Life is short anyway. We should live the way that we feel worthy of our lives, of our existence, of God’s grace, and all the offerings from this Earth, this planet. I’m thankful every day when I see the Sun, the Moon, the stars. You know that already. Or anything that I have, even as little as I have.
Even the animals, I’m feeding the squirrels and the skunks but in the new place, I don’t know where to feed the birds because they’re not around. They came sometimes, but they don’t… they look like they don’t stay here. I asked them why, they said, “It’s not safe here.” I guess surrounding me, the forests are not very thick, (Oh.) not protective enough from the wind. (Oh.) I saw one bird nest already deserted. But I saw one on the high tree. I took a photo. Maybe you can see it one day on our television before Between Master and Disciples.
Today, you made me edit one of these early lectures when I went around the world, talking to people in different countries, and I saw myself talking in there. I was so young, enthusiastic, energetic and so beautiful. (You’re still beautiful, Master.) Nobody said that, so I just have to, I can’t help it. I remember, how long has it been already. Time seems to fly (Yes, Master.) so fast, so fast, especially when you are so busy. (Yes, Master.) Like you get up and you go to group meditation with your brothers or your sisters and then you go and have a quick breakfast and you go back to your computer; then it’s lunch again or dinner, just two times a day. Then you go back to your computer, and then you go meditate again and then it’s done, the whole day already. So fast, right? (Yes.) Somehow it works like that. (Yes, Master.) Never mind. We don’t want life to last too long. What do we have anyway, just a computer. And two meals a day. (Yes.)
Is the food good? (Yes, Master.) There are some tasty ones, like appetizing ones I have taught one of your brothers. Ask him to give the recipes to your kitchen to see if they cook better. I mean not better but something new. (OK, Master.) Just a couple, like one, two or three of them. Very tasty! Very appetizing! In case some days you don’t feel well and you don’t have appetite, these will be good. They can cook a lot and you can save them in the fridge. They can last for a long, long time. (Oh.) You could eat it just with rice and some fruit or salad, and you can eat it with congee, (Yes.) rice soup, when you don’t feel well. (Yes.) You can save it. You don’t have to save it in the deep freezer, just normal fridge temperature. Try them. And then you maybe just warm it up in the oven before you eat or don’t have to warm it. It’s OK. You ask the brother (Yes Master.) about what I had taught him. It’s not exactly as I would do it. But it’s not too bad, it’s not too bad. (Yes, Master.) And when it translates into your kitchen it may be a couple degrees even lower but never mind, you can try…and tell me. (Yes, Master.) If you never ate what I cooked before, then you would not know the difference. (Yes.) And you would think it is quite appetizing, quite…scrumptious. The Chinese they say scrumptious, meaning if you eat that, your food goes down easier. (Oh.)
All right, let’s go to the Jewish folklore story. (Yes, Master.) My calendar is always too long. I know. I know you like it. You didn’t like me talking about food and all that stuff. Wait until you eat it, then you will thank me. (Yes, Master.) When someday, when the kitchen doesn’t cook very much to your liking, you will thank me. You save them, and then that day you’ll eat extra. OK?
Now the story is called “The Gate of Heaven.” Any of you see them around you? No? (No, Master.) Well, never mind, we have some. (Wow!) The thing is, not with the ordinary eyes you can see them. I’ve told you we have gates of Heaven and gates of hell, remember? (Yes, Master.) And fortunate for all of those who live in the area where there are gates of Heaven or many gates of Heaven, and unfortunate for those who live in the area or in the buildings where there are many even hell roads existing, forked hell roads and stuff like that. You know forked, many, like a junction. (Junction, yes, Master.) The road junction of hell. And I told you which ones have; in some of the governments’ buildings (Yes, Master.) The White House has. I told you already, right? (Yes, Master.) You don’t have to believe me. But you see how much trouble all the presidents or governments, one after another, that they have over there. Even assassinations and all that. And I told them to move, but nobody would believe me anyway. If they had moved, all the presidents would be safer. Safer, not just from assassination, but safer from fake news, from wrong, fake accusations, from bad reputations, and from difficult governing kind of situations and conditions. But nobody believes me, I know that. Not many, especially the governments. They are doing it just like business.
Mostly I don’t see a lot of sincerity to really serve the people of their country. A lot are not. Some do, but a lot are not. And even some do, they are opposed by others, (Yes.) because of conflict of interest. It’s just like in one group if somebody wants to take bribes, but some of them don’t want to, then that person either has to be eliminated, or he has to resign by himself. It happened. One of the disciples even wrote to me about his situation, that he doesn’t want to take bribes like everyone else in that group, but then he doesn’t feel safe. So, he had to resign. (Ohh.) He asked me whether or not he should resign, I said, “Yes, do.” If you cannot win them, then you just have to leave. It’s difficult to win in that situation. (Yes, Master.)
Lucky that you work for me and you’re not allowed any bribes. Nobody can bribe you with what you don’t have. You all have the same, right? (Yes.) So, we are clean, aren’t we? (Yes, Master.) Good for you. Well, life is short anyway. We should live the way that we feel worthy of our lives, of our existence, of God’s grace, and all the offerings from this Earth, this planet. I’m thankful every day when I see the Sun, the Moon, the stars. You know that already. Or anything that I have, even as little as I have. You know what? My room is so small; my house is so small now.
Yesterday, I had to fix some holes in the wall, and I accidently nailed my box of tools inside it. (Oh, no!) After I told you that I have my… everywhere… I’m sorry, the stories can wait, can it? (Yes, Master.) I have my story first. I’m a Master, I have priority. How about that? (Yes, Master.) That’s my privilege.
Now, I nailed my box of tools in it. It’s not a lot. It’s just a small box like this, and about 20 centimeters long and 10 centimeters thick. I put nails, screws, and some screwdrivers, and my Swiss knife in it. After I told you, it’s all gone. (Oh.) I could not find it, and I thought, “What happened to my toolbox?” It’s so small, but I need some nails and some thumb tacks to nail something. And then Heaven told me, “It’s in Your working box.” They called my house a “box,” imagine that?
I thought I left it outside somewhere. When I walked out, maybe to feed the squirrels or something, I might have absent-mindedly left it outside somewhere. I looked but I could not find it. And then Heaven just laughed at me like that. “It’s in Your…” They said, “It’s not outside. It’s in Your working box.” I was startled, I said, “Working box? What do You mean ‘working box’?” They said, “You’re standing in it.” Oh man, I didn’t know Heaven’s Beings could be so cheeky. Box! They call my house a “box!” Box, B-O-X. So I just shook my head and had a good laugh. I said, “Oh yeah, maybe You’re right. It’s not much of a house.”
It is a box all right. It’s very square and very small. Enough for me, enough for me. Because sometimes insects, ants and all come in, and I have to clean all the time. If it’s bigger, I don’t have time. I don’t feel like having the pleasure of cleaning the floor all the time. That is something I don’t like. I love cooking. I love maybe decorating the house. I don’t do it anymore now. I love cooking, but I don’t like washing. I don’t like washing up the dishes afterward. The big pans and pots and all that, they bothered me since I was a kid already. Whenever I was assigned to do the dishes, I always pulled my face like a horse. I’d say, “Me? Me? Wash dishes? Oh!” I guess I still remember the past life when I was well-fed, well-served, well-to-do. I could do that still nowadays. But I don’t want to. I want to be alone and independent. That’s why I work so hard.
That was a funny story, a funny thing that the Heaven called my room, my house, a “box.” And afterwards, I was thinking, “You’re right, it is a box.” Originally, I did not understand. I thought they meant the boxes I put under to make a table. (Yes.) I kept looking, I said, “I didn’t find it.” They said, “No, You’re standing in it.” Then I looked around, I realized they have really dry humor. Since we talk about the gates of Heaven, I just remembered that story. All right. Now, that was the salt and pepper before the main meal. Appetizer.
