ABSTRACT
The dominant pattern of sustainable development emphasises economic, societal and environmental issues. Drawing on Buddhist teaching, the definition of sustainable development is revisited to supplement the pitfalls of this phenomenon and to present a human nature development approach. Buddhist doctrines such as paticcasamuppāda (theory of interdependency) and tilakkhaṇa (three characteristics) are accommodated for the maximisation of psychological well-being, perpetuation of humanity towards all living beings on our planet, a sustainable level of consumption and genuine care and generosity. Similarly, the relevance of the Four Noble Truths for sustainable living and mindfulness practice for sustainability are discussed. Moreover, the importance of igniting discussion to re-specify the scope of sustainable development on the basis of different religious dimensions is underscored.
