It is not easy for us to leave this world because there are so many beautiful things in it. Many people want very much to leave this world, but cannot because of its many beautiful things that they fall in love with at first sight. If we have not seen more beautiful realms, of course, we will think that this world is the most beautiful; so it is not easy for us to go away.

But never mind, we have practiced the Quan Yin Method, one day we will know which realm is really beautiful. Perhaps we still do not know it, but there are fellow initiates who do. After listening to their descriptions, we already can feel the inspirational power urging us to practice spiritually and we want to be like them.

Someone wrote to me saying, "Master, can you please take back this blessing power? After the seven-day retreat, I feel so blessed that I don't seem to be able to cope with this world." (Laughter) Isn't that being stupid beyond words? (Audience: Yes.) Some people pray to Master, hoping to receive a few more blessings; but then, someone feels that the blessings are too powerful and want me to take them back. Why should I take back the blessings?

This blessing power is not controllable. It is not that I press a button here and you have the blessing. It is not like that. You want me to take it back, but I won't! (Master and audience laugh.) When it is given, it is given. What is there to take back? It is not like cows regurgitating the grass they have swallowed to chew it again!

The blessing power is very precious. Very few people can transmit it. You cannot have it even if you exchange the whole world for it; and here you ask me to take it back! If I really do, you will be meditating for nothing and suffering even more than you do now. It is because previously you had not had that uplifting experience of not clinging and non-attachment to the world. Now you have experienced it and realize what is good. If I really take that away, you will feel more miserable than before you began spiritual practice. Previously you did not know what happiness was, and you could live on. Now that you have known happiness, you will not be able to live on once it is taken away.

I once told you a story about an Indian woman who received immense blessings. Perhaps she had just returned from a seven-day retreat. She remained elated every day. Whenever she was making chapatis (round Indian flat bread), she fell unconscious; her soul would fly out and leave her body behind. The flour would fall all over the place and her whole body would be stained with flour and become white. Things were strewn around, the pan in front and the chopsticks behind. You know that kind of situation. Or maybe no one does.

Then the hungry husband came home and saw his wife lying there. There were no chapatis. The butter was left here and the milk spilled over there. It happened like that every day. He thought that his wife was lazy and slept too much. So he beat her, and the wife went to her master and cried, "Master, please take back your blessings." Just like our stupid fellow initiate! She begged her master a few times saying, "My husband beats me every day. I cannot bear it anymore. Look at the bruises all over my body."

Then the Master said, "You should bear this. The blessings are very precious. You can go into samadhi any time. Not many people can have this." Because her inner Sound was very powerful, her soul was pulled out whenever the Sound came, leaving just the body behind. Our body is just like our clothes. When the soul goes out, it is like a person taking off his clothes and leaving. However, she said, "But I can't bear it. There is no peace in my family. Every day my husband beats me when he comes home. Please! You must take back the blessings." Master said, "All right, I will."

After her master took back the blessing power, it became even more unbearable. The woman came and cried again, "Master, it is worse now! It was better before. Even when my husband beat me, I could sometimes enjoy the experience of samadhi. Now, although he does not beat me, I can no longer hear the inner Sound. There is nothing! That won't do!" You know disciples are all like that, fond of creating trouble for the master. Then her master said, "Go away, and don't bring me trouble. You want it today and do not want it tomorrow. It cannot be this way. This is not something to be joked about." The woman left and continued to suffer a lot. Of course, her master would still take care of her when she passed away. But after that day her whole life became meaningless, and there was no more experience, nothing! That is because she considered the mundane world more important than her spiritual practice!

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