From Supreme Master Ching Hai's Book “Secrets to Effortless Spiritual Practice,” Part 1 of 2

To really become a Saint, we have to be perfect in every aspect, not just a particular aspect. If we’re only magnanimous, but never criticize, then it’s also no good! For instance, if at times when you should criticize and educate people, you praise them instead, you only spoil them and ruin their judgment ability in spiritual practice. That’s why I say, “One must be balanced in Yin (Negative) and Yang (Positive) to become a Saint.”

We can’t reach Heaven in one step. It’s the same for our spiritual practitioners. As long as we practice diligently every day, when the time comes, we’ll get results naturally. It’s just like raising our children: As long as we take good care of them every day, they’ll grow up themselves.

Just continue practicing diligently and don’t be attached to the results. Some fellow initiates told me that they had not seen any visions in their meditation. I said there was no use in seeing visions. If our mind is getting more stable, if we feel more secure, if we have faith and happiness, and if we feel the protection of God’s power, then we’ve already had the most precious experiences.

I’ve heard that laughter is good medicine that can cure any disease. There’s a Chinese saying, “One should laugh heartily three times a day.” So, how many times have we laughed today? Too many times to count? No wonder some people accuse me of not being serious enough. They say instead of expounding on holy scriptures, I tell jokes all the time. This is because we’re specializing in jokes. So, if anyone asks you just tell them that we belong to the “Religion of Laughter!”

If a Buddha is miserable, then he’s a miserable Buddha. He’s useless. What good is it to become a Buddha if he can’t even laugh? In the West, there’s also a saying, “A Saint who is miserable, is a miserable Saint.” Therefore, we can tell how high our level is by looking at how much we laugh every day. We can measure our level by our laughter, and we don’t have to wait to find out after we start practicing the Quan Yin Method with a Master. Those who can’t laugh are miserable Saints. They’re too serious. They’re not open enough. If we don’t have an open heart and a tolerant attitude, what good is it to become a Buddha?

The more we practice, the more relaxed we are. We don’t have any guilty feelings. Nothing can bind us, and no preconceived concepts can oppress us. We become very expansive, like the air, like the ocean. We’re not limited by any biases or bound by any traditions or customs. Our hearts become wide open. That’s why it’s easy for us to laugh. We can laugh even if there’s no reason to laugh because we’re so happy inside.