(Master, You said at the time of initiation, I mean for all your disciples when they’re initiated, You help them to find God within or the Buddha Nature within. But it was stated in the scripture, in the Bible it’s said that when Jesus was baptized, at the time He saw a [inner Heavenly] Light descend from Heaven, which was like a dove. It seems to be saying something external. Why is Jesus different?) From Heaven inside. (Inside.) Yes, not from the sky outside. Just like when they described the Buddha had seen the Star and then became enlightened. It doesn’t mean we see the Star here and become enlightened. Star inside, from Heaven, but from Heaven within.
Of course, we have to take the Bible literature with an enlightened mind, not literally. There’s no Light descending from Heaven outside, maybe UFO or something. Descending from Heaven just like when you meditate at the time of initiation, you saw (inner Heavenly) Light from Heaven. But at that time nobody else saw it because you saw it inside only. Understand? (Thank You, Master.) Only a small question and you don’t understand. Terrible. Now you got it? (Yes.) Got it. Good.
(Master, my mother is initiated by an Indian Master of... His name is Gurinder Singh, and He does the [inner Heavenly] Light and [inner Heavenly] Sound.) What Singh? (Gurinder Singh is His name.) (He’s the direct disciple of Charan Singh.) Oh, it’s a new Master of Beas? (After Charan Singh. After He passed away.) Is that His name like that? (Yes, yes.) I thought it’s another name. Never mind. And then so what happened now? (She meditates on the [inner Heavenly] Light and [inner Heavenly] Sound. And she wants to meditate with my sister and me. Am I allowed to do so? Since she’s not initiated by You and...) At home? (Yes.) Oh, sure. At home you do what you want. Why not? Does she do the Quan Yin (inner Heavenly Sound meditation) also? (Yes.) OK. No problem. You talk to your Master, she talks to hers.
If anybody is allowed to go to our group meditation, it becomes chaos. You don’t know who is who. Our group members always have some identification card, or something to ensure the purity of the group, not that we are discriminating of any kind. Because we don’t know if the other Gurus’ disciples are obliged to keep the true precepts or the vegan diet or not. Sometimes they don’t. Many Masters teach a little different things, and relaxing. And some masters make the people believe that if they’re initiated by him or her, whatever they do is OK. That’s why some of the groups’ reputations are not very high. And if we allow anyone just to come in like that, it will not be so easy to keep the purity and the spiritual and ethical tradition within our group. That’s the only reason. That’s why we require that if they want to join us why don’t they get initiation as well and take the vow to keep all the pure precepts and vegan and things like that so that we don’t affect each other in a negative way, only in a positive way. So, it’s good for everyone including for that person. (Yes.) OK.
Make sure your mother keeps the precepts, vegan, then it’s OK. Otherwise, I don’t discriminate between each Master. Such Masters, They always try to do good and teach the disciples good things only. But whether He’s strong enough to keep His disciples in line or not is another question. And whether the criteria is strict enough to filter some of the negative people.
You always stay there laughing, and that’s all there is? So I wish you newcomers a very welcome, warm stay, comfortable sleep, progress in meditation and everything else that you want. Good (vegan) food – of course; hospitable treatment – we try. It’s very easy here. No? It’s not bad? Any problems? (No.) (No.) What? (It’s very good, Master.) Very good. OK.
By the way, you don’t have to work if you don’t want to anywhere (in the ashram). If you’re not comfortable, you’re not well, just tell, say, “Please, I’d like to but I’m just not well, so let me rest for a while.” Because sometimes you’re not well and from abroad already, from your country, and you expect to come here and to “drop dead” in your tent just a few days. Yes, yes. And then “resurrect.” “Resurrect” again. (Regenerate.) “Resurrect,” yes. (Resurrect.) Come back alive again. (Yes.) Stop it! You teach me bad English.
So just tell the people in charge of your group, or the people who ask you to work, just tell them. It’s alright. Rest if you can, sleep as normal, meditate as much as you want to improve and benefit from the easy environment and easy conditions, to meditate. It’s like your own retreat. You understand? A little bit of work is OK, doesn’t hurt you. But if you are not well, you let people know. Don’t feel like, “Everybody works, I must too; I must also work.” It is not like that. If you’re physically well, exercise a little, it’s OK. But if you’re not well, that probably might not be good for you. Alright?
Are you going back soon? (Yes, today.) Back to Hong Kong. Any complaints? No. Really? Really? Why are you laughing? What? (Because the last time You asked that question, You said have them written down…) No, no. No. That’s a joke also. But if you have not enough (vegan) food or anything like that, you tell me. And then I’ll tell you to go to the store and buy some. (There’s a lot today.) Not enough? (Yes, a lot.) A lot. OK. Fine. Good, good, good. Better more than enough than not enough. Because here we are in a kind of remote area, remote enough for seclusion. But sometimes the food and supplies, it’s not as convenient as when you are in New York City or LA (Los Angeles) Center. Therefore, if there’s something you really need, you must write it and request it to be bought for you. Like special things or special (vegan) food or medicine. Then we will try to accomplish it.
But if it’s really nothing too necessary then I advise you to just keep your eyes and your mouth shut, except while eating, and then meditate, and enjoy the very short time that you are here. Enjoy whatever you have and whatever you are offered, and then you’ll be very happy. Actually, that kind of surrender and spiritual concentration helps you a lot, instead of diverting attention to trivial matters; we always concentrate and eat like not eating, that’s the Zen style. Eat like not eating; do like not doing. Die like not dying. No, no. Live like not living.
There was a story about a monk, I think it was in America, was an American monk. I can’t remember the name; he has written a book about his experience as a monk in a monastery before. He left now because he studied many other things and he didn’t feel like the Catholic Church has all the answers for him and mankind. That was his opinion. I don’t mean to say anything else. But even then, when he was a monk in that monastery, he abided strictly to the rules of that place. So it’s just like what time to do what, praying, then working in the garden, then time to eat, time to pray and time to sleep again. And any kind of thing, he abided strictly to the rules.
And he always concentrated and he didn’t think or complain and want to change the policy of that order. And when he ate, sometimes he was not used to the food in the monastery. It’s kind of simple food. And sometimes the monks are mostly bachelors and young and don’t know how to cook. So, the food was awful, he must admit. But then later, as he lived there longer, he tried to accommodate himself and then ate without thinking. He ate whatever was put in front of him and that was how he felt more peaceful within his heart.
And then he really had some spiritual elevation even without initiation or a master or anything like that. Perhaps that’s how many secret Catholic or Christian orders, they attained their enlightenment to some degree. So, they have attained some sainthood to some degree by surrendering entirely to God and completely accepting whatever fate brings to them. Therefore, his mind never wondered about whether it was good or bad, whether to change the habit of the monastery, the rules, anything like that. And he really had some very, very good experiences. So, I just mean to tell you that the purity of the heart is very, very important for spiritual practice.
Did you have any spiritual upliftment, by the way? Enlightenment? Did you get some from us? From our group? I mean, our Method? (Oh, absolutely! No doubt!) Oh yeah, really? (Oh, no doubt!) OK. That’s good. (Yes.) Good to hear.
Anything else you want to say? (Just the other thing I remember You always say is, “The more you meditate, then all the answers will come into you when you think about it.” And it’s so true in my case. When I meditate more, and if I need any answer, I just meditate, and it’ll come out – just the answer, just like that.) Yes, yes, very clear. (And so, it’s what You said is true, so progress…) It’s true. It’s true for me, too – very clear answer. Or sometimes new ideas spring up for business, or for improvement of the environment, or for your life, for your family and friends and things like that. Or how to solve a difficult kind of relationship, suddenly it comes. So that is the answer. OK.
So, it’s good to see you. And I hope you really enjoy it and I know you will. Unless you want to make trouble for yourself, then it’s alright. Welcome. Otherwise, try to put down everything; just enjoy. Then you will see how naturally you progress, and you bring a lot of happiness to yourself, and then bring it home later. There’s no doubt. Alright. So, I’ll see you around. I will come out perhaps tomorrow again. And I’ll see you. I might not be able to speak all of the times because I’m not a clock that you can wind up, but I’ll come see you. Look at the eyes… and melt away… in love. “Green Pig!” Anyhow, I think it’s very cute. Very cute. Should we change it to “Red Pig”? (Yes.)
Good night. And you can meditate here for a while if there’s still time. OK, OK. Good, good. And turn the light off. I’ll meditate with you for a while, and then I’ll go. But don’t sneak. If you hear my steps, don’t just sneak out: “Oh, She’s gone, then I can go.” You sit here and meditate if you want or sit down there – up to you. Turn the light off. You can do that – turn the light off behind.
Photo Caption: Age Gracefully with Wisdom and Love
