WATER, ENVIRONMENT, AND BUDDHISM

Dr. Sarah Bennett PhD

13/4/17

Science and Religion• Information of science (hard data)• Teachings of the religion (influence heart,

spirit and soul)

Time To Work Together As One

Background

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Scientists and religious leaders’ actionsExamples:• Neuroscience, Mental health, Philosophy, Psychology…• Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi: (the founder/director of Buddhist Global Relief)

addressed climate change at “gathering of Buddhists at the White House” May 2015

• The 14th Dalai Lama: quantum physics and Madhyamaka (中观）philosophy in India Nov. 2015

• The 17th Karmapa: environmental issues in Europe 2016

Today, my presentation will bring water, environmental issues and Buddhism together.

“Cast a Brick to Attract Jade” [拋磚引玉]

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Outline

Part 1: Nature of WaterPart 2: Water and Related Environmental

IssuesPart 3: Solutions From Buddhism

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Part 1 Nature of Water

• Water Is Lifeo Physical aspecto Spiritual aspect

• Water on Earth o Water cycle movemento Freshwater usage facts

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Water Is Lifeo Physical aspect

§ 70% human body (and 1 trillion other life forms)§ food§ cloth§ healthy Environment

o Spiritual aspect§ symbolizing wisdom (八功德水）§ purifying (浴佛）§ blessings (觀音柳枝灑水）§ offering to cultivate virtue (密宗七個水燈 Tibetan

Buddhist shrines-seven bowls)

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Water on Earth

• Total 71% water on earth • 2.5% freshwater：

o 1.75% permanent ice and snowo 0.74% groundwatero 0.01% lakes and rivers

Saltwater97.50%

Ice&Snow1.75% (68.7%)

Groundwater0.74% (30.1%)

Lakes&Rivers0.01% (1.2%)

Freshwater2.50%

Saltwater Ice&Snow Groundwater Lakes&River

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Physical processes: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, surface runoff, and subsurface flow

Water Cycle Movement

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Precipitation (rainfall) = evaporation + condensation + infiltration + surface runoff + subsurface flow

§ Certain Total amount of freshwater: 10.22 million km3

(cubic kilometers)§ Uneven distribution geographically: Canada, Africa…§ Climate change: More uneven distribution (altered

weather-patterns)

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Freshwater Usage Fact

Globally:• Agriculture 70%: Irrigation• Industry 20%: hydropower

generation, cooling water, process water, products water, as a medium for waste disposal

• Domestic 10%: drinking, cooking, washing, and sanitation

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• Freshwater scarcity (quantity)• Freshwater pollution (quality)• Solutions from scientists

Source: World Business Council for Sustainable Development

http://www.unwater.org/downloads/Water_facts_and_trends.pdf

Part 2: Water and related Environmental Issues

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Data: *WHO/UNICEF 2014 • 1.8 billion people: Lack of safe drinking water • 2.4 billion people: Lack of sanitation • 3,900 children: die each day from dirty water or poor

hygiene• 1.8 million people: die every year from diarrhea • 4 billion people: facing severe water scarcity (Science

advance 2016)

*WHO (World Health Organization), UNICEF(The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund)

Freshwater Scarcity

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Global Water Stress

Source: International Water Management Institute (IWMI) 2006

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Freshwater Scarcity in China

Ø 20% of the world’s populationØ 7% of the world’s fresh waterØ 30% lakes and rivers are unfit

for human useØ 73% of the watersheds supply

water to 30 fast-growing cities

(Source: World Resources Institute 2016)

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Major Reasons• Freshwater resources limitation: only 0.007% accessibility,

highly uneven distributed geographically• Overdraw groundwater (million years to recover): 90%

irrigation water (UK) • Populations growth and global trading: freshwater demand

increasing• Climate Change: more uneven water distribution

• Freshwater pollutions: Agriculture, industry, and human activities

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Contamination of Rivers, lakes and groundwater

• Agriculture: fertilizer, pesticide, livestock manure…• Industrial pollution: industrial chemical and waste, mining,

acid rain caused by air pollution, petroleum leaking (400,000 tanks leaking reports EPA US in 2001)

• Human activities: fecal waste (sewage)…

Freshwater Pollution

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Ø 33% industrial waste water Ø 90% household sewageØ 80% cities (278) have no sewage treatment facilities• 70% rivers, lakes and waterways seriously polluted• 980 million partly, 600 million people drink water

contaminated with human or animal waste

(Source: Different Chinese government resources)

Water Pollution in China

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• Populations and urbanization increasing (9.3 billion, 2 million daily 2010-2015)

• Agricultural water consumption: increase 17% • Industrial use: increase 20%• Climate Change: rain-dependent agriculture down by 50%• Pollution from above: human, agriculture and industry

Freshwater Scarcity By 2050

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(Source: IWMI 2000)193/4/17

Freshwater Scarcity in China By 2050

? ? ?

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• Water integrated management: major riversWater footprint, use *grey water for irrigation

• Desalination, rainwater harvest• Waste water treatment (recycling)• Community: short shower or no water garden…

Possibility ?

* Clean waste water from baths, sinks, washing machines…

Solutions from Scientists

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Water Resource < Climate change + Pollution + DemandDemanding(Populatinggrowth)

Pollution

ClimateChange

Freshwaterresource

Truth of Freshwater Reality

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Scientist work(provide information)

Government duty(Change policy and system)

Water resource, Climate change (data), Reducing pollution

Demanding:Population growth,Economic system,Global food product trading,Human over consumption

Room for improvement limited Need to change mindset and behavior to reduce demanding

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Part 3 Solution from Buddhism

• Buddhist teachings1. The concept of nature2. The concept of suffering (the Four Noble Truths 四圣諦)3. The way to stop suffering (Threefold Partition 三學, the Eightfold Path八正道)

• Diagnose the root causes of freshwater crisis through Buddhist lenses

• Solutions from Buddhism: Change mindset and behaviors to reduce consumption at all levels ( individual and collective)

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Buddhist Teaching

1. Buddhist concept of nature

1) The ultimate nature is emptiness: Things exist by dependence upon others

2) Environment (inhabited), inhabitants are composed of same basic elements (earth, wind, fire, water and space)

3) Interdependence or Interrelationship between the environment and the inhabitants

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2. Buddhist concept of sufferingFour Noble Truths (四圣諦)

- the first teaching of the Buddha

1) Suffering or pain (苦):• suffering of pain (苦苦): physical and mental sufferings • suffering of change (壞苦): temporary pleasure• pervasive suffering (行苦，舍受): not recognised

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2) Causes of suffering (集)The three poisons

§ Attachment, greed (貪): endless desire physical and emotional (suffering of change, suffering of pain)

§ Aversion, hatred (嗔): ill will, malicious (suffering of pain)

§ Delusion, ignorance (痴) (three sufferings)

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3) Cessation of suffering (滅) Threefold Partition (三學): • Virtue, generosity (戒)• Mind, loving-kindness (定)• Wisdom (慧)

4) Path leading to cessation of suffering (道): Eightfold Path (八正道)

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3. The way to stop suffering Threefold Partition（三學）- Eightfold Path（八正道）

VIRTUE（戒）Generosity

Right Speech（正語）Right Action（正業）Right Livelihood（正命）

MIND（定）Loving-kindness

Right Effort（正精進）Right Mindfulness（正念）Right Concentration（正定）

WISDOM（慧） Right View（正見）Right Intention（正思維）

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Diagnosis through Buddhist lenses

Freshwater crisis and environmental issues Buddhist diagnosis

Freshwater scarcityPollution

Suffering of pain 苦苦 (physical suffering, recognized)

Economic system,Global trading,Over consuming Boundary (selfishness)

Temporary pleasure 壞苦(suffering from keeping the pleasure)

Climate Change (Ice melting in pole Areas)

Not be able to see suffering in future, when does it is too late 行苦

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The Solution from BuddhismFreshwater crisis and environmental issues

Buddhist diagnosis

Buddhist Solution

Freshwater scarcity,Pollution

Suffering of pain 苦苦(physical and emotional)

Virtue 戒 (right speech, right action, right livelihood)

Economic system,Global trading,Over consuming Boundary (selfishness)

Temporary pleasure 壞苦(suffering from keep the pleasure)

Mind 定 (right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration)

Climate Change (Ice melting on polar regions)

Not able to see, when does it is too late 行苦

Wisdom慧 (right view, right intention)

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Wisdom (慧)

1. Right View (正見) and Right Intention (正思維)

• Information of science (hard data): climate change • Teachings of religion (influence heart, spirit and soul):

No denial, think about other countries most affected

To recognize the water crisis and environmental issues

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Mind (定)

2. Right Effort (正精進), Right Mindfulness (正念), Right Concentration (正定)

Desire is infinite, can never be satisfied.• “Reduce desire" and "satisfaction” : corporate greed• Identify what is "need", what is "want”: individual

To change mind set and culture

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Virtue (戒)

3. Right Speech (正語), Right Action (正業), Right Livelihood (正命)

• Eexecutive power: change system and policy• People’s power: change lifestyles and government

To change the way of living, stop over consumption

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Compare Our Food (Water Footprint)

Source: Water Footprint Network (WFN) http://waterfootprint.org/en/resources/interactive-tools/product-gallery/

Meat,rice , cabbage

Water footprint(Liters/Kg)

Percentage of total WF (%) (1996-2005)

Beef 15400 67

Sheep Meat 10400 3

Pork 5990 19

Goat meat 5521 1

Chicken meat 4325 11

Paddy rice, Rice (milled) 1670, 2497 13

Cabbage 237

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Less Meat to Vegetarian?

The love for all living creatures is the mostnoble attribute of man

(Charles Darwin)

To become a vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to Nirvana

(Buddha)

Try to cut back on how much meat we eat. Not just for our health and animal welfare, but for the environment too!

(You and me)

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Ultimate Solution

YOU & MELove and Compassion

to each other and our planet

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Thank You!合十

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