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2011 HSC Studies of Religion Exam solutions Extended response questions Question 1 Some religions emphasise justice, while other emphasise compassion. To what extent does the statement apply to the underlying unity of the whole Buddhist tradition? Buddhism is a religious tradition that emphasises compassion among its many variants and throughout the non-Buddhist world. This emphasis on compassion is clearly seen in the life and teachings of the Buddha and many Buddhist masters including the work of the 14th Dalai Llama, Tenzin Gyatso. This obligation for compassion which ultimately leads to justice for all is exemplified in Buddhist responses to problematic environmental issues, Buddhists draw on their ethical teachings to ensure that equity and justice in relation to environmental matters are followed by all concerned. Tenzin Gyatso has said “From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.” The Dalai Llama’s life work has concentrated on the theme of compassion; he has ensured that his work and teachings have influenced not only Tibetan Buddhists but also Buddhists from other variants of the faith. In addition, the Dalai Llama has had an impact on the west, lecturing in many countries around the world on his philosophy of love and compassion. He has made inroads into discussing important issues such as global warming, world peace and interfaith dialogue with many world leaders in both the religious and secular realms. The Dalai Llama’s basic philosophy instructs that humans should recognise that everybody undergoes suffering at times in their lives. He says that individuals should be aware of one another’s problems and in doing so they will build better, more compassionate understanding towards others by finding empathy in common suffering. The Dalai Llama maintains that together humans can strive to become more compassionate, and as a result, personal serenity and inner peace will increase. This philosophy can be applied to the Dalai Llama’s understanding of issues associated with peace in his home country, Tibet, and his response to interfaith dialogue as this applies to the entire human community. The Dalai Llama was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1989 for his contributions to negotiating peace between China and Tibet. Buddhist views on the environment are informed by their ethical teachings found in the eightfold path: “Right speech, Right action, Right livelihood,” and the first two of the five precepts: “I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life and I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given.” Buddhist teachings that emphasise compassion are also evident in Buddhist viewpoints in regard to treatment and care of the environment. Buddhism appreciates that planet earth is our only home and that humans of all faiths should ensure that they care for Cambridge University Press it. The Dalai Llama refers to this as ‘universal altruism’. From the Buddhist point of view, humans are no different to other sentient beings, as they are neither inferior nor superior. In Buddhism perceptive beings are known to have the ‘Buddha-nature’, i.e. the prospect of becoming fully enlightened. Most Buddhists do not believe in treating other sentient beings as objects for human consumption. Buddhists believe that to maintain enlightenment they must have total compassion for all beings whether they are sentient or not; this concept is called "ahimsa" (avoiding injury to any sentient creature. Harming the planet through pollution, global warming deforestation and other derogatory practices is considered harmful and unnecessary. Buddhism by its very nature is profoundly environmental, and Buddhism itself is an ecological religion. It strongly articulates humankind’s connection to the environment. Buddhists believe that all things, including humans, exist by their interrelationship with all other parts of the environment. Buddhist teachers and masters continually remind people of the significance of living compassionately with nature and respecting life. The precepts of Buddhism direct the faithful to seek a right livelihood by teaching that if we wish to save the planet, we must first reflect on our lives to decide how we can best work against environmental destruction. The Buddhist attitude to resolving the global environmental crisis embraces the philosophy that compassion is the foundation for a balanced view of the planet in its entirety. Groups such as the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) believe that we exist ‘in a time of ecological and social crisis’. This group works towards raising compassion, awareness and consciousness amongst Buddhists and other faiths around the world. INEB is an organisation that links Buddhists from around the world. It has members in Asia, the USA, Australia and Europe. Its members include monks, nuns, activists, academics and social workers. While it is primarily a Buddhist organisation, some of its members come from other spiritual traditions and interfaith activities are part of its program. For Buddhists, compassion means feeling empathy for others and as such Buddhists believe that humans should do as much as possible to lessen each other’s pain and suffering as this and only this will lead towards enlightenment. In Buddhism, an individual’s spiritual development flourishes logically into concern for the welfare of others. The Buddha’s life illustrates this. As Buddhists seek to emulate the life of the Buddha, Buddhist beliefs regarding mercy and compassion are strongly upheld by all members of the faith. This is evident in the life and work of the great masters such as the 14th Dalai Llama and in the Buddhist attitude to environmental ethics. Cambridge University Press