Q; We would like to invite you to come back to Hat Yai, Songkhla again every year or every two years. Is it possible?



;Thank you for your invitation. I cannot promise. But if I can, I will, yes. So many invitations around the world, the invitations pile up so long, I cannot promise. I am not very good at going into the public and giving lectures. I must admit to you, I am very shy and I have to really, really make an effort to force myself to do it.



Sometimes a nation, a country, or a place invites me four, five times before I nod my head. But never mind, keep inviting and then finally maybe I'd say yes. Or sometimes the Buddha kicks me out. "Go out! Work!" Then I have to do. Otherwise, there is another solution, better, that you become Buddha and then you do it for me. Because maybe you have a better personality, you like the public better or you're more outgoing;



I am more reserved. I sometimes complain to the Buddha. I'd say, “They picked the wrong guy!” And the Buddha said to me, “But nobody else wants to do it.” The Buddha said, "It's okay, you are usable, you're not bad. It's okay. Better than no one."



Q; After we get initiated, what kind of advice would the Master say to the disciple and how do we know what is the real wisdom eye, what is illusion?



Yes, of course, there are instructions for you verbally, before and after enlightenment. And even if you have any more questions, you can always write to me or ask the older disciples. So, no problem; we stay in contact. Besides, you can also ask inside. As soon as you ask the question, the answer's there. Communicate inside, not outside.



And you get information during meditation, during sleep, during rest hour or during bus rides. You can meditate on the bus, meditate on the airplane, anywhere, and get information from inside. Yes, sometimes you can see the Master in your house also and ask directly, no problem. But, the Master won't stay very long, don't worry. Just maybe a few seconds or minutes, not stay for lunch or dinner, sleep in your house. It's just the transformation body.



Looks like, but not the same. Sometimes can touch, most of the time cannot. So, no cost, transportation, or meal or drinks - nothing.



Q; Could you please describe briefly the process of initiation?



The initiation is comprised of two parts. The first part is the verbal instruction, like how you sit so that you can relax, or you sit in any position you like, or where you concentrate or what you should do during the meditation, so that you can do it every day without a teacher beside you; and also how you can distinguish between illusion and a real vision, between a Buddha's land and maya's tricks, things like that.



And the second part, more important, is the silent transmission - because the real transmission doesn't need language - and then you will be awakened. Your spiritual wisdom opens and you might see the Light and hear the Self Nature. Like the Buddha said, "Listen inward, listen to your Self Nature." Or, like in the Bible, it says, "the Word of God".




These Lights from Heaven or from Buddha's land and the melodious teaching from Heaven or from Buddha's land, it is our own Self Nature, and that will make us wiser and freer each day.// And then, more and more we will rely on our Self Nature and our Self Master inside, and the outside Master is only standing by and helping. That's why the Buddha said, "Rely on your Self and only your Self." But first we must know where to find that "Self" and then rely on it every day.



Q; Dear Master, can we use creative visualization to achieve what we want in life, even if we are a Quan Yin practitioner?



Sure, sure, sure. Can combine. But the Quan Yin power, the power of enlightenment, is the real power that supports our imagination. Otherwise, if we just imagine, nothing will happen. First, we must have the substance, then we can create out of that. For example, first you must have a bank account and then you can fancy, “Oh, today I want a new dress, I want new jewelry. I'll go and get the money and buy exactly the diamond that I want, so big.”



That is your imagination; how big the diamond, how much it costs, is your imagination. But the money must be there. So, after enlightenment, we can imagine that, "Oh, today, Master, please take me to the Second Level, please take me to the Amitaba Buddha." We can imagine that and we can pray for that, we can visualize that, but the Master power must be there to take us to where we want to go.



Q; Dear Master, I have read your book, your sample book and love your teaching very much and would like very much to be initiated. But the question is that, after initiation can I still talk or chat with my girlfriend or boyfriend? If my boyfriend or girlfriend got initiation, or we practice together, will we still be close to each other as normal lovers?



Oh, my God. Did I ever forbid you?

Please carry on your normal activities and relationship. Don't make a bad reputation of my teaching by being strange -not talking to boyfriends and girlfriends. I told you already, people have families, have kids, and carry on their normal loving relationship with each other; everything that is done with true love is sacred.



We only advise people that sex without love is an abusing physical action and that will leave you feeling empty and dry. So, it is better to love each other, to have a loving relationship, or marriage, when you have physical enjoyment with each other. That is more sacred. Love will purify everything and will make you feel fulfilled and clean. Otherwise, it will make you feel guilty and feel bad and feel depleted.



Q; Dear Master, we seek your enlightenment on the following questions: First, there are many tapes on sale in the market where the recitation of certain sutras, the mantras, or the names of certain Buddhas, like Amitabha Buddha or the Quan Yin Bodhisattva, were recorded and sold. When we play these tapes at home or at any place, would these attract other beings and spirits to listen to the tapes? And if so, would the playing of such tapes in the temple, at home, or at a funeral, bless the said beings and spirits?




It would bless the deceased people if those who chant these tapes are spiritually elevated and highly awakened beings. It will not do any good if the person who chants them has no spiritual power. Because the tape recorders cannot bless any beings. It's not the words, it's not the teaching; it's the spiritual power behind the teaching.



Q; They ask why are there rules and regulations for the initiation process. We have a lot of that and it's very difficult for normal people to practice.



A lot? Only five. First: don't kill.

Is that a rule? It's normal. Is that not normal? Okay, second: don't tell lies./Or you want to tell lies? You want to follow the Truth or you want to follow falsehood? If we want to follow the Truth, we have to begin with speech, action, and thinking. If you want to go south, you have to head south; otherwise, you go further from the Truth if you do the opposite thing.




The third: don't steal things from people. Or you want people to steal things from you? Is that normal? You know what stealing costs? Not only damages our life and reputation, it damages the whole country sometimes, and damages the whole economical system of a country, especially the Saudi Arabian gems lately.




Just for a few stones, doesn't matter how precious, it's only stones, and the whole nation is in shame. The whole government is busy, the whole head of policemen are in prisons, and many families out of work. The country lost billions of dollars, and international reputation. Think about it. Many people are murdered, many innocent people are blackened and it could cause war between countries. Is it worth it?



Now the fourth:no sexual misconduct, no adultery.  Well, if you don't believe me, take a few more wives and then see how you make war for your life. Then see where you sleep. You end up with no wife, maybe sleeping on the street. How can you have peace in your heart if you have so many wars in your house? And how can you meditate if you don't have peace? It's only to protect your peace so that you can advance quickly in your Buddha career.



The fifth: don't gamble, drink alcohol and drugs. Or do you want?



These are good for you. Or you want to get addicted on drugs and alcohol or lose all your life and earnings in gambling? You want it? After you're drunk, you don't know who is your wife, who is your neighbors anymore, and then you make trouble, too. And how many people die while drunk driving?




You'll become a dead Buddha in no time. So now, tell me what is not normal about my rules and regulations, and tell me what normal people don't want to keep these rules and regulations. Just your fear. Yes, think about it. Nothing to fear. Very simple, no?




Q; They ask about the Chinese people's belief about their ancestors, and they ask whether the spirit is real, whether the spirit really exists.




Because, these people, if they are not liberated, they cling to their habit-forming pattern of life, and after they lose this body, they still don't know it. Some of them don't know that they are dead. Because they have another body exactly like this one, even though other people cannot touch and see it, the dead people see the same, so they continue like when they were alive until they know that they are dead.



But because their conception did not change, they were not liberated while they were alive; therefore,
when they are dead, they are also not liberated.They continue for some time until they are fed up and their time is up, then they change the pattern.



Even this physical body, also illusion, never mind the dead body. Even while we are alive, we still cling to this illusion, so how can we let go when we're dead? That's why the Buddha emphasized that you have to be liberated while you are alive.



Because this physical body exists only because our conception of material existence exists. That's why sometimes during meditation we don't see our body anymore: all gone; only light, nothing more.  That's why sometimes people practice also magical power.They can disintegrate their body through the walls or disappear so we don't see. That's the proof of the illusion of the body.



But to the ghosts, they don't know that. That's why they are truly deceased spirits. Sometimes they attach to the physical life and make trouble for the living. If we are not enlightened in this life, maybe we will join them very soon. So, make the choice now: join the Buddha or join the ghosts.




Q; I have to be in a Buddhist temple and I have to pray some mantra for the dead bodies. After initiation, can I still work like this?




Yes, I don't think that's a bad job. There are worse jobs in Thailand, no? But it depends on how you do it. If we do it as a job, as a duty assigned to us, then it's all right. If we believe that without spiritual power we can liberate these souls by empty words, then we are wrong.



Because we must liberate ourselves and have spiritual power. Then whatever we do, we benefit sentient beings whether alive or dead.




Q; Master, if I am not initiated but if I'm always diligent and sincere, will you communicate with me?




Then why don't you get initiated? Otherwise, what are you diligent on? What are you sincere about? There are two ways you can join: the Convenient Method, or get initiation.  Convenient Method is for the people who do not yet seriously want to commit or don't know if they can commit so, and initiation is for the serious people who want to go through.



There are also many people who don't get Convenient Method and also not initiated, they stay home and pray for the so-called “Master Ching Hai,” they also get a response, but I am not sure whether you are one of them. You can try, and tell me whether it works. Because I don't pray to “Master Ching Hai,” so I don't know.




Q; What do we do to attain the real Spirit, the Self of ourselves, the real Spirit of ourselves?



Get initiation and meditate every day. Keep the precepts, eat vegetarian diet.





Q; If we follow the Quan Yin Method, how long do we need in order to be liberated as a Buddha? And after we are liberated, what will it be like? How will it be?




After initiation, you get liberation right away. Actually, you are already liberated, just you don't know. So, you need clearing, with the initiation and the meditation process, to clear your vision. Not only you are liberated, your deceased relatives, many generations, will also derive from your merit and be liberated as well. That's guaranteed. But to become a Buddha, it takes maybe longer. //Because you have forgotten that you are a Buddha for a long time now, it takes a long time to remember again. That's why we need to meditate every day.




Because maybe today we remember, tomorrow we forget because it is eons of lifetimes that we have forgotten already. So it takes a long time to remember that we are Buddha, not that we become a Buddha. But you become liberated in this lifetime and after you leave this world whether you have reached the Buddha stage or not reached the Buddha stage, because the teacher is responsible for your liberation and will take you out of the transmigration after you leave this world.  Otherwise, no need a teacher, or that teacher is not worth it. Thank you for your loving attention.



Thank you, Master. Thank you very much.



I wish you a good night's sleep and a relaxing feeling and early Buddhahood.




Why is it so important to have complete devotion to one's spiritual teacher or master? Discover the wisdom of the sages and prophets by joining us on Thursday, March 31, on Words of Wisdom.