The people already have the Buddha Nature inside. It takes a long while for people to start realize that Buddha Nature. It’s not only when they become Buddha that they will be a Buddha. It’s just that they haven’t yet realized that Buddha Nature, so they don’t know that they are Buddhas. And that Buddha Nature is never lost. Whether they realize it or not, it’s the same, they still are equal to us. Therefore, if I start teaching a way that’s not equal, how will I be able to teach them equality later? That’s what I meant.
That’s why the renunciates who followed me went to the countries like Âu Lạc (Vietnam), or to China, countries which I couldn’t visit yet, the people there bowed to these renunciates as if they bowed to the Buddha. And the renunciates were very afraid, they jumped to one side, or jumped way back. Sometime, they had to threaten them, “If you keep bowing to me like that, I will not come here anymore.” That’s OK, right? That means they understood the situation very well.
If any renunciate accepted that kind of reverent bowing from people, they will be finished immediately, kaput very fast. If our merits are thin, and the ego grows, the merits will be stamped out immediately. That’s why many disciples have left/dropped out because of that. Sometimes, they follow me and became renunciate. And I sent them to various places, and the people bow to them too much, respect them too much, and so they think they are special. Sometimes they were stuck, didn’t react fast enough, that’s why they failed. First, if they failed and left [our group], they could not come back anymore, that’s the problem. Secondly, people love them too much, and sometimes they mistake that for personal love.
Why do the people love us? People love our morality, our inner Light, and the blessing power from God and Buddha that is transmitted to us, so that we can go out and impart the initiation. At the time of initiation, the Master’s Power is transmitted into you. It’s the inner Master, not this physical Master. I said “the inner Master,” remember that. The Power from the Master is transmitted to them, so at that time, they (Quan Yin Messengers) are like a representative of God and Buddha. It’s natural that people love them, love the Power, love the boundless Compassion from God and Buddhas. And they mistakenly think that the people love them personally, and that’s their downfall. And even you, the new initiates sometimes also mistakenly think that you love Master, love me, love this little of 1.4-meter something lady. That’s not it, understand? (Yes.)
The Master just contains Love within, so you love me when you see this physical form. Therefore, you want me to run all over the place to visit you all the time. Truly, it’s not this physical form. You have to understand that so you don’t fall, due to misunderstanding. For example, for you fellow practitioners who are lay-persons. In the old days when we still shaved heads, there was a differentiation between the renunciates and lay-practitioners. I just said “the lay-persons,” so that we can understand the difference a little bit. Now, we don’t discriminate anymore, right? I am just like you all, so that it’s simple, it’s easier. Otherwise, if you always look different everywhere you go, it’s very awkward, and it’s also difficult to talk to people. Talking with the authorities is also very difficult, right? They became suspicious of me, too. The people might think that I just got out of some prison, that’s why the head was shaved completely. It seemed rather awkward.
And then sometimes, you went to a Christian country with that shaved head, they would think, “She probably wants to convert our country into a Buddhist country.” They didn’t know that we do not discriminate. Normally, they only look at the outside. Being similar to other people is easier for doing “business.” Because this profession is difficult to do/practice. If it’s easy, then it’s easier [to do “business”]. You understood already, right? (Yes, understand.) In general, it’s like that. That’s why before, when we still differentiated between renunciates and lay-persons, still looked at the outward appearance, then when some initiates, not even renunciates, came back to Âu Lạc (Vietnam), sometimes people even bowed to them as if they were living Buddhas. People even called these ones Bodhisattvas. Isn’t that so? The people there were so elated and respected them so much.
So those who followed Master closely to study and become renunciates, then of course, when they go out, people would carry them on their back, place them on their shoulders, on their head to worship. So, these renunciates were so afraid. People who know are very afraid. If they truly know, they are very afraid. As for those who don’t understand much, they will fall immediately. Just two, three bows from people, and they [Quan Yin Messengers] fall right away. They came back and talked differently right away. They talked as if they were the president or something. “I am the president now.” That kind of attitude.
I knew sooner or later they would fall. And they did. If they could not be advised then they would fall. If they listened to my advice, then they still had a chance. If you know your weaknesses, then there’s still hope for you. But if they didn’t listen to my advice then they were finished, completely finished. By the time they realize it, it’s already two, three, four, five years later. Or at least four, five, six months later, but they were gone already. The longer they were out there, the further they distanced themselves from the renunciate circle. The merit, the [renunciate] road had been finished. They took a different turn. They could come back, but never mind. If you left, why bother to come back? Going back and forth causes chaos. Right? That’s it.
The Chinese renunciates didn’t fall as many as the Aulacese (Vietnamese). Aulacese (Vietnamese) initiates who followed Master and became renunciates flumped like ripe figs falling from the tree. Why? [The Aulacese (Vietnamese)] seldom got to see Master. Secondly, [the renunciates] haven’t yet known the pitfalls of the spiritual path. Therefore, when they went to Âu Lạc (Vietnam), the people there were very elated. When a renunciate was sent to Âu Lạc (Vietnam), the people there were very happy, because they couldn’t see Master, had no hope of seeing Master.
At this time, I couldn’t go back yet. Not that I fear they would kill me if I go back there. They probably would not dare to harm me. Killing me would bring bad reputation. (They’re afraid of troubles.) What? (They don’t want troubles.) Just afraid of trouble. Do not want troubles. Keep taking me in and out to interrogate, tired! Number one. Secondly, if I go home but cannot speak publicly to the fellow initiates or to my co-citizens, then it doesn’t benefit anyone. I don’t go back just to prove that I can go back. If it benefits my country, my co-citizens, or at least the initiates, then I will go back.
As for my family… Oh well, they’re just an old couple [Master’s parents]. They do not fear anything anymore. They are old already. They do not fear death anymore. It would make no difference arresting them. [They are] more than eighty years old already, what to fear! They would go to Heaven sooner or later anyway. And now my parents meditate all day long, and often visit Buddha’s Realms, so they do not fear anymore. At most, it just helps my parents leave this world earlier. Especially, when my parents meditate, they see the bright Light and visit Buddha’s Realm very often. So they aren’t afraid, what would they be afraid of? They even suggested me to let them go sooner, but I said, “No, just take it slowly.”
That’s what I meant. They do not fear anything, right? And I helped them a little. One or two hundreds (US dollars) a month is enough for them to live on, enough for the whole family to live on. In Âu Lạc (Vietnam), you don’t need that much money. Therefore, I also fulfilled my filial duty, not that I neglected my parents too much. Occasionally, they asked to come visit me for a little while, and it was OK. They are old already, so no one bothered to say anything. It’s better to let them come, otherwise, it is more troublesome [for government]. If they’re not allowed [to come], other people would create unwanted drama. Letting my parents go, at least they would gain some good reputation. Ah, it is good if they are allowed. That’s what I meant.
But why we are talking about this? Ah! Going back to Âu Lạc (Vietnam). I mean that if I go back, then I only visit my family. That, the government probably would not forbid. Otherwise, people would label them as “inhumane,” and they would have a bad reputation. So, they would not forbid me to go back. But if my going back there only benefits me and my family, then what’s the point of me going back? I didn’t practice spiritually for the sake of my family. My family already got the benefits. They all got initiated, became vegan, recite Buddha’s Names already, everyone in the family. In-laws, children, all got initiated. In-laws, children, my parents, grand-children, all got initiated already. So now, what else would I go back there for?
Saving means saving souls. It’s not going back there to visit the physical bodies, hugging each other back and forth, and think that is very good, no? (Yes.) Yeah! That’s it. I already fulfilled my filial duty. [My filial duty has been] fulfilled, both inside and outside, spiritually and materially, so I don’t need to return to Âu Lạc (Vietnam) to visit my family anymore. Maybe when my parents are going Home, I probably have to go back, only in that situation. Otherwise, if my returning doesn’t benefit my disciples and fellow-citizens, then what for should I return? Do you understand what I say? (Yes, we do.) That’s it.
Now, the same thing with going to China. I wouldn’t be permitted to openly see the initiates or the citizens. Therefore, there’s no benefit in me going there. So those two countries are longing so much. So when a renunciate is sent there, people would bow as if bowing to the real Buddha. And they sometimes asked the renunciate, “Wow! How long have you been practicing? How long have you been a renunciate?” “Only one or two years.” “My God! Only one or two years and already like this? Oh, God!” So, they would bow to that renunciate. Bowing too much, and that renunciate falls! The person who bowed got the merits, but the one who received the bow fell. Falling too fast to be saved in time! But that’s OK. Actually, our initiates are stable inside. Sometimes they make mistakes, but they realize it right away, it’s OK. But it’s just that they waste a period of time. Or sometimes, I lost a strong right-hand person to help people in Âu Lạc (Vietnam). Because I have rather few Aulacese (Vietnamese) disciples who are renunciates. Now that you have made it here to a free country, try hard to earn money in order to send back to Âu Lạc (Vietnam) to support your parents and relatives a little. Because if everyone became renunciates, it would be pitiful for the people at home, that’s all.
Only the initiates who are truly free, they can become renunciates. But not every renunciate can follow to help me spread the Dharma (True Teaching). They also need to have some affinity with the worldly people and good communication skills. If you talk wrongly, you may even harm my teachings. Sometimes my disciples don’t speak correctly and it makes people more annoyed. Sometimes, there were many initiates who went out wanting to tell their friends how good their Master is, but because they didn’t know how to talk, it made people more annoyed and even slander Master. Later on, those who slandered me, happened to find some of my books or tapes, and listened to them. They said, “You didn’t talk like your Master did, how come? I agreed with your Master’s speech right away, but what you said made me so annoyed.”
People don’t understand me, also because of you. Sometimes you say things that are not the same as what I said. You don’t know how to say it, meaning your talk might be a bit too plain, too candid, so people don’t understand. People mistakenly thought that we are involved in superstitions, so there were also misunderstandings. So sometimes if people out there misunderstood me, I don’t blame them at all. I know that there are all kinds of situations that could lead them to misunderstanding me. There are all sorts of circumstances, from the outside [people] to my disciples. So, it’s just a pity for them. Therefore, if you can’t speak well, it’s better not to speak.
If you want to help people, you have to do it gradually; you help yourself first. It’s better that we improve ourselves first, otherwise, firstly, you might fall, and secondly, we might cause others to misunderstand.
As for those people who misunderstood and slandered me a lot, later on, they will also get tired. First, they get tired, they stop. Then, they will come to understand. There were many people who are now my disciples, but during the initiation, they kept coming to apologize to me. Saying, “I am sorry. I have been slandering You for the past three years.” And I said, “Let bygones be bygones.” Otherwise, what should I do now? You wouldn’t take revenge on your own disciples, would you? Taking revenge at that time would have been very satisfying, right? “Now that you’re at my mercy, I’m going to make you pay.” Drag them out and give them a scolding thoroughly? But forget it. When they slandered me, if I didn’t scold them back at that time, then that’s it. It’s over. Now they already stopped slandering, why would we continue? We can stop at any time. Forget about it!
There was a story about one person who took revenge by oppressing someone. And the other person was determined to take revenge. So he did everything he could to gain power, have riches and fame, so that he can strike back at the other person. At the time when this person was being attacked, he was still suffering, still poor, still weak, and therefore unable to fight back. Because the other one was rich, powerful and influential. So this person swallowed his grudge and waited until the day he became successful to take revenge on the other person. At the time when this oppressed fellow finally became successful, the other person who had oppressed him before became destitute and hungry. Things turned around. [This person] is now weak and alone. And so [the other fellow] said he wouldn’t take revenge anymore.
Someone asked him, “Why didn’t you take revenge when the other guy used to oppress you, beat you, and treat you so unjustly? Back then, you could not avenge, and it was understandable. Now that you have all the power and strength, why don’t you take revenge?” That fellow said, “Before, I could not revenge because I was weak, I had no one to defend me, and no power. If I took revenge at that time, I would have died. Now I am able to retaliate. As the other person is weak, I can take revenge. But doing that would be the strong bullying the weak, just like what he did to me. Forget it, I don’t want to take revenge anymore.”
So it’s OK anyway, just forget it. Every time, I just forget it. That’s right way. That is absolutely correct and in accordance with the way of the Quan Yin practitioners. Those who are not spiritual practitioners have their own things to do, we don’t want to comment. But we are the practitioners, we don’t take revenge on anyone, right? (Yes.) But the people out there, let them do what they want. We don’t comment. (Yes.) It’s their duty, they do it. For example, the police have the duty to go and arrest thieves and robbers. We don’t stand there and say, “Why are you ten policemen oppressing one person?” That person is a very bad one, for example. If there’s murder and robbery, but no police, everyone would be killed, right? You don’t just stand there and do nonsense. Don’t say, “Ten police officers with guns are oppressing one person!” when you see the police arresting someone. That person killed people without remorse, for example like that. (Yes.)
Avoid getting involved in pointless matters. Our duty as practitioners is different. Other people don’t practice spiritually or they are just fulfilling their duties. If they do unpleasant things, that’s their business. We should not say that they are not good. (Yes.) There must be someone doing such unpleasant things, so-called erasing unpleasant things. It’s so difficult! Whatever I say, I have to give proper instruction and explanation, otherwise you all will say “Master taught us that way.” And then you blindly go out, and do exactly that. Each situation is different. You have to be flexible. You can’t just do things and always say “Master said so.” Master didn’t say that.
Photo Caption: In the Desolatest Time, There Is Always Brightness of Hope
