Initiation and the Vegetarian Diet

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Singapore, March 9, 1993
(Originally in English)

Q: Even after initiation, I may not be a full vegetarian, so can I still be initiated by You today?

M: You know the answer. I am very touched by your honesty and sincerity, but we have another way for you so as not to completely reject you. You can practice the Convenient Method, and you can try vegetarian food for ten, fifteen, or twenty days per month, whenever it's convenient for you until you are completely satisfied with the idea that God comes first. When God comes before everything else in life, before every reason, before all logic, before all pride, then you can get initiation. Otherwise, it's not fair for everyone else; otherwise, I could initiate the whole theater, the whole hall. Why you alone? Most people like my teachings and would love to follow the initiation process. It's just that they cannot maintain a vegetarian diet, so why you alone? Then I could just make it cheap - wholesale. Everyone is welcome. It's not that I care whether you eat meat or are a vegetarian, but you must know what you want and pay for it.