Excerpts from Supreme Master Ching Hai’s lecture:

The Original idea of monkhood is asceticism. You come because you love a Master, you follow a Master and you go through anything just to stay near. So, you eat whatever scraps leftover or whatever from the people outside, who brought in and ate and left it there; or you go begging for food, because you can't go to work. You understand this? But I don't think that spirit continues to live until now. Some still do. You know, there's too much physical demanding on me, and I don't want to crowd my mind with all these things anymore. Therefore, I say I don't need monastic disciples. Not that I don't accept. It's not necessary. You could do it yourself, yeah? If your heart is monastic, you are monastic. There is no difference. Even I don't wear the monastic robe anymore so that we look the same. We don't feel the difference anymore. So, don't feel offended or hurt like being rejected or things like that. It's not like that. You do not know all what I have to work to keep their monastic vows and ideals in order. You understand this? If you want to do it yourself, its fine, okay, like the way I did. It would be better. You'll learn more when you appreciate your life. You have to work for it. You'll appreciate it better. Okay?