NBF General Secretary Thubten Jikdol Sherpa And sectretary Acharya Norbu Sherpa jointly participated Gauam Buddha International Peace Award briefing session at Hotel Himalayan, Kupoundol, Lalitpur. Program was organized by newly formed Management and Selection Committee under the Ministery for Federal Affairs &  Culture. Guest of honor was DR. Minendra Rizal, Hon. Minister for Federal Affairs &  Culture.

The first world Buddhist summit held in December 1988 unanimously passed a declaration designating Lumbini, Nepal, the birth place of Lord Gautam Buddha, as the foundationof World Peace. Its also passed a resolution to establish an International Peace Prize named after Lord Gautam Buddha.

The  Gauam Buddha International Peace Award was formally announce by the Government of Nepal in 2002. Its objective is to recognize and honor individuals and institutions around the world that have made a significant contribution to peace and non-voilence inspired by the teaching and messeges of Lord Buddha.

Every five years U $ 50,000 Award amount will be granted. The first  Gauam Buddha International Peace Award will be conferred on the occasion of Gautam Buddha’s 2555th anniversary, on Buddha Jayanti on 17 May 2011.
 
 
 

More the 1000 monks and nuns representing from four schools of Mahayana Buddhism coming from various monasteries of Nepal from Drachula to Taplejung sat together for two days to pray for the 2nd year.  This unique Saka Dawa Monlam tradition started last year on the Budddha Jyanti(Saka Dawa) day to foster peace in the world and Nepal.

This year's Monlam was held at Mustang Samaj Gonpa(Soyambu)  between  26th - 27th May 2010, with special dedication to the victims of the Yushu earthquake in Tibet. In between the prayer, the Sangha community also watched and listened to a slide show presented by Director Dr. Gana Syam gurung, director WWF, Nepal and Mr. Roshan Sherchan since it is also important for the Sangha community to understand the technicalities of perseveration of environment which otherwise  has been a part of the thousand year old spiritual tradition.

A three day unique international workshop was successfully concluded in Bhutan being organized by WWF between 17-19, May 2010. The subject of the seminar was preservation of the sacred sites, bio-cultural diversity and climate change in the eastern Himalayas. Keeping in view the unique cultural heritage of the Buddhists residing in the eastern Himalayas, the opening ceremony which  was presided by Hon'ble Lonpo Migyur Dorji, Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Home, His Majesty's Government of Bhutan started with Marchang, a traditional Bhutanese ceremony.

Buddhist participants coming from Bhutan, India,  Myanmar, Nepal and environmentalist  from USA, France, UK, Switzerland  engaged in a serious discussion about the relevance of the local deities to the sacred sites and how ancient system of Buddhist philosophy can contribute to the preservation of the fragile eco system of the eastern Himalayas.

Nepal was represented by Ven Thubden Jogdol, General Secretary, Nepal Buddhist Federation and Acharya Karma Sangpo, Vice-Chairman ,  Lumbini Development Trust and various organization representatives  from Nepal. 

Seminar concluded with understanding of the rapid global environment changes and people in the Himalayas who are the stake holders must be ever more alert and take personal responsible to save the environment.

Kathmandu, 16th March,2010.

One day workshop for Monastic Education Curriculum Development was successfully held at Norling resort conference hall on 15th March 2010. Acharya Karma Sangpo,  Monastic education sub committee co coordinator chaired the program. The program was held in two session, where Jip Tsering Lama, CA member, was the chief guest in the morning. Khenpo Gyurmay Tsultrim, NBF President,  Ani Choying Dolma, popular vocalist, Nyimi Sherpa,  President of Sherpa women association, Khenpo Chonyi Rangdol, Principal, Mangaldeep Boarding School, were  the prominent guests on the program where  Amrit Yonjan,  expert linguistic presented the paper on 'Monastic Education curriculum development from class 6-8.'

The evening session was chaired by Dr.Tri Ratna Manandhar, Vice chancellor,  Lumbini Buddhist University as Chief guest. Hari Bol Khanal Director, Education Department,  Harka Prasad Shrestha, Executive Director, National Education for Education Development, Laxmi Prasad Khatri, Executive Director, Curriculum Development Centre, were the Special Guests. Other prominent guests were Khadka Man Shrestha, Registrar, Lumbini Buddhist University, Khenpo Gyurmay Tsultrim, NBF President, Ani Choying Dolma were the guest of the program. Two experts Acharya Karma Sangpo and Bisnu Prasad adhikari, section officer from Curriculum Development Centre Presented papers on 'Monastic Education curriculum development from class 6-8'.

More than 150 experts and teachers on the monastic education deliberated upon the subject thoroughly. This will pave the way for smooth writing of the monastic education text books for class 6-8. All the experts commented positively on the curriculum development paper presented by Acharya Karma Sangpo and thus adopted the same for future course of action. Nepal Buddhist Federation is the official body recognized by the Government for taking up this project in continuity since they have very successfully completed publication of the text book up to class five. NBF also in collaboration with NCED successfully concluded a trainers training course for 20 teachers for appointment to different monastic schools recently.

Dr Tri Ratna Manandhar, Vice chancellor,  Lumbini Buddhist University  appreciated the initiative of the NBF and committed full corporation for the establishment of Mahayana Department in the existing University.

The University will actively involve itself at a stage when the NBF will be discussing the next curriculum on completion of class 12.

Issued  by

Ven, Jigdol

General Secretary, NBF

Nationwide Gonpa teacher Teacher training workshop concluded on March 14, 2010. LDT vice chairman Acharya Karma sangpo was chief guest of the program. NBF president Khenpo Gyurmay Tsultrim was the chair person.  More than 80 teacher were participated on the Workshop, and most of the teacher were from Himalayan region. 

Kathmandu:  10 days of Gonpa education teacher Trainer of training (TOT) for 24 teachers, workshop successfully concluded on February 24, 2010. Acharya Karma sangpo, Vice Chairman, Lumbini Development Trust was the chief guest of the closing ceremony of the program. NCED Director, co director and other trainer were present too.  Ven. Ang Babu Tamang, one of the participant, on behalf of all the participants thanked the Government of Nepal, Education department for giving them this opportunity which was very useful. Aacharya Karma Sangpo said that Buddhist education system is very much indigenous to Nepal since Buddha was born in this country. Therefore recognition of this important system by the Government will begin a new chapter of peace and tranquility for the country. He appealed the Government to maintain this goodwill.

Shri Bisnu Thaiwa Director, NCED appreciated the participants and assured Government's full support in future and handover the certificate to the 24 participant.

The participants offered khata to the trainers and authorities and the program concluded with a tea party.

 opening ceremony was inaugurated by NBF  President Khenpo Gyurmey Tsultrim and NCED Executive Director Mr. Harka Prasad Shrestha.

NBF President Khenpo Gyurmey Tsultrim, General Secretary Thubten Jikdol and Secretary Acharya Norbu Sherpa gave a speech about the   Gonpa Education workshop from NBF’s  side and Executive Director Mr. Harka Prasad Shrestha and co-director Mr Kapri also gave speech  from NCED’s side respectively.

Mr. Em Narayan Shrestha from NCED was the MC of the program. The TOT Workshop first day class was conducted by Achrya  Karma Sangpo, and Khenpo Thekchok,  the second day class was conducted  by Khenpo Ngawang Woser, and Lopon Karma Gedun.  Altogether there was a 30 sessions classes, each class sesssion was 1.30 hour. Six Sessions classes were conducted  by NBF and 24  classes were conducted  by NCED Trainers.  After this 10 days TOT workshop the participants will conduct other teachers at NBF Office From 27^th February 2010.

   
-मन्त्रीस्तरीय) निर्णय भई यस परिषद्को पहिलो बैठक मिति २०६६/१०/४ गते शिक्षा विभागको सभाकक्षमा परिषद्का अध्यक्ष श्री आचार्य नुर्बु शेर्पा
ज्यूको अध्यक्षता मा बसेको थियो । उक्त वैठकमा शिक्षा विभागका महानिर्देशकज्यू बाट संक्षिप्त मन्तव्य सहित परिषद्का पदाधिकारीहरु लाई

वधाई ज्ञापन सहित पदाधिकारीहरुको कार्यक्षेत्रबारे जानकारी गराउनु भएको थियो ।

कार्य क्षेत्र (TOR)

१. विद्यालय गुम्बा व्यवस्थापन अनुमति/स्वीकृति विषय र प्रक्रियामा मन्त्रालय/विभागलाई राय सुझाव दिने ।

२. गुम्बा/विहार अध्यापन गरिने पाठ्यक्रम निर्माणका लागि सुझाव दिने ।

३. गुम्बा/विहार अध्यान गर्ने विद्यार्थीहरुलाई उपलब्ध गर्राईने शैक्षिक प्रमाण-पत्र स्तरीकरणमा राय सुझाव दिने ।

४. गुम्बा/विहारमा शिक्षक व्यवस्थापनका विषयमा राय सुझाव उपलब्ध गराउने ।

पदाधिकारीको नाम

१. श्री आचार्य नुर्बु शेर्पा अध्यक्ष

२. श्री खेन्पो ङवाङ वोसेर लामा सदस्य

३. श्री फुपु छेम्बे शेर्पा सदस्य

४. श्री टक्य विष्ट लामा सदस्य

५. श्री सिर्द्धार्थ -भिक्षु न्रि्रोधा) सदस्य

६. श्री पेम्बा दार्जे शेर्पा सदस्य

७. श्री डा. दीपक बहादुर शाक्य सदस्य

८. श्री निर्देशक -शैक्षिक व्यवस्थापन महाशाखा) सदस्य

९. श्री उप निर्देशक सदस्य सचिव
 

As all the Buddhist Communities of Nepal have been suffering from many types of problems specially monks and nuns are been victimized by Nepal Police such as arresting, assaulting, torturing and detaining without any particular reason for the past few years. For the same, under the leadership of Nepal Buddhist federation and representatives of various local Buddhist delegated to hand over the letter of Memorandum to the Home Minister Mr. Bhim Rawal at Sigha Darbar, Kathmandu. Home Minister has said that government of Nepal fully assured that such case will not be recurred in the near future.

ज्ञापन पत्र

 The executive  members of Nepal Buddhist federation has participated to  His Holiness the Sakya Trizin Rinpoche's Golden Jubilee Birthday Celebration at Tharlam Monastery.   Thousands of participants  prayed for His  Holiness long life. The program has been started early in the morning with Sixteen Arhat   Puja .by Sangha at  Jamchen Monastery at Boudha Circle. After morning Puja , the portrait  of his Holiness Sakya Trizin, the Supreme Head of Sakya School has carried in a  procession, circumambulating the Boudha Stupa . The procession has proceed to Tharlam Monastery amidst a splendid a joyous reception by Sangha and lay devotees, led by school students . after this lighting of dharma lamp unveiling of the program - banner jointly by the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honors.  In the celebration also addressed by  Ven: Thupten Jikdon ( General Secretary) NBF Acharya Karma Sangbo( Treasure of NBR and Vice Chairman of LDT)  and Ven. Norbu Sherpa( secretary)

सम्माननिय सर्वोच्च अदालतले खेन्पो ङिमा दोर्जे लामा ज्यूलाई गुम्बा व्यवस्था तथा विकास समितिको अध्यक्षको रुपमा यथावत कार्य गर्न गराउनको लागि अन्तरिम आदेश जारी गरेको छ । मिति २०६६। भाद्र १९ गते मन्त्री स्तरिय निर्णयअनुसार स्थानीय विकास मन्त्री माननीय पुर्ण कुमार शेर्मा (लिम्बु) ज्यूले गुम्बा व्यवस्था तथा विकास समितिकोर् इतिहासमा बौद्ध धर्मको महायानी परम्परानुसार अध्यक्ष पदमा रिन्पोछे, खेन्पो, टुल्कु, आचार्य मात्रलाई नियुक्ति गर्ने परम्परालाई तोडेर सामान्य गृहस्थि बेखा रत्न शाक्यलाई गुम्बा व्यवस्था तथा विकास समितिको अध्यक्ष पदमा नियुक्ति गरे पछि बौद्ध धर्मलम्वीहरुले बौद्ध संर्घष् समिति गठन गरी गुम्बा व्यवस्था तथा विकास समितिमा ताला बन्दी समेत गरेको थियो । मिति २०६६।०६।३ गतेक सम्माननिय सर्वोच्च अदालतले खेन्पो ङमिा दोर्जे लामाको पक्षमा अन्तरिम आदेश जारी गरे पछि मिति २०६६।६।४ गते गुम्बा व्यवस्था तथा विकास समितिको कार्यलयमा एक कार्यक्रम गरी नेपाल बौद्ध महासचिव थुप्तेन जिग्डोल शेर्पा , प्रवक्ता आचार्य कर्मा साङवो शेर्पा , तामाङ राष्टिय महासंघका महासचिव एवमं र्सर्ंघष समितिको संयोजक श्याम तामाङ्ग लगायत विभिन्न संघ सस्थाको प्रतिनिधि ज्यूहरुको वधाई तथा शुभकामना मन्तव्य राख्नु भएको थियो ।

नेपाल बौद्ध महासंघले बौद्ध धर्म तथा संस्कृतिको महत्व बारे विद्यार्थि तथा र्सवसाधारण महानुभावहरु लाई जानकारी दिन नेपाल बौद्ध महासंघको केन्द्रीय कार्यालय बौद्ध तिनचुलीमा मिति २०६६/०५/२७ गते विहान ८:00 वजे (ज्याम्बियाङ) मञ्जुश्रीको प्रार्थाना गरी समुद्दघाटन गरीयो । कार्याक्रममा पहिलो पटक सहभागी हुनु भएका "श्यर्वि योन्देन छोग्पा''को सदस्यहरुलाई "बौद्ध संवाद" कक्षाको आवश्यकताको बिषयमा महासंघको सचिव आचार्य नुर्वु शेर्पाले विस्तृत जानकारी गराउनु भयो । बौद्ध संवादको बिषयमा प्रवचन दिदैं आचार्य कर्मा साङवो शेर्पाज्यू द्वारा बौद्ध दर्शन तथा धर्म, त्रिरत्न, त्रीपिटक आदिको महत्व वारे प्रकाश पार्नु भयो । अन्तमा शर्वी योन्तेन छोग्पाको अध्यक्ष ज्यू द्वारा स-धन्यवाद सहित पहिलो बौद्ध संवाद कार्यक्रमको समापन गरियो । यो बौद्ध संवाद कार्यक्रम निरन्तर रुपमा प्रत्येक शनिवार संचालन गरिने भएको हुँदार् इच्छुक महानुभावहरुले नेपाल बौद्ध महासंघको कार्यालयमा संर्म्पर्क गर्नुहुन हार्दिक अनुरोध गरिएको छ ।

 गुम्वाहरु विशुद्ध धार्मिक संस्था भएको कारणले गर्दा बिना कुनै आधार र प्रमाण नेपालका गुम्वाहरुमा  गैर कानूनी रुपमा छिमेकी मुलुक चिन विरोधी क्रियाकलापहरु संचालित हुन्छन् भनि पूर्व सांसद तथा पूर्व मन्त्री जस्ता व्यक्तिले अन्तरवार्ता दिने र सो अन्तरवार्तामा अलिकति पनि सत्यता छ कि छैन भन्ने समेत ख्याल नै नराखी चर्चामा आउनका लागि हाम्रो महासंघ संग आवद्ध श्री नमोबुद्ध बौद्ध धर्म ध्यान तथा शिक्षण केन्द्र, बौद्ध काठमाण्डौको शाखा कार्यालयको रुपमा काभ्रेमा रहेको नमोबुद्ध गुम्बाको भिजुवल इमेज च्यानल जस्तो जिम्मेवार संचार माध्यम बाट प्रशारण गरिदिंदा उक्त प्रशारणबाट नेपालका सम्पुर्ण बौद्ध धर्मावलम्बिहरुको मनमा ठूलो चोट पुग्न गएको छ भने, बौद्ध धर्ममाथि नै ठूलो षडयन्त्र गरी नेपालबाट पुर्ण रुपमा बौद्ध धर्म सखाप पार्ने योजना भएको हो कि भन्ने समेत यस महासंघको आशंका रहेको छ । साथै यस्तो क्रियाकलाप बाट छिमेकी मुलुक चिनले नेपालका बौद्ध गुम्बाहरुलाई हेर्ने दृष्टिकोणमा नकारात्मक प्रभाब पर्न सक्ने जसले गर्दा नेपाल र छिमेकी मुलुक चिनको संवन्ध समेत ब्रि्रन सक्ने अवस्था श्रृजना हुने र धार्मिक सदभावमा पनि आँच आउन सक्ने भएकोले हाम्रो यस महासंघ तथा सम्पुर्ण बौद्ध धर्मावलम्बिहरु अत्यन्त दुःखी तथा मर्माहित भएका छन् । साथै यस महासघं संग आवद्ध नेपालका बौद्ध गुम्बाहरु सदैव एक चिन नितिको पक्षमा रहेको व्यहोरा समेत अनुरोध गर्न चाहन्छौ । साथै यदि नेपालका कुनै पनि बौद्ध गुम्वामा त्यस्ता कुनै गैर कानूनी क्रियाकलापहरु भएको जानकारी प्राप्त भएमा यस नेपाल बौद्ध महासंघ उक्त क्रियाकलापको छानविन तथा कानून बमोजिम कारबाहीका लागि सधै नेपाल सरकारलाई सहयोग गर्न तयार भएको व्यहोरा यसै प्रेश विज्ञप्ति मार्फ स्पष्ट पार्न चाहान्छौ । बुद्ध भूमि नेपालमा विना प्रमाण आसंकाकै भरमा बौद्ध गुम्बाहरु विरुद्ध अन्तरवार्ता दिने दूबै व्यक्ति र सो कार्यक्रम प्रस्तुत गर्ने इमेज च्यानलका व्यवस्थापन पक्षले यथा शिघ्र माफी नमागे नेपाल बौद्ध महासंघ वाध्य भएर चरणवद्ध रुपमा न्यायको लागि शान्तिपुर्ण आन्दोलन गर्न राष्ट्रिय तथा अन्तराष्ट्रिय बौद्ध समुदाय र बौद्ध संस्कृति प्रति धार्मिक सद्भाव राख्ने समुदायलाई सहयोग गर्नका लागि यसै प्रेश विज्ञप्ति मार्फ आवहान गर्न चाहान्छौ ।

नेपाल बौद्ध महासंघ,

काठमाण्ढौ

ऐक्यवद्ध संघ सस्थाहरु

१) नेपाल तामाङ्ग राष्ट्रिय महासंघ २) नेपाल शेर्पा संघ

३) नेपाल डोल्पो जनजाति विकास केन्द्र ४) मनाङ समाज सेवा समिती

५) नुबरी कल्याणकारी ल्हारगे समाज ६) चुम्बा कंल्याण समाज

७) मुस्ताङ शाक्य बौद्ध संघ ८) बौद्ध जागरण केन्द्र

९) मुस्ताङ समाज १०) नेपाल शेर्पा विद्यार्थी मञ्च

११) नमो बुद्ध बौद्ध धर्म ध्यान तथा शिक्षण केन्द्र १२) नेपाल गेलुग संघ

१३) नेपाल बौद्ध ङिङमा संघ १४) नेपाल शेर्पा महिला संघ

आसन ग्रहण कार्यक्रम

१) सभापति नुवु शेर्पा

२) प्रमुख अतिथि नेपाल आदिवासी जनजाति महासंघको अध्यक्ष् तथा माननीय सभासद श्री पासाङ शेर्पा

३) अतिथी मानव अधिकार संगठनका अध्यक्ष् श्री सुदीप पाठक

४) अतिथि नेपाली कांग्रसका केन्द्रीय सदस्य मननीय जीप छिरीङ लामा

५) अतिथि गुम्बा व्यवस्था तथा विकास समितीका अध्यक्ष् खेन्पो ङिमा दोर्जे लामा

६) अतिथि नेपाल शेर्पा संघका अध्यक्ष् कृपासुर शेर्पा

७) अतिथि नेपाल तामाङ्ग राष्ट्रिय महासंघका महासचिव श्री श्याम तामाङ्ग

८) अतिथि नेपाल शेर्पा महिला संघका अध्यक्ष् श्री ङिमि शेर्पा

९) अतिथि नेपाल दोल्पो जनजाति विकास केन्द्रको अध्यक्ष्  श्री नोर्भू घले

१०) अतिथि नेपाल शेर्पा विद्यार्थी मञ्चका महासचिव किसोर शेर्पा

११) अतिथि नमो बुद्ध बौद्ध धर्म ध्यान तथा शिक्ष्ण केन्द्रको सचिव खेन्पो छ्योङ रिङडोल लामा

१२) अतिथि नुवरी कल्याणकारी ल्हारगे समाजको अध्यक्ष्  छेवङ गेल्छेन लामा

१३) अतिथि मनाङ सेवा समितिको अध्यक्ष् जिमी गुरुङ

१४) अतिथि चुम कल्याण समितिको महासचिव छिरिङ फुन्छोक

स्वागत भाषण तथा प्रेश विज्ञप्ति वाचन आचार्य कर्म स्याम्फेन लामा

वक्ताहरुः

१) ङवाङ कुङगा विष्ट-सदस्य नेपाल बौद्ध महासंघको केन्द्रीय

२) खेन्पो छोञी रङडोल-सचिव, नमो बुद्ध बौद्ध धर्म ध्यान तथा शिक्षाण केन्द्रको

२) किसोर अध्यक्ष- महासचिव, नेपाल शेर्पा  विद्यार्थी मञ्च

३) छेवङ गेल्छेन लामा-महासचिव, नुवरी कल्याणकारी ल्हारगे समाज

४) छिरिङ फुन्छोक- महासचिव, चुम कल्याण समिति

५) जिमी गुरुङ-अध्यक्ष, .मनाङ सेवा समिति

६) श्री नोर्भू घले - अध्यक्ष, दोल्पो जनजाति विकास केन्द्र

७) श्री ङिमि अध्यक्ष- अध्यक्ष, नेपाल शेर्पा  महिला संघ

८) श्री श्याम तामाङ्ग- महासचिव, नेपाल तामाङ्ग राष्ट्रिय महासंघ

९) श्री कृपासुर शेर्पा- अध्यक्ष, नेपाल शेर्पा  संघ

१०) श्री सुदीप पाठक- अध्यक्ष, मानव अधिकार संगठन

११) श्री पासाङ शेर्पा- अध्यक्ष तथा माननीय सभासद, नेपाल आदिवासी जनजाति महासंघको

१२) नोर्बु शेर्पा - सचिव, नेपाल बौद्ध महासंघबाट धन्यवाद सहित कार्यक्रम समापन
 

The Geneva-based International Coalition for the Advancement of Religious and Spirituality (ICARUS) has bestowed "The Best Religion In the World" award this year on the Buddhist Community.

This special award was voted on by an international round table of more than 200 religious leaders from every part of the spiritual spectrum. It was fascinating to note that many religious leaders voted for Buddhism rather than their own religion although Buddhists actually make up a tiny minority of ICARUS membership. Here are the comments by four voting members:

Jonna Hult, Director of Research for ICARUS said "It wasn't a surprise to me that Buddhism won Best
Religion in the World, because we could find literally not one single instance of a war fought in the name of Buddhism, in contrast to every other religion that seems to keep a gun in the closet just in case God makes a mistake. We were hard pressed to even find a Buddhist that had ever been in an
army. These people practice what they preach to an extent we simply could not document with any other spiritual tradition." 

A Catholic Priest, Father Ted O'Shaughnessy said from Belfast ,  "As much as I love the Catholic Church, it has always bothered me to no end that we preach love in our scripture yet then claim to know God's will when it comes to killing other humans. For that reason, I did have to cast my vote for the Buddhists."

A Muslim Cleric Tal Bin Wassad agreed from Pakistan via his translator. "While I am a devout Muslim, I can see how much anger and bloodshed is channeled into religious expression rather than dealt with on a personal level. The Buddhists have that figured out." Bin Wassad, the ICARUS voting member for Pakistan 's Muslim community continued, "In fact, some of my best friends are Buddhist."

And Rabbi Shmuel Wasserstein said from Jerusalem, "Of course, I love Judaism, and I think it's the greatest religion in the world. But to be honest, I've been practicing Vipassana meditation every day before minyan (daily Jewish prayer) since 1993. So I get it."

However, there was one snag - ICARUS couldn't find anyone to give the award to. All the Buddhists they called kept saying they didn't want the award.

When asked why the Burmese Buddhist community refused the award, Buddhist monk Bhante Ghurata Hanta said from Burma, "We are grateful for the acknowledgement, but we give this award to all humanity, for Buddha nature lies within each of us." Groehlichen went on to say "We're going to keep calling around until we find a Buddhist who will accept it. We'll let you know when we do."v

Meeting with Nepal Buddhist Federation Representatives

July 19 2009

Agenda:

1. Presentation by Dekila on the partnership initiatives with Kagyu monasteries in and Nepal.
2. Briefing by Ghana Gurung on activities of WWF Nepal
3. Develop understanding for partnership

Remarks by Monastery representatives:

Norbu:

·        Interaction in Nepal after India is good beginning for partnership with monasteries.

• Lamas/monasteries have not destroyed the environment but they have paid less attention. Gumpas are also not built on agricultural or productive land.
• Deforestation and encroachment is taking place under political protection and Lamas are not involved in any of this act.
• BUT – Buddhists need to be more aware of the environment, particularly climate change, waste management (e.g., plastic use/ban); and deforestation. Industrial countries are responsible for greenhouse gas emission and therefore should be pressurized behave responsibly (e.g., international tourist/trekkers are mostly literate not educated from environment protection point of view). We need to promote alternative energy use such as biogas and ban plastics. Buddha was born in Nepal but followers are not being born (we need to go to study in Bharanashi – India due to lack of Buddhist university in Nepal). Buddhists have been marginalized by the state. We are committed to protect the environment and partner with WWF.

Thupten:

• Nepal Buddhist Federation has plan of action and priorities for environment protection

• As Kagyu parampa (sampradaya) we need to campaign to scale up the nature conservation issues in four paramparadays (major Buddhist sects) and bring other religious groups. Environment is our life support system
• Our Actions:

- Use prasad (Tshok) – with no/less use of plastics

- Educate in environment, particularly greening the monastic environment

- Held consultations on Climate Change impact on environment in partnership with Janpan Buddhist Economic Forum in Lumbini and Kathmandu with aim to bring climate change awareness among the Buddhists/lamas.

- Plan to hold at least five national and one international conferences in “Buddhism and Environment”. We lack fund/resources to organize such events and therefore would like to partner with WWF and other like minded institutions.

- Educate, train and implement no plastic use, forestation, waste management. To implement these actions the key persons at monasteries are “changzo (head admin/secretary) and Nyerpa (logistical head).

- Promote Buddhism in form of Culture/Philosophy not as a religion.

Khenpo Choki:

-         Support the remarks made by two earlier speakers

-         Committed to implement 108 environment protection actions called by Karmapa.

-         People scare of monastery deities rather the laws and rules in many places due to cultural faith (eg protection forest).

-         Taking care of environment is not a new but the challenge is growing as we start living in growing cities. The biggest challenge is political transition

-         Kapan people cut tree for fuel wood for subsistence but do not plant.

-         This age is era of plastics therefore it should ban/minimize it and WWF can help us to manage garbage (e.g., not to burn but recycle and compost).

-         Rain water harvest technology can be implemented in the monasteries

Dekila –NBF to be called for October India meeting which will also focus on rain water harvest. 

Karma Namgyal:

-         Plastics use is managed well in Rumtek monastery Sikkim. We can learn from Rumtek and also implement solid waste compost.

-         Need to pressure government for better waste management

Karma Wangyur:

–        Kitchen waste is easy to manage through composting but plastic is hard to manage. I am implementing the 108 environment actions called by Karmapa and band plastic us in the monastery

–        We need to promote plant three trees if we cut one tree

–        Lamas should lead by example by demonstrating environmentally responsible behaviors

–        All Rhino poachers and traders are mostly protected by political leaders therefore we need to find ways to influence such protection

–        We need establish Buddhist University to promote Buddhism teaching. The state has marginalized Buddhists.

Karma Samdup, Namo Buddha

-         Wildlife protection to be supported ; Environment protection is must and the work of WWF is appreciated

-         1998 on wards, Tree plantation has started in Namo Buddha monastery. Mediation centers need good environment.

-         Our school has over 100 students with “save environment club” to bring environmental awareness. Our guru always teaches the importance of environment and we conduct clean up campaign and use compost bins, separate waste (degradable, non-biodegradation, composting – three plastic bins installed in school and monastery).

-         We are implementing 108 environment actions called by Karmapa, and committed continue environment conservation work called by high Gurus as the venerable Gurus energize us to move forward.

-         Our government always says yes to actions we call but hardly implement (good in paper/speech but poor in implementation), and therefore we need to take lead. We should celebrate environment day and other events as national day.

-         We need to ban plastics use even though it is difficult to enforce. “Garera nahune ra hidera napugne thau chaina”or threre is nothing we can not do and no place we can’t reach if we are committed.

-         Since most of the monks (most of the monasteries don’t serve meat) are now turned into geveterian, we should campaign for “vegetarian lifestyle” which will help to protect all forms of animals including domestic animals. With teaching from Guru, I have given up eating meat since 1998 - Long live Guru

Tashi:

·        We have planted trees but we help from WWF which kind of trees to be planted from conservation values. We need to plant trees that can store water, produce more oxygen and invite wildlife, specially birds.

Karma Gendun:

-         We are implementing 108 actions called by Karmapa

-         Each parampara has teaching which should include environment issues

-         NBF should take leadership role to deal with environmental issues at monistic level (dress should reflect Buddhist philosophy), national and internal level. We are committed to follow the guidance of NBF.

Karma Shymphen – Karma Legsheling

-         NBF can pressure government to support the conservation work of monasteries, so each monastery and individual monks can become environmentally responsible examples. We have already made efforts to implement 108 actions called by Karmapa.

-         We don’t have land to plant trees but started planting trees in government land or others areas which allowed us to plant trees

-         We have planted trees and conduct clean up camps in Swoyambhu and Namo Buddha

Karma Rapgay – Dabsang Gonpa

-         We are committed to implement the 108 environment actions called by Karmapa

Understanding Developed/Decisions made:

1. NBF could take leadership role to deal with environmental issues at monistic level
2. Environmental actions (water, forest, waste and wildlife issues; 108 actions called by Karmapa) can be implement and monitored in Monasteries by Gumpa sub-committees
3. Campaign to turn Buddhist monks into vegetarian and push for greater coverage among the followers through teaching of Gurus and events
4. Organize national and international conferences on Buddhism and environment, and climate change impacts. Hold international workshop in Lumbini.
5. NBF representative to participate in October meeting to be held in India - Rain water harvesting. 
6. Monasteries need technical support for greening the monasteries and install rain water harvesting system
7. WWF help monasteries to identify seedling/trees that have greater water storage and oxygen releasing capacity, and could attract wildlife, e.g., birds.

Environmental Meeting held at WWF office.

MEETING AGENDA

-introduction/Contact list

-History of program

-Environmental Issues affecting monastery

-WWF'S Interest

-Joint Solution

-Next steps

WWF'S director of USA DikiLa Chungyalpa and WWF Nepal director Dr. Gana Shyam Gurung, NBF General Secretary Thubten Jikdol, Secretary Acharya Norbu sherpa, Executive member Khenpo Choki, Acharya Karma Shenphen, and Various Kagyu Tradition monastery representative were participated on that meeting. The meeting was held at Nepal WWF'S conference hall from 8.30 am to 11.00 am Sunday 19-july-2009.

DikiLa Chungyalpa presented projector sliding show (A Buddhist response to the climate change.) All the participants express their view and NBF General Secretary presented NBF future project on the Environmental Issue, to achieve this goal NBF can go hand to hand with WWF and Nepal government.   Meeting was concluded with seven point conclusion.

१२ श्री पेमा शेर्पा

By Four Mahayana lineage Monks and Nuns, perform ritual Puja, for world peace on the three folded auspicious occasion of Sakya Muni Buddha. The great prayer festival 2 days was held at shechen Monastery, and strong dedication was made especially for ultimate peace in Nepal. On the last day of great prayer festival function  indigenous people President, honorable CA member Pasang Sherpa, Bajrayan Federation, President, Lumbini Develop trust Vice-President and Member secretary, likewise Gompa management and development, President, WWF Director, Tharu welfare, President, famous singer Ani Choying Dolma, and other thousand devotee participate in that ritual program.

 यस नेपाल बौद्ध महासंघका कोषाध्यक्ष आर्चय कर्मा साङवो ज्यू को संयोजकत्वमा गठन भएको गोन्पा -गुम्बा) शिक्षा उपसमितिको निरन्तर प्रयासले हाम्रो यस गोन्पा -गुम्बा) शिक्षा पाठ्क्रमलाई मिति २०६६।१।८ गते शिक्षा मन्त्रालयको सभा कक्षामा शिक्ष मन्त्री ज्यूको अध्यक्षतामा बसेको राष्टि्य पाठ्यक्रम बिकास तथा मूल्याङ्कन परिषदको बैठकबाट र्सबसम्मतले पारित भई औपचारिकरुपले मन्यता प्राप्त गरेको छ । नेपालकोर् इतिहासमा नै पहिलो पटक आधिकारिक मान्यता पाएको यस गोन्पा शिक्षाले कीताब लेखन र सोही किताब अनुसार अध्यापन गराउने बिधीवत बाटो खुलेको छ ।

The 3rd Nepal - Japan Buddhist Symposium, held at KTM on 17th march 2009 and 19th march 2009 at Lumbini. It was Joint program By Nepal Buddhist Federation & The Buddhist Economy Forum, Japan. On the topic of "Buddhism and Environment - How can Buddhist contribute to global Environment issues?" The program was inaugurated by Chief guest CA Member and Chief advisor of NBF Jeep Tsering Lama. And Khenpo Gyurmay Tsultrim was the chair person of the program, and NBF central Executive Member of NBF Mr. Mukunda Bista & Ishwor Chandra Bidya Sagar was the paper presenter from Nepal side and Prof. Seigo Tsujii was the paper presenter from Japan side. Former ambassador to Japan Prof. Bishnu Hari Nepal, Former KTM Meyer Kesab Sythapith khenpo, lama, and many intellectual person was attended the program.

Buddhism vis-à-vis Environmental Crisis

- Ishwor Chandra Bidya Sagar.

 Everyone who is more or less informed about the current affairs and global problems, is aware enough about the environmental crisis that the earth is going through. Almost every educated person on earth today is acquainted with the terms like green house effect, global warming, acid rain, radioactive fallout and so forth and their detrimental impact on our nature. Acknowledging the fact that our earth also needs some care, tenderly love, some fresh air to breath in, we started to celebrate the Earth days since last 38 years. Environmental activists and Big organizations like UN have organized big conferences and summits like: Global Warming summits, Kyoto Summit, Stockholm Conference, UN Earth Summit to name a few. We all know or at least are informed that we should protect our living environment, reduce the amount of garbage we produce, classify our refuse, and recycle as much as possible to protect the earth. Yet despite all these efforts our production and emission of chemicals and pollutants like CFCs, Carbon monoxide, Carbon dioxide, Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen dioxide and so forth have not reduced, rather their excessive production has led to the rapid consumption of natural resources, the speedy deterioration of the natural environment, and the extinction of a variety of species. Day in and day out everyone still consumes even larger amounts of natural resources, produces more refuse to pollute the earth, the air, the rivers and the oceans. In May 2006 the appalling documentary released about global warming, “An Inconvenient Truth” presented by former United States Vice President, Al Gore, (which won him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007) revealed to public the formidable fact that if we don’t stop the current emission rate of carbon dioxide (one of the major greenhouse gases), the atmospheric temperature of the earth would increase so rapidly in next few decades that it would be uninhabitable. If this situation is not placed in check and reversed, then human-kind will be extinct not in next thousands or hundreds of years but in next couple of decades. So where does the problem lies? Why it seems that the millions of dollars of funds spend in environmental researches and awareness campaigns are going in vein? Why are we not aware enough to play our role in protecting our environment? Why such horrifying facts and figures about the imminent catastrophe does not alarm the people over the world and motivate us to join hand in hand to bring about a revolution that would ensure a safe world for our future generation to live in? We all know that the solution of a problem owes much of its credit to a proper diagnosis. Therefore, with these questions in mind we will try to figure out whether there is any diagnosis that may be made of an environmental crisis from the perspective of teachings of the Buddha. If we find some kind of credible diagnosis, then we will again delve in a little bit into his teachings to figure out whether they have any specific remedy/ies to ameliorate this problem. The methodology of diagnosis Buddha gave to analyze any problem we come across in form of suffering is delineated in his fundamental teaching: the four noble truths. It is also a theoretical background to point out the basic nature of the world we are engaged in. He introduces us into the nature of phenomenal world constituting the three elements: suffering, impermanence and selflessness. The first noble truth urges us to acknowledge the existence of our suffering in first place. Here what we identify as suffering is the consequences that the upsurging environmental problem is positing or likely to posit in imminent future. So when we first acknowledge the problem and have an idea about its nature, then only we are supposed to take next step towards its solution: the quest to find a cause of the suffering. Reiterating the words of the Buddha, the great scholar Nāgārjuna states in his text Bodhicitta bhavana that: self-cherishing attitude is the cause of every suffering we come across and hence the cause of crisis-the second noble truth. This self-cherishing, as Buddha says, comes from its root cause ignorance. Buddha says that there is no independent self as such which exists isolated and unaffected from its coexisting environment. Hence, this self is just an idea which we project ignorantly upon the conditional aggregation of causes and condition in certain time and space. Here the conditional aggregation can be equated to what we call our “self” and the causes and condition (though they might connote many different things) to what we call the “environment” that provides us the opportunity to come into being and thrive in it. Buddhism views humanity as an integral part of this environment which we call nature. His physical and psychological well-being, his spiritual development and above all his ultimate happiness all are directly connected with the environment he lives in. The life of our teacher itself is the best example to show us how important the nature is for the wholesome growth of an individual. His birth, his enlightenment, the first turning of the wheel of dharma, the Mah¬āparinirvāṇa, all the important events in his life happened below a tree, in close proximity to the nature. This is not merely a coincidence, it is the implicit teaching he gave to us emphasizing the crucial role the environment plays in a person’s overall life. But he didn’t stopped at that point. Seemly, he has also acknowledged the role that men can play either in the preservation or in the annihilation of the nature. Their orientation towards one of these two role playing stances depends solely upon whether they understand or not a universal law that: “Everything in this world is inter-dependent”. The well-being of environment is dependent upon our conduct and we are dependent upon the environment for our survival. This law of inter-dependence is called “Pratitya-Samutpada”, translated as dependent co-origination, which is the heart of Buddhist understanding. It suggests that all things-object and beings-exist only interdependently, not independently. It is an easily understandable theory that: “this is like this, because that is like that”. When there is a balance and harmony in nature, then we people also benefit from this harmony. When nature is defiled the people living on it also ultimately suffer. Negative consequences arise when cultures alienate themselves from nature, when people feel separate from and become aggressive towards natural system. When we abuse nature, we abuse ourselves. Buddhist ethics follow from this basic understanding. This law of dependent co-origination in nature has been corroborated by an atmospheric scientist James Lovelock while observing the self-regulating, constantly changing atmosphere of the Earth. He, in his Gaia Theory, hypothesized that the earth is a homeostatic living organism that coordinates its vital systems to compensate for threatening environmental changes. The theory maintains that Earth is an interrelated system in which living things, together with Earth’s surface and atmosphere, evolve as a single entity. Further, Lovelock argues, this system functions to make the planet habitable for life. However, if we don’t acknowledge this fact of our existence in inter-dependence with the environment and ignorantly grasp at the egocentric view of ourselves in relation to the nature and do not be aware of our responsibility towards it, then nature, as stated by Lovelock, also has its own harsher way to balance the equilibrium too. Spending almost all of his life in close connection with the nature Buddha must have realize already this aspect of reality twenty-five centuries ago. Therefore, we find him delineating the rules for the monks, so that they might not only acknowledge the kindness that Mother Nature has showed upon them, but also abstain them from harming her environment. He was so very concerned about protecting the natural environment, that he considered damaging of a living plant as a breakage of a monk vow. The Pali term for living plants is bhūtagāma, which literally means the “home of a being”. And it seems that he really had considered plants as our home, our means of sustenance. Damaging here not only includes cutting, breaking, and cooking, as well as getting other people to perform these actions, but also includes actions like using herbicides to kill plants, uprooting a plant, engraving one's initials in a tree trunk, or even, picking flowers or leaves. This shows us explicitly how much foresighted Buddha was about these issues. Because of this foresightedness we find till the date, the forest monks as the best protectors of the jungles. Not only was he concerned about the possible damage that could be done to the plants but was also concerned about keeping the water bodies unpolluted as well. Therefore, he made two rules which prohibit a monk form defecating, urinating or spitting into water or onto green vegetation. All these ethical rules and vows would be meaningless in any spiritual path without compassion for our fellow sentient beings, let alone Buddhism, where compassion is the path which when united with wisdom, leads one towards supreme Enlightenment. Compassion is the state of mind, which can empathize with the suffering of others and then wish that they may be liberated from all kinds of suffering. In Mahāyāna the greatest practice of all is the practice of compassion. In Lankāvtāra sutra, a Mahāyānic sutra, for those Bodhisattvas who engages in the practice of compassion, Buddha strictly forbades meat eating, explaining that : “it is not easy to find a being who, in the endless age of samsara, has not been once our father or our mother, our brother or sister, or son or daughter, kinsmen, friend, or close companion. Our kith and kin in one existence have donned a different shape in later lives and thus have become animals….It is unfitting, it is wrong, for those engaged upon the Bodhisattva path to partake of meat of one’s own friends and close ones.” For the monks, especially in Vinaya, he has recommended to abstain from any type of killing. The LEAD study commissioned by UN and several major countries in 2006 already pointed out that the livestock sector is a major player, responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, higher than transport. The teaching of Buddha on abstention from meat-eating and killing seems so pertinent where being vegetarian not only plays a crucial role in ethical level, but also in making a world a better place to live in, both for us and the beings that are slaughtered. However, all these ethical rules cannot be applied abruptly without a basic framework of path in which we can practice them. Buddhism is known for the abundance of paths it can provide for different people, depending upon their mental proclivity and intellectual acuity. Nevertheless, in general the Buddha delineated the entire path (fourth noble truth) which leads us towards the cessation of suffering (third noble truth) in form of noble eight fold path. Having understood the inter-dependent nature phenomena and thus giving rise to the Bodhicitta, we can incorporate these eightfold path into our day to day life not only to attain the cessation of inner suffering, but to deal with the outer problems(and sufferings) as well. Here we will try to apply them in our attempt to deal with the environmental problems and try to see if it is workable or not. right view: here can be defined as the genuine acknowledgement of the problems we are facing in relation to the environment and the proper understanding of the cause of the problem and its possible solution. right intention: can be understood as the commitment taken towards ameliorating the circumstance and changing our habitual tendencies that are detrimental to the environment or the nature. right speech: may include every verbal, written and printed form of speech, that might help disseminate the information required to make the people more and more aware about the environmental issues and make them feel responsible. right action: can incorporate all those activities that we can engage in to bring about a positive change in the environment, irrespective of its magnitude and abstaining from those activities that may deteriorate it. right livelihood: is that which excludes any livelihood that is harmful to our fellow sentient beings as well as to our environment. right effort: can be defined as a constant effort that aims towards attaining the goal of world free of any environmental crisis. right mindfulness: is one of the most important aspect of the path. It will keep us mindful about our responsibilities, about what to engage in and what to avoid. So in general it will keep us reminding us about the path as a whole. right concentration: having brought about some change in one’s own activities when confidence and certainty develops in what one is engaging in is a right way. One now can concentrate to influence the broader mass of public to engage in the same activities. However, these teachings and doctrine would obviously not work for us like miracles until and unless we put them into practice. 14th Dalai Lama comments in one of his interviews: “Our ancestors viewed the earth as rich and bountiful, which it is. Many people in the past saw nature as inexhaustibly sustainable, which we now know is the case only if we care for it. It is not difficult to forgive destruction in the past which resulted from ignorance. Today, however, we have access to more information, and it is essential that we re-examine ethically what we have inherited, what we are responsible for and what we will pass on to coming generations. Clearly this is a pivotal generation.” So, if we remain oblivious about the fact that we have the pivotal role to play in preserving our earth’s environment, and do not act promptly to do something then, a time may come when we will not even be able to regret for what we ignored. Obviously, the challenges posed to us by the environmental problems today, is such a multi-faceted issue that spiritual means and ethics is only one area in a multi-disciplinary venture linked to solve it. But as spirituality and ethics is concerned with values, norms, beliefs and human psyche, they have the resources to play a major role as a catalyst in changing the attitude of people towards nature and our relation with it. If we succeed in doing this, it can deepen our relationship with nature through an understanding of inter-dependence, which would revert our present indifferent attitude towards it into a caring one. The dream of a heaven like world with abundance of greenery, bountiful of fresh water resources, food enough for everyone, and clean air to breath in, would then no longer remain a dream but would materialize into reality that we can perceive in a wakeful state too. Bibliography Padmasiri de Silva, Environmental philosophy and ethics in Buddhism. (Macmillan Press Ltd: 1998) Allan Hunt Badiner, ed. Dharma Gaia. (Parallax Press: 1990) Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol, Food of Bodhisattavas (Shambhala: 2004) Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Buddhist Monastic Code vol. 1 and 2 (Access to Insight edition: 2007) Microsoft Corporation, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia (electronic version: 2008) Nāgārjuna, Bodhicitta Bhāvanā (Central Institute Of Higher Tibetan Studies: 1995) Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth (Paramount Home Entertainment: November 21, 2006) Thich Nhat Hanh, For a Future To Be Possible (Parallax Press: 1993)

Interdependence, nonviolence and contentment: A buddhist approach to better environmental ecology

-         Mukunda Bista

Ah, World! It’s in your lap we do our lives and deaths—

It’s on you we play out our pleasures and pains.

You are such a very old home of ours;

We treasure and hold you dear forever.

----Gyalwang Karmapa XVII

As the 17th Karmapa puts it, the earth is indeed our home, a very old one. It has remained hospitable for life for billions of years. That’s why we called it “The Mother Earth”. It is not only the mother for the mankind but for the colossal number of beings who live on it. Like a kind mother, it provides us with everything we require to sustain our life. The natural environment of this earth sustains the life of all beings of the world. This earth is a sanctuary in which humanity and nature can live together in harmony. For our ancestors nature of earth was the mother earth, she was not something who is alien, nor was she mute or dead they considered her as a living entity, thus they cared for her and respected her as their own biological mother, or ever more. This was the basis which was able to bring about a balance between man and nature. They acknowledged that man is not different from nature but he is a part of nature.

As human started being more and more civilized and started considering himself much more higher that the other species living on earth, he initiated his journey of seeking happiness in more complicated from of materialistic as well as economic pleasure, and this he thought would come about by harnessing the resources of nature. He tried to extract as much material resources as possible from the nature and to cash them in. For him having became rather more sensible than his own well-being. This desire of having guided by a pseudo-scientific principle of limitless economic growth made him the “most dangerous species” on earth. He, not realizing that these factors are antipathetic to basic laws of nature, forgot the respect which his forefathers gave to nature. This lack of respect, which resulted from greed and ignorance about the broader picture of reality on the other hand, resulted to the destruction of nature and natural resources.

This is the harsh reality of what we human constitute of, in present situation. We imagine that our economic up growth and social environment is above and beyond the rest of the living world. We have become oblivious about the fact that we have to treasure and hold the mother earth dear forever(as Karmapa says), that the harmony in our life comes about not with this anthropo-centric attitude but rather through eco-centric approach, about which our forefathers were quite well aware of. Peace and survival of not only life on earth but the earth itself has been threatened by human activities which lack a commitment to humanitarian values.

Environmental breakdown is now vast and global in scale. Most scientists now agree to this fact that if this aggressive approach of man towards nature continues at its present rate, the result will be irreversible damage to the ecological cycles and balances in nature upon which all life depends. Imminent and anomalous environmental change is now a scientifically established fact. What we do today with our environment has consequences that might bring about quite a harsher picture of our mother earth, which might be so wrathful that we will not even be able to witness it. We have to make choices today that will not only affect our own lives now, but even more the lives of our children and grandchildren. We now know enough to recognize that there are large risks, potentially catastrophic ones, including the melting of ice-sheets on Greenland and the West Antarctic (which would place many countries under water) and changes in the course of the Gulf Stream that would bring about drastic climatic changes. Prudence and care about the future of our children and their children requires that we act now. Scientists warn that fundamental, and perhaps drastic, changes in human behavior will be required to avert an ecological crisis.

Buddhism has much to offer in the quest for answers to this imminent ecological crisis. If we seek for a conducive approach in Buddhism to ameliorate this formidable problem, then it probably would provide us with an approach which it suggests, to deal with all the problems we face in life in general. With this Buddhist approach we can reduce any vague problem into few objective challenges which could be tackled. This approach consists of tools which would allow us to diagnose the problem and then seek its possible solution within a logical framework.

Buddhism reduces the cause of every problem, related with the suffering, to ignorance. Whenever there is a problem resulting ultimately to suffering, it is due to the lack of understanding of the nature of the cause of suffering or the nature of problem so to speak. Buddhism from the very onset of its historical journey was aware about this imminent threat that human could cause to the nature by being ignorant about its working mechanism. So our teacher, the buddha being fully aware about the law that governs every phenomenon in existence, he incorporated it into his own teaching, and that teaching is called the law of Interdependent origination.

Interdependence is a fundamental law of nature. Not only myriad forms of life, but the most suitable level of material phenomenon is also governed by law of interdependence. All phenomenon, from the planet we inhabit to the oceans, clouds, forests and flowers that surround us, arise in dependence upon suitable patterns of energy. Without their proper interaction, they dissolve and decay. Scientists have corroborated this fact of interdependence by saying that we human being rely on the whole pyramid of biological life beneath it. Therefore, the destruction of whole ecosystems is suicidal for our species. Defiance of the interdependence has not only harmed the natural environment, but human society as well.

There is of course a natural desire for peace and happiness in every one of us.  Peace and happiness could only be attained by means of the awareness about the law of interdependence. This is not something which came into existence only after Buddhism commenced. However, our teacher, the Buddha, was so very aware about this fact that he incorporated this law of interdependence as the very basis of his seminal doctrine.

In Buddhism we find that everything is connected and inter-related. Essentially there is nothing greater or smaller hierarchically than any other thing existent in phenomena. Buddhism rejects thus the hierarchical dominance of a human over another or humans over nature, and provides us with the basis of the ethic of empathetic compassion that respects biodiversity. Humans and animals, trees, and the earth everything works on a close yet subtle dependence of each other. Therefore, we cannot separate humanity and the environment as completely separate entities, "man is environment and environment is man".

 Buddhist teachings speak of the container and the contained. The world is the container--our home--and we are the contained--the contents of the container the inhabitant of this home. From these simple facts we deduce a special relationship, because without the container, the contents cannot be contained. Without the contents, the container contains nothing, it's meaningless. So this metaphor also points out to the same fact that man and environment are interdependent. When we come to realize this fact that the world is a mutual, interdependent, cooperative enterprise, then we can easily build a noble, conducive environment, may it be ecological, social, spiritual, or even political.  If our lives are not based on this truth, then we shall perish. To curtail such consequence buddhist teachings emphasizes a harmonious interaction between ourselves and nature, which would quite naturally lead us to a better ecological environment to live in. When we realize the urge to strike a balance to bring about this harmony then we should ponder upon our actions that we commit in relation to the environment.

The basic five precepts which every Buddhist should observe would work as a handy tool to deal with this problem. These five precepts can be epitomized under a single principle of non-violence which simply means abstaining from all those deeds which might interfere or harm the peace or happiness of other fellow beings. After all, we are also part of nature, and we need to maintain a healthy concern for our own welfare and that of fellow beings. However, with the awareness of the consequences of our actions, we have a great responsibility to use the resources provide to us by nature in as harm-free and useful a way as possible. Right use of nature is part of the spiritual life.

Our attitude towards the usage of the natural resources has a direct connection with the environment. Buddhism teaches us not to indiscriminately consume whatever we desire. The Buddhist attitude is one of contentment. It advices us to put a wise limit on our consumption of the resources. It admires simple living and our being aware about individual responsibility. It teaches us to considered ourselves as part of environment. Happiness is possible if we live full of contentment. Buddha himself has emphasized the importance of content state of mind. If the body is not comfortable and contented, we may just ignore it but not in case of mind. The mind resists and revolts on being ignored and needs mental peace. The peace of mind leads to contentment and it is the calm and serene atmosphere, which bestows mental peace. So once again we come to see a cyclic relation existent between us and nature. We care for the nature and the nature cares for us in return.

Eventually, with few of these simple advices that Buddhism provides us, if we begin to deepen our relationship with nature through an understanding of this interpenetration of interdependence, and live more in harmony with our environment using the principle of non- violence based on contentment then a growing awareness of nature may begin to feed into our spiritual practice. Our ability to develop as individuals closely bound up with the environment may start to be our human nature once again.

   References:

The Buddha and his dhamma, Ambedkar, B.R. (1957)

Reconciling man with nature, Ashby, E, .(1977)

Encyclopaedia of Buddhism : A World Faith: Vol. IV: Buddhism and Environment, M.G. Chitkara (2000)

Buddhism and Environment,  BAEA, (1999),  

The Most Dangerous Animal, D. Livingstone Smith (2007)

Environmental Philosophy and Ethics in Buddhism, Padmasiri de Silva(1998)

0n December 5^th 2008 Nepal Buddhist Federation President Khenpo Gyurmay Tsultrim And General Secretary Ven. Thubten Jikdol attended to inauguration & Consecration  of Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery, at Namo Buddha, Kabre District. Chairman of Constitution assembly Mr Subash Chandra Nembuhang was the chief guest, Kyabje Jamyang Kongtrul rinpoche and Kyabje Thrangu Rinpoche and many other Tulku, Khenpo, also from all over the world and huge number of local people were at that program. It was two days program 5^th and 6^th December 2008.

On December 1^st 2008, Nepal Buddhist Federation president Khenpo Gyurmay Tsultrim was invited as a guest of Sakya College 7^th convocation ceremony. The program was held at Birth place of Sakya Muni Buddha, Lumbini.  H.H. Sakya trijin Rinpoche Was the Chief guest of the program, On that program H.H. Sakya Trijin Rinpoche granted the certificate to all graduated monks from Sakya College. The program was from Morning 8.30 am till 5pm. 

 अनुमोदन गर्नु भयो । महासचिव थुप्तेन जिग्डोल शेर्पाले प्रगति विवाण र भावी योजना प्रस्तुत गर्नु भयो ।

Nepal Buddhist Federation collected thousands of signatures and hand over to Myanmar Embassy with letter of concern, against the military operation in Myanmar.

Peace candle light offering at Maiti Gaar Mandala

Nepali Buddhist Monks coverage on Maitighar Mandala on 4th October 2007 Thursday in a show of solidarity with the ongoing democratic movement in Myanmar. Buddhist monks in Myanmar are being persecuted for leading the peaceful democratic movement. The Maitighar peace candle light was organized by Nepal Buddhist federation. 

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मिति २०६४।६।६ गते को दिन पोखराको सराड.कोटक ७ सेदी बगरमा भएको बाडि पैह्रोले पिडित भएका स्थानिय बासिलाई नेपाल बौद्ध महासंघले सहयोग स्वारुप रु. १५००००। उपलब्ध गराएको ।