The role of the clergy in the formation of ecological consciousness of the population (on the example of the Republic of Buryatia)

Lenkhoboeva Tatiana Robertovna PhD in Philology Associate Professor, Department of Media Communications, East Siberia State University of Technology and Management 670013, Russia, respublika Buryatiya, g. Ulan-Ude, ul. Klyuchevskaya, 40v ltr_1@mail.ru Other publications by this author

One of the most important problems of mankind is environmental. The reasons for its escalation are the development of industry, population growth, the expansion of the extraction of natural resources, as well as the irresponsible attitude of people to nature.  It is impossible to solve an environmental problem without realizing the importance of this problem.

We will define the concept of ecological consciousness following the scientist E.V. Girusov: "Ecological consciousness is a set of views, theories, emotions, activities, reflecting the problems of the relationship between society and nature in terms of their optimal solution according to specific social and natural opportunities" ^[1].

Environmental awareness can be formed under the influence of several factors, such as government policy, the activities of public environmental movements, the media, etc. The researchers note that today the role of religious figures in solving environmental problems is increasing. B. Ts. Dondukov emphasizes that Buddhist figures of Buryatia also support this trend and contribute to the development of ecological thinking of society by applying Buddhist ideas. In his work "Ecological initiatives of Buddhist figures of Buryatia: actual problems, local solutions" he describes modern environmental initiatives proposed by Buddhist figures of Buryatia, including appeals of clergy to the population in connection with forest fires that swept Buryatia in 2015, as well as the project of the Khambo Lama of the Ayusheev Dam "Social Flock". The essence of the project is the gratuitous issuance by the Buddhist traditional sangha of Russia of a flock of 300 or more heads of Buryat sheep of the Buubei breed, for their subsequent breeding to people wishing to live in the village ^[3].

With the development of social networks and the presence of clergymen in them, their role in shaping the consciousness of the population, including the ecological one, is increasingly increasing. In this article we will consider the principles of ecological ethics of Buddhism, which is popularized, as the regional media often call it, by a lama from Buryatia.

Oleg Namzhilov, better known in Buryatia as Yeshi Namzhil Lama, the shareete (abbot - author's note) of the Kurumkan Datsan, is one of the most famous and authoritative Buddhist priests in Buryatia. Yeshi Namjil Lama has been practicing Buddhist practices for more than 25 years, of which he has been treating children with speech problems for the last 5 years. Lama also maintains his pages in popular social networks and has thousands of subscribers. Many people are waiting for his astrological predictions every day. In addition, he writes books, shoots music videos and videos, and has released two collections of poems ^[9]. Many of his posts on social networks duplicate regional media, which contributes to greater coverage among the population. Views of publications about Yeshi Namzhil Lama on the website of the online publication Inform Policy online have tens of thousands of views ^[11].

We reviewed publications about Yeshi Namjil Lama in the regional online publication Inform Policy online for the period from 2017 to 2022.

In total, we can identify five thematic areas of publications based on posts in the social networks of Yeshi Namzhil Lama. The first topic is dedicated to zurkhai (astrological forecast – Author's note). All materials in this direction are horoscopes that the shareete of the Kurumkan datsan gives on the eve of the New Year according to the Buddhist calendar. For example, an article from June 22, 2020 "The main goal is to survive": a lama from Buryatia gave a forecast for 2020. He told the residents of the republic what to expect from a White Metal Mouse"; from February 24, 2021, "A cow will help hardworking people": A Lama from Buryatia gave a forecast for 2021 and others.

Publications of the second thematic direction fit the definition of "Miracle". Above we talked about the fact that Yeshi Namzhil Lama helps children with speech problems. He gained great fame in the region and beyond due to the fact that he cured a mute boy. For example, the publication dated June 18, 2018, "In Buryatia, a mute boy spoke after a visit to a Buddhist lama." A documentary film was made about this real case and a kind of phenomenon, which quickly gained popularity on the Internet; also material from January 24, 2022, "Like a magical miracle: A Buryat lama revealed the secret of the "Dugzhuuba" rite. Another publication dated November 25, 2020, we can also refer to this category "In Buryatia, the sounds of bells were heard during the excavations of Buddhist shrines." The article deals with the repair of the Kurumkan datsan. In total, 3 materials were published.

We have characterized the articles of the third direction as "Culture". Yeshi Namzhil Lama is a creative person, writes songs, publishes his books and actively participates in the cultural life of the Kurumkan district.

The main publications of this subject:  On February 03, 2018, "A lama from Buryatia published his books. These are "Buddhist Stories" and "Travels of Masandai, the leader of the Saganuts"; dated January 24, 2017. "In Buryatia, a clip-mantra about a Sood lama was presented. The video "Manai Murgal" is gaining thousands of views on the web." In total, eight materials were published in this direction.

Of particular interest, in our opinion, is the topic of "Tips". These include the following articles: from June 20, 2022, "A lama from Buryatia told how to sleep soundly and get rid of nightmares" He advised believers to take the "lion pose"; from May 17, 2022, "A Lama from Buryatia told which people it is better to beware of. He advised not to be friends with immoral personalities and gossips"; from July 05, 2022, "In Buryatia, all reservoirs will become dangerous for a week. Residents of the republic were advised not to swim in them and even refuse to collect wild plants." During this period, Pakshag begins – a period that, according to Buddhist astrology, falls on the average summer month (the month of the Horse) and lasts seven days. At this time, rivers, lakes and generally any reservoirs become harmful and even dangerous.

Most of the publications can be attributed to the topic "Karma". At the same time, karma can be both improved by performing useful and beneficial deeds, and worsened by unwholesome deeds. Articles containing the advice of Yeshi Namzhil Lama on improving karma: from May 20, 2021. "The best protection against such karma: A lama from Buryatia told why he decided to plant a Buddhist pine forest."

We will also highlight articles that warn about the deterioration of karma: publication of April 2, 2022, "A Lama from Buryatia told about a terrible punishment for mocking the followers of the Buddha"; from May 12, 2021, "Everyone will have to pay: The Buryat lama predicted floods, diseases and the invasion of wolves. He told what the burning of dry grass is fraught with"; from April 30, 2022, "The Buryat lama explained the danger of destroying flowers, monuments and books."

A total of 27 publications about Yeshi Namjil Lama based on his posts on social networks were published in the online publication Inform Policy online, of which 5 materials were published on the topic of "Zurkhai", which is 19 percent of the total. 8 materials have been published on the second topic "Culture", which is 30 percent. "Miracle" - 3 articles, 11 percent. "Tips" - 4 materials, 15 percent. "Karma" - 7 publications, 26 percent.

Data on the thematic structure of publications are presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1 "Thematic structure of publications based on social media posts of Yeshi Namjil Lama" The leitmotif of many publications about Yeshi Namjil Lama, in addition to explaining and popularizing Buddhist teachings and philosophy, are environmental issues.

Environmental rhetoric is most often found in the thematic structures "Zurkhai", "Soviets" and "Karma". We found a greater number of posts concerning environmental issues in the thematic structure "Karma".

Let's consider the manifestation of the principles of ecological ethics of Buddhism in each structure in more detail.

When making astrological forecasts, Yeshi Namjil Lama relies on a Buddhist horoscope. The horoscopes of Yeshi Namzhil Lama are very detailed, they relate to the political situation, the situation with the coronavirus, and give predictions about the future harvest. At the same time, the shareete of the Kurumkan datsan gives people practical recommendations in order to reduce the negative consequences. Very often, these forecasts are directly related to the preservation of the environment. Lama gives advice on the preservation of property for the population of Buryatia, who live in rural areas and have their own household farms and grow crops. In order to avoid crop loss due to the invasion of insects, it is proposed to plant trees: "There is a risk of flooding, but it should not cause serious damage, but insects, rodents and other pests can be severely affected, so you need to plant and protect trees and bushes to attract as many birds to yourself as possible to the garden, to the garden" ^[2].

It seems interesting to us to introduce the postulates of the ecological ethics of Buddhism into the thematic structure, which we have defined as "Councils". This thematic structure represents everyday recommendations based on the philosophy of Buddhism. So, in the publication dated April 14, 2022, "A Lama from Buryatia told how to get rid of poverty and attract money into his life," along with the wishes to throw away old things and never take someone else's, there is such advice: "The first important signal, a sign of wealth is mice. The appearance of these rodents even in a dream promises money. By killing them, we ourselves, with our own hands, close the doors of wealth or, in other words, open the doors of losses and losses" ^[7]. Such reasoning proceeds from the basic principles of Buddhism, such as the recognition of the value of life. It should be noted that Buddhism as a whole excludes the ideas of anthropocentrism, since it is believed that the existence of some species of creatures cannot be more important than the existence of others, this gives Buddhist ideas ecological potential.  Also note the presence of the principle of ahimsa, that is, non-harm to living beings, even if we are talking about rodents.

A characteristic feature of the rhetoric of Yeshi Namzhil Lama is not only a ban on certain actions, but also the search for an acceptable alternative to solve the problem: "There are many other modern ways to expel mice. In ancient times, the Buryats burned the wool of any animal under the floor, because the smell of burnt wool is unbearable for them, so they immediately leave that place" ^[7].

The principles of ecological ethics of Buddhism are more represented and disclosed in the thematic structure of "Karma". Almost all publications on this subject have environmental motives. In many ways, the permission for some actions and the ban on others is associated with the fear of the local population of spirits, guardians of the area and reservoirs, which can both punish and help people. In a publication dated May 20, 2021, "A Lama from Buryatia told why he decided to plant a Buddhist pine forest," Yeshi Namzhil Lama writes that trees embody the spirit of the area or the owner-deity, so deforestation threatens the population with loss of identity and national spirit. Also, in addition to the appeal to the spirits of the area, the publication contains fundamental ideas of the Buddhist worldview such as reincarnation and karma. For cutting down green spaces, excessive subsurface use and littering of lands, these very spirits leave their "revenge" in people's karma – energy harm, which will necessarily manifest itself in the future in this life and in subsequent rebirths.

We also note the two–part nature of the lama's message - not only a warning and intimidation of the local population, but also a call for concrete action: "The best protection against such karma is planting trees with your own hands. If trees and pines become numerous again and fill our forests, then the national spirit, original culture, traditions and language will be revived or even more strengthened in people. Accidents, road accidents, attacks of wild and domestic animals will significantly decrease. People will suffer less from paralysis, neuralgia, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, convulsions, convulsions" ^[8].

Spirits of the area, according to the beliefs of the local population, can be not only on the ground, but also in the water. A separate article is devoted to water resources "Spirits of the Uda River" dated May 25, 2017 and contains strict canons on behavior on rivers and lakes of the republic "To treat water correctly means not to litter, not to shit. You can not spit into the water and dump garbage, you can not wash and wash in reservoirs using household chemicals. It is impossible to cut down the forest on the banks and arshans (natural sources – Author's note) ^[6].  The Yeshi Namzhil lama also explains the prohibitions by the laws of karma – one way or another you will have to pay for all your sins, and sometimes the punishment will overtake the culprit in the next life. Another environmental problem that Yeshi Namzhil Lama draws attention to is agricultural waste.

"Everyone will have to pay": The Buryat lama predicted floods, diseases and the invasion of wolves" from May 12, 2021. Burning dry grass can lead to large-scale destruction of flora and fauna, drought, frequent winds and floods. Agricultural crops, from the Buddhist point of view, are extremely harmful, since many living creatures, larvae, and plant seeds die in the fire. "Last year's grass contains moisture, which is so necessary for all organisms. The bare earth is not able to "attract" precipitation, but causes only winds," the priest explains. The punishment for burning last year's grass may be that the person who started the agricultural machines in the future may suffer from fire, blood diseases, pressure surges, etc. The abbot of the Kurumkan datsan explains the threat of an impulsive desire to pick a bouquet of wildflowers in a publication dated April 30, 2022. "The Buryat Lama explained the danger of destroying flowers, monuments and books."

 Recall that the dominant Buddhist teaching is the value of life, and plants are also recognized as living beings. "The destruction of beautiful, attractive objects will lay such forces in the energy industry that in future rebirths will deprive a person of the benefits, privileges, rights, awards and other things that are deserved or intended for him," explains Yeshi Namzhil Lama, appealing to the laws of karma. Thus, Lama in his publications covers a wide range of environmental problems of the republic: pollution of rivers and lakes, deforestation, agricultural waste, and as a result, the destruction of living beings.

Let's consider the main arguments used by Yeshi Namzhil Lama.

The Buddhist leader focuses on the value of any creatures, on the impossibility of harming them, on the principle of nonviolence over any living creatures, whether rodents, insects or wildflowers. Another significant argument that a clergyman often uses is an appeal to the law of karma and reincarnation. Karmic consequences of negative anti-ecological actions can haunt a person not only in the current life, but also in subsequent incarnations. These can be not only health problems, but also career problems.  We believe that such arguments can have an effective impact on followers of Buddhism and help prevent possible environmental crimes. Also, a significant factor in warning a person from unwholesome deeds is an appeal to the spirits of the area and their mandatory punishment if the habitat of the spirits is desecrated.

The fear of possible punishment can be effective, since a special worship of the sabdaks (the owners of the area – Author's note) is demonstrated in the annual Obo – rites of worship of the spirits of the area, which are frequent in the Republic of Buryatia.  "Obo today is an important ceremony among the Buryats, which attracts a large number of people, usually from a certain area, to pay their respects and ask the sabdak to promote the affairs of their families" ^{[4, 254]}. A feature of the ecological rhetoric of Yeshi Namzhil Lama is the structure of his appeals.

  All his posts, and publications in the media almost completely duplicate the content of his posts, consist of three main parts: a ban on harming the environment, an explanation of this ban from the point of view of Buddhist philosophy, and the search for a solution to the problem is not deforestation, but planting a forest belt, not killing rodents in the house, but getting rid of them in humane ways, for example, by an unpleasant smell for them. Thus, in his posts, the Yeshi Namjil Lama proclaims the Buddhist worldview, according to which any anti-ecological actions can worsen the prospects of a person's samsaric existence.

Another feature of the ecological rhetoric of the shareete Kurumkan datsan is the structuring of its texts – not only a description of the ban, but its explanation from the point of view of the Buddhist worldview and a practical solution to the described problem. However, it should be noted that such practical recommendations of Yeshi Namzhil Lama can have a positive impact on solving environmental problems in the region.  

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