Buddhist Environmental Approaches in a Global Context

Exploring Religion & Environment Series

Join us for a series of lunchtime conversations this Fall and Winter focused on exploring religion and the environment. We will be joined by experts, theologians, activists, and thinkers for deep dives into different religious traditions. By blending informative education with ground-breaking discourse, we hope that wherever you are on your own journey exploring faith and our changing world, you will find value in this foray.

Session 6: Buddhist Environmental Approaches in a Global Context

In this month’s conversation, we are exploring Buddhist tradition. Bhante Pemaratana of the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center will share a short presentation titled, “Caring for All Life: How to recognize the value of all forms of lives and the greater responsibility of human beings for the wellbeing of whole ecosystem.” George Hoguet of Earth Holder Community and the Order of Interbeing will share reflections on “The Way Out Is In: When we stop, go into our inner stillness and look deeply, we can awaken to the reality of Interbeing, awaken beyond environmentalism and the illusion that we are separate from the Earth, from other species and from one another, and discover instead Right View (of relationship) from which flows all Right Thoughts & Right Actions to heal our precious planet.”

Bring your lunch and your questions – we can’t wait to see you there!

Series co-sponsors:

Better Path Coalition, Delaware Interfaith Power & Light, Green Muslims

Conversation co-sponsors:

Pittsburgh Buddhist Center, Earth Holder Community

Bhante Pemaratana is the chief monk of Pittsburgh Buddhist Center and Cleveland Buddhist Vihara. Born and trained in Sri Lanka, he moved to the US in 2008 and earned a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Pittsburgh in 2017. He teaches Buddhism, mindfulness, and meditation and provides spiritual counseling to help people to deal with challenging issues of life.

George Hoguet, a native of Philadelphia, worked for 30 years in the factory automation industry. He later supported developments of renewable energy policies and systems with Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture), and Native Energy of Vermont. In 2007, George was trained by former Vice-President Al Gore to present the slideshow from the film, An Inconvenient Truth, and gave dozens of presentations to audiences including senior management at large companies like Dannon Yogurt. In the early 1990’s, George discovered the Engaged Buddhist teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Since then, he has been active in mindfulness sangha’s (communities) in Philadelphia, Vermont, and Pittsburgh. George was ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh into the monastic & lay Order of Interbeing in 2013. In 2015, he helped found the Earth Holder Community, an Earth Justice initiative in Thich Nhat Hanh’s tradition which has since expanded to more than 61 countries.