..續本文上一頁ient to cause a spark. However that spark will die if there is insufficient air. The wood must be sufficient to allow the fire to continue to light. Take away one of the conditions, and the spark will just die without giving rise to a continuous fire. All conditions must be present for the fire, without which the spark will not even give rise to a fire.
Therefore we cannot reason out to say our actions, how insignificant it way seem to us, will not have an effect on others or the environment. It does. Consider the butterfly effect theory and compare it with the Twelve Links in the Law of Dependant Origination taught by the Buddha which is almost similar. The Buddha says:
Imasmim sati idam hoti
Imasmim asati idam na hoti
When this arises, that arises
When this does not arise, that does not arise.
During the 2004 Asian Tsunami, mangroves in many places in India were destroyed by development and it resulted in severe destruction and loss of lives. But in areas where there were mangroves, the loss to property and lives were minimized significantly. This had several Niyamas operating together at the same time. It was nature”s fury, but man”s wisdom in protecting mangroves resulted in nature protecting lives.
Where foolishness and short-term gains prevailed, countless lives were loss. Japan has studied Tsunamis for years and have been able to minimize destructions from Tsunami significantly. We may not be able to stop the Tsunamis from happening, but we could certainly minimize its destruction with Right Actions. It is amazing that we could send people to the moon and space, but we could not find a way to minimize and predict where and when Tsunamis will occur-again a case of priorities!
Humans can protect nature to protect humans, and they can also destroy nature to eventually destroy humans. We can try to restore some of our lost natures resources, and mitigate what has been lost with wisdom, investing in right things, not weapons of mass destruction, etc.
In the Dhammapada, the Buddha beautifully describes a monk : “As a bee that gathers honey from a flower and departs from it without injuring the flower or its colors or its fragrance, the monk dwells in his village.” The flower moreover ensures the continuity of the species and the bee in taking pollen does not interfere with nature”s design. Man”s life should be similar- being part of Earth in a symbiotic manner in a win-win relationship with nature and all the other living beings.
The Karaniya Metta Sutta is a true expression of Buddhist universal love towards all life forms as mentioned below. Humans must learn to assume their symbiotic role on Earth and not as a virtual consuming animal who disregards nature, its wonders and its resources:
“Whatever breathing creatures there may beNo matter whether they are frail or firm,With none excepted be they long or bigOr middle-sized, or be they short or smallOr whether they are dwelling far or nearExisting or yet seeking to existMay beings all be of a blissful heart.”
《RESPECTING THE ENVIRONMENT》全文閱讀結束。