PRESS RELEASE

ICUN, Bangkok

2004-11-15

Human Karma/behavior today must be changed if we do not want the nature/gods to be angry of which poverty will be created and wars would prevail our world.

We know that who should be changed but the point is how to change and who should initiate the change of our Karma towards the nature (earth, water, heat, and wind) of whom we born from and living by. How far and how long are we going to betray and how soon are we going to change our Karma.

Forest conservation by itself is seen by poverty (greed) as the treasure and the obstacle. For the first one, in Cambodia people write on the Environment Day as "Forest is Gold". This can mean that if you want to stop your poverty you should go to the forest and cut the trees. For the second one, poor people need land for farming and rich people need more income, therefore forest become the obstacle that need to be devastated.

How can Buddhist monks and Buddhists help changing the risky Karma, and promote the integration and mutual understanding between forest and poverty (hunger) in the Buddhist communities and, if not too much, the world? It is not an easy answer or an easy doing even we know the answer. The following practices should be considered for forest conservation:

1. It should not be wrong or harm to the Viniya (monk's precept) if monks involve in conservation and reforestation. The Viniya that says Bhikkhu must not kill the trees implies that they should keep (conserve) the trees and the forest. This includes the participation of the Buddhist as well.

2. The preaching of the monks should focusing on conscientization Buddhists the importance and inseparableness of Individual (The Buddha), Society (The Sangha), and Nature (The Dharma) which is always respected by all Buddhists. Make sure they know that the Buddha respected the nature (Dharma).

3. Monks doing conservation is good but the conservation must be participated (owned) by the villagers and local authorities for we used to say that the Dharma Wheel and the State Wheel must be going together. Explanation and patience should work to bring everyone possess ownership of the conservation.

4. Poverty (greed) of the villagers must be included in the process of preaching conservation and involvement of people participation. The Buddha said when one hungry one cannot listen to his Dharma. Sufficient income for the villagers will help conservation safe.

5. Although monk is the symbol of Buddhism and faith that people respect but indigenous faith relating to conservation should be encouraged to help extending the conservation such as Forest Gods, Angel House, Tree as the soul of individual zodiac, etc.

6. Networking with other conservation groups will enrich the conservation. Foreign support is welcomed but should not make villagers feel that conservation belongs to the donors.

On behalf of Buddhism in Cambodia we thank to IUCN World Congress Conservation that enables us to gain very rich experiences from other faith groups who practicing conservation and we would like to invite you to experience forest conservation and poverty reduction implemented by monks and Buddhists in Cambodia. We are looking forwards to collaborating with all of you at any time for the survival of our world!

Buddhism, Poverty, and Conservation: A Resurrection of Earth

BAD DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

OF SOCIOECONOMIC LIFE ACCORDING TO BUDDHISM

GOOD DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

OF SOCIOECONOMIC LIFE ACCORDING TO BUDDHISM