Q: Should lay people recite the Daily Vinaya by heart?
A: Monastics must have the Daily Vinaya memorized well. The laity could do with or without it.

Q: What does it mean by "All sages and worthy ones become distinguished by grounding themselves on the non-doing Dharma" in the Vajra Sutra?
A: Non-doing means sleeping. Become distinguished refers to eating. This is about eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating; there's no need to do anything else. Isn't that interesting? All sages and worthies include all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. What is non-doing? Non-doing is about doing nothing that would violate the precepts. "There's nothing that isn't about non-doing" means that we should do everything that avoid violating the precepts. "Become distinguished" means that one becomes distinguished through keeping the precepts. This is an explanation for beginners.

Q: How did Filial Son Wang achieve the indestructible Vajra body?
A: Slowly. He didn't think about becoming a Ph.D. before he was able to read.

Q: The Buddha told the Bhikshus to do walking and sitting meditation during the first third of the night, to rest during the middle third of the night, and to do walking and sitting meditation during the last third of the night. What are the actual times for each?
A: The first part of the night is sunset, from 6 to 10 p.m. 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. is the mid-part of the night. And 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. is the last-part of the night.

Q: How come we have to recite mantras every day?
A: The power of reciting mantras is fantastic. It is capable of producing an inconceivable power of samadhi. It can change anything, turning violence into auspiciousness, turning danger into safety. We ought to concentrate while reciting the Shurangama Mantra. Don't grow lazy after a while and become disinterested in the Shurangama Mantra because you don't see immediate effects. Even if you don't see any result, you should still read, recite, and uphold daily. You must cultivate it every day so that you will succeed at once. It will not be effective unless you usually practice it. If you usually cultivate all kinds of dharmas, then 84,000 Vajra Treasury Bodhisattvas will come and support you and your every word, every action, and every move. This requires long-term commitment; it's not achieved in 24 hours.

Q: Why do we need to plant vegetables?
A: So that we don't have to depend on outsiders to donate. We can try to take care of ourselves. The fruits that we harvested ourselves are especially sweet. All the properties that I purchase must be used so that the roots of Buddhism grow deep in the soil of this land.

Q: Why do we experience a lot of suffering now?
A: We did not cultivate enough goodness in the past; that's why many negative states occur. A lot of things don't go our way.

Q (by a child): Could I play the video game, "Roaming the heavens" at home?
A: Your mom won't let you play until you have the Shurangama Mantra memorized.

Q: Why are there rules?
A: Rules exist because you don't follow them. If you did follow the rules, you wouldn't need them. As it is said, "You can't draw squares and circles without T-squares and compass (which mean rules in Chinese)." How can you become wise without following the rules? How can you become enlightened?

Q: What is Bodhi?
A: Bodhi means not picking it up. Let it go! "It" includes money, sex, fame, food, and sleep.

Q: What are mantras?
A: Mantras are just honest words. If you were honest, then everything you say become effective mantras because ghosts and spirits obey them. Mantras are "true words," which means the truth.

Q: I hear that a seasoned cultivator "eats when hungry and snoozes when tired." How is that different from an ordinary person?
A: He has reached a certain level of cultivation so he can do as he pleases guilelessly.

A sincere Catholic didn't know what to do when he first stepped into the Buddha Hall as a guest.
Suddenly the Venerable Master appeared and said with much kindness: Just treat this like your home. Do what you think is right. Don't worry.
The guest became relaxed.

Q: They say you're really mean, you yell at people.
A: Not only do I yell at people, I hit people too!

Q: What is Buddha?
A: Nothing at all.

A disciple asked an inappropriate question.
A: Gee, you wasted a lot of your gasoline!

Visiting Buddhist pray with huge handfuls of incense in the Buddha Hall.
Venerable Master: Look at how you're darkening those Buddha statues! The Buddha is all choked up by smoke. What is the Pureland has now been polluted to become the land of filth. This is all a result of greed and ignorance.

Q (by a disciple): Lots of people are unhappy with what the Master said; but there are lots of people who are happy too.
A: The purpose of my saying things is not to make people happy or unhappy. I just say what is true and what accords with the principles of truth. That's what I have always known to do.

Q: Could I auction off some things in the temple and apply the proceeds to the Sunday elementary school?
A: You can't do any business in the temple!

Q: There's a City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Canada too! Where is it?
A: At Golden. We can build a Buddhist Village there that comes with monasteries, schools, elders' homes, and manufacturing businesses for lay people to settle there while working. You can go there to build the Buddhist Village after you retire.

Q: The hospital building (at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas) has many leaks. To renovate the whole thing will require several tens of thousands of dollars.
A: That's too expensive. Just do spot repairs.

Q (by a disciple): I want to donate a large Buddha statue for the Great Heroes Jeweled Hall, is that okay?
A: Okay, but hurry. Otherwise it will be gone.
That disciple didn't understand why he should hurry. The Great Heroes Jeweled Hall hasn't even been built yet. Could it be that someone will grab the opportunity to donate before him? That can't be yet. He thought he might as well go and invest that money. Wouldn't it be better to earn more money in the next couple of years and donate two large Buddha statues? In the end, the investment was completely awash because his partners swindled the entire amount. Only then did he realize that what the Venerable Master meant by "it will be gone." He meant the money will be gone.

A disciple told the Venerable Master what his job duties were at the time.
Venerable Master: Don't use your authority to oppress people, but move and transform people through personal example.

Venerable Master: Do you like candy?
A child: I don't like American candy. I only like Chinese candy.
The Venerable Master then takes out a box of hard candy made in Taiwan and gives it to the child.
The child couldn't help but utter: This is my favorite candy. Thank you, Master!

Venerable Master: Does your mother-in-law want something?
Disciple: She wants to go out and buy a pair of shoes that fits her. I haven't had time to take her.
Venerable Master: Why don't you do it immediately?
Disciple: There are too many things to take care of in the temple.
Venerable Master: Don't be that way. Your mother-in-law's welfare comes first. Take care of temple business later. Don't leave her frustrated.

The first time that a disciple visited the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, he received a phone call from the Master while at the Administrative Office.
The Master hammered down these first words to him: Everyone at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is small.
That disciple was speechless.
It was not until ten years later that that disciple understood how young and righteous he was at the time, extremely arrogant. That's why the Master said that everyone else was small, to remind the disciple of his egoism.

Q: There are some duties that volunteer teachers at the schools are not able to do, is it okay to hire people for these things?
A: Yes, but the volunteer teachers are the bosses. The hired help has to listen to volunteer teachers.

A disciple is currently attending a certain college. I'm in the middle of getting my teaching credentials so that I'll have a teaching certificate for being a high school teacher at the conclusion of the program.
A: Your virtue is your certificate for being a teacher. Don't ever attempt homosexuality.

In 1985, the Venerable Master was training disciples to go up on stage to lecture on the Sutras and give Dharma talks. The Venerable Master only gives a talk and an evaluation at the end. One newly arrived disciple thought, "I had come thousands of miles from Taiwan to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas just so that I can hear the Venerable Master's Sutra lectures and Dharma talks; but now the Venerable Master isn't speaking. It's so unfair!" The Venerable Master suddenly walked off the stage and next to that disciple, saying, "Who told you not to come earlier?"

Q: How should we cultivate the practices of the Secret School?
A: The Great Master Sixth Patriarch said, "What I tell you is no secret. If you would reflect, the secret is within." The secret is inside of you. What I tell you is no secret. I'll tell you, Westerners have this problem: they hear "Secret school" and think secret, secret, secret. . . that which is a secret must be the best because no one knows about it. Actually, that's wrong.

Q: I've already taken refuge with the Triple Jewel and have been reciting the Buddha's name diligently and on a regular basis. Why am I still entangled by sicknesses right now?
A: People who have taken refuge with the Triple Jewel still die.

Q: We have to bid on that piece of land next to the ocean, how much should we offer?
A: $830,000 is okay.
The business manager suggested that they only write $750,000 because he thinks that they can still negotiate after the bid. The Venerable Master didn't say any more. In the end, the bid that won was $830,000.

The Water, Land, and Air Great Dharma Assembly invited many elderly Dharma Masters from China. Once the Venerable Master went to check on their lodging.
Venerable Master: Is everything okay?
An elder Master from ChinA: Old Master, I've become a softie here every night. (The bed is too soft.)
Venerable Master: Oh, so sorry. We had to have you suffer. Everything is difficult when it comes to developing Buddhism in the United States! I'm so sorry.
That elder Master later told a disciple of the Master: It's extremely difficult for the Master to have come to America to propagate the Dharma and build temples! He is really fantastic!

Q: Will taking refuge [with Buddhism] add to the goodness of someone who is already following another religious tradition?
A: If I were to say that it would strengthen his roots of goodness, then that becomes an enticement. I refuse to answer that question.

When the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas first began, Sangha members took turns to go and pick wild vegetables. One day, it was a new monk's turn to go and pick. He picked an entire pot full of wild vegetables. He was so happy, thinking that everyone will have a full meal today. Once the vegetables went into the wok, however, it shrank into an amount that only fills a small plate. He couldn't control himself and panicked and cried out, "Master! Hurry up! The vegetables ended being so little. How could this be enough for everyone? I'm in trouble, everyone has to go hungry today."

Q: How come you always ask if anyone needs a ride whenever you go back to San Francisco?
A: Gee, you don't even understand this. We save a dollar because a carpool of more than three people requires no toll at Golden Gate Bridge. One hundred trips during the year means that a savings of $100. You understand now?

The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas organized the Center for Refugees in 1985 to help Southeast Asians. Many refugee children who had nothing to eat in refugee camps became wasteful when they saw there was so much food at the City. They dropped their food all over the floor while eating. Once the Venerable Master saw this, he went over and picked up the food that had fallen on the ground and ate it. He didn't say a word. From that day forward, no kid tossed his food everywhere.

In 1976, the Venerable Master had just purchased the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas..
Q (by a disciple): The company that drills wells is here. Where should they begin to drill?
The Venerable Master began to walk over toward the empty lot east of the Joy and Giving House.
California was in the middle of a drought and it was mid-summer. The sun was blistering hot. However, just then a puff of cloud drifted by and hovered over the Venerable Master until he reached the empty lot. Everyone instantly felt extremely cool. The Venerable Master then pointed to a spot on the ground, "Drill here."

Venerable Master: When you have time in the next few days, cut down that big tree east of the Guest House.
The disciples felt that that large tree was healthy and fine, so they didn't go and cut it down. After a few days, that tree collapsed all of a sudden. Wham, it smashed the roof of the Guest House.

Q: Since I had decided to go and become a volunteer at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, my professor introduced me to a job that will pay $60,000 in annual salary. The company also offers employee stocks and dividends. Should I take this job?
A: Go ahead if you want to earn money!
The disciple thought about it, "Right, why earn money? Might as well work as a volunteer." He decided to move to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas nevertheless.

The Venerable Master was going to have his meal at Gold Mountain Monastery. A number of disciples eagerly offered health products and special delicacies to the Master, hoping that he would take them. But the Venerable Master didn't touch any of those items. Then a kid brought an apple over to the Venerable Master.
Venerable Master: Is this yours?
Child: Yes.
That day, the Venerable Master took only that apple for his meal.

A disciple's older sister came to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas for the first time and met the Venerable Master.
Venerable Master: Yu Bin is a good friend of mine.
That disciple didn't understand why the Master would talk about Cardinal Yu Bin with his sister all of a sudden.
After the Venerable Master left, that disciple's sister said: Strange, I was able to come to the United States to attend college because I received the Yu Bin Scholarship after graduating from Taipei's No. One Girls High School. You didn't even know about that, how did the Venerable Master know?

Q: Strange, how come there are so many broken pipes at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas? The water is shooting out too.
A: Who told you to get angry!

Venerable Master: Go and look at a piece of land tomorrow.
A disciple: What should I be looking at?
Venerable Master: Make sure that it has mountains, waters, and large trees. You want usable evergreen trees such as pine and cypress. Trees that shed leaves do not make good wood; they're useless. The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas should gradually change its trees that shed to trees such as pine and cypress.

Venerable Master: The International Translation Institute needs to add a kitchen.
Q (by a disciple): How do we add a kitchen? Where do we build it?
A: Build it downstairs between the fence and the house, just add a roof over that space. Also, move the Jyunkang Vegetarian Café to the front office at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
Q (by a disciple): Where do we put the kitchen?
A: Just put a roof over the lot behind the office.
The disciple thought afterwards, "How come I'm so stupid! I can't even think of such a straightforward solution. Aren't the Five Contemplations Hall at the City and the Buddha Hall at Long Beach Monastery built this way? Add a roof over the three existing walls plus an additional wall--it's economical and efficient.

Q (by a disciple): I would like to have my entire family move the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and be volunteers. When is a good time to move?
A: The sooner the better.
That disciple thought three weeks ought to be soon enough because that's summer break for his kids. Little would he have guessed that less than a week later his child would be hit by a car on the way home from school. The child lost consciousness and was sent to the emergency room. The accident scared the whole family. Fortunately, the child wasn't seriously hurt. As soon as the child was released from the hospital though, the whole family moved. They didn't dare to delay their move any longer.

Q (by a disciple): If the Building with the furnace were to be renovated into the Earth Store Hall, the contractor would charge $100,000 just to dismantle the existing pipes, wires, and furnace.
A: That's too expensive. Let's wait.

Q (by a disciple): It rained heavily yesterday, many of the roofs at the City are leaking.
A: Who told you to have outflows?

Venerable Master: When there's time, cut off the large tree behind the hospital building.
A disciple: Yes, got it.
When things got busy, that disciple forgot to go and cut down the tree. One month later, one of the large trees went "boom!" and fell in a windstorm. The roof to the hospital was smashed so that it had a big hole. It was a good thing that no one was hurt.

Q: How come we rarely see the Venerable Master ride in a car at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas?
A: Let's not pollute the City's air.

Q: Master, why don't you live in a warmer room or turn on the heater to keep warm?
A: I like being in a refrigerator.

Q: May I become a monk?
A: You're kind of stupid, okay.

Q: My daughter has been in a lot of pain after her divorce.
A: The more she's in pain, the better.
Q: I have been feeling miserable since my daughter's divorce too. What should I do?
A: You have to think of everyone in the world as your children so that you will not be so miserable.

Q: Master, when the City has lots of people, could we install more gas heaters for heat?
A: The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and Walnut Grove have so much wood. There are more than enough logs to keep everyone warm every winter! Why should we install gas heaters?

Q: Some people say that meditators do not need to recite the Buddha's name. They say that we're being heretical and heading down the wrong path by reciting the Buddha's name. They say the mind is the Pureland, so why should we bother reciting the Buddha's name? This argument actually rejects both Dhyana and Pureland practices.
A: People who really meditate are really being mindful of the Buddha. People who are really mindful of the Buddha are really investigating Dhyana. The fact that they say this is right and that's wrong shows that they have not really understood meditation and mindfulness of the Buddha. As it is said, "One who does both meditation and Pureland practices is like a tiger with horns. One becomes a teacher to others in this life and a Buddhist patriarch in a future life." This is self-explanatory!

For someone who really knows how to be mindful of the Buddha knows that [the Pureland practice] does not keep him/her from meditating. We could be mindful of the Buddha while moving and meditate while still. We can also be mindful of the Buddha while still and meditate while moving too. Moving and being still are but one. Without movement, there's no stillness.

Both meditation and Pureland practices are practices the Buddha told us about; they don't obstruct one another. There's not one that's right and not one that's wrong. If you say this is right and that's wrong, then you would be slandering the Buddhas, which would be really stupid of you! I believe the Sixth Patriarch said what he said to break his listeners' attachment at the time. Neither is right nor wrong; in fact, either could be right for someone without any attachments. For someone who has attachments, neither is right.

Q: Is it okay to just recite "Namo Dharma Flower Lotus Sutra"?
A: To recite "Namo Dharma Flower Lotus Sutra" is better than to not recite anything at all. Instead of reciting only the name of this Sutra though, you might as well recite the actual text of the Dharma Flower Lotus Sutra.

Q: From which part of China did you come? How did you begin learning about the Buddhadharma?
A: I probably could not finish my answer to this question in several years. To put it simply, I enjoyed learning the Buddhadharma so I studied the Buddhadharma. I am originally from China, but I believe that I'm not Chinese, American, or Japanese. (No country wants me because I'm the dumbest person in the world.) I didn't come down from Heaven. I'm no Jesus. I didn't come from the Land of Ultimate Bliss, so I'm not Amitabha Buddha. I'm not from the Land of Lapis Lazuli, so I'm not Medicine Master Buddha who Quells Disasters and Lengthens Life.

Q: I really admire your strand of recitation beads. Where did it come from? What use does it serve?
A: It came from dirt. Its uses? It's used to ornament when hung around the neck and used to recite the Buddha's name when at hand.

Q: How many American monastic disciples do you have?
A: I don't know. Forty or fifty of them returned to lay life though. I don't know how many monks and nuns there are now.

Q: How large is your one meal of the day?
A: It's different depending on whom you talk to. If you were to ask a kid, I probably eat lot. If you were to ask grown up's, I probably don't eat too much, perhaps a bit less than others. (To the translator:) You tell them how much I eat every day.
Translator: Basically a bowl of boiled vegetables. He doesn't eat any oil or salt. He may eat a bowl of rice or some bread, a few pieces of fruit.
Venerable Master: My disciples eat one meal a day. Since I'm their teacher, I would be ashamed to eat one meal a day like my disciples. I would feel bad toward my disciples for eating all that, so I may eat one meal for two or three days. It's not for sure.