quan yin QUESTIONS & ANSWERS


Q. I have heard that we will improve very quickly in our practice if we can do the "Quan Yin" (contemplation on the Sound) for three hours continuously. However, is it all right if someone does more of the Sound contemplation and does not adhere completely to the right proportion of contemplation on the Light and Sound? Do we have to strictly adhere to this proportion in our daily meditation?

M. To be able to contemplate on the Sound continuously for three hours can quickly bring our straying mind under control, and correct our wrong thinking and concepts. However, this only applies when we have contemplated on the Light for six hours or more with very good concentration and can contemplate on the Sound continuously for three hours with natural ease. Therefore, it is still necessary to meditate according to the right proportion of time. However, if someone meditates and has unconsciously exceeded the same ratio as instructed by Master, like when he has entered samadhi, then it is all right. Just be natural. As long as we do not purposely contemplate on the Sound more than contemplating on the Light, it is all right.

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Q. Master, just now when I was meditating on the Sound, my whole body vibrated vigorously. I was sitting on this rock; I toppled and fell down, and then woke up. (M: Do you feel comfortable?) I'm feeling very comfortable. I had a headache yesterday, but now it has gone.

M. Sometimes, the vibration is stronger than we are, so we cannot get used to it. The moment we get used to it, we become stronger than it. Then we will feel very natural. It is as though a person has been starving for a long time, not having enough to eat and suffering from malnutrition. If he is suddenly given a lot of food, he may swallow too fast, resulting in indigestion. That is why we have to meditate seriously and regularly. When we have gotten used to meditating for a longer time, it will become a very ordinary practice, and we won't even be aware that we are meditating.

Why does a baby cry when he is born? In the mother's womb, he was immersed in water like a fish. When he suddenly emerges into our world, his skin gets in touch with the air for the first time and he has to begin breathing with his lungs. Therefore, it hurts and is very uncomfortable all over; that's why he cries. As he cries, he has to use his lungs, and then he will get used to our world. He now understands that there is no more water, that it has been replaced by air. He will get used to it slowly.

Our spiritual practice is similar to the situation of the baby. As we practice more diligently, we will get used to the higher vibrations. These vibrations are much higher than ours and that is why we are unaccustomed to them. A newborn baby also cannot get used to our comfortable and free-living environment; instead, he is accustomed to the dark and confined environment in his mother's womb. Therefore, when he is just born, he feels scared and unsafe, as if he has lost everything.
Similarly, it is not difficult for us to be liberated; the only problem is that we have to get used to the free and liberated state. When we eventually get accustomed to it, we will not want to come back to this bodily prison again. Sometimes in meditation, we enter deep samadhi and go to very high dimensions; we feel absolutely free and unrestricted. However, because of our unpaid karma and unfulfilled obligations, and the fact that we still have lessons to learn in this world, we have to come back to this physical body. The moment we are drawn back, we feel extremely frustrated and agonized; the feeling is so bad that we may cry.

There are difficult moments on our spiritual path. When karmic hindrances come, we really have to exert our greatest effort to overcome them. Suppose a baby refuses to go out because he has lingering feelings for the safety of his mother's womb. Would it be good for him? Though the environment is more familiar, safe, comfortable and warm, he cannot grow in there! He will only make trouble for himself and his mother. Therefore, he had better go out when it is time to be born.
During the process of delivery, the baby has to squeeze through the narrow and bony places in his mother's body, which can be quite painful. It is as though his head has to squeeze through two stone gates and is going to split open; it is really difficult. So you see, even such a tiny baby must make the breakthrough when the time comes. Originally, he lives like a fish in his mother's womb where there is no air, no sunshine and no material contact. After he is born, he has to live in a totally different world where everything is just the opposite! Anyway, it is good for him to force the exit; it may be uncomfortable outside, but it is still better than hiding inside indefinitely, because it is not his permanent abode in there.

In spiritual practice, we may sometimes encounter obstacles; we may feel very exhausted and want to quit. There are also times when we are battered hard by our karmic hindrances. However, we ought to stand up again, because we are human beings! We ought to be brave, and act like a hero! We just cannot lower our heads and surrender to the situation every time or give in to our insignificant obstacles.

Yesterday I read you the story "The Journey to the West". The first part of the book describes a group of monkeys, some old and some young, some very clever and so on. However, none of them dared to go beyond the waterfall just because they dreaded getting wet. What they didn't know was that there was a paradise behind the waterfall - a very beautiful cave. Whoever went in could live in that brilliant and comfortable cave. Being adults, if we fail to constantly think about making breakthroughs, then we are weaker than babies! Where can we put our pride then? Therefore, remember that we must not lose to the babies, as they are also very brave!

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Q. I'm wondering why sometimes it seems like I'd hear the sound appropriate for certain levels, and I'd see things appropriate for certain levels, but it's kind of intense light; I see light, and it would be bright, but it's not really like what Master said.

M. Whatever light it is you just look, alright? I wonder why you, at that moment, you're not in deep samadhi enough, you still wonder "What level am I at" and all that; you know what I mean? Don't wonder anything, just concentrate on that; it will do you lasting benefit. Levels won't help you; change in your heart will. Okay? What for do we need to know the levels, alright? Because actually there is no such thing as levels, you see what I mean? It's just for the mind to understand that, "Okay, I'm getting something." You know that we have such a business mind that the Master has to cut a deal with us, say, "Okay", like business, "you go up here and you have this, you go up there and you have that." But if we really are practitioners, we care for no levels. We just know that we are very sincere and we work for our improvements, so that we become a noble being, a real being. Because we need to be a noble and a real being, very good, loving, compassionate, and wise. That's what we need to be. And the more we work at our homework, the better and quicker we become that being, alright? That's all there is, Okay? Level and position are only for outside people. We have no need to worry about that. Maybe you haven't reached the home you wish to. So no need to rush, you have light better than darkness, Okay? Many people don't have. So it's already comforting to your soul. So these things are helping to encourage us to continue with our practice. It's not a course of pride and competition. And no eagerness to be a president or something like that. (Master laughs.) You will know what level you are at pretty soon, if you really concentrate and devote yourself to the life of practice, alright? And then soon, very, very soon later, you don't care about it, Okay? And that's the best level. You still continue to practice; your heart still very sincere, you still develop in all ways, but you don't care for nothing, not even Buddhahood; that's the best level. It doesn't mean you drop everything together, but you don't mind. You don't mind in which corner God will place you, in what low level God will place you in order to serve the universe, understand?

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Q. In practicing the Quan Yin Method, when we reach the highest level, are we not supposed to hold on to anything, including the "Method?"

M. Yes, when we are at a very high level of samadhi, we are not aware of the "Method." There aren't any methods there and we naturally will not try to hold on to them. However, when we are back in this body, there are still methods. This world is different than that other world. In this world, we should practice not just for ourselves, protecting ourselves from interference by negative forces, but also we should bless this world and cleanse society by using our good vibrations to counter negative vibrations. Therefore, we should continue to practice according to the "Method". Furthermore, even when we have reached a very high level of practice, we still depend on this "Method" to go up, like using a ladder. Also, we should be good role models for our relatives, friends, and other disciples. If we do not practice, they will not either.