"People die for money; birds die over food." Who's right and who's wrong? Before answering this question, I want to tell everybody that I'll be leaving tomorrow. Since you want me to say a few words, I am going to say a few words per your request, but you will regret it. What are these words? They're very ordinary, which is, no matter where I go, I will bless and dedicate merit to anyone who comes to listen to me speak the Dharma so that their major demonic obstacles turn into minor ones and minor demonic obstacles turn into nothing; so that their major disasters turn into minor ones and minor disasters turn into nothing; so that their major illnesses turn into minor ones and minor sicknesses turn into nothing. This is my vow; I just never want to say it. Now that I said it, I have also already blessed everyone in the audience who has problems. You do not need to ask for blessings any more. Some people say, "Master, why did you not say so earlier!" I did not say this earlier because I was afraid that you will bring those big problems of yours, which I cannot do anything to help. Now that I'll be leaving, it is too late for you to do that or have regrets! (laughter)

When people are sincere, they resonate with the Buddhas; when people are not sincere, they do not resonate with the Buddhas. Hence, regardless of whether it is Gold Mountain Monastery, Gold Summit Monastery, Gold Buddha Monastery, Gold Wheel Monastery, or the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, everyone studies the Dharma sincerely. They only know to study the Buddhadharma honestly and do not try to fish for fame, or fight over fame or fortune. Some people may say, there are left home people who contend over fame and fortune too. This is true; there are some. Let me ask you, is what they're doing right or wrong? If it is right, emulate them. If it is wrong, do not emulate them.

Now back to the main topic. I feel there are some Chinese maxims that contradict each other. This is why at noon today I raised the question, "Do people die for money and birds die over food?" for discussion. Is this line of thinking correct or incorrect? Are both parts of this maxim correct or incorrect? Is one part correct and the other part incorrect? Everyone has different theories. Some say it is completely correct, while some say parts of it are correct. I'll tell you, "people die for money" is incorrect. People die for sex. "Birds die over food" is correct. To survive, birds have to find food. Human beings should be wiser than birds, but not only are people not wiser than birds, they are more stupid than birds.

Birds look for food to eat. They eat it directly and it sustains their life. They do not need all kinds of colorful bills to buy things. People nowadays do not need gold, silver, but need cash. People are attached to these colorful pieces of paper and are busy because of them.

Do people really die for money? No. Sex is the motivator behind money. People actually die for sex. If people's essence, energy and spirit were not harmed, they will return to their origin, understand their mind and see their nature, realize great wisdom, and have control over their own birth and death. Even King Yama cannot order you around then. At that point, if you wish to live for several thousand years, you may. If you wish to die, you may become reborn instantaneously.

Then I ask, "Why do people eat? Do you object to eating, dressing, and sleeping? What is the purpose of being alive? How is making money meaningful?" If people were only interested in satisfying their desires, their lives would be meaningless and worthless.

I have revealed the answer-people do not live to eat. People ought to live to contribute to the world, to bring virtue to people, to benefit the world. They should not just think about themselves, that would not be worth it. How is it meaningful to live in confusion? People should "kindly proclaim on behalf of heaven; loyally teach for the sake of the nation." People should try to make other people happy and not just try to get a beautiful house, nice clothes and fancy food for themselves. If people only cared about their pleasures, they are stupid beyond belief. Why? It is because your body is not yours, and it is not "you".

You have no control over your body. You wonder, "Why is not my body mine?" If your body were you, your eyes wouldn't blur, your ears wouldn't go deaf, and your teeth wouldn't fall out when you are old. Is that possible? You say, "I can have an operation on my eye problems and I can wear false teeth when my teeth fall out." Nevertheless, you have no control over your body. You cannot prevent your eyes from blurring, your ears from going deaf, and your teeth from falling out.

People go from being young to their prime, from their prime to old age, from old age to death. They turn round and round in the cycle of birth and death. Like a wheel, this cycle drives over you so that you cannot breath. You have no control so you are ordered by the wheel of transmigration, going in circles.

This is why people do not die for money. Money merely protects the desire for sex. People finally die for sex. When they are infatuated with sex, there is birth and death. Unconfused, they can become liberated from birth and death. The difference is just this bit. Some say, "Everybody is like this." Since everyone is confused, they do not know how they were born, how they die. For several millenniums, people have been going round and round in the cycle of birth and death, not being able to raise their heads up above it. They are born and then they die; they die and then are reborn. It is no different than gambling. This is the game of life. How do you explain that? It is because you understand all of a sudden but are confused just as suddenly. You are clear less of the time and confused more of the time. If you do not believe it, you may investigate further.

As it is said, "In ancient times, rare are those who live above seventy." People nowadays may live up to 80 or 90. It was quite rare for people in ancient times to live up to seventy. "First subtract the younger years then minus old age." No matter how smart or wise you are, you cannot do much in the first fifteen years of your life. Before ten you are essentially still a baby so what can you do? You cannot do anything in the last fifteen years because you're too old. That is why you subtract the first fifteen years and the latter fifteen years. Out of the rest, half of the time is spent on sleep. Out of these forty years, you sleep for twenty, plus getting dressed, eating, going to the bathroom, dancing, going to the movies, etc. How much more time do you have left? You might as well spend some time listening to the Dharma. If you can understand one line, your Dharma body will live and your wisdom will expand.

Think about it, how is it meaningful to fight over fame and fortune? Men and women nowadays are interested in romantic relationships. Homosexuals are also interested in romantic relationships. They want to be legally married, the consequence of which is AIDS. They love each other to death. Combine the two words sex and love, and you've got death from "loving sex". Homosexuals rationalize and say that if you put male rats together, they will eventually become homosexuals and vent their sexual desire with each other. But you're human beings, why should you learn from lower forms of animals?

I really did not want to talk about it, but now I must expose the secret behind "people dying for money" to prevent people from being confused. When the time comes, men go on pursuits for mates; women do the same. Sometimes they look for mates before they are even grown up. Contemporary education teaches kids from a very young age about sex education. This teaches kids to die sooner. It is perverted. I am not afraid of people being unhappy with me. I do not care if homosexuals are unhappy with me. You love to die and I am trying to be motherly and save you, hoping that you will understand that the sea of suffering is boundless and you may never get out.

In short, the idea of "people dying for money" is flawed. The Chinese do not want to say it out right. They clearly know that it is wrong, but they do not say it. They plug up their ears in the hopes of stealing the bells, thinking that the bells will not sound if they stuff their ears. I am willing to say what other people are not willing to say. If I only say what you love to hear, then I am being obsequious. As it is said, "Fine medicine is bitter to taste but beneficial to the sickness; words of loyalty are harsh to the ears but helpful to the practice." I cannot bear to see everyone contract AIDS so I said what I said. AIDS is as dirty as air pollution and it is everywhere. You can hardly prevent it. You can hardly breathe because of it!