Free Will
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Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Cambodia, March 27, 1996 (Originally in Chinese) We have various options in this world. The universe is not as rigid and dull as you might think. It's really up to you to decide what you want to do and how much of a load and responsibility you want to handle. You can do it as long as you don't hurt other people. God has a few wishes, but we make the choices ourselves. Otherwise, it would be too boring if everything were predestined. We can change things, but we must make good changes, and then it is okay. Take, for example, this package of tissues in my hand; I can keep it for my own use, or I can toss the tissues to people in need - two or three of them. I can toss them in different directions. I can also discard the package in the dustbin and then no one can use it. If I keep it, I am the only one who can use it; however, people can make use of these tissues if I put some everywhere. In this way, I have many choices. It's up to me to decide, and that's all right. It's impossible to say that God has arranged for me to throw this package of tissues to a designated person. It can't be like that. The universe isn't that monotonous; we have many choices. All kinds of religions talk about free will, which sometimes brings harm to many people, as well as ourselves, and makes us transmigrate. If we make a good decision, the result will be good and we'll reap the benefits. Otherwise, we'll have to shoulder a heavy responsibility that makes us feel uncomfortable and is very tiresome. Even worse, we'll have to come back to amend the things we've done wrong, to compensate for the harm that we've done or the losses that all those people have incurred. That's just the way it is. It's true; nothing is really good or bad in the universe, it's only a cycle. Everyone plays his or her role, and we go back to rest when the time comes. However, this is not an excuse for us to act irresponsibly. Certainly, we must choose to do good things because they will benefit us and others, too; and we won't have to exhaust ourselves with transmigration. There are many obstacles each time we come here. It's not definite that we can fix the things we've done wrong within the periods of time that we're back. Consequently, we have to carry on this way until all has been amended, and sometimes this takes thousands of years.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai Hsihu Center, Formosa, October 27, 1995 (Originally in English) Actually there's no limit to our free will. It depends on how strong the will you have is. For example, there is a limit to good will because of our karma from past lives. If last life, we obstructed many people's practicing or we tried to do some bad things to many people, then this life that kind of bad karma will come back and obstruct us, make a lot of trouble for us. Even if we have a very good will, we have the free will to be able to change our life and to choose between good and evil, sometimes the karma from the past life obstructs us, makes so much difficulty for us to fulfill our good will that we can't do the good things that we want in such a quick way and smooth way. That's why we say there's a limit to free will; otherwise, there's no limit to free will at all. That's why we must practice very hard, using our strong almighty Power inside in order to overcome any obstacles that we, ourselves or anyone else, planted before or at the present time on our road.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai New Jersey Center, USA, June 25, 1992 Freedom doesn't mean that you fly in the sky, stay there, open your mouth, and wait for the berries to come. Freedom means that you have great responsibilities. It means that no one should have to tell you what to do, but you should know what to do. You have freedom by choice if you know what to do and how to take care of your life and your work. But if you still let people tell you what to do because you don't know what to do yourself, then you are not free. It doesn't matter how much you want to be free, you are not, because you are bound within your own ignorance. You let your mind cheat you into thinking you are free and you are okay, but you are not. So, there's much work for you to do, and your level is up to you.Aphorisms
"Freedom of speech" doesn't mean you say what you want; it's just that you know what you should say or not. "Freedom of thought" doesn't mean you think what you want, but whether you know what you are thinking is free, real, correct, and is right or not. "Freedom of action" doesn't mean you just do what you want, but you know what your actions are and you know what you are doing. ~ Supreme Master Ching Hai
