Buddhist Ecology: From Buddhist Principles to Practice in Facing the Climate Change Crisis

Abstract

The climate change crisis is not only a physical phenomenon, it reflects a consciousness crisis in which consumption is viewed as the ultimate goal of prosperity. Current measures therefore remain insufficient because they lack support from both economic paradigm and the mentality dimension of citizens. This article aims to use the lens of Buddhist ecology to explain the interconnection between natural systems and human behavior through the Buddhist principle of dependent origination integrated with Buddhist economics, which critiques the logic of unlimited economic growth, and the principle of attachment, which suggests that material crises are reflections of internal attachment. The article uses an analysis and synthesis of contemporary academic literature. It demonstrates that the principle of dependent origination understands humans as part of an interconnected web of causes and conditions together with nature, rather than as dependent observers or superior rulers. When the chain of dependent origination is traced, the three dimensions of craving: sensual craving, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence are found to drive excessive consumption and indifference toward environmental problems, with ignorance serving as the foundation of the entire cycle. The article proposes that mindfulness practice, combined with a correct understanding of the Buddhist principle of contentment, can serve as a practical tool for intervening in the cycle of craving. Contentment is the wisdom to consume according to genuine value, not laziness or an inclination toward having little as it is often mistakenly interpreted. The article also presents a five-step practical model as a guide for practice in everyday life. This is illustrated through the case study of the ordination of forests, which demonstrates that Buddhist principles practiced at the individual level can genuinely expand into community-level norms.

          The article suggests that the solution to the crisis is to adjust both economic and psychological paradigms, reconsidering the meaning of prosperity from the quantity of consumption toward the quality of genuine well-being.