There is a silent scream
Listen with your heart (the base of consciousness)
And you shall hear
There is a silent scream
Why is it here
So fast so furious?
Today we are confronted by the gravest challenge that humanity has ever faced - the ecological consequences of our own collective kamma.
Many scientists have now concluded that anthropogenic global warming is a fact and that the survival of the entire ecology and human civilization is at stake.
Runaway global warming is not merely a problem that can be solved by a simple technological fix, but is at its base a deeply moral and even philosophical problem that challenges our ethical integrity, entrenched beliefs and habits.
There has never been a more important time in history to bring the teachings of Buddhism to bear on behalf of all living beings.
It is my belief that to fully address a problem, we have to snip it at its bud. This essay will both identify the fundamental cause of anthropogenic global warming and advocate the Buddhist attitude and lifestyle as a solution to it.
Although the ecological crisis is a problem unknown of in Buddha’s time, various accounts in the Pali Canon serve to instruct of an ideal man-environment relation:
• no spitting, throwing in water and on land (
Bhikkhuni Patimokkha)
• respect and appreciate natural environment (poetry of nature in
Theragatha; Buddha himself gazed gratefully at the Bodhi tree during the 2nd wk of his enlightenment)
• planting of gardens (aramaropa) and forests (vanaropa) is a meritorious act (
Vanaropa sutta, SN)
• no setting fire to forests (
Khuddaka Vatthukkhandhaka of Cullavagga pali, King Asoka’s royal decree in RE 5)
It is interesting to note that the Dhamma upholds environmentalism even before the word is invented!
Yet, the human’s role in today’s ecological problem is 2 fold:
• pollution
• depletion of non-renewable resources
In my view, both are manifestations of the 2nd noble truth expounded by the Buddha.
Dukkha-samudaya-ariya-sacca
Buddha expounded in
Dhammacakka-pavattana sutta that Dukkha, the unsatisfactory nature of existence, stems from cravings which are further analysed as cravings, hatred and delusion (lobha, dosa, moha). Our ecological emergency is exactly a larger version of this perennial human predicament.
Because of sensual cravings, material desires, attachment to speed and convenience;
because of repulsion to consumer options and lifestyle of the opposite nature;
because of ignorance giving rise to a false sense of self, permanence and luxury, compounded by the negativities of advertising,
we create and consume things of fleeting superficial gratification values but with lasting and irreversible ecological damage.
The best example is the unchecked and excessive burning of non-renewable fossil fuels. Despite being highly inefficient, releasing more heat and pollutant gases than useful energy, humans are still addicted to oil simply because it is readily available, easy to use and to some nations, a highly valued commodity.
To put a halt to this ecological predicament, we need to start by recognizing that we have been slaves to lobha, dosa, moha. We have to make an effort, to the extent of inconveniencing ourselves, to eradicate them. The easiest way is to consciously cultivate their direct opposites: contentment, loving-kindness (metta) and wisdom. I will suggest how to do it.
Panati-pata veramani sikkha padam samadiyami - I undertake the training precept to refrain from taking a life that breathes
Adinna-dana veramani sikkha padam samadiyami - I undertake the training precept to refrain from taking what is not given
The 1st 2 Buddhists precepts serve as good guideline for our ethical integrity towards the environment. In my opinion, they are also the direct anecdotes to dosa (refrain from killing, getting rid of things not to our liking etc) and lobha (refrain from taking things we are not entitled to, taking by force, taking more than necessary etc).
In other words: the 1st 2 Buddhists precepts advise us to live and let live; co-exist in harmony; use in moderation; replenish before depletion.
In the
Aganna sutta, it is recorded that greed and over-exploitation led to the depletion of resources. And yet we did not learn from history and still continue doing so. The ways earth’s resources have been exploited (deforestation, unethical rearing and slaughter of animals, depletion of natural fuels, unethical disposure of toxic wastes etc) are already violation of these 2 precepts on the largest possible scale.
The animation of Earth as Gaia, by environmentalist James Lovelock, is precisely to promote this awareness.
Eminent biologists and U.N. reports concur that if humans continue “business-as-usual”, half of all species on Earth will come to extinction within this century. The eco-system being so intricately connected, inevitably, human’s heyday will be neigh too.
Selfishness vs Anatta
When we uphold our ethical integrity well enough, we will start to gain more wisdom. We will realize anatta, non-self, and awaken from the illusion of separateness that motivates us to act against the ecology (and ultimately ourselves).
All things are interconnected and conditioned. As mentioned in the
Aganna sutta, the environment changes accordingly when men rely on it for survival. In turn, when the environment becomes sick due to our selfish exploitation of it, we become sick too, because we are part of her.
“He who is skilled in doing good and who wishes to attain that state of calm should act thus… contented, easily supportable, with few burden, simple in livelihood…”- Karaniya-Metta sutta
Ultimately, contentment and simplicity is the highest bliss.
The argument that our economy needs high levels of consumption for growth is unfounded. The current climate condition provides sufficient evidence against it.
From a Buddhist perspective, a sane and sustainable economy would be governed by the principle of sufficiency rather than an ever-increasing abundance of goods that put such a hefty price on our environment. A sustainable economy is one that is in harmony with the biosphere.
As the slogan goes “Reduce, reuse, recycle” and I will add one more to it - RENEW (use renewable energy and material alternatives)!
Conclusion
I will conclude with an example of the extremely low-maintenance lifestyle of monks: turning old robes into mattress into rugs into duster and finally into fillers of wall gaps. Reducing and reusing vinaya style!
A waste is a waste not because it no longer has any use but because its potential uses are wasted!
There is a silent scream
Wise up, act now
The emergency is real!
