Global Recovery: - United Nations Day of Vesak 2013

Global Recovery :
through Buddhist Ecology
capitalism, where people are attached to material riches, are selfish,
competitive and pollute the environment. 10
On 20 February 2010, there was a barbaric attack on Buddhist minoritygroups
by Bengali Muslim settlers and their armies in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT),
Bangladesh. Once, CHT was a lovely ‘green-land’, but this was turned into grey and
black ash-land. Eight villages and two Buddhist temples were burnt down into ashes.
Many people were skinned alive, and killed inhumanly. In addition, trees which
provide tender leaves, beautiful flowers and fruits were cut down for sales, and burnt.
This fragrant land became very stinky, and the rotten dead bodies and poisonous
chemicals flew down into valleys. Also, plenty of fish in the valleys died after eating
the dead bodies. This vicious and brutal attack not only brought social dilemmas
upon native citizens, but to other creatures.
In January 2010, I interviewed some people around Thaphrachan area
Bangkok, Thailand. The interview was mainly to identify if street venders and the
common-public have responsibilities for deforestation - what reaction is possible?
A lady from Top Charoen Optical, Miss Nuch Jaree Youaon says: “Although my
stomach is full, I want to eat whenever I get smell of grilled fish and meat”.
In addition, there is another lady, Mrs. Naparut Pimpa – she spoke about
the inconveniences around the area: too crowded, has cooking smell, noisy and place
is not arranged systematically, especially the street venders and it is a kind human
pollution. Mr. Pon Kanoksrothawornkul shared additional information of the area,
every year in November there is a seasonal flood. It makes inconveniences for
people taking the pier to cross the river. Also, there is an interesting in his words,
having many people around this area is not the problem at all, in spite all of this,
he can still earn his profit. He can run his business, sell Japanese cakes - the more
people gather around Thaphrachan, the more he sells. The ladies’ words show more
interest to learn ecological problem on the affect of grilled-food: cut trees, burn
charcoal, air pollution, annoying and loud sounds, and other human-induced
pollutions – similar to what is described in the Kūṭaḍaṇta Sutta. According to Miss
Youaon, grilled-food teases or creates the desire in her to spend monthly salary
meaninglessly, through her wants, not for her needs. This affects the economic
system, deepening or leaving more problems with the environment, either one way or
another.
10 Mackenzie, R. (2007), New Buddhist Movement in Thailand Towards an Understanding of Wat Phra
Dhammakaya and Santi Asoke, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, London, p. 149.
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