From the Abbot

This place, the Tengboche valley,
As if descended from the realm of gods.
The people of the world rush to come and see it.
Encircled by Snow Mountains, open pastures and great forests,
Deer abound in this place, which resounds fresh and peaceful.
Flowing rivers swirl gently by, 
Pure water endowed with eight great qualities.
Here the auspicious of natural goodness is supreme.

Written by Ngawang Tenzin Jangpo Tengboche Rinpoche

"I know that many people come from very far away to see Everest and the Snow Mountains. This is a peaceful place, a sacred place. I hope everyone enjoys it. Happiness depends on the mind. An open, peaceful mind is very beneficial and helps others. From a Buddhist point of view, this is very important. Perhaps it has been difficult to reach Tengboche, but on seeing the Himalayas, forests and monastery - people forget their worries. 
To see people happy makes me happy too."

Tengboche Rinpoche

Recently the World Wildlife Fund gave Tengboche Rinpoche an award for his work in conservation. This is the message about the environment that he wishes to share with others.

A Buddhist View of Harmony in Nature

In Buddhist texts, the world as we know it is said to have arisen from the vitality of "Zambu-tikya," the wish-fulfilling tree. In previous aeons (Kal-pa), human beings themselves are also said to have evolved from the stones, soil and trees. We believe that even thought we are born as human beings; our body is formed of the elements- earth, water, fire, wind, and space. These same five elements also produce different species of trees and just as people benefit from the elements being in harmony, so too do trees. Just as people are affected by natural calamities such as droughts and floods so too are trees.

Trees are of great benefit and significance to Buddhists, both spiritually and materially. When the Buddha Sakyamuni was born in Lumbini his mother held on to a branch of the "Bodhi" tree (Ficus religiosa) the tree of enlightenment. The Great Master Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) was said to be born from a "Pema Gesar" (Nelumbo nucifera) flower in the sacred land of Oddiyana. While sitting under the "Bodhi" tree in Bodhgaya, the Buddha Sakyamuni realized the true nature of reality and achieved enlightenment. The Buddha Kanakuna realized enlightenment under a "Shree khenda" tree (Santalum album). Thus by providing a sheltering places for meditation trees have aided even the Buddhas in their quest for enlightenment.

In ancient Kashi, a bird, a rabbit, a monkey and an elephant lived together in the forest in great harmony and peace prevailed throughout the kingdom. When the King of Kashi learnt that these animals lived together so harmoniously, he decreed that his subjects must follow their example. The bird is believed to have been an emanation of Buddha Sakyamuni, while the rabbit, monkey and the elephant are thought to be enanations of his disciples Shariputra, Mangalputra and Ananda. Even today, these animals are depicted in Buddhist art as a portrait of harmony.

In ancient times, great teachers taught in the shade of big trees. Even kings held their court under the trees. To this day village markets are still held in the shade of trees.

Buddhists also believe that multitudes of deities and spirits dwell in trees and the environment in which they thrive. These spirits influence the weather, the harvests and the well being of the human communities that live nearby. As long as the human beings live in harmony with their environment and the deities and spirits that reside there, peace and well being will prevail. When the people cut down trees, dig into the earth, remove the stones and minerals, and pollute the mountains, the deities and spirits are disturbed and angered and cause natural calamities and illnesses. There are many stories that tell of this.

For example, the Great Scholar Sakya Pandita was once invited to the court of the Mongol King Godem who was very ill. The deities and spirits who resided in the area appeared before Sakya Pandita and told him that King Godem's activities of such as digging into the earth and cutting trees to construct buildings had caused so much disturbance and illness among them that even their own King was ill. They said that King Godem could only be healed if their own King was also healed. Sakya Pandita then performed a ceremony evoking Sengeda, an emanation of Lokeswara, universal lord of compassion, curing both the kings.

When the Buddhist Warrior Gesar of Ling was fighting the King of Hor, he cut down the tree housing his "La" or the life-sustaining force. The Barbarian King's energy thus gradually began to wane and he was eventually overcome in battle.

The Mountain Deity Gauri Shanker instructed the Yogi Milarepa to perform ceremonies to cure the people of Lapchi who had become sick from polluting the air with the smell of burning meat and milk. Milarepa advised the people that they needed to practice cleanliness and hygiene in order to be free of sickness.

These few examples show how cutting trees and producing toxic chemicals and needless waste gives rise to negative consequences, including new and incurable diseases, natural calamities and political unrest. Therefore, all these activities should be avoided as far as possible. If they are unavoidable, actions should be taken to reduce their harmful effects. One way is through special ceremonies that request the deities and spirits to minimize the negative consequences and restore harmony in our relationship with the environment. One example of such a practice is 'rejuvenating the earth' by burying vases known as "sachue bumpa". Two years ago, when there was a drought throughout Nepal, I prepared and distributed 1300 such vases upon the instructions of the learned Trulshik Rinpoche; I believe this was very beneficial for the afflicted areas.

Planting trees is another activity that reduces harmful effects upon the environment and promotes longevity and well being. In Tibet, kings, high lamas and prominent families often planted and protected trees and fined those who cut them down. Monasteries usually have forests surrounding them providing a safe haven for wildlife as well.

In my own monastery, Tengboche, in the Khumbu region of Nepal, we are working to promote environmental conservation, reduce pollution and waste, and raise awareness of the relationship between spirituality and nature in the face of increased tourism, rapid development and pressure on the environment. The Tengboche Sacred Land Eco-Center, which has just been opened by Trulshik Rinpoche, provides us the momentum and the means for consolidating, sustaining and expanding our past efforts.

Buddhist practitioners and modern conservationists have more in common than one might assume. In the Himalayas and other regions, traditional cultures and belief systems have been fruitful in protecting the resources of local environments, even before they were designated as protected areas by conservationists. Their rationale for conservation may not be identical but the goal is often the same. For example, conservationists caution against the cutting of trees since it often results in landslides, floods and recently, I am told, global warming and the possibility of glacial lakes bursting. Buddhists warn against this same activity saying that it upsets the deities and spirits who then bring negative consequences upon us. To give another example: monks prohibit the hunting of the snow leopard since it is against Buddhist precepts to take the live of other beings-whereas the park warden might argue that it is an indicator species promoting the ecological balance of the high mountains. Both the Buddhist and the conservationist are trying to say the same thing: do not cut the trees; do not hunt the snow leopard!

Great potential exists in dialogue and partnership between the Buddhist community and the modern conservationists, both in promoting environmental conservation and ethical living. The world we live in today is not the same as yesterday's: today we have a bigger population, new and increased needs and therefore, more effort is necessary to promote the well being of the environment which ultimately ensures our own. In my own local environment of Tengboche Monastery, I have been planting trees, cultivating medicinal plants, raising awareness to reduce pollution and waste and promoting environmental conservation. Please try to do the same in your own home, wherever that may be.

Venerable Ngawang Tenzing Zangpo Rinpoche, 
Abbot of Tengboche Monastery, Khumbu, Nepal