The older we get, the more humble we become. The older we get, the more we realize that the world is not so perfect. It is not as we wanted, but we simply accept it. We accept any situation. We should also be grateful to God every day that we are still alive, being able to sit cross-legged in meditation, (Yes.) having (vegan) food to eat, and having a roof to shelter us from the wind and rain. We are already very happy. (Yes.) And World Peace. (Right.)
Are you still hot-tempered? (More gentle.) Yes, yes. It’s good to be more gentle. The older we get, the gentler we become. The older we get, the wiser we become. When we are young, we are more impulsive. It doesn’t matter; forgive yourself. When we are young, we think the world should be very beautiful. Why is it not beautiful here and there? And then we get angry. We get angry and lose our temper. When we get old, oh, it’s already good that no one messes with you. It’s OK if you walk steadily. Understand? (Understand.) If you squat down to take things, and are able to stand up, then “Wow! Awesome.” You already feel very grateful to God.
The older we get, the more humble we become. The older we get, the more we realize that the world is not so perfect. It is not as we wanted, but we simply accept it. We accept any situation. We should also be grateful to God every day that we are still alive, being able to sit cross-legged in meditation, (Yes.) having (vegan) food to eat, and having a roof to shelter us from the wind and rain. We are already very happy. (Yes.) And World Peace. (Right.) Telling you, I cannot walk through every path. Try your best to see me. (OK.) I cannot walk through every path. (Thank You, Master.) You are welcome. You are welcome. (Master is very pretty.) Thank you. Thank you. Pretty and old? Pretty old. Pretty old. Thank you all for coming to my home. It looks pretty beautiful here too. (Yes.) They created it with love. I didn’t ask for it. Any place is fine for me.
Yesterday, I went to see another… Ah, thank you. Yesterday, I went to see another place, because I will stay there for a while. A period of time. So they wanted to build a temporary house or something. I said there was no need. Set up a tent and put a roof on it will be good enough. With a little privacy, a corner is OK. Truly like that. And then, I was so happy as they really did it that way. They built a canopy, similar to yours, but thinner and less stable. Then, they covered it with plastic sheet. Inside was a big tent. And they put some chairs and a table. It looked very comfortable. I was reluctant to leave. I really didn’t want to leave. I like this kind of life. I like that kind of life. I think it’s more at ease. Understand?
If it’s too… too many houses… I… There are many houses over there, I just don’t want to live there. There is a house for me to live in, with several rooms. I don’t want it. I don’t want to stay there. Setting up a tent on the roof with a table and a chair will do. Understand? They also prepared a mosquito net in case there are mosquitoes. But it is OK over there. The mosquitoes thought, “She is already very pitiful, we don’t need to...” Right. The mosquitoes also feel there is no need to bully me anymore. That was yesterday. I am not sure about the future. If there are more people coming, the mosquitoes may reconsider. I have so many disciples, must be worth a few bites.
Oh. Do you have any questions? Do you have any questions today? Yes? (Dear Master, the other day, You allowed the brother to get initiation here. Today, he is here to greet You, Master.) How old is he that he looks so young? (I also like to report to You, regarding the situation in Âu Lạc [Vietnam]. We are working with the Research Institute to develop the vegan industry to be more diverse. Nowadays, Âu Lạc [Vietnam] is very developed. We can produce many vegan products, so we don’t have to import them from foreign countries. For instance, we produce [vegan] milk for the elderly, babies, and the skinny people.) Vegan milk, right? (Yes, Master. Vegan milk.) OK, what else? (We also grow herbal plants to make herbal medicine. We also…) Very good. Very good. (We also produce a series of vegan products, vegan cosmetics.) Ah, good. (By the end of this year, we will launch a series of vegan products. We will release all the legal documents of our cooperation with the top research institutes in Âu Lạc [Vietnam], Master.) Wow! Very good. Thank you. (Thanks to the brother who recommended me to different state agencies.) I see.
(When I went to work with the agencies, I could not believe that they welcomed You so much, Master. When I went to work and talked with them, I was so touched.) Must thank him. (I am proud to be Your disciple.) Now you can be proud. (Yes. When I talked with the officials, they said that Master was outstanding, that You were able to accomplish many marvelous things, and they would like to send their thanks to You. When I invited them for a vegan meal, even though I was the only vegan, and there were a few dozen of very high-ranking officials, they still went to the vegan restaurant with me. Then they said that the vegan food was very delicious, the restaurant was nice and clean, the vegan people were so polite, and that Master taught Her disciples very well.) That’s the right way. (Thank You, Master. That’s all from me.) That’s the correct way. You made me proud. As disciples, you have to represent me well, understand? When I went out, people also loved me very much, because I was very humble, very cooperative and very respectful to everyone. I did not go out and say, “I am Supreme Master Ching Hai. Don’t you know me?” It was not like that. I went out like a normal person, even more humble and more respectful [towards others].
(Dear Master, the day You approved the brother to get initiation, I also held a party to celebrate, and he invited the officials, government leaders at different levels, the fellow workers…) You were not afraid? (…to come to a very formal celebration to see him off for the initiation.) OK. (Everyone was singing and dancing. We took some pictures. They asked me to convey their greetings to You, and present to You those pictures.) OK. Where? Let me see them. (Sorry, Master, those pictures are on my cell phone.) They’re on the cell phone? (Yes, Master. I was in a hurry to go, I did not…) OK. You can give it to the working team who sit in that room, so they can copy them to a USB, then I can see them. (Yes, Master.) Let Auntie Hải see them, OK? (Yes, Master.)
The brother wants to say something? Is this new? A new microphone team? (Yes.) Are you sitting comfortably? (Yes, Master.) Are your legs tired from sitting there? (No, I am fine. I am fine.) You are not used to sitting like that. (Dear Master, in two more months, I will be) Eighty. (80 years old.) Oh God. Turn around so people can see you. Eighty years old, but he is still handsome. (But I have been Your disciple for only two days.) I know. I know. I know. (So today, according to the Aulacese [Vietnamese] custom, people respect the teacher and honor the teachings. Please allow me to kowtow to You three times.) No, don’t kowtow. (It is the Aulacese [Vietnamese] custom.) Here, no one kowtows anyone. (We, the Aulacese [Vietnamese], keep our tradition.) I know. If you kowtow to me, I will kowtow back. (Please don’t do that, Master.) Alright. You just bow three times, that will be it. (Yes, Master.) We are old already. Our knees are not good. Kowtowing many times is very tiresome. It’s OK. Your sincere heart is enough. You can go home and kowtow to the Buddha and Jesus Christ.
(Dear Master, I am very honored and so happy, because I became Your disciple just two days ago, and today I can see You. I am overjoyed. Therefore, please forgive me, Master. The last two days, I could not meditate well, because I was longing to see You.) If you meditate well at home, you can also see me there. (Yes, Master. Today, on behalf of the scientists and the people of Âu Lạc [Vietnam]... I know that Master has been away from Âu Lạc [Vietnam] for almost half a century, 50 years already. Therefore, with utmost sincerity, I wish that Master would agree to come back to Âu Lạc [Vietnam]. If You pay a visit to the motherland, the whole country will develop significantly. I think if You come back, not only the sentient beings, but also all the flora will be very joyful.) Thank you. (It is from my heart that I wish Master to come back, then I myself with all my friends will do everything in order to welcome You home.) Wow. (Thank You, Master.) I don’t know if I can go back? Because all these years, I was not against the government, but I helped the refugees. (Yes, Master.) For instance, I would help all the refugees from any country, not only those from Âu Lạc (Vietnam). (Yes, Master.) But I am afraid that it would displease the government over there.
(Dear Master, I am also a Doctor of Science, and my family, from my father to my two younger brothers, we all are doctors [PhD] and professors. We are all communists. We all long for Master [to return home]. So, once You agree [to come back], I will take care of all other domestic matters. I beg You to agree. I would like to invite You to come back [to Âu Lạc (Vietnam)].) OK. Alright. You are sincere, so I will try. OK? (Thank You, Master.) But I don’t know if I can do anything over there. Or I go back and stand there, and have to answer the questions from the police or the government. (No, no, Master.) I am old already; I can’t afford those things anymore. (Your presence alone will brighten up the whole country.) I know. But in this world, there are many conditions. It’s not like in Heaven or the Buddha’s Land. Any country we go to, there are the laws of that country, the mentality of that country. Sometimes, they become the obstacles.
But how do I go there? I have to go to the embassy to apply for a visa. I don’t know whether they will approve it or not. Then when I go back there, I have to answer this question, that question. This person, that person asks me, the government questions me, the police question me. I am old already, I can’t afford those things anymore. (Nobody will dare to question You, Master. If You agree [to go back], I will arrange [everything].) Alright, uncle. I will think about it later, OK? I need to find out if I can get a visa first. Then I will plan later. Then I will let you know, OK? (Thank You, Master.) If I can get a visa, I will let you know. (Dear Master, allow me to present to You this letter.) OK, bring it here. Because I am very busy now, also I am old now. I am just 10 years younger than you are, not a big gap. (Yes, Master.) 10 years is not a big gap. I am younger than you, so don’t kowtow to me, OK. Auntie Hải is much younger, still young. Alright. I will read it later, or do I have to read it now? (No, Master. That is…) OK, I will read it at home. It is not urgent, right?
How much longer will you stay here? (Dear Master, perhaps I will go home soon, but I will come back right afterward.) OK. Thank you for coming here. (Yes, Master.) I have read your letter. You should have been initiated earlier. Because I told the group in charge of the foreigners that when you come, they must get you initiated immediately. I personally called them on the phone. Because we haven’t had such a special case like this before, that is to give initiation right away to someone who comes here. Usually, a person has to wait for two or three months for a group initiation. But I told them this person was already old, you should give him initiation right away when he comes. But they’re used to the bureaucratic way. They wrote a letter to me and waited for me to approve it. But at that time, I was in my retreat for a few days. For more than a month, thirty-some days; otherwise, I could not bear it. Otherwise, I could not help the world.
I always have to do this, do that; the outside work. If I do not replenish the inner Power, I will not be able to help the world more. Every time I meditated, went on retreat, I went up to the new universes immediately. But if I work all day, doing paperwork, factory work, disciples’ work, and listen to this person, that person, asking for this and that… and have to take care of the water, whether the toilet water is clean or not. Sometimes I am very busy, but I am busy with worthless matters. If I were busy with something beneficial, it’s understandable, but for trivial things like that… Like previously with those three microphone holders. You were sitting right in front of them, yet they did not see you, right? Those who see me, they will keep staring at me, and not do their job. I cannot do everything alone, understand?
From now on, we have to take care of our job. If we are sweeping the floor, we must sweep it well. If we are cooking, we must cook well, cook our best. Whatever we do, we must do our best. Then you can call yourselves my disciples, otherwise, forget it. I am doing my best day and night. Every hour, every minute, I focus on my work. I don’t just sit there pointing fingers and tell you to do this, and another person to do that, and I sit idly by. I do not. If you are my disciples, you must work exactly like that. Working, as he said, like an ant, understand? I work like an ant, exactly like that. Do your very best, joyfully. That is truly following me. Do not take advantage of the circumstance, your job… and just stand there staring at me. Because usually, there is no space. Standing here, they could see me closer, so they kept staring at me. They did not do their job.
If I could handle everything by myself, I wouldn’t need anyone. Sweeping, cleaning, cooking, anything, I like them all. Once we understand, we will not look down on any job. We will do any job; any job is a job. Being the president is not the only job. Those who dream to be the president or some high-ranking official all of a sudden, and pray to me to get them a high-ranking position, these people are foolish. If you are destined to be an official, you will become one; you cannot run away from it, cannot hide from it. If you are not destined to be a high-ranking official, but you keep praying for it, then if you become one, you would only do harm to others or to yourself, understand? OK. Let me speak Chinese. Or I keep speaking Aulacese (Vietnamese)? Never mind. Any language will do.
