Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai,
Seven-day International Retreat, Phnom Penh, Cambodia,
May 11, 1996 (Originally in English) Videotape No. 545

Today, I'm going to read you a story to let you know what people think about prayers. Because some of you might think that your prayers are the best. Now, do you know how to pray to the Lord? Maybe you know better than I do. OK, let's see if you know better than these people.

There was a village somewhere, at some time on our planet or maybe on another planet. In this village, there was a holy man. Every time the people had some problem, some difficulty or disaster, or something that didn't go right in the village, they would come to this holy man and ask him to help them, like to pray to God and meditate for them, and see what was wrong. Then the holy man would retreat into a very special forest, and he would sit in a very, very special place. And then he would say a very, very special prayer. And then it happened that God always listened to his prayers somehow. So the villagers always got the help they needed.

But then one day, as with everyone else, he died. So now the villagers didn't know what to do. Because their troubles didn't die. The holy man died, but the troubles were still alive. And new troubles were born every day. It's funny how we die, but our troubles never die! So after the villagers thought for a long time, they decided that they would take their troubles to the holy man's successor.

The successor of this holy man was not that holy; people knew that. But there was no one else now who was better than he. So people came to him and laid their problems in front of him, and asked him to help. So this not-so-holy man also went to the forest. And then he sat there and said a very special prayer. He didn't know what his master used to say, but now he said something special like, "Oh, my Lord! You know I am not a holy man." Well, at least he was a very honest man. "But surely you are not going to hold that against my people, are you? So listen to me and come to my assistance."

And God thought, "That's reasonable enough. Even though this man is not holy, the village people have nothing to do with his lack of holiness." So God listened to this, and then helped the people all the same.

So, people continued to come to this not-so-holy man, to have him pray to God and solve their problems. So far, so good. But you know what? It happened that this not-so-holy man also died. Ah, gosh! We have no end to the problems and no solution. The people also felt very confused now: What were they to do? So they tried to find another man, not even a holy one, and not even the successor of the other master, but someone more special, like maybe one who was sweeter than anyone else, or perhaps more diligent in his prayers.

So they just picked one of the people from the congregation. And then they said, "Now it's your job. You pray for us. We have such-and-such problems. You must try." But it happened that this man didn't know anything about the previous two people. So he didn't even know where the forest was. Well, he knew of the forest, but he didn't know where the special place was. And he didn't even know any special prayers himself. So he didn't know what to do. He just came near the forest and sat anywhere, not in a special place. Because before, the two persons used to go to that very special place. To them, it was very sacred. So therefore every time they prayed, their prayers were answered. And for the successor, it was also the same. At least he knew a very special prayer, and he knew of that very special place where his master used to sit in that very special forest.

But now, this man knew nothing about that. So what did he do? He just knelt or sat there, and said to the Lord, "Oh my Lord! If it's the formula or the prayer that makes You listen, then I am helpless. But please don't be attached to a special formula or prayer, and just listen to me. Our villagers have a lot of problems. Why don't you help them?" And with that, he just stood up and went home to sleep. And God listened all the same, because no one else prayed to Hirm. That was the only man. So Hes said, "Okay. I'll help." So God helped the villagers all the same, just like before.

Now this man suddenly became a very special person, and he continued to do his special job every day like that. But it happened that this man also went to see Saint Peter one day, like all of us. So this man died, too. It was terrible! What kind of luck did these villagers have? One died after another. But the village still existed, and the problems still existed. Perhaps the children of the villagers continued, and they kept their customs. So now they looked again for a man to do this job of praying for them. Funny! Why don't people pray directly and why do they think they have to find someone? It's a habit. We rely on something, and we're attached to something because it works one time, but it never works again. Even then, we feel attached.

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