Master Hsin Tao: ‘Loving the Earth, Loving Peace’ is the Formula for World Peace
Master Hsin Tao made the remark during an interview when the Russian-Ukrainian conflict broke out at the end of February. He urged people to pray for the military engagement to end. It was hoped that the pain of loss would be kept at bay and it was stressed that wars must be stopped for the sake of ecology. The Master emphasized that ecology must not be damaged in any way by people of antagonistic camps, let alone in the case of war with possible nuclear explosions that are capable of annihilating the world’s species instantly.
Spirituality is in all sentient beings and all forms of existence are in fact partners to one another and no one can be a stand-alone being. It hence follows that people’s relations should not be confrontational or a predatory one, but a sharing and giving one instead. The single most important common denominator of world peace lies in the idea of giving. When Dharma Master Hsin Tao launched the idea of building the Museum of World Religions (MWR) in 1991, the idea was for the world to perceive the MWR as a catalyst for interfaith cooperation and an embodiment for mutual respect, as well as a tangible statement for the materialization where tolerance for one another and harmony of common sharing of everything are possible and on display for all to see.
The severity of the pandemic has made the pressure of fear literally suppressing, and the fear of war is equally excruciating. But how can pain be mitigated at all? According to Master Hsin Tao, it happens only when confrontations and disputes are curbed from happening and people realize that we all belong to one single living community of life that our very existence hinges on the mechanism of a diversified symbiosis, an interdependent co-existence, and a mutually complementary interconnections. Such would be the formula for peace and if all individuals and all countries practice such conviction in reality, the Earth and her ecology will be the big winners to benefit humankind.
Making Ecology a common interest of humanity
The destruction of war goes beyond loss and casualties. The shock waves of heat from nuclear explosions will prove Killer Number One for ecology. Master Hsin Tao shares his view that one nuclear warhead can create heat waves so many times over and beyond all wildfires of several decades combined. And the heat puts enormous stress on the Ozone layer leading to further deterioration of global warming. Wars directly impact global warming and nuclear warheads can mean endgame to wipe out our chances for survival. Mankind’s best possible way out would be when the whole world prioritizes ecology and regards it as a common benefit we share and sustainability our collective imperative.
Dharma Master Hsin Tao considers all life forms of our world interconnected. A comparable example can be seen in the marine ecosystem of how its food
chain functions. A case in point would be how phytoplankton yields oxygen for circular use by Planet Earth. In the case of ecology by and large, however, mankind has been inflicting damages to it where extinction of species is but one terrifying aspect. Ecological crises emerge and we are almost running out of time to rectify the situation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a loud wake-up call for people to return to a frugal lifestyle, reminded the Master. There is but one Planet Earth for us and more than 7 billion people vie for resources for excessive consumption that leads to irrevocable depletion of the Earth’s resources. We therefore support non-consumerism to encourage veganism and decrease the consumption of meat. We also promote cease-fire of all wars to curb further ecological damages in the instance of global warming alone.
If we want to survive, ‘Loving the Earth’ is a necessity
The countries engaged in war have been deploying weapons of mass destruction that are capable of wiping out entire species. How do people compensate for the Earth’s disasters, natural and man-made alike? How do people manage composure in the face of all the adversities challenging mankind’s survival? What can we do in the 11th hour? Dharma Master Hsin Tao encourages us to return to square one of ecology by keeping it viable and lively. People are becoming increasingly aware that ‘Loving the Earth’ is a must if mankind opts for survival, and ‘Loving the Earth’ means that all people and all other forms of life, whether fauna or flora, ought to be protected. In addition, countries must let go of hate and render confrontations obsolete.
To help all people of the world demands a globally united front that does good for the Earth and mankind. Master Hsin Tao says that to stay prepared for the rainy days people can go the route of meditation to stay calm and eradicate possible disputes, advancing to perceive the nature of peace and spirituality. Put succinctly, it is advisable to find peace within oneself to comprehend the nature of peace thoroughly and let the innate peace grow to expand its influence. Meditation is a door-knob that helps lead to the fundamental compassion that includes and accommodates any and all.