So this is truly the negative power is making trouble, for everybody, so that even when you're lucky, you don't even think you're lucky -complain, complain; and need. I should not need anything, but I need, look at me. Needs! A lot of “needs”! You know? And our house, very small already, if I continue needing, then there is no room for you to come because “the need” has to stay in the room. You know what I mean? The more you need, the more you have to provide for your need as well. See what I mean?
 
 
I'm telling you, no end to our trouble. So we just have to be happy with whatever.
Anybody else?
 
 
*No.
Need?
 
 
*No.
No? (No.)
 
 
Why not?
*Small.
 
 
They don't have needs - terrible! I like to hear some needs, so I don't feel so guilty! Like I am the only one that needs a lot of things. Your life is simple, right?
*Yes.
 
 
No need?
No? You, no need. Retired from needs. Good. Slovenia also. (Yes.)
 
 
You?
*Hungary. Hungary.
 
 
Hungary, you understand English even? (Yes.)
Wonderful. My God, smart people. Anybody else from Hungary?
*Yes. There is a guy.
 
 
Yes. Who else is from some other country?
*Chile. Chile.
 
 
Chile!
*Me and her.
 
 
I remember her. But you're new? Chilean!
*Second time. Yes, I am.
 
 
Second time. I remember her very well. I don't remember you! How come?
*I was in the retreat in 1996 in LA, but many years ago.
 
 
Come recently?
*I have gone many times to retreats.
 
 
Many times!
*I went to see you many times already.
 
 
Many times. Did already.
Many times.
 
 
*Many times.
Many times.
 
 
Many times, okay. Sometimes I understand Spanish, sometimes I am lazy; too many languages here. But you understand English, no?
*Yes. So so.
 
 
Yes, yes. Okay, good.
Anyone else come from far away?
*USA.
 
 
I don't ever see anybody from USA here, ever. Right? Yes, I know. How many times?
*First time, Master.
 
 
First time. You like it here?
*Yes, I like it.
 
 
Where from?
*Texas. Dallas, Texas.
 
 
It's very hot there.
*Now it's cold.
 
 
Now it's cold? (Yes.)
Winter cold?
*Yes. Cold and windy too.
 
 
*Colder than here.
Colder than here? (Yes.)
 
 
You're happy here?
*Yes.
 
 
Anybody else from other planets?
*Canada.
 
 
Canada, (*Yes.) Very “hot” now. Canada, United States, nearby? Good countries.
*And Sweden.
 
 
Sweden? Very cold.
*I live alone.
 
 
You live alone! No needs, see? No need home, right?
*No need.
 
 
You live alone, in Stockholm? Or far away?
*Gothenberg.
 
 
Gothenberg. (Yes.) Okay.
How far from Stockholm then?
Five hundred kilometers.
Aulacese (Vietnamese)? You're Aulacese (Vietnamese)?
* Take a bus, 500 kilometers.
 
 
You're Aulacese (Vietnamese), you can speak in Aulacese (Vietnamese).
Your English is pretty good. Good, good, good. You live in Sweden and you speak English like that, it's pretty good. How come your English is so good?
*It's because when I was in a refugee camp, I studied English for three years.
 
 
Three years? For three years, your English should be better, otherwise, that's considered not good.
*I've been in Sweden for 20 years and had to study Swedish…
 
 
Yes. Okay. That's right. Studying Swedish for so long, you'd forget.
*Every month I have to travel 500 kilometers to group meditate because there are no fellow initiates where I live.
 
 
How pitiful. Why don't you move to where there are fellow initiates?
Because there are jobs there. (Really?) In fact, there are no jobs down there.
 
 
What do you do there?
*I was a teacher before, afterwards I worked at a phone assembly factory, and more recently, I generally work as a teacher.
 
 
What did you teach before? You taught in Âu Lạc (Vietnam)?
*No, I was a teacher in Sweden, teaching children. It's because they grew up not knowing how to speak Aulacese (Vietnamese).
 
 
Okay, you taught Aulacese (Vietnamese).
How come you're no longer teaching? The kids have all grown up?
*It's because the pay is not enough, so I had to do blue collar work.
 
 
It's still not enough if you teach while doing blue collar work at the same time?
*Now I earn enough as a blue collar worker so I don't need to do that anymore.
 
 
You teach so that the children can learn Aulacese (Vietnamese), not to earn money from it.
*Actually, no. If I don't teach them, there are many others who will. (There are?) There are also many Aulacese (Vietnamese) teachers.
 
 
Okay, that's fine. Good excuse. You earn enough as a blue collar worker? (Yes) How come you don't spread the teaching there so that more people can join so you can sit together cozily? Otherwise, you'll be sitting alone all the time?
 
 
*I distribute the flyers everywhere, on the train and all over the place.
 
It's not that easy. It's not that anyone… They don't know anything about practicing. It's very difficult, understand? It's very difficult. In the countries that are so convenient, then people don't want to practice spiritually. In countries in which people have a too much hardship, then they can't come out to practice. Understand? Therefore, life is somewhat difficult. And that guy over there, what do you do for a living? Where do you live? Whose son are you?
 
*From Âu Lạc (Vietnam), Master.
 
 
You came here from Âu Lạc (Vietnam)? (Yes.) You're able to come here directly? (Yes, I can.)
You're good. You're rich?
*It was probably your arrangement that I was able to obtain a multiple entry visa.
 
 
Multiple entry visa?
*I am allowed to stay for 30 days with a 3-month visa.
 
 
That's really great.
*And it only took me two days to get the visa, Master.
 
 
Really? Probably because you have merits.
*(It was on that occasion that I was able to join the New Year celebration with you, Master.)
 
 
Very blessed. Okay, good, good. How about that guy?
*(I came from Australia, Master.)
 
 
Australia is easy, no need to talk about it. Australia and America, no need to mention. Living in Canada, you're already good. What do you do in Âu Lạc (Vietnam) that enables you to travel a lot?
 
*It's from my savings, when I worked in the past. (Really?) Now, I'm retired, so I just help fellow initiates at home.
 
 
You have enough to spend. Don't use it all up for the plane and then when you return home, you step down at the airport and you're done for.
*I still have some left, Master.
 
 
Really? That's considered very good in Âu Lạc (Vietnam), that's like a millionaire over there. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able travel back and forth, and with money to spend without doing anything at all. My God.
 
Do your wife and children say anything about it? Or you live alone?
*No, my wife supports me. (She supports?) Yes, she has just received initiation this New Year, Master.
 
 
Really? And you didn't let her come, and only you go back and forth again and again.
*She couldn't get a visa. (Really?)
 
 
It's probably her fate. Never mind, don't blame anyone. Okay, is there anyone else from anywhere, from any remote place?
 
Are there any other Aulacese (Vietnamese)? Raise your hands so I can see. The Aulacese (Vietnamese), those who speak Aulacese (Vietnamese), raise your hands. There are quite many of you.
 
 
A lot of Aulacese (Vietnamese).
 
 
You've been enjoying listening to Aulacese (Vietnamese). Do you need to ask any questions? (No.) No? (No.) Good. That's very good. Are you all Aulacese (Vietnamese)? You're from Âu Lạc (Vietnam) or from the US?
*I am from Germany.
 
 
It's easier from Germany, right? Okay, okay.
*Recently, where we are living, there is a sister whose family is very happy, Master. When her child came to my home, my daughter who is a vegetarian herself, offered her child vegan food. Afterwards, when the child returned home, she didn't want to eat meat anymore. So her mom kept spanking her.
 
 
*While her mom was spanking her, she said that it was because her friend Tho eats vegan, so her complexion is very beautiful, “So I also must eat vegan.” So the mom kept spanking her daughter because she didn't want to eat meat. (Poor thing.)
 
Then the mother visited a friend's house, her friend loaned her a copy of Master's book. She said that after taking it home and having read it, every time she finished cooking she felt nauseous. She vomited as soon as she'd eaten the food.
 
 
Really? Is it the woman who spanked her daughter?
(Yes.) She vomited after eating the food?
 
 
*After she cooked food with meat, ate it, and then she vomited from that day onward. So she became vegetarian, and then the whole family followed suit.
 
 
And stopped spanking her daughter.
*She said that out of the blue she read your book, and at night when she sleeps, she also has inner experiences, so she was very happy. She wondered why she was so ignorant, to keep spanking her daughter in the past.
 
 
It's because she didn't know. She didn't spank her daughter because she was evil, but because she was worried that her daughter wouldn't have enough nutrition. It's because she didn't know.
Many people are very pitiful; they don't know anything. Everyone says “eat meat for nutrition,” understand?
 
And so they keep forcing their children; it's not because they don't want or that they're evil or anything. Currently, she is applying for initiation, Master. She was taught the Convenient Method two weeks ago, but she is applying for initiation for her two daughters.
 
 
Okay, very good, very good. Congratulations to that family.
*Right now there are seven people, Master.
 
 
A total of seven people?
*Yes, it's a total of seven people, Master.
 
 
Okay, she said that there was a family. The child went to their place to eat vegetarian food. When she went home, she didn't want to eat meat anymore, but her mother kept spanking her and forcing her to eat meat. Later a disciple gave one of my books to the mother who often spanked the child.
 
 
After she read the book, when she cooked and ate meat again, she vomited all the meat that she'd eaten. From that day on, she became a vegetarian. The entire family became vegetarians and she stopped spanking her child.
 
 
Very good?
*Yes.
 
 
You talk like my bird. Sunny, if nobody talks to him, he just talks to himself with the toy,
“How are you?”
and then kiss-kiss - kiss the toy - and then, “Fine!”
 
 
He's so funny. Talks to himself. Puts toys and then he fights with the toys and sometimes he talks with the toys, and sometimes he lets the toy beat him up. Like, the toy is hanging, you see what I mean? Sometimes the toy is kind of hanging like this,
 
 
*and he goes… he does like this, so the toy hits him and he says, “Wah, wah, wah!” Scolding the toy, like, “Why are you beating me up?” And then the next second, “How are you? How are you?”
 
 
and then, “How are you? How are you? I love you! I love you!” He's so funny. Okay, I'm going upstairs, say hallo to people, if they're still alive.
 
 
All right. You win. You win, I lose. It's because I was tired and didn't want to come at first, but you came from so far away, I didn't have the heart to sleep at home.
Is it cold today? Yes or no? (No.)
*The window is open.
 
 
Now you can close it. I'm afraid it's cold. Close it. We only need to open it for a short while. If we keep it open too long, it will be cold. I worry that you'll feel cold.
 
 
Okay. Is there anything good that you forgot to tell me yesterday, or you didn't have time to say? Anything else to share with us?
 
 
*No? That's great! Okay.
*You look beautiful!
 
 
Beautiful? I don't look beautiful on TV?
Which one is more beautiful? The one outside?
*You look more beautiful in person.
 
 
You are kidding.
*We are so happy.
 
 
You are happy. You spent a lot of time and effort. I'm sorry for you. This world will surely become free one day.
 
 
Nowadays, a visa is not required to travel between many countries in Europe. You can visit any country you wish. Did you know that? For example, traveling within the European Union doesn't require a visa.
 
 
How many member states are there now in the European Union? Does anyone know? Isn't it 27?
Twenty-seven countries are sharing a common border already. Understand?
 
 
Originally, only those main countries were visa-free, but now it has expanded to the entire Europe. You can travel freely and no one cares about the name on your passport, or whether you look the same as your photo. So, living in Europe is freer. So wonderful! The Europeans have a lot of merit. Since they have merit, things improve faster there.
 
 
Without merit, things improve slower. Don't blame anyone, okay? You should blame yourself for not having enough blessed rewards. Don't blame others. You can only blame yourself. Okay? This is the most convenient. If we blame others, what if they fight with us? If we blame ourselves, no one would care, and people would even say, “That person is so humble.” Right? Okay. The world will surely be free one day. Before, even if you wanted to come here, it was still very difficult, right? (*Yes.)
 
 
Now it's very convenient, right? (Yes.)
 
Of course, it's not the case for everyone. Some people may have more bad karma (retribution), so they got stuck there. But many initiates have made a trip here, right? It wasn't possible before, right? (*Yes.)
 
Since when have you been able to come? How many years already?
*Since 2006.
 
 
2006? (2006.) Okay. Yes, the situation is much improved! Now many Mainlanders can visit Formosa (Taiwan) and travel everywhere. Before, even Formosans (Taiwanese) couldn't go overseas as they wished. I remember when I first went to Formosa (Taiwan), it was very difficult for them to go to the US.
 
 
After I went there for a while, the US government started to issue them 5-year visas. Within those 5years, the visa holders could visit the US at any time they wanted without applying for a visa again and again. Before, it was very difficult to go there. One had to be rich, married, not too good-looking, not single, and with a guarantee that he/she would come back. Now there are no such restrictions. This is the right way. People have homes. How could they all leave their homes? Now it's so free, but not all Formosans (Taiwanese) migrate overseas. No. Right? (*Right.)
 
 
Before, there were so many restrictions, and no one could leave the country. Now, it's so relaxed, but people still don't run away. Understand? People have their own homes to go to. Not everyone likes to leave their home and stay in the US or Europe. No. People have their hometowns. They don't go anywhere just because of economic reasons. People have their homes and hometowns; they have habits; they love their relatives, friends, and fellow villagers. They won't run to wherever there is better economy. How can it be like this?
 
 
Just let people come and go as they wish. Just let them be. Anyway, you see, Formosa (Taiwan) is very free now, but no one wants to come here and stay forever, right? No one runs to the US and stays there forever either. No, they still come and go. Otherwise, all of Formosa (Taiwan) would have been empty already, leaving only the President there. This didn't happen. They like that place.
 
 
People there may be not so rich as people are here. For example, their houses may be more run-down, but they are used to the place and they like it, so they won't want to go anywhere else, right? Europe is the same. Before, every country had a very strict border control. Every country had its own border. To pass the border, one would need a passport. It was also very complicated. Now it's very free, but not everyone migrates to somewhere else. Not all the British moved to France for the better weather there. No, right?
 
 
Also,many people told me that the economy in the UK is better - the British pound is more valued and stable, but not all the people from the poorer countries in Europe ran to the UK to stay there. Now they are free to go, but no one goes. Some people do, but it is the same as usual. It's not that people all started to run once the borders opened.
 
 
For example, a few countries are not as affluent. Those that recently joined the European Union are relatively less well off. People in those countries did not all rush to France, Austria, Germany, or the UK. No. People still stayed where they were. Therefore, as I saw on TV, the leaders of European Union or the governments encouraged people to travel more to other places, because they found that very few people traveled.
 
 
There was not much traveling, so they are encouraging it, right? You know. The governments urged their citizens, "You're now free to go to other countries to visit or look for a job. Why don't you go?" People stay where they are since they are used to it. They also seem to be predestined. We don't necessarily want to go to places that are more affluent, less costly, or with an easier life. We don't. For example, many new members joined the European Union.
 
 
It's not that they have a very bad economy, but the living expenses in those countries are comparably lower. For example, with the amount of money you'd use to live in the UK for three years, if you go to those newer member countries with relatively lower living expenses, you can live for 30 years. Not everybody goes there, either.
 
 
They would rather stay put, and spend whatever they have. This is really strange. I also find it strange. Do you understand? For instance, although it is relatively less expensive to live in Hungary or Romania, not many people... For instance, not every Frenchman is wealthy, understand?
 
 
So if they have so little money- we are not talking about the wealthy people but those ordinary people who live on a limited retirement pension - they still would not go over there to have a more comfortable life with that money, understand? They could have a bigger house and better cars, and live a more lavish life, but they still wouldn't go. They wouldn't. Understand? It's like America, which has a neighboring country called Mexico.
 
 
When I was in the US, I saw some ads in the newspapers saying that you didn't need that much money to live in Mexico; US$15 a week is sufficient. This is the case. However, not every American goes there. Not every American is wealthy.
 
 
Some people really survive day-to-day. But those with so little money don't go to Mexico to survive longer. They don't. Most of us seem to be fated to stay where we were born. A few people change a little bit, not many.
 
 
Not everyone can just leave like that. Sometimes you can't leave when you want to. Other times, you really don't want to go. You continue to stay in the same place, where you are destined to be. Understand? Therefore, in my opinion, every country should just open its borders. Why create so much trouble?
 
 
When you control people too much, your heart is also very narrow and uncomfortable, right? You really don't feel comfortable. Have you seen the police arresting criminals sometimes? When he wants to take the criminal away, he handcuffs that criminal's hand with his own together and walks hand-in-hand with the criminal, right?
 
 
Very romantic! I feel when we open our borders, everything will be fine. If I were the leader of a certain country, I would open my borders to any country and tell them, "Let my people go visit you freely and I will let your people come freely." It would be like this. However, it's not up to one government only.
 
 
Sometimes it's due to foreign relations. Sometimes it's not that the government doesn't want it, but some other people don't want it. The diplomats don't want it, or they have their own rules. For instance, in the past, Formosans (Taiwanese) could not visit the US. I don't know about other countries. Maybe it was the same.
 
 
They couldn't go visit the US if they were too good-looking, single, too poor, recently divorced or recently widowed, which was counted as single. I am joking. It was not that serious. However, there were many rules. I also heard that sometimes the visa officials didn't even look at your qualifications that satisfied all the rules.
 
 
He just didn't want to look. He happened to be in a bad mood that day, so he didn't want to let you go, and made people go there quite a few more times for application. Maybe a few days later when he was in better mood, he would give the stamp of approval. Therefore, sometimes you need to pick an auspicious day for the visa application.
 
 
You need to pick an auspicious day based on feng shui, etc. All the Chinese know these things. Why didn't you check? Need to check closely. “This is not the month to go.” “This is a day of the ghosts.” “That is a very unfavorable month.”
 
 
People born in the year of the mouse cannot go. They will be caught by the “cat” once they go out. If you were born in the year of the mouse, and people already said that this is the month of the cat, then it's your own fault if you insist to go out anyway. Understand? We Aulacese (Vietnamese) have such traditions.