One of the core concepts of Buddhism is "the oneness of life and its environment" (Jpn esho funi). This describes the inseparable relationship between the individual and their surroundings.
The effects of one's karma,
both good and bad, manifest themselves in one's life and also in one's
environment. Inevitably, in life, we will find ourselves in an
environment which reflects our inner life state--whether that be our
family, our workplace, our society, and so on.
Whichever of the Ten Worlds
an individual manifests internally will be mirrored in his or her
environment. A person in the state of Rapture will perceive the
environment to be a cause for extreme joy, while a person in the world
of Animality will perceive the same environment as a jungle where only
the strong survive.
From this standpoint, the impact of our life is not confined to
ourselves, but exerts an influence on our families, communities, nations
and ultimately all humanity. The oneness of life and the environment
explains how people can influence and reform their environment through
inner change, or the elevation of their state of life.
Wherever we are, under whatever circumstances, we can bring forth our
innate Buddhahood through the practice of Buddhism, thus transforming
our environment into the Buddha's land.
As Nichiren
writes, "if the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also
impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land. There are not two
lands, pure or impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the
good or evil of our minds" (WND p. 4).
Source: http://www.sgi.org/resource-center/introductory-materials/oneness-of-life-and-environment.html
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