Nevertheless, we should not worry about this - no matter how the person is - good or bad; with ego or egoless, all will be liberated after practicing the Quan Yin Method. This is the best news. It's said in the scriptures that the seed of inner wisdom is planted at the first time you are awakened by the inner Sound. But most people have no idea what the Sound is or what "contemplate the original Self" means. You will understand this more and more after you believe in and practice the Method. The pressure on your shoulders will become lighter, and you'll feel more and more relaxed. This means that your seed of Wisdom is gradually growing and you will one day become a Sage.

The Quan Yin Method is too simple to be considered an ultimate method for gaining enlightenment. People would cherish the Method if it were more complicated. So, although Buddhist sutra chanting and pilgrimages require much effort (some of the Tibetan ceremonies require 1008 instruments in order to make a service for their Lord and are very demanding), many people are still fascinated and piously worship wooden statues.

You proclaim that I'm a living Buddha, but I don't believe it! You don't really know who I am. Because if you did, you wouldn't be as relaxed as you are when you come here. You would be different. But since my vibration is not too intense, you don't feel that a living Buddha is here. That's why some woman rolled her pants legs high and rested in an impolite way when she came here. Would you do that in a solemn temple? (Audience: No) As soon as people see Buddha's statue, they immediately chant, "Amitabha, Amitabha, Amitabha ...," and bow all the way in from outside the temple.

In countries like Thailand, Burma, Au Lac and Sri Lanka, there's a gate far away from the ashram. People have to take off their shoes before they enter and then go inside with bare feet; sometimes you even have to bow all the way in from the gate. It's already like this to bow only to a wooden statue. For the purpose of looking cool, some of you behave so vulgarly here, even before me. I recommend that you wear long pants so that you'll look more dignified. What sense does it make if you wear long pants and then fold them high? Why bother?

Thus, sentient beings are very ignorant. They show their respect in the wrong place and wrong way, and worship whatever is not deserving instead of what is deserving. Think about it with your wisdom. Is what I say true? Everything is upside down in this world. That's why Shakyamuni Buddha was hurt, attacked and falsely accused; Jesus Christ was crucified; Confucius was slandered and driven away from as many as six countries.

Nevertheless, in each and every temple, offerings of incense, flowers and fruit occur nonstop, and it's the same in any era. Some temples have only one statue, but they still make it into a solemn ceremony. Even if a statue of the god of the earth has its special honor, every day you can see people come in with fresh flowers, clean water and fragrant incense. And people do the cleaning voluntarily; sometimes they even bathe the statue, and do it very well. Many temples of the god of the earth are very big, and no one talks about waste or anything, but it happens to me, and I live in only one room.

And the god of the earth never stays in a hut like mine. It has to be put in a very solid place, which is colorfully decorated, carefully cleaned and filled with fresh flowers. As for my room, sometimes my attendants used to do the cleaning and leave the used water there for three days. At that time, there was no electric light so I used the water to rinse my mouth at night because I thought it was clean! This is a true story from my own experience. But you see there's always clean water before Buddha's statues in every temple, and the poor guy doesn't even need it. Don't you think this world is upside down?