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第三届世界居士佛教论坛 |
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Dilemmas of Present Society – Has Buddhism the Answer? Deshabandhu Olcott Gunasekera
The World today is facing many problems which make us ask the question whether we have really advanced from our forefathers or whether we have created for ourselves insurmountable problems where our very existence is becoming or has become a major issue that is everyone’s concern. Because of the impacts of climate change many countries show potential for serious conflict due to scarcity of food, water stress and soil degradation. Over 500 million people live below the poverty line and each year 15 million children die of starvation. Three billion people, nearly half the world’s population are struggling to survive on US dollars 2 a day and according to UNICEF the world's 358 billionaires have assets exceeding the combined annual incomes of countries with 45 percent of the world's people. This system has to change for human survival. Has Buddhism the answer? Yes, it has. It is in the Noble Eightfold Path discovered by the Buddha to gain deliverance from repeated births whose entry point is Right View or Understanding. There are many wrong views that have caused today’s predicament. One such is the belief that the world was created by God for the benefit and enjoyment of humans. From Right Views emanate Right Thoughts or Right Intentions, which are threefold, namely, thoughts of renunciation or giving up; thoughts of non-hate or those free of hatred; and thoughts of non-violence or more positively thoughts of compassion and loving kindness. By the same token, insatiable acquisitive and covetous thoughts, hateful vengeful thoughts of putting down or pulling down others and violent destructive thoughts are wrong thoughts. Not much of discussion is necessary for us to realise that the dilemmas and paradoxes of current society are because the present world order thrives on the propagation of those very wrong thoughts. The Buddhist economic and social system is a win-win situation based on such values as contentment, being easily supportable and simple living, where the quality of life will improve universally without the haves exploiting the have-nots. Buddhists are expected to eschew the five prohibited trades, namely, sale of armaments, human trafficking, sale of meat/flesh, sale of drugs and other psychotropic substances and sale of poisons. Much of world trade are in these very same prohibited items that are another cause for this predicament. There is also an urgent need to change lifestyle, the Buddha way. We have to learn to live simply and a simple life is invariably comfortable. If we want to change the world we have to start with ourselves and set the example as a Buddhist community. The first step in this Path of Happiness is the adherence to the five precepts. The second step is to develop restraint and/or giving up, as an antidote to infatuation and over-indulgence. New indicators to measure success of nations have to be developed for which Bhutan, a Buddhist country, has set the example. I consider it an honour and privilege to have been invited to the Third International Lay Buddhist Forum organised by the Kuching Buddhist Society. In this regard I wish to thank my dear kalyanamitta and former Ambassador Dato’ G.K. Ananda Kumaraseri, a well known figure among Buddhists of Malaysia, who introduced me to the Kuching Buddhist Society. I wish if I knew of this organisation earlier because I spent a whole week in Kuching in December last year attending the 18th IFNGO ASEAN NGO Workshop on Prevention of Drug & Substance Abuse at the invitation of PEMADAM Malaysia and IOGT International, Sweden. At the very outset, I wish to bring to the attention of this august assembly an important event in Buddhist history that we in Sri Lanka are preparing ourselves for. It is the commemoration of the 2600th anniversary of the Enlightenment of the Buddha that falls on the Wesak full moon day in the month of May, 2011. A joint communiqué signed by the four Most Venerable Mahanayaka Theras of Sri Lanka encompassing a twenty-point Action Plan was forwarded to the Maha Sangha, the Government and the Buddhist public with the objective of strengthening the practical performance of the Sambuddha Sasana to ensure, thereby, the preservation of the Sasana in the future and to bring about a moral regeneration of the Sri Lankan Buddhist society. Sri Lanka’s President, His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed a Steering Committee, on the recommendation of the four Prelates, to implement the 20-point Action Plan and organise all events leading up to this historic event. The common asseveration of the entire celebrations is ‘Let us commemorate the 2600th Anniversary of the Buddha’s Enlightenment by reorganising and revitalising our moral life.’ The topic I chose for my talk is ‘Dilemmas of Present Society – Has Buddhism the answer? I have not seen a better description of the dilemmas of present society than the quote below, whose authorship is attributed to more than one person. Authorship aside, it is a good summary of the problems of modern society. Let me quote: “The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness. We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...” How true are these words, when one reflects on them? Have we really advanced from our forefathers or have we created for ourselves insurmountable problems where our very existence is becoming or has become a major issue that is everyone’s concern? You may have heard of the government of the Maldives holding a cabinet meeting underwater to highlight the threat of global warming to that low-lying Indian Ocean nation. President Mohamed Nasheed warned that “If the Maldives cannot be saved today we do not feel that there is much of a chance for the rest of the world.” In the statement made by the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to the UN World Body, climate change, in the absence of mitigation policies would in all likelihood lead to:
He further stated that in Africa, by 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to water stress due to climate change. By the same year in some countries of Africa yields from rain fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50%. The impacts of climate change would be disproportionately severe on some of the poorest regions and communities of the world. According to his own analysis at least 12 countries are likely to tend towards becoming failed states and communities in several other states would show potential for serious conflict due to scarcity of food, water stress and soil degradation. It is all there in the Noble Eightfold Path – the Ariyo Atthangiko Maggo, the Path discovered by the Buddha to gain deliverance from repeated births (bhava nirodho). The entry point to the Path of deliverance is Samma Ditthi - Right View or Understanding. It is mentioned in the texts that Right View is the fore-runner (pubbangama). This is very logical. If one’s view or understanding is wrong the path one takes is invariably wrong. It is like emplaning to Jakarta from Kuching believing that it will take him to KL. There are many wrong views that have caused today’s predicament. One such is the belief that the world was created by God for the benefit and enjoyment of humans, who are acclaimed to be God’s most rational creation. From Right Views emanate Right Thoughts (Samma Sankappa), also translated as Right Intentions. Right Thoughts or intentions are the driving force and if they are good the actions – verbal, physical and mental- are good and beneficial to one and to all others. If the thoughts are self-centred and evil, actions that flow are also evil and harmful to one and all others. Right Thoughts are threefold as detailed in the Maha Cattarisaka Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya. They are thoughts of renunciation or giving up (nekkhamma sankappa); thoughts of non-hate or those free of hatred (avyapada sankappa); and thoughts of non-violence or more positively thoughts of compassion and loving kindness (avihimsa sankappa). Such thoughts are right or samma. By the same token, insatiable acquisitive and covetous thoughts, hateful vengeful thoughts of putting down or pulling down others and violent destructive thoughts are wrong thoughts (miccha sankappa). Not much of discussion is necessary for us to realise that the dilemmas and paradoxes of current society are because the present world order thrives on the propagation of those very wrong thoughts. What for are all the advertisements that have invaded our homes using both new technology like the internet and traditional methods? It is to kindle our innate desires or cravings and create new markets for consumer goods. We call it advancement and we are made to forget our basic wants or needs and as a matter of course we become partners of a greed economy. The theory of supply and demand is only fictitious because every living moment new demands are created in the minds of men, which have to be catered for. All international institutions have been established to oil the system. A loan is granted to a ‘so-called’ developing country, which invariably includes infrastructural development and expertise not available in that country. A major portion of the loan goes back to the donor country for purchase of heavy machinery, obtaining expertise etc. Internal conflicts, like what was experienced in Sri Lanka, are fanned through Human Rights and other Non-governmental organisations and ready markets are created for sale of armaments, which is one of the most lucrative businesses. Similarly, world attention is drawn to new types of diseases and the pharmaceutical industries are made to thrive. This, in fact, is an accusation made in regard to swine flue. I can go on and on giving examples. As in the quote referred earlier we ourselves have created a world of paradoxes and a quagmire from which we want to extricate ourselves but only superficially. The Buddhist economic and social system is a win-win situation where the standard or quality of life will improve universally without the haves exploiting the have-nots. There is a fear that the world economy will stagnate if Buddhist values such as contentment (santussako), easily supportable (subharo), being frugal or simple living (sallahukavutti) are practised. It is a wrong assumption. I shall give one example from a World Bank Report. The world today spends trillions of dollars on manufacture, transport and sale of tobacco products. It was once argued by the tobacco industry that if there is a policy of tobacco control it will have a disastrous effect on the total economy. What the World Bank pointed out was that the money saved in the hands of the one-time smoker would be utilised by that person to purchase basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter resulting in an improvement in the quality of life and consequently will stimulate activity elsewhere in the economy benefiting a larger number. There are five prohibited trades according to the teachings of the Buddha. They are (1) sale of armaments, (2) human trafficking (3) sale of meat/flesh, (4) sale of drugs and other psychotropic substances and (5) sale of poisons (pesticides, weedicides etc). Much of world trade are in these very same prohibited items. It is inevitable that the world is getting pauperised and sick for the benefit of a few countries. I wish to cite one example, which is in respect of the third and fourth prohibited trades. Consumption of meat and alcohol has increased in recent times to a danger point that the World Health Organisation has blown the whistle to change lifestyle for the wellness of humans. It advocates consuming plenty of vegetables and fruits, abstention from consumption of alcohol and tobacco and regular exercise as the recipe for better living. Eating of meat and other fatty foods combined with use of tobacco and alcohol and living a sedentary life has increased the incidence of non-communicable diseases like blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, obesity and cancers, which are the major killers today. There is an urgent need to change lifestyle, the Buddha way. Over indulgence in pleasing our senses is universal. Please consider that all that is available in the marketplace is to pamper the five sense doors, namely, our eye or sight, ear or hearing, nose or smell, tongue or taste, and body or touch. We have to learn to live simply and a simple life is invariably comfortable. If we want to change the world we have to start with ourselves and set the example as a Buddhist community. The bases of a Buddhist lifestyle is metta or loving kindness to all living beings, karuna or compassion and the ability to empathise with those who are less fortunate, mudita or joy on the success of others, and upekkha or equanimity to face all life’s vicissitudes with a collected mind without either getting elated or getting depressed. The first step in this Path of Happiness is the adherence to the five precepts. It has two aspects – abstention and cultivation. Firstly, one has to abstain from taking of life and cultivate compassion and friendliness towards other beings. It will be difficult to eat the flesh of animals if there is true compassion and friendliness. Secondly, one has to abstain from taking what is not given and cultivate giving and generosity. Thirdly, one has to abstain from immoderation in sensual pleasures and to cultivate self restraint. Fourthly, one has to abstain from speaking falsehoods, slandering, harsh speech and idle talk and cultivate truthfulness, reliability and trustworthiness. Fifthly, one has to abstain from taking psychotropic substances and cultivate mindfulness. The world would be a better place to live if there is greater adherence to the five precepts, which any Buddhist has to abide by perpetually. Causes of conflict will not be there and many prisons will be without inmates. No nation wants to become a failed country. In the same way as ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ are misnomers and based on criteria developed from a consumerist economic standpoint, criteria of a ‘failed’ country too have to be examined afresh. The world is questioning the dogged pursuit of economic growth, espoused in the overwhelming focus on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because, as mentioned earlier in my talk, it has “left over a billion people in dire poverty, and has not notably improved the well-being of those who were already rich, nor even provided us with economic stability. Instead it has brought us straight to the cliff edge of rapidly diminishing natural resources and unpredictable climate change.” Innovative ways of measuring progress are being developed. For example, a new index has been developed called the Happy Planet Index (HPI) based on three criteria, namely, high life expectancy, high life satisfaction, and a low ecological footprint. The HPI, which was launched in 2006, confirms that a good life is possible without costing the earth. Bhutan, a Buddhist country, brought to the attention of the world community in the Millennium speech made in South Korea that Bhutan has advocated and replaced GDP with Gross Happiness Product (GHP) as the new standard of living. It is based on the premise that true development of human society takes place when material and spiritual development occur side by side to complement and reinforce each other. The four pillars of GHP also referred to as Gross National Happiness or GNH are the promotion of sustainable development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance. It is time that at least the Buddhist countries adopt this index to measure a country’s success rather than aping the Western concepts of development and becoming a failed society. The values behind GHP are in complete harmony with Buddhist thought. Let me thank the organisers once again for having invited me to the Third International Lay Buddhist Forum. I hope I have stimulated all of you adequately in my presentation. It is time now for action with the 2600th anniversary of the enlightenment of the Buddha only 18 months away. Let us all protect our planet because birth as a human is a rare occurrence as pointed out to us by the Buddha, our Teacher. APPENDIX
ThinkQuest website: Library (A free, protected, online platform for teachers and students, sponsored by the Oracle Education Foundation.) Curbing the Epidemic – Governments and the Economics of Tobacco Control, A World Bank Publication, 1999 |