OK, anybody else? Yeah, here. Do you need a microphone? No, OK. (I am in the translation team for our magazine. I would like to present a case, because 2 years ago, I met Master in Korea, I talked to You about the magazine team in Âu Lạc [Vietnam]. Regarding the team leader over there... Sometimes, I take this opportunity to talk to You, so that You know more about the magazine team.) Magazine, is it ours? (Yes, the magazine and books.) Yeah, then what? (Books and magazine. Now I cannot talk...) Now, you can’t talk? (I am considered as the team leader of that team. I would like to ask for Master’s permission so that I could do that article. If I wanted to buy any machine, then Master told us to talk to resident Tổng.) Yeah. (I did that, but the machine is a bit old. When I printed out Your picture, it wasn’t as clear as the online version.) Now you have a computer? (With many months of printing, now, it is getting harder. Sometimes, when I slept at night, I saw You came and stood next to the table, and the picture I printed was about 90% or 100% close to the original. But sometimes, it was not as good.) Because I didn’t come. I thought you printed. You asked me to buy the printer, and now even asked me to print for you all the time. A complete loss of capital! Lost it all. A waste of efforts.
(It is because we have 10 initiates in our team. Back then, I was the only one making all the decisions myself.) Now more people. (Yes, later on, as more people joined, the group started to grow and mature. Recently, a resident brother came back [to Âu Lạc (Vietnam)] and he said something. Because the cover of the book “The Key of Immediate Enlightenment,” I brought them outside to have them printed, since the machines out there are more modern, but it cost a bit more money. So the printing was done… And in the group, since I also serve as the treasurer…) Wasn’t it risky to print it outside? (Ah, no.) Were the people outside willing to print it? (If we talk friendly to them,) Ah, understand. (and give them a bit more.) Ah, OK, OK. (We give money depending to which people.) OK. Understand. The other team members thought you are cheating? (No. No, it’s not that they’re afraid I’m embezzling or anything. But I am afraid that the printing costs too much, and the group’s fund doesn’t have much money.) Is printing expensive? (Yes, it is very expensive, Master. I said, “No matter the cost, as long as the image is nice.” Brother Đồng also said the same thing.) OK, just print as much as the budget allows. Don’t do it “by all means,” understand? (No. It’s also because we’re familiar with them. Over time, we got to know the people at the print shop.)
So what is the problem now? (The problem is this. Recently, I made a request. The brother over there said that for the upcoming batch, there will be three “The Key of Immediate Enlightenment.” Books 10, 11, 12. I asked him, and also those in charge, to help keep an eye on things for me. Because when I speak up alone,) Some people listen. (sometimes they do not listen.) Not listening. (Yes, they listen, but not all the time. So I asked if that brother returns [to Âu Lạc (Vietnam)], he could help look over things again. When he’s around, it’s like… my voice carries more weight. If I don’t agree with something... Sometimes, if I don’t agree to release a certain thing then... What I mean is – I’d like to ask Master to tell the elder brother [resident] that, for these next three books, he should help review them. So that the books have better quality.)
I already have so much to take care of. If you can do the work, then do it. Because sometimes, they (residents) are too busy, and they can’t do it. Over here there’s work to handle. Over there, with just that much to do, you still can’t get it done. If they have time, then they do. If they are busy, then forget it. It depends on the person. Just do it yourself. If it’s such a small matter and you all can’t manage it, then vote on it. For example, how many people agree, then the majority wins over the minority. Just talk to each other, “Since we are working together, then we need to agree a little bit.” And when they don’t agree, then we have to vote. For example, “We can’t agree on this, then let’s see how many people support it.” Do a secret ballot, don’t put names on it. For example, if there are 10 people, if 6 vote for it, then you do it. And the other people have to accept. So the team has to talk to each other like that. Say, “If everyone has a different opinion, it’s hard to work together. This work is for the public, it’s not just mine, not just yours. Of course, everyone will have their own opinion, but since we’re too many, we need to vote on it.” Use a closed box, each person writes “yes” or “no,” and puts it in the box. If there are 6 “yes” votes then... Or 6, or 7, as long as it is more than 5, then we do it. And if the [yes] vote is below 5, then we don’t do it. This is your matter. You take on the karma, so you bear it. That way, it’s democratic. There’s nothing to it. You agree on this process from now on: If all these 10 people can come to an agreement, great. If not, then you vote. Got it? OK.
Don’t bother those brothers, sisters (residents). There’s more work than we can handle! My God, busy to the bone! There aren’t even that many residents, but there are all kinds of work. I have to work by myself, almost “dead!” Alright, it’s just a small matter. Whether to print or not, if there’s no agreement, then don’t print. I already told you. If you don’t agree with each other, then forget it. Arguing is a waste of time. If there’s no agreement, then forget it. Whether the pictures are beautiful or not isn’t the main issue. If the text is clear, then that’s good enough. If the images are nice too, then it’s even better. (Yes, the text is clear.) Just do what you can. Don’t pressure fellow practitioners to do more. (No, it was because the initiates want to do it, Master.) Yeah. Whoever wants, then vote yes. It’s not just that ten people can decide. If that’s what you want to do, then present it openly to everyone, “How many of you want this?” If you’re OK with raising hands, do that. If you’re afraid someone might “punch” you at the door afterward, then do a secret vote. Alright, got it? It’s easy! OK, anything else? My God! Printing is tiring, not printing is also tiring. Is there anything else? If there is nothing else, then that’s it. We just talk together a little bit like that.
(Dear Master, some initiates could not ever come here. When I came here, I passed on their regards to Master. And Master sent Your love back to them.) There are so many of them, so many! (Until now, none of them had been able to come to see You. I was able to go once, to Thailand last time, and I saw Master there.) How many people are there? (A lot, Master. My God! Out in the fields, in the countryside, even the Khmer people, they practice so diligently. They absolutely believe in You, Master! Very diligent, Master.) OK. (They love You...) OK. (They love Master so much!) Now, there are two baskets of (vegan) candies. (Yes.) Nine or ten people of you, share it to bring those two baskets home. Each person, bring a little bit and then mix with other candies. Give me those two baskets. Bring them here.
(Master, I just want to say, Âu Lạc [Vietnam], especially from faraway places, we love and trust You completely, Master. So much faith! When I went there, I felt so much love. Even though they’re living in the countryside and remote areas, they’re practicing with deep sincerity, Master.) That’s nice. (Yes.) Because they are good. (Thank You, Master.) Their hearts have been practicing for a long time. (Yes.) One basket goes here, one basket goes there. That means two sides, and 9, 10 people to [bring home]. [Only] for the Aulacese (Vietnamese) in Âu Lạc (Vietnam). And the Aulacese (Vietnamese) who live overseas just sit there, mouth-watering to support. The other side. Don’t be jealous, alright? (Not at all, Master.)
Now, I will say this; this might be a better idea. Next time, everybody, come in as a group, buy some vegan candies and cakes, and just put them along the side there. I come down to each side and bless the vegan candies and cakes, then everyone can take their share home. (Yes.) It’s not that each person has to buy a whole basket, if a few thousand people did that, I’d be done for! If I come here and continue to touch the candies, it would take all day, seven days and we still wouldn’t be done! (Yes.) For example, one group buys something, something simple and inexpensive, peanuts or something, bring it here then I can bless it, and you bring it home. In case that I forget. In case that we don’t have enough vegan candies and cakes. Because in remote places, sometimes they lack resources or manpower. Not every country has a large group of initiates.
When we come here, we mostly have to rely on the Korean initiates. We can do as much work as there are Korean initiates to help. We came here and no one knows the street directions, don’t know how to drive the car, can’t speak the language, don’t know where to shop. So we just rely on the Koreans. If there are many Korean initiates, we can handle more work and provide more (vegan) snacks. And if there are just a few Korean initiates, then we have to bear it. It is not that I am not generous, because this doesn’t cost a lot of money. So, next time, whoever comes, whether Chinese, Aulacese (Vietnamese), etc., each one brings a bit of something. (Yes.) The Center just needs to bring a batch, put it there, I bless them, then you take it home and mix it all together to share. (Yes.) And each person who came here will have his or her own portion to bring home. (Yes.) That portion, each person has to get it for himself or herself.
Everybody understand? Next time, you bring something for yourself, for your Center. Everybody bring just a little bit of something; it doesn’t have to be expensive. Whatever you like for your Center, just bring a little and then just put maybe one line and then I just finish. Just, each Center, one bag. If two bags, it’s not possible. It would be too many. Too many and I’ll just spend my time just blessing the food, and then you go home. This would be too much of a waste.
Because sometimes we are in a different country, and we don’t have enough personnel. We don’t know the roads, and we can’t buy too many things – apart from food, three times a day for thousands of people. They have [to do] many other things you want. This is like a habit, and then it’s just too much for everybody. And if I don’t give, you think I’m stingy and I don’t love you. It’s not true. It’s sometimes a personnel problem. We can’t have everything. And I can’t do all this and then have time for you as well. And then have all the equipment and earphones and everything for your comfort. My goodness. Even God, I don’t know if Hes can do all this. Even the Shakyamuni Buddha, Lord Jesus, I don’t know if They can do all this. So, you have to know the limit. If I have, I give to you. If I don’t have, don’t ask. Alright? (Yes.)
I have a lot of work. You have no idea. Apart from all this, there’s extra work for me – letters, and everything to take care of. The bureau, office work and many others – like, connection work, people invite me here, invite me there. I have to answer this, answer that. And I have to take care of this problem. This book, publish that book... that video, publish that audio... There’s money for this, money for that, a charity… Everything. I don’t know if the Buddha can do any better than I do. I wish I could do better, but I can’t. So just don’t always ask for the material things. If I have, I give. Some Centers’ wishes, we can’t do it. We don’t have enough people. We don’t have enough people to work, understand? (Yes.) OK, is there anything else?
Next time, if you want some blessed (vegan) food to bring home to your Center, bring your own. (Yes.) Take just the one bag or something, and then go home and mix with some more for everybody. Whatever you have here is for yourself. I can’t just buy for you and then buy for the whole of China and for the whole of France, for the whole of England and for the whole of America. My goodness! Even if I have money, it’s impossible. We don’t have time for all these material things. The transportation, the personnel, and the timing and then… And the directions, we don’t know. You have it so good, you come here and people come and fetch you from the airport; and then you go to the airport, people take you there. You don’t have to do anything. That’s why you don’t understand the difficulty that we have to take care. And we have to decorate the hall, we have to make the hall waterproof, sunproof. We have to keep up maintenance and everything. And the telephone sometimes doesn’t work. (Yes, Master.) And the mountain is difficult to communicate [from]. Every little thing.
Because when you come to every Center, you just sit and eat, then you don’t know. You don’t know there are millions of jobs to take care of. And we have to have permission and it takes a lot of work to do. Now I talk about it, I’m thinking we’re really incredible, how we do all this. Everywhere. And you guys just think of candies. I know it’s difficult for you not to ask about that but try to think. Next time. You bring your own. Just make the whole line like that and then I’ll just touch everybody one time. Then you take yours. You put your name on it like “Âu Lạc (Vietnam), […] Center” or “Korea, Busan Center.” And you’ll know which one is yours. Don’t take the neighbors’. Just because it looks better.
Photo Caption: Together We Thrive Strong
