Who says tending buffaloes is hard? Tending buffaloes is lots of fun! Riding a buffalo, waving a reed flag, and crooning a carefree song Enjoying myself but not neglecting to study Lying on a breezy hill, following the singing of the rice plants, I can spell very fast.

The evening lingers in sounds of flying kites On the remote levee, walking back home I recite the alphabets. Bring the buffalo back to his pen Carry the water, and I’ll be done! Oh, roasted sweet potatoes are better than gold!

Oh, buffalo, let us plow together and transplant seedlings This rice field and that grass hill belong to the country people. Âu Lạc’s country children are young buds, fresh and fine They are the strength that builds our country into wealth and vigor always.

A golden color fills the rice fields, when the sun ascends on the horizon. Children are growing up to safeguard their homeland and garden. Life’s peaceful; the rice harvest will come soon with an abundance of fragrant grass and plenty of buffaloes…

Who says tending buffaloes is hard? Tending buffaloes is lots of fun! Riding a buffalo, waving a reed flag, and crooning a carefree song Enjoying myself but not neglecting to study Lying on a breezy hill, following the singing of the rice plants, I can spell very fast.

The evening lingers in sounds of flying kites On the remote levee, walking back home I recite the alphabets. Bring the buffalo back to his pen Carry the water, and I’ll be done! Oh, roasted sweet potatoes are better than gold!

Oh, buffalo, let us plow together and transplant seedlings This rice field and that grass hill belong to the country people. Âu Lạc’s country children are young buds, fresh and fine They are the strength that builds our country into wealth and vigor always.

A golden color fills the rice fields, when the sun ascends on the horizon. Children are growing up to safeguard their homeland and garden. Life’s peaceful; the rice harvest will come soon with an abundance of fragrant grass and plenty of buffaloes…

You’ve just enjoyed “Country Child,” sung by Supreme Master Ching Hai and our Association members during a gathering on October 2, 1990 in Formosa (Taiwan). This song was composed by Mr. Phạm Duy in 1954 as part of the trilogy “Country Mother,” “Country Couple,” and “Country Child,” praising the love amongst Aulacese people.

Respected viewers, today’s A Journey through Aesthetic Realms: Music & Poetry on Supreme Master Television is a special tribute to actor La Thoại Tân, in remembrance of the third anniversary of the passing of the multi-talented and esteemed artist, who bid farewell to us to return to a place of eternal peace.

Born on April 24, 1937 in central Âu Lạc (Vietnam), La Thoại Tân was a film and theater star. He often played leading roles, opposite elite actresses such as Thẩm Thúy Hằng, Kim Cương, Thanh Nga, and Túy Hồng. Movies which he appeared in included “Trương Chi and Mỵ Nương” (1956), “Thread of Love” (1963), “Flower Shop” (1971), “Tears of Stone” (1971), “Trần Thị Diễm Châu” (1971), “My Wife” (1972), “New Blossom” (1973), and “Homecoming of the Five Comedy Kings” (1974).

In addition, he was one of Aulacese famous comedians. He acted, wrote the scripts, and directed the television sitcom series “45 Minutes of Happy Tales” that enthralled viewers such as “Swimming in Our Own Pond,” “Caught in the Middle,” and “Equal Rights for the Genders.”

Singer Quỳnh Giao, beloved daughter of singer Minh Trang, wrote the following about him: Excerpt from singer Quỳnh Giao’s commentaries: “Theater Art and La Thoại Tân” In speaking of La Thoại Tân, people usually refer to a movie and stage actor, whose name at birth was Phạm Văn Tần. In fact, he began as a film actor, appearing with Ms. Thẩm Thúy Hằng in “The Beauty of Bình Dương.” They both immediately rose to fame and became great names in the dawn of Aulacese cinema.

Those days, in the early 1950s, Aulacese cinema was just developing; therefore, after one movie, the actors and actresses were often on a long vacation. Thus, besides cinema, both La Thoại Tân and Thẩm Thúy Hằng also acted in plays. Unfortunately for us, of all the performing arts, perhaps voice play was the least prominent, if compared to other genres like classical theater, chèo traditional opera, or modern folk opera later on. The reason could be that the art of singing has been our people’s strength, or it could be that voice play was a genre that was relatively newer, having made its appearance at a later time.

After 1954, theater art in Âu Lạc was rising in popularity. In the South at the time there had already been theater companies working regularly. There were also weekly programs on radio stations, especially on Sài Gòn Radio. In the evening after school, the whole family gathered round the radio to listen to the Dân Nam Theater Company with Anh Lân and Túy Hoa. We were enthralled with plays read by Vân Hùng, La Thoại Tân, Anh Sơn, and Hoàng Cầm.

During that era, besides their activities with radio stations, artists also had the chance to perform on stage in shows which were called “entertainment supplements,” right before the movie was shown. When Âu Lạc started to have television, the art of acting developed even more. And when acting expanded, the art of reading plays was gradually lost in oblivion. But there was someone who was still enthusiastic about this art of enjoying by “ear” and it was La Thoại Tân. He said, “A play must be a voice play. The audience members just listen and imagine the details; that’s the fascinating part!”

Every Tuesday night he had one hour for the “Midnight Show,” performing plays that he wrote. Besides writing and performing, La Thoại Tân also selected very exciting and appropriate music for each play. Most of the plays were based on detective and horror plots, so the music that he chose had an air of suspense, very Hitchcock-esque! The peak of voice plays, which Mr. La Thoại Tân produced and advocated, lasted until the mid 1970s. La Thoại Tân was a very intelligent and intellectual artist. He was well-versed in foreign languages; he loved to read and follow the news and current events in various fields. He was also a very gifted cartoonist.

Due to an auspicious affinity, actor La Thoại Tân had had the opportunity to meet Supreme Master Ching Hai during her lecture tours in the United States. When Aulacese (Vietnamese) refugees in interim countries such as Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Thailand encountered difficult situations, Supreme Master Ching Hai reserved some time to meet with the press in southern California on March 14, 1994.

She thanked all for their sincere concern and answered questions from the media about her activities in refugee camps in years past. Afterwards, a banquet organized by the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association was attended by artists, writers, media members, and esteemed guests at the Ten-In Vegetarian Restaurant in Alhambra. Actor La Thoại Tân was the master of ceremonies welcoming Supreme Master Ching Hai during this occasion.

Ladies and gentlemen, respected Master, today is an honor for me. Two years ago, when I was on tour in Germany, a woman – I don’t know if she was a disciple of Master or not – gave me a videotape of Master’s lectures on spirituality. As I was watching, I admired Master’s talents and beauty. I have always wished in my heart that one day I could meet Master and invite Master to appear in a film with me.

This is too much for me.

Perhaps a spiritual practitioner’s magnanimous heart won’t ever refuse that. He's really a good joker. Especially today, I’m standing here and able to hear Master joke with everyone. Master said, “He who can’t laugh, is constipated.” That statement, I must say is very true. Everyone here, please continue to laugh because life itself is full of suffering. No one was born into this world without crying. That’s why the Buddha said that we have to keep a happy heart to live a long life. And Heaven is right here in this world.

Bravo!

Respected Master, brothers and sisters, I came from a Buddhist family. My father was the president of the Buddhist Association in Quảng Nam Province.

I had the honor of listening to spiritual lectures by Masters Đôn Hậu and Mật Thể ever since I was 4, 5 years old.

Therefore Buddhism has been absorbed in my blood quite a bit. I’m not sure how I could have the affinity to stand here today and speak to Master, to you ladies and gentlemen, and the practitioners. First, this is a great honor for me to see Master in person, and be recognized by Master as a friend in Âu Lạc. Is that right?

A fan. FAN, FAN! F-A-N.

Oh, thank you! Ladies and gentlemen, as a professional actor, I used to work with actresses Thẩm Thúy Hằng and Kim Cương in movies that made people cry. I thought that was not right because my mother said, “You can work in any profession you like, but you must make people happy.” At the time I was studying medicine, about to become a doctor, but then I pursued the acting career. My mother saw a few films that I made with Ms. Thẩm Thúy Hằng, making people cry, and she didn’t like it. She said, “How about you change to comedy?” I think making people laugh is very difficult, it’s not that easy. Very difficult.

Very difficult. For people to laugh with every single line you say, like the way Master does, isn’t easy. Master, it seems you’re shy, so you’re biting your finger, is that right? Ladies and gentlemen, my profession is to make people laugh. So now I’d like to offer you a few jokes. Ladies and gentlemen, there were 5, 6 ladies who were starving. They were holding hands, walking in the city, hoping to find something to survive. Passing by a palace, they saw a picture with 5 fingers like this. The ladies asked, “That smiling picture shows 5 fingers. What does it mean?” Seeing that they were very hungry, a guy explained right away, “That smiling picture with the 5 fingers means that you’re promised 5 kilograms of rice every month.”

The ladies were very happy, but they couldn’t believe it. So they held hands and went to Xá Lợi Pagoda, bowing to the Buddha: “Most Venerable Buddha, please bless us to make that statement come true, so that we can have 5 kilograms of rice to sustain ourselves.” While they were bowing like that, one of them looked up at the Buddha seated on the lotus dais.

Shakyamuni Buddha showed 3 fingers like this. That lady elbowed another lady, saying, “Sister, Buddha said only 3 kilograms!” That’s not all. Another lady went to another altar and saw Buddha statue at the time of birth, with his hand like this and one finger pointing to the ground. She said, “Sister, it’s not 3. Buddha said only 1. After we receive that 1 kilogram, we just pour it on the ground because it has been eaten by bugs.”

So the others said, “Woe is us! That means break-even, no rice at all. How about we go to Notre Dame Cathedral and ask Holy Mother Mary to see if there’s anything left.” As they were bowing, they saw Mother Mary smiling, her hand was like this – zero kilogram!

But the ladies didn’t give up yet. They were hungry! They went to the Bạch Đằng Harbor and bowed to Saint Trần, the founding father of Aulacese navy, asking if there would be any rice. He was holding a sword and pointing like this. The ladies said, “That’s it. He said to give up our lives, sisters!” So 30, 40 ladies took away their own lives. The underworld couldn’t prepare the list of deaths fast enough, so they questioned Saint Trần: “What did you do that made them kill themselves? We couldn’t prepare the record of deaths fast enough!” Saint Trần replied very charmingly, “No, I told them to leave.”

Ladies and gentlemen, if the story ended there, it wouldn’t be very charming. In fact, the underworld also interrogated that picture, asking, “Hey, you’re smiling and showing 5 fingers like that – what does it mean?” The picture was very nervous. “Yes, I was smiling and showing my fingers like that, meaning that whoever leaves must offer me 5 bars of gold.”

A lady’s husband died but his spirit was still hanging around, haunting the house, so her business couldn’t thrive. One day, a ritualist – a ritualist, not a monk, Master – was passing by. The woman said, “Sir, can you recite a chapter of scripture for my husband and pray that his soul be liberated, so I can go on with my business? If he keeps haunting, I can’t succeed in anything.”

He said, “All right, put some money on the ritual table then.” She asked, “How much, sir?” He said, “2,000.” She said, “Oh my God! I sold porridge and sweet desserts; after taxes I only have 150 left. You can recite half a chapter then; that’s fine too.” He was without customers, so he said, “Okay, just put the money there.” After she put out the money, he folded it up and put in his pocket right away.

He asked, “What’s your husband’s name?” She said, “His name is Lê Văn Guava.” He struck the wooden fish, dong! “Respectfully, here’s wishing the spirit of Lê Văn Guava be in bliss in Western Province Paradise.” She was prostrating behind him and said, “Oh? That sounded strange, sir! I heard people say Western Paradise, (Tây Phương – Western Land – sounds like Tây Ninh – a western province) how come you said Western Province?”

He said, “Oh well, with 150, one can only take the bus to the western province. When you have 2000, then he can go to Western Paradise. I tell you the truth, the way I practice, we can cheat in prayers, but the thing is, when he reaches the western province, they would kick him out and ask him to pay for another ticket to go to Western Paradise anyway.”

Would you like more? (Yes.)

You’re not clapping at all? You can clap on the table. One hand eating, one hand clapping on the table. Otherwise, he’ll leave the stage.

Yes. Maybe they are eating very diligently. If they studied with such diligence, they’d be doctors already and wouldn’t be spiritual practitioners. There’s a joke about the 3 flies.

If they’re meditating with such diligence, they’d become Buddhas a long time ago.

Yes, that’s right.

When it comes to eating, they’re very diligent.

Yes, very diligent when it comes to eating. There were 3 flies, competing to fly to the moon. One, two, three! Fly number 1 flew first, then Fly 2 second, and Fly 3 third. A journalist interviewed them. “Fly 1, how did you fly so fast?” He said, “In my country, when a bowl of soup is brought on the table, if we jump in there, they pour away the whole bowl, so my family gets to enjoy it all. We grow big, strong, and can fly fast.”

Then Fly 2 was asked, “And you, why did you come in second?” He said, “My country is a little poor, if I fly into the soup, they’d spoon me out and eat the rest; so I can only eat 1 spoon.” When Fly 3 was asked, “How come you came in third?” “Oh goodness, my country is terrible! If I fly in, they not only don’t pour any drop out, but they even hold me up and suck the soup out a few times before they toss me away.”

There was a mental hospital. I was performing in London, and the theater was right next to an asylum. It was noon time and the sun was very hot. A mental patient climbed all the way to the top of the tree, swinging up there. The hospital director and nurse asked him to come down, he absolutely refused.

They called the police; the police readied their guns, “If you’re not coming down, we’re gonna shoot!” He didn’t climb down either. They were stuck, so they called the firefighters. “Come on, if you’re depressed, just jump right down.” He didn’t jump either. So the doctor said, “His time is up.” So they called a priest, because the guy was a Catholic.

They called the priest for the ritual; in case the man fell down, at least his soul would be liberated to Heaven. The priest came, holding the Bible. He looked up on the tree top. He was reading, reading, and he made a sign like this. The guy climbed down right away. A journalist came and asked, “Oh? That was strange! The police threatened you, you didn’t come down. The doctor was pleading with you, you didn’t do it either. The firefighters asked you to come down to no avail. How come the Father just did like this and you came down straight away?” The guy said, “I’m not stupid! He said if I don’t come down, he’ll chop off the tree. Of course I’d come down!”

There men went to Cấp Beach to sightsee. In the evening, all the restaurants were full. Hotels were also crowded, no more vacancy. The hotel owner said, “Let me be honest, I do care about you. I still have a room where I put my beloved goat. If you don’t mind the smell and stay with him, then I can let you sleep in there.” “Oh, that’s easy stuff. Let me.” Man 1 went inside to try. Five minutes later, he came out; the smell was too strong, he couldn’t stand it.

Man 2 said, “Oh geez, a big brother like that, it’s too bad! Let me!” After 15 minutes, he ran out. So the man said, “Oh goodness, my two big brothers are terrible! I’ve never refused anything. Let me!” He went in there Midnight, then 1 AM, they didn’t see him go outside. He was great. (He fainted?) 2 AM, no sight of him. 3 AM, still no. At 4 AM, the goat ran out.

How can you remember so well? There are so many jokes and you still remember them. I forget whatever I read.

Yes, it’s because when we practice spiritually, we’re not attached to anything. I’m not a practitioner yet, so I keep everything inside.

Ladies and gentlemen, I came up here to admire Master’s talents in entertainment. In terms of cheering up everyone, I must call Master “Master.” Ladies and gentlemen...

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s not easy to make people laugh. To make people angry or upset, that’s very easy. But to make people laugh is extremely hard. Especially when we’re up here on stage... Especially on stage, for example in front of 3000, 4000 people to cheer them up, but if they don’t laugh at the first line, then right away it’s like things are falling. And after the second line, things keep falling on the way to your knees, then you can’t pull up.

But through Master’s demeanors and the way Master entertains, I can affirm – although I’m not a disciple yet – but I know that Master is a Bodhisattva (Saint) already. Because Quan Yin Bodhisattva imparted to Master the Quan Yin Method of meditation. And earlier, I had the honor of shaking Master’s hand; it seemed that Master already gave me initiation.

I’d like to continue with a story in the mental hospital. At noon, everyone closed the door to take a nap – in Âu Lạc it’s like that. During that siesta time, there was a patient who took a string and tied a cleaning brush to it. He was wandering along the hallway. The clonking sound kept the doctor up. When he opened the door, he saw the mental patient walking the brush.

“Hey you, what are you doing?” The patient said, “Doctor, I’m taking the dog out.” The doctor went along with him, “All right, can you please walk your dog back to your room and close the door? Let me sleep a little. I have to work in the evening.” The patient went back and closed the door. He said, “What a dumb doctor! I was walking the brush, not the dog, but he believed me!”

Another one about the mental hospital. Each morning, everyone stood in line to salute the flag. Before that time, a doctor saw that there was a very strange patient. Every morning he would climb all the way up the flag pole, place a piece of paper there, put a stone on it, then climb down. The doctor thought that was odd. “He must have got something there, that’s why he does that every morning.” So he waited until the man climbed down, then asked a male nurse to get the piece of paper to see what it said. It read: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is the end of the flag pole.”

This is another one taking place in the mental asylum, where there was a big swimming pool. One Saturday evening, no one was allowed to swim in there in order to let people scoop out all the water and clean up the moss. So there was no drop of water in there. All of a sudden, 8, 9 mental patients jumped down. They just ran back and forth, swimming in air.

Meanwhile, there was one that sat on the ground looking down and laughed. The doctor saw that, so he said, “This one is fine, let me ask him a few questions. If he’s not too bad, I’ll let him go home. It’s a pity to confine him here otherwise.” So the doctor asked, “Brother, how come you don’t go swimming with them?” He said, “Come on, man! Don’t talk me into doing the wrong thing. I don’t know how to swim; if I go down there, I’ll drown to death!”

This happened when I arrived in Subic Bay, an island in the Philippines. I already knew how to speak English then, because I used to work for the Embassy for about 12 years. They saw that I could speak English, so they let me be the interpreter for a doctor. So during my time working there, usually if people in the camp had a headache or stomachache, they could tell me and I’d interpret for them to get the medicine. It was simple like that.

All of sudden, one day there was a lady from Huế, whose child had a very high fever. She was very anxious, so she pushed me aside; there was no need for translation, she would speak English directly to the doctor. Now if she spoke English, the doctor would have understood. But she spoke half English, half Aulacese, and with her Huế accent even. If there’s anyone here from Huế, please forgive me. This is a true story, 100%.

She carried her baby boy in and said, “Oh doctor, my baby is sick. You know he is very hot. He’s hotter than nước sôi.” The doctor got up and bobbing his body, “What are you talking about? What do you mean nước sôi?” She said, “Nước sôi same same hot water. You know last night he ate tùm lum.” “What are you talking about tùm lum? What do you mean tùm lum?” She said, “Tùm lum means everything. You know he ate hot dog. He ate hamburger. He ate kẹo đậu phộng.” “What you mean kẹo đậu phộng?” “Coconut candy, you know?” “Oh yeah!” “You know he goes to toilet non-stop.”

The baby had diarrhea, she didn’t know what to do, so she said it like that. He said, “Okay, now sit down! Let me take care of your baby.” He took off the boy’s clothes and saw that his back had these black vertical and horizontal lines. He thought she hit the boy, so he said, “Hey you! I’m going to put you in jail for three years, okay?” She said, “Why?” I said, “Oh my God, he wanted to put you in jail for hitting the boy with all these lines.” She said, “No. You know I cạo gió him!” “What do you mean cạo gió?” She said, “Cạo gió, I use a quarter. Do you know quarter?” “Yes, I know quarter.” “I use Nhị Thiên Đường.” “What? What do you mean Nhị Thiên Đường?” “Nhị Thiên Đường same same baby oil. I pour on his back, I cạo (do coining). “What do you mean cạo?” She translated literally.

Cạo means scratch, wind means gió. “You know I scratch wind him. Please! If you have medicine, give một ít (a little) something. You know if he dies then I die theo đó tề (with him “like that”).” With the Huế accent, everything has the words "đó tề” (“like that”) at the end. He said, “I don’t care, okay! Go home!” “No, please cứu (save) him. Please. If he dies then I die theo đó tề (“with him”).”

If anyone here is from Quảng Nam, please spare me the death sentence. I had a job entertaining at a wedding. There was a guy who was studying English. The unfortunate thing was that his daughter was very skinny but she was marrying a big American man like this. So in the middle of the wedding party, it was unclear whether he was sad or happy. He held the microphone, stood up, and talked. He spoke English, with the Quảng Nam accent, so it was like half Aulacese, half English.

He said exactly like this, “Ladies and gentlemen.” Instead of “ladies and gentlemen,” he said (with an accent) “ladies and gentlemen.” “Today.” The word “today” – the Quảng Nam accent is very cute. A-Y sounds like U-A. For example, “Ai vậy? (Who’s there?)” With the Quảng Nam way, it’d be like “Ai rứa? (Who’s there?)”

“Today is a happy night of my daughter. Why?” “Why” but he said “why” with an accent. “Because she gets married with a very rich American. He is very rich but he is very old too.” He said, “Very old.” “I am 45 but he is 69. He looks like my grandfather but I don’t care. Why? Because sometimes he gives me money. But the only thing I’m worried tonight is my daughter will die. Today my daughter will die. Why? Because my daughter is very skinny, she is very ‘ốm’ (skinny) like ‘con mắm’ (salted fish), mà thằng rể (but the groom) is very fat, fat like con voi (an elephant). An elephant leaning on mắm (salted fish), then the mắm must die. But I don’t care. Why?

Because in Aulacese, there’s a saying: ‘A fish that’s not preserved with salt will be spoiled; children who don’t obey their parents will go astray.’ I’d like to translate that into English for the groom’s family to understand for fun. ‘Cá không ăn muối cá ươn,’ I’d like to translate like this: ‘Fish never eats salt is the bad fish.’ Very good. ‘Con cãi cha mẹ,’ the world ‘cãi,’ I’d like to translate as salad. Cãi (disobey) is the same as cải (salad ). ‘If children salad (disobey) parents, children will die.’ Die thì (then) die, I don’t care. Thank you and good night.” Why all the drawling?

The following month, on April 23, 1994, although with a very busy schedule, upon returning from Hong Kong refugee camps after visiting and comforting the Aulacese people in dire situations, Supreme Master Ching Hai graciously set aside time for a press conference. She shared with the Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese and American media in California about the predicament that the refugees had to endure. After that, she visited with writers, artists, members of the media, friends, and guests. Actor La Thoại Tân once again was the master of ceremonies at this gathering at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, USA.

Do you know this man? There won’t be any payment today, I’m saying in advance.

Actually today I should be paying Master US$2,000.

That’s right.

Yes, but instead of paying Master US$2,000, I would like to inform Master a very good news that I’ve become veg.

Well, well, well... That means you must pay another US$2,000.

Yes, that’s true. That money is like the air fare to go to Heaven. Respected Master, esteemed members of the media, friends, aunts, and uncles. Our party today has about 700 to 800 people. With 800 people, we inadvertently have saved the lives of at least 2 cows.

Yes, that’s true, that’s true.

Right. And if we used to eat roasted pork, then we have saved the lives of 4 pigs. If we used to eat seafood, then my God, who knows how many big baskets of oysters, scallops, snails, and clams? After Master’s press conference on Valley Boulevard, suddenly I... I won’t dare to know who enlightened me, but suddenly I completely said no to hamburgers, hot dogs, and returned to the veg diet. Wow, 5 stars for you.

Perhaps, according to the Association members, Master has blessed me. Because I’m one of those ox-minded kinds. I’m a water buffalo, not a regular buffalo even. Your sign is a buffalo?

Yes, a buffalo, so I don’t listen to anyone. After I read scriptures by Buddha and Jesus, suddenly I feel such love for Master. Many members of the media asked me, “How come you went to a Catholic school, and your father was the president of the Buddhist Association in Quảng Nam Province, but now you’re following Master?” I said, “Excuse me, but I have driven all kinds of cars. Mercedes, Toyota, Cadillac, everything. But in the end, I realized that Toyota is the best, so I would still choose it.”

Is that right, fellow citizens?

Besides, let me ask you something. Suddenly, one day when we came home from work, we saw that our house was burning. We’re rich, we only use water hoses from Sears, everything, deluxe. But the neighbor gave us the hose from Pic ‘N’ Save. It sprayed water and stopped the house from burning. Let me ask you, if that time I insisted on finding the hose from Sears in my garage, then my house would be burnt down already. So the hose from Pic ‘N’ Save at that time would still be better than Sears for sure.

And now, after many days that Master left California, leaving me and all the fellow practitioners to go there to save our people who were screaming and crying grievously... All those days that you were gone, Master, at home I was eating vegetarian. I tell you the truth, Master, my mother used to say, “Remember, son. All year you don’t eat vegetarian any day, but on the first day of the lunar New Year, try to keep the veg diet.” I said yes to be filial, ladies and gentlemen.

I ate in the morning and looked at the clock to see what time it was so I could eat lunch. Lunch wasn’t over yet, I already looked forward to the evening. Why? So that at midnight, I could eat a meat rice cake. The bad karmic hindrances were still very heavy. So now as a vegetarian, I’m like a car that’s already filled up but hasn’t started. I’m like a car with a full tank of gas and oil but hasn’t gone anywhere because I haven’t been initiated yet.

What is initiation? It means we must keep the precepts, know how to meditate, to save other beings, to let go of how other people troubled us. Whoever scolded us, we just let it go. Whoever hit us, just let it go. Jesus taught that if someone hit you on the right, let him hit you more on the left. Really? Yes, really. You’re sure?

Come up here and hit me. Try it. All right, man.

Do it right away. We can’t have empty talk.

I don’t care, man. Hit me now. I don’t care! Here, here, this gentleman.

Do you know martial arts?

Hit me hard.

This is sweet potato “peel” (vỏ – peel – sounds like võ – martial arts), right?

Hit hard. Go ahead!

Ouch! My God, how come so mean! We were just joking, how come you did it so hard?

Ladies and gentlemen, it didn’t hurt yet. (Not yet?) Because all these... Buddha said whatever you have in this world is just illusory. What does illusory mean? It means not real. I’d like to clarify a little more. In the morning when we’re eating, then we haven’t eaten in the afternoon and yet we feel hungry. At noon, we eat on a full stomach. In the evening, if we haven’t eaten yet, we’d feel hunger again. Late at night, if we haven’t eaten, we’d feel hungry again. So that means nothing is real. Even our parents are not real.

A bikhu asked Shakyamuni, “Master, do I belong to myself?” Buddha asked, “What is yours? Tell me.” “Buddha, this hair is mine.” Buddha asked softly, “Do you know how many strands are on your head?” He said, “I do not know.” “Then how could you call it yours? When your eyes are infected and become red, you tell them to stop hurting. Is that possible?” “No. I must go see the doctor.” “When your tooth has a cavity, you tell it to stop hurting and aching – is that possible?” “No.” “When you’re sleepy, but you don’t sleep, is that possible? And especially at the moment of death, can you tell yourself not to die? No! You’d still have to die.”

You have disciples now. La Thoại Tân has lots of disciples.

Last night I saw on the news that President Nixon passed away. They showed news clips.

That’s right.

I saw him sitting. His wife’s casket was carried by him; he was sitting there, crying like a baby. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Nixon was a very famous president. He was very intelligent and was the advisor for countless presidents, and yet he was helpless before God, because God already brought his wife back Home. He was crying. And yesterday, he himself also went to “the meeting.” Why? Stroke. Why do people have stroke? It’s due to a lot of meat eating, nothing else. Lots of eating meat, drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, then adding more coffee to it, worrying more, trying to make more money, then getting a stroke. No choice but a stroke.

It’s true.

Right.

It’s true. All the doctors will say that. Okay. So I’d like to promise with Master that even if I’m poor, I’d endure it. I won’t dare to cheat, lie, or yell at someone so that I can be rich. No, no, I won’t dare do that. Before today, like 28 days or 30 days, it’s true I fell into temptations. But now Master already said this, which I heard on the tape, then I started to think that when we eat meat, that means we’re killing. But killing also doesn’t only mean killing an animal. When we think bad, talk bad, or do bad toward others, we also commit killing. So when we want to talk bad about someone, just look at ourselves in the mirror. Are we good? Are we beautiful? Then we can talk about other people. Everyone is the same. The French have a very good saying: “Human is a reed, but a thinking reed.”

It means that a human being is just a reed, but a reed that knows how to think. A reed is very feeble. A reed is not worthy of being compared to anything; it’s useless. But this reed knows how to think. However, people abuse that thinking power to trample on the lives of animals. To use animals to keep us alive, that is nonsensical and unfair.

How about you change your profession?

Now, I would like to...

Now you can be a pastor or a master.

No, it’s because... Maybe tomorrow I’ll shave my hair because it’s come up to here already.

You only have a few strands left. Never mind,

Yes, I still have two left. My hair is sparse, therefore it’s not real. Now I’d like tell a few jokes to offer to Master. Then later I will play the zither to offer Master a Huế song and “Love Affinity Between North and South.”

My friend next door used to drink a lot. I advised him to be veg, and he was able to follow and eat veg for 6 days. One night, he drove past a seafood restaurant. The smell of roasted salted crab from the restaurant was wafting to his nostrils. He was craving it. He parked the car, entered the restaurant, and ordered. “Waiter, come here.” The waiter asked, “What would you like, sir?” He said, “Give me a plate of African tofu.” Oh my goodness!

The waiter said, “Here we only have seafood, no African tofu.”

Ah, really? He pretended.

“Then give me some Philippine bean sauce.” The other said, “We don’t have that either.” “Oh, never mind. How about boiled water spinach from Alaska?” Oh no! The waiter said, “If you don’t want to eat seafood, then just drink Coca then go home. There’s no way I’d have those foods.” My friend said, “Well then bring me some roasted salted crab.” As soon as the waiter turned his back to walk away, the friend clasped his hands and said, “Oh dear Master, I also want to eat vegetarian food very much, but they don’t have it, so I have to eat some roasted salted crab instead.”

Remember, don’t fall back to meat eating like that. Those who were initiated, if like that, you’re dead right away. At least I can be okay. Anyway, actually that guy hit me hard; it really hurt, not a joke. There was a market selling meat, vegetables, and fish, all kinds of stuff. A Zen master came down from the mountain and explained to the people. “Don’t ever eat fish and meat anymore because that way we’re killing.” So the meat shop owner came out. He was holding a cleaver and said, “Go find another place to amuse yourself. I’m selling meat here. If you talk like that, whom am I going to sell to?” The Zen master was nice, so he went away.

Two days later, the meat seller wanted to go hunting. He took the rifle with him to the forest. He passed by a trap. Up there they had a trap. Whichever animal walked by, the net would come down, and the animal would be struggling in there. So he passed by there, the net came down, and he struggled inside the net. Two tigers were walking by. He was very scared, all pale. His tears were running, he was trembling. He was afraid of being eaten by the tigers. One of the tigers was going to pounce on him, but the second tiger knew how to speak the human language – maybe he was initiated already or something like that.

He said, “Oh friend, take a look! He’s so frightened. He’s shaking, His tears are rolling. Don’t you feel pity for him? We have plenty of other things to eat. Let’s just let him go.” Then he walked away. Ladies and gentlemen, the meat seller, from that point on, became a vegetarian and requested for initiation as well.

Now I have a story about someone from Quảng Nam. Whenever he sees me, he always requests that I tell him stories from Quảng Nam, but with a Quảng Nam accent. If anyone here is from Quảng Nam, please forgive me. Quảng Nôm.

Quảng Nôm.

Last year in Texas, there was a gathering. They arranged a stage like this, and whoever was upset about something could go up and express. So a man from Quảng Nam came up and spoke exactly like this. Is this true? Yes, it’s true. (Really!)

Respected fellow citizens.

That’s right. They speak exactly like that.

Today I’m up here because they said I’m with the CIA.

O Heaven! I vow to you, I don’t know what the heck CIA means. But he knocked on my door at midnight and confined me in the jungle for 3 months. In the beginning, he hit me with a sweeping broom. Later, since he didn’t hear me say anything – because there was nothing to declare, right everyone? – so he hit me with a big chunk of firewood. I didn’t have anything to say either. So he pinned me down and tickled me. My goodness, that was the worst! Pain we can tolerate, but if tickled, how can we refrain from laughing? Yet, to keep up with my spirit, I didn’t laugh. Until 5 in the evening... Go ahead and clap.

What happened at 5 PM? His hands were tired, so he stopped?

Not yet, Master. (Not yet?) At 5 PM, he said, “This guy is hard-headed. I have to tickle his belly button!” Fellow compatriots, he used his finger like this and tickled my belly button. Compatriots, if I have a stomachache, I’d bear it; otherwise if someone put some medicated oil in my navel, I’d laugh for the whole month. I can’t stand anyone touching my belly button. But he kept tickling my belly button. So I said, “Amitabha Buddha, please let me laugh to release it. I don’t care what happens. What can I do now? I just need to laugh once.” So I laughed for 2 hours, my belly button was almost severed. I thought he would let me go. Instead, he kept me confined for 8 years. I drank toxic water, so my skin was yellow like turmeric. Now thanks to being veg, my skin is a little bit better like this.

Earlier I met some drunken men. One said, “You guys got any money? Put it out; I’ll tell a story with 2,000 words starting with the letter t, just for fun.” Another man said, “Oh God, you can’t tell a story with 2,000 words with the letter t. How much do you want?” He said, “Each one US$20.” There were 5 of them. He collected $100, put in his pocket, and told a story with the letter t like this: According to the Time and the Circumstance, in early August, the Venerable Thích Tâm Tuyền was planning to self-immolate at the private school Tôn Thất Thuyết. The news of the monk’s self-immolation reached the President.

The President immediately called Major Tung to his private residence, ordering him to find eight detectives to arrest the monk, put him on a helicopter, and transport him to the center of Thủ Thừa Province. Major Tung put him on the eighth floor. After eight weeks of refusing food, he died in jail. News of his death in jail spread from cities to villages. Minister of Information Tôn Thất Thiện accompanied the eight famous detectives, plus Thoại Tân, Thanh Thúy, Thái Thanh, and Thanh Tú to visit him. ( Very good!) Thanh Thúy, upon seeing his body in bits and pieces, was crying softly. All the monks genuinely grieved him. That’s all, thank you! How can you remember so well?

If I can make Master laugh, I’m very happy already. There’s nothing greater.

We all laughed; everyone laughed.

Master makes people laugh. I have bowed to you as my Master, so now that I can make you laugh, I’m very happy.

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to tell the last story because our program today looks very packed. If I stand up here and talk about all sorts of things, it’d be a pity for you. I was on a boat. Its capacity was about 500, standing room only, no place to sit. I saw a college student. On this shoulder he carried a guitar; on this side he carried a bag. He was walking back and forth, trying to find a very nice place to sit down. Finally, he chose a corner, opposite a young woman, 19 years old. She was very beautiful, except that she was a bit chubby. She was sitting with her 8-year-old sister. He waited when the moon rose, took out his guitar, and played it. He sang “Resonance,” like this:

“Resonance of your singing evokes longing in my heart. The air was still as if lovingly lulling one into reverie. How I’d like to say some words promises. My heart’s reluctant to convey long-time yearning.” Ladies and gentlemen, she yawned loudly and slept soundly.

So he sang the second song, “Dreaming Amidst Flowers” by Phạm Đình Chương. He sang like this:

“I often thought even before I met you Of a young maiden, lovely as the moon Pure eyes mesmerizing wild palm trees Please say we’re meant for each other.” The singing was all wrong.

Respected Master, after that, she also yawned and fell asleep again. He was frustrated, so he changed the lyrics like this.

“Although I haven’t met you, I already felt sorrow. There’s a young woman, chubby as a buffalo. Her eyes humongous, her mouth large, her laugh the sound of a horse. Now that we’re together, just whinny, sweetheart.”

She said, “What a boor! I'm chubby, that’s my business! What is it to you that you talked about me like that?” Then she went to sleep. She waited until the 5th day. The two sisters brought dried rice and drinking water, whereas he didn’t have anything except the guitar and some books. He was starving, very hungry. On the 5th day in the sea, when people are hungry, you know how it is, they get very weak. They can’t even chase away a fly. His head was turned sideways; he was drooling on one side of the mouth. The older sister said, “Honey, go over there and tell him to sing for me half a song; I will offer all of my heart to him.”

The younger sister told him exactly like that. When he heard the girl, he said, “My God, woe is me! Your sister wants to play on my suffering? Tell her, I don’t need her heart now. If she has dried rice, please give me half a bag, then I can sing a thousand songs for her. Just cast the heart aside.”

Ladies and gentlemen, when people are very hungry, half a bag of dried rice is more precious than the heart of a beautiful lady. Thank you. Respected Master, seeing that Master is happy, I’m very happy. We pray for the Providence to grant Master with more health to deliver lectures, to save beings, and to help people. We are helpless and don’t have the means. It’s all up to Heaven above, but Master is the representative. We will try to do that. Thank you so much, Master. Amitabha Buddha be praised.

Everything is up to God. I cannot do much. I only try my best.

Respected Master, I heard that you like Huế songs, so that would be the first one. Then after that, I will play “Northern Love, Southern Affinity.”

You have all kinds of skills. Do you know how to play for real, or they’re turning up the video in there? Yes, it’s probably like that.

Oh wow, you’re truly multi-talented. So great! Really good!

I didn’t know you could even play music. You’re so talented. Wow! No wonder your wife is smitten with you.

Remember you still the mountain and river of Hương Bình? Those green days of youth, with lingering affection and reminiscence.

Trees’ reflection on the Perfume River A boat docked at the Tiêu Tương Harbor Yearning for songs mesmerized with fragrance and imbued with melancholy Listening to the lamenting Nam Bình tune, like sobbing cries for a love unfulfilled. Under the glimmering dreamy moon,

what happiness is there for a life in the mist and wind! Who is missing whom when the night’s ending and love fading?

Oh boat, where are you taking me? Searching for the moon, it has long ebbed. Dew falls on the forlorn harbor, adding to the sadness. Wind and clouds! The night is short but love long-lasting. Is anyone missing someone at the river’s source?

I just accompanied him, because he made so fast, I cannot do it. This song isn’t sung so fast like running robbers. (Yes.) Right? It seems this song should be sung slowly, and not... (Yes.) What else do we have?

And now, it’s “Northern Love, Southern Affinity.”

Maybe I don’t know.

You know.

Long time, you know, I left Âu Lạc. I forgot many songs.

From the North one has crossed a long river to find on this land a home of affection

Northern love and Southern affinity are a common bond that we build for eternity

Together we lend our caring hands Rejoicing with the two harvesting seasons of corn and potato So life is as fragrant as golden rice grains, O love! Tomorrow’s success brings laughter and delight everywhere Pain and sorrow from separation cease on our homeland We’ll bring our love to the northern land Returning to the flower garden to offer her a sweet briar Songs of loving affection make her cheeks rosy

The pulse of life is peaceful and joyous Together we walk as our shadows merge.

Beautiful.

Maybe I played it wrong but Master sang it right. (No, not that.) So we just do it once; otherwise people will scold me.

All the bad habits will show, for both Master and student.

Yes, I will stand here to be the MC as Master requested. ( Yes.) Ladies and gentlemen, from this moment on, I’m going to be the MC on this stage.

If you’re tired, you can rest a little. These days you’re eating vegetarian, it looks like your health is weak.

No, Master, since the day I started eating veg, my health has been great.

That’s right. I was joking. You’re very strong.

I lost about 2, 3 pounds. Never mind. Never mind.

Before I was fat with meat and fish. Now I’m lean with veggies and beans.

I don’t mind, okay? Okay. Because it’s been a while, I don’t remember the Aulacese songs anymore, so I just sang whatever. But the audience also forgot, so we don’t know if someone was singing it incorrectly.

During this cherished gathering, besides performances by our Association members, media professionals, writers, and artists also expressed their thoughts and contributed to the entertainment program. Some recited poems written by Supreme Master Ching Hai. Before the evening concluded, actor La Thoại Tân and participating guests invited Supreme Master Ching Hai to come up on stage.

Respected Master, many audience members, friends and Association members dare not leave. It’s not because they worry about being fined US$500, but because Master hasn’t left yet, so no one dares going home. Now (So now we’re going home?), everyone would like to invite Master to come up on stage to say a few words. If you all agree, please clap very loudly. (Please. Why?) Please. Where’s the helicopter? Please come down and invite Master on stage for me.

Why you make trouble for me?

Please, please, Master. See, Master is walking to the stage. Please! Applause! Here! The person we’ve been waiting for. Oh my God!

So, what you want me to stay here for? Now what? What would you like me to say? Okay. (Recite poetry.) Recite poetry? These days I’ve been talking so much, I don’t know if I can recite. (You can sing also, Master.)

Okay, thank you. Thank you for coming today and thanks for all the contributions. Today you have offered us, the guests, many beautiful programs to let us forget a little while some of the worldly troubles, so that our souls, our minds will become more recharged and stronger tomorrow, that we may be able to do more noble works for the world. I hope that if we make any congregation, remember to pray for the Vietnamese refugees so that they may have a better solution in a very, very near future, whatever it may be. Thank you. Is that okay now? I am free? (No, no.) One says to recite poetry, the other said to sing. What to do now? (Both! Both!) What? (Both!) Who wants poetry recital, raise your hand? All right, then recital.

All right, recital, yes? One poem? I don’t know which one. I wrote many poems but now it’s unexpected, so I forgot everything. Oh, that poem is not for recital. It was written when I was a child, 7 or 8 years old. Very lousy! What? A song adaptation? “My Love”? That song is for singing, not for recital. Composer Thu Hồ, I also set that song into music. I also wrote music for that song. The way I wrote music, I don’t know if it’s similar to yours. It’s like this. For example like this. I set it to music like this. I don’t know it’s soothing enough for the composer’s ears. In general, it’s like this.

My Love is far away, Hes still remembers who am I? Separated by the Milky Way

My longing's river deep, mountain high (Okay, I’ll sing that song then.) My Love is far away,

Hes still remembers who am I? Separated by the Milky Way

My longing's river deep, mountain high My Love is far away

Hes still remembers who am I? Long nights, yearning for my best Friend

Dreaming of the Milky Way Oh! Hey, hey, any passerby

Any passerby Please stop and tell me where Hiers Kingdom is Do you know the Way? My Love from far away

Where Heaven and Earth unite From immemorial time

Leave me alone, longing!

Again and again I wander Through thousand galaxies and worlds,

Through myriad deaths and births Searching for my Lover My Love's far away ever

My heart longs for You ever...

My Love from far away

Where Heaven and Earth unite From immemorial time

Leave me alone, longing! Again and again I wander Through thousand galaxies and worlds,

Through myriad deaths and births Searching for my Lover My Love's far away ever

My heart longs for You ever...

Okay, we sing fast.

Thank you! (One more time.) I don’t know, really. You already heard many of my songs. Is there any song that you haven’t heard? How about recital? A lot of singing already. Poetry, all right? In Âu Lạc before, there were many musicians. They were not very famous but their poems were beautiful. When I was in high school, there was a poet from the same generation as poet Nguyễn Đức Sơn; his name is Ngụy Ngữ. He writes beautiful poems.

When you listen to this poem, you’d feel very homesick. But you have to listen deeply in order to understand. As for my poetry, it’s not that great, so let’s give it a rest. I’ll recite another person’s poem. The title is “Simple Dream.”

I will lead you through a simple dream, my love. When the color on our garments hasn't faded A time when we're lost in deep velvety eyes... I send love songs into the dark night Or just the leaves rustling like in those times The country road is remarkably stainless, I will mount for you bright windows Your diary bespeaks dreamily of “schoolday-pureness”!! Raindrops ring like someone's greetings... I look down on the pavement, the tiles have discolored, Beethoven's music runs through my withered soul, Lifting me up high and makes me cry... Should you chase after all the high clouds And wistfully join the world of the romantics I shall adorn you with a rose Just go leisurely, my late-awakened golden butterfly... We return to the city in the evening Sensing loneliness from busy footsteps! What if one day you turn gray or pass away? Who will brighten up the autumn by silver candle light? Who will alleviate suffering by bringing more yearning? Spring arrived in all aloofness Have your dreams ever come true? On the Hoàn Kiếm Lake, rain drizzles. We journey together to the land of pure love Yet in our spirit, there's already a shade of doubt! January sky brings pouring torrential The wind sends a sign once every decade. My steps echo the silent sorrow; Avoiding the future like someone who fears brightness! I'll lead you through a simple dream, my love See you not our souls as precious as jade?

Also in April 1994, when Aulacese (Vietnamese) refugees in Hong Kong were in perilous circumstances, Supreme Master Ching Hai felt deep sympathy and anguish. She and thousands of our Association members went to the actual place to pray and urge the assistance of nations worldwide. Actor La Thoại Tân, with his compassionate and noble heart, did not mind the hardship. He wholeheartedly participated closely with the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association in efforts to provide comfort and bring hope to unfortunate fellow citizens.

During his time with the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, actor La Thoại Tân had also received caring gifts from Supreme Master Ching Hai in gratitude and admiration. The God-given talents of La Thoại Tân the star were indeed long-lasting offerings for Aulacese culture and arts. The wish of La Thoại Tân the artist to bring happiness to the multitude is still continued through his legacy in spirit, to uplift life in this world, today and the morrows to come.

In today’s tribute program in remembrance of actor La Thoại Tân, we’ve enjoyed his telling humorous stories during gatherings in California with Supreme Master Ching Hai, media representatives, and Aulacese (Vietnamese) writers and artists in March and April 1994. Actor La Thoại Tân specially played the 16-string zither in dedication to Supreme Master Ching Hai, performing “Night’s End at the Royal Harbor” by composer Dương Thiệu Tước and “Song of Loving Affection” (Northern Love, Southern Affinity) by composer Xuân Tiên, with Supreme Master Ching Hai’s spontaneous singing along with the music.

In response to the request of the guests, Supreme Master Ching Hai also recited the poem “Simple Dream” by poet Ngụy Ngữ and sang “My Love,” a song for which she composed words and music.

Mr. Xuân Tiên, born in 1921 in Hà Nội, is one of Aulacese first composers of modern music. He is capable of playing several instruments such as the clarinet, saxophone, flute, trumpet, guitar, violin, as well as almost all traditional instruments from Âu Lạc, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. He is also well-versed in Western and Chinese music theories.

Some of the popular songs composed by Mr. Xuân Tiên include “Waiting for the Next Lifetime,” “Song of Loving Affection,” “Đồ Bàn’s Resentment,” “Returning to the Home’s Roof,” and “Love Affinity.” He is also a poet and inventor. He has modified musical instruments, such as the bamboo flute (created together with his elder brother, musician Xuân Lôi) displayed at a Paris, France museum; the 60-string instrument; and the reformed monochord, also called Xuân Tiên monochord.

Composer Dương Thiệu Tước was born in 1915 in Vân Đình village, Hà Đông province, northern Âu Lạc. He is considered one of the pioneers in modern Aulacese music. As a child, he learned how to play the moon lute and 16-string zither. At age 14, he started to study Western music and the piano. Two years later, he taught himself how to play the guitar and eventually became a noted guitar player. Although he was trained in Western music composition, his songs are imbued with the spirit of his homeland.

Among famous works by composer Dương Thiệu Tước are “Sound of the Past,” “Nightfall on the Ngự Harbor,” “Magnolia,” “Fate of a Flower,” “Dream Boat,” and “Evening.”

Supreme Master Ching Hai caringly sent gifts to the family of the late composer Dương Thiệu Tước in appreciation of the talented Aulacese artist. Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Nga, the widow of composer Dương Thiệu Tước, has written the following letter.

I’m Nguyễn Thị Nga, wife of the late composer Dương Thiệu Tước. I would like to thank Sister Ching Hai so much for kindly thinking of me and my son Nguyễn Dương Hồng Đức. I respectfully wish you peace, happiness, health and blessing. Your “sister” Nga

Mr. Ngụy Ngữ was born in Thừa Thiên - Huế, central Âu Lạc (Vietnam). He also wrote screenplays for films such as “Red Dust” and “Old Village.” Supreme Master Ching Hai has sent writer Ngụy Ngữ gifts in appreciation of his sharing his heartfelt poems with the world, along with her best wishes for him.

Thank you for watching today’s A Journey through Aesthetic Realms: Music & Poetry. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

May you and your loved ones be blessed with peaceful and hope-filled lives.

Where, where are you going, my winter sun? Won’t, won’t you miss me Stay’n on this side of the sea?

Poet... Jewelry designer... Painter... Fashion designer…

From the fruits of her prolific artistic talents, Supreme Master Ching Hai is able to independently fund her worldwide humanitarian works. Her generous donations are offered, oftentimes quietly and anonymously, to many individuals and causes in the altruistic spirit of unconditional love and immense compassion.

We wish to contribute a little solid, material comfort to some of the great work that you're doing, to the veterans. Please be gracious and accept some share of gratitude from us among the world citizens.

I would like to represent all of you to offer a little contribution to these two great organizations who take care of the children without condition, without wanting any reward.

All your sacrifice will never go unnoticed and will be rewarded by the Almighty. I pray that one day our world is peaceful, so that all your heroic talent, all your enthusiasm will be used in rebuilding our world and protecting what is right in a peaceful way.

Join us on A Journey through Aesthetic Realms: Music & Poetry, Saturday, March 19, 2011, for part 1 of a 2-part special presentation titled “Loving is Sharing: Supreme Master Ching Hai’s Auspicious Affinity with the United States” as we highlight Supreme Master Ching Hai’s benevolent charity work in the USA, including speeches from two magnificent benefit concerts at the D.A.R. Constitution Hall, Washington, DC and Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California. Be sure to tune in, right here, on Supreme Master Television!