Fiancé, no? (Fiancé.) (Yes.) Oh, yes. I heard that you used my gloves for your engagement. OK. (Thank You, Master. For letting us come to see Master.) I gave you two gifts. You got it? (Yes.) OK. Buy what you want with it. And when you marry, I’ll give more. OK? (Yes.) Now, my family is very big. If I have time, I will introduce them to you. But I don’t think I have time because they are scattered all over the globe. (Still have some more in Dallas.) Some more in Dallas, and in Canada and every place. I never have time for them, so you know. And this guy, he always complains that I don’t have time for him and I don’t have time for his children.
You see how my sister sits one mile away. And she has been here since yesterday, but she never could see me until today at your house, only to look and sit over there and didn’t even come around me. Did you see that? (She didn’t say a word even.) Oh, you never say anything. You just complain. (I know.) Yes. All my relatives and friends are like that. They don’t make noise. Not like you. So that’s a good lesson for you. My brother, he sat outside in the car. I never said a word until now. Nobody let him in, then he just doesn’t come in. He just sits in the car. So, I have no discrimination, actually.
And my sister was just initiated today. I’m ashamed to tell you. You know why? I never force people. So that... Can I speak English? It’s OK? (Yes.) And you have earphones, those who don’t understand English? (Yes.) Is there someone translating for you? (Yes, yes.) Is there? (Yes.) The Aulacese (Vietnamese) people – are you able to hear it? (Yes, I can hear...) Is there someone translating for the Aulacese (Vietnamese) people? (Yes, there is.) And anyone who doesn’t understand English just… and then I can speak Spanish?
I just want to tell you because some people say I try to convert people into our group and always try to snatch disciples, but it’s not true. Even my sister, my brothers and my cousins, everyone does what he/she likes. I never opened my mouth to tell my sister even to eat vegan. I tell you the truth. And my father, my mother, they quit eating (animal-people) meat themselves, and they themselves quit smoking at the age of 70. Can you believe it? I never tell anyone what to do, except when I’m in lecture. I just talk in a general guideline. And when you ask me and then I’ll tell you vegan is better for you. But never ever I force these issues on anybody, even my relatives, my sister and my nephews, my nieces. Some of them are still not yet initiated.
But my sister’s story is very funny. She started as a vegetarian in Âu Lạc (Vietnam) already before she came here. And before she left for America, she took with her a box of vegetarian sesame-something, intended to continue the vegetarian diet in America, but she lost it on the airplane. And then she came back to the… When she came here, she had to live with in-laws or some other relatives and probably she couldn’t find her box of sesame again. And therefore, she didn’t get initiation, kind of slow. And I think she tried to be vegetarian again until she was completely sure of her sesame schedule. That’s why she came here as a surprise. I didn’t know she came here for initiation. I thought she flew to see me again as usual. She often flies to see me from one state to another when I’m in America because I never have time, and I never take time to come to see her especially.
I have to tell you the truth. I’m not a very good sister. But I take care of her though, in whatever way I can, in whatever way she needs, except my presence. And then she comes to see me. It’s OK. I can afford the ticket, but not the time. And by now, all my friends and relatives forgive me. They love me and they truly love me unconditionally. They don’t demand anything because they know I’m very busy. And I know you are more, you’re stronger than them. You’re more in number. You just snatch me away. So, I’m very happy today that I have new… How to say...? (Fellow initiates.) What? (New disciples.) New initiates. (Fellow initiates.) New disciples, yes. I’m surprised! It’s a big present for me. It’s a big gift. Thank you. I think because I became an American citizen, that’s why they like me better now.
You drive and how come your face all swollen? (I caught up on sleep in the morning.) Been working too much, huh? You don’t sleep enough? You don’t sleep enough or what? You work too hard? (I didn’t sleep much last night because we came late trying to locate this ashram.) Center. (There was no street showing on the map.) No street? (So we had to go by the zip code…) (Because this is a subdivision, Master. They cannot show it on the map.) Oh, really. So how can people find you? (Well, if the people are at home, they will call, and we can answer them, tell them where and how.) Well, you have to go pick up my people. At least you should pick up my sister, no?
(I called her from Dallas last night) It’s terrible. (from the airport to a disciple) Oh, God. (but they didn’t tell me.) OK. I’m sorry. You know what? It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault. I take care of all the people, but I don’t take care of my own. That’s it. Even last night, your daughter came from New York. Right? And I even told somebody – because I knew she was coming – I told somebody to take you there and pick her up. But my sister was on the road. Too bad. I’m sorry. I should be better. I should be a better family member. I will improve next time. Please let me know in advance or… I don’t know what to do. Why didn’t you tell people to go and pick up my sister at least? If you have such a lousy house, there’s no map, and...? (It’s because I was busy with these kids, so...)
Then you tell me. Terrible. (They said this morning that Your sister went to Hawaii and met You already.) Yeah. (She didn’t need to see You today.) Oh, yeah? (They didn’t even want us to see You today.) Yes, yes. Well, you always want to see me, whether in Hawaii or here. Right? (But they told us that You didn’t want to see her because You didn’t have time for her.) Who? I never told her such things like that. Who said that? (Huh?) (Master asked, who said that?) (What did you say about Master?) Who said that? Who said that I don’t want to see my sister? (No.) Nobody said that? You must... You must have forgotten the Aulacese (Vietnamese) language by now. (The only thing I answer is “Right now I don’t have… I cannot get the appointment, so I don’t know how to talk with Master.”) Oh, yes, yes. Because... Oh, right, right. (They said that You were very tired, and then the family members already met with You in Hawaii.) Is that right? Some of the people said that? (So we don’t need to see You again.) That’s true, that’s true.
(But it’s been over two years I haven’t seen You since we met in Los Angeles.) Alright. (I moved to Dallas, and I work, I’ve been working very hard. Didn’t have time to see You.) Yes, I know, I know. (So, this is the best time) They told me about the sister. Yes. (for me to spend time) OK. (come here to see You.) You came from Dallas here? (Yes. We flew down here.) Thank you very much. (I was thinking to fly to Taiwan [Formosa] to see You over there.) Yeah? But you’re too busy. (But it’s very fortunate that You come here, so we do our best to come here to see You.) OK, it’s alright. Thank you for your love. Well… (You are glad You came to Texas, right? I’m glad You came.) Anyhow. (But they told me this morning that You were tired, and You didn’t have) Yes, yes, I am. (the time to see us.) I am, but I would always find time, at least.
(I tell You the truth, that this is the hardest way to see You.) Oh, yeah? (Yes.) Why? (Very, very hard.) Why? (And I promised myself that I wouldn’t go.) And then you went. (Next time to try to see You. It’s very tough for me.) Why? (Well, people, they don’t tell me the truth. They don’t tell me the truth what Your schedule is, and…) Oh, it’s not, it’s not true. OK. I’ll tell you; I’ll tell you. (And then how could we…) They don’t know it themselves. (Try to separate us from You.) No, it’s not true.
I tell you what. I tell you what. Let me tell you to clear all these misunderstandings, otherwise all of you will misunderstand the contact person as well. I tell you what. I came from Hawaii and have had no rest until now. And because I had no schedule; normally I have time, I thought I would have time to stay in Los Angeles to have a rest, but then I had no rest because then came the fire, a big fire that burned many hundreds of houses in Los Angeles. So we had to begin immediately with the rescue mission. We had to pour in presents, toys, food, blankets and toiletries for the people who were in emergency need. And we worked day and night. I was always on the phone, and I sent disciples here and there. I signed a check, I sent the money, I called to send the money. We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and manpower, hundreds of people, to pack the presents – day and night. And I had to maneuver all these things over my health.
And then it was all gone and then another fire started and then they invited me here and there and then I had to go and bless the beach where the fire was. And then another group had invited me because of religious unification and prayer, and then Texas disciples invited me. OK, I promised to come. And then I’ll come. I bought all the tickets, everything already. And then there was another change came because of Veterans Day, and they invited me to come there because I donated US$200,000. I promised to and so, they thought I’m an honored guest. Also, I’m an Aulacese (Vietnamese). And that there was an honorable day for the veteran soldier ladies who had been fighting in Âu Lạc (Vietnam) – they recognized it that day. So, they said that I have to go. So, they changed the whole schedule again. At the last minute.
Even she didn’t know all this and they complained that they changed and changed and changed three times because of all the people, not because of me – because of the Americans, because of the victims. So don’t misunderstand them. It is all my fault. My schedule even turned upside down. And you know what? After I changed the tickets the second time, it was very difficult to change tickets for 11 people – the whole crew members now, first. Second, when I changed again, it nearly cost me 4,000 more dollars because the immediate ticket is... then you get it for first class or more expensive. You can’t get it cheap. So, every time you want to change the program, you never consider my health, my money, my time, my manpower, whether we can do it or not. Truly! I don’t mean you. I mean the people in L.A. (Los Angeles) as well. They took me here and there. Of course, it was necessary also. I don’t mind going. But it caused a lot of trouble and manpower and energy. We called on the telephone all day, all night, sometimes we didn’t sleep.
You never know how I work. You ask the people near me. Who is near me now? No, not the attendant. Attendant, they don’t believe you, but the one... Anybody else? Anybody else who is not an attendant? (Yes.) You tell them. Tell them how I work. And sometimes he has to help also because he happened to be there so he knows how I work. I truly don’t sleep sometimes. And you never know, you think I just go on the airplane alone. No! There’s a whole crew of members and lots of money, manpower, energy, arrangements involved. You can’t just get an air ticket like that. It cost US$1,160 per person. (It’s not Your fault, Master. We know.) OK, you know now, fine. I just want to explain to other people who don’t know. Now we changed. And last we managed to change the ticket at midnight. And then we had to go and return the ticket and get a new ticket and all that. It involved a lot of time and arrangements, even for the airline company. They blamed us and said, “What? You changed three times already. Will you make up your mind? Do you want to go or you don’t want to go?”
Yes. You never know how many demands people make on me, and I’m one person alone. One person! You have only one family to take care of, one small business. You never know how hard I work. And you blame me all the time for not being with you or not taking care of your daughter or your sister, your whatever. For my sister, I don’t have time! We have too many daughters now, so you have to understand. That’s one thing, I tell you. And then, you know what? And that was just after my surgery. I had to have an operation, even a small one, but it made my whole body paralyzed. I couldn’t even walk. I couldn’t even take a bath. I couldn’t eat for two days. But the second day, I had to go for the Veterans Memorial. But even before I went, I had to take charge of all these arrangements, all these changes, make all these decisions. My attendant could not do it. I had to do everything. They helped me to call on the telephone, but everything had to be made by me.
Even when I lie in bed with all the compress, I still had to dictate many things to do. And I had to take the telephone in bed. I couldn’t even rest after the operation. I had to work immediately. The first minute when I got home after the anesthetic wore out, I had to take the telephone already. So don’t blame me, please. I don’t tell you all this to let you know that I work very hard, but because you misunderstand too much because of this. Even she didn’t know where I would go and what I would do next because we didn’t even know whether we could get the ticket the next moment. Sometimes we have to wait. Or sometimes it’s the weekend, and sometimes the office is closed, and sometimes this person doesn’t know, and anything. So, you know now.
Photo Caption: Protecting All Under Your Cooling Shade!
