by Master Ching Hai
July 11, 1995
This story is called, “A King with a Lot of Desire.”
A very long time ago, there was a king who ruled a very great kingdom, and for a very, very long time, in India. During that time, he was always victorious. He never lost anything. He always won. So he became very greedy and very arrogant, because everything he did brought victory to him.
This King was a kind of practitioner. He had magical power. There were many kings in the old times that were called “Golden Wheel Saint Kings” or something like that, because they had a kind of golden carriage which could carry them anywhere they wanted. Perhaps it was a UFO.
When you read many stories from India, like Rama, it seems like in the old times people got in touch with the UFO’s, extra-terrestrial people that flew with a chariot in the sky. They didn’t have any airplanes at that time, did they? I don’t think so. Or perhaps they did. And besides, with all these magical powers it must have been the extra-terrestrial people that they had encountered – you know, Rama, his wife and company.
And of course he had so many beautiful and precious things in his life. The first one was a very beautiful, strong magical horse which could carry him one thousand miles an hour. It must have been an airplane. What kind of horse would that have been? But it was a red one. Then he had a beautiful white like snow elephant. He had a precious stone that in the evening emitted beautiful light like the moon light. They didn’t have electricity, they didn’t need to. He had a “car,” like a golden carriage. This one could fly him up into the sky. What could that have been? Airplane or UFO? Do we have a car that can go a thousand miles an hour? Oh, a thousand miles a day.
And also he had a queen who was very beautiful, as well as very faithful. So what else could he want? He had a very good prime minister to help him, and a very powerful army general. So, he had everything. No wonder he was always victorious. Besides, he had thousands of princes – big, tall, strong, intelligent, educated, courageous, all like grand kings.
All these things actually should have made him very, very happy and satisfied. But he was not. Everyday he felt empty, felt like he was missing something.
One day, he was fed up. He felt that he didn’t have enough money, with all that, so he sat there and meditated on money. As he meditated on money, and he recited the mantra for money, he said: ”Dollars, dollars, dollars…American dollars, French dollars, Italian dollars, not Taiwan NT., (Laughter) German Deutschemarks,” etc. He recited all these mantras. And then all the money came down, all the Deutschemarks, all the American dollars, French francs, and all that; you know all the best – oh yen, Japanese yen. Instead of “Zen, Zen,” he said, “Yen, yen.” (Master and everyone laugh)
Anyway, his meditation was powerful. He was very, very concentrated, very sincere, and very devoted to money. The God of money was very moved, and rained down the money for him. Then he saw that the whole palace, outside, all over the tree tops, and everywhere was money. Even next to the toilet, there was money too. He looked and then he told people to pick it up and count it for him. He said, “Not enough.”
He meditated again. Now he wanted something else, so he recited a different mantra. I can teach you right now. (Laughter) “Gold, gold, gold, gold, silver, silver, gold, gold, silver…” (Laughter) And then again, as he was absolutely a hundred percent devoted, the God of gold and silver was very moved, and rained down all the gold and silver as he desired. This time the gold and silver covered all of Miaoli and the surrounding area. All he had to do was tell his people to go out and pick it up and bring it to the store room.
He was satisfied for a while. Maybe a few days, a few months. Actually in the old times people lived a very long, long life. Perhaps that’s why he was bored. So make sure you don’t live too long!
So, many years had passed now since the incident of silver and gold. The king happened felt bored again, dissatisfied with life. So, he looked to the south and he saw that it was a very prosperous country, and very big and beautiful. So he said, “Ah…I wish I also could rule over that southern kingdom, and then I would be happy and satisfied.” Suddenly, as he wished like that, his chariot flew up into the sky and brought him to the southern kingdom. He won immediately, because golden and bright chariot from the sky, they all knelt down on the ground and said, “Hallo.” They surrendered to him, no problem. They treated him very, very well; very respectfully, and did everything he wanted.
He stayed there for a thousand more years. And then he was bored, so he went up to the high tower and looked again. Perhaps he looked to the north, and he saw that the north was a very nice kingdom – very prosperous, and had very good-looking people. “Now I want that kingdom! Then I will be happy and satisfied.” As soon as he had spoken, because he had the power of, perhaps magic, so whatever he wished came true. Perhaps he had merit for a long time and had not spent it.
So he wished and the chariot flew him up into the sky and delivered him to the north. As soon as he came, all the people in the northern kingdom also knelt on the streets and gave him incense, flowers, fruit, cakes, candies, mineral water, beer and everything; and offered the kingdom to him – surrendered, so no problem. He had not wasted one drop of blood, and he obtained the kingdom. I think that the people who are fighting right now should come and learn his strategy of how to invade another nation without spending any blood or human lives.
So now, he was very happy, satisfied for another thousand years. It did not take much for him to be satisfied!!!
Ah, so, one thousand years passed now, and the dissatisfied king looked over, perhaps to the east. He used his binoculars, perhaps. And then he looked over there and said, “Oh, oh, how come there’s a kingdom there I did not know about? And it’s very beautiful, very prosperous – a lot of durian fruit. I can smell it from there to here.” (Master and everyone laugh)
So he said, “I have to have that kingdom. I have to rule over that kingdom also, so that I will be satisfied.” Said and done, he won without bloodshed or without any resistance. Perhaps because God had favored him. Perhaps because he had acquired a great deal of merit in the last life. Perhaps because those people in the north, the south, and the east were very peaceful, living people. Whoever ruled the kingdom, it didn’t matter. They didn’t want bloodshed. They just surrendered. Perhaps it’s the best way. I don’t know. Perhaps it is the best way in every situation, because one cannot fight without resistance. Perhaps, we shouldn’t fight at all anywhere.
Truly if we understand the Kingdom of God is within us, and if we have already tasted the nectar of this Kingdom of God, then probably we do not want to resist anything. If we can live here longer to serve God and fellow beings, let it be so. If we have to go because our time has come, or because someone else wants to terminate our life, let it be, because we have other kingdoms to continue to live in. Perhaps, therefore, surrendering to God’s will is the best. Sooner or later, each one of us must leave this world anyhow. So why complicate things?
I see resistance in different countries. Sometimes it just makes more and more and more bloodshed without having any concrete and finished result. Just cost a lot of lives, time, building construction power, and financial benefit – costs a lot from the people. Besides, as you have seen, every system will collapse itself. Like the communists in Eastern Europe. They collapsed by themselves. Nothing lasts forever if it doesn’t suit the plan of God.
So, I don’t know whether all this physical resistance is truly good or not. I still think, I dare not say too much. People will think I’m pessimist and passive, and things like that. But I think everything will take care of itself. Sometimes, in the course of life, you have experienced that yourselves. Sometimes you try to demand this and that, and you end up the same; sometimes worse than before.
So now, another thousand years came. Ah, he was happy. He swallowed up one nation and was very happy. One more thousand years, and he was fed up again, was bored. So he went up to the top of the mountain, used his binoculars, or whatever, telescope, and then he looked over to the west. Now he said, “America.” Perhaps, before Columbus discovered it, he had seen it. He said, “That land is very big and beautiful – California beach.” Oh, no, no, Miami beach, California earthquake.” Oh no. (Laughter) “Good weather. West Virginia, snow. Oh, we have everything. I must have that land.” So said, wished, and accomplished as usual, as many times before. A thousand years more, and he was bored, unhappy.
I told you, he should have come to Supreme Master Ching Hai, and she would have told him nothing in this world would satisfy him! (Master and everyone laugh) You see the problem with having no Master? If you don’t have a living teacher, it’s very difficult. Every Guru will tell you that. He didn’t have a Master like Supreme Master Ching Hai who would have taught him the ephemeral nature of human life.