Thank you. Sit down, please. Oh my, I thought… I just walked in and saw a small group of people sitting there. I said, “What kind of shop is this? It’s so tiny.” Now that I’m here, this shop is quite big, huh? For people sitting downstairs, they can come up and sit here. Hey, where are you going? No, no. I meant the people downstairs. Greedy, even when poor. Oh, I forgot my book. Do I have any book that I can read to you? Are my books here? Any books? (Yes, there is.) How have you all been? (Yes, good.) Do you recognize me? You do? (Yes, we do.) Do I look the same as before? (Yes.) (More beautiful, Master.)
Those people downstairs can come sit here. You can sit in the front if you like. Because downstairs, you’re just sitting on bare floor anyway, right? Squeeze in wherever you can. You, be careful. Can this be put up there. Is it OK? Or, shall we put it over there? OK. Up to you. Sit wherever you can. Tong, my book. (Someone has gone to bring Your book.) Can he make it? (Yes.) (It’s only five minutes from here.) Oh! Great. My book about Zhuangzi. (Zhuangzi.) The book about Zhuangzi. (Yes.) If there’s not enough space, then just stay downstairs. You can also sit up here. But maybe not. Let them run back and forth. Let the “police” run back and forth.
What’s wrong? What’s wrong with the hands? You have a problem with your hands? (This one’s open, we can hear. We can hear them [translators] or not.) Oh, you even have earphones? Luxurious. How do we have earphones here? They have a problem with earphones, did you see? Anyone responsible? See, we don’t have enough staff, so please take care. Raise your hand again. (Oh, we can hear them now.) Now? (When he speaks, yes.) Or maybe somebody... (What he wanted us to do was raise our hand if we can hear him.) Maybe somebody trampled on your earphones, on your “ears.” (On my ears.) On your “ears.”
Alright, is that enough? (There’s still a bit left.) Just sit down anywhere then. Why are you all crowding over here? Sit wherever you can find a spot. Some can stand up there. Will that work? Standing there is fine too. But if you stand there, I’m afraid you’ll get pushed in. Tong, you can just sit up there. Sit anywhere you want. You can come over to sit here too. Look toward my side. Don’t show them your face. Facing here is better. (Not to be seen by them that I’m here…) Yes. OK? Everybody set up? No more seats left? (Yes.) Oh my, it feels so cozy. Earlier when I stepped out, they said it was really cold outside. So cold that I had to wear a hat and gloves. But now sitting here, I’m sweating! It’s because there are too many people. We don’t even need a heater. The owner must be making a good profit renting this place out. In winter we don’t even need a heater. And in summer, we won’t need a fan either. No, because when you sweat, it cools you down.
Who is that gentleman? Who is he? (His name’s Dave.) What? (Dave.) I know Dave, but... Is that the one who’s supposed to meet me? No, not the one, no. Huh? No. Tell him to sit on the chair, we have earphones for them, please. Good evening. My name is Ching Hai. You know my name? You see, I am “handicapped” now because I don’t have any book. I don’t have the wisdom book with me, so I just sit here and wait – wait until “wisdom” comes. I have to wait for my “wisdom” to arrive. So now, I just sit here having no “wisdom.” Earlier there was an interview, so I was in a rush and forgot. No, actually they forgot. They were supposed to bring it to me.
Have you all gotten any rest since you went home? Maybe you didn’t need to? Only I need it. You never need it, you’re always strong, healthy and “hoorah” all the time. Fat and healthy jumping around wherever you go. Kept calling me, “Master this, Master that.” Oh dear, I was exhausted. As soon as I got home, I lay down right away. I just walked in the house, and I said, “Where’s the bedroom?” I went straight from the airport to the house. When I got there, everyone’s faces were bright and cheerful, happy, joyful, enthusiastic, standing there welcoming me, smiling from ear to ear. When I walked in, my face – how do you call it? Not exactly frowning, but close to it. Too tired to smile. I smiled, but it looked more like a grimace.
When I walked in – before anyone even asked how I was or brought out the flowers – I said, “Where’s the bedroom?” I spoke Chinese to the Chinese attendant and said, “I want to sleep.” Meaning, I wanted to say, “I want to sleep, I want to go to sleep.” I walked in and lay down right away. Usually, when I come home, if I haven’t changed clothes or taken a shower yet, I don’t get on the bed – I’m afraid I might dirty the mattress. But when I got home, I just took off the outer robe and lay down completely. Once I lay down, I didn’t want to get up. But at 7:30 (AM) there was a radio interview with Âu Lạc (Vietnam). Then I heard there was supposed to be an American newspaper too, but somehow they couldn’t make it. Then someone said a certain famous singer wanted to visit – I only heard big names. I couldn’t sleep after that, I was startled!
Then I quickly jumped up. But my eyes were still half-closed, I thought I couldn’t even get up, thought I’d just go out, say “Hallo,” then “Goodbye” right away. But eventually I managed to get up and talked with them for a while – about subjects that incite spiritual awakening. Then I woke up completely. Because when I lay there, it was like I couldn’t lift my arms or legs. That’s how tired I was. I hadn’t slept for several nights in a row. Staying up late makes you age fast. And your face starts to look worse – less pretty. Oh well, luckily I don’t have a husband. Otherwise… He’d probably leave me, huh? That’s why a Master can’t have a family – probably that’s the reason. Because we get “uglier,” and then people leave us. Better that I leave them first, to save face.
Talking nonsense here, while waiting for the wisdom book to arrive; it hasn’t come yet. I’m just hanging around, talking nonsense, waiting for the “wisdom” to arrive. When I look at too many of you, I’m scared already, cannot open my “wisdom.” Anything fun to share? Do you want to ask me something? If you have a question, go ahead and I’ll answer. Or go ahead and ask, and I’ll tell you. Earlier during the interview, the TV station guys kept calling me “Nun.” All this time I thought I was “Master.” He kept calling me “Nun,” I kept wondering who he was talking to. And after a while, I realized, “Oh! He meant me.” Because there was no one else around. Then I got used to it. So sometimes it’s “Nun,” sometimes “Master,” sometimes “I,” sometimes “we.”
Speaking in Aulacese (Vietnamese) feels a bit strange. It’s kind of awkward, not very smooth. Speaking in English is easier. Why is that? Or maybe I’ve lost touch with my roots, huh? Lately, everywhere I go, I only speak English. If not English, then Chinese. So the Aulacese (Vietnamese) seems to have gotten all dusty somewhere in a corner. I rarely speak it. There’s no one from Âu Lạc (Vietnam) following me closely anyway. Just a few people, but they’re always busy with the TV work and never pay any attention to me. That’s why I can never speak Aulacese (Vietnamese) properly. It sounds so awkward.
Where’s my book? Not here yet? Alright, enough of that. Now, do you have any questions? If you do, ask quickly. That way it feels more natural. Otherwise, reading books every day makes it seem like I’m a scholar or something. Do you have any questions? Yes? No? You’ve all became Buddha, right? Already enlightened? No need to ask anymore? (Just happy to see You, Master.) So happy to see me that you’re speechless? Yes. I am also happy to see you. I’m also very happy to see you all. It really makes all the effort worthwhile. But honestly, I don’t want to go anywhere anymore. I’m too tired. These past few nights, I haven’t been able to sleep at all. Every night after giving a lecture, for example after giving initiation, it’s already four or five in the morning. I lie down for a bit, then the dog(-person) barks, the cat(-person) meows, and that’s it. End of the program. Earlier, when I got back to the house and had just lay down, the neighbor’s dog(-person) was starting a revolution. It was barking nonstop, keeping everyone awake. But I just went ahead and slept anyway. Whatever. Let the dog(-person) bark. My bed, I’m going to sleep on it!
Photo Caption: God Beautifies Even the Wild with Love-Splendor
