The Questions of these Times
by Lotus Grandmaster Wei Ling Yi
In today’s world, natural and environmental disasters are disrupting, severely impacting and destroying the world. Hostility, greed and the quest for power are rampant throughout the world. Increasingly, humanity is experiencing suffering and bitterness from crises, wars, from hardships and diseases. New mutations of the Corona virus have emerged. Political world conflicts cause brutal wars. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes and families, many, many people have even lost their lives.
Why, why has the World changed so much?
Who should we ask?
Let’s ask Heaven.
Oh, Heaven! Why? Why are so many disasters happening?
And Heaven answers: tian bu tian, tian wu gui.
Let’s ask the Earth,
Oh, Earth! Why? Why do so many disasters happen?
And the Earth answers:
di bu di, di wu lü.
Let’s ask God.
Oh, God! Why? Why do so many disasters happen?
And God answers:
shen bu shen, shen wu shen.
Let’s ask the Immortals.
Oh, Immortals! Why? Why do so many disasters happen?
And the Immortals answer: xian bu xian, kan bu jian.
Let’s ask Buddha.
Oh, Buddha! Why? Why do so many disasters happen?
And Buddha answers: fo bu fo, fo mo fa.
Let’s ask the Saints.
Oh, Saints! Why? Why do so many disasters happen?
And the Saints answer: sheng bu sheng, sheng wu xin.
Let’s ask the High Spirits.
Oh, High Spirit Beings! Why? Why do so many disasters happen?
And the High Spirits answer: ling bu ling, xin ze ling.
Let’s ask the Master.
Oh, Master! Why? Why do so many disasters happen?
And the Master answers: shi bu shi, shi wu wo.
And with a sigh, we ask:
What does “shi bu shi, shi wu wo” mean?
What exactly does it mean?