 |
 |
 |
|||
|
The Progressive View on Reproduction as a Solution for Overpopulation: An Attitude from Buddhist Woman Yulianti ABSTRACT “Any childless woman cannot be called as an adequate woman”. It is a single sentence that is mostly very familiar among the traditional family in almost everywhere. Even one of the purposes of getting married is only to continue one’s generation by getting one’s biological child. In this case women having little chance to reject the long-invented idea that it is the women duty to fulfill such an aim. Another factor that may contribute active reproduction is religion. Most of people on earth living with their tradition and religion. Such religions take a strong root in the heart of its followers and make them reluctance to object whatever their religions taught. Some religions and traditions implicitly require their follower to have perpetuate reproduction for the purpose of getting more number of adherents. Legitimately they encourage the multiplying of biological reproduction for its amplification. Thus it is crucial to introduce this problem to the religious sphere. To let them acknowledge that their belief has become one of contributor to family and public problem. It is not about blaming certain kinds of traditions or belief but it is just a step to draw their attention to begin realize that they should not continue persisting that reproduction is a private right rather to see it as an interdependent things which influent each other development. From the perspective of family, the belief to multiply as much as one may able to, may give a risk to the survival of the family. Economically poor family may be increase their inability to sustain their family for their have no adequate job and income to maintain their family. While from the perspective of living environment, Reproduction may become the trigger for the problem of overpopulation. Responding to these problems, Buddhism has different attitude toward issue of reproduction. First of all, Buddhism does not take child bearing as religious obligation. However, it doesn’t mean that Buddhism condemns biological reproduction but it puts the issue in the place of a choice. Buddhists never asked to have a large family member in order to increase the number of adherents as Buddhism does not emphasize the quantity but the quality. Often, the teaching of this traditions emphasize on complete worldly renunciation. Therefore Buddhism much more speaks to the importance of developing mental qualities such as love, compassion and wisdom.
BIOGRAPHY Yulianti Yulianti is a-master-thesis-student of Center for Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies (CRCS), one of graduate program at Gadjah Mada University (GMU) Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Her main interest of field of studies are Buddhist study and the sociology of religion. She obtained her undergraduate degree on Buddhist study at the International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University, Myanmar. She presented her paper entitled Buddhist Women and the Problem of Overpopulation in the International Seminar patronaged by CRCS on January 2006. Recently she does research for her M. A. thesis on Buddhism and Business in which she tries to critically analyze the interplay between religion, particularly Buddhism and business based on the research upon some Buddhist businessmen and businesswomen in Indonesia. Some initial research output on this subject has been partly presented under the title ‘Crossing the Crisis: Successful Stories of Buddhist Entrepreneurs in Indonesia’ at the 1st Conference of the Buddhist Economics Research Platform on August 23-24, 2007 in Budapest, Hungary. She is also active in interreligious activities and dialogue. Very recently she involved in a research and making documenter film entitled ‘Religiousity in Diversity’ which is supported by both her Master program and the Ford Foundation. She also does some books translation from English to Indonesian and while pursuing her study at CRCS, she also teaches Buddhist study at a Buddhist college Syailendra in Salatiga, Central Jawa, Indonesia. Her contact email is: yullisant@gmail.com |
 |
||||
 |
|||||