When we grow up a little bit more and become teenagers, we always have various kinds of pressure: from school work, from competition with classmates, from girlfriends, boyfriends, or girl and boyfriends together and from family members as well.

And sometimes we share the pressure of our parents, too, or that of our brothers and sisters if they have problems. Even if they don’t tell us or if they only tell us a little bit, we perhaps know the financial situation of the family or the marital atmosphere between our parents, and so on. All of these things add to the pressure on our soul. And thus sometimes children feel suffocated.

So children may take pills, take drugs or kill themselves. Or they may run away from home, or have all kinds of bad company just to escape the pressure. That’s what they think, to substitute these things for the happiness that they have lost or that they cannot find.

And I think the pressure on children is sometimes of a greater intensity than that on adults. Because when we’re adults, we’re more or less trained and more or less strong enough to be able to take of these problems. But children are a little bit sensitive, innocent and helpless; therefore, they don’t know where to turn. And they don’t know how to express themselves: They’re fearful or timid and shy and all kinds of things. So I don’t think being a child or being young is as terribly beautiful as people describe in novels.

That’s why when children do something wrong, it’s not entirely their fault. It’s the situation, the pressure of the society, the circumstances and the family background; there are many things put together. So it’s lucky for those children who have good parents or a good family and who feel happy and loved within the family. I didn’t feel it that much when I was young. But those who practice with their parents on the path of Truth are better, much better. They have inner comfort to rely on. And that will give them a lot of the strength and wisdom they need to grow and to survive the pressures of this world.

Sometimes our parents or family members alone cannot give us enough satisfaction or inner strength to go through life. Because there are also many things we can’t talk about with our parents. Parents have their own problems and their own pressures. Even if they wanted to love their children more or share more of their children’s pressures, they could not by human effort do so in a complete way.

So I think all the children should come and learn the Quan Yin Method and eat vegetarian. And if they have problems, they can talk to me. That’s better than going and talking to bad friends! I can be their father, mother, friend, lover, teacher or anything so that they will survive the young period. And then later, when they grow up, they can do things for themselves.

The Importance of Keeping Our Thoughts, Speech and Actions Pure