The Buddhist teaching conduct people to the ultimate goal, cessation of suffering, and it is utilizable in the term of “sustainable development”. In different perspective of Buddhist teaching, the Buddhist principle show its contents very supportive to the sustainable development whether the Buddhist principle of right livelihood, Buddhist consumption, or moderation are quite useful to the term.
Take a little look to the definition of sustainable development, one professor gave a very nice definition of it in his website[1]. He defined that Sustainable development is maintaining a delicate balance between the human need to improve lifestyles and feeling of well-being on one hand, and preserving natural resources and ecosystems, on which we and future generations depend.
This definition is quite understandable that the Sustainable development implies economic growth together with the protection of environmental quality, each reinforcing the other. The development of economics should not harm to the ecosystem, developed and protected. This form of development is a stable relationship between human activities and the natural world, which does not diminish the prospects for future generations to enjoy a quality of life at least as good as our own.
This definition, however, is quite congruent with the Buddhist teaching of right livelihood. Buddhists earn their properties with the preserving of morality. This mean, in earning wealth, Buddhists earn their wealth without harm the others no need to meaning about harming the ecosystem.
The Buddha taught his disciples to consume the four requisites with being mindful. To a monk who has newly been initiated into the Sangha, the knowledge of such matter is fundamental to the learning and practicing of the Buddhist precepts. It teaches him to use his intellect to examine carefully the objects being consumed and trained to be vigilant over the five sensual organs. He was taught to be mindful of the habit of consumption. He used the four requisites only to protect his body and only to nurture it, not for the purpose of other benefits, only to survive and practice the eight noble paths.
Buddhist monks were taught to be aware and avoid from harming other lives in ecosystem. They were forbidden from killing every kind of lives and destroy the living plants. They were taught to be aware while using the natural water to make sure that they would not cause any small insect to dead. In the training rules of monks, there are plenty of laws in preserving the ecosystem. The Buddhist teaching of right livelihood is the way that Buddhists could sustain themselves without harming the other lives and ecosystem. Therefore, it is very helpful if the people could apply Buddhist teaching to use in their habits of consuming and the way of doing their business.
As mentioned in the webpage of freedom21santacruz that “current lifestyles and consumption patterns of the affluent middle class involving high meat intake, use of fossil fuels, appliances, home and work air conditioning, and suburban housing are not sustainable” is quite right. The modern market persuades people to consume more to have a standard of life. But, people should consider about the purpose of their consuming. They should be aware of the result of their consumption that will come to their future generation such as the lack of natural resources, land for housing, global warming etc. people today are care too much about improving their countries’ economics, but they also should care about such problem which will follow. Higher standard of living and increase in the quantity of goods consumed does not automatically lead to higher or better quality of life. To the opposite, it could lead to degradation of life and rapid depletion of global resources. In all standpoints, there would be wastage of resources created by uncontrolled desires for goods and products, arising from not knowing why and how one should make proper consumption.
Buddhism teach people to have contentment with what they get and deserve to get, contentment with what is within one’s strength or capability, and contentment with what is befitting. The right livelihood and contentment are quite beneficial in preserving the natural resources in the term of sustainable development. However, Buddhism did not teach people to be lazy, but taught them to work hard with being mindful of themselves and everything around them, work for the benefits of themselves and others.