Lessons from California Fires: The Buddhist World View (2)

By K.Wong

Introduction

The Catastrophe of forest wildfires first struck Santiago, California of United States of America on October 21, 2007. The second forest blaze assailed canyon and mountain of Malibu of California on November 24, 2007. Fortunately, the early cessation of Santa Ana winds reduced the destruction of homes, structures, human lives, animals or pets, cars and other fixed assets to the minimum. Whether the wildfires was initiated by an arsonist or non-arsonist, the commencement of the vigorous forest blaze was that of initial spark of fire – the root cause (mūla-hetu). The wisdom of the Chinese Ancient says, “A spark of fire as small as a little star is sufficient to annihilate the entire forest.” This is a golden advice to all of us to exercise vigilance or heedfulness in our actions or activities. A minor negligence could result in a massive catastrophe. There are lessons to learn from California forest blazes by all.

Conditioning

There are three main conditioning states (paccayadhammā) which engendered the forest wildfires twice in California in 2007. Firstly it was extreme dryness (or low humidity) intensified by global warming. Secondly, they were the fierce Santa Ana winds which might have been invigorated by climate change. Thirdly, it was the spark of a man-made fire kindled either intentionally or unintentionally. From the Buddhist perspective of  the doctrine of Dependent Co-arising (Paṭiccasamuppāda), dryness, winds and fire were the three conditioning states which dependently co-produced the forest wildfires. The first two contigent conditions (paccayas) seem to be  uncontrollable whilst the third condition is controllable. Insightful discernment reveals that these three conditions are controllable as they are impermanent (anicca) and mutable or subject to change. The fire is the root condition (hetupaccaya) of the entire tragedy of the great blaze. From the Buddhist doctrinal perspective, all the three conditions are empty of permanent self-natures or substances (sabhāvas) because their occurrences are contigent upon other conditioning states. The increasingly dryness and stronger winds are conditioned by other conditioning states, such as climate change. Climate change is conditioned by another conditioning state known as global warming. Global warming is conditioned by another conditioning state called the inconsideration and self-centredness of human behaviour. These fallibilities of human behaviour are conditioned by ignorance (avijjā). If the analysis is reduced further, it will be ascertained that there exists an infinite network of conditioning states which are interdependent and interrelated (dharma-dhātu-pratītya-samutpāda) culminating into a Unity. Excluding the possibility of the conditioning state of lightning which does not occur during the dry season of drought , the initial spark of the fire is man-made or contigently conditioned by  perhaps heedless or negligent  human behaviour. The fire initiator or prompter may be an arsonist or a non-arsonist.

Ugly Human behavior

If the initial fire was evoked by an arsonist, perhaps, the arsonist(s) might (dosa) to commit the vice. There is always a moral lesson to learn from the vengeance or retaliation of an agitated person or group. The massive devastation effected by a small spark of fire could be as extensive or even more extensive than that effected by a nuclear bomb. In other words, a seemingly helpless individual or group could retaliate easily with the evil motive of an eye for eye and a tooth for tooth in order to even up. As long as self or ego (ahaṃkāra) arises in the ordinary consciousness of an untamed person, the grasping upon (upādāna) the five aggregates (pañcakkhandhā) engenders the poison of hatred to equalize. The devastation, caused by an individual’s or group’s vengeance rooted in hatred, could be equally massive or even more enormous. In the past and present chaos, the poison attack in Japan, suicide attacks or sheer violent attacks of the distressed terrorists in New York, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka Pakistan, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, southern Thailand and so forth are useful lessons or pointers to be learnt by policy makers throughout the world. The 911 abrupt and well-strategized attack on the twin towers of New York and other government infrastructures proved that nuclear power is powerless to defend even the most powerful nation on earth like the United States of America. It verifies that a strategically planned malevolence of the enemy(ies) cannot be detected and outwitted by the advanced human science and technology. Negotiations through diplomacy, love and empathy but not mutual retaliations of hatred and selfishness, are the only possible workable solution to lasting global peace and harmony. The pragmatic value of religious or spiritual wisdom has been underestimated by the modern policy makers.

Overcome hatred by Love

We should take heed of the Buddha’s admonition that hatred could not be solved by hatred, only love could dissolve hatred. The Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates recommends that a soft power, not always hard power, is recommended to deal with the complex problems Iraq. From Buddhist perspective, in such a chaos, there is propensity for the arising a 100 % degree of the grasping of the five aggregate. Grasping engenders mental obsessions. The mental obsession of hatred or anger developed intensely and uncontrollably in the mind of an enemy or enemies could not possibly be contained by any nuclear power. The power of human insanity aroused is beyond the containment by the nuclear power. It is important to contemplate and live in the ideal of the major esoteric religions that no God, Brahman or Buddha will permit any man to destroy the life of another man. This is discerned if the absolute Truth of the universal brotherhood of humanity is apprehended. Every human being is part of God, Brahman or Buddha. If one injures another human being, one will transgress the
commands or injunctions of God, Brahman or Buddha. The moral law of accountability will dictate the corresponding penalty or retribution upon anyone who has destroyed the life of another being.

Danger of Negligence

Conversely, the forest fires might be conditioned by a non-arsonist or an irresponsible individual or group. The irresponsibility of this unheedful individual was conditioned by negligence or carelessness (appamāda). Buddhist philosophy of Emptiness (Śūnyatā) or Dependent Co-arising expounds that all phenomena (dhammā) are conditioned by either internal or external conditions conglomerated into a totality or unity. Any occurrence or event is the unity of all the necessary conditioning states. Therefore, the California forest blaze is a natural disaster which is not beyond human control if the contigent-conditions are discerned. According to Buddhist philosophy, conditioning states or briefly, conditions are impermanent and mutable. Impermanent conditions can be either checked, improved, rectified, replaced or even totally eliminated. In short, human destiny is determined by human freewill or human efforts. Conditions of human life can be altered, improved, enhanced or perfected through wholesome individual kammas or spiritual wisdom.

Conclusion

The California blaze experience unveils that the small spark of the bush fire could result in a highly disastrous catastrophe or a disaster of immense loss. Likewise, we can also learn a similar lesson from the swift downfall of a multinational corporation caused by the criminal bleach of trust or corrupt practice of a high ranking unethical corporate financial executive. In our modern world equipped the ultra-advanced information superhighways, such as the intersnet and satellite telecommunication infrastructure, a rumour created in a country can be transmitted like the velocity of light through e-mails or handphones within seconds throughout a country and the world. Modern technology has supported and invigorated the various unities of vices throughout a country or the globe. But if one is fearful of Brahman, Tao, Brahman, Buddha or Allah, the problems of the corrupted practices of the unities of vices could also be surmounted within seconds too. The quality of a moral judgment or decision is directly proportional to the profoundity of the religious or spiritual wisdom gained. Human mind is supreme since is it is the chief determinant of all human decisions and activities. The worst is that afflicted with ignorance, an evil person has no power or control over his behaviour. Religions preach that we can become masters of our environment and behaviours. Fortunately, the balls are at our feet as we can decide our own pathways and goals of our life.