Of Eco-Buddhas and Dharma-Roots: Views from the East Asian Buddhist Tradition

This chapter discusses broadly Buddhist perspectives on nature and environment in East Asia by using examples from the primary sources. While the overall position is critical of the commonly held views that Buddhism has traditionally held nature in veneration and has fostered ideas akin to modern environmentalism, it does indicate that in certain cases, Buddhism did so. Nevertheless, the Buddhist position has nearly always been firmly grounded in spirituality and belief. Otherwise an utilitarian approach has been apparent. Therefore, when issues concerning the natural world occur in the sources, they nearly always have an eschatological perspective. Keywords:Chan Buddhism; Dharma-roots; East Asia; eco-Buddhas; eschatological perspective; natural environment