Any Ideas? - suitable Livelihood for a Buddhist..

Buddhist ethical conduct including the Five Precepts (Pañcasikkhāpada), and Eightfold Ethical Conduct (Aṭṭhasīla).
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Nori
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Any Ideas? - suitable Livelihood for a Buddhist..

Post by Nori »

I thought maybe I can get some ideas from others on the forum; and maybe it can be a helpful post to others also..

What do you think would be a suitable livelihood for a Buddhist?

I understand the general guideline of a right livelihood that is not harmful to oneself or others.

Maybe, some can share experiences of occupations they had (or heard about from friends) where they truly (or somewhat) felt happy and fulfilled.
Last edited by Nori on Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
Nori
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Re: Any Ideas? - suitable Livelihood for a Buddhist..

Post by Nori »

So does this mean nobody is happy with their job?

:thinking:
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retrofuturist
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Re: Any Ideas? - suitable Livelihood for a Buddhist..

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Nori,

I'm happy with my job. I review I.T. projects, to make sure they're following the appropriate methodologies, and are on track to maximise the likelihood of successful delivery. I prefer reviewing and providing independent assurance than having to bullock through as a project manager. PMs have to make people do things, and deal with messy issues, tight budgets and tight deadlines.

I'm sure there's countless jobs that qualify as Right Livelihood, but being Right Livelihood alone doesn't mean that you'll enjoy them or find them rewarding. Mechanisms like the Birkman Method ( http://www.birkman.com/birkmanMethod/wh ... Method.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) can be helpful in finding employment that suits your skills, personal needs and disposition. Much of it is about knowing yourself.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Jhana4
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Re: Any Ideas? - suitable Livelihood for a Buddhist..

Post by Jhana4 »

Here are some specific businesses which the Buddha took the time to specifically mentioned to stay away from, which is interesting as I feel many things in the Pali Canon are left deliberately vague.

From
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

  1. business in weapons
  2. business in human beings
  3. business in meat
  4. business in intoxicants
  5. business in poison
The translation using the word "business" is fascinating as it has many significant ethical connotations. You can't have a "business" without buyers and users. So, are people who eat meat, who buy alcohol, who buy nasty lawn chemicals, etc... endangering their kamma and retarding their spiritual goals as well?
Last edited by Jhana4 on Sun Oct 02, 2011 9:09 am, edited 2 times in total.
In reading the scriptures, there are two kinds of mistakes:
One mistake is to cling to the literal text and miss the inner principles.
The second mistake is to recognize the principles but not apply them to your own mind, so that you waste time and just make them into causes of entanglement.
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retrofuturist
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Re: Any Ideas? - suitable Livelihood for a Buddhist..

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
Jhana4 wrote:So, are people who eat meat, buy alcohol, who buy nasty law chemicals, endangering their kamma and retarding their spiritual goals as well?
Those would be questions of Right Action rather than Right Livelihood, in my opinion.

Sutta Quotes on Right Action...
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... -kammanto/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Ben
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Re: Any Ideas? - suitable Livelihood for a Buddhist..

Post by Ben »

Jhana4 wrote:So, are people who eat meat, who buy alcohol, who buy nasty lawn chemicals, etc... endangering their kamma and retarding their spiritual goals as well?
I have to agree with Retro on this one.
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

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PeterB
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Re: Any Ideas? - suitable Livelihood for a Buddhist..

Post by PeterB »

Could someone explain to me how one " endangers" one kamma ?
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