You May Not Know

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu Center, Formosa
February 25, 1990 (Originally In Chinese)

* Note: This article is for those who feel they need more protection, if possible, for themselves.

We often think that the scent of perfume in this world is beautiful. But actually it's not! The process is just an absorption of numerous little micro-organisms into our noses. Those who put on perfume are only absorbing countless complicated beings into themselves. That's the way our personality can become complicated. (It is like many people living in the same house.) It can be caused by the scent of perfume or some beautiful things.

You may not know that the world outside and the people who are beautiful in appearance may hurt us. Every time we smell some scent, no matter if it's from us or from others, it will provoke a thought, regardless of whether we knew we had or didn't have that type of thought. Everything we absorb through our six senses will excite some thought within us, and most of the thoughts produced from the mundane world are low level. The low level thoughts within us will then get connected to the low-level beings around us.

It's like electric waves. If it is transmitted it will be received by someone. So it is as if the beings are transmitting the signals and we are receiving them. If we open the same channel, then it will come into our being. Like we have a radio, and the radio station broadcasts 24 hours. If we turn off the radio, then we won't be able to hear it. As soon as we turn it on, we'll receive the signals again.

Anything that belongs to the six senses -- whether appearance, sound or taste -- will attract our attention. Then our brain will produce some thoughts. Good attracts good and bad attracts bad. Most of them no matter good or bad, it's still from the beings in the three realms. Our thoughts are related to many beings, which in turn attracts them. Look at those who gamble. They attract the astral beings who like to gamble. Those who like to drink alcohol attract those spirits who like to drink, so they get worse, and cannot give it up. It's the same way with gambling. Although they have a sense of guilt, know that it's not good for them, and want to stop it, they can't. It's because those invisible beings are more powerful than us. They have no physical body, so it's easier for them to control us. The more we're controlled, the more beings we attract. We can't possibly beat them on our own, so we become weaker. They use our bodies to eat, drink, and have fun.

So we had better not put on any perfume. That's why one of the precepts for monks or nuns is: Perfumes or cosmetics to adorn oneself are not allowed. There is a reason behind it. It's not that all precepts are old-fashioned and don't fit our times. No! Every time we smell these things, it will excite our desires. This is what we've learned over many lifetimes. For example, a good perfume means there's a beautiful woman, which then connects to lust related desires. So all of a sudden, it opens our subconscious minds. Like attracts like! Our open minds will therefore attract those beings with similar desires.

Some people have particularly strong desires. Those who like to gamble or like women, after they die will go to that kind of level. Spirits with similar desires live together. They will encourage each other more so that their desires get stronger, so it's hard to get away from them. When we open certain channels of thought in us, even just thinking about it, these beings will quickly sneak in. If it's a scent, they'll come in through the nose. If it's love songs, they'll come in through the ears. If it's sexual images, they will come in through the eyes. If you love to eat good food, they will come in through the mouth. Therefore, we have a saying "Vow to liberate these numerous beings."

Every day we absorb countless invisible beings inside us. They come in, occupy some of our being, and control us. So if we like to eat, we will like to eat more and more. If we like to gamble, we will like to gamble more. The same thing with drugs. It's all because they are controlling us, make us want more and more, and strengthen our desires.

These beings first create their capital city in us, then an administrative department, ministry of internal affairs, foreign affairs, et cetera. They gradually develop and expand within us, (audience laughs) and finally become a whole government that controls us completely. If there are all these different governments within different parts of our being, the forces from these foreign countries are controlling us, then you are not yourself anymore and you have lost yourself! We will be more and more a stranger to ourselves, since we cannot control ourselves but instead are controlled by our desires!

All those beings' desires are living inside of us, controlling our rights. Everyone shares a part of us and controls it. Then we are stuck completely. Some want money, some want food and drink, some want to make merry and have fun, some want to gamble, all kinds of desires. Some people have everything! This is the reason.

When you are initiated, you get rid of everything! I send all of them back. I say, "Bye, bye! Go away!" (Master and audience laugh) "This is not your place!" (Audience applauds) But sometimes they will resist, if they are more evil and mean. Like vicious people, they don't understand the law. Thus sometimes you see criminals beating up the police.

Similarly, although I represent the Truth and the higher levels and they're supposed to listen to me, but sometimes the evil beings do not. They are enraged that I took away their good things and thus they don't have anything to enjoy. Some even attack me because they are clinging to what they had. That's why sometimes I get affected by them and get tired. You know how tired you get when they attack you. It's the same thing when they attack me. They cannot attack you so they turn to attack me for interfering in your business. That's what happens when an enlightened Master takes away people's karma.