Karma and Problems in Life and Environment of a Couple Cause of Actions and Prayer

Karma and the Environment

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Harvard University, February 24, 1991
(Originally in English)

They asked me, because I'm Aulacese, (I was born in Au Lac), apart from promising that I will help people like the refugees and offer some kind of symbolic help, if I have any kind of plan to raise the standard of living of Au Lac, make the people richer, for example, or stabilize the economic and political situation. I said, "Yes, I have a plan. I tell all the Aulacese people to practice the Quan Yin Method, and then the country will change."

But I have no plan in the physical way because we cannot change the environment if our karma has not changed. Our environment is the result of our karmic pattern. If the environment could be changed through an enlightened Master's power, then the Buddha would have changed it long ago. When He was still on Earth, His country was at war also, and the people are still in poverty even up till now. So, they can't blame me if I don't change the Au Lac people's situation. The Buddha couldn't and even Jesus couldn't; They were greater in history and had more followers than I. If They couldn't do it, how can I?

We have to change our way of thinking, our conceptions, and then the environment will change. The kingdom of God is within us. This means if we know the kingdom of God within, then everything is the kingdom of God; if not, we cannot have the kingdom of God without. That's what the meaning of the "kingdom of God" is: God is within. Also, it is said in the Bible, Seek you first the Kingdom of Godand all other things shall be added unto you. And we seek all the other things first and ask the kingdom of God to be added unto them, to be one of those things only, and that is a perverted view.

So, there is no plan necessary for Au Lac except that the Aulacese or any country's citizens should change their viewpoint. They should raise their level of understanding and know the true conception. And that's the only plan that we should endeavor to bring forth.