Now if you see anyone who looks like a ghost, you spot them out for me. And that is the one who, 2000 years ago, ate the apple mousse. Do you see anyone next to you who looks like a ghost? Which one? Who? Who looks like a ghost? Tell me. Who looks like a ghost? Oh yeah? Maybe a couple. He brought also a couple of friends. So, in case you see some who look like a ghost... Who? Who? You? You look like a ghost? Oh! You don’t look scary enough. Never mind.
So, I’ll tell you the story of what converted him into a Quan Yin meditator. It’s a long story, very, very long, lo-lo-lo-lo-lo- lo-lo-lo-lo-long story. So, at first… He doesn’t like ghosts, does he? It’s me, it’s not a ghost. So, the the ghosts are the most, some of the most suffering beings in the universe. They have no home. They have no one who loves them. And other elder ghosts or stronger ghosts always take advantage of them and give them trouble. So the ghosts are the ones who look like those you see on the street wearing the hood and sticking out their eyes and nose and wear skeletons and all that. They look similar to the ghosts. But my ghost was a little bit better. But even then, he was abused by other ghosts. Whenever he likes to eat something or he finds something from the garbage can, other ghosts would come and kick him and steal it from him. So he was very skinny, very thin, very undernourished.
And so one day, he prayed to the Buddha. He prayed to the [Supreme] Master Ching Hai, maybe. And he said, “Oh, Master, I am so hungry and I’m so cold. I have not enough clothes and I have not enough food. And other ghosts always beat me.” Because he never believed in Buddha before. He never believed in any Master before. But then he was driven into a very desperate situation where every ghost beat him. And he had no food for many days and he had no clothes. All his clothes were beaten up, or torn out, and he’s very miserable. And then he thought there may be some power that will save him. At that time, he started to believe. But because he’s a ghost, so he can’t meditate. He has no legs. His legs are like jelly. When he tried to fold them, they didn’t fold.
And he had no body. His body was like transparent bread. Or when you want to touch him, he’s not there, nothing’s there. So maybe when you have a kind of an astral eye, you can see him, but with an ordinary eye you can never see him. So when he wanted to talk to his relatives and friends who were still living, nobody listened to him. And his wife already had another boyfriend. The day his coffin was lowered into the earth, she brought him (the boyfriend) home. So he didn’t want to go back there and see all these kinds of things. And his children didn’t listen to him because he’s a ghost. He couldn’t make himself audible to the living beings. He’s dead.
So when he prayed to the Buddha, the Buddha at that time was also named [Supreme Master] Ching Hai – I don’t know, it’s a coincidence. Then the Buddha felt very sorry for him, because the Buddha always has compassion, even for the ghosts. So the Buddha came to him, appeared to him, in a transformation body – all beautiful, all glorious, with all the jewels and shining Light, and beautiful Music accompanying Him, all the angels host around Him. And the ghost saw this magnificent scenery, so he knelt down, and worshiped the Buddha, and cried at His feet and wanted help.
So the Buddha said to him, “Because last time you did not do anything good.” You see, your child listens to me so beautifully. He’s so small, but he knows. So he said, “In the last lives, many lives, you never did anything good to anybody. You hoarded all your money, you spent it all on yourself, you’re even stingy you with your relatives and friends, and you don’t help anybody in disaster. And you didn’t believe in the Buddha, and you didn’t practice meditation, and you ate meat and drank wine all day long. And you had all kinds of misconduct, and even smoked cigarettes. So now that you have to reap the karma, you became a ghost.” And the Buddha said, “Not only did you become a ghost this time, but you have been a ghost for many lifetimes now. So at least you wake up. At least now, at this time, you wake up and you understand the transient nature of a ghost’s life.” Not human life. Human life he didn’t understand because he’s gone.
“So now the Buddha will help you.” He said, “But you have to pay for your karma, and you have to wait 2000 years. And then you’ll be reborn as a human being again, and then you’ll meet [Supreme Master] Ching Hai II.” He said, “I’m Ching Hai I.” “And Ching Hai II will come 2000 years later, and will be in a female body, sorry about that.” (We’re not. We’re not sorry.) And then he said, “At that time, you come to see Her, and then you beg Her for initiation, and then She will give you liberation.” So and then the Buddha disappeared, and the ghost was kneeling there and crying, crying his heart out because he’s so happy that 2000 years later he can get liberation.
That is the trouble with the living ghosts. When you are living beings, living human beings, and you see the Master, you can get liberation right away. If you want to. But when you are a ghost, it’s a little bit difficult. Because the karma is already fixed for the ghost, so that he has to be a ghost for another 2000 years. In different realms though; he can run around. But from then on, the Buddha protected him, at least protected him. And no other ghost would abuse him anymore, and he would find enough food, not from the garbage cans, but from the banana trees. So, every day he ate bananas. Until 2000 years later, now he came back, and he became a human being. He looks like a monkey, but with no hair. So now when you look around you, anybody who looks like a monkey without hair, that is him. You found anybody? It’s you again? Oh yeah, you look like a monkey now.
So now, that ghost has become one of our disciples. And today because it’s Halloween night, so I remembered that ghost story and I told it to you. So that tonight when you go out on the street and you see all the ghosts, you’re not scared. Because maybe 2000 years later he’ll become a Buddha. And [you won’t] have nightmares tonight. The ghosts are nothing of a big deal. He’s just one of the beings. Sometimes he gets beaten up, abused by other ghosts as well. Just like in some of our human societies, some people are very brutal. Some people are weak and get abused by other people. So we have to also love the ghosts. And maybe we’ll meditate and pray for them that they are liberated from their suffering existence. So thank you very much.
Thank you, really. You’re very quiet and very disciplined. I like that. All of you understand English. Right? (Yes.) That’s very good, very good. And Aulacese (Vietnamese) as well? (Yes.) Chinese as well? (No.) (Yes.) (Yes.) Yeah, you should. (Yes.) You should learn both your native language and English language. If your parents don’t teach you, demand them. They have to give time to you. Teach you once or twice a week and speak to you in your native language. So when you go home, you don’t feel like a stranger to your grandparents or to your nephew, to your niece, and to your sister, cousin, and all that. Understand? (Yes.) Because you have a lot of them at home. You have a lot at home.
So, I think it’s time for you to go to bed. (No.) Good night. What do you mean no? You don’t have to go to school tomorrow? (Yes.) (No.) No? Ah, Halloween’s a holiday? (Go on Monday...) Oh, at least the ghosts are useful. They give you an excuse to have a day off. Is tomorrow an off day? No school? (Yes.) (Not to me.) No or yes? (Yes.) Have school? (Yes.) Oh, so you have to go to bed early? OK. Alright? So if I am still here tomorrow, maybe I come to see you. (Yes.) It’s not too much for you? You saw me [for] four days already. (No.) No, not too much? (No.) Every day driving here? (Yes.) Alright. So you’ll see me tomorrow, one more day perhaps. Alright. So Happy Halloween.
Oh, yeah? No, I’m the one in the picture. Do you recognize [me]? OK. Oh yeah, it’s her play time. All the children are like that. When they see the transformation body, they’re in a state of high consciousness. They know the face. They know what it is. Wow! (She’s beautiful.) Bye-bye. (Bye.) (Have a nice Halloween, Master.) Thank you. I do. OK? (OK.) Are you OK? Got a name already? Is he Chinese? (Yes.) Is he a boy? (A boy.) Your sister, where? (She’s out there.) Oh, she couldn’t have come? There’s two more, right? (Yes.) You grow so big now! It’s you? The 13-year-old from before? It’s you? (Yes.) Tell your sister to come in. (OK.) Quick. No. Yes.
(I could tell that they loved it.) I panicked. I said, “What can I tell the children?” “Oh, and here comes the ghost to rescue me.” (It was the...) The ghost came on time. Perfect. Or I could stretch it longer, but then I ran out of “juice,” I guess. It’s about time they go to bed. What time is it? (Nine o’clock.) (Nine ten.) Only nine? (Yes.) No. (It’s earlier.) (Yes, nine o’clock.) Oh, really? I wake up in the middle of the night, and it’s seven o’clock in the morning. (Some people have jet lag and time lag.) Yeah, yeah. (You don’t know what day it is.) Right, right. (Today’s supposed to go back one hour.) Yes, yes, yes. (She thought it’s from Hawaii hours.) I heard it. I saw it on the newspaper. And they did not change my clock out there. And I thought it’s already nine. So I thought perfect that I left them and they would leave, but oh that’s why they’re still there. Not their time. Half past nine.
Come here. You too. Come here. Your mother is here also, I saw her last night. Come here. Don’t cry. If you cry, I’ll take back the candy. Grown up but still crying, so silly. You have fruit? Oh, yeah, I have one banana here. Come here. You look beautiful now. I can’t recognize you. All of you are beautiful. Here. It’s alright. You still crying? (Dear Master.) Taking advantage of the opportunity to stay put there, huh? OK. (Chips.) (Empty your pockets.) What do you have? Wow, everything. (We have sunshine.) What is that? (It’s Your gift to me.) Ah, OK. I want to find myself [one]. Now I don’t have another one. So then... (Cannot buy them.)
Photo Caption: The Less Value, the More Fierce!
