The One-Straw Revolution - Multiworld India

active world of elementary particles streaming about like rockets, areclever fools. Looked at simply, this world is real and at hand. Seen ascomplex, the world becomes frighteningly abstract and distant.The scientists who rejoiced when rocks were brought back from themoon have less grasp of the moon than the children who sing out, “Howold are you, Mr. Moon?” Basho [A famous Japanese haiku poet (1644-1694)] could apprehend the wonder of nature by watching the reflectionof the full moon in the tranquillity of a pond. All the scientists did whenthey went off into space and stomped around in their spaceboots was totarnish a bit of the moon’s splendor for millions of lovers and children onthe earth.How is it that people think science is beneficial to humanity?Originally grain was ground into flour in this village by a stone millwhich was turned slowly by hand.Then a watermill, which had incomparably greater momentum thanthe old stone grinder, was built to utilize the power of the river current.Several years ago a dam was constructed to produce hydroelectric powerand an electrically powered mill was built.How do you think this advanced machinery works for the benefit ofhuman beings? In order to grind rice into flour, it is first polished that is,made into white rice. This means husking the grain, removing the germand the bran, which are the basis of good health, and keeping theleftovers [in Japanese the character for leftovers pronounced kasu- iscomposed of radicals meaning “white” and “rice)”the character for brannuka-is made up of “rice” and “health”]. And so the result of thistechnology is the breaking down of the whole grain into incomplete byproducts.If the too easily digestible white rice becomes the daily staple,166