The Supreme Master Panorama

As news spread about Supreme Master Ching Hai and the Quan Yin Method, many people came to learn the Convenient Method. Some people, of this very Christian country, commented on the benefits of meditation while others noted the logic behind the teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai and how Her Biblical citations and explanations had enlightened many of their compatriots on the true meaning of prayer.

Discussions with the Quan Yin messenger brought a long-time believer of Jesus Christ to the realization that here was the answer he had been seeking but failed to find in many churches. This teacher recounted the difficulty he had understanding many of the miracles cited in the Bible and how he required scientific proof for everything. Upon learning the Convenient Method of meditation, he had the incredible experience of his soul leaving his physical body within days of practice. This experience opened his understanding to the existence of the very many realms in the vast universe aside from the Earth that are beyond understanding by the human mind and cannot be explained in human language. After all, the human mind has its limitations.

An initiate-to-be, once a practitioner of other paths declared, the Highest Buddha had guided her to Supreme Master Ching Hai. She has had good inner experiences, having been subject to the care of the inner Master in her dream and also perceiving her whole body snugly embraced by light in her meditation. Her story is a case in point that even spiritual practitioners of the Convenient Method of meditation receive meticulous care from Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Another initiate-to-be noted his growing tolerance with others, which was a change from his earlier disgust with the fickleness of human relationships. By practicing the Convenient Method, he has come to realize that the Quan Yin Method is truly the method of love.

Newspaper advertisements of the scheduled video lecture drew many phone inquiries. Several days before the lecture, a teacher arrived at the local Center with some friends, wanting to learn meditation. In yet another example of how God always guides longing souls back Home, the teacher commented that Supreme Master Ching Hai had answered in a videotaped lecture all the questions that had been troubling him for a long time.

On the day of the lecture, an Australian woman marveled at how she found Supreme Master Ching Hai and came to practice here on this island country when she was least expecting it. Her daughter was visiting from Australia and had brought with her a sample booklet that she had found in a store and which she thought was a very good book. Not long after the mother read the book, she read an advertisement about the video lecture and wondered if it was about the same Master. As soon as she saw the picture of Supreme Master Ching Hai upon her arrival at the local Center, she exclaimed happily, "I have found Her!" She had been planning to fly back to Australia to learn the method of meditation at the Australian Center and now was saved the travel expenses.

At the end of the videotaped lecture, smiles brightened up the faces of everyone present. The guests requested to learn the Convenient Method of meditation. Some immediately expressed great interest in learning vegetarian cooking.

Several days after the lecture, some practitioners of the Convenient Method living in the neighborhood visited the Center to try preparing simple vegetarian dishes. When they found that it was not difficult, they became more confident of their culinary skill in vegetarian cooking.

The local Center on the Solomon Islands was provided by a family of initiates-to-be when they learnt that the Quan Yin messenger was looking for accommodation and a venue to hold a seminar. Because of the high rental costs, they immediately remodeled their house. The local people had helped a lot. Some of those who offered their help also learned the Convenient Method of meditation.

This temporary Center has brought reading and audiovisual material about Supreme Master Ching Hai within easy reach of initiates-to-be and facilitates the dissemination of Her teachings. The Center continuously has received many requests for meditation lessons.¡¹

As usual, the Perth Center contributed a booth, which featured Master's paintings, books and video lectures, which were played continuously. Many people showed interest in Master's teachings, and requested to receive the News magazine, or asked to visit the Center.

The booth also included a section selling vegetarian food, which was very popular as well.

"Clean Up Australia Day" is an annual event in this country, in which parties of volunteers nationwide go out and pick up garbage from roadsides, parks and other areas.

As usual, the Perth Center participated. Being the first Sunday of the month, Clean Up Australia Day would normally have been a retreat day, however we decided to hold the usual Sunday group meditation in the morning before starting work. After hours of hard work, we had collected many bags of garbage. We then returned to the Center for lunch.¡¹

Master has always stressed the importance of group meditation. Suppose each of us had a glass of water; if we were all to pour our water into a pool, we would be able to swim in it. Attending just one retreat where one can meditate in full concentration is more rewarding than years of individual effort at home. This is why fellow initiates are eager to go to retreats.

The path leading to the hills behind was packed by participants of the retreat, and in return for the enthusiasm they brought, Mother Nature has created beautiful flowers throughout the ashram. We hope every holiday is a retreat day, and all members of the Quan Yin family can come together to pursue their spiritual quest.

[Taipei] The Taipei Center in Formosa sponsored a park cleanup activity in conjunction with the Taipei Office of City Parks and Street Lights on March 29. Fellow initiates and their family members, both old and young, participated in this holiday activity of beautifying Hsinsheng Park. They weeded the grass, swept the fallen leaves, and gave the fences new paint, adding a touch of warmth and liveliness to the environment and atmosphere on this Formosan Youth Day.

Through this labor service, many participants came to understand better what Supreme Master Ching Hai once said, "Everything we do is for ourselves." The initiates had the opportunity to flex their muscles and relax under the warm sun. They also practiced removing distracting thoughts and frustrations that grow like weeds by concentrating on the actual job of weeding. This will lead them on to unearth the true self and as a compassionate move by spiritual practitioners, draw from the vast ocean of love and spread it among all sentient beings.

As the morning work ended, participants sat down to enjoy a picnic. The white clouds in the vast blue sky formed an attractive contrast to the colorful plants in the park. These, along with dancing butterflies, frolicking dogs, and children at play, presented a fascinating picture of a joyful holiday.

[Taoyuan] With great enthusiasm, a Resource Recycling Activity focusing on environmental protection has started in Taoyuan Center. From planning, searching for purchasers, promotion, volunteer training, to the current operations, the Taoyuan Center Recycling Group has done their best to impliment the whole process in the shortest time. The group members encourage other fellow initiates by posting slogans such as "Take action to protect our Earth now and enjoy a better environment tomorrow"; "Recycle whatever you can and bring it to the Center on the weekend".

Moved and inspired by their posters and presentations, all disciples have participated in this meaningful project enthusiastically. Recycling has become a part of the disciples' lives. Now all have developed the habit of sorting their garbage at home and have mastered the handling skills. For example, everybody knows that used paper needs to be bundled, and bottles and cans need to be cleaned, dried and crushed before they are brought to the Center, so that the purchasers can easily pick up the sorted and packaged garbage at the Center, where every weekend this garbage finally turns into gold.The money generated from recycling is used for our Center -- "home in Taoyuan".

With the recycling activities, garbage in disciples' homes have been reduced tremendously. Some disciples even extended their recycling activities to their workplaces. They bring the recyclable garbage dumped by others from their companies to the Center. Disciples feel relieved when they see bags and bags of garbage being carried by the purchasers to the trucks and tons of waste reduced from the Earth. In fact, the quality of our environment has very much to do with our good habits. On a day-to-day basis, if we could become just a little more conscious of our environment, even though each of our actions in dealing with garbage may well be a "small thing," we are actually helping a lot to the overall environmental protection on this planet. Let's all do it together!

[Nantou] A park activity was recently held by a Formosan Catholic group at the Niuer Stone Sculpture Art Park in Puli, to raise funds for the Catholic "Resurrection Education Center." Learning that this center was raising construction funds in various ways to build classrooms, local fellow initiates applied to the sponsor organization for a booth. We collected all the "surplus merits" in our homes, including household electrical appliances, books, etcetera, that were of no use to us or were extra, but would contribute to the Catholic fund when sold. We then sorted and marked prices on them after our group meditation.

On the morning of the day of the activity, we came to the venue and then covered our tables with colorful cloth and decorated the background. Soon stars and moons were all over our booth and then the simple but lively "flea market" opened. Of course gourmet vegetarian food was an absolutely essential item.

"Come one! Come all! We have all kinds of items with great prices! A great selection, too! We have delicious vegetarian food! Be quick! Hurry! Or none will be left!" Through simple portable megaphones, each of our fellow initiates seemed to be a "skilled peddler." However, we peddled not for profit but for the enjoyment of making the best use of these items and for the pleasure of the buyers when they bought inexpensive and useful things. Of course, our final goal was achieved when the buyers and sellers both enjoyed themselves to the fullest and all the items were turned into beneficial merit, that is, the construction fund for the Resurrection Education Center.

After the activity, fellow initiates picked up the garbage and cleaned the venue, so that the Art Park regained its "original natural appearance." We did this work in the same way that we clean up the environment after each group meditation. However, the sponsor organization expressed its gratitude for our "good deeds" more than once over loud speakers, which embarrassed us, because these things are our duty and should not even have been mentioned, let alone praised.¡¹

[San Jose and San Francisco] Once again, spring has returned, but in contrast to previous years, the impact of El Nino has brought torrential rain to Northern California. Despite some concern that the turnout at the Lunar New Year Festival would be affected by the weather, during the Festival, the rain stopped pouring. The warmth from the sun on a spring day filled the earth, and the Festival was a success, many thanks to Divine blessings.

Due to the large number of people attending the Festival, we hardly stopped working, distributing News magazines, sample booklets, and flyers containing information about our multilingual local radio programs.

During the Festival, there was a special visit to the booth by the Mayor of Milpitas, Mr. Henry Chang Manayan. Accompanying him were Mr. Nhan Ngoc Nguyen, President of the Aulacese Democracy Education Foundation, and the Assistant Sheriff of Santa Clara, Mr. Tom Sing. Mayor Manayan said that he very much admired Supreme Master Ching Hai, and hoped one day that he could meet Her.

The following weekend, the New Year Festival was held at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. This time, our booth was in a central location, and thus, the number of people passing by was even greater. We worked with joy and enthusiasm, but sometimes, due to the sheer number of people visiting the booth, we could not respond immediately to everyone's questions about the Quan Yin Method. All the inquiring people, however, waited patiently for us. While waiting, visitors to our booth enjoyed the videotaped Long Beach musical program.

Some visitors returned to our booth after their visit from the previous week and shared with us that they had enjoyed reading the Supreme Master News magazines and learning about our organization's activities. They also asked for more information about initiation.

A number of people had heard of the Quan Yin Method through weekly local radio programs produced by our initiates, but never knew what Master looked like. Pleasantly surprised, these visitors said, "Oh, so this is Supreme Master Ching Hai. How young and beautiful she is!"

Many people said that it was very satisfying to be able to listen continuously to Master's weekly radio program for hours, and also commented that Supreme Master's teachings are very logical.

During the two weekends of the Year of the Tiger Festival, everyone joyfully accepted our sample booklets and exchanged best wishes for the New Year. As always, Master's love radiated like sun rays in the spring.¡¹

Although the government and local communities had established many rules and restrictions regarding advertising, our fellow initiates overcame these difficulties, tried every means available, and actively contacted local radio and TV stations, newspapers, magazines and community special columnists. After learning that we were from a non-profit spiritual organization that had conducted many charitable works around the world, and that the free public seminar we planned to hold was about spiritual practice, most media offered us their services free of charge or at a discount.

During the seminar, we showed a video tape about Master's life and another tape containing one of Master's lectures. Then the Quan Yin messenger answered questions from the audience. Many people requested to learn the Convenient Method of meditation. After the seminar, we also served many kinds of lovingly prepared vegetarian food and tried to help people to start following a vegetarian diet.

While learning the Convenient Method, many people had good inner experiences. One lady had come from Los Angeles, USA, to take care of her father who was critically ill in the hospital, and happened to encounter the seminar. While visiting at the hospital and reading one of Master's sample books she obtained at the seminar, her father told her that he saw a very bright saint walking towards him. This lady told us that after she went back to Los Angeles, she would continue to practice the Convenient Method, contact the local Center there and wait for initiation.

After the seminar, a reporter from the Radio Fanshawe 6X-FM came to our Center to cover the event. On the same night, the ratio station introduced Master and our spiritual organization to its audience and broadcast Master's Buddha's chanting tape during prime time.

The seminar is now over, ice and snow are still on the tree branches, mother earth is quietly unthawing, and we believe that the spiritual seeds that have been sown will sprout and grow.

[Ottawa] A seminar organized by Ottawa initiates attracted large numbers of people, many of whom called in advance to make reservations. The event was announced in the media and through posters and pamphlets prepared and posted around the city by initiates. The initiates, some of whom came from neighboring cities to help, first met for group meditation to pray for Master's blessings. Participants at the seminar each received a copy of the sample booklet, the Supreme Master News magazine, vegetarian recipes, and answers to the most frequently asked questions. The seminar was well received and many raised spiritual questions of considerably high levels. A couple at the seminar experienced an intense energy while a woman saw the stage illuminated by brilliant light. Many guests asked to learn the Convenient Method of meditation after the seminar while some requested initiation into the Quan Yin Method.

Just as people living on this Earth should demonstrate mutual concern, Ottawa initiates blissfully followed the instructions of Supreme Master Ching Hai by sharing Her love with needy families, presenting them with traditional Au Lac delicacies and spiritual nourishment. The recipients expressed delight at these gifts. Some parents sought help from the Ottawa Center, upon learning their children's desire for a New Year present. Of course, the children were the happiest of all. The initiates expressed genuine appreciation for the chance to be the servants of God and to transmit Hiers love to the children.

Ottawa initiates also participated in Chinese and Au Lac New Year exhibitions during the New Year holiday. Many visitors to the Chinese New Year exhibition expressed an interest in the wise spiritual teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai. Some asked for a copy of every publication on display, while many children brought their parents and friends to get copies of the News magazine. Some visitors asked to learn the Convenient Method; others quietly watched videotaped lectures of Supreme Master Ching Hai until the end of the exhibition.

Initiates also participated in the Au Lac New Year food and book exhibitions to promote vegetarianism and the teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai. Many visitors were attracted to their booths, where free vegetarian recipes were available. A photographer conducting research on the Au Lac culture came to the booth to gather information on Supreme Master Ching Hai, hoping to introduce Her in the spiritual section of a future cultural exhibition. A local television station interviewed initiates about their experiences in the New Year celebrations. Several Westerners visited the exhibition, the majority of whom expressed an open attitude toward the teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai. Several people who had learnt about Master while in the refugee camp came to make further inquiries about Her. The visitors' sincere longing for Master and Her teachings served as a reminder that initiates should cultivate their yearning for the Truth each day. Just as they have gained much from practicing the Quan Yin Method, they must also be generous in sharing God's Word with society, which in turn will provide them with many valuable and beneficial lessons.

[Montreal] Montreal initiates celebrated the special occasion of Ching Hai Day by meditating and praying for world peace and sharing with friends and relatives delicious vegetarian dishes prepared by several sister initiates. They discussed spiritual matters, exchanged recipes, and took the opportunity to understand each other better. Some fellow initiates traveled long distances to join in the celebration. The Quan Yin messenger who incidentally arrived at the Montreal Center a few days earlier also joined in the celebration and shared with local initiates his personal experiences in the joyful atmosphere.¡¹