Master Says

enlightenment Awakens The Positive Power

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai, Singapore Jan. 10, 1995 (Originally In English)

Question & Answer Session After The Lecture

The Quan Yin Method Benefits All Beings

Q: Master, I understand there is a method called the "Convenient Method". Is it the same as the Quan Yin Method?
M: Not exactly, but it offers you also a taste of enlightenment. And you can continue to practice that every day without such a strict regulation as a pure vegetarian diet or two and a half hours a day, things like that. You can meditate half an hour everyday or one hour apart, or twenty minutes, whatever you like, and eat the vegetarian diet as conveniently as your position or your situation allows. So that's why we call it "Convenient Method".

And you also have enlightenment. But, it's a small kind of vehicle, you can only liberate yourself alone. And the Quan Yin Method will liberate many of your relatives and friends, up to seven or even nine generations, the people you don't even know, your ancestors, etc., and your next generation, your grand, grandchildren not yet born, etc.. Because of the blood link, they will also be free.

Q: Master, when I am the host and I have to take some friends out for lunch or dinner and they are not vegetarians, should I order all vegetarian dishes to eat as I am the only vegetarian?
M: No, no, you order what the guests want to eat. We don't impose our life style on other people and impede their freedom. It's their choice. Okay? If you ask them if they want to try vegetarian, also fine, if they agree, if they are happy with it. Just tell them once in a while you try it to see if you like it. If they don't, then you don't do it.

Q: Master, please advise me how to access the first level of the Kingdom of God, or what I must do to start.
M: The first level only? Your aim is so low. (Laughter) Why don't you go to the fifth at least, with me? There, it's almost empty because no one goes there, plenty of room there. Singapore is tight. We go there for a change. A lot of palaces, and no traffic lights, no jam. (Master laughs.)

The first level is nothing to aim for, brothers. There are only astral beings who live there. Only small heaven and hell. There is only magical power, small healing ability, small clairvoyant talent. That's all there is. And you may live there hundreds or thousands of years, but you come back here again. And who knows where you will be, and what you'll become. So why go to the first level. First level is as unsafe as this world. Yeah. Don't aim to go there. That's only the A. The A B C of everything. We started from there, but we don't stop there.

Q: Master, the first precept is no killing. If a snake enters my house, should I kill it in order to protect my family? M: You don't have snakes in Singapore, don't give me trouble. (Laughter and applause.) You don't even have enough land for people to live. Where can this poor snake reside? But anyhow you don't have to kill, you can give him a bag... a cloth bag and he will happily crawl into it. And you set him outside somewhere else, in the bush or something, and he will be happy. But if you must, of course, you can do it. But then, you pay. You can do anything you want in this world, just you must pay. Not in monetary way, it is in karma. See?

You kill him and later you'll probably be wounded somewhere or have severe headaches or your arm suddenly gone paralysis, anything like that. You pay, maybe temporarily or maybe in a long term. It depends on how great the things that you have done, how much you took from the physical treasure of the Lord of this creation. The more you take, the more you pay. The less you take, the less you pay. That's why I advice the vegetarian diet, because it's the less expensive.

You know even though vegetables also have life, but it doesn't cost so much karma, doesn't burden you too much. You see? Not that vegetables you don't pay. I don't mean the market price, I mean to the Lord of Creation. The Lord of Creation is below the Almighty God. But if you can not, if you didn't pay it to the Lord of Creation, you can not go to the Almighty. That's the problem.

An Enlightened Master Has
The Key Of enlightenment

Q: Master, can You explain the initiation of the Quan Yin Method? M: Initiation is a kind of invisible opening wisdom ceremony. No flowers, no incense, no prostration, no Buddha statues, no church, nothing. Only you and your own positive original power. Now when you sit there all alone, then I will point to your soul where to go, in order to get back the positive and negative together, understand? Now you are separated because you are always leaning onto the negative side for survival. Now when you sit alone there and ready, willing to go back, I just pull you back. But no action involved. These things are abstract, are the wonderful things of the invisible power. There is no doing of anything. Do without doing.

I don't have to be there even. I don't have to even know your name, your address, your age, your profession. I don't have to know you; I mean physically. Inside I know. Therefore the initiation is just like you sit there and get back your positive side. You know, like out of balance, that you always lean on the negative. Now, come back and then you're balanced. That's it. And then you know that you are enlightened because you saw the light, you received the teaching from heaven through melody.

It's not by "Singlish", it's not by Chinese. It's wordless words, silent sounds. This will make you wiser, and more and more realize that you are great, and you are the master of the house. Yeah! That's the initiation. But no words can describe that, because I would not talk to you at that time. I might not even be present, because you will be along with the whole universe then. You know? That's how you know yourself. It's difficult to try to understand now. If you don't, just go for initiation then you'll understand.

Q: Master, after enlightenment, can we still get sick? M: Sure. Look here I have a flu, thanks to some of the friends who gave it to me. And I was weak because I overwork a lot of the time, because of the many disciples and demands from the world. So of course my body is like yours, or your body is like his, yeah? If you are weak in resistance, overwork , overwork your car, then it will stop. It gets sick. That's the same. The car will get sick whether it is BENZ or it's a Cadillac. It sometimes gets sick, but that's the normal thing.

Why should we avoid sickness? It's no big deal. If I wasn't sick in these days, I could not have enjoyed two days in bed. So that's a bonus. It's not bad. And all the people love me so much, "Wow" while I am sick. They feel... a concern, you know? That's enjoyment also. Okay? No problem to be sick. The Buddha was sick, was he not? Sure, sickness is no big deal.

Q: Master, why are there so many religions in this world? M: There is only one really. Different names, yeah! If you don't believe me, you take time, study all the religions together, compare them all, and then you'll know what I mean. Just because people don't study other religions, which is also good, fine.

Be concentrated on your religion if you know one religion; it's enough. Because it's similar in other religions: Tell people to do good, don't kill, don't steal, worship God or Buddha. No religion teaches people to do bad things. Or stay here forever, and eat and drink and die here. All religions tell you "be a good person here and find heaven while you can", right? And everything else is just bla, bla, bla, you know, bureaucracy and detail. (Applause)

Q: Master, You talked about knowing the way home. Where is this home? Where is heaven and hell?
M: Here. Everything is here. But if you don't know, everything is everywhere. Everywhere is hell, everywhere is heaven. If you know, then it's heaven, if you don't know, it's hell. That's it, simple. (Applause)

Q: Master, will I be able to find my dead relatives and communicate with them if I practice the Quan Yin meditation? M: Dead relatives? Oh, sure, sure. But I am afraid maybe you don't like to go there. Some of your people are difficult to get in touch with. If you want to go such place, you need a Master. Otherwise you will be in danger. So it's not always good to see dead relatives. Now you practice the Quan Yin Method, and some of your relatives, dead relatives will be immediately released from whatever suffering they have. If they are already in heaven, they will go to a higher level of heaven. If they suffer light punishment, they can go immediately, quick. If it's too heavy, then we have to negotiate. Then the Master must negotiate or has to suffer for that person. But it won't be too long. For example, if those people have to suffer for thousands of years, the Master wouldn't have to suffer for thousands of years. Just maybe a few hours, or sometimes a few seconds, sometimes a few minutes, sometimes prolonged but not a big deal sickness, things like that.

So it's not always ideal to see your dead relatives. It's better to see live relatives. Love them, serve them, and encourage them before they are dead. (Applause) But you can see them, you can see them. Many of our practitioners see their dead relatives and friends coming to thank them that due to them, they are liberated. That is no big deal, no big deal.

Q: Master, one of the five precepts is refrain from sexual misconduct. How does this apply to singles?
M: Oh! What we mean is that you should be faithful to each other. But in the case of some of the other religious orders, they may, due to their tradition, have many wives. If they already had them before initiation, then that doesn't mean they have to separate and take only one. But in the general case we tell people to refrain from having too many ties, because if you have one wife, I think you suffer enough. Oh, sorry. (Laughter) I mean... I am sorry. Don't kill me please. What I mean is the suffering in affairs of the heart are very heavy for the wife or the husband to bear. And that you don't want to cause to other people, let alone your beloved friends, or the mother or father of your children.

So that's why we say refrain from having another affair if you are already married. But if you already have before initiation, just keep it like that. And better don't let the other to know each other. Minimize the suffering. The less suffering the better, because it will affect you also. You will have a bad conscience and guilty feelings. How can you meditate in peace? When you meditate you want to think about God. All you think about is the second or the third wife. Yeah! How she wanted to beat you last night because you came late, etc., etc. Or you bought better clothes for the other one etc., etc. Aiya! so many troubles. It hurts. That's why. That is called sexual misconduct.

But in the case of people who are not yet married, of course in the modern time, I can not tell people don't, don't, don't do that, you know. Yeah! Then try to be faithful to each other, yeah? It's good for the heart, good for your moral and good for the mutual trust between each other and especially good for your health, you know nowadays. You read newspapers more than I do. The letters spelled very big. Should I say more? More and more people die from AIDS each day, so take care of yourself.

Q: Master, is it necessary to have a quiet environment to pursue spiritual practice?
M: Yes. In the beginning yes, but later no. Later sometimes we need. That's why sometimes we organize a retreat for one week or two weeks or four days, three days. Every year at a different time, so people have a chance to have a peaceful, quiet, only practicing meditation environment. But otherwise, you must go out into the society. Bringing the light and blessing into our brothers and sisters. You can not always hide yourself in the mountain and become a selfish Buddha. (Laughter)

Q: Master, will dreams of future events come true? Can we change the future?
M: Yes, sometimes we can. If we are strong enough, and if you want to be strong enough, meditate, get your Buddha power out, then you can change anything. Otherwise the future will change you.

The Way To Minimize One's Sexual Desire

Q: Master, can You please advise me as to how I should control my monstrous sexual appetite? I need God grace.
M: This...? I don't have experience. You know what? There are many remedies. But most people when they ate too much meat and drink the wine and all that, it will excite more of their passion. We already have enough so-called animal passion within us, so we do many things like the animals do. This we can not control.

Because we inherit the animal quality while we live in this kingdom, part of it, because of this body. So now, if we want to control that, we must minimize the intake of intoxicants and exciting food, things like that. There are foods for sexual empowerment. The people look for that. Some people like that. So the old kings, they always eat special kinds of foods, because they have so many wives.

There are many foods to control the sexual drive. The first stage is vegetarian diet, pure vegetarian diet - no eggs, no fish, etc., and no liquor, alcohol, no intoxicating things. Many things we, the ordinary people, pay high prices for, mostly are poison. And I am always wondering why people spend a lot of their money to poison themselves. But anyhow that's their private choice and free will.

So if you ask me how to minimize your sexual energy, there are many things to do. You switch to vegetarian diet, eat a kind of simple, not too much oily and excitement spice and things like that. And then drink plenty of cool water. No champagne, champagne is the worse thing, reserved only for wedding days. You know uh! I don't know. I heard about that. I don't know. They said like that.

But the most simple is to be busy, doing something meaningful, helping other people; and then you forget your own problem. I don't know how you have time to think about this drive even. You know, if you stay up all night long, reading like me, I think your sex drive will drive itself away (laughter and applause), because sex drives are scared, scared of the work.

Do something. There is so much suffering in this world, do some volunteer work in your spare time. Feel the suffering of your fellow beings. Merge yourself in the sacrifice and the joy, the pure joy of serving all of them. Bring happiness, bring noble happiness to other people. That will bring noble happiness to you, too.

You have read so much bad, maybe porno information. Now don't read it any more. Switch to holy books. Read the Bible, read the Buddhist sutras, read the Koran, read whatever information you have on holy life, okay? Hinduism books, anything you want, yoga exercise, holy saints' teachings, so much to read.

Q: Master, if the Quan Yin Method can help me avoid reincarnation, how about my karma in my past lives?
M: Oh, I burn it. I throw it in the dust-bin and set fire to it and finish. Okay? You know where karma comes from? Comes from your reactions. Actions and reactions, of course. But where does it come from? It is stored in your subconsciousness. There is a button. I just push it and it's gone. It's like your computer or your record player. You can play it, you can record it, or you can erase it. Just know how.

Q: Master, usually how long does it take to get enlightenment? May I know what does it depends on?
M: Oh, depends on many things. First, it depends on the proper meditation method. And it depends on your teacher, whether that person is capable to lead you to enlightenment. Never mind talking about long or short. If you get a good teacher, you get immediate enlightenment. If you don't get a good teacher, I don't know how long, very, very long, many lifetimes. And also enlightenment depends on your sincerity, if you want it or not. If you do want it, you get it immediately. If you don't want it, it doesn't matter how much you pretend, how long you sit there, until your bottom falls off, (laughter) you don't have anything.

Initiation Is The Inner Transmission Of Dharma

Q: Master, will there be someone to guide us in the Quan Yin meditation in Singapore in the initial stages?
M: Yes. I will leave a few monks or nuns here for you. Actually Quan Yin messengers. They don't look like monks. They look like me. They are ordinary like you. I will leave some of the people who have practice for a long time, who know the initial stages of practice, for you. Besides, you can always write to me. Nowadays, we have a fax machine. Don't worry. And the inner connection is always there, one hundred percent, never broken. So that is the best guidance.

And then later on, you don't have to rely on anyone, because you will get the answers from the inside, quickly and you know it. And the teacher will know where you are, what you are doing, and what kind of danger you are in, or what practice you need. From inside, teach from inside, not from the verbal.

Verbal is just ordinary thing, like we talk to each other, you know, have fun. Talk about some old stories to encourage you to practice, things like that. But verbal instruction is never a perfect teaching. The perfect teaching you can only find from inside, and that is between Master and disciple individually, for each one different inside. Even if you sit next to each other, you don't know what level he is or what the Master transmitted to him inside. All different, okay? Depends on each level.

Q: Master, when we are praying to God or Jesus, could we also worship Quan Yin Bodhisattva in the temple?
M: Why not? The more, the better, I think. (Master laughs.) That's what we think. You do what you want as long as you are happy. If that accords you enlightenment, so much the better. If not, you must go for the Quan Yin Method. The real worship comes when you see God, Jesus, Quan Yin, face to face and worship at their feet right there. And you feel so much different than when you bow to the Buddha, the wooden statue.

When you bow to the wooden statue, he says nothing to you, he can not answer your question. But when you bow to the real Buddha inside while you meditate or while you're sleeping and go to heaven, that is the time of your real worship and you will feel entirely different. You will feel you're not of this world. You will feel you are the Buddha then. That's the real worship. Worship anyone you like, but make sure you see them. (Applause)

Q: Master, will meditation lead us to getting possessed by the devil? M: It depends, depends. If you meditate at random without a teacher, or you choose a wrong way to do it, or you deliberately meditate but break the precepts, eating wrong food or harming other people, then the counter effect will fall upon you, and that's when you allow the so-called devil to come in to destroy you and trouble you. That is only the negative side of all the nature.

When we don't want to lean, we don't stand stably, and we keep like this, then it will pull you back to the negative side again. And at that time, it's stronger, it's harder because it lost you last time, like tightening the grip more; and it's difficult for you to struggle out.

So that's why I don't want to just take a lot of so-called disciples, so that I am famous and have a big group of followers. You must keep the precepts. You must eat a vegetarian diet. Understand? Purify yourself while meditating, so you don't have side effects, you don't have trouble.

And I am responsible for whatever happens to you, if you keep the precepts and follow the instruction. So nothing can happen to you. But if you don't, even God can not help you. Okay.

Q: Master, I am a sinner. Can I be enlightened? M: Oh, who is not the sinner, please raise your hands. (Laughter and applause.) The sinner, please raise your hands. Me, also included. Don't worry, don't worry. No one is a sinner. We're just ignorant. We have not been taught the way of the saint. We have been only taught to survive in this world, how to eat, how to clothe, how to look after this physical vehicle. That's all we have been taught up to now. All the education also leads to that end, so you can have a good job, right? We have not been taught the wise way, the holy way. So now it's the time. No problem. We did things we don't know. How can we be sinners? If the child is not taught and he makes mistakes, how can he be blamed? Blame God. Uh! Hes didn't send you a teacher soon enough, Hiers fault. (Laughter and applause.)

Q: Master, I want to donate my life to others. What do You suggest? M: Yes, sure. If people want to accept you, (laughter) we can donate our service, while we are living. Well, everyone is donating their lives anyhow. They work for the society. They work for their family. This is a kind of donation. Some people donate more. They work for more groups, serving more people voluntarily, or without much payment. And that's perhaps what you mean. Do what you feel like and what you are capable of. There is a lot of work to do in this world. Never enough people to do it.

Restore Our Heavenly Quality

Q: Master, if we enjoy living so much on this earth, why do we have to try so hard to go to heaven?
M: Oh, then please don't try. Who told you to try hard? (Master laughs.) Only the people who want to go, should go. If you enjoy this world so much, it's good for you, good luck; and I hope you enjoy it long (laughter) , because one never knows, one never knows what tomorrow brings. That's the problem.

If we can always enjoy in this world, if I can put a stamp to guarantee that you'll never suffer, ever in this world, and you'll continue to enjoy all your life, and next life, next life, then please don't consider heaven. But no one can guarantee you that. You see it for yourself. All the kings, all the glorious hierarchy, the kings and queens, where are they now? They have enjoyed more than you did, more than you'll ever dream of. Where are they now? What do they do now? Where are their enjoyments? You know the answers.

Q: Master, You say we are all God's children and there is only one God. So why do we have different colors and different races? Every one is not equal, just like You and me.
M: Look at the flowers, you want them only one color? Pink, finish. Is that what you call beauty? Pink, one color, one and only. We have many colors, that's why it's fun, Okay? You like it. That's why you choose to be born in that color. But now you don't understand. Get enlightenment, and then you'll understand why. But you are also right. The question is also correct because the higher dimensions don't have difference, no difference between male and female, no different colors. There is only pure awareness, pure wisdom, not even such a visible form.

Q: Master, how can we get immediate enlightenment and eternal liberation if we are anxious and have to work to make money? M: (Master speaks to the M.C.) You know it. You tell him. M.C.: Meditate two and a half hours a day. M: He doesn't know yet. Don't scare him. enlightenment is the most incredible thing that ever happen to your existence. It will lighten every burden that you have to carry every day. It will get rid of all the obstacles in your way. It will carry you when you are down and sick. It will bless you whenever you are in trouble and danger. And you will feel like, you are always in the love of mother, so you don't worry. The worry and anxiety you have now, is just because you don't have enlightenment, it's not the opposite, Okay? So if you want to get rid of this suffering, get enlightenment.

Q: Master, why do good people suffer so much in this world? M: How do you know if they are good? Do you know them personally? Sometimes you don't. Good and bad is only in our level of understanding. The record of their lives, of their existence is so long. Sometimes they are good, sometimes they are bad. You can never check-up enough. Anything that happens has a reason. And don't worry.

Q: Master, is there any explanation why some people are born less fortunate than others?
M: Because of karma. Some people they do good deeds, they give a lot of charity to other people, and then when they are reborn again, they are rich and fortunate. And if the other people never give to anyone else when they are in suffering and in need, then when they are born again, they probably don't have much fortune.

Q: Are You a human being or a fairy? (Laughter) M: What do you think? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? What do you think? You think I am a human, raise your hands. You think I am a fairy, raise your hands. No one. Yeah, both are correct. An 'A' for both! Okay! We are both. We are both human beings and God. It's just that most of the time for most of the people they only recognize their human side of existence. They only identify with the physical function and forget their Godly side of nature. That's all.
You and I are equal. We are both fairy and human beings. That's it. Are you satisfied? (Applause) But the only difference between you and I is that I know and you perhaps don't know, or are not sure of your fairy nature. That's the only difference.

Q: Master, can those who have mental depression practice meditation? M: If they understand what I have mentioned today, if they understand the teaching, they're capable of understanding, then they can; because sometimes mental disturbance comes only from depression, too much pressure from society. A form of trying to avoid problems, trying to escape the burden of society. It's not exactly a sickness. So it's temporary and they can stand up again, of course, and faster through meditation.

M.C.: Thank You, Master. Shall we take this opportunity to put our hands together to thank Master.
M: Oh, no need. I thank you all for your loving attention, and for your trust and your love and your friendship. (Applause) And I wish you all the best things. I wish your country all the best things, and develop more and more, stronger and stronger, and more and more respect by the whole world and the universe. And I wish you most of all enlightenment, if not sooner, then later. Okay. (Applause)