We need to broaden our thinking until it encompasses the whole universe instead of just thinking about our family and country.

~Supreme Master Ching Hai

A Little Message:
In speaking of God or the Supreme Spirit, Master instructs us to use original non-sexist terms to avoid the argument about whether God is a She or a He.
She + He = Hes (as in Bless)
Her + Him = Hirm (as in Firm)
Hers + His = Hiers (as in Dear)
Example: When God wants, Hes makes things happen according to Hiers will to suit Hirmself.

News No. 139
Published: November 20, 2002
Founded: April 1, 1990
Published By: The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association 
Publisher: Hsieh, Hsin Lin

The Supreme Master Ching Hai News magazine is published on the Internet in the following languages: 
Aulacese, Chinese (in both traditional and simplified versions), English, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese and Thai. Please refer to the "Quan Yin WWW sites" of the News magazine for related websites.

Master Tells Jokes

The Case of the Phony Grandma

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Florida, USA, December 28, 2001
(Originally in English)

A grandmother, dearly beloved by her family, passed away. And her granddaughter missed her so much that she desperately wanted to contact the soul of the deceased. So she went to a psychic, the kind who can see in a dark room, and said that she wanted to contact the soul of her grandmother. Sure enough, after much wagging, winking, shaking and choking from the psychic, there came a very hoarse voice that said, "Hello. Hello, Jenny."

"Who's that?" said the granddaughter, and the voice said, "I'm your Grandma." And then Jenny asked, "Is that really you, Grandma?" and the voice replied, "Yes, it's me, Jenny. I'm your Grandma." But Jenny still wasn't sure so she asked again, "Is that you, really you, Grandma?" And the voice still said, "It is I, your grandmother. Yes, it's me." So Jenny said, "Well, there's only one question I want to ask you." And the grandmother replied, "Yes, go ahead." So the granddaughter said, "Grandmother, since when did you learn to speak English?"

The Talking Clock

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Florida, USA, June 13, 28, 2001, 
(Originally in English)

There was a man who took a couple of friends to his apartment to show them around, and one of the friends asked, "What's that big metal basin for?" So the man replied, "Oh, that's a talking clock." And the other friend said, "Huh? How come? There's no clock there! It's just a basin. What do you mean by calling it a 'talking clock'?" Then the man said, "Watch." And he took out a big hammer, and banged on the basin: "BANG!" It was very, very loud. And suddenly a voice came through the wall of the next apartment, saying, "Cut it out! It's 2:00 in the morning!"

A Most Leisurely Ambition

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Florida, USA, December 28, 2001,
(Originally in English)

A friend came to visit another friend. And the friend he came to see had a boy who was about five years old. The visiting friend asked the boy, "What would you like to do when you grow up?" And the boy said he would like to be a garbage collector. So the visiting friend said to the boy's father, "That's a rather strange ambition. Why does he want to be a garbage collector?" And the father replied, "Well, that's because he thinks garbage men only work on Tuesdays." He thought they came only once a week to collect the garbage!

Please visit the following web sites to enjoy the original audio versions of these jokes, and you may share the joy of Master's humor with those around you as well:

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/eng/news/139/jk1.htm  (USA)
http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/news/139/jk1.htm  (Formosa)
http://www.godsdirectcontact.net/eng/news/139/jk1.htm  (USA)

Panorama of Events

Report from Germany

A Conference between

Sincere Disciples and Loving Master

[Hamburg] At midnight on October 2, 2002, the Hamburg Center received a message that Master would be granting them an Internet videoconference on October 6! Local initiates were thrilled to hear the news, but since October 3 was German Independence Day, they had only two days to prepare for the event.

However, thanks to Master's arrangements everything went smoothly. A group of young initiates who had come from Hamburg, Berlin and Dusseldorf to help agreed to work together all night on the preparations. Even though they were not technical experts, they relied on their collective knowledge, and their sincerity and the quality of the connection were later praised by Master.

Then the exciting moment for the conference finally arrived, and Master cordially began by saying, "How are you?" in German, as the initiates responded with non-stop applause. Seizing the precious opportunity to speak with Master, the host of the event began the question and answer session without delay. Most of the initiates who asked questions were conversing with Master for the first time, but Her humorous words seemed to erase their nervousness. In a short while, they forgot that Master was talking with them through the Internet, and it seemed as though She were physically present in front of them. No matter how general or elementary the questions raised by the fellow initiates were, Master answered them gracefully and patiently, as would a loving mother talking with Her young children.

To let initiates in other parts of the world have a chance to ask their questions, Master also accepted inquiries via e-mail from other centers. Master patiently answered these questions after the Hamburg Center initiates had finished with theirs, so that more people could benefit from Her wisdom.

Report from Sweden

A Blissful Scandinavian Gathering

[Stockholm] On September 28-29, 2002, fellow initiates from the Stockholm Center held a two-day retreat that was also open to initiates from the other four Swedish centers and neighboring countries. This spiritual reunion attracted many longing souls from distant areas around Sweden and even Oslo, Norway. Despite the long distances between Sweden's local centers , many disciples were not discouraged by the seven- or eight-hour journeys they had to make to participate in this carefully arranged, first-ever two-day retreat in Scandinavia.

Between the retreat's meditation sessions, there was plenty of time to study Master's teachings through Her videos and books. The fellow practitioners also enjoyed an international buffet that included delicious dishes from Au Lac, China, Sri Lanka, Iran, Malaysia and Sweden, as well as traditional spicy Swedish cookies. The Stockholm Center is located in a serene and tranquil environment of pristine beauty with a nearby forest, where fellow initiates can take leisurely walks.

Due to its positive and animated atmosphere, the retreat was very successful, bringing the initiates closer together and uplifting them true spiritually. Blessed with this new experience of holding a successful retreat in a suitable location in northern Europe, the Stockholm Center has decided to hold regular two-day retreats on the last weekend of each month, and welcomes all initiates who would like to attend.

Report from Ghana

Creating a Spiritual Paradise on Earth

[Accra] Through Master's grace and the dedication of local disciples, the Ghana Center has been established after a construction project that lasted over a year. The Center's information center holds a precious collection of Master's publications, and offers fellow practitioners and guests a wonderful opportunity to study Master's teachings. The meditation center has a main hall that can accommodate over a hundred people, and there are also two guesthouses where long-distance travelers can stay overnight so they can be on time for Sunday group meditation.

Most of the Ghana disciples were initiated within the last two years, but had been searching for a living Master for more than two decades. After being initiated into the Quan Yin Method, they knew that Supreme Master Ching Hai was the One they had longed for all their lives, and now they have been blessed with a beautiful center where they can put Master's teachings into practice.

On September 28, 2002, local initiates held a seminar at the new information center. The Ghanian brothers and sisters prepared spontaneously for the seminar, during which participants asked many interesting questions and expressed great satisfaction with the Supreme Method.

The Ghana Center is located a distance away from the downtown area of Accra, Ghana's capital, and so is not easily accessible to the public. Thus, in order to share Master's teachings in the region, fellow practitioners have sponsored radio programs introducing the Quan Yin Method and rented a liaison office in a more convenient location for easier access by Truth aspirants and Convenient Method practitioners who wish to attend group meditation sessions. Although currently only a small number of initiates are associated with the Ghana Center, they are certain that the meditation hall will soon be filled with many longing souls.

Report from Massachusetts, USA

Videoconference Promotes the Exchange of Love between Master and Disciples

[Boston] For nearly a hundred disciples in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, September 28, 2002 was not only part of a beautiful autumn weekend, but also a special day to reunite with our beloved Master through an uplifting and informative videoconference.

During the conference, our merciful Master not only answered numerous spiritual questions, but also strongly united fellow initiates around the world, as they all benefited from Her light-hearted humor and wise remarks. Through the videoconference, we joined together with scores of fellow practitioners, and felt as if we were looking at our own beautiful homes in different places throughout the globe. In this turbulent and difficult world, we sincerely thank Master for granting us the safest, steadiest and most cordial of havens. Those from our center who seldom attend group meditation also came to participate in this precious event, and once again felt the immense love of Master and the warmest of welcomes from the Quan Yin Family, thus reinforcing their faith in spiritual practice.

At the end of the conference, the little brothers and sisters from Boston sang a chorus to express their love and longing for Master. As soon as the delightful melody was heard, all the adult disciples could not help singing along, being as naive and happy as the children at that moment. Our beloved Master also sang with us and gave us an eternal embrace. The conference then came to a close to the cheers of all the initiates.

Report from Ontario, Canada

A Blessed Vegetarian Food Fair

[Toronto] From September 13 - 15, 2002, Toronto's annual Vegetarian Food Fair was held at the Harbor Front Center, located on the shores of Lake Ontario.

During this event, numerous people inquired about the Quan Yin Method, and others expressed sincere interest in further information. One such person came to the Fair especially to visit our booth. She was introduced to Master through one of her good friends who had attended the Toronto Center's video lecture seminar one month earlier. Her friend had received the Convenient Method at the seminar and was so pleased with the results that he passed out sample booklets to his friends. After she read Master's booklet, she came to the booth to ask a number of specific questions.

Similarly, another woman who lives in the United States was visiting her friend in Buffalo when she was informed that there was a vegetarian food fair in Toronto, and made the drive to the city to participate in the fair. She had already been introduced to Master in the U.S., but never received the Convenient Method because the local center in her state was two hours away from her home and she could not make its weekly Convenient Method meditation sessions. One sister then explained to her that even though she cannot make the weekly sessions, she could still practice spirituality at home, and that these sessions existed as a support structure for her when she needed it. After hearing this news, the woman became very excited and said that she would attend the next video seminar at her local center and sign up for the Convenient Method.

Through helping out at the Food Fair and sharing Master's teachings, fellow practitioners realized that whenever one helps with Master's work, one must not only be totally concentrated, but also have taken the time to study Master's teachings in daily life, in order to relay Her information or message correctly, completely and clearly to those yearning for the Truth.

The 2002 Vegetarian Food Fair provided fellow initiates with infinite blessings through the precious experience of sharing Master's teachings with yearning souls in the Toronto area.

Report from Australia

Experiencing Master's Perfect Arrangements

[Bryon Bay] Initiates from the Brisbane, Sydney and Bryon Bay centers recently held a seminar to introduce Master's teachings to residents of Coffs Harbor, a coastal town between Sydney and Bryon Bay.

When putting up posters around the area, the initiates felt a truly warm response. Many of the shopkeepers who displayed the posters expressed enthusiasm and excitement about Master's teachings and even attended the seminar, with some requesting initiation into the Quan Yin Method and others learning the Convenient Method.

The two sister initiates who were responsible for putting up the seminar posters had the idea to use their van to display the posters. This was quite a novelty in a conservative town such as Coffs Harbor! As the initiates drove their van around town, the posters attracted many people's attention and prompted numerous enquiries. For example, one day, one of the sister initiates went to a local vegetarian restaurant to eat. While she was there a man came in to ask whose van was parked outside with Master's posters all over it. It ended up that the man who asked about the van later attended the seminar and has since learned the Convenient Method and regularly attends group meditation.

While returning home later that evening, the two sister-initiates needed to stop to purchase a last-minute item. To their surprise, a small shop was still open, and on noticing Master's picture on their van, the shop assistant quickly approached one of the sisters, inquired about Master and gratefully accepted a sample booklet. The assistant then said sweetly to the initiates, "Nothing happens by chance; you were meant to come here today." After this incident, the shop assistant eventually learned the Convenient Method, and during her instruction, recounted the following story.

This Convenient Method practitioner had been involved in another spiritual group prior to knowing Master. A woman in the group with psychic ability once told the Convenient Method practitioner that she could feel Quan Yin Boddhisattva around her and that a lotus had been planted inside her being. The Convenient Method practitioner explained that this was why she knew "it was meant to be" when the two sisters came to her shop that day and gave her the sample booklet. She feels that Quan Yin Boddhisattva led her to Master Ching Hai and through the psychic gave her confirmation that she was heading in the right direction spiritually.

A few days before the video seminar in Coffs Harbor, a man phoned the contact number on the poster to find out more about the Quan Yin Method. He explained that the night before he had dreamt that Master came to him to teach him meditation on the inner Sound. The next day, as he walked down the street, he saw Master's poster, realized instantly that it was the Master from his dream, and knew that he wanted to learn Her meditation technique.

This series of events made us realize that nothing happens by coincidence and that although our minds often fail to know what we are doing, we are nonetheless guided by our souls, and always end up in the right place at the right time to deliver Master's message to Her children.

Many people we met during and after the video seminar expressed delight at learning about Master's teachings, and wished they had found out about Her sooner. This made us realize the importance of spreading Master's teachings to all corners of our world, including small towns, where many souls are waiting to hear the liberating news. These miracles of Master's arrangement in Coffs Harbor have given us encouragement to further share Master's teachings in the future.

Report from Indonesia

A Great Morning in Jakarta

[Jakarta] Indonesian fellow practitioners were surprised to hear that an Internet videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai was planned for the morning of October 6, 2002. All of the initiates dressed beautifully and came early to the Jakarta Center to participate in this special event. Everyone looked cheerful as they felt Master close to them, and were surrounded by an atmosphere of bliss. The Jakarta Center expressed its gratitude to Master by offering Her one of their traditional dishes - cone rice, which is normally presented at special or congratulatory events to show the highest gratitude to almighty God.

The particular batch of cone rice that practitioners presented to Master was modified to include a representation of Indonesia's famous Borobudur Buddhist monument in Java, one of the world's greatest architectural wonders, while the top of the rice symbolized the initiates' great thanks to Master for Her almighty power in taking care of all sentient beings. During the event, Master patiently responded to many questions, and the initiates felt extremely charged with infinite blessing.

At the end of the conference, all the practitioners sang an Indonesian children's song about happiness surrounding them wherever they are, and were grateful and happy to have the Mother of the world communicate with them.

Report from the Philippines

Conveying Master's Teachings at the

Philippine Festival Celebration

[Manila] On May 5, 2002, the City of Zambales recognized Fiesta Day, a major Philippine holiday, with a lively and boisterous celebration. Initiates from the Philippines took this opportunity to distribute Master's sample booklets and News magazines to local residents. In a joyful spirit, participants received copies of Master's sample booklets, with many gazing in fascination at Master's picture on the cover. Numerous visitors immediately registered to learn the Convenient Method, after comprehending Master's teachings on the spot.

In the Philippines, keeping a vegetarian diet is very difficult, but with sincere hearts, the participants were ready to do so to reach their spiritual goals. In the two weeks since the celebration, many have changed from meat eating to vegetarianism, with some also learning the Convenient Method.

On her first day of meditation, one new Convenient Method practitioner had types of inner experiences that she had never experienced in her life. She was so touched that she cried throughout her half-hour meditation. She saw Master come to save her, and felt so happy that she was moved to tears. After each group meditation session, the Convenient Method practitioners express their happiness and gratitude to Master.

Fellow practitioners in Manila thank Master for giving them another opportunity to help both themselves and the people of the Philippines grow spiritually through the Fiesta Day celebration.

Caption: During Fiesta Day at Zambales City, Master's sample booklet, a precious gift for local citizens, bestows infinite blessings on the people.

Report from Formosa

Beach-cleaning at Patoutsu

[Keelung]The Keelung Center of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association receives a special commendation from the local Environmental Protection Bureau for its warm response to local beach-cleaning campaigns, and for its monthly beach-cleaning efforts in a similar activity at Changtanli, Patoutsu on October 12, 2002.

Fellow initiates, already beach-cleaning experts from their previous efforts, enjoy an environmental and ecological protection activity and restore Changtanli Beach to its original beauty in just a few hours.

Master's Words

The Purpose of Meditation

- Realizing Your Self and Attaining Inner Bliss

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa, June 19, 1995
(Originally in English) Videotape No. 481

Actually, when we're very happy, it's very difficult to meditate. And when we're very miserable, it's also very difficult to meditate! That's why we always try to strike a balance in between, so we don't feel such extremes that we forget that the real happiness is inside. Truly, it is!

It doesn't matter how much we love someone, or how much someone loves us. One day or another, he or she will disappoint us. And then it hurts. Maybe we misunderstand, or maybe it's true. But it hurts. Even with our children or husband, if we truly want them to love us, we have to be like a slave 24 hours a day to their every wish. Then they'll be happy, and then they might stick with us. But even then it's just maybe.

Sometimes children also make trouble for their parents because they misunderstand their parents, or they want their parents to be with them all the time and give them all of their time. But sometimes, if the parents can't satisfy them, they just don't care. So even children sometimes cause a lot of pain for their parents. And sometimes a husband and wife cause pain for each other because of too many expectations or even just normal expectations.

Still, they're not always easy to fulfill. Like today someone loves you and then you expect tomorrow he will be the same or maybe even better. But then something happens tomorrow. And then he's cranky and moody, and he doesn't want to talk to you. It may not be your fault. But then you say, "If you don't care about me, why should I care about you?" And then you both say it, and then you separate or at least feel bad about each other. And then it takes many days before you reconcile with each other again, or maybe never. Sometimes even just small things make people fall apart, and it hurts a lot. It's not that it doesn't hurt. If it didn't hurt, it would be OK. But it does hurt.

Actually, if we truly rely on the inner happiness, then everything will come. Then we'll never be disappointed or have to rely on anyone. If someone comes, it's OK, or if they don't come, it's OK. We don't feel so hurt or pained inside.

So all the pain, sorrow and misery come not from the outside, not from other people. They come from our inner ignorance. We expect too much from everyone and everything, and then we're disappointed. So the only source of happiness is inside. Whenever you meditate, try to get in touch with that source. For your sake, for your own happiness, contentment, satisfaction, you must always try to get in touch with that joyful center which is inside all of you. That is where the Master power is. That is where every miracle in the universe can manifest. That's all loving kindness, that's where all loving kindness is born. That's where all the Virtues, beauty and the Truth laying dormant there for you to discover.

Otherwise, sooner or later we all die and go where, who cares? At least when we're living, we must live a very worthwhile human life. We should be happy and be able to carry on our life in a joyful way. Because that befits our dignity as a human being, as the "Top Ten" of all the animals in this world. We're the top of physical creation. We don't know if we're the top of the universe yet. Maybe not, but at least here, we're the top of creation. So we must carry on our life as dignified as a human being should be, and not be fearful of everything and stupid and in misery, especially when we have the treasure inside that we can always use.

That's the only purpose of meditation: that you know yourself and know what true happiness is, not because the Master says so and you have to obey the Master. You obey the Master because it's good for you, but you must know why. You must know it's for you, not for the Master. The Master doesn't care. I don't care. If you don't meditate, you don't meditate. It's your life. I can't control you, and I don't want to. If you control someone else, you're bound to him or her. Just like the policeman with a criminal, they're both handcuffed. The policeman has to take care of the prisoner.

I don't want to be in that position. So whatever I tell you is good for you, and if what you hear is logical and you know it, then carry on. Not because I force you or anything like that. It's an honor, it's a privilege, and it's the best fortune of our life to be able to know such a secret. It's not being forced, it's not a bargain, and it's not an obligation. It's the best of all privileges, the best of all luck, in thousands or millions of lifetimes, that we're being so easily shown such a door to liberate ourselves of all misery. So work on it. That's all there is to it. (Applause)

Sometimes, if I work until very late, sometimes until twelve o'clock or one, two o'clock, I still meditate before I sleep. I always long to meditate apart from all of my obligations and duties. I never feel like I shouldn't meditate, or that meditation is terrible. Never! It's a joy, a source of relaxation, a way of recharging, even physically.

That's not talking about becoming a Buddha or anything. If you don't meditate during one day, you can never recover from the whole day's exhaustion and all kinds of mental bombardment of society's negativity. So don't complain to me if you're tired, if you're all this and that and the other. If you don't meditate enough, that's it. That's the price you pay. In the beginning, maybe you're unsettled. But the more you meditate, the more you feel like that's it, that's the only method. Now even if someone gave you one million dollars to change the Master or change the method, you wouldn't do it. You never would. Because you just know it; you can't lie. You can't lie and say that this not the method for you. Even if your meditation is lousy, you know it's only your fault. (Master and everyone laugh.) You honestly know that.

And then when it comes to deep down in your introspection: The Quan Yin Method is the only way, right? That's it, full stop, finished, no argument, no "but," "however" or "nevertheless." That's it. That's the feeling we have in our heart, and that's what we know. And that's the only thing that's sure. So if you know that, then you know it. I don't have to tell you.

Selected Questions and Answers

Peace on Earth Begins with Us

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Aukland, New Zealand, April 27, 2000
(Originally in English) Videotape No. 686

Q: From my understanding, the way to practice the Quan Yin Method is by meditation. I'm wondering how meditation can help change the world to become peaceful and in harmony - an ideal world.
M: That's the right question. Meditation doesn't change the world; it changes you. And then if everyone changes himself, the world becomes peaceful.

We only make war because we're not peaceful ourselves, because we don't know that the person next to us is God. We don't realize that we are God, and we don't realize that the ones we kill, we shoot, we torture, are also God. And that's why the world is not peaceful.

Meditation doesn't mean you just sit there like a statue. You have to really reconnect with God first; then that's the true meditation. Once that's taken place, your being is changed forever. You become a peaceful example of a walking God on this planet.

And even if you don't do anything, people see you and they feel peace. They want to be around you. They want to take advice from you. They want to learn from your example. And that's how the world will become peaceful. It's very logical, nothing mysterious.

How to Form the Habit of Getting Up Early for Meditation

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Aukland, New Zealand, April 27, 2000
(Originally in English) Videotape No. 686

Q: What can I do to maintain a daily meditation schedule, when there aren't enough waking hours in the day?
M: You can't wake up? Me, either. No one likes to wake up when we're snug in bed, but we have to try. Suppose you have a job and you have to get up to go to work, then you must. For something like two thousand dollars per month, you wake up every morning at five o'clock. But for God, you don't wake up! So what am I to do? You make your own priorities. We can wake up a little earlier than usual and then get used to it.

For example, say it's too early to get up at three o'clock; then don't wake up three o'clock. If you normally wake up for work at five o'clock, then wake up at twenty to five the first day, or ten to five, or even five to five, and the next day or next week, at ten to five. Get yourself used to the idea and reward yourself abundantly. Tell yourself, "If you wake up early today, I'm going to give you a double bagel or one more cup of cafe latte." Whatever your mind loves to have, reward yourself with it.

You must also love yourself because let's face it, we have only this one physical body, and we're very tired sometimes. We work hard for eight or ten hours a day, just to keep this machine running. And then we sometimes have to attend to other work such as family: a wife, children, parents, friends, neighbors, relatives, and so on. We really make very hard demands on this physical body.

So of course, if you can't wake up in the morning for meditation, forgive yourself. Don't be too hard on yourself, but train yourself slowly. Watch less TV, go to sleep a little early so you can get up better. Whatever activities you used to do too much before to pass the time when you were bored, use that time for knowing God. It's a matter of organization. I'm also pretty busy. You don't believe it; I sit here and look pretty, but I'm very busy, too. And it's also hard for me to get up early sometimes. But you have to put on the alarm clock. Sometimes it's like that.

In the old Indian tradition, there was a saint who could wake up all night, but he slept sitting instead of lying down, so it was just the same. (Laughter) Our people are the same. When they go to our retreats, they sit there and look very good, but they sit in any fashion. (Master humorously drops Her head to one side to show someone "nodding off.") So never mind. Try your best; that's what counts. The saint in India had long hair like me, and he tied his hair to the ceiling. I'm not kidding! And then he became a Master, because he tried so hard. He tied his hair to the ceiling, so whenever he nodded off: "Oh! OK! Ow!" (Laughter)

I'm not saying that you should grow your hair long or do that. But find your own way. Like you can wake up early; for example, in the beginning I had to put a flask of ice water next to me. And then when the alarm rang, I would reach for the ice and throw it on my face: Oh! The ice comes through your clothes and everything, and you just have to jump out of bed.

You don't have to do that; you'll have your own way. But when you want to do something, you can. Believe that you can because you're God. There's nothing impossible with God. Just remember that you have God inside you and no one else there. Don't listen to the mind and the brain; it's just a computer. The mind tells us, "Oh, sleep. Sleep is good for you." But that's not God's voice. God's is behind that.

Morning Is the Best Time for Meditation

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Aukland, New Zealand, April 27, 2000
(Originally in English) Videotape No. 686

Q: Master, why is it important to meditate in the morning?
M: You can meditate at any time. It's just that in the morning, most people have a night's rest. And in the morning it's still quiet. Like from three to six, most people are still sleeping: no traffic, no noise, no children and no telephone ringing. And your mind, after a night's rest, is calm. And your body is also still not fully active. So you can sit better and you can attain samadhi, meaning Heaven, more and more quickly. If you do it at home, it's even better. Because you're calmer there; you feel more secure and quiet.

And the morning has the best hours. But that doesn't mean you have to do it in the morning. I do it at any time: on the bus, in the car. Our people do it anywhere except when driving, please. (Laughter)

The Difference between Prayer and Meditation

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Aukland, New Zealand, April 27, 2000
(Originally in English) Videotape No. 686

Q: Is praying meditation?
M: Yes, it's a kind of meditation. But praying is only one-way meditation. We talk to God, "Oh God, please do this!" But we don't hear what Hes says. That's why it's one-way. Meditation is two-way communication. We offer our pain, our sorrow, our happiness and our gratitude to God. And Hes in turn lets us know what we should do next. We have communication and we have a connection with God. Praying is just the talk of one person; we don't hear what God says at all. But in meditation, we hear; we know. Hes guides us. Hes brightens our life with thousands of suns inside. Hes makes us shining, loving, wise, humorous and beautiful, inside and out. That's the difference.

Spiritual Practice Advances Our Planet

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Aukland, New Zealand, April 27, 2000 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 686

Q: I sometimes sense the guidance and presence of the ascended Masters. Can they really help humanity from afar?
M: Sure! We're all one. So if you're enlightened, they're affected. Can you imagine if after the Golden Age our planet were all destroyed and not too many people survived. Can you imagine the state of human beings at that time? Everyone was kind of groveling in darkness, and they all affected each other. We do all affect each other. And that's why we became the way we were, and now that we've been practicing and practicing, year after year, our planet's become better. Don't you feel it? Don't you feel we've progressed? (Yes.) Yes.

I'm not saying you should come and practice the Quan Yin Method or have the experience of Heaven. Even if you don't have it, you can feel that our planet now has a different energy. It's different; happier, more open and very relaxed. And human beings are really different from before, even a few decades ago. Our technologies such as science and everything are just blossoming so fast. It's very amazing what we've discovered lately. Can you imagine? e-mail, and the Internet: Wow, this is incredible! There are so many other things you don't know about that they've already developed as well.

Living Up to the Precepts Is Living Up to Ourselves

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Aukland, New Zealand, April 27, 2000 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 686

Q: What happens if I break the Precepts after my initiation?
M: That's just like asking me what happens if I have an "extra" affair after I've married my wife. How shall I answer you? Make up your mind. No one is here to force you. It's only you, yourself, and God; you make a covenant with God. You say, "I make You my priority. I'll do anything to know You. I don't need all these stupid things in order to survive; I can live without them. I can live without killing my neighbors. I can live without telling lies. I can live without drugs and alcohol. I'm strong; I don't need these substitute intoxicants. I can have Divine intoxication. I can live without having to have sex with every man or girl who walks by."

Make up your mind. Present yourself as the being you want to present. If you're one who likes to present yourself to everyone else as "I'm one who tells lies; I'm one who's always drunk, takes drugs and all that; I'm one who covets my neighbor's wife; I'm one who likes to kill and murder people," if that's how you want to present yourself, then go ahead. It's your choice. But if you want to present yourself as an enlightened being, as a wise person, as a happy being, as a helpful, compassionate, loving, truthful person, then there's also that choice. You see, there are two choices, but it's your choice. They're not my Precepts; they're a way of life. It's a choice you make, to present yourself to the world, to God and to your own Self when you look in the mirror at the kind of person you want to see. No Precepts; we don't need Precepts. You know what you want to be.

How to Overcome Fear

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Aukland, New Zealand, April 27, 2000 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 686

Q: When we feel intense fear, what's the reason for it? What's life trying to tell us?
M: It depends. If you're in a fearful situation, it's all right to feel fear. But we don't have to let the fear overcome us so that we'll be paralyzed and don't know how to react in a better way. Fear is a natural emotion. Fear and love are natural emotions. You don't have to suppress it; you just have to understand it and handle it.

For example, do you think I don't have fear? I do. I feared coming here and not knowing what to talk to you about. I feared that I wouldn't know how to make you understand what I understand. I really did fear. Today, I arrived earlier and went to have tea in a shop because I didn't have anything to eat since yesterday. I couldn't eat on the airplane; I was very tired physically because I had to rush with a lot of things in order to pack and then go. I hadn't slept for a long time, so when I got on the airplane, I didn't eat anything. I just tried to sleep or quiet down. Then this morning, I worried that I might sleep in the lecture hall! So I went and had some tea. And then I saw a lot of people sitting there; they were having tea and talking about all kinds of things. And I was wondering: How am I going to tell all these people about God! Do they really care about God? They're so happy with their physical life: Who am I going to talk to and about what?

So I was also scared. Not truly scared but really not very encouraged or enthusiastic and not so confident. But then I still did it. You see? I had fear, but I went through with it. It's not that I don't have it. We have fear, but we have to go through it. If it's a fearful situation, we have to think about what we can do to make it better. If it's a fearful person, we have to try to use love to overcome our own fear. The person who's sometimes bad to us makes us fearful, because he or she is an insecure person. So it depends on the situation.

Anyway, even if we have fear, we must calm down and think, "OK, I have fear, but now what must I do in this kind of situation to get myself out of this fear?" You have to take control of yourself to get rid of the fear. Taking control of ourselves means dealing with the situation so that we become more secure, and then the fear will disappear. We can't suppress the fear. We have to deal with it and make it better.

Inner Worth Is the Real Treasure

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Aukland, New Zealand, April 27, 2000 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 686

Q: Why is it that although we're all equal in God's creation, some of us suffer so much misery while certain others, though they live a life of evil misdeeds, prosper materially ?
M: That's because of the different paths that we've chosen. When we gain material wealth or comfort, it doesn't mean that we're blessed or we're anything good because as soon as we die, we leave everything behind. If we gain spiritual knowledge and wealth, that's everlasting .

So don't envy those who only acquire material possessions, but have nothing for their soul; because soon they'll be empty. But you, even though you don't have many material acquisitions, are rich in your heart. You have great love, great compassion, great knowledge and wisdom. Like the Buddha or Jesus, they were walking in bare feet. They didn't have any money; they didn't have cars. They didn't have anything, and yet people fell at their feet to worship them. People still listen to everything they said and worship them, two or three thousand years later. So who's richer, the millionaires out there or Jesus and Buddha? You already know the answer. There's no need to compare ourselves with others. We have to know what we're worth inside. That's what's important.

Love Your Enemies

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Aukland, New Zealand, April 27, 2000 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 686

Q: Should we love our enemies?
M: Well, what else can you do with him? (Laughter) That's a practical question. If you kill him, his wife might kill you, or his daughter or son. It will continue forever. So we'd better love our enemy. It's the best way to kill him! (Laughter) If you love your enemy, he or she becomes your friend. Then the enemy's gone for good. And you have more friends: from his family: his wife, his kids, his relatives and his friends as well. Make one friend and you have many friends. Make one enemy and you make many enemies. So we 'lose business' if we hate the enemy.

While on the Path

A Journey to Heaven

- Helping to Construct the Budapest Center

By brother initiate Ricky Dearman, London, England (Originally in English)

On August 11, 2002, three brothers and I took a plane to Budapest, Hungary to help construct a new center where the European Four-day Retreat was scheduled to begin on the 15th. When our plane landed, we were greeted by two smiling contact persons from Budapest.

On the way from the local airport to the Budapest Center, we encountered a huge downpour, strong gales and extremely cold weather. I noticed that our Hungarian driver-brother had mud all the way up his legs, but he did not seem to mind. He told us that it had been raining for the past two weeks in the area, and that some of the roads around the Center were closed due to their being waterlogged. The weather then got even worse as we approached our destination. Next, the brother told us that we had to get out and walk a short distance to another car, as this particular area had become badly flooded.

As I got out of the car, I immediately became immersed in mud up to my ankles, as the rain hit my face like pins and blinded me. Through the mud, we trudged to the other vehicle. I then passed my water soaked luggage to the brother and climbed into the car. We next discovered that the car had no windshield so the rain poured right in and soaked us even more, if that was possible. By now I was wet and freezing, and thought I would like to take the next plane home, if possible!

Finally, we pulled into the Budapest Center grounds and saw 15 brothers and sisters who were soaking wet, with mud up to their eyes. They were digging trenches on their hands and knees to prevent more flooding, erecting fences, fixing a roof and so forth, all the while smiling! They greeted us happily with enough enthusiasm to match any victorious army. Before pitching my tent, I stood shivering, watching these "human machines" at work. Their spirit was so strong and united that all one could do was admire them. I was deeply touched and impressed with their strength and passion, and could not help but respect them for their pure devotion.

The next morning, I awoke to find myself immersed in water and then changed into my other wet clothes to meditate. I found that wearing wet clothes was a good way to stop myself from falling asleep. After breakfast, work began. We dug, painted, installed windows, hung doors, etc. Whenever negative thoughts came into my mind, I would look around at the other brothers and sisters, and the thoughts would just dissipate as quickly as they had arisen.

Soon evening came, and I looked forward to a nice, warm shower - until I was told that only cold water was available at the time. So I got in and out of the shower in a record time of about 30 seconds!

Over the next several days, the rain continued to come down in buckets, and the winds got stronger, but we completed our projects nonetheless. We were right on schedule with only a little work left to do. In the meantime, access to the Center had gotten so difficult that cars were unable to reach it. So we had to rent a four-wheel drive range rover to transport disciples and equipment from the main road to the Center, a distance of about half a mile. One of the brothers and I were assigned to this job.

During each journey, as we drove the disciples to the Center, I noticed a change in the area: The whole Center had become filled with powerful blessing energy from Master. We then worked through the night with the help of Master's blessing power.

On the morning of August 14 the sun came out for the first time in many days. Throughout the day, mini buses, cars and coaches arrived filled with brothers and sisters from many European countries including Germany, France, Sweden, Spain, the U.K the Czech Republic and many others. The initiates had heard news of the flood but were greeted with sunshine instead. As we pulled into the grounds of the Center, the delight on the brothers' and sisters' faces shone like sunlight.

The Budapest Center's surroundings are fit for a movie set, with sunflower fields on three sides. These bright flowers swayed in the wind in total harmony with one another, as the sun's rays broke through the clouds after a brief downpour, creating a rainbow in the sky. I watched brothers and sisters from all walks of life, of all creeds and colors, talking, eating, sitting, walking or picking wild herbs and mushrooms from the fields. As I savored this moment, I thought "Heaven on Earth" was right here, right now.

Then, as night fell, and a half moon cast its light over the dew, I looked up and saw a mass of stars twinkling, and felt as though I were looking inside myself. Soon something caught my eye - a shooting star that gracefully lit its way through the sky. I thanked Master sincerely for these wonderful experiences, as I zipped up my tent, snuggled in and fell asleep to the soothing sound of crickets.

On the morning of August 17, we heard that Master would communicate with us via an evening videoconference that was to be held at a nearby university. During the conference, we saw Master on the video screen, looking as radiant, charming and witty as ever. She answered all of our questions with unconditional love and wisdom, until all the disciples were satisfied and fulfilled. We then traveled back to the Budapest Center by coach, but we might as well have been flying because we were all afloat in Master's love and blessing. It was a perfect ending to the European Four-day Retreat!

My mind then went back to where I had been before initiation - I used to be in a fog, often feeling depressed, in pain and without understanding. But now my mind is full of wisdom, knowledge and wealth beyond my wildest dreams. This transformation began four years ago when the most influential person I have ever known came into my life - Supreme Master Ching Hai, Who has brought into my experience people with great courage, integrity, honesty and ethical ideals. Thank you, Master, for helping me travel the road less traveled. Thank you for showing me the true meaning of altruism.

caption:

During the Four-day European Retreat, the sun shone through the clouds and shed its abundant light on the earth and tent area.

The happy yogis of the Quan Yin family grow and develop through Master's Love.

The muddy ground around the Budapest Center after the rainfall

Thanks to God and Thanks to You, My Master!

By Sister Initiate Mary Agi, Costa Rica (Originally in Spanish)

Throughout my life before initiation, I was always grateful for God's blessings: a loving family, good friends, a house, a job, enough money to meet life's needs, and most of all, an enduring belief in God. However, for years I also had a feeling that something of vital importance was missing - a feeling that filled my heart when I opened my eyes to begin the day, when I went about my daily activities, and when I closed my eyes to receive the night.

It seemed I had lost something very important or there was something I had to remember, but I did not know what it was or how to go about finding it. Often I prayed until I became weary, to see if God would respond to my yearning. Other times, I went to sleep crying, trying to understand why I felt out of place in the world.

I thought that something was wrong with me. How could I ask for more than what had been given to me? I owned and enjoyed more than others could only dream of, especially a husband who loved me very much. Even so, in the deepest part of my being, I still felt like something was missing. In all the literature that I read, all the religious organizations that I had visited, and all the conversations that I had, I could not get the answer I was searching for. So with great sincerity, I began to ask God to send me someone who could guide me and quench the thirst that had been with me since childhood.

Then one day, I saw one of Master's video lectures on television, and my life changed dramatically. Without understanding why, from that day on, I have been a vegetarian, even though Master never mentioned the subject of vegetarianism in that lecture. The following day, without knowing why I had the urge to learn more about "Supreme Master Ching Hai," and called the number that appeared at the end of the lecture. All I knew was that Her eyes deeply penetrated my being, and Her words sounded like music to my ears. There was something about Her that seemed very familiar. It was as if I already knew Her. But how was that possible? It was the first time that I had seen Her and heard Her Name. However, subsequently, after reading Master's magazines and books and watching Her taped lectures at the local center, I began to feel intoxicated by Her loving gaze and voice. Her lectures far surpassed what I had expected. She answered all of my questions, and made me feel closer to God with each passing second. I felt that She had given me the peace that I had so yearned for all my life.

When I was initiated three months later, Master not only taught me how to have true communication with God, but also took me by the hand, step by step, to help me return Home. With Her by my side, I am not afraid of the obstacles in my way. Her love envelops me each second of the day, and is so strong that I can feel it even while I am asleep. She has connected me with my inner Master and taught me that the Master power accompanies me 24 hours a day. Now I know that God has sent Her to show me the way Home, a place where I belong, a place that I had longed for since childhood.

Thank You, Master, for accepting the challenge of bringing us God's message and for helping us remember that we are the children of God. I know that Your work is the most difficult of all since You have to deal with our ignorance and endure solitude, sadness and anguish. Many times on behalf of God, You knock at our door, and we do not respond. Many times You call out our names, but we do not listen. When we fall, You are the first one by our side to console us, motivate us, and give us enough strength to persevere. You encourage us to continue until we reach our final destination, where You know that God will be waiting for us with open arms. Thanks to You, God, and thanks to You, my Master. Mere language cannot express to You how much I love You and how much You mean to me.

Master's Wonders

Some Perfectly Prepared Herbal Medicine

Narrated by sister Wang from Mainland China and recorded
by a Quan Yin messenger

One morning in the middle of March 2001, after sister Wang had made breakfast for her family, she began to prepare some herbal medicine that had been prescribed by a doctor for a hospitalized initiate. When it was time for her to go to work, she left home in a hurry, forgetting to turn off her gas stove, where the herbs were cooking in a pot. She did not realize that she had not turned off the stove until she returned home from work, and thought to herself, "This is terrible! The herbs must be burned!" Sister Wang then turned off the gas, removed the lid to the pot, and found that a miracle had occurred: The herbs were not burned at all; instead, the potion was just right despite the fact that it had brewed on the stove from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. What a wonder! Sister Wang's oversight could have caused a terrible disaster without Master's careful intercession! Master's power is indeed omnipresent!

Escorting Mother Home

Narrated by sister Jiang from Mainland China and recorded
by a Quan Yin messenger

In mid-January 1998, sister Jiang's 80-year-old mother learned the Convenient Method at a place far from her home. It was already past 7:00 p.m. when she returned from the Convenient Method session to her hometown by bus, and still had to walk some distance to get home, but could not tell in which direction to walk. The night was cold and dark, and she was alone on a slippery road. She soon became worried, and then suddenly heard a soothing voice say, "Recite a Saint's name!" Feeling comforted, the sister thought, "That's right! Master taught me the Convenient Method today. Why not ask Her for help?" Thus, sister Jiang's mother began to quietly recite Master's name.

A few minutes later, a young man came by and patted her on the shoulder, saying, "Granny, it's getting late. What are you doing here?" She then gazed at the young man and thought he looked familiar so she told him about her problem. And the young man said, "Let me walk you home! I used to live in your village but moved to this small town a few years ago. Just now, I felt bored at home and came out for a walk. That's how I saw you here." The young man then accompanied the sister home. Her family was very grateful for his help, and sister Jiang's mother said, "It was Master who sent him to accompany me home."

Master's Grace - A New Lease on Life

Narrated by brother Wang from Mainland China and Recorded by a Quan Yin messenger

Several years ago, when brother Wang had known about Master's teachings for less than 40 days, he accidentally fell five meters to the ground while on his way to deliver some equipment. A doctor diagnosed a broken second lumbar vertebra in his spine and a disjointed left ankle. Then the doctor immediately placed the ankle in a plaster cast and prescribed some bone-healing medicine, but brother Wang was concerned about taking the pills since they contained animal ingredients. He thought for a long time and finally decided he would not take the pills because doing so would delay his initiation. He resolved to let Master take care of everything instead.

At that time, many initiates and would-be initiates felt touched and delighted at brother Wang's decision and strongly supported him for they all believed that Master's power was far more effective than pills. The initiates expressed their concern and encouragement through their actions. Some brought him Master's audiocassettes; some kept him company and took care of him at the hospital; others cooked vegetarian food for him. Brother Wang was confined to bed, suffering numbness in the lumbar region of his spine and violent spasms in his joints. Yet, he quietly slipped the medicine given by his nurse into a plastic bag. Master's audiocassettes were always playing by his bedside, and he repeated Master's name again and again, praying that She would give him the power to overcome his pain.

Under the care of so many people, and especially through Master's blessings, brother Wang regained feeling in his lumbar area within a week and could even sit up. Half a month later, he could get to the bathroom with the help of a walking stick! In just over a month, he left the hospital and returned home. Brother Wang understands very well that Master has bestowed a new life on him and he is very grateful for it.

An Initiate's Family Experiences Master's Divine Intervention

By sister initiate Aimee Blossom Fanton, Byron Bay/Northern Rivers, Australia (Originally in English)

A few weeks before my younger sister was due to give birth to her third child, she was found by her doctor to have birth complications and was rushed to the hospital, where thankfully, her baby was born happy and healthy but under unusual conditions. An extremely large amount of fluid was present at the birth. This normally occurs when a baby has severe deformities or in the case of eclampsia - a condition in which the mother's blood pressure becomes so high that it causes toxic blood to flow into the baby's body. However, neither of these complications was present, and the doctors were baffled.

The baby was born healthy with only one small finger deformed. So the doctors suspected that there might be chromosomal changes and brain damage. However, the tests for these problems showed no signs of abnormality. My sister later told me that during her pregnancy she had had an irrational fear that her baby was going to be born deformed. We have since learned that my sister's house is in a high-risk zone exposed to harmful electrical fields, which can cause, among other things, birth defects. Three of the seven children born recently in neighbouring families have been affected with deformities.

A week before the baby was born, I had had a dream in which the unborn child was immersed in water and suffering from bodily incompleteness. After awakening, I felt a level of heartbreak and despair that I have rarely felt before, as the vivid dream weighed heavily on my heart that day. The next night I had another dream, but this time the baby was whole and the nightmare was gone, and in a flash and I felt Master's love.

I feel that Master's grace and compassion saved my sister's baby from a life with a deformed body. Through my dream, She let me experience only a fraction of the heartbreak that would have been, and I thank Her for easing the karma of my loved ones. Truly, if we let Her, Master always looks after us and takes away our karma, extending Her love and compassion even to those we care for. Her love creates a wall of grace and security. She truly lifts me up and I am filled with gratitude for Her ever-present care and protection!

The European Retreat Sparks Childhood Memories of Master's Divine Protection

By fellow initiate Wonwilai Rakkandee, Munich, Germany (Originally in German)

Because of the videoconference with Master during the European Retreat in Hungary, August 2002 became an unforgettable time in my life. After the conference, all my childhood memories of experiences with Master surfaced.

The atmosphere of the conference room became infused with Master's love and blessing as soon as She appeared on the screen, and I was overwhelmed during the entire event. I was extremely lucky to talk personally with Master for the first time at this conference. My heart beat very quickly and I felt happier than I had ever felt in my life. Two days after the conference my heart was still singing and full of joy.

During meditation on the day after the conference, many of my childhood memories and adventures arose in my mind. I had a difficult childhood and can remember that at the age of seven I ran barefoot along the road under the hot sun of Thailand to collect plastic, bottles, metal and cardboard that I then sold. This was my contribution to my family's income. It was not much, but it gave me peace because they were not really my family.

Often I would hide in a corner crying and ask myself, "Why don't I have parents? Why doesn't anyone love me? Why does no one want me? Why was I left behind all alone? Where is my family? What is love? What is God? Why I am here?" I had thousands of such questions.

But during the night, when I went to bed, Shakyamuni Buddha, the Boddhisattvas or Maitreya Buddha always took me with them to a different, beautiful world, where I experienced great fun and laughter. There I always felt deeply loved and sometimes when no Buddhas or Boddhisattvas came to get me, dragons would come, put me on their backs and fly everywhere with me. These experiences always made me feel very happy so sleep became my shelter from life, from the suffering of the earthly world.

When I did something bad, a strange sun shone at night in my dreams. The sun was so bright that I could not look directly at it. When I was unhappy during the day and cried out of despair, this sun also came to me. Since my childhood, for as long as I can remember, it accompanied me, and the Buddhas, Boddhisattvas and sweet little dragons were always beside it. When I was unhappy, needed help or was in mortal danger (I nearly died five times) they were always there.

When I was 24 years old, three angels of death came to see me every night for nearly a month. During that time, I hardly slept because each time I tried to sleep they came and pulled my soul out of my body. I then always recited Buddha's name, after which they let me go immediately. But as soon as I fell asleep, they came again.

After about a month I wanted to give up fighting against them but then a Hindu guru came to me in a dream. He brought me to a house that was full of pictures of Chinese guardian angels. They were all enormous and looked very alive. The Hindu guru put a white cloth on the floor and told me to lie on it. When I was lying on it, he changed into a woman with white light but I did not know who she was. She put herself on top of me and covered us both with a white cloth. After that, all the angels of death and ghosts disappeared. In Thailand this symbolizes that a person's life has been prolonged.

Several months later, I received a very old copy of Master's sample booklet and thought, "My God, such an enlightened Master! Is She still alive?" I then wrote to Formosa and got the phone number of the contact person in my area. I called the contact person and soon after my first visit to the Dusseldorf Center, asked to learn the Convenient Method.

While practicing the Convenient Method, I received infinite blessings and experiences and I could already hear the Sound. I could also feel the presence of Master Ching Hai every second. Six months later, I received initiation. The time before my initiation was full of painful longing. When I finally received initiation I realized for the first time who or what that strange sun and its attendants were. It had been my beloved Master.

I always feel like crying when I think that Master has been looking after me since birth and even before that, because my mother tried to abort me in many different ways. Master kept me away from all the negative influences that wanted to destroy me and later wanted to prevent me from getting initiation. I know what Master had to go through so that I could get initiation, and with it, final liberation. For the first time I realize what happiness, joy, compassion and love mean. I do not know how to thank You; no words can express my gratitude; I can only give You a poem made of dry syllables. I hope nevertheless that You can feel in my heart what I feel for You, because you and I are "twins" just as You wrote in one of Your poems.

Because of You

Love inside me can be strong... because You trust me,
The romantic side of me can be born... because You love me,
I have a beautiful day and at night dream like a baby... if You just look at me.
I have the eternity of Heaven here and now... because You are with me.

All my desires are fulfilled because You are in my presence.
But if You were not at my side, Mother,
I would be exhausted immediately, like a fish on dry earth.
I would suffer and die... without love, but full of fear,

Gone... without light; everywhere would be darkness,
Alone... without You, I'm lost in the space of uncertainty.
Where would my soul go, without Your guidance?
Where can my soul take refuge, without Your compassion?
Where can my soul take rest, without Your love?

Only in You can I find myself, Master.
Only in You can I have safety, Mother.
Only in You can I see the glory, my holy Light.
Only in You I feel love and acceptance

Because You always carry me in Your heart;
Because You are the Light;
Because You are the Way;
Because You are the Sign;
Because You are the Beauty;
Because You are the Supreme;

The greatest of all,
The King of Kings,
Magnificence of the Universe.

Because of You, everything begins to awaken
In the Lotus of Heaven.

Master Says

Reaching a New Era of Universal Consciousness

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Malaysia, February 25, 1992
(Originally in Chinese) Videotape No. 218

As a Chinese saying goes, "We need to cultivate ourselves, harmonize our families, before we can govern the country and bring peace to the world." When this Enlightened Master spoke on "bringing peace to the world," most probably he was referring only to China, and not the whole world in a broader sense. Nevertheless, we can now extend its definition further, for all the countries on Earth can now communicate and engage in exchanges. I believe that one day this communication and exchange will no longer be limited to countries, but will be extended to other planets as well. We ought to expand our thinking and we must start preparing now. Otherwise, when the time comes, we, or our children, will be caught unprepared.

When I was little, I had a great dream, a great aspiration. I wished that when I grew up, some immortals or Heavenly beings would descend to teach me and open up my wisdom, and that they would teach me how to fly to Heaven and then fly back. I don't know why I had such an aspiration when I was little, but my dream eventually came true! Therefore, it's also good that we sometimes have dreams and aspirations. If we're truly sincere and focus our thoughts on that wish, one day it will come true. The Americans also have a proverb that goes: "If you don't have a dream, how will you have a dream come true?"

Preparing to be a Member of the Galaxy Federation

Therefore, we should be mentally prepared now. Perhaps one day we will have a kind of inter-planetary hierarchy. This isn't just a dream; I have faith that it will come true one day. As to when that will be, it depends on how well we Earthlings prepare ourselves, and when the other planets want to communicate with us. In fact, they started to communicate with us long ago. For example, UFOs and beings from several stellar systems have been appearing for a very long time, but they're still very cautious. If we were capable of communicating with them, they would teach us some superior knowledge.

Some people are capable of communicating with other planets. Sometimes they write books or make movies about it. Extra-Terrestrials from other planets may sometimes want to come and communicate with us, but they're afraid of us, because we Earthlings are rather unfriendly and barbarous. If we were to give a thought to what happened to Jesus before, we would acknowledge this comment as being true. However, instead of blaming ourselves, we should try to find out what we need to rectify.

First of all, we need to broaden our thinking until it encompasses the whole universe, instead of just thinking about our family and country. We're humans, "the masters of all beings in Creation." As such, our thinking ought to be very broad and vast, to deserve our status as the masters of all beings in Creation. Perhaps we still don't understand why we're so great, and why we're the masters of all beings in Creation. However, we still need to start changing our thinking, broaden our thinking. There's no harm in having some sensational or incredible dreams; perhaps one day they'll come true.

How are we going to change our thinking? We can read some good scriptures, and learn broadminded thinking and the spirit of pursuing spiritual practice from them. Besides, we can listen to people's lectures. Some people are very good spiritual practitioners; they're capable of communicating with sentient beings in numerous worlds. For instance, when Shakyamuni Buddha was alive, He knew of many different realms, different planets. That's why we have the relevant scriptures with us today. For example, the Amitabha Sutra describes the Amitabha Buddha's World. Others like the Universal Door Chapter in the Lotus Sutra also depict many other realms. In our time, there are also many people who do the same as Shakyamuni Buddha did; they're capable of travelling the universe instead of just round the world.

Can you imagine that two or three hundred years ago, people were not even aware that the American continent existed? Today America has become one of the superpowers in the world, having influence over the whole world. However, she did not even exist several hundred years ago! Unlike modern people, people of that time did not have so many convenient machines like the airplane, fax machine, telephone, video recorder, camera, and so on. However, in a short span of time, the Americans have founded their own nation, built and developed it, and educated their citizens. In no time at all, they have transformed into the number one or number two super power in the world. In only a few hundred years, the Americans have achieved so much. Can you imagine what more stunning things will happen on our Earth in the next few decades or next few centuries? Therefore, the Inter-Planetary Hierarchy that I talked about just now may not be merely a dream.

Columbus was the hero who discovered America. Some time before that, he had seen America in inner visions; he knew it in advance. However, he couldn't reveal to others that he had seen the land where he was heading; therefore, some people thought he was crazy at the time. In their small ship, and without sufficient food, they just sailed across the ocean on a seemingly uncertain course. In fact, Columbus had already seen everything in a dream. However, at that time, if he had told people that he had seen it in a dream, and that they would definitely find it, surely most people wouldn't have believed him.

In fact, many people then were sceptical. When they were about to reach America, there was no more food on the ship. They had to eat the leather soles of their shoes. The crew members sailing with Columbus were very angry, blaming him for leading them on a course to death. They didn't believe in the existence of the new continent of America, and almost killed Columbus. Facing such a predicament, Columbus remained patient and confident. It's precisely because of his great patience and confidence that America, a strong country of today, came into being.

The same thing happens to an Enlightened Master who is beginning to disseminate the Truth. Many hindrances, difficulties and humiliations confront him. All of these he has to endure alone. People around him, including his disciples, may not be able to understand his tolerant spirit and painstaking intent. "Everything is most difficult in the beginning." However, the Truth will eventually shine forth. Therefore, although Jesus Christ was crucified, His teachings and name continue to be passed on. Today, two thousand years later, we still know about His stories.

One day in the future, extra-terrestrials from other planets will appear to us and communicate with us openly. Then we can learn from them and exchange experiences with each other. Therefore, we should now get ourselves ready in body and mind. How do we prepare? We ought to rectify our undesirable lifestyles. Also, if we don't have enough understanding about the world and the universe, we should begin to research gradually. When we observe the many unfair happenings in the world, we should manage to help and change them.

However, the changes must first begin from ourselves, and the best way to change is for us to connect with the power of God, and let God's power change us. In this way, we don't have to worry about doing things the wrong way, or being deceived by our ego. Otherwise, we might think that we've changed, when in fact we haven't. We have to practice introspection. If we find that we still have heavy desires for fame and profit, and heavy greed, anger and infatuation, then we must improve. However, this isn't easy. Without the power from the enlightened Saints, from God, it's not easy to change ourselves.

God Is the Greatest Love Power

God truly has great compassion; Hes will give us everything. However, we have to know how to receive it, and we have to wait patiently and believe in God sincerely. And belief alone isn't enough; we also need to communicate with God. Only when we are in communion with God will we understand what good situations Hes has arranged for us, in what aspects Hes has taken care of us, and what beneficial things Hes has bestowed upon us. Otherwise, even if we've prayed sincerely and God has already responded to us, we aren't aware. Sometimes, Hes might have given us some good stuff, but we're ignorant and think that it's not good because it's not what we expected. And then we blame God for not giving us what we've prayed for, which in fact will be bad for us. However, we're ignorant and don't understand, so we think God isn't compassionate and isn't helping us. I'm saying this from personal experience.

Having practiced the Quan Yin Method, anything that we pray for, as long as it's good for us, we'll get sooner or later. It's just a matter of time. Why does it require time? It's because God needs to make arrangements. When a person prays for a certain thing, sometimes it's not purely that thing alone, and also it doesn't concern him alone, but could involve a lot of people. Therefore, when God wants to arrange something for a certain person, sometimes Hes must first take care of many people related to him. Or the time is not yet right. Should God give it to him too early, it could be bad for him. So, God has to first give it to other people, and give it to him later when the time is right and the situation is ideal. Only then is it good for him.

God truly represents love. If we say God isn't good, or think that God has created many difficulties and let the world suffer greatly, then we're doing Hirm a great injustice, and truly misunderstand Hirm. Ever since I've known God, Hes has always been very good to me. Hes is my best friend, the best lover, the best husband, the best father, the best mother, and Hes is everything. However, I can't show you my realization and feelings toward God, and the so-called kinship and love between us. Nevertheless, I know very clearly that Hes is the greatest love power, and the greatest rich man. There's nothing that's beneficial to me and other sentient beings that Hes wouldn't do.

Perhaps someone may ask, if God is the greatest love power, why are there still suffering, difficulties and catastrophes in our world? It's because we don't know how to accept God's grace or communicate with Hirm. We walk in the wrong direction and ask for the wrong thing. I can guarantee that if everyone practiced the Quan Yin Method, the world would have been in peace long ago. It would be just like our group, very peaceful. Even when thousands or tens of thousands of people get together, we're still quiet. Each of us is doing our own thing, and everyone is very happy and contented; every face is glowing. All of us fulfil our obligations in society. When we play, we play wholeheartedly and joyously. When we work, we also work wholeheartedly and happily.

Most of our fellow practitioners work very fast. Whatever they pray for will definitely be realized. As long as they pray for the right thing, God will definitely give it to them. The same applies to me. But because I seldom pray for anything, I have very little to share with you. However, as for my disciples, almost each of them can write a thick book about their experiences after they practiced the Quan Yin Method and purified themselves throughout their actions, speech and thoughts. Such experiences include how well God treats them and pampers them, how God bestows much grace on them, and so on. On my part, I can only talk about how God helps me in my preaching mission, takes care of my disciples, and helps me bring joy and happiness to many people. Furthermore, Hes also helps me a lot with respect to finances, wisdom and organization. If there were no God, I would be a useless person, and my achievements would be "zero."

The Way to Accept God's Grace

Therefore, I would like to introduce to you this gentleman called "God." Or you may address Hirm as "God Nature" or "Godhead." Hes is a very nice gentleman, a very nice rich man. If we truly know how to reach Hirm within and ask for Hiers help, Hes will help us in every aspect. Hes will try all kinds of methods to help us, through many people and various situations. Most people only look for God from the outside, so they have not found the real God. Therefore, their prayers aren't answered. All the teachings and stories that I tell you are the personal experiences of me and my disciples. I don't get them by reading books or the scriptures. I have already experienced the greatness of God; I have found out where Hes is; I can see Hirm every day. Therefore, I can guarantee that all these things are genuine.

I used to be a Catholic, and had heard of the existence of a God. However, at that time I didn't admire Hirm because I virtually did not know where Hes had taken care of me. The world that I saw at that time was full of pain and injustice, which made me feel very resentful. I wondered why God didn't take care of Hiers children, but let them suffer so much instead. Now I understand, but I can't tell you all that I have comprehended, because language can't possibly express God's love. I can only tell you frankly, clearly and definitely that God is absolute love and absolute generosity! Only if we know how to find Hirm and communicate with Hirm, will we have everything. Hes will help us in every way. This is absolutely true!

Suppose, if by standing on one leg or kneeling here all night worshipping God, I could let you realize how I adore God, I would do it. Sometimes I really don't know how to express my gratitude and joy; I don't know whom to talk with. Our fellow practitioners can understand, but it also depends on their level. The more advanced fellow practitioners are more able to realize God's love, because they've received God's infinite blessing. The more they meditate and purify their actions, speech and thoughts and keep a vegetarian diet, and the more strictly they observe the precepts, the more they will be able to perceive God's love.

It's not because we're vegetarians, or because we meditate or think of God that Hes takes care of us. This looks as if we're bribing God or doing business with Hirm. This isn't the case! It's because only after we've become vegetarians, observed the precepts and purified our actions, speech and thoughts, will we be able to realize how God has been taking care of us. Previously, we were hoodwinked by all kinds of distracting thoughts. God takes care of us and tells us what to do, but we don't listen. We head in the opposite direction, toward troubles and complexities. God has been giving us things, but we discard them or let them drain away. When a cup is placed upright, it can hold water inside. But if it's turned upside down, all the water inside will drain away. Or suppose we were wearing a raincoat, even if we walked outside in the rain for a whole day, we wouldn't get wet.

God's love exists forever. It's always by our side, within and without us; it's everywhere. However, we cover ourselves up with our preconceived ideas and habits acquired from many lifetimes, and then we say God's unfair and Hes never blesses us. The truth is that we've failed to place the cup upwards. In practicing the Quan Yin Method, it's as simple as turning an upside-down cup back in the right position! Therefore, from that day onward, we're always filled with nectar, filled with God's grace. The method is very simple really, if we only know how to do it.

Those who practice the Quan Yin Method never know what "fatigue" means, except when they're burdened by the karma of sentient beings. We work a lot but spend very little, because we don't eat much and don't sleep much. Every day, we only eat vegetarian food, observe the five precepts and live a simple life. This afternoon, a disciple said to me, "Master, if everyone in our world practices the Quan Yin Method, there will definitely be no war or famine. We'll work very quickly; we'll help and trust each other. The world will surely become Heaven!" I agree with him.

Although Quan Yin Method practitioners will get whatever they pray for, we actually seldom pray for anything except in an emergency. We have fewer and fewer desires. We work to earn enough money to spend, and vegetarian food is cheap. Furthermore, in observing the five precepts, we don't steal or drink alcohol, we don't snatch other people's husband or wife, and we don't abuse drugs. We consume less food than before, our life is simple, and naturally our expenditures shrink. Therefore, we don't have any financial problems. After finishing our work for the day, we meditate whenever we have time, so we don't fool around indulging in pleasures or doing bad things. Going home after work, we meditate or join group meditation. Every day we listen to Master's teachings. We virtually have neither the time nor the intention to do any bad things at all.

However, this is only my dream. Whether it will come true or not still depends on God's will. If the whole world or at least half the population practices the Quan Yin Method, it can really help the world a lot. Then we can offer support to some outstanding scientists and doctors. Some of them have invented very good tools that can cure people; some tools can even cure all illnesses. However, due to lack of financial support, these tools haven't been developed. Some scientists have invented very good machines capable of benefitting lots of people in a short time, but they lack support. Conversely, some people are jealous and sabotage their projects, so as to deter their development.

If all people practice the Quan Yin Method and are mutually supportive, contributing to society selflessly, and serving God and humankind wholeheartedly, then everyone will be able to develop his/her talents. The scientists will then invent all kinds of machines to benefit people. The doctors will also come up with many prescriptions and tools to heal all illnesses. In this way, our world will not only be spiritually elevated, but also have many advanced means to cure diseases and make our life comfortable. At that time, we won't want to go into nirvana at all. This may only be my dream, but it can come true. If I have your blessing, the blessing of all of you, it will definitely be realized!

Supreme Master Ching Hai's TV Programs

Since May 2001, when Supreme Master Ching Hai's TV program A Journey through Aesthetic Realms began airing in Formosa, it has become a favorite of fellow practitioners and the general public alike. Beginning in November 2, 2002, the broadcast station will be changed to Sun TV, and the program will be broadcast twice a week. The new timetable is as follows:

Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM

Viewers in Southeast Asia receiving the satellite simulcast via Sun TV, please convert the broadcast times, taking into account differences in time zones. For the latest schedule of Supreme Master Ching Hai's other TV programs, please refer to the following URL: http://www.godsdirectcontact.net/events/tv.htm 

The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association has prepared a video taped series of Supreme Master Ching Hai's A Journey through Aesthetic Realms Truth-sharing TV programs, which can be provided to TV stations in different countries for broadcasting purposes. Please contact us at:

Email:art&spirituality@Godsdirectcontact.org 
Fax: 1-413-751-0848 (USA)

Quan Yin Messenger's Travel Log

An Account of Truth-sharing in Argentina

By a Quan Yin messenger

The Love of the Holy Mother

In Santo Tome, Santa Fe Province, Argentina, a group of Convenient Method practitioners had been waiting for initiation for a long time. When a Quan Yin messenger finally arrived there in July 2002, one sister among them learned that she would not be able to get initiated at the time because she had unknowingly eaten some non-vegetarian food. She was deeply disappointed, but the Quan Yin messenger comforted her, telling her to continue practicing the Convenient Method earnestly while waiting for the next initiation session. The messenger also told the sister that Master would take care of her and guide her just the same. But the sister was still very sad, and continued crying after returning home. Then suddenly, Master's inner light transformation form appeared to the sister. Since Master wore a white head scarf, the sister first thought She was Mother Maria, but then when she looked more closely, and realized it was Master Ching Hai, Who comforted her and stayed with her until she became relaxed, and then the inner light form of Master began to fade out very slowly.

When the sister returned to participate in the Convenient Method group meditation session held that afternoon, she told the Quan Yin messenger about her experience. She thought that the messenger had reported to Master about her failing to get initiated because she had mistakenly eaten meat, and so Master came to her home in the inner light form. The Quan Yin messenger told her, however, that Master is with us all the time and knows everything including what we say or do.

On the next day, Master's inner light form again appeared to this sister at her home and pointed to another sister, saying that both of them were full of light and that sister would accompany her so she would not be alone. The sister then understood that it was a lesson she had to learn. Now she is doing fine, keeping a strict vegetarian diet and practicing diligently.

Around the time of the Convenient Method group meditation session that afternoon, some visitors wished to know more about Master's teachings. And after watching videotapes of Master's lectures, they all stayed to learn the Convenient Method, including a woman who had been practicing spiritual healing and wanted to get initiated, but did not want to give up her healing method. After asking many questions, the woman realized that spiritual healing only takes care of the ephemeral physical body, that what we really need to take care of is our eternal true Self, and that only through initiation can the true inner Self be awakened. This woman then went home to carefully consider these insights. A month later, she made a special trip to Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, to receive initiation. She was very happy with the experience and is looking forward to learning more about Master's teachings.

God Will Not Neglect Any Longing Souls

Argentina is the second largest country in South America, and its capital, Buenos Aires is a great and beautiful city. Among the fellow initiates in Buenos Aires are many artists, including painters, musicians, and singers. At a birthday party in August 2002, some musician-initiates brought along their guitars and violins and gave an impromptu performance of music they had written, and sang their favorite songs. Everyone at the party also enjoyed delicious vegetarian cakes and pizza prepared by fellow initiates, and sang birthday songs in Spanish, English, Chinese, Portuguese, Italian, Hebrew and Arabic, thus giving their best wishes to the birthday people of the month.

God never neglects a single soul who is ready to return to our Heavenly Home! As mentioned earlier, from July to August 2002, a Quan Yin messenger visited Argentina, and two initiation sessions were held in Buenos Aires. A couple of young lovers that had been vegetarians for several years saw Master's sample booklet in Spain. After returning to Argentina, on their first visit to our Center, they met the messenger, who had just arrived in Buenos Aires. So they immediately got a chance to talk to her, requested initiation, and soon afterwards were initiated.

The Power of One Person Can Influence Many

Tafi Viejo, a small town in Argentina's northern province of Tucuman, has a peaceful and serene atmosphere. A local fellow initiate sincerely wished to introduce Master's teachings to the people of the region, as Argentine fellow initiates had never held a video seminar there. But while the Quan Yin messenger was in Argentina, the brother could not find a suitable seminar venue in Tucuman due to time constraints. However, he refused to give up. So, he found a lecture hall in the town of Tafi Viejo, where he lives. Then on August 11, 2002, the brother invited his relatives and friends to attend the event, saying, "I wholeheartedly hope that my friends will come to know Master. Some of my friends have already heard about Master, and have wanted to learn Her meditation method for a long time."

Through this seminar, many of the initiate's friends learned about Master and began practicing the Convenient Method, and others received initiation. Now his parents are also practicing the Convenient Method. They wholeheartedly believe in Master's power, and love to introduce Master's teachings to others. Just as Master has said, we should not underestimate our own power; one person can change many.

Caption:

Fellow practitioners from Santo Tome, Santa Fe Province, Argentina.

Among the fellow initiates in Buenos Aires are many talented artists.

Letters between Master and Disciples

Infinite Benefits from a Videoconference

By fellow initiates in Mainland China

Most beloved and revered Master,

We are Your disciples in Mainland China, and are extremely grateful that You have granted us the opportunity to participate in Your global videoconferences. For many reasons, most of us are unable to see You in person, but we can all feel Your love and blessing power through the conferences. All the initiates in China feel very blissful, and immediately after each conference, we look forward to the next one.

We are especially grateful to You for Your encouragement and Your advice given in a conference with us: "It is hard to endure, but you must endure; it is hard to meditate, but you must meditate; it is hard to enter samadhi, but you must enter samadhi. Gradually, everything will change for the better, and you will naturally have everything. Every day, just look at where you have progressed and what appeals to you. This world is full of filth and has very few diamonds, and that's why we are in such pain. When suffering befalls us, we should remind ourselves that the Buddha and Jesus Christ also had to endure a great deal, and so did many Enlightened Masters of the past and present. The more we practice spiritually, the greater will be our endurance. And then we will be able to go through all kinds of agonies, and remain unwavering in any situation."

The videoconference has brought us infinite benefits. Many of us feel that we have progressed immensely, and have surmounted obstacles that had stood in our path for a long time. Especially immeasurable is the benefit that You have showered on the whole region through Your blessing! We will definitely cherish Master's grace, and practice diligently.

We sincerely hope that Master will stay forever young and beautiful, and that our next meeting with You will not be too far in the future!

You Are Our Mother and Lover

By brother initiate Sanadogo Madi Samson, Burkina-Faso, Africa (Originally in French)

Dear Supreme Master Ching Hai,

Please allow me to wish You and Your disciples the best regards. I am very happy to have the opportunity to write to You because Your work is for the noble cause of saving our souls and leading us back to the origin. Your many sacrifices deserve our deepest respect.

You are not only our Master but our mother and lover as well. Before hearing of You and Your teachings, I had already seen You in a dream. In 1998, I had a dream of myself wandering on the edge of a place that was totally dark on one side and dazzlingly bright on the other. There were different beings on both sides. Those on the dark side looked like human beings, but had dogs' heads and tails. Those on the bright side were in white, with golden belts around their waists. The beings on the dark side caught my left hand while the beings on the bright side took my right hand, and I struggled between them.

At last, the beings on the bright side won and threw me up into the sky. They formed a circle around me for quite a while, and when we descended, I saw some other beings lining up to welcome us. In front of them stood a lady in white with a veil on her face. They told me that this lady was the one that I should marry. Later, I kept wondering what this wedding in the dream meant. I thought that it was an omen about a real wedding until I saw a photo of You behind a veil at The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association's center in the city where I live.

I immediately understood that You were the lady introduced to me by the saints in my dream. It seems that I have a deep affinity with You! Then I began to study Your teachings and keep the precepts. Later, I was filled with inner experiences.

Once, in an inner vision I saw a blue crystal house and stopped to look at it attentively. On the house was written "The Saint's Abode" and the trees, leaves, flowers, and fruit all shone with golden light. Then I saw a very tall tree rising into the clouds. At this time, a strong beam of Light shone on me, and I fainted, crawling on the ground. Before the Light faded, I saw many valuable things manifest from the Light.

Another time, I dreamed of Heaven and a lady apparently swimming toward me in the water. I shouted "Jesus Christ" very loudly, and the lady went through my body and left. I then felt very shocked and woke up. Also, I have often seen many Light beams in my dreams.

Dear Master, I am looking forward to Your blessing, and hope that You will set me free because I live in a torturous environment. My inner wisdom and love can be nourished only through Your blessing. I am tired of this unfair and unjust world, and am very anxious to go back to our Home in the Kingdom of God. Master, my dear Mother, I wish that I could be one with Jesus Christ, work for God and be released from this suffocating world that is full of lies. Master, I hope that You will take care of me so that everything will proceed smoothly.

Master, my dear Mother, may Your Love make us one.

Story World

Stories of Master in the Early Years

By sister initiate Juan Li-yu, Taipei, Formosa

The Heart and Actions of a Saint

In the early years before Master began to deliver public lectures, She and several disciples lived for a time in a desolate villa in Hsintien, a Tapei suburb. The villa was rented for a very low price and, after a thorough cleaning, became a group meditation center.

One day, I was upstairs chatting with Master while several people were downstairs, preparing to receive initiation into the Quan Yin Method. When everything was ready, the attendant invited Master to go downstairs for the initiation. Master then told me, "What I dislike most is giving initiation to others. However, if we only do what we like, we're no different than ordinary people." These timeless words have since been deeply engraved in my heart. For more than a decade, I have been teaching myself constantly: "We should not do only the things that we like. Anything that is beneficial to others, and anything that we consider proper to do after assessing the situation, we should do promptly."

As the number of Master's disciples increased over time, the villa gradually became too small for us. So to accommodate fellow initiates during retreats, Master renovated a discarded workshop down the slope from the villa, even though the lease on the villa and adjoining shop was about to expire. While helping with the renovation work, I wondered, "We'll be moving out soon. Why are we still wasting time, labor and money on this project?" Master immediately detected the doubts in my heart, and murmured to Herself, "Everyone is asking me why I'm still renovating the workshop on the eve of moving out. Since there's insufficient space for the retreat, we have to create more! What does it matter if other people later get to enjoy what we've built?"

Master's words delivered a shocking blow that woke me up completely. Such is the difference between the heart of a Saint and that of an ordinary human! Saints are absolutely pure at heart, living only in the present moment, and They do whatever is proper for the situation. They lack the complicated and discriminating mind of the ordinary human being. As the Diamond Sutra says, "Have no attachment and let your hearts be free!" Master's daily life, speech and actions are a most precious living scripture that infinitely benefits us disciples!

Ironically, after the workshop had been renovated, no disciples wanted to live there because the place was too simple and crude to stay in. Ultimately, however, Master moved into the building, giving up Her room in the villa to the disciples.

Due to financial constraints at the time, Master could not afford to have a car. So every Monday and Wednesday, She had to walk all the way downhill and take a public bus to the home of a brother initiate in Taipei's Wanhua District, where She gave informal discourses. But it was Her attendant who could not stand the toil and always complained. Master then consoled her, "Lay people are busy with their daily work. It's all right for us to toil a little more."

Once, on the way back from one of these talks, Master saw a wooden board discarded by the roadside. She then picked it up, brought it back to Her residence and cleaned it thoroughly. Next, She placed two benches underneath, thus creating a dinner table!

When Master could afford the time, She would stitch and make cushions for us. Occasionally, She also cooked for the disciples, and never put on the air of being supreme just because She was our Master. If there are still people who think Master accepts disciples for benefit and fame, they are truly mistaken!

A Hornet Circles Master Three Times

During an afternoon recess from work, a group of disciples were chatting in the courtyard of Master's abode. Suddenly, we saw a hornet with a spider in its grasp. We tried every means we could to chase it away but nothing worked. Observing this chaotic situation, Master came over to see what had happened. After realizing what was going on, She talked to the hornet, saying, "Even if it has some karmic bondage with you, you should spare it!" Miraculously, the hornet seemed to understand Master's words and immediately released the spider. The insect then circled around Master three times before flying away. According to the Buddhist scriptures, in ages past, circling an Enlightened Master three times was a very reverential salutation. It is truly incredible that even a hornet could thus recognize a living Enlightened Master!

Elevation of the Soul

Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest CDs

<Spoken in Chinese and English, with Chinese oral interpretation>

CD-CE02 Liberation in One Lifetime
A discourse delivered by Master on August 8. 1985 during Her Early Years in Formosa

Following the release of CD-CE01, The Supra-worldly Therapy, another new CD has been produced that compiles Supreme Master Ching Hai's discourses in Her early years when She had not yet begun preaching publicly. These recordings are being released for the first time to satisfy the yearning of Truth-aspirants.

It is recorded in the Surangama Sutra that Shakyamuni Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva and Quan Yin Bodhisattva unanimously proclaimed the Quan Yin Method to be the ultimate method for attaining liberation, and also the speediest and safest method for sentient beings to attain Buddhahood in the last period of the Dharma. In this CD, you will hear Master's thorough explanation of this topic. She also gives incisive talks on the importance to spiritual practitioners of preserving sincerity and purity of mind, transcending the karmic transmigration cycle, the risks of learning magical powers and why it is necessary for meditators in samadhi to be shielded by protective power.

Supreme Master Ching Hai's Latest Videotapes

<In Chinese>

739 Master's Transformation Body
Master's Birthday Celebration at the Florida Center, USA, May 12, 2002

To order Master's publications, please contact:

The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association Publishing Co., Ltd., 
Taipei, Formosa.
Tel: (886) 2-87873935 / Fax: (886) 2-87870873 
E-mail: smchbooks@Godsdirectcontact.org 
ROC Postal Remittance Account No.: 19259438 (for Formosa orders only)
Postal Account: The Supreme Master Ching Hai Publishing Co., Ltd.

Please visit our bookshop's website to download our catalogue and summaries of the contents of Master's latest publications: http://www.smchbooks.com/  (in English and Chinese)

Master Tells Stories

The Story of a Monk's Two Pieces of Cloth

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, New Jersey, USA, June 20, 1992
(Originally in English) Videotape No. 257

There was a monk in India who devoted himself to God, like all monks are supposed to do. So he had only one piece of cloth with which to cover his body. And he had only one pot, in which he would put water and also cook and put milk and so on.

And it so happened that the lid of the pot broke. But the monk didn't buy a new one; he just used one corner of his cloth to cover the pot. Anytime he sat, he would sit near the pot. So a man came along and said, "Why don't you buy a new lid for your pot?" And he said, "I've already sworn that whatever I have here, I'll never get more, and just use what I have."

And then the man said, "But why are you so stubborn? One lid is no problem; how about buying a new pot?" The monk said, "No, no. You increase this, and tomorrow it's that and the other. Just like one monk..." He then told the story of another monk. It was a true story, and went like this:

There was a monk in India. who used to go out begging for things. He had a loincloth that covered where he thought he was supposed to cover. (Laughter) But it was no problem; he was content. Every day he went out and got alms from people; he would beg and get enough to eat, and then he would go and meditate. It was very beautiful. And he had a small hut.

The problem was that he had only two cloths: one that he washed and one that he wore. So, sometimes when he went out, he put his cloth on the roof to dry. And then came a mouse that always tore his cloth into ribbons. And then he would have to go out and beg for another piece of cloth. It happened many times like this.

So the monk was at a loss as to what to do. Then the neighbors advised him, saying, "You can't go on forever begging for cloth. Why don't you just keep a cat, and the cat will take care of the mouse. Then you'll have no problem. Otherwise, who's going to keep donating cloth to you all the time like this?"

So the monk, after many times begging, said, "OK, that's not bad." So he kept a cat. Someone came along and gave him a cat. And then now the cat was there. But he had more trouble. He had to go out and beg for milk for the cat. And then some good-hearted person came along and told him, "You can't go on forever, going out begging for milk and food for the cat. Just keep a cow. (Master and everyone laugh.) Because we don't mind giving you milk, but if we have to give milk for the cat as well, it's a little bit too much. It's OK that we give, but everyone else is not the same. They won't give it to you every day. Then you'll even have to sacrifice your own milk for the cat. So keep a cow. We have a cow; we can donate it to you. It can be very convenient for you to have milk for yourself. And the cow will also give you some whey that you can use for cooking; everything will be convenient."

So they also had a cow ready for him. But in India, you can get a cow at any cost. They just walk around, and maybe you can just take one; some of them are ownerless, homeless cows.

Anyhow, after much consideration, the monk accepted the cow. But now he had to milk the cow and all that. And now he had to go out and beg for straw for the cow. Because he was a monk, he didn't know what else to do. And he lived in the part of the Himalayas with not much grass. He had to beg for straw and build a shelter for the cow.

Now, so far, so good. But then someone else came along and advised him by saying, "You can't go on begging forever for straw. Who's going to give you straw all the time for the cow? We'll feed you, but we're not obliged to feed your cow and your cat and all that. So, keep a housemate. Or marry a wife; get married."

So now the monk was having serious problems. Because he didn't know how to cultivate land. Therefore, a good adviser said to him, "You can keep a housemate, like a male farmer. Or, marry a farmer so that you can cultivate the land. There's so much land around here, all over; you can cultivate it, and have enough straw for your cow. And also you will have enough corn, wheat and so on for you to eat."

Now the monk was getting more and more serious. So he married. And afterwards, he and his wife cultivated a farm. Then they had children and they had to take care of the children, and then they had to get a teacher for the children and so on. And it was getting to be a bigger and bigger business.

So one day, his Master came back. And he kept asking for the so-and-so monk that was supposed to have been living in a thatched hut next to the river three years ago. But no one knew if there was such a monk at all. So he kept asking his way up to the farm of the monk.

And then he realized what had happened all because of a piece of loincloth, one extra piece more. If he had had only one, and wore it, there would have been no problem. But he had two - one to wear and one to wash - and that's why there was a problem. So that's what happened, and that's a true story.

The monk had much regret after his Master came back. But the Master didn't want to stay. He said, "I told you to practice spirituality. I didn't tell you to keep cows, dogs, cats, a wife and children." And then he had a whole farm. He had to hire many farmers, because so many things grew, and they kept expanding. It had become a farm. He left everything in the world to become a monk, to be detached from the world and to have the minimum necessities for his life. And then he ended up wealthy: a big farmer, with many cattle and a wife and children and many workers. It was getting bigger and bigger all the time. And he was so busy counting money and checking the harvest that he had no time for meditation anymore. It was all finished. The monk's job was finished; he had gotten another job.

Window on Master's Life

For those highly enlightened Saints who thoroughly understand the game of creation, a reclusive life in the remote mountains, far from the mundane world, is one of happiness and freedom from care and worry. However, these Saints often choose to remain in the dreary world to help and set real-life examples for sentient beings. Thus, we are sometimes blessed to gain a glimpse of Their lives, of Their elevated words and deeds. By observing their actions, we can learn how an advanced spiritual practitioner applies the great wisdom of the universe in the secular world.

Tips for Maintaining Balance in Daily Life

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, three-day retreat in Hong Kong, 
April 1 ~ 4, 1994
(Originally in Chinese) Videotape No. 413

Truly, we have to devote more time to spiritual practice while in this world, but we should also try to make our lives more comfortable and fun. Recently, I converted a cave that had served as a cow pen into a cozy living room. I cleaned it up, and then covered the ground with a few straw mats and a carpet -- all very inexpensive materials. An ordinary carpet costs little, and it makes you feel snug and warm. Then, with a few cushions, you can meditate there. This is not a luxury. We can make any place beautiful as long as we know how to decorate it. That cave was dark, dry and dirty, and had originally been used for rearing cattle. But it was converted into a beautiful place; that is a way to balance your life.

If we act as a teacher instructing people about the Truth from morning till night, and do not find balance in life, our brains will complain. For me, this kind of work is an excellent hobby. (Master and audience laugh.) An attendant once said to me, "Master, You've overworked Yourself and gone without sleep the last few days. You must be exhausted. Why are You spending the whole night on building that fireplace?" So I told her, "You don't understand. If I didn't do this, I might go mad!" (Master and audience laugh.) This is a way to find equilibrium in life.

The attendant had thought that Master would be physically exhausted after working day in and day out, and should spend the next seventy-two hours in bed to make up for lost sleep. But I said, "Doing these things gives me a respite. I can't stay in bed the whole day and night. This is a break for me for it brings a change into my life." When I do the work that I like, it means I'm resting. Otherwise, I'd be devoting all my time to making others happy, and leaving none to pursue my own interests. The two are different.

Although I work to make you, others, refugees and needy people happy, and I too am very happy, it's in response to requests and circumstances. I have no control over the work, nor do I have any say in the matter. For example, when someone asks for two kilos of rice, I have to bring them to him. In this kind of situation, I can't act as I wish for it's done to meet the requests of sentient beings. This is different from being your own master and making your own plans and designs to suit yourself.

So I still have to find a balance in my life. Otherwise, my mind will be unhappy. It's not I or the soul that's unhappy, but the mind. It will not be accustomed to it. So I told the attendant, "This is the way I rest. You don't have to worry." She thought that I had already worked quite a few days and nights at a stretch. Besides traveling overseas to deliver lectures, I had rushed to help the refugees in the Philippines. So why did I stay up the whole night building a fireplace in a cave when I was so tired? She felt pity for me. (Master and audience laugh.) I said, "No, that's the way I rest. Otherwise, I can't go on." Then I asked her, "If you were required to sit the whole day without doing anything, not even your laundry, and food were brought before you, would you be able to stand it?" She said, "No, I wouldn't." Of course not; she would still want to wash her own clothes and handle some of her own personal matters.

I'm no different. I can't devote all of my time to others, without having some interests of my own. When it's something that interests me, I can go without sleep at night and use my time as I like. In this way, you won't be affected because I save the day for you. I am here whenever you need me. Should any emergency arise, or any urgent papers arrive, I can deal with them immediately. I only make use of the intervals between events, or do my own work while waiting or by sacrificing my sleep. At those times when I do not have specific public-interest work to do or documents to read, I do my own personal work in order to maintain mental balance.

Don't ask me why I'm attached to these material things. No, it's not attachment! I have built things at centers in a number of countries. But I do not live in any of those places. These designs and creative works are all left there and not reserved for me. Of course, things like the paintings that I have drawn, I can take with me. But I don't really take them with me; rather, I send them to the Miaoli Center for the residents to keep in a special room so they won't be damaged, and copies can be made for everyone to appreciate. If I carry those paintings around with me, I can't take good care of them because I'm always tied down by other things. I'm only responsible for painting them. After taking a few looks at them, I leave them in the care of the residents. I can't look at my own paintings for long so sometimes I miss them. When I was abroad previously, sometimes I would think of returning to Formosa to take a look at those paintings. (Master laughs.) But those were just passing thoughts; getting to look at them or not doesn't really matter. So even though painting is my hobby, it's you who get the benefits. You can collect my paintings; whereas I myself can't collect anything.

But unlike the paintings, the artwork in the cave cannot be moved to Formosa for the residents to preserve. (Master and audience laugh.) Some things can be moved, and others can't. Those that are stationary are left in their original place for everyone to appreciate. I create these things not for the sake of possession or preservation, but to fulfill my desire to create. Sometimes it's a form of relaxation. It's the same with all my hobbies; they're only for maintaining balance in my life so I am able to continue to serve all people. Thus I converted the cave not because I liked it, and I won't be staying here long. Besides, I can't transport it anywhere I go.

While practicing diligently in this world, if you do not also try to find balance in life or enjoy a little of the colorful world, then once you go up to Heaven, you might think, "Why is it that after following Master in spiritual practice, I have no idea what the mortal world is like?" Then, you may blame me, and quietly and secretly run back down here. You can't hold me responsible then. (Master and audience laugh.)

Caption:

With Her own hands, Master builds a fireplace with cement and pieces of slate collected from a nearby stream, giving the cave a brand new appearance overnight.

Master converts an abandoned cave into a fairy-like living room with Her ingenious and artistic hands.

The Sentient World of Animals

The Love of a Mother Cow

By a fellow initiate from Mainland China

This is a true story that took place in the arid desert region of Ching Hai Province in western China. The officials in this area impose a strict daily ration of three kilos of water for each person, and residents have to rely on long-distance transport of water by the locally stationed army unit. Under these circumstances, one can well imagine the tragic condition in which animals find themselves.

One day, an old cow broke away from her halter and got into the middle of the only road in the desert, on which the water trucks had to pass. As the minutes ticked by, and just as the local people were beginning to wonder what had happened to the old cow, a water truck arrived. The cow suddenly charged in front of the truck, forcing it to a stop. Then the cow stared quietly at the truck while the driver tried futilely to chase her away. This went on for quite a while.

The soldiers transporting the water had encountered this kind of situation before, but never to the extent of holding up traffic. It was different this time. Drivers caught in the traffic jam cursed and some impatient ones tried to scare the stubborn old cow away with fire, but she remained undaunted. Next the cow's owner arrived and whipped the poor, thin cow, tearing her skin open. But the whining animal refused to get out of the way.

The heartrending whines of the old cow sounded so tragic that the soldiers and some of the drivers were moved to tears. At last a soldier said, "Let me break the rule for once! I'm ready to accept a penalty for this." He took half a basin of water from the truck (one and a half kilos), and placed it in front of the cow, but to everyone's surprise, the cow did not touch the water.

Then the cow looked toward the setting sun and mooed. In a short while, a little calf came running from behind a pile of sand. The wounded old cow looked lovingly at the calf until he had finished drinking the water. With tears in their eyes, the mother cow and her calf licked each other's eyes, silently expressing their love for each other. Then, before anyone had to drive them away, they left on their own.

Aphorisms

Life Views of the Enlightened

Once we are enlightened, we see things from a higher standpoint, from a higher intelligence, and we see that nothing happens by accident, or nothing occurs by our own doing.

~Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Columbia University, U.S.A., 
November 3, 1989
(Originally in English) videotape No. 102A

We practice spiritually in order to apply it to make our lives more comfortable. We practice inside, but should apply it to the outside. Then, seeing the results of our practice, we will feel very comfortable, knowing that spiritual practice is very useful and we are progressing well.

~Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, the Laiyi Center, Formosa, 
January 31, 1993
(Originally in Chinese) videotape No. 317

We renounce the desire for the world, but not the world itself.

~Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa 
June 3, 1995
(Originally in English) 

Whatever we do with the ego saps our inner strength because we do it with a limited source of power. And when we study the Quan Yin Method, we have to start learning to rely instead on the greatest power.

~Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Singapore, 
March 8, 1993
(Originally In English) videotape No. 327

So called "pain" comes entirely from our fear. This mind of ours fears suffering and likes pleasure only. That's why we feel pain. If when we're painful we say, "Ah! Here comes pain!" and when we're happy we say, "Ah! Here comes happiness! I recognize you two. Good pal! Good pal! It's been a long time!" then we will not feel that miserable. Although you know something is painful, don't react that strongly. Don't listen to the ideas of the mind all the time. Then it'll be all right.

~Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Yang Ming Mountain, Formosa, October 31, 1992
(Originally in Chinese) videotape No. 286

Vexation is created only by us, no one else! There is nothing happening in the world. This is how most of you create trouble for yourselves, by hindering yourselves from developing, and depriving yourselves of relaxation. When you are not relaxed, your mind is blocked, and you cannot act rightly. It is our destiny that we ought to do such and such things, but the happiness or pain we experience in doing them is generated by us. When we are too uptight, our mind is blocked and we act in an unhappy way. There should perhaps be just a little pain, but we multiply it several hundred times, just because we're too uptight.

~Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Santimen International Seven-day Retreat, Pingtung, Formosa, 
December 23, 1992 
(Originally in Chinese) videotape No. 293

Cinema Scene

The Joy of a Dream Come True

By sister initiate Jennifer Wu, Austin, Texas, USA

The film Like Mike is a comedy about the beautiful dream and wonderful experiences of an African-American boy named Calvin Cambridge, who grows up in an orphanage. Calvin loves basketball and, like all other orphans, longs for the warmth of a family and the love of parents. Moreover, he wishes to be adopted by a family of basketball players so that he can realize his dream of playing the game. But most people who come to the orphanage prefer children younger than Calvin. So there seems little hope for Calvin to realize his dream.

Then, Calvin receives a pair of basketball shoes that are said to possibly have belonged to the world-famous basketball star Michael Jordan when he was a child, and inside the shoes are the initials "M. J." signed by the original owner. By coincidence, the shoes are exactly Calvin's size as if they have been especially custom-made for him. After wearing the shoes, thin little Calvin becomes able to jump and easily catch a basketball and his skills improve so rapidly that they match Michael Jordan's. As a result, Calvin soon becomes the youngest NBA player in the US and the spiritual leader who takes a struggling basketball team to victory.

During a game away from home, the team arranges for fictional basketball star Tracey Reynolds to be Calvin's mentor and they stay in the same hotel room. This is the first time that Calvin gets to stay in an expensive hotel, and he is wild and excited with joy. He orders a lot of his favorite food and eats to his heart's content. In the beginning, it does not occur to Tracey that he should adopt Calvin. But through their daily life; training and the games they play together, they gradually come to understand and become attached to each other. This relationship further develops into the love between father and son. Finally, Tracey adopts Calvin, and Calvin's childhood dream comes true as, in the end, he finds the father's love he has long wished for.

Calvin's magical experience is bound to stir strong feelings among many of our fellow initiates who met Master after innumerable trials and tribulations. The joy in their hearts is beyond words, just as when the helpless orphan Calvin finally finds a loving father. What is more precious is the unconditional and eternal love we receive from Master. As long as we, orphans lost in the mundane world, are willing to accept Master's love, She will be there forever by our side leading us back to our real Home in Heaven.

You May Not Know

The Supra-worldly Therapy

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Taipei, Formosa, August 3, 1985
(Originally in English and Chinese) CD No. CE01

I would like to tell you something about the other worlds. We have many bodies; there are different names for them; let's just say the physical body and another kind of body, the psychic body. The people who drink wine, and who smoke and take drugs, or something like that, are doing damage to their spiritual bodies, the material body and also the spiritual body. And after they die, the people in Heaven have to heal them, cure them and help them like a medical doctor does here. After a long course of this kind of treatment, these people recover and then reincarnate as human beings again. They undergo many experiences like that until they learn their lessons, then they want to practice spiritually, and then they can become higher.

On another planet we call "Venus," they have many small "hospitals" like that for different kinds of people. And the people who live in that Pure Land are very highly intelligent people, very spiritual, very high level. They are mostly nearly Masters, most of them can become Masters. And they don't use medicine or equipment to heal these kinds of people. They use different kinds of energy, rays or light to heal this kind of patient.

Just like here in this world sometimes we use different laser rays to heal people, to treat cancer. These people are only like higher scientists, better scientists. Masters are just more highly developed scientists. They know how to change the energy in the atmosphere, and make you become different. Just like if you're a good scientist in this world, you can change sunlight into energy, into electricity.

"Venus" is just one of these Heavens. Don't be attached to the name. Because there's not only one Heaven; there are many Heavens curing people like that. Many sentient beings of other pure lands also help us all the time. They use the energy of light to help the patients there, the people on Earth, and the beings in hell. They help a lot of poor people and desperate people, praying people and suffering people.

You often hear of people who kill themselves for certain reasons. But that's not the only way to commit suicide. There're two kinds of suicide. To kill this material body is very bad but it's not the worst. When you kill your spiritual body it's even worse. You can kill it by taking alcohol, by taking drugs, by taking care of just the material life, and never going to church, never going to temple, never going to any spiritual discourses, never meditating, never practicing spirituality, never reciting any holy names, never getting in touch with the virtuous teachings of any religions, and every day you're just sociable, have liquor and meat, go dancing and listen to music, watch TV, read newspapers, and do all kinds of things except taking care of your soul. This is destroying the spiritual body. This is terrible.

If you have relatives who practice spirituality, who have faith in the Truth, then at least you can go to Heaven after you die. It doesn't mean that you go with them, but you can ascend to Heaven because of their merits. But after going to Heaven, you lie there like a dead body.

Normally after you die, you have a light body, but these kinds of people have no light. Their appearance looks like this body, but with no feelings. Because your mind is so much attached to material things, in your mind, you bring this body with you to Heaven.

It's not the same body, but they create another body that looks like this body in their minds. That body looks like stone, or like wood, with no feelings, no thinking, no intelligence. Because their relatives practice or have faith in the Truth, they have a little of this merit so they can go with them to Heaven because of the blood linkage. But they don't have a clear consciousness up there, they don't know their relatives. The angels take them, and put them into the hospital. And they lie there for a long, long time like a piece of stone.

And then all the good people, the people there have to heal them with their light, their own power, and use their power and their love to pour into that body, to pour their love and energy of light into that body. For a long time it's like that, and then they can begin to live again. Then they can recognize their families, their loved ones who live there. Then they are happy together.

But that's so if these people are not too heavy, with heavy karma, otherwise even if many people help them, they can't receive their help. Some are so heavily bound in their own bad thinking, in their own bad way of life, that they can't receive this loving help. So they become forever lost in the darkness. This kind of case is very sad, of course, but there are some cases like that.

And therefore the people who meditate, or at least who go and listen to the words of the Bible, or the Buddhists, at least they are in contact with the higher power and there are some protective things. The higher power protects them a little. The more you practice, the better.

Of course, if you're in direct contact with the Light of God, you can see the Light in this life already. And you'll definitely go to the higher region. Like in our Method, you see the Light on the first day you get initiation. Otherwise, all the people who do it slowly see the Light after they die, or slowly see the Light later after practicing for many years. Because in the higher world they only use Light for everything, to make babies, to make clothes, to make houses, to make trees, to make every comfortable thing for themselves; everything is made of Light. And even in Heaven, there are also different levels, like in our country there're some rich, poor and middle class. But in the high Heaven, they don't fight with each other.

Media Reports

The Physical and Psychological Benefits of Meditation

Excerpted by initiates Patty McMahon and Denny Flanigan, Ohio, USA (Originally in English)

The October 2002 Reader's Di gest article "Give Peace a Chance - Meditation for Busy, Normal people" by Carol Krucoff details some of the practical benefits of meditation. The author uses the example of Leonard Billing, a plumber for the Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, school system, who meditates daily, and describes his job as follows: "I'm the only one for a district with ten buildings and I work hard, ten to sixteen hours a day." The plumber's job is grueling, and the demands constant, yet Leonard walks placidly through his day, solving problems with a smile.

Leonard Billing wasn't always calm, however. Virginia, Billing's wife, says, "At 40, Leonard was a stroke waiting to happen." He had a family history of heart disease (including a cousin who died of a heart attack at age 40), high blood pressure, and extremely high cholesterol levels. Billing was sick and miserable, and had to do something. Then he discovered that his insurance company would pay for his participation in an unconventional heart treatment program - one that included meditation.

As part of his heart therapy program, he also exercises, practices yoga and eats a mostly vegetarian diet. "Of all the changes I've made," says Billing, now 52, "meditation's what's kept me going. It's helped me become a much calmer person, and more confident."

Americans are also embracing meditation for reasons that go far beyond its ability to relieve stress. Like Leonard Billing, they stumble across it when trying to manage heart disease, control migraines, lower their blood pressure, find relief from chronic pain or cope with cancer treatment. And like Leonard, long after they have resolved the problems that got them started with meditation, they continue, because the practice helps other areas of their lives as well.

How can "sitting quietly, doing nothing" have this kind of power? Meditation affects brain activity, specifically in the limbic nervous system, which controls metabolism, blood pressure, respiration and heart rate. Harvard Medical School psychologist Alice Domar has witnessed such changes firsthand. As part of her doctoral dissertation research, Domar spent a year in an operating room teaching a simple two-minute breathing meditation technique to patients who were about to undergo surgery. "The patients reported less anxiety and coped better with the surgery," she says. "Doctors liked it because patients' blood pressure was lower, they bled less and surgery took less time."

Corporate America is also beginning to capitalize on the benefits of meditation. Many employees are required to do complex multitasking, which leads to anxiety and makes it difficult for them to think clearly. Learning meditation helps them to focus their attention and be more productive.

Meditation's true power comes not just from the time spent in formal practice, but also from taking the lessons of meditation - learning to be relaxed and aware - out into the rest of the day.

Expenditures for Charitable Activities in Formosa 
in July and August 2002

Amount in Table 1 and 2 totaled NT$329,129 (Approx. US$9,680.26)

Table 1: Expenditures for charitable activities in Formosa, July and August 2002 
(Currency: NT$)

Table 2: Relief Funds for Needy Households in Formosa, July and August 2002
(Currency: NT$)

Caption:
With love in their hearts, Formosan fellow practitioners pack and load into containers clothing, toys and spiritual books for lepers in the Philippines. 

Letter of Appreciation

(Originally in English)

Mayor Emiliano P. Marasigan, Jr
Municipality of Culion
Culion, Palawan
5315 Philippines

Through: Mrs. Candelaria M. Rigodon
The Municipal Social Welfare
Development Office (MSWDO)

October 7, 2002

The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, Republic of China

Dear Donors,

My office and all the people of Culion, especially those who were recipients of your recent donations, would like to thank you so much for your benevolence.

We received two containers of toys and used clothing on September 9 and they were put in good hands. Everything has been distributed so far and our people feel that they are blessed with all of these gifts.

May your Association be blessed too, as you continue helping other people throughout the globe.

Again I say, thank you,

Supreme Art

The Divine Power in Master's Artistic Creations

By sister initiate Chen, Yu-mei, Maioli, Formosa

When I appreciated Master's paintings at the Hsihu Center, very often I would catch a glimpse of the painting "Fear," but seldom paid special attention to it. Once, after the massive earthquake in 1999, a fellow sister purchased a print of "Fear." Not long after, she told me that her lingering fear since the earthquake disaster had suddenly vanished after she saw the painting "Fear." To her, this painting by Master is simply miraculous! Since then, I started to appreciate it with greater attention.

After the evening meditation session during a two-day retreat, I went to the painting exhibition area, which was illuminated by the harmonious radiance of spotlights and Master's Longevity Lamps. Each of Master's paintings and lamps shone with exceptional beauty and gentle liveliness, further enhanced by Master's music playing in the background; I rejoiced in the atmosphere!

Several months ago, I felt uneasy and unsettled, and when I saw "Fear" at that time, it really shocked me! Each flower petal and leaf in the painting, even the vase, seemed to tremble with fear. Only then did I realize that the only "fear" I should have was whether or not my faith in the Truth had diminished, whether my ego had grown stronger, whether I had made mistakes, or hurt anyone, or if my level of consciousness had degraded without my being aware of it. The painting "Fear" instantly reminded me of many things, and let me realize the ephemeral nature of life, and that if I fail to make good use of the present moment to practice diligently and accomplish my tasks, I should be ashamed of myself before Master.

The first time I saw the painting "The Clown", I was not very impressed. Yet, at a two-day retreat two years ago, I was moved to tears by this painting. At that time, I felt lonely, frustrated, and despaired, and I gazed at "The Clown" with unblinking eyes. Only Master, with Her pristine heart of a Saint and child, could so perfectly portray both the sad and joyous aspects of life in this painting. The clown in the painting may have many darker hues concealed in his heart, but he still shows people his brighter side. All I can say is: "Master! You are truly marvelous!"

Caption:

The Clown

Fear

With Autumn Come the Latest in Dynamic Fashions

Design: Supeme Master Ching Hai

To enhance the intensely romantic air of the fall season, the most recent Happy Yogi collection for ladies and gentlemen has been launched. Featuring trendy sports and leisure designs, the apparel is comfortable and practical, making the wearer look vigorous, youthful and fashionable. There are five color series and styles of shirts to choose from, all featuring attractive stripes with a nostalgic mood.

Men's Collection:

1. A polo shirt in beige with Turkish blue and olive green stripes. What make this design especially elegant are its collars and trimmed elastic cuffs in beige with blue edges.
2. A polo shirt featuring bright yellow, bright green and sapphire blue stripes, matched with a white shirt collar. The vibrant color combination in this design is truly stunning.
3. A crew-necked T-shirt featuring a combination of fine stripes in gray, white, bright green, dark green, pure black and bright blue. The collar and cuffs are fitted with bright blue edges, and the visual effect is striking.

Ladies' Collection:

1. V-neck blouse with reverse collar, featuring red and orange stripes and a V-shaped orange pattern on the chest, decorated with buttons. The elegant and unique design is also available in blue, white and red.
2. V-neck blouse with reverse collar, featuring stripes in blue, white and red. There are two attractive heart-shaped pockets on the chest in the same shade of blue as the collar. A unique feature of this design is its arc-shaped expansion, making the whole shirt vibrant with a touch of delightful mischief. This elegant design is also available in red and orange.

* The contents of our "Quan Yin WWW Sites" list may be changed frequently; for the latest information or you want to include our Quan Yin Websites in any contact information, please use only the information available in the following document:     http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/links/links.htm

Only the Quan Yin Websites in here are the most up-to-date and accurate. Please do not use other obsolete Website URLs.

http://www.GodsImmediateContact.or.kr (Korea; in Korean)

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.or.kr (Korea; in Korean)
http://www.qyitv.com (Korea; in Korean)

http://www.GodsImmediateContact.org (Japan; in Japanese)

http://www.godsdirectcontact.or.id   (Indonesia; in Indonesian)

http://www.godsdirectcontact-thai.com/ (Thailand; in Thai)

http://www.godsdirectcontact.net (U.S.A.; in simplified & traditional Chinese, English)

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.com (U.S.A.; in Spanish, French, English, simplified & traditional Chinese)

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.com/aulac/ (USA, in Aulacese)

http://www.spiritweb.org/Spirit/media.html?who=Suma%20Ching%20Hai (U.S.A.; in English)

http://www.Godsimmediatecontact.net/ (USA; in English)

http://www.godsimmediatecontact.net/aulac (USA; in Aulacese)

http://www.Godsimmediatecontact.org/video/ (in USA with Windows Media Video & Real Video; in Multi Languages)

http://www.GodsImmediateContact.tripod.com (U.S.A.; in English)

http://www.contactDirectAvecDieu.org (France; in French)

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http://www.Godsdirectcontact.org (Canada with Real Audio service; in English, Aulacese)

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.de (Germany; in German)

http://www.Direkter-Kontakt-mit-Gott.org (Austria; in German)

http://www.extra.hu/kozvetlen_kapcsolat_Istennel (Hungary; in Hungarian)

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URLs for The Supreme Master Ching Hai News magazine:

Traditional Chinese: 

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http://www.Godsdirectcontact.net/ch/news/139/index.htm (U.S.A.)

Simplified Chinese: 

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.net/gb/news/139/index.htm (U.S.A.)

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.com/eNews/chinese/gb139/ (U.S.A.)

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.org.tw/gb/news/139/index.htm (Formosa)

English: 

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.com/eNews/english/139 (U.S.A.)

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.org/eng/news/139/ (U.S.A.)

http://godsimmedatecontact.net/news/news139/ (U.S.A.)

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.net/eng/news/139/index.htm (U.S.A.)

http://www.Godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/news/139/index.htm  (Formosa)

Aulacese: 

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/aulac/news/ (U.S.A.; VNI,VPS,VISCII and VNU fonts)

http://godsimmediatecontact.net/aulac/n139/ (U.S.A; VNI font)

Spanish: http://www.Godsdirectcontact.com/eNews/spanish/ (U.S.A.)

Korean: http://www.Godsimmediatecontact.or.kr (Korea)

Japanese: http://www.Godsimmediatecontact.org/kannon/news/newsindex.htm (U.S.A.)

Indonesian: http://www.godsdirectcontact.or.id (Indonesia)

French: http://www.contactdirectavecdieu.org/News/index.html  (France)

German: http://www.Godsdirectcontact.de (Germany)

Thai: http://members.mweb.co.th/godsdirectcontact/ (Thailand)

Free Download websites for sample booklet: The Key of Immediate Enlightenment (in 50 Languages)

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/publication/sample/sample.htm

http://www.direkter-kontakt-mit-gott.org/download/index.htm

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/sample/

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