(Originally in English and Thai)
December 23, 1994
During this live interview, the host of the program revealed her inner true feelings. With sincerity, she cordially invited Master to stay in Thailand permanently. Master felt deeply touched by the piousness and love of the Thai people. Before leaving Thailand, Master was most reluctant to part.
Q: Hello. (M: Hello.) Yes, it's nice to have You on the radio program, on Radio Five. We have Dr. Mano Kuratana as a translator. We'll ask the questions in Thai and Dr. Mano will translate them into English.
M: Khob Khun Kah (Master says 'thank you', in Thai), thank you.
Q: The first question - when did You start to be interested in seeking the
dharma or the real Truth?
M: I do not really remember when, but it must begin since the childhood, in
childhood.
Q: How long did it take You to attain the real Truth, from the beginning when you first started to seek the real Truth? M: Oh, there is also not exact number of years. But I guess it's kind of building up after many years, since you begin to ask yourself the first questions. Where do I come from and why I am here, and things like that. So it takes perhaps, for some persons perhaps takes a life time, but I don't know exactly when and how long. It just intensified more in the thirties of my age. In the years after the 28th to 30, something like that, it intensified and then it bore fruit at that time.
Q: Attaining the real Truth, is that a miracle or how does one know that he
has attained that level?
M: Actually, it's very difficult to explain in the human language, and in
fact there is no such thing as a degree or an examination that You could say
that I have a paper or something to prove it. It is something within that
is awakened, and then makes you know many things, makes you know that you
really understand the self nature of human beings, you really understand the
real person behind each, every being in this universe.
Q: Before you reached the real Truth, did You have a lot of obstacles and
hindrances?
M: Yes, but at that time I did not always know that these are the obstacles,
because in this life, every of us also experience hardship and difficulties
at one time or another. So I just took it as it belonged to life. So it
didn't really matter much, I just continued with my search.
Q: There are a lot of methods in this world, why did You choose or accept
the Quan Yin Method as your practice?
M: Yes, I have also practiced many different methods before I realized this
Quan Yin Method is the one which offers you the quickest and the highest
level of self-realization. That's why I announce it to whoever would like
to share the fortune, like I did.
Q: She would like You to explain the composition and the real principal of
this method?
M: Okay, actually there is no written method, but there is a so-called
method, because at the time of initiation, the so-called teacher or friend,
can help the people interested to know the Truth, open their own inner power
to recognize their own Buddha nature. And this method is not a verbal one,
it will be transmitted in silence. But then when it is done, the interested
seeker will have realized a part of their enlightenment. For example we see
brilliant Buddha's light or can hear some teaching directly from the Buddha,
can see the self Buddha nature. Of course there are some helping factors,
such as a guide or the teacher will tell the disciple how to sit and how to
relax and where to pay attention to, but all these amount to nothing if
there is no power behind the method.
Q: Because it cannot be transmitted by words, how do You transmit it? M: First, the teacher must realize his own true self and then it will be done automatically in a different level of existence, in a different level of consciousness. It means the consciousness of the teacher and the disciple will be connected, and then something is done which we cannot explain in the verbal language. For example we cannot explain the love between a couple or love between a mother and a child, but nevertheless it exists and both of them understand.
Q: Where is the wisdom eye and how do You open it? M: All these are very abstract matters, but I try very hard, I will try to explain in our ordinary language, and I hope I can make it clear. The wisdom eye is not exactly an eye; just because after it's open we can see many things in the universe, and we can see the Truth without having to rely on language and any sutras or scriptures or any teaching. And there is a center of connection between ourself and the power of the universe. It's located in the middle of our mind. But it is not really physical, and from there if we look through to in front of our forehead, in the middle of our forehead, it's around, just about one inch in the middle of our forehead and above the eyebrows, then you will see the true nature of the universe. And in the modern time we can liken the opening of the wisdom eye to some kind of like a electromagnetic, electronic device. You know, you can even open a television from afar or close the light from afar without even touching. It's kind of you don't even see anybody touch the button, sometimes you just walk into the door and the door opens, and some other things, like you have to use manual wise, you see? So the opening of the wisdom eye is more or less very abstract, and it can be likened to electromagnetic things, electronic things and no handling of physical matter. That's why the teacher doesn't have to be physically present where the student is; can do it from thousands, millions of miles away, and it happens, it still works all the same. It's even faster and more efficient than electronic or remote control because the remote is limitless.
Q: Would You like everyone in this world to practice the Quan Yin Method,
and why?
M: Only because we suffer so much. If the people are happy with their life
and they don't suffer, and they keep the kind of, for example Buddhist
precepts or the Christian precepts - like we don't kill, we don't tell lies,
we don't harm other people, we don't gamble, we don't take drink and drugs,
things like that - then it's not very much necessary for everyone to
practice. But because people mostly very suffer, even if they are rich and
highly positioned they still suffer, therefore, if each one of us in the
world can practice Quan Yin Method, of course it's better for them. Because
the people who practice Quan Yin Method have such an inner happiness that
money or position can never equal, can never exchange for it; and it is
lasting, nothing can change it.
Q: If one attains the highest level after practicing the Quan Yin Method, what would it be like, and have any of Your disciples attained that? M: If one attains the highest level in Quan Yin practice, then one becomes like Bodhisattva Avolakitesvara, you know, Quan Yin Bodhisattva, who can hear everything, can see everything, and can help people in different corners of the universe, without having to be near them or without having to know their names or person. And this is of course the goal of every follower of different religions, to become omnipresent, to become a source of blessing for all the suffering beings. And some of our disciples have attained near this kind of level, but they are very humble. You will not be able to discern them. It's just sometimes other disciples can tell, or during meditation then you can see, who is which level.
Q: She would like to ask You about the concept of the cycle of birth and
death. She is wondering if after we die is there nothing or do we have to
be reborn again?
M: There is definitely not nothing, but whether we are reborn again or not,
it depends on what we do in this life, whether we have realized our true
self or not yet. If we realized our true self, then there is no more
rebirth, unless we choose to be reborn again for the sake of other people.
Q: What is the reason behind not eating eggs and we can drink milk? M: We can drink milk, yes we could, no problem about milk because we don't have to kill the animal for milk. About the egg, even if it's not fertilized egg, it still contains a kind of symbol of life and death, born and reborn, and also the egg has the potential of attracting the negative energy. Perhaps you would read or know or heard that many of the magicians, they use the eggs to attract the negative entities from some of the possessed persons. Therefore we do not like to attract the negative force into ourselves, because now we try to reach the positive nature.
Q: When we open our wisdom eye, how do we use that wisdom in our daily lives? What is the advantage of opening the wisdom eye? M: Of course when we have realized our wisdom again, then of course we can use it for every aspect of our life. For example we become more loving, we become more tolerant, we become more wise in our daily work, as well as the dealing with all the difficulties in life. And such a person will be a great help to family, himself and his company, his nation as well as this world. A wise and virtuous, at the same time, person is always useful everywhere.
Q: There are a lot of people in Thailand who are Chinese, and they have a tradition of offering food to their ancestors or the spirits. Usually they offer a pig's head or duck or chicken, which are animal meat. Should they change their offering into vegetable or into fruit? M: Of course that would be better for their ancestors.
Q: Do they have to change?
M: No, they don't have to. Of course, we should not force our opinion upon
other people. They have to do what they want. It is just because you asked
me. Most of the people are Buddhist, even the Chinese most of them are
Buddhist. Then if they read the Earth Store Bodhisattva Scripture, then
inside that Buddhist scripture, it is stated clearly that, at the death of
any person, or at the birth of any person there should not be any killing
of the animal, otherwise the merit of the dead person will be lessened, and
the life of the mother and child at the birth would be lessened in merit;
it would be more difficult for them. It would be always better to be
offering in vegetarian food. Even after they die, if they want to be
filial, they should offer always vegetarian; it's better for the soul of the
departed. It is stated in the scripture of Buddhist. It is called Earth
Store Bodhisattva Scripture. If they want they can read it again. It is
stated that if a person just died and the relatives kill chickens or pigs,
something like that, to make offering for them, and if that person is
suppose to go to heaven that will delay their going to heaven, and if that
person has already heavy karmic debt, you know, did bad things in life, that
will even have more punishment on him, and then the dead person, because of
the killing from the relatives, for him, for his sake, must go to deeper
hell or lower existence, more suffering existence.
Q: We have heard that You have studied a lot of religions in this world. What religions do You use most in principal? M: I think I use more of Buddhist scriptures, because I travel a lot in Asian countries and most people are more familiar with Buddhism. But when I am in the west, I would use perhaps the Christian or something like that in order for them to understand.
Q: How many disciples do You have now and in which country do You have the
most disciples?
M: I think, we can not count in number, but You can say, maybe over hundred
thousand or maybe million of them, and many of them are in Formosa, because
I stayed there many years, a long time.
Q: If someone has taken the initiation already and after that they cannot
practice or do what they have promised, is it a big sin and can they quit
being a practitioner?
M: Sure they can, anytime. It's difficult to be a disciple but it's easy
to quit. It's just that they stopped at that level they attained, and do
not progress if they don't sincerely want to achieve a higher level, and if
of course they committed sin, then they also would be handled like everyone
else.
Q: We would like to know the story about "Ching Hai Day" on October 25th. Where does it come from and are there any activities on that day? M: Because we have helped a lot of the American people, when they have disaster, the flood disaster, and in different other areas like AIDS or cancer or homeless persons or children, things like that, so the American government decided to give me some award and also they named, actually two times. One is October 25th by the state of Hawaii and another is the 22nd of February by six other states in the midwest. But I think the disciple just choose the first day like 25th of October and they celebrate like that each year. They want to celebrate each year like that in different parts of the world.
Q: Is it Ching Hai Day all over the world? M: For our disciples and probably for some of the victims, yes, but not for everyone. Maybe after I die, yes. (Master laughs)
Q: Can You remember the past life, and can You tell the future? M: Ah, sometimes, if necessary yes, but we don't always spend our time dwelling in the past, nor that it's necessary always to have to predict the future, because whatever come will come. A practitioner does not worry about the past and also does not worry about the future.
Q: They have heard that You have been to Thailand before, twice, and this is the third time. The first two times, there wasn't much news or advertisement, but this time there is a lot of advertisement. After You have given a lecture, is there a lot of result that You are satisfied? M: Both times were very satisfactorily, with or without advertisement, both times were packed, the lecture always packed with people; some people had no seats and they had to go home. It just happened that this time because the press decided to honor me, which I don't deserve, so many people know. But I think the Thai people are very hospitable and nice, so if I refuse it would hurt them, their feelings, so I just accept and represent all of the good people in the world, to accept.
Q: What activities do You do in your daily life? M: Oh, many things, I answer questions of the disciples, of people, of guests sometimes, and I reply letters, and I sometimes check the books that the disciples have transcribed from tapes, so in order to produce. Sometimes I designed clothing to, for beautifying the world, or design jewelry, or sometimes I paint, or sometimes I do some other artificial designs. And sometimes I go swimming, if I don't feel well. And sometimes, apart from meditation, I receive guests of honor, like the statesmen from governments and other people of high position like that, or I visit them and accept their questions for advice or exchanging some view of humanitarian ground, things like that, or helping the poor people, or going to see the disaster places in order to see what we can do for them or trying to get some finances for them or things like that.
Q: If we wanted You to stay in Thailand permanently, would You accept? And
the last thing we would like You to do is to say something to bless us, all
the Thai people, please.
M: Oh, I am very touched at the invitation, but I am not a free person. I
do whatever the universal plan assigns me to do and go wherever I am asked
to go. For the present I have about thirty countries on the waiting list,
which I have not yet answered. I love Thailand the most; that everyone
knows is my favorite country, and I of course, I would like to spend a lot
of time here, but I don't think I can promise to stay permanently. But
nevertheless, I am very touched with all my heart at the loving kindness of
the Thai people, and especially just now the invitation from the speaker.
I thank her very much.
Q: Finally we have to say thank You very much. It has been my great honor to have had You here on my program. Thank You very much again. M: It's our honor, Buddha bless you and your country.
Q: Thank You very much.