After leaving his cushy palace home in search of deeper insight into life, the Buddha spent most of his life in the outdoors, walking the roads, living in forests, sitting at the edges of rivers. Most of the instructions on how to meditate begin with the direction to find the base of a tree at which to sit. And when his very right to awaken was challenged by Mara, the Buddha simply placed his hand on the earth, calling it to bear witness in his favor.
The deep interconnection between the dharma and nature continues to the present, when Buddhist teachers such as Joanna Macy are among the most articulate and forceful advocates for the environment. This Sunday, Mike Blouin guided our reflections, drawing on Macy’s passion and acuteness of insight.
You can listen to Joanna’s excellent talk here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/12664/
Burlington Buddhist Sangha 