Spot Light

How To Govern Without Governing

Spoken By Suma Ching Hai Hsihu Center, Formosa April 12, 1992

Create The Affinity To Help

Sometimes we can do ordinary work quickly, such as writing a love letter or asking for a raise, because it concerns us. We know what we want, therefore, we place our priority there. Thus, we learn very fast without obstruction. But, when we are doing things concerning others or the world, we get stuck there; because we don't have enough merit to do such work.

It's not true that we can smoothly do whatever work we want to do. Perhaps it is because we never helped others in our previous lives, or we have more karma in the past by doing more destructive work than helping others. Therefore, now even when we, as spiritual practitioners, try to help others to compensate for our past mistakes, the negative forces still obstruct us. It's our maya from within, not from without -- such is karma. Karma is the accumulation of our past habits, recorded in our subconscious mind. Even when we are reborn into a new body, the impressions still remain with us and become the fixed karma in this life. The circumstances encountered in this life are the results of the merits or mistakes of our previous lives.

If we do not practice spiritually, even if we want to help the nation or the world, we still can not do it. Sometimes, I ask you to do work not because I want something, but to give you the opportunity for spiritual practice, to earn merits, and to help others in order to create the affinity to help, and in turn, be of greater help in the future.

Practice Doing Work That Benefits Others

The more merits and good fortune we have, the more smoothly we can carry out Master's work as we are used to doing it and are familiar with it. A talented person, if not familiar with the work, he may not do it well. The same with spiritual practice. If we haven't done much in our previous lives to do work that benefits others, even if we sincerely and willingly want to do it in this life, we can still encounter lots of obstacles, due to the lack of practice. Our system, our emotions and spirits are not used to it. If we ask it to do work now, it would be very clumsy, since it is so used to destroying things. Therefore, when you push the button, it starts to destroy. However, after practicing the Quan Yin Method for a long time, we can adjust ourselves. The more we meditate, the more we communicate with our inner selves, the more we contemplate the light and the sound, the more lighthearted and energetic we will be to help others. At that time we do not need to ask to serve, we will have the opportunity to serve. Naturally, there will be opportunities for us to serve, and we will serve spontaneously, not thinking that we are serving at all. Therefore, it is said, "Discipline oneself, take care of one's family, govern the nation, and then pacify the world. At that time, our body, speech and mind are all empty. "Empty does not mean we disappear or when other people hit us, we have no feelings of pain, like woods. That is not "empty . It means that we do not care at all about what we possess and we do not like wealth or fame.

We work and contribute only because there is a need at that moment. When there is a need for us to do, we do it. After we have done it, that's all. There are no other purposes to it. Of course, we should help those who need help. When others need help, we just help. Helping is like not helping at all. In the Diamond Sutra it is written: Give without giving is the true giving. When we help others, it is like eating food or washing our hands. We don't feel especially proud for washing our hands. That state of mind is just like that. Whatever we do, we do it as if for ourselves. It is very natural. If we don't practice spiritually, no matter how much goodwill we have, we still can not do it well.

Who Can Pacify The World?

Why is our world in such a mess? So full of misery and war? It's because the so-called leaders do not discipline themselves. They do not completely become empty. While they are serving, they still want others to know and to have results. They want appreciation and rewards. They want recognition, therefore, they struggle for fame and profit and forget to serve. They are too busy grabbing fame and profit, then they are overcome by greed, hatred and ignorance. Their hatred and contending attitudes become dominant and they can not do the right things.

I told you to practice the Quan Yin Method, not to ask you to leave your job or to leave the world, but to ask you to do an even better job and serve others better. There is a Chinese saying, "Discipline oneself, take care of the family, govern the nation, and then pacify the world. He has no problem governing nations no matter how much money you pay him or how many things you give him he will still serve others because he needs nothing! A person like that can truly govern the nation. If he still wants to govern, it is not good. When he has no desire to govern, then he can govern well. He does it naturally. If he is called upon to govern, he can govern. He does what he can do. He does when there is a need. He doesn't mind what kind of work. Whatever he does is to serve others. Whenever there is a need, he does it, whether it's sweeping the floor, mixing cement, laying bricks, or being a king. If one can achieve this level of doing for the sake of other's needs, not because of any personal intentions, then he can govern any number of nations, no problem. If one hasn't reached that level, he can not even govern himself, not to mention letting him govern a nation or pacify the world. Many people are eager to govern a nation or to pacify the world without first examining their inner attributes and abilities; such people can mess up this world.

Goodwill is truly useless. Without moral character, whatever amount of goodwill is just empty talk, jokes and lies -- totally useless. Everyone can go out there and shout, "I want to govern a nation. I want to help the poor. I want to change this, I want to change that. But without changing themselves, without becoming empty, and without being selfless, whatever they do just becomes messier and worse. Understand?

Being Humble Is The Key To Helping Others

You will understand many things when you work with me. My work is really difficult to do. When we do outside work it is very smooth and easy to make money, very simple. Of course, there are difficulties, too; but it is not as difficult as doing my work. Doing a little of my work, you will feel lots and lots of pressure, and you will make mistakes in everything. No matter how much goodwill you have, how hard you work, or how much effort you put in, you still make mistakes. Then, you will understand how many obstructions you have. I don't need you to do the work. I just want you to understand yourselves in order to rectify yourselves and become more humble. When we are willing to rectify ourselves, we can help others more readily. Then, without trying earnestly to help, you will spontaneously help others.