Buddhism, one increasingly hears, is an 'eco-friendly' religion. It is often said that this is because it promotes an 'ecological' view of things, one stressing the essential unity of human beings and the natural world. This book presents a different view. While agreeing that Buddhism is, in many important respects, in tune with environmental concerns, Cooper and James argue that what makes it 'green' is its view of human life. The true connection between the religion and environmental thought is to be found in Buddhist accounts of the virtues - those traits, such as compassion, equanimity and
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Acknowledgements Abbreviations Notes on References and Buddhist Terms 1.Introduction: Virtue Ethics and Environmental Ethics Two tendencies Environmental ethics Virtue Ethics Overview 2.Virtues and Environment in Western Thought Ancient virtues Christianity and beyond Virtue and nature A short history of environmental ethics Environmentalism and the neglect of virtue 3.Buddhism and Ethics Context The central teachings S?la The place of ethics The Mah?y?na 4.Buddhist Virtues Eudaimonia and Buddhist felicity Buddhism as a virtue ethics Comparisons and contrasts Buddhist virtues (1): humility, self-mastery and equanimity Buddhist virtues (2): solicitude, non-violence and 'responsibleness' 5.Buddhism, Virtue and Environment Taking stock Nature, humanity and holism Environmental virtues (1): self-transformation and nature Environmental virtues (2): other-regarding virtues and nature 6.Conclusion: the Viability of a Buddhist Environmental Ethic Answering the sceptics Parsimony and polarity Bibliography Index
