“We cannot protect the environment without changing our behavior and attitudes ": Environmental problems will be discussed at the II International Buddhist Forum

“The experience of Asian Buddhist countries is now more relevant than ever in terms of solving environmental issues,” said Sergey Lepekhov, moderator of the discussion panel at the II International Buddhist Forum titled “Buddhism and Ecology”. He is Doctor of Philosophy, Chief Researcher at the Institute of Mongolian Studies, Buddhology and Tibetology SB RAS. He noted that the foreign delegates at the forum will share their experiences in combating environmental pollution.

Scientists and Buddhists from Myanmar will participate in the discussion panel on ecology, where, in general, very interesting experience has been accumulated. This is a purely Buddhist country, and everything being done there in the field of environmental protection and even in economics is interconnected. We cannot protect the environment while refusing to change our behavior and attitudes. Therefore, entire countries, such as Myanmar, continue to live by the rules established by Buddhists, achieving impressive success in this area. We in Buryatia also have traditions that reflect a Buddhist attitude toward the world around us,” Sergey Lepekhov noted.

In particular, the ecology of Lake Baikal will be discussed at the forum. The scientist stressed that if Baikal is viewed not only as a tourist destination but through the lens of Buddhist philosophy – as a sacred place - the anthropogenic load on it can be reduced significantly.

“Of course, we welcome as many people as possible to visit and relax on Lake Baikal. However, since ancient times it has been perceived in Buryatia as a shrine. It has been treated accordingly, as a holy place, where specific behaviors are expected. Unfortunately, people who view Lake Baikal solely as a recreational area often do not understand this. As a result, we find ourselves constantly cleaning up after them. Therefore, I believe that events like our Buddhist forum should help improve our cultural behaviors and production practices. Buddhists have never separated themselves from nature; they have always sought harmony and integrity with it. The traditions of Buddhism in this regard are very rich and fruitful. Where Buddhism has existed for a long time, biological diversity has been better preserved than in other parts of the world. This is undoubtedly a result of Buddhism’s positive influence on environmental preservation. Thus, there is every reason to believe that the experiences of Asian countries and Buddhist countries are more relevant now than ever,” the scientist stressed.

It should be noted that the section devoted to environmental issues will work within the framework of the international scientific conference “Buddhism in a changing world”, which will be held on the first day of the forum - August 12 from 10:00 to 17:00 at the site of the Institute of Mongolian Studies, Buddhology and Tibetology SB RAS. More information about the forum program can be found on the official website of the II International Buddhist Forum: http://buddha-forum.ru/.