Buddhism and money

[oncereturner]

I think i must be crazy. I still can't see what is wrong with fancy TV-s, hifi-s, mobiles and other convenience. I may lie in a spiked bed and work till death. I know what is right, but commercialism always overwhelm my mind. I know several verses of dhammapada by heart. It doesn't help me.

Any opinions are welcome.

[Sam Vara]

I think i must be crazy. I still can't see what is wrong with fancy TV-s, hifi-s, mobiles and other convenience. I may lie in a spiked bed and work till death. I know what is right, but commercialism always overwhelm my mind. I know several verses of dhammapada by heart. It doesn't help me.

Any opinions are welcome.

I don't think anything is wrong with them, either. What's "wrong" is the attitudes that we often develop towards them; the unsettling sense that we are somehow incomplete or lacking if we don't have them. And then the rather flat dull boredom which can set in when we have them, but they don't match expectations. And the anxiety that we might lose them. I guess this is what you might mean by commercialism "overwhelming the mind". The overwhelmed mind is not a happy place to be.

[DNS]

I don't think there's anything wrong with having those things -- it is the attachment to them that can be harmful. Even monks have mobile phones for communicating with community members, arranging a lunch dana meeting, picking up a visiting monk at the airport, etc.

It is what happens when those things go away temporarily or permanently that is telling. For example, the way some people freak out if their internet, facebook connection goes down for several hours; they might frantically rush to some internet cafe or they could have equanimity and do something else.

[DNS]

In regard to consumerism, over-consumerism, a good saying I heard years ago is:
don't let your wants become needs

We might want a certain thing - x and as long as it is wholesome we can have that as a goal and attempt to obtain it. However, if you start to treat it like a need or necessity then you might get upset or have a hissy fit for not getting it.

[ieee23]

+1

[oncereturner]

I suffered like hell. I've spent all my money for useless things. I felt happiness when I got my dream things, but next day I regret. I had no money at all and I starved. I'm about to sell these things, with no success. I had to ask for money from my best friend, he helped me out, and he said I don't have to give back the money. It was about 40$ (10000 HUF).

I've learned a lot from this case. I had a feeling, if I work hard every day, I deserve some reward. But it wasn't a reward after all, it was a reward at that moment, but suffering some days later, when I realized I have nothing to eat.

Real happiness is not the money, but relaxation of the mind.

[binocular]

I've stopped going to the cinema once I calculated, just out of curiosity, how long I need to work to earn for a film ticket. I was making quite good money then, but it was still about two hours of work for an average two hour film (and not even counting in the expenses of transportation, food, etc. that usually come with going to the cinema).

Once calculating things like that, worldly pleasures just aren't so appealing anymore.

[mal4mac]

My bank gives me six "free" cinema tickets a year... I'd rather have six books on Buddhism, but that isn't an option. The three films I've watched so far, this year, chosen carefully as serious adult films that have high recommendations from "top critics", and from the general public as "great entertainment" have been awful! Anyway, it keeps me from buying a TV or Netflix subscription - if the top films are so bad then what must the dregs be like?

[oncereturner]

This year my monetary statistics if the following. I've spent 1000 $ for computer, mobile, hifi, and so on. This is my 2 months of salary. I must think again, but my mind is sometimes clear, but most of the time is craving. I'm a slave to Mara. I just think about my next (mainly needless) expensive purchases.

I've spent another 1000 $ for alcohol, because i'm suffering from depression, and anxiety. Only this toxic can make to pain go away.

Money can be a great reward after suffering a working month. I must change my mind.

I guess I will suffer a long-long time.

[Garrib]

This year my monetary statistics if the following. I've spent 1000 $ for computer, mobile, hifi, and so on. This is my 2 months of salary. I must think again, but my mind is sometimes clear, but most of the time is craving. I'm a slave to Mara. I just think about my next (mainly needless) expensive purchases.

I've spent another 1000 $ for alcohol, because i'm suffering from depression, and anxiety. Only this toxic can make to pain go away.

Money can be a great reward after suffering a working month. I must change my mind.

I guess I will suffer a long-long time.

I would advise you to ditch the alcohol - it doesn't make pain go away for long, and it brings more pain in its wake!

[Ren]

I think i must be crazy. I still can't see what is wrong with fancy TV-s, hifi-s, mobiles and other convenience. I may lie in a spiked bed and work till death. I know what is right, but commercialism always overwhelm my mind. I know several verses of dhammapada by heart. It doesn't help me.

Any opinions are welcome.

I suggest a 3 day, no networks (WiFi & cellular), in-nature (forest, mountain, beach, ...) meditation retreat.