If we want to teach people, it’s best to teach by example. It’s not that if we talk a lot then people will listen. If people see us doing good and correct things, slowly, even if they don’t learn, it’s OK. At the very least, they won’t do bad things. They won’t do well, but at least they won’t do that badly either.
Over the years, we laughed with the world, and we cried with the world. Because we increasingly understand that we are all one. We increasingly understand that their suffering is our suffering, their pain is our pain. There’s no difference. After practicing spiritually, we all know this – that all of us are just like one huge body. Our neighbors are just like our hands and feet. And then, the whole Earth is one enormous body. Everyone is a different cell, different body parts, parts of the body. (Organs.) Organs. Organs of the body. That’s it.
I haven’t spoken Chinese for a long time, I have forgotten it all. Luckily, you organize such a lively occasion, so that I can practice Chinese when I return. Otherwise, I would forget it all. Learn fast, but also forget fast. It’s also because there are VIPs coming. I invited them to come, so, I also came back. You should thank them. This evening, we’ll express our gratitude even more.
I said to them, because you are here, you the VIPs came, that’s why I came back also – one of the main reasons. So, I said they should thank you. That’s why they clap. It’s to thank you, the VIPs. And I said that tonight we will express more of our gratitude. Right now, it’s just a different program. Right now, they expect me to say something nice for New Year’s – a conclusion for the year end and some inspiration for the beginning.
Do you all understand what I’ve just said? (Yes.) You have translation? (Yes.) No earphones? Yes? (Yes.) No? Yes or no? (Yes.) OK. Then I can speak English or Chinese. It doesn’t matter? Alright. Never mind.
I’ll speak Chinese. Because we’re in Taiwan (Formosa), we respect the local people. Also, the Taiwanese (Formosan) people worked very hard to make this place very beautiful. Though our place is very simple, but you have beautified it. It’s very pretty. Everyone worked a lot, and I appreciate that. I appreciate it. I appreciate your hard work to make this place very nice. I did not expect you to make it that nice. I just asked you to do something the best you can for our guests. But you did it very nicely. I’m very pleased. I am very happy, thank you.
Now, there’s no need to talk about the past again. It’s a new year, so we’ll talk about new things. The song that we just sang is like the “Happy Birthday” song. Every new year is just like a birthday. There’s not much difference. We start anew – one more year. We gained one more year when we were born, and now every year is another additional year; it’s just like being reborn. So, no matter what we’ve done wrong in the past, in the new year, we absolutely must vow to start anew. We completely forget the past and start afresh from today; just like a baby, we start all over again. From today, we do only good things, we think only good things, we talk only good things. Do your best, try your best. Sometimes, habits die hard.
If we have done many good things last year, this year we should do even more, and even better things. Whatever progress we gained in meditation last year, this year we should progress further. I know you are trying hard already. I’m really impressed, very impressed. I’m really telling the truth, very impressed. Because I know, an ordinary (ping-fan) person… How to pronounce “ordinary” (ping-fang or ping-fan)? (Ordinary (fan).) “Ordinary (fan)?” The same sound like “vexation (fan-nao)?” Of course, “peace/ordinary (ping)” but also “vexation (fan).” Something like that. Chinese words are very interesting. “Peace/ordinary (ping)” and “vexation (fan),” there are good and bad. There is both happiness and vexation. Perhaps the words are different in writing. But our people in the old times knew that there was both “peace” and “vexation.” This is what this world is like, the Sahā world. But for ordinary people, I know their life is not necessarily very beautiful and smooth. Sometimes you are aching all over and still have to go out and work. Because you have a family and responsibilities; you have a company, and many people rely on you. You should go out to work. Sometimes you’re feeling low, and still, you have to go out happily. You have to work even if you don’t want to, because you need to survive. And you have to work a lot every day to earn enough money to sustain your family.
So, your life as an ordinary person is rushed and stressful. There’s more suffering than joy. But now that you’re practicing spiritually, of course you are much happier. Right? (Yes.) Even then, you still need to work. I also know your life is rushed. Sometimes it’s very tiring. But even so, you still practice diligently, don’t eat (animal-people) meat, nor drink alcohol; you’ve stopped doing anything improper. And then you do relief work and help the needy. So, you are really my heroes. Thank you! In this world, to live an ordinary person’s life is already difficult enough. You go to work early every morning and come back in the evening. You have to look after your family and pay taxes. You have to pay lots of bills and family expenses. You’re already working very hard and are exhausted. Moreover, that Supreme Master Ching Hai still asks you to meditate for 2.5 hours.
Where to find time? Still, you must find time. Because if you don’t meditate, She’ll scold you. Not only will She scold you, but fellow initiates will look down on you. And because of not meditating enough, your spirit is not good; your wisdom is reduced. Then you’ll do messy things, not doing it right, and then you’ll regress. If you don’t meditate for 2.5 hours, you’ll feel ashamed and guilty. So, you must meditate. “We’ve already worked eight to ten hours and drove in that toxic air for an hour or two. And when we get home, She still asks us to meditate, watch less TV, not read newspapers, chat less, and talk less on the phone, can’t drink alcohol, and don’t eat (animal-people) meat. Oh my God! Why does She ask so much of us? That Ching Hai person.” Yet you still listen to Her exactly. It’s strange.
You manage to do it and even help with relief work. Before, as an ordinary person, you worked ‘round the clock and still didn’t earn enough. And now, you work more diligently, and also add 2.5 hours for meditation, and can even save money to help other people. Before, you didn’t have enough money, but now you have more. That’s why you have to listen. She helps us to earn money.
Because I taught you how to save – not to earn more money, but to save more. More savings means more money. Saving 10 cents is earning 10 cents. It’s the same. If you make more and spend more, then it’s the same. Before, you were often sick. Now, you are healthy by eating vegan. That saves you a lot on medical expenses. Since you are healthier, you can work more; there’s not much effort. So, you’re saving a lot in many ways. Buying tofu is cheaper than buying (animal-people) meat; you save a little more.
On Sundays, you go to group meditation and pray – save a lot of money. Before, you went out on Sundays, eating, drinking and having fun. You gambled outside and lost all your hard-earned money, for example. Or you drank and got sick, or you were drunk and got into fights, and suffered great losses, and also made your family members suffer. Now, you don’t do any of those. Every Sunday, you go to meditate, behave well and save lots of money. When you get home, your wife thinks, “Ah! He behaves very well – doesn’t go gambling, no more drinking. Such a good man.” Then your wife loves you more, and your family is more peaceful. When your family is peaceful, the children are happy; everyone is happy and healthy. Your body feels more comfortable and your mind feels great. That’s why you listen to me. Right? Yes or no? (Yes.)
If what I taught was wrong, of course you wouldn’t listen. How could you? You are not fools. Right? I know you are big bosses, millionaires, company presidents, chairmen, etc. You are university professors, elementary school teachers, all kinds of people, very smart, very smart. Taiwan (Formosa)’s people are also among the most intelligent people. You have invented many good things, and done many admirable things. So, you are not fools.
You only listen if it’s good and logical. Right? It doesn’t matter who says it; if it’s not logical, we won’t listen. You aren’t stupid; there’s no need to say anything more. Since we are practicing spiritually, the children will also follow suit, then they won’t go out fighting. They won’t follow their classmates and learn bad habits because you set a good example at home. Good parents definitely have good children. That is safer, much safer. If our children learn to be good from childhood – learn to be disciplined, polite, and virtuous, then they won’t change as they grow up.
Most people who do bad things when they grow up, it’s all because they were not trained well when they were children. Their parents didn’t take care of them, or they might have gone through a very painful childhood, or the parents disappeared, or the parents divorced. Or the parents didn’t set a good example, then the children didn’t know who to rely on. They were confused and couldn’t tell right from wrong, so, when they went out, they got cheated and roped in by others. They mixed with bad guys, mixed with the gangs and continued doing bad things. And then it becomes a habit and they can’t change it. Society condemns them and rejects them. They become more and more alienated from society and have no one to rely on. So, they incline more towards the gangs, the bad people, and become worse and worse like that.
If a family is stable, and the parents set good virtuous examples, the children definitely will not become bad people when they grow up. There would be very few, if there are even any. Also, the bad qualities are even less. They won’t be bad to any extent. For example, I ask you not to smoke, not to drink, not to kill, do not harm others, do not harm any living beings. Maybe your child won’t follow you exactly. Maybe he’ll smoke, maybe he’ll gamble a little bit, perhaps due to outside influences. But it’s impossible for him to kill. He’ll also know to introspect and self-examine. Since you’ve trained him from childhood, even if he does bad things, his conscience will surely always remind him. Perhaps he won’t do bad things for long. Even if he does bad things, he won’t do it so badly. Just a little bit naughty. For example, he may smoke occasionally. That’s understandable. So, if the parents are good, it’s good for the family and contributes a great deal to society. We wouldn’t need to be peacekeepers; the world would be at peace.
World peace starts from peace within families. In China, we say, “Self-cultivate, harmonize the family, govern the state, and pacify the world.” So, if all of you could cultivate yourselves, of course, the world would be pacified. Because after we start practicing spiritually, we have less greed and ambition. We know our place, and wherever God puts us, we stay there. Whatever we’re asked to do, we’ll do our best. Whether it’s collecting garbage or selling tofu, we are proud of it. Because we are clean; we live a virtuous and awe-inspiring life. We have very good qualities. We contribute our best qualities to society and family. Contributing good qualities to the family means contributing good qualities to society and to the world as well.
Therefore, we cannot say that one person doesn’t count for much. If one light can contribute, so can one person. The whole house has been dark for thousands of years, but as soon as you come in and turn on one light, the whole house lights up immediately. One light is enough for every corner. You only need one light, and the whole house and entire home will all light up. There’s no need for many lights. Therefore, in every corner of the world, if there are a few people with such good qualities as you, of course, the world will become more and more peaceful. Congratulations to the world. I congratulate the world.
