"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."
From "The Enlightened Witness"
News 117, Spot Light
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
4-Day Retreat in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA • October 22,
1993
(originally in English) Videotape No. 383
"Only
through the QuanYin can we get through all kinds of levels of consciousness.
That's why we see many people who meditate on the Light but haven't
yet gotten to the level at which to contact the Sound, and their
lives don't change much.
With many kinds of meditation that are on the intellectual level,
like asking the meaning of koans (Zen Buddhist riddles), or that
focus on a lamp, people see Light also, but their lives don't change
much. Because some Light levels are below the elevating Sound level.
Some people meditate on the Light, and in Samadhi, or in moments
of extreme concentration, they will also contact the Sound automatically.
And at that time, they are also doing the QuanYin. So, they have
the Sound and Light together. But they don't know how to get to
the Sound without effort because they haven't been connected with
the Sound by a competent friend, a competent guide. So, it's easier
for us because we know how. In the modern day, "know-how"
is the key to success. So, know-how also applies in the practice
of meditation. Therefore, even if we haven't been in true Samadhi,
and we still get some taste of the benefit of the Sound Current,
it helps to revive our body and spirit."
From "The Power of Sound Meditation"
News 143, Pearls of Wisdom
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
4-Day Retreat in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA • October 22,
1993
(originally in English) Videotape No. 383
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