Did you hear everything? The white people? We have white, yellow, red, black. Do you want to ask me anything? White flakes? The English-speaking people, you want to ask me anything? Sure. Saturday we have initiation. Tomorrow, no. We don’t have enough place. We have to take care of them, especially the VIPs. Sunday they can come. Everybody, no? (Oh, OK. Sunday?) Special? How many? (I’m not sure. Maybe eight. I don’t know. I talked to some people at work and they wanted to meet You.) What for? How many? (They saw the video and they read some of the books.) I see. I see. It’s always trouble. Of course, I’d like to see them also. But I don’t know how to treat them in such places. You know what it’s like. Even you don’t have a place to sit. Or sit on the ceiling. (It’s OK. I’ll tell them.) It is very difficult. Alright. I don’t know, I have to think about it.
It’s a very difficult problem for me. Because when the guests come, I like them to be comfortable, well treated, like a VIP. It’s OK with disciples because they know me many years, they still stick around. They don’t mind but the VIPs, the new people, they don’t understand about us, and I don’t know how they feel. They can sit on the floor like this for one hour, two hours, it’s very terrible. (I think they know.) They know? (Yes.) I don’t know if they know. (I can explain to them.) And then we don’t have enough translators and all that. We don’t have ear system. And sometimes I speak Aulacese (Vietnamese), sometimes Chinese. Is that alright? I don’t know. They may be disillusioned. And if I let you people come, other people also want to come.
How many people want to bring friends and relatives who are not initiated? How many? Raise your hands; let me have a look. Oh, yeah. You see, plenty here also. Over there. Do we have enough places for people? Where can they sit? Where are you sitting? Where are you sitting? (Outside.) (The old practitioners are already sitting outside. They’re outside.) Old practitioners sitting outside, new practitioners inside? That’s not fair. The older ones love me more; the new ones don’t know [me yet]. The more you love, the older you get. If you don’t love, you’re brand new. Usually, those who don’t know me yet don’t love as much, right? (Yes.) The more you know, the more you love. (Yes.) That’s the problem. Those people are the ones who really want to see me more. Even though it might seem unfair, because they’ve seen me many times before. (Yes.) But they are the ones who want to see me the most. (Yes.) And those who don’t want to see me, of course, they don’t come all the time. Isn’t that right? (Right.)
Yeah. What’s wrong? You complain? (No. Master, my mother, she’s coming here Saturday afternoon around five o’clock, but she wants initiation. So how can my mother do?) She can get initiation in Taiwan (Formosa), you don’t have to come here. So, you see two o’clock have problem. Five o’clock have problem. Sunday, problem. Saturday, problem. Monday, problem. Tuesday, problem. Let her come here, problem, because nobody translates for her, and then she complains. I don’t let her come here, problem.
You remember in Chicago? There’s a man who spoke English and complained all the time? (Yes.) After all I have done for him. After all we have done for him, he complained and spoiled the whole atmosphere. I mean he didn’t spoil that much, but we don’t have time to sit here and listen to all that kind of garbage. People who are ungrateful, we don’t need him to thank us. He should be in such a level enough to understand what he gets and what he should appreciate. He doesn’t have to even appreciate it, but if he just shut up and enjoy, that will be fine. We cannot just cook and clean the house, everything, and the guest just comes here and just complains about everything that doesn’t exist. Always problem. If I give initiation, problem. I don’t give initiation, problem. I’m there, problem. I’m not there, problem. There’s always something. I don’t hate people. Just always make trouble for nothing. Complain about everything. Nonsense.
Now I’ll go around and let you have a close-up look, and then we’ll see each other tomorrow perhaps. Perhaps. Why don’t you just come and maybe I come? I’ll try to come. Don’t worry. Don’t worry. (Thank You for everything.) You’re welcome. I talk so fast when I’m around you. Now, everybody can have a close-up look. Closer. You have enough translation? You know, a Master should walk like this. Very dignified. And should talk like this. But when I see you, we’re always pressed for time and then you always ask for too many things. And I always talk so fast. And I walk like this. It doesn’t look like a Master. Never mind. If you like me, it’s OK. (Yes.)
Everybody’s alright? (Yes.) Sitting here? (Yes.) Who was the one who played the bride last time? You? (It was me, yes.) It was you? How come you looked so pretty that day? I can’t recognize her. Really? It was you really? Really? It was good. It was very good. (I am glad You enjoyed it.) I did. I did. (Master.) Is that right? What? Did you hear the translation OK? (Yes, Master, we heard.) You heard? (Yes.) Alright, alright, don’t touch… (No, I was just holding…) My shoes are covered in dirt, don’t touch them. I’m sorry you sit too far. I’ll stand here for a while so you can look a little bit more. One minute only. I have no one, no one. No Aulacese (Vietnamese) loves me at all. (I do.) You see that? You see that? No one loves me, right? (I love You, Master. I love You, Master.) (The entire Âu Lạc [Vietnam] country loves You, Master.) (I love You.) The whole country of Âu Lạc (Vietnam) loves me? (Yes.) This is different, it’s different. Different, different. (Love You but don’t say it, Master.) Love but don’t say it? (Yes.) Ah, alright, then don’t say it at all.
What’s your name? I forgot again. Is that really a man’s name? (I believe so, I think.) I never heard this name before. That’s why. (Well, it’s common in Italy. Isn’t it?) Oh, Italy. Oh. Yeah, yeah. You’re Italian. (I’m Lithuanian. No, I am Lithuanian.) Where is that? (That’s near the Baltic Sea.) Oh, is that right? (Yes.) Oh, we have all kinds of nationalities. (Well, my parents are from there.) Your parents are from there? (Yes. My parents are from there. But I wasn’t born there. I mean, I was born elsewhere in Europe.) What do you think about America? Conducting an interview. (I think America is a country with wonderful potential.) What do you think about [Supreme] Master Ching Hai? (I think She’s a fantastic person.) Oh, thank you very much. Thank you very much. We enjoyed your conversation, and we hope you come back again next time. OK. Goodbye. (I would like to, thank You.) This is “Little Radio.”
Yeah. We can make a radio station ourselves. It is easy? It’s easy? (Yes.) Like a TV station, (Yes.) and broadcasting the whole world so I don’t have to run around. Where is the best place? (Here.) Here? (Everybody goes through the cable system.) (We could rent that time slot, Master. Rent a time slot on the television channel, Master.) Ah. (We rent a TV slot, Master. We could schedule it like our own television program, and broadcast our show, Master.) Do you know that? (Yes, I know. But we can schedule it once we...) If you don’t know, why saying it? (We have our reputation.) Forget it. (Yes, but the Aulacese [Vietnamese] channels, they rent that time slot, Master. Then I...) How much is an hour? (I don’t know.) Can you afford it? (Sister […] and I are running that show, Master.) You’re running that? (Half an hour, and it’s free, Master.) Oh, really?
(I showed them Your videos with English speaking, Master, and they said, “Do you have any in other language?” I said, “How about in Aulacese [Vietnamese]?” The American channel asked for Aulacese [Vietnamese] program, Master. Now, we’re starting to...) I know. (So, we’re planning to make those videos, Master.) Making videos? (Yes, because editing it takes half an hour each. Half an hour, Master.) Oh, really? (Yes. Taiwan [Formosa] just gave us two machines. Two 3/4 machines, Master.) For editing? (We don’t have a mixer to control it, so we can’t edit the tapes.) Who gave them? (Taiwan [Formosa] sent them over.) Miaoli, huh? (Yes.) Miaoli, then call it Taiwan (Formosa). Miaoli is in Taiwan (Formosa). (Ah, Miaoli.) Not the same. You can send somebody to Miaoli to learn something and then go back. (Brother […] knows how to do it, Master. But we don’t have a mixer to work with.) Buy a mixer. (Yes.) Oh God, are we that poor? (Yes. Just...) Poor but ambitious. (We just got a donation last week.) You just got a donation last week? (Yes.)
Oh, you look so young now. Is it you, Mexicana? Oh, really? It’s you? (Yes.) You look similar but different. (The hair is longer.) (Longer hair.) Yes. She has longer hair. But she looks so young now. (Meditate. Because meditate.) Everybody noticed or not? So young. So young and the face looks very slim. Last time it was kind of square. Really, I thought you have a square face. But you have a kind of oval face now. Oval, makes people look younger, and [look] young [for] longer. Like… me.
Half an hour every week? (Every week, yes.) …International. Why? So that the Aulacese (Vietnamese) people can see us. (Yes.) Or at least can hear, the radio. (Yes.) And then we make some kind of film or something for them to watch also. We select something nice. Is there any channel that can broadcast worldwide? I’m… not sure about that. Not yet? Not yet? (Not yet.) No TV like that? (I don’t think so.) Probably Astral place. They have, huh? OK. Maybe later. (Over time, the world will know, Master.) Gradually. Oh, they know. Already know, not gradually. (They all know now.) Alright, that’s fine. (Even Africa knows about You now, Master.) Oh really? Alright, tomorrow. (CNN is everywhere.) (CNN has it.)
Oh, tomorrow will be just like today, right? (Yes. Thank You, Master.) Tomorrow. Tomorrow will be just like tonight; you’re not allow to come early. Seven o’clock. After seven o’clock you can come. (Yes.) That means don’t come earlier than seven. (Yes.) (Thank You, Master.) And the rest of you, the rest of you... Just like today. You understand what I mean? (Yes.) Right. Just the same security system. (Please stay for dinner, Master.) I don’t know who... And the other people who want to see me? They can see me here. Tomorrow? I mean the friends of the friends of the friends. Where can they see me? What time? They sit with the people? Alright. If you’re… OK, the Mexicana. The Mexican. It’s alright. Understand? The Mexicana, you can bring your friends. Don’t understand English?
Where? What kind of food? What’s for dinner? Tell me. What’s on the menu? Never mind, I’ll eat at home. Here, I can’t eat. I can’t swallow. They stand there watching my mouth; who can eat like that? (We’ll go outside. We’ll go outside, Master, we’re leaving.) There’s (vegan) congee outside? (Yes.) Oh God, there’s (vegan) congee outside. Go outside and eat (vegan) congee. (Yes.) Quickly. (I prefer rice.) I’ll eat rice in here. Don’t stand there staring at my mouth. (Yes.) If you stand there and watch me eat, I can’t eat. Go outside and eat. There’s something outside.
Are you all finished looking at me? (Yes.) (Not yet, Master. Over here, Master.) (Come here, Master.) Huh? (Let me hold Your hand, Master.) Hold my hand for what? (You’re so beautiful, Master!) My hands were made for you to hold? See you tomorrow. (Yes.) Goodbye. (Good night, Master. Good night.) Who’s that? (My sister.) Your sister. From Âu Lạc (Vietnam)? (Yes.) New? (Yes.) You have a new sister now? Oh, yeah, she does look like you. She looks like the other one. Are you OK? (Yes.) Mother. Mother? From Âu Lạc (Vietnam)? (They are already here.) Already here? Fine. Now you’re happy? You have everybody, except me. I’ll see you tomorrow or later, or whatever. (Yes, thank You, Master.) (Bye-bye, Master.) Not bye-bye. Will see you. You go and eat something. It’s a very light kind of (vegan) soup. It’s very nice. (You never say bye, you say, “Hasta la vista.”) See you! See you! Understand! OK. Let’s go and eat.
Photo Caption: God Will Always Bring Back the Spring
