Through spiritual practice, we can unearth our wisdom, and then we can do everything smoothly. That’s why I say, “Spiritual practitioners are the ones who help the world the most.” Despite all our good intentions, however, we can be of little help to the world if we do not have talents, wisdom or virtues.

As I said before, if the people or government of a country are immoral, even if they have the best economic projects and the best technologies, the wealth and prosperity of that country won’t last. Just observe the fall and degeneration of several powerful nations in the world, and you’ll know what I say is true. Conversely, some nations that were small, weak and scarce in financial resources have developed rapidly and steadily. It’s because these nations are highly moral and respect spiritual faith, human rights and dignity.

Take Singapore for example. It’s small in area and has few financial resources. So how did it develop so well as to earn the respect of the world? It’s because the Singaporean government respects the people. The government truthfully works for the people, not for its own power or to secure positions. In that country, all religions are respected. The government holds spiritual practitioners in high esteem. When I went to give a lecture there, you all know how they respected, loved and admired me. It was because they knew what I say is right. In that country, there is no discrimination among religions. Whatever your faith or whatever religion you come from, as long as you’re enlightened, what you say is logical, and you’re truly virtuous, they’ll follow you to learn.

Hence, we can’t afford not to practice spirituality. It’s because regardless of the kind of work we do, be it in the artistic, political or economic fields, we still have to develop our wisdom to its greatest potential so that we can achieve perfection in our careers and serve the world.

When I teach you how to pursue spiritual practice and guide you strictly, I don’t only observe your shortcomings and ignore your good qualities. But since these qualities were there in the first place, there’s no need to mention them. We’re supposed to have these qualities originally so why bother to praise them? We need to change because we have flaws. Our shortcomings make us regress, separate us from others and sometimes hinder us from developing our compassion. That’s why we must axe those shortcomings. We don’t have to change our profession, social status or level of wealth. All we need to do is rectify our shortcomings, and then we’ll do our jobs better, become richer and develop our talents better.

All that our fellow initiates need to do is focus on spiritual edification, and then their talents will improve continuously. We don’t abhor the world or try to escape it. We practice spiritually for the sake of fully developing our talents, abilities, virtues and wisdom. In teaching you about spiritual practice, I have never demanded that you all become monastic practitioners and go into the Himalayas. You practice at home and meanwhile take care of your family and develop the country. This is the only goal of a spiritual practitioner. What’s the use of spiritual practice if we cut ourselves off from the masses? Where else can we use the merits derived from spiritual practice, except in serving the masses?

Therefore, spiritual practitioners are really good citizens, truly good citizens of the world. Whether they’re presidents or taxi drivers, spiritual practitioners are always peaceful and pure at heart in everything they do. They’re extraordinarily clean and honest, very contented and amiable. Anyone who sees them likes them, and then they ask how they’ve become like that and whether they have any secret formula. This gives us the opportunity to spread the good news. If each fellow initiate could share the Quan Yin Method with two persons each month, or let them know the benefits of our spiritual practice, the whole world would be completely delivered very soon! It doesn’t matter even if they don’t practice the Quan Yin Method; at least we let them know the moral aspects, remind them of their responsibilities as a human, of the Golden Era and the innocence, virtues and magnificent spirit that we had before we came into this world.

It takes more than words to persuade someone to pursue spirituality. We ourselves must first practice well, and then our words will have a powerful backup. Also, once they believe us, we still have to continue helping them, because they may be afraid of the vegetarian diet or of meditation. So we still have to take care of them with every step they take. We must not just speak to them casually, and then forsake them even though they don’t know what to do. This is not the way. We should remember the difficult situations we encountered when we, or other fellow initiates, first pursued spirituality. Sometimes, we were misunderstood by worldly people or by our family members. We have to be aware of such problems. When we help others, we should help them thoroughly. The purpose is not to get more fellow practitioners, but to purify the world.

Having practiced the Quan Yin Method until now, you have already derived many benefits, and are aware of the many changes in your actions, speech and thoughts, and in your family. Then, of course, you should help others to receive the same benefits, and let them become better, more intelligent and capable persons. Having embarked on the spiritual path, we can develop all our talents a hundred percent. Therefore, it’s not sufficient to just become a good doctor or a good construction worker; we still have other talents to develop. These talents and wisdom will only be unearthed after we practice the Quan Yin Method. This is my personal experience.

We don’t need much from the world, yet we’re capable of contributing a lot. Thus, we seem to be very rich people, and in fact, we are really very rich. We lack nothing all because we practice the Quan Yin Method! So in this world we don’t have to be wealthy or powerful in order to live a good, prosperous and meaningful life. Instead, we should have virtues and wisdom, and then we’ll have everything we want.

That’s why the Bible says: “Seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt 6:33) What’s the Kingdom of God within? It’s the greatest power and capability within that God has bestowed on us. Since our Father is almighty, being Hiers children, we ought to be like Hirm. Even if we can’t believe that we’re as almighty as God is, at least we should be close! At least two-thirds! God is almighty; Hes irradiates the whole universe. Then at least we should have two-thirds of this power and illuminate two-thirds of the universe!

This means that we are powerful. However, in our oblivion, we busy ourselves with insignificant roles, struggling in the material dimensions, and forgetting our greatest ability. The Kingdom of God is within us; the God nature is within each sentient being. Any great Master would say the same thing, yet worldly people don’t understand, then chant the scriptures daily without knowing their meaning. Only we Quan Yin practitioners understand because we’ve found the Kingdom of God. We know who God is, and where God's nature lies. We can apply It in our daily life. Although the spiritual achievement of fellow initiates may differ and their degrees of realization may not be the same, they have all entered the Kingdom of God.

Ancient Zen masters didn’t teach disciples how to meditate when they first came to them for training. In stories about them, we don’t hear about their disciples meditating every day. Most of the time, we hear about them chopping wood, grinding grain, cooking meals or perhaps striking the bell or scrubbing the floor! The same happens here. Sometimes I instruct the monastic disciples to do a lot of work that exceeds their so-called capabilities. However, this is good; it’s training! If I tell you to do the same thing every day, that will confine you in the same corner, and you’ll have no chance to recognize your other talents. You’ll have no chance to realize to what extent your wisdom has developed. We have capabilities far exceeding our imagination, but we don’t have a chance to use them so we’re not aware of them. Therefore, fellow practitioners, please do not fear hardship, do not fear work, and do not fear new tasks. Try it yourself. You can do anything because “I” can do everything. (Applause)

I have numerous disciples. Of course, you initiated people are my closest disciples. Otherwise, I have innumerable visible and invisible believers, uncountable! Of course, there’s a difference between disciples and believers. Disciples are those who follow me to learn from me. I teach them how to practice spirituality through personal instruction so that they can teach other people and benefit five, six, seven, eight, a hundred generations of their families. Believers are those who believe in the ability and power of the Master, and who pray for liberation for themselves as “a person” alone. This is called “Hinayana.” But you initiated disciples are my “Mahayana” disciples.*

Although I have plenty of disciples, can have anything I want and believe there’s nothing that you would refuse to give me, I still work to fulfill my own financial needs. Why do I paint pictures, make handicrafts and even do plasterwork myself? Because I want you to learn from my example, let you know that an enlightened person is capable of doing anything. Also, I want you to know that we spiritual practitioners are not parasites in the world.

We have grown up and become knowledgeable. If we still can’t take care of ourselves, how can we take care of the world? If we spiritual practitioners or so-called enlightened persons have to ask others to do everything for us, are incapable of doing anything, are very slow and sluggish, and rely on others, servants or disciples for everything, then what kind of Enlightened Masters are we? So it’s not my intention to boast about my talents; I never had these talents. I just do what I need to do, and then find that I have such talents. Just like you, I don’t predict the future. I simply react naturally in any situation that arises and depending on the circumstances, I just handle it accordingly. So, don’t be afraid of any event in your life. When experiences come, first calm down and then you’ll know how to handle them!

Of course, there are things that we can’t handle because they’re related to the multitudes of the world. Their collective karma and complex systems, their government, mindset, customs and habits are quite unlike ours. To avoid trouble and conflict, we do the best we can without engaging in too much confrontation with the world. Thus it appears as if we’re incapable of handling some aspects because they’re related to the mundane. If the problem concerns only us or our fellow practitioners, we can solve it immediately. Between us, Master and disciples, and among our fellow practitioners, there’s never been anything that can’t be handled. Isn’t that true? (Yes!) We’re truly one because we practice the Quan Yin Method.

We know about these things so we’re happy and delighted. Now, whenever we can share the news with someone, we try our best. However, don’t force people. Just let them know that there is such an option, and then let them decide. It doesn’t matter if they choose otherwise. We love the whole world, including fellow practitioners, non-fellow practitioners, believers, non-believers, enemies, friends, enemies of enemies, friends of enemies, enemies of friends, and so on. We love them all. (Warm applause) It’s because people in this world practice discrimination that they struggle, kill each other and reduce our beautiful, fertile planet to one that’s poor, weak, backward and miserable. We thus become inferior to other planets. We Quan Yin practitioners should spread our undiscriminating love to the whole world. Only through this way of love can we dissolve all natural disasters and wars, and turn foes into friends. (Applause)

We should act with sincerity, fairness and impartiality, and without discrimination. The people of the world will thus follow and learn from us. When we act in this way, the world will become more and more peaceful. You must bear this in mind: People practicing the Quan Yin Method must have wisdom and influence the whole world instead of being influenced by the ignorant multitudes!

Hinayana and Mahayana are Sanskrit terms meaning “Small Vehicle” and “Great Vehicle” respectively and are applied to the two major branches of Buddhism. Here they have the meaning "less benefit" and "greater benefit."