Over-Population Is Not
Spoken In English By The Supreme Master Ching Hai At Group Meditation In Bangkok, Thailand, Sep. 18, 1994
Lately we have been talking about the UN Conference about the hunger of the world, remember? Now I have good news for you that now the scientists have found some way to make the harvest grow many times more than before. They already found some before, but now they found something even better. So, accordingly we can feed about 10 billion of people, not only 6 billion like they calculated last time; double in a 100 years even, over 100 years. So then during 100 years we might find something even better, or we can go to Mars to plant potatoes or go to Mercury to plant rice. (Master laughs.) If our planet people are being vegetarian, the way environmentalists suggest and it's justly so, and that the scientists find the way to grow more abundantly the crops for us, then I think we can "sing", no problem, we can sit pretty.
Actually if we just are kind to each other, live a very clean and pure life, there shouldn't be any problem. They shouldn't worry about killing the children inside the mother's womb just to prevent hunger. This is not a very appropriate thing to do. Even though, according to some of the spiritual masters and according to what I know, sometimes the spirit does not come inside the body of the fetus until the baby is born. But still the body belongs to a spirit and he is going to come down, and it is very sad to have no body to come into. Sometimes the spirit comes in already within the pregnancy, sometimes the spirit comes after the pregnancy, like in my case.
According to my mother, I came after, one day later. I am always late in everything, decided from childhood. (Laughed) You know, that is why I am always late now. You have to forgive me, I was born like that, born lazy, born late. Somebody asked me before, when I was born whether the light was all over the body, the room. I said, "No, I was born very normal, no light." It is true, but one day later the room was blazed with light; because it came late. According to my parents, I was born no crying and eyes just open all day long; never blinked and never shut the eyes. So the parents felt very strange! What kind of child is this? But my father said that the next evening, about 6 o'clock when it began to darken outside, and then suddenly the whole room, especially the bed I lay in was very, very bright. And they were thinking, "How come the light comes somewhere from the street?" Because we live next to a small path, walking path, and they were looking whether somebody put a shining light through the window. "Nobody there! But the light was there about 15 minutes," they said. And after the light was out, they then remembered, "Oh, it is dark!" And they began to light the lamps in the house. Because it had been shining for 15 minutes, so they did not light the lamps. And until the lights went off and they realized it was dark. And nobody was shining any light outside, no lamps on the walkway outside. So, therefore, the body was not functioning properly, the eyes just kept open and could not cry, and after that I think I cried very loud. (Master laughs.) I think, I was very frightened to come down here. I tried to delay as much as possible until God kicked me down. He said, "Here just go," and no more choice. Yes, probably, I saw from heaven - hunger, AIDS, gems stolen (Master laughs) wars, so much chaos. What for come here? No fun. But probably, a promise is a promise. Once you promise you have to do it, and so here I am trying to do my job with you until time is up.
So it is said, not every case of abortion is involved in killing a fully conscious person. That's definite. But we never know, the doctor never knows who is a fully conscious person inside, who is not yet fully conscious. You see, they cannot see that kind of light and besides the child inside doesn't always radiate light. Yes, so therefore, abortion is not recommended. It's not very good for human development and it is against our conscience, and it will punish us the whole life when we think about that.
In India there was a woman saint. Her name I think Ananda Maye, something like that. She said that at the time of her birth there was no physical connection with her mother. That is probably the same case that the spirit comes late, comes after the baby is born. Lately, I read a book from a woman. She was supposed to be dead and then a few days later she came back to life. She reported seeing this kind of process of the birth, like: sometimes the spirit comes in before, sometimes the spirit comes in during pregnancy, sometimes the spirit comes at the time of conception, or sometimes later. That is also a coincidence, different people in different corners of the world affirm the same thing. She was shown the process of creation, some part of it, and everything she says I know it is true. It's not a kind of made up story to sell the book, it is a true story. And at first she didn't even want to tell it. She told it only nineteen years later, reluctantly, because she found it very difficult to express what she saw in heaven into the human language and was afraid that people might not believe her also. But nowadays there are many people, who die and come back to life telling the same, very similar stories to this woman - sometimes shorter, sometimes longer and sometimes a different aspect, but very similar.
Some of these experiences, our disciples during meditation, they also know, because they die temporarily. And that is why some of the saints say, "I die daily, I die many times a day." That is the meaning. Once we meditate and we leave the body that is the same as when we die, except that the connection between the spirit and the body is permanent or temporary severed.
So actually the world over-population is not the real cause for starvation. I have read a very good article about this and I cut it from the newspaper, I have told them to print it on the magazine for your perusal, for your information this time. Okay, you can read it and you can have your own comment on it and you will know.
It's a very good article, very nice. It's from Bangkok Post, I think. It's about the Cairo Conference, about the population growth of the world whether it is related to hunger or not. No doubt that it is related to hunger also, but it is not the absolute cause, it's not the main cause, and it's not the only cause. And that can be avoided by fair distribution of food to different corners of the world instead of amassing possessions on some useless... and cannot serve anybody and even costs other peoples' lives, sometimes, due to possessions.
Reading newspapers is also my job. It is not really fun, I don't like it, but sometimes it's good for you to find some information to give you hope, and also give you evidence, examples of what I've been talking about. It's good for you to have a concrete example and evidence. Some good papers are also very informative, but sometimes the papers, they use their influence to do bad things and this we should avoid to read.
In the article, it is stated that most of the poor people have very little possessions of the world; and the rich people... they have put how many percent of the rich people, and how many percent of the poor people. And like the richest, 1/5 of the world, control 83 or 85% of the world's property; and the poorest 1/5, control only 1.4%; and then they blame the poor people for making hunger because too many children and things like that.
Now I think you can, you are able to discern what's the great difference between the rich and the poor, and what really causes the starvation of our fellow beings. The gap is so wide, 83% vs. 1.4%. So it's alright to have possessions but we must know what to do with them. Possessions are harmless, but if we are possessed by them, it becomes harmful for ourselves and for the people who are tempted and who are involved in our property. That's why many families are divided or kill each other, because of property inheritance and the arguments between who inherited what. Many times it causes the loss of lives. Is that not so? And causes war between nations, and causes war between tribes, causes hatred between people, because of the mishandling of the property. Not that property itself is bad. You know what I mean?
Save Our Earth!
As a U.S. citizen and an active member of the world community, I urgently implore you to address the issues which are presently placing the future of our world in serious jeopardy. As you are probably aware, countless research projects over the last 25 years (The Global 2000 Report from the early 1970's and books such as Diet For a New America by John Robbins, among others) have all led to the same drastic conclusion: unless present policies change, disaster on a global scale will surely occur within the very near future. As the population continues to grow at an unprecedented rate and the world's finite resources are rapidly depleting
Under the laws of God, every action has a consequence. If we senselessly act against nature, there will be dire consequences as a result. WE CAN CHANGE OUR WORLD, BUT THERE ISN'T MUCH TIME - PLEASE ACT NOW.
Respectfully Yours,
Millar
The Task Of Environmental Protection
Should Begin From A Vegetarian Diet
Early last year, I had a precious chance to follow a fellow initiate to the Laii Ashram for meditation. Although I was not initiated then, and not on a pure vegetarian diet either, I agreed with the concept of vegetarianism as I was an environmental protection worker. I can still remember that we set off at midnight that day, and arrived at early dawn. After a brief rest, I was issued a VIP card by the registration desk at the entrance, and then went into the ashram. All around the ashram, all parking spaces were filled with cars of all types. As the sky became brighter, the details of the scene in the valley clearly emerged. Fellow practitioners from all over had beautifully adorned the valley. Everyone of them were emitting a peaceful aura, without abusing in any way the serenity pervading in the valley. My observation on that day created a great shock within myself, and also changed my whole life.
Restoring Dignity
To The Animals
The Concept Of A New
Natural Diet Emphasizes Vegetarianism
First is the detrimental effects of livestock husbandry. Because of advanced technology and economic wealth, the demand for meat supply has far exceeded the need for human survival. Most citizens of the developed countries consume an excessive amount of meat. Overweight children are also common in our country. Ice cream, hamburgers, steaks and barbecues, etc., are Western recipes. The Chinese dishes are even more alluring, combining colors, aroma and taste. Most people can hardly resist them. However, the production of this meat is affecting our environment tremendously. Take cattle and sheep for instance. A vast pasture grassland is necessary for grazing. Since agricultural land is already limited, they have to either destroy the jungles for the pastureland, or convert the existing farmland into large fields. These actions are common in third world countries. The gigantic livestock husbandry groups have bought up large areas of farmland in Mexico for their pastures. The native farmers have to move into the hills and cultivate on the rocky slopes. Naturally, the produce harvests are much lower. Destruction of the forests has reduced the production of oxygen and the function of keeping water in the soil. Furthermore, raising livestock consumes an enormous amount of water - in order to maintain the grasslands, provide drinking water for the livestock, cleaning the barns, and removing the excretion. An unofficial statistic - from birth to death, the water consumed by a cow is sufficient to float a destroyer. It might be an exaggeration, but it is really wasteful in places where water resources are not in abundance.
Mass Raising Of Animals
Is Inhumane
The modern management methods and technology used are for the most part not natural for the animals. For instance, when a calf is born it relies on the milk it get from its mother, but they are separated and kept in different sheds never to see each other again. To have tender meat and fast growth, they are fed all types of vitamins, antibiotics, hormones, in order to meet the profit requirement. In raising chickens, the light is switched on only when feeding them. The purpose is to prevent them from wasting their energy, thus demanding more food. They are living in total darkness the rest of the day. To avoid damages done by the pecking, the beaks are cut off as soon as they are born, resulting in distorted beaks. To increase the production of eggs, people take advantage of the chicken's sensitivity to light. Continuous stimulation of light and darkness induces the chicken to renew its feathers, thus laying more eggs. A chicken barn is in fact a "crazy chicken barn". Furthermore, fearing that the chickens might climb over one another causing loss, people push more chickens into an already full cage, so that they cannot move at all. The result is their claws get entangled with the cage wire. Consequently, it is necessary to chop off their feet before they can be removed. Their life is so full of pain and agony just because human beings desire to eat their flesh.
A Vegetarian Diet - The Basis Of Good Health
To the spiritual practitioners, a vegetarian diet is absolutely necessary. Already heavily loaded with the karma from previous lives, it is necessary to cleanse them with the greatest effort. Should we harm more sentient beings through direct or indirect evil deeds, we are heading in the opposite direction of enlightenment and diligence.
At present, most religious bodies in the country recognize the concept of environmental protection. They even lead the general public in recycling, cleaning the environment, and protecting wild animals and plants. These are actions benefiting sentient beings. Both the spiritual practice and environmental protection groups are calling for: the treasuring of lives, merits, soul purification, environmental protection and the leaving of blessings to our descendants. It is exactly God's will that the new natural diet coincide with a vegetarian diet!
The Proof Of Vegetarianism
In Various Religions
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which
is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of
a tree yielding seed to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the
earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon
the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat and
it was so.
-- Genesis 1:29-30
People who have animals' flesh become their own tombs. I tell you honestly, the man who kills will be killed. The man who kills living things and eats their meat is eating the meat of the deadmen. -- Gosppel Of Peace In Judaism
People can't get flesh without killing living beings. A person who hurts sentient beings will never be blessed by God. So, avoid taking flesh! -- Hindu precepts
O meat-eater, you are a devil, not a human being. Keep not a meat-eater's company. For even his company is harmful to devotion for the Lord.
Believe me, friend, those who eat meat and fish, and drink intoxicating drinks will all be rooted out like weeds are taken from a fertile field, and thrown down into the dark valley of death.
All flesh is one, whether it be of fowl or deer or cow, and those who
eat it will go straight to hell with open eyes.
-- Kabir -- The Indian Saint