklet at a second-hand shop a week earlier. Upon seeing the title The Key of Immediate Enlightenment on the cover she was inspired to take it home. That night she prayed to Master to teach her the Quan Yin Method and Master appeared to her. Then a week later her friend brought her to the Theosophical Society meeting at which the Quan Yin initiate was speaking. The woman was thrilled that her prayer had been answered so quickly, and promptly resolved to learn the Convenient Method. Thus, thanks to Master¡s boundless blessings, God¡s message was successfully disseminated to the community of Cairns Highlands. Report from Korea Strengthening Faith and Self-Confidence by Working for God By the Busan News Group [Yangsan] On March 13, 2005, Busan initiates ushered in the spring season by holding a video seminar in culturally rich Yangsan located near their city. Before and during the event, the enthusiastic, devoted sisters and brothers worked diligently to ensure its success. On the day of the seminar the sun shone brightly, and from the instant the initiates opened the door to the venue, the Art and Cultural Center of Yangsan, sincere visitors flocked to the information desk to learn more about practicing meditation and finding a true Master. During the seminar the initiates presented Master¡s video lecture Life Continues Forever, after which many participants registered to learn the Convenient Method. Some guests also asked spiritual questions, which the fellow initiates answered with care and consideration. From their inquiries it was clear that the visitors understood Master¡s teachings as they were satisfied with the initiates¡ answers and seemed spiritually fulfilled and deeply contented within their hearts, as evidenced by their bright, beaming faces upon leaving the venue. The Busan initiates believe that activities like the March 2005 Yangsan video seminar are part of God's will and provide them with opportunities to practice altruistic love and devotion and grow spiritually. As such, serving others through these events fills them with happiness and strengthens their faith and self-confidence. Thus, the sisters and brothers eagerly anticipate holding another seminar in the near future. 1 photo Report from Cameroon Sharing the Truth in Harmony with Master By the Cameroon News Group [Cameroon] In accord with Master¡s efforts to elevate Earth¡s consciousness and to share the Truth with more of their fellow human beings, Cameroon initiates held a video seminar on Ching Hai Day, February 22, 2005. A week beforehand, the local center disseminated news about the seminar through television and radio promotions and by distributing over a thousand flyers. And through Master's blessings and the practitioners¡ concerted efforts, the seminar proved to be a success, attracting approximately two hundred guests. Afterwards, many visitors were reluctant to leave and asked for the local center¡s address, wishing to learn more about Supreme Master Ching Hai and the Quan Yin Method. The Truth-sharing activity gave the brothers and sisters of Cameroon an encouraging experience of Master's infinite blessing power as they helped to carry out God's work in a spirit of love. 2 photos: sp11-1,-2.jpg Report from Formosa Spiritual Light amid a Sea of Flowers By the Taipei News Group [Taipei] On March 19 and 20, 2005, the brothers and sisters of Formosa¡s Northern Area College Activity Group conducted their annual Truth-sharing activity at National Taiwan University¡s colorful azalea festival. The initiates¡ booth had the theme ¡Coloring Our Lives¡ and featured a large assortment of Master¡s publications and an exquisite array of vegetarian snacks. In addition, the initiates recited inspirational excerpts from Master¡s books, heightening the spiritual atmosphere of the bright, lively festival. Many visitors smiled on seeing the elaborately designed games and blessing cards prepared by the sisters and brothers, and inquired about Master¡s teachings, meditation and the vegetarian diet. Meanwhile, the young initiates performed dynamic dances, soulful guitar recitals and a group of spiritual songs that fully expressed their inner bliss and overflowing love. One visitor to the booth had once rented her home to a Korean initiate named Miss Li who came to Formosa to learn Chinese. The woman remembered how she had envied the happy, fulfilling life Miss Li enjoyed as she rose early every morning to meditate, and remained in high spirits throughout the day while reading and going about her business. When the woman learned that Miss Li had found her vital life force from practicing the Quan Yin Method her interest was aroused. So she decided to learn the Convenient Method during the festival and completely verified her tenant's words. During National Taiwan University¡s 2005 azalea festival the initiates¡ booth proved to be the most joyful spot on campus. The exhibit¡s happy atmosphere attracted many souls searching for their inner source of joy, giving the fellow practitioners a great opportunity to share Master¡s teachings. 2 photos: sp12-1, -2. jpg Report from Formosa A Scenic Island is Illuminated in the Golden Age¡The 2005 Kinmen Lantern Festival By the Kinmen work team [Kinmen] From February 23-25, 2005, Kinmen Island played host to a fabulous Lantern Festival celebrated amid rich historical attractions and traditional architecture at the Kinmen Stadium. The Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, was sponsored by the local county government, and a major participant, The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, ran a booth at the event by invitation of the local Cultural Affairs Bureau. Fellow initiates from Kinmen built a novel exhibit featuring colorful, glittering lanterns and five hundred potted flowers provided by the Kinmen Forestry Bureau, making the booth seem like Heaven on earth and attracting many visitors. The initiates chose "Kinmen Lights up in the Golden Era" as the theme for their display, hoping to add spiritual radiance to the Kinmen area as Golden Year 2 opened. The sisters and brothers brought in a special collection of Supreme Master Ching Hai¡s Longevity Lamps from the main island of Formosa. The uniquely shaped Lamps, which were displayed alongside Master's paintings, shone with spiritual light symbolizing God¡s eternal brightness. Together the Lamps and art work awakened visitors¡ golden impression of Heaven embedded deep in their souls. 1 photo: sp10-1.jpg 1 photo: sp10-2.jpg On February 23, the opening day of the Festival, several local officials participated in a lantern lighting ceremony that inaugurated the celebrations. Later, Kinmen County Magistrate Lee Juh-feng visited the The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association booth to encourage the fellow practitioners, saying, ¡I¡ve heard a great deal about Supreme Master Ching Hai and am delighted and grateful to the Association for its display of Her exquisite creations, which are a significant attraction at your booth.¡ Since lamps represent brightness, Mr. Lee also hoped that the Longevity Lamp display would help visitors reach a deeper level of realization in life, sincerely thanked the Association for its excellent support and service and hoped that the people of Kinmen could have the opportunity and honor to play host to Supreme Master Ching Hai in the future. During the Festival, many local residents young and old visited the initiates¡ exhibit. For example, a Kinmen preschool teacher lifted up her young students one by one to view the Longevity Lamps on display, and explained the spiritual meanings of the Lamps printed on their labels. Also, a mother patiently elaborated on the significance of each painting and Lamp for her beloved daughter. And a couple and their children spent a long time at the booth, being especially impressed by the Longevity Lamp entitled God¡s Hand. In addition, many locals who had attended the Lantern Festival in previous years said that this year¡s event was the most unique, beautiful, and delightful they had ever experienced, and hoped that The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association would participate in the Festival every year. 2 photos: sp10-3,-4.jpg While the initiates were decorating their booth, Mr. Hsu Huan-sheng, Director of the Kinmen Stadium, frequently showed concern about their progress and wanted to offer his assistance, his simplicity and enthusiasm being typical of Kinmen residents. Mr. Hsu also said, ¡Thank you for your earnest efforts, which have produced an outstanding exhibit. I hope that the display materials can be left in Kinmen for future use.¡ And as he was very interested in painting, Mr. Hsu came often to the exhibit to appreciate Master's art work and Longevity Lamps, and even joined the fellow practitioners at mealtime since he frequently ate vegetarian meals. He later learned the Convenient Method, and thus the spiritual seed in his heart began to sprout. On the first evening of the Festival, the initiates conducted a Truth-sharing seminar in the Stadium¡s audio-visual room entitled "A Musical Feast and Spiritual Elevation." During the seminar, Mr. Lee and Mr. Hsu each delivered a speech in which they expressed affirmation of Master's teachings and supported the fellow initiates¡ efforts. Afterwards, many guests learned the Convenient Method, including several aged grandmas, who, anxious not to be left behind, took advantage of this "grand sale" of Heaven. The initiates were truly delighted that these elderly ladies have the good fortune to practice spiritually with a living Master before leaving this world. During the Festival, many others came to learn the Convenient Method as well, and the initiates were overjoyed to welcome such a large number of local brothers and sisters into the Quan Yin family. The support of fellow practitioners from other centers contributed to the success of the Truth-sharing activity at the 2005 Kinmen Lantern Festival. And through Master¡s blessings, the participating brothers and sisters were able to fully use their intelligence and talents to ensure the success of the activity, making them truly proud to be members of the Quan Yin family! Highlights of the above-mentioned events may be viewed on the CTI TV Entertainment Channel A Journey through Aesthetic Realms #137 at: http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/hichannel/index.htm (in English with Chinese subtitles). ================================================================== Frontline Divine Love beyond Boundaries: Raising Earth's Consciousness through Spiritual Practice--Report on the 2005 Taipei International Book Exhibition By the Taipei News Group (Originally in Chinese) 2 photos: fl1-4,-5.jpg As the joy of the Lunar New Year lingered, the scent of books filled the air at the 2005 Taipei International Book Fair held from February 15-20 at the Taipei World Trade Center. As in previous years, the Supreme Master Ching Hai Publishing Company participated in this annual cultural event by introducing the Supreme Master Ching Hai¡s teachings through audio and visual aids, interactive Truth-sharing activities and various artistic media. 3 photos: fl1-6/7/8.jpg During the Exhibition, practitioners from the Publishing Company conducted twelve uplifting activities, including musical performances, short comedy sketches and Truth-sharing seminars, all of which received warm responses from visitors. The seminars, held from February 16 to 18, explored the wonders of the inner Sound current, the truth that all of God¡s creatures are equal and the ideal of extending love to animals. Through Master¡s videotaped lectures and the initiates¡ personal accounts, the seminars taught guests how to gain spiritual knowledge through social interaction and grow in marriage relationships by practicing the Quan Yin Method. On the afternoon of February 19, a seminar with the theme ¡Divine Love beyond Boundaries: Raising Earth¡s Consciousness through Spiritual Practice¡ attracted a huge audience. Participants included various Formosan notables as well as friends from abroad. One such dignitary, Ambassador Lu Ching-lung, spokesman for Formosa¡s Foreign Ministry said, ¡It¡s extremely important that we uphold the ideal of creating a global village through love. The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association conducts worldwide relief activities, becoming a source of national pride for Formosans in realizing the ideal of ¡divine love beyond boundaries,¡ interacting with the international community and sharing the achievements of the government and people, who have made Formosa a democratic society that respects freedom of religion. To create a global village through love, we must have more than mere motivation. We must have action, wisdom and strategic planning. Over the years, the Association has put love into action and contributed to the enrichment of civilization. This is a substantial achievement that elevates the quality of our citizens and benefits humankind.¡ Another VIP, Mr. Peter Ritzen, Art Director-General of the world renowned Renaissance Music Society, said, ¡I give my best greetings to The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, I want to give all my love for the great things that the Association is doing. It's really great to have people in this world that care about others because that¡s what life is all about. We need to have compassion, we need to have love. we need to have the good things. And we need to defeat the evil in this world; it¡s very, very important. And I hope that the world will unite in love and serve the universe, which will thus have a harmonic structure, a heroic structure, and we will become united with God, with everyone.¡ Caption: Spokesman for Formosa¡s Foreign Ministry Ambassador Lu Ching-lung (left) [fl1-9.jpg] After attending this seminar, the participants came to realize that since our planet is undergoing a turbulent time marked by numerous natural and manmade disasters, we need to pray together for God¡s mercy, and only then will divine blessings continue to grace the earth. This insight coincides with Supreme Master Ching Hai¡s teachings: ¡Drastic changes can be an elevating force. We must elevate the world¡s consciousness through spiritual practice.¡ At the end of the Divine Love beyond Boundaries seminar, dozens of guests asked to learn the Convenient Method to experience Master¡s omnipresent blessings and be baptized by God¡s Light! Then on the morning of February 20, the initiates held a remarkable Truth-sharing program entitled ¡Eden of Light: Who is the Light Bearer?¡ During this event Mr. Gu Mu-te, an aboriginal dancer in a shiny silver costume, performed a fantastic dance enhanced by light and sound effects and vivid narration. The performance conveyed the concepts ¡the Light of God gives birth to all of Creation¡ and ¡we are the Light and the Light is us.¡ Also, several excerpts from Master¡s insightful discourses were simultaneously broadcast to help the audience better understand that we simply need to follow a living Master¡s guidance to immediately experience the holy Light and become re-united with God. 1 photo: fl1-1.jpg In the afternoon, a seminar exclusively for young people with the theme ¡Finding One¡s Ideal Partner¡ attracted dozens of youths. And afterwards, many participants learned the Convenient Method, thus joining the ranks of princes and princesses returning to the Kingdom of God! During the Exhibition, approximately a hundred attendees learned the Convenient Form of practice and wonderfully contacted God. One such guest was Ms. Zhang from Taichung, who had learned of her affinity with Master Ching Hai after being told by a fortune-teller to practice the Convenient Method. That day, six months after she had switched to a vegetarian diet, Ms. Zhang saw the inner Master along with white and yellow Lights during CM meditation, bringing tears of ecstasy to her eyes. She thus knew that Master had been silently guiding her all the while and helping her overcome her personal problems. Ms. Zhang also felt that the sister-initiate who had taught her the Convenient Method was as dear to her as her own sister. All these experiences deepened Ms. Zhang¡s belief in the fortune-teller¡s view that she had been Master¡s child in her last life! Another attendee, Ms. Lai, was an expert in human potential development. Having observed that the sister-initiates working at the venue were always happy, she enjoyed being in their company and subsequently became interested in Master¡s teachings. Then on the morning of February 19, Ms. Lai watched a series of short dramas performed by fellow initiates. And later, she was surprised as her eyes became glued to the booth¡s TV screen for a whole hour while Master delivered a talk. Through these experiences, Ms. Lai felt that she had been completely transformed by Master¡s love, and when discussing Her stories with a sister-initiate she said, ¡I feel like we¡re old acquaintances and I finally understand the true meaning of ¡being one.¡¡ Ms. Lai added that she enjoys practicing the Convenient Form of meditation as it alleviates her feelings of tension and stress. An additional guest from Sindian had attended Master¡s 2000 Formosa lecture at the Taoyuan Stadium, and when visiting the Book Exhibition, noticed the SMCH Publishing Company¡s booth. After happily talking with the sister-initiates about Master¡s teachings, she and her son asked to learn the Convenient Method. During the subsequent CM meditation session, the woman cried involuntarily for a long time and later returned to the exhibition booth to watch Master¡s lecture DVDs. There she smelled the sweet fragrance of sandalwood and thought that the initiates were burning incense. But after inquiring about the source of the smell, she realized she was having a spiritual experience! Also, a young monk who visited the SMCH booth had long thought that Master¡s immediate enlightenment method was unique. Five years earlier, he had visited the Taipei Center, tried hard to study Master¡s teachings and also visited the Hsihu Center. Thus he was extremely joyful to encounter Master¡s teachings at the Exhibition and invited his mother to practice the Convenient Method with him, presenting another case of individuals with affinity returning to the gate of Heaven! In another instance, a sister-initiate working at the venue became acquainted with the staff at an adjacent booth featuring Buddhist publications. Then one day, the booth¡s manager invited the sister to be tested with a device called a ¡samadhi detector¡ that was on display there. The woman asked the sister to meditate at her booth for a while and so the sister closed her eyes and silently recited the Holy Names for a few seconds. Afterwards the detector operator asked, ¡What did you do just now?¡ And the sister replied, ¡I silently recited the Holy Names as taught by Supreme Master Ching Hai.¡ The women were amazed by the sister¡s reply and could not fathom why the machine had reacted simply because she had recited the Holy Names! The detector was a very expensive device for determining a meditating subject¡s level of samadhi, and during the Exhibition the booth¡s workers had measured approximately eighty people daily. But none¡not even Buddhist priests and Catholic nuns¡had entered samadhi as quickly as our sister-initiate had, providing yet another affirmation of the Quan Yin Method¡s immense power. The SMCH Publishing Company¡s participation in the 2005 Taipei International Book Exhibition helped many spiritual seekers experience Supreme Master Ching Hai¡s true love and gain inner liberation through touching encounters with Her and the initiates. So the brothers and sisters of Taipei profoundly thank Master for Her blessings and assistance in another successful Truth-sharing activity, which added color and vibrancy to the lives of countless souls! Captions: Happy initiates at the pet-care seminar ¡The Divinity of Animals¡Being Sensitive to Love¡ Guests enjoy a seminar entitled ¡Embracing True Love¡Growing Spiritually in Marital Relations¡ Highlights of the above-mentioned events may be viewed on the CTI TV Entertainment Channel A Journey through Aesthetic Realms #132 at: http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/hichannel/index.htm (in English with Chinese subtitles) ================================================================== Aphorisms Focus on Spiritual Development and Become a Complete Being Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Tokyo, Japan, May 7, 2000 (Originally in English) DVD #693 In order to have everlasting happiness, to be more peaceful, we need to use our concentration to go to a higher dimension so that we can learn of the nobler purpose of life and the nobler wisdom of the universe. Then we can become complete beings, not just successful executives in this world but also saints and Buddhas to bless the world and the universe. Contribute Both Spiritually and Physically to the World Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Los Angeles, USA, October 29, 1993 (Originally in English) Videotape #388 Do your job correctly; work and use your wisdom to at least take care of your family. Whatever¡s to spare you can use to help the desperate. You can then contribute to the world not only to help cleanse the atmosphere spiritually, but also financially, physically and in many other respects. We have to develop ourselves in all dimensions to become perfect beings. ================================================================== Master Tells Jokes There is No Need to Fear Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai in Hsihu, Formosa, February 6, 1992(Originally in Chinese) Videotape #209 A chimpanzee that was a major attraction in the zoo became ill and was sent to the doctor for treatment. The number of visitors dwindled during its absence so the manager of the zoo came up with a scheme. He hired an unemployed man, had him don the furry coat of a chimpanzee and instructed him to jump around in the chimp¡s compound or swing among the trees. This proved to be a very effective strategy and the man attracted large numbers of visitors. Then one day the fake chimpanzee was enjoying swinging from tree to tree so much that he accidentally fell into the adjacent compound. To his horror, he found that his neighbor was a tiger. The tiger charged toward him and roared, while the fake chimpanzee kept retreating. Then the tiger stopped right before him and stared. The fake chimpanzee was so afraid that he trembled and nearly fainted. At that moment, the tiger said to him, "There¡s no need to fear! I¡m also a stand-in!" The Price of Wearing Long Hair Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai in Hsihu, Florida, USA, December 28, 2001, (Originally in English) Videotape #735 There once was a teenager who had a rich father. He wanted to buy a small second hand car and his father told him that he had to have "A" grades, be good and also cut his long hair before the father would buy him a car. The son made the "A" grades; he was also good and behaved well, and everything was OK. But the boy didn't want to cut his long hair. So the father asked him, "Why is that?" The father was a devout Catholic so the boy said, "You see, Jesus had long hair and Moses had long hair. Why do you want me to cut my hair?" And the father replied, "Yes, Jesus and Moses had long hair. They also had something else in common¡they had to walk!" Please visit the following websites to enjoy the original video versions of these jokes, and you may share the joy of Master¡s humor with those around you: http://www.Godsdirectcontact.net/eng/news/157/jk1.htm (USA) http://www.Godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/news/157/jk1.htm (Formosa) ================================================================== Master Says Only the Enlightened Can Know God and Benefit Humanity Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Malaysia, February 27, 1992 (Originally in English) Videotape # 220 In the olden times people who practiced with a Master would call that Master ¡the Lord.¡ Calling the Master ¡Lord¡ means God and they would say, ¡The Lord is omnipotent, omnipresent,¡ and so on. Actually, they didn¡t know of any invisible God. They knew of the Lord who lived with them, smiled with them, ate with them and talked with them. And so it is that from the so-called scriptures, we learn to know the Lord; we learn to know what we call God. But actually from the beginning ¡the Lord¡ was a Master of some kind. And the disciples wrote about their experiences, saying, ¡My Lord is so merciful: He helps me in disasters; He teaches me the path of Light. I see Him as Light; I see Him come to me as Light. I see Him talking to me as thunder, as the sound of many waters,¡ and so on. Thus, we learn from these scriptures to know the so-called Lord, but we don't know who that Lord is! Because He¡s really the disciple¡s Lord, not our Lord. That disciple knew Him personally; we didn't. So there¡s no need to talk about the Lord if we don't know about Him or Her, and no need to call that the impersonal Lord or the personal Lord because there is none. As long as you yourself don¡t nourish the Lord within you and don¡t recognize the power that the Lord within you has, no Lord exists for you, no Lord whatsoever. Because you don't know Hirm. The Lord is only inside you according to your level. The more you practice, the more the Lord will become obvious to you, and then you can write many songs praising the Lord. Actually it¡s you; it¡s your level. Now that you recognize the goodness within you, the power that you possess, you know that this is what¡s called ¡the Lord.¡ And the more you grow, the more glorious God or the Lord becomes and the more you know how glorified the Lord inside you is. That's how we know the Lord; there¡s no other way. It doesn't matter how many people praise ¡the Lord, the Lord, the Lord.¡ If you don't know Hirm, what¡s the use for you? So the only way to know the Lord is to know Hirm personally because even if another person realizes Hirm and tells you that his Lord has done many wonders for him, that Lord won¡t help you. Hes can¡t! You have to realize your own Lord and make Hirm yourself. That¡s why I don¡t tell you to worship God or to worship the Buddha: I tell you how to make Buddhas. Making God, that¡s the power we have. (Applause) Even though there¡s a God, if you don't realize Hirm, you¡ll never know. Even though God exists, or God exists for him or for her, that God is of no use to you. That's why many followers of this tradition or that religion might keep saying, ¡God, God, God,¡ but they don't ever know what God is. They can never make use of that God. So what¡s the use to you if that God exists? Whether you praise Hirm or curse Hirm, it¡s all the same because Hes is just non-responsive. So Hes is actually non-existent! And yet you keep praising, and this is most blasphemous. But never mind; each one has to learn his or her own lessons. It¡s just that when I talk to you, I can¡t avoid making these strong statements so that you wake up and understand the logic of making your own God, so that you understand why the Bible said, ¡The kingdom of God is within you.¡ And then you understand why the Buddha said, ¡Buddha is your heart, is inside you¡ because you make Hirm. You wake Hirm up. You make Hirm grow; you realize how much power Hes has, and then you make use of It for the benefit of yourself and humankind. That¡s when you know Buddha or God, and then you can praise Hirm; you can call Hirm God or Buddha or the Lord or whatever you want. But make use of Hirm; don¡t only praise Hirm and worship Hirm. You can worship and you can praise, but only after you know how much power Hes gives you and how much power Hes has. And you only know this when you realize inside that there¡s nowhere else you¡ll find Hirm. (Applause) A Master Empathizes with the Suffering of All Beings I cry sometimes¡for you, for other people, for the world, for all the people who need help and don't know how to get it, for all the people who swim in ignorance and don't want to get out, for all the people in the hell realms suffering for many thousands of years and no one cares. There are many reasons for me to cry. I know it's all illusion, but they don't. It's no good that I alone know that¡s it¡s all illusion but the sufferer who suffers doesn¡t know. And sometimes I can¡t make them know because they don't want to know. They truly don't want to know, and that can make me cry because their suffering makes me suffer. Without a Master We Cannot Know God The grace of the Master or the grace of God is very, very important. Throughout the ages, people have praised God, saying, ¡The Lord, the Lord of mercy, the Lord who cut the chains of my ignorance, the Lord who cut asunder my chains of transmigration¡ and so on. But this is actually ascribed to the living Master at that time only. There is no other God besides the Master. If you have no Master, you won't know God. You can only know God through a Master, because the Master teaches you how to know God. Then you know that you are also the Master; you are God. And then you praise the Master because the Master is so merciful: ¡Without the Master, I couldn't even know God!¡ So the Master is placed before God because God really is non-existent apart from your own enlightenment, your own realization. There is no other God. (Applause) I hope you understand that. It's really abstract, but so logical. If you don't understand, I really, really admire your ignorance! (Master and everyone laugh) Initiation is the Breakthrough and Meditation is the Practice of Divine Power By the grace of the Master and the God power inside, at the time of initiation we can get cleansed. Even though we might not be very pure at that moment, in the presence of God's power we get cleansed. So we get through! We break through the prison door, and for a while we can see the Light and Sound that exist beyond material existence. That's why we call it instant or immediate enlightenment. So we hear the Sound, meaning that we have contact with the higher worlds. We¡re fixed now; we¡re no longer disconnected, and we see the Light, meaning that we¡re pure or clean enough to break through. It¡s just like the sun that¡s outside when you¡re inside the door. If you don¡t walk through the door, you won¡t see the sun even though it exists. The same is true for the Light and Sound of God: They exist, but because we¡re closed up, encased in this prison of our own prejudice and thoughts from our inaction for many lifetimes, we can¡t see. So at the time of initiation, the Master gives us a chance to break through, once and for all. But we have to keep going. There are many more ¡beyonds¡ to discover, not only during initiation. The initiation is only the beginning, but even then this beginning is a very high beginning. Because many people work their way up from one chakra to the next up to here (Master points to the wisdom eye) for ten years perhaps before they can see the Light. But we begin from the wisdom eye. The Master gathers up the whole power and transmits it to you there. Then you can see the Light, and from there you go up. The wisdom eye is the door of Heaven, through which you can go to many mansions. But this is only the beginning. Even if you go to the Fifth World in one day during initiation, you have to go again every day to get used to it. Because the higher worlds have higher frequencies, and our burdened soul is not very familiar with that yet. So we have to practice getting used to this higher kind of life. That way, when we leave this world, we¡re ready. We¡re prepared enough in our knowledge of other frequencies to be able to adapt to the new dimensions. Make Every Minute Count Whenever you have free time, you should meditate. There¡s no need to always meditate in the early morning or in the evening. Those are your regular hours, but in between, whenever you have time to rest just sit and meditate. Every minute you earn is added to your storehouse of merit. Meditation is very important. Now that you want to earn your place in Heaven, you must work for it and prepare yourself for it. So, if you think you truly aspire to a higher way of life, to be of higher service to the universe and become a saint or a wiser being in order to work with the wiser beings in other levels, then just work for it until you take your exams and get qualified. But you must work every day. It¡s just like going to school: You work and work every day. So any of your spare time you should reserve for meditation. Meditation Provides All the Answers Whenever you have problems, just meditate more; ask the inner Master and the answer will come. Should the answer not come or should you not understand the answer, you can write me a letter. Sometimes as soon as you finish writing, you already understand and the answer is there. But in case you still don't understand enough, you can put the letter in an envelope and send it off to me. Make Effective Use of Your God Power and Wisdom I hope you do your duty and stay true to your promise as a savior of humankind. Because what you do affects the whole planet. You will see that, in deep samadhi, when you arrive at that stage. At least you know that what we¡re doing isn¡t wrong. I¡ve told you many times, and if you don¡t understand¡because sometimes when I speak you might be distracted or looking at my clothes so you forget my words¡you should get the videotapes and watch them again and again. Each time, you¡ll understand more and understand differently. Be diligent in learning both the logic and the practice. They go hand in hand. Because otherwise you¡ll just be using blind faith and not knowing why you¡re doing it. Then again, you might know even without me telling you. If you practice well, you¡ll know all the answers. You¡re wise; you have God power and wisdom. Make use of them. ================================================================== Pearls of Wisdom Advanced Body-contouring Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa, July 11, 1995 (Originally in English) Videotape #488 It¡s funny. When we practice the Quan Yin Method, sometimes our shapes change. Some fat people became slimmer; some skinny people become rounder¡not fat, but fulfilled, more filled out. Many things like this happen. And sometimes it happens right after initiation. So the person who comes in and the person who comes out, you hardly recognize. Myself, I don¡t recognize! After initiation, he looks totally different, like another person: more lovable, and closer, like a long-time friend. It¡s very funny; I¡ve noticed this many times. So sometimes people think, ¡How come Master doesn¡t know me? I just came to say ¡hallo¡ to Her a few days ago, and now it looks like she doesn¡t remember.¡ I do remember, but just a different person! You change; the chemical substances in the body change, too. We renew our tissues and our cells. And the structure of our thinking becomes different, even though you might not notice it because here you don¡t have the opportunity to use it. But when you go home, or if the opportunity arises for you to solve the same problem, you will see that so many fresh ideas have developed overnight. And then you know what has happened to you. The Best Form of Healing Spoken by the Supreme Master Ching Hai at the Narita Airport, Tokyo, Japan, September 8, 1994, (Originally in Chinese) Videotape #444A In Heaven above, they heal with Light instead of with medicine. I think, perhaps we will also heal illness with similar light in the future. There are also some illnesses that can be cured by sound, say like music. This method we are practicing includes the Light and the Sound, and through it many agonies and pressures are minimized naturally, and eventually disappear. We are originally highly intelligent beings. However, in this world, we are excessively oppressed, and have no time to rest. Even when we find time to rest, we don't know the proper way. Outings and activities simply tire us even more after we spend much money. We just feel even more uncomfortable. Now, we have the time to practice spiritually, and the power of Light and Sound that heals all illnesses, and we also have wisdom. In serenity, we can find our original wisdom, so it is simply natural that we are becoming better and better. Ordinary people, after being loaded with heavy work, go for a rest by the seaside or in the mountains for a while, if they can afford it. Then they feel refreshed and are ready to carry on with their work. However, it is much better that we have a brief rest each day than taking a week off after a long time. Our two and a half hours' meditation is our everyday rest. Besides resting, we are also saving our life! The Light and Sound purify our mentality, bodily cells, etc. So the more we practice, the younger and more comfortable we feel, and most illnesses disappear. The Way to Rejuvenation Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa, June 13, 1991 (Originally in Chinese) When we meditate on the Sound, our internal vibrations change, new concepts emerge, and new cells are born. We seem to be born anew, and this is the system of "rejuvenation". Anyone who meditates diligently will definitely have their body and mind changed, as well as their thinking. They will feel as if they have been born anew. There is no better way than meditation. Thus, if we want to be liberated from birth and death, alleviate suffering and help the world, we must first meditate and cleanse our karma so that we know how to properly help others. ================================================================== Poems Creating an Affinity with You By Xiaoyu, Germany When I reflect on my spiritual growth over a decade of practicing the Quan Yin Method, my heart fills with deep emotion for Supreme Master Ching Hai. This poem expresses my inner feelings for Master as She guides me on to constant spiritual progress and sublimity. Knowing You, I am baptized by the Sound and Light. Knowing You, I have found true meaning in life. Knowing You Is knowing the Mother of the Cosmos And finding my way Home! Missing You, I understand myself better and better. Missing You, My ordinary days are full of wonders. Missing You Is missing God And longing for God's kingdom! Approaching You, I bathe in the Ocean of Wisdom. Approaching you, I wander in the Garden of Heaven. Approaching You Is entering happiness And embracing peace! The day will come when I become You, For You and I are originally one. Becoming You Is becoming the power of love. Becoming You Is integrating with the Truth! ================================================================== Master's Wonders The Miraculous "Ninety-nine Percent" By would-be-initiate Gu, Mainland China (Originally in Chinese) For years I meditated and recited the Buddhas¡ names, but did not adhere to a vegetarian diet. Then in April 2004 I discovered the Quan Yin Method and after reading the sample booklet The Key of Immediate Enlightenment, decided to become a vegetarian and learn the Convenient Method. I also acquired the eight volumes of The Key of Immediate Enlightenment series, read them carefully from beginning to end and thus developed a basic understanding of the Quan Yin Method. Next, although I was only practicing the Convenient Method at the time, Master¡s almighty power changed my brother¡s fate. On October 15, 2004, my sister-in-law called and asked my wife and I to rush to the hospital where my brother was undergoing emergency treatment for a myocardial infarction (heart attack). I immediately thought of Master Ching Hai, and on my way to the hospital recited Her name and the name of Amitabha Buddha, praying to Master to save my brother. When we reached the hospital, my brother was already out of immediate danger. As soon as he felt better, he told me about his experience while his life was in jeopardy. He said that he had floated unconsciously while his mind remained blank and suddenly saw two rays of white light brighter than a searchlight, so bright that he could hardly open his eyes. Then he heard a voice saying, ¡Why are you here?¡ A short while later, he felt someone strike him and woke up. It was the doctor giving him an electric shock, for his heart had already stopped beating. Before the shock, he had clearly seen the white light and heard the voice. I believe it must have been the Light form of Master coming to rescue him. That night my brother had a dream in which he saw himself in a huge temple containing many glittering, gold-colored Bodhisattvas. Then he saw the Quan Yin Bodhisattva walk toward him and say, ¡You have a problem with your feet so you should stand more and sit less.¡ After making this remark, the Bodhisattva walked past him. My brother thought that this vision was a sign that he would not survive his crisis, and the Quan Yin Bodhisattva had come to lead him away. In sorrow, he discussed his last wishes with his daughter and prepared to be ¡on his way.¡ When I heard this story I said, ¡That was Master¡s transformation form coming to see you. It¡s an immense blessing. You¡ll surely be out of your predicament soon. Master told you to stand more, meaning that you should cheer up and stay alive. Don¡t be so pessimistic and wait for death.¡ That day, after I fed my brother lunch, he said he wanted to take a nap. But as soon as he closed his eyes, he opened them again and said that he saw many patterns appearing before him. I asked him what kind of patterns they were and he immediately closed his eyes and described them to me, saying, ¡They seem to be relief patterns related to Buddhism that I¡ve never seen before, and they¡re very beautiful.¡ While speaking, he pointed with his fingers as if the images were right in front of him. But when he opened his eyes, they were gone. This phenomenon continued for two days. I explained to my brother that it was undoubtedly Master helping him open his Heavenly eye while rescuing him and letting him see beautiful inner visions. I also told him to recite Master¡s name more frequently and pray to Master to quickly free him from his illness. My brother was receiving treatment at a poorly equipped countryside hospital, but his condition was not stable enough for him to be moved to another facility. It was not until fifteen days after his emergency treatment that he was transferred to a large hospital in the downtown area. After a check-up there, the doctor found that ninety-nine percent of his coronary artery was blocked, and the screening showed an opening only as wide as a thread in his artery. Then, two days after the doctor successfully inserted stents in the artery, my brother was completely out of danger. I have been thinking a great deal about the figure ¡ninety-nine percent.¡ It was indeed a miracle that my brother was saved. Master gave life to a heart that had stopped beating, and preserved his life despite his having only a one percent chance of survival until he could be treated properly. Thus his recovery was truly remarkable! Many might find my brother¡s experience to be like a fairytale, but it is one hundred percent fact. Thank you, Master, for Your love for me, a would-be disciple. I would also like to express my gratitude to You on behalf of my brother for saving his life. I look forward to being initiated soon, to personally seeing Master¡s benevolent face and to being graced with more of Your infinite love and blessings. Master's Care is Omnipresent By sister-initiate Chen, Mainland China (Originally in Chinese) Care for My Family In 1995, a tumor was found in my daughter's arm and her doctor informed our family that removing it surgically would be difficult because cutting the many blood vessels and capillaries in the arm might cause severe hemorrhaging. The doctor also told us to be mentally prepared, and so naturally we became extremely worried. I then thought of praying to Master for help, began meditating at home and next a miracle occurred¡my daughter experienced no bleeding during her surgery! The doctor and nurses were astounded. "How could this be possible? We¡ve never seen a patient who went through surgery without bleeding," they said. In my heart, I knew very well that it was Master taking care of my daughter. Who else but Master can have such great magical power? Indeed, one person practicing the Quan Yin Method can bring blessings to the whole family. Master¡s Meticulous Care for Me In 2004, a hot water faucet in my house was not working and no water was coming out. So I thought of getting a new fixture, but on second thought decided to take care of it later since I seldom used it. Then unexpectedly, after six months the tap began working again. Water that flows from taps that have not been used for a long time is usually rusty, but the water from this faucet was clear. No doubt, Master had again miraculously solved a problem for me. Master really loves me and knows that I am living alone and am getting old. So She constantly helps me solve problems in my daily life. I am extremely grateful to Her for always taking care of me in every way. That same year, my neighbor upstairs had a water leakage problem. However, most of the water seeped through the walls and ran outside the house, leaving only some watermarks on my walls. From outside, I could see the hole where the water came out, and if the water had drained into my house it would have caused me great trouble. I am very grateful for Master's help in this matter as well. Ever since I began following Master Ching Hai in spiritual practice, I have felt that She is ever by my side taking care of me. No words can describe Master's greatness and the grace She has bestowed on me. To repay Her for Her help and as an offering to Master, I can only practice seriously, follow Her teachings and meditate more diligently. Master's Power Liberates My Two Mothers By a fellow initiate from Mainland China (Originally in Chinese) In my earlier years I never felt a desire for material wealth, but instead suffered great spiritual anguish and yearned for liberation. During this time of spiritual emptiness and thirst, I encountered the blessed nectar of Master¡s teachings, jumped in without hesitation and drank to my heart¡s content. I soon learned the Convenient Method and while practicing had an inner experience, in which I floated out of my body and saw two roads¡one dark and one bright. I walked toward the brighter one and arrived at a scenic spot with a magnificent building. Entering it, I saw my mother, who had passed away. She was extremely happy and talked profusely, asking me to stay. In earlier dreams in which my mother appeared, she had always remained silent and wore a long face. Thus the experience seemed to be a testimony to the fact that Master had liberated my mother. When I happened to turn my head in the dream, I also saw my stepmother and wondered why she was there. Later, during a group meditation session after I was initiated, a sister suddenly asked me, ¡How many parents do you have?¡ And I replied, ¡I have a father, a stepfather, a mother, and a stepmother, whom I have refused to accept because she was not legitimately married to my father and it was for her that my father left my mother. Father and I moved in with her when I was six or seven years old. I thus lost both my parents¡ love and suffered a lot. Two years later, my mother remarried and paid to take me to my stepfather¡s home. With the passing of time, I¡ve forgotten how good or bad my stepmother was.¡ The sister then said, ¡Regardless of what happened, she adopted you and you were indebted to her. So you should repay her kindness.¡ I immediately remembered the inner vision I had had and was deeply moved. It is Master who repaid the kindness for me and liberated my stepmother. This is yet another testimony that Master¡s promise is absolutely true. After initiation, at least five or six generations of our relatives are liberated, and even my stepmother, who had no biological ties with me, benefited from our association. I am deeply grateful for the grace of God in bestowing on us such a great Master, for only a true living Master has such immense power and compassion. Also, I am ever more grateful to Master, miss Her deeply and hope we will all cherish the great opportunity to pursue spiritual practice in the Golden Age, pursue the Quan Yin Method diligently and follow Master back to our true Home! ================================================================== Selected Questions and Answers Inner Visions Cannot be Experienced on Demand Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Videoconference with initiates from San Francisco, California, USA, August 25, 2002 (Originally in English) Videotape #748 Q: Although I meditate diligently, I¡ve only seen the Light once. If I wish to see the Light, then I'm attached to an outcome. But if I don't wish to see the Light, does that mean I won¡t progress spiritually? M: No, you can wish to see the Light, but don¡t demand it, saying, ¡I have to see it every day, I have to see it every time,¡ and so on. You¡re doing very fine for a beginner. You're doing wonderfully. So just continue in a relaxed and loving manner. All of us would like to see the Light every day. But we¡ve been conditioned not to be able to see God. A lot of people out there believe in God, but if God appeared to them in any form, they¡d be startled or wouldn¡t believe it or think it was a devil's trick or an illusion. So since our youth, we¡ve been conditioned and brainwashed into believing that we can¡t see God or that God is something we can never touch. We know God is there, but we believe that no one is able to see Hirm. So, when we meditate now¡even though at the time of initiation we got immediate enlightenment, a glimpse of God in the form of Light or Sound or even some physical manifestation in the inner vision so that we can connect with God in the way we expect to¡our mind still battles all the time, thinking, ¡It's not real.¡ And that¡s the reason for our retarded progress. It's not that we aren¡t diligent. It¡s just that our brain has been too bombarded with fake, false, negative information. So now we have to do more meditation all the time in order to recondition our minds to accept it. And then the believing and non-believing energies won¡t contradict each other so we¡ll be more relaxed and enjoy visions of God more often. Expectations Hinder Spiritual Progress Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Videoconference with initiates from San Francisco, California, USA, August 25, 2002 (Originally in English) Videotape #748 Q: Is there no correlation between our spiritual level and the time we put into spiritual practice? Why don¡t I experience the Light and Sound from a high spiritual level after having practiced for eleven years? Dear Master, would You please tell me what my problem is? Please advise me. Thank You, Master. M: I think you¡re expecting all the time; that's why. You interfere with your spiritual practice through your intellectual attitude of expectation. For example, ¡OK, if I meditate for one year, I should go to the first level; if I meditate for two years, I¡ll go to the second level; if I meditate for three years, I¡ll go to the third level,¡ etc. It doesn¡t work like that. God is not to be dictated to the way the mind wants. Because whatever you're thinking and comparing with right now is the mind working; it¡s the working of the illusion of Maya, not the real God. So sometimes because you think too much with your mind, you hinder your own progress. Just be like a child. Don¡t calculate too much; don¡t do it like a business, like, ¡OK, I¡ve meditated for ten years so I should get this and that.¡ We¡re not in something like an enterprise. We should just do it like a child without expecting anything. The parent will know how to reward us. Relax, and then you¡ll enjoy it more. (Applause) We¡re so much in the habit of expecting things to go our way that in the family we ask the kids to do this and that according to our liking. And we ask our husband or wife to do this and that according to our opinion. And then we go outside and ask our friends and associates to do this and that according to our ideas. And if we¡re supposed to be in a superior position, like a supervisor on the job, or a manager or a boss, then of course we¡re used to telling everyone what to do. And that's why we think spiritual practice should go the same way, but it doesn¡t. As long as we still work with our brain, calculating and doing things like that, it will never work. So relax, be like a kid; don't look forward to what will happen next; just don't know. And then it will come. (Applause) Kids never know what¡s happening next. Their parents arrange everything for them. Seek Ye First Inner Peace and World Peace Shall Follow Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Videoconference with initiates from San Francisco, California, USA, August 25, 2002 (Originally in English) Videotape #748 Q: Master, on one occasion You said that we come here to bless and beautify the world. And on another occasion You mentioned that some of us come to this world to play an evil role for the purpose of knowing God. So my question is, as long as duality exists in this world, how can world peace be achieved? M: I don't know. You ask for world peace. That¡s a very difficult question, of course. The people who haven¡t been enlightened and who still play evil or ignorant roles are like that. They¡re playing that part. And the people who came to enlightenment immediately were born and searched all their lives; and they came to see a Master to get enlightenment. These people, like the Masters and their highly enlightened disciples, came purposely into this life to bless the world. When I say ¡we,¡ I¡d like to include myself with you and all the other Masters, enlightened beings, high level disciples and less high level disciples just because they aren¡t yet very highly enlightened. I don't want to sit here and tell you, ¡Look, ¡I¡ have come here to bless the world, and you¡re unholy people,¡ or anything like that. So when I say we came here to play an evil role, I also include myself. And when I say we came here to bless the world, I also include myself because in the world of God, we¡re all one. So if you¡ve already become very highly enlightened in this lifetime, it means that maybe you took a vow in Heaven and came down here again for the purpose of blessing the world. So you came and got enlightened quickly, and other people who haven¡t fulfilled their purposes yet still continue to wallow in ignorance because their role is not yet finished. Or that¡s the vow they wanted to take. And because this world exists for that purpose, maybe world peace isn¡t always complete. World peace exists within us, within saintly people all the time¡within our group, for example. World peace doesn't have to be complete. World peace can be complete at one time or another, but because of the evolution of humankind, we¡ll always have some friction between one group or another. And we¡ll sometimes experience the peak of the Golden Age, and sometimes plunge down into a dark age again. This is the process of evolution. We¡re reaching world peace by being peaceful within ourselves and within our world, and because of that the world also benefits. And the other people who are still wallowing in ignorance will wake up due to our up-pulling energy. That's how we¡re going to have world peace, maybe in the year 3000, maybe in another thousand years. Maybe we¡ll have it one day, but then again we don't always have to have it. And even if we don't have complete world peace in every corner, we have world peace in some corners or in part of the world, or in two thirds of the world. And that¡s already wonderful, don't you think? (Q: Yes.) It¡s better than hell, altogether better than hell. Actually, I¡ll tell you the truth: World peace already exists. It¡s just that people¡s perceptions and concepts are different. For me, world peace exists. For you, world peace exists within you, in your family and your group. But many people in this world perceive it as hell. Q: Yes. So we have to do our own part. M: Yes, we do our own part. We each perceive the outside world differently according to our level. So some people are living in Heaven right now and others are living in hell right now in the same world. Some people have peace of mind in the same world and some people struggle every day with all kinds of negative thoughts in their heads. For these people, even if world peace exists, there are never any peaceful moments. Earth is Best Preserved through Humankind's Spiritual Awakening Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A., March 28, 1993, (Originally in English) Videotape #343 Q: Dearest Master, some meditation practitioners claim they¡ve seen a vision of a great disaster in which millions of people are killed. Master, is that real? M: It will be real if many of our world¡s residents don¡t wake up and make use of our own great saving power inside. It will be real. God has given us a lifesaving power, but most of us don¡t use it. Of course, everything that¡s been created will be destroyed in the proper time. If we don¡t have enough creative power to preserve it or restore it, then it will be destroyed. Just like a house: It could be well-built but if we don¡t maintain it, even if we have all the tools, all the paint and all the equipment to repair it, the house will come apart or become damaged by itself. Now, even if this does happen, we still have the emergency exits. But if we don¡t know about them or if we don¡t use them, of course we¡ll be in danger. So I¡d like to offer you this opportunity to at least save yourself should it come to that. But how many people hear me? It¡s so simple and unconditional. You sit there and relax, just like you¡re sleeping, and then all the power, all the knowledge of your past and all the skills of life come to you. It¡s so easy, but how many people heed this message and instead keep asking me all the time about the end of the world? We¡ll ¡end¡ anyhow when we die! So we might just as well save our souls. Then if we want to save the world, we can contribute the supreme power. We have to get it back and use it; otherwise, who else is there to do this? The angels have their world and their duties to do; Jesus is teaching somewhere that¡s more advanced than our Earth, and Buddha has gone to the Buddha¡s Land to do His things. Only we are here to rescue ourselves. So if you¡re afraid of these disasters, get enlightenment. Repair the house, restore our world to a higher moral standard and enlighten our planet more. Then no disaster will befall us. Otherwise, even if I didn¡t know anything about the future, I¡d say, ¡Yes, anything could happen.¡ If the world were becoming so rotten a place that it wasn¡t fit to live in, God would take it apart and create a new one. Increasing Our Spiritual Treasure Every Moment of Every Day Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Korea, March 22, 1992 (Originally in English) Videotape #233 Q: In these modern times, we go to work every day and at work it's difficult to meditate. So can we meditate during work? Is there some good method for this? M: Yes; whenever you have time, close your eyes and concentrate on the wisdom eye. That's meditation. Every minute and every second adds to your treasure. You can even meditate when you¡re in the bathroom, or when you sit on the train, on the bus, in an airplane, in the park, in your bedroom before you sleep and when you first wake up. Use your free time. Watch less television, spend less time on the telephone, look at fewer newspapers and you¡ll have more time. And just do less talking. Sometimes we waste a lot of time drinking and talking nonsense with friends. If we recorded our conversations for a whole day, we¡d see how useless they were: ¡The weather is fine; those clothes are beautiful; that car is the latest fashion.¡ These are all things that aren¡t useful to developing our wisdom. We shouldn¡t talk when it's not necessary; we shouldn¡t see people when it's not necessary. Then we¡ll have more time for our wisdom training, more time to go within and know who we are. Master's Healing is God's Blessing Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Budapest, Hungary, May 24, 1999 (Originally in English) Videotape #652 Q: I'd like to ask whether Master can heal sick people. M: I don¡t do anything. I only let God do whatever Hes wants to whomever Hes chooses whenever Hes sees fit. There are people who claim to be healed by me, but the credit is God¡s. I¡m merely an instrument and God¡s blessing flows through me to heal whomever Hes chooses to heal, but it happens. Each Soul Determines Its Own Journey Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Budapest, Hungary, May 24, 1999 (Originally in English) Videotape #652 Q: What does it mean if a small baby dies after several minutes or several hours of life, or if a person is born mentally disabled? M: There are many ways a soul can choose to present itself in this world. God makes arrangements with that soul to do certain things, and we can¡t understand them all. For example, in order to reach God a personalized soul sometimes chooses to be disabled. And sometimes to awaken love within the parents, a particular soul chooses to be born and to die shortly afterward. God's arrangements are impossible to explain or to count with our fingers. But everything is for the best with regard to our spiritual development. ================================================================== A Lighthouse in the Darkness Lost Lambs Reborn through Master's Immense Love By the Costa Rica Newsgroup In August 2003, a Chinese ship sailing off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica encountered engine problems and needed to be towed to the port of Puntarenas. While the crew was repairing the engine, an accident occurred, and the vessel was stopped by Costa Rican officials. During this process the ship¡s captain abandoned the crew, which included a group of young Aulacese men suffering from hunger and exposure to the elements. In December 2003, Costa Rican initiates learned of the sailors¡ condition from local newspaper reports and began visiting the young men weekly, bringing them daily necessities and Master's News magazines and sample booklets. Then in March 2004, thanks to the citizens of Puntarenas and the omnipresent power of God, the government granted residence permits to seven of the young men, who were then allowed to live and work in the city. In 2004, many other such boats arrived in Puntarenas bearing young workers of various nationalities. In one case where a quarrel occurred among such men, the police arrested three young Aulacese, who were then found guilty of disturbing the public order and sentenced to be returned to their native country. While preparing gifts for the Aulacese youths on Christmas Eve 2004, the practitioners became concerned on learning of the condition of the sailors who were to be deported. So they visited the young men in prison, bringing them Master's love along with some daily necessities and food. The youths were overjoyed at this surprise visit and warmly welcomed the brothers and sisters. Despite the language barrier, the sailors and initiates felt a close bond of kinship, and in simple Chinese and Spanish the youths expressed a desire to read more of Master's publications. So the initiates arranged for another visit and brought them copies of The Key of Immediate Enlightenment series in Aulacese and some News magazines. Upon receiving these gifts, the young men glowed with happiness, and in that moment the initiates realized that any material aid they could provide paled in comparison to the immense value of Master's teachings. On January 23, 2005 one day before the sailors left Costa Rica, the initiates again visited the prison and brought them many gifts, financial aid for their families in Au Lac, Master's love and more publications. Before leaving, the young men made a beautiful wooden box (see picture) in the form of a heart painted with roses as a symbol of their love for Master. In addition, they each wrote a thank you letter to express their gratitude to Her. During their first visit with these young men, the disciples learned of two Chinese youths who had also been detained for a criminal offense and arrived in Costa Rica on a Chinese boat similar to that of the Aulacese sailors. The Chinese sailors had been wrongly accused, the young men said, but due to a lack of local assistance and their inability to speak Spanish, the court had postponed hearings on their case until a lawyer could be found to interpret for them. Then during the initiates¡ second visit with the Chinese men in December 2004, the youths recounted how quickly they had fallen asleep the night they first met the initiates, unlike on earlier occasions when they had tossed and turned in bed until midnight. The young men also felt that time was passing by much more quickly after having met the initiates, and their minds were free of the turmoil they had previously felt. After this second visit, the initiates received a phone call from the Chinese sailors, who said they felt different after reading Master's books and had found answers to many questions that had perplexed them since childhood. Now feeling mentally relaxed and comforted, they silently recited Master¡s holy name before going to bed each night, very soon felt their bodies drift upward and slept soundly. The men repeatedly expressed their admiration and appreciation for the very special Master who had saved them and made them feel like they were reborn. Gone was their depression, which was replaced by courage to face reality. The youths earnestly asked that the initiates convey their heartfelt gratitude to Master, and thanked the Quan Yin family for bringing warmth into their lives at a time when they thought the world had abandoned them. This phone call came as a surprise for there was usually a long line of people waiting to make calls in prison. However, that day the guards made the unusual move of allowing the young men to make their call from the facility¡s courtyard. During the phone conversation, the youths again poured out their feelings, thanked Master, expressed remorse over their previous mistaken attitudes and asked the initiates to send them the remaining volumes in The Key of Immediate Enlightenment series. ¡If everyone were to read Master's books,¡ they said, ¡there would be peace in the world and we ourselves would no longer get into fights.¡ The conversation lasted over thirty minutes until the prison guards came to fetch the young sailors. From their voices, the fellow initiates could sense the youths¡ inner bliss and new hope about a better life. Master's infinite love is truly great! Letters of Appreciation From Au Lac (Originally in Aulacese) Costa Rica, Jan 22, 2005 Dear Master Ching Hai, We are native sons of Au Lac, but due to difficult circumstances we had to leave our homeland and go to foreign lands to earn a living. We worked on a fishing ship off the coast of Taiwan and eventually sailed and docked at a seaport in Costa Rica. One day we went out to have fun and haplessly got into trouble, and the Costa Rican police took us into custody for six months. During our imprisonment, initiates from The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association heard that we were in prison and came to help us. During this period, they took care of us wholeheartedly, helping us with many things from bringing us candy, cookies, and clothing to providing financial assistance. We only have two more days before returning to Au Lac and today the initiates came to visit us for the last time and again brought clothes, candy, cookies and monetary gifts for us before we leave. We are extremely touched by the love we received from the Association, and are grateful to Master Ching Hai for having such wonderful children who, despite the long distance they had to drive, came to our prison to take care of us and help us during this difficult time. On behalf of the Aulacese citizens, Le V.D., Au Lac Adverse Conditions Can be Perfect for Finding Master By would-be-initiate Heath, Byron Bay/Northern Rivers, Australia (Originally in English) Heath, an aspiring Truth-seeker, was recently detained in a correctional center for committing a misdemeanor. While there, he gained great comfort from learning about Master through his friends Angela and Mark, who exposed him to Her teachings by way of the book I Have Come to Take You Home. The following is a letter that Heath sent to Angela and Mark: Dear Angie and Mark, I am well and very excited about the prospect of being initiated in the manner our Master speaks of. I thank you for introducing me to Her teachings. You will be pleased to know that I have not eaten meat for a week and have asked to see the doctor for permission to be on a properly prepared vegetarian diet. I meditated the other day and to my surprise, when I left my cell and looked at the clock, half an hour had passed. Wow! Me, ¡Mister Impatient,¡ meditating for that long! I¡m very impressed with the changes I¡m experiencing, but I assure you there¡s plenty of room for improvement. I finally got the book you sent me and am now carrying the picture of Master with me. Do I have the right to call her Master? I truly believe She is a Master, and I wholeheartedly want to learn and implement all the things She tells us. "We need to be taken Home"¡it's quite exciting, actually. Like you said, Angie, "I feel more at ease now that She¡s in my life." I also found the book you sent in the library, and of course I couldn¡t read it quickly enough. Is there anything I can do now to prepare for initiation? I know I must quit cigarettes and abide by the Five Precepts. To be honest, nothing stabilizes the mind as much as meditation. It¡s been most beneficial to maintaining a positive outlook and I go around singing all the time. Well that¡s all for now; 'til next time I see you. Love from Heath ================================================================== Elevation of the Soul Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest DVDs 696 Freedom beyond Body and Mind International Six-day Retreat at the Youngdong Center, Korea, May 9-10, 2000 Summary: The mind often distorts the soul¡s commands, causing us to make mistakes and affecting our social relationships. How can we overcome such situations? What are the two types of karma? Why is karma erased through the Sound meditation? How can we see Master¡s transformation body quickly? One does not have to be serious to be a saint for as Master says, "You are all a beautiful part of Creation just like the beautiful poems in an anthology. You all have a beautiful life to live." Master encourages us to make changes in our daily lives so that earthly existence can become more beautiful and interesting. 689 Enlightenment and Ignorance Lecture in Katmandu, Nepal, May 1, 2000 Summary: There is a fine line between enlightenment and ignorance. Since the difference is so subtle, what should we do to rise above ignorance and attain enlightenment? Will we suffer for the improper acts we committed before we became enlightened? Cultures use myriad languages to describe God, but what language does God speak? What is yoga? Why is the Quan Yin Method also a form of yoga? Is there any similarity between the Quan Yin Method and psychic healing? 588 Master¡s Pilgrimage to the Himalayas (Parts 1 & 2) Group meditation in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., July 7-8, 1997 Summary: Master shares stories and experiences from the days when She ventured alone in the Himalayas on a pilgrimage. The areas covered include wonders She witnessed along the River Ganges, amusing events that occurred during Her visits to various ashrams, and Her spectacular adventure at the sacred Indian festival the Kumbha Mela, where She encountered many strange people and incidents. Master also tells us the story of Alexander the Great¡s search for the Lake of Immortality, and citing Herself as an example, teaches us how to eliminate obstacles and surmount trials in order to attain spiritual growth. 240 Leading the World into a New Era Group meditation in Hsihu, Formosa, April 10 and May 8, 1992 Summary: Master encourages us to become the world¡s torchbearers and paragons of loving sacrifice in leading humankind into a new era by examining the following questions: What do we have to do to achieve this ideal? Some ancient civilizations advanced to levels more glorious than that of modern society, but why did they ultimately decline? Do UFOs really exist? Why are beings from other planets afraid to approach the Earth openly? 671 To Be Enlightened Lecture in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 21, 1999 Summary: The Bibles states that we are all children of God. Then why does so much suffering befall human beings? How can we realize God¡s great universal plan? Can all human beings become enlightened? What special feelings do we have at the moment of enlightenment? Why should we avoid healing others through physic power? How can a person with heavy guilt feelings love himself? Why does Master say that the devil is actually a beautiful, merciful and loving angel? Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest Collections of Poems The English edition of Wu Tzu Poems has been published together with the second printing of the Chinese edition Supreme Master Ching Hai¡s poems are uniquely beautiful, graceful and ethereal with respect to rhyme, rhythm, choice of words and depth of meaning. The anthology entitled Wu Tzu Poems highlights the Supreme Master¡s pilgrimage in search of the Truth, with each verse reflecting Her true feelings and sincere pledge to attain Self-realization. Her poetry has been widely recited and frequently set to music. When perusing Wu Tzu Poems, readers will be fascinated by the delicate, refined qualities of its verses, and moved by Supreme Master Ching Hai¡s intense, boundless love. In addition, seekers yearning to return Home will surely be touched in the deepest level of their being. Supreme Master Ching Hai¡s Latest CDs 736 The Illusionary Game of Life Master¡s birthday celebration at the Florida Center, U.S.A., May 11-13, 2002 Summary: Why is it that we can perceive our true Self only through the misleading mirror that is the physical world? In what ways can sentient beings gain affinity with an enlightened Master? How does such a Master make use of these ties to lead sentient beings to liberation? How can we help others through prayer? Why does an enlightened Master sometimes transform Herself into millions of sentient beings? When confronted by harsh trials on life¡s journey, we need to have wisdom and courage to overcome these situations. In this lecture, Master addresses these questions and also recounts Her youthful days in France, when She braved life with indomitable courage. Supreme Master Ching Hai¡s Latest MP3s MP3-CL01 Contents: 1. Lectures in Keelung, Formosa, October 26 and 27, 1988 Master Does Not Practice Any Religion What Religion Does Master Practice? 2. Lectures in Taichung, Formosa, November 15 and 16, 1988 Is it Possible to Attain Immortality? Why Do Conflict and Slander Exist among Religions? 3. Lectures in Taipei, Formosa, November 17 and 18, 1988 Why Since Ancient Times Have Enlightened Masters Been in Constant Danger? Master¡s Way of Charity: A Sharing Heart ================================================================== Master Tells Stories Enduring Humiliation is a Saintly Quality Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa, January 8, 1995 (Originally in Chinese) Videotape #466 The title of this story is ¡Enduring Humiliation is a Saintly Quality,¡ meaning that a person with great tolerance is a saint. For me, all the people in this world are saints because they can bear such living conditions! Every day they shed tears and sweat, just to earn a few bowls of rice and a few sets of clothes. People rub elbows with each other and put up with one another. They put up with their bosses and colleagues, their spouses and family members and their friends and enemies. Oh, to be able to endure all this is truly a saintly quality! If I were God, I would appoint all the people on earth as deities (audience applauds) because I feel that it requires great endurance to live in this world. But let¡s see how the Indians view this. Many Indians engage in spiritual practice but their views may not be the same as mine. One day an Indian man who wanted very much to find a spiritual path called on an enlightened master and asked the master for initiation, imploring him to impart a method of practice that could allow him to see God quickly. Since the man was so eager, the master granted him the initiation and then instructed him to meditate for a certain period of time each day, follow a vegetarian diet and observe the Five Precepts. The master also told the man that if he wished to advance more quickly in his spiritual practice, he should find a cave in which to meditate and only eat one or two simple meals a day. He also told the man to avoid mingling with worldly people so that he wouldn¡t be distracted. If he continued to work in the mundane world, he would have lots of trouble, and would not be able to concentrate on his spiritual practice. Life was simpler for the ancient people. If they wanted to find a cave to meditate in, they could just go, unlike us modern people who have too many things to worry about: ¡I haven¡t paid off my car loan or my mortgage yet.¡ ¡My credit card payment is due soon.¡ ¡I haven¡t paid my utility bills! Oh, it¡s impossible!¡ In the olden times, if people wanted to go off to a mountain cave to meditate, all they had to do was tell their spouses, ¡I¡m leaving. I¡ll return in six months or a year. Please bring me some food every day during this period.¡ It was so simple! Today if we want to go anywhere, we have so many things to deal with. Also, there¡s so much red tape that entangles us. It¡s not only the rich people who get tied down. Any ordinary person, as long as he has a house or car, gets tied down, too. And as long as he lives in this world, he has to fill out countless forms. If the forms aren¡t filled out properly, he can¡t go anywhere. That¡s why people aren¡t free. It¡s the same in every country. The government has your visa information so they can track you down very easily. Now back to this man in India. His master told him, ¡After one year, when you¡ve meditated very well and have gotten good results, come back to see me. But before you come, first bathe yourself three times in the river. Come here only after you¡ve cleansed yourself thoroughly. Then I¡ll have a look at the results of your spiritual practice.¡ So the man followed his master¡s instructions well. He found a small cave in the mountains and diligently meditated there daily, eating only one simple meal a day. A year passed by very quickly, and one day the master knew that the disciple would be coming to see him the next day so he told the attendant who swept his room, ¡Tomorrow that disciple will come here from the cave. Go and wait for him at the gate. When he arrives, dump all the garbage you¡ve collected today on him.¡ Of course, the disciple had to follow his master¡s instructions so the next day when the man came, he had already bathed three times and his whole body was scrupulously clean. Besides, after a year of meditation and eating only one meal a day, he had become very holy. One could sense his saintly smell from miles away. He was anxious to see his master and tell him about his spiritual experiences. But as soon as he came to the gate, the attendant dumped the garbage on him. Whoa! Do you know how the disciple reacted? He was furious! He shouted at the guy, ¡You, of fathomless karma! Don¡t you know who I am? I just came back from one year of seclusion! Don¡t you know I¡m a saint? How dare you dump garbage on me?¡ (Master and audience laugh.) Then he snatched the broom from the attendant and went after him, but the attendant hurriedly hid behind the master so the man couldn¡t catch him. The disciple could do nothing but go back to the riverside to clean himself up. Afterwards, he came back to see his master and said, ¡Master, I¡ve meditated for one year. I¡ve done everything you told me to do so when can I see God?¡ And his master replied, ¡Good! But you still can¡t completely control your mind and heart. You lose your temper and want to beat people up. Yes, indeed, my attendant acted foolishly but look at you! You acted like a tiger, a viper! You chased after him and tried to beat him. There¡s no way that you can see God like this. You have to return to the cave, do penance and meditate for one more year.¡ Then the disciple said, ¡OK, I understand. Thank you, Master, for enlightening me about my ignorant behavior. I¡ll surely amend myself.¡ So he went back to the cave and meditated very seriously and diligently. Another year passed by and his master again called his attendant and said, ¡Tomorrow the disciple will again return from the cave and come to see me after taking a bath. Go and wait for him at the gate. When he comes, pour the contents of the night pot over him.¡ So last time it was garbage and this time night soil. The ancient people had no toilets so they used night pots. The attendant dutifully obeyed and waited for the disciple at the gate. When he arrived, the attendant poured the whole pot of night soil on his head with nary a drop left! (Audience laughs.) The odor of the night soil was so strong that it overpowered the man¡s saintly smell. (Master and audience laugh.) Again, the man was outraged and shouted, ¡If I catch you, I¡ll turn you into dust! How dare you pour such foul stuff on my holy body! Don¡t you know I¡ve already meditated for two years? I¡ve been meditating twenty-three hours a day and eating only one meal a day! How dare you do such a thing to me!¡ His face turned crimson, and he ranted and raved at the top of his lungs, but since he couldn¡t catch the attendant he gave up and went back to the river to clean himself up. Then he returned to his master and said, ¡Master, I¡ve followed your instructions and meditated for another full year and I¡ve kept the Precepts strictly.¡ (But since there was no one else in the cave, there was really nothing to cause him to break the Precepts.) (Audience laughs.) Then he continued, ¡Every day I had nothing but sesame powder, brown rice and some river water. So, when can I see God? Master, you promised that I could see God after another year of meditation. Now I¡ve already meditated for two years. Why can¡t I see God yet?¡ The master said, ¡Child, you still can¡t control your mind. You¡ve just behaved like a mad dog. The attendant only poured a little bit of stuff over your body. It¡s nothing but yesterday¡s chapatis (Indian pancakes). (Audience laughs.) And you chased after him, screamed at him and threatened him. Do you think a saint would behave like that? Can you see God that way?¡ So the disciple was very ashamed of himself and said, ¡I understand now. Thank you, Master. I¡ll surely make amends. What should I do now?¡ The master replied, ¡I¡ll give you one more chance. Go and meditate for one more year but if you don¡t pass the test next time, I won¡t teach you anymore. Neither will God give you another chance so be vigilant! This is your last chance.¡ Then the man returned to the cave again to meditate. Every day he prayed and meditated earnestly, and followed all his master¡s instructions. So, this man was really pretty good; he truly wanted to see God. Soon the third year was over and his master was up to his old tricks again. He always taught others to do good deeds, but he himself would do such mischievous things to challenge his disciples. The disciple had just finished a one-year retreat with great difficulty and thought he could now be free so he happily left the cave and took a good bath. But the master had garbage and foul night soil poured all over him again. What kind of master was that? The master always taught his disciples to be good, polite and gentle, not to challenge people, to take care of others and to make others happy. Doesn¡t every master teach these things? But this master himself would do such bad things! He caused his disciple so much trouble! He was truly one of a kind! (Master laughs.) This time the master called his attendant and said, ¡Tomorrow that disciple will come back from the cave. Take the garbage and night pot to the rooftop over the gate. When he enters, pour all the dirty stuff over him again.¡ And so the attendant did as he was told. But by then the disciple was able to control his mind and didn¡t blow up. I wonder if he was really able to control his mind or it was just that he had already had two prior experiences so he wouldn¡t get mad anymore. (Audience laughs.) Perhaps this master wasn¡t very enlightened himself. If he always gave the same test the disciple would have been prepared, but maybe not. If a man is very ignorant or possessed by demons, he won¡t understand anything. He¡ll forget everything, including his own good qualities and kind nature. Luckily, however, the disciple remembered. Maybe he had strong determination and a good memory. He knew that he¡d better not get angry under any circumstances. He knew that if he got dumped on again, all he had to do was take another bath. That was all! So maybe he got smarter. But could he truly control his mind? We don¡t know. Nonetheless, this time when the attendant poured the dirty stuff all over him, not only was he not angry; he even thanked the attendant. (Audience laughs.) Doesn¡t Supreme Master Ching Hai also teach the same trick? When others scold us or beat us, we have to thank them. Does She teach you this? (Audience answers, ¡Yes.¡) I remember hearing Her say that a couple of times, but have you applied Her teaching in daily life or do you still feel like beating people up? This time the Indian disciple thanked the attendant. Perhaps he had indeed gained control over his mind. He said humbly, ¡Brother, you just did me a big favor. If you hadn¡t treated me this way, I wouldn¡t have been able to break away from my own anger or the negative power that bound me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart!¡ He then bowed to the attendant three times and went to see his master. Right after that, his master gave him the real initiation. Perhaps what the man had learned earlier from his master was only the Convenient Method, and only after he had changed his attitude toward the attendant did he receive formal initiation from the master. Indeed, during his initiation he immediately saw the inner Light and heard the inner Sound. He saw God! So he was exhilarated. ================================================================== Love in Action Report from Korea The Brotherhood of Helping Initiates in Need By the Seoul and Busan News Groups (Originally in Korean) In the winter of 2004, our beloved Master sent Her disciples a loving communication about helping initiates who were experiencing misfortune. In response to this message, the Korean sisters and brothers sought out practitioners in need and promptly began providing help. Among the Seoul Center disciples, two sisters desperately needed medical and financial assistance. One who had undergone several surgeries had to give up her job as manager of a vegetarian restaurant due to failing health, and was admitted to a hospital, where she remains to the present day. Because her husband had no job, the sister had been the sole supporter of their family, which got into desperate financial circumstances when she stopped working. However, despite her illness and economic situation, the sister continued to attend group meditation regularly so most of the Seoul initiates were unaware of her problems. She could hardly eat and her non-initiate husband was constantly praying to Master. Then based on the above-mentioned instructions from Master, in early March 2005 the Hsihu Center endowed her with US$5,000 to assist her in paying for a major operation she needed. The sister and her husband, who later learned the Convenient Method, were deeply grateful for Master¡s merciful offering, saying, "We have no words to express our gratitude to Master. Thank You so much. We surrender everything to Master, and feel much easier." The Seoul initiates continue to help the couple financially and meditate with the sister regularly. Caption: In her hospital bed, the sister respectfully holds Master's contribution and thanks Her for Her care. Another sister was also in an unfortunate condition, having to raise her children on her own and suffering from several chronic diseases. She ran a shop with the assistance of others, but could not pay her rent for several months due to an economic depression. Thus the Seoul initiates gave the sister financial aid to help her pay the rent and keep her business open, and she very much appreciated our help. Besides assisting these sisters, the Seoul initiates gave monetary aid to twelve children in Yongsan-Gu, who earn their family¡s living entirely by themselves, and to whom we had previously given support on Korean Thanksgiving Day. To ensure the youngsters¡ privacy we did not meet them but sent the money to a liaison. In early November 2004, a sincere local brother from the Busan Center had follow-up surgery for an injury suffered in a car accident two years earlier. After learning of the brother¡s condition, concerned local initiates gave him financial support to assist him during his recuperation. The brother underwent a good recovery, and now participates faithfully in group meditation at the Busan Center. Also in November, a Busan sister who was suffering from financial difficulties had to undergo an eye operation. In addition, her house needed major repairs. Upon hearing of her situation, many Busan initiates sent her generous monetary gifts to help her with her recovery and living costs. Also, some of the initiates who were builders kindly remodeled the sister¡s home, transforming it into a neat, beautiful residence. Her operation was very successful and the sister was overwhelmed by the initiates¡ outpouring of love. Thus she gave thanks to Master for the miracles that had occurred in her life, saying, ¡The new house seems like Heaven,¡ and invited the local sisters and brothers for a delicious, well-prepared vegetarian dinner. Everyone felt great joy and gratitude at the dinner party as the sister and her family greeted us sincerely and served us with all their hearts. After these experiences, the Busan initiates realized that we should always be aware of each other's condition so as to render timely material and spiritual assistance to those who are suffering from misfortune. After this insight, we inquired about other practitioners who needed help and learned that a sincere sister had missed group meditation for a long time because she was seriously ill, was unable to work for months and so did not have the funds to travel to the Center. After discussing her situation, the initiates decided to support the sister for a time by covering her living costs for six months. The only wish we have is for her to recover completely so that she can again attend group meditation regularly. Through helping the less fortunate, the Busan initiates learned many lessons about love and compassion, sincerely thank Master for providing the opportunity to help these humble angels, and pray for the strength to help others in the future. Report from Costa Rica A Rainbow of Hope¡Divine Solidarity and Love Extend to Flood Victims By the Costa Rica News Group (Originally in Spanish) Struck by the Strongest Rainstorm in Four Decades Each year Central American nations such as Costa Rica receive large amounts of rainfall during the wet season typical of tropical regions. However on January 11, 2005, the Limon and Caribbean areas along Costa Rica¡s Atlantic coast experienced more than their usual levels of precipitation as the heaviest storm in forty years struck, causing severe damage and displacing many residents. Within hours rivers began to overflow, flooding entire communities and acres of crops and isolating remote communities, especially indigenous villages. In some areas people were forced to remain for almost a week on the roofs of their homes in cold, damp conditions, eating only bananas and plantains and drinking muddy water to survive. During this period, numerous indigenous families were trapped in their communities because most of the region¡s bridges had been destroyed. As they were in imminent danger of being buried under an avalanche of mud and rocks, those living in the hills and mountains were quickly evacuated. In response to the disaster, the president of Costa Rica traveled to the most severely affected areas and immediately declared a Red Alert and National Emergency. Fellow Practitioners Ready Themselves Costa Rican initiates quickly organized a relief team to provide basic supplies to residents of the flood affected areas. Also, a group of sisters and brothers went to the office of the National Emergency Commission (NEC) to obtain information about the general situation, the areas at risk and the victims¡ needs so as to assist agency personnel in planning their relief mission. On the morning of January 15, as the Costa Rican relief team members planned their effort, three initiates from the USA¡s Los Angeles Center arrived, bringing US$40,000 from Master to alleviate the victims¡ hunger and suffering and bring aid to areas not yet reached by other relief groups. Upon the Los Angeles initiates¡ arrival, the relief workers began searching for materials to supply the victims. But because the Costa Rican people were so concerned about their compatriots¡ well-being, they had already purchased many basic items so most of the largest food and water vendors had run out of merchandise. Thankfully, however, Master¡s power helped the initiates through this test. Tracking down potable water was the most difficult task as most warehouses were empty, but after many phone calls the team found a place with enough water to fill their needs. The initiates also gained the help of a store employee who was inspired by their desire to aid the victims, and offered to find transportation and containers to carry the supplies to the Costa Rica Center. By evening the relief team had found all the items on their shopping list and then through the night of January 15 until dawn the following day they packed 2240 bags with enough food to feed five family members for four days. The relief supplies included rice, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, spaghetti, bath soap, laundry soap, brown sugar, candles, matches, plastic plates, chlorine to disinfect water, drinking water, shovels, notebooks, sweets and many other items. After packing, the bags were carefully placed in two 40 feet containers. 3 photos: love2-1,-2,-9.jpg On the 16th the heavy rains continued as the relief team set out to transport the supplies. The initiates headed for Bribri, Talamanca in Limon province, 230 km away from the Center, and during the entire trip Master¡s force accompanied them, making everyone feel greatly protected. The Way to Bribrí According to the NEC, the northern zone of Costa Rica, Talamanca, the Valley of the Star and the territories surrounding the Sixaola River delta were the most heavily affected by the flooding. There the inhabitants are mainly indigenous people who earn their living growing plantain, bananas and cocoa. Early on the evening of January 16, the relief team reached Bribrí and met with coordinators from other relief groups at the Red Cross¡ provisional headquarters to receive the latest statistics. The initiates were eager to begin distributing the relief items immediately, but this was impossible as it was dangerous for helicopters to land in hazardous areas at night, and the weather was extremely unstable. Delivering Help to the Valley of Sixaola Early the next morning, the team was given a police truck and several other smaller vehicles to deliver the much needed necessities to the southeast communities of Sixaola. Upon receiving the supplies and seeing Master¡s picture, the recipients, including men, women, children and the elderly expressed their feelings, admiration and blessings as they forgot their suffering and pain and only smiles and tears of gratitude showed on their faces. 3photos: love2-3,-4,-5.jpg The Trip to Suretka: God Provides for All Back in Bribrí, the team met with Mrs. Dulcelina Páez Mayorga, President of the Women of the Talamanca Region, who was very concerned about the communities deep in the mountains that had not received help in nine days. One such community, Suretka, had been cut off from communications because the flooding had destroyed its two bridges. In addition, many local families had lost their homes and had to seek refuge in schools and the area¡s communal hall. According to Mrs. Páez, 900 families needed food and drinking water. Thus, although the road was dangerous and the bridges destroyed, the initiates¡ positive attitude and enthusiasm never faltered and they continued uploading the trucks with provisions for Suretka because they felt it was Master¡s wish. Then on the evening of the 17th, Mrs. Páez received a very encouraging phone call informing her that a group of men from Suretka had fixed the damaged bridges with their own tools and shovels, reconnecting their community with Bribrí. The initiates were enormously happy with this news, but the authorities thought it unwise to drive at night as the road was still dangerous. Even so, the practitioners continued to upload the provisions and soon the trucks were ready to go to Suretka. At that moment another truck arrived with over thirty men, who happened to be those who had repaired the bridges. Time was precious so this second truck was quickly filled to capacity with supplies, and so the initiates were able to transport more than 1400 bags of food and over 1500 2-gallon bottles of drinking water to those in need. By placing all their trust in the Master power the relief team members knew that everything would work out well. Upon arriving at Suretka around 8:00 PM the initiates could barely see the multitude of residents who had gathered to receive the relief materials as it was pitch black due to the local electric plant being down. With flashlights in hand the relief team handed out packages of food, blankets, water and the rest of Master¡s gifts, and the recipients were all extremely grateful. Since hundreds of people were seeking relief the initiates had no way of knowing if the amount of food they had brought would be sufficient, but thankfully each family in the community received a ration and the team members were filled with satisfaction knowing that they had fulfilled their mission. 1 photo:love2-6.jpg After arriving back in Bribrí late that same night, all those involved in the noble Suretka relief work sat together feeling great joy. And although their bodies were exhausted, the experience of the Master power flowing through them during the relief effort is something the initiates can not describe except to say, ¡God´s plan is accurate and Master´s love is infinite.¡ The police officers and drivers involved in the project were impressed with the way the Association¡s relief team had accomplished their tasks, and how they had worked diligently, non-stop and without complaint. One officer even confessed that in his twenty-nine years of police work, he had never seen volunteers like the initiates, who had been concerned about personally dispensing relief supplies to individual recipients so as to offer words of support and encouragement to each person affected by the tragic event. Encounter with a Costa Rican Indigenous Culture Then in the early hours of January 18, the initiates traveled to the indigenous community of Kekoldi, where the natives sang the Lord´s Prayer in their own dialect out of gratitude to the merciful Supreme Master Ching Hai. The community¡s teacher asked for a photograph of Master so that she could frame it and hang it in the local school, saying, ¡Several people have requested Her photograph, first because She is a great Master and second to remind the children that She helped the indigenous people in their moment of great need.¡ That same morning the relief team members loaded their vehicle with supplies and in the afternoon distributed relief packages to a community near Sixaola (between Costa Rica and Panama). In all, 450 local families received the blessed provisions and in gratitude the community lovingly prayed to God and asked Hirm to bless Master for Her caring assistance. 2photos: love2-7,-8.jpg Then on January 19, 2005, to satisfy the urgent needs of the indigenous people as described by the local NEC, a group of brothers and sisters stayed on two days longer than the other team members to deliver a chainsaw and an outboard motor to the Integral Development Association of the Indigenous Bribrí and Cabecar communities and the Indigenous Emergency Committee. This equipment was to be of great help to the locals as boats are one of the community¡s major means of obtaining food and transporting the sick, and chainsaws are useful for removing fallen trees, many of which had blocked the local access roads after the flooding. After the initiates¡ relief work in Costa Rica was completed, the Foundation for the Cultural and Social Development of the Costa Rican Indigenous Ethnic Peoples invited them to the Bribrí Temple to attend a spiritual ceremony demonstrating the flood victims¡ gratitude to God. In addition, the group asked to see a video of Master¡s teachings in their community. We are the Most Fortunate Residents of the Planet Back in San José, a divine symbol in the form of a bright, wonderfully colorful rainbow continuously accompanied the initiates on their way to the airport to bid farewell the three Los Angeles initiates. All the Costa Rican and American practitioners who participated in the relief project were deeply moved by the relief effort and could not contain their tears of joy, as they were able to prove what Master had said the last time She was in Costa Rica: ¡You are the most fortunate among millions of billions of people on this planet.¡ One aspect of this good fortune is to have the chance to give love to others and grow spiritually. Highlights of the above-mentioned events may be viewed on the CTI TV Entertainment Channel A Journey through Aesthetic Realms #138 at: http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/hichannel/index.htm (in English with Chinese subtitles) Letters of Appreciation From Costa Rica (Originally in Spanish) FUNDEICO Foundation for the Cultural and Social Development of the Indigenous People of Costa Rica January 22, 2005 Your Excellency Supreme Master Ching Hai Honorable Master, On behalf of the people and community of Higher Talamanca, Bribri, Costa Rica, we wish to convey our sincere gratitude from the bottom of our hearts for the food and other aid that You provided us, which arrived at the moment when we most needed that blessing. It is also our wish that the Great Spirit protect You and fill You with many blessings and that Your kind heart, which You have shared with us, will continue to grow. In our moments of affliction and suffering we did not expect miracles of kindness coming from a great, special and spiritual person such as You, but we have learned and understood that the Great Spirit has angels here on earth. Our prayers filled with tears of need traveled thousands of miles to be heard at a great distance, and only a very spiritual being full of kindness such as You would respond in such a loving and charitable way. Honorable Majesty, Your wonderful gesture of love will remain forever in our hearts and spirits, in our people and in our community, and we will always be grateful to you as a highly spiritual person. We therefore hope to live to see the great magical day when we can meet you and thank you personally. We would like to invite You to visit our land, our culture, our language and our spirituality that was inherited from our ancestors, as we are natives of this country and still follow the culture of our grandparents regarding the road to spirituality. We cannot help but mention the great spirit of love and commitment expressed by Your disciples from the Los Angeles Meditation Center in California, the United States, among them, the Aulacese man, the Chinese man and the Mexican lady, and those from our country of the International Meditation Center. To all of them we express our gratitude and congratulations for their great spirit of commitment toward their compatriots, to whom they showed kindness, spirituality and above all love. In closing, we say ¡so long¡ as we want to continue our ties of friendship, love and especially kindness, which You have conveyed through Your disciples. To them and to You we wish the fullest of blessings so that You may always continue on the path of true spirituality that is translated into service to others. May the Great Spirit always protect You. Amen and thank You. Msc, Carlos A. Chaverri Guerrero President, Indigenous Missionary Pluma Blanca Edgar S. Céspedes Jiménez Secretary General Presidential Delegate Ana Virginia Selles Paez Treasurer, Fundeico, Indigenous Foundation General Social and Cultural Coordinator Rafaela Torres Hernández Bribri, Akberie Regional Coordinator Dulcelina Páez Mayorga Higher Talamanca Bribri Community Leader General Coordinator Gladys Cordero López Bribri Area Coordinator Bribri and Cabekar Thank-you letters from: A) Mr. Rafael Angel Borbón Vargas, President of the Association of Nazareth Work in Costa Rica B) Father F. Fabio Flores from the Parish of Saint Anthony of Padúa, Bribi, Talamanca, Limón, Costa Rica C) The National Prevention Commission, Liaison Officer for the Atlantic Region D) The Local Committee for the Prevention of Risks and Attention to Emergencies of the Indigenous Territories of Bribri and Cabecar, Talamanca¡CLETI Report from Sri Lanka Delivering Divine Radiance and Love to the Country of Light By the Korean News Group (Originally in Korean) The December 2004 tsunami that struck southern Asia caused unprecedented damage to many countries in terms of lives and property. Following Master¡s shining example of conducting worldwide relief activities, a group of initiates from Korea traveled to Sri Lanka to render aid after a relief effort by Formosan practitioners had been completed (please refer to the News #156 for details). When the Korean brothers and sisters first heard of the tsunami, they immediately began to seek ways to help. Coincidentally, a Korean sister¡s Sri Lankan co-worker had lost her family and home in the disaster and the initiates promptly gave her financial assistance. Then, when the co-worker¡s friends in Korea and Sri Lanka heard that a group of Korean practitioners were going to Sri Lanka they suggested visiting their hometown Matara, one of the most severely damaged communities in the country. Moreover, the co-worker¡s Sri Lankan friend volunteered to act as interpreter during the project. The Korean government and airline companies reduced air fare by 75% for official relief teams working on the disaster, and the Korean initiates qualified for this discount. So on January 14, 2005, thirty-one practitioners, including a firefighter and pharmacist, set off for Sri Lanka with two tons of relief supplies, equipment and medicine. Captions: 1. Members of the Korean relief team with their supplies (Pix 30) 2. Loading relief materials brought from Korea before setting off for Matara (Pic34) A Smooth Beginning is Half the Mission Before dawn on January 15, the relief team arrived at Sri Lanka¡s Colombo Airport. Then, wearing yellow uniforms imprinted with the words ¡The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association,¡ the brothers and sisters claimed and collected the aid items at the Airport while being filmed by a video crew from Sri Lanka National TV, which later broadcast the footage to the country on five channels. From the early morning, representatives of Sri Lanka¡s Ministry of Housing & Construction had been awaiting the sisters and brothers, and upon their arrival a short welcoming ceremony was held. During the ceremony Deputy Minister Mr. Chandrasiri Gajadeera said, ¡Your relief team including monks came a long way from Korea and I thank you so much. Although it may be a bit inconvenient as it was hit by the tsunami, I will provide my house for you to stay in.¡ Caption: Deputy Minister Mr. Chandrasiri Gajadeera (Pic 36) Being very sincere Buddhists and pure vegetarians, Mr. Gajadeera and his coordinator were happy to know that the relief team members were also strict vegetarians. The next day, an initiated Swedish couple brought financial aid from the Stockholm Center and joined the relief team. Thus, from the beginning, the project progressed perfectly through Master¡s arrangements. To assess the damage in the region, the team visited many places with Mr. Gajadeera¡s coordinator as guide. Except for the northern part of Sri Lanka, most of the country¡s seaside communities had been affected. But to everyone¡s surprise, nearly all the Buddhist temples remained unscathed. For example, in one village the residents said that the area had been completely flooded, but the local temple was only filled with a few inches of water so all of those who had been praying to Buddha in the building survived the tsunami while many people outside perished. Caption: Guided by the coordinator, relief team members inspect a tsunami-ravaged area. (pic. 43) On January 17, the recovery work began with a cleanup of debris in damaged houses and roads. Most victims were still in a state of shock and had no tools to clean up their homes. So they greatly appreciated the relief team¡s devotion, and to reward them for their efforts, picked coconuts for the workers. For the Korean initiates, who had come from the Northern Hemisphere, coconuts were perfect gifts! During the cleanup, Dr. T. Lekha Rathnayake, Director of the Health Office of Matara, visited the work site and said appreciatively, ¡In a situation such as this when everything is ruined, the people aren¡t in the mental state to clean up and recover. Thus, your recovery efforts provide them with great power and vital energy.¡ Bringing Laughter to the Sorrowful In the affected areas, many children had been deeply hurt emotionally after losing parents and siblings while still very young. So to help alleviate the children¡s pain, the relief team organized an entertainment program, which was attended by approximately a hundred young people. One initiate-sister who works as a tutor in Korea amused the boys and girls with songs and dances and the Swedish brother on the team did a magic act with balloons, sang and played the guitar. The children were delighted with the program and became very spirited, with some even joining in the singing and dancing. After the performances, the initiates gave gift sets of clothing, cookies and toys to each child. Being touched by the innocent youngsters¡ laughter and joy, all the villagers become happier and brighter since it was the first time their young people had laughed heartily after the tsunami. Also, feeling moved by the event, Mr. Gajadeera asked the initiates to hold more entertainment programs for the children and they agreed. On the 18th, the relief team rented two bulldozers and four trucks with drivers. The bulldozers mainly cleared garbage and debris from the streets, and the initiates cleaned up nearby houses with handcarts and shovels. As they worked, more and more people became encouraged and began to clean and repair their homes on their own. Caption: Helping tsunami victims clean their homes (pix: 51, 59) Despite the difficult toil involved in the cleanup, through Master¡s blessings the initiates performed the recovery work with devotion and enthusiasm. For example, one brother from the Busan Center who is over sixty labored diligently, and his great vigor and eagerness to help others amazed the younger members of the team. Rubbish Heaps and Bacteria Disappear (1 PHOTO: Pic 73) Heavy machinery operators wearing the Association¡s yellow uniform continued to clean up the area, and as the rubbish heaps disappeared, the village became much cleaner and the atmosphere brighter. This change attracted reporters from SIRASA TV (the largest private TV station in Sri Lanka), who interviewed the initiates for a TV broadcast. After the tsunami, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of the spread of epidemic diseases such as typhoid, malaria and cholera in the disaster-stricken areas. So to prevent further problems, the initiates had brought along two high-quality fogging machines from Korea and hired local operators to run them. On the afternoon of the 19th, the local community conducted a ceremony to present our relief items to the residents of Matara. During the event Mr. Gajadeera said, ¡Some of the medicines you brought from Korea are very expensive or unobtainable in Sri Lanka. Thus the Director of the Matara Health Office asked me to express her special thanks for these items. Also, Matara owns no fogging machine so we thank you for providing this precious equipment, which will help prevent the spread of infectious diseases. In addition, I appreciate your cleanup efforts and entertainment program for our children.¡ Caption: A ceremony offering medicine and fogging machines to local villagers and the Health Office of Matara (Pix 79,80,88,90) On January 20, the relief team visited Thotamuna village¡s Jayamaha Temple, which housed many refugees, and amused the children with an entertainment program and gifts. Since the activity was conducted on an impromptu basis the size of the audience was unforeseeable. So it was a challenge to prepare the gifts and conduct the activity on time, but through God¡s grace everything went smoothly. As the initiates arrived at the Temple more than three hundred children had filled the hall but they were difficult to see due to the shortage of electric light in the large, dark building. However, as with the previous program, when the performances began the atmosphere warmed up quickly and the youngsters cheered loudly as they momentarily forgot their sorrow. Their parents watched the program through the Temple¡s windows and were pleased to hear the young people laughing jubilantly. After the program, the sisters and brothers distributed gifts to each child, and upon seeing the touching scene the head monk said, ¡It¡s the first time that a group has come to help us. I¡m very thankful to you for playing with our children, giving them presents and making them laugh. The children and their parents are extremely joyful and happy.¡ (pic 3) The relief team¡s activities became so well known in Matara City that when their Sri Lankan interpreter went downtown, people told him, ¡We can¡t communicate with them but please tell them thank you for all their help.¡ Pitching Tents for Victims On the morning of the 21st, the relief workers distributed carefully prepared gift sets and provided mental and emotional comfort at a temple pre-school and then set up tents for victims in a seaside village where the houses had been completely destroyed. Many people were staying in refugee camps and longed to return home if they could have tents and cook stoves because living in a group for a long period added to their suffering. Thus those who received the tents were extremely happy, and the team then hurried to order cook stoves from Colombo for the villagers as well. Captions: 1. Gifts prepared by the relief team and distribution to pre-school children (pix 5, 13) 2. Bringing cheer and laughter to pre-school children (pix 7,11) 3. Clearing debris, leveling the ground and setting up tents for victims (Pix 15,19) The cook stoves for the victims finally arrived on the 24th and during the next two days the sisters and brothers visited six areas in Matara and distributed 350 stoves, as well as clothing, cookies and financial aid for a temple¡s re-construction. According to the original plan, the relief project was scheduled to end on the 25th, but six team members decided to remain in Sri Lanka to continue the work, and they were joined by Mr. Gajadeera, who identified strongly with the team. He later inquired about meditation and wished to learn the Convenient Method, saying, ¡I¡ve seen you work over the past few days and believe your Master to be admirable and authentic.¡ The initiates then promised to teach him the Convenient Form of practice. Master¡s Love Reaches Sri Lanka¡s Eastern Region In addition to Matara, the relief team also visited Ampara in eastern Sri Lanka, which has long experienced civil war between the majority Singhala-speaking Buddhist population and the minority Tamils, who are largely Muslim. In Ampara over 10,000 died and 20,000 families lost their homes due to the tsunami. But for political and religious reasons, the victims were not supplied with enough relief materials. So, on the 29th, after purchasing 245 kitchen utensil sets the team traveled to Ampara along with native relief workers, Mr. Gajadeera and his staff. In the aftermath of the tsunami the eastern areas of Sri Lanka were being controlled by the Government and visits by foreigners or individual local travelers were forbidden. But with the help of Sri Lankan officials, the relief team was allowed to safely visit the region. In Ampara, the situation was worse than in Matara as not even temporary refugee camps had been arranged for the victims. So on the morning of the 30th the team set up tents for the refugees and later went to the Ministry of Housing & Construction to donate medicine, tents and the above-mentioned kitchen sets. The Minister, Mrs. Ferial Ashrof warmly welcomed the relief team. Caption: On behalf of her people, Mrs. Ferial Ashrof accepts relief items donated by the Korean relief team. (P1010168) The sisters and brothers next set up tents for victims in Islamabad and Mardomunai in the Kalmunai District. Afterwards the team visited two schools, a Muslim mosque and another refugee camp and distributed tents, kitchen utensils, medicine, cookies, raincoats and other items. 2 PHOTOS: P1010192.JPG, P1010222.JPG On the 31st, the initiates returned to Matara to distribute various relief materials at the village¡s Education Center, schools and temporary refugee camp over the next several days. Caption: Distributing gift sets to students in Matara (P1010263) Also, in a temporary refugee camp, the team met a four-month-old baby who had been nicknamed ¡Lucky Boy¡ after being rescued from the tsunami. Due to the shock of having experienced the disaster, he had a convulsive fit whenever he saw people. But when he met the disciples, he neither cried nor seemed frightened, but instead smiled broadly when they embraced him! Caption: A sister from the relief team with ¡Lucky Boy¡ (P1010215) Then on February 2, the brothers and sisters found an eight-year old boy with poor hearing who had lost his hearing aid in the tsunami. The initiates brought the child to a hospital and the staff recognized them by the words ¡The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association¡ printed on their uniforms because the facility had recently been helped by the Association¡s Formosan relief team. A physician on the staff said the child needed a new hearing aid, which the initiates bought, and the boy was so deeply moved that he bowed deeply to the relief workers. Caption: A boy (third from the left) smiles after receiving his new hearing aid. (pic300) On the 3rd the team visited Uyanwaththa Elementary School where most classrooms had been destroyed. After distributing school supplies to the students, the initiates also donated funds to build a temporary classroom so that the students could study in a proper environment. 2 photos: (P1010270/278) Breaking through the Language Barrier Reflects Infinite Light On the evening of the 6th, Samantha, the team¡s translator, became the first Sri Lankan working on the relief project to learn the Convenient Method. Earlier, many people including Deputy Minister Gajadeera, had wished to learn the Method, but due to the language barrier the initiates could not teach them. But after the translator learned the Method, four others learned it as well¡including Mr. Gajadeera and his coordinators. On the 7th the relief workers returned to Colombo to prepare for further work in the eastern region and taught the Convenient Form of practice to many local people. In purchasing and packing relief items, the new CM practitioners were of immense help. Afterwards the initiates again visited Ampara and distributed over 1,070 kitchen sets and other relief materials around the Kalmunai area. As the initiates worked, many local people were touched by their sincere devotion and so sought to learn the Convenient Form of meditation and more about Supreme Master Ching Hai and the Quan Yin Method. Also, as the workers¡ activities became widely known to the public through numerous local TV and radio broadcasts, the Sri Lankan people were simultaneously exposed to Master¡s teachings. For example, Deputy Minister Gajadeera¡s whole family learned the Convenient Method, had excellent experiences during meditation, and thus encouraged their relatives and friends to learn the Method. In addition, some of the new CM practitioners also began to eagerly await full initiation after tasting the spiritual nectar through their CM practice. From the time the relief team arrived in Sri Lanka to early March 2005, many dozens of Matara residents became CM practitioners, and one offered his home as a meditation center so that the new sisters and brothers could get together to watch Master¡s videos and hold weekly group meditation sessions. Thus, Sri Lanka, which means ¡Country of Light¡ is now shining more brightly than ever! Conclusion: Giving is More Blessed than Receiving The 2005 tsunami recovery project in Sri Lanka was the first overseas aid effort conducted by The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association¡s Korean relief team. And it proved to be highly successful as the workers received much more than they gave. Their activities were not limited to physical help for wherever they went they brought Master¡s love and light to all aspects of their work, and physical and emotional aid to the victims so that they might overcome the disaster and begin life anew. Caption:¡1. Thank-you letter from Minister Ferial Ashroff of Sri Lanka¡s Housing & Construction Industry 2. Thank-you letter from Deputy Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera¡Housing & Construction Industry Highlights of the above-mentioned events may be viewed on the CTI TV Entertainment program A Journey through Aesthetic Realms #136 at: http://www.Godsdirectcontact.org.tw/ch/hichannel/index.htm (in English with Chinese subtitles) Immediately after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami struck, fellow practitioners from The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association arrived in the affected regions in South Asia and East Africa to render relief and convey Master¡s love to the victims. For reports on this work, please tune in to our Internet TV program A Journey through Aesthetic Realms Nos. 124, 125 and 126. Letters of Appreciation From Sri Lank (Originally in English) Date: March 12, 2005 Dearest beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai, The initiates of Sri Lanka wish to express our sincere gratitude to You for the devoted service rendered to our country by the Quan Yin family through Your unfathomable love and blessings. A team of fourteen Formosan brothers and sisters was the first to arrive in Sri Lanka on the second day of its worst ever natural catastrophe, which turned the 2004 Holiday Season into a mass funeral as thirty foot tidal waves triggered by at least fifteen earthquakes devastated the nation¡s coastal belt. A Sir Lankan sister attached to the Stockholm Center in Sweden rushed hurriedly to Sri Lanka to help the Formosa team in their relief work, showing her profound love for the victims. Subsequently, her Swedish initiate husband also joined in the relief work. The team helped to rescue and feed the victims and also provided them with clothing, mattresses, stretchers, medicine, medical equipment, refrigerators, ladies¡ sanitary supplies and undergarments, children¡s toys, drinking water, mosquito nets, mosquito coils, etc. We all worked in closest harmony, giving each other the most cordial support and creating a spirit of comradeship and generous cooperation. The sisters and brothers distributed both the most needed materials to comfort the victims and also Master¡s unconditional love, carrying out the relief work, as if their own flesh and blood had fallen into trouble. On January 15, 2005, when the Formosan team had successfully completed its mission, another relief team comprised of 31 members, including initiated laypeople and monks arrived in Sri Lanka from Korea with relief supplies such as medical instruments and costly medicine. The Korean workers quickly went to the country¡s main southern city of Matara to conduct a post-disaster environmental rehabilitation and relief effort. Minister, Mrs. Farial Ashroff, and Deputy Minister, Mr. Chandrasiri Gajadeera, of Housing & Construction Industry, warmly welcomed the Korean team. Most of the events surrounding the team¡s arrival were telecast over various Sri Lankan TV channels. During this time local residents were touched by the sincere dedication of the Korean relief team members and actively requested information about Supreme Master Ching Hai and the Quan Yin Method. In fact, Mr. Gandajeera and his family learned the Convenient Method. The activities of both the Formosan and Korean relief teams were not limited to physical and emotional aid; they also brought Master's love and light to the victims. Incidentally, during the relief effort dozens learned the Convenient Method and several of them expressed a desire to be fully initiated. Besides helping the victims immensely, the teams also uplifted the Sri Lanka Center by contributing a number of Master¡s cassettes and DVDs. In addition, financial assistance was provided so that Master's book series The Key of Immediate Enlightenment could be published in Sinhala for the benefit of the Sri Lankan initiates and their compatriots. Thus the brothers and sisters of Sri Lanka sincerely thank You from the bottom of our hearts for helping us spiritually and physically, and wish you the greatest success and good health in Your mission to save all sentient beings. Please accept our humble obeisance at Your feet. The fellow initiates of Sri Lanka Media Reports Daily News, Sri Lanka, Thursday, February 10, 2005 (Originally in English) Members of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association from Korea working with Mr. Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Deputy Minister of Housing & Construction Industry in Matara and Ampara launched a relief operation to assist tsunami victims in Kalmunai and Matara by distributing dry rations, utensils, medicine, tents and infants¡ milk they had brought from Korea. Here the Korean team leader hands a consignment of items for the victims to Mrs. Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Housing & Construction Industry, Eastern Province Education and Irrigation Development, during their visit to Ampara. Picture by Ashraff A. Samad Expenditures for Relief Work in Costa Rica and Sri Lanka Country Event Description Amount Appendix Costa Rica Flood Food (rice, beans, spaghetti, spices, fruit, vegetables, jam, crackers, drinking water), daily necessities, blankets, chain saw, outboard motor, camera, rubber boots, machetes, container rental, monetary gifts, transportation and miscellaneous expenses CRC18,883,581.00 (Appox. US$41,064.31) A1~A13 Sri Lanka Tsunami Food (cookies, instant noodles), clothing, medicine, kitchen sets (pots, rice cookers, portable cooking stoves, utensils), toys, tents, fogging machines and fogging machine supplies, raincoats, stationery, hearing aids, fax machines, heavy machinery rental, equipment for recovery work (dustproof masks, gloves, shovels, hooks, hats), detergent, packaging fees, spiritual publication fees, monetary gifts, transportation charges, miscellaneous expenses Won 12,060,980.00 + RS1,877,359.00 (approx. US$31,350.21) B1~B19 Total US$72,414.52 Report from Formosa Expenditures for Charitable Activities in Formosa during January and February 2005 Total amount in Tables 1 and 2 = NT$386,906 (approx. US$12,302.26) Table 1: Details of expenditures for charitable activities in Formosa during January and February 2005 (Currency in NT$) Place Date Descriptions of activities Amount Appendix Taipei 2005.01.14 Conveying warm concern in winter to homeless residents of metropolitan Taipei by contributing winter clothing and toiletries through the Taipei Wanhua Community Welfare Service Center and directly to recipients clothing, toiletries and hot meal boxes 95,171 A Maioli 2005.01.16 Sweeping the Miaoli No.28 Highway in support of environmental protection efforts by the Hsihu Township Office 730 B Taipei 2005.01.22 Conveying warm concern in winter by providing food and monetary gifts to senior citizens living alone in Taipei¡s Wanhua district 38,290 C Pingtung 2005.01.23 Conveying warm concern in winter and giving monetary New Year¡s presents to destitute senior citizens in Sinjhih Village, Wanluan Township, Pingtung 12,350 D Tainan 2005.01.26 Holding a soul-elevating seminar and Convenient Method teaching session for inmates at the Tainan Mingde Labor Prison (voluntary support by fellow initiates) 0 Tainan 2005.01.27 Holding a soul-elevating seminar and Convenient Method teaching session for inmates at the Tainan Prison (voluntary support by fellow initiates) 0 Taipei 2005.01.28 Conveying warm concern in winter by presenting adult diapers and used computers for learning purposes to physically and/or mentally handicapped residents of the Taipei Ai-wei Care Center 8,000 E Miaoli 2005.01.29 Conveying warm concern in winter to the homeless in Miaoli City by providing warm clothing, toiletries and food 19,420 F Miaoli 2005.01.30 Conveying warm concern in winter to senior citizens living alone in Hsihu Township, Miaoli County by providing warm clothing, food and money contributions 18,740 G Tainan 2005.01.30 Conveying warm concern in winter by presenting monetary New Year¡s gifts, holding soul-elevating seminars and providing a vegetarian food tasting and entertainment programs to destitute, ill and lonely senior citizens and handicapped residents of Tainan County and Tainan City; visiting the Baihe Veterans¡ Home, the Jhupu Elderly Care Center in Yanshui Township, the Taizih Temple Elderly Center in Sinying, the Hsin Te Chu Hua Cripple School in Sinying and the Sinying Hospital Nursing Home 71,300 H Kinmen 2005.02.21 Conducting a soul-elevating seminar and Convenient Method teaching session for inmates at Kinmen Prison (voluntary support by fellow initiates) 0 Kinmen 2005.02.21 Participating in the New Year¡s Lantern Exhibition held by the Kinmen County Government, displaying Supreme Master Ching Hai¡s Longevity Lamps and other art work and holding a soul-elevating seminar and Convenient Method teaching sessions to purify people¡s hearts and beautify society 20,905 I Total: NT$284,906 Table 2: Relief funds given to needy households in Formosa during January and February 2005(Currency in NT$) January 2005 February 2005 Place Number of households Amount Number of households Amount Appendix Keelung 1 2,000 1 2,000 1 Taipei 4 10,000 4 10,000 2 Taichung 1 3,000 1 3,000 3 Nantou 6 21,000 6 21,000 4 Kaohsiung 1 4,000 1 4,000 5 Taitung 2 8,000 2 8,000 6 Penghu 1 3,000 1 3,000 7 Monthly subtotal: 16 ¡51,000 16 ¡51,000 ================================================================== Droplets from the Ocean of Love We came here from a faraway corner of the world, unfamiliar with this land. Despite collapsed bridges, torrential rain, a dark sky without moonlight and stars and slippery roads devoid of light, You¡ve arranged for those victims who were experiencing the most hardship to come to us. Dear Master, Would You Please Send Us Those Most in Need? By brother-initiate Hung Ngo, Los Angeles, CA, USA (Originally in Aulacese) Recently, two other initiates from the Los Angeles Center and I participated in flood relief work in Costa Rica. Before joining in the project, one of us had a vivid vision of flood waters overflowing like a small river on a road, and fish swimming leisurely in the stream as children innocently played in the water. Around the same time, another member of our group had an inner experience of a brilliant rainbow and a group of aboriginal people. Inwardly, the initiate also heard the question, ¡Did you get enough?¡ Some days later on January 15, 2005, a Lacsa Airlines jetliner carried us to Costa Rica to join local initiates in relief efforts for victims of the country¡s heaviest flooding in over forty years. Immediately after landing in Costa Rica, we began buying supplies for the relief effort. And after over 2,000 relief packages were prepared, a truck convoy bearing the supplies left the Costa Rica Center and began plowing through heavy rain toward the city of Limon. Verdant trees from opposite sides of the road reached toward each other, resembling church steeples as waterfalls gushed down a mountainside, splashing over large umbrella-shaped leaves. Occasionally, bright red birds flew by and blue butterflies the size of human palms fluttered in the bushes while clouds hung low in the sky¡a spectacular scene typical of Central American rain forests. Being anxious to personally distribute the relief packages to the victims in the shortest time possible, we stayed awake throughout the night wondering how we could best accomplish our mission. In the distance, the constant echo of monkeys chattering and birds chirping was occasionally punctuated by strange sounds as if the animals in the jungle were attending night school! That night we prayed diligently, saying, ¡Dear Master, this land is foreign to us. We¡re unfamiliar with the people, their ways and their language. Would You please send us those who are most in need?¡ By 6:00 AM, all the relief workers had awakened and begun preparing for the long day ahead. The group included missionaries who had volunteered to help, policemen to ensure the workers¡ safety, a local minister to guide the convoy and the relief team from our Association, all of whom were prepared to work, but no one knew exactly what lay ahead. Upon reaching the next destination, Sixaola, our team was able to smoothly distribute the relief materials. While the work progressed the rain stopped briefly and the sun appeared, but then the downpour resumed and the potholes in the local roads began filling with water. Despite the unpredictable weather, everyone remained steadfastly dedicated to the task at hand; still, there was an unsettled feeling in the air. At 5:00 PM, after many hours of work, evening slowly began to approach. And realizing that only one fourth of the relief packages had been distributed, we became concerned and prayed silently to Master, saying, ¡Dear Master, it seems that the goods have not yet reached those most in need.¡ During the project, Mrs. Dulcelina Páez Mayorga, a representative of the area¡s indigenous people, was very patient. She arrived early in the morning, waited for her turn to meet with us and said, ¡I prayed to God a lot last night.¡ Two large trucks filled with relief goods had already left to provide relief for the aboriginal community under Mrs. Páez¡s charge. But how could the vehicles reach their destination when the two bridges leading to the village had collapsed? The police were quite worried because due to the rain, the road going up the mountain where the village was located was very slippery, and so they warned us not to proceed. Yet, we felt that Master was deeply concerned about the homeless flood victims in serious need of relief and comfort. Being aware of this critical situation, we were determined to travel on the road together and appealed to Master to make the best arrangement. Then night fell and the rain continued. When the last car began leaving the food storage compound to join the relief convoy, suddenly, emerging out of nowhere in the sheets of rain, a truck full of passengers could be seen coming down the mountain toward us. ¡Who are these people?¡ we wondered, and soon realized they were none other than the mountain aborigines! They had managed to fix the road, bring their people to a safe area to wait for the relief goods, and find a truck to come right to us and receive the packages. Upon seeing the mountain people, we were so moved that we could hardly hold back our tears. Silently and sincerely, we gave thanks to Master, saying, ¡Dear Master, how could we ask You to perform such a difficult task? Nonetheless, You¡ve arranged for those victims who were experiencing the most hardship to come to us despite collapsed bridges, torrential rain, a dark sky without moonlight and stars and slippery roads devoid of light. We came here from a faraway corner of the world, unfamiliar with this land. The local people have been without food for nine days, their rations not amounting to more than a couple of bananas each for an entire day. And yet, in all Your grace and glory, You still answered our prayer: ¡Dear Master, would You please send us those most in need?¡¡ Then, after their truck had been loaded with relief packages one of the initiates asked the recipients, ¡Did you get enough?¡ ¡Yes, we did!¡ the villagers happily replied. Next the truck carrying the aborigines and their relief goods promptly departed and soon joined the convoy ahead of it. The aid distribution process had gone perfectly, and in our hearts we knew that the gifts we had brought to the local residents were from God and that we had been greatly honored to bring them to their rightful recipients. That night, on the way back to the place where we were staying, one of the policeman said, ¡In my entire twenty-seven year career, I¡ve never witnessed an occasion filled with so much love as this one is!¡ And the next morning, a young police chief assisting us said, ¡I¡ve never prayed to anyone before, but last night I prayed to Master to give us a sunny day.¡ And miraculously, after days of incessant rain, golden sunlight broke forth that morning, moving the police chief to add, ¡I plan to learn Master¡s Convenient Method of meditation.¡ When it was time for us to return to Los Angeles, several local initiates went with us to see us off. And although we had been together for only a few days, we already felt like true brothers and sisters. On the way to the airport, as we looked up at the warm, sunny sky, we saw two magnificent rainbows arching across the horizon. Upon witnessing this sight, a local brother said, ¡I¡ve lived in this area since childhood and have never seen such beautiful rainbows as the ones that appeared today!¡ New lives emerged where many others had disappeared. Death and birth collapse and restoration; despair and hope that sprouts again The Story of Bong-Soon By sister-initiate Park So-Youn, Seoul, Korea (Originally in Korean) In January 2005 I was deeply honored to be a member of the Korean team that went to Sri Lanka to help victims of the South Asian Tsunami. After landing in the country¡s capital Colombo we traveled to the severely affected village of Matara, and witnessed the following vivid scenes that revealed the disaster¡s devastating effects: A small, dark-skinned old woman sitting amid collapsed houses with a look of shock on her face¡ A skinny old man trying to move a heavy stone with his bare hands in front of a house¡ A stupefied mother holding a piece of withered paper in her hand, looking for her lost baby¡ Young children who had lost their mothers, their tear-stained faces unwashed ¡ People with expressionless faces, not knowing what to do, without will or aim¡ In addition to doing relief work with the villagers I surveyed the area and found that in Matara many stray dogs had found shelter between the collapsed houses and no one was feeding them so I decided to do so. Watching me share my own food with my fellow creatures, the villagers became curious, smiled strangely and whispered to one another. After several days passed, some of the locals began calling me ¡a friend of dogs,¡ told me where I could find other dogs and watched out for me with worried looks when I went out in the dark. Gradually the villagers began to feed the wandering canines themselves as it seemed they were coming to realize that animals are also beings to be taken care of. Then one day I met a mixed breed dog that was different than the other dogs in the area because she strongly craved human affection. Since she reminded me of a typical Korean mongrel, I named her ¡Bong-Soon¡ (after a character in a Korean TV comedy show) because of the good feeling that the name gave me. She always followed me around as I traversed the village, perhaps because I loved to talk to her and pet her. Bong-Soon was pregnant, and with her full abdomen would lie down to let me pet her. It looked like she would soon give birth and I wondered how her puppies would manage to survive. As the days passed, Bong-Soon began to have difficulty breathing due to her growing belly. Nonetheless, she came regularly to the relief team¡s place of residence to call me with her pathetic voice. I do not recall exactly when Bong-Soon began to wait for me each day, but whenever I came home after finishing my relief work, she would run to me excitedly. She also sometimes waited for me to come out of our place in the early morning, and at some point began to sleep in front of the residence. After I had worked in Sri Lanka for ten days, the time of my return to Korea was nearing, and Bong-Soon¡s abdomen was becoming bigger and bigger. Then one day her amniotic fluid broke but her puppies refused to come out and she was not moving or breathing very well. So I took Bong-Soon into my arms and began searching for a hospital. Finally I found one that accepted her, and it was a great relief for me to hear the news ¡She¡ll be OK.¡ On another occasion, Bong-Soon was waiting for me to come home after finishing my relief work. And when I arrived she cried loudly when I tried to go into the house. No matter how many times I said, ¡Come here, Bong-Soon¡ she refused to obey and cried with a yowl. So I approached her asking, ¡Is there anything wrong?¡ She then guided me to a shabby hole covered by collapsed buildings. The place was very dangerous since no one knew when the structures might cave in, or when cranes would tear them down because restoration work had begun. I then looked for the laborers working in the area, asked them earnestly not to tear down the buildings because one of them was Bong-Soon¡s house and was very relieved when they told me, ¡We¡d never do that. Don¡t worry.¡ I could tell by looking at Bong-Soon¡s teeth that she was very young, perhaps about a year old and so this was most likely her first pregnancy. That night, I had a dream that Bong-Soon had given birth and her tiny puppies were in a deep, safe hole that she had dug. In Korea I direct an animal rights group, and urgent work for the animals back home was piling up constantly so I had to return, leaving Bong-Soon behind. I prayed to God to let her live a little while longer. Several days later some other relief team members also returned to Korea and informed me that Bong-Soon had given birth to five puppies. She had dug a hole next to the house where we stayed as a den to keep her babies, fulfilling my prophetic dream! New lives emerged where many others had disappeared. Death and birth collapse and restoration; despair and hope that sprouts again¡it is the law of the world in which we live. I can only pray to God to take care of Bong-Soon and her pups and diminish their suffering. I may someday return to Sri Lanka to see my Bong-Soon! Profile of the author: Sister-initiate Park So-Youn is the director of CARE (Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth), the largest animal protection organization in Korea. ================================================================== Letters between Master and Disciples Immense Benefits Accrue from Master's Love and Wisdom By brother-initiate Lie Ay Foek, Jakarta, Indonesia (Originally in English) Dear Master Ching Hai, Master, I have been practicing the Quan Yin Method for one year now, and each day that passes I feel spiritually stronger and appreciate more and more Your unyielding efforts to enlighten and give the best to Your disciples. Frankly, I sometimes worry too much for no clear reason and feel lazy about meditating, but somehow due to Your strong being and true love, I manage to overcome this feeling each time it occurs. I experience Your presence and love within me; not only in the physical world but also in my Heavenly dreams, which have incredibly changed my way of thinking, behaving and living. I feel spiritually transformed in terms of leading a better life for the good of both myself and the people around me. Master, I'm thankful to know You and Your wisdom. To me it¡s a blessing that can¡t be explained or expressed vividly in words. And although I haven¡t seen You in person, my faith in You grows continuously. Not long ago I was eager to meet You¡if there were a chance¡but as time went by I realized that I don't have to see You. I just need the faith to trust and believe in You. As a matter of fact, Your presence and teachings have influenced me, my family and my surroundings in an effective and positive way. Beloved Master Ching Hai, once again my family, relatives, friends and I thank You for Your love and infinite wisdom. May all of us live in peace, and may You have a Happy Golden Year II. Best Regards, Ay Foek ================================================================== Spirituality and Science The Loving Intelligence of Dogs By sister-initiate Lynn McGee, Ohio, USA (Originally in English) Dogs have long been known for their faithfulness and loyalty and now their intelligence is getting attention from scientific researchers as well. For example, Julia Fischer, a biologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany observed that a nine-year-old border collie named Rico could understand more than 200 words and learn new ones as quickly as a young child. Rico demonstrated his ability to recognize objects simply by their names when he was able to retrieve previously unknown toys placed among already familiar ones. When Rico's owner urged him to fetch a new object, referring to it only by a completely unfamiliar name, the animal identified the new toy correctly seven times out of ten. In addition, a month later Rico recalled the name three out of six times without having seen the toy since the earlier test. ¡Such fast first-time learning in dogs is remarkable,¡ says Katrina Kelner, Science magazine¡s deputy editor for life sciences. But is such rapid learning in dogs truly so remarkable, or is the word recognition technique used in the Rico study simply a more familiar measure of intelligence to humans than other indicators? After all, intelligence itself may be broadly defined as the ability to cope with new problems and effectively use the power of reason. And according to this definition, dogs have many ways in which to act with intelligence each day. For instance, dogs use their sense of smell, which is up to 100,000 times more acute than that of humans, to cope with new problems in a myriad of ways, such as finding lost people or rescuing them from disasters and sniffing out buried land mines for removal. Dogs can even use their noses to detect changes in a person¡s body chemistry. Besides, their ability to reason effectively helps them respond quickly and appropriately in emergency situations, often warning their owners of impending danger or physical harm. Anecdotes from the National Geographic documentary series Dogs with Jobs provide many examples of how canine intelligence is revealed in these ways, often complementing that of humans. In one story from the series, Vera, a Czech shepherd dog, and Manit, her human owner, work to remove landmines in Cambodia. With her keen sense of smell, Vera is trained to find mines by detecting very small quantities of the decades-old vapor the mines emit. The dog¡s work is dangerous since the precise location of each mine is unknown, and competing scents from other metallic debris in the area make her job especially challenging. But Vera and Manit continue to work together, risking their lives to prevent local villagers from coming into harm¡s way. Another remarkable story about canine intelligence in Dogs with Jobs involves Faith, a four-year-old female Rottweiler whose timely intervention in a medical emergency saves the life of her owner Leana. As a trained service dog, Faith knows how to alert Leana of impending seizures and give her time to get to safety. But one day, Leana falls unconscious onto the kitchen floor. Undaunted, the dog responds as quickly as any human. Using her nose to get the phone off the receiver, she presses 911 on a speed-dial button and barks urgently into the phone. Then, since she is trained to recognize uniformed personnel, Faith readily unlocks the door with her teeth when she sees a police officer approaching to help Leana, who is rushed to the hospital and later recovers. ( http://espn.go.com/outdoors/sportingdogs/news/2004/1102/1914832.ht ml) Another remarkable example of canine intelligence is shown in the case of Malcolm, of Quebec, Canada, who begins training as a guide dog for the blind but fails because his eagerness to constantly learn new things does not mesh with the steady temperament needed for such work. Malcolm¡s owner does not give up, however, and instead helps Malcolm find his true love in detective work investigating fires of suspicious origin. Now, as the only arson dog in Quebec, Malcolm is considered to possess a precision instrument¡his nose! His assignments include detecting odors in proportions as small as one part per million, which is equivalent to smelling one drop of gasoline in a swimming pool full of water. Caption: To dogs such as Malcolm, work is a pleasure. In addition to these remarkable examples, recent studies by English scientists show that dogs are able to detect the presence of cancer through their sense of smell! When urine from bladder cancer patients was set out among samples from healthy individuals or patients with other diseases, the dogs in the experiments¡ordinary household pets¡were able to identify the cancer patients¡ urine almost three times more frequently than would be expected by chance alone. ( http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction-News.asp?NewsNum=217 ) A dog's sense of smell is up to 100,000 times keener than that of a human. So it is true that they perceive and often act in ways that extend beyond the realm of human ability. As Supreme Master Ching Hai says, ¡A pet (dog) is a living creature, a being exactly like us, but just a little more gifted with intuition and sharper faculties. When you look into [animals¡] eyes you feel the message¡they are equal [to us]. Because they¡re so intelligent; they have intelligence. It¡s just that they don¡t need complicated [brain] like we do.¡ (Excerpt from DVD # 712 The Divine Intelligence of Animals) And since so many of their actions are carried out in a spirit of selfless service, it is apparent that dogs¡ intelligence is pure and loving; so we should always treat them with love in kind. For more information, please refer to: http://www.bordercollierescue.org/news_and_views/Content/Rico.html http://abc.net.au/science/news/health/HealthRepublish_1129608.htm http://www.dogswithjobs.com/about_dogs/about.htm "Animals Have Feelings Too," Say Scientists By sister-initiate Lefki Pavlidis, Cairns Highlands Center, Australia (Originally in English) In many cultures the cow is a vital part of life, providing daily sustenance from its milk and the great variety of products derived from it. However, many who rely on the cow¡s selfless service in giving them nourishment are unaware of this noble creature¡s refined sensibilities, and those of other animals as well. Studies conducted by animal welfare researcher John Webster and his colleagues at Britain¡s Bristol University have found that cows and other farm animals have the capacity to experience fear, sorrow and happiness and can even respond to intellectual challenges. The experiments were done on pigs, goats, chickens and cattle, all of which demonstrated these behavior patterns, suggesting that such animals may be so emotionally akin to humans that welfare laws need to be revised. In support of this view, professor Webster states, "Sentient animals have the capacity to experience pleasure and are motivated to seek it. You only have to watch how cows and lambs seek and enjoy pleasure when they lie with their heads raised to the sun on a summer's day just like humans." The Bristol studies found that cows in a herd form friendship groups of between two and four animals that spend most of their time together, and often show affection by grooming and licking each other. On the other hand they can also show dislike, bearing grudges for months or even years. From my own experience in the rural area where I live and observe the neighbor¡s cows, friendship, affection, bullying and sorrow are often apparent in the herd. For example, recently the youngest and smallest of the group, Caramel, was being bullied, chased away and left out of the group, occasionally causing him much distress. While the other cows would happily graze in the paddocks together, lonely Caramel would cry out in a plea to join them. In most cases, after hearing his cries, the others would allow him to enter the herd, but not without bullying him first. However, now that Caramel has grown bigger he is able to stand up for himself so the others are reluctant to torment him, and more often the cows now all graze together. Other research conducted at Cambridge University involved measuring cows¡ brainwaves with an electroencephalograph (EEG) machine while the animals had to find a way to open a door and get food. The test revealed that the cows became excited at the prospect of finding the food, suggesting that, like humans, they were stimulated by the problem-solving process. The Bristol and Cambridge studies show that farm animals are not simply passive, unfeeling creatures that roam around in barnyards and paddocks eating grass or feed all day, but are complex beings with emotional traits similar to ours. Thus, since we humans recognize that out of compassion we should avoid inflicting pain or suffering on our fellow humans, it is only logical that we should also avoid harming or injuring other sentient beings that experience human-like emotions. And a key to this process is the pursuit of a vegetarian diet. As Supreme Master Ching Hai says, ¡Because meat contains hatred and suffering in it while the animal is being killed, it also represents death and transmigration; [so] we can¡t help but be affected by it. If we want to protect ourselves, nourish our compassion and keep the enlightenment state, it¡s best to keep the vegetarian diet.¡ (Excerpt from Videotape #344 Everything is Possible If We Believe in God) For further information, please refer to: http://www.all-creatures.org/adow/cam-ff-20050228.html http://www.sentientbeings.org/science_grudges.htm http://www.ciwf.org.uk/ ================================================================== Media Reports British Police Dogs Fitted with Protective Boots By the London News Group (Originally in English) In January, 2005, Northumbria Police in northern England became one of the first law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom to fit its dogs with special footwear called Bark ¡n Boots to ensure their safety while conducting police work. The shoes come in three sizes and have durable soles and plenty of grip so that the dogs can pad across any surface. PC Alex McLeod, instructor in the force¡s Public Order Training Unit, said, ¡We are now leading the way when it comes to the safety of officers and our four-legged colleagues.¡ The boots are helpful when officers use canines to search areas for suspects after burglaries. In such places glass is often present on the floor but now the dogs¡ paws are being protected thanks to the footwear. The above news reflects how the recent elevation in Earth¡s consciousness has moved humanity toward more equal treatment of its animal friends. For further details, please visit: http://ww1.northumbria.police.uk/ ePolicing/web/wms.nsf/NewsReleaseContentDocs/NWS008691 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/4187433.stm http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4020533 Dolphins Save Swimmers from Shark Attack (Originally in English) [Wellington, New Zealand] Recently a pod of dolphins saved a group of swimmers from a great white shark off the northern coast of New Zealand. On October 30, 2004, lifeguard Rob Howes took his fifteen-year-old daughter Niccy and two of her friends swimming near the town of Whangarei, and as Mr. Howes said, "A pod of dolphins suddenly started to herd us up; they pushed all four of us together by doing tight circles around us." He then explained that when he attempted to break away from the protective group, two of the bigger dolphins herded him back. Mr. Howes next saw what he described as a three-meter great white shark cruising toward his group, but it appeared to be repelled by the ring of dolphins and swam away. "It was only about two meters away from me, the water was crystal clear and it was as clear as the nose on my face," he explained. At that point, he realized that the dolphins "had corralled us up to protect us." Expert Ingrid Visser, who has been studying marine mammals for fourteen years, told the local newspaper the Northern Advocate that there have been other reports from around the world about dolphins protecting swimmers. She said that in this case the dolphins probably sensed the humans were in danger and took action to protect them. Ingrid Visser of the environmental group Orca Research said the dolphins' behavior was understandable, as they attack sharks to protect themselves and their young, and similar incidents had been reported round the world. "They could have sensed the danger to the swimmers, and taken action to protect them," she said. In addition, Auckland University marine mammal research scientist Doctor Rochelle Constantine said that dolphins are normally vigilant in the presence of sharks. The altruistic response of the dolphins was normal, she added. "They like to help the helpless." For more details on this story please visit: http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1357888,00.ht ml?gusrc=rss http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004541970,00.html ================================================================== Helpful Tips Make Yourself the Perfect Picture of a Wonderful Yogi Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Videoconference with initiates from Toronto, Canada, August 4, 2002 (Originally in English) Videotape #746 At the time of this conference, an initiate who was staying at a meditation center was being forgetful and unmindful about trivial matters of daily life, which often caused trouble for the center. Master thus gave some suggestions to the initiate and to those with similar problems. Everyone gets into difficult situations sometimes, and some people are more sloppy or forgetful than others. But anyway, that person also has to check out whether the things said by others are correct or not. If so, if he or she did do something wrong you should write a note and put it on his or her door, telling that person, ¡Next time, please do this.¡ Don¡t say, ¡Don¡t do that.¡ Just say, ¡Next time do this.¡ For example, if he or she forgot to turn off the lights just say, ¡Next time, turn off the lights so that we can cut down on the amount of the electric bill.¡ Tell him or her what you want them to do such as, ¡Clean up the yard,¡ or ¡Please clean up your room¡ or ¡Wear your initiation card every time.¡ And if you¡re too forgetful, I suggest a very easy solution: Put a big note on your door before you go out the door. ¡Put on ID card right now!¡ And then when you open the door, you¡ll remember, come back, get your ID card, put it on your shirt and go out. If you¡re forgetful, you have to write a note reminding yourself. No one else is there to remind you all the time. There are two ways to live with each other: the wrong way and the right way. And for me, there¡s only one way¡the right way. But everyone is learning and everyone has a different mindset, different habits and different ways of expressing themselves. So you have to make your life better for yourself. You have to remind yourself; you have to know which way is the right one and do it. And don¡t rely on someone else to remind you. You¡re mature; you¡re grown up; you¡re a responsible being. And you¡re even a good practitioner; I can tell. It¡s so little, this bad habit; you can change it. Don¡t make the bad habit become a bad reputation for you. Don¡t let the habit get you down and make you become like a fool in front of everyone. You have to earn respect. You have to let people know that you¡re a respectful, responsible person, not that you can do anything you want. Now make a list of what they¡re asking you to do and try to do it. It¡s easy! You can do it just like that. This is the problem with some of us: We¡ve not been taught. And I tell you; this little problem sometimes causes the break-up of marriages. It can cause the loss of a job or the heartache of losing a loved one. So be mindful of your own environment. Make it as clean as a first class hotel. If you don¡t know what a first class hotel looks like, go into one and look around. Then go home and make your home look like that. This isn¡t the same as decorating or anything; make it tip-top clean so that you could even eat off the floor. Make it as if I¡m coming to visit you tomorrow, how about that? (Applause) Because I live where you live; I¡m there. Have respect for me in my place: Save my money on the electric bill, keep my house clean, keep the window closed and keep everything in perfect condition because this is my house. Your house is my house. (Applause) Cleanliness is Godliness. Try to look for that. If you were a God or a Buddha, how would you behave? Try to do that. Remind yourself, for example, by putting a note on the door. So the solution for all the forgetful people in the world, in every Center or private house, is this: Whatever your weakness is¡for example, if you usually forget to close the window so the air conditioning or heat goes out and increases the electric bill¡put a note on your door and before you open the door, you¡ll see it. Ask yourself, ¡Did I remember to close the window?¡ or say, ¡Remember to take out the garbage.¡ Just put the whole list there and every day when you go out check the list. ¡Did I do number one? Check. I did. And number two, did I close the window?¡ Go check it out and come back: ¡Check, I did it.¡ Then, ¡Did I take the garbage out, number three? I did, check.¡ And then you can go out. And even if you forgot at that time, at least when you come back you¡ll remember again. This is better than if you never remember and make a mess of your house, with stinking and trouble for yourself and everyone. Make yourself a perfect picture of admiration, of respect, of a beautiful yogi because we¡re not in the Himalayas. We¡re here. We¡re with a lot of people, and that¡s good; it¡s nice; it¡s cool to have a big family. It¡s beautiful. We¡re always there for each other. There¡s no one else out there who will help us as much as we help each other. Remember that. So we¡re what we have. We¡re the family. ================================================================== How to Contact Us http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/cp/index.htm Quan Yin WWW Sites http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/links/links.htm P