Challenges of Environmental Sustainability in Thai Buddhist Material Culture and Practice
Buddhism is frequently positioned as intrinsically supportive of environmental sustainability. In recent years, terms such as eco-karma, EcoDharma, and Green Buddhism have appeared in influential Buddhist writing. However, the actual practice of Buddhism does not always align with the pro-sustainability rhetoric. In Thailand, for example, hundreds of millions of single-use plastics are used every year in morning food offerings to monks (pindapata) and monastic gift sets (sanghadāna) typically contain low-quality, factory-made goods that are also unsustainable. This talk not only examines the relationship between Buddhism in Thailand and environmental sustainability, but it also explores religious concepts, such as the desire to make merit (puñña) and the virtue of generosity (dāna), that are motivating factors for unsustainable practices.
About the speaker
Dr. John Johnston is an Assistant Professor at the College of Religious Studies, Mahidol University. His primary research interest is the relationship between Buddhist art and material culture and specific Buddhist practices. Dr. Johnston has conducted extensive fieldwork throughout the Buddhist world, including at Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana temples and monasteries. Recent research and publications focus on the environmental sustainability of Buddhist material culture. He is the author or co-author of several books and numerous scholarly articles.
When
Thursday, 19 March 2026 at 19:00
Where
Admission
Members and Students (to undergraduate level) — Free of charge
Non-Members — THB 300
For more information, please contact
Tel: 02 661 6470-3 ext 201
or e-mail: lectures@thesiamsociety.org
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