Buddhists have principles for living, the first two are not to harm but to show loving kindness to all animals, and not to steal but only take what is offered and trying to be generous.
To live in harmony with nature is a crucial Buddhist practice. A lot of the time the actions which we use in conjunction with the environment rebel against the second precept (I undertake to abstain from taking what is not freely given). This can relate to our everyday lives aswell as a Buddhist. We should not take more than we need just like a Buddhist. For example if you are picking flowers or maybe chopping down trees and you take more than you need you will be depriving others of the pleasure. Buddhists believe that even picking an apple from a tree would be stealing, so they have to wait for it to fall. This follows the Buddhist teaching of Tanha, suffering comes from greed.
The first precept (I undertake to abstain from taking life), teaches Buddhists about how to treat living things including animals. This precept is against killing or harming animals; this precept has led many Buddhists to become vegetarians. This may also be a reason for Buddhists to be against and not go into some careers such as butching, farming, etc. because animals may be being harmed in a certain job or down the somewhere else down the line.
The Four Noble Truths link with the Buddhist belief about how we should treat animals and the environment. In The Four Noble Truths the Buddha set out:
The problem with life
The cause of that problem
That the problem can be overcome
The way to achieve it.
Another way the Four Noble Truths can be set out for a Buddhist who becomes a vegetarian could be:
Animals are being killed for meat
Humans crave meat
Become vegetarians
Causes least suffering
The first of The Four Noble Truths is All life involves suffering (dukkha). Buddhists avoid causing the environment and animals to suffer by leading their lives without misusing the environment or harming animals. The reason there is suffering, is because of craving (tanha). People want the environment for themselves and want to eat meat and they are craving for them, not thinking of anything about anything else and cause suffering (dukkha) this refers to ‘Right Intention’ of the Eightfold Path, because people should have the correct intention behind their actions.
Buddhists follow a guideline to the right way of living it is called the Noble Eightfold Path. It has eight different statements to cultivate the good way of living. Five of the statements are directly concerned with the environment. These statements are called the five precepts they are:
Not to destroy life
Not to steal
No to misuse sex, or over-indulge the senses
Not to lie
Not to clod the mind with drugs or alcohol.
The Noble Eightfold Path is represented as a wheel of eight spokes.
‘Right Intention’ – It is one thing to hear the Buddhist Dharma, but it is another to act upon, and to do so for the right reasons. It is a decision to follow the Buddhist path, every action of a person comes about from a single thought, and right intention is the positive thought that a person needs in order to make progress. In other words it can mean acting in the right way and not afflicting any harm on others.
‘Right Action’ – Buddhists follow five precepts they are a bit like guidelines for life.
Right action is concerned with acting in the right way towards others and the environment.
‘Right Mindfulness’ – Part of the Buddhist way of life that aims to help people become more aware of themselves and everything around them. People cannot really control themselves if they are not aware of how they feel or the why they respond to life in the way that they do.
In other words it is building an awareness of your surroundings so you do not harm them.
‘Right Livelihood’ – if a Buddhist follows the Eightfold Path, it is important that they do not make a living, that involve going against Buddhist principles, for example killing animals of destroying the environment. This means earning your money in the right way which does take advantage of others or the environment.
‘Right View’ – A Buddhist looks to expand his understanding of life, by following the teachings of the Buddha. A person who has not thought about the nature or where suffering comes from, is not very likely to make progress.
This basically means, seeing the world as it is, finding out a way and trying out a way to overcome it.
In conclusion of this essay, I think that people who practice the dharma have to treat the environment and animals with their upmost respect, and cannot even think of harming them. Also I think that Buddhists have very strong beliefs and never disobey them. I think we must become more aware of the consequences our actions cause on the environment, even if it is just little things like dropping litter. Even little things like dropping litter can cause suffering (dukkha), for example, small animals can get their necks caught in beer can holders. Hopefully people will realise that they need to change their attitudes towards the environment, so that future generations can enjoy the worlds beauty and wonder.
Bibliography
Buddhism – A new approach. Written by Steve Clark and Mel Thompson
