Download 1 Throughout the existence of humankind, an intrinsically growing

INTRODUCTION
Throughout the existence of humankind, an intrinsically growing disconnect has evolved
amongst our species. As a result of our own doings, it has grown so large that it has separated us from
the rest of the physical world, including other people and the environment, and even from our own
minds. This disconnect is embodied in our lack of empathy for others, our imprudent sense of
domination over nature, our mindlessly skewed misconceptions of ourselves as a species and,
ultimately, in the unsustainable way in which we rush through life. Although we may not be seeing this
separation unfold before us, the Earth is feeling it deeply and intensely. I believe that our modern
construction of the economy, including its consumer-based framework, is what drives such detachment
amongst our population. The flaw within this system is clear- it can never be satisfied. A cycle that
turns in attempts to fulfill personal gain will never stop, or even slow down, as a perception of ‘never
enough’ will always exist amongst this state. So how might we resolve this disconnect so that we may
evolve from a consumerist civilization to a cohesively sustainable one?
Buddhist teachings provide us with the ability to discover a self-awareness and an even greater
global awareness that could repair our broken connection with the human and nonhuman environment
by shifting our state of mind towards deeper, more responsive thought. In this essay, I will argue that
Buddhist philosophical perspectives, including mindfulness, provide the ultimate solution to achieving
a sustainable civilization. In support, I will identify and describe the Buddhist philosophies that offer
insight to our values for human life and understandings of human existence. I will then discuss the
crucial importance of such values and understandings in addressing our global crisis at the level of the
consumer as well as at the level of the economic framework itself.
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PILLARS OF BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY
In order to establish a solution for our global environmental crisis, we must first seek to
understand the underlying issues. In other words, if we wish to lead a life that is more ecologically
conscious, we must acknowledge the role that we play in contributing to the current state of our planet.
Buddhism can provide us with perspectives alluding to all aspects of human life in the context of our
innate unsustainable behaviours.
The most foundational of all Buddhist teachings is the Four Noble Truths, which explain the
roots of the human condition (Daniels 2010). The First and Second Noble Truths, the noble truth of
suffering and the noble truth of the origin of suffering, tell us why we have achieved such an
unmaintainable state, while the Third and Fourth Noble Truths, the noble truth of cessation and the
noble truth of the path that leads to such cessation, offer a solution in the form of psychological and
behavioural changes that can direct us towards sustainability (Daniels 2007). The First Noble Truth,
also known as dukkha, refers to the suffering that exists within us (Tsering 2005). This suffering
involves many torments of the human mind and body, but in the context of our unsustainably
constructed economy, the most menacing of these sufferings are dissatisfaction and emptiness. The
Second Noble Truth goes on to explain that dukkha is a result of our cravings, desires, and attachments
(Tsering 2005), all of which are drivers of our consumerist lifestyle. The Third Noble Truth tells us that
we have the ability to alleviate the suffering and, finally, The Fourth Noble Truth offers us a step-bystep framework for a path to enlightenment (Tsering 2005).
The next set of pillars that underpin Buddhist philosophies is the doctrine of existence, which
incorporates three concepts: interconnectedness, impermanence and not-self. According to Barash
(2013), a professor of evolutionary biology and psychology, these concepts are also the underpinning
of the structure of the world and all livings things, including human beings. Interconnectedness
explains that all things of reality are connected by our environment- the air we breathe, the cells in our
bodies, the ground beneath our feet. As Buddhist monk and peace activist, Thich Naht Hanh (1991),
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puts it, we “inter-are”. The concept of impermanence refers to our existence in the Anthropocene, as
we are simply occupying an era of time and space that is destined for an inevitable end. More
specifically, whether something is organic or inorganic, nothing is lasting because we are constantly
undergoing change. The third and final concept, not-self, explains that the ‘self’ has no substantiality
and that we are merely a projection of our genetic function.
This brings me to the final and perhaps most applicable pillar of Buddhist philosophy involved
in the sustainability conversation: mindfulness. In the context of Buddhism, mindfulness reflects a state
of being in which one is aware and attentive and also exercises meditation and peace of mind (Amel et
al. 2009). If we are to acknowledge and accept the Four Noble Truths and the Buddhist doctrine of
existence, mindfulness can be easily adopted into Western culture and ideals. Of course, we can
certainly be mindful without acknowledging the teachings of the Buddha, but it is these pillars of
philosophy that bring heart and reason to the movement, and this type of movement is essential for
generating true change.
REDUCTION AT THE CONSUMER LEVEL
Every day, we go through a similar routine; we eat, we drink, and we go from place to place.
The average person today would even consider using their cellphone a part of their daily ritual. Much
of the globalized part of the world is so accustomed to having and doing these things with such facility
that we have grown immune to the true experience of it all. The disconnect between our minds and our
actions or thoughts can be attributed to our ‘autopilot’, which depicts a state of being outside of the
present moment where one is thinking either of the past or the future and perhaps getting caught up in
the cognitions and emotions of those thoughts (Marchand 2013). Going through the day with your
autopilot turned on would be similar to driving on cruise control- we would simply let the car take us to
our destination without feeling the gears and the gas pedal, much like we would let our bodies carry us
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to work without experiencing the sensation of walking. Autopilot is a dangerous state to live in because
it makes us numb to the consequences of our actions and this concept is largely rooted in our overly
consumptive unsustainable behaviour.
On the other hand, if we are consciously mindful then we may actively choose to turn off our
autopilot and exist in the present moment. A study conducted by Elise Amel and her colleagues (2009)
at the University of St Thomas, Minnesota, sought to analyze the relationship between mindfulness
practice and sustainable behaviour. One hundred participants were asked to answer a questionnaire
concerned with “acting with awareness” and “attending to one’s experiences, emotions and sensations”,
and these answers were then crossed with a separate set of questions concerned with ‘green’ behaviours
such as, “How often do you eat meat?” and “How often do you limit your showers to under 5
minutes?”. They found that “acting with awareness”, or mindfulness, was positively correlated with
sustainable behaviour (Amel et al. 2009). More specifically, for unsustainable consumerist habits,
several psychologists have recommended mindfulness as a remedy. In this way, “would-be consumers
[can] reflect on their needs and how they might reap desired benefits without overconsumption” (Amel
et al. 2009).
Another correlation to highlight is one that exists between mindfulness, well-being and
sustainability. For example, Brown and Kasser (2005) measured the subjective well-being, or
happiness for simplistic purposes, and ecologically responsible behaviour in 206 participants, and the
results showed yet another positive correlation. They went on to explain that happy people live in more
ecologically conscious ways because “such individuals hold intrinsically oriented values and are more
mindful of their inner experience and behaviour” (Brown & Kasser 2005).
If we can attempt mindfulness in our every day lives, imagine the impact we could have in
reducing our consumption and in separating our consumer needs from our consumer wants. The
understandings of interconnectedness, impermanence and not-self can inflict in us a sense of
connection to ourselves, to others and to the material goods and services that we consume day after
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day. For example, a conscious mind would think twice about a running tap left on and make a genuine
effort to turn it off. And even deeper still, a conscious mind would think about the pathway of that
water- where it has been, where it will go, and to what other living thing will it be a source of hydration
and energy.
If we wish to create a truly sustainable civilization in the near future, the mental and
behavioural shift must be a globally cohesive one. Therefore, the solution cannot only spread at the
consumer level, but it must also succeed at the level of governance of the consumer, thus within the
economy. This brings me to the final section of the essay, where I will explore the potential for the
pillars of Buddhist philosophy to be implemented into our Western economic structure and, thus, the
very likely possibility to invent a more sustainable civilization.
REDUCTION AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL
Our globalized capitalist economy, with a framework that has proven to have detrimental
effects for the environment, is not such an easy subject to tackle. The social science of human
economics is one that is very complex, and has a very deeply rooted history. In this sense, the average
person is hopelessly left to obey the system, with a perception that the ways of the world are set in
stone. However, in actuality, the concept of the economy is not at all that daunting. In fact, according to
Peter Daniels, author of Economic Systems and the Buddhist World View, “The central defining feature
of economics is… the identification and understanding of the inevitable patterns of behavior in society
that are related to “livelihood”, or the provision for physical and social needs and wants in the face of
scarcity of appropriate resources” (Daniels 2005). The key word here is ‘livelihood’, which refers to
the means by which one secures the goods necessary for life. As paraphrased in the above section,
mindfulness and other Buddhist philosophical perspectives are tools that can shape our perceptions of
human livelihood. Therefore, how we regulate and consume goods is not defined by the system, but
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rather is defined by our own thoughts and behaviours.
Furthermore, integrating Buddhist philosophical perspectives into our modern economy is not
so fanciful of an idea as one may think. ‘Buddhist economics’ is on the rise in recent literature
surrounding economic and socio-economic sustainability. The concept seeks to reconcile the human
economy and the natural environment, and is defined by the following features:
“[Livelihood]… judged on the basis of… true well-being; humanistic
transformation of Western economic modes of production, growth and
development… so that human welfare is maximized; [labor] based on nonviolence, smaller work units, less capital inputs…, communal ownership, and
regional workplaces… [with] local resources; rationale for… livelihood…
rooted in the interconnectedness of… human existence; consumption and
material use and accumulation… most accurately identified with moderation;
and [rejection of] the… assumption that welfare and happiness has a direct
positive and linear relation with individual accumulation… and calls for a
fundamental re-examination of the nature, and product, of human livelihood
activity.” (Daniels 2003)
Buddhist economics reflects a framework of economic choice that is still rational but serves to
satisfy livelihood based on resources derived for reasons other than short-term monetary gains for the
individual (Daniels 2005). Satisfying individualistic cravings will inevitably lead to a systematic crash,
thus understanding the value in the Buddhist philosophical context of acquisition in moderation is
essential to realizing a sustainable economy and, eventually, a sustainable civilization.
MOVING FORWARD
The fate of the universe is not in our hands; the Earth will go on with or without a paradigm
shift. However, the fate of humanity most certainly is in our hands. If we wish to leave our children and
grandchildren with a healthy and thriving environment, we must devote our efforts towards living
sustainably today.
I believe that the ultimate way of doing this is by opening our minds to Buddhist philosophical
perspectives and adopting those values into our Western culture. More specifically, we must
incorporate the values into the mainstream economy, the very system that is destroying our planet. As I
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have shown, mindfulness and other pillars of Buddhist philosophy can have a large impact on
promoting sustainable human behaviours at the consumer level and the potential for this awareness to
spread to the global level is already being researched and discussed in the form of Buddhist Economics.
Rather than senselessly stumbling through life, we have the opportunity to experience it at its
fullest, while also promoting the health of the natural environment. And that opportunity already exists
within us; we simply have to be courageous enough to realize it. If we are open to Buddhist
philosophical teachings, we will free ourselves from the blinding veil of human ignorance and open our
minds to a clear and transparent state of mind that will no doubt redevelop our civilization towards
sustainability.
References
Amel, E.L., Manning, C.M. & Scott, B.A. (2009) Mindfulness and sustainable behaviour: Pondering
attention and awareness as means for increasing green behaviour. Ecopsychology, 1, 14-25.
Barash, P. (2013) Buddhist Biology: Ancient Eastern Wisdom Meets Modern Western Science. Oxford
University Press, New York, NY.
Brown, K.W. & Kasser, T. (2005) Are psychological and ecological well-being compatible? The role
of values, mindfulness, and lifestyle. Social Indicators Research, 74, 349-368.
Daniels, P. (2005) Economic systems and the Buddhist world view: the 21st century nexus. The Journal
of Socio-Economics, 34, 245-268.
Daniels, P. (2007) Buddhism and the transformation to sustainable economics. Society and Economy,
29,155-180.
Daniel, P. (2010) Climate change, economics and Buddhism- Part 1: An integrated environmental
analysis framework. Ecological Economics, 69, 952-961.
Marchand, W.R. (2013) Mindfulness meditation practices as adjunctive treatments for psychiatric
disorders. Psychiatric Clinic of North America 36, 141-152.
Naht Hahn, T. (1991) Peace is Every Step. Bantam Books, New York, NY.
Tsering, G.T. (2005) The Four Noble Truths. Wisdom Publications, Somerville, MN.
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Weak
- Shows minimal
understanding of
ideas, concepts,
themes, content
Average
- Shows moderate
understanding of
ideas, concepts,
themes, content
- Little evidence of
integration of
knowledge to
achieve synthetic
understanding
- Text contains no
clearly stated thesis
- Some evidence of
integration of
knowledge to
achieve synthetic
understanding
- Text contains a
thesis that is vague
and unoriginal
- analysis/interpretation
- Develops ideas
with minimal logic
and critical analysis
- Develops ideas
with some logic and
critical analysis
- inferences
- Minimal inferences
made
- Some inferences
made
- use of textual evidence
- Incorporates
minimal relevant
evidence
- Incorporates some
well-chosen relevant
evidence
Organisation/ Structure
- thesis linkage
- Little progression
of ideas
- introduction, body,
conclusion
- Minimal structural
organisation
-May have abrupt or
illogical shifts and
ineffective flow of
ideas
- Some clear signs of
logical organisation,
but conclusion fails
to address thesis
adequately
- transitions
- Resembles a
written form of
speech
- Applies grammar,
usage, spelling and
punctuation with
limited accuracy and
effectiveness
- Linkages weak in
many places
- Follows required
style for few
citations and
references
- Follows required
style for some
citations and
references
Knowledge/Understanding
- - ideas, concepts, themes,
content
- synthesis/integration
Thinking/Inquiry
- thesis statement
Application
- language conventions
- citations, references
- Applies grammar,
usage, spelling and
punctuation with
some accuracy and
effectiveness
Very good
- Shows
considerable
understanding of
ideas, concepts,
themes, content
- Clear evidence
of integration of
knowledge to
achieve synthetic
understanding
- Text contains a
clear thesis that
needs deeper
thought
- Develops ideas
with considerable
logic and critical
analysis
- Multiple
inferences made
of varying
effectiveness
- Incorporates
considerable wellchosen relevant
evidence
- Sequence of
ideas generally
appropriate to
thesis
- Organisation
supports thesis
and purpose with
conclusion
referring directly
to thesis
- Some effective
transitions
Excellent
- Shows thorough
understanding of
ideas, concepts,
themes, content
- Applies
grammar, usage,
spelling and
punctuation with
considerable
accuracy and
effectiveness
- Follows required
style for most
citations and
references
- Applies grammar,
usage, spelling and
punctuation with
high degree of
accuracy and
effectiveness
- Integration of
knowledge to
achieve synthetic
understanding
readily apparent
- Text is focussed on
a clear, original and
challenging thesis
- Develops ideas
with a high degree of
logic and critical
analysis
- Highly effective
inferences made
- Incorporates highly
effective and wellchosen relevant
evidence
- Logical flow of
ideas is well-suited
to thesis
- Clear introduction,
body and conclusion
that that together
achieve a unity of
purpose in relation to
the thesis
- Effective
transitions
- Follows required
style for all citations
and references
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