Q: Well, a lot of people have made prophecies about the year 2000 -- significant changes, but not necessarily for the good, more likely the opposite. Because 2000 years ago we had Buddha, Christ and so on, so the 2000 mark seems to bear some significance throughout history.

M: So you want me to become another prophet, make another prophecy, right? My prophecy is: let's wait and see. The surest way is live until the year 2000 and then we'll see it happen. It's more fun! You see, if you're reading a detective book and someone tells you the end, is that fun? I don't like to spoil the fun. What will happen will happen anyhow. Whether you say it or not, where can you run to? How can you run out of God's hand? Let Hirm play what Hes wants. We'll watch.

  We have no fear of anything. We play the game. Let's have that attitude. It's better than to know what'll happen in the future. Let's have the attitude of: " Whatever will happen in the future, I'll face it That's more brave, more courageous and more fit for your dignity, than just to want to know things about the future and feel fearful, or resentful or anticipate some kind of boredom, or disappointment, relief, and things like that. It's no good. It affects our natural growth, and affects our surprise.

  I don't like to know anything about the future. If I have that gift, please ask God to take it away from me. I like to enjoy surprises. Don't you? Can you imagine being born and knowing everything about your life? Wow, better to be dead, no? Would you like that? Born with a clear book about every detail of your life until you die: how many hairs will be grayed, how many teeth will be lost, how many lovers you will have, and how they will treat you. You enjoy all the pleasure and pain beforehand. You'd like that? And when you eat, when you taste it again, it's like secondhand stuff, like already digested food. That's right! No fun! I wouldn't like it.

  The real wisdom is not to know the future. It's just to know the present! Enjoy everything at the present, and don't worry about the past and the future. The most wise person is like that. The wisest person knows nothing, and doesn't want anything; has no desires and no fears, because no ego. Who is that person who wants to know things and what for? What is the good of knowing things? What is the good of having anything and knowing anything? Must have a big ego to want to know all this, or to know all these things.

Q: I'd like to know if there is any relationship between negative energy in the world and things like natural disasters -- volcanoes, earthquakes and things like that?

M: There is a relationship. Negative energy comes from our own bad thoughts and actions throughout the whole world. It gathers into a force and it affects us. Just the law of cause and retribution, nothing else. Don't blame any devil for anything. We are the devils, we are worse than devils. I mean people. Devils, they only punish those who are sinful but human beings, sometimes we don't know who is who, and punish everyone -- repay goodness with bad, sometimes betraying. Look at what Judas did to Jesus; look at what Buddha's cousin did to Him.

  You know what human beings are like. Don't blame the devils. I think the devils have more of a sense of justice, of good and bad, of repayment, of how to requite kindness. The devils are very fine. Some of them are good. If you treat them well, they water the plants for you; they stay on guard in the garden; they don't let other things come and harm, take, and smell your flowers. Some gurus, they keep devils around to guard their house, guard their flowers. The devils do that out of favor. If they like that Master, if the Master is good to them, they will do everything. Devils are a little bit underdeveloped beings, that's all.