So, that’s it. I don’t know what else to tell you today. Except that I thank you for your effort these two days helping with the fire victims and also helping the flood victims before. In the future, we should keep like that. Whenever we can and if our financial status allows, we will help them also financially, but at least physically, spiritually. Always in sympathy with the people who are in need.
But the problem is not only to put out the fire. There are so many problems. For example, cigarette butts that the people who smoke on the highway or in the car and then they just throw the cigarette out forgetting to put it out before they throw [it out]. So, in Hong Kong also, many forests, many mountains, trees have been burnt because of cigarette butts. And incidentally, people told me also because of Coca-Cola and 7-Up or Sprite kind of cans. They’re a little bit round-bottomed. And it reflects the Sun, they told me. And then the heat collects there and there’s some dry grass and then they just burn. I don’t know if it’s true. People in Hong Kong told me like that. So, we can hardly win.
And then now they say they blame it on the homeless, the wandering people who warmed themselves and started the fire. But it could be anything. And it could be all karma. But also, there are many things we can prevent, like the houses. Most of the houses in California are made with wood. It’s good for earthquake but it’s not good for fire. So, what can we do? And if you want a more solid material, it’s more expensive, you can’t afford it, or it’s too heavy. You have to have a special order and things like that. So, you can never win. And if all the homeless people are rounded up in one place and given shelters and food, but the cigarettes are still there and maybe Coca-Cola or Sprite or any cans, any kind of cans, that shine and collect the sun with their round shape that could cause fire also.
And sometimes the woods, they themselves are the cause of fire. They massage each other, rub each other for a long time and then that, I heard, also causes fire. Is it correct or not? (Yes.) Am I not scientific enough? It’s truly like that? (True.) OK. Yes, yes. So, we never win. So, the causes of disasters are not only the homeless. But even the “home-full” also are responsible. They have homes, and they have more money, and they smoke. And then they throw it somewhere where they don’t have to, where they shouldn’t throw. Sometimes people forget, they don’t do it on purpose.
But people in our society nowadays are driving a car with one hand, one cigarette over there. Like that. “Hey, hallo man, how’re you doing?” And then talking on the telephone, and then scolding, next moment, “What you doing? You’re driving like crazy! You hit me; you kill me! Get lost!” And then, “Oh, honey, honey, I’m coming home soon, home for dinner. Is it OK?” Like that. And then sometimes they just ‘puff’ the cigarette out and they forget. Like a habit.
So, we can never be sure how to protect ourselves from this world. So now, the most protection we can get is from where? Yeah, from ourselves, from God. That’s the most permanent. Because at least we know. We know that we have something else besides all this material possession. And then sooner or later, we will return to that where we have everything, have the whole Kingdom. So, even, at least, if we encounter any misfortune, we are secured. We don’t go berserk. We don’t go into shock or mental problems or things like that. So, at least even that, the society has less burden from people like you. (Yes.) You’re capable mentally to stand up and grow again.
But I’m glad to inform you that I think none of our disciples, who live in that area, had any problem. I mean, no houses burned, right? Or was there any? (No.) No. OK. Because many of our people live in that area, Santa Ana and all that. So, it’s good for you. So, you have to help those who are in need. Otherwise, it would be you that we have to bring food, toys, and blankets to your house. So, we spare that, then we give it to others. Now, if we have a very simple life, it’s easier to help people and to help ourselves. And also, we have security from our spiritual practice. So, we never fear. Very seldom we fear.
I fear sometimes when I go into that tube for medical exam. It looks like a tunnel, like a coffin. Like the tunnel before you go back to this world, like the tunnel that separates this world and the other world, the life-and-death tunnel. Well, it looks like that and long tube like that and it’s very, very low. And when you look, it’s right in front of your nose. You feel closed in. But then I made it, I made it. After the third time, I said “That’s it. I’m going to lie here.” And it was done. It’s OK to have fear. Because it’s a habit. And sometimes you collect the fear feeling from the atmosphere also, it’s not necessarily yourselves.
Sometimes, because we are practicing and we become more sensitive, so, we collect it from other people to share with them the difficulty, the fear, or the feeling of that place or at that moment. But that’s what we are there for. But nevertheless, our fears are not the real fear. And we can conquer it. That’s the difference. And we know how to do it. We know how to conquer it. It’s not that the fear will disappear completely. Because we still have other brothers and sisters who are not yet fearless and we are also sometimes influenced by them, not by choice. But because we are made like that so that we help in cleaning the planet.
Every Quan Yin practitioner shares the responsibility of cleaning the planet in some degree or another. Therefore, when you’re sitting here meditating together in a group, it’s not that you do it for yourselves or your five-generation liberation or for America or for your family alone – it’s for the whole planet. And the more people do that, the better. Unfortunately, not everyone realizes that and their level is only up to thinking of the immediate benefits. Therefore, sometimes it’s difficult for them to join us in this noble task force. Like vegan, “Ah, it’s too difficult.” “What? No sexual misconduct? And how about my third girlfriend?” For example like that. “Oh, I even can’t smoke cigarette? Oh, my God. And then what to do with the forest? They grow too fast.”
And sometimes some people ask me, one of the journalists asked me, “Are You always helping other people? And You never help Âu Lạc (Vietnam). You were born in Âu Lạc (Vietnam). What did You do for Âu Lạc (Vietnam?)” Just asked me like that. Well, I said, “What I did I don’t have to report to you. And what I have not done yet, I don’t have to tell now. It’s too early.” Something like that. But after all, I have helped Âu Lạc (Vietnam), because Âu Lạc (Vietnam) is one of the countries in the world. I helped the world. I don’t help any particular country.
And there are many kinds of help: directly, indirectly; long term, short term. We have to see it with the Wisdom Eye. Whatever we give out, is never lost. It will return in a circle. And because I was born in Âu Lạc (Vietnam) that gives the Aulacese (Vietnamese) people affinity with the Spirit, spiritual path. So, whatever I do automatically will affect Âu Lạc (Vietnam) also. (Yes.) But it doesn’t work overnight. The karma is thousands, millions of years old. And one Buddha, even a hundred Buddhas can’t do much if the people are not awakened themselves, right? (Right.) Yes. We can only help in smoothing it out, uplifting it for a while until they slowly, slowly get ready for the next Buddha to come. And then they’re OK.
And the helping is not material only. People tend to concentrate on material. So, they just keep asking me, “You give millions to the Philippines. And now You donate one million for America. For Âu Lạc (Vietnam), You don’t do anything.” I said, “I did.” I don’t want to report but then she pressed, that’s why I said, “We have done something. Also, materially, we sent money to Âu Lạc (Vietnam) when they had flood problems.” But we don’t want to always do that. Because we don’t want Âu Lạc (Vietnam) to always have floods. Besides, it’s not easy to send money in Âu Lạc (Vietnam). You know. (Right. Yes.)
We risked our lives even. Our disciples went there and nearly risked their lives just to help people. And even sometimes the money didn’t go to the people’s hands. We risked all that and we got a lot of trouble for nothing sometimes. So, it’s not that we don’t care. It’s hard to care sometimes. But that’s the karma, so we have to be patient and wait until one day the karma is over and that we can help. We can’t force the issue. We can’t step over the Lord of Karma’s head and then do what we want because it’s not good for the people.
Just like in the family, our big world here is like a family. And there are some parents who watch over us, like the children. So, now whoever is nice and quiet and good, they will be rewarded. So that they’ll develop more and make a shining example for the other ones to follow. And the children who are naughty, repeatedly naughty, then the parents have to do something, like spanking or no ice-cream for one week, for example like that. And then the children will learn to behave better. So now, the Lord of Karma is like our parent, who is representing the Almighty, the highest Almighty to take care of the children here. So, He has to do His job.
Now, because people don’t remember the karma of the past life, so, they sometimes blame God and say, “I’m doing good this life. I’m not doing anything, and You still burn my house.” They forgot just 30 years ago, before they were born, what did they do, or where they have been, something like that. It’s very easy to forget what we had done last year, never mind last life or many lives. So, when you practice for enlightenment in the spiritual way, you have to know: We do it with no condition. Even if we follow the Quan Yin Method, we practice the highest way, we still have to accept some minor or sometimes even major problems or disasters that come to us. But luckily, there are fewer than ordinary people who don’t practice.
Photo Caption: This World and Other Worlds Are Actually in the Same Sphere
