Introduction
A statement by Bhikkhu Bodhi (1987, p. vii) reflects several of the core principles, values, and practices that are most relevant to Buddhist environmentalism: “With its philosophical insight into the interconnectedness and thoroughgoing interdependence of all conditioned things, with its thesis that happiness is to be found through the restraint of desire in a life of contentment rather than through the proliferation of desire, with its goal of enlightenment through renunciation and contemplation and its ethic of non-injury and boundless loving-kindness for all beings, Buddhism provides all the essential elements for a relationship to the natural world characterized by respect, care, and compassion.” Here these attributes will be explained and illustrated with examples, several of them drawn from our field research in Thailand (Sponsel 2012).
Dependent Origination
The doctrine of dependent origination or codependent arising is called pratitya-samutpada or paticca-samuppada...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Bibliography
Badiner, A. H. (Ed.). (2002). Mindfulness in the market place: Compassionate responses to consumerism. Berkeley: Parallax Press.
Barash, D. P. (2014). Buddhist biology: Ancient Eastern wisdom meets modern Western science. New York: Oxford University Press.
Bodhi, B. (1987). Foreword. In K. Samdell (Ed.), Buddhist perspectives on the ecocrisis (pp. v–viii). Kandy: Buddhist Publications Society.
Buckley, M. (2014). Meltdown in Tibet: China’s reckless destruction of ecosystems from the highlands of Tibet to the deltas of Asia. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Bodhipaksa, P. (2009). Vegetarianism: A Buddhist view. Cambridge: Windhorse Publications.
Bhikkhu, B. (1998). A notion of Buddhist ecology. Seeds of Peace, 3(2), 22–27.
Chapple, C. K. (1996). Nonviolence to animals, earth, and self in Asian traditions. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Coleman, M. (2006). Awake in the wild: Mindfulness in nature as a path to self-discovery. Makawao: Inner Ocean Publishing.
Coleman, M. (2012). Awaken in the wild. Retrieved from http://www.awakeinthewild.com. Accessed 8 July 2012.
Darlington, S. M. (2012). The ordination of a tree: The Thai Buddhist environmental movement. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Drda, D. (2011). The four global truths: Awakening to the peril and promise of our times. Berkeley: Evolver Editions.
Edwards, D. (2009). The compassionate revolution: Radical politics and Buddhism. Totnes: Green Books.
Global Living Project. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://radicalsimplicity.org. Accessed 8 July 2012.
Joanna Macy and her work. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.joannamacy.net. Accessed 8 July 2012.
Johnston, L. (2006). The “nature” of Buddhism: A survey of relevant literature and themes. World Views: Environment, Culture, Religion, 10(1), 69–99.
Kabilsingh, C. (1998). Buddhism and nature conservation. Bangkok: Thammasat University Press.
Kaza, S. (Ed.). (2005). Hooked! Buddhist writings on greed, desire, and the urge to consume. Boston: Shambhala Publications.
Kaza, S. (2008). Mindfully green: A personal and spiritual guide to whole earth thinking. Boston: Shambhala.
Kaza, S., & Kraft, K. (Eds.). (2000). Dharma rain: Sources of Buddhist environmentalism. Boston: Shambhala Publications.
Koizumi, T. (2010). The Noble Eightfold Path as a prescription for sustainable living. In R. K. Payne (Ed.), How much is enough? Buddhism, consumerism, and the human environment (pp. 133–145). Boston: Wisdom Publications.
Lafitte, G. (2013). Spoiling Tibet: China and resource nationalism on the roof of the world. New York: Zed Books Ltd.
Macy, J., & Johnstone, C. (2012). Active hope: How to face the mess we’re in without going crazy. Novato: New World Library.
Merkel, J. (2003). Radical simplicity: Small footprints on a finite earth. Gabriola Island: New Society Publishers.
Nhat Hahn, T. (1990). Earth gathas. In A. H. Badiner (Ed.), Dharma gaia: A harvest of essays in Buddhism and ecology (pp. 195–196). Berkeley: Parallax Press.
Nhat Hahn, T. (2013). Love letter to the Earth. Berkeley: Parallax Press.
Pandey, K. C. (Ed.). (2008). Ecological perspectives in Buddhism. New Delhi: Readworthy.
Payne, R. K. (Ed.). (2010). How much is enough? Buddhism, consumerism, and the human environment. Somerville: Wisdom Publications.
Roberts, R. (2009). What would the Buddha recycle? The Zen of green living. Avon: Adams Media.
Sahni, P. (2008). Environmental ethics in the Jatakas. In D. E. Cooper & S. P. James (Eds.), Environmental ethics in Buddhism: A virtues approach (pp. 144–163). New York: Routledge.
Sivaraksa, S. (2009). The wisdom of sustainability: Buddhist economics for the 21st century. Kihei: Koa Books. Retrieved from http://sulak-sivaraksa.org. Accessed 8 July 2012.
Spellmeyer, K. (2010). Buddha at the apocalypse: Awakening from a culture of destruction. Boston: Wisdom Publications.
Sponsel, L. E. (2012). Spiritual ecology: A quiet revolution. Santa Barbara: Praeger. Accessed 8 July 2012.
Stanley, J., Loy, D. R., & Dorje, G. (Eds.). (2009). A Buddhist response to the climate emergency. Somerville: Wisdom Publications. Retrieved from http://www.ecoBuddhism.org. Accessed 8 July 2012.
Thompson, B. (2012). Extreme times: Diary of an eco-Buddhist. San Bernardino: Bird Thompson.
Timmerman, P. (1992). It is dark outside: Western Buddhism from the enlightenment to the global crisis. In M. Batchelor & K. Brown (Eds.), Buddhism and ecology (pp. 65–76). New York: Cassell.
Tucker, M. E., & Williams, D. R. (Eds.). (1997). Buddhism and ecology: The interconnection of dharma and deeds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Retrieved from http://fore.research.yale.edu. Accessed 8 July 2012.
White, D. M., & Guyette, S. M. (2010). Zen birding. Winchester: O-Books.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Sponsel, L.E., Natadecha-Sponsel, P. (2016). Buddhism and Ecology. In: Leeming, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27771-9_9296-2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27771-9_9296-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27771-9
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences