(Hallo, Master.) (Hallo, Master.) (Hallo, Master.) (Hallo, Master.) (Hallo, Master.) (Hallo, Master.) (Hallo, Master.) (Hallo, Master.) (Hallo Master.) (Hallo, Master.) (Hallo, Master.) Thank you everyone. It’s not very cold today, is it? (Yes.) Otherwise, coming back from a place so hot, I’d get sick, freeze to death. Hallo, everyone. (Hallo, Master.) Today I climbed mountains and crossed rivers to come see you. (Very touching.) Very sincere. (Thank You, Master.) A sincere Master is rare. In the Dharma-Ending Age, a sincere Master is hard to find. I’ve climbed a few mountains and crossed several rivers. I look at it and it seems when I’m not here, more people come, right? Then, it’s wonderful. In the future, I don’t have to stay here to ask you to strengthen your aspiration to seek the Tao. Isn’t that so? (No.) Yeah, I’ve heard them say that more and more people come here when I am not here. Then I finally realized, “Ah! That’s how it is.” Then it’s great, everyone has gotten used to it. Come here to get some fresh air. We will put up a sign outside: “Infinite Air.” “Clear Air Meditation Center” or something. Everyone is welcome to come here to enjoy fresh air. “Cultivate the mind and nourish the qi (energy) with air.”
Why are you all so noisy? Why are there more and more people coming? What does that mean? (To see Master.) What if I’m not here? (We miss Master and want to see Master.) I’ve already said I’m not seeing anyone. It’s written very clearly in the news magazine and also on the bulletin board, telling you that I needed to rest, to go into retreat. And we’ve seen each other for many years already. Aren’t you tired of seeing me? (No. We are not.) You must be kidding. Why would you want to see me so much? Seeing the same person every week, and sometimes getting scolded. And it’s not that easy. Sometimes the food is not enough. Have you eaten enough today? (Yes. Enough.) There must be someone who hasn’t eaten enough. Anyone who hasn’t had enough, raise your hands to show me. Spiritual practitioners don’t tell lies. Raise your hand, let me see. There must be some. Because they think that since I was not here, less people will come, so perhaps they didn’t prepare much food. Every time there’s some excuse. You all know that. Just that this excuse is easier to be accepted. I was starving coming down from the mountain in Pingtung. I quickly found some (vegan) instant noodles, cooked it and ate it in the car. Even so, my stomach didn’t feel better.
Do you know what I’ve realized in the car today? Why are you laughing? What are you laughing at? I realized, travelling in the car was uncomfortable. My stomach felt acidic, and my head was dizzy and swollen. (Yes.) And I realized another thing, which is, leaving the mountain makes me hungry. I was enlightened a lot today. Why? Because when I lived in the mountain, I only ate one meal a day and that’s enough. I really didn’t feel hungry. I’ll tell you what I ate; it’s very interesting. Because you really, really want to know what I eat, what I drink and what I do. (Yes.) Some people are like that. They come here to see me or attend my lecture, not to hear the content, but to see what I’m wearing, how long my hair is. It’s like going to a beauty pageant. Therefore, every time I give a lecture, I have to dress very neatly.
I just combed my hair only today. During the past few weeks in retreat, I didn’t comb it at all. Today, before coming out, I knew there’d definitely be many eyes watching, so I combed my hair. The clothes I wore when coming down the mountain had many patches here and there. But I was coming back to see you, beautiful people, so I quickly put on another outfit. By the way, I will tell you what I eat, in order to satisfy those people. Some truth-seekers from outside have come here. They will seek my attire and hairstyle. This morning, after I finished meditating, I ate some… what is it… the kind that’s very cheap… Angelica sinensis (Dong Quai) noodles, do you know what it is? (Yes, we know.) They had a whole lot of them. Those can be casually prepared. It is inexpensive and has no preservatives. I think it’s not in the content. So I had to consume it quickly. It can’t be kept for long. And I ate one packet of it. Soaked it in hot water and then ate it. Gathered some firewood to boil water, and then put the noodle in, and then ate it.
When it was already really, really late in the evening, at night, they brought me the meal again after they had all eaten their fill and had played in the water. Then they brought the meal and left it there for me. As to when I’d eat it, it’s my own business. They just left it there and I looked at it while walking around; it’s still there. I finally opened it to have a look. It was almost 4 or 5 PM when I opened it and ate a little bit. I couldn’t swallow it at all. It’s like this everyday. Today was the same. But I was very hungry when I left the mountain. They drove 120 kilometers per hour. He drove at 120 (km per hour), why? To find (vegan) instant noodles for me to eat. My stomach could hardly stand it. I was not really hungry, but just because of the acidity in the stomach. (Acid reflux.) That feeling like stomach acid coming up.
So today I realized two major things, which reminded me of you. Why am I telling you these things? Because I am thinking about your problems. It’s not for myself that I tell those funny stories. I think about how every week you have to drive here. For the driver, he must have an upset stomach too, with his head feeling so dizzy. So in the future, you don’t need to come anymore. It’s too painful. No? (No.) Why not? (We can see Master.) (We feel well as long as we see Master.) Don’t you get dizzy? (No.) (Here the air is fresh.) Ah? (The air here is fresh.)##(The atmosphere here is really nice.) So, you’re saying if you think of me, you won’t feel dizzy or carsick? (Yes.) Then whom should I think of? (Think of us.) I have to quickly find a Master to think about. It’s troublesome. So, you don’t suffer from car sickness or acid reflux? (No.)
Probably this mortal flesh of mine is difficult to maintain. It just fools around every day. It has a lot of tricks and schemes. Today a headache, tomorrow a stomachache, messing around. But when I lived up in the mountains, there were no problems at all. The most uncomfortable day there is better than the most comfortable day here. That’s how it is. Today, once I came down, I felt more uncomfortable than any other day, but it’s still bearable. I just worry that you might be the same, that every week you come with stomach discomfort and headaches. Does it happen to you? (No.) Then that’s great. It’d be best for you to become an enlightened Master. You are so strong. Raise your hand if anyone wants to do this business. Can I pass it on to you? In the future, you won’t have to come so often, or are you coming because of the fresh air here? (Yes.) Better than in the city? (Better. Yes.) OK. Then it’s also good. Because in the cities, there are cars every day, running around everywhere. On the freeway there is at least some air. In cities, there are cars and people everywhere. (Yes.)
Why have you grown so beautiful now? You, this one, the nun. Yes, her. Why do you look so beautiful now… (Thanks to Master’s Power.) You’ve become so beautiful that I couldn’t recognize you. How nice it’d be if I could become so beautiful. That’s about it. Now I can’t talk about any major topics. Sorry. Previously I could still talk, but now because I see that you’ve all reached Buddhahood, right? Several in Taipei, several in Tainan, and in Pingtung. Everyone claims they’ve become Buddhas. That’s wonderful – then I don’t need to talk anymore. Tong, why are you laughing? How dare you laugh at me, huh? There are already several Buddhas in Taiwan (Formosa). It’s time for me to leave. You’re so noisy.
You have to rely on yourselves in spiritual practice. You have to understand my teachings and then continue practicing accordingly. Once you succeed in practice, there is no need to cling to it. Why do we have to know those teachings? Why do we have to keep the precepts? If all of us are Buddhas, originally Buddhas, then why have we become sentient beings? Why have we become like this? And, if we are all Buddhas, why do we have to keep the precepts, and be so serious in spiritual practice? Why do we have to avoid evil and be virtuous? Does anyone know why? Since everyone says that we’re Buddhas, we’re children of Heaven, meaning the children of the Kingdom of God, which is within us, that Buddha Nature is within us, and the Tao is within us, etc., then why do we still have to avoid evil and be virtuous? (Play the drama well.) Huh? (Play the drama well.) Play the drama well? Kneel. Kneel down, nonsense! (Because everything is just a show in a dream. It’s but a play in the dream.) You must be kidding. If someone beats you to death in your dream, will you feel hurt? If someone takes your wife away, takes your son away, won’t you scream and cry? You certainly would tell the police. It’s like this. I’ve told you before. Never mind. I pardon you. Just joking. I’ve told you, perhaps. Everything is God. Everything is created by God, everything has Buddha Nature.
Photo Caption: Mini Copy of Eden, Just to B Reminded of the Real!
