Whatever we do, just imagine it’s us. Anything that we don’t want to happen to ourselves or have other people do to us, then we don’t treat others like that, and it would be OK. It’s a very simple concept.
Right now, our world is really pathetic, in a really pathetic condition. Everyone suffers so much; most beings suffer so much. Humans, animals, and trees, and the planet alike – all suffering so much. If I don’t think about it, then I still can live on. Then I better not think about it, otherwise… Who would like to live here? Even Hong Kong is a beautiful, peaceful place and very advanced in consciousness and technology and logistics, but still, recently, also a little unrest. (Yes.) Hong Kong’s standard of living is expensive. It’s one of the most expensive cities in the world, but also the wages are very high, right? (Yes.) High because of the housing, right? (Yes.) Otherwise, the food and all that are not that expensive. Of course, in some high-class restaurants or high-class hotels, they charge more, but still reasonable, compared to what it is. You know, in Hong Kong, we don’t have enough land. Maybe in the future, the government will fill the sea, like Singapore? Make more land and more houses for people. A lot of people like Hong Kong, that’s why.
I also like Hong Kong. But if I stay in the mountains… Now it’s still OK, but if I’m getting older, I don’t think I can walk so long – steep hills, and climbing, and the friendly mosquitoes kiss-kiss. Before, long time ago, don’t know, 20 years or something years ago, I stayed in Hong Kong, right? Twenty years ago? (Yes.) More or less? I don’t remember what mosquitoes looked like; they didn’t bother me. The more disciples I have, the more mosquitoes love me. Love in action, you know? Chup, chup, chup, chup, in the mountains. Yeah, a lot of mosquitoes. Also ants, I did not see them before. Twenty-some years ago, when I first ever stayed in Hong Kong in the mountains, on our mountain, I never saw any ants, I never knew mosquitoes existed. And now, they’re visiting me all the time, if I am there.
I can also spray something to avoid and it’s effective. But for mosquitoes, you have to spray on your own house. And the dogs stay there, also the mosquitoes bite and stuff, insect stuff. Before, we did not have them. You have mosquito bites in the mountains also? (Yes.) Very little, because you share, right? (Yes.) Two or three each, right? If you all came to the mountain, only two or three each, right? That’s nothing. Just a little vinegar water, or vinegar, and then it will disappear, and the itch will be gone.
Vinegar is also very effective. And if your skin is sensitive, after vinegar, after it’s not itching anymore, you wash it with warm water, put some olive oil or coconut oil; natural remedy. And we have this lemongrass spray, lemongrass. Or, don’t need to spray a thing. I think that, nowadays, they buy something you can stick on your clothes, but then it keeps falling off. And something round like this, you also stick everywhere like a decoration; you can hang it like a bead on your clothes; another bracelet, because they make it round, it looks nice. Maybe the mosquitoes get confused, “What kind of jewelry is she wearing? It’s not SM Celestial Jewelry,” and it confuses them. And you change it only every month, I think. It’s not bad, keep wearing them; like beads. You can count them and recite the Five (Holy) Names. Does it work, that one, the round ring that you clip on your body? No? Don’t use. Just share the compassion, right? OK, then, also good. Maybe next time, if I want to stay in the mountains, I’ll ask you guys to come up first. Open a free restaurant, each one has three customers, maybe two or three customers, and then I go.
You’re all alright? You can survive in Hong Kong? High rent. You live together, it’s cheaper, no? Very difficult, huh? Difficult to live together, because most flats are small, right? Never mind, you just sleep there and meditate. What for you want a big one? Any more questions? If not, then we just look.
It doesn’t matter where you stay. If staying on the mountain, you have to walk down the mountain to work. It takes a lot of time, doesn’t it? Since you have to work anyway, you might as well stay there. If there’re any holidays, you could go back and stay on the mountain for a little while, and see if it’s been cleaned well.
Don’t build anything at random any more. It should be natural on the mountain. Maybe when I came here, there weren’t many initiates at that time. I had to bring along the cameramen or video-men with me. And that’s why we needed a tent for them to live in. When I came at that time, I built a canopy on the lower land in order to bake the (vegan) cakes for you. I made some (vegan) biscuits, etc. for you. My house up there was very small. You did go to my place later on, anyway. Back then, there was more space on the lower land. And I prefer nature. Now, there’s no more need. Don’t set up canvas or tents everywhere. They block people’s vision and take over spaces. We build only when necessary, if we live on the mountain. When you have time, repair only those that require repairing. Otherwise, don’t build too many things and mess up the place.
On the mountain, the more natural, the better. Of course, you need at least a roof when you go for group meditation there. When it rains, spread some plastic sheets as covers, or, on rainy days, just don’t go there. It is also OK here. Go up there when the weather is good. It helps you to have a good mood when you go to a new place and have fresh air. Take some walks, if you still can. It’s also a kind of exercise for you to stay healthy. I’m still OK. I just don’t know if I would come and go very often. If I stay long in Hong Kong, I’d stay on the mountain. I said “if”! (We wish.) You wish. There’s no internet on the mountain and the phone doesn’t work either. I can’t work if I live on the mountain. I still have to work no matter where I go. I need to contact people, take care of businesses, take care of the new Centers and old Centers, and take care of dogs and cats and whatever. I have to take care of everything. You don’t know.
Sometimes, after we have been practicing spiritually for a long time, we think we are great and very loving. We go and distribute flyers now and then, and afterwards, we go and eat some vegan food, then we think we’re OK. Of course, it’s OK. We think we’re OK as long as we don’t kill, eat meat, or drink alcohol. But when we encounter real situations that need us to lend a helping hand, we forget to help.
There was a dog in the New Land. I don’t know who brought him there. He was so skinny, and his legs were injured. You know what happened? Of course, dogs are not allowed in the meditation hall. That’s correct. Dogs can make a mess in the meditation hall or could be stepped on. But he was already very skinny and injured. What happened is that they tied him under a tree in a deserted, faraway place with nobody around. Oh! The dog cried so much. I could even hear it from Hong Kong. So, I called back to ask if anything happened.
Someone told me there was a dog, and he didn’t know where he went afterwards. He said the dog came and helped him by reminding him to love animals, especially those animals who are suffering more. The dog helped him indeed. But he didn’t help the dog. Maybe he’s young and does not know much, and he has never encountered such situations. He thought the people who took the dog out would take care of him, so he did not think much. But what happened, is that they tied him in a place which was deserted, like a cold palace. There was no one around, and no roof over his head. He used to be running free. He could find a place to hide himself from rain or the sun’s heat before. But now, he was tied up over there. It was a puppy, only five months old. My heart was nearly broken into pieces. I could not bear it.
Imagine it was you, with your legs injured, already limping around. Imagine a kid just five years old. Imagine it was your kid, or yourself, not to mention kids, and there is no one who helps you. They only feed you a little bit, and then leave you in that faraway place, with nobody around. You are scared of other animals attacking you at night. And you can’t run away if mosquitoes come and bite you, or other animals come and bite or attack you. You don’t know how to hide from the sun, because the sunlight shines in different directions at different times. That’s how it was.
I only called back after two or three days. I could not bear it. Over the decades, how much have I told you about loving others, and loving and respecting other sentient beings? Have I told you? (Yes.) You also know that recently, a few weeks ago, I went into retreat for animals. It’s not like I didn’t set an example of how I treat my dogs. Everybody knows how I treat my dogs, right?
When I was in Thailand, I adopted them, eight or nine of them. Since they were small, not long after birth, just more than one month old, they littered around the house all day and all night. It’s because they were wild and not trained yet. They were born outside in the wilderness. Normally, no one could touch them. So, I took care of them all day and all night, and even lost my voice. You can ask the Thai people if you don’t believe me. They wanted to help us find people who can adopt the dogs. I could not do it. I couldn’t bear to let them go, because I saw many stray dogs outside with health problems and no one to take care of them. Also, in the golf course over there, they would poison and kill them. No one took care of them at all. So, I dared not let them go. I didn’t know which one would be a good caretaker. So, I had to go through hardships myself until I was sick and lost my voice, because I had no energy left.
Also, one puppy was infected with a contagious disease. I had to wipe, clean and change my clothes every time, after taking care of him throughout the day, because I was worried that other dogs or myself might be infected as well. Humans can be infected by that disease, too. Even under that condition and in an unfamiliar country, I still continued to look after them. It was very difficult to buy things for dogs. I had to go to one shop after another, begging them to give me some cartons. Some of the cartons were too small, so I glued them together to make a bigger one for them to use temporarily. They were just kids! So they bit and broke the cartons in no time, and I had to go begging again. I said I wanted to pay for the cartons, but they didn’t have them. It’s not very convenient to be in that kind of situation in Thailand. Even so, I still continued to look after them.
Only one dog, and a skinny and injured one, yet you don’t take care of him! If I were that brother, I would have looked after him, and I would have brought him home and looked after him. And you could find someone else to adopt him later. Or once he recovers, you could send him to an adoption center, and you don’t have to keep him. But you should take care of him first, because he was injured.
So, after I heard about it, I immediately asked them to take him to a warm house, where he could be sheltered from wind, rain, and the sun, and take him to see the vet immediately. And then I asked the dog caretakers to bring a warm bed and blankets for him, including an infrared blanket, which can help relieve his pain, and to take him to see the vet. I have asked two brothers from Supreme Master Television to look after him temporarily, because they have looked after my dogs before, the big ones like Zolo, and also Benny. They are used to it, and they have been trained. So, they are taking care of him now. I said, when I come back, not even one hair can be missing from his body. What I mean is to take care of him well. I was really mad, and I felt hurt.
The dog cannot speak! He was in pain, and came to seek help. Not only did you not help him, but you tied him up over there to make him even more helpless. His life became even more endangered. It’s on the mountain! There are other animals! There are big dogs everywhere, and cats. It doesn’t matter who comes. He is already weak and sick, and also skinny. He’s not been taken good care of. And his legs are also injured! Normally, he could run. But how can he run if he’s tied up? Just imagine that it’s you, and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Imagine it’s you. Not able to speak. Sick, in pain, with nothing to eat. Skinny already, and legs are also injured. You run to the neighbor to ask for help, but the neighbor ties you up in that deserted place. No one can see you. And it’s dark at night. You would know by just imagining it. Can you?
Whatever we do, just imagine it’s us. Anything that we don’t want to happen to ourselves or have other people do to us, then we don’t treat others like that, and it would be OK. It’s a very simple concept.
I’m really disappointed; very disappointed and sad. I cried many days for that dog, because it took me two days to take care of him. I was worried that they were not taking good care of him, so I still had to ask, and teach them what to do. He was only about five months old. Now that I’ve adopted him, many people want him, because it’s “Master’s dog.”
It’s not like everything would be fine after initiation. Of course, it would be fine. But you still have to train yourself! You have to learn with the Master. It’s not like I expect all of you to be so good. But I want to tell you that not every disciple is trouble-free for Master. Don’t think my days are easy. It’s not that easy, OK? Even just for a dog, they made me feel worried and sad, because I felt so painful for the dog, as if I was treated the same way; exactly the same way. Since I’m very sensitive, I can feel what other sentient beings feel. If I open it completely, I won’t be able to live, so I shut off some of it. But it’s in my own place! One helpless, innocent, and lovely dog came to seek help. I could not ignore it. Such a small matter, with so many initiates there, you should be able to take care of it. I shouldn’t have to worry so much, no. You abused him. And I had to call back from Hong Kong, for two days, taking care of him.
And now, I called to ask them, because he has not been trained. They have to take him out to do his business and bring him back, and cook for him. He is still young. Even dry food, you have to buy the smaller ones. But I told them to treat him the same as my dogs, because some dogs are allergic to some ingredients in the dry food or canned food. Some dogs are not allergic to it, but some are. So, it will be OK, as long as they treat him the same as my dogs.
And I called to ask the two people taking care of the new dog. I said, “How is he?” He said, “He’s like an angel!” I said, “Yes! Most of them are angels.” Except those who were made sick or born from close relatives, then they became mentally ill. It’s all caused by humans. In nature, dogs would not act like that. So, some dogs become abnormal, and they blame the dogs. They sell dogs in many countries, and some dogs are famous, like world champions from some contests. And they continue to make babies from those dogs, even with another dog of the same pedigree. So, they become mentally ill. Just to make money. Some humans are really not up to the standard; they do anything for money. It’s not right. And it damages the dogs’ reputation, etc. Or some people are too mean to dogs; they are not understanding or gentle. They abuse the dog and do not give him any affection, because some people are mentally ill. Or some train the dogs in such a cruel way, wanting to quickly train them well in order to make money; it’s other people’s dogs anyway. And dogs only strike back when they have no choice. Normally, they are very kind. The dog species has a kind nature; they are very good beings.
