Elevation of the Soul

New Releases

Secrets to Effortless Spiritual Practice (English and Chinese editions)

All of life's endeavors possess keys to success, and spiritual development is no exception. Once we have obtained these keys our goals can be achieved with much less effort. Secrets to Effortless Spiritual Practice offers many such tips for practitioners revealed by Supreme Master Ching Hai over the years. The book also provides wide-ranging answers to questions commonly raised by Truth aspirants. Such advice coming from Master's personal experience can be instrumental in guiding readers along the spiritual path. If constantly born in mind and put into practice, this wisdom will allow practitioners to overcome Maya's temptations and transcend spiritual barriers to reach the other Shore.

Master's Poetry Anthology --Silent Tears

[Reprinted with new layout, English/Chinese bilingual edition]

Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest CDs [Spoken in Aulacese]

CD_A101c By Learning to be a Buddha One Becomes a Buddha

Lecture in Santa Ana, California, U.S.A., October 21, 1989

CD_A106b The Meaning of the Precepts

Lecture in Santa Ana, California, U.S.A., December 3, 1989

CD_A106c There is Only One Truth

Lecture in Sunnyvale, California, U.S.A., December 10, 1989

CD_A78a Saintly Monks and Ordinary Monks

Lecture at An-lac Temple, San Jose, California, U.S.A., May 28, 1989

CD_A585 Bringing Love Back

International Four-day Retreat in Sydney, Australia, May 11, 1997

CD_A598a Recognize That We Are Perfect in All Aspects

International Four-day Retreat, Bangkok, Thailand, October 23, 1997

Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest DVDs

DVD754 [Spoken in English, with subtitles in twenty languages]

The Ladder of Spiritual Enlightenment

Group meditation at the Florida Center, U.S.A., January 31/February 4, 2003

DVD755 [Spoken in English, with subtitles in twenty-one languages]

The Laughing Saints

Group meditation at the Florida Center, U.S.A., February 3, 2003

DVD757 [Spoken in English, with subtitles in twenty-three languages]

The Truth of Masters' Realm

Group meditation at the Florida Center, U.S.A., January 29-30/February 5, 2003

Master's Words

Meditation Brings Positive Thoughts to Fruition

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, San Jose, CA. USA, March 20, 1996 (Originally in English)   Videotape #539

Situations can sometimes change because of people's thoughts. Inside, if a person's thoughts change, the situation can change. That's why predicting anything in the future is hardly ever accurate because the future can change with a person's thought patterns. So don't blame the clairvoyants for talking nonsense or predicting things that don't come true. Sometimes it's like that; things are supposed to be a certain way but then the person changes because they have a strong will, because they've become more moral or because they've repented for their sins and vowed to improve. Then the situation changes immediately. There's no need for God or for anyone to explain the situation. It's really like that.

That's why if you ask me what will happen tomorrow I won't tell you because I don't know! Only someone stupid would tell you what will happen tomorrow. Maybe it's possible for one individual, but only if that individual stays in the same pattern or living standard. If he or she has even one thought of improvement, his or her destiny can change.

This means that destiny is in our hands. So make sure you control your destiny and bring it into a desired state or living standard. You do control your destiny. Of course we're influenced by karma; that's why we have to struggle and decide what to do. But we must always keep our mind positive and use the power of meditation to make our positive thoughts come true. If you don't meditate and if you don't have the power of the creative Almighty force inside, it doesn't matter how positively you think; the thought won't come true. So don't listen to people who say, "Just think positive and everything will be positive." That's nonsense! Can it happen that way? If I just think that I have money, will I? Positively, will I have money? Just think! Try, try! You don't have to work! (Laughter) Just think positively that you'll have money, and tell me how much you have! (Laughter)

It can't happen by thinking alone. The back-up power must be strong. Where does this power come from? From the Most High. You get it through your meditation; you're recharging then. So don't just sit there and think; you must meditate, too. Just like thinking about money doesn't help: We must have a bank account, and the account must be full of money, or at least full enough to cover the checks.

Panorama of Events

Report from Costa Rica

Feeding Souls at a Cooking and Food Tasting Fair

By the Costa Rica News Group

[San Jose] From April 21 to 24, 2005, Costa Rica's main newspaper La Nacion sponsored the country's largest annual culinary fair, the Cooking and Flavors Expo, with participation by the National Chefs' Association, at the Herradura Hotel in San Jose. Representatives of the nation's most important and well-established companies in the food and home appliance industries participated.  During the event, Costa Rican members of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association conducted a booth entitled "The Vegetarian Alternative" featuring samples of vegetarian dishes, demonstrations of practical recipes, a presentation on the benefits of vegetarianism, Master's Supreme Cooking video, The Key of Immediate Enlightenment sample booklets and flyers about Master's teachings.

The Fair was the first such activity in which initiates from the Costa Rica Center participated.  Preparations began about ten days beforehand and during this time the sisters and brothers worked with hearts full of joy and confidence.

When the initiates first contacted the organizer about setting up a booth at the fair, they were told that food would be sold at low prices.  However, a few hours before the opening, they were informed of a new guideline specifying that food could not be sold. Thus they immediately felt it was God's will that visitors should be able to sample their vegetarian food free of charge, and were happy about the wonderful opportunity to serve food to all their guests.

During the expo, visitors to the initiates' stand expressed their love, and when they looked at Master's picture on display at the booth everything else seemed to fall into place! So the guest book contained many remarks such as the following that reflected people's satisfaction with the food:  "Delicious. What I feel is pure love." "Congratulations! Your food is excellent. There's no doubt that you can eat healthy with vegetarian food. These delights are beneficial to our health." "Trying to become a vegetarian--delightful." "Excellent food. You should think about opening a restaurant." "Subtle flavor, nice texture, colorful; everything food requires: color, flavor and aroma. Congratulations." Many visitors also signed up to attend the Practical Cooking course at the San Jose Center. And the owners of other stands (which served meat) noted that our booth was the most frequently visited at the Fair, while expressing their admiration for the presentation and flavor of the food. 

Amazingly, 11,000 guests attended the event, passed by the stand, with most showed their acceptance, which can only be interpreted as the power of divine love expressed through our brothers and sisters. This power was also evident in the fact that many people said they wished to visit the San Jose Center and learn more about Master's teachings. Thus, through Master's help, the Costa Rican initiates had the chance to convey unconditional care to thousands of people at the 2005 Cooking and Flavors Expo.  In addition, they felt the grace and love of our Supreme God flowing throughout the event while serving the public both material and spiritual nourishment.   Thank You, Master, for Your countless blessings!

2 photos: sp6-1,-2.jpg

Report from Texas, USA

A Successful Cooperative Truth-Sharing Effort

By the Houston News Group

[Houston] On May 7, 2005, initiates from the Houston, Oregon and Los Angeles Centers held a video seminar at the Houston Public Library to inform local spiritual aspirants about Master's teachings.

During the event, the sisters and brothers distributed sample booklets, conversed with visitors, presented one of Master's video lectures and served vegetarian delicacies to the guests, many of whom commented that the food was delicious and found it hard to believe it was vegetarian. 

Through Master's guidance and blessing, many people inquired about the Quan Yin path and some later learned the Convenient Method of meditation.

The atmosphere during the Houston seminar was extremely pure and joyful, revealing our beloved Master's care and compassion at work. So the initiates involved in the project wish to say, "Thank You, Master, for Your boundless, unconditional love and spiritual guidance, and we will continue to spread Your words of wisdom to those seeking the Truth."

2 photos: sp5-1, -2.jpg

Report from Korea

The Best Form of Well-Being--Well-Being of Body and Soul

By the Seoul News Group

[Seoul] From April 22 to 25, 2005, the Natural Products & Well-Being Fair was held at the COEX Convention Center in downtown Seoul. Initiates from the Seoul Center participated in the event to promote the benefits of the Quan Yin Method and the vegetarian lifestyle. The pursuit of physical well-being has recently become a major trend in Korea, indicating that local awareness about the quality and value of life is improving.

Prior to the Fair, the initiates set up a spacious booth decorated with large TVs, Master's pictures, lamps and beautiful flowers. The resulting display, adorned in pink and violet, was the most beautiful and eye-catching in the entire venue.

Throughout the event a constant stream of guests watched Master's videos and obtained flyers and sample booklets. Among the visitors was a COEX staff member who was deeply interested in Master, took many flyers to share with his colleagues and returned frequently to obtain more News magazines. Also, an elderly gentleman, a writer, watched Master's video for a long time and said, "Master's moral teachings are very impressive in our modern society where the value of morality has a low priority."

Moreover, the initiates provided guests with free samples of vegetarian meats and bread, and while tasting the delicious cuisine many sat for long periods in the chairs near the booth, mesmerized by Master's videos. For instance, one lady was so touched by Master's words that she came to watch Her lectures all day every day without moving. Thus, the visitors simultaneously obtained great pleasure from food for both body and soul.

In summary, those who visited Seoul's 2005 Natural Products & Well-Being Fair to pursue interests in physical well-being and the quality of life were presented with the best gift of all, the ultimate way to gain well-being of the soul--Master's blessings!

2 photos: sp3-1,-2.jpg

Report from Formosa

Sharing Master's Wisdom through Book Distribution

By the Taipei News Group

[Taipei] In 1999 and 2002, initiates from the Taipei Center of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association held two book-sharing activities with the theme "Pay it Forward, Brighten up Taipei." Having received a warm response to these projects from local government, organizations and schools, the initiates followed up with another activity this year in coordination with government efforts to support World Book and Copyright Day*. In hopes of benefiting more underprivileged people with Master's words of wisdom, the sisters and brothers expanded the 2005 activity to include prisons, children's homes, elderly homes and libraries.

On April 19, the practitioners presented books to the Shilin Detention Center, the Taipei Detention Center, the Taipei Juvenile Detention House, the Taipei Prison and the Central Police University. For those who are lost and confined while living behind bars, the best way to re-establish contact with the outside world is through books, especially spiritual publications that are indispensable nourishment for soul elevation. Thus Master's books, including Coloring Our Lives, Your Halo Is Too Tight and God Takes Care of Everything, were highly welcomed by the counseling staff at all four facilities.

At the Taipei Juvenile Detention House, Correctional Officer Chen accepted the initiates' gift on behalf of the young detainees. And upon browsing through Master's illustrated book of wisdom God Takes Care of Everything, he said with approval, "This is good! The kids can understand this. They will surely love it." Miss Wang of the Taipei Detention Center echoed this view, saying, "Supreme Master Ching Hai's teachings are easy to understand and cover a wide spectrum of topics that make Her books suitable reading material for those seeking a new life." She also promised to have the books on the shelves as soon as possible so that more suffering souls can find consolation.

On April 20, the initiates delivered Master's books to eleven public and private homes for children and the elderly. At the Ti-Hwei Children's Home, Director Yuan expressed appreciation for Master's NT$200,000 contribution that helped the Home through a difficult period several years ago. At the time of the initiates' most recent visit the facility was facing the new challenge of having to relocate under the local community construction program, and the staff desperately needed assistance in finding a new home for the children. It is at such times that they feel especially touched by The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association's warm support. According to Director Tsao of the Taipei Yangming Senior Citizens' House, even though the staff members were attending well to the daily needs of residents, it was difficult to ease the loneliness and emptiness in their hearts. She thus liked Master's spiritual books, was especially interested in reading Her life story and made an appointment to visit the Love Ocean Art Center on April 23.

On the 23rd, the initiates enthusiastically presented Master's publications to the Taipei County Senior Citizens Home of Compassion and were received by two grandmas in their nineties, who happily took a photo with the practitioners. One of the old ladies was very happy to see that the initiates had come to visit and chatted with them and thanked them for their warm concern. The sisters and brothers then visited the Jinshan, Shihmen and Sanjhih Libraries, where the books they offered were received by librarians who expressed sincere gratitude and promised to display the volumes as soon as possible for the benefit of readers.

On April 27, the angels carrying Master's words of wisdom again visited the Taipei Public Library, Qi-ming Branch for the blind. On the initiates' previous visit, the librarian Miss Li had told them how much the visually-impaired residents loved Master's poetry, religious and soul-elevating books, and that more of such texts would be welcome so that more readers could benefit from their wisdom. Thus a second batch of books was delivered along with two sets of Master's lectures on CDs. Computer files were also provided so that Master's teachings could be made available in Braille for the visually-impaired friends.

Through the Taipei Center's 2005 book-sharing activity, the message of Truth reached many forgotten corners of society, and Master's nectar of wisdom began to nourish the souls of more sentient beings.

* In 1996 the UNESCO Culture Sector established April 23 as "World Book and Copyright Day" and Formosa was among the first countries to respond to this event.

2 photos: sp1,-2.jpg

Environmental Protection Both Inside and Out

By the Keelung News Group

[Keelung] On April 30, 2005, the Keelung City Environmental Protection Bureau held a beach-cleaning activity at Badouzih Chaojing Park in conjunction with the ROC Environmental Protection Administration's 2005 Formosa Ocean Year project targeting coastal cleaning. Members of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association and more than thirty other groups participated in this meaningful event.

As Master says, "The more we become elevated the more we see that cleanliness is necessary. It's the way of life. It's not that one person is cleaner than the other, or someone loves more cleanliness. It's the inner expression of beauty, virtue and Truth--the saintly way of life" (Originally in English, published in News #83). Embracing this concept, the fellow practitioners earnestly and quickly cleaned a beach that was not heavily littered--a good sign indicating the local people's consciousness has risen regarding cleanliness. And as a result, they have been expending greater effort in preserving the environment.

While participating in the cleanup, Sister Wang, an enthusiastic volunteer who has devoted herself to this public-interest task for many years, said, "Master teaches us to meditate and observe a vegetarian diet. That's environmental protection within our bodies and souls. The beach-cleaning activity is protecting the outer environment. Only when we observe environmental protection and cleanliness both inwardly and outwardly will we truly be observing Master's teachings and ideals." Hopefully, everyone will share this aspiration and work together to create a paradise on Earth free from pollution.

2 photos: sp2-1,-2.jpg

Rising to the Challenge through Persistence

By the Chiayi News Group

[Chiayi] From April 29-May 3, 2005, Formosa's 14th Annual National Athletic Meet for Universities and Colleges was held at National Chung Cheng University. About 12,000 athletes from 165 universities and colleges throughout Formosa participated in the Meet's numerous sports competitions held in coordination with the annual Pineapple Cultural Festival in Wensyong Township, Chiayi County. With its fruit bazaars and performances by the world-renowned Cloud Gate Dance Theatre and more traditional Liyuan Drama Workshop, the Meet featured an interesting blend of athletics and culture.

Initiates from The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association participated in the event by conducting a booth to share Master's teachings and another to promote vegetarianism. The practitioners prepared a wide variety of delectable vegetarian dishes and snacks for visitors to the Meet's remote venue, where such fare is in short supply. While enjoying their food, many guests raised questions about Master and the Quan Yin Method, which the fellow initiates were happy to answer. All during the Meet an exhibitor who had been a vegetarian for over a decade visited the vegetarian booth and confessed, "While both the sumptuous meals and Master's wise words leave me greatly impressed, I'm benefiting more from watching Her lectures on DVD than from the food."

The Association's booths attracted many other people with affinity and a keen interest in Master's teachings, including a foreign language student who had once capitulated to his family's objection to his being initiated due to their misunderstanding of the Quan Yin family. Upon learning the Convenient Method, the young man looked elated and blissful as though he had become another person. Also, a well-known local celebrity came frequently to watch Master's DVDs, staying several hours each time and being reluctant to leave even at meal times. On the fourth day of the event, he learned the Convenient form of meditation and expressed a wish to be initiated into the Quan Yin Method once he became accustomed to the vegetarian diet.

In addition, several athletes visited the Association's booth, some of whom were Quan Yin Practitioners who were both the best of their respective institutions and vegetarians as well, demonstrating that a well-balanced vegetarian diet increases physical strength. For example, brother Liu, a swimmer from National Central University, said the vegetarian diet had eased the burden on his body and given him such stamina and strength that his superiors recommended him for long-distance swimming.

The spokesman for the Meet, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, encouraged the participants to be well-prepared in advance, fearless about losing at the starting point and persistent in discovering their own strengths and goals. "The main challenge in long-distance running and swimming is stamina and strength," he said, "and a slow start does not necessarily mean losing in the end." Mayor Ma's insights also apply to spiritual practice. As long as we pursue the right goal and use our time well on the spiritual path, we will be able to rise higher and higher. And if we can rise to all challenges through persistence, we will definitely achieve good results, be it in spiritual progress or athletic competition.

2 photos: sp4-1,-2.jpg

Event DateBook

To keep pace with the planet's ongoing spiritual elevation, the local centers of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association are holding more and more video seminars and other Truth-sharing events.

You are welcome to join in these activities with your friends and relatives. For the latest schedule of our activities, please visit the following URLs: http://www.Godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/latest_news/events-datebook.htm

Mother's Day and Birthday Cards for Master/ Poems

On a Grateful May Day

For online viewing of exquisite cards presented to Supreme Master Ching Hai by fellow initiates from around the world and photographs of Master’s birthday celebrations at various centers, please visit:

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/special_report/2005MotherDay

http://www.godsdirectcontact.net/eng/special_report/2005MotherDay  

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/2005MotherDay

http://godsdirectcontact.us/com/motherday/2005

Poems

On a Grateful May Day

By sister-initiate Jeoung Keasoon, Seoul, Korea (Originally in Korean)

I wish I could bring You all the glory of May flowers.

I wish I could send You a letter

With all the colors and fragrance of May flowers.

I wish I could write a poem for You on this beautiful May day.

I wish I could draw You, the Queen of Beauty and Love!

Yet I can never love You enough!

I can never express this feeling!

You brought me joy,

You brought me happiness,

You brought me Love that never ends

Thousands of years of longing end with tears of love

In Your presence.

No words can utter this deepest love.

It will only flow in my heart

Forever!

Yet in this moment,

I am with all the May flowers that glorify You,

I am with all the trees that glorify You,

I am with all the stars that glorify You,

I am with the whole universe that praises You.

And I miss You

On this beautiful May day!

Special Reports

Our Supreme Master Descends with the Highest Gifts -- The 2005 Europe Retreat

By the Hungarian News Group (Originally in English)

Out of the Blue Our Master Appears

It all began on the sleepy Monday afternoon of February 21, 2005, when a Hungarian initiate received an unexpected phone call from a Quan Yin messenger who was in Hungary's capital Budapest, and urgently wished to visit the local center in the countryside. Many calls followed, and before long a group of exhilarated Hungarian disciples were having dinner in a Chinese restaurant when the messenger and our Big Sister, whom we had not seen for over two years, appeared out of the clear blue sky! It was the first time since the 1999 European Lecture Tour that our beloved Master was in Hungary, and our surprise and happiness were indescribable!

From an Old Barn a Meditation Hall is Born

That same evening the whole party went to the center, which had never been used for group meditation in winter because it was unheated and transportation to it was difficult. Thus, normally only one brother lived there as a guard. However, based on Master's careful instructions, the place was transformed into a winter retreat venue in less than two days! Several mobile homes were brought onto the property and the bathroom area, originally a brick barn used only for summer retreats, was converted into a cozy meditation hall. Also, many electric oil heaters were installed so we suddenly had a place for a winter retreat that would accommodate more than a hundred people. The center's remote location, the region's frequent snowfalls with temperatures below –10oC and the practically impassable muddy road leading to the site helped to ensure a private and tranquil experience for all.

Out of Sincerity Many Disciples Attend

On the following day, Master gave instructions that only the most sincere European disciples should be notified of the special gathering without mentioning Her presence. She personally checked the list of all the potential participants and within a day of receiving this highly unusual news, initiates from all over Europe began arriving at the center. Some hoped that Master would be there and others came without expectations. However, everyone was pleasantly surprised to find that She was actually present, and upon receiving the magnificent news some cried abundantly, while others became choked with emotion.

During a Non-Sleeping Retreat Wondrous Meditation Unfolds

At the beginning of the retreat Master advised us, "Make your life a meditation," and then outlined a daily schedule that allowed everyone to readily follow Her advice. She also said that meditating in Her presence was especially precious because one second of such meditation was equal to one hour of practice in other places. Master also informed us that we could meditate all day and all night without sleeping. So we tried and to our great surprise found that we really could do so! For days no one slept (at least not lying down). Also, we had only two breaks for meals, and the rest of the time was spent meditating. This regime had a practical benefit as there was no need to pitch tents and sleep in freezing temperatures because we just happily meditated in the warm meditation hall all day and all night. In this simple environment, which most of us would not have thought possible to survive in for even a single day, everyone felt happy and contented. Master also said that from then on we would be able to meditate all night even after the retreat.

Sr2-158.jpg

From Worlds Beyond High-Level Teachings Descend

Each day of the retreat Master joined us in the meditation hall at least once and sometimes more often, and also revealed much information that we had never heard before. With regard to Her temperament, Master was as happy and humorous as ever, and shared stories with us about Her recent personal retreat in a remote cave. She also said that during this time She had gone through several dangerous experiences for no apparent reason, adding that Maya is now like a fatally wounded animal: Its defeat is sure, but right now it is at its most dangerous. So She must remain in seclusion and continue meditating to help the world pass through its current transitional stage.

In addition, Master described in clear detail the Heavenly realms up to the highest level of the Universe where She came from, and said that Her mission here is to save the planet and elevate its sentient beings. She told us that the historical doomsday predictions were being fulfilled through disasters on a biblical scale, and that She had come to alleviate them and save and elevate the earth. Most of Her mission is now complete as a new galactic structure is in place and the planet has been elevated; just some further cleansing is necessary.

With Deep Gratitude We Promise to be Better Disciples

Master repeatedly stated that we should live each day as if it were our last, and said She did not know precisely how long She could stay with us at the retreat. So we appreciated each additional day as the greatest gift of our lives, and most of us tried to stay as long as possible. However, after about two weeks Master suddenly had to leave and did not even have a chance to say good-bye. Upon hearing of Master's departure many of us felt sad, but we soon realized that we were extremely lucky to have had the rare opportunity to be with Her, and should simply be content with the invaluable gift we had received.

Master, we are all deeply grateful to You for Your unconditional love and for all the help You give us. We know it is time for us to grow up and become more than just "good" disciples. So we will do our utmost, and wish You only the best in every moment of Your life. Thank You!

Droplets from the Ocean of Love

Through God's Grace Nothing is Impossible

By brother-initiate Hanák Ferenc, Budapest, Hungary (Originally in Hungarian)

Lo1-1-158.jpg

The following wonderful story demonstrates that anything can happen through Master's mercy.

On the afternoon of February 21, 2005, I was just about to quit work when a Quan Yin messenger whom I knew called asking me to go to the Budapest Center as quickly as possible to pick him up and then take him to our rural center, which was used only for summertime retreats.

At first I thought it was a joke, but since I recognized his voice I followed his instructions. He added that his plane had just landed and he wished to go to the center in thirty minutes. I was very excited and could not imagine why he wanted to visit our snow covered center in the countryside, and especially, what he was planning to do there. As usual, traffic was very heavy in the city, and my wife, who is also a disciple and was sitting in the passenger seat, told me to go faster so I drove as fast as I could. You can imagine what I was going through inside although I did not even suspect what was waiting for me there. I just felt a kind of unexplainable excitement.

Upon arriving, we drove by a taxi parked in front of the Budapest Center and saw the QY messenger and a sister sitting in the taxi. The messenger got out of the taxi and asked me to translate his words to the driver. After getting into the taxi I spoke to the driver and from the corner of my eye saw that the "sister" in the back seat gave him a lot of money and in a gentle voice thanked him for waiting. Then the realization struck me like lightning: This familiar, melodious voice with its Heavenly vibration was the one that has continuously filled my life with happiness. I turned back and could not believe my eyes. Master was sitting there! Until then I had only seen Her in videos and in dreams, but now She was sitting nearby and I felt like I was in a fairytale. The first time I realized I was not dreaming was when Master got out of the car and embraced us. (In my dreams I usually wake up before the embrace.) And I was elated because I never thought that I would physically embrace my beloved Master.

The day had begun gray and cold, but upon seeing Master everything blossomed in our hearts and the sun even shone. Due to our immense happiness we had chills all over because we knew we were the luckiest people in the world. Then Master briefly toured the Budapest Center, sat in the chair set aside for Her, drank some mango juice and traveled with us to the countryside center.

Along the way Master spotted a Chinese restaurant and invited us for dinner. In the restaurant She told the owner that we were Buddhists and ate only vegetarian food, and explained how to cook a vegetarian meal for us. She then ordered food for everyone and in the meantime asked us to invite a few more disciples who lived nearby. Of course, we did not tell the sisters and brothers why they should come to the restaurant but left it as a surprise. While waiting for the others, we started eating dinner and Master lovingly handed the food to everyone. We also happily cracked jokes. Meanwhile, the other disciples arrived one by one and our beloved Master embraced them all. Many could not believe their eyes when they saw Master and everyone was extremely touched. After dinner we did some shopping and drove off to the rural center.  Then several days later, through Master's grace, we participated in an incredibly uplifting retreat.

A Winter Dream, a Blessed Paradise

By sister-initiate Fodor Mária, Budapest, Hungary (Originally in Hungarian)

Oh, it was a blessed day when I received the Budapest contact person's notice about a special gathering at the local Chinese restaurant.  Throwing some clothes and a meditation cloth into my bag, I began to hope and ran to fetch a taxi. As if on command, a cab pulled up in front of me and the passenger got out. Before I boarded I had already told the cabdriver the address and asked him to hurry since I was late.

Upon entering the restaurant, I noticed eight people with bright, expectant faces, including a Quan Yin messenger, sitting around a large, round corner table.  Then I noticed Master in the group and could not stop crying. I wished to be near Her like a child in her mother's arms. "You're just dreaming!" said Master, when I finally sat down at the table.  She offered me food and told stories, and I knew then that it was not a dream. She was there with us!  She had come to us! We had wished for it very much.

After dinner we all went to Hungary's rural center, where we had been longing for Master to come, and everything still seemed like a winter dream. The center was chilly, windy and unwelcoming, signs of mice were everywhere, the kitchen area was in a sad state and the water was unsafe to drink. Master left it up to us to decide whether we wanted to stay or to go, but I was so happy and carefree that I was willing to stay. In the ensuing days fellow initiates came to the center from all over Europe for a retreat, not knowing whether they would be able to see Master. But after hearing the good news that She was there, no one cared about comfort.

In arranging for the retreat Master attended to every detail, and with Her help several mobile homes were brought in. (Due to the cold weather tents could not be used.) Also, following Master's instructions, the sanitary area was converted into a meditation hall. Heaters were installed so that we could stay warm, the cracks in the walls were filled in and thick curtains were hung over the doors so that we could stay there and meditate during the night. The kitchen also began to function effectively and many delicacies were prepared. To make sure that we did not overwork ourselves with food preparation, three times during the retreat Master ordered meals from a restaurant.

She lovingly cared for everything and everyone, including the center's dogs, allowing them into Her mobile home and making warm sleeping places for them. Master also asked that boots be brought for us to use in the mud. All this and it was still only about our physical comfort, not to mention our spirituality!

The truly great gift, however, the real blessing was Master's presence. The immense spiritual blessing that we and the whole Universe receive regularly through Master's power is inconceivable. Specifically, the retreat participants experienced how She makes immense sacrifices for us, and came to understand that without God's grace we would be unable to escape the current of worldly attractions and repulsions.

Thus the retreat was like being in Paradise as Master's every word and action became a lesson in love, patience, selflessness, renunciation, humility, persistence, discipline, attentiveness and wisdom. She was powerful for us; She was gentle for us; She was happy for us. She answered our questions, told us jokes, sang songs to us and gave us Her greatest gift in abundance: Her assistance in elevating us spiritually. During the retreat, we celebrated those brothers and sisters among us who had reached the Fifth Level and felt extremely lucky and happy. My gratitude is beyond language. Master, thank You for the wonderful retreat, which is deeply imprinted in my heart never to be erased for the rest of my life.

Priceless Blessings from the 2005 Europe Retreat

By brother-initiate Pék Tamás, Budapest, Hungary (Originally in English)

It is unbelievable that God granted me the great experience of personally interacting with our Master during the 2005 Europe Retreat held outside Budapest, where I was fortunate enough to hear Her holy lectures each day and to come to know Her in a profoundly real, practical and inspirational way.

During and after the Retreat, my job was to shop for supplies and transport disciples. And whenever I went shopping, I tried to be as quick as possible so as not to be far from Master very long. Each time I returned from an errand, I felt unimaginable blessings coming from Her as I got closer to the Retreat venue. It was like when we meditate, we feel immersed in the Ocean of Love, or like the unresistable power of attraction a bee feels when arriving home to the hive.

As I traveled on these missions, the last one and a half kilometers (one miles) of the muddy road leading to the rural center was undriveable from 9:00 AM until it became frozen after 7:00 PM. But Master never left me in trouble during the Retreat. Many times it was a miracle that I could drive through the slippery mud where many other cars got stuck.

Besides shopping and running other errands, I had the honor of being Master's driver, and during my trips with Her She jokingly called Herself "a cave woman" returning to civilization from Her two-year solitary retreat. We went shopping for necessities for Her return to the "civilized" world and often chatted casually about dogs. During these talks Master said that the three dogs at the rural center initially welcomed Her as they would an ordinary person. However, after Master's dog Goody telepathically told the center's little black dog to take good care of Master, the next morning all three dogs welcomed Her in a different way, waiting courteously in front of Her trailer. Master also offered me advice on how to treat my own old dog, and even gave me money to buy vitamins and medicines for him. She thus showed Her generosity and compassion for all sentient beings in a practical manner.

Master is very quick, likes quick thinking and work, dislikes complicated things and likes us to be quick as well. Thus during the Retreat She gave us valuable lessons in efficiency as we witnessed Her convert a wild place into a pleasant, cultivated meditation center and organize a retreat in only two days. Master also said that the time during retreats is precious, that every second counts and She truly put Her words into action!

In summary, the limited medium of language is inadequate to describe the unlimited benefits that I and the other attendees derived from the 2005 Europe Retreat. Thank You, Master, for the invaluable blessings You constantly share with us.

Letters between Master and Disciples

The Power of a Wink

By sister-initiate Tárnok Zsuzsanna, Budapest, Hungary (Originally in Hungarian)

Date: 25th March, 2005

Dear Master,

Beyond my wildest dreams, I received a tremendous gift from You--being able to see You again in person.

So far I've been with You three times, the last being five years ago at a retreat, and I consider myself extremely lucky since many initiates have never met You personally. For me, these experiences were enough to last a lifetime as I sparingly use the blessing power derived from these meetings, thanks to God.

Then, on February 22, 2005, on my way to group meditation at the Budapest Center, I was told by a sister-initiate, "There's a special gathering at our countryside center. Come and bring a tent." Although during winter here in Hungary the nighttime temperature can drop to –25o C, which is quite cold for using a tent, my heart nonetheless leaped and I knew intuitively what I had to do. I arrived at the center the next day, and when the fellow initiates told me You were there, I almost could not believe it.

Then on my way to the kitchen I saw You and at that moment You turned around and winked at me. I could not speak so I just smiled widely and felt You recognized me as an old friend and that everything was alright. This casual exchange helped me greatly, and I'll never forget the instant when You gave me that inspiring wink.

During the subsequent days we spent together, You taught me much about myself. And I am especially grateful for the personal changes you suggested to me since by correcting my mistakes You helped me overcome my karma.

I also thank You for the unique night of songs during the retreat, when just like a little nightingale or a mother singing her children to sleep, You sang to us during meditation. It was a wonderful experience--one that I had only seen on videotapes but had always wished for--and I thank You that my wish was fulfilled. You are fantastic, and it was a marvelous experience to sit near You and watch You closely while You went to high dimensions and came back although You were everywhere at the same time. It's difficult to grasp Godhood with our monkey minds, but when we experience it our souls know it and our hearts beat with You.

During the time we spent together You said many times that You love us, and I can only respond, "I love You, too."

I thank You for Your embrace, for the distant kiss You threw to me, for the lollipop You hit me on the forehead with, for many, many eye contacts, for the delicious meals, for the warm care, for the many other wonderful things that I received and for the many opportunities to learn while working. I only hope I can express my gratitude through my spiritual practice and devotion.

Also, I thank God for bestowing on us the great opportunity to be with You. With love and embraces, I hope that You are well.

Your disciple,
Tárnok Zsuzsanna

My Life Has Sprouted New Leaves

By would-be initiate Zhou Hong, Toronto, Canada

Dear Master,
Greetings to You!

Today, I am finally overwhelmed by my strong emotions and feel that I must write to You. Yet, despite the millions of words that I wish to express, I am at a loss about where to begin.

I have been practicing the Convenient Method for almost five months now, and although I am yet to be initiated, I feel that You are always taking care of me. Each time a dilemma arises in my life, I am able to miraculously find the ideal solution.

Before practicing the Convenient Form of meditation, I used to become easily aggravated. Also, I was sometimes mean, narrow-minded and loved to argue with people. I was aware of my faults, but just as You say, these habits that had accumulated over many lifetimes emerged as soon as situations arose and I simply could not control myself! Thus, I always had problems in social relationships.

I am already in my thirties and if I had not met You these shortcomings surely would have remained with me till the end of my life. However, after contacting You, I reached a turning point. First, through Your grace, I miraculously found a job in the area of customer service where I interact with all types of people and often have to endure unreasonable rebukes. At such times, I clearly remember Your teachings and try my best to treat people with love. In the beginning, I felt uncomfortable in this job, but with the passing of time I have become able to handle irrational reprimands with great forbearance. I must say that my improvement is completely due to Your fantastic arrangements, which have helped me to eliminate my ego and wrathful behavior. When interacting with colleagues, I always keep Your teachings in mind, and try my best to remain positive in every situation. Strengthened by the blessing of the Master Power, I feel I have progressed significantly in this respect.

However, it was not until my superior gave me a ride to the train station yesterday, and said she enjoyed working with me due to my positive attitude in any situation, that I truly recognized my improved state. I was exhilarated to hear these words of approval from another person, and thus came to realize that I have changed completely in a few short months! My superior also told me that I never criticize and always accommodate and forgive others, show concern for my colleagues and never defend myself for my own mistakes.

My dear, respected Master, I am deeply grateful to You for helping a person approaching middle age to achieve these advances. Thank You very much for so deeply loving the awkward person that I am, and for utterly changing my life!

You are my most beloved person and I miss You greatly.

At Your feet,
Zhou Hong, Toronto

Master Tells Jokes

The High Cost of Living

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Cambodia, May 12, 1996 (Originally in English) Videotape #544

There was once a person who was very stingy. One day he tried to cross a river by himself, but he slipped because the current was extremely strong. And then the current swept him away, down the middle of the river.

So he shouted, "Can anyone help me? I'll give you money!" 

There was a person on a boat nearby and he said, "OK. For fifty dollars I'll help you." But the man in the river replied, "Fifty dollars! That's too expensive. I'll give you twenty."  So the person on the boat said, "No, no, that's too cheap." 

By now the man in the river was trying very hard to breathe and was even swallowing some of the river water. So he said, "OK, OK, thirty dollars!" But the person on the boat said, "No, no. Forty dollars is my last price." 

And the man in the water said, "I - I - I'd rather die!"

Quan Yin Highway

All Life Becomes Beautiful through Sincere Spiritual Cultivation

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Washington, D.C., USA, International Four-day Retreat, December 26, 1997 (Originally in French and English) Videotape #608

Q1: I don't really have a question. There's just something I'd like to say: When I was first initiated I had a lot of questions concerning the world and all sorts of things. But all my questions were answered one after another.

M: From inside?

Q1: Yes, from inside and through Your cassettes, videos and books.

M: That's true.

Q1: What I'd like to say is that everything You say is of the utmost importance. Even the smallest thing we should cherish and keep as precious.

Your teachings contain everything that one needs to succeed, and the meditation gives all that one needs to succeed. We have everything inside for the approaching Golden Age so we must really take even the smallest thing seriously.

I want to thank You for having brought us such a precious gift. I'd also like to thank You on behalf of others as well as myself for coming to save us. That's how I feel because I was once lost in the world, struggling with all sorts of questions but now I'm someone else. I have a goal, and at least I know where I'm going. Thank You very much, Master.

M: You're welcome.

Q2: Hallo, Master. I really agree with the brother who just spoke. That's what I think, too. I've been initiated for one year and I don't have a lot of experiences, but all my life around me is more beautiful. I feel nobler; my relationships are better, including those with my family, and I think this is a real miracle and that the experiences will come later if I continue to practice.

M: Yes, of course. Some people have inner experiences of Light and Sound every day. Some have just Sound and the Light is faint or dim or only occasionally appears. Others have a lot of Light but the Sound is very dim. This is due to concentration.

Also, concentrative power is different for each person because of things like karmic background, integration with others and the people or things the person has contact with. And sometimes a person might eat impure food without knowing it or associate unknowingly with someone whose karma is very heavy.

But even in such cases, a practitioner's life can change drastically for the better all the time. He or she will become more loving, wiser and freer from the burdens of attachment to the greed, lust and sorrow of this world. That's the fruit of the truly intelligent, diligent and honest practitioner. But we have to practice in order to have this benefit.

Q2: I really think this is the way to change the world--to change ourselves first. This is the only solution, and I'd like to thank You for all this change and for the courage You have to do all this work and for all the things You give us.

The Ultimate Panacea for All Problems

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Boulder, Colorado, USA, March 9, 1991 (Originally in English)   Videotape #159

Q:  My big obstacle right now is not loving myself fully and completely, and a lot of us aren't taught to love ourselves and give ourselves full respect when we're growing up. So I find that I often create hindrances for myself and beat myself up as so many of us do. I was just wondering if you could comment on that, about something to motivate us to go farther.

M: Yes, I have one solution--the Quan Yin Method. First you have to know how great you are and then you can love yourself. Once you know that everything you do is God's will, you won't blame yourself for things that you think you did. Because we're not the doers. You'll understand more about what makes us do this and that and why, and about how we just do things without really having to control them. But it doesn't mean we do bad things. It's just automatically being in the right way.

Loving ourselves is difficult because we don't know ourselves. Based on social conventions and customs we think we're the ones who do this bad thing and that bad thing so we blame ourselves. Also, we get blamed from childhood. Whatever we do our parents think, "That's naughty, that's lousy, that's bad." So we get this guilty feeling from childhood and it's difficult to get rid of. The only way to free ourselves is to know how great we are and to directly know our real greatness. That's why many people do not, cannot love their neighbors because they can't love themselves. How can we love ourselves if we don't know how great we are. It's difficult. That's why I offer you this method to allow you to know your great Self and then you stop everything else. So it's a pity that not everyone knows this. That's the only way, the best way, the fastest way, the safest way without any side effects. So I tell you the only cure that I know of for all ills, all kinds of self hatred or other hatred, all kinds of ignorance, all kinds of frustration, all kinds of suffering, all kinds of misunderstanding--everything gets cured by self knowledge, by directly knowing God.

Master Tells Stories

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Cambodia, May 12, 1996  (Originally in English)   Videotape #544

There once was a person who was very rich and very addicted to alcohol. One day he had to go out and he worried that his house servant would try to eat some of his food or drink some of his good wine while he was gone. Of course, he had already been very careful: He had picked a very stupid-looking servant, one who wouldn't be too tricky and wouldn't know how to steal food or make excuses. Even then, the man was careful and worried about the servant.

So he said to the servant, "Now stay home and take care of my house. There's a piece of pork hanging in the kitchen, but just look after it: Don't touch it! And there's a live chicken next to the kitchen. Don't touch it, either. And take care that all the dogs and cats don't come and eat them." And then he said, "There's a pot over there which is covered very carefully. That's poison for the mice so don't touch it."

Then after he left the servant took down the pork, roasted it and ate it. Next he got the chicken, killed it and ate it, too. At the same time he drank the alcohol to accompany the food. So, feeling very good and then drunk, he lay down and slept very peacefully.

When the boss came home, he saw the servant sleeping on his sofa and also smelled alcohol and saw some of the chicken bones scattered all over the place where the servant had kicked them around while he slept. So he woke the guy up and said, "Hey! What about my chicken and my pork spare-ribs? And how about my wine--I mean, what happened to the poison over there?" 

Then the servant started to cry, and crying hard he kneeled down on the floor and said, "Please forgive me! I've really been very obedient. I tried to look after your house and everything, but unfortunately, a cat came by and climbed up to the kitchen roof and took the pork and ate it. Then the dog saw the cat do that so he took the chicken and went out to eat it. I was so worried that you would come home and scold or kill me that I took the poison! But how come I haven't died yet?" (Master and everyone laugh.)

The servant wanted to kill himself, but he didn't die. So you should be careful with people. Even if some people look stupid, it doesn't mean they're truly stupid. And someone who looks sweet is not necessarily that sweet. Watch the way she or he does things and see the outcome of his business or her efforts. Then you'll know that person from the inside. Don't ever look only at the outside and try to judge whether that person is OK.

Similarly with us when we're searching for a Teacher, most of us love sweet things so we love people's sweet talk: a soft voice, good manners, a very cordial way that's pleasing to our ego, eyes and habits. So we find it very easy to look for a teacher or master with a very sweet nature, one who's always soft-spoken, gentle and so on.

But that's only one part of the personality, perhaps like a trained airline stewardess. It's not necessarily true that such a person will do us any good or have a real teaching inside. Because many people are soft-spoken, but the things they do are very destructive to themselves and society, with outcomes that are always bad or negative. In that case the person may look sweet or soft-spoken but is doing no good for him or herself or the society at large.

So it's the outcome of our lives, our work or our effort that speaks volumes. It's not how we look, how we react or how we live our life. You've heard that in the old times Jesus even used a stick or something similar to chase the money-changers away from the church, and then He turned the tables there upside-down. It may have looked very ungraceful for a Master to do that, but He did tremendous good for humankind. He even sacrificed His life for His disciples at that time, and His teachings still have a very good impact on the human race as a whole. 

But many other soft-spoken housewives or even officers have never done anything as great as that, and perhaps have even done harm to themselves, to their family members and society because they don't know any better. Perhaps they were born with slightly defective vocal cords so they speak very softly or can't speak very loudly. Or maybe something got stuck in the person's throat; you never know. So we have to be careful about what we want and how we judge people. Don't judge the appearance because it's always very deceptive.

Helpful Tips

Avoid Talking When You Eat

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa, December 23, 1995 (Originally in English)   Videotape #517

During a meal it's better not to talk because if you talk, you don't chew properly. I'm talking about materially, not to mention spiritually. Also, sometimes when you talk, you swallow [your food down] the wrong channel.  Instead of going to your stomach, it goes into your lungs or your nose and causes you trouble. Sometimes you can die from it! So since ancient times people have said that when you eat, you shouldn't talk.

That's the logical explanation but there's another explanation, which is that most of the time the devil goes through the mouth because it's the widest opening of all and we keep it open most of the time. If there's anything that wants to possess us, it can enter through the mouth very quickly. So when we eat and open the mouth and talk all the time, the devil will hear it and then go inside with the food. Or it will contaminate our food and make it indigestible for us or make it poisonous or make it do something troublesome when it enters our body.

Sometimes we have an infectious disease and we don't even know it yet. It may have entered but hasn't developed yet in our body so we don't know we have it. If we eat together and talk, we breathe all kinds of germs into the food, and then both people have to inhale and eat the food that's infected by our germs. 

So while eating, it's better if we don't talk. If we have to talk, it's better not to talk directly into the food. It's not like you have to crawl on top of the table and talk to each other! Because then, of course, your mouth water and breathing will cause all the germs to go in through the food as well. Maybe we don't see them but they're there.

Maintain a Positive Outlook and the Conditions Will Follow

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, International Six-day Retreat, Youngdong Korea, May 12, 2000 (Originally in English) DVD #701

Foreword:

During the retreat, a sister complained to Master that her elderly mother was in the hospital and her children were unable to stay with her so she was experiencing personal problems. To help the sister resolve her predicament, Master lovingly offered the following insightful advice.

Don't stay where the illness is; don't even go there. Don't go to that miserable situation or to the places where your soul doesn't belong, but instead concentrate on the present and the blessings you have. Concentrate on whatever's at hand that's nice and lovely. If you always focus on the bad side of things, you'll forget the goodness that's right in front of you.

You have so much, but you don't realize what you have. So I feel very sorry for you--not for your sickness but for your stupidity, for your whining quality, for your thinking, which is damaging to you. We have everything; we already have exactly what we need at exactly the right moment, and we chose it to be that way because we're perfect.

When you whine too much or pity yourself too much, you make yourself less than a dignified person. No wonder your life is no good and you have sickness all the time! Because that's all you have. That's all you concentrate on, that's what you think about so you become it. You let everything pile up over your head and overwhelm your happiness, and then it controls your life instead of you taking control of everything. That's why your life is miserable. But no one can help you except yourself. You have to be fed up with this kind of mentality in order to get well.

Master Says

Completely Comprehend Master's Teachings and Become Self-Reliant

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Los Angeles, USA, October 29, 1993 (Originally in English)  Videotape #388

Be strong and be a giver, not a taker. That's the way of a saint. Because if you call yourself a saint or think you practice saintly conduct but always go on depending on someone else, that's nonsense. If you can't take care of yourself, how can you say that you'll take care of other people? If a Master can't even afford to take care of himself or herself, how can he or she boast of taking care of the whole world or other disciples? A Master takes care of disciples spiritually; there's no doubt about that. That's the duty of a Master, but you can't trade that for material support.

You're learning to become a saint. You're learning to be a Master, or to train yourself for a "master's degree" in the way of being a Master, in the noble way. So you have to first take care of yourself. Then you can say, "I know how to take care of others." That's why I've told you many times: Don't bow to the small gods and all those things that depend on you to live because sometimes people bow to beings such as local gods or other strange gods. And they say, "If we don't bow to them and give them offerings, the gods will be hungry and in turn won't protect us." But that's ridiculous! If that god depends on you for food and finances in order to protect you, he's nothing better than a gang leader because a gang leader goes around collecting money from pimps in exchange for protecting them. If God is such an exchange agent or is in an exchange business, then we can go and bow to the bank or the exchange bureau office.

So what's the use of bowing to any god to protect us? We are God; we protect ourselves. Otherwise, at some time or other we'll be disappointed because we can't always ask other people for help all the time in life. Sooner or later our conscience will begin to get stirred up and we'll feel very bad about it. Or, asking for help will become like a habit and then we'll lose our power of independence and that would be very expensive!

The power of independence, the spirit to struggle for survival is more valuable than money. We can't buy it. So, keep it. If you want to be strong, if you want to be a protector, if you want to be a guardian of the weak and needy, of the younger spirits, you have to be strong yourself.

This life is actually very simple. If your house is too big or if the mortgage is too high, buy a smaller house or rent it to someone who's wealthier. Don't get yourself into financial trouble and become a dependent person because then we lose our pride; we lose our self-respect. These things can't be sold for money. That's why I always tell you to support yourself. You should never be dependent.

Of course we sometimes experience disasters and unexpected circumstances. Then we have to think fast or we might receive some help. For example, if there's really an emergency such as a fire and all the houses burn, if the people have insurance it's fine, but right after the disaster they have nothing; they're on the street. So of course they have to get help from someone else. No one will say anything against that. If it were me, I'd also do that. I'd also receive help. If I were on the street and cold and had nothing to eat and someone offered to help me, I'd accept that. I'd have no pride.

Don't be too proud to accept help when you need it. Because later you'll be strong, you'll work and you'll help again in society, maybe with the next disaster. That's no problem. So when you're in trouble, don't say that Master says you have to be independent and that you can't receive help from anyone. Don't say, "So now I have to die." In that case, I'd tell you, "OK, die! You're too stupid to live." (Laughter and applause) I'd tell that person to die, the quicker the better, for our society as well as for all of you.

So be flexible. Learn my teachings and assimilate them; digest them and use them for different circumstances. You have to know what's right and what's wrong. Don't always say, "Master says it's like this," and then it has to be like that. That's brilliant idiocy; it's no good. Whatever you learn from the Saints of different teachings, make it your own. Learn and be flexible. Buddha said the same thing. So don't blame me; don't say I'm teaching differently than Buddha. Don't say that I don't wear the same clothes as the Buddha. The Buddha said, "My teaching is like a raft. After you cross the river, you don't carry the raft in your hands, on top of your shoulders. If you do that, it becomes your obstacle."

When you cross the river from this side, you need the raft to carry you across the river, but once you arrive at the other shore you won't take the raft with you everywhere. Before, the raft was helping you; it was your helping instrument, but now it's an obstacle! If you carry the raft on your head all the time, you'll bump into the trees and the people around you. So you'll get tired if you say, "The raft is the one that helped me so I have to be faithful to it. I have to sleep with it and carry it with me to my grave." Isn't that ridiculous?

Give of Yourself to Compensate for the World's Kindness

If a practitioner isn't flexible and doesn't learn to adapt to situations for the benefit of humankind, that person is dead. He or she is a dead Buddha. Only an "alive" Buddha, a living Buddha, is good for the world. That's why I've taught you to take care of yourself.

So 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 aspects. We have to develop ourselves in all directions to become a perfect being. If you say you're a perfect being but develop only one aspect such as wisdom, what's the use of that wisdom?

Since we've been living in this world from the time we were born, we owe a great deal to the Earth, at least physically. But now that we're grown up, we can stand on our own feet and repay some of that kindness. Thus, each person has to be responsible for his or her own finances and family. This I've told you again and again. And whatever I teach you will benefit you for a long, long time. It will benefit the whole world in the long term. So try your best to follow it.

Real Freedom

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, New York, USA, August 4, 1999 (Originally in English)   Videotape #664

Doing God's work is never really tiring; it's just the karma that makes you tired. Doing God's work is very uplifting. It's very nice, actually. During that time, I feel very blissful; it's just my body that's exhausted. But that's the contrary nature of God's world versus the physical world.

The physical world wants to drag you down, wants to stop you from doing good things, wants to tell you that it's impossible. But the spiritual world is always encouraging. It's very nice that we have the same ideal; I love to be among people who are so noble and always thinking in the higher dimensions. This is a very big blessing. So I'm happy that you have group meditation together to get in touch with really noble people and think only of noble ideas. That's very good; that's really tremendous.

Perhaps you don't know what it's like to live with someone who's purely materialistic and who really tries to tie you down or oppress you or drag you in their direction, but it's very difficult. Now you're always among noble people, and this is already a big blessing. Wouldn't it be nice if the whole world were like this! (Audience applauds.) The country we're born into or the background we live in does influence us very much. But the individual soul that we are is always our Self. So if you're strong enough, you can overcome any situation, any background, any influence and just be yourself. That's the way it should be, and that's why we should meditate and learn to know God, which means knowing ourselves. So we'll become ourselves and be free from any stain of the world, any influence due to our background or war or country or ethnicity or customs from what we know. That's what real freedom is.

Master's Wonders

Surviving a Disaster

Narrated by sister-initiates Xiao Guang and Xiao Ji, Mainland China

Recorded by a fellow initiate (Originally in Chinese)

During a trip away from home in the summer of 2004, sister-initiates Xiao Guang and Xiao Ji were injured in a car accident that could best be described as "a miracle of survival." While on their journey, the sisters were crossing a road when they were hit by a white sedan speeding toward them at 120 km an hour. The impact was so powerful that sister Xiao Guang was thrown into the air and landed on the road ahead. She was then struck by the car a second time, and on the second impact broke the car's windshield before bouncing off the vehicle and onto the ground. Meanwhile, sister Xiao Ji landed ten meters away but quickly got to her feet to see how badly Xiao Guang had been hurt. After noticing no visible injuries to her sister she spoke softly into her ear, evoking a mischievous wink in response.

An ambulance quickly arrived along with several local police officers, who found that the driver was drunk. But they were mystified at the absence of skid marks, which should have been left by the car before it came to a stop. While the two casualties were being rushed to the hospital, the driver who had hit them vanished without a trace. An examination then revealed that sister Xiao Guang had suffered a compression fracture in one of her lumbar vertebrae, but the doctor said that surgery would not be necessary. Sister Xiao Ji had suffered only superficial injuries but both were hospitalized.

To ease their family's minds sister Xiao Ji telephoned her husband the following day and told him that she had to be away from home for a few more days. Her husband then asked, "Did you have a car accident? Last night I dreamt that you two were hit by a white sedan. But at that moment, a white light body stopped the car with both hands and that's why you're OK. It must have been Master who saved you!" When Xiao Guang's older brother came to see her he expressed the same view: "Had it not been for Master, you couldn't have survived."

While the sisters were in the hospital, local initiates spent time with them and brought them vegetarian meals, expressing the warmth of the Quan Yin family. During this time sister Xiao Ji received a message from the inner Master telling her that she would recover and be discharged in ten days, and sister Xiao Guang rested in bed listening to Master's Buddha's Chanting tapes daily. As a result, other patients in the vicinity also benefited from Master's blessings. For example, some recovered from serious injuries in a few days and were discharged from the hospital, and several showed great interest in the Quan Yin Method, were delighted to receive Master's sample booklet and said they would switch to a vegetarian diet. Even the hospital's head physician called sister Xiao Guang "Mrs. Buddha" for throughout his thirty-year medical career he had never seen anyone sustain such minor injuries from such a serious car accident.

Later, the hit-and-run driver was found, and when asked why he had fled he said, "I was driving extremely fast when I hit the two women, and I thought they had surely been killed. That's why I ran off. It's inconceivable that they were only slightly injured. It's really a miracle!"

Sister Xiao Guang recently recovered and practices diligently each day. Whenever she thinks about her miraculous car accident she feels it was a blessing in disguise, and filled with inner gratitude she said, "We're grateful to Master for giving us a new life. Let us now cherish every minute of our lives so that we can pursue spiritual practice."

Selected Questions and Answers

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Videoconference with Korean initiates August 24, 2002  (Originally in English)   Videotape #748

Balancing Spiritual Cultivation and Worldly Life

Q:  Master, I have difficulty balancing spiritual practice and worldly life. How can I balance them well?

M: Try! Try hard, OK? Just be natural. What do you mean by difficulty balancing? What's the problem? This is too general a question. What exactly is your problem? Be precise. Give me an example, and then I can help you.

Q:  According to Your teachings, it's more important to develop our wisdom than worldly knowledge. So should we just focus and concentrate on gaining wisdom rather than gaining worldly knowledge?

M:  No, it's OK. For example, if you want to study something to further your career, it's OK to do so. And if you'd like to read a book about something interesting, then you can do that. If you want to see a video about something that you're interested in, that will make your life more colorful and nice, then you can do that.       

But you can also study Master's teachings and do meditation at the same time. I don't want you to forsake everything just to study my teachings or any Master's teachings and just meditate all day long. We don't do that. We do everything that we have to do, that we used to do or that we'd like to do. As long as it doesn't harm anyone and as long as it doesn't poison our intellect, it's OK. We have to do it.

I meditate and do group meditation with you, but I also sometimes read a scientific magazine or follow the international news in case something happens in the world and so on. I also have to be knowledgeable about many things. And sometimes I read interesting books, take care of my dogs and so on; I take them out for walks sometimes. I feed them and play with them, doing my duty.         

So we have many things to do, just like you have to wash your face every day. It's not that because you're a practitioner, you can forget to wash or to wear new, clean clothes. It's the same: You do what you have to do. But you also meditate and understand that everything is transient in this world. It's just that while we're doing it we shouldn't be attached to it.

Meditation--Our Invisible Source of Strength

Q:  I often feel that my emotions rise in certain situations. For example, with family and so on, I feel love, hatred, jealousy, frustration, pressure, etc. Sometimes I feel that I'm growing through these experiences, but sometimes I think I can't endure them anymore. I don't know what kind of viewpoint I should have to deal with these situations.

M:  I understand. It's because you practice more and your energy is more purified that you feel the pressure a little more than before. You're more sensitive to the different chaotic energies of the world outside. So, the more you feel frustrated, the more you should meditate in order to be able to bear all this pressure and frustration. That's the only solution.

Q:  So more meditation is the only solution for me?

M: Yes, meditate more and then you'll become stronger than the pressure. I'm very sympathetic with you. I know how you feel. That's why I teach you this method, to counteract all these troubles and all this bad energy around you. And you're going to overcome it. You're stronger than the pressure. It's just that at the moment it doesn't seem so. But the greater the pressure, the more you'll become stronger and stronger every day. You should face it. Don't worry about it; just face it. Take care of your problems one by one.

Q: Yes. I understand. Thank You, Master. Thank You so much.

Initiates' Karma is Like Instant Coffee--Quick and Strong!

Q:  If Quan Yin Method practitioners break the Five Precepts, how does the karma come to us?

M: You'll see when it comes. It will come to you like it does to everyone else. But it might be even heavier because we already know and we deliberately broke them, number one.

Number two, if an ordinary person commits a transgression against universal law they'll have time to repay it. But we don't have time. We wanted to be liberated in one lifetime. So we have to pay it off quickly with all the interest, in one go. So we'll feel a heavy penalty.

Fixed Karma or New Karma?

Q:   When something happens to me, how can I know whether it's fixed karma or new karma?

M:  If you haven't done anything wrong in the past before the event happens, it's fixed karma. But suppose you do something wrong and break the Precepts, and the event happens. Then you'll see that it's connected with your action of having broken the Precepts, and you'll know it's new karma. It's mostly fixed karma because I've already taught you how to avoid new retribution, by not doing anything against universal law and by not sowing any more new seeds of bad karma. So if you largely abide by the Five Precepts, respect the teachings of the Master and meditate, it's almost always fixed karma.

 The Essence of Spiritual Trials

Q:  Sometimes I have difficult tests from Maya. Both inner and outer obstacles come to me, and some of the tests come through the people I like. Sometimes, I can't get through the tests and feel I'm stumbling in fear and frustration. Master, how can I overcome these tests? Can I only overcome them by following Your teachings, relying on Your power and practicing sincerely?

M: Yes, sure. That's the only way. If you fail a test, then next time try again. It's not about winning or losing; it's about trying again and again. It's about sincerity of practice and your honest desire to become free, to become connected with your great Self and be free from all this judgment, whether bad or good, free from all the tests, free from all failure and success. Just be free.

The Key to Going Home Early

Q:  Dear Master, what are the secrets of progressing faster and going back Home early?

M: There's no other secret except the Quan Yin Method that I've taught you. Then you live in the world but don't feel attached to the world. You do everything like you did before; it's just that your heart is completely detached. That's the secret to early Homecoming. 

The secret is in your attitude. It's in your conception of this world and the spiritual world. There's no method: It's a change in your attitude, a change in your philosophy, a change in your thinking inside, and you change because you practice. The more you meditate, the more you realize that this world is just a dream; it's not real, and then the more you become detached from it. And the more you become detached, the more quickly you progress. And then you can see Heaven while living.

Media Reports

Man's Best Friend Saves an Abandoned Baby in Kenya

(Originally in English)

[Nairobi, Kenya] On May 6, 2005, a newborn baby abandoned in a Kenyan forest was saved by a stray dog, who had apparently carried her across a busy street and through a barbed wire fence to a wood and corrugated metal shack. The infant was discovered nestled with a litter of puppies near the shed after two children alerted local residents that they heard a baby crying.

"I followed them outside and we started looking around the compound and a nearby plot,'' said Mary Adhiambo, the children's mother.

The residents eventually found the tan mixed-breed dog lying protectively with a puppy beside the mud-splattered, seven pound, four ounce baby, who was wrapped in a torn black shirt. Adhiambo told a newspaper reporter that she washed the child, cleaned her umbilical cord, dressed her in fresh clothes and fed her. Then the residents took the infant to a nearby police station and from there she the was taken to the Kenyatta National Hospital.

Doctors believe the baby, named "Angel'' by hospital workers, had been abandoned about two days before the dog discovered her. "She cried a lot during admission because her umbilical cord was infected,'' said Hannah Gakuo, a hospital spokeswoman, "but she is now very quiet. She just feeds and sleeps. I was there this morning and she looked at me and yawned, looked at me again and yawned. She is now fine. She is warm. She is in a separate room with a lady who is nursing another baby admitted to the hospital for treatment. The lady is looking after her as if she were her own child. People are now donating diapers and baby clothes for Angel.''

The stray dog that saved the child was also cared for on Tuesday (May 10), said Jean Gilchrist of the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals. Animal welfare officials named the dog "Mkombozi," which means "Savior," and gave it a bath and de-worming.

Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said that authorities were investigating the rescue story, adding, "This is a very interesting development and the government is looking into it because if it happened the way it has been relayed, it is one of those amazing things that happens in life that defies human explanation. It indicates that there is someone out there watching over us."

For details of the news, please refer to:

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/strange/050905_ap_sn_dog_saves_life.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4993614,00.html

http://www.salon.com/mwt/wire/2005/05/09/stray_dog/index_np.html

Caption: Local boys lovingly pet Savior. (mr3-2.jpg)

The Gwangju Dream, Korea, March 30, 2005, (Originally in Korean)

Environmental Destruction Brings Retribution

Mr. Jo Myung-Dae of a Technical High School Conducts Relief Activities in Tsunami Affected Areas

People only interested in how much donation money collected

                        ***

Disasters--a global environmental issue, not a foreign affair

                        ***

 "We need education in schools about disasters."--Jo Myung-Dae

In December 2004, a massive tsunami devastated South Asia, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dead and missing. Then, on March 28, 2005, even before its victims were able to recover, an 8.7 magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sumatra lead residents of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries to fear another tidal wave.

Upon hearing about the quake, Jo Myung-Dae (38), an instructor at the Gwangju Electronics Industrial High School, said, "The recent disasters are not simply environmental catastrophes but retribution for ignoring life and destroying the natural world for the sake of economic development. It's a pity. I can't go there right away. It reminds me of the hopeless situation of the tsunami affected areas last year."

>From mid-January to mid-February 2005, Mr. Jo engaged in relief activities in tsunami ravaged regions of Sri Lanka including Matara, about which he said, "The houses were gone without any trace and I saw people sitting in their home sites with absentminded looks. Debris was mixed and piled up like mountains so that people could dare not think of cleaning up."

Caption: Mr. Jo and other relief team members render aid in a tsunami-ravaged district of Sri Lanka.

Mr. Jo has been a member of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association for approximately ten years. Members of The Association conduct worldwide relief and charitable activities while seeking a spiritually fulfilled life through meditation rather than through the acquisition of material wealth. Thus, after the tsunami struck, he joined a relief team consisting of thirty-one Korean members that went to Matara to serve the victims. As head of the team, Mr. Jo provided people in the affected regions with daily necessities and led the volunteers. Regarding the team's work, he said, "I thought helping those who had lost family members to recover from their mental shock was the most important thing; I mean the healing of the mind. So we prepared special programs for the local children and also rented heavy machinery and cleaned up the massive accumulations of trash with our members day and night. Thus the children became happy and the villagers began to recover from their previous outlook and have vitality in their faces. The locals are by nature very innocent and pure so they regained strength quickly."

After returning to Korea, Mr. Jo visited the Gwangju Foreign Laborers' Center, met with Sri Lankan workers and informed them of their families' situation in their hometown of Matara. "When we see news reports about disasters, they only talk about how much money was collected for donations. Then people easily forget about the disasters. But when we came to Sri Lanka three weeks after the tsunami had struck, nothing had changed," said Mr. Jo. He then emphasized, "We should look at disasters as global environment problems, not just overseas affairs."

In his teaching, Mr. Jo stresses with students the purposes for which technology should be used. He is also interested in developing automobiles that use clean energy, and is pursuing environmental studies at Green University in Hamyang-gun, Kyungsangnam-do.

In conclusion, Mr. Jo said, "Schools do not provide adequate environmental education. We should teach our children to be interested in environmental problems in daily life. If we abuse nature, the results will definitely come back to haunt us." Mr. Jo added that through the recent South Asian Tsunami, we can learn about the essence of the problems humanity faces. (Reporter Jo Sun)

1 photo: mr2.jpg

Busan Ilbo, Korea, March 25, 2005, (Originally in Korean)

Developing One's Positive Nature through a Vegetarian Diet

Mr1-1-158.jpg

At 5:00 PM on May 26, 2005, the Vegetarian Society of Korea (VSK), soon to be an officially recognized NGO (Non-Government Organization), will host a celebration in Busan, Korea to commemorate its establishment as an NGO and promote vegetarianism.

Joining in the event will be the chairman and founder of VSK as an NGO, initiate Jae-O Park, 46, a lawyer from Jun-Buk Province, Korea and Doctor Carl Seff, head of the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii and professor at Hawaii University.

Mr. Park is a well known spokesperson for the vegetarian movement in Korea. He worked for over eight years at a district court in Seoul and Cheong-Ju but quit his job in 2000, publicly announcing that he felt limited in his position with regard to bringing about positive social change and thus wished to study religion and philosophy to expedite this process. After his public announcement Mr. Park became a complete vegan and opened a law practice in his home town, Jeon-Ju where he practices only part time because his main objective in life is to teach others about the benefits of vegetarianism. Mr. Park works diligently to present the merits of the vegetarian diet in Korea, where the present percentage of vegetarians in the population is presumed to be only one percent.

Regarding his work, Mr. Park says, "I began this effort to let others know about how great the vegetarian diet is and about the happiness that vegetarianism can bring into one's life. During the last few years, vegetarian activities have been limited to local groups of like-minded people and there has been a strong need for vegetarian associations and activities to be more organized so as to achieve VSK's ideals. Once we are established as an official NGO, we will publish a monthly magazine, conduct research and let people know the numerous merits of the vegetarian diet with respect to health, solving world starvation, making better use of energy resources, respecting life, social justice, stabilizing the food supply and so on."

It is expected that a wide array of individuals and groups will participate in the event, including vegetarian associations from other cities, organizations such as the Seventh Day Adventists (SDA), members of Ilgwando and other Buddhist groups, the yoga organization Ananda Marga and workers from medical institutions and animal protection and environmental agencies.

Regarding the move toward increased vegetarianism worldwide Mr. Park states, "Just several years ago, people thought it was very weird not to eat meat. But now it's been proven that eating meat causes many diseases in the human body. Also, large pastures developed for livestock are known to cause water and soil pollution in the surrounding areas, and the excessive cutting down of trees to create more grazing land triggers natural disasters such as floods and droughts."

But the most important message that Mr. Park wishes to convey is that our spirituality can be positively affected through a vegetarian diet: "When I was a meat eater, I always thought that eating meat was like accumulating lots of spiritual debt that eventually had to be paid off. Vegetarians naturally pursue non-violent, peaceful activities and gain an inherent love of nature through the diet. It helps us to be healthier and also changes attitudes toward life and nature. Don't you think this is the true meaning of ‘well being'? What's good for me is good for nature and the universe, and this is why I decided to begin following a vegetarian diet."

Likewise, Mr. Park explains, "Some people ask questions such as ‘What if the vegetarian diet causes malnutrition and what's left to eat if we eat only vegetables?' However, vegetarians eat similar foods as others except instead of meat products they use veggie ham, soy-based ‘meats,' veggie chicken and so on, which are made from nutritious soy beans, grains and vegetables."

In addition, Mr. Park says, "I hope that our society matures so that vegetarians are equally respected for their dietary choices, whether in school lunches or military dinners when nutrition specialists and chefs prepare their meals."(Reported by Eun-Young Kim) 

Pearls of Wisdom

Enlightenment and Meditation--the Keys to Becoming "Disaster-Proof"

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa, June, 10, 1995 (Originally in English) Videotape #479

T