10th Issue (December, 2008)

Buddhist Perspective: Global Warming and Climate Change- Neglect at our own Peril

Wong Weng Hon

Introduction

Global warming and climate change have been frequently haunting mankind recently because of the epic natural disasters or catastrophes, such as dire rainstorms, more floods, stronger hurricanes or cyclones, more frequent wildforest fires and so forth swamping the victims especially in the year of great turmoils of 2008. The scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [1] have vindicated that these so called natural disasters or catastrophes are, in actuality, not natural but man-made. They are caused by lax, irresponsible, greedy behaviours rooted in anthropogenic or human activities moulded by anthropocentricism or human centredness. Anthropocentricism is closely related to the core of esoteric religious concern – the illusive empowerment of human six sense activities through the body, speech and mind by the superimposed self-centric ego. The key function of esoteric religion in general and Buddhism in particular is the obliteration of self-centric ego so that one becomes more friendly towards others including biotic and abiotic natural environment. The attitude towards the natural environment is influenced by one’s religious wisdom derived from understanding the phenomena-principle relationship generally described as the relationship between the world and God.

Increased Temperatures

Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperatures of the earth’s surface atmosphere and ocean since the mid-20th century C.E. [2] The Global warming is resulted from the increase of green house gases especially carbon dioxide worsened by the physical phenomenon of green house effect. [3] The conclusion that global warming, conditioning Climate Change due to anthropogenic activities, has been endorsed by 30 scientific societies and academic science including all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries. [4] As the IPCC’s report document is dependently co-produced by hundreds of scientists all over the world, hence its authoritativeness and authenticity should not be doubted.

Buddhistly put, global warming is a conditioned phenomenon dependently co-arisen from the unity of multiple, diverge contigent conditions (paccayadhammas). The contigent conditions are anthropogenic activities engendering increasing green house gases, particularly carbon dioxide enumerated as follows:

1. Burning of fossil fuels
2. Clearing of agricultural land
3. Deforestation
4. Increasing number of motor-vehicles
5. Increasing number of factories
6. Increased population
7. Increase of the usage of electrical appliances
8. Many others

 The IPCC’s scientists, carrying out the global warming and climate change research, have recently predicted that the average global temperatures could increase between 1.4 and 5.80 C by the year 2100. [5] The contigent conditions aforementioned and listed above dependently co-produce the current dire global warming engendering epic climate change in the forms of extreme weather conditions, such as more severe and frequent rainstorms, heavy floods, heat waves, cyclones or hurricanes, droughts, wild forest fires and so forth. The combined devastations of global warming and climate change have resulted in other grave environmental problems.

Environmental Problems

The environmental problems comprise rising sea levels, melting of ice-caps, mountain glaciers and ocean ice-sheets, mysterious winds, thinning ozone layer and creation of ozone holes, extinction of plant and animal species at the low lands, the forced migrations of animal species to higher altitudes of the hills or to other neigbouring foreign habitats, destabilizing the eco-systems, threatening the livelihoods of hunters and fishermen, disappearance of more lakes and even worsening sneeze attacks and itchy eyes of human beings. [6]

Insubstantiality or Emptiness

The Buddhist fundamental doctrines are the Doctrine of Insubstantiality or Non-self (Anattā) according to the Theravāda tradition. Anattā denotes that no conditioned phenomenon, such as global warming or climate change exists autonomously. In other words, every phenomenon is dependently co-arisen from the conglomeration or association (saṃsarga) of contigent conditions. The Mahāyāna’s Doctrine of Emptiness (Śūnyatā), equated to Anattā, also unveils the ultimate Truth that every phenomenon is empty of inherent existence or self-nature (niḥsvabhāva). In other words, every phenomenon is dependently co-arisen from the unity of multiple contigent conditions. Succinctly put, every phenomenon is dependently co-arisen.

 Each phenomenon is dependently co-arisen from the unity of multiple, diverge contigent conditions. The conditions can be broadly categorized into a primary condition or main cause (hetu) and multiple secondary conditions (pratyayas). The main cause is usually Man and the supporting environmental factors are the secondary conditions. Anthropogenic human beings exploit and capitalize the environmental factors as the means to achieve their ultimate selfish ends – self-benefits of amassing economic wealth. Of course, Buddhism does not deny economic development or GDP (Gross Domestic Product) as long as the instruments or means of elevation of GDP are ethically acceptable and the development is sustainable. For instance, green, pollution free or more efficient energy technology ought to be developed and utilized for the elevation of GDP. Environment impact assessment (EIA) should be strictly enforced before a developing project affecting the natural environment, is approved for implementation. If Man is wise and ethical, it is natural that Man will capitalize on his environmental resources righteously and responsibly so that the development is sustainable. Buddhism, like any other religion, plays a crucial role to spiritualize and edify the anthropocentric mind so that the material development and the natural environment are both sustainable in the long run.

The Doctrine of Phenomenon and Principle of Avataṃsaka Sūtra of Hua-yen Buddhism reminds us that every phenomenon, such as economic development correlates intimately with the absolute Truth or Principle (Noumenon) [7] . Buddhism, like any other esoteric religion, reminds us that phenomenon, not adhering to the Principle, will eventually result in failure, defeat, doom, disaster or catastrophe. The unwholesome karmas of human beings are unskillful contigent conditions (causes) producing unwholesome outcomes (effects). The ecocrisis is the result of unwholesome contigent conditions of selfish people.

Cosmic Ecosystem

Man and the natural environment constitute a cosmic ecosystem in which Man and environment are symbiotic, holistic and non-dual. The survival of Man and the natural environment, especially the plant and animal species are dependently co-arisen. The ultimate Reality of dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality (advaya) between Man and his natural environment is expounded by towering, renowned Mahāyāna Philosopher, Nāgārjuna in his celebrated work ‘Mūlamadhayamakārikā (The Philosophy of the Middle Way) thus:

 A thing that is not dependently co-arisen is not evident.
 For that reason, a thing that is non-empty is indeed not
 evident. [8]
MMK24.19

 Apratīya-samutpanno dharmaḥ kaścin na viddyate
 Yasmāt tasmād aśūnyo hi dharmaḥ kaścin na vidyate.

Ethics and Sustainability

The Avataṃsaka-sūtra expounds that the Man and his natural environment constitute an infinite universe or macro ecosystem constructed from the infinite network of interdependent and interconnected contigent beings interwoven in a dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality (Dharmadhātu pratītyasamutpāda). Every person or being is an integral, inseparable contigent being in the totality of the universe. It is the human deontological ethics of duties and responsibilities which preserve or sustain this universal unity or unity of co-existence harmoniously and sustainably. It is our common responsibility to work for an equitable and peaceful world in which the diversity of the entire ecosystem constituted from human and non-human communities can thrive together or co-exist peacefully and sustainably. We are not only living in a human family but also in a large earth community with other non-human beings. To be more exact, we are all dwelling in a cosmic Self (dharmadhātu) in which individuations and egoism are dissolved into the One in the many. Alas, human beings, grasping upon their five aggregates, live with selfishness and egoism which upset the interdependent harmonious co-existence.

The Doctrine of Identity and Interdependence expounded in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra unveils the ultimate Truth that we are all contigent beings of the universal community of the macro ecosystem. Each contigent being is like a knot which is linked to all other knots forming an infinite network of interdependence. All knots are equally important in preserving the universal mould of unity of existence. This intimate interrelationship or interconnectedness is intrinsic truth of interdependence. That every contigent being is dependently co-arisen and is empty of any permanent self-nature or own nature (svabhāva) is the truth of Identity from Hua-yen Buddhist perspective. The Emptiness of every contigent being or phenomenon is the communal attribute of Identity of all phenomena. Being empty of inherent existence, they are all identical as being equal partners of equal importance. Being identical, they are all interdependent. Lovingkindness (mettā) and altruistic compassion (karuṇā) ensue intrinsically from interdependent and interconnected relationship.

Conclusion

Hua-yen’s Doctrine of Interpenetration and Totality does not differ from the Sufi Doctrine of Unity of Existence (Waḥdat al-Wujūd). Thus, Buddha and God are, in principle, synonymous. Whoever loves the God or Buddha loves the unity of co-existence between Man and the natural environment. As the unity of existence is innately sacred and divine, it should be worshipped by all. Sustainability and survival of the planet earth are critical issues concerning the interests of all.

Monotheistically put, the unity of the ecosystem is the unity mould of God. Hua-yen Buddhism equates the Universe to be the cosmic Self considered to be synonymous with Vairocana Buddha. Vairocana Buddha is everything. God is also everything. Thus, it follows that the Buddha and God are synonymous in terms of ultimate Reality (paramārtha Satya). The Vairocana Buddhists in Tibet and Japan especially worship Vairocana Buddha as God much like the Monotheists do.

The civil and criminal laws of a secular state are only exoteric or external. Buddhism like any other major’s world religion, such as Hinduism, Taoism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam are both exoteric and esoteric[9] . Religious esotericism complements the lack of esotericism of the state’s civil and criminal laws to consummate human environmental ethics to protect our natural environment. Exoteric civil and criminal laws ensue from the head – intellectual or conceptual thoughts; religious esotericism ensues from the Heart – the intuitive understanding of Truth. Both the head and the Heart are required to protect our natural environment.

Interestingly, the neuro-scentists and neoro-spiritualists concur in their discovery of esoteric Truth that the head or intellectual or conceptual mind is the left-brain function and the inner Heart is the intuitive mind which is the right-brain function. Thus, ecology, neuro-anatomy and Buddhism or religion communicate the communal Truth of Wisdom - the intimate relation between ecology, psychological ethics and environment ethics. Therefore, the scientists and the religious theosophists ought to collaborate in concerted efforts to combat and mitigate global warming and climate change. The scientists present the research findings of scientific truths of data and information; the theosophists contribute the communal Truth of wisdom and environmental ethics to motivate and regulate the decision makers and the public to actualize actual mitigation efforts through the practice of environment ethics supported by wisdom.