This post concludes the discussion of my revisions to the classic Buddhist text, The Heart of the Prajanaparamita. You will find the revised text–The Earth Holders’ Heart Sutra–below in Part Two.
Battle-weary activists can let go of personal baggage and the scorecard of environmental wins and losses because scorecards are nonsensical under the shining light of emptiness— the reality that nothing possesses a “separate self,” everything is a continuation of something else, and the universe emerges through “dependent co-arising.” What we perceive as success is actually made of many failures and failures are made of many successes. More significantly, our “battles” are marked with emptiness; in reality (as The Earth Holders’ Heart Sutra says in Part Two), nothing is “produced or destroyed, defiled or immaculate, increasing or decreasing.” We may think we are in a great battle to save Mother Earth, but in reality—despite all effort—we are not transforming the whole; we are mostly battling ourselves.
We can do things differently. As an alternative to traditional environmental advocacy, professional and citizen activists can practice Insight Environmentalism—thinking and acting as an ecosystem for planetary transformation. Insight Environmentalism augments the advocate’s scientific, legal, and community organizing tool kit with the warrior skills of fierce compassion, kindness, and collaboration in present moment action. Like ecosystems, we are always in relationship. Insight Environmentalism honors our relationships, leaving nothing out. It is a planetary campaign to ease the suffering of the whole of Mother Earth— all humans, animals, plants, and minerals.
Don’t misunderstand me. This isn’t starry-eyed stuff. Many will continue to act selfishly; they will object to acting in harmony with the whole. Things are likely to get much worse before they get better. But the warrior skill of fierce compassion includes stopping others from creating harm by using all the non-violent tools at hand, including: civil disobedience, the media, and lawmaking in our democracy.
Opening ourselves to thinking and acting as an ecosystem, we turn to natural systems for guidance on how to become better members of the earth community. Looking, we see ecosystems are energetic and diverse communities operating transparently, without secrets. They are equitable and supremely democratic places governed by nature’s strict laws. Ecosystems adapt and evolve as conditions change. They are self-healing, maintaining balance and correcting for greed, runaway growth, or over consumption. Communication between system parts is perfect, clear. There is no waste; resources cycle and flow freely. Things bloom and fade without struggle or attachment. Tolerance and patience abound; unnecessary competition, aggression, or violence is absent.
To this end, professional and citizen activists, can take Ten Steps Toward Thinking and Acting as an Ecosystem. We can:
1. Practice seeing ourselves in relationship to the whole–our planet body as our body, empty of a separate self.
2. Practice generosity, letting resources flow through our existence without clinging, fear, or attachment.
3. Practice seeking out, opening to and celebrating diversity.
4. Practice living ethically, protecting and respecting all humans, animals, plants, and minerals.
5. Practice tolerance, asking: “Am I sure,” and “Is this really so?”
6. Practice surrendering to not knowing.
7. Practice—without bias—quietly listening to and observing what is real.
8. Practice communicating simply, truthfully, kindly, and clearly.
9. Practice wisdom before taking action, asking: “Is my action beneficial? Is it skillful? Is it the right time?”
10. Practice taking compassionate, kind, and collaborative action.
Insight Environmentalists bring peace and healing first to ourselves and our families, and then move outward in ever-expanding circles of connection. We encourage others to join us in healing the ailing planet by first healing themselves.
In the end, the work of Insight Environmentalism might look similar to past efforts. While easing suffering we will manage fisheries, promote recycling, curb pollution, and object to resource exploitation. What will change is us—individual advocates and the environmental community itself—because in Insight Environmentalism the means becomes the end. Seeking planetary well-being, we will be well. Desirous of an inclusive and non-contentious democracy, we will be inclusive and non-contentious. Wanting to be heard we will listen. Aspiring to curb consumption to protect life, we will curb our own consumption, protect life.
Insight Environmentalism therefore is more than a cause or professional career; it is a lifestyle and a loving path through this mess that is available to all. We will make mistakes. But because the pain in our hearts and minds co-arises with planetary suffering, we will increase our skillfulness when we increase our every-day awareness of emptiness and dependant co-arising.
We are the generation giving shape our continuation. It is up to us to transform the suffering of the whole of Mother Earth with ever more skillful and healing actions.
