Global Recovery: - United Nations Day of Vesak 2013

Global Recovery :
through Buddhist Ecology
rapid changes in global temperature, extreme weather patterns, super-storms,
ecosystem impacts, rising sea levels, increasing ocean acidification, increase in pests
and disease, failing agricultural output; increase in world hunger, agriculture and
livelihoods are already being affected. Unless we combine to take decisive action,
climate change will ravage our planet, and with it our prosperity and security.
Climate change has been caused over centuries, has consequences that will endure for
all time.
Human beings are now facing threats, leading to the extinction of human
species, never happening before in the history of humanity as the threat originates
from human actions alone. This problem arises from the so called problem of climate
change. The possible global crisis caused by the climate change has its root in human
greed (lobha), which originates within human mind itself and it can only be solved
through collective humanity. The only way to deal with this problem effectively is
through the clear understanding of the teachings of the Buddha. The clear
understanding of the Buddha’s teachings with regular practice will definitely lead
humanity to be out of this problem of climate change.
A fundamental question that Buddhism seeks to answer is regarding the root
cause/s of this eco-crisis. Although modern environmentalists analyze the fact
relating to various social, political, technological, and economical factors, the root
cause according to Buddhism is ‘craving’ (taṅhā) which again is caused from
ignorance (avijjā). His Holiness the Dalai Lama, emphasizing the fact says; it is due
to Ignorance, greed and lack of respect for the earth’s living things that
the destruction of nature and natural resources occurs. The Saṅgīti Sutta enumerates
seven latent tendencies (anusya-s) or proclivities relating to this assertion. When one
is freed from them becomes an ārya-puggala (noble person). By him then no harmful
activities are committed. A detailed exposition of an ārya-puggala who is free from
the latent tendencies and his constructive engagement to the society is enumerated in
the discussion of Sāmaññaphalasutta of Dīgha Nikāya. Kevaddhasutta of Dīgha
Nikāya enumerates it is through an education in the system of self training that such
state of noble personality is obtained.
P. A. Payutto in his book “The Pāli Canon: What a Buddhist Must Know”
commented that religion involves practice, a way of living, or useful application in
life. Buddhism teaches a way of life which ultimately leads to the goal of final
deliverance from suffering, can be seen as the resultant virtue, progress or growth
constitutes one’s life in the ability to get rid of greed, hatred, and delusion and one
has to train oneself in morality, concentration and wisdom, which reflects
the function of Buddhism as the teaching provider of knowledge and ethics.
That means Buddhism can play a crucial role and join the responsibility in finding
approaches to climate change or global warming by making a human understanding
by ways to overcome obstacles on implement concrete actions. The Buddha’s great
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