The Mystery Of The World Beyond
United Nations, New York June 26,1992.

M. Hmmm. Yes, please. Yeah, in front or right behind. Gentleman first. (Master laughs.)

Q. Please explain the nature of consciousness.

M. Nature of consciousness, okay. It's hard to explain but you could use your intelligence to imagine. It's a kind of wisdom, you know, like you know something better than you ever did before. Yes, you know something that is beyond this world, and you know something in this world which you did not know before, and you understand many things that you do not understand or you did not understand before.

That's the consciousness. And also when you open this consciousness, or the so-called wisdom, you will understand truly who you are and why you are here and what else is beyond this world, and who else, beyond or apart from our worldly citizens. Understand? There are many things. So the level of consciousness is a kind of different degrees of understanding, just like a graduation in college. The more you learn, the more you know, until graduation. Are you satisfied? It's difficult to explain something that is abstract, but I have tried. It's a kind of awareness, you know. It's difficult to explain awareness. When you go to different, higher levels of consciousness, your awareness is different. You know things different, you feel different. You feel just absolutely in peace, tranquil, blissful. You have no worry, and everything in your daily life becomes clear to you. You know how to handle things and how to take care of problems better. Hmmm? Even it benefits already in the physical level. And inside you, how you feel - that only you know. It's difficult to explain these things. Just like you are married to the girl you love, how you feel - that only you know. Hmmm? No one else can feel it for you. Yes.

Q. Honorable Master, thank You for the insight You have given us. I wonder if You would like to address Yourself to something that is in my conscience. Why are so many masters on earth today giving us a chance to learn so quickly, whereas that in the past it has been so difficult? Can you address Yourself to that?

M. Yes, sure. Because in our times, the communication is better. So we know better about the masters, not that in the past, masters did not exist, or masters were inaccessible. Of course, it is true that some masters are more accessible than the others. It depends on his choice, or his willingness to give, or his affinity with the people at large. But then, in any age, always there are one, two, three, four, five masters. Depends on the need of the time. Just we are more aware of the presence of many different masters, maybe different degrees of masters, because in these times we are fortunate to have the mass media, to have television, to have radio broadcasts, and books, which we print in millions, in thousands of millions of copies in no time. Yes. In the olden times, we want to print a book, we have to cut the whole tree down first and chop them with very unsophisticated axes, which are kaput in no time and no use in another time, and have to polish it with stones and all kinds of things, and to carve one word after another. And when you want to transfer a whole set of Bibles, it takes a whole convoy. You understand? Big trucks, if you have a truck at that time. So that's why we know of many masters. You understand? Yes, so it's lucky, this is very good for you that have... you can shop, you know, you can choose what you want. So no one will be able to cheat you and say "I am the best." Yeah, you can have comparison and use your wisdom, intelligence to judge. "Oh, this one is better" or "I like that one better." "Face looks terrible." "Oh, that one - ugly." (Laughter)

Q. So my question to You then would be, since You have talked about shopping, would You consider initiating someone who has been initiated by another master?

M. I would only if that person truly believes that I am more able to take her or him to a higher level and faster. Otherwise it is better to stick to one's own master if one still feels very much attached, and has much faith in that master. If you believe your master is the best already, then don't change. If you still have doubt and if you still have not got the light and sound which I have mentioned, then you should try. Yes, because light and sound is the standard measurement for a real master. If anyone who is not able to impart you immediate light or sound he is not a real master, I am sorry to say. The road to heaven is equipped with light and sound. Just like you go to dive into the sea, you have to be equipped with oxygen mask and all that. There are things for different purposes. Okay? That's why you see all the saints with the halo on them. That's light.

When you practice this method, you radiate the same light like they draw on the picture of Jesus, and people can see it. If the people are psychic, you know, they can see your light. That's why they draw Jesus with the halo and they draw Buddha, with the light around Them. You can see practitioners, in high degree, with this light if you are opened. (Master points to Her forehead). Many people can see that. Have any of you seen, who are here? You? What did you see?

Q. Well, I can see auras, auras....

M. Yeah, but auras are different from light. Auras are different colors, sometimes black, sometimes coffee, coffee color, and sometimes are yellow or red. Depends on his temperament at that time. But when you see a person with a strong spiritual aura, you know it's different. Right? Yeah.

Q. I don't really have a question. I just...., I used to do raja yoga for a while.

M. Raja yoga. Yeah.

Q. And I thought I saw also auras. I mean at that time, I didn't have much knowledge, you know....

M. Understand.

Q. Understanding.

M. And you don't see it now? You only see it sometimes?

Q. No, I don't meditate now.

M. Oh, that's why, you lost your power. Should meditate again, huh?

Q. Yeah!

M. If you still believe in that path, you should meditate. It helps you to some extent. It would not harm. Okay?

Q. I saw in Your leaflet that there are five precepts. Once you are initiated, you have to live according to these five precepts?

M. Yes, yes, yes. These are the laws of the universe.

Q. I don't understand sexual misconduct.

M. It means if you have a husband already, please don't consider the second.

Q. Okay. (Audience laughs)

M. Very simple. Keep your life more simple, no complication and quarreling over emotions. Yes. It causes hurt feelings for other people. We don't harm other people, even emotionally. That's what it is. We try to avoid conflicts, try to avoid suffering, emotionally, physically, mentally for everyone, especially our loved ones, that's all. Okay? If you already have one, don't tell him. It hurts more when you tell. Just solve it slowly and quietly, and don't confess to him. Because sometimes people think if they have an affair, and then they go home and confess to his wife or her husband, that's very wise and very honest. It's nonsense. It's no good. You already made mistake, why you bring garbage home and to let other people enjoy it? If he doesn't know about it, he doesn't feel that bad. You understand? The fact of knowing hurts. So we try to solve that problem and not to have it again, and that's it. Better not to talk to the partner about this, because it will hurt them, hurt the partners. Yeah!

Q. I have noticed that many spiritual masters have a great sense of humor. What is the relationship of humor to spiritual practice?

M. Oh, I see. I guess they are just feeling happy, and relaxed, you know, and light-hearted about everything. And they could laugh at themselves and laugh at others, laugh about ridiculous things in this life when many people cling so tensely and taking so seriously. After we practice somehow, we just get loose. You know, we don't feel so serious any more. If we die tomorrow, we die; if we live, we live, you know. If we lost everything, we lost everything; if we have everything, we have everything. Yes, we have enough wisdom and ability after enlightenment to take care of ourselves in every situation. So we are not scared of anything. We lose our fear, we lose our anxiety. That's why we're relaxed. We feel detached to this world. Whatever we gain or lose doesn't mean much any more. If we gain a lot of things, it's only for the benefit of people, then we offer; and for the benefit of loved ones. Otherwise we don't consider ourselves or our life that important to go through all of the struggles and sufferings to preserve it. If we preserve it, it's all right. It doesn't mean we sit in bed all day on the nail bed and then meditate. But we do work. You understand? For example, I still work, huh! I do my painting, and my handicraft works to earn my living. So I don't want to take donations from anyone. And even my earning is so much I can help people. I can help the refugees, the disaster victims and all that. Why shouldn't we work? But we have so much talent and abilities, and life is so easy for us after enlightenment that we feel there is just no need to worry. You understand? We just naturally relax. That's how the sense of humor is born. I guess that is what it is, huh? Do you find me humorous? (Audience: Yes) (Laughter and applause.) Yes (Master laughs.) Then maybe... I must be a master of some kind huh? (Laughter). Okay. (Master laughs.) Let's hope so, for your sake huh, so that you didn't listen to an unenlightened person for two hours, waste your time. Okay. Any more question?

Q. Master Ching Hai, a rush of questions are flooding my mind. And I'll just say them all, and You can answer any or none of them.

M. Okay. One hundred and eight.

Q. And they're questions that we, as seeking souls, always ask and we get theories and stories, and I'd just like to hear what you have to say about them. The first is "Who are we? Who am I? and How did I get to be in the predicament that I have to get back home?" You know, how did I leave home and why is it important to go back home? And you talked about going back to the fifth realm, and it not necessarily being important to go further than that. But if there is a further than that, then what is the purpose of it? What relationship does it have to me if I don't necessarily have to go back there? Those kinds of questions?

M. Okay, one at a time. Okay, I think I'll answer this group of questions first. So, the first group consisted of "Who are you? Why are you here and Why you have to go home? and Why the fifth and not the sixth?" Right? Simple. It's getting humorous now. (Laughter and applause.) Okay. Pertaining to the question of "Who am I ?", you can go and ask the Zen master, which is abound in New York state. You can look in the yellow pages and find one (Laughter). I am not specialized in that. And the second, "Why are you here ?" Maybe because you like to be here, hmmm? Or else who can force us to be here since we are the children of God. The so-called children of God are like God himself. No? A prince is similar to the king, yeah, in some aspects, or more or less like the king, or the future king. So only when he likes to be somewhere, then he'll be there. Hmmm? Anyhow, we have free will to choose to be in heaven or to be somewhere else to experience for ourselves. That's, probably you have chosen to be here in the beginning, many ages ago, to learn something more adventurous, you know, something more frightening. Some people love scary experiences, you know. For example... the prince, he can be in the palace but he could be wandering in the jungle, you know. Because he loved to be exploring things in the nature. It could be that way. Hmmm? It could be that we were so bored, bored in heaven, because everything was made ready and served to our palace doors, so we want to do something for ourselves. Just like the royal household, sometimes they want to cook for themselves and they don't want the servants to be near. And they smear themselves with ketchup and oil all over the place but they love it, you know. Doesn't look very princely, but they love it. Yes, yes, yes. So for example, I have people who drive for me. Everywhere I go, people would love to be my driver. But sometimes, I like to drive for myself. I drive on my small tricycle, non-smoking tricycle, yeah, electric plug-in, ten miles an hour, no, ten kilometers an hour. I like to go around like that. Yeah? Because everywhere I go, people notice me a lot, so sometimes I want to go somewhere that the people don't know me. I'm very shy except when I have to talk in the lecture, because it has become kind of duty now since people dug me out and made me famous up till now. M cannot run away so often but sometimes I do run away, you know, for two-three months. Just like a, you know, pampered wife who runs away from husband. And so it's my choice, you see. So perhaps you have chosen to be here for a while. And perhaps it's time now that you want to go because you have learned enough of this world, and you feel that there is nothing more that you want to learn, and you are tired of traveling. You want to rest. Go home, have a rest first. And then see whether you want to go again or not, on an adventurous journey. Okay? That's all I can say up to now. And why do you have to go home? And why the fifth and not the sixth? That's up to you. After the fifth, you can go anywhere you want. There are many more levels upward. You understand? But it's just more comfortable, more neutral to stay there. It's too powerful, further upward, maybe like that. You can go for a while, but maybe you wouldn't like to rest, for example. For example, your house is beautiful, but there are some parts of the house are for rest room and you wouldn't want to rest there forever, even though it's beyond your house. You know, it looks like up the hill and the higher, more beautiful, but it's not the place to rest. Or in the electric-power department in your house, the generator - noisy, loud, heat, hot and, you know, dangerous. So you wouldn't want to be there even though it is very helpful for your house. Understand? That's all. There are many aspects of God that we could not imagine. We always imagine the higher we go, the more loving. But there are different kinds of love. There is violent love, you know, strong love, mild love, neutral love. So it depends on how we can bear, God will give us different degrees of love. Right. Different levels, offer some different degrees of love from God. Okay? But sometimes it's too strong, we feel..., we feel we are torn into ribbons.