Global Recovery: - United Nations Day of Vesak 2013

Global Recovery :
through Buddhist Ecology
“Ecological Teachings in Early Buddhism” arguing that dukkha does not exist in
the change itself, but in one who has the wrong attitudes towards it. The right attitude
toward the natural environment is ‘understanding the nature as it is’
(yathābhūtañānadassanaṃ) and therefore acting positively. A close observation to
the Dīgha Nikāya reveals that the methods that the Buddha had taken to solve
the problems of that time could well be used to solve the social and environmental
problems arising now. Moreover, as the teachings of the Buddha emphasize
the conditioned co-production (paṭiccasamuppāda) of phenomena, the relationship
between human and nature in this respect is not to be neglected. Thus we see
numerous passages in the different texts of the tipi»aka revealing the importance of
the environmental protection.
One of the major concerns of the Buddha was challenging the unjust
Brahmanic practices that harmed not only the society but also the environment. Mass
sacrifices resulting in killing of our fellow beings causing environmental pollution is
condemned in both Kuṭadanta and Pāyāsi suttas of the Dīgha Nikāya. In fact, much
of the social teachings of the Buddha were against the Brahmanic social setting
where the rigid caste system and sacrifices in names of gods and for the sake of
holiness were prevalent. The caste system was not only responsible for unequal social
structure but also for much of social injustices under the Brahmin hegemony. Mass
sacrificing of animals, on the other hand, demanded vast disintegration of state
economy while hundreds of animals were mercilessly slaughtered vastly damaging
the eco-system. In the Kuṭadantasutta the Buddha instead of mass sacrifices of living
beings presented six kinds of gradually higher sacrifices in which neither any being is
slain nor any sort of environmental pollution is done. These sacrifices are said to be
less difficult and less troublesome, bearing greater fruit and greater advantage. In
these the Buddha emphasized that one should sacrifice the evil tendencies that often
influence a person in brutal activities bringing about unhappy consequences. To
the Brahmin Kuṭadanta who wanted to establish peace by sacrificing hundreds of
animals when the country was facing anarchy the Buddha proposed for constructive
peaceful means not by bloodshed or punishing the wrong doers. This decrees for
internal reformation of the wrong-doers at the root level of his/her mind, and by
providing his/her needs justly by the state not letting him/her adopt any illegal
methods. Utilizing any force/violence against him/her may not totally eliminate
the anarchy as problems always remain. Sacrifices committed today are not like those
according to the Brahanism but for foods and various medical and scientific purposes
where humans use animals as they want. Moreover, people are even killing animals
for fun. Therefore, various species are being destroyed disturbing the eco-system.
Buddhist principles counsel non-violence to any sentient being, not just
humans, for Buddhism sees humans and other beings as fellow-sufferers in the round
of rebirth. While humans are seen to be particularly worthy of respect due to their
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