COVID-19: Why saving our forests can help stop the next pandemic

[Dhammañāṇa]

Preventing the further destruction of Southeast Asia’s forests will be a critical step to stopping the spread of future deadly viruses similar to COVID-19, according to leading experts studying the risk factors that have contributed to the current global pandemic.

Over the past four decades, swathes of the region’s pristine forests have been felled at astonishing rates. Agriculture and infrastructure have swallowed up land perennially owned by nature, in the vast pursuits of economic development.

A third of the region’s forest cover has been lost in that time. Humans and wild animals have come into closer contact and conflict. ...read more

...“The health of the forest is tied to the health of human civilisation and the health of the planet. “The more large tracts of healthy forest that we keep as is, the better off we are. The more we displace animals by fragmenting the forest, the worse off it is,” ...

[Dhammañāṇa]

It will become more worst if people at large do not find back to have high respect of their giver and those not harming them, the forest and wilderness dweller, Devas, natures manifold beings starting by plants, animals, hermits, Arahats... conceit, wrong view, grave sensual desire... mind is the forerunner of all phenomena. As greed leads to poorness, harming to short-life and disease.

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

..."And how is one made impure in three ways by mental action? There is the case where a certain person is covetous. He covets the belongings of others, thinking, 'O, that what belongs to others would be mine!' He bears ill will, corrupt in the resolves of his heart: 'May these beings be killed or cut apart or crushed or destroyed, or may they not exist at all!' He has wrong view, is warped in the way he sees things: 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' This is how one is made impure in three ways by mental action...

..."And how is one made pure in three ways by mental action? There is the case where a certain person is not covetous. He does not covet the belongings of others, thinking, 'O, that what belongs to others would be mine!' He bears no ill will and is not corrupt in the resolves of his heart. [He thinks,] 'May these beings be free from animosity, free from oppression, free from trouble, and may they look after themselves with ease!' He has right view and is not warped in the way he sees things: 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are brahmans & contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' This is how one is made pure in three ways by mental action...

Quote from: https://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than_en.html

[អរិយវង្ស]

 

[Dhammañāṇa]

Somewhere told already my persons mention that it has been actually "originated in Cambodia long lasting "normal thing", and brought out by those  mainly engaged in deforestration...

some might think that "science" is more relayable... as someone lives with the wild-life next-to-next (in cave with all sorts of bats and other for five years) and steady urges not to touch the scared area of Oral and other last refuges, the forests, of Sublime harmfully...

A Virus Similar to COVID-19 was Present in Cambodia as Early as 2010
The Covid-19 crisis taught the world that keeping immense numbers of small carnivores in captivity is a major health risk.
by Alexandre Hassanin

In November and December 2010, UNESCO and Cambodian authorities invited researchers from the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris to explore several sites in northern Cambodia. The goal was to study the biodiversity of bats near the Temple of Preah Vihear, and a large number of bats species were caught during this survey, including eight types of horseshoe bat (genus Rhinolophus). They’re of great interest for virologists, as they are the reservoir of all Sarbecoviruses, the group of coronaviruses that includes SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, respectively responsible for the SARS epidemic in 2002-2004 and the current Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2020, 10 years after the expedition, the samples stored in a freezer at -80°C were taken out and tested by the Institut Pasteur of Cambodia (IPC) to look for Sarbecoviruses. A PCR test showed two positive results and a full sequencing of their genome started. Two variants of a virus close to SARS-CoV-2 were discovered in two bats of the species Rhinolophus shameli we captured in 2010 in a cave in the province of Steung Treng.

The results of this research are freely available on the bioRxiv website and pending peer review. (This practice is now widely used to rapidly transfer new knowledge about the Covid-19 pandemic.)

SARS-CoV-2-like viruses are present in bats in the Yunnan province of China and in mainland Southeast Asia

The discovery is important because the virus is the first found outside China that is close to SARS-CoV-2 – of the 29,913 aligned bases in the two viruses’ genomes, 93% are identical. All those previously described were detected in animals collected in China, including two viruses found in two species of Rhinolophus bats in southern China, and two more divergent viruses (90% and 85%) found in pangolins seized by Chinese customs in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces.

The new virus from Cambodia was detected in a bat species endemic to Southeast Asia that does not extend beyond Yunnan, where the two previous bat SARS-CoV-2-like viruses were found.

The direct implication is that viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2 have been circulating for several decades, as revealed by molecular dating, throughout Southeast Asia and Yunnan, and that different species of bats could have exchanged these viruses in the caves they inhabit.

Chinese researchers have been searching for Sarbecoviruses throughout the country for about 15 years. They found more than 100 SARS-CoV-like viruses but only two related to SARS-CoV-2. The new data thus validates the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2-like viruses are present mostly in Southeast Asia, while SARS-CoV-like viruses are dominant in China.

The data in the figure above indirectly support the hypothesis that the SARS-CoV-2 group actually originated in mainland Southeast Asia. Indeed, human populations in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam appear to be much less affected by the Covid-19 pandemic than other countries in the region, such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. This suggests that the populations of these four countries may be benefiting from a level of herd immunity to Sarbecoviruses.

[Dhammañāṇa]

Fences for your graves...

Hundred of people daily drive with their motor cows into the holly areas left in this world here into the Oral mountains. Cutting either the last rare trees, or for wood seller but mostly simply for firewood and foremost for fences.

Alone in this small village are more then 5, 6 camps of wood cutter, and of course the monasteries are occupied as well. Poor to not sanitary access, living in dirt with each other, soending the nights with drinking and days in the woods, cutting of and clearing lands...

Today a family selling daily needed stuff to the lamber jacker desired to give alms. Seeing the dirt around Atma asked her whether she knows how strong sickness comes into the city and explained her that all this heavy disease are originated exact here, in the refuge are of the last might being, Devas, Yakkas, and Arahats. Casting off the good may leave and even complet, but what ever being has not reached the stream is bound to come back, killing destroying... wouldn't help but simply increase the fight.

If the world desires to have no further increase, it's most needed to do all not getting involved in destructing the last habitats of rare species and naturs way.

There is reason why certain countries are hit very hard as having lead to such deeds. Now, if starting such own intended, long time naturally immunity will not help and fast there will be hard hit if desires are not stopped and this ways of common destructive behaviour would fast no more strictly allowed.

It's really strong to consider if there is any worth in simple cutting poles for one' own grave, for more isn't gained by such. And becoming again in deserts and terrible conditions is something that can easily be expected.

It's the choice of any single individual whether to gat(i) up or downwardly and of course leaders have some possibilities toward those bond to them, to help them toward better ways. There isn't any compassion when accepting foolish thing to do for a child, even it wouldn't understand restrictions yet.

Smog burdened valleys here, not seeing more fare then 500m... yet when news came touched of increases in the city currently, there was less to wonder, but just as alread told before. More can't be done. And there is no escape from results of ones deeds aside the path of the Noble Ones, either from good or from bad. So may many tend toward good deeds by abstaining from taking life, taking what's used by others, improper lustful going after flesh, speaking what isn't true, and indoxicaton with thing causing heedlessness, to soon reach the path out of this heating on wheel.

[Dhammañāṇa]

Taken beings their habitates, deprive from taking usual birth, cast away, bruned of... where else can they become and spread then in your homes, your lunges, to meet up with what has been eaten away.

Depriving, one gets deprived,
poisoning, one gain to get poisoned,
Killing, one gets killed...
Act pandemical, pandemics are gained.

The endless wheel of ignorance,
nurished by giving pain, grasp what already lost.
Greed, Aversion, Not-Knowing.

This is just the small start and will not end unless people come to mind again, turuning back to they old and good ways and culure.

[Dhammañāṇa]

For many hundred years, thousand years, this land of wonders was known to be protected form what ever large scale burdenship, catastrophes actually unknown, but as started and not stopped the ignorant and virtue and metta-less ways, oppressed by greed, joined the most huge war and destroying this world-period has seen, the try of erecting of all other beings, small and cast off Devas and Gods, taking their lands... this protection, by it's causes, has end and hardly to imagine that coming to mind, turning to Sila based on right view and metta would be taken on at large.

Good if one timely had gained the "ticket" to leave and way toward security by enter the stream.

Sense pleasure, desire, the foremost reason for all suffering around.

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

"And how is one made pure in three ways by mental action? There is the case where a certain person is not covetous. He does not covet the belongings of others, thinking, 'O, that what belongs to others would be mine!' He bears no ill will and is not corrupt in the resolves of his heart. [He thinks,] 'May these beings be free from animosity, free from oppression, free from trouble, and may they look after themselves with ease!' He has right view and is not warped in the way he sees things: 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are brahmans & contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' This is how one is made pure in three ways by mental action."

— AN 10.176

Quote from: ??

May many make their protection by neither doing, calling or approve, taking part, on this huge demerits, fueling all hard gained for long time, long, long time, away.

[អរិយវង្ស]

 

[Dhammañāṇa]

Double ironical, "accidentally", is surely to build cemeteries and crematoriums now at the foot of Oral mountain, of course clearing another huge land for it... things always come back to their causes, sometimes even material.

It would be really urgend to switch back to merits in frame of the Buddha-Sasana rather to follow Brahmanic ways in combination with modern materialism, to sacrifices toward the mighty Gods and return of what is used off.

Giving first is reason to receive: giving peace, giving freedom from fear, giving Sila, giving space to live... for the opposite as well.

[Dhammañāṇa]

Restoring our forests provides a path to recovery and wellbeing

[Dhammañāṇa]

Study links disease outbreaks to deforestation, forest conversion and palm oil plantations

Deforestation is leading to more infectious diseases in humans

[Dhammañāṇa]

To capture a huge mountain forest to build a city for flat-landers, mount Bokor, such an undertaking is even more worse as the French (communists) started the huge decaying area in the 60's... it didn't last long, naturaly... replacing the Gods and Nagas host, with casino and amusement. That's like offical declaring the Gods and Devas dislike and to leave the area. Nothing to say about making the last resorts to "social-lands" for "poor" (wood-cutter) in other last parks.

Atma says that there is no more way to encourage to stop this huges war ever. No need to repeat what will/is it's effect.

Deep forest, nobody even able to drive up, some 15 year ago ... 60km travel on forestroads: a boy collecting bullets with his mother, one monk, two soldiers seeking dry found in deep forest, Chinese elders catching butterlies on the foot and some who got stuck in trying to move up...


user:johann:gallery:archiv2005:img_0486.jpg

50% of already destroyed areas, say about 20% of land, unused, right next...

People at large, don't see that greed after sensuality is the root cause not only for war but also sickness and what ever unease.

[Dhammañāṇa]

The only good of this topic is just to be reminded to work on ones own escape from this sure pain and suffering, no way to change things on earth for a better in decaying times.

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

Sensuality

"Now what, monks, is the allure of sensuality? These five strings of sensuality. Which five? Forms cognizable via the eye — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Sounds cognizable via the ear... Aromas cognizable via the nose... Flavors cognizable via the tongue... Tactile sensations cognizable via the body — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Now whatever pleasure or joy arises in dependence on these five strands of sensuality, that is the allure of sensuality.

"And what is the drawback of sensuality? There is the case where, on account of the occupation by which a clansman makes a living — whether checking or accounting or calculating or plowing or trading or cattle-tending or archery or as a king's man, or whatever the occupation may be — he faces cold, he faces heat, being harassed by mosquitoes & flies, wind & sun & creeping things, dying from hunger & thirst.

"Now this drawback in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"If the clansman gains no wealth while thus working & striving & making effort, he sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught: 'My work is in vain, my efforts are fruitless!' Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"If the clansman gains wealth while thus working & striving & making effort, he experiences pain & distress in protecting it: 'How will neither kings nor thieves make off with my property, nor fire burn it, nor water sweep it away, nor hateful heirs make off with it?' And as he thus guards and watches over his property, kings or thieves make off with it, or fire burns it, or water sweeps it away, or hateful heirs make off with it. And he sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught: 'What was mine is no more!' Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Again, it is with sensuality for the reason, sensuality for the source, sensuality for the cause, the reason being simply sensuality, that kings quarrel with kings, nobles with nobles, brahmans with brahmans, householders with householders, mother with child, child with mother, father with child, child with father, brother with brother, sister with sister, brother with sister, sister with brother, friend with friend. And then in their quarrels, brawls, & disputes, they attack one another with fists or with clods or with sticks or with knives, so that they incur death or deadly pain. Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Again, it is with sensuality for the reason, sensuality for the source... that (men), taking swords & shields and buckling on bows & quivers, charge into battle massed in double array while arrows & spears are flying and swords are flashing; and there they are wounded by arrows & spears, and their heads are cut off by swords, so that they incur death or deadly pain. Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Again, it is with sensuality for the reason, sensuality for the source... that (men), taking swords & shields and buckling on bows & quivers, charge slippery bastions while arrows & spears are flying and swords are flashing; and there they are splashed with boiling cow dung and crushed under heavy weights, and their heads are cut off by swords, so that they incur death or deadly pain. Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Again, it is with sensuality for the reason, sensuality for the source... that (men) break into windows, seize plunder, commit burglary, ambush highways, commit adultery, and when they are captured, kings have them tortured in many ways. They flog them with whips, beat them with canes, beat them with clubs. They cut off their hands, cut off their feet, cut off their hands & feet. They cut off their ears, cut off their noses, cut off their ears & noses. They subject them to the 'porridge pot,' the 'polished-shell shave,' the 'Rahu's mouth,' the 'flaming garland,' the 'blazing hand,' the 'grass-duty (ascetic),' the 'bark-dress (ascetic),' the 'burning antelope,' the 'meat hooks,' the 'coin-gouging,' the 'lye pickling,' the 'pivot on a stake,' the 'rolled-up bed.' They have them splashed with boiling oil, devoured by dogs, impaled alive on stakes. They have their heads cut off with swords, so that they incur death or deadly pain. Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Again, it is with sensuality for the reason, sensuality for the source... that (people) engage in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct. Having engaged in bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct, they — on the break-up of the body, after death — re-appear in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress in the future life, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"And what, monks, is the escape from sensuality? The subduing of desire-passion for sensuality, the abandoning of desire-passion for sensuality: That is the escape from sensuality.

"That any brahmans or contemplatives who do not discern, as it actually is, the allure of sensuality as allure, the drawback of sensuality as drawback, the escape from sensuality as escape, would themselves comprehend sensuality or would rouse another with the truth so that, in line with what he has practiced, he would comprehend sensuality: That is impossible. But that any brahmans or contemplatives who discern, as it actually is, the allure of sensuality as allure, the drawback of sensuality as drawback, the escape from sensuality as escape, would themselves comprehend sensuality or would rouse another with the truth so that, in line with what he has practiced, he would comprehend sensuality: That is possible....

Quote from: https://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.013.than_en.html

[អរិយវង្ស]

 

[Dhammañāṇa]

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/02/a-disgrace-luxury-housing-plans-threaten-cambodias-bokor-national-park/

https://m.facebook.com/mothernaturecambodia/videos/740785036926633/?refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.mongabay.com%2F2021%2F02%2Fa-disgrace-luxury-housing-plans-threaten-cambodias-bokor-national-park%2F&_rdr

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

Appaka Sutta: Few

At Savatthi. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: "Just now, lord, while I was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in my awareness: 'Few are those people in the world who, when acquiring lavish wealth, don't become intoxicated & heedless, don't become greedy for sensual pleasures, and don't mistreat other beings. Many more are those who, when acquiring lavish wealth, become intoxicated & heedless, become greedy for sensual pleasures, and mistreat other beings.'"

"That's the way it is, great king! That's the way it is! Few are those people in the world who, when acquiring lavish wealth, don't become intoxicated & heedless, don't become greedy for sensual pleasures, and don't mistreat other beings. Many more are those who, when acquiring lavish wealth, become intoxicated & heedless, become greedy for sensual pleasures, and mistreat other beings."

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Impassioned    with sensual possessions,
greedy, dazed   by sensual pleasures,
they don't awaken to the fact
   that they've gone too far —
      like deer into a trap laid out.
   Afterwards it's bitter for them:
   evil for them
      the result.

Quote from: https://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.006.than_en.html