Bøger af Dipak Kumar Barua

This comprehensive, retrospective, analytical study on 'Applied Buddhism and Global Warming' is primarily based on the Buddha's gospel and is aimed to unfold the remedy for environmental degradation with the help of health and medical sciences. All the facts in this research work are well supported by literary evidences. The primary and secondary bibliographic sources are directly consulted for the data extraction and analysis. The editions prepared by the Pali Text Society, U.K. have been used as the primary Pali texts. The secondary statements have been made on the basis of two or more primary citations.

Buddhism plays a significant role in the advancement of human values and in the context of the contemporary Indian scenario an urgent need is felt of such values for the individual as well as the social elevation. An attempt has been made here to address a general discussion on the human values and their potentiality of application in the present Indian society in order to reveal the fact that the values as preached by Gotama (Skt. Gautama) still remain meaningful for maintaining a peaceful and developing environment. The emphasis is again given on the moral values. It is very much necessary not because people here are becoming immoral to a large extent, but to establish a better society with lesser evils and to maintain a peaceful social atmosphere, communal harmony and national unity.

The Theravada School of Buddhism was formally established at the Third Buddhist Council during the time of Emperor Asoka in the 3rd Century B.C. In the later period, the Mahayanists took a firm stand and the terms of Mahayana and Hinayana were introduced after the 1st Century A.D. However, during the 2nd Century A.D. Mahayana became clearly defined. There is hardly any difference between Theravada and Mahayana schools of Buddhism with regard to the fundamental teachings of the Buddha. Though there are many similarities, but there are some important aspects in which both schools of Buddhist thoughts differ from each other. The major aspects of these are - the Bodhisattva concept, the deification of the Buddha, emphasis on meditational aspect and the concept of emptiness.

The delusion of excessive greed to possess everything has pushed mankind to satisfy excessive and unnecessary demands. The greedy individuals try to maximize their gains by all means without being concerned of the negative impact of depletion of natural resources, discharge of toxins in air, earth and water which result in environmental pollution and eventually destroy the ecological balance. Our overwhelming greed is now gradually speeding up our own destruction. It is now high time to realize that our external Environment is significantly polluted because the thoughts in our mind are seriously distorted. So, we should take appropriate action for purifying the mind. The Buddha has given special emphasis on the underlying unity and inter-connectedness of life and nature. We should practice simple lifestyle, sharing with others, taking responsibility for one's actions and compassion for all living beings.

The Yogacara consciousness emphasizes on insight meditation. It is a means of abandoning delusions about the self and about the world. This insight meditation will help us to transform the storehouse consciousness into the grand-mirror-like wisdom which will reflect the entire universe without distortion. This wisdom can perceive many objects accurately and simultaneously. This is the final goal of the purification of mind.

The 'Applied Buddhism and Global Ecological Crisis' is primarily based on the analysis of present global ecological crisis and its control in the perspective of Applied Buddhism. Though conservation of Nature is one of the main basic practices in the Buddhist society from ancient times, but awareness of protecting the 'Global Environment' along with the conservation of Nature and preservation Wildlife has come into public focus only in recent times. In order to prevent 'Climate Change' in the 'Global Environment', the Buddha has encouraged us to understand more deeply the underlying unity and inter-connectedness of life. He has identified health as the highest gain while contentment as the greatest wealth of every human being. The laws of nature follow the principle of Middle Path. So, humanity should be more aligned with Nature and the Middle Path. We need to realize that we are all interdependent upon one another.