(Master, usually when we do the [inner Heavenly] Sound meditation, mostly we hear a single sound. But occasionally we seem to hear a sound like a symphony. May I ask, Master, is this kind of symphony our inner [Heavenly] Sound Stream, or is it the music that our brain recorded in the past?) What kind of music is that? Is it karaoke or what? (It’s like classical music, very pleasant to hear.) If it’s pleasant, then listen to it. (I see. OK. Then another question is, I’ve been initiated for nearly five years. I remember in the first year after initiation, I heard the highest [inner Heavenly] Sound of the Second World, but it has remained the same till now.) Why are you progressing so slowly? (However, it seems my sensitivity has become higher. My loving quality has also grown bigger. But…) How big? How big? (Bigger than before. For example, it’s easier for me to forgive others.) This is wonderful. OK. (However, may I ask, Master, how can I go beyond the current level?) You buy a new karaoke. Listen to different sound. There is bamboo flute and violin music outside. You buy whichever you like and listen at home. What else can you do?
(Does it mean if we try our best to avoid contact with outside people and try to do more retreats, then we will progress quicker?) Doing retreat once in a while is OK. That’s why we hold 3-day or 7-day retreats from time to time. Or you can, in your Center, sometimes organize a 1-day, 2-day, or 3-day retreat. Don’t you do that? (Yes.) That is also for your convenience. Otherwise, you can’t shut yourselves in retreat the whole day long, every day. Then what about your family? Understand? (Yes.) It’s unavoidable for us, being members of society. We can only take care of both. Is it not so? (Yes.) I also can’t stay in retreat; I can’t stay in a retreat all the time. I hide only once in a while. Even if I hide, there’s always the facsimile machine, the “fake-fax” machine, and a lot of things. It is not a complete rest. I rest only when I’m sick, like after surgery or the like… A lot of things.
Ask something that’s really necessary or urgent for your spiritual practice, which you cannot solve. Anything philosophical, appreciative, thankful, or complaining can wait for later. OK? Give others the chance to ask. There are many people. (Thank You, Master, for teaching me the Quan Yin Method. I’ve been initiated for six years. When I want to be more diligent, I am more likely to see invisible beings.) Invisible? (A man and a woman.) Oh! So lively. (It’s not that I wanted to see them. Just…) You treat them with love. You do your meditation. They sometimes come to steal some of your meritorious reward. What does it matter? (But then I can’t progress. I cannot sit quietly for one hour.) Then you sit half an hour first, then another half an hour, then another half. OK? (OK.) Just try your best. During group meditation, you sit more. (I always join the group meditation.) OK. Sit as much as you can. Don’t push…
(But they are obstructing my progress.) No. They won’t obstruct you. Love them more. Love them more. (OK. Thank You, Master.) Be willing to share. It’s nothing. Sacrifice yourself for others. (Did I owe them something?) This you have to ask them. Why ask me? It’s between the two of you. (Especially that child. The child. Sometimes I was very angry, and it seemed he would hug me, and I seemed to be feeding him. It was so strange. I feel disgusted. But why is it…) Don’t resent them. All beings have been our relatives in previous lives. Not to mention they are invisible without a body. Pitiful. And without an enlightened Master. They’re testing your loving heart. (Thank You, Master.) Pitiful beings. They won’t be there forever. (But they’ve been following me for a long time, six years.) Really? Could be your relatives in previous lives. Child or whatever. You just recite the Five Holy Names. Ignore them. (Ignore them.) Just like in group meditation.
(Master, I am retired and living alone.) Have you stopped going to the group meditation after retirement? (No.) Ah, you’re kind of afraid. (I live alone in a house.) Are you afraid? Kind of scared? (No, I’m not afraid now. But I was, before.) Then it’s wonderful! It means you are becoming more courageous. They’re training your courage. Seeing them, others would have been scared to death and would faint. And you’re still there after seeing them for six years. (I want to say, now I have time to follow Master.) How do you follow me? Don’t follow me randomly. (Master, please give me an opportunity.) Where are you going? To Miaoli? (Wherever. Does Master have any more advanced disciples, who can train me to sit still continuously for three hours? Otherwise, in less than one hour, I’d begin to move around.) I’ve already told you. Just try your best. (Thank You, Master.) When you can’t sit still, try lying down. It’s OK. Not at the group meditation, but when you’re at home. Sometimes if you can meditate more stably lying down, then just lie down. Or sit on a chair. Make yourself comfortable. Sometimes when we grow old, our body feels less comfortable. Or play my music in the background when you meditate. Leave it like that. (Yes. I play it every day.) Is that so. (I play it day and night.) Why do you play it so much? After some time, you get used to playing it. It becomes a habit. Then…
If you’d like to live with fellow initiates, rent a room to them. Or if someone doesn’t have a place to live, share your house with her. Two people meditating together could be more stable. OK? (Can I go to Hsihu?) You ask the head monk there. It depends on your temperament, situation, and your personality, to see if you can live with them. (OK. Thank You, Master.) Don’t ask me now. They’re the ones who live there. If they accept you, you can move in. But if you are bad, and they drive you out, don’t tell me. They don’t have to tell me. They drive out whoever is not good. They join together to drive someone out by themselves.
(Master, I went to mainland China two years ago, but till now I still cannot meditate for enough hours. Sometimes I’d like to meditate, but…) You can’t meditate after going to mainland China? (Yes. It has become like that after coming back.) Oh! “Wonderful.” (But I’ve been to mainland China…) Why did you go to mainland China? (I went with my husband to visit our relatives.) Only visiting relatives. Got it. What has it to do with mainland China? (When I was there, people in the whole house smoked. It was all foul smoke and smell that I could not meditate. Mostly I meditated at midnight, for only about half an hour, less than one hour.) Alright. Nothing special! (But since coming back from there, I don’t hear anything during [inner Heavenly] Sound meditation.) It wouldn’t happen like that. (And I can see only a little Light during [inner Heavenly] Light meditation.) Join the group meditation more often. It’ll be alright. (My dreams were mostly about the Astral World. Sometimes. I don’t know why. Suddenly the dream emerged exactly the same as aired on TV.) Ah, that’s because you are silly. (I don’t like it. I said, “Master, please… take me up to a higher world to learn.”) Silly. It’s not because of mainland China. The problem is with you. You’re too discriminative and you resent others. You block yourself. Each time I take a plane, so many people were smoking, for more than ten hours. “The (inner Heavenly) Sound is gone after I come back!” (It’s the same before going there…) I lost it even when I came back from “small land.” The situation is like that. You’ve got to be more loving. It’s unpleasant of course, but you can’t resent them. You’ve lost your blessed reward yourself, and then blame others. What do “mainland” or “small land” have to do with that?
Are these all new? (Yes.) Yes? Only speaking English? No? Everywhere. I see, I see. That’s why. So, does anybody have a question? Is there any question? (No.) Really, no? Good that there isn’t any. You may ask if you have any question. It’s just that many people don’t really know how to ask. I don’t know if it’s because they’re nervous, or purposely want to attract my attention, or trying to find a chance to chat with me. There are too many people, yet he really can… He just doesn’t care what he is doing. Acting like a child, seeing someone has a diamond, he wants one too, but then he misplaces it or just plays with it. Most Chinese have a lot of good material and they should be able to fare better than those from other countries.
If you have any question about difficulties in spiritual practice that you cannot solve, and which fellow initiates also don’t know, etc., then you can ask me, because it’s a rare opportunity. Asking me directly will make you feel more assured, then it’s correct. But he just blah-blah kept talking, nagging about family business, about husband, wife, and children, whatever, dragging five generations down. They have already transcended to a higher realm, but he dragged them back and disturbed them, also annoying me. This is what makes me very tired. I’m tired not because of liberating you, or because of shouldering your karma, or because of other reasons. No. No, no, no. It’s always these things annoying me.
We ought to have better demeanor. And be good friends. For example, when we like someone and know what he likes, then we should do what he likes, so that we can maintain our friendship longer. We already know what he doesn’t like, and we still desperately do the same every time. Then he would be annoyed to death. Understand? How can you keep that friend? The same also applies to marriage. Right? (Yes.) If we love our wife or husband, we have to quietly do something, think of something. (Cater to his or her preferences.) Understand what he likes, or try our best to do it, make him like us more, make him pleased. When he is happy, we’re also happy. If both of us are like that, then our marriage will be happy and lasting, growing old together. Otherwise, you’ll separate sooner or later.
Similarly, I truly like you Chinese very much, because you’re very faithful and very united, and willingly help me to do a lot of things. It’s not that I don’t like you. You can ask if you really have a question. Some people might encounter difficulties in spiritual practice. Sometimes they don’t understand, then they can ask me. Basic questions like about the Five Holy Names or the Five Worlds or the like, you can ask others, no need to ask me. OK? But if it’s questions about inner realm or vision, that others cannot help you solve, then you can ask. Now I let you ask, and you don’t. When it’s not the time to ask, you randomly… keep nagging.
Photo Caption: Tks GOD! Feeling Lucky To Live Among Bushes and Trees
