we buy,use and throw.often we buy much more than v actually need.the whole consumerist culture is based on the principle ;buy more!throw more!....today as v splurge-v plunder the earth scare resouces and produce so much junk that not only our garbage dumps but even our parks overflow with rubbish.

but has it alwats been like this????hav v indians always been so profligate and wasteful??????no..history tells us dat indians have been fairly austere.they have had a different way of looking at the material world.according to this viewpoint a thing can hav several uses.not just one but several lives.the concept of reuse/recycle has very deep roots in indian culture.this 5000 year old story shows a deep respect and sensitivity for the material world.it has many lessons for modern day environmentalists.

one day the great Buddha was taking a round of the monastery....

he was approached by a monk who wanted a new shawl

Buddha asked him,"wat happened to ur old shawl???"

"it had become very old and worn out.....so i am presently using it like a bed sheet,"replied the monk.

Buddha asked again,"but wat happened to ur old bed sheet?'

"master, dat bed sheet got old with use.....it was worn and torn....so i cut it up and made a pillow cover out of it,"replied the monk.

"but there certainly was a pillow cover befare u made a new one.....wat did u do to ur old pillow cover????" asked Buddha

"my head had rubbed a million times against it and made a big hole in it.so i made a foot mat out of it,"replied the monk

Buddha was not satisfied with the ans.....he always delved deep into any issue. in the end he asked the monk,"tell me wat did u do to ur old door mat???"

the monk replied with folded hands,"master the door mat had got totally worn with the use.. because of the repeated use the warp and the weft had com out..so i took the cotton fibers and braided a wick out of it......later i burned the cotton wick in the oil lamp."

buddha smiled after listening to the monk.....the monk got a new shawl