The Convenient Method Should Not Be
Casually Imparted To Children And Adults
The Convenient Method should not be taught randomly to young children.
There are many children in school and sometimes, their teachers just
casually teach them to sit and meditate. Sometimes, no one is around the
children, so if they (the children) see some visions of different levels
during meditation, they may be shocked, or they may not understand. The way
you teach is different from the way I teach, and your power is only
second-hand.
The children may not really be frightened, but then again, you don't
know anything about their karma. Being new to the meditation, they may have
bad experiences. Children are like us. Their souls, their karmas and their
reactions are identical to ours. So, you should not teach them meditation
when they are too young. Therefore, only children of six years old and
above are allowed to learn a little, and when they are older than twelve,
they are allowed to learn more. If their parent is not an initiate, they
can only be initiated when they have reached sixteen years of age. Only
those above sixteen or eighteen years old are allowed to be initiated. Do
you understand? (Everybody answers, "Yes".) I teach whom I should teach.
It's not necessary to teach young children at random.
You should not casually become a teacher just because you love to
teach. You don't know how to teach and will not know about the children
when they go home because you are not there to supervise them. It is
different if they were taught by the Master. I will be responsible for them
if I teach them; I will go with them wherever they go. (Applause.)
Children do not understand much. Their souls are identical to adults',
but they do not know how to react. Sometimes, they do not know how to react
to their inner experiences. For instance, when you are meditating, some of
you are heavier in karma, so you have inferior experiences. Sometimes,
during meditation, you may see something which makes you uneasy, and you
write to ask the Master or pray to the inner Master for help; and the
Master will come to help! But the children do not know what to do.
Do you think that children can have very good experiences when they
just begin to learn to meditate? They are similar to you. The good children
will, naturally, perceive superior and beautiful worlds; while the
relatively not-so-good children, whose karmas are heavy, will see the dark
worlds and, sometimes, experience something unpleasant. What if they get
possessed? Will you be responsible for them? You just teach anyone
randomly. I did not tell you to teach the Convenient Method to the
children. I say this for the last time: "You can't just do what you like to
do, as being a teacher." It is easy to teach children, and they will do
anything they are taught. However, this should not be the way.
Some time ago, I had replied in a letter - perhaps, in the news
magazine - that the Convenient Method should not casually be taught to
children. It is all right if he is your child, because, if something
happens to him or if there is something that he does not understand, then
you can ask me; you can stay with him and take care of him. But if you are
teaching other people's children, they may leave the following year. Or
they may go to another school the following year and you don't know what
will happen to him later. So you can't do this. I do understand that you
all love teaching people; you love to be a teacher. However, when you are a
teacher, you have to take the responsibility. You should not be a teacher
just for the sake of the 'teacher' status only. Our Convenient Method is
not an external method; it involves communication with the inner power.
Therefore, you must not be careless in guiding people when you have no
power. Do you understand?
We all know very well. For instance, if I were teaching you an
ordinary method like the so-called masters are teaching - "... Sakyamuni
Buddha .... bla bla bla ..." - simply reciting the scriptures, would you be
still following me? Why do you follow me? (Everybody answers, "Because You
are different.") Right! Not the same. We communicate from within. I am
teaching you from within - not the superficial teachings. I am not,
randomly, reciting some scriptures to you, anybody can do that! Do you
understand? (Everybody answers, "Yes".) You cannot do the same thing as I
do just because you observe me doing it; you should not. I don't even teach
children the Convenient Method. I, myself, very rarely do so... unless it
is for some very special situation. First, because he does not know what to
do when he goes home. Second, after he goes home, he will teach his
parents. (Everybody laugh.) Then, his parents will teach their friends, and
their friends will teach their children. Then, their friends' children will
go and teach their friends' children. That friend's children will then
teach their friends' friends' children. The power disappears! Everybody
gets possessed and gets into a mess. Do you understand? (Everybody answers,
"Yes".)
Don't do things just because you want to do them. You should not do
things so casually. You may have good intentions, but if you don't
understand the reason, the consequence may be harmful to other people. Do
you understand? (Everybody answers, "Yes".) Therefore, many people - who
have learned randomly - get possessed. This will not happen if they learn
from us. Do you understand? (Everybody answers, "Yes".)
Because the people
outside are disorganized.
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They just learn at random. They cross their legs
like this, place their hands like that, put their head this way, and then
"meditate". What kind of meditation is that? There is nothing, no power at
all that supports them, no elevation whatsoever of their internal level,
and they have no inner experience. They are not cleansed of any of their
karma. It is useless for them to sit for a thousand years! You all know it
very clearly.
Only An Enlightened Master Has The Power
Of Imparting The Method And Protection
Originally, even the Convenient Method is an esoteric method. Why is
it an esoteric method? Because it must be imparted by a master for one to
get in touch with the inner power. Outsiders do not know why this person is
meditating differently from that person, or why the teachings of this
master are different from that master's. This is the esoteric method ...
not that we have anything esoteric. Even if I were to write and publish a
book openly teaching the outside people how to meditate, and they learn the
Method through reading the book, it still would not be effective. Do you
understand? (Everybody answers, "Yes".) The two of them - Master and
disciple - must communicate with each other and consent mutually - I agree
to teach and you agree to learn. This is the esoteric method, only the two
of us - Master and disciple - know. It is not simply teaching people to sit
like this. This would be selling it cheaply.
I have never said that you can teach the Convenient Method to
children, have I? (Everybody answers, "No".) Then, why is that teacher
doing it so casually? Not doing what he should do, and doing what he should
not do... I am referring to the Convenient Method. Do you understand? You
can teach people the other things: to perform charities, to keep the five
precepts, to be vegetarian, not to smoke nor drink alcohol, etc. These are
good things which can be taught to others. You can teach others the
external morals, things beneficial to the stability of our world, but not
matters concerning the inner power. This is a profound matter! This is not
buying and selling, not simply repeating a sentence! This is concerning the
Convenient Method which you should not even teach ordinary people at
random. Do you understand?
We should see whether that person is kind-hearted or longing for the
Truth before we teach him. Do you understand? (Everybody answers, "Yes".) A
vicious person will be possessed if you teach him this method because he
has too much karma inside. For instance, that person is extremely vicious,
and he does not repent nor become a good person; after you teach him this
Convenient Method, he will have an internal struggle. This method is the
best, the most beautiful, the most virtuous and the most compassionate; it
belongs to the Yang (positive) force. He is deep in the Yin (negative)
force. Mixing these Yang and Yin forces together, that person will struggle
internally. Do you understand? He will be possessed and have conflict
within himself, a change will occur in him. Therefore, you should not just
teach anyone at random. If our method could be for anyone, then I would
have already made it wherever I went. And I would have no need to teach you
to become vegetarian, keep the five precepts, perform charities, be a good
person, meditate every day, and always study Master's teachings. There are
certain rules in teaching anything, and because we are teaching the
incredible power of the universe, of course, there are rules, too. You must
be careful because you don't know how to use it. For instance, the atomic
bomb is not meant to be a plaything for children. Can we let an ordinary
person use it? Even a general or a scientist - whose work is not related to
it - is not allowed to use it. Do you understand?
You must be careful in handling matters concerning the internal states
of consciousness. With regard to external knowledge, one can learn to be a
physician, a doctor, a professor, a musician or anything one wants; but you
should not use the same criterion for something that concerns the internal
states of consciousness. It is fine if you have the Master power inside;
but you should just let it be if you do not have it! If you do not have it
yet, then do not act rashly. Understand? (Everybody answers, "Yes".)
When you go out to represent me to perform the initiation, remember
that it is always the Master who is performing the initiation, not you.
However, we still have to select the right person to be sent out. It is
not really selecting, but training him for a while, and teaching him how to
do it. He cannot just teach anyone at random. This applies, also, to the
outer aspect which also requires some training. He must be able to talk
fluently and know how to answer people's questions.
Handle Worldly Matters
With Your Own Wisdom
However, there are certain things that you can handle by yourself. For
instance, recently, you all know that Master is concerned about helping the
refugees. In this case, you can do anything that you feel is best to try to
achieve this objective. It is not necessary for everyone of you to wait for
my instructions, to ask Master this and that. Do you understand this? There
are thousands, tens of thousands and millions of you. If everyone of you
has to ask me what to do, then when can you all finish asking me? You all
have the inner Master in you, ask it. Meditate well, and then ask it. Try
your best to help with those administrative works. Do you understand? For
instance, if you know the President, then, talk to him directly. Why do
you still have to ask me? (Laughter and applause.)
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