Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

Environmental Problems and Buddhist Ethics 241
Concept of Relationships Based in the
Doctrine of Dependent Origination
One characteristic of Buddhist thought in recognizing the occurrence of phenomena
is found in the doctrine of dependent origination or conditioned arising
(engi), which is derived from the Four Holy Truth (Shitai) (Harvey, 1990). The
following are phrases often used as fundamental definitions of this doctrine which
was set forth in Early Buddhism. “When this exists, that exists. When this is born,
that is born. When this does not exist, that does not exist. When this disappears,
that disappears.” These phrases mean that an entity does not exist and generate
independently, but that every entity exists only because of its relations with or the
conditions of other entities. Buddhism teaches that an entity cannot exist independently
because of the fundamental interdependence and interconnectedness of
all phenomena. The relation of ontology (relation of space) and relation of formation
(relation of time) are included in the doctrine of dependent origination.
The above-mentioned concept of nature and environment seen in the doctrine
of dependent origination is similar to concepts of ecology. Everything is
somehow connected. Therefore, the very principles of bio-diversity and symbiosis
of nature and living things are primary in maintaining our world. This doctrine
of dependent origination underlies everything in Buddhism.
Fundamental Biospheric Egalitarianism in Humans,
Living Things, and Nonliving Things
An important aspect in environmental ethics is how human beings, living
things, and nonliving things are perceived. In Buddhism, humans, living things,
and nonliving things are fundamentally recognized to be equal in life levels. The
term “life levels” does not refer to the common meaning of life, but refers to the
fundamental power, which supports living beings. Buddhism teaches that this
fundamental power, which can be called life potentially, also exists in nonliving
things.
According to Nakamura (1988), since ancient times, the people of India did
not consider there to be a distinction between animals and humans. The term
“living beings” (shorui) included humans and animals as quite the same existence.
In Indian ethical systems, there was not only a mutuality between humans
but also a mutuality between humans and animals. Moreover, Nakamura points
out that as a unique characteristic of Buddhism there are scriptures that treat many
species of animals as heroes in stories.
Similarly, in Chinese and Japanese Buddhism there is a thought that “even
plants, mountains, and rivers have “Buddha-Nature” (bussho). This thought
is called Somoku-jobutsu, Somoku-kokudo-sikkai-jobutsu, or Hijo-jobutsu in