2023.10.01
Environment-minded Buddhists-The Spiritual Ecology Series
- Part of "The Spiritual Ecology" Series, authored by Master Hsin Tao
Buddhists are naturally environment-minded, as our lifestyle itself has been a manifestation of environmental activism long before all the crises. Veganism, simplicity, frugality, and practicing Chan are environment-minded. Reversely, environmental activism without a fundamental vision of the universe would be reduced to mere lip service and airballs.
Chan Buddhism places value on a balanced life of religious practice for the equality between the two. The practice of Chan serves to fortify religious conviction and to comprehend truth so that religious wisdom can be adaptively applied to daily life and at work whenever called for. That's why the famous quote “A day without labor is a day without food” by Chan Master Bai Zhang has become an integral part of the core value of our philosophical ideal.
Chan Master Bai Zhang enjoys working hard, often outpacing his disciples and followers. One day they hid the tools to impose a break on their Master, who said “I'm without merit today and to argue more only adds to the burden of other people.” He went for fasting that day and the aforementioned quote became a part of our sect philosophy.