Metta for the Earth

Among the many teachings of Buddhism, three relate directly to caring for our planet, its environment and its organisms.

One of these teachings is Pratityasamutpada, also called "dependent co-arising," "interdependent origination" or variations thereof. According to this teaching, nothing has independent, permanent, or intrinsic existence. All phenomena, including us, are one web of existence. Causes and conditions keep the web in ever-changing flux; every effect causes other effects; every effect is caused by other effects.

From this view, it is easy to see why concern for the environment fits naturally into Buddhism. From a Buddhist perspective, what happens to one creature happens to all of us. We cannot be complacent when individual organisms, much less entire species, are lost because of environmental destruction.

Another teaching is the First Precept, do not kill. Conscientious practice requires that we not only avoid killing other creatures ourselves, but also that we do not cause others to kill on our behalf. Obviously this teaching ties into vegetarianism. However, the precept also requires that we take care that products we purchase or other resources we use are not being created in an environmentally destructive way.

As Thich Nhat Hanh said, "We have to look deeply every day to practice this precept well. Every time we buy or consume something, we may be condoning some form of killing."

A third teaching is metta, loving kindness to all beings. Metta does not discriminate between those living creatures we like, or find useful, and those that seem unimportant. No living creature is unimportant. The metta sutta says,

As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings.

See also "Precepts and Environment" by John Daido Loori and selections from World as Lover, World as Self by Joanna Macy.

And, of course, we can't forget Gary Snyder's Smokey the Bear Sutra!

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