But we still can be influenced by many things if we don’t practice enough. Even the food we eat. And if you are a Master, that doesn’t mean you’re free from all the influences. It’s not true. Even if the Master is free from all the influences, from what He/She eats or does, it’s still the disciples’ karma and disciples’ influence by other factors that still can influence the Master as well.
Yesterday I came out of a hiding place and the assistant seemed to not be able to have time to eat. So, we went looking for a place, and then we found an Aulacese (Vietnamese) vegetarian restaurant.
I saw a big monk come in. Might be four times my size, maybe three times. So, I thought he has enough reserve and is well taken care of, so I should not make an offering to him. It’s the first time I ever thought like that. He was eating with his maybe believers or disciples or maybe family. I thought he’s well taken care of. And then I was thinking maybe I should give. But then, when I thought already, he had left. So, I was kind of scolding myself. I said, “Ah! How come you, Supreme Master, still so discriminate between the skinny and the fat monk? You said you just offer to any monk.” So, he left already, and I don’t know why, somehow, I didn’t chase him, because he also had other people with him. And then, so I sat there scolding myself like that.
And then another nun came in. I said, “Next time.” I said to myself, “Next time, no matter how big he is, even eight times my size, I still will make an offering.” And then my wish came true; another monk came in. Oh! I thought, “Wow! It’s very effective!” “How effective; my wish immediately came!” And then I immediately made an offering before my brain might interfere and make trouble.
So, we should actually never make any discrimination like that. But the Aulacese (Vietnamese) restaurant was so good, my God! Ah! All the best; tasted so good. I don’t know if I’ll ever have a chance to bring you there to eat. But just listen to me and enjoy. The food in that Aulacese (Vietnamese) restaurant is really good. And they’re so clean and so nice and so sweet, the people. They finally realized who I was and then began asking questions, so we ran.
Nam Sa-go, he was really something. He did not practice the (inner Heavenly) Light and Sound at that time, but he knew everything about it. but he knew everything about it. That’s amazing.
(There is one thing I want to report to Master and everyone.) Speak up. (In Beijing, an elementary school student wrote in his school notebook the following statement: “Our teacher told us that, to be successful, we must put into practice the following five words.”) Which five words? (The teacher wrote the five words on the blackboard: “To eat a lot of bitterness.”) (To endure hardship) To eat a lot of bitterness? (Yes. The elementary school student continued to write: “I feel that I am very close to be successful, because I have accomplished the first four words already.”) Very funny; very funny. Very funny; applause!
(It’s because I feel that we always…) Wait! They are clapping. We can’t hear you. (When we came last week to dine with Master, Master began by wishing us to “become Buddha soon” and “Peace on Earth.” Also, “Humans to treat animals humanely.” Today, at this moment, we are very close to success. I think when we dine with Master next time, the kitchen can serve us with bitter gourd, then we will be successful.) Coffee can do also. (Coffee is also quite bitter.) What? Be able to eat bitterness? (To eat a lot.) We are all very close to success. (Must be able to eat a lot of bitterness.) Must be able to eat a lot of bitterness. We are all very good at eating a lot already. Just a tiny bit more and we will be there. Strive on! Coffee! Do you have coffee?
He always tells stories that are not very funny. But today, he is very civilized. Normally, I dare not share with you the stories he told. I disciplined him several times and now he can talk more elegantly.
You have progressed a lot. I am proud of you. (Thank You, Master.) “Be able to eat a lot.” Not just be able to eat, but “very good at eating a lot.” Wow! “Be very good at eating a lot;” just short of one word – “bitterness.” (Right! Just short of “bitterness.”) This one is good; this is easy to make up for it. If there is no bitter gourd, then use coffee. Coffee is even more bitter when you eat it raw. (Yes! Next time we’ll drink coffee.) No need to drink coffee; it’s more bitter when you eat it raw.
A Master taught his student to climb a 100 ft. tall bamboo pole. The Master told him to practice climbing every day, until he could reach the top of the bamboo pole. He said “OK” and then went home. A week later, his Master asked him, “How high can you climb now?” He said, “About two-thirds, Master.” The Master said, “How did you achieve this so fast? Reaching two-thirds in just a week? It’s not easy to climb the bamboo pole.” Actually, he used a ladder. At two-thirds of the height, he couldn’t go higher, because… (There was no ladder.) He didn’t have a ladder as tall as the bamboo pole. (There was no ladder that tall.) His Master asked, “How could you climb so high and so fast?” He said, “I could do it even faster, it’s just that the ladder is too short.”
Our lives are governed by many things. Not just the food we eat or the water we drink. The moon and stars and all other planets also have influence on us. When we are initiated, and practice the Quan Yin Method, it’s a little better. Only the celestial body that’s near us can influence us some. But if we practice diligently, then only karma of the past, meaning the karma that we have to pay in this lifetime, can influence us. Other celestial bodies cannot. But we still can be influenced by many things if we don’t practice enough. Even the food we eat. And if you are a Master, that doesn’t mean you’re free from all the influences. It’s not true. Even if the Master is free from all the influences, from what He/She eats or does, it’s still the disciples’ karma and disciples’ influence by other factors that still can influence the Master as well.
So, many things we eat are making trouble for our lives as well. Or even the bathroom, the toilet that we built in the wrong place, also influences our marriage, our business, our relationship with the wives, kids, and outside friends. This is not a good place to be, this place, the planet. But it’s a beautiful place to train yourself to be loving and kind. Because many beings who don’t have good karma are born onto this kind of planet and we are here. If we have some power, meditating power, blessing power, we can share it automatically or willingly – it depends. So, if some things go wrong in the family, it doesn’t always mean your wife doesn’t love you, or your husband doesn’t love you. It could be influenced by other factors outside your house. Or sometimes, even if you plant a tree in the wrong place, also have trouble for your business or your relationship. And sometimes you eat something… Let me remember.
I know too many things, but I don’t tell you because, if I tell you everything, you’ll have nothing to eat and nothing to drink, except water. Some have bad, worse influence; some are just bad, some are benevolent, some are OK. So, even if we are vegans – we don’t eat anything from the animals, we eat only plants and fruit – we still can have trouble from the food that we eat. Let me remember which ones for the public. Some are just for me; some are for everyone.
For example, the black grapes that you love so much, they’re also not very favorable for your peace. It’s not because the juice or anything makes you drunk, or the wine and all that. No. It’s even the fresh grapes, the black ones, or the purple ones. They will evoke some karma from the past life, or from this lifetime, from your previous enemies. It depends on what kind of enemies you have. It might not evoke the enemy’s revenge or harming you if it is long, many lifetimes before, but some lifetimes near to you, maybe five lifetimes before this life.
If you were born here before and have some enmity with somebody, and if you eat that, that somebody, if he’s here right now on this planet with you at the same time or if he’s somewhere still nearby the planet, maybe in Astral Level or something, then he can even attack you without you knowing it. And your life suddenly becomes chaotic or have problems with your family or with your health. It depends on what kind of enemy you have. Some can attack your health, some can attack your family, some can attack your love life and your children. Anything could happen.
And that’s just one example. And I don’t dare to tell you anymore. Because if I tell you, you will not eat anything. Even some vegetables, even some vegetable fruit, something that you eat mostly every time with salad, it also can make trouble for you. But it’s generally speaking only. So, I cannot, dare not tell everyone, because maybe you have an enemy five lifetimes before, she doesn’t. And if I happen to tell you, “Oh, if you eat this, your enemy will attack you.” Then she dares not eat it also. But it has nothing to do with her; her enemy may be six lifetimes before, or maybe five and a half.
For example, even cucumber; even many other… Just the cucumber, it’s a thing you always snack on, during the meal or before, or with salad.
Being a Master is more difficult because I have to avoid many things, so that I have a better relationship with you. Otherwise, maybe half of the meditation hall would be empty, in one hour. It’s very difficult to live in this life. Not just because you have bad Feng Shui only. Not only because you are married to an enemy zodiac sign, like a tiger-monkey or a monkey-snake, for example. That’s what they say. These people are, you know, contradicting each other, no good. Not only because of that, or not only because your child is born in the sign that is unfavorable to you, as the zodiac calculation; not only that. In Chinese, they say, couples counteracting each other. And the husband is counteracting the wife, meaning it is not compatible, but also harmful; for example like that. Not only that, many other things. And your stars, the stars in Heaven that influence your life, that are governing some aspects of your life; and some fruit you eat; anything at all, anything at all.
It is a miracle that you can live in this life having less trouble. Nobody can say that he has no trouble. Small or big, we all have trouble in some way. Sometimes, suddenly, you just get sick; you don’t know why. You say karma, but it may not be. It could be karma also that makes you eat that, and then you have pain. Some fruit would give me sickness, and immediately. It’s not for everybody; it’s not.
Some of my favorite food I cannot eat even, for example, like, loofah. (Gourd.) The one that is a little long, and inside very smooth; we call it “silk gourd” in Chinese. (Loofah gourd?) Loofah? (The one that can make a sponge scrub?) Loofah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s when they are older and hard. OK, loofah. For example, if I eat that, I get sick; sick with a digestive problem. I never had that before, because before, I didn’t have enough disciples. Now I already took in a lot, so every little thing affects me.
Understand, kitchen? I sent a lot of food back, not because you didn’t cook well. Understand now? I don’t want to say it because I’m afraid you would not cook it for everyone.
I don’t dare to say anything. I just say a couple of examples for you to know. So, if I send back to the kitchen some fruit, something I don’t eat, it’s not only because I ate too much already or ate enough, but because some things are not agreeable to my spiritual body. I use everything I have spiritually to help you, so I don’t save enough for myself. I’d rather forsake, forgo the food or the fruit instead; and I save that. Even every little bit helps everyone else. Just like, if I don’t spend this one dollar, I keep saving it, I have ten dollars. And maybe I can give it to a boy outside when he’s hungry; he can eat something. Just immediately fills himself up with the food and energy, and then maybe next day he has better luck; then he can take care of himself.
