BHŪTAGĀMA AS THE ABODE OF BEINGS

A VINAYA INTERPRETATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION

Abstract

The environmental issues we face today demand reflection on how humanity relates to the environment. Therefore, religions cannot be absent from this debate, as they are agents of opinion and change, as evidenced by the Declarations of Assisi (1986). This article aims to contribute to this debate by comparing how Buddhism, from its very beginnings, especially in the monastic code of conduct (Vinaya) of the Theravāda Tradition, Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka Buddhavasse 2500 version, addresses some environmental issues by including among its precepts the preservation of plants (bhūtagāma) as the dwelling place of beings. This precept can be interpreted with the help of principles of contemporary ecology in dialogue with the monk Bhikkhu Buddhadasa to contribute to new reflections in the context of the current crisis. To achieve this, Plínio Marcos Tsai's hermeneutic approach to interrelational networks was used. Thus, the aim is to demonstrate that the interdependence of beings and the functioning of ecosystems are severely affected when plants are compromised, and that the Vinaya already provided for their preservation, as well as that of animals, by establishing the principle of ahiṁsā (non-violence), which encompasses not harming the harmony of ecosystem networks. From this perspective, the precept expresses an active commitment to the conservation and responsible management of the natural environment. Observance of these principles can provide applied ethical guidelines for sustainability.