I’m waiting for my “wisdom” book still. If you don’t have any questions, then… Earlier, I was so tired that I thought when I came here, I probably wouldn’t say anything, just sit quietly. It’s because on the plane they were smoking, and that made me really exhausted. Actually, human strength is limitless. When I was lying there, if I had been lazy, I would’ve stayed down forever. Honestly, I felt like I couldn’t get up. I thought I couldn’t get up. The mind thinks that way – it always keeps telling us, “Just sleep.” “Just keep your eyes closed. It feels so soft and gentle. Why open your eyes? Go to sleep – it’ll make you chubby.” So I just lay there, chanting those verses over and over. It even sounded soothing to my own ears.
It was really hard to get up. I had only slept for half an hour or an hour, how could I possibly get up. Especially with the time difference. And on top of that, I hadn’t slept at all for several nights. Yesterday, I gave initiation to over two hundred people. So it took quite a while – five-six hours. I couldn’t go to bed until six in the morning, just rested a little. Then by seven or eight, I had to get up again. Couldn’t really sleep either, knowing I’d be heading to the airport soon. Daytime sleep is never as good as nighttime sleep. I couldn’t sleep, too noisy. Especially in downtown Mexico City. There are just too many people there, in Mexico City, really crowded. It’s really busy and lively, and the people are warm-hearted too. They love me so much there. They kept telling me to just stay and live there forever.
When I was over there, I actually wanted to stay. At that moment, I really felt like staying for good. Their level of understanding just aligns with mine so well. They asked very intelligent and elevated spiritual questions – not silly ones, not about material things or worldly stuff. I really liked that. They asked really good questions. They asked good questions, so I could talk well. That’s why I felt I wanted to stay there. But the next morning, I didn’t like it anymore. Ah well, wherever I go, I like it there. And earlier, when I went to the house, I saw how beautiful it was and said, “Wow, I love it! I wish I could live here forever.” Just saying that, of course – not really staying, don’t get too excited. There are still two more months of lecturing around the world ahead. I don’t even dare think about it.
Anyway, since no one has any questions, I will read you a fairy tale, alright? OK. I’ve found some, forgotten. Already. It’s too serious. Too serious. If I speak in English, it would be better. It sounds better in English. If you don’t say anything, then just watch and enjoy. Miss me? (I miss You, Master.) The world seems small, but it’s actually very big. Master keeps traveling but never finishes visiting everywhere – it’s endless, never enough. Mexico is really, really big. Giving lectures there for just a day or two, that’s hardly enough to make an impression. But at least something was planted, a seed, and one day, it will probably… What will it do? (Grow.) Grow and multiply, right? Yes, hopefully so.
But strangely, I noticed that Aulacese (Vietnamese) and Chinese people follow me more, or maybe it’s because I take care of them more. Yesterday I was in Mexico. The disciples from South America – Costa Rica, Panama, Argentina, Chile, and so on – all came to Mexico to visit me, but only a small number of them. It seems that Western people don’t practice much. Only the Aulacese (Vietnamese) and the Chinese – why do they practice so much, I wonder? Practice so diligently? Why is that? (Because they suffer, Master.) Because of suffering, right? So, after suffering a lot, people awaken. That’s very good then! We should also be thankful.
Sometimes the hardships in human life help us develop a sense of weariness toward this world. Then we can let go of our attachment to material desires. Otherwise, we can’t truly feel tired of them, right? First, we don’t know how beautiful the inner or higher worlds can be. We only see this physical world, so when someone tells us to renounce it, how can we let go? Only when this world becomes too painful, when it crushes us and breaks our hearts deeply, do we begin to yearn. A question arises in our mind: “Is there a world more beautiful than this one?” Something like that. “Is there a realm that lasts forever?” Then, the Power of the Universe sends us a ray of hope, allowing us to meet a Guide who leads us to those higher and more wonderful worlds.
So, sometimes, suffering is also a kind of blessing from Heaven and Earth. But of course, it’s rare that we ever want this kind of blessing. It’s like when you see me, you just want to eat as many (vegan) candies and cakes as possible – as if you didn’t have money to buy them yourself. And besides that, you say things like, “Please don’t scold me. Please praise me for being beautiful, for practicing well. If You keep saying that, I’ll be so happy. But if You scold me, I’ll suffer a lot.” That’s how it is. So, if you don’t want to be scolded or to suffer, then try to practice more diligently.
Since we’re on this topic, there’s a story by Master Zhuangzi that talks about the suffering in this world. For example, there was this man named Shu – it’s a Chinese name. This man had a hunched back, bent over like a shrimp(-person). Probably because he ate too many shrimp(-people) before. They say you become what you eat, right? “You are what you eat.” No? I heard [it’s] like that. So maybe he used to eat a lot of shrimp(-person). That’s why I tell you to be vegan. Are you still keeping a vegan diet? (Yes, we are.) Not sneaking off to McDonald’s, are you? (No.) You can’t really hide it – my manifestations know everything. But I won’t say anything. We still have to show each other a little courtesy, right?
There was this hunchbacked man named Shu. His chin hung all the way down to his belly button – that’s what it says here. And his two chins... Oh, no. (His shoulders.) His shoulders were higher than his head. And his neck bone, or what was it… (The spine.) The spine? No, not the spine, it was… “Pointing to [the] sky,” how to say? (Sticking up.) Pointing up to the sky. Yes, that’s right, good! Five points! Pointing up to the sky. His facial features were all uneven, you know – everything was out of alignment. Upside down. And his hips – no, what do you call this part? Hip? (The hips.) Right, his hips were level with his ribs. This hunchbacked man made and mended clothes for people and also did their laundry. You could say he managed to make a living from it. Thanks to doing a few odd jobs on the side, he could even support about ten more people. Wow, impressive, huh? Even better than some Aulacese (Vietnamese) refugees in America, right? (Yes, that’s right.) Right. And you’re not embarrassed at all, you even admit it. You have to find a way to work, to make a living, right?
In Australia, there was this Aulacese (Vietnamese) woman – very pretty, came from a rich family, well-educated, that kind of person. She told me, “Master, Your videos are too expensive, I can’t afford them.” I said, “When did I ever sell them that you say they are expensive?” She compared them with outside prices, which were two or three times higher. Because those from TV stations, video tapes, and all those... My God, my teaching tapes and videos, they were never sold for profit. The costs weren’t even covered, so how could they be called expensive, right? (That’s right.) Not to mention the machines, the staff, the taxes, or the... what’s that word, transportation? (Transportation.) Right, transportation. And the tapes were sold at the same price as blank tapes outside, see? Yet they still said it was expensive.
I asked, “Why do you complain it’s expensive? I didn’t make any profit at all. I’m already losing money selling them, and you still complain?” She said, “No, no, that’s not what I meant.” So I asked, “Are my tapes more expensive than the ones outside? Or the same price?” And she said, “No, they’re not.” I asked, “How much do they sell it for outside?” She said, “At least 29 dollars for a small tape.” But mine – good-quality, well-made tapes – were only 20 dollars. (And better quality too.) Exactly, even better quality. It’s just like the blank tapes they sell outside. You have to consider the quality too, not just the price. The quality was good, and it was only 20 dollars. Meanwhile, out there, the ordinary ones – short, small tapes – cost at least 29 dollars. And if they were from a famous person, they’d go for 40 or 50 dollars.
I said, “Then how can you say mine are expensive?” She basically answered herself – they’re not expensive at all. And she said, “It’s just because I don’t have money.” So I said, “Well, if you don’t have money, then just go take one for free. Tell the staff and they’ll give you one to take home.” I really wish I could give everything away for free, but I can’t – the world has too many people. If I gave everything for free, where would I get more to make new ones, understand?
Photo Caption: Beauty Descends to the Low, Lifting It Up
