BUDDHISM AND ECONOMICS Buddhist idea of interdependence between human and nature and its economic implications Human beings have a strong connection to nature The interdependence between human beings.
BUDDHISM AND ECONOMICS Buddhist idea of interdependence between human and nature and its economic implications Human beings have a strong connection to nature The interdependence between human beings and nature makes us value all resources The more resources we use, the more environmental damage we cause Catastrophic events can happen in the present and the future Also, global warming is an urgent issue that we all need to pay attention to and act on immediately to cope with Barry Commoner, a founder of modern ecology, said: "Everything is connected to everything else There is one ecosphere for all living organisms and what affects one affects all" In “Love Letter to the Earth”, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh said: “The earth is not just the environment we live in We are the earth and we are always carrying her within us.” Indeed, there is a strong connection between human and the nature The change in nature can impact our lives significantly Free market economics does not care too much about natural resources and sustainability They exploit resources without doing much in conservation However, Buddhist economics considers sustainability more crucial to a human's life What we are doing with our natural ecosystems also affects the future generation To establish sustainable development, we must protect our environment More importantly, Buddhist economics emphasizes activities and experiences without a price tag In Buddhist economic views, the meaning of life is happiness Pursuing status or position does not contribute to a higher quality of life Additionally, Buddhist economics not deny living standards and material aspects Instead, Buddhism places a high value on aesthetics and art These factors have essential roles in the human spirit However, there are better ways in daily life and the national economy than attachment to these factors Hence, we should consider these as means to develop the human spirit and quality of life Similarly, as human beings are interdependent, reducing suffering is the highest goal in Buddhist economics rather than just develop economy With Buddhism's ideals, every economic system and government can join to minimize suffering and enhance happiness Minimizing suffering is necessary to end extreme poverty, which must be implemented worldwide, especially in Africa In addition, providing universal health care can help billions of people A good healthcare system can save 1.5 million lives Also, by practicing compassion, we will understand everyone around us When compassion is omnipresent, aggression will be ended Then, we can use compassion rather than violence to solve conflicts There will be no more war between nations and other religious groups Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh said: "Our collective compassion, mindfulness, and concentration nourish us, but they also can help to reestablish the Earth's equilibrium and restore balance Together, we can bring about fundamental transformation for ourselves and the world Consequently, Sangha is the perfect place to connect with people It is a place to show kindness and compassion to others Buddhists who are kind to others are also kind to themselves Assisting others when needed is a significant source of happiness in life The primary way to make our community peaceful is to help vulnerable people build social networks, and then we can help them when they encounter difficulties Comment: Buddhist philosophy provides an essential tool for environmental protection and economic development Buddha's life and teachings serve as a basis for understanding how humans, nature, and economics interact Using nature in teachings and activities forces people to engage with the natural world Buddhism never viewed nature as something "outside" of the human world; rather, it is seen as an expression of human love These concepts relate to the Buddhist community's respect for nature Also, the main objective of Buddhist economics is achieving freedom That is when we can see everything is impermanent and interdependent It is meaningless when we are living in a prosperous country, but our minds are covered by suffering, aggression, and especially ignorance When we can eliminate these minds, we can free ourselves from kleshas Caring for the human mind is the central role of Buddhist economics From a perspective of happiness, for example, Bhutan is the happiest country in the world They are not so developed but aim for happiness in life The key is that Bhutanese have much more time to enjoy their spiritual lives From a perspective of economy, America, Korea and Japan, are rich countries, but people in these countries always live with fear and stress Every day, Americans are afraid of gun shootings and killings Japanese and Koreans are afraid of losing their position and reputation Suicidal cases in these countries are also at an alarming rate Thailand and Indonesia, for instance, are facing natural disasters because there are few sustainable development plans Drought, floods, extreme weather, and landslides occur almost every year The question is, between economics and happiness, many countries still follow economic development and ignore happy lives and caring for nature If they can follow the Buddhist views, they can balance the development of spiritual and material life .. .Buddhist philosophy provides an essential tool for environmental protection and economic development Buddha''s life and teachings serve as a basis for understanding how humans, nature, and economics... weather, and landslides occur almost every year The question is, between economics and happiness, many countries still follow economic development and ignore happy lives and caring for nature If... rather, it is seen as an expression of human love These concepts relate to the Buddhist community''s respect for nature Also, the main objective of Buddhist economics is achieving freedom That is