Helping the planet merit?

Buddhist ethical conduct including the Five Precepts (Pañcasikkhāpada), and Eightfold Ethical Conduct (Aṭṭhasīla).
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mario92
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Helping the planet merit?

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Hello i want to ask a question, as the California drought increases, and i live dependent on USA water, could it be merit to buy a bidet and thus help in saving water? Also other cities are dependent on my city as water is pertaining. Thank you
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mario92
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Re: Helping the planet merit?

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It is said that for the fabrication of one toilet paper roll are needed 140 liters of water.
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Johann
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Re: Helping the planet merit?

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Sangarava Sutta: To Sangarava helps in case looking for seriously helping, good householder. Sila, conduct, is the best starter.
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mario92
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Re: Helping the planet merit?

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Johann wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 5:49 am Sangarava Sutta: To Sangarava helps in case looking for seriously helping, good householder. Sila, conduct, is the best starter.
Thank you venerable :anjali:
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Helping the planet merit?

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mario92 wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 4:41 am Hello i want to ask a question, as the California drought increases, and i live dependent on USA water, could it be merit to buy a bidet and thus help in saving water? Also other cities are dependent on my city as water is pertaining. Thank you
It's always good to be as environmentally friendly as one can be. Is your motivation one rooted in compassion, kindness and so on? If so, it is wholesome. Whenever you wonder if your actions are unwholesome or not, try to see what your intention is rooted in.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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Sam Vara
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Re: Helping the planet merit?

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Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 3:00 pm
mario92 wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 4:41 am Hello i want to ask a question, as the California drought increases, and i live dependent on USA water, could it be merit to buy a bidet and thus help in saving water? Also other cities are dependent on my city as water is pertaining. Thank you
It's always good to be as environmentally friendly as one can be. Is your motivation one rooted in compassion, kindness and so on? If so, it is wholesome. Whenever you wonder if your actions are unwholesome or not, try to see what your intention is rooted in.
:goodpost: Intention is the key. Now that various strands of environmentalism have become politicised, I often get the feeling that many expressions of concern for "the planet" are based more upon virtue-signalling, hidden agendas to centralise and socialise resources and increase control, statements of allegiance, or fear of being ostracised.

But the OP's motivation sounds good to me, and I didn't know that about toilet paper and water! :thumbsup: :anjali:
TRobinson465
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Re: Helping the planet merit?

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Intention is key when it comes to these ancillary kammas. If you buy a telsa because its cool or because you dont want to deal with high gas prices or going to a gas station. It is environmentally friendly but not merit. If you do it out of a sincere wish to alleviate the effects of global warming or not polluting other people's air with your exhaust it can be meritorious. It is like the reverse of eating meat, not bad kamma if you eat meat just as food. but would be bad kamma if you ate meat for some weird wicked intention/reason, like you hate chickens and want to eat/kill them out of a desire to cause them suffering or something like that.
"Do not have blind faith, but also no blind criticism" - the 14th Dalai Lama

"The Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahmins, devas, Maras, Brahmas or anyone in the cosmos." -Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
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Johann
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Re: Helping the planet merit?

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Nothing but abounding sensual craving, renounce, abounding harming, abounding going for conflict, short right resolve (intent), seeing the truth, would be for alls benefit. Rites and rituals wouldn't work out for one's release, like merely wishes wouldn't, good householder. Don't waste your time, and get clear who, what heats up and destroy.
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Johann
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Re: Helping the planet merit?

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As the cow-boy ways of purification, as well as the Jains way, of purification by deny doesn't work, even more ugly, here the way to get clean in Ariya ways, Muluposatha Sutta: The Roots of the Uposatha going after the "environmental (parithana)" protecting ways of the Arahats, not to speak of the straight and complete way of real compassion, in leaving the dirt houses.
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