Not-Monks and the Environment

Trip Start Mar 21, 2005

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Trip End Ongoing

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Flag of China Dongzhumen Monastery, China
Friday, August 12, 2005

Nature is the sum total of reality; there is no thing that is not Nature...Everything is produced out of Nature by the law of Nature. Nature and humanity are not separate; human beings and all their creations are as much a part of Nature as are insects, trees, rivers, and stars. Thus, we are not set against or above Nature but are only a part of Nature that must find and fulfill its natural role or duty.
~Buddhadasa Bhikkhu

We met Dugie in Benzilan, a medium town on the Yangtze that serves as a stop-over place for travelers between Deqin and Shangri-la. When stopping, one place stands out, a restaurant with a comfortable yet extremely slippery patio area (especially with all the watermelon seeds). By the steps up to the patio is a hose, so they do car washes too. The wait staff are friendly, sometimes too friendly...nah

01 Dugie Smiles During His Teachings

. So we ate there as we do every time we pass by, which seems like every week, almost.

The next day, we headed to Dondroblin Monastery, along the road to Deqin in Baimaxueshan Nature Reserve. There, Dugie and Xiao Lin taught the monks about Buddhism and the environment. Dugie is about to head back to Qinghai to continue his training--a master's in Tibetan and Chinese, specifically focused on Buddhism. He could easily be a monk, if he wanted to be.

The monastery sits on a valley ridge overlooking a confluence of two valleys stretching for miles. It is a smaller Gelugpa monastery, yet important, as it represents the villagers of Baimaxueshan. Most villages have several men who are monks here.

The Dalai Lama, the reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara, is the leader of the Gelugpa, or the Yellow Hats, or the School of the Virtuous. This branch of Tibetan Buddhism focuses more on esoteric aspects of Buddhism as opposed to Tantric and shamanic aspects. The Yellow Hats established themselves in the late 14th century and focused on establishing monastic discipline and teachings. In the monastery, meditation, discipline, and scholarship are stressed. Compared to other Tibetan sects, which are more shamanic or tantric, the Yellow Hats are the bricks-and-mortar of Buddhism. Their studies include the perfection of wisdom, discipline, reading sacred texts.

In the Deqin Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Buddhism is in a state of disrepair. At first glance, superficially, a tourist might not notice anything

02 Xiao Lin Teaches Monks About the Environment

. A tourist might be awed by the large Songzan Monastery in Shangri-la town or might enjoy spinning the prayer wheels.

Dugie calls a particular (majority) category of the yellow and maroon wearing folks "Not-monks."

These "Not-monks" cannot read their own language and therefore cannot read any of the sacred texts they should be reading.
These "Not-monks" carry cell phones, snort tobacco, drink Red Bull (Red Yak), and have girlfriends on the side.
These "Not-monks" do not like to wear their yellow and maroon monk clothing and have jobs on the side to buy possessions.

And to complicate things, on the streets, some beggars dress like monks so that they can beg more easily.

Where does the problem lie?

Maybe they're just cool monks so there's no real problem. Or maybe they're just taking after their bricks-and-mortar cousins in Europe and America. Or maybe it's just human nature not to deny themselves their egos.

No problem.

Or maybe the problem lies with the Yunnan government that has denied a Tibetan language or cultural curriculum

03 Monks and the WWF team

. Or maybe the problem started during the Cultural Revolution, when Yunnan's monks were effectively severed from monks elsewhere. Or maybe the problem lies with the local leaders of the monasteries.

Nevertheless, the monks are the greatest ally of conservation, as Buddhists consider man to be a part of nature. Although many of the texts are unreadable to many monks, they are still pious, friendly, kind, charitable, and great people. They are also still the religious and spiritual leaders for the community and can carry weight in that respect. They don't command the respect that they could or should, however, because of their "Not-monks" habits: "how about some Red Bull and snuff...hold on my cell phone's ringing. Gotta go, it's my boss."

So that's why Dugie and Xiao Lin were at the Dondroblin Monastery--to build the traditional knowledge of the monks. After generations of lost knowledge, this will take lots of work...one day at a time.

Here's a little lesson from forestry school (anonymous):

Practical Guidelines for Buddhist Foresters
Right Understanding. The forester needs to understand the relations between the community structure and functions and those of the forest ecosystem
Right Purpose. Professionals must truly seek to serve the community and ecosystem on their terms rather than use community forestry as a rhetorical cover for personal interests

04 Monks and Their Cell Phones

.
Right Speech. Conversation used to help understand other people is a central skill required for long-term success.
Right Conduct. Community forestry emphasizes that all planting and care of trees are moral actions that provide a timeless serenity transcending any commercial potential.
Right Vocation. The essence of community forestry is people working together to help the earth, their communities, and themselves.
Right Effort. The community forester should learn from the indigenous knowledge and wisdom of the community people.
Right Mindfulness. An ecosystem approach should be used, recognizing that human beings are an essential part of that system.
Right Concentration. Once the community forester has accomplished these goals, the need for him or her fades as the community gains independence in growing, developing, and maintaining its forests.