THUYT TIN HA - PHT GIO V KHOA HOC K THUT DI TRUYN NH GA THEO QUAN IM PHT GIO Ron Epstein(*) Religion

East and West, Issue 1, June 2001, 39-47. ---o0o--Ngun http://thuvienhoasen.org Chuyn sang ebook 8-8-2009 Ngi thc hin : Nam Thin namthien@gmail.com Link Audio Ti Website http://www.phatphaponline.org ---o0o--Mt Pht T trong th gii tng lai c th s nh th no khi cuc i ca bn khi u vi vic cha m bn thit k cc t bo di truyn ca bn? Ngoi vic thanh lc nhng bnh tt di truyn khng mun c, cha m bn cn la chn gii tnh, mu ca mt, tc, da, v nu cha m bn l Pht t, c th h chn nhng t bo di truyn cho php bn ngi d dng trong t th kit gi. B p lc bi nhng tro lu x hi hin nay, cha m bn c th chn nhng t bo di truyn m chc nng tng qut cha c hiu r rng nhng c nghe n l lin h n tnh tnh, s thng minh, quan nim, v c l c thn thng na (khng cn c nhu cu tm kim nhng v lt ma ti sinh - tulkus. By gi h t nhn ging di truyn v ti sanh trong ging ca h). Nu cha m bn ngho, h c th c tr tin thit k kiu con ngi cho bn vi nhng t bo di truyn thay i ph hp cho mt ngh nghip c bit no , cng vi mt giao ko trc lc sanh l s c cng vic lm trong tng lai. Ging nh trong phim Gattaca, bn c l thuc v mt giai cp x hi c quy nh r rng ty theo mc tng cng di truyn ca bn. D nhin c th vn cn mt t hnh gi k l, khng do tng cng di truyn, m do t chn t nhin ang thin nh trn nhng ngn ni. T nhng git sa u tin bn ung, thc phm ca bn b bin i bng k thut di truyn. Th gii t nhin hon ton b lm li, b xm ln v bp mo khng cn nhn ra v nhng cy ci, ng vt, cn trng, vi khun, siu vi khun b bin i di truyn, k c loi theo k hoch d tr v loi ngoi d tnh. Bnh tt cng rt khc xa. Hu ht bnh tt c bin mt hoc t bin thnh nhng hnh th mi, tuy nhin hu ht mi ngi u kh s do hu qu ca tc nhn gy bnh to ra bi k thut di truyn,

hoc do c dng trong chin tranh sinh hc, hoc do lm ln thi vo mi trng, hoc ti kt hp thnh nhng hnh thc c hi t nhng sinh th b bin i bng k thut di truyn nguyn thy vn v hi nhng b t bin di truyn nhanh chng. K thut di truyn tht qu ph bin, bn khi s t lm th nghim n gin v k thut ny khi cn bc tiu hc. Tng lai c th nh la bn hn bn ngh. Theo quan im Pht Gio, chng ta cn phn tch nhng pht trin v k thut di truyn hin nay ang cung cp nhng ht ging ban u nh th no s nh hng n th gii trong tng lai. Bi v k thut di truyn c tim nng chuyn i cn bn c thin nhin v bn tnh con ngi, n em li mt s e da ln lao hn nhiu so vi nhng k thut khc. Theo gio php Pht Gio, thin nhin m chng ta cm nhn ch l mt ci nhn cho cng nghip ca cc chng sanh hu tnh trn hnh tinh ny, v bn tnh con ngi l hn hp nghip bo ca t tng v tnh cm cn phi c chuyn ha trn con ng i n gic ng. Bi v nghip- v au kh - s vn cn vi chng ta trong Th Gii Mi Can m (New Brave World) ny, c ngi cho rng k thut di truyn khng quan trng lm i vi Pht t, nhng cng vic dnh cho chng ta hin nay s ch yu l khng thay i. Nhng c l chng ta hy nn nhn su hn. V d, quan h ca k thut di truyn n tim nng gic ng v s nhn thc ca chng ta nh th no? Quan im Pht Gio cho rng tnh trng ca thn th v h thng thn kinh ca chng ta c nh hng n tm ca chng ta v ngc li. l l do ti sao nn o c da vo nn tng nghip bo nhn mnh rng v s thanh tnh ca c tm v thn nh l iu kin tin quyt cho s tin b v tm linh. V d nh khi chng ta ngi thin, nhng thay i tm sinh l vi t xy ra bn trong thn th chng ta tng ng vi mc tin trin tm linh ca chng ta. Cng thin nh thm su, cng c nhng chuyn ha thn tm su xa. Ging nh vy, t thi c Pht, cc Pht t nhn ra rng c nhng ni chn no c nhng nng lc thin nhin gip thng tin v thin v trc gic. K thut di truyn c tim nng thay i c thn th chng ta v mi trng bng cch lm gim i kh nng gip tin trnh chuyn ha bn thn. V d, khi mt ngi dng thuc, sinh hc c th b thay i lm cho vic thin kh khn hn. Tng t nh vy, k thut di truyn c th nh hng c th

ca chng ta bng nhng phng cch cha c bit r v s cn tr s tin b ca chng ta trn ng o. Ngay c nu ch c mt kh nng tng i nh v vic k thut di truyn gy nh hng s tin b trn con ng gic ng, cng l mt nguyn nhn quan trng cn quan tm. Bi v khoa hc ch i ph vi th gii vt cht, khng c nhng th nghim khoa hc c th nh gi c loi nguy him ny. Gii cm th nh l ngn cm vic trm cp. Tuy nhin, cc cng ty k thut sinh hc v ngay c mt s i hc u ang n cp t bo di truyn, em ng k pht minh nhng t bo di truyn ca nhng ngi th dn, ca cc cy c a phng , v sau tnh tin cho vic s dng chng. ng hng Pht gio th khc nhiu. c Pht dy rng, khi giao tip vi k khc hay vi mi sinh, chng ta phi bt chc nh ong ly phn t hoa. S li ch l h tng v khng c s gy hi. Hn na, o Pht hiu rng v tr l mt h thng m rng. i chiu li, phng php khoa hc thng thng c iu hnh trong h thng nhn to theo gi thuyt v khp kn, c gi d l c mt s tng quan c ngha, nhng khng y v khng hon ho, tng ng vi th gii tht. Nhng iu chng minh trong phng th nghim c th c hoc khng c gi tr trong th gii thin nhin. Phng php khoa hc khng th, bi v nhng gii hn ni ti ca n, nh gi c ton b cc hu qu c th c v s bin i bng k thut di truyn i vi cc sinh vt trong mt th gii l h thng m rng. T quan im o c Pht Gio cn bn, nhng pht trin c bit trong k thut di truyn tht rc ri v hng n mt tng lai y dy s phc tp v khng r rng v mt o c. Nhng ngi thc hnh theo Pht gio u tin cn bit nhng g ang tht s din ra trong lnh vc ny, trc khi h c th t phn tch v nghip bo v vic h v th gii chng ta ang sng s b nh hng theo nhng hnh thc quan trng nh th no i vi h, v h s c phn ng thch hp nh th no. Di y n c tiu biu v mt vi lnh vc cn s quan tm ln nht v o c. Cy ci v thc phm tip tc tr thnh i tng cho k thut di truyn. Cng ty Delta & Pine Land nhn c bng pht minh Hoa K v k thut thay i di truyn ht ging ht ging s khng ny mm nu trng li ln th hai, nh vy ht ging mt sinh tnh tr khi c phun mt hp cht

c ng k pht minh khc, c cha ch yu l cc cht khng sinh. Cng ty Monsanto mun dng K Thut Tiu Dit ny ngn khng cho cc nng dn thu thp ht ging c bin i di truyn, p buc h phi mua ht ging mi nm. trnh l thuc vo plastics ch to t du ha, mt s khoa hc gia ti Hoa K, u Chu v Gia N i dng k thut bin i di truyn thc vt cy ci sn sinh plastic trong cu trc cung l ca chng. H tuyn b rng cht ny s phn hy sinh hc trong vng su thng. Nu nhng t bo di truyn ny thot ra thin nhin, c kh nng rng nhng vng thin nhin s b lm nhim vi nhng cng l plastic ca nhng l b mc nt. L cht c hi, plastic ny cn to nn nhng nguy him tht s bi v n c tim nng chn ng hoc git hi ton b dy chuyn thc phm (food-chains). N c th b nhng loi sinh vt khng c xng sng n, loi ny sau li b loi khc n, v c tip tc nh vy. Tin S John Fagan, Gio s Sinh Hc Phn T ti i hc Maharishi v Qun Tr v trc y ng u nhm nghin cu ti Hc Vin Sc Kho Quc Gia, cnh co rng nhng thnh t mi c s dng trong nhng plastic ny l cc loi du c l s c hi i vi loi vt. Mt t tng ng bun khc l to nn nhng thc vt b bin i di truyn bng cht c b cp nhng cn trng n cc thc vt s b cht. Mt nh di truyn hc ni ting, Joseph Cummins, Gio s danh d v Di Truyn tai a Hc Western Ontario, cnh co rng nhng t bo di truyn nh th c th truyn theo hng ngang qua nhng cn trng khc, nh vy c nguy him l tao nn loi cn trng lc chch nc hay cn s tim cht c b cp vo nn nhn ca chng, gm lun c chng ta. Tuy nhin, nghin cu v th nghim vn ang tip tc. Nhiu nh khoa hc tuyn b rng vic tiu ha thc phm c dng k thut di truyn l v hi bi v cc acid trong bao t s phn hy cc cht b k thut di truyn bin i. Tuy nhin, theo nghin cu, phn ln cc ch t ny vo n mch mu v cng n cc t bo no. Hn na, c ch t v t nhin ca cc t bo c th khng hon ton hu hiu trong vic ngn khng cho cc cht b bin i bng k thut di truyn vo t bo. Nhng th nghim gn y cho thy rng cc sinh th bin i bng k thut di truyn c th t bin n 30 ln nhanh hn nhng sinh th bnh thng, do c tim nng nguy him v sc khe rt ln.

Vic to nn xenographs (d th) nhng th vt b bin i di truyn v thng c cha t bo di truyn ca con ngi l mt trong nhng ng dng kinh khng hn na ca k thut ny. Thng thng nhng th nghim ny a n kt qu l nhng th vt b bin dng kinh khng v chu nhng au kh khng khip. Ngay c khi nhng th nghim c thnh cng, m hnh khoa hc l con vt nh l mt nh my sn xut hu hiu mt s cht - nh tht, sa, hay thuc men- cho s tiu th ca con ngi. Nhng iu ngi Pht t cn lu y l cc mc nghip xu. Vic git hi loi vt ly tht l vi phm gii lut ngn cm git hi. Vic sn xut chn nui cng nghip em thm nhng kh s khng tng tng ni cho cuc i cc th vt trc khi chng b git. Vic to nn xenographs l s vi phm su xa hn na vo i sng loi vt. D nhng t bo di truyn c a vo to nn loi vt mi c phi l t bo di truyn t con ngi hay khng, xenographs c to nn cho s s dng ca con ngi v c cp bng pht minh v li nhun ca cc cng ty m khng cn quan tm v s au kh ca nhng con vt ny, v cm nhn, t tng, np sng thin nhin, hoc tim nng gic ng ca chng. Nhng v d gn y v loi k thut di truyn ny nh a t bo di truyn ca con ngi vo trong c v lm chng ln nhanh hn. Cng ty PPL Therapeutics, tr s ti Edinburgh, T Cch Lan, cc cng ty sinh hc Nextran va Alxion ti Hoa K, v cc cng ty khc, ang chy ua a t bo di truyn ca ngi vo heo lm ph hp v di truyn theo tng c nhn con ngi. Ni mt cch khc, bn c th c mt con heo c nhng b phn c th ghp cho bn vi nhng t bo di truyn ca bn c cy vo. Khi mt trong cc b phn ca bn b h, bn c th dng b phn ca con heo . D nhin, nhiu ngi s ni rng th hy sinh con heo h hoc nhng ngi thn yu ca h c sng, mc du nhng t tng v hnh ng nh vy khng ph hp vi l tng B tt. Tuy nhin, cn c nhng gii php nhn o hn. V d, ti mt s quc gia u Chu, mi ngi u c xem l c tim nng cho i b phn c th ca mnh tr khi h c np n yu cu r rng vi chnh ph l h khng mun nh vy. Do khng c s thiu ht c phn ghp v khng cn s hy sinh ca nhng con heo b bin i di truyn. Khi cng lc cng nhiu t bo di truyn ca con ngi c a vo nhng sinh th khng phi l con ngi to nn nhng hnh thc sng mi m

c mt phn di truyn l ca con ngi, cc cu hi v o c li c t ra. T l t bo di truyn ca con ngi trong c th mt sinh th phi l bao nhiu phn trm th c xem l con ngi? V d, phi c bao nhiu t bo di truyn ca con ngi trong mt tri t xanh th bn s cm thy gh tm khi n n? y khng ch l cu hi gi thuyt. Ngi Trung Hoa ti i Hc Bc Kinh by gi ang a t bo di truyn ca loi ngi vo trong c chua v t chng ln nhanh hn. i vi ngi n tht, cu hi ging nh vy c th c t ra v vic n tht heo c cha t bo di truyn ca con ngi. V i vi nhng con chut c bin i di truyn sn sinh tinh trng ca con ngi th nh th no? Cn v con ngi th nh th no? Vi nm trc cng ty Granada Biosciences ca Texas np n vi Vn Phng Bng Pht Minh u Chu (European Patent Office) xin vn bng pht minh v mt ci gi l pharm-woman (thuc t ph n), t tng y l dng k thut di truyn p dng vo ngi ph n sa ca h s cha nhng loi thuc c bit. Cng vic cng ang tin hnh l dng k thut di truyn lm mc ln nhng b ngc ngi ph n trong phng th nghim. Khng nhng chng s c dng ghp ngc cho nhng ngi b gii phu ngc v ung th, m cn c th d dng tng cng nhu cu thng mi mnh m bi nhng ph n ang tm kim b ngc hon ho. Nh di truyn hc Jonathan Slack ca i Hc Bath ti nc Anh, mi y ngh to nn nhng con ngi khng c u bng k thut di truyn dng ly b phn c th. Mt s nh di truyn hc ni ting, nh Lewis Wolpert, Gio s Sinh hc p Dng Y Khoa ti i Hc College London, ng h kin ca ng [Slack]. iu tr bng gen thay th cc t bo di truyn (genes) bi khim khuyt c lin h n nguy c mc bnh do c a nhng t bo di truyn mi vo c th tm cch bin i cu trc di truyn ca c th. Bi v t bo di truyn (genes) di chuyn d dng t mt sinh th ny sang mt sinh th khc, a vo mt t bo di truyn mi c th c nhng hu qu khng lng c. Thm na, iu tr bng gen cn ty thuc vo con dc trn trt nhm n nhng t bo di truyn kiu mu. Mt ch du cho thy con dc cng trn trt hn l vic qun tr th nghim v kch thch t tng trng c dng k thut di truyn p dng cho nhng tr em khe mnh nhng ch c hi thp hn trung bnh m cha m cc em li mun cc em cao hn.

Khi cu xt v tim nng ca k thut di truyn trong vic cha bnh, chng ta cn nh rng, theo Pht php, chng ta b bnh v mt trong hai l do chnh. Bn yu t (t i) ca chng ta c th b mt qun bnh, c th din dch mt cch th thin theo ngn ng hin i l chng ta thiu nng lc v kh nng khng vi mm bnh thp. V bnh tt hoc i sng ngn ngi c th trong vi trng hp l do nghip bo git hi sanh mang. L ngi Pht t, chng ta c bit nn nhy cm v vic nhng nh di truyn lm suy i ngha con ngi l g. Chng ta c mun cha vi bt c gi no? Chng ta c th mun t hi l nghip gy hi sanh mng lin quan n vic pht trin v ng dng k thut tr liu bng t bo di truyn s gy cho chng ta nhng vn nghip qu nng n hn v sau khng? Hoc c phn ng vt i t bo di truyn ghp vo trong c th chng ta s nh hng ln phm cht con ngi trong thc hng ngy ca chng ta nh th no? Si u vi khun a ra nhng nguy him c bit khi tng tc vi nhng sinh th b bin i di truyn. Thc vt, ng vt, v siu vi khun ng mt vai tr ln trong h sinh thi to nn sinh quyn v c mt s ngi xem l mt trong nhng yu t chnh trong s thay i tin ha. Siu vi khun c kh nng i vo nhng cht liu di truyn ca sinh vt ch, phn gii, v sau ti kt hp vi cht liu di truyn ca sinh vt ch to nn nhng siu vi khun mi. Nhng siu vi khun mi ny sau lm nhim bnh nhng sinh vt ch mi, truyn cht liu di truyn mi n sinh vt ch mi. Khi sinh vt ch sanh sn, s thay i di truyn xy ra. Chng ta c th gi s rng nhng siu vi khun thng thng, d c c hi n u i na, nu sanh sn mt cch t nhin, u c ng mt vai tr trong h sinh thi v c iu hnh bi h sinh thi . Nu cc t bo b bin i di truyn bng k thut, lc khi siu vi khun i vo cc t bo du l loi ngi, loi vt hay thc vt nhng cht liu ny cng c th c truyn n nhng siu vi khun mi c to nn v lan n nhng sinh vt ch mi ca cc siu vi khun. Bi v siu vi khun vi nhng cht liu c bin i di truyn bng k thut c th khng bao gi t ny sanh ra mt cch t nhin trong h sinh thi, khng c g bo m rng l c cch t v t nhin chng li chng. Ch ring vn ny c th a n s cht chc lan rng ca loi ngi, loi vt hoc thc vt, do tm thi hoc c th vnh vin lm h hi h sinh thi. S cht tri lan rng ca nhng chng loi thc vt c th nh hng ton b h sinh thi, v kh nng cht lan rng ca loi ngi cn c s quan tm ca chng

ta. Khi nim cho rng h sinh thi cui cng u c th i ph c vi bt c e da no, d t hi n u i na, l khng c c s khoa hc. Cha c bng c hin hu no l s sng v an sinh ca loi ngi l u tin hn trong nhng h thng t t chc. Cng khng c bng c no cho thy rng trong nhng h thng c trang b i ph vi nhng e da do nhng sinh vt b bin i i truyn bng k thut c th em n. K thut di truyn cn c th nh hng ton th thin nhin. Trong thut ng Pht gio, thin nhin lin h n cc hnh thc nhn qu phn nh nghip ca chng sanh sng trn hnh tinh. V vic tn trng s sng, l nn tng ca tt c cc hnh tr Pht gio, thin nhin c th c hiu l tng s tt c cc h sinh thi gip cho s sng; n l iu kin chnh yu bo v chng sanh khng b hi. Con ngi, loi vt, v cc chng sanh hu tnh khc u tu thuc vo mt mi trng nguyn vn c i sng lnh mnh. Gy hi cho mi trng ny s lm cc chng sanh au kh v cui cng l cht non. Gy hi nng lc sng, ngay c trn mc vi sinh, c th c nh hng tc hi trn nhng sinh th phc tp hn bi v cc s sng u h tng lin h ln nhau. Hn na, thin nhin nh nhng ch hoang vu cung cp chn thin nh hu hiu, mt ni c th t c nhng tin b nhanh chng. Trong vic t tu tp, hi ha vi thin nhin bao gm kh nng tm c mt ch tu tp ni nng lc thin nhin tt lnh. Thin nhin tc ng nh tm king phn nh thy nhng vn hnh su xa ca thn v tm chng ta. Khi chng ta ch mt mnh trong cnh hoang d, nhng phin no th gian r nt ca nhng ngi khc vng bt, do khng th lm tng thm phin no ca chnh chng ta. Hy th tng tng chuyn g s xy ra nu chng ta t bin i di truyn ca mnh chng ta khng cng hng c vi chu k t nhin ca thin nhin. y khng phi l nhng loi quan tm c th gii p bng bt c nhng d kin khoa hc no. Chin tranh sinh hc di truyn l mt e da ngn hn nghim trng nht ca k thut di truyn i vi i sng con ngi. Bi v Pht Gio l mt truyn thng cn bn yu chung ha bnh, nn cn phi quan tm su xa i vi vic s dng k thut di truyn trong chin tranh nh l nhng phng tin hu hiu gy ra au kh v cht chc lan rng. Nhng ngi khng b quc t bt u cu xt nghim tc vic pht tn nhng siu vi khun b bin i di truyn. Vic s dng ny hu nh khng th no kim sot c bi v cng my mc trang b v k thut thng c dng trong

thng mi c th chuyn i d dng thnh nhng ng dng qun s. Sut thi k cui thp nin 80, Lin Bang S Vit c c 60 ngn ngi lm vic v chin tranh sinh hc, gm c cc tc nhn gy bnh b bin i bng k thut di truyn. Mt trong nhng k hoch ng s hn na ca h l h c gng kt hp siu vi khun gy bnh u ma vi siu vi khun Ebola. Khng ai bit r hu ht nhng nh k thut i u, hoc h mang theo nhng g. Vo thng 6 nm 1977, B Trng Quc Phng Hoa K l ng William Cohen cnh bo v mt vi loi tc nhn gy bnh s c nhm chuyn bit vo loi chng tc c th tiu dit nhng nhm chng tc no . Nhiu quc gia b bo co l bin i di truyn cc siu vi khun nhm chuyn bit vo nhng nhm chng tc no . Mc du cc ch li ca k thut di truyn c bo ch c v ch yu l sa nhng khuyt im di truyn, tr bnh, v gia tng s sn xut thc phm trong rt nhiu trng hp, ti tin rng ci gi phi tr tht qu cao. bo m li nhun khng l cho cc i cng ty a quc gia trong th k ti, chng ta phi th n sinh quyn, phi chu nhn nhng quan trng i sng trn hnh tinh, v c th l h hi tim nng gic ng ca chng ta. K thut di truyn a ra nhng nguy him trm trng i vi sc khe ca con ngi v mi sinh. N t ra nhng cu hi o c quan trng v quyn ca con ngi i vi vic thay i i sng trn hnh tinh, c chng sanh hu tnh v v tnh, ch em li ch li cho mt thiu s. Nhng iu lm cho k thut di truyn c c bit l quyn nng ca n v s khng o ngc li c. Kh nng ca n c th gy hi cho con ngi, loi vt v i sng thc vt l mt bc nhy vt ln hn hu ht cc k thut khc v khng th xy ra nhng sai lm. Nhng hu qu do khim khuyt trong k thut ny khng th vn hi v sa cha c, m tr thnh di sn xu cho v s th h trong tng lai. Nu c vi lnh vc v k thut di truyn c th lm ch li mt cch an ton cho nhn loi v ng thi tn trng cc hnh thc sng khc, th cn c nhng c gng tng gp i khng nhng trong lnh vc nh gi khoa hc v s nguy him v s dng nguyn tc thn trng, m cn cn pht trin nhng hng dn o c rng ln. Bi v cc c s khoa hc nhn bit nhu cu gp ca dn chng, do c mt ca s c hi gii thiu quan im o c Pht gio i vi nhng vn o c hin nay v nhng ngh nghin cu trong k thut di truyn. Cng l iu quan trng

l dn chng yu cu s kim sot nghim ngt v iu hnh mi quan h cnh ca quay ca k ngh ny vi cc i hc v chnh ph. Chng ta c th tht s c nh hng c khng? Ngay c lm chm li nhng tin b khng mi lng ca cc tro lu hin nay cng rt kh khn. Tuy nhin vn cn hy vng. May mn thay, mt ting ni nh ca nhng khoa hc gia c hun luyn thun thc trong lnh vc ny, nh cc gio s Stuart Newman ca y ban Di Truyn c Trch Nhim, Gio s Strohman ca i hc Berkeley, Tin s Mae-Wan Ho ca i hc Open, cc Tin s Margaret Mellon v Jane Rissler ca Hip Hi Khoa Hc Gia c Quan tm, ch lit k mt t, h thy nhng nguy him ang xy ra v can m ni ln ting ni thc ca h. R rng cha kho m ra l gio dc qun chng v nhng iu ang xy ra. Chng ta cn c s tin cy rng nhng cng dn bnh thng cng lm vic vi nhau c th xy dng mt nn mng tr tu tp th c th ch ng cho chng ta i xuyn qua m l phc tp khng th tng tng ni ca nhng vn chung quanh k thut di truyn. Chng ta c th lm cho cc vn bin mt c khng? C l khng lm c. Nhng s thnh cng l iu c th: H Thng Th Gii Th ba, di s lnh o ca Gio S Vandana Shiva, ng vin n v cc quc gia chm pht trin khc chng li cc i cng ty a quc gia trong vic tm li nhun di truyn. Tai u Chu, nng cao s hiu bit ca qun chng v nguy him ca cc thc phm dng k thut di truyn mi y buc cc cng ty ln tham gia phi t b cc k hoch gii thiu m rng ti y. y ti Hoa K, vic vn ng cho thc phm hu c, t chc Nhng Ngi M i Hi Lut Thin Nhin, v nhng t chc khc phi hp mt cuc vn ng gio dc qun chng v nguy him ca nhng loi thc phm nh vy, nh vy nhng c gng gp chung thc phm b bin i di truyn vo loi hu c theo iu L Tiu Chun Hu C quc Gia khng thnh cng. T quan im Pht gio, cc vn v k thut di truyn v nguyn tc khng khc bit vi hu ht nhng vn khc chng ta i din hng ngy. Tt c u l kt qu ca kit s dc vng, nng gin, v minh, v.vdieu lm cho tnh trng k thut di truyn c c bit l s khc bit v mc thit hi c th nh hng n i sng trn hnh tinh ny v s khng o ngc li c nhng nh hng ln chng ta v mi sinh. C l khng c mt cu tr li cho cu hi l nhng ngi pht t nn lm g v nhng vn ny. C nhng ngi c th quyt nh lm vic tch cc vi nhiu on th c gng nng cao s hiu bit ca qun chng v ngn chn nhng

nguy him t hi nht. Nhng ngi khc c th thch lm vic trc tip ngay trn tm a ca mnh sn sinh tr tu v t bi nhm chuyn ha tm hn ca tt c chng sanh i v hng gic ng. Tuy nhin cn c nhng ngi khc s khng hoi nghi g c, h t vi u vo trong ct v c nghip dn dt. (Source: http://www.dharmasite.net/KyThuatDiTruyen.htm) Xem thm: Ethical Questions about Genetic Engineering http://verewig.blogcity.com/ethical_questions_about_genetic_engineering.htm ---o0o--Genetic Engineering: A Buddhist Assessment Ron Epstein Religion East and West, Issue 1, June 2001, 39-47. http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/GEessays/GEBuddhism.html What might it be like to be a Buddhist in a future world where your life started with your parents designing your genes? In addition to screening for unwanted genetic diseases, they would have selected your genes for sex; height; eye, hair, and skin color; and, if your parents are Buddhists, maybe even for genes that allow you to sit easily in the full lotus position. Pressured by current social fads, they may also have chosen genes whose overall functions are not clearly understood but are rumored to be connected with temperament, intelligence, mindfulness, and perhaps psychic powers. (There is no longer any need to search for reincarnated lamas. They now clone themselves and get reborn in their own clones.) If your parents are poor, they may have been paid to design you with genes tailored for a particular occupation, together with a pre-birth contract for future employment. As in the film Gattaca, you probably belong to a clearly defined social class according to the degree of your genetic enhancement. Of course there may still be a few weird, unenhanced naturals-by-choice meditating in the mountains. In this future world, from the very first milk you suckle, your food is genetically engineered. The natural world is completely made over, invaded and distorted beyond recognition by genetically engineered trees, plants,

animals, insects, bacteria, and virusessome planned, some running amok. Illnesses are very different too. Most of the old diseases are gone or mutated into new forms, yet now people are suffering from the onslaught of genetically engineered pathogens that were either used in biowarfare, or mistakenly released into the environment, or recombined in toxic form from originally harmless but rapidly mutating engineered organisms. Genetic engineering is so commonplace, you started your own simple experiments with it in elementary school. That future is more plausible than you might think. From a Buddhist perspective, we need to analyze how current developments in genetic engineering are providing the causal seeds that will influence the worlds of the future. Because genetic engineering has the potential to radically transform both nature and human nature, it poses a much greater threat than other technologies. According to Buddhist teachings, nature as we experience it is a label for the shared karma of sentient beings on the planet, and human nature is a karmic mixture of thought and emotion that has to be transformed on the path to enlightenment. Since karmaand sufferingwill still be with us in the Brave New World, some have suggested that genetic engineering is not a big deal for Buddhists, that the work cut out for us now will, essentially, not change. But maybe we should take a deeper look. What, for instance, is the relation of genetic engineering to our potential for enlightenment and its realization? The Buddhist view is that the condition of our bodies and nervous systems affects our minds and vice versa. That is why karmic-based ethics insists on purity of both mind and body as a prerequisite for spiritual progress. For example, when we meditate, subtle physiological changes take place in our bodies that resonate with our level of spiritual progress. The deeper our meditation, the more profound the bodymind transformation. Likewise, from the time of the Buddha, Buddhists have recognized that certain geographical locations have special natural energies that enhance progress in meditation and insight. Genetic engineering has the potential for altering both our bodies and environments in ways that lessen their ability to support the process of personal transformation. For instance, when a person takes drugs, the bodily physiology becomes altered in a way that makes meditation more difficult; similarly, genetic engineering may impact our bodies in ways as yet

unknown that will impede our progress on the Path. Even if there is only a relatively small possibility of genetic engineering affecting progress on the path to enlightenment, it is a serious cause for concern. Because science deals only with the physical realm, no scientific experiment can possibly assess this kind of risk. Another key concept, which Buddhism cherishes and science ignores, is the first moral precept: the principle of non-harming and respect for all sentient life and for its potential for enlightenment. (Sentient beings have central nervous systems, so they are aware of pain. Plants are not considered sentient.) Important corollaries are the alleviation of suffering and the notion of selfless compassion as a guiding principle in our actions. Buddhism, then, condemns any instrumental use of human or non-human sentient life by geneticists, or anyone else. That means Buddhists shouldnt treat sentient beings as objects or tools to be used without regard for their own wishes or aspirations. Thus, the Buddhist approach to genetic engineering begins with analyzing its effect on life, how it creates or alleviates suffering, and how it aids or cripples the efforts of sentient beings to realize their potential for enlightenment. Some geneticists are well intentioned in their desire to use genetic engineering in altruistic ways. For example, in agriculture they are trying to increase yields and resistance to harmful insects. In the field of medicine they are trying to develop new genetic cures for cancer and inherited genetic diseases. Yet many get caught up in their own desires for profit, power, and fame. Even well-intentioned efforts often look dubious from a Buddhist viewpoint. Animals are transformed genetically in ways that are often cruel, and humans are being treated as guinea pigs to test genetically engineered food. The basic health of ecosystems and the long-term health of life on the planet are also disregarded. The second moral precept is the prohibition against stealing. Yet, biotech corporations and even some universities are stealing our genes, the genes of indigenous peoples and of native herbs and plants, patenting them, and then charging for their use. The Buddhist approach is much different. The Buddha taught that, in interacting with others and with the environment, we

should emulate the honey bee as it takes pollen from flowers. The advantage is mutual and there is no harm. Furthermore, Buddhism understands the cosmos as an open system. In contradistinction, the scientific method usually operates within hypothesized artificial and closed systems that are assumed to have some meaningful, but incomplete and imperfect, correspondence with the real world. What seems to be the case in the laboratory may or may not be valid in the natural world. Scientific methodology cannot, because of its inherent limitations, assess the full extent of the possible effects of genetically engineered alterations on living creatures in a world that is an open system. From the viewpoint of basic Buddhist morality, specific developments in genetic engineering are troubling and point to a future riddled with ethical uncertainty and complexity. Buddhist practitioners first need to know what is actually going on in the field, before they can do their own karmic analyses of how they and the world we all live in will be affected in ways that are important to them and what their appropriate responses might be. The following is a representative sampling of some of the areas of greatest ethical concern. Plants and food continue to be subjects for genetic engineering. The Delta & Pine Land Company received a U.S. patent on a technique that genetically alters seed so that it will not germinate if replanted a second time. The seeds lose their viability unless sprayed with a patented formula, which contains primarily antibiotics. Monsanto Corporation wants to use this Terminator Technology to keep farmers from collecting genetically engineered seed, forcing them to buy it every year. To avoid dependency on petroleum-based plastics, some scientists in the United States, Europe, and Canada have genetically engineered plants that produce plastic within their stem structures. They claim that it biodegrades in about six months. If the genes escape into the wild, we might find natural areas littered with the plastic spines of decayed leaves. Aesthetically repugnant, the plastic also poses a real danger since it has the potential for disrupting or killing entire food chains. It can be eaten by invertebrates, which in turn are eaten, and so forth. Dr. John Fagan, Professor of Molecular Biology at the Maharishi University of Management and formerly research group leader at the National Institutes of Health, has warned that the new constituents used in these plastics are oils that are probably toxic to animals.

Another distressing idea is to genetically engineer plants with scorpion toxin that would kill any insects feeding on the plants. The prominent geneticist Joseph Cummins, Professor Emeritus of Genetics at the University of Western Ontario, warned that such genes could be horizontally transferred to the insects themselves, thereby risking the creation of insects whose stings or bites would inject scorpion toxin into their victims, including us. Nonetheless, research and field-testing continue. Many scientists have claimed that the ingestion of genetically engineered food is harmless because stomach acids break down the engineered substances. According to research, however, significant portions reach the bloodstream and also the brain cells. Furthermore, the natural defense mechanisms of the bodys cells are not entirely effective in keeping the genetically engineered substances out of the cells. Recent experiments show that genetically engineered organisms can mutate up to thirty times faster than normal ones, so they are a serious potential health hazard. The creation of xenographsgenetically altered animals which often contain human genesis one of the more horrendous uses of this technology. Often experiments result in horribly deformed animals that have to undergo terrible suffering. Even when experiments are successful, the scientific model is that of the animal as a factory which efficiently produces some substancemeat, milk, or pharmaceuticalsfor human consumption. What Buddhists need to pay attention to here are the degrees of negative karma. The killing of animals for meat violates the precept against killing. Factory farming adds incredible suffering to the lives of animals before they are killed. The creation of xenographs is an even more fundamental violation of the animals lives. Whether or not the genes inserted to create new animals are human ones, xenographs are created for human use and patented for corporate profit without regard for the suffering of the animals, their feelings, thoughts, natural life-patterns, or potential for enlightenment. Recent examples of this type of genetic engineering include putting human genes into fish to make them grow faster. PPL Therapeutics, based in Edinburgh, Scotland; the Biotech companies Nextran and Alxion in the United States; and others are racing to place human genes into pigs in order to genetically match them to human individuals. In other words, you can

have your own personal organ donor pig with your genes implanted. When one of your organs gives out, you can use the pigs. Of course, many would say that it is better to sacrifice the pig so that they or their loved ones can live, even though such thoughts and actions are not in accord with the ideal of the Bodhisattva. Yet, other more humane solutions are available. For instance, in some Western European nations, everyone is considered a potential organ donor unless they specifically file with the government not to be, so there is no shortage of organs for transplant there and no need for sacrificing genetically engineered pigs. As more and more human genes are being inserted into non-human organisms to create novel forms of life that are genetically partly human, new ethical questions arise. What percent of human genes does an organism have to contain before it is considered human? For instance, how many human genes would a green pepper have to contain before you would have qualms about eating it? This is not merely a hypothetical query. The Chinese at Beijing University are now putting human genes into tomatoes and peppers to make them grow faster. For meat-eaters, the same question could be posed about eating pork with human genes. And what about the mice that have been genetically engineered to produce human sperm? What about humans, themselves? A few years ago Granada Biosciences of Texas applied to the European Patent Office for a patent on a so-called pharm-woman, the idea being to genetically engineer human females so that their breast milk would contain specialized pharmaceuticals. Work is also ongoing to use genetic engineering to grow human breasts in the laboratory. Not only would they be used for breast replacement needed due to cancer surgery, but could easily foster a vigorous commercial demand by women in search of the perfect breasts. Geneticist Jonathan Slack of Englands Bath University has recently proposed genetically engineering headless humans to be used for body parts. Some prominent geneticists, such as Lewis Wolpert, Professor of Biology as Applied to Medicine at University College London, have supported his idea. Gene therapy for replacement of defective human genes that are associated with the risk of contracting diseases involves the intentional introduction of new genes into the body in an attempt to modify the genetic structure of the body. Since genes easily move from one organism to

another, introduction of a new gene can have unforeseen effects. Gene therapy is also subject to the slippery slope that leads to designer genes. One indication that the slope is becoming more slippery is the experimental administration of genetically engineered growth hormone to healthy children who are simply shorter than average but whose parents would like them to be taller. When considering the potential of genetic engineering for curing illness, we should remember that, according to Buddhist teachings, we get sick for one of two main reasons. Our four elements may become imbalanced, which may be roughly interpreted in modern terms as we are run-down and our resistance to pathogens is low. And sickness or a shortened lifespan may in some instances be karmic retribution for the taking of life. As Buddhists, we should be especially sensitive to geneticists degradation of what it means to be a human being. Do we want a cure at any price? We may want to ask ourselves whether the karma from the harming of life involved in the development and application of the gene therapy is going to cause us even heavier karmic problems down the road. Or how are transgenic animal body parts in our bodies going to affect the human quality of our everyday awareness? Viruses pose special dangers when they interact with genetically engineered organisms. Plant, animal, and human viruses play a major role in the ecosystems that comprise the biosphere and are thought to be one of the primary factors in evolutionary change. Viruses have the ability to enter the genetic material of their hosts, to break apart, and then to recombine with the genetic material of the host to create new viruses. Those new viruses then infect new hosts, transferring new genetic material to the new host. When the host reproduces, genetic change has occurred. We can presume that ordinary viruses, no matter how deadly, if naturally produced, have a role to play in an ecosystem and are regulated by that ecosystem.

If cells are genetically engineered, then when viruses enter cellswhether human, animal, or plantthis material can also be transferred to the newly created viruses and spread to the viruses new hosts. Since viruses with genetically engineered material could never naturally arise in an ecosystem, there is no guarantee of natural defenses against them. This alone might lead to widespread death of humans, animals, or plants, thereby temporarily or

even permanently damaging the ecosystem. Widespread die-off of a plant species can affect its whole ecosystem, and the possibility of widespread die-off of human beings should command our attention. The notion that ecosystems can ultimately deal with any threat, however extreme, is without scientific basis. No evidence exists that the life and welfare of human beings have priority in those self-organizing systems. Nor is there any evidence that anything in those systems is equipped to deal with all the threats that genetically engineered organisms may pose. Genetic engineering can affect the whole of nature, as well. In Buddhist terms, nature refers to the patterns of causes and conditions that reflect the karma of sentient beings. In terms of respect for life, which is the foundation of all Buddhist practice, nature can also be understood as the sum total of ecosystems that support life; it is the essential condition for preserving living beings from harm. Humans, animals, and other sentient beings are dependent upon a wholesome environment for a healthy life. Harming that environment causes those sentient beings to suffer, and, ultimately, to die prematurely. Harming life energy itself, even on the level of microorganisms, can have deleterious effects on more complex organisms because of the interconnectedness of all life. Furthermore, nature as wilderness provides an effective place for meditation, one where rapid progress can be made. In self-cultivation, harmony with nature involves the ability to find a place for practice where the natural energy is auspicious. Nature acts as a mirror for seeing the deep workings of our own body-minds. When we are alone in the wilderness, the distinctly human afflictions of others are absent, and so cannot reinforce our own afflictions. Imagine what would happen if we genetically engineered ourselves so that we could no longer resonate with the natural patterns of nature. These are not the kinds of concerns that can be laid to rest by any scientific data. Biogenetic warfare is the most serious short-term threat of genetic engineering to human life. Because Buddhism is a fundamentally pacifist tradition, it should be gravely concerned with the use of genetic engineering in warfare as an efficient means for causing widespread suffering and death. International terrorists have already begun seriously considering the deployment of genetically engineered viruses. This use is almost impossible to regulate because the same equipment and technology that are used

commercially can easily be transferred to military application. During the late 1980s, the former Soviet Union had 60,000 people working on biowarfare, including genetically engineered pathogens. In one of their more frightening projects, they attempted to combine smallpox virus with Ebola virus. No one knows for sure where most of the scientists have gone, or what they have taken with them. In June, 1997, U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen warned about certain types of pathogens that would be ethnic specific so that they could eliminate certain ethnic groups. Several countries have reportedly already been genetically engineering viruses that target specific ethnic groups. Despite the benefits of genetic engineering trumpeted in the media primarily to repair genetic flaws, cure disease, and increase food production in the overwhelming number of cases, I believe the price is too high to pay. To insure megaprofits for multinational corporations well into the next century, we will have to mortgage the biosphere, seriously compromise life on the planet, and maybe even harm our potential for enlightenment. Genetic engineering poses serious risks to human health and to the environment. It raises serious ethical questions about the right of human beings to alter life on the planet, both sentient and non-sentient, for the benefit of a few. What makes genetic engineering special is both its power and its irreversibility. Its ability to harm human, animal, and plant life is a quantum leap greater than most other technologies and does not leave room for mistakes. Results of flaws in this technology cannot be recalled and fixed, but become the negative heritage to countless future generations. If there are some areas of genetic engineering that can safely benefit humanity while respecting other forms of life, then efforts need to be redoubled not only in the area of scientific risk assessment and use of the precautionary principle, but also in developing broad ethical guidelines. Since the scientific establishment is acknowledging the need for public input, there is a window of opportunity for introducing the perspective of Buddhist ethics to current moral questions about proposed research in genetic engineering. It is also important for the public to demand scrutiny and regulation of the industrys revolving-door relations with academia and government.

Can we really have an influence? Even slowing the inexorable progress of the current trends will be extremely difficult. Yet there is hope. Fortunately, a vocal minority of well-trained scientists in the field, such as Prof. Stuart Newman of the Council for Responsible Genetics, Prof. Richard Strohmann of the University of California at Berkeley, Dr. Mae-Wan Ho of Open University, Drs. Margaret Mellon and Jane Rissler of the Union of Concerned Scientists, to name just a few, see the dangers of what is occurring and are brave enough to voice their consciences. Clearly the key is educating the public about what is happening. We need to have confidence that ordinary citizens working together can build a foundation of collective wisdom that can show us the way through the incredibly complicated maze of issues surrounding genetic engineering. Can we make the problems go away? Probably not. But successes are possible: The Third World Network, under the leadership of Prof. Vandana Shiva, has mobilized India and other underdeveloped nations to resist multinational corporations in search of genetic profit. In Europe, heightened public awareness of the dangers of genetically engineered foods has recently forced the major corporate players to back off from plans for their widespread introduction there. Here in the United States, the organic food lobby, the Mothers for Natural Law, and others have orchestrated a public education campaign about the dangers of such food, so that attempts to include genetically engineered food as organic under the National Organic Standards Rule have not succeeded. From a Buddhist perspective, the problems with genetic engineering are no different in principle from most other problems we face in our daily life. They are all the result of afflictionsdesire, anger, ignorance, and so forth. What makes the situation with genetic engineering unique is the difference in the degree of damage it can do to life on the planet and the irreversibility of its effect on us and on the environment. There is probably not a single answer to the question of what Buddhists should do about these problems. Some may decide to work actively with the many groups trying to raise public awareness and stop the most blatant dangers. Others may prefer to work directly on the mind ground and try to generate the wisdom and compassion that transforms the minds of all sentient beings toward awakening. Yet others will undoubtedly put their heads in the sand and let the karma fall where it may.

http://www.dharmasite.net/KyThuatDiTruyen.htm (*) Ron Epstein has a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. He is a research professor at the Institute for World Religions in Berkeley and a lecturer at San Francisco State University, and has been a practicing Buddhist for over thirty years. His website, Genetic Engineering and Its Dangers <http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/GEessays/gedanger.htm>, information. ---o0o--Ht provides further