10 Spiritual Principles for Climate Repentance

Resources from the Wisdom of Religions

Principle 5:

The human person has capacities that are conducive to the realization of this vision, as well as forces that are destructive. Ego, self-centeredness, greed, arrogance, and more are negative traits stemming from a limited sense of the human person. These have the potential to destroy humanity and creation. The soul, or the higher aspects of the human person, have the capacity to realize the fuller vision of humanity’s role in the broader scheme of the meaning of life and creation.

Buddhist

Source 1: Sutra on the Vows of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha,

Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha is called the “Mother of the Earth.” This Bodhisattva vows not to enter Nirvana until all beings are saved from hell.

 

Source 2: Chapter 33 of the Lotus Sutra

The Bodhisattva, the enlightened and compassionate being, clearly realizes that all living beings form one body of life.  Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) vows to rescue all suffering beings as soon as the call her/his name. “The Buddha told Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva, “Good man, if any of the limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of living beings who are undergoing all kinds of suffering hear of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva and recite his name single-mindedly, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva will immediately hear their voices and rescue them. “

 

Christian

Source 1: Matthew 22:37- 40

Jesus  says, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment . And a second is like it: ’You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ [Also in Mark 12:30-31.]

 

Source 2: Laudato si, 218

“A personal conversion entails the recognition of our errors, sins, faults and failures, and leads to heartfelt repentance and desire to change. .. To achieve such reconciliation, we must examine our lives and acknowledge the ways in which we have harmed God’s creation through our actions and our failure to act. We need to experience a conversion or change of heart”.

 

Jewish

Source 1: Talmud Bavli Berachot 61a

Rav Naḥman bar Rav Ḥisda interpreted homiletically: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Then the Lord God formed [vayyitzer] man” (Genesis 2:7), with a double yod? This double yod alludes to that fact that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created two inclinations; one a good inclination and one an evil inclination.

 

Source 2: Mishna Berachot 9,5

it is stated: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The mishna explains this verse as follows: “With all your heart” means with your two inclinations, with your good inclination and your evil inclination, both of which must be subjugated to the love of God.

FOR ADDITIONAL JEWISH SOURCES CLICK HERE

 

Muslim

Source 1: Quran Sura 2 v 195:

“Spend your wealth for the cause of Allah, and let not your hands cast you into ruin, for indeed Allah loves the doers of good.”

 

Source 2: Qur’an, Sura 30:41.

Corruption has spread on land and sea as a result of what people’s hands have done, so that Allah may cause them to taste the consequences of some of their deeds and perhaps they might return to the Right Path.

 

Religions of India

Source 1: Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 7, Verse 27

इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत ।
सर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप ॥ २७ ॥

icchā-dveṣa-samutthena
dvandva-mohena bhārata
sarva-bhūtāni sammohaṁ
sarge yānti paran-tapa

O scion of Bharata, O conqueror of the foe, all living entities are born into delusion, bewildered by dualities arisen from desire and hate.

यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च य: |
हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो य: स च मे प्रिय: || 15||

yasmān nodvijate loko lokān nodvijate cha yaḥ
harṣhāmarṣha-bhayodvegair mukto yaḥ sa cha me priyaḥ

Those who are not a source of annoyance to anyone and who in turn are not agitated by anyone, who are equal in pleasure and pain, and free from fear and anxiety, such devotees of Mine are very dear to Me.

 

Source 2: Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 16, Verses 1-3

श्रीभगवानुवाच
अभयं सत्त्वसंश‍ुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थिति: ।
दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ॥ १ ॥
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्याग: शान्तिरपैश‍ुनम् ।
दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्‍त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥ २ ॥
तेज: क्षमा धृति: शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता ।
भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत ॥ ३ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir
jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ
dānaṁ damaś ca yajñaś ca
svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam

ahiṁsā satyam akrodhas
tyāgaḥ śāntir apaiśunam
dayā bhūteṣv aloluptvaṁ
mārdavaṁ hrīr acāpalam

tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucam
adroho nāti-mānitā
bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīm
abhijātasya bhārata

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness; purification of one’s existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquillity; aversion to fault-finding; compassion for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor – these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.

FOR ADDITIONAL HINDU SOURCES CLICK HERE

Let's get social!

Check out our social profiles!
Flickr