Introduction
O bhikkhus, cut down the forest of craving, not the real tree; the forest of craving breeds danger (of rebirth). Cut down the forest of craving as well as its undergrowth and be free from craving. So long as craving of man for woman is not cut down and the slightest trace of it remains, so long is his mind in bondage as the calf is bound to its mother.
Environmental crisis is one of the major burning topics in current world. Different environmentalist,philosophers, religious leaders and scholars have interpreted the ideas to the causes of the current environmental crisis. They have given their different interpretations according to their own outlook, ideas, ideals, principles and philosophies of their life. By considering their all interpretations, it further research on the re-solution of current environmental crisis with applying Buddhist ethics for environmental preservation.
Environment and human beings are two coexisted matters, although environment can survive without human beings but human beings cannot exist without environment. Knowing or unknowing about this fact, most of human beings are destroying the Mother Nature by concerning contemporary survival only. Industrial revaluation, greediness, and lack of knowledge about significance of Mother Nature are some of the major causes for current environmental crisis. In this case people must be more aware about the significance of nature otherwise nature will be more damage in all possible ways due to human activities in the near future. It is pessimistic outcome that rare people have known, inquiring, interesting and researching about the significance of environment preservation. Therefore, number of conferences, researchers, environmentalists, and nature lovers are increasing with the purpose of environmental preservation. LDTunder the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Nepal has emphasized the value of Nature as the main objective of 2562nd Buddha Jayanti Ceremony and International Buddhist Conference by commemorating three great events: the Birth, the Enlightenment and the passing away (Mahāparinibbāna) of the Buddha. With the aim and objectives of LDT as sub-theme, it has highlighted Buddhism as Nature Conservation which purpose are protecting and highlighting the significant of environment especially as Lumbini the birth of the Shakyamuni Buddha.
Accordingly, historical evidence explicitly determines that all three great events occurred under the holy trees in open places, which prove the interrelationship between the Buddha and the natural environment. According to Buddhist perspective environment is polluting because of moral degradation human beings. All human activities are directly or indirectly effects to change of nature. Buddhist teachings about immoral activities and craving of human beings which leads to environmental deterioration as mentioned in the Aggaññasutta and the Cakkavattisīhanādasutta of the Dīghanikāya. Concerning the Buddhist ethics for environmental preservation, Buddha is the best environmentalist who came into human history. Buddha has his three great events to prove the interrelationship between the Buddha and the environment. Buddhist teachings states that in whatever place, in the forest, lowland or highland, where the worthy people live that places are very pleasant because they live with nature without harming it. There are numbers of Buddhist teachings in the Tipiṭaka and commentaries, which taught about environmental preservation.
According to the explanation of the Kūtadantasutta, the Brahamins conducted their sacrifices by destroying small plants, cutting trees and killing thousands of animals, which Buddha rejected of those environmental harmful sacrifices of Brahamin. After Buddha’s explanations about Buddhist way of sacrifice they did not kill animals and neither did they destroy the plants in the surrounding areas for their rituals of sacrifices. According to the Milindapañha,it explains about the benefits of environment that offer to all human beings without any discrimination.
1. “Rukkho nāma pupphaphaladharo (From the trees, we get fruits and flowers, but trees do not expect anything from the beings.)
2. Rukkho upagatanamanuppaviṭṭhānaṃ janānaṃ chāyaṃ deti, (without expecting anything, the trees provide the shadows to anyone, who approaches it for resting.)
3. Rukkho chāyā vemattaṃ na karoti. (The tree provides its shadow without any discrimination even toward the one who tries to cut it.”)
Furthermore, the teachings of Buddhist ethics mentioned in monastic code of discipline of the Pācittiyapāli “A monk should not expel excreta, spit, and garbage, even throw the rinsing water from one’s alms bowl into water sources.” Furthermore, in the Vattakkhandaka, Buddha has advised to monks, not to waste water. When a monk washes his feet, he should not take water with the hand that he uses to wash the feet, but the other hand and one should not mix the pure water with impure water. In this manner the teachings of the Buddha concern even the wastage of even a cup of water. There are several Vinaya rules that prohibit monks to pollute green grass and water by putting toilets waste and dropping garbage.
In the Dhammapada stanzas also it encourages one to love in the environment without causing any sorts of harmful activities to environment. “Even as a bee gathers honey from a flower and departs without injuring the flower or its color or its fragrance, so let a sage dwell in his village.” In many Suttas as well as Vinaya rules and regulations, monks are forbidden to damage of forest. Buddha has advised as to be aware and remember the foot of a tree as their dwelling place to live in. And also monks are encouraged to protect greenery and plants but unless feel sick, they are prevented from spitting, urinating, or defeating on the greenery, by doing so; there is an offence of that bad habit.
The Buddha used environmental similes to make people understand. “As rain breaks through an ill thatched house, so passion makes its way into an unreflecting mind”[14] The environment is our friend. It guides our life correctly Buddhism penetrates the hearts of men, on the basis of the environment for example just as a solid rock[15] “Sapatta bhāro pakkhi sakunovijo[16] the environment of the animate and inanimate establishes man and the environment. We can see a very good example in the Ariyapariyesanasutta[17] how Buddha appreciated the environment “I considered: This is an agreeable piece of ground, this is a delightful grove with a clear-flowing river with pleasant, smooth banks and nearby a village for alms resort. This will serve for the striving of a clansman intent on striving. And I sat down there thinking: this will serve for striving.[18]
In the Sanamānasutta of the Samyuttanikāya, it goes like this: On one occasion, while the Buddha was staying alone in a dense forest, a certain goddess approached to the Buddha and expressed: “at the resounding of the entire forest, when birds make terrible sound at midday, I felt afraid greatly” Then, the Buddha replied this: “at the resounding of the entire forest, when birds make lovely sound, my mind is so delighted”. Buddha has taught regards five kinds of seeds as follows:
1. Mūla bīja – root-seeds
2. Khanda bīja – trunk-seeds
3. Agga bīja- seeds from shoot
4. Phalu bīja- seeds from joint
5. Bīja bīja-grain seeds
Concerning the safeguard of forest, the ideals of middle path plays significant role to preserve it. The middle path is “Noble Eight-Fold Path” that develops Morality (Sīla), Concentration (Samādhi) and Wisdom (Paññā). It is one of the principle teachings of Buddhism. It is used to develop insight into the true nature of phenomena and to eradicate greed, hatred, and delusion. Sīla leads to moral conduct, Samādhi leads to quietude of mind and Paññā leads to dispelling of ignorance or attainment of true knowledge. It explains a significant structure to understand the value of practicing Buddhist ethics. To Summarize, Noble Eightfold Path embeds ethics that can directly be applied to our day-to-day interaction with nature. If all the steps in the path are practiced concurrently, then, humankind will live harmoniously with all other inhabitants of the universe.
Buddhism focuses on human “needs” and it does not encourage human to deal with “wants” which increases craving. Pursuing people to live with the concept of “Contentment is bliss” automatically leads society to consume environmental resources in accordance to their basic needs. The Buddha mentions in the Mahicchasutta of the Aṅguttaranikāya that “I do know of anything conducive to misery as many wishes” while he mentions in the Appicchasutta in the same Nikāya that “I do know of anything conducive to profitable as few wishes”. According to the Mettasutta the Buddha appreciated about Contented and easily satisfied, Released with duties and careful in their ways. Buddha told us to live simply with the quality of “Appicchatā.” Ven. Dhammavijaya mentioned in his Buddhist Economics book, “There is no river like craving.”
The Buddha teaches us in the Saṃyuttanikāya: planting of trees, tending the gardens and forests, and pleasure groves, Building ponds, wells, and roads for the public use are meritorious acts, which give merit all the time.[25] As the Buddha mentioned in the Mettasutta of the Khuddakanikāya a person should radiate loving kindness towards all sentient beings as a mother loves her only child. Right livelihood is one of the principles in the noble eightfold path. According to that a person is prohibited from trading in flesh (which involves killing of animals). In the Singālakasutta also, the Buddha prohibited engaging in such trades that will bring harmful consequences to living beings. The two Dhammapadaverses mentioned below shows how a person should avoid the harming and killing of sentient beings. All sentient beings are frightened of punishment and death. Taking oneself as an example, one should not kill another or cause to kill others. All sentient beings are afraid of punishment and delight in living. Taking oneself as an example one should not kill or cause to kill another.
There are four basic needs that human beings should satisfy to live such as foods, clothes, shelter and medicine. Though these four needs enough to spend the life people have unlimited wants due to their greediness. Harmful effect to the environment occurs when people try to fulfill their unlimited wants from the limited resources of the earth. Buddhism always encourages people to live a simple life. Buddhism has introduced the concept of Appicchatā (quality of having limited wants) to spend a simple life. The Buddha says in the Aṅguttaranikāya, the monk who is with limited wants arise good thoughts which are not arisen and those bad thoughts that have arisen are decreased. According to the stanza when we live by satisfying with limited wants it conducive to develop the good thoughts within us while reducing the bad thoughts. When people live with good thoughts they do not do any harmful deeds for one-self and others and even for the environment.
Recycling is an effective method that is used in the present world, and is also beneficial for the environment. The Buddha also introduced a recycling method for monks. It is said that if a robe can’t be worn any more it should be used as a bed sheet, when that also become useless it should be used as a pillow case, when it also becomes worn it should be used to make a doormat, when it become worn it should be used in the clay mix to plaster the walls of the monasteries. If we put into practice these Buddhist concepts in our day-today life we can reduce the demand for goods in the market. When the demand is less supply also generally becomes less since the industrial people produce goods in terms of consumer demand. We should limit our needs and wants for the limited resources we have.
In the Addhammikasutta of the Aṅguttaranikāya the Buddha talks about the deterioration of the natural environment as a result of the go down on the moral order of society due to the immoral rulers in the country. It says that when the ruler is not righteous the people who are under him such as family members of him, ministers, town people, village people become unrighteous. When all of them become unrighteous as a result of their bad actions the moon and sun shines unevenly, stars and constellation shine unevenly, the night and day dawn unevenly, the fortnights and the months become uneven, seasons and the year become uneven, wind blows in a wrong frame, the rainy clouds become disturbed, the rightful rain does not come down and the grains ripen unevenly. When humans eat the grains unevenly ripened, their life spans shorten, lose their beauty and power and are struck by many ailments. The Cakkavattisīhanādasutta clearly states that it is a king’s duty to protect the environment. It is the king’s duty to promulgate rules and regulation to protect the environment. If any government able to include Buddhist teachings into those acts of rules and regulation on the protection of the environment, it will lead to make sustainable development of the environment
Conclusion
To conclude, Buddhist teachings are most related and useful in practical ways for environmental preservation because Buddhism and Environment are connected with each other. With the life examples of Buddha not only three great events but also His teachings with similes, spending his Life are connected with each other.
As Buddhism states, moral deterioration is the main cause of the environmental pollution. Moral development is the solution for it. When we take into consideration all these factors we can say that there is a mutual relationship between moral development and the natural environment. Moral development of human beings depends on the pleasant environment while the existence of the pleasant environment based on the Moral development of human beings. In the recent decades, ecological elements in the teaching of the Buddha have become a popular subject of academic inquiry even in some western countries due to the monks of the Buddhist community has very few wants. As I mentioned above, according to the Buddhist standpoint greedy is the main course for the environmental degradation. If all of us practice of those Buddhist teachings as a government of Nepal and LDT committee members and all participations member of conference of 2562nd at Buddha Jayanti Ceremony, will able to endow sustainable environment for the future generation in this especial moments of three great events: the Birth, the Enlightenment and the passing away (Mahāparinibbāna) of the Buddha at Lumbini.
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Vanam chindatha ma rukkham-vanato jayate bhayam chetva vananca vanathanca-nibbana hotha bhikkhavo.
Yava hi vanatho na chijjati-anumattopi narassa narisu patibaddhamanova tava so-vaccho khirapakova matari.
Dhammapada Verses 283 and 284 Pancamahallakabhikkhu Vatthu, The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories Translated by Daw Mya Tin, M.A. Edited by editorial committee, Burma Tipitaka association Rangon, Burma, 1986
“Te mayaṃ rasāpa haviṃ paribhuñjantā taṃbhakkhā tadāhārā ciraṃ dīghamaddhānaṃ aṭṭhamhā. Tesaṃ no pāpakānaṃyeva akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pātubhāvā rasapathavī antaradhāyi. Rasapathaviyā antarahitāya bhūmipappaṭako pāturahosi. So ahosi vaṇṇasampanno gandhasampanno rasasampanno. Te mayaṃ bhūmipappaṭakaṃ upakkamimha paribhuñjituṃ. Te mayaṃ taṃ paribhuñjantā taṃbhakkhā tadāhārā ciraṃ dīghamaddhānaṃ aṭṭhamhā. Tesaṃ no pāpakānaṃyeva akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pātubhāvā bhūmipappaṭako antaradhāyi. Bhūmipappaṭake antarahite padālatā pāturahosi…….”
‘‘Ramaṇīyāni araññāni, yattha na ramatī jano;Vītarāgā ramissanti, na te kāmagavesino.”
Trenckner, V. (Ed.). (1880). Milndapañha. London: Pali Text Society p. 409
“Na udake agilāno uccāraṃvā passāvaṃvā kheļṃvā karissāmiti sikkhā karaṇīyāti”.
“Yathāpi bhamaro pupphaṃ, vaṇṇagandhamaheṭhayaṃ; Paleti rasamādāya, evaṃ gāme munī care.” Dhammapada Verses 06 Puppha Vagga
(Ed.). (1994). Dhammapada. London: Pali Text Society p. 13
(Ed.). (1994). Dhammapada. London: Pali Text Society p. 81
“Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa – sabbe bhāyanti maccuno- attānaṃ upamaṃ katvā - na haneyya na ghātaye”
Dhammapada, daṇḍavagga, 129
“Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa - sabbesam jīvitaṃ piyaṃ attānaṃ upamaṃ katvā - na haneyya na ghātaye”Dhammapada, daṇḍa vagga, 130
