Media Reports |
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A Woman Who
Searched for Journalist: Mrs. Anula de Silva. |
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(Originally in Sinhalese)
Once
I heard about a woman who had been searching for the Truth. I came to
know about Her through a foreign guest who came to ask me to translate
the woman's lecture at the U.N. It happened by accident, but I felt joy
while I was reading that lecture because She was a woman. Her followers
called Her Supreme Master Ching Hai. I felt joy because the question of
whether a woman could be enlightened had been answered for me.
I
do not know whether any religious leader likes to see a woman becoming
a Master and getting enlightened. It is clear what kind of place has been
given to woman in every religion. Though we are told that in Buddhism
and Christianity a woman has all the rights of a man, it is clear that
she gets only second place. And it is doubtful whether a woman has ever
even been as high as second place among many Muslims.
We
cannot imagine that even in Christianity a Sister can reach the rank of
Pope. Though Mother Teresa was respected by the whole world and was a
saint, she received no rank in the Catholic Church. The situation is the
same in Buddhism. If the idea that woman cannot be a Buddha is dispelled
by a future Buddha, it will be the noblest spiritual gift. But we remember
the heated argument about establishing a women's monastic order among
Sri Lankan Buddhists. ` Today if a Buddhist nun reaches not only the level
of Arhat but even the fruits of Sotapatti (entry into the inner sound
stream), our monastic order is well equipped to stamp her as a heretic.
Woman has inherited not spiritual fruits but worthless insurance. Nevertheless
the above-mentioned Asian woman who early in life practiced both Buddhism
and Christianity, ignored the myths in the teachings and became enlightened.
Since then, She has guided others on the path, and this is really wonderful
to hear because She is a woman. Her followers are not only women, however.
Millions of Asian and Western men also listen to Her lectures and meditate
using Her Method.
Her
name is Ching Hai... Today many followers with different cultural and
religious backgrounds have surrounded Her. She speaks in English, German,
Chinese, French and Aulacese. She has delivered several lectures at the
U.N. and Her answers to U.N. officials' questions clearly show Her spiritual
power.
Anyway,
we should admire Her spiritual power, because She is a woman. She is telling
us that not only God but Buddha also live within us. She is ready to bring
to life the Buddha or God in our hearts....
