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We Coexist with the Earth
Excerpt from Master Cheng Yen's Speeches
Living in this world, we shouldn’t just be concerned about our own welfare. We should also care for all living beings. Helping to free people from suffering so they may attain peace of mind is the spirit of Great Love, whose essence is purity and wisdom.
Modern civilization emphasizes the pursuit of pleasure and day-to-day conveniences that are designed to reduce work and increase leisure time. However, few realize that the modern inventions designed to help make life easier for humanity is in fact threatening humanity's welfare.
 
Our Ailing Planet
For more than a hundred years, human beings have been excavating mountains and building roads for faster transportation. In the pursuit of economic benefits, trees have been chopped down and forestland turned into pasture for livestock. But in these attempts to “improve” our lives, we forget about its impact on one resource vital to our survival—water. When the forests and mountains are damaged or destroyed, natural waterways are also disrupted. The waterways are like the blood vessels in the human body. Should there be problems with the blood vessels, the health of the entire body will be affected.
With the development of modern machinery, such destruction can be carried out even faster, on a larger scale. In the past, the use of timber was limited by the time and energy it took to obtain it. It used to require a lot of work to cut down a tree. Now, a gigantic thousand-year-old tree can be cut down with electric chainsaws in just a few minutes. The result is rapid and irreversible deforestation. Similarly, men in the past had to manually dig for stone whenever it was needed; now, dynamite is used in mining. With just the press of a button, a huge hole can be blasted in a hill or mountain. Although such methods of obtaining raw materials are much more efficient, they make it possible for human beings to destroy a big mountain quickly, with ease.
Our climate is also changing, changing the balance of the ecosystem. In the past, there were distinct seasons at the North and South Poles. Snow fell and icecaps accumulated at both the Poles during winter. In summer, the icecaps melted slowly, so the equilibrium of the oceans remained undisturbed. Today, this natural equilibrium has been upset by climate change caused by human activities. The greenhouse effect, exacerbated by the pollutants released into the atmosphere, has caused the average global temperature to increase. Today, the new snow and ice that forms in the winter cannot keep pace with the speed at which the icecaps melt away in the summer. The results are dwindling icecaps.
In today's modern world, there is mass production of goods for daily consumption. The sprawling cities, high-rise buildings, cars, and electric appliances of modern society demand a tremendous amount of natural resources. Besides the depletion of resources, much pollution and waste are created in the process of manufacturing and using these modern conveniences. Just consider electronic devices alone: mobile phones and computers, seemingly indispensable these days, quickly become outdated and are often discarded for newer models. These things, along with countless other home appliances and inventions of modern technology, have brought us enjoyment, but what follows is the problem of waste disposal.
Developed countries have sought a solution by exporting their waste to less developed countries. Due to poverty, people in these countries take to disassembling these waste products as a means to earn income. These electronic wastes, however, contain many synthetic materials and heavy metals that are harmful to human health. When introduced into the environment, they contaminate the land and water supply. Crops grown on the contaminated land is subsequently also contaminated. When people and animals eat the crops, or when people eat the animals, the toxins are then ingested into people’s bodies.
Desertification is also a problem today. Though Planet Earth looks like a beautiful blue planet full of water when seen from space, in truth, desertification has become a serious issue. The Chinese capital of Beijing, for instance, frequently suffers dust storms. The dust storms can extend all the way to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan depending on the weather conditions and wind direction.
Why are there such dust storms? The dust storms originate in Mongolia. The boundless Mongolian grasslands used to provide ample food for cattle and sheep. But climate change over the years has changed all that. Fierce winter storms spawned by the unbalanced climatic conditions have destroyed the natural vegetation, resulting in a shortage of forage for the animals. When the cattle and sheep have no grass to eat, they dig into the earth to eat the roots of plants. Many animals have died from starvation. With water shortages following the winter and with all the roots having been eaten by animals, new grass cannot grow. Thus, the once plentiful grasslands are turned into desert.
There is also water shortage, and China's Gansu Province is one example. Tzu Chi volunteers have gone there to build water cisterns for the residents and have witnessed firsthand the severity of the drought. The lives they lead are hard to imagine. The locals have a saying, "On sunny days, we drink tears. On rainy days, we drink muddy water." For many of the local people, almost their entire lives are devoted to fetching water. Every day, they spend several hours hiking up and down the mountains just to fetch two buckets of water. Their lives are truly very hard.
The macrocosm and microcosm are falling out of balance
The universe is a composite of the four elements of earth, water, fire, and air. The human body is also composed of the four elements and is like a mini-universe. Hence, I often refer to them as the macrocosm and microcosm. In the macrocosm, the air current is the air element; atmospheric temperature is the fire element; rivers and oceans are the water element; and soil or land is the earth element. When the earth element falls out of balance, earthquakes result; when the air element falls out of balance, hurricanes and typhoons arise; when the water element falls out of balance, downpours and floods ensue. If the four elements are in balance, however, the four seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter will follow each other in due order and all things on Earth will flourish and thrive.
In recent years, there have been many natural disasters, showing us the imbalance of the four elements. Natural disasters are occurring all around the world. This is very worrying.
On June 24 of this year, a wind-whipped wildfire broke out near Lake Tahoe in Northern California, burning 3,000 acres of wooded terrain, destroying 250 structures, and forcing 3,500 people to flee from their homes. Meanwhile, Texas, which is usually dry in the summer and receives little rain, began experiencing heavy downpours on June 18, flooding three northern towns. It was the worst deluge in more than 30 years.
There have also been heat waves and droughts, the consequences of global warming. The circumstances have been so severe that people living in drought-ridden areas are praying desperately for rain. I even saw a news report where a man cracked an egg on the hood of his car, and the egg was instantly cooked because it was so hot. Our planet is truly ill and in great distress.
For the microcosm of the human body, it is also composed of the four elements. The breath is the air element, body temperature is the fire element, body fluids are the water element, and skin, flesh, etc. are the earth element. Just as imbalance of the four elements in the macrocosm leads to disasters, similarly, imbalance of the four elements in the macrocosm leads to illnesses.
In this microcosm, the internal organs need to work together in harmony and coexist peacefully with helpful germs and bacteria in order for the body to remain healthy. If there is any imbalance within our body, it will be reflected in our health. For example, if the fire element is out of balance, the body will send out a warning in the form of a fever. If there are problems concerning our blood, the water element, we might need to undergo dialysis or have a bone marrow transplant. Should our breathing, the air element, be disrupted, we die.
The microcosm also reflects the macrocosm when it comes to our mental state. When our temper gets the better of us, our anger will burn inside like a raging fire. When our desires well up, they are like torrential waters that can submerge us and cause serious disaster like floods. When we lose our inner balance and harmony, it is like a fierce storm with violent winds blowing, causing devastating spiritual disasters.
Cherishing our environment
The fates of human beings and the Earth are intertwined. An unhealthy Earth spells crisis for human beings. Therefore, as we enjoy the conveniences of modern life, we must stop and consider the garbage problem brought upon the world as a whole. When closely examined, all the various disasters can be linked to our destruction of the Earth. As I often say, to change the world, we must begin by transforming hearts and minds. Given the environmental problems facing our world today, we must not only change attitudes but also lifestyles.
We should have a grateful heart toward our planet which provides for us and sustains us. As each of us is consuming resources and contributing to pollution, we must always think about how to conserve resources. If we lead a simpler life, we will help reduce the amount of garbage and protect our environment, thus improving the quality of life on Earth. It is a simple concept, but if we all put it into practice, the impact can be profound and far-reaching.
Our Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, for example, is a green building. The hospital building and its entire grounds were designed based on eco-friendly principles. For instance, graywater is recycled and used to irrigate a special outdoor area set up as a natural habitat complete with ponds, wetland, and wild grass. From time to time, butterflies, dragonflies, and ducks would come, enlivening the hospital and turning it into a mini-ecosystem. People can take leisurely walks there during the day or simply relax among the beautiful verdant lawns and trees in the garden. At night, the grounds are illuminated by solar-powered lights.
The superintendent and vice superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Lin Chin-lon and Dr. Chien Sou-hsin, respectively, also promote environmentalism in the hospital, and do this by example in their small daily actions. Dr. Lin often picks up litter from the floor when he walks down the halls of the hospital. He also has a habit of turning off lights that aren't in use. This is something he has been doing for years.
Dr. Chien also promotes environmental practices in the hospital. Every day, there are more than 1,000 staff and volunteers at the hospital. He estimates that, in one day, the hospital would have to throw away around three thousand pairs of disposable bamboo chopsticks. Think about how many bamboos would be wasted. Therefore, the hospital gives every employee and patient a pair of reusable chopsticks. The use of reusable chopsticks is both good for the environment and for people's health (note: reports show that disposable bamboo chopsticks are bleached for their color and sometimes grow moldy after being stored for a time). Dr. Chien's implementation of this policy has shown that a little environmental awareness can go a long way in conserving resources.
The spirit of protecting the environment pervades the hospital. Lu Xin-ru, the head of nursing, not only implements eco-friendly practices in her department, but also brings the spirit back home. Twice a month, she brings her whole family to a Tzu Chi recycling station to help with the recycling work, so that her children can learn first-hand the importance of environmental protection.
At the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Miao-wen, the head nurse, cares for seriously ill patients with compassion and medical expertise during her work hour. After she gets off work, she spends her time organizing the recyclables in the ICU and is always thinking of ways they can safely reuse resources.
Living a simpler life, being more mindful of our impact on the environment and taking steps to conserve energy and reuse what we can—these are all commendable practices that should be encouraged and made widespread. Let us inspire more people to join in the environmental effort. As everyone takes part, their hearts and minds will also become more clean and beautiful. By protecting our environment, we are helping to make the planet a safer and better place to live.
The power of our thoughts
I often point out that the cause of natural disasters lies in human actions. Human beings' negative, unwholesome thoughts have been accumulating, and collectively, they create a powerful force. This is the power of collective karma that the Buddha speaks of. This powerful negative force leads to natural disasters and calamities.
In the macrocosm of the natural world, there is the greenhouse effect that leads to global warming and brings on various kinds of disasters. Similarly, in the microcosm of the individual, there is also an interplay of forces. They are set forth by the mind. For the macrocosm, it is the "greenhouse effect"; for the microcosm, it is the "mind effect". Thoughts give rise to actions and set forth a chain of actions and reactions. Thoughts can be wholesome or unwholesome, and these will result in wholesome or unwholesome behavior, with positive and negative impact, respectively. So, when we trace the cause of natural disasters, we find that it is the human mind. We must therefore start with cultivating our mind, encouraging our family to cultivate, and guiding everyone in our society to do the same. When everyone has a good heart and upright mind, and does good, the collective force of everyone's karma will become positive, resulting in blessings and good fortune.
We can begin to purify our minds by learning to be content, grateful, understanding, and accommodating toward everyone and everything. Every one of us causes harm to our planet and to other people, and it is because of our unwholesome mind and thoughts. Therefore, to save our world, we must begin with transforming the hearts and minds of humanity. Let us learn to be accommodating, be grateful, be thoughtful, and be considerate to others; then our life will be filled with contentment.
When we purify our mind and actions, sometimes even when disaster hits, we will have the blessings to remain untouched. I hope everyone can cultivate a healthy mind and spirit. The health of the physical body is closely tied to the health of the mind and spirit. If our mind and spirit are unhealthy, our body will be unhealthy. And being unhealthy in body, mind, and spirit, we will in turn do harm to our planet. Living on this planet, our fate is intertwined with the health of our planet. Let us always remember that we coexist with the Earth.
(Excerpted from Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s speeches delivered at the daily volunteers’ morning assemblies on June 29, 2005, January 19, April 9, June 23, and June 28, 2007; speech to employees of Da Ai TV Eastern Taiwan Office on April 10, 2007; the Master’s morning dharma talk on June 28, 2007; and Tzu Chi Monthly issue No. 454)
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