April 22

Class 1: The Roots of the Eco-Crisis: The “Three Poisons” Institutionalized (1st & 2nd Noble Truths)

• Opening Presentation on Diversity of Buddhist Movements in the Post-War Era (PDF) Click here for the audio lecture that goes with the PPT
• Main Presentation: The Four Noble Truths and the Eco-Crisis
• Class Issue: In David Loy’s Eco-Dharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis (2018), he writes, “It is no exaggeration to say that today humanity faces its greatest challenge ever: in addition to burgeoning social crises, a self-inflicted ecological catastrophe threatens civilization as we know it and (according to some scientists) perhaps even our survival as a species. I hesitate to describe this as an apocalypse because that term is now associated with Christian millenarianism, but its original meaning certainly applies: literally, an apocalypse is ‘an uncovering,’ the disclosure of something hidden—in this case revealing the ominous consequences of what we have been doing to the earth and to ourselves. Traditional Buddhist teachings help us wake up individually and realize our interdependence with others. Now we also need to consider how Buddhism can help us wake up and respond to this new predicament. And what does the eco-crisis imply about how we understand and practice Buddhism?”
• Exercise: Draw an Iceberg of Dukkha and fill in the 3 areas as follows: 1st Noble Truth (top corner): identify environmental problems of your community, nation, or region and how they are experienced directly by citizens as Direct Dukkha; 2nd Noble Truth (bottom two corners): identify the structural and cultural issues and causes, especially if and how religion has any influence. See the tutorial on “How to make an Iceberg of Dukkha”

Class 2: A Transformative Approach to the Eco-Crisis using Buddhist Teachings & Practice (3rd & 4th Noble Truths)

• Presentation: Joanna Macy’s The Three Dimensions of the Great Turning
• Class Issue: David Loy’s Response to the Eco-Crisis: The Buddhist response to our ecological predicament is ecodharma, a new term for a new development of the Buddhist tradition. It combines ecological concerns (eco) with the teachings of Buddhism and related spiritual traditions (dharma). What that actually means, and what difference it makes in how we live and practice, is still unfolding, but three components or aspects that stand out are: 1) time/meditation in the natural world to reconnect; 2) looking at the eco-implications of Buddhist teachings; and 3) the bodhisattva/ecosattva Path, especially action without attachment to results.
• Exercise: Draw a Diamond Pyramid of Nirvana and fill in the 3 areas as follows for your community, nation, or region: 3^rd Noble Truth (top corner): What are holding actions (i.e. emergency work) to save the environment ? 4^th Noble Truth: (bottom left) What are some alternative structures you can build to create the proper balance between the environment and the economy; (bottom right) What new shifts in consciousness can you enact to realize this balance between environment and economy, and specifically what Buddhist teachings might help guide you?  See the tutorial on “How to make a Diamond of Nirvana”
• No Homework! 🙂