SMCH: I visited the refugees and bought something for them while I was there, but the main purpose of my visit was to deliver a lecture. There were lots of people and the lecture venue was packed until there was no space to walk. Many people sat in the passageways or on the staircase. It was the same yesterday. We had even more people and it was really crowded. (Master is referring here to Her lecture at Formosa's Taoyuan County Stadium on May 5.) Things in Singapore went pretty smoothly. The Singaporean government is very open-minded and the local people, being spiritually advanced, accepted us immediately. Their country is very clean and the people are law-abiding. If you spit chewing gum on the street, you will be fined US$500. The people are able to maintain a steady spiritual practice; once they start, they continue. You just tell them and they understand immediately. The people of Singapore develop their wisdom really well. And I am very delighted about that!

Chairman: What is the most important method that they understand? What is the vital point?

SMCH: I just talk to them casually. [Laughter]

Chairman: But it doesn't work when I talk casually!

SMCH: They are rather intelligent! [Laughter]

Chairman: All right, let us talk about the Philippines. In April 1991, You were in the Philippines to help the Aulacese asylum-seekers. Why do You use the word "Au Lac" instead of "Vietnam"? This is the first question. The second question is, why did Manila present You with the City Key and confer upon You honorary citizenship?

Master being interviewed by various members of the media in the Philippines, 1994

SMCH: I have no idea. They did it as soon as I arrived because someone had told them who I was and why I was there. The mayor of Manila invited us and gave us the key. I thought that the key was beautiful, so I kept it as a souvenir, but it cannot open any doors. [Laughter] I felt great receiving a key for the first time in my life. I didn't have a home then; I was living in a tent, yet I had a key. I wrapped it nicely in a pouch. Later, I lost the thrill as I received many more keys. I put them side-by-side, just for looks. I received several keys in the United States. I can give you one if you want. [Laugher]

Chairman: It is only good if the local government gives it to me. From You, maybe it's also okay!

SMCH: We can share it.

Chairman: Now, let's go on to that part about the Aulacese refugees. Please talk more about it, since You are from Au Lac. We will discuss Au Lac in greater detail later.

SMCH: At that time, I was negotiating for the Aulacese refugees with the Philippine government to help and offer asylum to them. The country eventually offered asylum to the 5,000 refugees who were still in the Philippines. The local people are very kindhearted and generous, even though their country is poor. Therefore, I paid them a visit a couple of days ago to express our gratitude.

In 1992, Master meets with Mrs. Corazon Aquino, President of the Philippines, to discuss the Aulacese refugees' stay.

In 1992, Master meets with Ms. Imelda Marcos of the Philippines.

"Au Lac" is the ancient name of Vietnam. It means "happiness." I use this name because I feel that it brings good luck to the people. I love names that sound good. Being a designer, I love beautiful things, including beautiful names. That is why I prefer to use the name "Formosa" instead of "Taiwan". You can see that we have used this name in the information sheets in your hands. We call this island Formosa, not Taiwan, though we sometimes forget.

Chairman: Au Lac was hit by floods, and two million people were affected. How much did You contribute to their aid? Where did this money come from? This issue of basic necessities is very important, so I have to be blunt.

SMCH: I don't quite remember because it was so long ago. It isn't that I don't want to talk about it, but I have lost count of how many countries we have provided aid to, and the amount of relief provisions we have given. Does anyone remember the amount? I don't.

Chairman: What I mean is, did You raise funds for the contribution?

SMCH: You are asking where the money came from?

Chairman: Exactly!

SMCH: Well, we got it from the bank. [Laughter] We had to; it would be very dangerous to keep such a large sum of money at home. [Laughter] We work to earn most of our money. I design clothes and other things. I designed a variety of clothes then. Now I design more expensive clothes. I also designed some minor things at that time, or we wove hats and other things for sale. Being spiritual practitioners, we ate only one or two vegetarian meals a day. Life was simple. We lived in tents and didn't have many clothes, just two or three sets. Therefore, we saved most of the money we earned and then used it to help the refugees. We also had fellow practitioners who volunteered to deliver the funds. We do not directly accept contributions from fellow practitioners. If they want to contribute, they send it directly to the affected countries. Our Formosan fellow practitioners have provided financial contributions to the Philippines, and many other countries and places. And Formosa is now well-known for its disaster relief. We are regarded as a Formosan group worldwide.

Chairman: Perhaps the SMCH International Association can tell us more about how the funds were raised and how they were used. This is a very important question. However, we can raise this matter when we open the floor to discussion, since some important leaders of the Association might be present. Let us continue, as time is precious. We still have Cambodia to cover. Can You tell us about Cambodia?

In 1996, Master meets with H.M. King Sihanouk of Cambodia.

SMCH: The whole country knows about it. Contributions came from the whole country, not just our group. Everyone contributed a little, and we sent whatever we collected to Cambodia. How much we sent, I have forgotten. Really, I forget very quickly; however, I think it was a lot, about 6,000 tons of rice. You can find that information in the newspapers. We sent the relief provisions to Cambodia because it had been in bad shape for a long time. People were starving, and crops were not growing. Now they have no problem. They saved some of the rice that we contributed to plant. Later, their Prime Minister reported to me: "Master, we planted many rice paddies from the rice that You contributed, and the yield is increasing all the time." The assistance we provided serves not only at that moment, but future generations as well. The children and the elderly are now sufficiently clothed and fed. They are very grateful to the Formosans-- fellow practitioners and otherwise, for their aid.

Chairman: The last two questions are about Cambodia. Under item six is the 1996 retreat. Could You please explain this retreat and give us a brief introduction?

SMCH: Each year, we reserve some time to sit down quietly to introspect on ourselves, since God dwells within us, and to strengthen our inner realization. This is the purpose of a retreat. We put down everything for a few days -- three, five, or seven days, depending on the situation. During that time, we concentrate entirely on our God Nature, or the God within us. This is called a retreat. We have retreats every year in different countries. The last one was in Thailand; next week, we will have another one in Korea. We do this for ourselves and for world peace. When we get together, the power is stronger and it is more convenient to pray. This is what a retreat is for.

Chairman: I think approximately thirty-five minutes have passed. In this first session, I asked Supreme Master Ching Hai some simple questions regarding the activities of the Chinese people in Southeast Asia. Professor Ruaan Jy-sheng of National Taiwan University will now give us his comments. [Applause]

Comments from a Scholar

Professor Ruaan: I am as excited as every one of you to have Supreme Master Ching Hai with us. I don't think many people, including the conveners, expected Supreme Master Ching Hai to grace us with Her presence today. I, myself, feel especially honored. The comments that I am about to make will be directly related to the theme of our seminar -- The Supreme Master Ching Hai, the Quan Yin Method, and the Chinese in Southeast Asia. The theme has two parts, one being about Southeast Asia. We have a number of experts and scholars sitting among us. Our chairman, Professor Chu, is an expert in the study of the overseas Chinese, especially the Chinese communities and religions in Indonesia. He has published several articles in this area. We also have with us scholars from the Taiwan Religion Institute and the Southeast Asia Research Project, who are more competent speakers than I am on the subject of the Chinese in Southeast Asia. Therefore, I will comment mainly on Supreme Master Ching Hai and the Quan Yin Method.

I read the material provided by the SMCH International Association before the seminar and have just listened to a speech by Supreme Master. I get the impression that the Quan Yin Method and its leader are very special; maybe we could say that they are of a "different variety". They are really unique. My general observations tell me that the actions and speech of this leader often shatter boundaries and rules, as they do not conform to the social codes we are familiar with. She is very uncommon and above normal etiquette. For this reason, it is very difficult for people to understand and categorize Her according to existing concepts and habitual rules. In the eyes of worldly people, Supreme Master Ching Hai is very different than other religious leaders. The Supreme Master Ching Hai is an Asian lady of Aulacese origin. She has given lectures in Chinese, English, Aulacese, and even German and French on the Earth's five continents. She is well-versed in all the major religious scriptures and can easily expound profound doctrines in simple words of common usage.

The Supreme Master gives initiation to Truth-aspirants of any ethnic group or religious background, without demanding that they give up their original faith. She imparts a supra-worldly method of liberation, but is also very concerned about worldly suffering, conducting disaster relief and charitable activities when the need arises. She teaches the Quan Yin Method, a simple and apparently novel method, which She claims is the most ancient and a magnificient one. Her disciples are required to strictly observe the Five Precepts and a lifelong vegetarian diet, and to meditate for two and a half hours each day. They are also encouraged to practice the middle way, to refrain from going to extremes, and to pursue a life of Truth, virtue, and beauty. However, while She gives lectures on the Truth, She also writes poems, composes songs, plays musical instruments, recites poems, sings songs, paints, cooks vegetarian cuisine, and has compiled vegetarian cookbooks.

SMCH: This is very important to the Chinese!

Professor Ruaan: She is also a fashion and jewelry designer. She has held art exhibitions, fashion shows, and musical events in several of the world's major cities. People have difficulty detecting Her spiritual traits, and are even skeptical about Her being a spiritual practitioner. [Laughter] She offers financial assistance and dedicates Her endeavors to helping the world's most needy people, in both material and spiritual aspects. She does not build temples or churches, nor does She accept offerings. Disciples everywhere would love Her to stay with them as long as possible, but She prefers to wander around the globe without a fixed abode, not willing to settle down in any one place. With Her intense compassion for humankind, She helps people with all Her heart and effort, but occasionally reprimands them out of Her profound love for them. She has been called "the Master who reprimands people." At a time when people are pessimistic about the last stage of the Dharma, or trembling with fear about a coming doomsday, She speaks with high spirits of stepping into a new, golden age. Although it is said that She attained ultimate enlightenment deep in the Himalayas, She convinces people that it is not necessary to practice asceticism in the mountains after receiving initiation, because it is possible to attain enlightenment by practicing at home. She has the power to attract thousands of disciples and have them fly around the globe to attend international retreats. [Laughter]

SMCH: It sounds like we have supernatural power!

Professor Ruaan: This is even more impressive than those who travel island-wide on Formosa. [Laughter]

SMCH: Professor, we do practice supernatural powers!

Professor Ruaan: Their gatherings are attended by thousands of people. Very often She has to meet political leaders in different countries while conducting charitable or relief work. However, She claims that She is naturally shy, and loves to live a free, easy, and simple life. Depending on the occasion and the country She is in, She wears imaginative self-designed clothes or the traditional attire of the different countries She visits. She appears in different styles and forms, like a woman with a thousand looks. It is for this very reason that She often causes misunderstanding among people and is a target of criticism. Nevertheless, She continues to act in Her own way, enduring it all in silence and playing Her role. She claims that the Method She teaches is the most ancient one, while She gives people a very modern impression. She even expects Her disciples to become modern spiritual practitioners. All these unique, transcendental and uncommon things that She does broaden the views of the people and puzzle them as well. We can understand the puzzlement and doubts of worldly people, but we cannot deny that She teaches people to perform good deeds and elevate themselves in both material and spiritual aspects. We cannot find a negative trait in Her. We might say that for the general public, religious researchers, and spiritual practitioners, The Supreme Master Ching Hai and the Quan Yin Method offer a new message and a new choice. This is a profitable matter, no matter what.

SMCH: Thank you.

Professor Ruaan: An open and pluralistic society welcomes all kinds of harmless new things. I think Supreme Master Ching Hai has brought to us a brand new sensation! And Her many unique contributions have provided more free choices for society, making our social culture richer and more colorful. Finally, I would like to thank Supreme Master Ching Hai. May God be with You! Let us ask Supreme Master to say a few good words to God for Formosa, for the people on Formosa and the Chinese mainland, and for humankind. [Applause] To continue, I would like to ask a few questions. The first one relates to the religious nature and definition. This question has three parts. Part one: Both the general public and religious researchers regard the Quan Yin Method as a new religion. The Convener also referred to Your group as the Ching Hai religious group. Is the Quan Yin Method a religion? This is the first part of the question.

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