Than Hsiang's Pu Men Pin Online Gong Xiu Dharma Sharing (25/08/2023)

Teaching Assistant of International Buddhist College, Sis Wong Ping Ling sharing "Buddhist perspective on wealth for a householder"

Is wealth evil?
Buddhism does not consider wealth as evil or bad.
Buddhism asserts the necessity of wealth for lay life.

Buddhist Scriptures :
It is not wealth as such that is praised or blamed.
It is the way it is acquired and used.
Many passages in the Scriptures exhort lay people to acquire wealth in rightful ways.

Buddha says to billionaire Anāthapiṇḍika :
Four kinds of Happiness one can enjoy through Wealth:-
1. Happiness of Possession
2. Happiness of Enjoyment
3. Happiness of Debtlessness
4. Happiness of Blamelessness
--(Nyanaponika Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi, tr., Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: An Anthology of Suttas from the Aṅguttara Nikāya, p.99.)

Wealth provides us with the necessities of life
- foundation to embark on spiritual development.

BUDDHIST VIEW ON HOW WEALTH IS TO BE ACQUIRED AND USED

ACQUISITION OF WEALTH :
1. Must be accompanied by ETHICS
2. Must be earned in rightful ways, through vigorous effort, diligence and great enthusiasm.
3. Right Livelihood – ethically wholesome
4.These five trades, should not be taken up : Trading with weapons, trading in living beings, trading in meat, trading in intoxicants, trading in poison.”
--(Aṅguttara Nikāya III, 208 (PTS))

Buddha’s advise to guard the wealth we have earned:-
Avoid spending on following 4 ways :
1. Indulge in women
2. Indulge in intoxicants
3. Indulge in gambling
4. Association with bad friends
--(Dighajanu Sutta of the Aṅguttara Nikāya)

Buddha’s famous admonition on how to spend wealth
Balanced livelihood
“He should divide his wealth in four.
One part he may enjoy at will,
Two parts he should put to work,
The fourth part set aside, as reserve in times of need.

For more information, please browse https://www.youtube.com/live/e8PDSJh4XiA?feature=share

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