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During a lecture given in Brazil in 1989, our Most Beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan) explained how the “baptism” given by John the Baptist (vegetarian) was a kind of initiation.“You see, in the Bible it is said, ‘When John the Baptist baptized with the water, Jesus saw the Light from Heaven, white Light from Heaven, come down like a bird.’ This is a kind of initiation, that is initiation. When you see Light, you are enlightened. That is initiation. It didn’t happen due to water. It happened due to the force of John the Baptist.”Many pilgrims and tourists who have visited the baptism site, “Bethany Beyond the Jordan,” also known by its Arabic name “Al-Maghtas,” agree that there is something special here beyond just the material. The sacred energy of this cherished location provides a powerful and moving spiritual experience.There are three main parts. First, there is a basilica church known as the Church of Saint John the Baptist. This church has a distinguishing gate at the east of the apse, which opens to stairs leading down to the river. The second important feature is the marble steps, 22 of which are made of black marble. The third main component to identify Bethany Beyond the Jordan is the four piers of the Chapel of the Mantle and the unique baptismal pool. It was the only cruciform baptismal pool on Earth, where pilgrims could come through the gate, descend the marble steps and be baptized with the river water. However, the river’s course and size have changed so much in 2,000 years that the area is now on dry land.However, the Bible and recent archaeological finds precisely matching the early pilgrims’ accounts, together with the Madaba Map, all seem to point to Al-Maghtas as the original baptism site. Thus, in 2015, Al-Maghtas was thus designated as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site.To conclude today’s program, let us listen to an excerpt of a lecture given in Panama in 1989, during which Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan) graciously spoke about the meaning of true baptism.
