Ask him, when does he want to become a monk? (When do you plan to take monastic vows?) Tomorrow? (Right now.) (Now, now, now. Now, now, now.) Welcome. (Welcome) Tomorrow. Tomorrow morning. (Tomorrow morning.)
Morning. And we’ll give you clothes, and buy some fruits. Everybody is welcome to come to your address. (Tomorrow, come to my house. Later I’ll give you my address.) If you don’t know the address, ask when you go out later Ten o’clock, in the morning. (Tomorrow at 10 in the morning, we’re at your service.)
OK. Any other questions? (“Master, You’ve practiced spiritually for years. Can You see the realms of yin and yang? What’s the difference between them?”) I’ve been practicing spiritually since childhood, for many lifetimes. There’s no difference between yin and yang. The difference is only in our heart. Yin and yang were originally one. Take electricity for example: it is the combination of yin and yang. But can you see in electricity which is yin and which is yang? Once you separate them, there’s no electricity. OK.
(“Master, if we can’t decide whether or not to get initiation with You, and if we have questions in the future, will Master answer us?”) If you write to me, or come to see me, I’ll answer. For those who have been initiated, they’ll receive answers directly in their heart. Sometimes even before writing, the answer is already there. Once they write the question, the answer is there. Because there is direct communication between Master and disciples. For non-initiates, it’s more difficult. Then you can write to me. OK? Besides, one week later, I’ll give lectures on two days. If you don’t get initiation today, then consider it again next week. Otherwise, you can wait until next year, or the next life, or many lives later. After a hundred years, a hundred eons, or after a thousand years. There’s plenty of time; take your time. Wandering in the cycle of birth and death is also kind of fun.
(“Master, after initiation, if I carelessly violate the precepts, will there be any consequence? Can I, like in Catholicism, make confession?”) Repentance is useful, but we must be sincere not to commit the same mistake again. Then it will be useful. During initiation, I’ll tell you how to avoid making mistakes, and what to do after making mistakes. I’ll tell you all, but it takes longer time. It cannot be answered in just one or two sentences. During the actual initiation, I’ll explain everything, so you know how to walk the path. It’s not just “hu la hoop” and then done. It takes several hours. OK.
(“Master, how many living Buddhas like You are here in the world to save people? Because in Taiwan [Formosa] there’s also someone who claims to be such-and-such god, coming to the world to save people. And he also emphasizes spiritual practice.”) I know. Go and ask him, “Who is Master Ching Hai?” and he’ll tell you. He’ll tell you my level, and what’s the difference between me and him. OK?
(“Master, is it only through Your initiation one can reach Heaven? Or is it according to Christianity, through praying every day and following (Lord) Jesus’ Commandments, so that at the time of death, [Lord] Jesus will take us to Heaven?”) You have to be connected with (Lord) Jesus Christ. Get initiation first, and then you can also see Him, and know for sure that He’ll come to pick you up at your time of death. If you can’t see Him now, how can you see Him after you die? It would be very difficult. Besides, I’m a friend of (Lord) Jesus. Now I’m doing the job that He hadn’t finished. If you follow me… They know, but you don’t. That’s why you don’t understand why they are clapping. Because you haven’t experienced what they have experienced.
You follow me, then you surely will meet (Lord) Jesus Christ. You’ll see Him in this lifetime. No need to wait until you die. What does it mean by following (Lord) Jesus Christ? It means to keep the precepts, meditate, and acquire wisdom – not just keeping the precepts, not just praying. Because (Lord) Jesus Christ initiated His disciples Himself. He Himself had also been initiated. During His initiation, a spiritual aura descended from Heaven, in white color, like a white dove. Now, if we don’t have this sign, no such verification, how can we say that we’re in communication with God? I have explained that if we want to communicate with God, we should practice the same way as (Lord) Jesus Christ. We should see God and hear God’s Voice in order to guarantee our liberation, and truly be one with (Lord) Jesus Christ, and live in the same place. Otherwise, He is He and we are we.
If you want to become a billionaire, you cannot just stand at the billionaire’s doorstep all day long, praying to see him. You should be like him: running business, working, and putting in effort. He might lend you some money, but you yourself should work. You can’t just pray over there. Besides, the billionaire is already dead. You don’t know where his wealth is. No use praying to him. When (Lord) Jesus Christ was alive, praying to Him was useful. Now that He’s gone, you should pray to someone else. For example, there were great skillful doctors before, Hua Tuo and Bien Que, who could cure people’s illnesses. But now they’re gone. When we’re sick, we should see doctors who are living now.
(Master.) Are there many more? (One more.) We need to proceed with initiation, and time is short. (OK, one more question. “Master, in Your books, it says, ‘Reprinting is prohibited.’ Does that mean You don’t want others to reprint Your books? Does it also mean You don’t want more people to access virtuous knowledge and learn about Your Method?”) What is “reprinting”? (It means printing Your books again, publishing Master’s books. Reprinting.) Oh! That’s because we’re afraid that someone might secretly print only a portion of the book and then add nonsense comments – people who are not enlightened, or who just want to do business. They would create karma for themselves, and we want to protect them. Because in Taiwan (Formosa), there are so many unauthorized reprints. They print things in a messy way – they just take one or two sentences, then add a lot of comments, which are nonsense and harmful to the public. Also, they only print a little portion of my book and then add their own ads and whatever, selling (animal-people) meat, fish(-people), alcohol, or sex – many things!
I worry those people create bad karma. I’m not afraid that they print my books for others to read. If they do it without respecting my books, they themselves create karma. And the people receiving those books also won’t respect my teachings. Because when they see such things together, they’ll think that I also belong to that class, and lose respect. Without respect, how can they come and learn? So it’s useless. My books are not easy to buy. They’re only available when I give a lecture. In the six years I’ve lived in [Taiwan (Formosa)], I haven’t sold my books openly. Because I’m afraid that many people would misuse them just for money, then create karma and harm others. They would only quote a little, take a sentence or two, then comment on it, Normal people don’t understand the teaching themselves, yet they still want to criticize others. That’s what I’m afraid of.
(We have finished all the questions.) Finished. Wonderful. (Master, there is one more question on my side.) No question is the best question.
(Master, there is one last question on my side.) (“Why do you cut all the hair off your head?”) (“Master, why do You shave Your head?”) OK, then I’ll consider growing my hair in future. OK? (Well, in the future I’ll consider maybe having hair.) Why do you keep hair, then? Too much trouble, have to wash it every day, comb it again and again, and then blow-dry… And have to perm it, curl it, and then blow-dry it like this. So, it is very convenient for me to shave my hair. Just different tastes. My way is more economical, it saves money, and saves effort. Because I’m a nun. Originally, monks, Buddhist monks, according to tradition from India, were supposed to shave their heads. But shaving the head has nothing to do with enlightenment. You can be enlightened with hair or without hair. It’s just that I’m used to shaving, so I continue. If I don’t, it feels itchy. You are used to having hair, so shaving feels uncomfortable. It’s just a matter of habit.
I could grow hair again if I wanted, or shave again. This is not important. I personally find shaving very comfortable and clean. I don’t need to perm my hair, using so many tools. Can you imagine me traveling everywhere giving lectures, yet spending all my time managing my hair? I’d be exhausted before even coming out to speak. I’d have to wash it, use the curlers, blow-dryer… Then when would I have time to lecture? Do you know how many hours you spend on your hair? Very busy, right? So I shave to dedicate more time to serving others. I don’t have to look pretty. I am a nun; I don’t need to look pretty. Shaving my head means that I let go of my outward appearance – I don’t care about it anymore. It’s for the sake of serving others. I don’t care whether I look good or not. It saves a lot of time, it’s more hygienic, and it saves a lot of money– perming hair costs a lot, right? And I also need to book an appointment. Call: “Do you have time to perm my hair today?” If she says, “Yes,” then I can go. After the perm, I come back and go to bed, and the next day it’s ruined again. If the next day I have to give a lecture, then I have to perm it again. It wastes a lot of time and money. So I think shaving my head is the best, so I continue. But if one day the world no longer makes razors, then I’ll grow hair again.
Don’t look at my head; just look at the wisdom, look at the eyes, not at my head. Alright!
(Master, some people want to get initiation today.) How many? How many want initiation? Did you count? (At the moment, there are 13.) Only 13. (Yes. They have signed up before the lecture; no one has yet enrolled after the lecture.) (We have approximately 13 people who are going to be initiated.) In addition to those who’ve already signed up, is there anyone who wants to enroll? (Those interested in receiving...) They can register now. (…initiation, can go to the information desk to sign up.) Others may go home now. (Those who don’t wish to be initiated may now leave. Good evening.) See you some other time. (Thank you for coming.) Thank you. (Thank you.) (And we thank Master for the lecture.) (Master, would You like to rest?) OK, let me rest a little. When you’re ready, then call me.
(Let’s first respectfully send Master off.) Or… After today’s initiation, we’ll send them home. If transportation is inconvenient, later we’ll arrange disciples to take you home, so staying late for initiation can go home sooner. OK, good night. I wish you all enlightenment soon! Bye. See you some other time. Come and listen to the lecture again when you have time. Those who want initiation, register now. I’ll come back later. (Those who want initiation today, please stay. Go to the front to register. Master will be back soon.) If you want to get initiation but still have doubts, or any uncertainty, you may ask Master inside. If you’ve already decided, you can stay here. The others can go back now.
Photo Caption: Spiritual Fruits Are Sent from HOME
