Supreme Ching Hai's search for an enlightened Master, who could show Her the most direct path to God, took Her through over thirty countries during a period of some seven trying years. She visited numerous important spiritual sites and ashrams, always hoping to find the Master she perhaps intuitively realized was waiting for her.

She eventually arrived in India, a land that has been graced with many great Masters over the centuries. In discussing Her travels in this mystical land, The Supreme Master Ching Hai commented that, "There are many spiritual practitioners in India who eat only one meal each day. They practice a number of methods rather than a selected one. Without a permanent home, they go everywhere on foot, searching for Masters and paths. They meditate every day, never forgetting to practice even for a minute during meals or sleep. They do not meditate briefly, just for one minute. You can imagine how terrific their inner power is. Some of them can walk on fire without getting burnt. However, these are only minor tricks that cannot lead to the ultimate level. It is more important to attain wisdom and liberation. We have tremendous latent power. If we practice well and have absolute faith in ourselves, nothing is beyond us."

She faith, selfness devotion and all-consuming passion to serve others is made apparent when She describes Her time at one of the many ashrams She visited. "When I had the time, I did anything that needed to be done. Since most people disliked chores, like washing dishes and scrubbing the floor, I did these jobs though office staff like us were usually exempt from laborious work. I was a quick worker, and if I found things strewn around everywhere when I had finished my office job, I promptly cleaned up the mess because I disliked untidiness. I knew how to put things back in order, so I could do it very fast."

"The more we work, the more enlightened we become. Frankly speaking, it gave me great joy to scrub the staircase and floor in India. I said to myself in jubilation, Oh! I am so honored to have the chance to clean the staircase for these saints. Their feet walk past this place every day; it's as though I am washing the feet of the saints. I felt highly honored! This thought was a spontaneous one; no one had taught me that. Merely washing the staircase trodden by the disciples was enough to make me feel so honored. How much more honored would I have felt had it been the staircase used by the Master? It is better for us to work unconditionally. Serve others, and all will be given unto you."

"During my times in the ashrams, I never clung around an enlightened Master or asked him to look at me while I worked. I only served. I scrubbed the staircase, cleaned the floor, watered the plants, and did things that no one else wanted to do. I washed the eating utensils because it was the last thing that people wanted to do. After each meal, eating and cooking utensils piled up like a mountain. Yet I found happiness in washing them every day."