The Best Inheritance, Part 1 of 2

Welcome to Part 1 of our drama entitled “The Best Inheritance,” written and performed by our Aulacese (Vietnamese) Association members. This is a story about Hiếu, a diligent Quan Yin practitioner, and his family who realize that being initiated into the Quan Yin Method by an enlightened Master is more valuable than any worldly possession.

A long time ago, a father passed away leaving his inheritance to his two sons and instructed them to support and care for each other. “That’s enough! Tomorrow you move out to that thatched hut by the starfruit tree. I will have someone help to move your belongings.” “I don’t have too many things, so I can take care of it myself, dear brother.” “This is strange! The one who hasn’t been born yet and may not even come out alive but is already allotted several acres of land. But the one who is alive and standing right in front of their nose, has nothing...”

“Thank you, my friends, for taking care of the starfruit tree! Thank you so much!” “Everything you take, you must be grateful, not only to humans but to the gods who take care of that. Every fruit you eat, there are some fairies, some angels are responsible for that. They make the harvest big, they do, but sometimes there’s human karma and they cannot help, but otherwise they take care of the fruit that you eat. They take care of the trees. They make the rain. And they make the earth fertile. They tend to the fruit, bless it with love so that you eat it and it benefits not only your body but your mind, your soul, your spirit. That’s why you see fruit has Light. The Light’s not from the fruit itself – from the fairies, from the gods who take care of that tree, from the tree spirits, from the fruit angels, from the fairy of the field. They’re working hard. All of them working hard day and night just for your one meal. You don’t know all that. You must always be grateful.”

Hiếu’s starfruit tree produces more and more fruits as days go by, and its fruits are very fragrant and tasty. In the daytime, Hiếu brings the starfruits and vegetables to the market to trade for staple food. At night, he meditates. “Don't focus on material things. Practice to earn your own merits. Then you'll be healthy and happy as well. The more merits you have, the luckier you will be. However, the greedier you are, the more merits will be deducted from you. Your spiritual points will be deducted. It will be too much of a waste. Nothing in this world is free.”