Truly, sometimes it feels so good to be alone. You don’t understand this kind of state. It’s truly very comfortable. Whether you practice spiritually or not, just being alone is already very comfortable.
Some people are overweight, but they don’t look fat in the photos that they sent me. Maybe the photos are 20 years old. I don’t mean being fat is a problem. Obesity is common among the Westerners. Being overweight is alright, but they purposely wear loose outfits, in order to look slim.
Impossible if you’re oversized, you’re big in any clothes. It’s the whole appearance. When they wear loose clothes, their face and neck look very small, but their clothes are very big. It looks as if their faces are taped there. The clothes are so loose that they don’t seem to have arms. The whole outfit is too loose. Wow! It looks so ugly!
If they didn’t dress like that on purpose, they’d look better. It’s good enough to dress neatly. But then…Oh! They do not know that it gives us a headache. I have to figure out how to cover it up. Otherwise, doing it all over again will take a lot of time. It’ll take the whole night. For example, whitening their teeth takes three, four, or five hours. That’s why sometimes they can’t sleep due to the workload. I also can’t sleep. I have to wait to see if the result is OK. If there’s time, then it’s still OK. Sometimes there’s not enough time, if they send it in very late.
We have to modify a lot to make it a good video. It’s not just showing the host speaking. The host speaks in front of a blank background. Adding design to the background takes a lot of time. Then there’s the translation and the subtitles, etc. It is a lot of work. It takes many people working together to produce a one-hour program for viewing. People in many countries work together. I also spend a lot of time teaching them how to get it right.
In this case, we managed to modify the video. We found a solution. We put a scarf over here. It didn’t look good here, because the arms seemed to be missing. It seemed like there was nothing inside. It looked awful. It hung like this, very ugly. So, we decided… I said, “OK, let’s add something like this to make them look the same.” It took us several hours. Modifying the whole video would take a lot of time. It took the whole night. We couldn’t finish it even it’s already half way through the night, so we had to cut some of it. The host appeared only in the beginning and the end, but no image in between. This way it was faster. Otherwise, it’d be too late to air on TV.
There’re many stories like this. They don’t notice the problem. They just leave it to me to rectify. Someone will make it right, anyway. So why should anyone bother? Any attire or appearance is fine with them. Sometimes the host’s lips are too red. Well, red is OK, but it’s the color of orange. Oh, so glossy! And some wear illuminated clothing like people wear at night for road safety, very bright. (Fluorescent.) Wow! It’s so bright. It took quite some time to lighten the lip color. Not just the lip color, but the whole face. The host is a nice kid. Oh! He looks… I know this person.
And the clothes… Oh! My God! I don’t know who could have that kind of taste! Really different from most people. I’ve never seen any TV news anchor dress like that or use that kind of lipstick. That’s why sometimes I’m really very busy. It’s not for anything special, but just to make corrections, to give the audience a nice overview, so they see something more normal. Otherwise, the audience would think that our group is unusual!
We’re unusual already. People may understand us better by watching our TV. But now, if it became like this, they might tell their children, “Don’t watch it. Don’t watch it. Don’t imitate him.” Understand? “I knew it. They’re not normal. There must be something wrong with this group. I already know what kind of person Supreme Master Ching Hai is. I could guess it. Now it has become very clear!” Understand? Yeah. If it was only for me to watch, I could just laugh it away. But it is for the whole world. Millions, billions of people will be watching. We have to be careful. It’s for a worldwide audience.
Now you know what keeps me busy. I could come here today because I took care of many things yesterday. I’m ahead of schedule. That’s why today I come here and have a look first, to see whether or not they can come here to work, or if there’s someone here who can work better with me, then they don’t have to come. They can stay there and send things over for me to correct from here. Then we send it back to them.
Is there any talented computer whiz here? Raise your hand. Old kids will also do. Not necessarily… Anyone? Hallo? No. There’s no one in the whole Kaohsiung? It’s not difficult, just sending emails. No one can do even that? (Yes.) Even worse than me? Anyone? Raise your hand and I’ll choose. Raise your hand. OK, one person. Anyone else? None of the boys? Only a girl? There’s only one person in the whole of Kaohsiung?
Do you have time, the two of you? Two people. Are you sure? After I accept them, don’t say, “Master, I can also do it.” It’s always like this. When I ask you to raise questions, you’re silent. Remember? Just when I am about to leave, then, “Oh!” Some are even like this. Then the person running around to bring the microphone cannot see where he is. It’s always like this. People can’t see where he is. Then they all look at me. “Master, where is he?” It’s always like this.
Come over for me to have a look, those two people. Let me look at you. What do you do normally? Take a seat. What do you do? (I work at my father’s company, doing financial things. I’m the bookkeeper.) Are you an accountant? (Yes, bookkeeping.) Huh? (Bookkeeping.) Bookkeeping. And you? (I work for a small company as a graphic designer and computer assistant work.) Then you won’t have time. I sometimes work earlier during the day, but sometimes late. Sometimes the work comes at midnight. After I make the correction, they will change it and send it back again.
The hours are not regular. Only those with free time can do the job. OK? Only those with free time and sleep less can qualify. I may call you anytime. I usually have more than ten boys working with me. They take turns. Today it’s his turn, and tomorrow another one. This way, they won’t be too exhausted. I am the only one who can’t take turns.
Ah, you can do that? (I can help with email.) What, love? (Email.) Email, you can. Do you have time? (Yes.) Good. Where do you live, by the way? You must live here. (Kaohsiung.) Kaohsiung, huh? But if I go to Pingtung, you must also go there. (That’s not far, it’s OK.) OK. Over here, maybe you can stay. Can you stay here for a while until I go? (Yes, of course.) Huh? (Of course.) It’s convenient for you? (Yes, no problem.)
Here is like ascetic. You have room for him? (Yes.) Do you have a place for him to stay? (Yes, Master, we do. Yes, no problem.) OK. Then prepare a computer for him (OK. Yes.) to send and receive mails. OK? (Yes.) Do you have one? A computer? Either a new or old one is OK. (New one.) OK. Give it to him. (OK.) Give him a place to stay, OK? (OK.) You have time all day, all night? (Mostly.) Good. (Mostly, I just need to get my computer at home, that’s all.)
You have to get your computer, right? (Right.) They have one here for you. (Yes.) But you have to program it first, right? (Yes, it’s easier if I go home and get my computer, and I’m used to it.) OK, how far do you live from here? Can somebody get it for you? (Thirty minutes.) OK , you go home and get it and come here tomorrow. OK? (OK, no problem.) If I’m here, then you help me here, OK? (OK, no problem.) Alright, thank you.
(Master, I can stand by for 24 hours, for four days until Sunday.) Until Sunday, OK. Good. Then it’s the two of you. You and her work together. Very good, thank you. You also, but you cannot work because you have to work for other people. Two is enough. You don’t have to do anything except sending and receiving mails for me. So one will do. Just in case you get tired, then you take turns, in case the things they send take a long time to review. OK? Good.
Actually there’s not much to do. It’s just that sometimes they do not listen and do it the wrong way. Then it takes a lot of time to rectify. Hopefully things will be better after we came to Kaohsiung, because the feng shui here is good. Sometimes there isn’t much work to do, but there’re too many people and unorganized things. Each one troubles me in different ways, and I become really exhausted. Yesterday, I worked the whole day. In the evening, I was really exhausted and collapsed. After I recovered, I still continued to work. Too many people and too disorganized, too chaotic. I need peace and quiet.
But everyone has to show up for something. It’s become their habit. They’re used to depending on me. They come to ask me about anything. They don’t ask what they are supposed to ask. Only after they mess up, then they come to ask me. I have to sort out the trash that they leave behind. It’s always like that. Then it makes me even busier. Maybe in Kaohsiung… There’s no dog, no one, no assistant now. Wow! So comfortable. Very comfortable. When I first came, the brother asked if I needed help. He wanted to get someone to help me. I said, “No, no, no. I’ll do it alone. It will be more comfortable. We’ll talk about it later.” I will find things on my own.
Truly, sometimes it feels so good to be alone. You don’t understand this kind of state. It’s truly very comfortable. Whether you practice spiritually or not, just being alone is already very comfortable. I don’t know how long it will last. But today, I’m feeling so much at ease. It’s warmer here. But for you, it’s still cold, right? You’re wearing so many clothes because you were outdoors, right? You feel cold because you were sitting outdoors, right? I’m here and I’m sweating now. In Miaoli, if you dress like this, you’d still feel chilly. It’s more humid there. Besides, they planted too many trees, which raises the humidity. OK.
You arrange a place for them while I’m here, OK? I don’t know how long I’ll stay. It depends on how soon Laiyi can be ready. Also depends on if I like staying there or not. Definitely I won’t like the smell. My nose is as sharp as that of dogs, very sensitive, I can’t bear it. Just can’t. OK. That’s it. Thank you very much.
Shall we meditate? (Yes.) Until what time? What time do we meditate until? (Nine o’clock.) Nine. OK. There is one hour left.
Do you have a car or can somebody drive you home tomorrow, tonight, and you come back tomorrow, OK? (I have a car.) Alright. Sister, you do the same. (OK.) Do you speak English? (Yes, I do.) Yes? (Yes.) Good or average, your English? (Good.) Good? (I think.) OK, good. What is that? (That brother knows my English ability.) Oh, is she OK? (Yes, we work together a lot.) Good, oh wonderful, just coincidently.
Suppose you work so well, I might want you in Laiyi. Can you go there also? (To live? Yes.) We’ll have rooms for you. But is your family OK or not? (No problem.) No problem? You can come with him? OK. OK. Good. We’ll see. In Laiyi… Maybe I’ll have other people, so maybe I don’t have to trouble you, I just hope. I just hope I have, OK? OK. Ha! See, magical power. OK. Thank you, everyone.
