“Buddhism and Nature Conservation” ( Thailand 22- Ongoing research)
In order to understand Buddhism and nature conservation, it is important to understand the
basic teachings of Buddhism wherefrom arises the teaching on nature conservation.
The Four Noble Truths:
Dukkha (Suffering): Life involves pain, aging, sickness, loss, and general dissatisfaction.
Samudaya (The Cause): Suffering comes from craving, strong desire, and attachment to
temporary things.
Nirodha (The Cessation): Suffering can end when you let go of craving and find peace.
Magga (The Path): The way to end suffering is by following the Noble Eightfold Path.
The important point in facing the reality of our existence is to understand and realise the
nature of our collective “suffering”.
Our clingingness to “the self"or the “state of being” as a singular being is deeply intertwined
with ecological crises. We see ourselves as separate from nature, not as a whole.
We need to rectify this perspective in order for the world to survive.
I’ve had the honor to dive into the monastic life of the Bhikkhunis practicing Theravada
Buddhism in the incredible monastery Songdhammakalyani founded by Venerable Voramai
Kabilsingh (1908-2003), the first Thai woman to receive ordination, which was not permitted
in Thailand at the time; she had to go to Taiwan in 1971.Her resilience paid off, and she
managed to pursue her goal while paving the way for many other women.Her daughter, the
Venerable Dhammananda, took on her legacy, got ordained in Sri Lanka in 2001, and to this
day is doing everything in her power to resurrect the Bhikkhuni lineage.As the first
fully-ordained Theravada nun, academic, teacher, and mother, she has been sharing her
experience and knowledge to bring national and international attention to this matter in the
hopes of one day nuns having the same rights as monks.
I was fully immersed and invited to document their daily lives.
During my stay, had to follow the 5 percepts of monastic life;
• Abstaining from killing any sentient beings
• Abstaining from stealing
• Abstaining from sexual misconduct
• Abstaining from false and harmful speech
• Abstaining from taking any intoxicants
The precepts are what I define as “protocols”, they are set to allow introspection.
So far in my many researches, I have noticed a red thread between all spiritual practices and
their ties to herbal medicine : by following similar precepts/protocols, the aim is to balance
the life force that circulates through pathways in our bodies as in all living elements of the
natural world( plants,animals,minerals)
Therefore, by understanding this concept, we could get closer to the revelation that we are a
“whole” and that everything is intertwined. Energy that is found all over the universe in
different formats is the fuel that allows us to exist. So adapting a protocol can allow us to
gain awareness and that awareness would lead us to a symbiosis with the world (+ all its
sentient beings).
That is, I believe the only way as a species that we will be able to survive.
As an example, the “life force energy” I mentioned above has been described in many
different ways through different civilizations. The Indians call it “Prāṇa”, the Africans call it
“Ubuntu” , the Siamese call it “Lom”, the Chinese “Qi”.
All these different ethnic groups describe it the same way: It is said to be the fundamental life
force or vital energy that animates all things.
It is absorbed into the body from the food we eat, the air we breathe and from all the living
energy around us.
If you wish to find out more of the monastery :songdhammakalyani.com