In this video/audio, Supreme Master Ching Hai discusses her recent experiences in Hong Kong, praising its people for being extremely kind and helpful. While in the region she was especially touched by a happy, contented blind person who made his living by selling items on the streets. She points out that we humans should live simple lives and be contented as he is.

Master also reminds our Association members not to take home excessive amounts of water from the Hsihu Ashram. We should all be considerate of nature and other sentient beings. Moreover, in our spiritual practice we should avoid paying too much attention to outer appearances and material gain. Instead we should go within and be humble. The greedier we are, the more spiritual points we lose.

Regarding environmental protection, Master says that besides taking eco-action by saving water and electricity, we should love nature and avoid cutting or trimming trees at random. Because some large, tall trees are high-level spiritual beings who are here to protect us and share their merits with us. All animals, trees, and stones have spirits, and mountains have mountain gods. Therefore, we should be grateful for being human and being able to enjoy so many wonderful things.

1. Producing and transporting food involves a great deal of effort on the part of many people, nature gods, and other sentient beings, so by eating food we exchange karma and merits with others. Thus, many Masters continue to eat food in order to bless the world. Normal spiritual practitioners should pay attention to both the spiritual and material aspects of life, eating just enough and meditating more.
2. “I think we should let more water flow around under the ground, so the trees and flowers can share some. We should not put everything in our own pockets. We already have water in our own homes. The trees are helpless because they can only rely on water in nature. We should not compete with them too much.”
3. “Some trees are at a very high spiritual level, the Fifth Level. Some trees are very big and very spiritual. That’s why many people meditate under trees. The trees stand there to protect the world, to stabilize our world, and to provide oxygen. They absorb CO2. It’s a way to absorb karma and give blessings. If they were not from a high level, how could they do such things? … So we should respect everything. Don’t overuse anything.”
4. We should turn within to progress spiritually. For the sake of the world and the universe, Master needs to meditate more and bring more positive power from the universe down to Earth. That’s why Master’s time is extremely precious. Master says, “Practice more and focus on the inside. Pray daily for the help of the Universal Power so that we don’t forget about spiritual practice and we don’t search for anything on the outside, or depend on anything outside. The more we depend on the outside, and the more we’re anxious to become a Buddha, the more we’ll be deceived by Maya. Being too eager to become a Buddha stems from the desire for fame and material gain. Those who want to become an enlightened Master, to go out and give lectures, or to be worshipped by people, all have the greatest desire for fame and material gain.”
5. “You must truly practice and be humble. Be humble in your heart. Don’t regard yourself as such-and-such important person. If you think that way, it means you truly aren’t such-and-such person. This is wrong. So, be very careful. Pray for the true power, the inner Master to help you so that you won’t be possessed or deceived by Maya. If you don’t practice enough, you’ll be easily deceived by Maya. It’s because our world is too close to the Astral world. That’s why those low-level spirits can easily get in contact with us and then deceive us and lead us astray. So, be very careful. Don’t go after fame or material gain, and don’t desire to be an enlightened Master. If it’s your destiny, you can’t even escape from it.”
6. “So wherever we go, we have to keep the area beautiful. If the place isn’t beautiful, we have to improve it. If it’s already beautiful, and we like the way it is, we have to protect it.”
7. Wherever we go, we should beautify that place and bring happiness to others. Bringing a happy atmosphere is also a kind of beautification. We should not keep taking from people but should be givers, showing our graceful, spiritual manners. To give the gift of happiness is our duty because that’s the way to beautify the world. If you create happiness wherever you are, and everyone becomes happy, then the world’s atmosphere will change, and in turn, it will bring a lot of good fortune to protect the planet.