Mr. Roland Jung : Okay，first of all，it’s nice to meet you Supreme Master Ching Hai. And then I’d like to ask you about this global warming. We are well aware that humankind’s daily habits and the changes of the sun are affecting the Earth’s climate in many ways.It is predicted that in 2010，the Earth’s climate will experience a massive change due to a great explosion of the sun’s sunspot.

It has also been predicted the climate will cause an oil crisis，it’s kind of an oil shock. Therefore，it seems that there is a need for worldwide awareness and change concerning global warming. I would like to ask your specific opinion and message concerning this. What do you think we need to do as preparation？

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you，Mr. Jung. Against this kind of great upheaval of calamities，the only refuge that we can take is in Heaven’s grace，by being virtuous，by being compassionate，by being a true believer of God and pray to God’s grace，then we can be saved.

You see，we should start to change our way of living now. We have to change. We have to. That’s the only way we can save ourselves and the planet，and the whole world and all the beings in it. Because as the saying goes in ancient India，that 『Any nation who produces 10 great persons worthy in the eyes of Heaven will not know destruction.』

So，what is the meaning by 10 great personages？ That means the person who is truly a human being;
he is compassionate，he is spiritually elevated and he is unconditional，selfless and he is serving others and remembers God.

For doing that，we are a little bit far. So，if we really want to save the world，that’s the only way we can do.
Otherwise，even if we dig a hole into the mountain or under the ground to to stay away from the sun’s heat，
or we go up in the mountain to avoid the sea rising，there are other calamities that will be coming our way.
Anyone who has any belief in any religion should study their script-xures again，and do exactly what is commanded therein.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you，sir，thank you for asking a good question. You see，because 『As you sow，so shall you reap.』All the religions told us that. So，now we come back to the ancient saying in India that 10 persons who are virtuous can save a nation. Now，how do we do this？ Okay，In the ancient times，the nations are smaller than now. In that case，10 persons in each country should be enough.

But for our expanded community nowadays，we need more than 10 persons in a community. I would say it depends on the population also. Now，suppose，in New York，for example，We should call that like a nation，in the old time. In New York we probably need a million people to be virtuous，upright and spiritually elevated，in order to save New York.

So，I think we have to do faster than what we are doing now. I’m glad the governments are doing something and all the celebrities，all the distinguished people and organizations just like you are today，are concerned and trying to push with all the vital actions to save the planet，to stop global warming. I’m very happy about that，but maybe we should move faster and take more actions.

 

Vegetarian diet
- number one.

Green energy
- number two. 

Everybody work together to be frugal，and protect the environment and the animals. It’s not that difficult.  It’s just the habit that we have to change，that’s all. Thank you.

 

Mr. Suzuki Minoru: In order to increase the level of convenience，Japan has developed disposable containers.When these are burnt，it releases a great amount of dioxins，polluting the environment. Until now you have provided many solutions for global warming around the world.Please tell us your solution on these matters.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you far for asking，sir. It’s a very good question. It’s not only in Japan，but many countries are like that now，but in many places there are already bans on the use of plastic bags and many convenience stores，for example，in America，they are already trying to limit the use of harmful packages.
So，I think that’s a very good start，and maybe we should impose a little more stricter ban on these harmful substances. Maybe we can use a carton instead，something more disposable，something more eco-friendly. And of course，the government again and the individuals have to contribute to this.

They have to be willing. They have to understand the harmful effect of the use of these packages. And then we have to change. Even if the government doesn’t impose any ban，we as individuals should pay attention.
We should use something less toxic，and we should use our own shopping bags wherever we go，to minimize whatever we can the effect，the harmful effect to the planet. Thank you，sir.

Questioner:  Mr. Kim Jung-Gi.(news reporter for SBS TV’s Future & Vision Desk. in Korea)

Mr. Kim Jung-Gi: Good evening. I have just one simple question. Since we are talking about global warming this evening，my question is: If you look at recent years，there has been a catastrophe among the nature. For example，last week there has been a disaster in China and the cyclone in Myanmar and a great heat wave in Spain，a whole lot. My question is，in your personal view，are these all caused by  global warming？ If so，why so increasing compared to the past？ And I’d like to hear your thoughts. Thank you.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Okay，yes，Mr. Kim.According to the UN and scientists’ research and reports，
9 out of 10 disasters are because of global warming. So，of course，you know about this because you are a journalist ，but I know you are asking this question for the public’s sake. You see，we have more disasters nowadays，and it saddens my heart very much. I keep trying to tell everyone to minimize it. From individual standpoint，

 

just stay away from animal products，

plant trees，

use sustainable energy.
It’s only three steps actually.

Very baby steps. I hope everyone still listens，and still will do it. And thank you for your concern，Mr. Kim.

Hyun-Jung Berger: As far as I know，many people in Europe are vegetarians, in order to protect the animals.
And for the environment，people try not to drive cars and not to fly by airplane. And you are saying that we need to be vegetarians for the environment？
Can this have a an influence，and in order to save the Earth，how many people need to become vegetarians？

Supreme Master Ching Hai: A few months ago，when the Supreme Master Television asked my opinion about
 a similar question，I said to them that at least half of the population of the planet should be vegetarian，
then we can stop or halt the global warming where it is. But right now，at least two-thirds of the population，if we just rely on that alone.

If we rely on vegetarian alone，two-thirds of the population should be vegetarian，

and then we can halt the global warming where it is right now. And then the Earth，the planet，will recover.
Slowly or quickly，depends also on some other factors，like Heaven’s blessing，humans’ effort，the coordination between nations and people. Yes.

 

The more we delay，the more the number of vegetarians we need.

But right now，if anybody listens at all，we must stop all the killing.

Be it killing human or killing animals. We must stop at once. Then we can stop the climate change where it is，and then we can buy some time to help the planet to recover，and we can develop some newer technology to help to cope，to help to adapt with the new environment，new climate change.

 

Questioner: Acarya Shubhacintaananda Avadhuta.(Chairman of EastAsia Affairs Environmental Society of Anandanarga from India)

Acarya Shubhacintaananda Avadhuta: Like is the climate change going to have an impact on human psychology？ Or the human understanding is going to improve and elevate with this change？

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Sir，that’s what I hope. After all the great disaster… it depends on what they are deciding right now. Actually，I hope that there is no disaster. I hope that there’s no after. I hope that humans decide right now to just stop all the unnecessary habits that they are living with and change into the better one，the more noble one，a noble lifestyle. Then，we don’t have to worry about the aftermath. The climate will change for the better，we will live on，we will still have the planet，and they’ll become wiser and better，more virtuous
and more blessed，and peace will reign on Earth for a long，long time.

Dr. Cho Keal-Ye: Hallo，Supreme Master Ching Hai. I am teaching in a university and I have discussions in my classes about the environmental issues. And this year，I provided the students with more information about the current global warming.

Most students were truly shocked and surprised，but this emotion did not develop students into being active.
And the general public seems to show the same reaction. It looked as if they are trapped in a house that was caught in a fire without recognizing it.

It’s just painful watching them being so indifferent like that. They are busy earning their daily bread. Master，how and with what can we help these people to get out of the fire-caught house and try to extinguish the fire of global warming？ Please lead us in the right direction so that we can make wise moves. Thank you.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you，Dr. Cho.
The feeling that you have，I understand very well. Because that’s what I experience also and that’s what
keeps me awake at night. You see，life itself here is made with problems，it’s made with pressure，so that we are all very busy with mundane anxieties daily. So，it’s not easy for everyone to even take some time to think of the bigger picture, like  the survival of the planet，the existence of the whole world concerning climate change.

You see，the deep-rooted habits that humanity acquired life after life，as well as in this lifetime，and society at large most often encourages people in the opposite direction of what we should be going. But still，don’t give up on your students. Keep telling them.

That’s why the Supreme Master Television broadcasts all this information. We can only give people information and the solution to the problem but they are the ones who have to choose. You see，I would have very much liked that everyone changed immediately overnight to a vegetarian diet，leading a more virtuous，peaceful co-existence with all beings，so that we don’t have to worry anymore about climate change or future disasters.

And whatever we have left we would pick up from here. But it is not an easy task. I understand you very well，but please continue trying.And suppose if they don’t listen，then that is that. There is not much more we can do，we can only try our best.

And whatever affects humanity，will affect all of us, we just have to bear it with each other. We just have to bear it together no matter what happens. We will just have to stand by with them，with the whole humanity，we do what we can until the last minute of our life. Thank you，Dr. doctor.Thank you for your love. We need more like you.

 

Part1 end.