“We need to develop a sense of general responsibility towards the various problems our planet is facing. Responsibility does not lie solely with the leaders of our countries or those appointed or elected to do a specific job. It lies with each and every one of us individually. Peace, for example, begins within each of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us…”
Dalai Lama, during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony
“Ecology can be simply defined as understanding the interconnections and relationships of different forms of life within nature. This interconnectedness and interdependence of living beings is at the core of Buddhist teachings. Tibetan lama Sogyal Rinpoche says: “…all things, when seen and understood in their true relationships, are not independent but interdependent. Look at a tree. When you think of a tree, you tend to think of something distinctly separate; and to some extent… it is. However, when you look at the tree more closely, you will see that it ultimately…” there is no independent existence… If you were to further contemplate the tree, you would discover that everything in the universe helps the tree to be exactly what it is, that it can never be separated from anything else at any moment, and that its nature is constantly and imperceptibly changing.
Disturbances in the natural balance, pollution of air, soil, water, and food, the extinction of plant and animal species are not the result of mere neglect of nature, they are the consequences of much deeper causes, which invoke Buddha’s teaching of the causal sequence of events in which one state arises from the preceding one and conditions the one that follows. Ecological crises are just a sad picture of the problems that lie behind them: excessive attachment to material things, self-centeredness, indifference, violence, alienation, etc.
However, throughout its long history, humanity has always faced these problems, and its rich tradition can offer valuable experiences for overcoming the crisis. For example, Buddha’s teaching, which is based on respect and compassion for all living beings, can help restore ecological civility towards everything that surrounds us, leading to balance and healing.
“Jewels with a Million Faces”
Buddha compares the universe to a vast network in which countless beautiful jewels are woven, each having innumerable faces. Each jewel reflects all the other jewels in the network and is connected to them. This image conveys several fundamental Buddhist teachings. Firstly, it teaches us that everything in the universe is interconnected and nothing exists separately. Buddhists say that thinking that humans are separate, that they have a special status in relation to other beings, is the cause of the greatest suffering and evil.
Modern ecology also emphasizes that ecosystems are like densely intertwined networks of various life forms, which would not survive without their interconnectedness. Furthermore, social ecology notes that human communities also survive based on the same natural laws. Sandwiches: in order to have everything we need every day, we require other individuals with different professions whose skills are of great importance: a baker, a cobbler, a doctor, a teacher, and so on…
The next thing this image teaches us is about the law of cause and effect, the teaching of the interconnectedness of causes and consequences. Although in our daily lives we neglect or fail to recognize their relationships, Buddhism emphasizes their inseparable connection.
Nothing can function in isolation. Everything that happens to us, pleasant or unpleasant, has its causes, and everything we do is the cause of future states. This teaching that connects causes and consequences has significant application in contemporary ecology in another context: it teaches us not to forget that every action, positive or negative, even the smallest one, gives birth to consequences.
We must not forget that countless beings participate in this karmic chain. Everything in the universe is interconnected, has its role in the chain of interconnectedness, and therefore deserves our attention. nju. From this context, alienation not only from nature but also from other people can lead to even greater ecological problems.
This thought, of course, encourages us when it comes to positive actions. However, there is a much bigger problem with negative actions. Buddha says: Do not overlook negative actions just because they are small; as small as a spark may be, it can ignite a haystack as big as a mountain.
And indeed, we often think that pollution in a limited area, less pollution of food and water, or the extinction of a plant or animal species, are not connected to our own lives and will not have direct consequences for us. Buddhism teaches just the opposite, and ecology as the science of the relationship between living beings and their environment supports these traditional views.
The ecological views of Buddhism that we cite were not just theoretical. In the Vinaya Pitaka, there is a detailed description of the daily monastic rules for using drinking water and, separately, water for hygiene, well construction, and so on. gog. It was strictly forbidden for the monks to throw waste into rivers or lakes, and it was believed that polluting water sources had serious karmic consequences. Other rules and way of life are presented as examples from the Jataka stories collection.
Jataka Stories
Jataka, a collection of stories about Buddha’s previous lives (jati), reveals traditional Buddhist teachings to the reader. In the form of simple stories, the collection provides simple answers to some of life’s biggest questions. They emphasize the ability to listen to advice, the ability to make the right choices, and warn against the lack or incomplete knowledge that is always the cause of negative consequences. In some stories, the need for deeper understanding of circumstances and events is emphasized, as the mutual karmic connection between cause and effect is not always easily noticeable. Additionally, the importance of getting to know other beings and their needs is mentioned in order to be able to help them in the most appropriate way.
For example, in one of the stories, monkeys are given the responsibility… When the owners are away, monkeys take over the watering of the garden. In their eagerness to do it well, the monkeys pull out the plants to determine the amount of water needed for each plant by the length of their roots. In doing so, they destroy the entire garden. Like the monkeys in the story, we, with our scientific and technological achievements, often, with the best intentions but without enough knowledge, destroy the ecological balance of the planet we live on.
Often described causes of bad consequences in stories are arrogance and pride in knowledge: some brahmin learned a magic spell to bring the dead back to life. While walking through the forest, he bragged to his friend that he would bring a dead tiger back to life for him. The friend was more cautious and climbed up a tree, but the revived tiger tore the brahmin apart in an instant.
Several stories describe nature’s revenge on the ungrateful, like, for example, in the story of a group of travelers who got lost in the forest. They were saved from death by a magical tree whose broken branches turned into water, food, and precious items. However, the travelers, blinded by greed, desired more and more, eventually causing the destruction of the magical tree and their own downfall. They decided to cut down the tree to see what its roots would give them! Only one of them said not to do it because the tree provided such pleasant shade. However, that was not enough to stop them, they cut it down and thereby incurred the wrath of King Snake, under whose protection the tree was. In the end, King Snake killed all the travelers except for the one who was not greedy.
Thangka painting depicting scenes from Jataka tales, 18th-19th century, Phajoding Gonpa, Thimphu, Bhutan
The Dummedhajataka tells the story of how Buddha converted thousands of people from the unnecessary sacrifice of animals: the prince of Benares was repulsed by the Vedic sacrifice of a great number of animals. He introduced new rules of Buddhist obligation to abstain from bloody sacrifices in order to preserve the lives of innocent animals. Today, among the most well-known but often superficially understood Buddhist thoughts, are certainly the following words from the Dhammapada or Path of Perfection: All beings fear danger, life is dear to all. When a person understands this, they do not kill or provoke. importance for our well-being and for the preservation of the Earth. We must strive to educate ourselves and others about the interdependence of all beings and the need for compassion. By doing so, we can overcome ignorance, desire, and lack of respect towards life on Earth. It is through this understanding that we can address the complex problems we face, rather than approaching them with narrow-mindedness and selfishness. Our mistakes and the destruction of nature are a result of our ignorance of our interconnectedness. We need knowledge to take care of ourselves, every part of the Earth, and all future generations. Importance for everyone.