會議地點：越南胡志明市；時間：2009.12.18 - 2010.01.03；大會主題：傑出的女性修行者與典範=Eminent Buddhist Women
摘要
As early as the 1960s and even earlier, environmentalists, scientists, economists, researchers, and philosophers began to notice that our earth is warming up, that our climate is changing, and gradually began to disseminate this information through newspapers, television, and radio. Climate change on the earth today is human-induced, caused by air/water/soil pollution, mining, overpopulation, over-fishing, over-grazing, and clear-cutting of the world’s once-prolific forests. Further, climate change is affecting agriculture, further endangering food security, accelerating the erosion of coastal zones, and increasing intensity of natural disasters, including droughts, flooding, earthquakes, and so forth.
We are all aware that the earth is warming up and our climate is changing. But to what extent have we deepened our perspective on sustainable environment, changed our attitudes, and changed our lifestyles towards a more responsible and harmonious way of life to protect our earth?
The society we live in depends on the contributions of people from all walks of life to build a harmonious and jointly owned society. Every aspect of an individual’s behavior can be a focus for addressing climate change. Women play an especially important role in caring for their families and educating children. People of faith are potentially powerful sources of empowerment for changes of lifestyle and patterns of consumption, because religious faith can be a powerful force for good among a considerable number of the human family.
In this paper, I will draw on Mahayana Buddhist sutras that record the Buddha’s teachings on environmental protection. In the second part, I will cite my teacher’s advice on protecting the environment and leading a simple life. I take this treasured advice to heart and would like to share it with all those who are concerned about Mother Earth.
