Enhancing Awareness: Buddhist Solutions for a Future World

July 05, 2010

Continued from Page 1

An organism, population, economy, society, or culture can only be as healthy as its habitat. Consequently, humans suffer when their environment suffers, at least indirectly if not directly. This is inevitable because, as both Buddhism and ecology realize, everything is interconnected and interdependent in some degree and manner. Thich Nhat Hanh refers to this as interbeing. In his recent book The World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology (Parallax Press, 2008), he notes how healing one's self involves reconnecting with the wider web of life and contributing to healing nature, as well. That also means dealing effectively with the ultimate sources of suffering -- namely, ignorance, delusion, and craving, one's own and that of others.

The above considerations reflect the inherent and profound ecological and environmental relevance of Buddhism. The tensions between subsistence, a depleted measure of human well-being, and greed, an excessive measure of human satisfaction, fail to make room for the generosity and plenty our world is capable of. As we place a greater importance on the material rather than the spiritual, we further environmental degradation and destruction, and accordingly increase suffering for human beings and for many other kinds of beings in the diverse ecosystems throughout the world's biosphere. While the near future of humanity and planet Earth do not appear to be very bright, that of Buddhism shines, not only in diagnosing the ultimate problem, but also in prescribing the ultimate solution. If you want to know the source of suffering, then look into the mirror.

If you want to know the source for reducing suffering, then look to others; become interbeing.

L.E. Sponsel is Professor of Anthropology and Director of Ecological Anthropology Program at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, and author of the forthcoming book, Spiritual Ecology: A Quiet Revolution, the first major initiative of the Research Institute for Spiritual Ecology (RISE).

Poranee Natadecha-Sponsel, Ed.D., teaches Philosophy, Sociology, and Religion at Chaminade University at Honolulu.

Page: 2 of 2

7/5/2010 4:00:00 AM

Future of Buddhism

Dalai Lama

Environment

Internet

science

Technology

Buddhism

Vajrayana Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism

more at patheos

"An Early Christian Context for the Book of Moses"?

Dan Peterson

The Two-State Solution Is Dead But How About an Alternative?

Kermit Zarley

Beyond Performance: The Simple Truth of Staying Connected

Benjamin Raven Pressley

One Day Everything Is Going to Be OK

Randy Alcorn

About

Patheos 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.

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos