What? (It’s 10:30 [PM].) Ten thirty, still early? (Yes.) (Master, please go rest.) Huh? (Master, please go rest.) Ah, it’s still early, that’s true, but I should go eat a little because I haven’t eaten anything today. (Tomorrow, Master. You have another Dharma lecture tomorrow.) Didn’t eat or drink anything. Did I eat anything? In the morning, they made some toasted bread, but I couldn’t eat it. Then I drank a bit of (vegan) milk just to hold on through the whole day until now. And when I got on the plane, I didn’t eat or drink anything at all. Usually when flying, I don’t eat or drink anything, even though they prepare food in advance, because I don’t feel like eating. With all that cigarette smoke and people moving around, there’s no mood to eat anything. Sitting up there, I don’t even feel hungry. So usually when going out to spread the Dharma (True Teaching), I often fast for long stretches and don’t sleep. And if I don’t sleep but still eat, that would be terrible. No time to sleep and then eating on top of that, the body would collapse right away. So I just don’t eat. After everything is done, if I get home around noon and feel hungry, then I’ll eat; if not, I just skip it altogether.
So troublesome! This body always needs to eat again and again. Eat, then have to cut the nails because they keep growing. Have to cut the hair because it keeps growing, so tiring. Then it produces dirt, so you have to wash, have to bathe again. Oh God, so exhausting! Some places don’t even have hot water, so you have to boil it again and again. Sometimes the gas runs out, then you have to sit there and blow the fire. Truly, this body is such a burden, isn’t it? But if it can still be used, then use it; if not, just discard it.
Now I’m going to select some “boyfriends” and “girlfriends,” because I don’t have any with me. America, always, I never have any close attendants, always no visa. Every time I come to America, the people who are familiar with me, my attendants, or the ones good at video work all got rejected, they won’t give them visas. So strange, we didn’t do anything wrong, and I have so much property that could guarantee their safe stay, yet they still refuse them. How can America have such heavy blessings”? Every time I go to America, I get so exhausted, always facing unpleasant things, but this time it’s better, much easier. When they didn’t check my luggage, I knew right away, I knew that America’s merit has increased. I knew America’s merit has increased. Its blessings have become lighter. Before, its blessings were too heavy. Every time I went to America, I would almost get sick to death, or there would be some heartbreaking events that couldn’t even be explained. Every time the luggage inspection took three, four, even five hours, causing flight delays and all sorts of obstacles. This time they didn’t check the luggage, which means our side has grown stronger.
Alright, let’s sit and look a bit longer. I guess everyone will be busy tomorrow, right? (Yes.) Then there’s no need to meet me anymore. “Boyfriends, girlfriends” all go home. Don’t look at me like that, those eyes look like “Please take me home!” Especially you. You already have a husband and kids, yet you keep trying to “seduce” me. Anyone who wants to go home with me, raise your hand. (Yes!) Everyone wants to go? That won’t work. (If Master allows.) Huh? Where? Stand up, quickly. Those who just raised their hands, stand up, let me see. OK, sit down now. Stand up, then sit down again, what else to do now? There are too many, I don’t know who to choose. (Choose me.) Choose you? Those who’ve known me for a long time, the ones who like to joke around, I also would like to bring them home to chat for a bit before they leave. Usually, those who have been following me these past few days, wherever I go, they followed. Raise your hands, let me see. Those who came to the retreat and often stayed to talk with me, raise your hands. Stand up, stand up properly, let me see if I got it right. Stand up properly. That’s right. That’s fine too. Anyone else? That’s all? Come on, stand up, let me see. No, not you! Ah, you, yeah, right. OK, one, two, three, yes. No, not you, I haven’t seen you before. I don’t know you, not familiar. Don’t claim acquaintances so quick.
Alright then, go find those people who used to follow me around before, (Yes.) call them over and tell some fun stories to make me laugh a bit, otherwise I’ll go to sleep right away. If no “bribing,” then you won’t get to come tomorrow, I tell you. What? I don’t know yet, you. Have to be recommended by somebody. Otherwise… If I don’t know their faces, and no one introduces them, then later if they ask nonsense, it’ll be troublesome. I’m already tired, I just want to hear some funny stories, but if anyone comes in and starts dropping nonsense again, it’s exhausting! That girl, what’s her name? Always talking nonsense! Alright, I’m scared now. She wanted to be my “girlfriend” or something, but I said, “No thanks.” OK. See you later. See you tomorrow.
And the ones who followed me before, what are their names again? Yeah, (…) and so on. (…) is also fun. (…) doesn’t follow me much because he’s busy with his wife and kids. (…) now when she sees me she acts as if does not see me. She has a non-differentiating heart. She’s holding her bundle of blessings and doesn’t see anyone anymore. And (…), still always sticking close, always following around. You’re better now? Good. You get to come along? What about (…), are you free? Free or not? (Yes.) Got a husband holding you back? (No, Master.) No? Alright then, you can come. We were classmates long ago, nice to see you again. Oh, but today I don’t see teacher Ton. Where did my teacher go? He’s not here? (He’s in San Jose.) In San Jose? Oh, maybe he’ll come down tomorrow or something? He’s probably not free. It’s Friday, maybe he still has work? (Yes.) Tomorrow is Saturday, probably can only come tomorrow afternoon when he’s off work. Otherwise, he has tomorrow off or he may come tonight. Alright everyone, go rest now, be safe and peaceful.
(…), I have enough, no. If you want, you can come, it’s alright, but no translation, maybe only Aulacese (Vietnamese), and you’ll feel left out. (…) and all that, you can come. The “lousy” American disciples can come. No, no – the beloved, lovely, intelligent, distinguished American disciples, please, can come. That’s it. See if there’s anyone with a bright face, go grab a few of them to chat for fun. (Master.) You think you are having a bright face? From a rich family and smart too, huh? Go find some good-looking ones, boys and girls, bring them here. That girl is pretty, alright. Already has two or three kids but still acting all playful. Where did the girl go? The cute one. Where? Outside? (She went to Âu Lạc (Vietnam).) Usually when she sees me, she runs over and hugs me. How come no one hugs me today? Probably got tied up? Her husband tied her up? Is your husband here? Probably he doesn’t dare come to meet me. (He ran away.) Ran away, huh. Tell him to go back to being vegan, or else he won’t have time to escape hell. Bye-bye. (Bye, Master.)
Sit down so I can see you. Wow, (vegan) candies and snacks everywhere. Alright, go home and see you tomorrow. We’ll meet tomorrow, then the day after I’ll be leaving. Wait, not the day after? (Not yet.) The day after that? (Yes.) Oh, so after tomorrow we can still meet. (Yes.) We’ll meet tomorrow night then? Is there a place to meet? (Yes, the meditation hall. At the meditation hall.) At the meditation hall. OK. Those days I’ll have some time. What? Oh, you’re coming along? Go find those people from before. (Yes.) The ones from the other day. I’m just looking. This girl always sings Aulacese (Vietnamese) opera. If she goes there, she would sing and then cry, it’s exhausting. The other day she sang so well that even (…) got scared, remember?
No, my house is very small, not everyone [can] come. Just that group is enough for tonight. The distinguished, lovely, handsome disciples (Americans) can come. You know. But maybe no translation. Just a special chat. Tea. Wow. This church looks nice. (Yes.) Usually, do they have tables and chairs here? (Yes, they do.) Or is it usually like this? (There are tables too.) Like this? Did we rearrange it? (They have tables.) They have tables? What for? (For round meetings.) Round meetings? Maybe this is the dining area here. (They have gatherings too. Meetings.) Meetings. You don’t know how tired I am to come here with you. (Thank You, Master.) The knee is very weak. (Thank You, Master.) You’re welcome. Thank you. Is all this (vegan) food for me to eat? Wow. Wow, eating like this I will die. That’s it. Wow, it’s a lot. Alright? Wow. No good. Here. Alright. See you around.
(…) made it here too? But is your wife at home? Oh, bring her along. Let’s see who did I forget. Whoever followed me and I forgot about – the regular ones, go find (…), see if she’s recognized them correctly. (I remember Master.) Let the two kids come along. (Yes.) I don’t know if the house is that big. Already said it, already said it. If we go without allowing (…), she will cry to death. Bye-bye. (Yes.) Thank you for your love. Those kids there who were crying so loudly can follow along. You know, huh? You two? Two or three. (Three.) Three, OK. And your mother. Enough. Love you all, but I don’t know if you’ll drop a ”bomb.” What did you say? OK. Because there are too many people, I can’t hug everyone.
Photo Caption: Rare Beauty to Remind One of Heaven
