~Pearls
of Wisdom ~
The
Benefits of Group Meditation
Spoken by Supreme Master
Ching Hai
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia June 4, 1993
(Originally in Chinese)
The
Buddhist ashram was originally a place for group meditation for the
initiated practitioners. That's what it was originally intended for,
just like our group meditation Centers. After they were initiated, they
would group together to meditate once every week or every two weeks.
They would listen to the Master's teachings and ask questions. The Master
would then send some disciples to answer their questions. Thus, they
encouraged one another to practice more diligently. During group meditation,
the blessing power is very great and they could progress faster. This
is the original purpose of the Buddhist ashrams.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Hsihu, Formosa June 4, 1995
(Originally in Chinese)
The
pyramids were not built to be used as tombs. They found out later that
this was not the purpose. I think they built the pyramids for spiritual
practice. Just now I told you it was very difficult to get the "Instruction
Manual of Wisdom" in ancient times. This is one of the reasons
why they built the pyramids. Spiritual practice was very difficult in
olden times for fear of being discovered by others. Where can you sit
when holding a group meditation in the desert? [Laughter] Even with
the guards around, everyone can still see you.
In
the empty desert, you roast to death sitting there in the daytime and
freeze to death at night. The temperature in the desert is extremely
hot in the daytime and extremely cold at night. Two extremes - that
is why they built the pyramids. They are very, very quiet inside. It
was very difficult for people to locate the entrance later. The entrance
was known only to their own people. They were very spacious inside and
completely empty.
Of
course, there was nothing! They were built for people to meditate inside,
for initiation, etc., without being seen by outsiders. A real place
of spiritual practice is only for people to meditate. There won't be
anything inside, or at the most a Buddha statue or the Buddha's photograph.
They used the Buddha's statue before, but now perhaps it is faster to
take photographs or use a portrait. It was empty because people needed
to sit in there, about the same as our place here.
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