Issue

11th Issue (March, 2009)

Editor's Preface

Introduction

Buddhist Economics should be perceived in two aspects, namely Early  Buddhist Economics and Modern Buddhist Economics. The early discourses on Buddhist Economics are the original Word of Gotama Buddha’s Dhamma exposition. The Modern Buddhist Economics are the legacies of the modern Buddhist leaders, scholars, or  thinkers. This group of modern Buddhist intelligentsia  comprise either monks, nuns or lay Buddhists. They have  insightfully penetrated into the ultimate Process Reality of the dynamic becoming (sanātana dharma) of the unity of causes (hetus) and conditions (paccayas). This penetrative insight of Dhamma is incorporated into their modern economic thought. The format may be new but the underlying principle  is not derailed from that of Buddhist principles and ethics of Early Buddhism.

 Modern Buddhist Economics has been innovated  by incorporating Buddhist principles and  Ethics in modern economic activities or enterprises. Modern Buddhist Economics encompasses modern economic theories and practices  put  forwards by these  Buddhist intelligentsia. Some of them are genuine Buddhist practioners who are Gnostics or Knowers of Truth. Some  of them are  Buddhist academic savants whilst others integrate Economics with Dhamma out of their altruistic  compassion.  They have incorporated and integrated economic activities with Buddhist principles and ethics (Dhamma) so that economic activities are sanctified with Dhamma. The objective is to ensure that Buddhists earn their economic wealth through right livelihood in this modern business environment without violating the Dhamma. Dhamma comprises Buddhist ethics and wisdom sustaining the eternal Law of Nature (Dhamma) of Dependent Co-arising. The Law of Nature is Process Reality (Pal. : Santāna Dhamma; San.: Sanātana Dharma). Process Reality is the dynamic process becoming of dependently co-arisen Unity of causes and conditions.

The Only Truth

All world’s religions are esoterically perennial. They communally  promulgate the one and only Truth variously designated with dissimilar denominations. This one and only Truth of Process Reality is rooted in the eternal Truth of  Sophia perennis, philosophia or religio perennis. Process Reality is  the incessant flow of the Unity of Existence. It is  monotheistically designated as God. God is Unity of Existence. It is  Buddhistly designated as Anattā (Insubstantiality) or ‘Sūnyatā (Emptiness; Unity of Existence). It is  operated by  the natural law of Dependent Genesis or Co-arising (Pațiccasamuppāda). Process Reality is the central Buddhist doctrine of dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality popularly known as Emptiness (‘Sūnyatā).

Celebrated Chinese Philosopher, Lao-tzu designates Process Reality  as ‘Tao’. Hindu’s Vedas and Upaniṣads , Chinese Classics of Tao Te Ching and I-Ching , Whiteheadian Process Philosophy and  Ibn ‘Arabī’s Sufi Philosophy expound the communal message of  Process Reality. This  Process Reality concurs with the celebrated Buddhist philosopher, Nāgārjuna’s Doctrine of Emptiness(‘Sūnyavāda). ‘Sūnyavāda is synonymous with Buddhist central theme of Anattavāda (Doctrine of Insubstantiality or Selflessness or Egolessness). Selflessness or Egolessness is God concept of Monotheism. Therefore, all major world’s religions are reconciled in terms of Process Reality defined generally as the dynamic Unity of Existence of contigent conditions .

Modern  Buddhist Economics should be rightly construed as the spiritualization of  the modern economic theories and practices with the Process Reality discovered and expounded  by Gotama Buddha for the good of all sentient beings . The wisdom (paññā) of the Buddha is the  process or perennial wisdom. The noble purpose of Buddhist economics is to create an oasis in the spiritual desert of the modern secular state which has been derailed from the Path of Truth (Pal.: Sacca; San.: Satya; Ara.: Ḥaqq; Chi.: Tao). The derailment  is the consequence of  the thick political DNA of  secular governance – political culture of modernity depleting traditionalism.

Early Buddhist Economics

The Early Buddhist Economics  discourses of Early Buddhism were originally expounded by Gotama Buddha about 2,600 years ago in ancient India. Interestingly and beneficially, these early discourses are still of universal application to the modern Buddhists today. Examples of such early Buddhist economics discourses are Sigālalovada Sutta (DN31), Adiya Sutta (AN5.41), Vyaghappajja Sutta (AN3.291-5), Kūțadanta Sutta (D.I.134-6) , Parābhava Sutta (Sn91-115) and Dhammapada Dhp. 24, 203 , 303  and others. In those early discourses, Gotama Buddha preached to the lay disciples or devotees about the righteous or ethical acquisition, secure protection, prudent management and wise utility and generous sharing of wealth.  

Modern Buddhist Economics

The Modern Buddhist Economics is  a sphere of modern theories of Buddhist Economics which incorporates Buddhist principles and  ethics so that economic attitudes of the Buddhists and the practice of Dhamma are  integrated and not separated. Dhamma is utilized to invigorate the economics but not to weaken it. Generally, the secular businessmen conceive erroneously that religious practices would erode their profit margins. In actual fact, the goodwill of a profitable business corporation is constructed upon the corporate codes of business ethics. Generally,  business ethics do not contradict the Buddhist Ethics.  The Buddhist fundamental doctrine of interconnectedness and integration is eternal and immutable. The phenomena of Economic activities or enterprises are impermanent and changeable but the underlying principle is permanent and unchangeable. Any new Buddhist Economics must adhere to the eternal  principle to actual accomplishment secularly and spiritually. The eternal principle is the law of nature.

 Modern celebrated Buddhist Economics thinkers and exponents include E.F Schhumacher,  P.A Payutto , Karunatilake, Sivaraksa,  Buddhadāsa, Santikaro, Shinichi Inoue and  others. These Buddhist personalities sanctify the modern Buddhist Economics with Dhamma so that human character development is not impeded by their livelihoood to earn and amass economic wealth. If the four foundations of mindfulness (cattāri satipațțhāna) or the Zen wisdom are or is executed rightly, economic activities will not impede  the process of enlightenment or gnosis – the perfection of human character.

Millionaire Anāthapiṇḍika , the chief economic patron of Gotama Buddha  and a great philanthropist  was a sotāpanna just before his demise. Another lay Buddhist Vimalakīrti, also a contemporary of Gotama Buddha, was a supreme Bodhisattva even though he was a householder. Economic wealth itself is not the foe of Man. Only attachment to wealth is  our common foe. Lay Buddhists are encouraged by the Exalted One to earn wealth righteously and to utilize wealth generously. However,  they must be heedful not be attached to it. The arising of attachment is directed and empowered by self-centric ego.

Buddhist Economics ought to be pursued  with complete awareness of the Buddhist Law of Moral Accountability (Kamma-Vipāka-Dhamma). Buddhist participants of  economic entrepreneurial activities or   enterprises must not transgress the Five Precepts (Pañcasīlas) and the Ten  Precepts (Dāsasilas). Earning livelihood ought to be undertaken without violating these lay Buddhist Precepts. Gotama Buddha pinpoints directly that the sales of human beings, weapons of destruction, intoxicants like drugs and  liquors, chemical poisons and flesh or service of a prostitute are strictly prohibited. Such evil transactions directly or indirectly breach the Buddhist Precepts or contradict the Buddhist ethics. Succinctly put,  Buddhist Economics is Right Livelihood which is one of the training aggregates of the Noble Eight Fold Path.

Golden Rule

The golden rule promulgated by Gotama Buddha in determining the righteousness or ethical value of an economic activity or enterprise is the  Ambalațțhikā-rāhulovāda-sutta (M.N61). This Sutta advises  that any activity that harms oneself or harms others or harms both oneself and others is not  to be participated in. Only activity that does not harm oneself and others is permitted to be participated in. This is, of course, applicable too to any economic activity.

GNH

In order to avert the pitfalls of classical Economics, Buddhist political leaders recommend the economic  tool of GNH (Gross National Happiness ) to improve upon  the conventional economic performance indicator of GNP (Gross National Product). GNH is favoured over the tradition GNP because the former integrates economic activity with the well-being of human society and the preservation of natural environments of diverse eco-systems. GNH is an aspect of Buddhist macro-economics to preserve sustainable development of a nation with altruistic and compassionate consideration of the well-being of the human society and the protection of the natural environment . GNH is employed to measure right livelihood , wealth as well as human happiness.

Buddhist Economics is characterized by the political implementation of GNH. Bhutan is the first nation to adopt the political ideology of GNH. GNH is altruistic Economics. Altruistic Economics is Buddhist or Dhammic  Economics. Buddhist Economics is altruistic because it priortizes  the simultaneous self-interest and public interest. It favours a win-win situation in which individual interest is annihilated for the sake of community, societal or national interest. It takes into the vital consideration that the whole community, society , nation, and the world are an  interconnected whole of one human family related harmoniously with the natural environment. The interconnected whole is the eternal Dhamma of process Reality of dynamic becoming (sanātana dhamma) of unity of causes and conditions. In the Process Reality, only the contigent causes and conditions  change but the unity is eternal. Human emancipation (vimutti) from suffering (dukkha) is arisen from this Truth discernment. Whoever discerns Unity behind multiplicity effaces the self-centric ego.

Non-obstruction

Thus, any economic activity or enterprise must not obstruct the unity flow of Process Reality. Process Reality is non-sectarianism and non-denominationism. It is universally applicable for all people and in all places. It is the cohesive integration  between Dhamma of Ethics (Sīlas)  and Process Reality  so that the equilibrium or the flow of the unity of existence  of causes and conditions is not obstructed by greedy and irresponsible human behaviours.

Economic Spiritualists

 The incorporation of the eternal Principle of Process Reality or Perennial Wisdom (synonymous with Buddhist doctrine of Anattā or ‘Sūnyatā)  in modern economic practices ensures that we are always living in resonance with the Truth of the Process Reality irrespective of the dissimilar faith designations. The eternal Truth of Process Reality of Unity of Existence is ineffable. The modern Buddhist Economic spiritualists or ethicists  are not only  the innovators of impermanent and mutable economic theories but also most significantly, they are the praiseworthy resurrectors of Buddhist economic ideology of  the Process Reality of  the interconnected and borderless world .

Conclusion

 The modern management science of TQM (Total Quality Management) is actually  the process thought of Process Reality. TQM is modern business oversight mechanism which regulates the qualities of input so as to yield quality output at a competitive price. The qualities of input are the quality contigent conditions. The quality output is the corporate accomplishment. Therefore, TQM is an  excellent model of modern Buddhist Economics  in which the eternal Truth of determinate or complete  Unity of factors of production (land, capital, human resources and enterprise) is incorporated in a business system.

There exists Buddha-nature or God immanence in every system of Totality including a business system. TQM is a model of holistic system which is Buddhistic or Dhammic in nature.  TQM manages and oversees  the qualities or standards  of contigent conditions of factors of production so that the  unity of the quality contigent conditions of land, capital, human resources and  enterprise will efficiently and effectively be  associated to produce  high quality products at  a very competitive price. TQM is obviously consonant with the Dhammic concept of Dependent Co-arising.

Neuro-scientists and spiritualists concur that Man possesses two heads, namely intellectual and spiritual. The intellectual head  perceives the conventional truth of economic theories and practices in terms  of analysis and multiplicity. The spiritual head perceives the ultimate Truth of  the eternal Truth of Process Reality of dynamic unity of  causes and conditions in terms of synthesis and Unity. Buddhist Economics syncretizes  the intellectual head of economy with the spiritual head of wisdom and love  so that sustainable development is preserved for the  interest of the children of our future generations.

Modern Buddhist Economics ideally encompasses the middle path between individualistic entreprenuerial capitalism and humanistic socialism. Capitalism permits an enterprising  entrepreneur to utilize the infinite Buddha-nature to achieve entrepreneurial success. The humanistic socialism permits a more equitable distribution of national wealth among the citizentry. Thus, we perceive that capitalism brings forth the innate supreme potentiality of human beings. Dependent Co-arising actualizes the potentiality of accomplishment in production or novelty. Socialism, promoting the sharing of national wealth, brings forth the innate compassion of human beings. The syncretization of intrinsic wisdom and compassion of human beings  in economic policy consummates modern Buddhist Economics.

This  middle path of mixed economy accounts for the rapid economic emergence of mainland China today. Therefore, the resurgence of Buddhism in mainland  China is not a menace to China’s national interest but in actuality, invigorates and synergizes her national development. Another nation that also discerns this middle path of modern Buddhist economics  is modern Japan. Shinichi Inoue, a reputed Japanese modern Economic thinker syncretizes the compassion and wisdom of Buddhist philosophy with modern economic practices. Modern Buddhist Economics is Economics of peace and happiness.

The E.F. Schumacher Society in Great Barrington, U.S.A has been established to promote and foster Buddhist Economics. Earning economic wealth without contradicting the Dhamma is the highest good of Buddhists. Dissimilar designations are immaterial. What is of utmost importance is that the secular life is harmoniously integrated with the spiritual life so as to preserve a sustainable development. Success is two-fold : Happiness in the present life and happiness in the next life. When Satipațțhāna or Zen wisdom is incorporated in the right livelihood, success in this world and hereafter are assured . Dwell in the pure and infinite consciousness of the inner Hear and perform all economic activities. This is quintessence of Buddhist Economic wisdom unsurpassed and unequalled by any other mundane wisdom in terms of unity, harmony, excellence, productivity, peace and bliss. To do this, one must know oneself in oneself and not anywhere else. The agenda of any world’s  religion is to unveil one’s True Self in one’s self in all human activities including economic activities. The True Self is found in the inner Heart of every human being. The inert Heart is the innate humanity (Buddhahood)  from which perfection of wisdom and great compassion ensue.

Editor
Bodhi Journal