- Buddhist Economics
- A Middle Way for the market place
- Ven. P. A. Payutto
Chapter
Five
Teachings on Economics
from the Buddhist Scriptures
The Buddhist teachings on economics are scattered throughout the Scriptures among
teachings on other subjects. A teaching on mental training, for example, may include
guidelines for economic activity, because in real life these things are all
interconnected. Thus, if we want to find the Buddhist teachings on economics, we must
extract them from teachings on other subjects.
Although the Buddha never specifically taught about the subject of
economics, teachings about the four requisites -- food, clothing, shelter and medicine --
occur throughout the Pali Canon. In essence, all of the teachings concerning the four
requisites are teachings on economics.
The Books of Discipline for the Monastic Order stipulate the attitude and conduct
Buddhist monks and nuns are to adopt toward the four requisites. As mendicants, monks and
nuns depend entirely on donations for their material needs. The Discipline lays down
guidelines for a blameless life that is worthy of the support of the laity. A life
dedicated to Dhamma study, meditation and teaching is Right Livelihood for monks and nuns.
The Discipline also contains standards and regulations for ensuring
that the four requisites, once supplied to the Order, will be consumed in peace and
harmony rather than contention and strife. Buddhist monks are forbidden from demanding
special food or requisites. A monk must be content with little. In this passage, the
Buddha instructs monks on the proper attitudes toward the four requisites.
A monk in this Teaching and Discipline is one content with whatever robes he is given
and praises contentment with whatever robes are given. He does not greedily seek robes in
unscrupulous ways. If he does not obtain a robe, he is not vexed; if he obtains a robe, he
is not attached, not enamored of it and not pleased over it. He uses that robe with full
awareness of its benefits and its dangers. He has wisdom which frees him from attachment.
Moreover, he does not exalt himself or disparage others on account of his contentment with
whatever robes are offered. Any monk who is diligent, ardent, not given to laziness, who
is fully aware and recollected in contentment with robes, is said to be stationed in the
time-honored lineage.
Moreover, a monk is content with whatever alms food he is given ...
Moreover, a monk is content with whatever dwellings he is given ...
Moreover, a monk is one who delights in developing skillful qualities and praises their
development; he delights in abandoning unskillful qualities and praises their abandoning;
he does not exalt himself nor disparage others on account of his delighting in skillful
qualities and praising their development, nor on account of his abandoning of unskillful
qualities and praising their abandoning. A monk who is diligent, ardent, not given to
laziness, but fully aware and recollected in such development (bhavana) and
abandoning (pahana) is said to be stationed in the time-honored lineage.
[A.II.27]
This passage shows the relationship between contentment with
material possessions and effort -- material requisites are used as foundation for human
development.
The monastic discipline exemplifies a life-style which makes use of
the least possible amount of material goods. This is partly for practical reasons, to
enable the Order to live in a way that does not overtax the community, and partly so that
the monks can devote as much of their time and energy as possible in the study, practice
and teaching of the Dhamma. It also enables them to live a live that is as independent of
the social mainstream as possible, so that their livelihood is not all geared to any
socially valued gain. All Buddhist monks, be they Arahants (completely
enlightened beings) or newly ordained monks, live their lives according to this same basic
principle of a minimal amount of material possessions and an optimum of devotion to Dhamma
practice.
To live happily without an abundance of material possession, monks
rely on sila, morality or good conduct. Note that each of the four types of good
conduct mentioned below [Vism.16; Comp.212] calls upon another spiritual quality to
perfect it:
Restraint of behavior (patimokkha samvara sila) means to live within the
restraint of the Monastic Code of Discipline (Patimokkha); to refrain from that
which is forbidden, and to practice according to that which is specified, to diligently
follow in all the training rules. This kind of sila is perfected through saddha,
faith.
Restraint of the senses (indriya samvara sila) is accomplished by guarding
over the mind so as not to let unskillful conditions, such as like, dislike, attachment or
aversion, overwhelm it when experiencing any of the six kinds of sense impressions: sight,
sound, smell, taste, sensation in the body or thought in the mind. This kind of sila
is perfected through sati, mindfulness or recollection.
Purity of livelihood (ajiva parisuddhi sila) demands that one conduct one's
livelihood honestly, avoiding ways of livelihood that are wrong. For a monk, this includes
not bragging about superhuman attainments, such as meditation accomplishments or stages of
enlightenment, or asking for special food when one is not sick; refraining from extortion,
such as putting on a display of austerity to impress people into giving offerings; not
fawning or sweet talking supporters; not hinting or making signs to get householders to
make offerings; not threatening them or bullying them into making offerings; and not
bartering with them, such as in giving something little and expecting much in exchange.
This kind of sila, or purity, is perfected through viriya, effort.
Morality connected with requisites (paccaya sannisita sila) means using the
four requisites with circumspection, with an awareness of their true use and value, rather
than using them out of desire. At meal time, this means eating food for the sake of good
health, so that one is able to live comfortably enough to practice the Dhamma
conveniently, not eating to indulge in the sensual pleasure of eating. This kind of
sila is perfected through pañña, wisdom.
While much of the Buddha's teachings were directed towards monks, there is no
indication anywhere in the Scriptures that the Buddha wanted householders to live like
monks. Nor is there any indication that the Buddha wanted everybody to become monks and
nuns. In establishing the order of monks and nuns, the Buddha created an independent
community as an example of righteousness, and community that could nourish society with
the Dhamma and provide a refuge for those who wished to live a life dedicated to Dhamma
study.
Within this community there are both formal members and true
members. The formal members are those who are ordained into the Buddhist Order as monks
and nuns and who live super-imposed, as it were, onto normal "householder
society." The truly free members, however, are those of Noble Order, both ordained
and householders, who have experienced transcendent insight and are scattered throughout
the regular society of unenlightened beings.
While the teachings in the Books of Discipline can be applied to the
lives of householders, they are more directly related to monks. The monastic life is
designed to be comfortable even when the four requisites are in low supply. In this
regard, monks and nuns serve as living examples that life can be happy and fulfilling even
when the four requisites are not plentiful.
Most lay people, however, see the four requisites as basis on which
to build more wealth and comfort. While householders may seem to require more material
goods than monks and nuns because of their demanding responsibilities, such as raising
children and running a business, the fact remains that all of life's basic needs can be
met by the four requisites.
Practical teachings on economic matters for householders are
contained in the Books of Discourses, or Suttas. The Suttas recount the advice the Buddha
gave to various people in various stations throughout his life. In the Suttas, the Buddha
stresses four areas in which householders may relate skillfully to wealth [D.III.188;
A.V.176-182]:
Acquisition -- Wealth should not be acquired by exploitation, but
through effort and intelligent action; it should be acquired in a morally sound way.
Safekeeping -- Wealth should be saved and protected as an investment
for the further development of livelihood and as an insurance against future adversity.
When accumulated wealth exceeds these two needs, it may be used for creating social
benefit by supporting community works.
Use -- Wealth should be put to the following uses: (1) to support
oneself and one's family; (2) to support the interests of fellowship and social harmony,
such as in receiving guests, or in activities of one's friends or relatives; (3) to
support good works, such as community welfare projects.
Mental attitude -- Wealth should not become an obsession, a cause
for worry and anxiety. It should rather be related to with an understanding of its true
benefits and limitations, and dealt with in a way that leads to personal development.
The Buddha praised only those wealthy people who have obtained their
wealth through their own honest labor and used it wisely, to beneficial ends. That is, the
Buddha praised the quality of goodness and benefit more than wealth itself. The common
tendency (in Thailand) to praise people simply because they are rich, based on the belief
that their riches are a result of accumulated merit from previous lives, without due
consideration of the factors from the present life, contradicts the teachings of Buddhism
on two counts: Firstly, it does not exemplify the Buddha's example of praising goodness
above wealth; secondly it does not make use of reasoned consideration of the entire range
of factors involved.
The present life is much more immediate and as such must be afforded
more importance. Previous kamma determines the conditions of one's birth,
including physical attributes, talents, intelligence and certain personality traits. While
it is said to be a determining factor for people who are born into wealthy families, the
Buddha did not consider birth into a wealthy family as such to be worthy of praise, and
Buddhism does not place much importance on birth station. The Buddha might praise the good
kamma which enabled a person to attain such a favorable birth, but since their
birth into a wealthy station is the fruition of good past kamma, such people have
been duly rewarded and it is not necessary to praise them further.
A favorable birth is said to be a good capital foundation which
affords some people better opportunities than others. As for the unfolding of the present
life, the results of previous kamma stop at birth, and a new beginning is made. A
good "capital foundation" can easily degenerate. If it is used with care and
intelligence it will lead to benefit for all concerned, but if one is deluded by one's
capital foundation, or favorable situation, one will use it in a way that not only wastes
one's valuable opportunities, but leads to harm for all concerned. The important question
for Buddhism is how people use their initial capital. The Buddha did not praise or
criticize wealth; he was concerned with actions.
According to the Buddhist teachings, wealth should be used for the
purpose of helping others; it should support a life of good conduct and human development.
According to this principle, when wealth arises for one person, the whole of society
benefits, and although it belongs to one person, it is just as if it belonged to the whole
community. A wealthy person who uses wealth in this manner is likened to a fertile field
in which rice grows abundantly for the benefit of all. Such people generate great benefit
for those around them. Without them, the wealth they create would not come to be, and
neither would the benefit resulting from it. Guided by generosity, these people feel moved
to represent the whole of society, and in return they gain the respect and trust of the
community to use their wealth for beneficial purposes. The Buddha taught that a
householder who shares his wealth with others is following the path of the Noble Ones:
"If you have little, give little; if you own a middling amount, give a middling
amount; if you have much, give much. It is not fitting not to give at all. Kosiya, I say
to you, 'Share your wealth, use it. Tread the path of the noble ones. One who eats alone
eats not happily." [J.V.382]
Some people adhere to the daily practice of not eating until they
have given something to others. This practice was adopted by a reformed miser in the time
of the Buddha, who said, "As long as I have not first given to others each day, I
will not even drink water." [J.V.393-411]
When the wealth of a virtuous person grows, other people stand to
gain. But the wealth of a mean person grows at the expense of misery for those around him.
People who get richer and richer while society degenerates and poverty spreads are using
their wealth wrongly. Such wealth does not fulfill its true function. It is only a matter
of time before something breaks down -- either the rich, or the society, or both, must go.
The community may strip the wealthy of their privileges and redistribute the wealth in the
hands of new "stewards," for better or for worse. If people use wealth wrongly,
it ceases to be a benefit and becomes a bane, destroying human dignity, individual welfare
and the community.
Buddhism stress that our relationship with wealth be guided by
wisdom and a clear understanding of its true value and limitations. We should not be
burdened or enslaved by it. Rather, we should be masters of our wealth and use it in ways
that are beneficial to others. Wealth should be used to create benefit in society, rather
than contention and strife. It should be spent in ways that relieve problems and lead to
happiness rather than to tension, suffering and mental disorder.
Here is a passage from the Scriptures illustrating the proper
Buddhist attitude to wealth:
"Bhikkhus, there are these three groups of people in this world. What are the
three? They are the blind, the one-eyed, and the two-eyed.
"Who is the blind person? There are some in this world who do not have the vision
which leads to acquisition of wealth or to the increase of wealth already gained.
Moreover, they do not have the vision which enables them to know what is skillful and what
is unskillful ... what is blameworthy and what is not ... what is coarse and what is
refined ... good and evil. This is what I mean by one who is blind.
"And who is the one-eyed person? Some people in this world have the vision which
leads to the acquisition of wealth, or to the increase of wealth already obtained, but
they do not have the vision that enables them to know what is skillful and what is not ...
what is blameworthy and what is not ... what is coarse and what is refined ... good and
evil. This I call a one-eyed person.
"And who is the two-eyed person? Some people in this world possess both the vision
that enables them to acquire wealth and to capitalize on it, and the vision that enables
them to know what is skillful and what is not ... what is blameworthy and what is not ...
what is coarse and what is refined ... good and evil. This I call one with two eyes ...
"One who is blind is hounded by misfortune on two counts: he has no wealth, and he
performs no good works. The second kind of the person, the one-eyed, looks about for
wealth irrespective of whether it is right or wrong. It may be obtained through theft,
cheating, or fraud. He enjoys pleasures of the sense obtained from his ability to acquire
wealth, but as a result he goes to hell. The one eyed person suffers according to his
deeds.
"The two eyed person is a fine human being, one who shares out a portion of the
wealth obtained through his diligent labor. He has noble thoughts, a resolute mind, and
attains to a good bourn, free of suffering. Avoid the blind and the one-eyed, and
associate with the two-eyed." [A.I.128]
The Buddha said "poverty is suffering in this world." Here he speaks to the
use of wealthy by governments. Poverty and want, like greed (to which they are closely
related) contribute to crime and social discontent. [D.III.65, 70] Buddhism maintains that
it is the duty of the government or the administrators of a country to see to the needs of
those who are in want and to strive to banish poverty from the land. At the very least,
honest work should be available to all people, trade and commerce should be encouraged,
capital should be organized and industries monitored to guard against dishonest or
exploitive practices. By this criteria, the absence of poverty is a better gauge of
government's success than the presence of millionaires.
It is often asked which economic or political system is most
compatible with Buddhism. Buddhism does not answer such a question directly. One might say
Buddhism would endorse whatever system is most compatible with it, but economic and
political systems are a question of method, and methods, according to Buddhism, should be
attuned to time and place.
What is the purpose of a government's wealth? Essentially, a
government's wealth is for the purpose of supporting and organizing its citizens' lives in
the most efficient and beneficial way possible. Wealth enables us to practice and to
attain progressively higher levels of well-being. Wealth should support the community in
such a way that people who live in it conduct good lives and are motivated to a higher
good.
A political or economic system that uses wealth to these ends is
compatible with Buddhism (subject to the stipulation that it is a voluntary or free system
rather than an authoritarian one). Specific systems are simply methods dependent on time
and place, and can vary accordingly. For example, when the Buddha established the Order of
monks as a specialized community, he set up rules limiting a monk's personal possessions.
Most requisites were to be regarded as communal property of the Order.
The Buddha gave different teachings regarding wealth for
householders or worldly society. In his day, there were two main political systems in
India: some parts of the country were ruled by absolute monarchies, others were ruled by
republican states. The Buddha gave separate teachings for each. This is characteristic of
his teachings. Buddhism is not a religion of ideals and philosophy, but a religion of
practice. The Buddha made his teaching applicable to the real life of the people in the
society of the time.
If the Buddha had waited until he had designed a perfect society
before he taught, he would have fallen into idealism and romanticism. Since the perfect
society will always be a "hoped-for" society, the Buddha gave teachings that
could be put to effect in the present time, or, in his words, "those truths which are
truly useful."
For the monarchies, the Buddha taught the duties
of a Wheel-Turning Emperor, exhorting rulers to use their absolute power as a tool for
generating benefit in the community rather than a tool for seeking personal happiness. For
the republican states, he taught the aparihaniyadhamma[6] --
principles and methods for encouraging social harmony and preventing decline. In their
separate ways, both these teaching show how a people can live happily under different
political systems.
When the absolute monarchy reached its highest perfection in India,
the Emperor Ashoka used these Buddhist principles to govern his empire. He wrote in the
Edicts, "His Highness, Priyadassi, loved by the devas, does not see rank or glory as
being of much merit, except if that rank or glory is used to realize the following aim:
'Both now and in the future, may the people listen to my teaching and practice according
to the principles of Dhamma.'" [Ashokan Edict No.10]
The ideal society is not one in which all people occupy the same
station; such a society is in fact not possible. The ideal society is one in which human
beings, training themselves in mind and intellect, although possessing differences, are
nevertheless striving for the same objectives. Even though they are different they live
together harmoniously. At the same time, it is a society which has a noble choice, a noble
way out, for those so inclined, in the form of a religious life. (Even in the society of
the future Buddha, Sri Ariya Metteyya, where everyone is said to be equal, there is still
to be found the division of monks and laypeople.)
While absolute equality is impossible, governments should ensure
that the four requisites are distributed so all citizens have enough to live on
comfortably and can find honest work. Moreover, the economic system in general should lead
to a harmonious community rather than to contention and strife, and material possessions
used as a base for beneficial human development rather than as an end in themselves.
In one Sutta, the Buddha admonishes the Universal
Emperor to apportion some of his wealth to the poor. The emperor is told to watch over his
subjects and prevent abject poverty from arising.[7] Here we see that
ethical economic management for a ruler or governor is determined by the absence of
poverty in his domain, rather than by a surplus of wealth in his coffers or in the hands
of a select portion of the population. When this basic standard is met, the teachings do
not prohibit the accumulation of wealth or stipulate that it should be distributed
equally.
With an understanding of the Buddhist perspective on social
practice, those involved in such matters can debate which system is not compatible with
Buddhism. Or they may opt to devise a new, more effective system. This might be the best
alternative. However, it is a matter of practical application which is beyond the scope of
this book.
The Abhidhamma Pitaka contains the Buddha's more esoteric teaching. While the
Abhidhamma does not directly address economics, it does have a strong indirect connection
because it analyses the mind and its constituents in minute detail. These mental factors
are the root of all human behavior, including, of course, economic activity. Negative
mental constituents such as greed, aversion, delusion and pride motivate economic activity
as do the positive constituents such as non-greed, non-aversion and non-delusion, faith,
generosity, and goodwill. In this respect, the Abhidhamma is a study of economics on its
most fundamental level.
In a similar connection, the more esoteric practices of Buddhism,
meditation in particular, relate indirectly but fundamentally to economics. Through
meditation and mental training, we come to witness the stream of causes and conditions
that begin as mental conditions and lead to economic activity. With this insight, we can
investigate our mental process and make sound ethical judgments. Meditation helps us to
see how ethical and unethical behavior are the natural consequence of the mental
conditions which motivate them. Individual people, classes, races and nationalities are
neither intrinsically good nor evil. It is rather our mental qualities that guide our
behavior toward the ethical and the unethical. Greed, hatred and delusion drive us to
unethical acts. Wisdom and a desire for true well-being guide us to ethical behavior and a
good life.
With meditation, we gain perspective on our motivations: we sharpen
our awareness and strengthen free will. Thus, when it comes to making economic decisions,
decision about our livelihood and consumption, we can better resist compulsions driven by
fear, craving, and pride and choose instead a moral course that aims at true well-being.
In this way, we begin to see how mental factors form the basis of all economic matters,
and we realize that the development of this kind of mental discernment leads the way to
true economic and human development.
Perhaps more importantly, through meditation training it is possible
to realize a higher kind of happiness -- inner peace, the independent kind of happiness.
When we have the ability to find peace within ourselves we can use wealth, which is no
longer necessary for our own happiness, freely for the social good.
Seeking and Protecting
Wealth
The following Sutta offers teachings on livelihood for a householder with an emphasis
on the benefits that arise from right livelihood.
At one time, the Brahmin Ujjaya went to visit the Buddha to ask his
advice on how to gain prosperity through right livelihood. The Buddha answered by
explaining the conditions that would lead to happiness in the present and in the future:
"Brahmin, these four conditions lead to happiness and benefit in the present. They
are, industriousness, watchfulness, good company and balanced livelihood.
"And what is the endowment of industriousness (utthanasampada)? A son of
good family supports himself through diligent effort. Be it through farming, commerce,
raising livestock, a military career, or the arts, he is diligent, he applies himself, and
he is skilled. He is not lazy in his work, but clever, interested. He knows how to manage
his work, he is able and responsible: this is called endowment of industriousness.
"And what is the endowment of watchfulness (arakkhasampada)? A son of
good family has wealth, the fruit of his own sweat and labor, rightly obtained by him. He
applies himself to protecting that wealth, thinking, 'How can I prevent this wealth from
being confiscated by the King, stolen by thieves, burnt from fire, swept away from floods
or appropriated by unfavored relatives?' This is called the endowment of watchfulness.
"And what is good company (kalyanamittata)? Herein, a son of good family,
residing in a town or village, befriends, has discourse with, and seek advice from, those
householders, sons of householders, young people who are mature and older people who are
venerable, who are possessed of faith, morality, generosity, and wisdom. He studies and
emulates the faith of those with faith; he studies and emulates the morality of those with
morality; he studies and emulates the generosity of those who are generous; he studies and
emulates the wisdom of those who are wise. This is to have good company.
"And what is balanced livelihood (samajivita)? A son of good family
supports himself in moderation, neither extravagantly nor stintingly. He knows the causes
of increase and decrease of wealth, he knows which undertakings will yield an income
higher than the expenditure rather than the expenditure exceeding the income. Like a
person weighing things on a scale, he knows the balance either way ... If this young man
had only a small income but lived extravagantly, it could be said of him that he consumed
his wealth as if it were peanuts. If he had a large income but used it stintingly, it
could be said of him that he will die like a pauper. But because he supports himself in
moderation, it is said that he has balanced livelihood.
"Brahmin, the wealth rightly gained in this way has four pathways of decline. They
are to be given to debauchery, drink, gambling, and association with evil friends. It is
like a large reservoir with four channels going into it and four channels going out opened
up, and the rain does not fall in due season, that large reservoir can be expected only to
decrease, not to increase ...
"Brahmin, wealth so gained rightly has four pathways of prosperity. They are to
refrain from debauchery, drink and gambling, and to associate with good friends, to be
drawn to good people. It is like a large reservoir with four channels leading into it and
four channels leading out. If the channels leading into it are opened up, and the channels
leading out are closed off, and rain falls in due season, it can be expected that for this
reservoir there will be only increase, not decrease ... Brahmin, these four conditions are
for the happiness and benefit of a young man in the present moment." [A.IV.241]
The Buddha then went on to describe four conditions which lead to
happiness and benefit in the future. In short, they are to possess the spiritual qualities
of faith, morality, generosity and wisdom.
The following teaching was given to the merchant Anathapindika. It is known simply as
the four kinds of happiness for a householder:
"Herein, householder, these four kinds of happiness are appropriate for one who
leads the household life and enjoys the pleasures of the senses. They are the happiness of
ownership, the happiness of enjoyment, the happiness of freedom from debt, and the
happiness of blamelessness.
"What is the happiness of ownership (atthisukha)? A son of good family
possesses wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor, acquired through the
strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly acquired, rightly gained.
He experiences pleasure, he experiences happiness, thinking, 'I possess this wealth that
has been obtained by my own diligent labor, acquired through the strength of my own arms
and the sweat of my own brow, rightly acquired, rightly gained.' This is the happiness of
ownership.
"And what is the happiness of enjoyment (bhogasukha)? Herein, a son of
good family consumes, puts to use, and derives benefit from the wealth that has been
obtained by his own diligent labor, acquired through the strength of his own arms and the
sweat of his own brow, rightly acquired, rightly gained. He experiences pleasure, he
experiences happiness, thinking, 'Through this wealth that has been obtained by my own
diligent labor, acquired through the strength of my own arms and the sweat of my own brow,
rightly acquired, rightly gained, I have derived benefit and performed good works.' This
is called the happiness of enjoyment.
"And what is the happiness of freedom from debt (ananasukha)? Herein, a
son of good family owes no debt, be it great or small, to anyone at all. He experiences
pleasure and happiness, reflecting. 'I owe no debts, be they great or small, to anyone at
all.' This is called the happiness of freedom from debt.
"And what is the happiness of blamelessness (anavajjasukha)? Herein, a
noble disciple is possessed of blameless bodily actions, blameless speech, and blameless
thoughts. He experiences pleasure and happiness, thinking, 'I am possessed of blameless
bodily actions, blameless speech, and blameless thoughts.' This is called the happiness of
blamelessness.
"When he realizes the happiness of being free from debt, he is in a position to
appreciate the happiness of owning possessions. As he uses his possessions, he experiences
the happiness of enjoyment. Clearly seeing this, the wise man, comparing the first three
kinds of happiness with the last, sees that they are not worth a sixteenth part of the
happiness that arises from blameless behavior." [A.II.69]
In this passage, the Buddha explains to the merchant Anathapindika some of the benefits
that can arise from wealth. Since the teachings are specific to an earlier time, the
reader is advised to glean the gist of them and apply it to the modern day:
"Herein, householder, there are five uses to which wealth can be put. They are:
"With the wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor, acquired
through the strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly acquired,
rightly gained, the noble disciple supports himself comfortably, sufficiently, he applies
himself to seeing to his own happiness in rightful ways. He supports his father and mother
... wife and children, servants and workers comfortably, to a sufficiency, applying
himself to their needs and their happiness as is proper. This is the first benefit to
obtained from wealth.
"Moreover, with the wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor,
acquired through the strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly
acquired, rightly gained, the noble disciple supports his friends and associates
comfortably, to a sufficiency, taking an interest in their happiness as is proper. This is
the second benefit to be derived from wealth.
"Moreover, with the wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor,
acquired through the strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly
acquired, rightly gained, the noble disciple protects his wealth from the dangers of
confiscation by kings, theft, fire, flood, and appropriation by unfavored relatives. He
sees to his own security. This is the third benefit to be derived from wealth.
"Moreover, with the wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor,
acquired through the strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly
acquired, rightly gained, the noble disciple makes the five kinds of sacrifice. They are:
to relatives (supporting relatives); to visitors (receiving guests); to ancestors
(offerings made in the name of ancestors); to the king (for taxes and public works); and
to the gods (that is, he supports religion). This is another benefit to be derived from
wealth.
"Moreover, with the wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor,
acquired through the strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly
acquired, rightly gained, the noble disciple makes offerings which are of the highest
merit, which are conducive to mental well-being, happiness and heaven, to religious
mendicants, those who live devoted to heedfulness, are established in patience and
gentleness, are trained, calmed, and cooled of defilements. This is the fifth benefit to
be obtained from wealth.
"Householder, there are these five benefits to be obtained from wealth. If wealth
is used by a noble disciple in such a way that these five benefits are fulfilled, and if
it should then become spent, that noble disciple can reflect thus: 'Whatever benefit is to
be obtained from wealth, I have obtained. Now my wealth is spent.' That noble disciple
experiences no distress on that account. And if, after that noble disciple has used his
wealth to provide these five benefits, that wealth should increase, that noble disciple
reflects thus: 'Whatever benefit is to be obtained from my wealth I have already obtained.
And now my wealth has increased.' That noble disciple is also not distressed on that
account; he is distressed in neither case." [A.III.45]
Wealth and Spiritual
Development
The Buddha taught that basic material needs must be met before spiritual development
can begin. The following story [Dh.A.III.262] illustrates how hunger is both a cause of
physical suffering and an obstacle to spiritual progress:
One morning while the Buddha was residing in the Jetavana monastery
near the city of Savatthi, he sensed with his psychic powers that the spiritual faculties
of a certain poor peasant living near the city of Alavi were mature enough for him to
understand the teaching, and that he was ripe for enlightenment. So, later that morning,
the Buddha set off walking to Alavi, some 30 yojanas (about 48 km) away.
The inhabitants of Alavi held the Buddha in great respect, and on
his arrival warmly welcomed him. Eventually a place was prepared for everyone to gather
together and listen to a discourse. However, as the Buddha's particular purpose in going
to Alavi was to enlighten this one poor peasant, he waited for him to arrive before
starting to talk.
The peasant heard the news of the Buddha's visit and, since he had
been interested in the Buddha's teaching for some time, he decided to go to listen to the
discourse. But it so happened that one of his cows had just disappeared and he wondered
whether he should go and listen to the Buddha first and look for his cow afterwards, or to
look for the cow first. He decided that he should look for the cow first and quickly set
off into the forest to search for it. Eventually the peasant found his cow and drove it
back to the herd, but by the time everything was as it should be, he was very tired. The
peasant thought to himself, "Time is getting on, if I go back home first it will take
up even more time. I'll just go straight into the city to listen to the Buddha's
discourse." Having made up his mind, the poor peasant started walking into Alavi. By
the time he arrived at the place set up for the talk, he was exhausted and very hungry.
When the Buddha saw the peasant's condition, he asked the city
elders to arrange some food for the poor man, and only when the peasant had eaten his fill
and was refreshed did the Buddha start to teach. While listening to the discourse the
peasant realized the fruit of 'Stream Entry,' the first stage of enlightenment. The Buddha
had fulfilled his purpose in traveling to Alavi.
After the talk was over, the Buddha bade farewell to the people of
Alavi and set off back to the Jetavana monastery. During the walk back, the monks who were
accompanying him started to discuss the day's events: "What was that all about? The
Lord didn't quite seem himself today. I wonder why he got them to arrange food for the
peasant like that, before he would agree to give his discourse."
The Buddha, knowing the subject of the monks' discussion, turned
back towards them and started to explain his reason, saying, "When people are
overwhelmed and in pain through suffering, they are incapable of understanding religious
teaching." The Buddha went on to sat that hunger is the most severe of all illnesses
and that conditioned phenomena provide the basis for the most ingrained suffering. Only
when one understands these truths will one realize the supreme happiness of Nibbana.
Buddhism considers economics to be of great significance -- this is
demonstrated by the Buddha having the peasant eat something before teaching him.
Economists might differ as to whether the Buddha's investment of a 45 kilometer walk was
worth the enlightenment of one single person, but the point is that not only is Right
Livelihood one of the factors of the Eightfold Path, but that hungry people cannot
appreciate the Dhamma. Although consumption and economic wealth are important, they are
not goals in themselves, but are merely the foundations for human development and the
enhancement of the quality of life. They allow us to realize the profound: after eating,
the peasant listened to Dhamma and became enlightened. Buddhist economics ensures that the
creation of wealth leads to a life in which people can develop their potentials and
increase in goodness. Quality of life, rather than wealth for its own sake, is the goal.
-oOo-
Footnotes:
6. See Appendix. [Back to text]
7. Dhananuppadana -- apportioning of some
wealth to the poor -- one of the twelve duties of a Universal Emperor. [D.III.61] [Back to text]
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