Practitioners are free and happy, free and happy within, content and satisfied. Before you began practicing, sometimes you made a lot of money, but the money slipped away, didn’t it? (Yes.) After you started practicing, you now have a lot of money. You travel around often and can also help the world. As we know happiness consists in... (Contentment.) […] Contentment! That’s it. It’s a natural process.
We already had him inspected, but Taiwan (Formosa) had to inspect him again. (Yes.) And, when he came, there were two vets. He shook hands with one but ignored the other one despite my order. (Really?) I was so embarrassed. (Then I am very honored. Thank you.) I was embarrassed. (Thank You. OK. Master, please take the seat. I’ll sit off the stage.) I don’t know my plans for today. I was just waiting for you. I thought you’d be here in another 30 minutes. We were going to meet you down there, but you were already here. (Because when the brother called me, I was out by the science park.) Aiya, that’s not necessary! (So I came quickly.) No, she was busy. (No, It’s not because…) I came down early to welcome you. (No need, no need.) But he has pestered you into coming. I’m sorry. (I am sorry about last time. Because when I came, I quickly took off my vest. Last time, it was so urgent that I just rushed over, so I…) What was that? (Because… I often say when we come to this place, we are all equal.) Yes. (Yes. So I quickly took it off and put on another one before entering.) Why did you take it off? (No, no, I changed it.) No. (I’m sorry for last time.) No, no.
We respect people with ranks. (No, You shouldn’t have, then I don’t dare take that seat.) No, no, no. Spiritual practice means just that. (Yes.) The world has its own hierarchy. Understand? We don’t say everyone is the same when they come here. No, no. (But I should… I feel bad. I should learn. Thank You.) No, they’re disciples. We don’t have space for so many people, so they sit on the floor. They are afraid they might doze off and be embarrassed. This is more convenient. See how close they sit. If they fall asleep, they do it like this. (I finally realize why you all follow Master.) Or they can lean back. It’s not that everyone should sit like that. Last time, you went up and we sat together. You can sit here if you like, but sit here if you want to speak, so everyone can see you clearly. (No, better let everyone look at Master.)
Is there anything else you want to share? (No, that is it.) That is it? (Yes.) I just offered my praises. I said that the air is good and that a centenarian still works here, etc. (Yes.) Still very healthy. (We have many healthy elders in Hsihu.) Yes. (Right.) There are also people aged 80 years. Wow, a lot. (Hsihu has a population of 7,210 as of now. It has only nine villages.) Only 7,200? (7,210. You almost have more people than we do.) I wouldn’t dare compete with You. (No.) They came by themselves. (Yes.) Asking them not to come doesn’t work, I tell you.
It was the same in Hong Kong. I have a small mountain. It was open only on Sundays because it’s not as big as here. We asked people not to come. So they wandered around in the area and were detained by the police. Understand? It has a river and a narrow path leading up to it. You can’t drive. You can only walk. It’s about a 15-minute walk to my place. They just wandered around, sitting everywhere. Then I felt embarrassed. I really sent someone down to tell them, “Please, go elsewhere, it is not convenient here. (They understand. But I think it is impossible for all of them to understand.) They don’t understand. (As Master is talking about it.) I’ve said it’s relatively simple here. If it rains and the wind blows, it’s not comfortable. (Yes. They can’t stay away.) But they still come. I don’t know why so many have come. Not just locals, but some foreigners as well. (A lot.) There are fewer now. Because we celebrated (Supreme Master) Ching Hai Day on October 25.
(Twenty-fifth, the World [Supreme Master] Ching Hai Day.) I’d have forgotten if they didn’t remind me. (The day was proclaimed by the Honolulu mayor.) What about the mayor? (It was because the mayor of Honolulu expressed his gratitude to You.) Ah, I see. (To honor You for the many contributions You made with a compassionate and magnanimous heart, [Supreme Master] Ching Hai day was proclaimed on October 25.) What else should we do for (Supreme Master) Ching Hai Day? (The mayor of Honolulu chose October 25 and proclaimed it [Supreme Master] Ching Hai Day.) Oh! My God. OK, thank you very much. (But I’ve wondered why he chose October 25. It’s also Taiwan’s [Formosa’s] Retrocession Day.) Oh! Is it so? (Yes.) Restoration… Wow! (Taiwan Retrocession Day! After that, Master told me something which I later thought might be connected to why She likes Taiwan [Formosa] and Hsihu. Because later She said that she likes this place for its freedom.) Wow, thank you! We do feel free. (Yes, but we didn’t have a prior discussion with the Honolulu mayor on this.) You didn’t? (I also don’t know why he chose this day.) Oh, I’m flattered. (Well I’m just guessing and making associations.) Oh, I am honored. I didn’t know it. (You didn’t? OK.) No, I didn’t. It’s the first time I heard about it. (Oh, is that so?) Yes, thanks to you. (Thank you all for letting me to explain it. Thank you.) Please say thanks to the mayor for me. (I haven’t met the Honolulu mayor.) You haven’t? (He’s on the other side of the Earth and I’m on this side.)
How did you know about it? (Because on the World [Supreme Master] Ching Hai Day last year, Master, they broadcasted [the musical] called “ Loving the Silent Tears.” Every time I watch it, I cry. That’s how I knew and later learned more about it.) Oh, is that so? Those disciples in the US did everything as they wished. I couldn’t stop them. Then it became bigger and bigger. (Master, You should release an album called “Irresistible Charm.”) I can’t resist them. They outnumber me. I give up. (You give up.) I am just one person. My work is to serve them. (This is where Your greatness lies. Your greatness alone can touch so many people in this world.) No, it’s the Power of the Universe channeled through the petite person that I am. (No, no.) It’s the Power of the Universe. We humans cannot do anything. (I know we cannot do bad things.) Of course, we can’t do bad things. They all know it. If they do bad deeds, sometimes they will be expelled for a while. They can come back after they repent. They have to be good. (Thank You, Master.) We have to set a good example. Few people do that in this world. If we don’t set a good example, then who will? (Everyone here is a role model. A role model.) Thank you. (Thank You, Master. Master, please go up.)
Come up and sit with me. (Oh, no. Can I go down now?) Come up and sit with me. (I can’t, I will sit…) Many people are sitting here. (No, I can’t sit there. I’d better go down. I’ll sit down there. Thank You.) OK, OK. That’s fine. If you sit here, people may think I am running for county mayor, or village chief, or county… A county is bigger than a village, right? (Right.) Village chief, then. People may think I am sitting with her for some political purpose. We must sit separately. We welcome the government of any level. As long as they do not look down on us, this place, or our method, then they can come. We cannot be biased. We just practice spiritually. That way, we’re more clear-cut. Otherwise, if we practice spiritually and get our hands in politics, then it won’t do. Politics is for politicians. They are more professional. Yes. It’s not easy being a politician. You have to learn many things. You have to learn many things, and also…
Do you have translation? Very good? Everything OK? Little, huh? Somebody left already? (Yes.) They come and go. Ah, give it to her. It’s alright. I’ll speak Chinese. Just a few sentences in English. No need. I’ll speak Chinese. You don’t need makeup. You are beautiful. Everyone, look. She looks natural, naturally beautiful with a rosy face. A lot of work and exercise gives her a rosy face. Thank you for giving me the nutritious drink. I drank it. Thank you. She takes good care of me. I mentioned it last time. I praised her.
You think it is easy to be a politician. No, it’s not. For example, being an ordinary worker, after you finish your work, you can go home and sleep. You don’t need to manage the business, except the boss perhaps has to do that. As a politician, even she, a township mayor, has to work on Sundays. Right? She was here to work last time. She is here again to work, not to enjoy herself. Don’t think she is here to see you, to see how good you look or because you are important. For a politician, it’s good if things go well. If not, there is a lot of trouble that cannot be avoided and sometimes wrongful accusations too. One cannot make everyone happy. You are good to this person, then that one becomes unhappy. For example, the US president is the most powerful in this world, right? It is the most powerful country, and he is the biggest world leader, yet he is still criticized a lot by others. Wow! It’s great that I cannot be a president. It’s great that I can’t. I can’t and I don’t want to be one.
If you are a president or a powerful politician, if you are not appointed by the government, then you have to… The township mayor is appointed by the government, but she has spent her whole life helping her husband until he passed away. She did a lot behind the scenes. It is said that behind every successful man is a great woman. Usually, it is like that. So, she is OK. If you are to run for election, it will be very difficult. You need money, supporters, wealthy supporters, and many volunteers to help you. Understand? You have to go on a campaign trail, and say how good you are and sometimes how bad your opponent is. It is what it is. So you have to strive for it. Understand? And you may not win the position that you or your party seeks.
Things used to be simpler in the past. One was destined to be king from the time of birth. Who was to be king was written there. When the father dies, the child becomes king. However, it was not so simple either. A king had many wives. Many wives meant many children. With many children, the fight for the throne was sometimes terrifying. Sometimes even parents were removed so they could seize the crown.
We spiritual practitioners don’t need to think of these things, because we don’t need them. We are happy within. We do not disrupt the world or the government. With a good government, we can practice spiritually in peace. Thank you. With a bad government, we also practice in peace. There is only one path – to practice in peace. Very simple. Never mind if the government is good or not. OK. OK. Very good. You understand? (Yes.) We are enlightened today because we experience our inner joy. Things change after we are initiated. Yes? (Yes.) You don’t come to see my beautiful clothes. Do you? Why do you come to see Master? Tell me. (We love Master.) (Master, we love You so much.) One person. (We love Master.) (Missing You.) Oh, you love me. Because I wear beautiful clothes. Oh, yes. After initiation, we communicate inside. We are together as one, almost. Some of us are together as one. Some are not sure yet. Never mind. We’ll get there slowly.
Practitioners are free and happy, free and happy within, content and satisfied. Before you began practicing, sometimes you made a lot of money, but the money slipped away, didn’t it? (Yes.) After you started practicing, you now have a lot of money. You travel around often and can also help the world. As we know happiness consists in... (Contentment.) Contentment! That’s it. It’s a natural process. (Yes.) I do not ask you to be an ascetic, do I? (No.) No. Look at me and you know. What ascetic practice can I do? I practice beauty, dressing up. So do you. (Yes.) We wear whatever we like. I didn’t say this dress is too bright, that dress is not bright. Anything is fine. There are many colors. (Yes.) This means you are at ease. Appearance is not important, OK? I wear this as a form of advertisement, advertisement for the clothes. The whole world will see them and want to buy them. Then I’ll make money. I manage money only. The more the better. (Yes.)
Is Master greedy? (No.) Then why do I make so much money? (To help the world.) (For disaster relief.) Disaster relief. (To help the world.) Disaster relief, to help the world, and? (Giving charity.) (Supreme Master TV.) Supreme Master TV. What else? (Environmental protection.) Environmental protection? Does that require money? (It does.) It needs? I thought a clean environment saves money. Why does it need money? Do you need money for environmental protection? (For investment in equipment.) What? (Spreading the Dharma.) (Environmental protection equipment.) Setup fee. (Equipment.) Equipment. I don’t know. My eco-friendly actions are simple. I reduce the use of things. For example, in my bathroom, there is no toilet paper. I do use it sometimes but it’s this kind. We don’t have to cut down trees for it. We bought it from mainland China. Taiwan (Formosa) may have it too. It doesn’t need to be imported from the mainland. Do you know what this is? (Recycled paper.) It’s like rice. Rice or… (Rice straw. Made from rice husk.) Rice… (Made from rice husk.) Ah! The part that is removed. (We eat the rice and husks are used to make that paper.) Yes, we eat the rice and the rest is used to make tissue paper. So the color is not so white because it’s unbleached. It’s more eco-friendly and won’t pollute our environment.
