..續本文上一頁 have been consumed by many others who desire them. This is one example of an extreme use of resources.
The Kulasutta (A. IV. 255) furnishes us with the statement: “They have limited consumption……”. It goes on saying that if these principles are followed, that family, institute, organization or society will not decline but progress.
The Vinayapitaka (Vin. II, 291) records another incident, which highlights the Buddhist attitude in the proper management of resources. Once, Venerable Ānanda explained to King Udena about how the robes are being used in the community: “Those robes are given to monks who have decayed robes. The decayed robes are used as bed-sheets after that they have been used for pillowcases; the old pillowcases are used for carpets; then those old pillowcases are used for door-mates. The old door-mates are used for dusters. At last, when they are about to decay totally, they are used to construct a well after they have mixed them with mud”.
The Bhikkhunīvibhanga of Pacittiyapāli states that water in our natural environment should be treated with much care to preserve its purity and prevent its pollution: “Whoever would throw or would cause to throw urine, excreta, refuse and food remaining on greening grass or any clean environment is committing forfeiture offence (Vin. IV. 205 - 206). It further states: “One should train that he will not throw urine, excreta or spite on water (Vin. IV. 206).
Thus, Buddhism maintains the ideas of proper, systematic management and careful use of natural resources so that they will be preserved for the use of future generations yet to come.
Conclusion
The modern so called civilized man is getting more and more alienated from his true Self and the Nature. Owing to the of growing importance of science and industrial revolution, man has made himself a slave of materialism neglecting his morality and spirituality. His endless greed for wealth and possessions has degraded or depleted the natural resources leading to current ecocrisis.
Understanding the severe ecocrisis caused by Man, Man is now looking for a radical solution. However, while much money is being poured into research aimed at mitigating the ecocrisis, human over-consumption of natural resources has worsened the situation further. From Buddhist prospective, mind is considered as foremost and is the forerunner of every thought. As long as there is an impure state of mind obsessed with intense cravings and greed, the problem of ecocrisis can not be successfully fixed.
Buddhism offers the remedy to this diseased mind through the cultivation of moral and ethical values like compassion, loving kindness, content, self-control, harmonious attitude towards nature etc. Buddhism condemns both extremes of self-deprivation and self-indulgence. It recommends a middle path that is leading a simple, moderate lifestyle, satisfying one”s most basic needs. Buddhism advices man to utilize the natural resources so that eco-balance is always preserved sustainably. The Buddhist teaching of dependent co-arising and the teaching of kamma (action) and its vipāka (result) clearly point out man”s interrelationship with the nature and his moral responsibility towards it.
Bibliography
All Pali texts referred to are editions of the Pāli Text Society, London.
• Dīgha Nikāya
• Aṅguttara Nikāya
• Majjhima Nikāya
• Vinaya Pițaka
• Khuddhaka Nikāya
• Dhammapada
• Milindapañha
• David A. Kay and Eugene B. Skolnikoff. “World Eco-Crisis”, London, The University if Wisconsin Press Ltd. 1972
• Pallegama Ratanasara. Ven. “The Buddhist concept of the Environment and Inpidual”, Buddhist Mahā Vihāra, Malaysia, 2001
• Shundo Tachibana, “Ethics of Buddhism”, Curzon Press Ltd. Great Britain 1992
• Chaeles H. Southwick, “Global Ecology”, Sinauer Association, Inc, USA 1985
• Krishna Chaitanya “Profile of Indian Culture”, Clarion Books, New Delhi, 1987
• Woodbury, “Principles of general Ecology”, 1954
• E.F. Schumacher, “Small is Beauty”, Blond and Brigs Ltd, 1973
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