Self-sufficiency is one path to achieving inclusive sustainability, says monk

He was speaking during a panel session on “Buddhism and Sustainable Development”, during which he highlighted some success stories from the Buddhism Economics University, which he founded in Chiang Rai province a decade ago.

He explained that sustainable practices are a part of Buddhist principles. The Lord Buddha had said long ago that the best way to understand his teachings is to first fill one's stomach, the monk said.

Buddhism considers hunger as the worst disease, he added.

Nobody would be willing to adopt any sustainable practices until they could earn enough money to live their lives, Wachira Methee said.

Pramaha Wuttichai Wachira Methee

It was for this reason that he felt motivated to establish a university where anyone could be admitted as long as they are human, with the goal of providing basic knowledge on how to make a living while also teaching Buddhist principles.

"If someone asks you for money, give him a job. If someone asks for food, give him something to do. Teach tailoring to anyone who asks for clothes. Once the money, food, and clothes needs are gone, he will not return to you," he said, adding that blindly helping people could make them weaker.

In the same vein, he said that convincing people to adopt sustainable practices is no different.

People must be able to support themselves in order to consider caring for the environment and others, he said.

He emphasised that in order to achieve sustainability, everyone must start with themselves willingly.

The Buddhism Economics University offers four major courses: Buddhism for Everyday Life, Organic Agriculture, Economics, and Culture. The goal is to provide practical knowledge so that people can make a living on their own while also embracing Buddhist principles to help them refine their minds.

"Once one can survive, then society and the environment can survive," he noted.

Wachira Methee encouraged all participants to be kind.

"A person who lives in violation is only capable of responding in violation. Be kind, and let us plant the seeds of compassion in each other's minds. Be empathetic to each other and use your hands to create peace," he said, adding that every good thing has a beginning and every evil has a reason.

His remarks came as the country is filled with remorse and anger following a 14-year-old boy's fatal shooting spree at Siam Paragon, Thailand's leading department store.

The panel is part of the "SX Sustainability Expo 2023", Asean's largest sustainability expo, at Thailand's Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre which concludes on October 8.