I’d just sat down and taken a couple spoonfuls when the phone inside rang: “Master, why didn’t You let me see You earlier?” Then (Supreme) Master Ching Hai asked, “Who is this? Who’s on the other line? What do you want?” They were so scared and their voice trembled on the other end, “Yes… yes… yes… it’s m-m-me-e-e.” Then (Supreme) Master Ching Hai said, “Who is ‘me’?” She had already refueled two or three spoonfuls of “fuel soup,” so She had gathered some strength. She raised Her voice a bit, and the other person got so scared they hung up immediately. He hung up and didn’t say anything anymore, but he used the invisible fax to fax over the messages instead; he wouldn’t leave me in peace. She had just eaten a couple more spoonfuls of soup when a piece of paper faxed through here, “whoosh.”
The attendants standing nearby didn’t see anything and said, “Master, why did You suddenly jump up? And earlier, who were You talking to?” I said, “Didn’t you see that fax?” Fax means telegram in Aulacese (Vietnamese), right? (Yes.) Yes, a telegram. A modern telegram, we just call it a fax. They said, “No, I didn’t see anything at all, Master. Where is the fax? Where is the fax?” I said, “Alright, alright. You are worldly people with physical eyes, forget it. Even if I explain it, you wouldn’t understand. Forget it!” So I just ignored it, pretended I didn’t see their fax. They were faxing over there, and I leaned over here and kept eating.
After eating a few more bites, the phone rang again. “Who is it?” The voice on the other end sounded different. I don’t know whether they were too scared and changed voices, or maybe it was someone else who called, they said, “Yes… yes… yes… it’s Your disciple.” Then I said, “Disciple? Which disciple? What disciple?” They were trembling so much they said, “Yes, yes… Y-Your junior…” By then, my soup had gone completely cold, my bowl of soup was cold. “What kind of disciple or junior? Why are you calling at this hour?” Then they said, “Yes, yes, yes… I, miss- miss- miss You so much, Master!” So, I asked, “Do you have a wife and children yet?” So, they said, “Yes, I do.” “If you already have a wife and kid, then you should miss them, why miss me?” They were so embarrassed when they heard that, they hung up immediately.
After they hung up, I thought it was over, so I continued eating my cold soup. Then they “rang” again, but they hung up as soon as I picked up. Ah, well, I thought if it continues like this, I won’t even feel like eating. Just let them come over. Now it was my turn to call. “Tong, Tong, Tong, Tong something? Call everyone, uncle, aunties, comrades over for a meeting at the ‘Central Committee Party.’” They said, “Oh. We’ve never had any Party, Master.” I said, “Alright, this Party is better than any other Party.” You can’t say the name of this Party. An anonymous Party, but a very powerful one. Just call a meeting and they’ll instantly know what Party this is.
I continued, “This Party, any other Party that comes across it would be intimidated. This Party has no guns, no cannons, no horns, no drums, nothing, yet any Party that sees it will run away. Even robber gangs, when they see us, they also run and have to release the hostages. No fighting, no beating at all, just sitting like a rock, all day, all night. They were really scared when they saw it.” They come over kick a bit to check, “Why does a living person look like they’re already dead? How come there isn’t any movement at all – no shaking, no motion, not even the slightest twitching. Sitting there all the time like that, that both of the legs are stuck together or what? Sit at night and sit during the day. My God! Looks like they’re dead. Let’s just pick them up, throw them back to where they came from, and call it a day. Leaving them here would mean we’d have to buy a coffin and bury them – too troublesome. They got invited by some guys to ‘hang out’ in the forest for a few days, then they just ‘tossed them back’ – felt too creeped out.” You already risked your life, right? Dead is the same as alive, alive is the same as dead – it makes no difference. They couldn’t extort money because they don’t have any money. They just rely on Madam Ching Hai for food.”
OK. You’re done digesting your food. (Yes.) Now you don’t say you’re full anymore, running out looking for more again. Same thing; so there’s always the desire to eat more. How many meals did you have today? (Three meals.) Three meals! (Yes.) Two? (Four more meals.) (Two more meals together is four. Two more meals.) So including this meal is four? Wow, my God! What? And not to mention that you were also secretly taking (vegan) instant noodles and stuff. And in the suitcase, you also included some items, what you’d call supplies, that haven’t been counted yet. (Yes.) No wonder everyone’s gaining weight since you came here.
Alright, that’s enough. (Yes.) Just that much laughing is enough to forget the world. Did you hear Đinh Hùng’s poem earlier? “Just looking at each other is enough to forget the world.” Just like us, right? (Yes.) Always looking at each other and laughing all day long. But these two sides, don’t you look at each other and smile. Men’s side don’t look at the women’s side and laugh; women’s side don’t look at the men’s side and laugh. Looking at me and laughing is fine. Don’t look around unrestrained and smile, that will create trouble. (Yes.) If you want to laugh, you have to find the right place to laugh. Laughing with a person who belongs to someone else can really get you into trouble. Alright, go back and sleep. (Yes.) That’s enough, right? (Yes.) Seeing each other briefly is fine; too much is a hassle.
That’s it, you don’t have any questions? (No.) Usually when you ask, it’s all kinds of nonsensical questions. There’s nothing good. Because you already know everything, what more is there to ask now? So, you try to come up with questions, asking nonsense, wasting people’s time unnecessarily. (Master.) What? (I would like to stay with You today, Master. I want to stay here.) I don’t even live here, so how could you stay with me? You can stay wherever you want. You met the requirements to stay here? Go ask Đồng. (I have a cassette tape of Master.) What’s this? (It’s a cassette tape that I recorded.) Oh wow, really? Where is this tape from? And why is it all patched together like this? (That’s from the box outside, Master.) From the box outside? (Yes.)
What are you singing? What are you singing there? (I’m singing Your music.) Play it outside publicly for everyone to hear, so if someone happens to be hard of hearing or something, they can listen too. (Yes, it’s Master’s...) Leave it outside. I don’t have anywhere to put it. My luggage is very heavy. There’s already no room for these “weapons.” No need to bring those things, save the trouble. Gift them to those hard-of-hearing old ladies. Thank you! I don’t have anywhere to put those things. Oh, my God, every time I pack my suitcase, it’s exhausting to death. You have no idea, every time I have to pack up my bags to leave – oh, my God, it’s so exhausting.
Alright. I don’t listen to singing music or anything like that. I don’t have the time. Very rarely. They bought a whole bunch of music and left it there, but I never have enough time to listen. (Yes.) Right. I don’t have time. And besides, I don’t like to listen to them. These things are for you to listen to; I don’t listen to them. Usually, it’s because you ask me to make these things for you to listen to, I don’t really like listening to them myself. (Very good, Master. Very good.) Yeah. When you first listen to it two or three times it sounds good. (Yes. We listen to them all the time.) She just tosses it aside afterward. (No, Master.) (No.) (It’s always good.) Always good? (Yes.) (The more we listen, the better it gets, Master.) Alright, if it’s good, then listen. (It’s even better.)
Please, stop. Please, OK? (It flew away, Master.) (It flew away.) Flew away already? (It flew away.) See, as soon as it hears about music, it dives right in. It’s just not worth the trouble, see? There weren’t any bugs earlier? She brought them over, brought the flies and mosquitoes over. Like attracts like. Over there. There, there, there, there. Already gave it back to her, you see that? Flew over there. Did it fly the wrong way? It couldn’t stop in time, it came over here and saw there was nothing, then… It couldn’t brake in time, so it crashed inside. He knew and he ran over there. You’re getting close now.
I truly don’t have time to listen. (Yes.) And besides, I don’t really like it. Even when I find a very good song, I get bored after listening to it two or three times. So I really don’t understand why you keep asking to listen to my poems and music all the time. Alright. If you like it, then listen. (If we don’t listen, then we miss You.) Listen to it many times to make it worth your money, otherwise it is a waste to listen only once. OK. If you like it, then listen. (Yes.) If you like it, I’ll recite it for you to listen to. That’s it, done. OK, bye. (Yes.)
Beautiful, right? (Yes, beautiful. Very beautiful. This outfit is so cute on You, Master.) This outfit is the one I like the least. It was made a long time ago, and I haven’t worn it. (Very beautiful, Master.) (Very beautiful.) Today… Already old. (The most beautiful.) Save it, save it for later. See what happens? I have no free time at all. (I heard the music is very good.) You heard it’s very good? (Yes.) You also heard it’s good too? You listened to the poetry? (Yes.) It’s not even out yet, how did you hear about it so fast? (A fellow practitioner shared it.) (My husband listened to the CD that was sent over.) Oh, it was sent to Âu Lạc (Vietnam), right? (No, it’s from…) Sent to the US? Or Australia? (He said it’s really hard to quit already.) Quit? Tell him, “If you want to hear the original voice then you’ll have to come here.”
I forgot what I was going to say. What were we talking about earlier? I forgot what we were just saying. Oh, we were talking about this outfit being so beautiful, right? (Yes.) This outfit was made a long time ago, and I haven’t worn it. Because I don’t really like it that much. (It’s beautiful, beautiful.) But today, all the other beautiful outfits have already been worn. In the end, it still comes down to it. It’s been lying there calling out for a long time, saying, “Oh my God! Why is my fate so pitiful?” He was crying in the corner of the room. Today I said, “Alright then, come here. I’ll let you have your moment of fame today.” And besides, it’s already getting dark today. (Yes.) It was already 12 or one o’clock (AM), everyone is half asleep, eyes barely open. So it didn’t matter what I wore.
Is there good translation? (Yes.) Is it really very clear? (Yes. Very clear.) Very good. Who’s the translator? (Tong […].) Tong (…). You trust his Chinese. He is quite alright. OK. Bye-bye. Forget it, forget it. I’m leaving. Good night. (Yes.) Get home safely! (Good night, Master.) Send my greetings to the party back then. And also to our party members. (Yes.) And also, the non-orthodox party, send my greetings to them, too. (Yes.) Or that adorable karma of yours. Send my greetings to everyone. (Yes.) (Good night, Master.) Oh. Did they leave any (vegan) cakes or fruit out there? (Yes.) (Yes.) If not, then just buy it yourself. OK. Good night! (Yes.) (Good night, Master.) Good night. OK. Thank you!
Photo Caption: “The Forest Is Not Just a Refuge, Is a Realm of Celestial Beauty!”
