A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a location (man-made or natural) that is listed by UNESCO as having a special cultural or physical significance. In order to be nominated for this list, the site must meet a criterion as set by UNESCO.Search the internet and you can easily find such beautiful scenes posted on this site. Some of the most famous natural heritages by UNESCO include Canada’s Rocky Mountain National Park, America’s Yellowstone National Park and Nepal’s Everest National Park. Just by looking at the pictures, you cannot help but admire their beauty that nature has made over the course of time. At the same time, you become solemn about how tiny mankind is in the bigger scheme of the great nature. If you are given an opportunity to visit the natural heritage sin person, you would feel great inspiration and admiration.
Birds in the sky, fish in ocean and animals and plants on ground live silently together with the great nature. The great nature does not have confinements and judgments towards one another. That is, it ‘just’ lives with the mind of the truth, without the mind of an individual, ‘as it is.’
However, human mind has many aspects contrasting with the great nature. Humans like to boast about themselves because he is self-centered. It is so difficult to live the true life of nature without the self as we are bound to conceptions and customs that have been formed by the life we live, that which we call ‘our self.’ However, there are still many people who have abandoned conceptions of the self and live the life of sacrifice and service. It is truly amazing and just by looking at them we become ashamed of ourselves.
Why don’t we become the mind of the great nature by escaping from this tiny frame that we call ‘myself’? If we can become one with the great nature rather than just a tiny human being in the extensive great nature, it would be true joy and happiness to us. The great nature is our teacher and the birthplace of our mind.
To conclude, I would like to introduce a piece of writing by Master Woo Myung. Please think deeply about the life of nature that is ‘just at itis.’
Great Nature
Birds singing, insects chirping
The sounds of beasts in the dark
Trees and grass are thick
After resting from the heat of the day
There are the beasts that move in the night
This deep, deep forest is no different from ancient times
I try to figure out how many have come to this place
But I do not think anyone has come looking for it
All the while nature stays silently in its place
People think nature has unheard complaints of its own
But nature just stays as it is
With no mind of having done so
The mind of nature is the mind of Truth
In the mind of Truth
There is no mind of individuality at all
It stays as it is without judgment or discernment
Water flows from high to low
Running into trees, stones and moss
So clear that it is almost white
The water tastes sweet
And upon its surface, water drops roll like crystals
The water runs along the valley
To become the river, to become the sea
The sea is a composition of the rivers and the sea
And thus, salty
It changes to vapor to become rain
And rain falls to land
Round and round in circles it goes
On the highest mountains
There are no trees and grass
Because conditions do not allow for them to exist
Likewise, people who regard themselves too highly
Have no one around them
– From < The Way To Become A Person In Heaven While Living > Master Woo Myung
