Cherishing the Earth’s Precious Resources

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Shatin Center, Hong Kong • September 11, 1993
(Originally in Chinese)

Our planet is suffering from severe devastation in this age, as trees are cut down and mountain forests destroyed indiscriminately. Many beautiful places have been ruined and reduced to deserts. New deserts are emerging every year. Take a look at the statistics and you will know. Consequently, the Earth’s climate has changed drastically. It has become peculiar with the occurrence of many typhoons and earthquakes, and sharp fluctuations in temperature. Mercury readings soar high in places with normally cold climates and plunge low in places with warm climates. Our bodies can hardly adapt to the changes. For instance, we may be accustomed to living in Hong Kong, where the weather turns cool in September and October, and becomes really cold in November and December. Our bodies have already adapted to these annual variations, and a sudden change brings physical discomfort. We may become ill and have lots of trouble.

Caring for Nature

Human beings have enormous destructive power. They care little about society or the future, and are concerned only about their immediate personal benefit. Therefore, a considerable part of the Earth’s resources have been destroyed, which in turn has affected the world economy. Should a torrential downpour occur where no effort has been made to conserve soil and water, there will be no trees to absorb the rain permeating the soil, and it is later released slowly like a river. The result is a flood disaster. When floods occur, many houses are destroyed, crops are submerged in water, and the global economy suffers. Recent floods in the United States have incurred losses totaling billions of dollars, and the U.S. has yet to completely recover from these disasters. This is all caused by humankind’s destruction of the environment.

If every group, unit, and individual can act like our group and care lovingly for Mother Nature the way I teach you, then our world will be different. We may think that only communist or extremist countries wage wars that destroy our planet and jeopardize human lives. But in reality, they are not the only ones; even small groups, small units, or individuals can destroy the Earth. They do it bit by bit every day. This is chronic destruction. War causes one-time damage, and the aftereffects disappear in a few decades. When people realize that war brings no benefits, they call for a cease-fire and begin reconstruction and restoration efforts. However, the chronic destruction that goes on daily throughout the world is difficult to restore. It causes damage and creates risks that are no less than those caused by war.

I do not teach you these things because of money. For example, sometimes I teach you how to pick fruit, take care of trees, and spray unhealthy trees. Trees become sick sometimes. Worms grow inside and devour them, then the trees fall. Therefore, you must take care of the trees when you have time. Those who know how to do it should teach those who do not. Work together. Each one of you can tender a few trees. And when fruit grows, we can pick it.

Implications of Spiritual Acts

Every action by a spiritual practitioner carries symbolic significance. When we act with the intent to preserve, this power of loving concern will spread from our corner of the world to the whole planet. The Earth will be conserved, crops will be protected, the global economy will be sustained, and everyone will have food to eat. The world will have adequate resources and sufficient food for everyone. We do not do this so we can save a lot of money; in fact, little can be saved in this way. It is merely a symbolic action. Having the spirit to conserve and the heart to contribute demonstrates the power of conservation and positive strength that we want to share with the world. If this power of conservation pervades every corner of the globe, the world will be much safer.

When everyone is engaged in destruction and no one makes any effort at conservation, of course, the positive power will diminish until no protective power is left and only the negative, destructive power prevails. Therefore, we must try to maintain a balance. We may be few in number, but our power is great. We spiritual practitioners can focus our minds to such an extent that even though we are doing only a little bit, the outcome is comparatively more significant and the impact greater than our efforts. Therefore, do not say, “Well, it is merely a few acres of land. How much benefit can we bring to the world? Why should Master take all this trouble?” When each person does a little bit, the combined effort is enormous. In the world outside, everyone causes a little bit of damage. All actions should begin from individuals. Therefore, when you do a positive deed, bear in mind that you are doing it for a symbolic purpose.

When we do it, our protective power can offset the destructive force in the world. Even though we cannot completely compensate for past actions, at least we can try to maintain a balance. Otherwise, if everyone is being destructive and no one is committed to conservation, the world will become a desert sooner or later. Now there is less and less forested land; the same is happening here around us. All the surrounding mountains have become bald like a monk’s head. Therefore, we must balance it a bit symbolically. If we had not preserved the forests here, this place would have become barren. Do you think it would have looked nice? Fortunately, we still have some green and richly forested areas here. In the summertime, you can sit under the trees to read, meditate, cool off, chat, rest, or lie in hammocks. Had we not taken good care of this place, the trees would have become sick, withered, and finally died. The whole place would have become as bare as the mountains over there. How would you have felt then? Wouldn’t it have been a lot worse than it is now?

Jeopardizing Both
the Earth and Humankind

If the natural environment is slightly destroyed and humankind adds to the damage without anyone taking care of Mother Nature, our planet Earth will one day become like Mars. Do you know about Mars? Why is it called Mars (the Chinese term for Mars is “Fire Plane”)? It is because there is only fire up there and the planet is red. There is no life, at least not on its surface. I “hear” that there is life underground, however. This is because the planet suffered severe devastation in the past, and there was a war with other beings. Although they battled only because they had no other alternative, the karma remains. They killed each other with chemical bombs, which made the planet barren. Besides, humans cannot live there because the surrounding atmosphere is still highly toxic. The non-toxic atmosphere of our planet Earth contains oxygen; therefore, we can live. But perhaps our oxygen is not pure, so we cannot live long and our life force is weak; we cannot enjoy a long life. On Mars, or other more dangerous or worn-out planets, the atmosphere is in even worse condition. Pervaded only by toxic gases and no oxygen, it allows no life to survive.

Today, the humans on Earth have enormous destructive power and have created plenty of toxic gases. For the sake of money, people give no thought to the future, or about the people around them, not even their own children or future generations. Therefore, the air on Earth is becoming increasingly toxic, and people are afflicted by more illnesses. It is difficult to cure their illnesses because their immunity is growing weaker.

Cherishing God’s Grace

Trees generate oxygen to maintain a balance in the air in our environment. Without them, the Earth will have only floods and fires; it will be hot and dry like a desert; the atmosphere will become unbalanced. This is because trees absorb carbon dioxide for circulation and transformation, and release oxygen that is beneficial to our bodies. If we look at green plants frequently, our eyes will feel relaxed, we will feel good, and our bodies will feel very comfortable. Therefore, trees are vital to human beings. When we take care of them, we also take care of ourselves. This has nothing to do with money.

This is symbolic conservation of Nature. We do not worship Nature; we preserve it. Sometimes, we have to cut trees for a greater purpose or out of genuine necessity. But when we don’t have a reason to do so, we should preserve them all. It is a symbolic action. We do not do it for money, nor is it because I am fastidious that I trouble you. You may think that it is not worthwhile, because you can buy a lot with a few dollars, but the meaning is different. Everyone wants to buy and no one wants to plant. Since God has bestowed the great Nature on us, we ought to take good care of it to show that we cherish what Hes has given us. And Hes will give us more. For instance, parents give some money to their child, and the child manages and runs a business well. As his business prospers and expands, the parents trust him more and are happy to give him more wealth. Then, he will prosper even more. If the child squanders, wastes, or loses the money, will his parents give him more? Of course not! This is very simple and logical.

Therefore, when we possess anything that we think is good, we ought to cherish it, take care of it, and make it even better. Since we spiritual practitioners have great power, we create a more tremendous impact doing the same thing that non-practitioners do. It is because we do it with focused attention and love, which is very much different than the way people outside do it-inattentively or for money. We thus have greater influential power that brings greater benefit to the world. Therefore, bear in mind your own power when you do anything. Otherwise, spiritual practitioners are no different than non-spiritual practitioners. Then why should you practice spiritually and expend so much effort? Do you feel that you have improved when you go to group meditation? If you are truly sincere, you will feel yourself improving, and you will make progress.