..续本文上一页el safe and contented. Delusion blinds our eyes from seeing the Truth. Buddhism teaches: “Contentment is the greatest bliss (Dh. Verse no.204). Human craving is the most dangerous thing which knows no bound. Our human mind is strongly motivated by thousands of cravings without an end. Our run after money, wealth, name and fame is all motivated and centered upon idea of ego of self (attā). The notion of self gives birth to three low instincts in us: I am superior to others; I am equal to others; I am inferior to others. When our human psychology works in either one of these three ways, we can never have satisfaction (santuṭṭhi) in the mind.
The Aggaññasutta throws light into the eco-crisis and human morality in their relatedness pointing out the arising of many bad effects, due to the unwholesome behavior driven by selfish desires, which are arisen in men due to the unwanted exploitation of natural resources bringing damages to the environment and vise versa (D. III, 80).
Emphasizing more on morality, the Petavatthu says: “if one were to sleep or sit under shade of a tree, he may not break the branches of that tree. If he does so, he is an evil false friend (Kh, 32).
The Cakkavattisīhanādasutta predicts how the immoral activities of human will gradually cause man”s health to deteriorate at last reducing the average human life-span by ten years (D. III, 71). If immorality grips society, man and nature deteriorate. This is one reason why the Buddha has pronounced that the world is led by the mind (S.I, 39).
According to the Adhammikasutta, social crisis might arise when immoral factors like lust, greed, hatred and wrong values grip the heart of man (A. I, 160). Thus, according to the ideas expressed in Early Buddhism, it advocates that the man”s utility of the natural resources is related to his environment ethics.
Proper management
A close examination of the Buddhist discourses shows that Buddhism is very concerned about the conservation of natural environment. To designate the Order of Nature or Law of Nature, Buddhism uses the term Dhamma or Dhammatā. According to Buddhism, everything in natural world is subjected to change (anicca). If Man lives with awareness of the Order of Nature or Law of Nature, the natural environment will be well preserved. Human being should utilize the natural resources in such a way that they are not depleted but are sustainable. It is undoubtedly a part of sammājīva (right livelihood).
If there is any environmental crisis, it is due to the way by which man utilizes the natural resources. Man should understand that unlike his greed which is unlimited, the natural resources are very limited. So he should learn to be contented by meeting his most basic needs. E.F. Schumacher in one of his works quoted in the following words of Mahatma Gandhi “Earth provides enough to satisfy everyman”s needs, but not for everyman”s greed (Small is Beautiful).
The use of resources with care and contentedness is emphasized in Buddhism very often. According to the Vyaggapajjasutta (A. VIII, 54), there are four Buddhist principles of life, out of which two emphasize a good relation with proper resource management: preservation, and balanced life.
According to Sigalovādasutta (D.III, 188), the Buddha advices that a householder should accumulate wealth just as a bee gather nectars from a flower without harming it. Similarly, man is expected to utilize sustainably the natural resources without depleting or harming them.
The wastages of resources are explained in Buddhism with a simile of careless eating of mango fruit (A. IV. 283). A person, wanting to eat a mango fruit, should not shake the whole tree. Many of the young fruits might fall and they go to waste. The fallen fruits could…
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