Issue

10th Issue (December, 2008)

Hua-yen Buddhist Perspective on Phenomena-Principle in Relation to Ecosystem

K.Wong

Introduction

Life or environmental scientists have unveiled that for the past fifty years, anthropocentric activities have degraded the ecosystems and have thus upset the ecological balance. Thinning of ozone layer, creation of ozone holes, deforestation, global warming, climate change, depletion of plants and animal species, rising sea levels, intensified natural disasters or catastrophes mirror that the equilibrium of the symbiosis between the biotic and abiotic organisms have been upset. The Doctrine of Phenomena and Principle of Avataṃsaka-sūtra mirrors the intimate relationship between Man and the natural environment in cosmic ecosystem in which polluting activities are anthropogenic or man-made. Knowledge of the aforementioned Doctrine can help decide whether Man should remain aloof or should stay alienated from the current ecocrisis or to execute our social responsibility to address or mitigate it.

Phenomena and Absolute

Before a wise decision is made, it is very useful and pragmatic to comprehend the doctrine of Phenomena-Principle according to the exegesis of the third Chinese Patriarch of Hua-yen tradition, Fa-tsang (643-712 C.E). In order to discern Fa-tsang’s Buddhist Theosophical thought, one is recommended to read Francis H. Cook’s work ‘The Meaning of Vairocana in Hua-yen Buddhism’. Francis H. Cook’s elucidation of Fa-tsang’s thought on the relationship between the Absolute (Ultimate Reality; Paramārtha Satya) and the relative (conventional truth; saṃvṛti satya) is unveiling and insightfully penetrative. He depicts lucidly the immutability, Emptiness and primordial potentialities (Buddha-nature or God-essence) of the Absolute to create the phenomenal world through the Principle of Dependent Co-arising (Pratītyasamutpāda).

Four Realms

Avataṃsaka Sūtra expounds four realms of Reality on the basis of Emptiness (Śūnyatā) or Conditionedness or Self-naturelessness (niḥsvabhāva). Most significantly, these four realms of Reality can help us in the inter-faith understanding between Buddhism and Islamic Sufism. The four realms of Reality are enumerated as follows:

1. The Realm of Phenomenon (事法界)
2. The Realm of Principle (理法界)
3. The Realm of Non-interference between the Phenomena and the Principle (事理無礙)
4. The Realm of Non-interference between the Phenomena and Phenomena (事事無礙)

 Realm of Phenomenon

The realm of phenomenon is the phenomenal world, such as ecosystem, natural environment, global warming, climate change, deforestation, depletion of ozone layer, green house effect, rainstorm, snowstorms, hurricanes, cyclones, plant species, animal species and so forth. If a person possesses only the knowledge of this realm of phenomenon, he or she becomes anthropogenic. He is deluded by the apparent reality of the phenomenal world. He or she falsely imagines the empirical world. The anthropogenicism is driven by the self-centric ego superimposed by the willful ignorance of the true nature of the phenomenal world and the Absolute Truth (Buddha or God ). He is not aware of the imagined, false nature of all phenomena designated as parikalpita-svabhāva by the Yogācāra Buddhist tradition. Whatever can be perceived empirically are considered real by the ordinary worldlings. Human selfishness or egoism is arisen from object reification or perception of substantial independent existents. Object reification or perception of unreal forms as real is, strictly put, idolatrous. The cause of human suffering lies here.

A person of the realm of phenomenon has no knowledge of the Principle or Absolute. The Principle or Absolute may be dissimilarly designated as Brahman, Tao, Buddha, God or Allah. The Principle or Absolute is the immutable, infinite Truth of Unity or Non-duality. A person with only the knowledge of the first realm, devoid of the knowledge of the other three realms, is a carnal person. Being carnal, he or she is anthropocentric. He or she is not concerned with the conservation of the natural environment or ecosystem in which he or she lives. If he or she is capitalist, he or she would exploit unsustainably the natural resources for his or her personal gains or benefits if he or she is capable of or is given the opportunity.

Realm of Principle

A person is considered to have realized the knowledge of the Principle or Absolute if and only if he or she has fulfilled two fundamental requirements, namely:

1. He knows his own True Self which is the universal or cosmic Self
2. He is able to discern the relationship between the conventional truth and the absolute Truth. He discerns that the conventional truth is unreal and illusive whilst the ultimate Truth is real and immutable.

 Whoever dwells in the realm of Principle must have perceived the Emptiness of the five aggregates of form, feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness. The perception of Emptiness of the five aggregates is the Truth discernment that a human personality is the dependently co-arisen Unity of the five aggregates. Not only the Truth Knower (Jñāni) realizes the Emptiness of the entire human personality but also the Emptiness or Insubstantiality of each and every aggregate. He or she perceives that only the Emptiness is the Absolute Truth of ultimate Reality. Emptiness connotes the unity of its parts. He realizes that human personality is the unity of aggregates aforementioned. He also discerns that form, feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness are contigent conditions which are illusively phenomenal. All phenomena are unreal and illusive. He discerns intuitively the Truth of Emptiness. He realizes the true nature of all phenomena are dependently co-arisen from the unity of contigent conditions. This true nature of all conditioned phenomena arisen from the unity of contigent conditions is known as Paratantra-svabhāva from the Yogācāra Buddhist perspective. He is also equally aware that the phenomena, such as his or her form, feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness are impermanent and mutable.

What is permanent and immutable is real. Hence, only the Absolute is real. What are impermanent and mutable are unreal. Since the phenomena are impermanent and mutable, the phenomena are unreal. Any person of such a realm will be friendly towards the natural environment because apprehending Emptiness is discerning interdependent existence of all beings. The natural environment is the interdependent existence of ecosystem. His loving-kindness (mettā) and altruistic compassion (karuṇā) ensue from the Truth-discernment of interdependence (pratītyasamutpāda) of all phenomena. Consequently, he or she manifests environment ethics to protect the natural environment. One’s attitude towards the natural environment correlates with one religious knowledge of Theosophy.

Phenomenon and Principle

The non-interference between the phenomenon and the Principle denotes the interpenetration or interdependence between the phenomenon and the Principle. Whoever has intuitively perceived or discerned the absolute Truth of Emptiness or unity of existence has purged his or her human personality of self-centric ego. As a result, he or she will obliterate his or her grasping upon self and others. He or she directs and empowers all his or her six sense activities with the Buddha-mind which is the universal or cosmic Self (Dharmadhātu). The universal or cosmic Self is the True Self of Man. Monotheistically put, the cosmic Self is the mind of God or the Buddha. The cosmic Self the one and only Truth. It is not a substantial, al mighty personality or figure. Often, it has been personified in Monotheistic preaching or in the Monotheistic Scriptures. The personification approach of preaching is merely an expedient device or skillful means of pedagogy (upāya). It is incorrigible that God or Buddha has been reified leading to the worship of idolatry. Worship of idolatry derails the worshippers from the Truth. This is actually the main cause of eco-crisis.

A person of cosmic Self is said to have developed the perfection of wisdom of liberation (mokṣa) from the interpenetration between the phenomenon and the Principle. Conversely, when an undelivered sentient being utilizes his false self or self-centric ego to direct and empower all his or her sense activities, there arises the interference between the phenomenon and the Principle. The defiled mind of the ego or self-centred activities interferes with or obstructs the pure mind of the egoless or selfless Principle. Delusion obstructs enlightenment. False self of delusion obstructs the cosmic Self of enlightenment. Interference between the phenomena and the principle occurs when the false self becomes the master of our lives. The false self conceals the true Self or cosmic Self.

When the true Self or the Buddha-mind sits on the throne of one’s life, there is no more interference or obstruction between the phenomena and the Principle. When the consciousness has been purified and redeemed through the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā), there is no interference between the phenomena and the Principle. In short, non-interference means mental liberation or freedom (nirvāṇa). The person of non-interference between phenomenon and principle apprehends intuitively and fully the relationship between the conventional truth and the ultimate Truth. The conventional truth is imaginatively false nature of all phenomena (vikalpita-svabhāva). The ultimate Truth is dependent nature of all phenomena (paratantra-svabhāva). Likewise, there is non-interference between Man and the natural environment when Man has reached the spiritual station of non-interference between the phenomena and the principle. The world is currently imperilled by ecocrisis because human beings predominating over natural environment have lost their self–awareness of God or Buddha. Ordinary human beings have deviated from the Truth – Law of Nature which is the Dharma.

 A delivered person, the man of wisdom, manifests the environmental ethics derived from Buddhist ethics to help conserve the natural environment or to utilize its resources sustainably. Whoever understands the doctrine of identity and Interdependence expounded by Hua-yen Buddhist school manifests the lovingkindness (mettā) and altruistic compassion (karuṇā) for natural environment. In actuality, Buddhism is the study of the ecology of the cosmic ecosystem. Lovingkindness and compassion are environment ethics.

Phenomena and Phenomena

There is no interference between phenomena and phenomena or perfect interpenetration between the phenomena and the phenomena if and only if the Knower of Truth has transcended both the phenomena and the Principle. It is the spiritual station of no station. In transcendence, he or she perceives not only the Emptiness of the phenomena but also the Emptiness of the Principle. It is state of Emptiness of Emptiness (Śūnyatā-Śūnyatā). It is synonymous with the Sufi wisdom state of al Fanā’ al Fanā’. It is completely devoid state of the destruction of the notion of the destruction of self-centric ego.

 Perception of Emptiness is the perception of the universe as the totality of conditioned things. Totality is unity; unity is interdependence. Interdependence is interrelatedness. A Truth knower, having realized cosmic Unity, he or she does not reify the notion of Unity. Unity is the notion of Emptiness. In other words, the Knower of Truth realizes the emptiness of both the phenomena and the principle actualizing the perfect Truth of emptiness of Emptiness (Śūnyatāśūnyatā). In emptiness of Emptiness, the notion of selfishness or egoism totally vanishes completely. He realizes Emptiness – the Truth of interdependence but he or she does not grasp upon the view of Emptiness realized. He or she relinquishes all views including the view of Unity or Emptiness. He or she has intuitively perceived the consummated or perfect nature of all phenomena designated as pariniṣpanna svabhāva by the Yogācārins.

Such a delivered person lives in complete unity within the nexus of ecosystem. He does not separate himself or herself from the totality of the ecosystem. He discerns that the world is a universe of bio-physical regional communities being conglomerated into the unity of infinite macro-ecosystem. The entire body of the infinite universe is the cosmic Self (Dharmadhātu; Dharmakāya). Such a delivered Buddhist will manifest environment ethics which are manifested in the form of friendliness towards the natural environment. The friendliness is translated into protection and conversation of the natural environment. He or she utilizes the natural resources sustainably.

Conclusion

In fact, Buddhism is the study of ecology involving both biotic and abiotic species with human beings acting as the focus of activities. The Doctrine of Emptiness or Dependent Co-arisen Unity or Non-duality makes us fully aware that each and every one of us is part and parcel of the interdependent cosmic ecosystem. All contigent beings in the macroecosystem are supporting others and are being supported by others too. Such a holistic worldview is consonant with Hua-yen Buddhist Doctrine of Identity and Interdependence (Dharmadhātu pratītyasamutpāda). All phenomena are apparently diverge and distinct. In actuality, they are all identical ultimately because all phenomena are empty of self-natures (niḥsvabhāvas) and are thus ultimately formless. The forms perceived conventionally are illusive and unreal. Emptiness of self-natures or forms denotes interdependent existence or unity of existence. Hua-yen Buddhism promulgates that every thing is Vairocana or has a Buddha-nature. Such knowledge of Dharma enables one to understand relationship between Man and the natural environment.

 In fact, the concept of interdependent existence (dharmadhātu pratītyasamutpāda) is synonymous with the Sufi Theosophical concept of unity of existence (Waḥdat al- Wujūd). Unity of existence is defined by Sufi Supreme Master Ibn ‘Arabī as the Truth of God (ḥaqq). ‘ḥaqq’ means ‘Truth’. Since interdependent existence is Buddha-nature according to Mahāyāna Buddhism, God is ultimately synonymous with Buddha in terms of dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality. In other words, since every conditioned phenomenon (Buddhist term) is the unity of dependent conditions and every necessary existent (Sufi term) is the unity of contigent beings, hence, everything is the existence of Buddha or God. The existence of Buddha or God is the Reality or the Truth of Emptiness. Emptiness is interdependent co-living. What is worshipped in God or Buddha is, in actuality, the worship of interdependent, holistic or non-dual interconnected ecosystem. The love of God or Buddha ensues from such an interrelationship among all living beings and non-living beings in the entire cosmic ecosystem known as the universe. The universe is fundamentally constituted from two major contigent conditions, namely Man and all the biotic and abiotic beings the natural environment.

Loving the natural environment as an intimately related and complimentary part of everyone is manifest of the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā). The Spirit of this wisdom is the Dharmabody (Dharmakāya). Dharmabody is synonymous with the Holy Spirit of God expounded in Christianity. When one’s life is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, it connotes that the self-centric ego has been replaced with the mind of God. With the mind of God, one is born of God. The spirit of being born of God devoid of self-centric ego is the Buddhist concept of Dharmakāya or the state of Nirvāṇa. Different designations may be utilized to express the same Spirit or Truth. This is immaterial. What is of crucial importance is to actualize this Spirit of God or Buddha by understanding the Truth.

When a delivered believer or practitioner realizes and actualizes the Spirit or Truth of God or Buddha, he or she becomes an inseparable organic organ of the entire eco-system. He or she reaches a state in which when he or she knows that if he or she hurts any part of the natural environment, he or she recognizes that he or she also injures himself. This is most effective way to develop the respect and love for the natural environment. Religion is the most ideal way to develop total love for the natural environment.

A discerning Buddhist or any Buddhist esotericist comprehends interdependence and interconnectedness among all sentient beings much more profoundly than those living in a God consciousnessless or Buddha consciousnessless society obsessed with anthropocentric hedonism or utilitarianism. Such a delivered Buddhist esotericist lives a flourishing human life guided by the virtue ethics of benevolence, compassion, appreciative joy, piety, filiality and courage. These virtue ethics are automatically translated into his or her environment ethics to protect the natural environment from degradation or depletion. His or her virtue ethics ensure from his or her inner Heart and not from the head. The inner Heart is the pure, infinite consciousnesss – the mind of intrinsic awareness.