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Hi Lal
Someone asked me the other day how Buddhism helps to improve the natural environment. For example, how it helps to protect nature, how we can live in harmony with the environment, and how we can be part of this natural cycle to improve and safeguard the earth. Is there any specific teaching from the Buddha about this? Or how we can relate ourselves to protect nature and the world.
If you can give some comments, that would be great.
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The Buddhist way of living is simple living.
- The Buddha taught that pursuing worldly pleasures is a waste of time in the “long term,” meaning in the rebirth process.
- Those who practice with understanding will have no incentive to live in mansions, look for oil, or fly/drive around for pleasure-seeking, for example.
- Buddhist practice is all about taming the mind. It does not require material wealth.
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- The destruction of the natural environment is caused by greed (lobha) and ignorance (moha) of the nature of this world. Companies that exploit natural resources are motivated by profit. Money is the primary means of affording sensual pleasures in this world. The vast majority of puthujunas believe that they will be happy in the long term if they enjoy sensual pleasures to the fullest. It is a misunderstanding of tilakkhana that leads to thinking this way.
- By making maximum profit, humans think they will be happy in the long term. The problem is that they perform akusalas in these steps. They wipe out entire species and harm local communities. Sooner or later they will suffer the consequences of these actions. The effects of the climate crisis are consequences visible here and now. Ariya understands that there is no point in engaging in this practice since the nature of this world prevents one from being happy in the long term. Only in the anagami/arahant stages that a person live in the simplest way possible. A sotāpanna/sakadagamin will enjoy sensual pleasures but will try to reduce its impact as best he can. By becoming anagami/arahant, one will no longer want to enjoy sensual pleasures at all. Only at these stages can we fully protect the environment. If all humans became at least sotāpanna, no one would greedily exploit resources. Everyone will only take what they need without harming others.
- The total absence of ignorance (moha), greed (lobha), and anger (dosa) is the true protection. If we want to have a little insight into this way of life, real Bhikkhus are examples. They only consume what they need without wanting to possess it. Unfortunately, in this world, there will always be this kind of problem; this is the unsatisfactory nature of this world! This is why Nibbāna is the only true happiness.
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