(11:32) We can see that the one contains the all. The earth is not only the earth. The earth is the whole cosmos. It's like that we are human beings and not something separated from the earth. So, the human being has the earth inside of him or her. So, the earth is a beautiful manifestation. She contains the whole cosmos in her. And if you go back to the earth deeply, you touch the whole cosmos in the earth. And we transcend dualistic view that earth is only earth, the cosmos is bigger, or something like that. And then we should transcend the notion that the earth is something inhabited by a spirit and that Bodhisattva is a spirit inhabiting on the earth. We should transcend that idea. We do not worship a spirit that stays behind the earth. Because we know that we are not caught in the idea that there are two things; the earth which is a material thing and the spirit of the earth which is a non-material thing that inhabits the earth. Because our notions of mind and matter are just notions. We should transcend both notions. And when we can realize the earth can not be described either by notion of a matter or mind, when we recognize the virtues of the talent of the mother earth, something is born in us, some kind of a connection, some kind of love is born. We admire. We love. We want to be connected. That is the meaning of love. To love means to be one with it, to admire, to adore. So, that is a kind of sentiment that is born from the contact with the earth. And when you love someone, you want to say, "I need you. I take refuge in you." So, that is a kind of praying. And that is not a superstition. You love the earth and the earth will love you. You do anything for the well-being of the earth and the earth will do anything for your well-being. And that is other kind of outcome from that kind of relationship. (15:10) So, you begin with mindfulness that you are there as a child of the earth, that you carry mother earth within you. Mother earth is not outside of you. She is inside. Mother earth is not just an environment and you are a part of the mother earth. And that kind of insight of non-discrimination will help you to be truely in communion with earth. When you look into a cloud deeply, even if you don't use a sophisticated, scientific insturument, you can touch the nature of no birth and no death of the cloud. The cloud had not come from the realm of non-being into the realm of being. And that insight can be got by anyone. You can help people, non-science people to see that. You can tell them that before the cloud appears in the form of a cloud, it did not belong to the realm of non-being. Because it was a steam or the water vapor with a hot sunshine. And this is only a continuation of form of a cloud. So, there is no birth. There is only a new manifestation, new continuation. And when the cloud dies, it does not die. You don't see it anymore but it has not passed in from the realm of being into non-being. It's impossible for a cloud to die. The cloud can become a snow or rain or other things but can not become nothing. So, it is possible for non-scientist to touch the truth of no birth and no death of the cloud.
(1:33) The earth is not just the environment. The earth is in you. You are the earth. You touch the nature of interbeing (interdependent co-arising). And that moment you can have real communication with the earth. That is the highest form of prayer. (2:15) First of all, we have to get right view. Right view is a kind of view that transcends all notions, including the notions of being and non-being, creator and creature, mind and spirit. That kind of insight is crucial for transformation and healing. And only then you will have that kind of right view or right insight. Discrimination is no longer there and there will be deep communion, a communication communion and a mutual understanding. And everything will come from it. Because discrimination brings about fear, separation, hate and anger. And the root is the wrong view that you and the earth are two separate entities. And the earth is only the environment. You are in the center. And you want to do something for the earth in order for you to survive. That is the non-dualistic and the dualistic way of seeing. (3:45) So, to breathe in, and to be aware of your body, and to look deeply into your body and to realize that you are the earth and your consciousness is also the consciousness of the earth and that consciousness can be liberated from wrong views. And you are doing what the mother earth are expecting you to do to get enlightened in order to become a Buddha and to help other living beings not only on earth but also other planets. So, we should not think of environment as something apart. Not to cut the trees, not to pollute the water...etc. That's not enough. And I think all activists have to get a spiritual practice in order to help them suffer less, to nourish the happiness in them and to handle the suffering in them so that they will be effective in trying to help the world and people. With anger and frustration, you can't do much. You may make the situation worse. (5:28) If we have enough mindfulness and concentration, we go get insight. And the insight is the kingdom of God is on earth. The kingdom of heaven is on earth. And if we get that insight, we see that the earth is not only the environment but the earth is us and taking care of the earth is taking care of ourselves. And many people get sick today because they get urinated by the mother earth. They forget they are on earth and they have a body that is going in them by the mother earth. And the practice of mindfulness helps us to go back to our body and touch the mother earth inside of our body and touch the mother earth outside of our body. And that practice can help heal people. So, the healing of the people should go together with the healing of the earth. That is the teaching. The religion that is not based on dogma and belief in a thing, you can not verify. It is possible to have a kind of spiritual practice that is based on evidence. When we say that the great earth is the beautiful Bodhisattva, we are not creating anything from our mind. This is something that everyone can check that the great earth is the real Bodhisattva, the most beautiful Bodhisattva that we have ever seen. We don't need a belief. It is the reality. It is the fact that the earth is giving life and she is very beautiful. You have been looking around and you don't see any Buddha or Bodhisattva as beautiful as our planet. So, when people say, "Let us abandon this realm of suffering in order to look for a spot that is more beautiful", we shouldn't believe it. Because we already touched the truth.
