Worldly sound vs. Supra-worldly sound
Taipei, Formosa. March 6,1986.
This Sound is the "Sound of God", the sound of our original nature, which existed even before anything in this universe came into being. This Sound is the "sound beyond this world," therefore, it is inaudible to the hearing faculty of ordinary humans. However, all sentient beings can listen to it, except that they will hear different sounds according to their individual levels. Everything in the universe vibrates, and so they have sound - even stones have sound. But it is too subtle to be heard by the human ear; we can only hear it with our wisdom. Therefore, we say contemplate on the sound rather than listen to the sound. If all sentient beings have this sound and wisdom as well, then why can't they contemplate on this sound? It is because they don't have the key and so do not know where the sound is. Therefore, we must first find a Master who can open the door for us.
Why is this sound so important? It is because all things in the universe are linked together by this sound. All the realms, from high to low, are linked to each other through this sound. Just now, we mentioned that the vibrations of some people are incompatible with others', so they have difficulty accommodating with each other. For the same reason, our vibrations are not accommodating with the animals or certain places, and we find it difficult living with animals or staying in those places. If there are people who can live in those places, it does not mean that they are better than we. Most probably, their vibrations are very low or close to the animals, so they do not feel anything.
Pigs and frogs can live happily in very filthy places, and this amply illustrates why some people can live happily in unbearable places without feeling anything. Their auras can cope with those places; our vibrations are higher and gentler and cannot accommodate those lower vibrations. Therefore, we cannot live there, but that does not mean they are more capable than we are. So, benign people often have difficulty staying with vicious people.
Should anyone want to change his destiny, he must rely on this highest sound. Now we only have a very small portion of it and it is not very high in vibration. Precisely because our vibrations are low, we are living in this low-level world together with the animals. After all, birds of a feather flock together.
However, there is a type of sound that encompasses all sentient beings. This is "God's Sound", the sound of Original Nature. By contemplating on this sound, we can elevate our vibrations and spiritual level. Superficially, we may look the same as we did, but our body will emit light. Everyone loves listening to our lecture and it is easy for us to deliver people, because our vibrations have become gentler, putting people's minds at ease and leading them to liberation. Their vibrations will be enveloped by ours; we will provide them with good vibrations that dissolve their bad vibrations. When the blood of a patient is not functioning well, the doctor will replace his bad blood with good blood. When the water in the bucket is dirty, we have to empty the filthy water before filling it with clean water. However, before our vibrations have become good enough, we cannot exchange them for other people's bad vibrations. Otherwise, the result would be terrible. We must first practice spiritually if we want to deliver sentient beings.
Just now, we mentioned that all things in the universe have the "Sound," and all things are created by this Sound. In the "Tao Te Ching," it is mentioned as the "Name" or the "Tao." Lao Tzu said: "The way that can be spoken of is not the constant Way; the name that can be named is not the constant Name. The Nameless was the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named was the mother of the myriad creatures." This Name or Tao refers to this sound or vibration. Perhaps the ancient Chinese usage was different, but it actually means the same thing. I think you will be able to understand this.
Everything in the universe is born from this Name or sound; we are also part of it. But because we are human beings, we possess the highest part of it, and we are most likely to possess all of it. Animals are not high enough in level to possess this sound completely. Through practicing on this sound, we can elevate ourselves incessantly, we tune in to more superior sounds until we are in total possession of it. Then, we will be able to coordinate with all sentient beings in the universe. Since all sentient beings are part of this sound, which we have in total possession, to us every place is the Pure Land, every person is a Saint, and all sentient beings have God Nature. Only then do we attain the true realization; otherwise, all we have is hearsay or "thus have I heard;" we cannot distinguish whether they are true or false.
Having personal experience is different from reading the scriptures or about someone else's experience. We read about others' experiences when we read the scriptures. Practicing the Quan Yin Method, we will have our own experiences. We may compare them with those recorded in the scriptures and see whether we are having the same experiences as those of the ancient people. Sometimes our experiences could be even higher than theirs; it does not mean that we are superior to them, but that their spiritual level might not be very high when they wrote of this experience. So, we may be slightly higher than their level at that time.
We should know how powerful this sound is. All sentient beings have this vibration or sound, and we influence each other. This world is different from the Western Paradise in the sense that here, we have animals, bad people, good people, nervous people, calm people, happy people, and miserable people. It is a mixture of different atmospheres that makes it very difficult for us to practice with peace of mind in such a confused state. There are always many obstructions or bad influences distressing us. But then if we can persist in practicing with concentration, we will progress very fast.
Many heavenly beings like to incarnate as human beings because this physical body is essential for pursuing spiritual practice. We often think that this body is useless, but then we cannot practice spiritually without it. This body is very precious. Take good care of it. Take enough nutritious food to sustain it, but don't be voracious. Protect the body from excessive cold, heat, exhaustion and overwork. Ascetic practice is not good; it is punishing ourselves, which is the greatest sin. We are Saints of the past, present, and future. We ought to respect ourselves. How can we punish ourselves through ascetic practice? Of course, it is different if the situation is truly unavoidable.
For instance, you may have heard that when I was practicing in the Himalayas, I ate only raw vegetables every day. It was because of the high altitude. The air was thin, the temperature and the air pressure were low, and it was very difficult to cook rice or vegetables. It was much simpler to eat raw vegetables; all I had to do was to wash them in the water of the Ganges, sprinkle a little salt on them, and then eat them. I did not deliberately want to practice asceticism. I once practiced in seclusion in a mountain temple in Formosa, and there I had a summer retreat for three months. Every day, I only ate some coarse rice with sesame seeds and salt, and drank a little water. No one was taking care of me at that time. Should I have gone to the market every day to buy vegetables, what kind of a retreat would that have been? It would have been a "vegetable retreat." (Laughter) It was due to the circumstance. I ate what I could find; definitely, I was not practicing asceticism deliberately. Ascetic practice cannot make one an enlightened Saint; it will only turn you into a bitter person. Our life is bitter enough, so why should we want to practice asceticism?
To become an enlightened Saint, we should practice the Quan Yin Method, and contemplate on this original sound with our wisdom. This sound creates all things in the universe, and it is the greatest power and supreme wisdom in the universe. What else can we rely on in our spiritual practice if not this great power and great wisdom? Why should we rely on this dark little abdomen (the solar plexus) or our ephemeral breathing instead? What does it matter if our body moves slightly in meditation? How could we practice if we stop breathing when we die?
If we are practicing spiritually with this great power, it does not matter if our body moves a little, or is even injured. Since our own Master has established connection with this sound, Hes has been liberated and has no relation with the body, and naturally, we can continue to practice. Hes will continue to take care of our life and help us to progress. Therefore, we cannot rely on anything else but this greatest, highest and most original sound. This most primitive sound existed before we came into being, and before anything in the universe came into being. And, even after the three realms are destroyed, it will continue to exist. Only by relying on this eternal power can we practice spiritually to reach the state of eternal existence. One can only reach the ephemeral level if one practices by relying on the ephemeral breathing.
In the Surangama Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha said that all other ways of spiritual practice are only temporary methods and not eternal ones. Only the Quan Yin Method is the eternal, ultimate and most correct method of spiritual practice. We will agree with Him after we have practiced the Quan Yin Method.
In the Bible, it is mentioned that the universe, In the beginning was the Word (Sound), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Everything was made by Him (Sound), and there was nothing made that was not made by Him (Sound). [John 1:1-4] The "Tao Te Ching" also talks about the same. Lao Tzu said: "The way that can be spoken of is not the constant Way; the name that can be named is not the constant Name. The Nameless was the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named was the mother of the myriad creatures." It was when this "Name that cannot be named" came into being that the universe and all things were born.
The Upanishad, the most famous Hindu scripture, also mentions the same thing. "In the beginning was the word." This sound existed when creation began. When this sound came into being, everything came into being. This sound is God; this sound is Creation. They all talk about the same thing, because in the first place, Shakyamuni Buddha, Lao Tzu, the Bible, Hinduism, and Islam all raise the same doctrine. After practicing the Quan Yin Method, we can understand the scriptures when we study them. When we have attained the great enlightenment, we will know that all scriptures actually talk about the same thing.