The Buddhist Response to Climate Change

Buddhism emphasizes for us to comprehend the world and the environment as it is in an ultimate sense - not only in a limited conventional sense. In other words, we must overcome our ignorance and arrive at understanding the universe - and our close environment and climate - in its nature of constant change and in its characteristic of impermanence and suffering.

We have to strive for an elimination of this ignorance. This process should initially be focused on a proper understanding of the doctrine of Dependent Origination (paticca-samuppddd) as a basis for arriving at a proper understanding of the doctrine of the Four Noble Truths. This conclusion is not new - as indicated earlier, it is already presented on the "hidden base" of the Buddhist monument Barabudour on Java for all to see.

As stated earlier, Buddhism maintains that there is a close link between the moral status of man and the natural resources available to him. Thus man and nature are interdependent. We are dependent on animals and plants in many ways for our food, clothing, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Likewise, the plants and the animals depend on us for their survival. There is a delicate balance between the human realm and those of the animals and plants. This interdependent network is not a static process, but one of dynamic motion and infinite potential. Man has in other words the power to influence nature in a negative sense, as well as in a positive manner. Harm the environment-and we harm our climate and ourselves!

The problem thus centres around ameliorating the moral status of man and eliminating his "three poisons" - greed, hatred and delusions.

How do we go about this?

By necessity we must start with ourselves:

We should seriously reflect over the doctrine of Dependent Origination (paticca-samuppada) and the doctrine of the Four Noble Truths and their interdependence;

We shall also endeavour to clean our mind by following Buddha's advice to "Learn to do good, to cease to do evil and to purify the mind"; and by developing wholesome energies such as the forces of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity, we will create ' an environment from which also we may benefit.

We should also assist our closest neighbours and relatives:

i. To eliminate their ignorance and have them develop wisdom by the gift of Dhamma, as "The gift of Truth (Dhamma) excels all other gifts"; and

ii. To obtain peace and happiness by means of giving them wholesome energies through loving-kindness, compassion, equanimity ind sympathetic joy.

As regards our environment (i.e. nature itself and its influence on he climate), we should live and consume with awareness and with purposeful actions; live and consume with with high ethical standards md thus be less materialistically inclined - i.e. fulfil our needs, but not our greed;

iii. not pollute in nature and endeavour to keep the sensitive balance in nature in check;

iv. ascertain a balanced society based on law, high morals and with individual freedom and responsibility to each other and to our environment;

v. develop wholesome energies such as the forces of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity, and thereby create an atmosphere from which not only we and our neighbours may
benefit, but also plants, animals and the environment around us - thus further improving the climate; and

vi. assist to the maximum extent possible in the implementation of various projects aiming at ameliorating and restoring the environment and our climate. It is the sum of all our personal activities - however small they may be individually - that in the final analysis may make the change.

Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh suggested the following vow to be stated: Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect lives of people, animals, plants and minerals.

I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any killing in the world, in my thinking and in my way of life.

We hope that we by means of these words have been able to shed some light on and instill some hope into this debate concerning the worsening climate change. It is our sincere hope, that we after this debate will be encouraged to continue to strive for a modest and thoughtful co-existence between ourselves and 'Nature'.