Educational Directions for the Practical Principles of Buddhist Ecology

ABSTRACT

This study has been intended to investigate the main principles of buddhist ecology and to find directions of ecological education for the practice of these principles. In order to accomplish these purposes, interdependence and inter-respect have been firstly researched, because these are clues that ecology and Buddhism meet. Interdependence and inter-respect indicate ‘the interdependent origination’(pratītyasamutpāda, 緣起) and ‘compassion’(慈悲) in Buddhism. And ecological meanings of the main practical principles in Buddhism, namely, the interdependent origination(緣起), dharma-dhātu(法界), the Four Noble Truths(四聖諦), and the buddhist precept ‘Do not kill’(不殺生) have been inquired. In the case of the precept ‘Do not kill’, it has been expanded as follows: the theory of animal liberation, the animal s rights theory, and the theory of trees and plant s attaining Buddhahood. Based on the practical principles of buddhist ecology, the following four educational directions have been suggested: education for eco-community, life-esteem & ecosystem preservation, the peace of ecosystem, and nature-friendly education.