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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. 1 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), 2 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 3 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 4 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 5 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 6 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. 7 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 8