Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai, 3-day Retreat,
Chicago, U.S.A. February 19, 1994 (Originally In English)

You cannot always be intimidated by the greatness of any master or any person and stay in the shadow of that person. You have to grow up and be yourself. However great, however small, it's you, but with the knowledge of yourself -- that I am that person. And of course whatever undesirable habits, you try to cut down, and whatever you think good for you, more ideal, more noble, then you try to fulfill, in your capacity, in your time, in your own sincerity and endeavor. But don't always look upon a master, a teacher, or any great person and forget to grow!

That's why I cannot always be around you, or telling you everything that you must do or not do. That's no good, no good for you! You have a brain, you have a mind, you have the wisdom, and you have to use them. Every time you use them, they become better and better. Otherwise, I can never tell you everything. Of course, you can learn something from me, if you think it's good for you, if it's suitable for you. You learn something as an example, but not as something that you always rely on or look upon and then forget your own talent and your own intelligence.

All questions will solve themselves when we meditate more and go within. As soon as you go within, you concentrate within yourself, focus yourself, then everything goes easier. And we understand everything so clearly. Everything we do is quicker, smoother and more natural. That's the way we teach ourselves and that's the way the master teaches us from inside. If we are stable inside, everything outside is easy. That's why I can do many things and it does not require much effort -- because I'm concentrated.

I'm just naturally concentrated because I'm not attached to any outside thing. I'm not seduced by any beautiful phenomena. Even though you see me wearing a nice dress or something like that, I'm not conscious of the dress I'm wearing. You could put a cheesecloth sack on top of me, and I'd still feel the same. And if anyone wears a beautiful dress or something like that, they will not catch my attention completely. I might notice that person is wearing a nice dress, but that's it. Just one of those things. I record it but that's it. It doesn't bind me there. Therefore, I'm always concentrated and I use the greatest percentage of my own ability and power to solve the problem, to work, to function, to help people, and to help you. So, that's the way. Very natural!

We have everything inside. But as soon as we're attached outside, we are caught somewhere. Our attention is devoted completely or mostly somewhere, and then we're finished. Then we're off-balance. That's it. That's the only secret. So the meditation is a way for us to practice often and more consistently the art of controlling ourselves - controlling our input-output power in order to make good use of it, and in order to be the master of ourselves. That's the way of the master, not to be a master of people.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai,
Hsihu, Formosa January 26, 1992 (Originally In Chinese)

When we meditate, sometimes ideas arise. We think they come from our wisdom. Actually, that is not the case. Most of the time we do not go deep into meditation and our mind starts talking nonsense. It comes from preconceptions and habits. It is not the inner master. Inspirations come only when we are deep in meditation. And even if they do, they come only occasionally. The safest way to know occurs when we see the transformation body of the Master coming in the inner light to tell us. Or else, we'll have lots of illusions.

Spoken By Supreme Master Ching Hai,
Taipei, Formosa November 8, 1992 (Originally In Chinese)

You are attached to the existence of "I," attached to an "I" doing this and doing that. That is looking for trouble, letting yourself forget your great inherent wisdom and ability to save the world. This is the only difference between you and me. When you completely forget the existence of "I," you'll understand who you are. All your troubles and pains will disappear. If you meditate more, you'll be able to purge yourself of "I" and erase those records of the past. If you create interference and erase "I" with the inner sound, you'll forget it more completely.