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 |  Photographer unknown. If you know who took this photograph, please let us know. | Protecting the Earth
By Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
Continued from Protecting the earth discussion page
This emergency calls for a complete transformation of how we live -- a transformation of our underlying attitudes, our approach to human society, and our relationship to planet earth and all its inhabitants. My father, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the great Tibetan meditation master and founder of Shambhala, foresaw this turning point in human history. His words could not ring truer: "When human beings lose their connection to nature, to heaven and earth, then they do not know how to nurture their environment or how to rule their world...healing our society goes hand in hand with healing our personal, elemental connection with the phenomenal world."
In the Shambhala tradition is it said that it is precisely in dark times like these that the inherent wisdom of the universe makes itself felt. Now is the time to draw on the inspiration of the humanity’s wisdom traditions. All remind us of the sacred oneness of life, the interdependence of all beings, and the inexorable laws of cause and effect. These teachings could not be more relevant to our collective imperative: the creation of enlightened and sustainable societies.
I am delighted that, within the Buddhist world, there is increasingly deep reflection on how the wisdom of this particular tradition can shine light on this common goal. Now is the time for us to tap the power available to us from our diverse disciplines, cultures, and societies to cultivate the dignity, confidence and fearlessness necessary to protect our earth. By doing so, we can help to reconnect all humanity with its primordial basic goodness, transform our relationship to sacred world and be inspired to sane choices, compassionate leadership and wise activism.
The Sakyong, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche
Halifax
19 April 2009
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