The world is not a perfect place; for example, it is home to countless mosquitos. But Supreme

Master Ching Hai says that when a mosquito bites you, it gives you a chance to achieve

Paramita, or perfection. That’s because such an event helps you keep the Five Precepts, meaning

you tolerate the mosquito, and avoid cursing it, hitting it or chasing it away. Even though you

suffer from pain and itchiness, you still sit motionless, continue to meditate, and force yourself

to concentrate until you enter Samadhi. Then when you enter Samadhi, you gain wisdom. Thus,

you can see how beneficial mosquitos are and how beneficial the non-killing precept is. We can

gain much reward from practicing this precept. Supreme Master Ching Hai also speaks about

the wonders of the four seasons in Formosa and tells fun stories about how she and the disciples

struggled with the weather during retreats.

As spiritual practitioners, if we often mingle with good, moral friends, we will be influenced in

a positive way. Mo Tzu had said that our world is like a gigantic dye vat. Our group is also like

a big dye vat, but our dying process is slower because here you don’t have much motivation to

get dyed or influenced quickly. In the outside world, you’re forced to get dyed or influenced,

sometimes against your will, because you have to survive, so you do things that people force

you to do. Here the Master and disciples are kind, and no one forces you to do anything. When

you see others meditating, you also meditate the best you can. Then through persistent practice,

meditation becomes a habit. This is how a habit forms: If you persist in doing the same thing

for forty days, it will become a habit. This has been scientifically verified.