Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Florida, USA, June 8, 2001
(Originally in English) Videotape No. 716

Q: We know there are people in the world who aren’t enlightened. They’re just pretty much walking with their blinders on and don’t know the divine creatures that they are. Are there ways You might suggest that we don’t become discouraged by the overwhelming numbers of these blind people, other than just to recognize that they are divine, and love them for what they are anyway?

M: Love them for what they are, and do your own thing. They can do their thing, and you should also do your thing. If you cannot influence them in any way, then just keep to yourself and protect yourself, at least so that you do not become dispirited.

That’s why we have to keep together -- through group meditation, retreats, lectures, videotapes, books and so on -- reminding yourself until you’re strong on your feet and can walk by yourself and aren’t influenced by anything. Then you become a master of yourself and a master of the world, instead of the world becoming your master. You don’t have to teach anyone to be a master. You’re the master of yourself. That’s the hardest thing to do.

It’s no problem, in the hospital there might be only two or three doctors, or ten at the most. But they aren’t overwhelmed by the number of patients in the hospital, because they know what they’re doing. They’ve studied for years, and they treat the patients instead of letting the patients infect them with their diseases or misery.

Q: I hear every Master say when they teach, “Don’t go to another teacher.” I know You said if you’re riding two bicycles, you can’t learn to ride one. At the same time, I understand that we are One, somewhere, somehow. So why is it that this Oneness doesn’t override the individual Master?

M: Because you’re already separated. It takes time and power and concentration to become One again with all beings. So while you’re separated, you’d better just concentrate on what you know and study what you have, first. Otherwise, you’ll overwhelm yourself with many seemingly contradictory theories and teachings.

The real Masters teach the same Truth, but one may express it differently to certain individuals. And the affinity that this Master has with His students is different from the kind you have with other masters. But if you overwhelm yourself with too many factors, then you can’t digest it. And that will make you slow to progress. Because you confuse yourself and you have doubts about this path. Yet you can’t go to that other path because it seems similar. Because you’re not yet developed enough to discriminate which one is which, or assimilate that all are One. So you might just as well stay with the level of your truth, until you go above it. And then, of course, you can go to hell, not to mention going to another human being’s same level or a higher level or a different level.

Stick with one thing at a time. It’s not that it’s forbidden; it’s just that while you’re studying with one professor in English, there’s no need to go to another English professor, because he will probably give you a different kind of teaching or lesson. Just like he would give a mechanic different terminology than you. You are studying to become a plumber, so he would use different terminology for you. Both teach English, but you learn about one thing at a time.

If later you want to, you can join the other teacher. But by then it won’t be necessary. So it’s not necessary now, it won’t be necessary later, it never has been and never will be necessary. Stick with one teacher. If you believe this teacher teaches the whole Truth, then stick with that. If you don’t believe it, then you can leave this teacher, go somewhere else and stick with that teacher alone. But be careful before you move. Otherwise, you’ll waste your time shopping around.

Faith can move mountains. And I can promise you that whatever I teach you is wholly true. If not, I fear God’s punishment. If I were not able to teach, I would not dare. Because I’m also a lady and a woman; I’m a human, and I also fear God. If I weren’t “there,” I wouldn’t dare. Maybe you would dare, but I wouldn’t. Because I fear God. Why would I do that, if I didn’t know? Because I don’t feel that I need anything. Looking into my heart, I realize I don’t need anything.

So if I teach you, it’s because I should and because I know. And what I know, I give to you, the highest Truth that I know. If I teach you because I need you or need money, fame or things like that, then maybe I do it wrongly or maybe I just do it for the sake of having the fame or the profit. But when I look into my heart, I see I don’t need anything! And whatever I know, I know it’s the Truth. Many of us know it’s the Truth -- we can testify to it again and again.

Even if I’m wrong, all of you can’t be wrong. And I’ve been searching Heaven and Earth: There’s no better thing than what I’ve taught you. (Applause) This is not meant to convert you. It’s just to tell you because you ask. But of course, as is your level, so will you understand me or not understand me. I can’t force you. I’m just telling you as a promise, as a vow, as a statement, so that if you need this confirmation, you have it.

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