11th Issue (March, 2009) Buddhist Teachings: Acquisition of Wealth and Maintaining an Unperturbed Socio-spiritual Life Bhikkhu Nyanabodhi It has been often incriminated that Buddhism is more concerned about spirituality more than its concern about worldly matters. Against this criticism, over the recent centuries scholars have contributed greatly unearthing the social dimensions of Buddha’s teachings. In this article, we shall look into some economic principles of the Buddhadhamma by drawing some references from the Pāli canon. The teaching of Gotama Buddha as we know is centred upon the four noble truths (cattāri ariyasaccāni), of which the first is dukkha (suffering or unsatisfactoriness). In spite of the high spiritual application of the concept in other texts, in the Dhammapada verse 203, Gotama Buddha addresses the issue of Suffering in two fundamental aspects:
From this aforementioned primary issues of suffering, we see Buddhism stresses liberation (vimutti) from both these two aspect of anguish or vexation in the same urgent spirit. Elsewhere we learn from the Buddha who says ‘all living beings are dependent upon food’ – (sabbe sattā āharaṭṭhiṭikā) which generated his idea of the Middle Path in the pursuit of a more conducive spiritual life. In fact, the spiritual life of Gotama Buddha itself had awakened him to the importance of leading a life of moderation – the Middle Path. We see that ascetic Siddhattha’s attainment of perfect Enlightenment (sammā sambodhi) was possible only after he was disillusioned with the idea of ‘austere practices’ and resorted to ‘middle way’. Thus, this noble discovery of the Middle Path of the Blessed One motivated him to avert the extremity of self-indulgence (kāmesukhallikānuyogo) and self-mortification (attakilamatānuyogo). The Middle path is to maintain the moderation in attainment of both worldly and spiritual success. The fact that poverty is woeful (dāliddiyaṃbhikkhave dukkhaṃ lokasmiṃ) accentuates the importance of wealth in the life of a worldly person. Therefore, the Buddha advocates rightful means in acquiring wealth. By ‘material wealth’ (dhana), Buddhism recognises the four fundamental needs (catu paccaya): food (āhāra), cloths (vattha), shelter (geha) and medicine (bhesajja) before one undertakes the education (spiritual training) for the attainment of noble wealth (ariyadhana). Of the four, food is distinguished as the foremost as ‘this body survives depended upon food, without food it cannot survive’ – (ayaṃ kāyo āharaṭṭhitiko āhāraṃ paṭicca tiṭṭhati anāharo na tiṭṭhati). Yet, it is a pathetic sight that around the world millions of people are very poor . Many have died due to hunger. Owing to the severity of hunger, some were compelled even to feed on the flesh of other humans. The Buddha evidently mentioned in the Cakkavattisīhanāda Sutta of Dīgha-Nikāya that owing to the imbalanced distribution of wealth, there arises poverty which in turn leads to immorality and crimes such as thefts, falsehood, violences, hatred and cruelty and so forth. The sutta emphasizes the state responsibility to judge the divergent individual capacities of his citizens and distribute resources accordingly. Thus, those with agricultural talents should be provided with seeds and fields; those talented in business with capital; and those who can serve in various government sectors with such opportunities. In this way, people being busy with their duties will not develop harmful tendencies. Besides relying on the economic support from King, Gotama Buddha also educated his lay devotees on the righteous means to gain wealth. The Exalted One elucidated how the righteous life first leads to rebirth in this terrestrial world and eventually will lead to a happy life in the next world (Dhammacāri sukhaṃ seti asmiṃ loke paraṃ hi ca). In the Dīghajānu Sutta, when the Buddha was asked by householder Dīghajānu about the way to get happiness in this life and the life after, the Exalted Master expounded four factors conducive to attaining happiness in this life thus:
Buddhism always emphasizes right livelihood striving righteously (dhammena) and diligently (appamādena) to be successful in material, social, or even spiritual gains. It is mentioned in the scriptures that like a bee accumulating honey or an ant building its anthill, a person must exercise his energy and effort to accumulate his wealth. There is a saying in Sanskrit stressing the effort of a man in both earning wealth and practicing a religious life. It says that in earning wealth and in education, one must not think of decay or death. But in his everyday life, he should think that the death is extremely near to him (ajarāmaravat prajño/vidyamarthaṃ ca sādhayet/gŗhita iva kesesu/mŗtyunā dharmamācaret). The way to earn wealth is precisely explicated in the Aṅguttara Nikāya thus : “for a good person wealth is or should be earned not by violent means, but by energetic striving, amassed by strength of arm, won by sweat, and received with the righteous means” – (Bhogā honti asāhasena uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi). The golden rule governing right livelihood or Buddhist economics is thus : to do jobs that harm neither oneself nor another person or other beings (morally or even materially). Thus, five kinds of businesses are declared by Gotama Buddha as not righteous:
This reminds us of the social obligations that must be cogitated by manufacturers and tradespersons; not only by seeking self centric ends but by truly serving the society. According to Buddhism, cheating is an unskilful action that should be abandoned. It has been often misapprehended that succeeding in business without cheating is impossible. But one should also think that he himself does not like to be cheated. There is a muscular saying of George Washington; ‘Honesty is the best policy’ which is one of the five basic ethical principles (pañcasīla) of Buddhism and which should attentively be applied in the business matters. Buddhism also highlights the careful observation and protection of wealth acquired by the individual with his hard work. It recommends that a person should take a good care of his wealth, not allowing it to be eroded away by unjust taxation, theft, natural disaster or undeserving successors. Furthermore, when saving up one's wealth, one should not allow such doing to bring oneself into conflict with those around him. The reason why Buddhism advises one to protect one’s wealth is that in case of emergency such as repairing the consequences of fire, flood, excess taxation, and so forth, he can make use of his wealth and overcome the difficulties in life. Of course the best way to conserve one’s wealth is by way of acquiring transcendental wealth or merit. In such a form, it is beyond the touch of any evil force. Furthermore, it will be appreciated with the passing of the years, thus saving in the form of transcendental wealth is really the most skilful way of conserving one's wealth. Along with the economic activities or even day to day life, an individual should also keep companionship with virtuous friends having faith (saddhā), self-discipline (sīla), self-sacrifice (cāga) and wisdom (paññā). The Buddha teaches that worldly wealth may be exhausted in a moment, but the value of training other people to be virtuous never knows an end. In many of the sutta-s such as Maṅgala sutta, Sigālovāda sutta etc., the Buddha gave a detailed account on how the behaviour of a friend should actually be. And he also advises us to associate with the wise and virtuous friends and to avoid associating with the unskilful and bad ones (asevanā ca bālānaṃ panditānaṃ ca sevanā). And finally, we are advised to live within our means (samajīvikatā). One should live a life not being a luxury-seeker and also not being too spendthrift either. There is a very simple yet extremely significant statement which in a nutshell contains the essential features of the Buddhist economics. The statement runs thus: – an individual should divide his wealth in four portions, of these the first portion will be used for his own expense, a half of the total wealth i.e. the second and the third portions should be used in reinvestments. And the best approach to the investment as mentioned in Buddhism is – development of skills, training experience, fulfilling the basic needs of others and so on. And with regard to the hospitality there is a mention of five bali-s (offerings or treatments) namely;treating relatives[ñāti bali], guests[atithi bali], the government[rāja bali], departed relatives[peta bali], and samanas and brāhmanas [devatā bali]. And the last portion should be kept for the future needs such as – floods, calamities and drought and so on. Thus, while one is practicing the above mentioned four qualities, one develops four more spiritual qualities namely saddhā (faith), sīla (morality or virtue), cāga (generosity), and paññā (wisdom). Having these qualities developed, one then obtains four kinds of happiness namely:
The Buddha praised the fourth type of happiness because this person does not do any unskilful action either through his body or speech or mind. And hence he is freed from harming others in any way; therefore he leads a blameless life. The economic theory in Buddhism is rather a holistic one. Buddhism begins primarily talking with individual economy and then it goes on to social economy and then to state economy. With the development of wealth, an individual is expected to be developed in the dharma. He does everything for the benefit and wellbeing of the both oneself and others as the Buddhist saying goes; “May all livings be well and happy” – (sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā). An individual trained in such a way is related to the family; a family to a group, a group to a state or a nation; and a state to other states. In such a state even the animals, birds, fish as well as trees and plants are protected. Thus happiness prevails in such a country. Therefore, Buddhism appreciates such economic activities which do not exploit others; do not increase additional wants depriving the basic needs; do not fall within the five areas of trade and do not use material resources without maintaining the ecological balance. Buddhism always stresses on right livelihood . Right livelihood means that a man should not just accumulate wealth for the sake of enjoying life, rather taking the economic activities as a mean to achieve the end and which is to be known as the socio-spiritual life. In respect of this way of livelihood, a modern economist, Glen Alexandrian, says that ethical consideration should be given a prominent place in production and distribution of wealth. Therefore, it should be said that Buddhism does not see any fault in the wealth itself. Its emphasis is mostly the ethical acquisition and usage of the wealth. It recommends that in the acquisition of wealth, one must not exercise greed, stinginess, grasping, attachment, and hoarding. In other words, the economic activities should not be done with competition or contest, but with co-operation and zeal. In so doing one, would then be able to lead an unperturbed socio-spiritual life. Editor’s Note:Most of the important early Buddhist Economics promulgated by Gotama Buddha is incorporated in this essay. We can learn Buddhadhamma as well as Buddhist Way of participating in economic activities. Earning and utility of economic wealth is a conditioned phenomenon. Non-violation of Buddhist principle of Dependent Co-arising is the Principle. The wisdom of Anattā integrates the phenomenon with the Principle harmoniously. Live in Anattā and you are perfectly protected in any sphere of activity including economic activities. To live in Anattā : Annihilate your self-identity in the Totality of any collective work.    
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