The Garden of Eden Is Lost Like This

Xuefeng

I have two German Shepherds, belonging to the military dog breed. One of them is named "Lunbei," and the other is called "Lanbo." Whenever the night is deep and quiet, I enjoy taking a leisurely stroll on the lawn in my courtyard, which is even bigger than a soccer field, and ponder in tranquility. During this time, the two dogs joyfully run around me, both guarding the courtyard and providing me solace. Due to their loyalty, I treat them well. They receive meat every day, and their monthly food expenses are at least 200 Yuan. I bathe them once every two weeks, and I never scold or beat them. There exists a harmonious and mutually beneficial relationship between humans and animals.

Three months ago, my animal-loving wife brought home a small pet from a friend. Its scientific name is West Highland White Terrier, belonging to the small hunting dog breed. These dogs have a small size but are highly alert and intelligent. They are capable of both being affectionate and understanding human emotions. Due to their likable and adorable nature, they often live indoors with humans and enjoy all the luxuries and comforts of a dog's life.

The next day, my partner bought a large circular plastic basket specifically for it, lined with a thick layer of old window screen folded into a "mattress" inside. The little dog lies on it, and the level of comfort is no less than me lying on a memory foam bed. To address the issue of the pet's waste, my partner deliberately found a large box made of hard cardboard with only a three-inch high edge. Inside, she laid a layer of clean sand as the dog's "bathroom." Everything was prepared, and only enjoyment remained.

Unfortunately, this little dog doesn't use its "bathroom" and insists on urinating and defecating on the carpet My partner searched for information, sought advice from experts, and repeatedly tried to train and guide the dog, but it remained stubborn and unchanged. Helplessly, we had no choice but to let it spend the night outdoors with "Lunbei" and "Lanbo."

The treatment it should have enjoyed has been lost. Who should we blame?

Do we as humans also experience the same kind of sadness as our dog?

There was a tall and strong African man named Paul. He, along with his spouse and two underage children, lived in a less than 10-square-meter room made of old wooden boards, in a very pitiful condition. When I spoke with him, I discovered that he was psychologically and mentally stable. Moved by sympathy and compassion, I invited their entire family to live with me. I assigned Paul to manage the garden and clean the courtyard, so that he could earn a wage through meaningful labor, enough to provide a relatively normal life for his whole family.

A month passed, yet the weeds in the courtyard remained unattended, and the flowers continued to wilt. When I was at home, I often saw Paul squatting to weed, but as soon as I left, I discovered he had gone back to sleep. I assumed Paul didn't enjoy this task, so I brought him to the store to handle cleaning and organize merchandise. However, after a week, the dust accumulated, and the store appeared even more disorderly. What is the reason? Upon observing, I noticed Paul spent a considerable amount of time cleaning rags. He'd stand by the sink, dedicating an hour to washing a single rag. Feeling helpless, I assigned him as a security guard at the club, providing him with a brand-new security uniform that suited his tall stature. He looked remarkably enthusiastic, unable to wipe the smile from his face. I assumed this would finally please him. I briefed him on his duties, specifically instructing him on handling disruptive individuals and theft incidents. However, much to my surprise, he still didn't put much effort into his work. He would stand at the entrance like a statue. When a thief took the camera, he lacked the courage to even ask a question...

Feeling utterly helpless, I had no choice but to ask Paul and his family to leave, allowing them to fend for themselves outside.

Such examples have occurred more than twenty times in my vicinity alone.

How was Eden lost? It wasn't because God was unjust, or the deities lacked compassion. It was because we as humans are unworthy of living in Eden. We do not deserve it.

I had a colleague who, a few years ago, begged me to send him an invitation letter to help him do business abroad. Despite the difficulty of the situation, I actively assisted him in handling various procedures. When everything was ready and only the departure for overseas remained, he became arrogant and boastful. In a dark corner with his group of friends, he started devising an evil plan. First, they belittled me, saying, "He, a nameless and insignificant pawn in the company, can survive overseas only because of the government's support! If he can survive abroad, aren't we all better than him?!" They then developed a detailed plan on how to initially rely on my assistance to establish themselves overseas, and subsequently, how to kick me aside and surpass me. Upon hearing this news, I immediately sent him a fax message: "There has been a change in circumstances, and I am unable to accommodate you temporarily. Let's discuss this in the future."

How was Eden lost? The expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden had special reasons, but one factor was their own actions—disobeying the rules and taking the forbidden fruit.

When individuals face misfortune, the majority of people's initial reaction is to seek various reasons to absolve themselves. They can always find "sufficient" reasons to blame the heavens, the earth, society, and others, but they rarely look within themselves for the causes.

When humanity as a whole faces misfortune, many people begin to blame the Greatest Creator, gods and Buddhas, unwilling to look for reasons within human moral behavior. Alternatively, they may pray to the Greatest Creator , gods and Buddhas, seeking salvation for humanity, yet they are reluctant to reflect on their own actions and make necessary changes for self-improvement.

The old Eden has been lost, and the new Eden has long been established, with its gates open to everyone. My disobedient little dog would certainly not be able to enter Eden. Paul, being lazy and irresponsible, an unproductive individual, cannot be allowed into Eden. Despite my colleague's active pursuit, their intentions are impure, and I cannot permit them to enter the sacred Eden.

The blind cannot see the blue sky, so they claim there is no sky. The deaf cannot hear sounds, so they say rivers have no ripples. Those without spiritual awareness cannot see God, so they say there is no Eden.

God loves the humble, and Buddha enlightens those with affinity. As for the rest, they are like Paul, destined to fend for themselves.