The document provides an outline for a presentation on Oriental and religious perspectives on ecology and the environment. It begins with defining Oriental and religious perspectives, then discusses views from Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, and Taoism. For each religion, it explores key concepts and how the religions view humanity's relationship with nature and emphasis on environmental protection and harmony. It also discusses views on interconnectedness, karma, and promoting the welfare of all beings.

1. “Oriental & Other Religious
Perspectives on Ecology & Environment”
SFGS 6121
History & Philosophy of Science
Lecturer: Professor M. Hazim Shah Abdul Murad
Mohd Fadhli Rahmat Fakri
SMB110010
Department of Science & Technology Studies,
Faculty of Science, University of Malaya 1

2. Outline of Presentation
Definition: Oriental & Religion
Oriental: Buddhism, Confucianism,
Hinduism & Taoism on Ecology &
Environment
Other/Religious Perspectives: Islam,
Christian, Judeo Christian & its Substitutes
World View on Ecology & Environment
Conclusion
2

3. Definition
• Oriental:
―in or from (relating to) the East‖
(kernermann bilingual dictionary)
• Religious:
derived from the word religion:
―a particular system of belief or worship, of a
God or gods.
(kernermann bilingual dictionary)
3

4. East (Orient) & West (Occident)
The East:
He who knows himself and other,
Will also recognize that East and
West cannot be separated. (Goethe)
The West:
Oh, East is East, West is West,
And never the twain shall meet.
Till Earth and Sky stand presently,
At God’s great Judgement Seat. (Kipling)
4

5. Orientalist
• orientalism
‗refer to the range of attitudes that have been shown in
the West towards the traditional religious and philosophical
ideas and systems of South and East Asia‘.
• The term first appeared in France in the 1830s, and has
been employed since then in a variety of different
• ways:
o to refer to Oriental scholarship,
o to characterize a certain genre of romantic fantasy literature,
o to describe a genre of painting, and
o most significantly in recent times—to mark out a certain kind of
ideological purview of the East which was a product of Western
imperialism.
o emphasizes the inextricable interconnectedness of things.
5

6. Buddhism
Images taken from: http://ashwath0608.wordpress.com
• Buddhism (Pali/Sanskrit: Bauddha
Dharma) is a religion and philosophy
encompassing a variety of traditions,
beliefs and practices, largely based
on teachings attributed to
Siddhartha Gautama, commonly
known as the Buddha ("the
awakened one").
• Implies the concept of anarchism ( belief that
society should have no government, laws, police,
or other authority, but should be a free
association of all its members)
• (Armstrong, Karen (2001). Buddha. Penguin Books. p. 187) 6

7. Buddhism &
Environment
• Explores the ecological and environmental
teachings of Buddha, particularly Dharma (nature)
and their relationships with Deep Ecology as well as
with effective public participation.
• Focuses on the Buddhist view of ―One‖ world that is
home to all known life.
• The Buddha told us in the sutras (Buddhist
scripture)and precepts that we should take loving
care of animals, and that we should not harm the
grass and trees, but regard them as the home
where sentient beings lead their lives.
7

8. Buddhism:
Law of Karma
•
Karma is the law that every cause has an effect,
i.e., our actions have results.
• This simple law explains a number of things:
inequality in the world, why some are born
handicapped and some gifted, why some live only
a short life.
• Karma underlines the importance of all individuals
being responsible for their past and present actions.
How can we test the karmic effect of our actions?
The answer is summed up by looking at (1) the
intention behind the action, (2) effects of the action
on oneself, and (3) the effects on others.
8

9. Buddhism:
Noble 8 Fold Path
• The noble eight fold path consists of right vision, right
thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood,
right efforts, right mindfulness and right
concentration.
• Buddhist teaching requires every person to consider
the manner in which the performance of his duties
as employee would impact on society and the
future, e.g:
Any employment which involves damage to the
environment such as working in the nuclear industry,
manufacturing toxic substances, and the exploitation
and depletion of marine resources would be included in
this prohibition.
9

10. Buddhism & Environment
• Rejection of Anthropocentrism
• Buddhism is completely averse to the notion that
nature and all created things exist for the benefit of
mankind. Mankind is part of the entire cosmic order
but not in a position of dominance.
• Humans are just as much subject to the natural
order of the universe as any other form of sentient
existence.
―Buddhism is ecocentric rather than anthropocentric
since it views humans as an integral part of nature.
10

11. Buddhism & Environment
• The interdependence of all things
o strongly emphasizes the interdependence of all entities and
events. There is no entity animate or inanimate and no event
however trivial which is not in some way interconnected with
every other.
• Coexistence rather than Conquest
o The aim that Buddhism instills in every individual mind is
emancipation from suffering.
o Conquest of the natural environment, of other species or of
other groups of the human family is hence the very reverse of
the ideals which Buddhism teaches.
o Co-existence is vital and this requires a recognition and respect
of those other species and groups and not an attempt at
dominance.
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12. Buddhism & ethical view
• Buddhist ethics are grounded in the truth and
experience of the Law of Dependent Co-Arising.
• Sila, or guidelines for moral action, are central to
Buddhist practice in all traditions.
• The Three Pure Precepts are vows to refrain from actions
that ignore interdependence, to make an effort to act
out of understanding of interrelationship, and to serve all
beings in the interdepending web.
• The five (Theravada) prescriptive precepts to not kill, not
lie, not steal, not abuse sexuality or intoxicants spring
from a fundamental recognition of relationship. One
aims to act as respectfully and inclusively as possible
toward plant, animal, and human companions.
12

13. Confucianism
• Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical
system developed from the teachings of the
Chinese philosopher Confucius (Kǒng Fūzǐ, or K'ung-
fu-tzu, lit. "Master Kong", 551–478 BC).
• Confucianism originated as an "ethical-
sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and
Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical
and cosmological elements in the Han Dynasty.
(Craig, Edward (1998), Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Volume 7, Taylor &
Francis)
13

14. Confucianism &
Environment
• Confucianism: a philosophy which also contains
profound environmental ethics through its
inclusiveness of Heaven, Earth and the Human
order. These form the traditional Chinese trinity
which configure the ultimate harmony.
• Confucian thinkers characteristically regard nature
as holistic, all things in nature depending on each
other and forming an organic whole.
• consider human beings as part of nature, an
existence within it, emphasizing that people and
nature are closely bound in a harmonious, not
conflictual, primary relationship.
14

15. Confucianism &
Environment
• Confucians maintain the oneness of humankind
and nature, the harmony and unity between
the two.
• The Doctrine of the Mean says: ―Attaining
equilibrium, heaven and earth will be in their
right places and all things will come into
being.‖(20)
o In handling relations between the human and natural worlds,
people need to observe the principle of ‗equilibrium‘, so that the
vitality and harmony of nature, the ecological balance of the
natural environment, can be maintained properly.
• Confucian tradition consistently describes the
goal of becoming humane(ren) as not only
involving respect for the values of other human
beings, but also involving respect for natural
phenomena such as animals.
15

16. Hinduism
• Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous
religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent.
Hinduism is known to its followers as Sanātana
Dharma (a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal
law", "the eternal law that sustains/upholds/surely
preserves―), amongst many other expressions.
• Hinduism is formed of diverse traditions and has no
single founder. Among its direct roots is the historical
Vedic religion of Iron Age India and, as such,
Hinduism is often called the "oldest living religion― or
the "oldest living major religion" in the world.
16

17. Hinduism &
Environment
• Key concepts
• · On a fundamental philosophical level, Hindus believe in
Brahman, an all pervading divine force. All Hindu Gods and
Goddesses, and everything in the universe, is a manifestation of
Brahman. To be Hindu, therefore, means to see divinity in
everything.
• · Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect, and
reincarnation in both human and animal form. To perform one‘s
dharma (duty) well means one will attain a more favorable rebirth
and thus come closer to attaining moksha(enlightenment).
• · The ultimate goal for a Hindu is to transcend the cycle of
reincarnation so his individual soul (atman) can attain moksha
(enlightenment) and become one with Brahman. Various paths to
Brahman include Vedic ritual, bhakti (devotion to God), and yoga
(meditation).
17

18. Hinduism &
Environment
• Practices principles relating to the inevitability of the
consequences of one's actions, the
interconnectedness of all things, the linkage
between past, present and future, the harmony
that is necessary between humanity and the
natural order and many other.
• Everything in the universe belongs to the Lord. Therefore take only
what you need, that is set aside for you. Do not take anything else,
for you know to whom it belongs. (Isa Upanishad)
18

19. Hinduism &
Environment
• 1. Ecological Awareness in Hinduism
• It is clear that the most ancient texts on Hinduism demonstrate
through the praise of the deities an ecological awareness and
great respect for the natural world.
“Do not cut trees, because they remove pollution.”
(Rig Veda, 6:48:17)
“Do not disturb the sky and do not pollute the
atmosphere.” (Yajur Veda,5:43)
Destruction of forests is taken as destruction of the state,
and reforestation an act of rebuilding the state and
advancing its welfare. Protection of animals is considered
a sacred duty.
(Charak Sanhita)
19

20. Hinduism &
Environment
• 2.The Presence of the Divinity in all Things
• An important feature of the Hindu worldview is that
the supreme deity resides in all things.
• In the Upanishads:
“after creating the Universe God entered into
every object created.”
Consequently his creations must be treated with
respect.
• This view of the relationship between God and
creation inspires Hindus to maintain a harmonious
relationship between human beings and nature.
20

21. Hinduism &
Environment
• 3. The interconnectedness of all things
• Hindu law and philosophy : set in a cosmic view of the
universe with eons of time spreading behind and before
us.
• Within that cosmic view there is also a view of the
interconnectedness of all things. The nexus between
things past, present and future is emphasized as is the
causal relationship between them.
• All of this flows from the concept that God pervades all
things. Since the divine presence is everywhere all things
have an integral connection with all others.
21

22. Hinduism &
Environment
• 4. The Need for Human Harmony with all forms of
Life
• rich in its instructions on harmonious coexistence
with all forms of life.
• This means a bond not only between humans and
animals, but also between humans and all forms of
vegetation.
• In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna compares the
world to a single banyan tree with unlimited
branches under which all the species of animals,
humans and demigods wander.
22

23. Hinduism &
Environment
• 4. The Sarva Bhuta Hita: The Notion of the Welfare of
All Beings
• The highest ethical standard that Hindus ought to
apply, according to their dharma, is the concept of
Sarva Bhuta Hita.
• The tradition requires that the common good takes
precedence over private advantage.
• Includes: protection of the environment, the support
of the poor and needy, the oppressed, the needs of
children and those who are yet to be born and the
welfare of other living beings.
23

24. Taoism
• Taoism (also spelled Daoism) refers to a
philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic
concept is to establish harmony with the Tao, which
is the mechanism of everything that exists.
• The word "Tao" (or "Dao", depending on the
romanization scheme) is usually translated as "way",
"path" or "principle", although the word literally
means "nature" as in the nature of all things as well
as the natural world.
24

25. Taoism & Environment
• Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three
Jewels of the Tao: compassion, moderation, and
humility, while Taoist thought generally focuses
on nature, the relationship between humanity
and the cosmos; health and longevity; and wu
wei (action through inaction).
• Taoist principle of nature is wu-wei, “having no
activity” or non-action. Wu-wei is sometimes
interpreted as doing less to achieve an end, not
over-doing. This principle emphasizes the
importance of acting in accordance with
natural forces or “following nature.”
25

26. Taoism & Environment
• Tao is the means, method, and ―way‖ of unity and
Images taken from :http://laaldeadelaselva.com
harmony in the individual and the whole of reality,
the One.
• The action of tao is reversal or ―turning back.‖ This
principle states that each thing moves to its
extreme only to then revert back to its origin; ―To
go further and further means to revert again.‖
• Reversal is a cyclic process of transformation, ever
changing, yet always in balance => yin-yang
o a circle composed of two undulating halves of dark and light
flowing into each other even as each half contains a small dot
or seed of its opposite.
o The yin/yang figure, the Great Round, represents the
inseparable connection of opposites: one extreme cannot
exist without its complementary opposite— each one is
necessary to define the other.
26

27. Taoism & Environment
• Taoist discipline respect for life to protect
Images taken from :http://laaldeadelaselva.com
the environment according to Zhuangzi
Commandment (2nd foundational text of the
Daoist philosophical and religious tradition)
• First: cherish, respect for all animal life is
one of the Taoism thrust. Taoism also
opposed a fright, cruelty to animals.
o 172th commandment of Zhuang Zhi states: not terrified of
animals and birds,
• Second: cherish, respect for the plant life.
Taoism believes that plants, and like
people have a spiritual life, in a particular
environment.
27

28. Islam:
Perceptions and Concepts
Islam
• the monotheistic religion articulated by the Qur‘an, a text
considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of God
(Arabic: Allah), and by the teachings and normative example
(called the Sunnah and composed of Hadith) of Muhammad,
considered by them to be the last prophet of God.
• Fitrah (‘disposition’, ‘nature’, ‘constitution’, or ‘instinct’)
• Tauhid (Oneness)
• Human’s place in nature (Vicegerent / Khalifah)
• Ibadah (ultimate submission)
• Salam (Peace)
• Maqasid al-shariah (5 foundational goals to be preserved: Religion, Life,
Lineage, Intellect & Property)
• The relationship between man, nature and God
28

29. Sources of Islamic Perspective
Regarding the Environment
• The Quran
• The Hadiths
• Ethical Codes
• The Syariah & Maqasid al-shariah
• Cultural expressions
o Proverbs
o Poetry
o Behaviour
29

30. Islam & Environment
• The Environment, as God’s Creation, Must Be
Respected
• Islam, as a way of life expects human beings to
conserve the environment for several reasons.
• Some of the reasons why?
o God is its creator.
o humans act as the agents of God on earth
o no other creature is able to perform this task. Humans are
the only beings that God has "entrusted" with the
responsibility of looking after the earth. This trusteeship is
seen by Islam to be so onerous and burdensome that no
other creature could 'accept' it.
30

31. Islam & Environment
• Cleanliness of the Environment
• There are several hadiths of the Prophet stating the
importance of protecting the environment and keeping
it clean and fruitful:
• Cleanliness is an important part of Islamic teaching
which goes to great lengths in specifying principles of
physical cleanliness.
• This principle of cleanliness applies internally to the mind,
physically to the body and externally to the
environment.
• In order to keep the environment free of pollution and
therefore pleasant the Prophet has said:
“Picking up a bone from the way is a Sadaqah
(Charity)”. He further said “Removing a harmful and
dangerous thing from the way is also Sadaqah.”
31

32. Islam & Environment
• Productive Use of the Environment
• “Whosoever plants a tree, he will be rewarded with
as much reward as is relevant to its yields” (Bukhari).
• The Concept of Vice-Regency
• The human being, in the Islamic perspective is
considered a vicegerent of the environment and
this vice regency carries heavy responsibilities to the
future.
• "Behold, your Lord said to the angels: "I will create a
vice-regents on earth." (Qur’an, 2:30)
32

33. Islam & Environment
• Living in Harmony with Nature
• The ultimate objective of life for a Muslim is salvation
which is achieved through peace and harmony.
• "Salam, the Arabic root of the word "Islam," means
"peace and harmony". Therefore, Islamic
theologians argue that an "Islamic way of life entails
living in peace and harmony" at individual and
social as well as ecological levels (Hadith).
33

34. Christianity
• an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the
life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded
in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New
Testament.
• However, states division between the spiritual and
the natural worlds,
34

35. Christianity &
Environment
Some have sought a way forward from within a
transformed Christian tradition based on the
inspiration of St Francis of Assisi, or on the idea of
stewardship.
Principle of Environmental Stewardship
• God Created the Earth and All of Nature in it
John 1:3. Through Him all things were made: without Him
nothing was made that has been made.
• God Teaches Humans through Nature
Isaiah 11:9. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my
holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge
of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Images taken from: all-bali.com 35

36. Christianity &
Environment
Principle of Environmental Stewardship
• God Expects Humans to be His Stewards with Nature
Revelation 11:18. The nations were angry and your wrath has
come. The time has come for rewarding your servants the
prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name,
both small and great - and for destroying those who destroy the
earth.
• Scripture clearly states that God created, blessed, protected
and made a covenant with the different species. As stewards
of His creation, Christian believers are called to do no less. It is
their scriptural and moral duty to protect species and their
habitat.
36

37. Judeo-Christian
• Judeo-Christian is a term used in the United States
since the 1940s to refer to standards of ethics said to
be held in common by Judaism and Christianity,
• Some have blamed Judeo-Christian thought for our
ecological problems.
o That man is to have rule and dominion over the earth justifies the notion
that what can be done should be done.
o Many have suggested that the problem is not technological, but
philosophical. The Judeo-Christian heritage of the West must be
abandoned.
Sources: Rob Bohl,
from http://www.northave.org/MGManual/Environ/Envir1.htm
37

38. Substitutes World View:
• The world views of naturalism and pantheism
have been offered as substitutes.
• Within the naturalistic world view, the ultimate
value is human survival.
o Man cannot survive without a healthy planet.
o We must act to preserve our planet in order to rescue the future of
our future generation.
• This view is ultimately pragmatic*.
o The value of nature is degraded to the whim of egoistic man.
o This view will ultimately be destructive in the long run.
• * a philosophical tradition centered on the linking of practice
and theory. It describes a process where theory is extracted
from practice, and applied back to practice to form what is
called intelligent practice. Father of pragmatism: Charles
Sanders Peirce, American Polymath
38

39. Substitutes World View:
• In the pantheistic world view, all of nature is equal
because all is god and god is all. This thinking will be
prevalent among New Age enthusiasts.
• Nature is respected and valued because it is a part
of the essence of god.
• According to pantheistic, ―Human must act to save
their planet because it has equal value with man‖.
o But while pantheism elevates nature, it subsequently degrades man and
will ultimately degrade nature.
o Man has no more value than a blade of grass.
o In pantheism, it is the whole of nature that has meaning. The individual
particulars of nature do not have intrinsic meaning or value.
• Therefore, the will to care about a particular species, for example, is
derived only by romanticizing nature.
• In practice, pantheism has no answer for the two faces of nature:
benevolent and destructive.
39

40. Summary
• As for Oriental, we talked about Hinduism,
Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, we can
conclude that:
o Human and nature are interrelated and cannot be
separated from one another.
o The concept of balance of yin-yang in Taoism and the Law
of Karma of Buddhism/Hinduism precisely teach us the
human being to behave accordingly and beware of such
misbehaving could lead to natural disaster.
o It has the same historical and philosophical value as all
other philosophical and religious doctrines: it offers
interesting metaphysical, value-theoretical and ethical
views, which we must reflect on seriously.
40

41. Summary
• As from perspectives of other religion such as Islam and Christianity
(monotheistic religions), we can derivatively found that:
• They believe in the concept of One God which comprised on
their holy book: Quran and Bible
• Both religions taught its followers the concept of Vice-Regency
(vicegerent/khalifah) and Environmental Stewardship (for
Christianity).
Finally, one holistic conclusion that can be concluded from all
examples are: be it Oriental or other religions such as Islam teach us:
 the concept of we, human as part of nature NOT apart from
nature, not totally in control of our nature (western views of nature
such as Marxist political thinking stresses the importance of rational
scientific control of nature and society)
 The concept of interconnectedness of human and nature
 Balancing act is supposedly important on which reminding us on
the concept of yin-yang
 it is also important for us to have views on comparative
environmental thinking in enabling us to ‗see the world through an
alternative frame of mind‘ concerning nature and us as a human
being.
41

42. •
References
Geaney, Jane. ―Chinese Cosmology and Recent Studies in Confucian Ethics: A Review Essay.‖ Journal of
Religious Ethics 28, no. 3 (2000): 451-470.
• TAOISM AND CONTEMPORARY ENVIRONMENTAL LITERATURE Virginia M. Kane, B.A., B.S.
• Buddhist contribution to environmental protection – Judge Weeramantry From
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/6210
• Islam, the environment and the human future - Judge Weeramantry from
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/6426
• Islam: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam
• Ibadah: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibadah
• Confucian Ethics and the Environment by Li Tianchen* from The Culture Mandala, 6 no. 1. 2003. from
http://asrudiancenter.wordpress.com/2008/11/06/confucian-ethics-and-the-environment/
• Buddhism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism, http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/5minbud.htm
• Acting with Compassion - Stephanie Kaza
ENVIRONMENTALLY RELEVANT PRINCIPLES OF BUDDHISM – from
http://www.dhushara.com/book/renewal/voices2/budfem.htm
• Buddhism & Environmental Protection By Ven. Sheng-yen from
http://greentheme.blogspot.com/2007/08/buddhism-environmental-protection.html
• Christian: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian
• Taoist Commandments and Environmental Protection from http://chinawestproducts.com/08/04/taoist-commandments-
and-environmental-protection/
• Daoism from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzi
• Judeo-Christian from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judeo-Christian
• Maqasid al-syariah: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maqasid
• A Christian View of the Environment by Ray Bohl from http://www.northave.org/MGManual/Environ/Envir1.htm
• Judge Weeramantry focuses on Hindu contribution to environment protection: from http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/6083
• Taoism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism
• The Environment and the Dao by David Wright from http://www.sacu.org/daoenv.html
• Confucian ethics and the environment Li Tianchen from http://epublications.bond.edu.au/cm/vol6/iss1/4/
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