When it is understood that one loses joy and happiness in the attempt to possess them, the essence of natural farming will be realized. The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.
As we kill nature, we are killing ourselves, and God incarnate as the world as well.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the interconnectedness of humanity and nature, emphasizing that harming the environment ultimately harms ourselves.
Masanobu Fukuoka's quote reflects the profound connection between humanity and the natural world. It suggests that as we harm nature, we not only endanger the ecosystems that sustain us but also diminish our own existence and spiritual essence, which many perceive as divine or sacred. The quote serves as a powerful reminder of our responsibility to protect the environment for the sake of our survival and that of future generations.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about environmental conservation to highlight the importance of protecting nature.
More from Masanobu Fukuoka
All quotes →The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.
Modern research divides nature into tiny pieces and conducts tests that conform neither with natural law nor with practical experience. The results are arranged for the convenience of research, not according to the needs of the farmer.
Gradually I came to realize that the process of saving the desert of the human heart and revegetating the actual desert is actually the same thing.
Life on a small farm might seem primitive, but by living such a life we become able to discover the Great Path. I believe that one who deeply respects his neighborhood and everyday world in which he lives will be shown the greatest of all worlds.
The increasing desolation of nature, the exhaustion of resources, the uneasiness and disintegration of the human spirit, all have been brought about by humanity's trying to accomplish something.
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