When some people look so stupid, it doesn’t mean they're truly stupid. And when some people look sweet, it’s not necessarily that he or she is sweet. OK? See the way she or he does things. See the outcome of people’s business or efforts. Then you know that person inside. Don’t ever look at the outside and try to judge whether that person is OK or not OK. You know what I mean? (Yes.) Similarly, with searching for a (spiritual) Teacher. […]
OK, there was a person, a scholar, and he was very well educated and a very pure and good person. But he saw all around him all the corrupted court officers, all the bad people in the government and it made him feel very agitated. So one day, he tried to do something about it, because he was a scholar, very famous for being incorruptible as well as very clever. So, many of the politicians often came to his house, to visit him, even though his house was truly a very humble one, a thatch hut, just like us, something like this, or maybe even like my house – there’s nothing inside. […]
So one day, the scholar was visited by many of the great officers of the court – many great politicians – and he tried to do something. Even though he was perhaps a vegan or something, these people were not, and they demanded an (animal-people) meat diet. So he talked to the Master Ching Hai – something like that – and the Master said, “OK, give them. Let them go to hell if they want.” After all, we respect each individual’s freedom, right? Freedom to go to Heaven or freedom to go to hell. After telling them all good things and giving them sample booklet, “How to Be a Vegan and Why,” they don’t follow. So what can we do?
I told you the joke already about two persons who went on an airplane. Didn’t I? (Yes.) (No.) Did you hear it? (No.) No? How come? How come some yes, some no? OK, let’s waste your time again. Two persons on an airplane, just like you and me. We went on an airplane, or we needed to go somewhere. And then both of them ordered (animal-people) meat. The next person ordered tofu because he was one of our practitioners, fellow practitioners. But the next two of them ordered (animal-people) meat. And then when the hostess [came], the stewardess [came], she said, “Oh, here’s tofu for you, and here is pig(-person) for you and here is chicken(-person) for you,” for the two persons next door. And they protested and said, “No, both of us are pigs.” Pig(-people) meat.
So, at least if you eat tofu, people can only say your brains are full of tofu. At least they won’t say that you’re pig or dog, or you’re chicken, or whatever. In Âu Lạc (Vietnam), if you say to somebody, “You are a dead chicken,” then it’s a very, very bad offense. Do they say that in America, too? (No.) No? What do they call you when you are lousy? (Chicken.) A living chicken? Yes!? Instead of a dead chicken(-person), you are a living chicken(-person), right? OK. Well, at least you’re living. A living teacher and a dead teacher are different, huh? This joke I don’t think you will understand, so we forget it. Find another one.
OK, now there’s another joke. Well, this is all non-vegan. But at least you know what vegans are about. I tell you so that you’ll be happy that you’re vegan. There was one person who was very rich, and he was very addicted to alcohol. One day, he happened to go out, and he worried that his servant at home would try to eat something of his food while he was away or drink some of his good wine while he was gone. Even though he had already been very careful and picked a very stupid… [He thought] he picked a very stupid servant that was not so tricky and didn’t know how to eat or steal, things like that, or to make excuses. Even then he was still careful, worried about the servant. So he said to him, “OK. Now you stay home and take care of my house. There is a piece of a pig(-person) hanging over there in the kitchen. Look after it. Don’t touch it! And then there is a chicken(-person), still alive, next to the kitchen. Also, don’t touch it. And take care that all the dog- and cat(-people) will not come and eat these.” And he said, “Ah! Another thing is… there is a pot over there which is covered very carefully. That is poison for the mouse(-people). Don’t touch it!” That was a wine pot, but he said, “This is poison. If the mouse(-person) drink it, he dies. So just don’t touch it.” So, he went [out].
And then the servant just took out the pork, roasted it, [ate] it. And then, he took out the chicken(-person), killed it, [ate] it too. And at the same time, drinking the alcohol to accompany it, and feel[ing] very good and then drunk and lay there sleeping very peacefully. Oh! When the boss [came] home, he saw the servant just sleeping there on his sofa. And then also smelled alcohol. And some of the chicken(-person) bones [were] scattered all over the place. He kicked them around when he slept. So he woke him up and said, “Ah! What about my chicken(-person)? My pork spareribs? What happened to the poison over there?” So, the servant, trying to cry, he cried hard. He kneeled down on the floor and he said, “Oh, please forgive me. I have really been very obedient to you. I tried to look after your house and everything. But then, unfortunately, there was a cat(-person) who came by, and then he crawled up to the roof of the kitchen and took the pork and ate it. And then a dog(-person) saw the cat(-person) do that; he also took the chicken(-person) and went out and ate it. I was so worried that when you came home, you would kill me or you’d scold me, so I took the poison. But how come I have not died yet?” He wanted to kill himself, but he didn’t die.
So, you be careful with people. When some people look so stupid, it doesn’t mean they're truly stupid. And when some people look sweet, it’s not necessarily that he or she is sweet. OK? See the way she or he does things. See the outcome of people’s business or efforts. Then you know that person inside. Don’t ever look at the outside and try to judge whether that person is OK or not OK. You know what I mean? (Yes.) Similarly, with searching for a (spiritual) Teacher. Because most of us love sweet things, [we] love people’s sweet talk, soft voice and good manners and people who coordinate with us, please our ego and eyes and habits. So we very easily like to look for a Teacher or a Master with a very sweet nature, always soft-spoken and gentle and things like that. But that is only one of the personalities, or maybe trained like a stewardess on the airplane. It’s not necessarily that the person can do us any good or have a real teaching inside. Many people are soft-spoken, but the things they do are all very, very destructive to themselves and society. And the outcome is always bad and negative. So, in that case, that person who looks sweet or is soft-spoken is doing no good to him or herself and society at large. So, the outcome of our lives, our work or our efforts, speaks volumes. It’s not how we look and how we react or how we live our life. Understand? (Yes.)
So, you have heard that in the old times, (Lord) Jesus even used a stick or something to chase those money changers away from the church. He turned their tables upside down. It looked very ungrateful for a Master, but He did tremendous good for mankind. He even sacrificed His life for us, or for His disciples at that time. And His good teachings still have a very, very good impact on the human race as a whole, up till now. But many other soft-spoken [individuals], perhaps housewives or other officers, have never done anything as great as that. And perhaps even did harm to themselves, to their family members, and society too, because they didn’t know anything better. Perhaps they were born with a vocal cord slightly defective. So then they’d speak very softly, couldn’t speak very loud. Or something’s stuck in their throat. You never know. So, we have to be careful what we want and how we judge people. Don’t judge the appearance because it’s always very deceptive. Is that not so? (Yes.) OK.
Photo Caption: Be Awaken, Sleepy Souls. Seek God!
