So last time, we held a seven-day meditation retreat. (Yes.) Wow, oh my! Water everywhere. Who said they lost their water (play on words: water/country)? I see too much water. A lot. Every time, there’s a seven-day retreat, it’s always a huge commotion. So much water (play on words: water/land), more than we could ever use. Just come here… you’d get sick of water. No one wants to fight over land or territory anymore. It’s strange – water (land) is so easy to find, so why bother fighting over it? You pray and it comes right away, right? (Yes.) But this time, don’t pray, there’s already so much. That’s enough. Look, the plants are all green and fresh now. (Yes.) The grass grows that tall.
Last time we came here… (All yellow.) Not yellow, brown. It wasn’t yellow at all. The yellow would be already better. Where would it ever be that yellow? Brown, black. This time everything is lush green. This place is naturally like that. I told them to trim the small bushes. Leave the big trees so it stays natural. (Yes.) No need to plant anything. (Yes.) Don’t destroy anything. We build carefully and don’t damage nature. Naturally, the grass and trees grow back thick again, it’s beautiful. That’s it. And those small bushes that grow a bit also look nice. There are paths, but there are also trees and grass. (Yes.) So coming here, it’s nice and cool. (Yes.) That’s pretty good. (Yes.) Yes. (Ideal.)
So why did you say it was not ideal when you went to the new economic zone last time? Well, the new economic zone is the same anyway. See? It’s the same anyway. This area is a new economic zone. Didn’t you know? Because no one has developed or cultivated this place at all. For hundreds of kilometers around here, there’s no one. We’re here on thirty thousand acres. Thirty thousand hectares. There’s no one else. It’s just us, only our people here. And around here, all lots of land are priced at thirty thousand, thirty thousand, even sixty thousand. All around here, there’s nobody at all. People bought the land, but no one dared to come. Many people were foolish and bought it, then they gave up on it. Because of landmines, (Yes.) so it’s not safe. (Yes.) Every day there’s bad news of one kind or another. It’s only those little Buddha devotees of Quan Yin who dare to go, fearless, like the deaf who fear no gunfire, the blind. Only the blind, not afraid of fire, ran over here, (Yes.) no one else dare to come.
We are the first company. Quan Yin Company is the first to come here and develop the land. This is just like the new economic zone. (Yes.) There’s no one around here. There were all kinds of raiders and robberies, too. Sometimes they would grab one or two of our people and drag them into the forest for fun. They just sit there, not doing anything. So boring, they kicked them back. In the forest, there is no vegan food. Only eating fruits and candy. That’s already pretty good. Eating just candy and fruit and survived a week is already something. Spiritual practice is different, isn’t it? (Yes.) This is how we do spiritual practice, no matter where we go. If before, you practiced spiritually, then going to the new economic zone would have felt just like the old one. Right? (Yes.) So, see this time? This place is so remote and windy. The bird(-people) don’t lay eggs anymore. But they like it here, they like it like that. (Yes.)
People from Taiwan (Formosa), they have plenty of houses and are wealthy. A happy family with wife and children. Meaning a proper profession, with education. They are educated, and sometimes even with medical degrees, they still come here, endure sun and rain, because of ideals, wanting to help those in need. Come here to clear this wasteland and turn it into something beautiful. In the past, when anyone was told to come here, they didn’t dare. (Yes.) If you step carelessly, the landmines explode, it’s like… Not like anyone at all.
Out there, the land we have already cleared and swept for mines, yet sometimes they still dig up two or three for fun. That’s why many people bought land near us, but when they dug up two or three landmines, they got scared and ran away. Only we are stubborn enough to stay here. We have entrusted our lives to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, so we are not afraid anymore. Then even kidnappers don’t scare us at all. We’re not afraid, so why fear being kidnapped. Eventually, people get scared of us too. How can you be so stubborn? This group is incredibly stubborn. Not afraid of anything at all. People are even afraid of us. Anyway, now we’re peaceful with one another and know how to coexist.
Our school already has 600 children enrolled. (Wow!) The school isn’t even finished, and there are already 600 children. It was meant for only 300, yet 600 signed up. (Yes.) I said it’s OK, we’ll just have two classes: morning and afternoon. (Yes.) So that’s settled, right? (Yes.) But more than 600 cannot do. Over 600 people, and everyone has to sit in the forest. And build the temple so people here can come, offer incense, and be happy. (Yes.) They don’t know they are Buddhas, let them be. If they want to play, let them play. It’s not worth worrying about. Yes. If they want a temple, we’ll build one for them to worship. Set out a few dozen incense sticks for anyone who wants to light them.
Those Quan Yin (practitioners) who forget that they are Buddhas can go ahead and light incense there, it’s fine. Let them light incense together for fun, so the locals don’t have to do it alone and feel sad, it’d be pitiful. Like children, if they want to play with toys, we buy it for them. (Yes.) No need to worry. When they grow up, they’ll just toss it, won’t they? It’s not worth worrying about. So, I’m not spreading the Dharma (True Teaching) here at all. Don’t even daydream about it. I focus on the new economic zone; I don’t spread the Dharma at all. Anyone who wants to spread the Dharma must do it themselves. Don’t bother me. I came here to build temples and shrines for fun. We’ll do it again from the beginning, just like before. From A, B, C.
Do you see the temple near the river? (Yes, we see it.) (Yes.) It’s on the left side. (Yes, we see it.) Go out, it’s on the left. Go in, it’s on the right. From here, when we go out, it will be on the left. (Yes.) It’s a small temple. (Yes.) That’s enough. It’s bigger than the One-Pillar Pagodas in Âu Lạc (Vietnam). It’s a small community here. That temple is fine. It’s just symbolic, nobody has time to build a big temple for those Buddhas. His realm is vast. There’s no point in building a temple for Him. (Yes.) The Buddha’s Land has everything. Houses are luxurious, with gold floors and jade ground. Why would we bother building houses for those rich Buddhas? (Yes.) It’s just because these locals are Buddhists. (Yes.) If they like a temple, then we just build a temple for them. (Yes.) No money to build houses for the Buddhas, they are too rich. (Yes.)
Have you read the Amitābha Sutra? (Yes, Master.) The Amitābha Buddha’s Land, for example, just one country. The Medicine Buddha’s Land is about the same. Meaning, roads are made of gold. (Yes.) And the trees and fruits give jewels and gems. Not like here, where we have to buy even the stones. Here, the stones are all dark and ugly. Your feet get sore from walking on them, but we still have to buy them. The dirt road out there, that red and dusty soil, still had to be purchased to cover it. Here, dirt and stones have to be purchased. But in the Buddha’s Land, roads are paved with gold, trees bear jewel fruits, and walls are made of precious gems. Roofs made of the Seven Treasures, that is, seven kinds of precious gems. Here, we only wear a little bit of decoration and it costs hundreds. Hundreds of dollars.
And even if I wanted to earn money, it’s really exhausting. I also have to design the clothes and wear them for people to see. Because they said that whatever I don’t wear, they won’t buy. That’s just how hard it is! I already designed the styles made for those tall, beautiful women – with long legs and all – who will look good in those outfits. I’m short like this, yet they still make me wear these kinds of clothes. But they said if I don’t wear it, they won’t buy it. That’s how it is. Whatever I put on, they buy it all. Really! But here, if I want to wear even a little jade or some gold… Goodness, it’s outrageously expensive. It costs an entire month’s salary. Up there, they use it just to build walls for fun or to pave walkways. So really, why should we go to the trouble of building temples for them? (Yes.) Those Buddhas up there are incredibly wealthy. They should give us, not the other way around. But never mind, it’s fine. I’m just joking. Don’t go telling the monks in Âu Lạc (Vietnam), or they’ll scold me.
By nature, the way I speak could be described as rustic. If you can accept it, accept it; if you can’t, that’s alright, don’t scold me. The Buddhas, they don’t scold me. The Buddhas find me so amusing, They keep laughing. So since the day I was born, the Buddhas up there have been laughing nonstop. They all turn into the Laughing Buddha, every last one of them. Only the so-called “living Buddhas” on Earth scold me. But the Buddhas in the higher Realms laugh a lot. They’re full of joy. They say to one another, “Oh, my goodness, why is that Girl so humorous? She talks just like a country woman. Whatever She says, everyone bursts out laughing.”
The true Buddhas are very forgiving and magnanimous. (Yes.) No matter what we do, the Buddhas never scold us, never criticize us at all. They just find us amusing, or maybe they see us as foolish. They say, “It’s alright, take it slowly. They’re just children, let them play. They play now, they’ll grow up later, and someday they’ll practice and become Buddhas anyway. So there’s nothing to worry about. And if they refuse to practice, then we can just send Ms. Ching Hai down. Once She goes down there and starts talking, they’ll laugh nonstop and end up forgetting everything. They’ll forget about doing bad deeds, and then they’ll all become Buddhas, so what’s there to fear? No need to recite scriptures at all, no need for the trouble. She just tells jokes and makes them laugh until they all turn into Laughing Buddhas.”
That’s how it is. So, the Buddhas these days are at ease, just eat and sleep all the time. Every single one of them get fatter. When you go up there, you’d think it’s the realm of Maitreya Buddha, because every Buddha is chubby. They eat well and sleep soundly, there’s nothing to do. In the Buddha’s Realm, there’s nothing to work on; it’s only in our Earthly realm that there are all these worldly affairs. Only places like Cambodia do we have things to do – developing the economy and so on. Âu Lạc (Vietnam), that’s more of an old economy, right? But in the Buddha’s Realms, there’s nothing to do. They just eat and go around enjoying themselves. Then they eat well, sleep well, and become Laughing Buddhas.
Still, everyone, don’t become a Laughing Buddha too early, alright? Take it slowly. My clothes are still very beautiful. If you become a Laughing Buddha, how would you dress? That’s why I don’t dare become a Laughing Buddha too early. I have to keep a waist so I can wear clothes. If I don’t wear them, they won’t buy them, so how would I make any money? Money’s not exactly surplus. Where would I get the money to buy plane tickets to travel around, to visit the Buddhas over in America? The Buddhas in America, or the Buddhas over in Europe and such. These days, there are so many Buddhas. Ever since the Quan Yin Method was so-called introduced, there are so many Buddhas in the Saha world (mundane/suffering world). That’s why I don’t have time to go around enjoying myself. I have to keep visiting all the Mr. and Ms. Buddhas. I have to work and earn money to buy plane tickets. This isn’t the realm of Maitreya, nor Amitābha’s Pure Land, where you just close your eyes, think for a moment, and instantly fly off to another world.
Photo Caption: “The Sun Came and Went, Anyone Knows Where We R Going?!”
