Sciberras, Colette. ‘Buddhist Philosophy and the Ideals of Environmentalism’. Doctoral thesis, Durham University, 2010. [official site / PDF.]
From the Abstract
I argue that the teachings found in the Pāli canon cannot easily be reconciled with a belief in the intrinsic value of life, whether human or otherwise. This is because all existence is regarded as inherently unsatisfactory, and all beings are seen as impermanent and insubstantial, while the ultimate spiritual goal is often viewed, in early Buddhism, as involving a deep renunciation of the world.
Therefore, the discussion focuses mostly on the Mahāyāna, which, I suggest has better resources for environmentalism because enlightenment and the ordinary world are not conceived as antithetical. Continue reading “Sciberras, ‘Buddhist Philosophy & Environmentalism’ (2010)”