I think all the Chinese take the show. And you’re hungry, sitting there waiting for lunch. Be quick.
(Master, I’d like to ask one more question.) Yeah. (You said that the world is illusory. Then, is time and space also illusory?) Yes, yes. (Yes.) Because we’re trapped in the illusion... in a soul-confounding maze called time and space. That’s why there’s a “you” and a “me,” why we say I was just born, or he was just born, and so on. All of that is created by the illusion of time and space. Without it, we would never be born, never die, wouldn’t have relatives or friends, wouldn’t have new babies coming into the world, wouldn’t grow up, get old, and die.
(Then, since it’s all fake, all just an illusion, why does Master still preach the Dharma?) Because you’re trapped in the illusion, crying out in pain, wailing helplessly. That’s why I have to pull you out. (Then, will there ever be a time when You’ve finished pulling everyone out?) No. (The rescuing never ends.) From my perspective, I’ve already pulled everyone out. But from your perspective, it’s not done yet. (So have You already pulled everyone out?) I believe there’s nothing left to rescue, no one left to save. It’s just that you still think there is – so I keep playing along with you. To me, there’s nothing going on.
It’s difficult to explain. This is very difficult to explain. My viewpoints are different from yours. I can’t help it. But it’s alright. When you need me, I come. When you don’t, I go. It’s that simple. Because I have nothing else to do, anyway. Aside from saving you, I have nothing else to do – meaning I have no desires at all. I don’t desire to be a movie star, nor do I have any great goal to achieve. I have nothing else to do. So, OK – whatever you want me to do, I do it. My time is all yours.
Anything I demand is because you demand it. Understand what I mean? So, I have a lot of time – a lot of time, a lot of vitality. You can play whatever you want. Are you satisfied? For example, if you are now enlightened and happy, and the whole world is happy, then I’ll disappear. The whole world will also disappear. So, I still have work to do, because people are still trapped in there. For instance, a teacher – he’s already graduated and become a teacher. He’s fluent in English. He doesn’t need to write anything down. But he still comes back to the school to teach you ABCs – because you need to learn, not because he needs to. Even though English is very simple for him, it’s not simple for you. And so, he still has to come. For me, there’s nothing to do. But for you, you’re suffering, wanting to escape the suffering of your own illusion, and that’s why I teach you how to do this and that. But today the questions from the Chinese were very nice. (Master, I can speak Chinese.) You do, don’t you? You understood it all. You understand everything? (No, no, no.) No.
(I just want to ask – in these papers, what does “Namo Ching Hai Wu Shang Shi” mean in English?) You see, this is not from me, from the disciples. When they prayed to the so-called my physical name – the name that they attached to my physical instrument – and when they prayed to that name, it was supposed to be connected with my Highest Self, the Highest Self and then, they got the benefit they desired. For example, they got probably saved in some accident or some difficult situation. So they spread that news out. They say, if you pray to Her, this “Namo Ching Hai Wu Shang Shih,” [which] means “Supreme Master Ching Hai” in English – then you will be helped in some situation. So that’s why they spread this name out. You’re welcome.
Oh yes, I spoke in English. It’s OK. You understand English, I guess? OK. Anymore? “Supreme Master” means our Self, our highest level of consciousness. Alright? It isn’t ascribed to this personality alone, as it’s actually everyone’s consciousness. But they don’t know it. They don’t know it yet. So the Ones who know will recognize Themselves. They don’t even recognize Themselves. It’s other people who recognize Them and then attach a title to Them.
For example, you don’t always go around [and] tell people, “Look, I’m a professor so and so.” But because you have accomplished some certain amount of education, and you have a PhD, and then when everybody knows that you have been in such and such university, so people automatically will call you professor such and such. And then other people come along afterwards also say, “Well, here’s professor so and so.” It’s not that you come around and say, “Look here. I’m a PhD of such and such university.” You know what I mean? According to the amount of attainment, people just ascribe some title to you, and that you can’t run away from. So, this “Namo” is just – I think they take it from the Buddhist tradition. Like you say “Namo” to all the Buddhas, right? So, “Namo Shakyamuni Buddha,” “Namo Amitābha Buddha,” so they say “Namo Ching Hai.”
“Namo” is a name in Sanskrit. It means “I greet you,” “I salute you” – like Namaste. That’s it. So, they just mix it all together and “Namo Ching Hai Wu Shang Shi.” “Ching Hai” is English and “Wu Shang Shi” is Chinese, and “Namo” is Sanskrit. So, you choose what language you want. And I cannot help it. Alright?
We came from different backgrounds. Because if you are a Christian, you don’t even call Him “Master Jesus” – you just say “Jesus,” and that’s very respectful. But in Chinese [culture], if you call a Master by name alone, that is not respectful. So, they have to say “Master Ching Hai” or “Supreme Master Ching Hai” because they think I’m Supreme. Well, I think I am, by the way. And I think you all are, but you don’t recognize that. But recognizing yourself to be the Supreme Master of yourself is no big deal anyhow. It’s nothing to be proud of. It’s just a very ordinary thing. Like you have two eyes that you suddenly discover one morning.
So, they attach “Namo” to it because they are Buddhists – many of them are Buddhists. Because I started out with a Buddhist robe, but I [took it off] to make it easier for everyone. Because we should be universal, not just one sect or one religion – that causes division. We have already been divided enough, it caused enough trouble.
And then, many of them came from a Christian background, so they like to call me “Ching Hai,” like they call “Jesus,” for example. And the Buddhists say, “No, we have to attach ‘Namo’ to it. This is more Buddhist.” And so I became “Namo Ching Hai” and then “Wu Shang Shi,” because I started [out in] Taiwan (Formosa). So it becomes Sanskrit, Chinese, and Christian. All these backgrounds mix together, it becomes that sentence that you have asked me, “Namo Ching Hai,” then “Wu Shang Shi,” or “Namo Supreme Master Ching Hai.”
Alright? Just a salutation. And they called out this name in time of trouble and need, and they had benefits. Therefore, they spread it out. I couldn’t do [it]. I couldn’t buy them to do that. And if it doesn’t work, they would not do it again, even if I buy them. So that’s that. Are you satisfied? Any more questions?
Newman, you have no news? (I’m listening.) You listen. Good, it’s the same. Alright. If you don’t have any more questions, I would like to invite you for lunch. Otherwise, it’s too late for you. Or, [if] you want to ask, you’re welcome. I’m yours; my time is your time.
(I’ll ask my last question.) Never mind how many questions. It’s OK. (You have excellent humor, and I really admire that.) Oh, really? We need that to live, no?
(Can I assume that Your Teaching actually includes every other religion (Yes.) in it?) Yes. (So, it’s really deviated from Buddhism. Because...) I never say I’m a Buddhist also. Because I’m also a Catholic, I’m also a Christian, I’m also a Hindu. It’s you who frame me into it. OK? (OK.) Alright. (Yes, this is what I’d like to understand.)
If you want to follow a “Buddhist” the way that you think a Buddhist should be, like shave your head, sit in a temple, build a bigger temple every day, and cock, cock, cock, gang, gang, gang, bang, bang, and reciting all the sutras, reciting all the teachings of the Master, that were left behind, then you[’re] follow[ing] the wrong person. I’m not that kind of Buddhist. (OK.) I make people enlightened and know that they are the Buddha. I don’t tell them to repeat the teachings of the Buddhas, which they don’t understand at all. So if you want a real Buddhist, it’s me. If you want a “traditional” Buddhist, follow someone else. (Thank You.) You’re welcome.
See, the most important is enlightenment, not the terminologies, not the clothes, and not the religion names. Well, I guess you understand a lot, but it takes you a longer time to digest. That’s it. It took me [a] long time too. I don’t look down upon you, because it took me many years even to get over the Buddhist terminology – with the “Living Master” and all that kinds of things. I said, “Buddha is the only one. Without Buddha, I would go to hell.” That’s what I thought for many years. And it took me years to get over even this point, so I can understand how difficult [it is] for you. But you understand already a lot, a lot more than I did when I first started, really. So you’re nearer, that much nearer than I was. So I don’t worry about you. You’ll get it, maybe even tomorrow.
So – lunch, is that right? (Yes. Yes, Master.) No questions? We can ask on the table also. So, welcome. But I want to tell you: I love you, because I know you’re very sincere, and you suffer, and you want to know something. It’s difficult to get over the prejudice.
Prejudice. Transcend your preconceived ideas. That’s all it takes. Otherwise, you already understand everything. Your soul is ready. No problem. It’s just that we’ve studied too much. People have told us too many things like, “It should be like this, or like that.” “That’s how it’s supposed to be.” But they themselves don’t really understand. And yet they keep teaching you. And then you agree with them because you respect them. Sometimes you think a Buddhist master must know more than you do – but not necessarily so. He says wrong things without understanding that it’s incorrect. He tells you the wrong thing, and because you respect his robe, his shaved head and all that, you think that he is right and you yourself are wrong. Then you accept his viewpoints and make it your own. But in fact, you were already right to begin with. It’s just that you got misled. You were doing fine here, but then he pulled you over there, even farther, and then farther and farther away. I understand that. No problem. Take your time. OK?
(How can I eat all of this?) (Thank You.) Eat slowly. (Yes, yes.) (So, how is it? Why don’t You stay?) No, I’m not staying for good. Just going back and forth. (Going back and forth.) Yes. (Yes, yes. Well, I hope we’ll meet again.) OK. (It was an honor to meet You, Sister.) Me too. You speak Aulacese (Vietnamese) better than I do. You speak better than me. You know everything. So you know it all then. (I know all of Quảng Ngãi.) You know more than I do. (Otherwise, I’d go back.) I didn’t stay in Quảng Ngãi much. I was born there, but then I went to the capital for school. (Went to the capital and then studied abroad in the U.S., right?) Went overseas. Ah, no. I went to Europe, (Europe.) so I don’t know as much about my hometown as you do. (Hopefully, I’ll have the chance to visit Your parents soon.) I hope so. OK. But my parents can visit me, it’s no problem. (Really?) Yes. OK, goodbye, professor.
Photo Caption: Life Has a Color of Royalty
