Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 12.1
References to Soil in Some of the Major Religions of the World
American Indian —The old people came literally to love the soil , and they sat or reclined on the
ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power. (Chief Luther Standing Bear,
American Indian Quotes, http://www.impurplehawk.com/quotes.html ; retrieved 11 January
2012.)
Baha'i —When thou dost plant a tree, its height increaseth day by day. It putteth forth blossoms
and leaves and luscious fruits. But after a long time, it doth grow old, yielding no fruitage any
more. Then doth the Husbandman of Truth take up the seed from that same tree, and plant it in a
pure soil ; and lo, there standeth the first tree, even as it was before. (Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá
23:52.)
Buddhism —The first truth is that nothing is lost in the universe. Matter turns into energy, energy
turns into matter. A dead leaf turns into soil . A seed sprouts and becomes a new plant. (Basic
Teachings of Buddha, http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/Buddhism/footsteps.htm ; retrieved
January 10, 2012.)
Christianity —A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the
birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much
soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil , but when the sun rose they
were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns,
and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some
a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Mt 13:3-8, English Standard Version.)
Daoism —Like plants that flourish, some return to the soil and root they grew from. (Tao Te Ching
16:16.)
Hinduism —[M]other [earth], with your oceans, rivers, and other bodies of water, you give us
land [or soil ] to grow grains, on which our survival depends…milk, fruits, water, and cereals as
we need to eat and drink…our motherland on whom we grow wheat, rice, and barley… (Atharva
Veda 12.1.)
Islam —Let the human consider his food! We pour the water generously. Then we split the soil
open. We grow in it grains. Grapes and pasture. Olives and palms. A variety of orchards. To
provide life support for you and your animals. (80.24-32, Khalifa translation.)
Jainism —Even a small Däna (gift) given to a proper or suitable donee bears much desirable fruit
for souls in the fullness of time, just as the tiny seed of a fig tree, sown in good soil , produces a
tree, casting magnificent shade. (Ratna-karandaShrävakächär; JAINA Education Series
401—Level 4.)
Judaism —Then God formed the man [ adam ] of dust from the ground [ adamah = good
agricultural soil ]… (Gn 2:7, English Standard Version.)
Shintoism —Hence it is said that when the world began to be created, the soil of which lands were
formed when Izanami and Izanagi stood on the bridge between heaven and earth and dipped the
jewel spear into the ocean and the islands were formed from the brine that dripped from the
spear. (The Kojiki and Nihongi, Book 1.)
Sikhism —Root out the choking weeds of lust and anger; loosening the soil , the more thou hoest
and weedest, the more lovely grows the soul. (The AdiGranth, Rag Basant, page 1171.)
Zoroastrianism —“Purity is the best thing for men after birth.” …Next in order comes the
command to cultivate the soil , to produce corn, provender, and fruit bearing trees, to irrigate dry
land and to drain marshes … (The teachings of Zoroaster, John Murray, London, 1905: 33.)
Note: The word “soil” is underlined so that it can be more easily found.
 
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