I said that you have to meditate after coming here. Even if there’s nothing to do at the moment, you should concentrate more on meditation. Do not gather in clusters like that out there. In clusters or groups. Chatting out there would disturb the atmosphere here. When other people are meditating inside, you are chatting out there. Then, if you see me coming, you rush in and disturb others. Understand? Some people could be meditating and in silence. And you rushed in like that, waking them up. This is not fair. […]
It is maybe not the retreat anymore. But you must take this opportunity in a sacred land to replenish your energy and keep your discipline. Because at home, you had no chance, you don’t even meditate enough every day. Here you don’t have anybody to trouble you; you should meditate. Is it OK? I don’t like it that you come here just to try to establish a relationship. Looking for a boyfriend, girlfriend, not only troubling yourself but pulling somebody else into trouble with you. Maybe the boy did not care about you, he did not even notice you and then you keep coming, hanging around trying talk to him and this and that, and then he also falls into it with you. They’re more innocent, they’re naïve. They do not know a woman’s trap.
In the old times when the Buddha was alive, He told His monks, even if a 70-year-old woman lying, almost dying, on the floor, you don’t even look at her. Because I think He knows very well. Don’t need magic. But some (men) are harder maybe. Some maybe are already married but he has a little trouble with his wife and then if you come along, maybe he thinks “OK, OK, maybe this is a time to change.” And when he goes home, he doesn’t try to make peace with his wife because he has something, maybe “spare part.” Maybe like some easy substitute somewhere.
You don’t try. OK? Whatever comes to you, will come to you. You trying to seduce somebody is making a lot of trouble for yourself. And trouble for the poor guy. You can easily get a guy, but to keep him is another thing, and then it will give you a lot of trouble or heartache later on. Especially if he patches up again with his wife. And then you’ll be in trouble. If you don’t have to take this karma, don’t look for it. Protect yourself.
Give yourself a lot of time whenever you can to meditate, to think of liberation. We are here for very short; not everyone can practice this method even. You are the lucky ones, and you just kind of don’t care. Then you don’t need to come here anymore. Don’t blame me. I’m just fair. Everybody who comes here sits here, meditates, and then you just come run, run, run, rushing in… Maybe they’re already settled in to meditate, and you rush, rush, rush, next to them clumsily, fall into them making noise and making excitement and waking them out of their samadhi. That is not fair. This time is not the time to eat or… nothing special at this time. Right? So you should meditate. Even if you sit here nodding, sleeping, at least you make an effort and Heavens will notice that.
I said that you have to meditate after coming here. Even if there’s nothing to do at the moment, you should concentrate more on meditation. Do not gather in clusters like that out there. In clusters or groups. Chatting out there would disturb the atmosphere here. When other people are meditating inside, you are chatting out there. Then, if you see me coming, you rush in and disturb others. Understand? Some people could be meditating and in silence. And you rushed in like that, waking them up. This is not fair. You’re here only for a few days, so you should concentrate on spiritual practice, no? You’re not here to make friends, looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend. Is it not so? (Yes.)
So, if you come here and do not want to focus on spiritual practice, I won’t let you come anymore. Don’t blame me for that. I’m very fair. OK? I want to protect the good ones. Understand? (Understand.) You see those old people, so old, almost no teeth left. But they still come here to meditate. They still sit here. Coming here is not to look for a boyfriend, girlfriend, or socializing with others, wasting your precious time. Being in such a pure and spiritual place, if you don’t meditate, how would you meditate at home? And then you say that you’re not practicing well. That’s what I want to say.
If you come here and don’t focus on spiritual practice, and are not sincere, then don’t come again in the future. You only disturb others. Understand? (Understand.) Because some people are meditating; you should do the same. And then when I asked you to go out, you didn’t. You only went out after I was more stern with you. It’s not right like that. You have no respect for yourself. You have no sense of shame. Is it time for dinner? Till when? Till six o’clock, right? Your dining time is till six. Then, you have nothing else to do now. You have no work to do or responsibility to take here. That’s why you should concentrate on meditation. Am I wrong? (No.) Yes. You don’t come here for long. And it’s not easy for you to come. Sometimes your family has to sacrifice, staying home to keep the house and take care of the children, so that you can come. If you come here to chat with others, then, why bother to come? Am I right to say this? Is this correct? (Yes.) Yeah, time is very precious. A lot of people have to work. It’s not only today. Yesterday we also had to arrange for arrivals and departures. We had to arrange the buses and other things. I also have to make arrangements so that you can come.
I also told them not to take your money. Don’t pay. Don’t pay money. OK? Don’t have to pay for the bus ride – going and coming back – I paid everything. Don’t pay. It’s not your fault. It’s not about money, but it’s not your fault. You don’t have to just pay for everything. No need. Got that? I told them already, but in case you don’t know. You don’t pay. And if you paid already, tell them to return your money. You work very hard to earn money. And you’re very sincere to come here. I don’t want you to spend any extra. If I could, I would pay all your plane tickets and everything. But I cannot do everything. You have to come back and forth because life is complicated. It’s not so simple in our lives. There are regulations, and laws, and this and that. And there’s nothing I can… It’s out of my control. It’s for everybody. Everybody.
I said that it’s hard for you to earn money at home. I don’t want you to pay extra. Buses come and go. It’s not your fault. Neither is it anyone’s fault. Just the world is not that easy. This world is not simple. There are rules for this and that. For everyone, not only for us. Therefore, many arrangements have to be made behind the scenes. It’s not only hard for you to come here, it’s also hard for them here. They have to clean up and get the place ready. Before your arrival, people need to be sent here to clean and tidy up the place for you. Understand? (Understand.) And you also have to undergo some hardships to come here. It’s hard for many people. Maybe it’s not hard for some. Hard or not, when there’s any opportunity, you should meditate and rest. Correct? We have to check ourselves whether we have … Meaning whether we’ve progressed, and how much.
Meditate and check. At least you have to try. Try your best. You haven’t tried your best, and blame it on your low level. You come here and mess things up, and bring troubles to others. Understand? (Understand.) If you don’t take the time to meditate, you should go take some rest and sleep if you’re tired. Don’t chat with others out there. What’s there to chat about? What’s there to chat about here? At home you’re already busy, chatting all day long. It’s so easy to talk with someone, just make a phone call. Why come here and make noise? Understand? (Understand.) Then, if a boy didn’t pay attention to you, you start bugging him, and then he’d notice you, and then you both drop together. You also hurt other people. It’s not right.
OK. I originally wanted to come earlier. I was supposed to come, I was thinking maximum 8 o’clock, 8:30, and then I couldn’t come until 10. You see? But that’s good so. Today I didn’t tell anybody that I’m coming, because I worry maybe you’re already meditating. And then I caught a whole group outside, talking like in a supermarket or socializing club. It doesn’t look like an ashram. Doesn’t look like a place where people are quiet, quiet inside and quiet outside, just to take advantage of these precious days, to make the best of your time here. So from now on, it’s like that. If people are not sincerely wanting to meditate or practice here, coming here just to take up the space or just to look at other people, to make more energy wasting for me, then I don’t allow them to come anymore. That’s what I said to the Chinese. Mostly over there were Chinese people. I am not coming out here just to show up.
Photo Caption: It’s Good to Keep Connected 2 Each Other.
