being A MASTERSometimes people criticize me for sayingthat my disciples always praise me, saying that I'm a Buddha,I'm a what and what. For a long, long time I never said I'm whatand what. But people always heard from my disciples. Then theycame and attacked me for what I did not say. "What? You area Buddha? How can You be? How dare You be?" So many questionslike that arose many times.
So I'm fed up. I'm tiredof being humble. I say, "I'm a Buddha. So what? What's thematter with it?" so openly. But after you've become a Buddha,you become very Normal, very lovable, very cute. Nothing great,nothing very special happens, just that you discover your owntreasure and your own power, and you use it. What is the big dealabout discovering your bank account that you have forgotten about?There's no virtue, no great thing about spending your own money.Everyone knows that.
Similarly, there's nogreat thing about discovering your own power and your own wisdom,and using them for the benefit of yourself and for anyone whoneeds it. Apart from this discovery of your own wisdom and power,you are ordinary. You just add more power, that's all. Whateverother people do, you do. They walk, you walk. If they sleep, yousleep; they eat, you eat; they work, you work. It's alright. You'relike before. You are now just extra-charged by extra power.
It is similar to thecase of a medical student. After he has graduated from medicalschool, he becomes a M.D. Now, he didn't change anything, didhe? The look, the outlook are the same, the friends are the same,his activities are the same, and his behavior won't change. Whathas changed is that he has extra knowledge, extra talent, extraabilities to help others, including himself and his family, withhis medical expertise. People make Buddha become a very mythologicalfigure, a very great being, a very mystical figure, that no onecan understand, no one knows, no one can touch, no one can see;make Christ become the world owner, and no one else can attainHis level. This is wrong. This is incorrect information.
Just because you havediscovered your lost treasure, it doesn't mean you will changeanything in your habits and behavior. You will not become a woodenstatue or a stone Buddha. You will have similar feelings, youhave the same power of reasoning, you still have the same capabilityto work in your job, if not better. You can serve the societywith more power, more vigor, more clear-sightedness and more concentration.Apart from your physical ability to contribute your talents tosociety and the world at large, you have the invisible wisdomwhich can be manifested and used as the power to supply blessing,encouragement and joy to the people around you.
..... Inthe Buddhist disciplines also, when somebody, the five sensesare not in order, one of the five senses is not in order, theBuddha... he is not accepted in the order of the Buddha. Therewere many other kinds of pre-conditions to be initiated in Buddhism,when the Buddha was alive. But I've vowed to save the worst. Sonobody comes to Me without hope. Among our disciples there arethe worse people you could imagine. Even the Buddhas in the tendirections could not rescue them.
..... Q. Do You truly know that You have been blessed andsent by the true God to sincerely help and rescue the lost onesthat are not of this earth and universe?
M.Yes! Completely. I would not tell you, otherwise I fear to goto hell if I tell a lie. I fear God's punishment. I fear His judgment.I fear the Buddha's judgment.
..... Q. Dear Master, if Isincerely pray to You, will I be liberated eternally?
M.I think so, (Master chuckles) but only one person. Whereas ifyou get enlightenment yourself, you can take other people withyou too. Like one person enlightened, many generations of yourrelatives and friends, even your dogs and cats, will be liberated.If you pray to a God person, you get only one ticket if you'rereally sincere. You don't even know if you're sincere or not.Sometimes it's hard to tell.
..... Q. As a religious leader, what is Your most outstandingquality?
M.I have only one outstanding merit: Maybe I have good relationswith people. Perhaps people like me simply because I look good.If that's the case, then you will find a prettier star to be yourleader, I hope. (Master laughs) This is a joke, of course. I hopeyou get used to my sense of humour.
..... Q. But they (the people of Somalia) have not heard ofYour teaching?
M.They have! As I speak here, they can hear me. They hear with theirsouls. Our souls can be everywhere. Our souls do not need microphonesor televisions.
..... Q. So what would you like to say about yourself in relationshipto what you can offer people?
M.I myself couldn't offer much except for my body, speech and mindwhenever God wills to use it to offer it to people, to His childrenwho love to be near Him, or to be next to Him. I can only be readyto be used. I cannot offer anything much (Laughter). I am onlylike you. What can a body offer?
