Buddhist Self-Immolation and Climate Change

In recent years, a number of climate activities have self-inflicted auto-cremation in a drastic response to climate change. Though Inspired by Buddhist auto-cremators of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Buddhist self-immolation has a long history in East Asia. This lecture will explore some of the deeper historical connections between Buddhist self-immolation and climate change.

This lecture is part of the Glorisun Distinguished Lecture Series and one of the keynote presentations for “The Dharma-Ending Age: The Climate Crisis through the Lens of Buddhist Eschatology, Past and Present” international conference (https://frogbear.org/the-dharma-ending-age).