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Module No. 2Lesson No. 3

03. Buddhist Perspective of NatureAim of this lessonThe aim of this lesson is to introduce the Buddhist perspective of nature. At the end of the lesson, students are expected to use that knowledge in a comparative way to analyze the different religious teachings on nature and what are the distinction can be traced in Buddhist perspective of nature. ObjectivesAt the end of the lesson students will be able to identify1. Distinction of Buddhist perspective of nature 2. The preservation and conservation methods which can be applied in practical contextIntroductionEtymologically the word nature is a derivative of Latin word natura and its equivalent word is phisis in Greek. Both the term natura and physis defer to the origin, growth and development. Hereby, the nature initially implied the changing character of the physical world. What is more, Oxford Latin Dictionary also define natura in tow mainly senses; one as the physical world and other as the characteristic of a person or thing. As has been stated by the Prof, Lily the Silva The word nature means everything in the world which is not organized and constructed by man. The Pali equivalents which come closest to nature are loka and yathbhta. The former is usually translated as world while the latter literally means things as they really are. The words dhammat and niyma are used in the Pali Canon to mean natural law or way. Buddhist Concepts of Nature:In this domain, the Buddhist perspective of nature and environment will be discussed much concerned with Buddhist ecology. According to the Buddhist viewpoints, nature has been presented in the conception of Dhamma. Ian Harris[footnoteRef:1] shows that there are five (05) words included in both Theravda similar to meaning of the nature. [1: . Harris, Ian. (1991), How Environmentalists is Buddhism, 104 p.]

01. loka (world) 02. Paticcasamuppda (dependent co-arising)03. Dhammat (phenomenon-ness)04. Yathbhta (being as it is)05. Prakti (original nature) Among these words, loka is very important to introduce physical and mental nature of human beings. All Tathgatas used the theory of Paticcasamuppda to explain the nature of the world. In the Samyutta Nikya, the Buddha said, the truth of dependent co-arising is not made by me, nor by others. It has, therefore, being existing always regardless of an appearance of Tathgatas. The word Dhammat has been used often to describe paticcasamuppda and karmic cycle of the human and other beings. According to the Buddha, the Pi words; Yatbta and prakuti are used to emphasize the reality of the world. Buddhadsa makes the extraordinarily strong claim that nature is a much more appropriate environment in which to pursue liberation than sitting at a desk: If we dont spent time in places like this, it will be virtually impossible for us to experience peace and quiet. It is only by being in nature that the trees, rocks, earth, sand, animals, birds, and insects can teach us the lesson of self-forgetting.[footnoteRef:2] [2: Donald K. Swearer, The Hermeneutics of Buddhist Ecology in Contemporary Thailand: Buddhadsa and Dhammapiaka in Buddhism and Ecology, The Interconnection of Dhrama and Deeds, Eds. Tucker and Williams ( United States of America, 1997) p.25]

What is Loka?The word loka derived from the verbal root luj which means break, destroy, crumble etc. The changeability is one of the principles of the nature. The nature means everything in this universe which is not organized and constructed by man. The Buddha said that it is called loka because ruined and broken (lujjati palujjatti loko) According to this explanation, the loka and destruction is synonyms. The word loka could be understood as word to denote the concrete world.(Concrete- tangible, visible etc.) Concrete world could be categorized as two worlds, namely; 01. Sattva loka living sentient beings and 02. Bhjana loka physical surrounding of the universe.But Buddhism saintly emphasis no physicality can over the changing nature. According to Buddhism changeability is one of the perennial principles of nature. Everything changes in nature and nothing remains static. This concept is expressed by the Pali term anicca. Everything formed is in a constant process of change (sabbe sakhr anicc) The world is therefore defined as that which disintegrates (lujjati ti loko); the world is so called because it is dynamic and kinetic, it is constantly in a process of undergoing change. In nature there are no static and stable things; there are only ever changing, ever-moving processes. Rain is a good example to illustrate this point. Though we use a noun called rain which appears to denote a thing, rain is nothing but the process of drops of water falling from the skies. Apart from this process, the activity of raining, there is no rain as such which could be expressed by a seemingly static nominal concept. The very elements of solidity (Pahav), liquidity (po), heat (Tejo) and mobility (Vyo), recognized as the building material of nature, are all ever-changing phenomena. Even the most solid looking mountains and the very earth that supports everything on it are not beyond this inexorable law of change. In the Aggaasutta through the introduction of the theory of revolution Buddhism clearly points out that, though change is a factor inherent in nature, mans moral deterioration accelerates the process of change and brings about changes which are adverse to human well-being and happiness.Natural lawAccording to Buddhist literature, the order of the cosmic law can be introduced as the natural activities. Attaslin, the Dhammasagha commentary explains that the natural law of the world includes five activities[footnoteRef:3] as below: [3: . Imasmi pana hne pacavidha niymaya nma ganhisu, bjaniymni, utuniyma kammaniyma dhammaniyma cittaniyma ti]

01. Bjaniyma - Order of Seeds (Biological law) 02. Utuniyma Physical (inorganic) law 03. Kammaniyma - order of act and result 04. Dhammaniyma - order of the norm 05. Cittaniyma - order of mind or conscious lifeBja gma -Order of seedsComment by mahawela rathanapala: This should be bijaniyama not the bijagaama.According to the Brahmajla sutta of Dgha Nikya, the order of seed was divided into two types as: bta gma and bja gma. Of these two types of seeds, Bta gma could be identified as organic potency which causes to productivity of human being and animals. According to Mahshanda Sutta of Majjhima Nikya, living creatures could be born as four ways: Egg-born generation (beings who are born by breaking out of the shell of an egg), womb-born generation (beings who are born by breaking out from the caul), moisture-born generation (beings who are born in a rotten fish, in a rotten corpse, in rotten porridge, in a cesspit or in a sewer), and spontaneous generation ( they are gods and denizens of hell and certain human beings and some beings in the lower worlds).[footnoteRef:4] Among these four, human beings are born as a Jalbuja creature [4: . M. i:17Catasso kho im, sriputta, yoniyo. Katam catasso? Aaj yoni, jalbuj yoni, sasedaj yoni, opaptik yoni.]

And then, the Bja gma can identify as crops that grow by five seeds (paca bja) such as: mla bja (root - ginger, saffron), khandabja (fruit with seeds - Banyan, Bo), Phalubja (Bamboo trees, sugar cane), aggabja (plectrathus zeylanicus -Iriveriya, Akkpna ), and bjabja (Rice, Corn). Utuniyma- Physical (inorganic) law:The Attaslin mentions that the Utuniyma affects natural phenomena like rain, growth of seeds, the odour (smell) emitted (produced) by the earth, mountains greenery, filling up oceans with water, etc. In accordance with Buddhist texts, there are three seasons on the earth such as, Hemanta, Vassna and Gimhna. When a female being becomes to fertility (the period of her productivity), it is called utun Kammaniyma - order of act and result:According to Buddhist texts, Kammaniyma is connected with ethnic and causality. This cause which gives rise to effect, is centered around an individual. According to Buddhist texts, this law shows three tenses, past, present and future with the fixed cosmic law. When kamma is aimed at the ethical evolution of wholesome and unwholesome deeds, it points out the influence on the good and bad behaviour of man, good existence of nature and its change. Therefore kamma could be considered as a natural force Dhammaniyma - order of the norm:Natural occurrences are not accidental. They indeed are based on one or many causes (bahu hetu). The Nature based on above features, exists due to cause and effect. This mass of existence cause and effect is described by Buddhism as the Dhammaniymat (casual law). The Dhamma is explained in the Nidna Sayutta, as Dependent Origination. This cause and effect which is declared, act circle-wise as a theory in nature. Dhammaniyma means, nothing is independent in nature and organic and inorganic things rise and exist being interdependent.Cittaniyma - order of mind or conscious life:Cittaniyma is particular to both man who is a perfect being of the nature and the lowest creatures. It is devoid (without) of a physical base but it is based on individuality, hence it is independent. Being freed from the innate (inborn) nature, man endeavors (effort) for the highest aim, therefore his Cittaniyma becomes distinctive (special).Nature is not mineIn Mlapariyya sutta of Majjhima Nikya, the Buddha explains that the nature should not to be considered as mine. While ordinary people (Puthujjana) thinks material entities of the world as his or her, Arahants never attach to them. The ordinary people understand (experience) the earth by the perception (sa), and they think that the earth is me, its my soul and its mine[footnoteRef:5]Then they conceptualize the world with four material realities. The noble ones; Arahants understand the earth through their higher forms of cognition (Abhi) (supernatural powers/ personal higher knowledge)[footnoteRef:6]. Buddhism always emphasis that, virtues of non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion in all human pursuits. Greed breeds sorrow and unhealthy consequences. Contentment (santuhi) is a much praised virtue in Buddhism. Human has all rights to utilize the environment for his benefits though he should understand that utilization of natural resources should be done in a harmonious way with the environment. Prof lily de silva states about this two understanding as, By understanding the working of nature-for example, the seasonal rainfall pattern, methods of conserving water by irrigation, the soil types, and the physical conditions required for growth of various food crops, etc.man can learn to get better returns from his agricultural pursuits. But this learning has to be accompanied by moral restraint if he is to enjoy the benefits of natural resources for a long time. Man must learn to satisfy his needs and not feed his greed. The resources of the world are not unlimited whereas mans greed knows neither limit nor satiation. Modern man in his unbridled voracious greed for pleasure and acquisition of wealth has exploited nature to the point of near impoverishment.[footnoteRef:7] [5: . MN. I:Idha bhikkhave assutav puthaujjanopahavi pathavito sajnti ] [6: . MN. I:Yopi sobhikkhave bhikkhu arahasopi pahavi pathavito abhijnti] [7: Silva, Lily, Buddhist attitude toward nature, p. 09 - 10 (WWW. BPS.com)]

ConclusionThis fivefold order of laws which is a part and parcel of nature is interrelated and so continuous due to interactions. Utuniyma functions with Bjaniyma, Dhammaniyma functions with Utuniyma and Bjaniyma, even Cittaniyma and Kammaniyma and vice versa (contra vise) have interactions. In this way, non-physical law effects physical law and vice versa, and carries on the interrelationship in the nature. Each and every religions or religious teachers teach us not to damage and destroy the nature and environmental factors but guide us so that we will be able to understand the essence of natural environmental factors and value it and preserve it mindfully and faithfully. They all understand with direct knowledge that all human beings would not be able to sustain their lives unless they value and preserve the nature and its environmental factors which offer lots of resources for human needs and comforts. No matter what religion you belong to, as you are a human, it is the duty of man not to against the nature and to preserve it willingly and faithfully, for the nature is of helpful for all.Lists of references:

1. Maurice Walshe, (1996), The Long Discourses of the Buddha, a translation of the Dgha Nikya, Wisdom Publications, Boston.2. Bhikkhu amoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi, (2009), The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, a translation of the Majjhima Nikya, Wisdom Publications, Boston.3. NIV Bible, Word of life press, Korea4. Tucker and Williams, Eds, Buddhism and Ecology, The Interconnection of Dhrama and Deeds,( United States of America, 1997)5. Abdullh Ysuf Al, (2002), THE MEANING OF THE HOLY QURN, The Islamic Foundation, Malaysia.6. Ven.Pallegama Ratanasara, (2000), The Buddhist Concept of the Environment and Individual, Buddhist Mahavihara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Exercise: Explain the concept of Loka and Dhamma as nature in Buddhism.Comment by mahawela rathanapala: THis question just lead the student to confusion.