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Remain Centered
"Be flexible,
but remember yourself. Just like whatever you do, try to remember that
you are a practitioner, so you are not affected by circumstances. Even
if you are with bad people, you remain centered. You'd probably not
criticize them, but you'd remain unaffected. Just like a lotus doesn't
get dirty by the mud that surrounds the flower."
Always Be
Flexible In Social Activities
"While being
with them, playing with them, eating with them, we have some reasons
or some excuses, some occasions to tell them about our practice, understand?
About why we should be vegetarian, if they should care to listen, if
they don't, it's all right. At least, we do not try to stick ourselves
out like a sore thumb to let everyone know that we are better than
them. We eat quietly, we do things quietly and if people want to listen
to us, then we speak.
"We come
to a wedding party for example; let people enjoy what they came for.
But whoever notices the difference of our diet, and they come and ask
us, then we answer; If they don't ask, we don't spoil
them."
"We just do it, everything naturally, just like we do it in our home and be very humble and unpretentious. Not noisy and let everyone know that we are great practitioners."
The Way
To Spread The Truth
"So this
thing we must learn, to act appropriately in different circumstances.
Not that we have to propagate the Quan Yin Method, light and sound
of heaven, and the vegetarian diet, that we go everywhere and disturb
people. Understand? We have to do it in the right place, at the right
time and to the right people. You have put the advertisement in the
paper, to let people know that there are such and such people over
there, and you also hand out the sample booklets, to let people know
that we'll probably talk about vegetarianism and meditation. So the
people who already have an interested mind in such a subject, they'll
come. Understand what I mean? They want to enlighten, or they want
vegetarian, then they'll come. But we don't force people to come; that's
the difference."
The Ordinary
Mind Is The Tao
"We do things
like them, means we are quiet, we are unobtrusive. We don't let people
feel our pressure of being virtuous. But we don't lose our value, our
ethical standard."
"Try not
to make excuses that I have to be like the people and then I do whatever
just like them. For example, we do things that are not harmful, but
look like the other people: You dress up nicely, you comb yourself,
and you look decent and noble so people look at you. Most people look
at the outside. They see, "This is the people that are clean, from
good families, have good manners and are well kept. So probably people
have a little bit more affection, or more trust in you, and then slowly
you can talk to them. If you wear very filthy clothes because you are
a practitioner, you don't care about the outside appearance, then if
someone invites you to a very noble house, before you start speaking,
people already don't want to listen. How can you force people to accept
the things that are very uncommon?"
"You can
wear what you want, no problem; you put on some make-up; you wear nice
clothes; you go to a good party, if you see a lot of people. If you
are in a position to see people, and you look good, so people think, "Ah,
she is normal, is alright, nothing twisting inside at all," and then
people feel easy and they relax and they open their mind; then whatever
you say, they probably will listen."
"But meanwhile
recite the Buddhas' names, God's names. And don't lose yourself in
the music and forget everything. These things are outside, and do not
harm us. So we must know what we can do and what we should not. Not
because in the name of flexibility or integration then you do everything
you want and make excuses."
Be Careful
About The Trap Of Loving To Show Off
"While maintaining
harmony within, do not display openly. If you are too flexible and
lose your center then you'll be overcome and destroyed, and you'll
collapse. If you try to demonstrate your composure, you'll be criticized
and slandered, okay? So don't demonstrate. Always be flexible and clever.
Do not let people notice that you are too different, not purposely
display your virtues."
"We should
be careful that we don't step into the trap of spiritual competition,
spiritual materialism. Sometimes we practice, but then we are too proud
of our practice. That's also no good. Understand what I mean? Then
because we are too proud inside, we go out and put on airs, making
people uncomfortable."
Don't Be
An "Anxious Buddha"！
"When we
go outside, we treat people in the same manner; try to be with them
but not lose ourselves because of them, not be influenced by them.
But do not act too domineeringly, overwhelmingly virtuous, obtrusively
righteous, letting people feel uncomfortable. That's why sometimes
we are very upset, we are very frustrated, because people don't listen
to us. Of course, they don't want to. When we come in with the air
of righteousness and "I'm better than thou" attitude, people are scared
away. Yes?"
The Secret
Of A Harmonious Family
Sister Liao
used to be a practitioner of Yiguandao. She was the first in her family
to be initiated into the Quan Yin Method. What clever method did she
use to make her family harmonious and eventually all become initiated?
Cherishing blessings and being very frugal, Sister Liao said: You can
make progress only when you have a good Master, and in the meantime
you have to correct your drawbacks and change your bad habits. In order
to have a harmonious atmosphere in a family you have to improve your
own state of mind.
Brother
Li's family members have almost all been initiated. Before his initiation,
Bother Li and his son sometimes had quarrels because of differing opinions.
Ever since he and his wife were both initiated, Bother Li has stopped
quarreling with his son, and his personality has changed greatly. Having
observed these changes, his son became sincerely receptive to Master
and then received initiation.
So, changing
bad habits and improving one's thoughts and state of mind are especially
effective secret ways to maintain family harmony. Master has often
said that we disciples spoil Her reputation. This is because our bad
habits and behaviors have not been corrected, and therefore have made
other people uncomfortable. Besides, with our stubborn attitudes, we
are just like the stones that Master has often described; we can not
have good communications and be flexible to give others clear explanations.
In order to have a harmonious family, we must seek the cause in ourselves.
The Importance
Of Being Friendly To Neighbors
Ever since
Master has been preaching in public, the number of Her followers has
increased rapidly, and all of them are very sincere. Hundreds and thousands
of people getting together for group meditation is very common in centers
all over Formosa and in foreign countries, not to mention the Hsihu
Center. It is impossible not to let the neighbors around the centers
notice the crowds and traffic. To maintain a good atmosphere for group
meditation in the centers over the long term, fellow initiates need
to pay special attention to not disturbing their neighbors.
Laiyi Center
in Kaohsiung-Pingtung was specially blessed by Master while She lived
there for a period of time, attracting fellow initiates from all over
the province who came to see Her. There were also provincial group
meditations and three day retreats afterwards. Through these activities,
we have come to understand the importance of amiable relations with
our neighbors. Master has also specially instructed us to treat our
neighbors kindly.
We have
been sincerely following Master's instructions and voluntarily cleaning
the roads in the nearby villages on our own initiative, as well as
helping the poor through village heads or interested village people.
We have also been making inquiries in the neighboring villages to see
if any public building and temple construction projects, or sick and
poor people need help, providing it voluntarily if there is any need.
We often
remind fellow initiates at group meditation about the problems of creating
too much traffic in the villages or of speeding in and out of the villages.
Besides, whenever our neighbors tell us about such problems, we immediately
dissuade fellow initiates from doing it. We have made road signs along
the roads to remind fellow initiates to slow down and not beep their
horns. In cases of environmental pollution, such as the time when the
village people's health was affected by the odor from a large pig farm,
Taitang Farm, our center also communicated with the farm owners about
making improvements. Also, whenever a provincial three day retreat
is planned, we let the village heads know about it in advance and ask
people to make allowances for the inconvenience that may have been
caused during this period of time.
We have
been doing these large and small things silently or publicly. To do
things publicly does not mean to fish for fame and compliments. We
just want the interested village people to know that we wish to repay
their kindness and that we like to be good neighbors. We have been
getting along with them pretty well. There was once a family that informed
us in advance about a funeral service they were going to have, fearing
that the tent they were going to use in the service might occupy the
road, thus affecting our fellow initiates when they came and left the
group meditation.
There was
also the occasion when the center had a fire alarm, and the village
people came to show their kind concern for our safety. These episodes
really warmed our hearts. We have made many friends among the village
people. In a word, if we are polite and if we all show mutual love
and respect, we can make our neighbors naturally become our friends.
Be A Good
Neighbor
When the
San Jose center was first purchased, Master instructed us to be a good
neighbor. Even though our centers are usually quiet and respectful
when we get together to meditate, it can be intimidating for some neighbors
to see a big group gather all of a sudden.
Master told
us that we should find a way to get to know the neighbors and to help
them in any way we can. She also told us that we should always think
about their comfort by doing our best to minimize the cars going in
and out of the property, remaining quiet at the center at all times,
and spending as much time as possible making the environment more beautiful
and peaceful to the eye.
So immediately
after purchasing the new property, we held a party to get to know our
neighbors according to Master's emphasized advice. We got a list of
all the neighbors from the local realty company and sent out invitations
to our "Open House," which was to be held between the hours of 12 noon
and 5 pm. We politely stated in the invitations that we would be serving
vegetarian food and that we would love to share a meal and get to know
them.
We were
aware that most Americans who live in rural areas do so to have more
privacy and quiet than is customary in the cities or suburbs. They
usually like to keep to themselves and usually do not interfere in
each other's business. We wanted to make our neighbors feel welcome
while respecting their desire for privacy, so we gave them an open
invitation that did not make them feel obligated to come.
We found
that the open hours made the event hugely successful because people
didn't feel too pressured to come at a specific time. Most of the neighbors
came with their whole family. They offered suggestions about how to
work with the county government and recommended the best landscaper
in the area to help us dig a well. They also shared with us their ideas
about how to get building permits quickly.
We explained
to the neighbors that we only wanted to have a peaceful place to gather
and meditate on weekends. Since only a few caretakers were needed to
water the trees we assured them that we wouldn't disturb them. We gave
them sample booklets and magazines.
We found
that several neighbors were familiar with meditation and that they
were very interested in the relief work that Master has conducted around
the world, and which sets an example for all of us.
One of the
neighbors told us that the road we live on is private and that all
the neighbors get together twice a year to help clean it up and pay
for its upkeep. Fellow initiates immediately joined the next clean-up
activity to fix the road. We all worked together side by side on a
rainy day filling in pot-holes, sweeping leaves and branches off the
side of the road, cleaning drain-pipes and cutting branches off of
trees, which were threatening to fall onto the road. Because we had
so many volunteers we were able to get more done in a shorter amount
of time than they had done in the past, so the neighbors were very
happy. Afterwards, we invited all of them to a hot vegetarian meal
at the center.
Our center
volunteered to repair and take care of the road on a monthly basis
so it would not be a burden to everyone living there. It was good that
we did this because this year it rained very heavily but since we were
cleaning the drain-pipes regularly the road did not flood and so once
again the neighbors were very appreciative.
The best
way to fit in to our new neighborhood was to do as the others do and
offer just a little bit more. Just as we did in the first meeting with
the neighbors, we left an open invitation to everyone, offering our
help. For example, we gladly participated in small clean-up projects
like fence repairing, etc. By just being friendly and open to them,
we found that they really appreciated the manpower we could assemble
and they were happy to see that we made the neighborhood more beautiful.
Each weekend we limit the vehicle traffic by pooling our cars. We also
keep a "quiet zone" around the whole center so that the atmosphere
in our center would be kept holy. And we try to help our neighbors
in any way we can. By doing all this according to Master's instructions,
we found that the transition from "new kid on the block" to an active
community member was smooth and easy.
Love & Help
Our Fellow Countrymen
- Free Medical Services
On May 20,
a group of Master's disciples who are outstanding experts in the medical
field, offered free medical services from 1:00-5:00 P.M. in the Wuhu
Elementary School, Hsihu Hsiang. The purpose of these free services
was to provide medical help to the country fellows in Hsihu Hsiang
where our center is located. Some famous doctors with expertise in
either Chinese or western medicine from large hospitals across the
country also came to offer free services. Many country fellows in neighboring
villages heard the good news and came to receive the medical help.
These diagnoses were like a timely rainfall due to the fact that Hsihu
Hsiang has always had a lack of medical resources. This activity was
coordinated with the "Development of Family Education In The Community" activity
hosted by the Wuhu Elementary School. The Hsihu Meditation Center also
arranged two shuttle bus services for people from remote locations
to come for diagnosis and treatment and return home.
That morning,
part of the work crew had come in advance to decorate the place. The
vehicle used to spread Master's teachings broadcast the news of the
free medical services in the Kejia dialect. Our doctor and nurse fellow
initiates from many places in Formosa brought their own medical instruments,
medicines, and needles. Master's sample booklets and News magazines
were displayed at the registration desk. Several dozen fellow initiates
translated into the Kejia dialect; they were kind and effective.
When everything
was ready, more and more people arrived gradually. In work, including
registration, choosing clinics, taking blood pressures, conducting
diagnoses, performing electrocardiograms, doing urine tests, and dispensing
medications, the working members shared the load and cooperated with
one another. All procedures were in order very soon.
While waiting
for treatment, people quietly read the sample booklets and News magazines
and watched Master's videotapes. One person said: "There have never
been so many doctors and nurses come to offer free medical services
in this place. Some people said that this time was the best of all.
One patient
had a foot problem that could not be cured by doctors that he had seen
before. After our doctor brother initiate gave him a treatment, he
felt much better. He then telephoned his family right away and asked
them to come for treatment.
Besides
the local people, there were also others from neighboring villages.
Although it was only a short afternoon, almost five hundred people
came to obtain medical services. Thus, the head lady of Hsihu Hsiang
has invited us to offer free medical service tours regularly in the
future. The reaction of the people was very enthusiastic. The principal
of the Wuhu Elementary School repeatedly expressed her thanks to us.
The children were the most excited. When they lined up for colored
balls, candies, and cookies, their happy and innocent laughs were heard
the whole time.
Some village
people, after receiving medical treatment and taking their medicine,
sincerely bowed to Master's picture and expressed their gratitude.
From beginning to the end, the activity was conducted in a thorough
and smooth manner.
Many people
who came for medical treatment said that they had respected Master
long before they came here. The free medical services offered by Master's
disciples showed them even more clearly that She teaches Her disciples
with love. The villagers also expressed their desire to see Master
in the future. Many working members involved in this activity had been
looking forward to such an opportunity. After all, dedication with
love is a necessary lesson in our spiritual practice. We thanked Master
for giving us this special gift, and were also much impressed by the
pure hearted Hsihu Hsiang people.
Although
the free medical services with love have ended, the love of God has
started to sprout in this tiny village.
Love Can
Melt Unfamiliarity Between People
On the day
of the free medical services, I worked translating into the Kejia dialect.
At the diagnoses,
there was an 85 year old lady who said that she had not seen a doctor
for many years. Previously she had had a hand problem, but did not
know what kind of clinic she was supposed to visit. So she never went.
That day, she was originally supposed to go to a gathering to chant
Buddha's scriptures, and she did not know about the free medical services.
Unexpectedly, the Almighty had arranged for her to meet our fellow
initiates. After receiving medical treatment, her heart was full of
gratitude and she had trust and felt secure with the entire medical
team and our fellow initiates. Although the whole process had taken
only a few minutes, this was a big change for her.
At the beginning,
I offered her Master's sample booklet and magazine, but she did not
take them and said that she had many Buddhist scriptures at home already.
However, after the medical treatment, when I offered her Master's sample
booklet again, she took it with great pleasure, and said: "I often
pray to God and ask for a Bodhisattva to be sent down to rescue me.
I think Supreme Master Ching Hai must be a descended Bodhisattva since
She has such a loving heart".
Through
this activity, I have come to understand that love can melt the invisible
wall between people. The more we offer our love, the richer our rewards
are.
Cool Nectar
in Hot Summer
While she
was principal of Ruihu Elementary School in Hsihu, Ms. Baoqin Jiang,
now principal of Wuhu Elementary School, began to develop an affinity
with Master. She recalled how she started to watch one of Master's
videotapes. At that time, she was impressed by a teacher in her school
who was Master's disciple. Compared with ordinary teachers, he was
somewhat different. He never made excuses about not doing his sundry
duties, and the more work that was required of him, the calmer he became.
Even during the school's field trips, he never forgot to find time
to meditate.
These events
made Ms. Jiang curious. On her own initiative, she asked the fellow
initiates to tell her about Master's teachings. This brother watched
the videotape, "Teaching Yourself To Become A Buddha," with her. She
believed that what Master said was the Truth and of correct conception.
In addition, there was a young resident in Hsihu Center who was enrolled
in her school at that time, who sincerely offered her Master's News
magazine every month. This made her understand more about spiritual
practice, and so she often instructed students to sit calmly before
class because it would help them with their studies.
When she
first came to Wuhu Elementary School, she found that education about
loving care for children was not actively pursued. So she came up with
the idea of hosting an activity in the community. She and Mr. Muxian
Gu, the Mayor of Hsihu Hsiang, and his wife, Xiuxia Young, were old
friends. Ms. Young suggested to her that there was a good-hearted person
in Hsihu Hsiang, Supreme Master Ching Hai, who was devoted to doing
charitable work for the public, and that She had sponsored many such
activities domestically and overseas; so Ms. Jiang might want to ask
the Hsihu Center to assist with this activity.
Besides
hosting these free medical services, her noble concepts of love and
filial duty coincide with Supreme Master Ching Hai's teachings. So
she devotes herself to educating children to develop these virtues.
The small
and beautiful school became colorful due to the coming of the volunteer
medical services team. Being very humble, principal Jiang repeatedly
thanked Master for Her compassion and for letting the Wuhu Elementary
School have the opportunity to be involved in this activity.
Life And
Work Are Both Great Teachers
I have been
practicing the Quan Yin Method for many years. It was during the summer
vacation of my second year in the medical faculty, that I was researching
the reciprocal relationship between western medicine and methods in
the ancient Chinese scripture - "The Book of Changes." Just when I
was perplexed in my research, some friends and relatives recommended
that I attend a lecture at Zhong Shan Hall in Taipei, given by a great
Master from the Himalayas, whom I had never met or heard of before.
Although I went to the lecture without any mental preparation, I very
naturally received incredible revelations regarding the doubts that
had lingered long in my heart. I started to read "The Key of Immediate
Enlightenment" at home, and continued for several weeks.
Throughout
the reading process, I received successive shocks. I was shocked because
all my doubts in the past were dissolved, and the scope of my wisdom
was expanded so vastly that it entirely exceeded my anticipation. I
achieved deeper understanding to the areas of both meta and tangible
physics covered by the five methods in The Book of Changes. I even
discovered some theories in Master's books that coincided with modern
science and that explained each other in terms of western medicine,
study of the mysteries of the human body, very profound theories of
physics, and various other phenomena in nature. Very naturally, I switched
to a vegetarian diet and was initiated three months later.
I can still
recall all the tests that I have received since initiation. They include
the difficult adjustment to the pressures of studying in the medical
faculty and the mental and physical ordeals of being a probationary
doctor. Even after becoming a qualified doctor, I still have had to
face many situations, treat various types of patients, and handle all
kinds of emergencies. Fortunately, I have overcome them all with Master's
guidance; and my knowledge, wisdom, and ability have achieved further
development. Therefore, I firmly believe that under Master's guidance,
I will attain a completely new life each time I surmount the greatest
ordeals. I dislike emotional venting or confinement. What I am searching
for is supreme wisdom. I have yet to achieve my goal on this path,
but Master has never let me down. A colleague once asked about my insight
perceived after initiation. I could only say, "I have never regretted
taking up the practice, and I feel increasingly better."
Recently,
I joined the Free of Charge Medical Services Group at the Wuhu primary
School. My personal opinion is that our daily life and work are all
lessons from which to learn. We come to the world to learn, and serving
sentient beings is our obligation. In many aspects, the sentient beings
are our teachers.
Giving
Blood With Love
And Receiving Warm Feedback
The day prior
to the free medical services, the Miaoli initiates lovingly held a
blood donation clinic in Miaoli. During this activity, along with the
vehicle that spreads Master's teachings, the holy name of " Supreme
Master Ching Hai" was broadcast alternately in Mandarin and the Kejia
dialect in the streets and lanes, so that the friends living in the
conservative Kejia area and the souls longing for liberation could
receive Master's love and blessing.
The China
Broadcasting Network had been reporting the blood donation activity
for several consecutive nights beforehand on the evening news. In the
afternoon of the designated day, the network sent journalists to hold
an interview in our local Vegetarian House. They not only immediately
reported on the blood donation activity, but also broadcasted the next
day's free medical service activity.
During the
clinic, our fellow initiates displayed News magazines and sample booklets
on both sides of the blood donation vehicle, so that people could take
and read them. All the nurses who worked on the vehicle read the News
magazines whenever they had free time. Some nurses said that they did
not even know that there was such a great Master in Hsihu until that
day. Some even asked the Center to arrange the next blood donation
clinic in Hsihu Center so that they could have the chance to see Master.
From the looks
in their eyes while reading the sample booklets with great concentration,
and from their pure longing to see Master, fellow initiates knew that
this was Master's merciful blessing.