Buddha’s advice on wilderness and living in the present moment in nature

Last updated on: April 24, 2016 at 4:28 pm by Justin Whitaker

Buddha’s advice on wilderness and living in the present moment in nature 2016-04-24T16:28:59-06:00 Justin Whitaker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“The West of which I speak is but another name for the Wild; and what I have been preparing to say is, that in Wildness is the preservation of the world.”

– Henry David Thoreau, “Walking” (emphasis added)

In this sentiment, Thoreau, who was influenced by the Indian philosophy trickling into the Euro-American mindset of his time, echoes the Buddha’s words about life in the forest (Pali arañña). Much scholarly ink has been spilled on Buddhism and the environment. An excellent starting point here is Damien Keown’s Very Short Introduction to Buddhist Ethics. There, Keown notes some of the early passages that support a pro-nature/pro-animal attitude, including the 1st precept, which advocates non-harming toward all living beings. However, early Buddhist thought is wide and complex, and to overlook the contexts and complexities in order to only see one’s own favored teachings does both Buddhism and the reader a disservice. And, as Buddhism is a 2500 year-old religion with many developments, one must expect shifts in thought over time.

But in this particular text we find a fairly obvious praise of a kind of life in nature.

The text is called the Discourse on The Forest (or Wilderness), the Arañña Sutta (SN 1.10). And in the discourse the Buddha is met with a deva, or divine being, who asks “Those living in the forest, tranquil and of pure life, eating only one meal a day: how is it they appear so radiant?”

The Buddha’s response found its way to me today on the American Buddhist Perspectives facebook page (celebrating 2000 likes today, with gratitude!), shared by the Indiana Buddhist Temple:

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

“atītaṃ nānusocanti, nappajappanti nāgataṃ. paccuppannena yāpenti, tena vaṇṇo pasīdati”.

“For the past they do not mourn, nor for the future pine; they are nourished by the present, so does their colour shine.”

“anāgatappajappāya, atītassānusocanā. etena bālā sussanti, naḷova harito luto”ti.

“In pining for the future, or over the past forlorn, by this do fools wither up, just as green reeds once shorn.”

There is undoubtedly something special about time in nature, where one is surrounded by the unfamiliar in every moment, a certain aliveness enveloping you. Growing up and living again in Montana it’s easy to take that feeling for granted. It’s described by avid outdoors-people as an instant shot of joy, a humbling experience, a de-centering of the self as one’s past and future worries melt away.

Of course, Wilderness alone is not the answer; certainly not in Buddhism at least. The key to really building on and maintaining these experiences is the meditation the forest-dwellers would have been engaging in. It is with meditation that one unravels and releases the thick cord of the past -as was well-depicted in Dan Woo’s recent guest post– and it is with meditation that one develops the autonomy to choose a more mindful and open presence in life, whether in the forest or home with a spastic puppy, in the boardroom or in a dentist’s chair.

Stay in touch with American Buddhist Perspectives on Facebook:

American Buddhist Perspectives

Further reading:

Arañña Sutta (SN 1.10). on Accesstoinsight: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.010.than.html
Peter Harvey’s Introduction to Buddhist Ethics (for more on Buddhism and the environment and Buddhist ethics more broadly)
Pragati Sahni, Environmental Ethics in Buddhism: A Virtues Approach
David E. Cooper & Simon P. James, Buddhism, Virtue and Environment
Stephanie Kaza & Kenneth Kraft, Dharma Rain: Sources of Buddhist Environmentalism

nature wildness helena mt

Photo © Justin Whitaker, April 2016

Previous Post

April 23, 2016

The Souse Family and Buddhism's Fifth Precept

Next Post

April 25, 2016 5 Lessons from the Nepal Earthquake for the Japan and Ecuador Disasters

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Academia Activism American Buddhism Art Book review Buddhism Buddhism Today Buddhist Ethics Burma/Myanmar China Christianity Commodification Environment Gender Happiness Health Humor India Interfaith Islam Japanese Buddhism Kant Media / News Meditation mindfulness Photography Poetry Politics quicktakes Running Teaching Technology Thailand Theism/Atheism Theravada Tibet Tibetan Buddhism Travels Uncategorized Unitarian Universalism video Western Philosophy Zen

Select a Month June 2021 January 2021 November 2020 August 2020 July 2020 March 2020 January 2020 October 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 November 2004 September 2004 August 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz