The universe is a vast, constantly
working factory and the globe of
the earth a hostel and guest-house
which is continually filled and emptied.
Generally, factories, hostels
and guest-houses which are thus used
become much dirtied with filth, debris and
rubbish. Unless they are kept with care
and cleaned and swept, they cannot be
occupied. The factory of the universe and
guest-house of the earth, however, are
totally pure, clean and spotless, untainted
and fresh (without man made interventions);
there is nothing unnecessary, nothing
without benefit, not a random piece of
dirt to be found. Even if there is apparently,
it is quickly thrown into a transformation
machine and cleaned.
In actuality there is no dirt, filth, refuse, disorder
or disharmony in the universe; what
governs in fact is a universal principle of
cleanliness. Indeed, considering its size, its
cleanness and tidiness are remarkable."If
someone does not wash himself and
clean his small room for a month, they will
become extremely dirty. That is to say, the
cleanliness, purity, and luminosity in this
palace of the world arise from a continuous
and diligent cleaning. If it was not for
this cleaning, sweeping and careful tending,
in one year all the hundred thousand
animal species would have been choked
on the face of the earth... And the debris
of hundred thousands of plant species
each year on the face of the earth resulting
from the alternation and struggles of life
and death would have so utterly filthied the
land and the sea that conscious creatures,
rather than loving and delighting in the face
of the earth, would have felt disgust and
aversion at such ugliness.
The earth is looked after very well. It`s
sweept and cleaned all the time. The
air blows upon the pieces of dust and
soil settled on the surface of the earth
and cleans it. The sponges of the clouds
sprinkle water on the garden of the
earth and becalm the dust and soil.
Then, in order not to dirty the sky, the air
quickly collects the earth's rubbish and
withdraws and hides itself with perfect
orderliness. It displays the beautiful face
and eye of the skies as swept and polished,
all sparkling and shining...
Carniverous, predators, and carrion-eating
birds, and scavengers such as eagles,
wolves, and ants are public health and
cleansing officials that constantly cleanse
the land and seas of dirt. They collect the
corpses of wild animals and birds that
die every day in their millions, cleanse
the face of the earth of those putrid
remains. Some, like eagles for example,
wonderfully perceive the location of
a corpse from a distance of five or six
hours, though hidden and distant, and
go and remove it. If these health officals
of the land were not extremely efficient
and orderly in carrying out their official
duties, the land and seas would become
submerged in filth, would be uninhabitable
and the face of the earth would take
on a form fit to make all weep....
"Furthermore, ants are employed as
cleansing officials to collect the corpses
of tiny creatures and small particles and
fragments. And they are given duties as
public health officals to preserve tiny particles
from waste, being trodden underfoot,
contempt and futility, and to gather
up the corpses of other small creatures.
As for blood as a whole, it collects any
waste-matter from the cells and clean the
body. And as eyelids clean the eye.
That is to say, cleanliness and being
clean is not something personal; it
is a universal reality. For sure man is
sovereign over nature, but while ruling
the cosmos man should know that it is
in trust to him, and should not spoil and
pollute it. A person has to be aware of
his responsibility, avoid wastefulness,
and act in a balanced manner, avoiding
extremes and excesses. He has to obey
the cleanliness as a universal principle
and keep himself, his house and his surroundings
clean and neat.