The Enlightened Witness

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Hawaii, U.S.A., October 22, 1993
(Originally in English)

We don't reincarnate, but a part of our habits, our collective information reincarnates. So this part of us, which is called the intellect, or maybe the sixth consciousness, collects all kinds of karmic information. And then it recycles it again, like a Coca Cola bottle, or like some of the things in the United States now that they encourage people to recycle. It's the same thing; our 'bottles' are recycled. Each time they can be used, and they are still connected with other materials in this world, then we call it reincarnation; it's just a kind of recycling. The Coca Cola substance inside doesn't reincarnate, only the bottle does. Still, people can recognize that, or not recognize it. But the substance is still there, so they recognize it as recycled; we see it as recycled.

The things from which this bottle is made are not reincarnated; this is our real Self, our soul. Each time we want to experiment with new things, we bottle ourselves into a new recycled substance or subject; that's it. But then again, we're used to identifying ourselves with all this substance and information, so we say we reincarnate. But it's not true. We never die, and we are never born. We have always existed; we are the witness of all things created and destroyed in this universe. We always are the witness. But then sometimes we identify ourselves with the subject that we witness and with the circumstances in which we witness it, so we suffer or we have joy.

Just like when we watch TV, and we forget that it's only a movie, and we cry, or we laugh. We support this one, and we want to kill the other. Both of them have nothing to do with us, none of them are our enemies or friends, and none of them are real. But we hate that one: "Oh! That mustached one, he is a bad guy, kill him, kill him!" You sit in front of the screen, and you say, "Kill him! Kill that guy quickly!" Or "Get out, get out! He'll kill you! Get out, quick! This way, this way!" Like the personage on TV or the screen will actually listen to us or hear us, but they don't. They do what they have to do according to the director, not according to us. Therefore many of the movies' outcomes don't suit our taste; we want to change them. But what's the use? If we change it, it's not that movie any more. So the movie has to exist the way it is. Actually, we fool ourselves many times, and we can prove that every day; no need to talk about reincarnation, illusion or anything of this world, we can prove it.

I'll tell you a foolish story about myself. Yesterday or the day before yesterday, when I first came to Hawaii, they rented an apartment for me and our many staff members, like the ones who have to work close to me; also we have guests. It's a rented place for ten days, not much, cheap, but very big and near the beach. I was thinking to invite you there, but I don't know how to house you. It's big, but it's not that big! It's big enough for ten persons, but not for thousands. So now, the relativity of our world: Sometimes we say, "Wow, it's great!" But it's not that great compared to other things. We are always in illusion until we compare it against another background; then we know we are wrong.

It's similar with many practices. They practice, they eat vegetarian, they meditate and they are very good, but good to what point? Against our Quan Yin practitioners, they are just like half-cooked, half-baked cookies, for example! So, we know the good things and the great things in this world have their limits, compared to the Truth or the limitless almighty power of God.

Magic Mirror

Now, come back to my foolish story. I went into the room, fantastic, everywhere it had big mirrors, so I can see how pretty I am. (Audience laughs at Master's 'preening' gestures) And in the bedroom, there was a big mirror; I knew it was a mirror. Everyone immediately knew it was a mirror; there's no fooling about that. In the bathroom, there were also two windows, and from the two windows, you could see through to the sea.

Then when I looked into the mirror, I saw four windows. And I kept thinking, "How come the sea is over there?" I thought my place was situated on the edge of the water, and was surrounded by the sea. So, I could see the sea in that window, and I could see the sea through that window. And I fooled myself for two days. Can you believe it? Until one day I happened to look out of the real windows, and I saw there was no sea over there. And I said, "How come?" I looked back to the wall again where the mirror was and said, "Wow, there is the sea!" And even then, I did not understand.

So, they say the sage is like the fool. Actually, afterwards I remembered, "Oh, yes, it's the mirror!" But it was difficult to find out. You can't believe it. Because I was not used to this kind of scenery, two windows became four, that I hadn't seen before. And the sea was inside the wall. But it looked so real that I was mesmerized with the beauty of the sea through the windows and I forgot about the mirror. Really, I did! But it hit me like that: "My God! You are the Supreme Master, okay, but you don't realize the difference between the windows and the reflection of the windows." So, I laughed at myself, and had very good fun when I realized that.

But it surprised me that I didn't realize it was a reflection from the window. It really surprised me for many days. How could I be fooled so easily? Just because I love the sea, I focused on the sea. And I thought, "Wow! You can see the sea through the windows; fantastic, we have four windows and on all four sides is the sea." I was happy with the sea, and I forgot that it was an illusion. It's not that I couldn't find out, it's just that I was too fixated on the sea.

So, similarly in our daily life, most people are fixated on the object of their beloved desire. And then they forget the illusion, they forget the magic mirror. It's not that they can't find out; when they are ready, they'll find out. The Master will come, or they will wake up themselves. Actually when the Master comes, that means they wake up themselves. Otherwise, who can tell them they have it inside? Just like me: I have my eyes, the mirror is there, I can always find out, but then I am too fixated on the vision of the sea, and enjoying that. And it looked so real; I thought it was four windows. I'm telling you the truth; I'm not kidding you. I'm not telling a story to make a smooth gap between our lectures; it's a true story. I am that foolish. Can you believe it? And now, you follow me! (Audience laughs) So be careful where you're going with the mirror.

Reflection vs. Reality

We are fixed in our illusions up to now, or still, sometimes. Therefore, we can't find the truth between illusion - the reflection or the shadow - and the real. So, we play up and down; we enjoy it. And sometimes we hit ourselves and we say, "How come?" It's not there because it's not there; it has never been there.

Similarly, our life is so real to us that we can not understand or believe that it is an illusion, that there is another real life, the true object of this shadow life. But when we close our eyes, we shut all our senses, and truly look for the real subject, then we realize, "Oh, there is a fantastic world, and that is real." It feels good there, it feels real, and it feels better than over here. So, that's when I look through the real window; the real wind is caressing my face, and all the trees outside are waving. Whereas in the mirror, it's a little bit different. I discovered that the four windows are different. Because in there are no trees, and out there are trees. And then I realized, "Ah! This is a different reflection only, so the angle is different." So, the reflected picture is missing some part.

Therefore in our real life, it's the same thing. The reflection is never perfect, because of a different-looking angle. And now we are not satisfied; that's that. You feel something phony about it. Then sooner or later, we will desire the real, and the reality will hit us. And then we know: There we are. That's why we make mistakes; that's why we stumble so far.

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