He (monk) had no shoes on and walked barefoot on the roads in India during the scorching summer. If you don’t wear shoes, the ground would burn your feet, and your feet would get blisters… lots of them! I know – I’ve been there. Once I visited Bodh Gaya, the place where Shakyamuni Buddha attained Buddhahood. Wow! I was too foolish. It was April. Even Indian people can’t bear the heat in April, while I had just come from a Western country, weak and small, and had just fallen ill. Oh, I walked… Do you know how I walked? Have you seen how turtle(-people) walk? Or how snail(-people) walk? Let me show you. Even slower than that. Without any energy. Why? I didn’t know why my feet were that heavy, and my body seemed so stiff that I couldn’t control it. It was like an old ox(-person) pulling a cart. Truly, at that time I felt like my body was not mine. I felt like an ox(-person), or a cart, I was an ox(-person) pulling a cart. Oh, I could not move it at all!
Have you had that kind of experience? Sometimes when we’re sick or when the wind blows strongly, you can’t move your steps. It’s exactly like that. Oh, really unbearable. Because it’s very hot in summer. As for that man, a spiritual practitioner, he walked just like that in summer, without wearing shoes. And on rainy days, he got soaked. When the wind was freezing, he was still there. He had one set of clothes, with a robe that he would put on as a cloak. Whether it was cold or hot, he wore the same. In the end, he attained enlightenment, of course. He’d been like that for many days, many years. Then he attained enlightenment, which is also nice. He had written it in his diary, but I’m not going to give any comment. I’m just telling his story. I certainly have my own point of view.
OK. And now, don’t think that I go to the mountain to practice asceticism. No. That’s why when brother sometimes came to the mountain, he saw me also leading a normal life. Sometimes they came while I was eating, then I also chatted with them. Sometimes I cooked some (non-alcoholic) wine for them to drink. (Vegan [non-alcoholic] wine.) That is vegan (non-alcoholic) wine, not real wine! Just a kind of juice. Juice mixed with many spices. Very, very fragrant. I can’t cook that for you to drink. My beverage is not for thousands of people. It’s for sipping from a small glass. But I’m not going to tell you the recipe. You’ll be addicted to it once you drink it and then won’t practice spiritually. It can’t be passed on. Too dangerous. I can drink it as I want, and stop as I want. You can’t stop. Even with those normal drinks, you’d still become addicted, not to mention something so wonderful. Sometimes when I’m tired after meditation, I’ll take a walk and go swimming. Jump in the water… jump into the river or drop into the river? When I was angry at people, I jumped into the river every day. Jump into the river or drop? Jump? (Jump into the river.) Oh, jumped into the river, and then went ashore and cooked something to give them a treat.
Brother laughed at me, “Hehe, Master, whatever You do, it’s always different from others.” I asked, “How different?” He said that when other people enter a retreat, they’d first make a serious vow. When they want to exit from the retreat, people will come to worship them and welcome them to come out. Also, some people will be on guard outside, with someone acting as protector inside. There are a lot of things. They just meditate all day long, without opening their eyes. “Why is Your retreat so different?” You see, he meant that I was not serious. I said, “If I can escape from worldly people, I’m already in a retreat.” “Being able to avoid the madding crowd is already a retreat for me. Stop talking that nonsense.” Yes? (Yes.) For a person who has to receive many people all the time, reply to so many letters all the time, and always deal with a lot of things, to be able to be alone in peace and quiet is something precious to Her. It is enough to be a retreat. What kind of retreat can we ask for? But I told him that I am a very serious practitioner in retreat. Yeah, constantly immersed in the Tao. It’s not closing the eyes all the time. (Yes.) Oh, it’s too hot. Do you agree? (Agree.)
Since brother spoke about these things, I also gave it a thought. I have also read that book. Seeing such a serious spiritual practitioner made me feel very embarrassed. I also crossed my legs and meditated, but the result remained the same. There was no difference. It’s the same whether I lay down, when I stood up, or when I sat. It’s still the same when I close my eyes or open my eyes. What is there that isn’t God? God is always here. That’s why sometimes we say, sometimes we say, the sky is cloudy today, the sky is overcast today, the sky is sunny today. The sky is raining, and… (The sky is sunny.) Some kinds of sky. (Sunny sky.) Yes. The weather is bad, or the weather is good, good weather or bad weather. It’s all “sky” (Heaven)! (Yes.) Then why is our destiny not also decided by Heaven? It’s also decided in Heaven. Just that we have forgotten.
OK. When we practice to a certain degree, our Real Self will wake up, who never forgets. It doesn’t matter that our mind forgets! We don’t have this mind at all. What’s there to talk about? We’re not the mind. Let’s see what the mind is? Only heaps of habits. Only heaps of prejudices. A lot of things collected from the outside world, the so-called materials only. We’re not this mind! We’re not this person! Understand what I mean? (Understand.) Otherwise, when we sleep, there’s nothing at all, not even the world. Yet we still exist. Or else who’s the one sleeping? Therefore, the one who sleeps is already enlightened. He’s enlightened even when he sleeps, and he exists even when he dies. Otherwise, who’s the one who says, “I’m leaving”? Doesn’t a dying person say “Goodbye”? Or say “Farewell”? “I’m leaving.” Or “I’m leaving soon.” Everyone comes quickly to listen to his last words, perhaps a few verses. Who’s the one who is leaving? That means he exists, he is here now, and he is going to another place.
That “person” doesn’t have to renounce his home, doesn’t have to meditate, doesn’t have to keep precepts or anything. He exists forever. It’s just that we don’t recognize him because we only know our mind, know our so-called habits and prejudices. We always want to satisfy the needs of our mind. For example, it often sees the ads from the broadcasting station I talked about just now. After it keeps seeing the ad, you will also go out to get the chocolate home and “ga-ga-ga-ga,” chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp on it, right? Likewise, life after life we’ve seen others doing things and then we also want to try. We try and feel, “Hmm, not bad,” and then try again. While trying, we, by the way, encounter other things, thinking, “Hmm, not bad either.” And then we want to try again. All day long we collect new materials and new experiences, and then forget our Self. That’s all. When we die, if we haven’t been completely satisfied with what we’ve been curious about and want to experience, we still have to come back, which is so-called transmigration.
For trivial things like having meals and sleeping, we can safely satisfy them, which won’t cause our transmigration. But some very serious habits, very serious ones that you cannot control will make you transmigrate again. Such as gambling and smoking, inhaling (Drugs.) something like morphine. Or very heavy lust, which can be satisfied only by coming back. Because these influences are rather deep. So, those who are addicted, or those with a very serious gambling habit can’t escape coming back. Do you know that? They know that they are bad. They are willing to sell their wife and kids. Yes or no? (Yes.) Because these influences are at the Asura level, it affects up to the level of Bodhi, the Second World, that’s why it’s very deep, very deep. Eating and sleeping don’t have such lasting influences. Because when it comes to eating material things, you eat and then the body digests and then excretes it. Everyone knows how to find food to eat, which can be fulfilled at any time. There is nothing difficult about satisfying the stomach. But not with finding a good and beautiful woman to your liking, who can satisfy your lust and give you marital harmony. Or with gambling, that you can gamble every day without losing, or going bankrupt. Or you can take drugs every day without ruining your body and getting addicted. All these are very difficult. These things are not so easy to get. Therefore, you are never satisfied, and must transmigrate again and again. (Understand.) That’s why we must avoid those things as much as we can. Otherwise, it’s impossible to satisfy ourselves.
Enjoying worldly pleasures is very easy. No one cares about those things. When people are dying, no one craves for food anymore, because they’ve been content with eating every day. We eat whenever we are hungry. No problem. We can eat all kinds of things to satisfy our body. But when it comes to lust, it’s not every time you can bump into the right person. Or gambling, which I’ve told you. Gambling every day and yet not losing money, that is very difficult. That’s why they are never happy. Not being able to feel contented and happy is troublesome. The more we are not contented, the more we find opportunities to satisfy it. And the more we try to find opportunities to satisfy it, the more we’re nervous, anxious, and seek outside, and the more we forget our Real Self inside. That’s why those things are the biggest obstacles for us to find our Original Self. That’s all. Therefore, it’s best to avoid it. (Yes.)
Because if we always learn those low-level things, when will we have time to learn high-level things? We’ve learned all those low-level things life after life. We have all learned and seen them all the time. We’re just looking for opportunities to climb up. That’s why the higher we climb, the better. The more we think of the noble things, the better, because it’s something very difficult to get. Every day we see these low-level things that we all know. Everyone around can see them, and we can find them any time. What is so rare that we should indulge in it? That’s what it means.
I’m not saying who is good and who is bad, what is simple and pure and what is dirty. Just that I see things differently. But I still must advise you to avoid playing with those things. For example, a doctor will tell you, “Ah, morphine is not good.” Or there are some drugs which you can’t buy without a doctor’s prescription. You cannot sell them to others just like that. But the doctor can use them any time, no need for anyone’s approval. He can allow others or himself to use them, depending on situations. He can use poisons to save people. (Understand.) We’re still not doctors, we can’t use those things. We don’t use them. (Yes.)
In the same sense, if you tell me, “Everyone is a Buddha. No need to keep the precepts.” I’d advise you to still keep the precepts. It’s so simple. For example, we adults sometimes also take medicines or eat something, but on the package, it says, “Keep out of reach of children.” It’s written on the package, “Keep out of reach of children.” “Keep out of reach of children.” Yes, yes. It’s not because we’re selfish that we eat it ourselves and don’t let children eat it. The child would say, “Mom, Dad, why do you eat this every day and do not let me eat it?” What for should he eat it? Children still must drink their vegan milk, eat nutritious and simple (vegan) food that is not too spicy, not too salty or too sweet, etc. Because he’s still a small child. After he grows up, it’s another matter.
Therefore, sometimes we cannot say, “Why is it like this? Why is it like that?” or “Why is Master like this? Why is Master like that? Why am I like this?” I am I; Master is Master. For example, if I’m bad, I keep my hair long and I’m very bad. That is my own business. I will incur karma. While you keep yourselves clean and receive blessing, then it’s good enough. Later you come back to save me. Isn’t that very good? For so many of you to save one person is easy. If I am good alone, and all of you are bad, then it’s very difficult. Understand what I mean? (Understand.) Therefore, we don’t mind others’ business; we don’t look at others, not to mention looking at me. Just looking at my eyes is enough. Don’t look at other things. You look at yourself. Check how much you’ve progressed. Check how long and how much you can adhere to this Tao. Then it’s good, it’s better. This way you can avoid giving me headache and making trouble for everyone else. Every day you should check yourself.
But a sincere heart is more important than any asceticism, etiquette, or offering. A sincere heart is enough. Even if you make mistakes sometimes, it’s nothing. A sincere heart is most important. But don’t do that after hearing me say so, and then… I know that you’re all good at finding excuses, and that’s why I have to correct you immediately. Don’t make excuses to eat (animal-people) meat at home, thinking, “Master said that it’s enough to have a sincere heart.” Who knows if you have a sincere heart or not? How big is your heart of sincerity? How big? Can you take it out to show me? I’m speaking about things in general, not telling you to do bad things. (Understand.) That’s how it is. Why is practicing asceticism not very effective? And keeping the precepts is not very effective either? These are essentials, but not the most important. Because, as I’ve just said… Ah, do you still have to go home? (We want to see Master.) Is there any car waiting for you? (No.) (No hurry.) If yes, you can also slip away quietly.
It’s like this. Because just now I… The brother said that my way of doing things is unlike all others. Then… what else? A lot of things. Then I read from the book about that ascetic spiritual practitioner, who ignored the rain and the hot weather, ignored everything. He’s very carefree, really practicing asceticism. I’ve never practiced so hard. What to do? Then I gave it a thought, then another thought. Ah! After thinking, I realized. It’s nothing. Really, when we get it, we just get it. I’ve seen many people who haven’t practiced the same asceticism as him, yet have attained higher levels of enlightenment than him. I won’t tell who they are. I just know it and make comparisons. The same with our fellow practitioners. There are ordinary people who have wives or husbands, also enjoying worldly pleasures very conveniently. Yet they have Light, their own (inner Heavenly) Light. Don’t think that I alone have Light. Many of our fellow practitioners have (inner Heavenly) Light, including lay people or monks and nuns. Do you see it? (Yes.) Yes. You can see that especially during the 7-day retreat. Normally not that much. But some people whom I sent out or those who are talking about me will shine a little. More or less. It’s not important because we don’t measure it. Don’t measure it so clearly. It doesn’t matter how much Light you shine. If you shine, it’s good enough. Better than nothing. A firefly also has light, and it’s also very happy.
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