Now this is the second power. She has 14 different other powers, apart from manifesting bodies for different purposes. “Second: since my knowledge and views have turned around and come back,” meaning turned inward already, “I can make it so that if living beings are caught in a raging fire, the fire will not burn them.” If someone believes in Her, in Quan Yin Bodhisattva, and reveres Her all his life, and calling Her for help, maybe with all sincerity, in desperate situation, She will help him. “Third: since contemplation and listening have turned around and come back,” back to the origin of the source, not the ear, but the inside, the hearing, true hearing faculty, true hearing ability, “I can make it so that if living beings are floundering in deep water, the water cannot drown them.” “Fourth: since false thinking is cut off,” means She has no more false concept, only pure, correct truth, “and my mind is without thoughts of killing or harming ever, I can make it so that if living beings enter the territory of ghosts, the ghosts cannot harm them.”
There is a territory of ghosts even, you know that? You didn’t know, did you? (No.) No. You wouldn’t see it either. Yes, you never see them. The thing is, we have territories of different categories. Just like we humans in the physical world, we have the urban city, all crowded with mostly similar kind of people, who gather there because of their interests. Like government employees, mostly they like to live near the capital together, so that they can work easily. And then the ones who serve the government employees also live around there. And the ones who work, especially selling things for the government officials and stuff like that, they also live around there. And those who connect with those, connect with this and that, they connect together, they live there. And we, I, you, you and I, connect with each other because of Surangama Sutra, so we are here together tonight. We connect with each other spiritually, so every weekend or something, you come here and see me. I don’t live in the middle of the city. Different interests. So, maybe we can call this a spiritual ashram. This is our zone, spiritual zone. And the city is the capital zone for different kinds of people, capital people, city people. And the farms, sometimes very big fields, with different farmers, they live together – farming zone.
There are ghost zones; don’t ever go there. Ghost zones are mostly in some very remote area, and people don’t live there. Because ghosts, they’re also afraid of people – the virtuous, upright, morally-fit people. So, they are not allowed to go near these people, lest their energy will harm them; not allowed to. The gods, the angels will not allow them. Sometimes, they slip through or they don’t go there, but they can send their energy. If they are powerful, they can send energy to different places, sometimes to harm people, but mostly ghosts have the ghost zone.
But ghosts are like also human beings; they do illegal stuff sometimes. They go illegally to some human zone and get caught and sent back to hell or wherever they belong. Ghosts also have laws, also have ghost police, ghost court, ghost supreme court.
(I started throwing food out my kitchen window for the ghosts, like an offering of food out my kitchen window, and now the birds don’t come to the bird feeder. And I kind of think, “This offering is for the ghosts.” And now I have no birds in my bird feeder. I don’t know if it’s from the ghosts or…) Oh, it could be, could be. The ghost can also manifest as birds, or possess the body of the bird, just as some of them can possess some human body to enjoy that. You do what you do. Just intend it for the ghost, and then whatever happens, happens.
I use a plate, a clean plate that I use, to eat on myself. I use it and put different food, if I have it. If I don’t have, I use some other thing, so that all the food’s contained on it and clean. It’s very bad already. It’s suffering already to be a ghost; hungry ghost, very suffering. So, I don’t discriminate; I give to them. And there is a mantra, you can multiply it. It’s very old, ancient, in Sanskrit. But, if you have power or not. It’s not about talking or repeating the mantra, it has to have power. Maybe listening from me, you might have. Don’t abuse it. Recite the Five (Holy) Names is also OK. In your heart, say you want to offer to the ghost, and may others not interfere, let them enjoy.
(I want to ask Master that if we give money to charity, can we ask the benefit for the ghost and demons, or no? The benefit goes to the ghost? Yeah. Is it possible?) Ah, can do, can do, of course. You give in their name, can do, if you know the ghost. People do that all the time. Like somebody died and then they take their clothes, their possessions, and give it to outside people in their name, for their benefit.
You can do it for the ghost. You can wish, no harm. Even if you don’t know the ghost, you may wish for your surrounding ghosts, their benefit. Even if it doesn’t benefit, at least they feel comforted and they feel grateful that you think of them. I cannot guarantee if they benefit or not, but at least you have a good heart. Good for you.
When I was younger, I was still married, I recited the sutra every day in Germany. And the weather in winter was very cold. It snowed outside, but I opened the window. I sat in the room, but I opened the window. I wished the ghost to hear it. I wished other living beings, invisible, to hear it and all the animals around to hear it, so that maybe they benefit. Because there are other living beings around, invisible and visible. Also, the animals around in the yard or in hiding, they can hear the good words from the Buddha and maybe they get benefit. That’s what I was thinking. And it was cold. I covered myself, still cold. You know, in Europe, it can be very cold in winter.
I was young. I was just thinking like that. And I asked my Buddhist teacher if it was OK or not to do that; whether they benefited or not. They said, “Sure, they benefit. Anyone who hears Buddha’s teachings benefit.” At least it’s positive words. Remind them to be positive, to have hope, and to pray – of course benefit.
