Master's Story

By The Supreme Master Ching Hai At Tien Shan Center in Shatin, Hong Kong, On April 19, 1994
(Originally in Chinese)

(Master reading a story) "A man bought a plot of land from his neighbour on the last day of the Golden Age. What was the Golden Age?" It was a time when most people were kind and valued righteousness above material gain. They were gentle, clean, courageous and noble... In other words, they were very virtuous at that time.

Nowadays we are also in the 'Golden Age' - everyone likes gold so much that it is even more important than the life of a human being. That was the reason why Au Lac people were able to use gold to escape Au Lac in order to save themselves. Some very rich used gold in exchange for water to bathe when they were in Thailand. The outcome was that they were labeled economic refugees ; meaning they were living 'in poverty' so they escaped from Au Lac.

Some of our disciples who came to know about this said that they bought water for a bath with gold, because water was scarce and there was not enough to quench their thirst let alone to have a bath! Nevertheless, there were some people who were able to use gold to buy water for a bath, not just once a while but everyday. No doubt, some were rich but not everybody. Others probably had lost their possessions at sea or did not have time to bring them along. Some refugees were poor but not all of them.

The story I am going to tell you was from the real Golden Age, not this 'Gold-Grabbing Age' (Master laughed) in which everybody's eyes sparkle when they see gold. They hold it tightly and will not give away.

This reminds me about a man who went to a goldsmith shop to steal a piece of gold in broad daylight. Of course he was caught on the spot and put into jail. The judge asked him, Why did you try to steal the gold in broad daylight when the shop is so crowded? Didn't you realize? Why did you try at that time making it so easy for you to get caught? The man sighed, Oh, I could only see the gold, not the people! (Laughter) This is so called 'Gold-Grabbing Age'.

Going back to our story in which a man bought a plot of land from his neighbour. This happened on the last day of the real Golden Age. The next day it turned into the Age of Darkness in which people were immoral and had no conscience; they killed each other, they, for the sake of money, cheated and squeezed one another without showing any sense of courtesy or humility. Whereas, in the Golden Age, people did not regard gold as important. They placed greater value on morality and supreme wisdom derived from practice... etc.

So that was the last day of the Golden Age and the next day would be the beginning of the Age of Darkness. That man, after buying the land, started to dig the soil so as to placed the pillars in the building of his house. He did not realize the change from the Gold to the Dark Age. He just happened to be in that situation, but of course God Almighty knew that. While digging, the man discovered a vase full of gold and immediately he took it to his neighbour who sold him the land. (It was still the Golden Age and not yet tomorrow .) The man told his neighbour, Oh! When I was digging today, I found this vase of gold. I want to return it to you as I bought the land but not the gold, so it doesn't belong to me. I paid for the land but not this vase of gold. It's something extra and I should return it to you. The real Golden Age was truly like that.

His neighbour, the previous landlord, replied, Oh, congratulations, it's yours! You need not return it to me. By the very fact that you bought this land, whatever's underneath it, also belongs to you; I have no right to keep it! So both of them were trying very hard to give way and neither of them was willing to keep that vase of gold because both thought that it was not right and would feel embarrassed to do so. One thought that the land and whatever underneath once sold, should belong to the buyer. The other thought that he only paid for the land not the vase of gold underneath and hence it was not his. Both of them were right and rational, they both tried to give way to the other and neither wanted to keep the vase of gold.

At last both were too tired to discuss and they said Alright, we'd better go and rest and meditate for a while and we should ask our inner Masters for help! (Master laughed.) Ah.. oh, no! They said, It's getting dark, we are tired, let's go back and rest. We'll leave this gold aside and discuss this tomorrow after we think it through clearly! Then they went back home.

However, after midnight, God Almighty turned the world into the Age of Darkness. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew across the earth and all the earth's morality was instantly influenced and turned into immorality. As this was done naturally, nobody was aware of it.

So the next day, as previously agreed, both came back to the same place where the gold was left. Upon their arrival, the buyer, the new landlord promptly said, Oh, I have considered very thoroughly. Whatever you said yesterday was true and right (laughter), I agree 100 percent. Since I bought that piece of land, whatever is underneath should be mine. You are absolutely correct! So I am coming to take that vase of gold back. Thank you, thank you very much!

His neighbour immediately replied. Oh, no! No! No! It's wrong, completely wrong! Today I have also considered it thoroughly. I feel that whatever you said yesterday was correct. I agree with you absolutely, because it's impossible for you to buy something unexpected. Moreover, you only paid for the land but not the vase of gold and therefore, this vase of gold is mine. I am going to take it home! Thank you! Hence, both of them wanted to take the vase of gold away. They argued and quarrelled over it, neither of them was willing to give in. So they, originally good friends, suddenly became enemies, mortal enemies.

They went to court to sue each other and to accuse the opposite party of wrong doing. For a vase of gold, their relationship had change from one of good neighbours, gentlemen, good friends to be enemies.

If it were not for this vase of gold, they probably would not have become enemies, although not friendly, they would lead their own lives separately; one building his house, the other carrying on with his own business despite the fact that God had changed the world into the Age of Darkness. Therefore, it is bad if we do not use money appropriately. It is equally bad if we are attached to it. As I mentioned earlier, we should not sacrifice our soul and elegant demeanor for money, it's truly not worthwhile! Do you think that either of them was worthy? In the beginning, they were gentlemen, noble friends and suddenly for the sake of gold, both became like that. They were affected by the world, the influence of the Age of Darkness. But, that was also partly due to the fact that their consciences and morality were not strong.

If we understand moral values and have deeply realized the spiritual teachings, we will not change under any circumstances. This is because we know what is right and what is wrong. We will not see wrong things as right. Hence, we always do the right thing in whatever place or situation, because we know what is right. This is the most important thing. Or else we keep on blaming by saying this Golden Age, Platinum Age... In fact, any time is golden and platinum. If we know how to seek our inner noble quality, find our own supreme wisdom, then it does not matter which age we are in. Otherwise, it will be tough and difficult on us to live in any age. This story was from India, even the ancient Indians were like that. Perhaps an enlightened master was telling this story to educate his disciples. It may not be a true story but good times should be like this.

In China, the dynasties of 'Yeow' and 'Soon', were the real Golden Ages. At night people did not need to close their doors. Nobody would pick up things that did not belong to them, because if they picked them up, the owner might not be able to find them when he returned.

Nevertheless, in this modern age, you don't even have to drop it and somebody has already picked it. (Master and everybody laughed.) You have to move quickly when someone drops something, because if you do not pick it up, someone else will. What a pity! (Master laughed.)

So now you know which one is a Golden Age and which one is the Age of Fear. (Master was playing with two similar sounding Chinese words 'golden' and 'fear'.) This age has more fear. As you practice, have you noticed that your greed, the craving for money has reduced? (Audience answered, Yes ) How delightful! It means it will not matter to you how many vases of gold we have here. It also means that we are in the Golden Age.