Environmental crisis is a global problem that we are now
experiencing in modern age. We should consider with different aspects on
environmental crisis and we should find the way to protect the environment. Environment
is the most important issue since the Buddha time and the Buddha encouraged to
the people not to destroy the nature but maintain as it is. The Buddha gave
advice to his followers the benefits of maintaining environment and follow as
the natural way. The Buddha even laid down a rule for monks in vinaya
concerning protecting of environment.
As the environment is essential for all biotic or
non-biotic, everyone individually has responsibility to aware of the value of
environment and should follow the Buddha’s guidance to protect the environment.
Buddhist View on Environment
Basically, the
environment could be divided the two types as the natural environment and
social environment. For the social environment, human relation is one of the
most important in life. We can examine ourselves that how many friends do we
have. Furthermore, look and judge ourselves again that how many good friends
and bad friends do we have among them? So that we have to find a good
environment in order to associate with good people. If we do not have good friends
in our life, we might have trouble or difficulties to get success.
1.
Patirupadesavasa-
living in suitable region, living in a good or favorable environment.
For the natural environment, the Buddha
point out that people should live in appropriate society and a good
environment. The best example is that the Buddha mostly spent his life in the
forests. The Buddha was born in the forest; the Buddha forsakes his luxury
lifestyle and left to the forest to seek the lasting happiness, the Buddha
attained the enlightenment while meditating under the Bodhi tree. And the
Buddha taught his followers to respect the environment and also taught to
realize the value of nature and live in harmony with nature.
Kalupahana notes that
the Buddha “pointed out that ‘living in an appropriate surrounding’ (Patirupadesavasa)
was a factor that contributed to the moral and spiritual advancement of the
individual.”[2]
The Buddha told us to gratitude the
environment, we should build a good environment with good attitude toward peace
society by understanding of the value of environment. Living in a good
environment will improve our good attitude and Dhamma in our mind. So when we
have good attitude, we will bring benefits to the environment.
For the social environment, one of the
most important key to be successful in life is to have good friends and to
associate with good people. If we have a good environment and meet with good
people, we are basically living in peaceful and harmonious way with each other.
And we have to be good persons first to make true friends. Normally people
examine the others fault and weakness but they cannot see their own gaffes,
shortcomings, and mistakes. They can see and gossip the greed or Lobha of
others but they cannot judge their own stinginess. Therefore, to be able to
associate with people, we have to look ourselves and examine ourselves first
before you criticize others.
Environmental Aspects on Five Precepts
Dalai Lama
mentioned about all living beings seek peace and protect from any dangers
themselves whether they are human or animal. By understanding of this passage,
every life is valuable and precious, so should not destroy any life.
Whether
they belong to more evolved species like humans or to simpler ones such as
animals, all beings primarily seek peace, comfort, and security. Life is as
dear to the mute animal as it is to any human being; even the simplest insect
strives for protection from dangers that threaten its life. Just as each one of
us wants to live and does not wish to die, so it is with all other creatures in
the universe, though their power to effect this is a different matter.[3]
In the first precept, abstain from killing any living beings. We should understand how the life is precious
or valuable. It is just not only referring to destroy living creature but it
also refer indirectly destroying natural environment because many kinds of
animals inhabit in the forest. If people destroy the forest, It is exactly the
same people destroy the animal’s home or killing animals.
The second precept
indicates about taking others properties what is not given and from
environmental aspect, nobody really owns the tree but earth. The tree grows
itself naturally, but tree offers peaceful shade, and fruits for people. But if
people misbehave on the trees such as break of the branches. Any kind of acts
which is harming to tree is an act of breaking the law of precept.
The third precept describes about sexual misconduct. By
looking from environmental aspect, the forests are being raped by unwise people
in all over the world. Many tropical forests are suffering with greed, hatred
and delusion people. People need to understand the third precept and the value
of environment.
The
four precept is about not to lie but tell the truth. From environmental aspect,
human uncontrolled action lead to climate change which could lead great impact
on next generation. In this case, practical action is more important rather
than words or lip service. Many leaders told about environment but not into
action which is false speech.
And
the fifth precept is to avoid any drugs. The use of drug consequence is impact
on not only physical and mental of users but also destroy upon tropical
ecosystems. In some countries, such as Laos or Burma, forests are destroyed by
fire in order to cultivate for poppy plantation. The mountain became bald
mountain, the forest become empty land, and then the climate changed
significantly.
Much of Dhamma understanding and wisdom involves thinking
like a mountain or nature from an ecocentric rather than an anthropocentric
viewpoint.[4]
The
Buddha even laid down some rules in Vinaya Pitaka for monk disciples to take
care of tree and love nature as fully understanding of the value of
environment. The Buddha laid down Bhutagama Sakkhapada the rule in Pacittiya
with reasonable cause that there was a monk in Buddha time cut down the branch
of a tree but there was many spirits residing at that tree and one of the
spirit’s son was cut off his arm by monk, so the spirit came to the Buddha and
complained the Buddha that a monk had cut off his child’s arm. So from that
day, the Buddha laid down the rule for monks not to cut down trees or branch of
tree. And monks are not even allowed to dig ground.
The
Buddha enacted the monastic rules for not cutting trees, not digging the
ground, not releasing the waste into the river in reasonably and also the
Buddha suggested monks not to travel during raining seasons that time farmers
grow the rice and encouraged to live in the forests or one particular place.
In
Bhikkhupatimokkha, Bhutagama vagga the Buddha laid down the rule as follow.
Bhutagamasikkhapadam.
Bhutagamapatavyataya Pacittiyam. In causing damage to plant beings there_ is an offence entailing expiation.[5]
So
we can consider that how the Buddha takes a good care of environment and how he
appreciates it. The Buddha encouraged acting with compassion and respect for
the trees. He provides the teachings for us to be grateful and to conserve
nature.
Buddhadasa
Bhikkhu said
The
entire cosmos is a cooperative. The sun, the moon, and the stars live together
as a cooperative. The same is true for humans and animals, trees, and the
Earth. When we realize that the world is a mutual, interdependent, cooperative
enterprise - then we can build a noble environment. If our lives are not based
on this truth, then we shall perish.[6]
Everything
dependents on each other whether it is biotic or non-biotic. Human cannot
survive without a good environment, in the same way environments could not be
retain if human destroy without proper take care of environment or lack of
knowledge on the value of environment. So people should have proper knowledge
and awareness on consequence of good or bad environment. By development of
personal development, people can live in peace and build harmonious society
without any conflict or riots.
Conclusion
Many of problems that we are facing today
are based on uncontrolled situation. We cannot control our Lobha, Dosa, and Moha,
(greed, hatred and delusion) then our misbehavior leads to negative impact on
the environment. In order to protect the environment, we must change our
mindset and misbehavior first with greedy to generosity, hatred to loving
kindness, and ignorance to wisdom. The
forest became less because of human’s greed. We can assume that the future of
the natural environment depends on the morals of any society. We should try to
develop our bad action to right action and wrong thought to right thought. By developing individually, observing five
precepts, we can live peacefully with nature and live without breaking any
moral rule in order to build peaceful society and environment.
[1]
Dharmakosajarn Phra, Dhamma
and Environmental Preservation, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University,
Ayutthaya, Thailand, 2011, P.4
[2]
Kalupahana. David J, Causality: The Central Philosophy of Buddhism,
University of Hawaii Press, 1986, P.135
[3]
Dalai Lama, A Human
Approach to World Peace, http://www.dalailama.com/messages/world-peace/a-human-approach-to-peace
[4]
Henning Danie H, Buddhism
and Deep Ecology, Montana Xlibris Corporation, 2001, P.93
[5] K.R. Norman, The Patimokkha,
Pali Text Society, Oxford, 2001, P.196
[6] William M. Johuston, Encyclopedia
of Monasticism, Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, London, 2000, P.191
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