Spiritual Light Dispels the Darkness
of Ignorance

Initiation and good spiritual practice bring you comfort. When you go out, people feel comfortable around you and treat you well because they feel the benefit. Some people feel uncomfortable in the beginning. This is because of their heavy karma and the strong internal resistance that causes them pain when they meet you. This is like having been isolated in a dark room away from the sun for a long time. Seeing the sun then hurts the eye. It is like the discomfort our eyes experience if the light is turned on when we have not quite awakened. We often see the light, but because we have been asleep or haven't seen the sun for a long time, our eyes hurt in the beginning and we want to complain. But we cannot accuse the light or the sun of being wicked or bad. It is because we are not yet accustomed to it.

Most people feel comfortable and benefited around spiritual practitioners. The sick get better; the stupid get smarter; people whose business is floundering find that their business has improved (audience laughs); those in poor health get better; the unhappy ones feel happier. These are common phenomena. But there might be one or two who cannot bear it. For some of you, your husband or wife might have quarreled with you after you received initiation. This happens in the beginning, because they haven't seen the sun for a long time, so their eyes feel discomfort at the sudden sunshine. Later they come for initiation and apologize to me (audience laughs). We are fine because we walk in the sun every day, while they have been caged in a small, dark room and feel uncomfortable at the sight of the sun.

You should know that we are always blessing this world, and anyone who meets us benefits. If you encounter occasional resistance from a couple of people, you must realize that they have been away from the sun for a long time and you should not be angry with them; instead, you should have pity on them. You should take your time and be patient. Things will be fine after they become comfortable. The situation is different for everyone. Some things may be good for them, and we should seek what is good for us. We all need different things. For example, if someone doesn't need the sun, he won't seek it because he doesn't like it. But we like the sun, because we are sick (Master laughs). There are sick people, so the sun must be there to help them recover. Or we may be thirsty, then we should seek water. But they may not be thirsty, so why should they bother! If they are not thirsty, yet we bring them water and say, "The water is good. I just drank it. Why don't you try some?" (all laugh) this is not logical, so we should just let it be.

Spiritual Practice Helps
the World Most

People benefit from our spiritual practice. When a person practices, he gradually becomes one with the world, and his property becomes that of the world. When an Enlightened Master passes away, He leaves His merits and the fruits of His practice to the world instead of taking them with Him. Therefore, our world becomes more and more civilized, because Enlightened Masters come during every era and time, and they leave some property for us and our descendents, thereby making our world more and more civilized, blessed, and bright. Previously, there were no lights, telephones, cars, airplanes, or television. But the situation has gradually improved. In ancient times, there was no medicine to cure diseases, but now medicine has become very advanced.

Therefore, practitioners are of the greatest help to the world. This is not superficially discernible, but we cannot deny the help we render to this world. We work and practice. We cause no harm. Our renunciates also work hard. Everyone should know that spiritual practice is very good. We share our spiritual merits with the world, instead of practicing for ourselves. We cannot just retain the merits if we practice this Quan Yin Method-people will come and take them (all laugh and applaud). Take an electric lamp, for example. Is it possible for the lamp to not radiate light? It shines naturally and people come near to read, eat, and chat in the light. It would be illogical to say that the lamp does not want to give illumination. Illumination cannot be withheld. It is given away naturally.

In the same way, we practitioners bless every place we go, whether we want to or not, whether we do it consciously or unconsciously. It is best if you are not aware of it. Your ego will grow if you are. It should be as Lao-Tzu said, "Do without doing" or "Know without knowing; that's the real knowing." We feel something, but we don't know what it is. We just like "whatever it is." (All laugh and applaud.) Therefore, don't worry about getting no benefits from spiritual practice. They are there for you! We don't care if we benefit personally or not, as long as others do. It is a certainty that we get the benefit naturally. You will feel it clearly. At least your life will become different. It will be purer and more carefree, and your mind will be more open rather than constrained.

In the past, you felt sad when you were scolded. But now you don't feel so sad except when I scold you (all laugh), because you have the misconception that Masters should be sweet. Therefore, you feel hurt. You don't allow me to do my job naturally. Of course, I want to be sweet, but I can't when your bitterness blends in with my sweetness. It takes a long time before the sweetness surfaces. This is like adding a little milk to water. You cannot feel the change, but as you add more and more milk, the milky color shows and the mixture becomes milk in the end.

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