So, what was it now? I forgot. What was it before? (You have to be like the people.) Yes. Before that. Yes, yes. Because the ascetic way, that’s a good way, but there’s a bad effect, too. And all the women want to shave their heads, become like me. Leave the husband, leave the children. Everybody comes crying to me, “Oh, Master, You “killed” my family. My wife went with You. Now, what shall I do with the children?” It’s also no good. For example, that’s one thing. OK, fine. And then another bad effect, if I don’t make myself beautiful, all the women do the same. They wear terrible clothes and don’t comb their hair because they want to look like a saint. And so, the family becomes “hell.” The husband doesn’t love them anymore, goes outside and finds another woman. So, there are a lot of effects. It’s no good. I see, it’s negative.
No, that’s after. “If I don’t make myself beautiful, all the women follow and make themselves unkempt. And so, the husband doesn’t like it, and the family is not happy.” So, I see, if I am a normal incognito woman, then I do what I want with my life. I can shave my head, I can cut my nose, I can pierce my ears. But because I’m in a position of influence, I think it is better for me to make a good example in all aspects, of beauty, truth, goodness, morals, anything, anything, anything. What do you think? Do you agree? (Yes.) Yes? (Yes.) Is that correct too? You see the influence I have on people? And then all the women come and cry to me saying, “My husband ran away, my children…” – blah, blah, blah – because the family fell apart.
So, I think even if we are a saint, we must be also a saint inside. We must do the logical things. If we are a family wife, we must take care of our appearance to please our husband, not because we want anything physical, but we please him in order to keep the peace and love in the family, for ourselves, for him, for the children, and for all the relatives and friends that wish us well and look up to us. Right? Otherwise, you can go to the Himalayas and do what you want with your body. No problem. Yes.
(I think one question that has always intrigued me is that many religions say that you should not care for the world and for material things and things. And I always think, God has made such beautiful things, and Hes must be offended if I don’t appreciate them.) Right, right. (And I have found that my senses for beauty have sharpened so much since initiation, and for yearning for beauty. And I think this gives us so much joy and happiness. And I always think God smiles when I look at a rose, and I like it, and I look at animal[-people], or beautiful things or colors. And that must be the intention of God. And I think Hes wants us to enjoy) Yes. (the good things in life, too. And I like it that You say, well, you should not just – with all the detachment and so on – it doesn’t mean that you don’t appreciate good things and enjoy yourself. And I think if you enjoy yourself, other people will also. It’s a good influence on other people because there’s nothing worse than somebody who’s discontented and unhappy, and the whole environment gets affected by this. And I think that is our mission too.)
Yes. You translate. Please. (Oh, God!) Better in English. (Yes. I can do that now...) Your appreciation for beauty is sharper since initiation. It’s better like that. You translate that. I appreciate your talk. It’s very articulate. Yes. Many of the people… Of course, the detachment, that’s what we will have. Definitely, 100 percent. And we can’t run away from detachment after we practice for some time. It’s not a precept, it’s not a forced regulation. It is a natural course of development. And we will have detachment from everything in the world. And that is for sure. So, we don’t need to show it. We know it inside, but detachment doesn’t mean not appreciation. That’s right. We are detached from money. That’s for sure. That’s why we can give all our earnings to our family and to the poor people in the world. That’s what I do. That’s what I do. If I am not detached from money, how could I give so much money away? I would keep it for myself. No? So, that means I’m detached. But that doesn’t mean I don’t earn money.
Because I’m detached from money, that’s why I earn money. So that I don’t have to depend on you for my living, so that I can help whoever needs financial support when I see someone. That’s why, that’s where my detachment is. So, that’s very different. So, if you are detached from money, then you must earn money. If you are detached from all the riches, and diamonds and gold, and things like that, then you must learn how to use them for the beauty of the world and for the sake of leading other people back to the Truth. I use diamonds, I use gold, I use money, but I’m not attached to gold, diamonds, and money. I use them because God made them for me to use for the sake of everybody else. Right? OK. It’s better. She is tired now. (Yes.) (I completely understand you.) Yes. Since yesterday. (Yes, I know.) Yes, one needs concentration. But she was tah tah tah tah... very well done. OK. Never mind. It’s too much for you, too much.
I meant that God gave us diamonds and gold so that we could use them to help other people. So, I said I use diamonds. I use gold and money. But I’m not dependent on or attached to money or diamonds. This is different. There hangs the difference. (That’s the difference.) Yes. That’s the difference. Do you understand? The more we… The more we speak about detachment, the more we must fulfill our duty. The more we are detached from money, the more we must earn it. So that we don’t rely on other people, make trouble, make burden for our family members, our friends. For example, if I don’t make money, every time I come to see you, you’d have to pay at least US$20,000 for me and my group on air tickets. Transportation. Blah, blah. Yeah. Every time you want to see me. Every time you see me. For example. And here you have a house for me. It’s good. It’s less cost. But if I stay in a hotel – oh là là! Yes. You see? And I have to go to restaurants to eat, and all those things. And take a taxi, and all the transportation. Everything, and equipment, all kinds of things. So, you see? Because I’m detached from money, I must make money.
Photo Caption: “How Ephemeral Life Is, Sparing No One! Take Refuge in the LASTING LOVE for Eternal Life.”
