Expert: Justin Choo - 6/12/2010

Question
i am currently doing an assignment on buddhist environmental ethics and it would be greatly appreaciated if you could anser as many as possible of the questions below. As Soon As Possible please!

1.   What branch of Buddhism are you part of?
2.   What do you believe are Buddhism’s environmental ethics?
3.   Do you believe the following statement is true or false? Buddhist monks and nuns vow to follow moral precepts that prohibit harming of the environment as it encourages the mind to be free from all ‘corrupting’ materialistic objects.
4.   Could you please state whether you support the environmental ethics and why? So just to elaborate, could you please state whether (or not) you support the environmental ethics and why(If you could further explain why you are against/for environmental ethics by making links to the 5 precepts, karma or various teachings of Buddha, that would be a great help)
5.   What is the Tibetan position on environmental ethics?
6.   Are there any circumstances in which these ethical issues are permissible?
7.   How do the 5 moral precepts, karma and other Tibetan teachings relate to these ethical issues?
8.   What teachings apply when evaluating Mahayana Buddhists position to environmental ethics? Also Theravada and Tibetan?
9.   How does Mahayana feel about environmental ethics?
10.   Do you think environmental ethics are big issues within the Buddhist community?
11.   Are there any teachings that condemn or condone environmental ethics?

Answer
Hi Jaimee,

(I have been receiving assignment questions lately from the same country.  Would it be that you are from the same group?)

Before answering your questions, I would like to make the following comments.

Buddhism is not against anything.  The Buddha taught universal truths.  Truths that you and I can verify by using common sense and human intelligence.  When certain actions are bad or unwholesome, the Buddha merely pointed out.  If one persists to perform those actions then the person has to bear the bad consequences.  We can use 3 simple logical principles to decide whether a particular action or condition is bad or not:

1) Is it harmful to oneself?
2) Is it harmful to others?
3) Is it beneficial to oneself and/or others?

Buddhism is about living in contentment and experiencing inner peace.  This can only be achieved if a person lives a harmless and peaceful life.  If you can understand what I have written so far, then most of your questions have been answered!  

To me there is no such thing as "Buddhist environmental ethics."  Buddhism is simply Buddhism, all about the teachings of the Buddha.  All about living in peace within oneself and with the environment.  The term you used is just for academic exercise.  Buddhist principles are all-encomposing with the unversal values of non-violence and compassion for all beings; and living in harmony with nature.  Anything contrary to this axiom is not favoured by Buddhists.

Below are my answers, keeping in mind the above comments:

1. What branch of Buddhism are you part of?
Theravada

2. What do you believe are Buddhism’s environmental ethics?
No such term.  Simply do not hurt the environment, and the environment will not hurt you.
(Look at the present oilspill in the Gulf Of Mexico...Humans damaging the environment.  This particular one is extremely serious, with no solution yet.  Millions of litres of oil are spilling out right at this very moment.  This is HELL!!)

3. Do you believe the following statement is true or false? Buddhist monks and nuns vow to follow moral precepts that prohibit harming of the environment as it encourages the mind to be free from all ‘corrupting’ materialistic objects.
This is purely academic, trying to be clever by using more words to ask a simple question.  All Buddhists follow moral precepts because they are conducive to peaceful living.

4. Could you please state whether you support the environmental ethics and why? So just to elaborate, could you please state whether (or not) you support the environmental ethics and why(If you could further explain why you are against/for environmental ethics by making links to the 5 precepts, karma or various teachings of Buddha, that would be a great help)
Actually, you have not defined "environmental ethics".  If one follows the five precepts diligently, whatever ethics are covered!!

5. What is the Tibetan position on environmental ethics?
Please ask them.

6. Are there any circumstances in which these ethical issues are permissible?
What exactly are these "ethical issues"?  Whatever they may be, use the "3 acid tests" guide I mentioned above.

7. How do the 5 moral precepts, karma and other Tibetan teachings relate to these ethical issues?
The 5 precepts, etc do not relate to these issues.  Buddhist teachings relate to living a contented and peaceful life.   In so doing, "these issues" are all covered.

8. What teachings apply when evaluating Mahayana Buddhists position to environmental ethics? Also Theravada and Tibetan?
Again, purely academic.  Please refer to answers 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7.


9. How does Mahayana feel about environmental ethics?
I think you can answer by now.

10. Do you think environmental ethics are big issues within the Buddhist community?
There is nothing in Buddhism that is big issue. The Buddha just pointed out what is wholesome and what is unwholesome. Anyone who chooses to act unwholesomely must also be prepared to face unwholesome results. The choice is yours. And I repeat this important guideline:

1. Is the action harmful to oneself?
2. Is the action harmful to others?
3. Is the action beneficial?

11. Are there any teachings that condemn or condone environmental ethics?
Buddhists never condemn.  Just use your common sense and human intelligence.  A decent human being knows what is right and what is wrong.  He or she doesn't need anyone to pint out.  This is the Buddha's teachings in 3 simple lines:
Avoid evil
Do good
Use your brain  


Hope this helps, and have fun in your assignment.  I wish you success in your studies.

Take care.

Justin Choo