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Yin-Yang
An interview with Supreme Master Ching Hai
by Ms. Helen Stone, KLOE Radio Station,
at the Quan Yin Vegetarian Restaurant, Houston, TX, U.S.A.
November 14, 1993 (Originally in English)
Q: Is it possible to have a balance in life by having the yang
and the yin, the good the bad, the suffering?
M: Yes, sure. Now we have to do it,
because we live in this world. It's too late to say, "I can avoid
it altogether," so we have to accept suffering as a part of our
yin-yang, balance of positive and negative. But nevertheless, we don't
sow more for the future, first. Second, we don't sow suffering for
our neighbors. Also, we will minimize the results of our past actions
by adding more strength of the positive spirit into our daily lives
through meditation, by thinking of God the right way. Everything has
a way, actually.
Q: Do You believe in the anima and the animus
- the male spirit and the female spirit - within each of us, and having
a harmony and balance therein?
M: That's what we call positive and
negative forces. Yes, the female is supposed to be a negative force.
Whatever is weak, slow or kind of inert, we call negative. The other,
a little bit kind of outgoing and strong, we call it positive. Many
people call it different names, like creative power; that is also
called negative, actually. But then it has side effects because when
you are created then you're supposed to be demolished one day. But
in the whole, when they're both balanced, then we are in equilibrium
with the universe, in harmony; and we don't have much suffering.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Phnom Pehn, Cambodia May 11, 1996
(Originally in English)
 There
are only two choices, the positive and the negative. If the positive
doesn't act, then the negative will come. If we don't use our positive
thinking and power, then there's only one other choice. When the time
comes, we will use the negative because the chance has passed. Then,
the more we use the negative, the more we get used to it, and we will
never do anything else except keep using it again, again and again.
We will never get out of it. That's what we call the "wheel of
transmigration", because we keep running inside that circle again,
again, and again.
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
New Jersey Center, U.S.A.
June 24, 1992 (Originally in English)
We
also have a destroying nature inside us. Depending on each person,
the destructive tendency is higher or lower. But try to control it,
otherwise, you will carry on the whole time with your destructive
spirit, and that's very negative. We have both negative and positive
inside, but we only use the negative when necessary. It's not that
I'm saying we can't use it, because, a negative power, when you use
it in the right place, is very good.
Just
like the children at home, you're always positive with them, encouraging
them, loving them, and telling them all good things. But when they're
too naughty, when they try to be stubborn, are not obedient enough,
and do wrong things - harm other people or the neighbors, then you
have to use a so-called negative attitude; but actually in that case,
it's positive.
You
have to scold them, or maybe punish them lightly, like they have to
kneel, stay at home when you go out, or you cut down on some of their
enjoyments, pocket money, or whatever. These look negative because
parents are always supposed to be loving, forgiving, smooth and soft-spoken.
So, why punish the children? But they deserve it; they have to be
punished, otherwise, they can't turn to the positive.
That's
when the negative power is for a useful purpose. Don't always say
that the negative can't be used or the positive has to be used all
the time. If you use positive power or a positive attitude in the
wrong way, it becomes negative. For example, your child is very naughty
- you have given him everything already, but he goes out to steal
just for fun or because he associates with bad guys; or he gets on
drugs, and goes out and breaks into people's cars, and you tell him,
but he doesn't change. If you still keep rewarding him, loving him,
forgiving him, then you are negative. Then your attitude is negative.
You're spoiling him, you're harming him, you're harming his future,
because one day the police or the neighbors will catch him, or another
stronger guy will hit him, break his bones, break everything of his
future, and your heart as well. In that case, your positive attitude
is absolutely negative.
So,
we have to understand this Yin-Yang nature, and make use of both accordingly
- not dislike one and cling to the other, but know how to use them.
That's the art of living; that is wisdom. Otherwise, how else can we
survive in this world with ourselves and our loved ones? There has to
be some limit. It's the same with me; so don't always expect me to give
you candy and smile all the time. I have to do some of my negative work,
and turn it into positive, turn these negative people into positive.
Otherwise, you'll never grow up.
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