Download To Save All Beings: Buddhist Environmental ed. Christopher S. Queen, Activism,

Kaza, Stephanie. 2000. To Save All Beings: Buddhist Environmental
Activism, in Engaged Buddhism in the West, ed. Christopher S. Queen,
Boston: Wisdom Publications, pp 159-183.
T o S a v EA r r B E r N c s :B u p o H r s r
ENvrnoNMENTaIAcrr vrsM
Stephanie Kaza
MEorraroRs FoRM A cIRCLE at the basecamp of the HeadwatersForest.
All are invited to join the Buddhists sitting still in the flurry of activiry.while
othersdrum, talk, dance,and discussstrategy,the small group of ecosattvasBuddhist environmental activists-focus on their breathing and intention
amidstthe towering trees.They chant the Metta sutta to generate a field of
loving-kindness.Flere in volatile timber country they renew their pledges to
the most challenging task of Buddhist practice-to saveall beings.
In this action, old-growth redwoods are the beings at risk, slatedfor harveston the Maxxam company property in northern california. ljntil recently the sixty-thousand-acre ecosystemwas logged slowly and sustainablyby a
smallfamily company. Then in 1985 logging accelerated dramatically following a hostile corporate buyout. Alarmed by the loss of irreplaceable
giants,forest defenders have fought tirelessly to halt clear-cutting and preserve these ancient stands of redwoods. They have been joined by
Hollywood stars,rock singers,and Jewish rabbis, many willing ro pracrlce
civil disobediencein protest. How is it that Buddhists have become involved
with this effort?
Motivated by ecological concerns, the ecosattvasformed as an affiniry
group at Green Gulch zen center in Marin county, california. As part of
their practice they began exploring the relationship between Zen training
and environmental activism. They wanted to know: what does it mean to
take the bodhisattva vow as a call to save endangered species,decimated
forests,and polluted rivers? what does it mean to engage in environmental
activismfrom a Buddhist perspective?1
The ecosattvasare part of an emerglng movement of ecospiritual activism, backed by a parallel academic development which has become the field of Religion and Ecology.2 christian
scholars,Jewish social justice groups, Hindu tree-planting prqects, and
IJ9
7
ENGAGING THE ISSUES
Islamic resistance to usurious capitalism are all part of this movement.
Buddhist efforts in the United Stateslike those of the ecosattvasare matched
by r-'onks in Thailand protesting the oil pipeline from lJurma and ribetans
teaching environmental education in I)haramsala.-'
Activist scholarJoanna Macy suggeststhese actions are all part of the
"third turning of the wheel [of Dharma]," her sensethat Buddhism is undergoing a major evolutionary shift at the turn of the millennium.+ In todayt
context, one of the oldest teachings of the Buddha-pa ticcasamuppadaor
dependent co-arising-is finding new form in the ecology movement. If
ecosystem relationships are the manifestation of interdependence, then protecting ecosystemsis a way to protect the l)harma: "with the Third Ti.rrning
of the Wheel, we see that everything we do impinges on all beings."sActing
with compassionin responseto the rapidly accelerating environmental crisis
can be seen as a natural fruit oflluddhist practice.
Is there a Buddhist ecospiritual movement in North America? Not in
any obvious sense,at least not yet. No organizations have been formed to
promote Iluddhist environmentalism;no clearly defined environmental agenda has been agreed upon by a group of self-identified American Buddhists.
However, teachersare emerging, and Buddhist students of all agesare drawn
to their writings and ideas.WritersJoanna Macy and Gary Snyder have made
ecological concerns the center of their tsuddhist practice. TeachersThich
Nhat Hanh and His Holiness the Dalai Lama have frequently urged mindful
action on behalf of the environment. Activists John Seed,Nanao Sakaki,and
others are beginning to define a Buddhist approach to environmental
'Western
activism. There is a strong conversation developing among
and
Eastern Buddhists,asking both practical and philosophical questionsfrom this
emerging perspective.Withenvironmentalissuesa mounting global concern,
Buddhists of many traditions are creatively adapting their religious heritage
to confront these di{Ecult issues.
In this chapter I begin the preliminary work of documenting the scope
of Buddhist environmentalism in the late r99os, gathering together the historical and philosophical dimensions of what has been called "green
Buddhism." This study will be necessarilylimited to'Western Buddhism, in
keeping with the focus of this volume. However, it is importanr ro note the
strong relationship with other global initiatives. Buddhist tree-ordaining in
Thailand, for example, has inspired similar ceremonies in California.6
Environmental destruction by logging and uranium mining in Tibet has
prompted the formation of the U.S.-basedEco-Tibet g.o.rp.t Environmental
issuesin Buddhist countries have been a natural magnet for Buddhist activists
in the west. But'western Buddhists have taken other initiatives locally, bring-
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ing their Buddhist and environnrentalsensibilitiesto bear on nuclear wasre,
consumerism,anin'ral rights, and forest defense.nOut of these impulses
Buddhistenvironmental activism is taking shape,based on distinct principlesand practices.
One of the most challenging aspectsof documenting these developmentsis finding the hidden stories. In the United Statestoday, environmentalismhas grown so strong as a political and cultural force that it is sr-rffenng the impact of "brorvnlash,"as biologists Paul and Anne Ehrlich call
it. christian fundamentaiismis often allied with the wing of the conservat i v er i g h t t h a t p r o n r u l g a r e a
s n t i - e n v i r o n n r e n t avl i e w s . T a k i n ga s t r o n ge n v i ronmental position as a sell:proclaimed Buddhist can be doubly threarening. My personal experience is that the environmental arena is a place to
actasa small"b" Iluddhist.This means concentrating on the messageof the
Buddha by cultivating awareness,tolerance,a.d unclerstanding,and acting
from a loving presence."ln lluddhisnr, we say that the presence of one
mindful person can have great influence on society and is thus very important."' Mindful Buddhist practitioners engaging difficult environmental
issuesmay not proclainr their Buddhisrn to help solve the problem at
hand.Yet they can bring inner strength and moral courage to the task
at hand, drawing on the teachingsof the Buddha as a basic framework for
effectiveaction.
LOOKING BACK
when Buddhism arrived in thewest in the mid-r8oos, there was little that
could be called an environmental movement. Although Henry l)avid
Thoreau had written Waldenin 185,1,it was not until the end of the century that a serious land conservatronrnovement coalesced.
Advocates recognizing the unique heritage of such landforms asYellowstone,Yosemite,
and
the Grand canyon pressedfor the establishrnentof the National Park system. Conservationistsalert to the ravaging of eastern forestsand the rush to
cut the west spurred the formation of the National Forest Service.l]ut serious concern about overpopulation,air and water pollution, and endangered
speciesdid not ignite until the r96os.Since then the list of dangerousthreats
has only increased-toxic wastes,ozone depletion, global climate change,
genetic engineering, endocrine disrupters-fires are burning on all fronts.
The most recent'western wave of interest in Iluddhism coincides almost
exactlywith the expansionof the environmentalmovement.r"your,g people
breaking out of the constrictionsof the r95ostook their curiosiry and spiritual seeking to India, SoutheastAsia, and Japan;some discoveredBuddhist
meditation and brought it back to the lJnited stares.rrDuring this period,
I6I
ENGAGING THE ISSUES
Gary Snyder was probably the most vocal in spelling out the links
between Buddhist practice and ecological activism. His books of poetry,
Thrtle Island GszD and Axe Handles(rq8:), expresseda strong feeling for
the land, influenced by his seven years of Zen training inJapan. Hts
ry74
essay"Four changes" laid out the current conditions of the world in
terms of population, pollution, consumption, and the need for social
transformation. core to his analysiswas the Buddhist perspective"that we
are interdependent energy fields of great potential wisdom and compassion."12 Snyder's ideas were adopted by the counterculture througrr his
affiliation with beat writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg and then
further refined in his landmark collection of essays,The practiceof the
wild.\3
Interest in Buddhism increasedsteadily through the r97os along with
the swelling environmental, civil rights, and women's movements.'while
congress passed such landmark environmental laws as the Marine
Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered SpeciesAct, and the Nationa./
Environmental Protection Act, Buddhist centers and teachers were
becoming established on both coasts. San Francisco zen center, for
example, expanded to two additional sites-a wilderness monasreryar
Tassajara,
tsig Sur, and a rural farm and garden temple in Marin county.
By the r98os the Buddhist Peace Fellowship was well along in its activist
agenda and a number of Buddhist teacherswere beginning to address
the
environmental crisis in their talks. In his r989 Nobel peace prize acceprance speech His Holiness the Dalai Lama proposed making Tibet an
international ecological reserve.la Thich Nhat Hanh, the influential
Buddhist peace activist andvietnamese Zen monk, referred often to ecological principles in his writings and talks on "interbeing," the Buddhist
teaching of interdependence.rs
The theme was picked up by Buddhist publications, conferences,and
retreat centers. Buddhist Peace Fellowship featured the environment in
Ti'rrningwheeland produced a substantialpacket and poster for Earth Day
r99o.'" The first popular anthology of Buddhism and ecology writings,
Dharma caia, was published by Parallax press that same year, following
the more scholarly collection, Nature in AsianTiaditionsoJThought.tiworld
wide Fund for Nature brought out a series of books on five world religions, including Buddhism and Ecology.t8Tricyclemagazine examined green
Buddhism and vegetarianism in r994;te shambhalasan interviewed Gary
Snyder and Japanese anti-nuclear poet-activist Nanao Sakaki.20The
vipassana newsletter Inquiring Mind produced an issue on "coming
home"; Tbn Directionsof zen center Los Angeles, Mountain Recordof zen
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Mountain Monastery, and Blind Donkey of Honolulu Diamond Sansha
alsotook up the question of environmental practice.
Some retreat centers confronted ecological issues head on. Green
Gulch zen center in northern california had to work out warer use
agreementswith its farming neighbors and the Golden Gate National
Recreation Area.Zen Mountain Monastery in Newyork faced off with
the Department of Environmental conservation over a beaver dam
and
forestryissues.In earlier days when vegetarianism was not such a popular and commercially viable choice, most Buddhist centers went
againsr
the social grain by refraining from meat-eating, often with an awareness
of the associatedenvironmental problems. SeveralBuddhist centers
made
someeffort to grow their own organic food.2l outdoor walking meditation gained new stature through backpacking and canoeing retreats
on
both coasts.
By the r99os, spirituality and the environment had become a hot tooic.
The first "Earth and Spirit" conference was held in Seattle in r99o,
and
Buddhist workshops were part of the program. Middlebury college
in
vermont hosted a "spirit and Nature" conGrence that same year with
the
Dalai Lama as keynote speaker,sharing his Buddhist messagefor protection
of the enviro.r-..,t.t' More intefaith conferences followed and ]luddhism
wasalwaysrepresentedat the table.By t993, human rights, socialjustice,
and
the environment were top agenda items at the parliame.,t of ih. worrd's
Religions in chicago. Buddhists from all over the world gathered
with
christians, Hindus, pagans,Jews,
Jains, and Musrims to consider the role of
religion in responding to the environmental crisis.
Parallel sparks of interest were ignited in the academic communiry.
Though both environmental studies and religious studies programs
were
well establishedin the academy,very few addressedthe overlap i.t*...,
the
two fields. In rggz religion and ecology scholarsformed a new group in
the
American Academy of Religion and began soliciting papers Ln en ri.onmental philosophy, animal rights, Gaian cosmology, and other envrronmental topics. out of this initiative, colleaguesgenerated campus interreligious
dialoguesand new religion and ecology courses.In the spring of
ry97,Mary
Evelyn Tucker and John Grimm of Bucknell (Jniversity .o.,r.r.d
the first
of a seriesof academic conferenceswith the aim of defining the field of religion and ecology.23The first of these addressedBuddhism and Ecology;
the
volume of collected papers was the first publication in th. ,..i.r.ri
Th.
sprtng 1998 meeting of the Internarional Buddhist-Christian Theoloqical
Encounter also focused on the environment, looking deeply at the imfacts
of consumerism.2s
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E N G A G I N G T H E I S SU E S
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For the most part, the academic community did not addressthe practice of Iluddhist environmentalism. This was explored more by socially
engaged Buddhist teachers such as Thich Nhat Hanh, Bernie Glassman,
t h e D a l a i L a m a , S u l a k S i v a r a k s aC, h r i s t o p h e r T i t m u s s , J o h n D a i d o L o o r i ,
a n d P h i l i p K a p l e a u . 2 6O n e l e a d e r i n d e v e l o p i n g a B u d d h i s t e c o l o g i c a l
perspective for activistswas Joanna Macy. Her doctoral researchexplored
the significant parallelsand distinctions between'Western general systems
theory and Buddhist philosophy.tt ltr her sought-after classesand workshops, Macy developed a transformative model of experiential teaching
designed to cultivate motivation, prescncc,and authenticity.28Her methods were strongly based in lluddhist n-reditation techniques and the
Buddhist law of dependent co-arising. She called this "deep ecology
work," challenging participants to take their insights into direct action.
Working with John Seed, a Buddhist Australian rainforest activist, she
d e v e l o p e da r i t u a l " C o u n c i l o f A l l B e i n g s " a n d o t h e r g u i d e d m e d i t a t i o n s
to engage the attention and imagination on behalf of all beings.2e
Thousands of councils have now taken place in Australia, New Zealand,
the United States,Germany, Russia,and other parts of the Western world.
Following in the footsteps of these visionary thinkers, a number of
Buddhist activists organized groups to address specific issues-nuclear
guardianship,factory farming, and forest protection. Each initiative has
had its own history of start-up, strategizing, attracting interest, and, in
some cases,fading enthusiasm.When these groups work with well-established environmental groups, they seem to be more successfulin accomplishing their goals. Some Buddhist environmental activists have been
effective in helping shape the orientation of an existing environmental
group.The Institute for Deep Ecology, for example, which offers summer
training for activists,has had many Buddhists among its faculty, especially on the'West Coast.
Though the history of Buddhist environmentalism is short, it has substance:bright minds suggestingncw ways to look at things, teachers and
writers inspiring others to addressthe challenges,and fledgling attempts
to practice ecospiritual activism based in Buddhist principles. As'Western
interest in Buddhism grows, it affectswider social and political circles.As
other Buddhist activists take up the task of defining the principles and
practices of socially engaged tsuddhism, environmental Buddhism can
play a vital role. As Buddhist teachers come to see the "ecosattva" possibilities in the bodhisattva vows, they can encourage such practice-based
engagement.The seedsfor all this are well planted; the next ten years of
environmental disasters and activist resDonseswill indicate whether
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Buddhistenvironmental activism will take its place anorig
other parallel
initiatives.
PHILOSOPHICAL GROUND
During its rwo-thousand-year-ord history, Iruddhism has
evolved across a
wide range of physical and curtural geographies.From
the Theravada traditionsin tropical South and SoutheastAsia, to the Mahayana
Schools in temperateand climatically diverse china andJapan, to
thevajrayana lineages in
mountainousTibet-tsuddhist teachings have been receivei,
modified, and
elaboratedin many ecological contexts. Across this history
the range of
Buddhistunderstandingsabout nature and human-nature
relations has been
basedon different teachings,texts, ancl cultural views. These
have not been
consistentby any means;in flct, some views directry contradict
each other.
Malcolm David Eckel, for example, conrraststhe Indian
view with the
view of nature.t0 Indian lluddhist literature shows relativery
Japanese
rittle
respectfor wild nature, preferring tamed nature instead;Japanese
Buddhism
reveresthe wild but ensages it symbolically through
nighry developed art
forms.Tellenbach and Kimura take this up in their
investigation of the
concept of nature, "what-is-so-o{:itself',; Ian Harris
Japanese
discussesthe
difliculties"incomparing the meaning of the word "nature,,in
different Asian
languages.3l
when Harris reviews traditional Buddhist texts,he does
not find
any consistent philosophical orientation toward environmental
ethics. He
alsochallengesclaims that Buddhist philosophies of nature
led to any recognizableecological awarenessalnong early Buddhist societies,
citinq some evr_
denceto the contrary. Lambert Schmithausen poinrs
out fhar aJcording to
earlytsuddhistsources,most members of Buddhist societies,
incruding many
monks,preferred tl.re comforts of village liG over the
threats of th.l,"ird..i
Imagesof lluddhist paradisesare generalryquite tame,
not at alr untrammeled
wilderness.only forest asceticschose the hermitage path
with its immersion
in wild nature.
Even with these distinctions,Buddhist texts do contain
many references
to the natural world, both as inspiration for teachings
and as ,o,rr.. for ethical behavior. Forwesterners tasting the l)harma in
the context of the envi_
ronmental crisis, all the Buddhist traditions are potential
sources for philo_
sophicaland behavioral guidelines toward nature.The
newest cultural form
of tsuddhis'r in the west will be different from
what evolved in India,
Thailand, china, and Japan. [n seeking wisdom to adc]ress
the world as it is
now,w'esternersare eagerly,if sometimes clumsily, looking
for whatever may
be helpful. From the earliest guidelines for forest -orrk,
to the hermitage
songsof Milarepa, from the
Jataka tales of compasslon to zen teachinss on
ENGAGiNG THE ISSUES
mountains and rivers, the inheritance is rich and diverse." In this section,I
lay out the principal teachings identified by leading Buddhist environmental
thinkers in the late twentieth century as most relevant to addressingthe curr e n t e n v i r o n m c n t a sl i t u a t i o n .
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Interdependence
In the canonical story of the Buddha's enlightenment, the culminating insight
comes in tl-relast hours of his long night of deep meditation. According to
the story, he first perceived his previous lives in a continuous cycle of birth
and death, then saw the vast universe of birth and death for all beings,gaining understanding of the workings of karma. Finally he realized the driving
force behind birth and death, and the path to releasefrom it. Each piece of
the lluddha's experience added to a progressiveunfolding of a single truth
about existence-the law of mutual causality or dependent origination (in
Sanskritpralityasamutpada,
in Pali paticcasamuppada).According to this law,all
phenomena, that is, all of nature, arise from complex sets of causesand conditions, each set unique to the specific situations.Thus, the simple but penetrating Pali verse:
This being,that becomes;
fronr the arisingof this,that arises;
t h i sn o r b c i n g .t h a tb e c o n r enso r ;
f r o n rt h c c c r s i n qo f t h i s .t h r t . . . . . s . 1 4
Ecological understanding of natural systems fits very well within the
Buddhist description of interdependence.This law has been the subject of
much attention in the Iluddhism and Ecology literature becauseof its overlapping with ecological principles.rs Throughout all cultural forms of
Buddhism, nature is perceived as relational, each phenomenon dependent on
a multitude of causesand conditions. From a Buddhist perspective these
causesinclude not only physical and biological factors but also historical and
cultural factors, that is, human thought forms and values.
The Hua-Yen School of Buddhism, developed in seventh-century
China, placed particular emphasis on this principle, using the jewel net of
Indra as a teaching n-retaphor.Thiscosmic net contains a multifaceted jewel
at each of its nodes. "Because the jewels are clear, they reflect each other's
images, appearing in each other's reflections upon reflections, ad infinitum,
all appearingat once in one jewel."'t6Toextend the metaphor,if you rug on
any one of the lines of the net-for example, through loss of speciesor habitat-it aflectsall the other lines. Or, if any of the jewels become cloudy (toxic
or polluted), they reflect the others lessclearly.Likewise, if clouded jewels are
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clearedup (rivers cleaned,wetlands restored),life acrossthe web is enhanced.
Becausethe web of interdependence includes not only the actions of all
beingsbut also their thoughts, the intention of the actor becomes a critical
factorin determining what happens.This,then, providesa principle of both
explanationfor the way things are, and a path for positive action.
Modern eco-Buddhists working with this principle have taken various
paths.Using the term "interbeing,"Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizesnondualiry of view, encouraging students to "look at realiry as a whole rather than to
cut it into separateentities."37Gary Snyder takes up the interdependence of
eaterand eaten, acknowledging the "simultaneous path of pain and beaury
of this complexly interrelated world."r8 Feminist theologian Rita Gross
looks at the darker implications of cause and effect in the growing human
population crisis.3eAciivist Joanna Macy leads people through their environmentaldespair by steadily reinforcing ways to work together and build
more functional and healing relationshipswith the natural world.o"
The law of interdependence suggestsa poweful corollary, sometimcs
noted as "emptiness of separateself." If all phenomena are dependent on
interactingcausesand conditions, nothing exists by itself, autononrous and
self-supporting.ThisIluddhist understanding (and experience) of self direct'Western
ly contradicts the traditional
sense of self as a discrete indivrdual.
Alan Watts called this assumption of separatenessthe "skin-encapsulated
ego"-the very delusion that Buddhist practices seek to cut through. Based
on the work of Gregory Bateson and other systemstheorists,Macy describes
a more ecological view of the self as part of a larger flow-through.a' She ties
this to Arne Naesst deep ecology philosophy, derived from a felt shift of
identification to a wider, more inclusive view of self. Buddhist rainforest
activistJohn Seed described his experience of no-self in an interview with
InquiringMind:"All of a sudden, the forest was inside me and was calling to
me,and it was the most powerful thing I have ever felt."a2Gary Snyder suggeststhis emptiness of self provides a link to "wild mind," or accessto the
energetic forces that determine wilderness. These forces act outside of
human influence, setting the historical, ecological, and even cosmological
context for all life. Thus "emptiness" is dynamic, shape-shifting, energy in
megisn-6'.wild" and beyond human imagination.ar
The Path of Liberation
The Buddhist image of theWheel of Life contains various realms of beings;
at the center are three figures representing greed, hate, and delusion. They
chaseeach other around, generating endless suffering, perpetrating a false
senseof self or eeo. Liberation from attachment to this false self is the cen-
ENGAGING
1'IIE ISSI/ES
rral goai in lluddhist practice.The first and second of the four noble truths
describe the very nature of existence as su{Iering, due to our instincts to prorect our own indiviclual lives and views.The third and fourth noble truths lay
our a path to liberation from this sutTeringof self-attachment,the eight-fold
path of morality, awareness,and wisdonr.
lluddhist scholar Alan Sponberg argues that green Buddhism has
overemphasizedinterdependence or the relational dimension almost to the
By working to overcome
exclusionof the developmentalaspectof practice.aa
studentscultivatethe
desires,
conditioned
socially
and
ego-basedattachments
is crucial to displache
says,
effort,
capacirylor insieht ancl compassion.This
ing the hierarchy of oppressionthat undermines the vision of an ecologically healthy worlcl. Sponberg suglleststhat a Buddhist environmenal ethic is a
virtue ethic, based fundamentally on development of consciousnessand a
senseof responsrbiliryto act compassionatelyfor the benefit of all forms of
life.This is the basisfor the Mahayana archetype of the bodhisattva,committecl to serving others until suffering is extinguished. Macy argues that this
responsibiliry need not be sorne morally imposed self-righteous action (often
characteristicof environmentalists)but rather an action that "springs naturally from the grourrd of being."*'
The path of liberation includes the practice of physical,emotional, and
mental :lwareness.Such practice can increaseone's appreciation for the naturai world; it can also reveal hidden cultural assumptionsabout privilege' comfort, consumption, and the abuseof nature.'When one seesone''sself as part
of a nrutually causalrveb, it becomes obvious that there is no such thing as
an action without effect.Through the practice of green virtue ethics,students
are encourageclto be accountable for all of their actions,from eating food to
using a car to buying new clothes.Likewise, they can investigatethe reigning
economic paradigmand seehow deeply it determinestheir choices.Through
follor,vrngthe fundamental precepts,envifonmentally oriented Buddhists can
practice moderation and restraint,simplif ing needsand desiresto reduce suffering for others. For'Westerners this may mean withdrawal from consumer
addictions to products with large ecological impacts,such as cofFee,cotton,
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Practice in Action
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Buddhist environmental teachers and writers point to three primary arenas
of practice that can serve the environment: compassion,mindfulness' and
nonharmins. In the Theravada tradition, one practicesloving-kindness, wishing that all beings be free from harm and blessedby physical and mental wellbeing. In the Mahayana tradition one takes up the bodhisattva path, vowing
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Buddhist Peace Fcllorvship nrembers makc offerings prior to an anti-nuclear demonstrrtion
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andcivildisobedienc
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to return again and again to relieve the suflering of all sentient beings-the
hfe work of an environmentalist! Both practices are impossible challengesif
interpretedliterally; the environmental implications of these prayersor vows
canbe overwhelming.Yet the strength of intention ofTersa substantialfoundation for Buddhist environmental activism. Budding eco-tsuddhists struggle with the application of these spiritual vows in the very real contexts of
factory farms, pesticide abuse,genetic engineering, and loss of endangered
specieshabitat.
Mindfulness practice, a natural support to Buddhist environmentalism,
cantake a range of forms.Thich Nhat Hanh teachesthe basic principles of
the SatipatthdnaSutta or the mindfulness text, practicing awarenessof breath,
body,feelings,and mind.Walking and sitting meditation generatea senseof
grounded presence and alertnessto where one actually is. Environmental
educatorsstressmindfulness through nature appreciation exercisesand rules
of respect toward the natural world. Environmental strategistsuse promotional campaigns to generate awarenessof threatened species and places.
These efTorts take mindfulness practice ofl the cushion and out into the
w o r l d w h e r e a l a r m i n gs i t u a t i o n so f g r e a ts u f l e r i n gr e q u i r es t r o n gl t t c n t i o n .
The practice of ahiwsa or non-harming derives naturally from a true
experienceof compassion.Alithe Buddhist preceptsare basedfundamentaily on non-harming or reducing the suffering of others. Practicing the first
precept,not killing, raisesethical dilemmas around food, land use,pesticides,
pollution,and cultural economic invasion.The secondprecept,not stealing,
ro9
ENGAGING THE ISSUES
suggestsconsidering the implications of global trade and corporate exploitation of resources.Not lying brings up issuesin advertising and consumerism.
Not eneaging in abusive relations covers a broad realm of cruelry and disrespect for nonhuman others.As Gary Snyder says,"The whole planet groans
under the massivedisregard of ahimsa by the highly organized societiesand
corporate economies of the world."*" Thich Nhat Hanh interprets the precept prohibiting drugs and alcohol to include the toxic addictions of television, video games,and junk magazines.+7
Practicingrestraintand non-harming is a way to make Buddhist philosophy manifest in the context of rapidly
deteriorating global ecosystems.Zen teacher Robert Aitken offers this vow:
\)fith resources
scarcerand scarcer,
I vow with all beingsTo reducemy ljearin proportion even ro candlesand carts.as
I]UDDHIST ENVIRONMENTAL
ACTIVISM
How is green Buddhrsm being practiced?What is the evidence of green
Iluddhism on the front lines? Macy suggeststhree types of activism that
characterize environmentalism today: r) holding-actions of resistance,z)
analysisof social structuresand creation of new alternatives,and 3) cultural transformation.aeSome of the best examplesof Buddhist environmentalisnr come from outside the'west, but here I report only on local efforts in
North America.
Holding-actions aim primarily to stop or reduce destructive acriviry
buyine time for more efTective long-term srrategies.The small group of
ecosattvasprotesting the logging of old growth redwood groves is part of
the holding-actions in northern California. They draw on local support
from lluddhist deep ecologist Bill Devall and his eco-sanghain Humboldt
County as well as support from the Green Gulch Zen community and the
Buddhist PeaceFellowship.For the big 1997 demonstration,the ecosattvas
invited others to join them in creating a large prayer flag covered with
human handprints of mud. This then served as visual testimony of solidarity for all those participating in Headwaters actions. Six months after the
protest,severalecosattvasmade a specialpilgrimage deep into the heart of
the Headwaters,carrying a Tibetan treasurevase.Activists used the vase to
bring attention to the threatenedtreesat various BayArea sanghameetings.
People rvere invited to offer their gifts and prayers on behalf of the redwoods. On a rainy winter's day,the vase was ceremonially buried beneath
one of the giants to strengthen spiritual protection for the trees.50
l\esistanceactions by Buddhists concerned for Animals were initiated
by Brad Miller and vanya Palmers,two zen students in the San Francisco
r70
I
area.
expo
Bud<
Vany
the c
r
t
l
unde
unde
The.
it co
guar
time
inF
Oda
tos
port
awa
poli
irg
Bu<
D.C
the
tair
cip
Re
i.g
gui
Bu
to
of
"T
Cc
hel
m(
Da
lot
an
sh
.s
TO
:s
j
SAVE ALL
BElNGS
area.Moved by the suffering of animals in cages,on factory
farms, ancr in
export houses,they joined the animal rights movement,
ed,.rcatrngother
Buddhistsabout the plight of monkeys,beef cattre,and
endangerecrparrots.
vanyahas continued this work in Europe, where he now
lirr.i fo..rrirrg o,-,
the cruelty in large-scalehog farming.5l
when the federal government proposed buriar of nucrear
waste deep
underYuccaMountain, a group of Buddhists and others
gathered together
underJoannaMacy'.sleadershipand met as a study gro,rp
fo. severalyears.
They took the position that nuclear waste was ,"f..
ground where
"borr.
it could be monitored, and they developed an alternate
visr*onof nucrear
guardianshipbased in Buddhist spiritual pracrices.52
At about the same
time,Japanarranged for severarshiprnentsof plutonium
to be reprocessed
in France and then shipped back to
Zen
student
and artist Mayumi
Japan.
oda helped to organize plutonium-Free Future and the
Rainbow serpents
to stop these shipments of deadly nuclear materiar.
one ship was temporarily stopped, and although shipments resumed,
the actions raised
.Y.:".:t
in Japan and the Unrted States,affecting
Japanesegovernment
polrcles."tlr second type of activism,undertaking structural
anarysisand crear.
ing alternative green visions, has also engaged
twentietrr-cenrury
Buddhists. Small "b" Buddhist Rick Klugston
directs the washington,
D.c.-based center for Ilespect of Life and ihe Environment,
an affiliate of
the Humane Society of the United States.He and his
stafl work on sustainability criteria for humane farming, basing their
work in religious principles of nonharming. In ry97 the Soka Gakkai_affiliated
groip, Iloston
Researchcenter for the 2rst century, held a seriesof
workihops addressing the people's earth charter, an internationally negotiated
lisi of ethical
guidelines for human-earth relations.The center
published a booklet of
Buddhist views on the charter,'sprincipres for us in
discussionsreading up
to United Nations adoption.saA subgroup of the Internationar
Network
of Engaged Buddhists and the Buddhisi peace Fellowship,
called the
"Think Sangha,"is engaged in structural
analysisof grobal ir,r.,-.r,r-.
collaborating between the United States and South-east
Asia, they have
held confbrencesin Thailand on alternativesto consumerism,
pressinufor
moderation and lifestyle simplification.ts o'e of the
boldest visions is the
Dalai Lamat proposal that the entire province ofTibet
be declaredan ecological reserve.Sadly,this vision, put forth in his Nobel peace prize
acceot_
ance speech,is nowhere close to actualization-s6
Scholars have offered structurar analysesusing Buddhist
principles to
shedlight on environmental problems.Rita Gross,Buddhist
feminrst schol_
r 7|
INC]AGING
THE
lSSUES
ar, has laid out a lluddhist fratnework for consiclering global population
I have compared eco-feminist principles of activism with Iluddhist
issues.sT
philosophy, showing a stronla compatibility between the two.'o Through
Iluddhist-Christian dialogue, process theologian and meditator Jay
treatment
Mcl)aniel has developed spiritual arguments for con.rpassionate
of animals :rsa serious hunran responsibility.s"Sociologist Bill l)evall integrated Buddhist principles into his elaboration of Arne Naess's I)eep
Ecology philosophy urgine simplification of needs and wants."''Joanna
Macy likewise draws on Buddhist philosophy and practicesto analyze the
paralyzine statesof gnef, despair,and fear that prevent people from acting
on behalf of the environnrent.
As for the third type of activism,transforming cr.rlture,theseprojects are
TWo Buddhist
very much in progressand sonretinlesrnet with resistance.
centers in rural northern California, Green Gulch Zen Center and Sprrit
l { o c k . r l r c a d y d c m o n s t r a t ea s e r i o r r sc o r n n r i t r n e n t o t h e c n v i r o n m c n t
through vegetarian dining, land and water stewardshipefTorts,an organic
farm and garclenat Green Gulch, and ceremonies that include the natural
world."' On Earth Day r99o, the abbot led a tree-ordaining preceptsceremony and an animal memorial service.Other environmental rituals include
special dedic:rtionsat tl-resolsticcsancl equinoxes,a Buddha's birthday celebration of local wildflowers, Thanksgiving altars from the farm harvest,
and participation in the United Nations Environmental Sabbath in June.
The ccosattvasmeet regularly to plan restorationprojects that are now part
of daily work practice.When people visit Green Gulch, they can see ecologrcal action as part of a Iluddhist way of life. Similar initiatives have been
undertaken at Spirit l\ock Meditation Center, also in the San Francisco
l3ay area.
In the Sierra foothills, Gary Snyder has been a leader in establishingthe
Yuba l\iver Institute, a bioregional watershed organization working in
cooperation with the lJureau of Land Managen'rent.They have done
grouncl sllrvey work, controlled burns, and creek restoration projects,
engagingthe local community in the process."Torestorethe land one must
live;rnd work in a place.To work in a place is to work with others. People
who work together in a place become a conrmunity, and a community. in
time, grows a cultrlre.""' Snyder models the level of commitment necessary
to reinhabit a place and build cornrnunity that might eventually span generations.Zen Mountain Center in Southern California is beginning similar work, c:rrryine out resourcemanagement practicessuch as thinning for
fire breaks,restoring degraded forest, and limiting human accessto some
preserve areas."''Applying Buddhist principles in an urban setting, Zen
r72
teache
busine
respor
A
centel
rOnm'
offbrs
to er
natur
Bone
packi
Zen I
'Woo
of th
Ree<
deni:
minr
I
t
)l
e
Ii
rl
t
I
n
1
t
inB
CStS.
catl(
lndt
steP
tice
prol
Buc
con
to(
and
der
alc<
ise
of
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for
sul
an(
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cl
l .
e
n
C
f
t
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!
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TC) SAYII
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ALL
BElNGS
teacherBernard Glassnra' has deveiopeclenvironmentaliy oriented
small
businesses
that employ local street peopre, sending products to sociaily
responsible
companies such as Ben and
Jerryt.6a
As the educationalelement of curtural transformation,several
Buddhist
centershave developed lecture series,classes,
and retreatsbaseclon environmentalthemes.Zen Mountain Monastery in the catskills
of Newyork
offers"Mountains and l{ivers" retreatsbaseclon the center,.s
commltment
to environmental conservation. These feature backpacking,
canoeing,
naturephotography, and haiku as
€ratewaysto Buddhist insrghr. I{ing of
Bone Zendo at Krtkrtdizze, Gary Snyder'.scommunity, has
ofTeredbackpackingscss/rirus
in the Sierra Mou'tains since its inception. Green Gulch
Zen center co-hosts a "voice of the'watershed"series...h
y... with Muir
woods National Monument, including talks and walks acros.s
the lanciscaoe
of the two valleys.At ManzanitaVillage in sourhern california,
caitrio;a
Reed and Michele Renzamin-Masudaincrude deep ecorogy pracrrces,
gardening, and nature observation as part of their it i.t NI.,at
Hanh-stvle
mindfulnessretreats.
Most of these examplesrepresentsocial change agentsworking
within Buddhist or non-Buddhist institutions to promote environ'rental
inter_
ests.
Ilut what about isolatedpractitioners,struggling to consider
the implicationsof their lifestylesin consumerAnrerica and other parts
of thewest?
Independentof establishedgroups,a number of Iluddhists
are taking small
stepsof activism as they try to align their actions with their Buddhist
practice' one growing area of interest is ethical choices in food
consumptlon,
prompted both by health and environnrental concerns.
Many people,
Buddhists included, are turning to vegetarianism and veganism
2lsmore
c o m p r s s i o n a tceh o i c e sf o r a n i m a l sa n d c c o s y s t e m o
s .t h e r s a r c c o m m r t t r n g
to eat only oruanically €rrown food, in order to support pesticide-free
soil
and healthy farmins. Thich Nhat Hanh has strong\ .,r.or..g.d
his students to examine their consumption habits, not only
foocl and
alcohol,but also television,music, books, and magazines."ro.r,-,.1
His radical stance
is echoed by Sulak Sivaraksain Thailancl,who insiststhe
western standard
of consun'rption is untenable if extended throughout the
worrd. Some
Buddhrstshave participated in "International BuyNothing" r)ay,
targered
for the busiest shopping day right after Thanksgiving. othe^
haveloined
support groups for reducing credit card debt, giving up car
depenclence,
and creating work cooperatives.BecauseBucldhism is still
so new in the
Western world, the extent of tsuddhist lifestyle activism is very
hard to
gauge. Ilut for many students, environmental awarL.ness
and Dersonal
changeflow naturally frorn a Buddhrst practice commitment.
r 73
L
ENGAGING THE ISSUES
ELEMENTS OF GREEN BUDDHIST ACTIVISM
What makes Buddhist environmentalism different from other environmental
activism or from other eco-religious activism?The answer in both caseslies in
the distinctive orientation of Buddhist philosophy and practice. tsuddhist
environmentaliststurn to principles of nonharming, compassion,and interdependence as core ethics in choosing activism strategies.Theyaim to serve all
beings through equanimiry and loving-kindness.Though activistsmay not fulfill the highest ideals of their Buddhist training, they at least struggle to place
their actions in a spiritual context. This reflects an underlying premise that
good environmental work should also be good spiritual work, restoring both
place ancl person to wholeness.
To be sure, there are significant challenges.Engaged Buddhist scholar
Kenneth Kraft outlines four dilemmas a generic American Buddhist environmentalist ("Gabe") nright encounter.65First, he or she would likely encounter
some gaps between the traditional teachings and current political realities.
Most of the lluddhat advice to students deals with individual moraliry and
action; but today's environmental problems require collective
action and a conscioussenseof group responsibiliry.It is not so easyto find guidelines for global structural change within these ancient teachings.Second, Gabe must make
some tough decisionsabout how to use his or her time. Meditate or organize
a protest?when political decisions are moving at a rapid rate, activisrsmusr
respond very quickly for effective holding action.yet cultivating equanimiry
patience,and loving-kindness requires regular hours ofpractice on the cushion. The yearning for time dedicated to Buddhist retreatscan compete with
time needed for soul-renewing wilderness.Third, Gabe may question the
effectivenessof idendfiTinghis or her efforts as specificallyBuddhist. It may be
easierjust to "blend in" with others working on the same issue.Fourth, Gabe
may also begin to wonder about the effectivenessof some forms of practice
forms in combatting environmental destruction. How can meditation or ceremony stop clear-cut logging? can spiritually oriented activists make a difference in the high pressurepolitical world? Given these and other challenges,
green Buddhists nonethelesstry to carry out their work in a manner conslstent with Buddhist practice and philosophy.
characteristic idealsfor green Buddhism can be describedin terms of the
Three Jewels:the Buddha, I)harma, and Sangha.The Buddha exemplified a
way of life based on spiritual practice, including meditation, study, questroning and debate,cerenlony and ritual. Each Buddhist lineage has its own highly evolved traditional practice forms that encourage the student to "act like
Iluddha."At the heart of the Buddha'spath is reflective inquiry into the nature
of reality.Applying this practice in todayt environmental context, eco-activists
r 74
undt
rega:
tion
thin
racis
I
j
ls
t
r
gror
the
reci
Sutt
den
retr
unc
Bur
for
em
Bu
sor
col
to
of
rel
hir
ac
t1c
sie
SA,
Br
cl;
pl
rh
V
h
S(
el
o
(
I
f
l
TO SAVE ALL
:tal
in
List
leall
ilce
Iat
th
.ar
1-
er
s.
d
BEINGS
rigorous examination of conditioned beliefs and thought patterns
undertake
the natural world.This may include deconstructing the objectificaregarding
tion of plants and animals, the stereotyping of environmentalists,dualistic
thinking of enemy-ism, the impacts of materialism, and environmental
nclsm.
In addition, the green Buddhist would keep his or her activist work
groundedin regular engagement with practice forms-for example, saying
thepreceptswith other activists,as Thich Nhat Hanh has encouraged, or
recitingsutrasthat inspire courage and loving-kindness (that is, the Mettd
Suttafor example, or the Zen chant to Kanzeon). Ring of Bone Zen studentschant l)ogen's "Mountains and Rivers" treatise on their backpacking
Mindfulness practice with the breath can help sustain an activist
retreats.
underpressure,during direct political action or in the workplace. Green
Buddhistceremonies are evolving, often as variations on standard ritualsfor example,the Earth Day precepts at Green Gulch, and the earth relief ceremonyat Rochester Zen Center.ooIf the Buddha's path is foundational to
Buddhistenvironmental activism, it means each engaged person undertakes
someform of spiritual journey toward insight and awakening.Activism is the
contextin which this happens,but the Buddha'.sway servesas the model.
Of the Buddha's teachings,or Dharma, severalcore principles contribute
to a green Buddhist approach. First, it is based on a relational understanding
of interdependenceand no-self. This may mean, for example, assessingthe
relationshipsof the players in an environmental conflict from a context of
historical and geographical causes and conditions. It may also mean
acknowledgingthe distribution of power across the human political relaaswell as learning about the ecological relationshipsthat are under
tionships,
siege.Second,green Buddhist activism could reflect the teachings of ahimsa,nonharming, with compassion for the suffering of others. For the
Buddhist environmentalist this may extend to oppression based on race,
class,or gender discrimination as well as to environmental oppression of
plants,
animals,rivers,rocks,and mountains.This recognition of suffering in
the non-human world is rarely acknowledged by the capitalist economy.
Voicing it as a religious point of view may open some doors to more
humanepolicies.This green Buddhist teaching is congruent with many
schoolsof ecophilosophy that respect the intrinsic value and capacity for
experienceof each being.
A third lluddhist teaching applicable to activism is the nondualistit view
of reality.Most political battles play out as confrontations between sworn
enemies:loggers vs. spotted owl defenders,housewives vs. toxic polluters,
birdloversvs. pesticide producers. From a Buddhist perspective,this kind of
ENGAC}ING
THE
iSSIJES
hatrecl clestroysspiritual equanimity; thus, it is n"ruchbetter to work from an
inclusive perspective,o{lering kindness to all parties involved, even while settin{r firm moral boundaries againstharmful actions.This approach is quite
struggling, cliscouraged,battle-rveary environmentalists who, in
r..r.
"rnorrg
fact, are being attacked by government officials,shenffs, or the media. A
Budclhist cornmitment to nondualism can help to stabilize a volatile situation
and establishnerv qrounds for negotiation.
A fourth Budclhistteachingreinforcesthe role of intention.Iluddhisttexts
emphasizea strong relationshipbetween intention' action,and karmic effects
of an action. If a campaign is unclertaken out of spite, revenge' or rage, that
emotional tone will carry forth into all the ripening of the fruits of that
action (and likely causea sinrilarreaction in response).However' if en action
jewel
is grounded in understanding that the other party is also part of Indra'.s
net, then things unfold with a little lessshoving and pushing'
Perhapsthe rrost significant teaching of the l)harma relevant to lluddhist
acrivism is the practice of detachment from the ego-generatingself.Thus, a
green Budclhist approach is not rnotivated primarily by the need for ego
id"rltity or satisfaction.Strong intention with less orientation to the self
relievesthe activist frorn focusing so strongly on results.6TOne does what is
necessaryin the situation,not bound by the need for it to reinforce one's
ideas or to turrl out a certain way. By leaning into the creative energles moving through the wider web br-rtholclng to a stronli intention, surprising col'b'
laborative actions take place. Sn-rall Buddhists have been able to act as
bridge-builders in hostile or reactive situations by toning down the need for
personalrecognition.
Sangha, the third of the Three Jewels, is often the least recognized or
. s ncwcomcrs to the practicein a
. r p p r c c i a t e db y A m e r i c . r n l J u d d h i s t sA
are clrawn to the calming effects
students
most
,p..dy, product-clriven sociery
of rneditation practice ancl the personal depth of student-teacherrelationships.Practicing with conrmunity can be difficult for studentsliving away
from Buddhist centers. Building conrnturlity among environmental
Budclhists is even harder, since they are even more isolated geographically
frorn each other ancl sometimes marginalized even by their own peers in
Bucldhist centers. Front a green l3uddhist perspective,sanghawork presents
not only the challengesof personaland institutional relations,but also ecological relations.Some of the leading sreen Ruddhist thinkers have suggested ways to lltove toward this work in an integrated way'
Gary Snycler brings his sangha work home through the framework of
bioregional thinking ancl organizins. His foundation for this is more than
He suggeststhat "by
ecological;it is aesthetic,economic, and practice-based.
176
being in
munitY "
certain I
thing.""o
habitatio
standing
ber ofg
young c
s
ll
L
)l
T
t
f.
Ott
for ecol
ple wh
Center,
tlon, re
greater
cast.Tt
theY cz
als suc
to edu
Jo
work.'
MacY
Learn
her w
helps
toget
this r,
How
mov(
Budr
Bud'
time
fled1
or ir
of sr
The
flatt
gr€
t
I
)
)
c
ra
fr
S
c
N
TO SAYE ALL
BEINGS
berngin place,we get the largestsenseof community."The bioregional communiry"does not end at the human boundaries;we are in a community lvith
certaintrees, plants, birds, animals. The conversation is .,vith the whole
thing."68
He models and encouragesothers to take up the practice of rcittlearning to live on the land with the same respectand underhabitation,
standingas the original indisenous people. He expects this will take a numberof generations,so the wisdom gathered now must be passedalong to the
youngones. Sprritual cornmunity on the land offers one place to do this.
Others can participatein eco-sanghathrough supporting and lobbying
forecologicalpracticesat their local Budclhistcenters.Thehundredsof people who come to Green Gulch Zen Center or Spirit Rock Meditation
Center,for example, follow the centers' customs regarding water conservation, recycling, vegetarianisn"r,and land protection.'With each step toward
greaterecological sustainabilirylocal communiry culture takes on a grccner
cast.These
actionsneed not be only a painful commitment to restraint,rather
theycan become a celebration of environmental awareness.Printed materialssuchas the booklet on environmentalpracticesat Green Gulch can help
to educatevisitors about institutional comntlrmenrs.
Joanna Macy recommends sangha-building as central to deep ecology
work.Through trust-buildins exercises,brainstorming, and contract-making,
Macy helps people find ways to support each other in their activist efTorts.
Learningnetworks of lluddhists and non-lluddhists often stay together after
her workshops fbr mutual support and prevention of activist burnout. Macy
helpspeople tastethe power of kalyanamitta,or spiritual friendship-acrlng
togetherin the web to help others practice the l)harma and take care of
thisworld.
CONC]LUSION
How might Buddhist environmentalisr.n affect the larger environmental
movement and how might it ir-rfluenceWestern Buddhism in general?Will
Buddhist environmentalism turn out to be more environmental than
Buddhist?t'e
The answersro these questionsmust be largely specuiativeat this
time,since green Buddhism is just finding its voice. It is possiblethat this
fledgling voice will be drowned in the brownlash against environmentalists,
or in the'western resistanceto engagedBuddhism. Environmental disasters
of survival proportions may overwhelm anyone'.scapacity to act eflectively.
The synereisticcombination of millennialism and economic collapsemay
flatten green Buddhisnt as well as many other constructive social forces.
But if one takes a more hopeful view, it seemspossible to imagine that
greenBuddhism will grow and take hold in the minds and hearts of youna
177
ENGAGING THE ISSUES
people who are creating the future. Perhapssome day there will be ecosattva chapters acrossthe world a{filiated with various practice centcrs. Perhaps
Iluddhist eco-activistswill be sought out for their spiritual stability and compassion in the face of extremely destructive forces. Buddhist centers might
become models of ecological sustainabiliry showing other religious institutions 'uvaysto encourage ecological culture. More Buddhist teachers may
become informed about environmental issuesand raise these concerns ln
their teachings,calling for moderation and restraint.Perhapsthe next century will seeBuddhist practice centersforming around specific ecological commitments.
Making an educated guessfrom the perspective of the late r99os, I predict that the influence of green lJuddhism may be small in numbers, but great
in impact. Gary Snyder, for example, is now widely read by college students
in both literature and environmental studies classes.Joanna Macy has led
workshops for stafTat the'White House and the Hanford nuclear reactor in
Washington State.Thich Nhat Hanh has shared his commentaries on the
interbeing of paper, clouds, trees,and farmers with thousands of listeners on
lecture tours throughout the-West. Some practicing Buddhists already hold
influential positions in major environmental groups such as the Natural
Resources Defense Council, Rainforest Action Network, and Greenpeace.
Perhaps in the near future they will also hold cabinet positions or
Congressionalcommittee chairs or serveasstafffor environmental think tanks.
Buddhist centers and thinkers will not drive the religious conversationin
tl.reWest for quite some time, if ever.The Judeo-Christian heritage of the
West is still a prominent force in'Western thinking, laws, and religious cusrorns.However, Buddhists are alreadysignificant participants in interfaith dialogue regarding the environment. This could have an increasing impact on
public conversationsby raising ethical questions in a serious way. Right now,
decisions that afltct the health and well-being of the environment are often
made behind closed doors.To challenge these in a public way from a religious
perspective could shed some much needed light on ecologically unethical
ways of doing business.
What happens next lies in the hands of those who are nurturing this
r.vaveof enthusiasm for green tsuddhism and those who will follow. It may
be religious leaders,writers, teachers,or elders;it may be the younger generations, full of energy and passionfor protecting the home they love. Because
the rate of destruction is so great noq with major life systemsthreatened,any
and all green activism is sorely needed. Buddhists have much to offer the
assaultedworld. It is my hope that many more step forward boldly into the
melee of environmental conflict. Side by side with other bodhisattvas,may
r78
L_
they jo
ful and
1 .F o t
For
2. Ser
EIc
Be
an
Ed
Cr
C,
H
B
E
3.P
4.J,
1
5.I
6.\
,I
7.:
8.:
)
9.:
10.
tt.
t2.
13.
14
TO SAVE ALL
BEINGS
theyjoin the global effort to stop the cruelry and help create a nlore respecrful and compassionatefuture for all beings.
Norrs
1.For information
on ecosattva activiry see "lJniversal Chainsaw ljnivcrsal
Forest," Tilrning l4/heel(witter 1998) : 31-33.
2. See,for example, such recent volu'nes as Steven c. Rockefeller and
John c.
Elder, Spirlt and Nature: IMy the Enuironment Is a Religious rssrre (Boston:
Beacon Press, 1992); Mary Evelyn Tucker and John A. Grim, eds., Ll/orlilvietus
and Erclogy (Lewisburg, PA: Bucknell University press, 1993); Fritz Hull, eci.,
Earth and spirit:The spiritual Dimensionsof tlte Enuironmentdl crisis (Ner.vyork:
continuum,
1993); David Kinsley, Eology and Religion:Ecologicarspirituality in
Cross-cultural Perspective
(Englewood clitTs, NJ: prentice Hal1, -l995); l)ieter T.
Hessel, ed., Theologyfor Earth Community:A Field Cuide (Maryknoll, Ny: Orbis
Books, 1996); Roger Gottlieb, ed., This SacredEarth: Religion, Nature, antl
Enuironment(NewYork: Routledge, 1996).
3. Parvel Gmuzdek, "Kalayananritra's Action on the yadana piperine," Seedsof
Peate 1.3.3 (Septernber-Decernber 1997) : 23,26.
'{.Joanna Macy, "The Third Tirrning of the wheel," Inquiring
Mincr 5.2 (rvinter
1989):10-12.
5 . I b i d . , p . 1 1.
6. wendy Johnson and StephanieKaza,"Earth Day at Green Gulch ,"
Journaro-fthc
Buddhist PeaceFelloutshrp(sunrmer 1990): 30-33.
7. See reports on their activities in Bay Area Friends ofTibet newsietters.
8. Stephanie Kaza and Kenneth Kraft, eds., Dharma Rain: sourcesoJ Budtlhist
Environmentalisru
(Boston: ShambhalaPubiications, .l999).
9. Sulak Sivaraksa,"Buddhisr' with a Small 'b,"' seedsof peare (Berkerev. cA:
ParallaxPress,1992), p. 69.
'western
10.Peter Timmerman, "It Is Dark outside:
Buddhism frorn the
Enlightenment to the Giobal crisis," in Martine Batchelor and Kerry llrown,
eds.,Buddhismand Etology(London: Cassell,1992),pp.65_76.
11.See Rick
Fields, How the su'ans came to the Lake: A Narratiue Histttr.y o.f
Buddhismin America (Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1986), for a thorough
history of these and earlier forays to the East by'Westerners.
12-Gary Snyder,,4Plarcin Spare(washington,D.c.:counrerpoinrpress, 1995),p.41.
13. Gary Snyder, The Practiceof the wild (San Francisco: North point press, 1990).
14."The Nobel Peace Prize Lecture," in Sidney Piburn, ed.,The Dalai Lamd: A
Polity oJKindness(lthaca,NewYork: Snow Lion publications, 1990), pp. 15 27.
r79
E N G A G I N GT H E I S S U E S
CA: ParallaxPress,1993).
15.Thich Nhat Hanh, Loue in '4rtiorr(l3erkele-v,
16. Issueson the theme of environmental activisn were published in -spring1990,
s p r r n g 1 9 9 . 1a, n d s p r i n g 1 9 9 7 .
17.A1an Hunt-Badinet, ed., Dharma Caia (l3erkeley,CA: Parailax Press,1990);J.
Baild Clallicott ancl Roger T. Ames, eds., Nalurc irt Asian Tiaditions of Thought
(Albany: State (Jniversir;,*of Ner'vYork Press,1989).
lll.The
other four books in the series address Christianiry',Hinduism, Islam,
Judaisni,and Ecolog;rr
1 9 . S e e T i ' i t y c l c ' 1 . (2r ' v i n t e r7 9 9 4 ) : 2 , 4 9 6 3 .
20. For (iar1' Snyder intervie"vs,see"Not Her"eYet"2.4 (March 1994):19-25;"The
Minci of Gary Snyder" '1.5 (May 1'996): 19-26; for Nanao Sakaki, see
"sornervhere on the Water Planet" 4.2 (Novenrber 1995): 45-17 21. For a detailed studv of two Buddhist centers see Stephanie Kaza, "American
Buddhist Response to t1-reLand: Ecological Practice atTwoWest Coast Retreat
(lerrters,"in Marv Evelvn Tucker and I)uncan RyukenWilliarns, eds.,Buddhism
o-f Dlnrma and Deeds (Canrbridge: Harvard
and Ecology:Tht Intercttnntctedness
Universirr''Press,1997), pp. 219-18.
22. See conference talks in Rockefeller and Elder, eds.,Spirit and Nature
23. Maly Evelyn Tucker, "The Emerging Alliance of Ecology and Religion,"
Culture,and Rtli,qion1.1 (1997): 3-21.
EnuirLtrtment,
Il/orlduieuts:
24.Tucker^andWilliarns, eds.,Buddhismand Ecology.
25. See one of the lead papersfi'orn the nreeting:StephanieKaza,"Overcorning the
(irrp of Consurrerisn," forthcorning in Jownal qf Buddhist-ChristidnStudies.
26. See,for exanrple,such r'vorksasThich Nhat Hanh,"The Individual, Society,and
(l3er:keley,CA: Paralhx
Nature," in Fred Eppsteiner, ed., Tfu Path o.fC)ompassion
Press,19tlti),pp. 40-.16; I)alai Lanra,"The Ethical Approach to Environmental
'['he
Dalai Lama:A Polity of Kindness(lthaca, NY:
Protection," in Piburn, ed.,
, e e d so f P e a t e
S n o w L i o n P u b l i c a t i o n s , 1 9 9 0 ) ,p p . 1 1 8 - 2 8 ; S u l a k S i v a r a k s aS
"A
for the
Passion
Titr.nuss,
(Berkele1.,CA: Prrallax Press,1992); Christopher
Dharrna," Titrnin.ql,Ihcel (fall 1991): 19-20; John Daido Loori, "River Seeing
River," tn Mountditt Rccord 11.3 (spring 1996): 2-10; lnd Philip Kapieau, To
(San Francisco: Harper
Chcrish All Lifc: A Buddhist Case-for l\ccomingV'egatarian
I
,l
,l
r
32.Lan
Eth
3 3 .R e
34. Sat
3 5 .S e t
An
"E
Inr
6
4
A
36.Ti.
V
37.7
a
3 8 .S
3 9 .F
t
2
40.J
(
l
4 1 .l
42.
28.Joarrna Mac1,,Ds-Vrlr and PersonalPou,erin the NuclearAge (Philadelphia: New
45.
J
Society l']ublishers,I 983).
29.John Seed, Joanna Macl', Pat Flenring, and Arne Naess, TTrinleingLike a
a Ottundl o.fAII Beings(Philadelphia:New Society Publishers,
Mountain:\7tu,ards
46.
4'7
19 8 8 ) .
r8o
L
I
It
n
Thcory:The
27.Joanna Macv, Mutudl Causality in Buddhism and ()encral S1,s/erus
Dharmd oJ-NaturalSy-itons(Albanl': State (Jniversitl' of NewYork Press,1991).
\
JtP^
Bart
Prel
h
43.
44.
and Rorv, 19ti2).
I
30. Malc
and'
3 1 .l a n
Met
and
d
.e
n
l.
TO SAYEALL BEINGS
0,
J.
ht
t,
30.Mrlcolr. L)avid Ecker,"Is There a Ruddhist phiiosophy
of Nature?,,in Tucker
andWillianrs, eds.,Buddhisntantl Ecology,pp.327_50.
31.lan Harris, "Buddhisrn and the Discourse of Environrnental
concern: Sonre
Methodological problenrs consiclered," in Tucker
and'williams , eds.,Ruddhisnt
and Ecolo,y,pp. 377-402;:r'd Hubertus Tellenbach
an<i Bin Ki'.rra. .,The
'Nature,"'
Japaneseconcept of
in Nature irt Asian Ti,aditionstyf rhought, ed,.
J.
Baird callicort and Roger T. Anres (Arbany:
Srate (Jniversity of New york
P r e r s .1 9 8 , ) ) .
32.Lambert Schr'idthausen, "The Earlv Buddhist
Tradition and EcologJical
Ethtcs,"Journal of Ruddhist Ethics4 (1997): 1_42.
33.Represerrtedi' Stephanie Kaza ancl Kenneth
Kraft, eds.,Dharma Rain.
34.SamyuttaNikaya II.28,65; Majjhima Nikaya 1I.32.
1
r
35.See,for exa'rple, Francir H. cook, "TheJewer
Net of Indra,,,in calricott and
Arrres, eds.' Natura in Asian Tiaditions oJ'Thought,
pp. 213-30; Bin L)evail,
"Ecocentric Sangha,"in Hunt-Radiner,
ec1.,Drtarma caia,pp.155-64; Paul o.
Ingrarrr,"NaruretJerveledNet: Kukai's Ecological
Buddhisrn," Tlrc pacificworld
6 (1990):50-64;Joanna Macl', Mutuar c)attsarity
in Butrirhism;andGary Snyder,
A Plarc in Space.
36 Tir Shtrn, in Thonras Cleary, Entry irtto tlre Inconceiyable:An
Introdndiott to HuaWn Buddhism(Honoluiu: l-Iniversity of Hawaii press,
19g3) p. 66.
37'Thich Nhat Hanh, "The Indivitlual, Societl'.:rnd
Nrrure," i,-, Eppsterner,ed.,
The Path o-fCompassion,p. 40.
38. Snyder,A Placein Sparc,p.70.
39. Rita Gross,"Bucldrrist Resources for Issues popr_rration,
of
consu'rptron, and
the Environnrent," in Tircker a'd 'wiiliams, eds.,
Buddhism anir Ecotogy, pp.
291-312.
40'Joanna M:rcy and Mollyyoung Brown, Coming
Back t. Life: practicesto Reconned
our Liucs, our worrd (Gabrioia Island, lrritish
colurnbia: New Society
Publishers,199t1).
41. Macy, Mutual Causality in Budtlhistr.
42' Interview with John Seed,"The Rain Foresr
as Teacher,,'Inquiring Minri g.2
(spring 1992): 1.
43' Gary Snyder, "The Etiquette of Freedo''t," in
The practice tyfthe wird, p. 1().
4'1'Alan Sponberg, "Green lluddhisr' and the
Hierarchy of cor'passion,,, in
Tucker and'Willianrs , eds.,Butldhism arrd Ecology,pp.
351_76.
45.JoannaMacy, "Third Turning of thewheer
," InquirirtgMind 5.2 (winter 19g9):
10-12.
46. Snyder,A Plarc in Spate,p.73.
47. See his discussionof the fifth precepr i'Thich
Po-rsi6/c(llerkeley, CA: parallax press. 1993).
r8r
Nhat Hanh, Fora Future to Be
ENGAGINC THE ISSUES
48. Robert Aitken, The Dragon rrl4to Never s/eep-r(I]erkeley, cA: parailax press,
1e92),p.62.
.19.Macy ancl Brown, Coming Back
to Life.
50.wenclyJohnson, "A Prayer for the Foresr," Tiicydes.1 (fall 199tt):g,r-g5.
51.varrya Palnrers,"what can I Do," Tirrnirtgl.tLhcer
(wtnter 1993):15-17.
52.Joanna Macy, "Guarding the Earth," InquiringMind 7 .2 (spring 1991):
r,4_5,12.
53. Kenneth Kraft, "Nuclear Ecology and Engaged Bucldhism,,'
in Tucker and
Williarns, eds.,Buddhisrnand Ecology,pp. 269*90.
5'1.Anry Morgante, ed., Buddhist perspediveson the Eartlt charter (cambridge,
MA:
BuclclhrstResearch cenrer for the 21st century, Novenrber 1997).
55' See 1998-1999 issuesof Seetlsof Peacefor reports and announcements
of these
events.
(iyatso, "The Nobel peace prize Lecture,"
56.tnzin
in piburn, ed,.,.r-lteDalai
Ldrna:A Policy o.fKindl'err, pp. 15-27.
57. Gross,"Buddhist Resources for Issuesof population, consurnption,
and the
Errvironr'ent," i' Tucker andwilliar's, eds.,Burltrhismand Erology,pp.2gr_312.
58. Stephanie Kaza, "Acting with conrpassion: Buddhism, Fenrinisrn,
and the
Environmentai crisis," in carol Aclarns, ed., Eto;feminismantl r/re
sarrerl (New
York: Continuunr, 1993).
59.Jav B. McDaniel,
Earth, sky, cods, anrl Mortars: Deueloping an Ecoropiur
Spirituality(Mystic, CT:Twenty_Third publications, 1990).
60. Bill Devall, simple in Means, Ridr in Ends: pratticingDeep Ecorogy(Salt
Lake city:
Peregrine Sniith Ilooks, 1988).
6l.Stephanie
Kaza, "American Buddhist Response to the Land: Ecological
Practice at Two west coast Retreat centers," in Tucker and
williarns. eds..
Buddhism dntl Ecolo.gy,
pp. 219-48.
62. Srryder,A Placein Space,
p.250. See also Davicl Barnhill,,,Great Earth Sangha:
Gary Snyder's view of Narure as cor'rnuniry"
in Tucker and wiliams.
Buddhism and Erology, pp. 187-217 .
63.JelrYa'iauchr, "The Greening of Zen Mountain cenrer: A
case studv." in
Tucker and Willianrs , eds.,Buddhism and Ecolo-qy,pp.249_65.
6'1.Interviewed by Alan Senaukeand Sue Moon, "Monastery in
the srreers:ATalk
with Tetsugen (]lassrnan," Turning Wheel (fa,ll I99 6) : 22_25.
65. Ke'neth Kraft, "Nuclear Ecology and Engaged Buddhisnr,,'
in Tircker and
'Willianrs,
eds.,Buddhism and Ecology,pp.2g0*g3.
66.A selection of such evolvi'g practice forms are presented in
the forthcomins
arrtholog by Kaza and Kraft, Dharma Rain.
67. See christopher Titrnuss, "A passion for the Dharnra," Ti,rrning
wheel (fall
1991): 19-20; also chogyanr Trungpa, shanfuhara:Thesacretlpath
of the warrior
(Boston: Shambhala Publications.198tj).
r82
I
68.r
|.
69.A
(
\
I
0
a
TO SAVE ALL BEINGS
68.David Barnhill, "Great Earth Sangha: Gary Snyder's View
of Nature as
Cornnruniry" in Tucker and Williams , Buddhism and Ecology,p. 192.
69.As Ian Harris suggests in "Buddhism and the Discourse of Environnrental
Concern: Some Methodological
Problerns Considered," in Tucker and
Williarns, eds.,Buddhism and Ecology,pp. 37 7-102.
I
I
r83