A Dhamma Perspective in Ecological Preservation (By Nagamauk-Sawthara)

A separate discipline of science which deals in the inter-relationship of organisms with their physical and biotic environment is known as Ecology. Owing to industrialization of the western countries, ecology has become a popular subject before us. Buddhism has not accounted it as a separate branch of knowledge simply because there was no ecological problem during the Buddha’s period. Nowadays, we find a lot of materials on ecology on Buddhist literature. Thus, ecology consists of Flora and Fauna, the green Vegetables, animals etc.
Under the Bodhi tree Siddhartha Gautama attained Enlightenment. He had to spend all those six years to reach ultimate truth in the deep jungles and animals. Our mind has a vital role in penetrating into the nature of reality. We become polluted because of the pollution of consciousness. It is also raid that consciousness is pure and luminous in nature but defiled by inward arising defiling factors.
There are some Dhammas which are sufficing condition in nature; technically known as Pakatupanissaya. Buddhaghosa gives two different derivations of the term (A) Pakata+Upanissaya and (B) Pakan+Upanissaya. Pakata means nipphadita, i.e what is required to such virtures such as Saddha (faith) Sila (morality) and like, or Upasevita i.e what is enjoyed referring to Utu (temperature) bhojana (food) and the like.1 Pakati means “nature.” Thus, a Pakatunissaya is powerful by nature.2 Thus, when a person is inspired by Saddha gives alms, or takes a moral vow, the Saddha stands to these acts as a Pakatupanissaya.3
As we know that the Man-Nature relationship has always been area of traditional philosophical discourses. The Aggañña Sutta presents the passage through various Evolution and dissolutions that are affected by morals of humanity. Dhamma perception becomes more prominent in universal. Sihanāda Sutra, which offers unimaginable miseries as the ultimate outcome of the trend. The Emphasis as non-violence shows another Buddhist attempt to preserve the ecological balance in modern era. After looking at the implications, if we preserve the ECO around us, we will be able to build a beautiful ECO- friendly world to live in.
The ecological ethics have been demonstrated in Rukkhadhamma—Jataka ( No-07, Jataka story No-74, Ekanipāta) ,which offer that a quarrel has appeared as to the right for the use of water. This quarrel indicates different opponents towards our life. Responding to this dispute Buddha has presented a story of his previous life in the form of a spirit of Sal- tree. To him, all his kinsfolk to hum trees should stand alone in the open and to take up their abodes in the jungle. Some worthy tree-spirits followed their ears to this advice but some foolish ones choose still to dwell on the giant trees which have grown in the open space. Oneday a mighty storm swept over there. Trees were damaged and uprooted leaving tree-spirits. They had to begin journey towards the Himalaya region taking their children in their arms. In the end, Buddha advised that the kinsfolk should stand united like the forest- trees.


“When shall I come to dwell in forest
Amongst the deer, the birds and the trees
That says nothing unpleasant
And are delightful to associate with.”3
The Buddha also adored the women. We get a few illustrations here. Visakhā, an immensely rich householder of Savatthi was held in high esteem by Buddha. He had great regards for his faster-mother Mahāpajapati Gotami at whose influence he threw open Dhamma for women. He had to console King Pasenadi Kosala (Prasenjita) and his queen Manlikā at the time of the birth of their daughter. The Buddhist literature is also full of prejudice against the women. While some reasons for such bias are understandable, other can be speculated. We find difficulty to judge them all in their true historical perspective. It must be mentioned that it was a monastic practice to belittle the importance of the feminine. Buddhism has spreaded a sort of permanent relationship between a housewife and a monk. The latter’s incursions became regular visits to the housewife for alms.
The Anguttara Nikaya offers five factors of animal which brought forth balance in our life. There are: (I) absence from greed (II) absence from non-violence (III) absence from delusion (IV) a through attention to the cause and (V) well directed mind. Opposite to the five factors which emerge imbalance and lead to defilements before us. In this way, culturing the mind is very essential.
Environmental ethics can be observed through the practical application of Buddha’s tends of Four Noble Truths and Law of Dependents origination. As the 14th Dalai Lama says:
``Being attentive to the nature,
Of interdependence of all creatures,
Both animate and inanimate
One should never slacken in one’s efforts.”
To preserve and conserve nature’s energy The Buddha has not differentiated between all living beings and the nature around him. Hence, being inspired by this ecological ethics of Buddha his disciples become very conscious towards the preservation of life all levels of existence. An elder monk named Thera Tarputta( Sariputtara) reveals his view in these lines:
“O when will (break above my head)
The purple storm cloud of the rains
And with fresh torrents drench my raiment in the words
Where in I wend my way
Along the path the seers have trod before.5”
We have four main components of Ecosystem:
(1). Abiotic Substances.
(2). Producer organisms.
(3). Consumer organisms
(4). Decomposer organisms
Abiotic Substances consist of organic as well as inorganic substances of water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, Nitrogen and entire range of elements and compounds. They may or may not be available to living organisms at any particular point of time.
Produce organisms consist of such plants and bacteria that prepare organic compounds. They transform in organic substances into organic one through photosynthesis and prepare their own food.
Consumer organisms are such living organisms which consumer and survive by taking food prepared by producer organisms. These members can not prepare their food on their own. They have to depend on producer organisms.
Decomposer organisms offer bacteria, fungus , ect which decompose and break deed manners, dust and dirt and break them into various simpler objects. These decomposer objects dissolve in the abiotic atmosphere and thereafter they can be reused by producer organisms.
Wind pervades the spaces in the woods and groves in flowering time. It sets all the trees and plants in agitation and bends them dawn. In this way, it maintains ecological balance.
King Ashoka, the great one, has emphasized the path of Ethical Ecology. He ordered for free plantation. He tried to grow more medicinal herbs and plants not only in his own empire but in other neighbouring states. He also ordered to dig up well and along the roadsides. He also constructed the Rest Houses for the comfort of travels. To make city of Patliputa green and pollution-tree, he developed two plants anamed Ashokaram and Kukkutaram there.
To sum up, Nature or rather entire environment should be made pollution tree with regards to Air, water and sound and then and only then all round prosperity could be continued through the tends as envisaged in the Pali canonical texts. We have two possible approaches to nature in Buddhist tradition. One is the mastering and harnessing of the natural resources for man’s use; the other is the contemplative attitude by which we discern in nature our own image of peace and tranquillity.
Nagamauk-Sawthara
Reference:
1. Vol-III, (Ed) Mahesh Jiwari, Nalanda,1972, p-75
2. Bodhicaryavatara VIII-75
3. Shdtering tree of Interdependence, His Holiness The Dalainlama,
New Dehli, 1993, Verse No-28
4. Ms.Phys. David; Psalm of the Early Buddhist, London,P.T.S. p-373-375

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