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Buddhists as Earth Protectors
from Susie Vincent
The poison of global warming due to the harnessing of machines in all
places and times,
Is causing the existing snow mountains to melt,
And the oceans will consequently bring the world within reach of the aeon’s end.
Grant your blessings that the world may be protected from these conditions!
Kyabje Sakya Trizin Rinpoche
Thank you, Chris for opening this thread, and indeed, nothing in my
view could be more relevant for our attention at this time. I’ve
already posted bits of this letter as sangha-talk correspondence, but
it has grown now. Your question covers serious social and economic
problems as well as Earth-protection, and wish I could do justice to
it.
I think my primary concern is: If Buddhists do not respond with
insight and skilful means to protect the Earth and sentient beings -
then who will?
Firstly, I feel we need to grasp that our house is on fire: the
larger container for our lives and practice, the lives of all sentient
beings, and the survival of species, is seriously at risk. It’s that
important. Some - but certainly not all - earth scientists, believe
that there is still time and scope to prevent the most unholy disaster
and incredible suffering from pervading all the latter years of our
own and our childrens’ lives, assuming that we survive. For many
people and species, the disaster has already happened.
Second, to understand that not all adult Buddhists – including
ourselves – may necessarily experience any deep sense of connection to
people, element, tree or planet at all.
Ignore-ance is no excuse (said the Buddha!) There is nothing about
non-attachment that implies separation – quite the opposite. We need
to plant our bottoms firmly on the surface of the Earth, and
re-cognize through the soles of our feet in walking meditations of all
kinds that there is a very great deal more about us that is a part of
all this than is apart from it. What's happening here is happening to
our 'family' in a very real sense, and if we lack this direct
awareness, let's ask why that is.
And certainly, it’s not about assuming that as meditators we'll be
‘saved’ in some way, via some auspicious coincidence or some sort of
‘transcendence’, and avoid the whole trip. There is no viable retreat
or insulation from this predicament, and there are no safe ledges to
sit on.
Third, I feel that if we're not part of the solution, we're part of
the problem. However blind we remain in cooperatively terminating the
planet’s life forms, it still creates lousy karma. And as Buddhists
practising in any kind of community, I feel we need to share
responsibility for safeguarding the virtuous conduct of the
container-establishment around its karmic footprint.
It seems to me that there's a faculty in humans – and indeed in more
senior dogs and cats – that involves just getting out of the chair,
stepping forward and sorting out the rumpus. It's a grown-up thing
and for me it seems to be an important element of the Shambhala
Warrior's path, and of the bodhisattva path. When things are turning
to custard, we have to show up and take responsibility for the
container and the occupants, and swiftly. It's not about aggression,
it's about caring very much indeed. The responsibility incurred by
the privilege of living on this planet is no less than when a baby has
been placed in one’s hands. In fact it's even greater.
So, as the fifth point – about working at the spade end (so to speak)
- I’m ambivalent about hard targets like the Zero Carbon Footprint. I
think they are a very good start, like a diet one gets out of a book,
and they help us raise our gaze generally - but I think with
awareness, insight and skilful means we could tune our responses even
more powerfully.
For example - we’re not just responsible for our plane’s emissions,
but also for conspiring in the conduct of the supply chain that
delivers what we use and consume to us. It’s easy to eat an animal
someone else has killed, drink a cup of coffee that helps starve a
community. To be in denial is part of the problem, not part of the
solution (said the Buddha). We need to be aware of what we are
doing, and be aware of what we need to know.
Where does the printing paper come from? How quickly are rainforests
being cut down, and what happens when they go? Where does the water
in the tap come from? Where does the wastewater go? What goes into
landfill? What is the impact on topsoil of continual chemical
dousing? What are biofuels made of and where do the materials come
from? Who is developing environmentally-friendly initiatives? Who is
constraining them?
There is much education needed in order to Do No Harm, and also much
equanimity needed to avoid despair.
Individually and collectively within Buddhist or Shambhala sanghas, if
we purport to further or BE examples of enlightened society, we need
to get serious. To-Do Lists here could be very long, but we need to
go beyond only changing the brands we buy for our sangha's centre.
My starter thoughts would include: –
« To consider how we are placed geographically / culturally – as
a sangha community in a given country, state, region or city.
What are our specific assets, opportunities and potential for
influence and impact? As a sangha? As a country, region or city?
What are the local or regional issues or threats, and how can we – as
individuals, or together - have most impact or provide most help,
given who we are and what we know?
« To research (and not just from mainstream science), develop and
broadcast models for conduct and action that are clear, workable and
influential;
« To enshrine appropriate habits in ambitious governance policies
and house codes;
« To use our creativity, and model a different paradigm through
effort to help with the healing: plaster photovoltaic film over the
roofs. Generate renewable energy and share it. Plant trees – hundreds
of them. Buy local or sponsor communities with what we buy. Actively
patronise organics in every purchase. Consider the big planetary
systems that run the whole machine, e.g. oceans and rainforests, and
do everything possible to persuade powerful governments to set up
protective coalitions, or remove barriers to protection. Include
indigenous communities in conversations. Propagate views and
recommendations at all levels inside and outside. Do your dathun at
the centre nearest you. etc. . . etc. . . etc . . .
« To consider who or what in our community would be at risk in
case of crisis, reduced or cut services. In an emergency, would we
need to support incoming refugees? How would we respond?
« To recognise the power of our ‘social capital’ and use it
skilfully. If we could walk to school without being shot, we have a
bank account and can write, we already have far more social capital
than most people in the world. If we went to college, or have access
to decision-taking forums at any level - whether office social club,
local ratepayer meeting or boardroom - we have huge social capital.
Most of us have great freedom and privilege. It is only gracious to
use it.
I feel it’s also important that we look at what other Buddhists are
saying, and certainly there is a lot being said. I found Sakyong
Mipham Rinpoche’s statement very moving.
I think HH XVII Karmapa's comprehensive statement on the environment
is about building a culture for renewal. His recommendations for
sanghas (albeit monastic ones, but the message is clear) are on the
www.ecobuddhism.org site, along with much much additional inspiring
and informative wisdom, in a section entitled Buddhism and the
Climate-Energy Emergency and I would like to applaud loudly all those
who put this together.
http://www.ecobuddhism.org/spiritual-wisdom.php?id=1
A few quotes from the introductory page:
> This should not be a mere verbal declaration. It should be a
deep commitment from everyone, so that Nature can respond in kind.
With collective insight we can reconcile with and heal our planet.
Each of us can do something in our own daily lives to contribute, to
ensure that a future is possible for the next generation.
Thich Nhat Hanh
> For Mahayana Buddhism, which sees all life as
interdependent, driving other species to extinction is unmistakably
harming ourselves and our own destiny.
> Consumerism requires and develops a sense of our own
impoverishment . . .the solution to any discomfort we might have is
consumption. Needless to say, this all-pervasive conditioning is
incompatible with the liberative path of Buddhism
> Consumption has replaced religion and citizenship as the way
we participate in society.
> Above all, Buddhism is based on the recognition of
interdependence . . . In this century, then, Buddhism has a special
destiny.
> There has never been a more important time in history to
organize all Buddhist resources systematically, on behalf of sentient
beings. There has never been a time when communication systems make
this as possible as they do now. Buddhist spiritual power could create
examples of change that influence the whole world.
Unleashing that power, however, requires religious people to bring
their values to the public square . . . to leave one’s values at home
is to assent to the status quo of excessive individualism,
consumerism, commodification of myriad aspects of life, environmental
decline, and the absence of strong communities
> In summary, the climate-energy emergency is so consequential
as to be a moral and ethical matter of the first order. The case can
be made that a pan-Buddhist Council should be convened to address it .
> We should arrive at an unambiguous common position on protection of
the climate and the living world, an inspiration to all people of good
heart.
> We still have a brief window of opportunity to ensure the
continuity of many varied and beautiful forms of life on Earth,
including our own. So we find ourselves living through the most
momentous of times. . . .The many species that constitute the living
world have no voice to ask for our compassion, wisdom and leadership.
Please participate in ‘breaking the silence’:
> There comes a time in all of our lives when silence is a betrayal
May all beings be free from suffering.
Susie Vincent
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The Gradual Path of Raising Buddhist Children:
Inner Chronicles:
Work Sex Money: Seminar Three,
Ocean of Dharma: A Shambhala Sun feature on Chögyam Trungpa by Barry Boyce
Tribute to Arbie Thalacker
Chronicles Highlights 2011
Chronicles Holiday Sampler
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse on the passing of his father, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
SMR joins Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Rabjam Rinpoche [Video 11:35]
Tribute to Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
Qualities
Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche on Distinguishing Ordinary Consciousness from Wisdom
At the
Tribute to Fabrice Champion
Crazy Wisdom, a review by Victress Hitchcock
Tribute to Michal Friedman
Radio interview with Chogyam Trungpa in 1971;
Mingyur Rinpoche: The essence of meditation
Julia Sagebien talks with Thrangu Rinpoche about fulfilling the aspirations of the Vidyadhara
Gold Lake Oil, by Tom Bell
THE BIG NO
Thrangu Rinpoche talks about Trungpa Rinpoche and his students [Audio 48:54]
In appreciation of the Very Venerable 9th Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
Teaching Stories: Never Give Up, told by Jim Lowrey
Memorial to Mary Smith, by Lee Weingrad
Conversation with Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel: Part Three
Khyentse Foundation: Ten Years of Giving
What Made Him Tick: a Review of Crazy Wisdom by Suzanne Duarte
Teaching Stories:
Tribute to Mary Smith