News 37, Media Reports

Korean Religious News, Issue No. 1062
Wednesday April 27, 1994 (originally in Korean)

Religion is to remind us of our inner wisdom

Enlightenment illuminates our misunderstandings and ignorance
All paradises on Earth are only copies of the Kingdom of God.

The international spiritual leader comes to Korea —
Supreme Master Ching Hai.

The karma of this world is very difficult to shoulder.
The most precious discovery is the “Kingdom of God”.

Reporter: In Korean Buddhism, there is a big debate: after complete enlightenment, there is no need to practice, but some other people insist that after enlightenment, you must gradually practice. So what is Your opinion?

Master: My experience is after enlightenment, we still continue to practice because the enlightenment must be kept and practiced, in order to realize that we have it.

Reporter: Normally, how long do you have to meditate everyday?

Master: It depends on individual's situation. However, fellow initiates should meditate at least two and a half hours each day.

Reporter: What's the purpose of religion?

Master: Religion as it is today, is only the left over teachings from the deceased, past masters. Just like after Christ died, they founded Christianity; after Buddha died, they called it Buddhism; after Lao Tze died, they called it Taoism, after Muhammad died, they founded Muhammadanism. And when the master was alive, he was advertising for the Kingdom of God, advertising for the Buddha's land. And after the advertisement, if somebody believes in the master then the master will give them the real thing, not only the advertisement.

Reporter: What's the real teaching?

Master: The real teaching is not in any religious scripture. The real teaching is inside ourselves. So the master only reminds us that we have the Kingdom of God inside, have Buddha inside us. The Buddha said the Buddha is inside yourself, you are the Buddha. Jesus said God is inside you, that means you are God. Who can teach the Buddha? Who can teach God anything? Therefore the master only tries to awaken the great wisdom within yourself.

Reporter: The Internatioal Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations have so many centers through out the world. Why did You put these centers all over the world?

Master: It just happened naturally. I didn't plan this. Just as people gather more and more, we need a place for people to sit and meditate together. Because it is good for them and good for the world, so I have to help to establish. If more people meditate, the world will be more like heaven - many bad things will become less, and many good things will become more - because of the peaceful, noble and holy atmosphere from the meditation practice.

Reporter: What is the most valuable thing in the human being's life?

Master: It's the Buddha Nature and to find the Kingdom of God. The most valuable thing is not in the material world, but we can find it while we are in the material world; but it's not material, none of the treasure in this world can compare to that.

Reporter: Personally, what do You think of the Korean people?

Master: I love Korean people very much. That's why I come here to see them even if I'm very busy and have urgent work with the Au Lac refugees.

Reporter: Now that communism is finished, what kind of idealism is there in the future of this world?

Master: People change all the time. They like to experience new ideals. So it depends on the development of the world, people will have new ideals.

Communism was born because the majority of people were poor. If the majority or half of the people rise their standard of living, maybe no more communism.

And if the new idealism comes, it depends on the awareness, intelligence of the majority of the people. So the people as the whole, as a mass have to rise their standard of understanding and have to rise their standard of responsible feeling for their country, for their future. Then good idealism suitable for all the people will rise.

The most important is that people should be enlightened. Then they will have direct inspiration from heaven and know what to do, and we'll do everything according to the will of God. Then we will be in harmony, then whatever idealism, it will be heavenly idealism.

Reporter: How do we become the Buddha, achieve the Buddhahood?

Master: Practicing the Quan Yin Method. Quickly or a little slowly, you will realize your Buddha nature.

Reporter: How do You explain the Quan Yin Method to non-initiates?

Master: It depends on the level of the listeners, also depends on their religious backgrounds, depends on their openness and eagerness. But general, we can tell them that in most of the scriptures of the great religions of the world it is stated that all beings come from the sound and the light.

So the Quan Yin Method is the way to bring us back to this original creative power, back to where we came from, back to where we originated. And because of Quan Yin Method, we can hear the original sound and see the original light. That is our origin.

And this original power contains everything that we desire, because it can create everything. Therefore after contacting this original creating power, we can own and create everything. We have no more desire and attachments, and the desireless state means "Nirvana". But that doesn't mean we throw away the world, we still contribute to the world, but we have no desire.

Reporter: Did the Quan Yin Method exist also in ancient times?

Master: The Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng passed down the Quan Yin Method to ten disciples. However, the lineage of the method was discontinued later. It was because the most enlightened disciple had gone to another country and developed there, and this country heard no more about this lineage.

Sometimes because of political reasons, economic reasons or the collective karma of the people of that country does not allow Master's teachings to be continued there. So it will go develop in another place.

This time is urgent, besides so many disasters, so many wars, so many suffering in this world, you can't wait to select one or two disciples. It is the order from heaven that we spread it quickly and openly. It is the mercy of heaven, of Buddhas also.

We have accumulated too much negative karma, through the killing of animals en masse, and through many destructive weapons.

Reporter: Where were human beings be created? Where do human beings go?

Master: From the light and the sound, from the creative energy, and to that we return. This is what we call God or Buddha Nature, it is the origin of all things.

It is stated in the Bible like, - In the beginning was the Word... In the Buddhist Surangama Sutra stated also that all the Budhisattvas come from the sound and rely on the sound to take sentient beings back. All the sentient beings will come back with the sound. It is the inner vibration. It is what the Taoists say you can hear but no need the ears, you can see but no need the eyes. In the Vedas it also stated that all the beings come from the sound.

Reporter: Do you have any words for the Korean religious leaders?

Master: I don't know if I am worthy to give them advice, because I am sure there must be enlightened people in Korea also.

But in general, in order to lead others to enlightenment, we first must be fully enlightened ourselves. Because enlightenment means light, we have seen the light from heaven before we can teach human beings.

The teaching without language, the light without any electric or current will illuminate every darkness and make you understand, make you see clearly. It'll erase all ignorance. So without this enlightenment symbolized in light and sound, we are not yet ready to be a spiritual leader. In our Quan Yin system, a teacher must reach at least the fifth level of enlightenment, the level of Buddhahood, before he or she can be a teacher of man and heaven.

Reporter: Which is more valuable, love or life?

Master: The master because of love, sacrificing his or her life. So it doesn't matter what kind of sacrifice whether bodily or mentally or physically, it is all from love.