Now, one of the [Supreme Master] TV team members, he doesn’t want people to know what he does, because he is not a big shot. Understand? He thought labor work, like taxi driver or car repairing, are not good things to let people know. So, I wrote a note asking them to tell him that he should be very proud of himself. He earned his living, with his own hands, with his own time. He ought to be very proud of himself. […] I would be very proud. I am very proud that I can tell the whole world that my disciple is truly good.
Handle things yourself if you can. Don’t bother other people anymore, especially not your Master. (OK.) Those are trivial things. There are so many of you. Can’t you even take care of such things? And then, if Master cleans, fixes or scolds you, you’d say, “Oh! Master is so fierce. Very fierce.” I am not fierce enough. It’s truly like that. Some of you are very fierce. Very fierce inside. Understand? (Understand.) And even more fierce when you say something. It’s not just in Hsihu. It was the same in LA too. They also said, “How can it be public toilets? We are petrified of public toilets. They’re not hygienic.” Thousands of people came. Should I have built one toilet for each person? What kind of sense is that? Even tourist places are not like that. Government venues also don’t have one toilet per person. If you don’t like it, don’t come.
You just criticize indiscriminately. Criticizing indiscriminately creates karma. Understand? You just criticize everything, and then you claim to be “Master’s disciple.” How can that be? When I was in the Himalayas, I never made any criticisms because I was already very happy if there was a toilet. How could I dare to criticize? Understand? (Understand.) I’ve told you stories about India. Not every place has a toilet. No. Not even in residential areas. (Understand.) They find a way to solve the problem on their own. In ancient times, we ancient Chinese also didn’t have toilets. Right? They used a bucket, and in the morning, someone would go… (Empty it.) Go what? Empty it, just like people throwing away garbage nowadays. Let’s not think so high. Think lower. Be more humble. OK? We’d better have a heart that endures humiliation. But that doesn’t count as endurance of humiliation, does it? What humiliation is there to be endured?
I didn’t feel proud that you said you were my disciples. I am not proud that you’re like that. I think you behave like that because you don’t practice well. You join the group for what… joining in the fun, right? Is that how you say it in Chinese? Just because I give a lot, you want to come up and take a look. I am not proud. I am very ashamed to have this kind of so-called disciples. Because I gave initiation openly before, I accepted any kind of people. Even now, it’s still the same. If you really want to enter (the group), you have to think about your heart within. OK? Pay no attention to the outside situation. Because if you do not practice sincerely, you will fail just like you can’t turn sand into rice.
I think it’s great to have a place for everybody to get together and do group meditation, so that we can feel the spirit of mutual support. Right? (Yes.) It’s better than going sightseeing, shopping, or buying some junk and sticking it in a storeroom, and not using it for a long time. Because you just buy anything you see. You buy when things are cheap or pleasant to your eyes whether you use them or not.
Live a simple life. Only buy things you need. Think it over before buying something: “Do I really need it?” OK? Unless you are very rich, and you want to be charitable to people who sell things. Then that’s OK. It’s OK, so they have business. I understand that. But, share what you don’t need with other people. Give to the poor, to those who are more in need than us. Don’t leave them lying around everywhere.
Let me tell you something. My life is not that good either because there are too many people. Everyone takes what they like, and… If they have no use for something, they take it out and leave it at my place. Anything that’s not to their liking. I don’t have the time for all of it... Sometimes after things are organized, somebody else would buy again, and put it all in there. It’s really exhausting. It’s not that you’d feel good if you have many people and helpers. So now, I don’t dare anymore. Two girls to tend the dog-people is enough. Cleaning once or twice a month is enough. It depends on whether I am home or not. If I am home, I take care of it myself. I dare not look for helpers anymore. I am fed up. Understand? I had to put up with it for decades. I can live more comfortably in the house if it’s emptier. There were things all over the place, yet nothing looked nice or was to my liking. They only took up space and collected dust. And clothes were also bought without thinking. Understand? I used to give things away all the time. Maybe you don’t know about it. I did that in the United States. I often took things out and gave them to people. Anyone who needed them could take them. Perhaps I’ve done the same thing here too. Sometimes, they take them out to sell for charity. If it were me, I would have just given them away for free. As long as I can have space, I even thank the people for taking them away. I did it often in America. Now, I’m too busy, really too busy. Sometimes I’m all tied up, I have my hands full.
Last night, I worked very late, and then I had to take care of the dog-people. Got them settled, covered them with blankets, and made them comfortable, so, it got very late. It was very late and then… I still needed to take a shower. As I went to see people, I had to take a shower when I came back. Then I was exhausted when meditating. Understand? After seeing people, I would be tired when coming back. And I felt exhausted, so I didn’t want to come down today. But considering that everyone is coming from such a distance, just to take a look at me, I couldn’t bear to stay there. So I dealt with myself, organized myself, saying, “You’d better go down,” and then I came down. (Thank You, Master.) I also want to thank you, especially fellow initiates who came from far way, and had to go through many difficulties to come here. It was not so easy for some of you. A lot of obstacles, right? If it was not a visa problem, then it was being monitored, or perhaps family issues. There may be something wrong with the family, or the family members were unhappy or didn’t let you go, etc. I also understand all these situations. But if you made it despite all that, you know you are truly strong. You won’t concede defeat easily. It’s more convenient for me to walk this way. You look uncomfortable on your knees.
The most difficult thing for us is to leave our family, leave our parents, right? The Sixth Patriarch Huineng had an elderly mother. He used to chop firewood every day. Or collected wood. Not sure if it was chopping or collecting. He took it back and sold it to make a living and to take care of his mother. Even in such a situation, He knew enlightenment is the most important thing. Don’t get too close. Three steps, at least. Thanks. You see? He loved His mother very much. Even so, He still went to follow the Fifth Patriarch in order to become enlightened. Because after becoming enlightened… Because His mother happened to… Probably a fellow practitioner helped take care of her. Seeing how sincere He was, people knew it. Then someone would help Him and take care of His mother by giving her money, making her comfortable. And then He left. It’s the most difficult thing to leave our mother, right? Moreover, He was her only son. His mother would have no one to rely on. So, it was very difficult.
However, would you think He was not filial? Yes or no? (No.) No. Why? You answer. (It’s the greatest filial piety.) Why? Shy? I am also very shy too, but there’s nothing I can do. Everyone is waiting to listen. OK. Anyone knows? (It was the greatest filial piety, so His mother in her next life would have the biggest…) It was the greatest filial piety, so His mother in her next life would have… (Merits.) Have merits. (Have merits.) Lots of merits. Good merits, right? OK. Right. You are sort of enlightened.
But I am not encouraging you to leave your mother, and become a monk here. To be a renunciate, you must truly have ideals and want to be enlightened. Not to depend on the public for a living. Understand? Some are like that. Troublesome, troublesome. I used to think that every renunciate has ideals. Not necessarily so. It’s alright. We don’t criticize. People do whatever they can. He can only do this. Some people can only do this, some people can only do that. That’s probably his fate. But since you have chosen to walk on this path, you have to change your heart. Be sincere.
It’s also good that you come here to see me. Of course, here is your home. If this can be considered a home. Is this considered a home? (Yes.) Yes? (Yes.) So, this can be considered a home? (Yes.) OK. Is there also considered a home? (Yes.) The canopy over there? (Yes.) Yes. OK. Is this also a home? (Yes.) How about these? (Yes.) All can be considered homes. OK. Good. (Home is where Master is.) OK, home is where Master is.
We spiritual practitioners have to take care of ourselves first, so that we won’t trouble others. Understand? (Understand.) While I am alive… Probably there is water. Before, when I was still a layperson… No, when I was a student, I did all kinds of jobs: washing dishes in the kitchen, cleaning rooms in a hotel, and serving people in restaurants to make money. There is no place in the world without jobs. Do you understand? (Understand.) As long as you are not picky about jobs, you will have money. Don’t rely on others. Any job is OK. As long as you earn clean money, it’s OK. I make you exhausted. There is the… Have I walked this way? Yes or no? (Yes.) Some people “Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm.”
Now, one of the [Supreme Master] TV team members, he doesn’t want people to know what he does, because he is not a big shot. Understand? He thought labor work, like taxi driver or car repairing, are not good things to let people know. So, I wrote a note asking them to tell him that he should be very proud of himself. He earned his living, with his own hands, with his own time. He ought to be very proud of himself. I said that there are various workers in our television team, including mothers even. Housewives, drivers, bus drivers, train drivers, auto mechanics, house cleaners. All kinds. How come one finds no job to do? Therefore, if you tell me that you don’t have money and you can’t make money, I won’t be proud of you. But if you say, “Oh, I clean someone’s house, take care of the elderly, and take care of people’s children to make a living,” I would be very proud. I am very proud that I can tell the whole world that my disciple is truly good. He takes care of himself. He firmly believes that no matter what job he does, he will feel good.
Any job we do is good. The most important thing is to be honest, to be a good citizen, to help yourself and society. Understand? Don’t look down on any job. We make a living by our own hands and brains. What’s there to be embarrassed about? Is there? Yes or no? (No.) No. Right. Doesn’t matter what kind of job you are doing; besides earning an honest living, if we do our best – lovingly, cheerfully – that is dignity for human life. Every job we do with perfection, with the best ability, that is dignity for you.
I wouldn’t feel ashamed telling you that I did this and that job when I was in school. I spent what I earned. My parents had limited financial resources. They didn’t have so much money for me to be a princess or what in Europe. The European currencies are very expensive. The cost of living in Europe is several times higher than that in Vietnam or Âu Lạc. Âu Lạc’s (Vietnam’s) currency, or for example, mainland China’s currency, or Taiwan’s (Formosa’s) currency, if you convert it and spend in Europe, it becomes very little. Do you understand what I mean? So, what does it matter if I want to make money myself? What’s wrong with cleaning people’s houses and washing pots? I didn’t steal. Right? I didn’t beg, didn’t rely on others, didn’t cheat others to make money. I should be very proud of myself. Right? (Yes.) You are the same. OK? (Yes.)
Don’t think that in a high position, the better ones, for example, an official’s position or positions of a company executive are good. Not necessarily so. (OK.) Not necessarily so. The higher your position, the more headaches you have. Yes, yes. (Yes.) More worries. It’s like that. You really don’t understand. You see a company boss or a government official, you think they are in good positions. It does look great, (A lot of trouble.) but with lots of troubles. Many people come to pester you. Understand? He thinks that you can do anything. Even if you are a high-ranking official, there are even higher ones. The higher-ranking officials have even more troubles. (Understand.) Because many people envy you, many people do not support you, and many people also come to take advantage of you. When you go out, you are afraid that others will steal or rob you or make trouble for you. It’s not that good.
If some people or a country asks you to be the king, run away quickly. Run away quickly, as far as you can. Understand or not? (Understand.) Being a king is the most troublesome. Most people think it’s nice to be a king. No. They work very hard. For example, we see on television that Ms. so-and-so is going to marry Prince so-and-so. Oh! Everyone is envious. “How can it be her? I am much prettier than she is. Why doesn’t the prince marry me but her? She is not that good.” We all think like this. Some of us. But you don’t know that after getting married, wow, there’s nothing but work. You have to get up very early. Of course, there are servants to help you dress. But sometimes, it doesn’t suit your taste. There are too many people, and you are irritated. Do you know what I mean? She gets in your way. She feels nervous seeing you – the princess – and she messes things up. But you feel bad about scolding them. You can’t scold them. “Oh! How can a princess behave like this?” Then you are on the news, on television. It ruins your peaceful life.
You have to get up very early, take a shower, wash your face, and dress up beautifully. Then you have breakfast, and immediately go out on an assignment. If you’re not accompanying your husband, you also have your own job. It’s very, very tough. A lot of work, lots of work. You don’t know it. This meeting today, that meeting tomorrow. People rely on the princess or the prince. Many charitable organizations invite her (him) to make money for their charitable organizations. Many national affairs need her attention, and she has to bear children. In old times, she would be deprived of her title for failure to bear a child. Some countries are like that. (Understand.)
