Everything OK? How is everyone? (Fine.) Again, Happy New Year! Peace to the world. Peace to every household. Peace to all creatures. Do you agree? (Agree.) Everybody has translation equipment already? Do they have enough equipment for translation? Where are the English- speaking people? Is there any? (Yes.) The ones who speak English have translation? (Yes.) Good, good. The Aulacese (Vietnamese) have translation? (Yes.) No, the Aulacese (Vietnamese) who don’t understand English have translation? Do the Aulacese (Vietnamese) have the earphones to listen? (Yes, we do. Yes.) Alright. OK. Sometimes I talk in Vietnamese (Aulacese), [you guys] can’t hear. And the foreigners, the ones who speak something that we don’t know, do you have translation? Or translate to yourself? It would be a little difficult if I speak Chinese. Never mind. You just sit and meditate then.
Welcome to Formosa (Taiwan). Welcome to Hsihu. I’m glad you made it. I’m very happy to see you. During these few days, I will try to see one country at a time, if it’s possible. If it’s possible. Last time I also wanted to see every group of every nation one at a time, but something happened. Something happened, so I could not do it. But this time I hope I can do it. Anything happens just because of the karma of the world, or the karma of some of the people that come to our group, so do not blame anyone. Do not blame anything outside, do not blame any external events or external person or happenings.
Nothing happens outside of the world except the karma of the people and the beings who live on this planet. Understand? Collective karma. The collective karma of the disciples – especially of the disciples – and the collective karma of the world. If any unpleasant situation happens, do not blame outside people or outside groups, or any outside government. All situations, all that happens is due to: firstly, the karma of disciples; and secondly, the collective karma of the world. Understand? OK? So cannot blame others.
I’m going to speak Chinese now, so put on your “magic ears.” Now I am going to speak in Chinese. (OK.) Put on your earphones if you don’t understand Chinese. Maybe one day speak Chinese, one day speak English. Speak one day in Chinese, one day in English. One day in Chinese and the other day in English. OK. Do you have enough food to eat? (Yes.) Is there anyone who did not eat enough? Raise your hand for me to see. Is there any? Anyone who has not eaten enough? Seriously. I am not joking. (Enough.) Everybody has enough food and drink, the basics? (Yes.) OK. Because many people, I worry. Because a lot of people have come, I am afraid the kitchen team… I’m not sure they can provide enough in time. That is why I am asking. Does everyone have enough food? (Enough. Yes.) If not, raise your hand. Anybody who doesn’t have enough food and drink, raise your hand, so I can know and take better care.
Why are you laughing? (Happy.) So you all have enough? Why are you laughing? (There was too much food.) (Enough.) (We had too much.) What did he say? Let one person speak. (Too much food.) Too much food? OK. Too much is better than too little. If too much, we can leave it for later. In case there is someone who comes late or anyone who hadn’t eaten enough, so they can sneakily go there to eat. Or we can wait till the next meal, then add to the new food and eat it. But it will be more difficult if too little. Right? (Yes.) OK. Then I am very pleased. If you have enough to eat, I am very happy. Because you have come from afar. You could not bring much stuff with you. You cannot bring or cook your own food. And then, it is colder in winter. You have to eat enough so as not to get sick, and to stay healthy. We truly have to avoid those unlucky words. Have to eat enough, to stay in good health.
I have told you the story yesterday, but now I can tell you one more time. There was a scholar, he went to the capital to take an exam. He wanted to be the top scholar. He went with a study attendant who carried the books, blankets, sleeping bags, steel cups, and so on. The attendant was petite and young, he was not very skillful, and had never carried so many things. It was a long trip, and there were no taxis. In the old times, all carriages were occupied by the wealthy princess. So they couldn’t get one, and the two of them had to go on foot. The attendant was short, petite, and clumsy. The stuff he was carrying kept falling onto the ground. He then said, “Strange. You…” The attendant talked to the luggage: “Don’t keep falling again, you just fall and fall. You just keep on falling.”
Then the master was very angry and told him, “I am going to the capital to take the exam, and what I dread most are the words ‘falling on the ground’ (sounds like failing the exam). If you keep on saying it, you will bring me bad luck. So, no more saying the words ‘falling on the ground’ again, or words like ‘drop’ or ‘lose.’ No more of those words!” He answered, “Yeah, got it, master. I get it, I am sorry.” Then he started carrying all the luggage again. But it still kept falling off. He figured out a way. He used a long rope. He bought a rope to tie all the stuff together, everything circled together. And then tied the whole bundle to his shoulder and waist. After finishing the bundling, very tightly, he said, “Ha! Ha! Ha!” He was talking to the luggage. The attendant told the luggage, “Now that I have tied you so tightly, even when you are in the capital you cannot be tied up. You cannot be ‘tied up’ (play on words meaning get on the list of successful candidates).” Understand? Because he had to avoid using the words “falling onto the ground.” He could only say luckier words. Understand or not? (Understand.) Can’t tie it up even after reaching the capital. And also cannot “get on the list of successful candidates,” understand? (Yes.)
Can the foreigners understand? OK. Never mind. It is not bad for us spiritual practitioners to have a laugh now and then. No? Being in a good mood does no harm. Should I say it in English or something? The English-speaking people understand the joke? Good translation? So quiet. Means don’t understand.
This is actually an Aulacese (Vietnamese) joke. It goes like this in Aulacese (Vietnamese): So the teacher took the pupil to the capital to attend a national exam [for himself]. The pupil was still young, and until that time did not carry so much luggage like that. Many things, such as sleeping bags, and steel cups. What do we call it in Aulacese (Vietnamese)? (A stainless-steel cup.) Steel cup. OK. Steel cups, sleeping bags, then the seats for meditation, pillows for meditation, all kinds of things. “Immediate Enlightenment” book, and then a bunch of notebooks, pens and papers for taking the exam. Wait a minute, this one is new. So fast. OK.
The pupil was still young but had to carry too many heavy things, so he kept dropping those things on the ground. Those things kept falling on the ground all the time. The young attendant was so mad, he cursed at those things, saying, “I carry you and almost die because you are too heavy! You intentionally keep falling back and forth, falling up and down all the time.” The teacher also got mad and said, “When people are going to take an exam, the word that they are afraid of the most is ‘fall’ (fail). But you keep saying that word all the time! From now on, don’t say the word ‘falling’ (failing) anymore, OK?” So the pupil said, “Yes, yes. Dear teacher, I won’t say that again. From now on, I won’t say ‘fall’ but will say ‘pass’ all the time.”
OK then. After walking for a while, the things fell again, the pupil picked them up and did not dare to say anything. He used a string to tie them up, connect all of them together, and then tie them on his shoulder, around his waist, almost everywhere on his body. He tied them everywhere, and pulled the string tightly. Then the pupil said to the luggage, “OK, now I am tying you tightly like this. I tied you so tightly like this, so even when you arrive in the capital, you won’t ‘pass’ anyway!” He didn’t dare to say ‘fall’, but ‘pass’. What is the English word for “đậu”? (Pass.) (Pass exam.) Pass exam. I know, but that word (pass) is not the same [as “đậu”]. Is there any other word? (Succeed.) What? (Succeed.) Succeed. Yeah, maybe. OK. OK. But it’s not as funny. OK. Maybe. A little bit forced, but it’s OK.
Photo Caption: The Appearance Is Not Always Real It Might B the Reflection of Something Else!
