The Steppe and the Sea: Pearls in the Mongol Empire by Thomas T. Allsen, and: Sudden Appearances: The Mongol Turn in Commerce, Belief, and Art by Roxann Prazniak (review)

Abstract

Published by the Harvard-Yenching Institute HJAS 81 (2021): 328–335 or abuse their religion because of their own personal interests. It is no surprise that, like any religion, Buddhism has been exploited for economic and political ends, sometimes with negative environmental impacts, as it spreads throughout the world. However, Ulaanbaatar suffers from air pollution because of so-called modernization. The blame lies with outside agents who indiscriminately pursue prosperity and modernization, not with the Dharma. These two books do not detract from the constructive and important efforts, theoretical and practical, in Buddhist ecology. Multifarious individuals and organizations engage in contemporary Buddhist ecology and environmentalism while simultaneously striving to be faithful to the ideals of the Dharma. Elverskog and Abrahms-Kavunenko, each in their own way, challenge both the proponents and critics of eco-Buddhism to temper their considerations. They recognize both the negatives and positives of the associated phenomena in a nuanced manner.