Let us first talk about the ordinary sound in this world, and then we will talk about the supra-worldly sound - the sound of God. Since ancient times, music has played an important role in our lives. It would be difficult to imagine how frustrating life would be without music in this world. Classical music is more mild and gentle; it makes the listeners feel happier, more peaceful and benign. That's why there used to be many noble and benevolent people in ancient times. Modern music is more stimulating. People who have been exposed to this kind of music since childhood are very difficult to teach. Such music represents the personality and demeanor of contemporary people. In mental institutions, doctors often let the patients listen to soft music to calm their emotions. When we are bored or exhausted from work, listening to music will slowly pacify our minds.
Everything in the universe vibrates, and this vibration becomes sound. This is similar to the vibrating waves transmitted by radio stations, which, when picked up by a radio receiver, are converted into sound. All things in the universe, whether stone, plant or human, vibrate at their own specific frequency. It is precisely because of this difference in frequency that it is difficult for animals and humans, humans and humans, and even husband and wife, to communicate with each other.
The vibrations of some people are coarse, and this makes us feel very uncomfortable when we come into contact with them. Conversely, some people are very gentle in vibration, speech, and aura and we feel very comfortable and happy upon seeing them. We feel very happy when we go to a place where the vibrations are close to ours. When a person with a bad aura enters a certain place, he will immediately make people feel very agitated and restless. It is because his vibrations are low and heavy, or we can say that he is very vicious, has heavy karma and lots of devilish hindrances. He is excessively heavy in Yin (negative) energy while we are more inclined to the Yang (positive) energy, and so we become incompatible. As a result, we feel agitated and restless.
Not all places on this planet vibrate at the same frequency. All kinds of metal ores of different densities are distributed around the world. Therefore, there are many places where non-spiritual practitioners find it uncomfortable to dwell. However, to real spiritual practitioners, every place is a Pure Land, everywhere is the Holy Land. But it is easier said than done. How many people can really attain such a level? This disharmonious atmosphere is discernible even to the average person who does not practice spiritually, with the exception of a few very ignorant people and those who are as insensitive as timber. The more advanced one is in spiritual practice, the more sensitive one becomes, but when he eventually attains the highest level, every place will be the same to him.
Whomever we are with, we are affected by his vibrations. If his aura is very gentle, we too will become gentler. If they are excited, we will also become excited. We often hear that the Saints shoulder the karma of the people because They can take upon Themselves the bad influences or vibrations generated by others, which is the so-called karma, and give them Their superior vibrations in exchange. Relying on Their power derived from spiritual practice, They can quickly cleanse the karma. The length of time required depends on how much karma They have collected. Before They can cleanse this karma, They will still be affected. They could get ill, be defamed, or even killed.
One such example was Jesus Christ, who was crucified because He took upon Himself the karma of sentient beings. As for Shakyamuni Buddha, we might not have heard any story about Him bearing karma for people, but it was so recorded in the scripture. A man killed ninety-nine persons and was about to kill the Buddha too. He failed to do so; instead, he was delivered by the Buddha. This man eventually became an arhat (liberated saint). If the Buddha did not shoulder the karma for the man, what happened to the karma that he had incurred by killing ninety-nine persons? He killed so many people and yet he became a Saint! Was it not against the law of karma? It was not, because the Shakyamuni Buddha had immense merits and infinite blessed rewards, which were sufficient to repay all the karma for that man without any problem. That man was not exempted from karmic retribution; Shakyamuni Buddha had assumed his karma.
This is why since ancient times, anyone who aspires to be liberated must first find such great Masters. Being a novice in spiritual practice, it is very difficult to repay so much karma just relying on our own power. Those great Masters have accumulated great blessings through spiritual practice over many lifetimes. While guiding us on the path, They can also carry the luggage for us because They have sufficient power. Humans have human power, and spiritual practitioners have spiritual power. This power might be indiscernible to us but it is so infinite that no physical power can compare. You have heard that your five generations will be elevated after you are initiated by me. It is this spiritual power that pulls them all up. Therefore, this power derived from spiritual practice is most precious; it cannot be bought at any price or taken away by even the greatest authority.
Sometimes, when I go to lecture at a certain place, I feel very relaxed and can speak fluently. At other times, I may feel oppressed; I feel very tired and cannot speak. The same happens when I give initiation to people. Sometimes, it goes smoothly without any problem. At other times, I feel like I am dying. It is due to the different vibrations of the people who come to the lecture or initiation. Their individual vibrations are the so-called karma. What actually creates these different vibrations? They are created according to the law of karma, and are related to the karma that we have incurred in previous lives.
Originally, we are all enlightened Saints. Jesus Christ also said that we are all the children of God. Then why are some people so rich, some so poor, some so clever, some so dumb, some so benign, and some so evil? The first reason is that, although we are originally enlightened Saints, we are degrading all the time while in this illusionary world and so forget most of our wisdom. The second reason is that we are being influenced by outside situations.
This world is different from the higher dimensions. The superior realms will help us progress spiritually, becoming more relaxed and noble. However, the situations in this world can easily make us regress and become more foolish and evil. In the paradise in Heaven, we will have whatever we want without the least suffering, while in this world we must struggle against nature in order to survive. Even Shakyamuni Buddha had to beg for food or use the things in this world to survive. This is a tangible world with forms, and there are discriminations. There are such things as cold and heat, beauty and ugliness, man and woman. This world is different from the paradise in Heaven, which is an intangible world with no form or discrimination.
Therefore, when we come into this world, we become outwardly inclined sentient beings. When we see food, we have thoughts about eating it; when we see anything, thoughts of like or dislike arise. Since our mind is constantly occupied by things that we like, we forget our great wisdom. On and on, we become more and more alienated from the almighty power of the universe, and become lonely beings.
Originally, all things are ours, but because we think only about a couple of things that we like, unknowingly we confine ourselves within a small boundary. From an entity without any discrimination, (in the paradise in Heaven, all beings have the same golden body, and there is neither man nor woman) we become full of discriminations. As we wholeheartedly love a couple of things or persons, we become more lonely and severed from the almighty power of the universe. Our power grows small and will be completely drained in no time. For instance, a person living in the middle of the Ganges River is surrounded by water and has an inexhaustible water supply. Suppose that person is attracted by something ashore, he will leave the Ganges to go after that thing. As he is too fascinated by the situation, he forgets how to return to his original abode. Then, when he is thirsty, he can only look for water nearby, and of course, that would not be enough.
As a result, we become weaker and weaker as our wisdom runs out. When we do not have enough wisdom, we become greedy. Insecurity makes us want to grab more things, and from this greed, wrath and infatuation emerge. These thoughts form a special magnetic field that engulfs us. Since the situation of each person is different, his magnetic field is also different. Since like attracts like, greedy or easily excited people will naturally attract excitement to their magnetic fields. Similarly, gentler people will attract gentler situations. This is the cause of the so-called karmic hindrances.
We often see people who always make a mess of their work. It is because their magnetic field always attracts destructive power or obstructive energy, foolish energy, or devilish energy. They simply cannot attract the great wisdom to them. Some people have very strong animal instincts, also because of their magnetic field. Or we can say that their life-after-life habits have not been rectified. When our magnetic field improves, it indicates that we are beginning the ascent. The time required for the rectification is related to our purity at heart. It is mentioned in the scriptures and the Tao Te Ching that we must have the heart of a child in order to return to the Heavenly Kingdom.
It is not easy to change our habits or magnetic field, which absolutely cannot be done by practicing some breath-counting method or yoga exercise. Since the development of habits is controlled by the mind, we must change the mind in order to change our habits. Methods contemplating on the solar plexus, on bones, water, or breathing are simply not enough. Only the Quan Yin Method is the ultimate method.