Ebook The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, in the World, by Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula
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The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, in the World, by Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula
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Money and investing. Family. Relationships. Work and business. Sex. What could the Buddha tell us about such worldly concerns? More than you might think--and you'll find it all here. Some of it might well surprise you. All of it will guide you toward a more prosperous, more fulfilling, and truly happier way of life.
The Buddha had an unusually keen insight into what people with everyday concerns need to know, and The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity delivers the actual teachings that he gave to all those many people he encountered who were not monks or nuns-or even, meditators. This is practical advice on the important stuff of life, those things nearly all of us must deal with in order to enjoy a meaningful, lasting happiness:
- Taking care of children and aging parents
- Providing for our families
- Working with employees and business partners
- Finding and maintaining love relationships and marital partnerships
- Making responsible, ethical financial decisions
- Cultivating the best in your personality
These very do-able practices are specifically for those who can't or (for whatever reason) won't be devoting their lives to meditation or any kind of religious teaching--but who nonetheless wish to minimize their suffering, maximize their joy, and help create a better world.
- Sales Rank: #593856 in Books
- Published on: 2008-04-28
- Released on: 2008-04-28
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 9.00" h x .60" w x 6.00" l, .75 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 200 pages
Features
Review
"The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity is a beautiful reinforcement of the potential dignity of lay life and a clear, well-written, and meticulous documentation of the Buddha's attitude towards it. This major contribution, coupled with our already-existing enthusiasm for contemplative practice, will bring into existence a more authentic, balanced life." (Larry Rosenberg, author of Breath by Breath)
"Very little of the valuable information in this book has previously been collected and so clearly presented. This is a very important book." (Bhante Gunaratana ("Bhante G."), author of Mindfulness in Plain English)
"With meticulous research, Rahula turns around many of our received notions about what the Buddha recommends for lay life. He wants us to have a good time!" (Tricycle)
"Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula reveals, in simple yet elegant language, the steps and techniques Buddha recommended for the success and happiness of his lay community. This book is unique because it stays away from Buddhist metaphysics and focuses on Buddha's guidance of the reader's daily life; it fascinates and benefits those who strive for financial stability, healthy personal and social relationships, rational decisions, personality development, inner peace, and happiness." (The Buddhist Channel)
"Buddhism stands apart in being tolerant, accommodating, and pragmatic. This book aims to rediscover the principles and values that have been obscured by centuries of culture and history." (Sir Arthur C. Clarke, from his foreword)
"Original and authentic." (Prof. Anne C. Klein, Rice University)
"Bhikkhu Rahula's clear and easy to follow translations and commentary reveal that contrary to recieved wisdom, the Buddha actually had a lot to say about improving daily life in samsara." (Buddhadharma)
About the Author
Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula, PhD, was born in Sri Lanka and became a Buddhist monk in childhood. He holds a Master's Degree in literature, and a doctorate in English. He serves the congregation at the Houston Buddhist Vihara, and teaches English at the University of Houston. He lives in Texas.
Sir Arthur C. Clarke is the author of 2001: A Space Odyssey and many other award-winning books of science fiction and fact.
Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Practical wisdom from the nikāyas, but what would the āgamas say?
By nathan
In this book, author Basnagoda Rāhula distinguishes between the Buddha's principles for happiness in the lay life of ordinary laypersons and principles for happiness in the renounced life of ordained monks and nuns; this book focuses on the principles for laypersons. In Rāhula's account, the principles for laypersons have a very secular and rational flavor: "Closer attention to the Sutta Pitaka would make it clear that the Buddha's teaching for the layperson is more secular than most people expect it to be."
Rāhula's account is based largely on the nikāyas (scriptures) of the Southern transmission of the Buddha's teaching (commonly known as the Theravāda tradition) in the Pali language. I would be very interested to read a similar book that also cites the āgamas (scriptures) of the Northern transmission in the Sanskrit and Chinese languages; as far as I know, a book like this one but based on the āgamas does not exist. If I am not mistaken, the āgamas are similar to the nikāyas but there are some differences between them. I wonder what nuggets of wisdom for lay life were hidden in the āgamas and were not preserved in the nikāyas? In any case, this book is oriented toward the lives of today's English-language readers, and therefore Rāhula freely mixes modern ideas and English idioms with traditional ideas and Pali phrases.
The first chapter gives some historical background about these two approaches to happiness found in the nikāyas and explains how and why the Buddha's principles for laypersons were underemphasized in the past. This underemphasis has led to a major misconception about the nature of the Buddha's teaching, according to Rāhula: "Worst of all, hundreds of books written about the Buddha's teachings identify his instructions for the ordained community as the central teaching for the entire Buddhist community. This misconception has led to the common assumption that the Buddha discounted worldly life and scorned its happiness." Rāhula aims to correct this misconception; the principles for laypersons should not be confused with the principles for monks and nuns.
The second chapter presents an explanation of the Buddha's principles about prosperity, emphasizing that laypersons should strive for limitless success in the proper way, like bees collecting honey without harming the flowers. The third chapter gives advice on gaining wealth, which requires first removing any psychological barriers that may be present, and then striving energetically to achieve success methodically. The four steps to wealth that Rāhula outlines are: (1) developing knowledge and skills in the desired occupation, (2) organizing work skillfully, (3) completing the necessary tasks at the right time, and (4) looking for strategic means of improvement. The fourth chapter outlines nine steps for retaining wealth: (1) taking actions to protect wealth, (2) selecting wise and upright people for companionship and consultation, (3) spending according to a financial plan, (4) taking steps for self-protection, (5) taking necessary steps at the right time, (6) avoiding immoderation in romantic relationships, (7) refraining from addiction to intoxicants, (8) eliminating gambling habits, and (9) avoiding immoderate enjoyment of entertainment. "While the Buddha never asked his lay followers to abstain from entertainment, he did instruct them to know the limits of enjoyment. Exceeding these limits poses a threat to the progress already achieved."
The fifth chapter explains the importance of carefully selecting people with whom to establish close relationships. It is so important to associate with appropriate people that the Buddha once advised that one should choose a solitary life if one fails to find suitable associates. On the other hand, to reject or condemn someone as "unsuitable" is a failure of compassion and patience, so as in all activities a great deal of sensitivity is required to relate skillfully with others. Rāhula distills the Buddha's advice on selecting people into four steps: (1) Disregard traditional categories such as race and caste, which are irrelevant in judging others; look instead for those persons who show signs of developing themselves into a pandita: a well-developed person. (2) Be cautious about first impressions and initial understandings of others. (3) After meeting a person, spend a period of time carefully observing and evaluating him or her. (4) Consider the following aspects of personal compatibility with others: similar confidence in the process of self-development, similar respect for self-discipline, similar respect for charitable practices, and similar level of wisdom (which includes knowledge, skill, intellectual strength, emotional maturity, and attitude). "This does not mean that both of them should have the same education, intellectual abilities, and so forth; it means that wide differences in these areas could cause incompatibility and lead to conflicts in the relationship."
The sixth chapter discusses the marital partnership and its accompanying duties, obligations, and rights. The seventh chapter discusses parenthood. Five duties for parents include helping children refrain from unwholesome conduct, leading children to wholesome conduct, helping to educate children in a profession, helping children select suitable partners for marriage, and transferring the appropriate measure of family wealth to children at the appropriate time.
The eighth chapter, on dealing with conflict, suggests that the Buddha's advice on conflict resolution were addressed equally to both ordained disciples and laypersons. Five steps to skillful communication include (1) addressing the matter at the right time, (2) speaking about facts and refraining from false accusation or exaggeration, (3) using soft language and not harsh language, (4) speaking with a focus on the positive effects of the solution or benefits for the listener, and (5) speaking with compassion and caring for the listener. Rāhula also mentions the importance of (1) refraining from arguing with others about sensitive topics, (2) understanding that some aspects of behavior may be unchangeable, (3) providing opportunities that allow the other to better understand the nature of his or her wrongdoing and to correct it, and (4) seeking a harmonious separation from others.
The ninth chapter offers basic principles for succeeding socially: (1) Discard attitudes and actions based on caste, race, and color. (2) Promote women's rights. (3) Accept and promote social unity and togetherness. (4) Respect people for their inner values and upright conduct. (5) Appreciate people's skills and abilities without discrimination. (6) Look at diverse theories, views, and practices with patience, tolerance, and open-mindedness. (7) Accept argument not as a weapon, but as a quest for truth.
In the tenth chapter, Rāhula summarizes a variety of fallacies that should be avoided when making decisions. "The Buddha rejected both the traditionalist's denial of individual rights and the materialist's overemphasis on self-interest as criteria for making decisions. Instead he introduced new principles for decision-making, including rationality (broad reasoning), humanism (presence of wholesome thoughts), and pragmatism (practical usefulness)." Moha (illusion) refers largely to fallacious inference. Some fallacies presented in the nikāyas include the fallacies (1) that reported information is true; (2) that traditional values, beliefs, and practices are actual truths; (3) that social truths are actual truths; (4) that the texts are true; (5) that logical reasoning is always correct; (6) that imagination and speculation are correct; (7) that hypothesized reasoning is correct; (8) that one should accept a view because it is compatible with one's own way of thinking; (9) that one's persuasiveness validates the message; and (10) that individual authority is a dependable criterion for making decisions. The Buddha emphasized our ability to overcome such fallacies as these and to learn to make wise decisions. The eleventh chapter explains that wrong motivations lead to wrong decisions, absence of wrong motivations leads to right decisions, consequences of a decision make it right or wrong, and attention to the views of qualified people can help us make right decisions.
The twelfth chapter, on what not to do in daily life, summarizes some prohibitory ethical precepts (or what Thich Nhat Hanh elsewhere calls "mindfulness trainings"): (1) do not destroy life, (2) do not take anything wrongly, (3) avoid sexual misconduct, (4) do not speak untruths with wrong intention, (5) do not allow alcohol or other such intoxicating substances to cause physical and mental imbalance, (6) do not use words to divide people, (7) refrain from use of harsh language, and (8) avoid senseless talk, including words spoken at the wrong time, words that contain untruth or exaggeration, words that bring no benefit, words that lead the listener to unwholesome thoughts and conduct, words that threaten the listener's self-discipline, and words that express trite and shallow ideas.
The thirteenth chapter explains how to develop an attractive personality, which according to Rāhula "is not merely a peripheral topic, but a focal point in the Buddha's teaching." Five steps are presented: (1) Reflect upon and identify your own behavior. (2) Evaluate your own behavior and your response to others' behavior, identify the mental states that cause your pleasant and unpleasant behaviors, and examine the suitability of your actions. "We need to examine the background of our behaviors and detect the urge behind them. The Buddha identified all human actions as originating from six common sources: desire for sensory satisfaction [appetitive motive], a destructive urge [aversive motive], illusion, generosity, compassion, and right understanding. The first three of these mental states can trigger unpleasant actions while the other three bring about pleasant behavior." (I would add that the last three could also be described as attunement to (or mindfulness of) universal beneficence, and the first three could be described as distraction from (or forgetting of) universal beneficence.) Finally: (3) Use self-evaluation to adjust and improve behavior, following others' positive examples and renouncing their negative examples, practicing self-restraint, and striving for inner development.
The final chapter focuses attention on the importance of and attainability of an intense and stable form of happiness. Rāhula writes: "The Buddha did not make himself suffer in order to experience happiness at some later time in life. He was happy throughout his life..." Seven steps to freedom from worry include: (1) minimizing mind-created reactions to everyday experiences, (2) letting go of greed and malice, (3) pursuing goals and enjoying the achievement of them through just means, (4) responding to others' unpleasant actions with compassion, (5) working for all others' benefit, (6) living a principled life by avoiding unwholesome actions and practicing wholesome actions with a combination of upright conduct and wholesome thought, and (7) accepting unavoidable change as a natural process. Rāhula says that to enter the path to such happiness, we must have a clear understanding of ourselves: "The question 'Who am I?' requires a correct answer." Here Rāhula emphasizes the "free individual, entirely responsible for his or her own happiness"—but I would add that this is only a part of the answer to the question "Who am I?" From a Mahāyāna perspective, it is true that I am responsible for my own happiness, but since I am not separate from all others, it is true that I am also responsible, to a non-negligible degree, for the happiness of all others. I am what Rāhula calls a "free individual, entirely responsible for his or her own happiness" but I am also, to a non-negligible degree, all others inside and outside this ever-changing organism, and therefore I am also responsible for their happiness insofar as they can be said to be happy. This deeper meaning of myself and nonself, our nonseparation, which Thich Nhat Hanh has named interbeing, is an essential part of the stability of our happiness or beatitude.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Some editing problems
By Anagarika Dipa
I finished the library book last night. I ordered the new edition from Amazon via the used book dealer Owlsbooks. I see this book as a helpful one for lay people. I think that it is definitely worth buying at the cheaper price. One does need to use some caution though when reading this book. I found one of the author's translations of an excerpt from MN 58 Abhayarajakumara Sutta to be misleading due to leaving out a key word. I compared the two translations with each other. Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi has: "Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true and correct but unbeneficial, and which is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter." Ven Bhikkhu Rahula's translation leaves out the word unbeneficial. I hope that this is just a mistake and not an intended omission of the word unbeneficial because leaving out this word changes the meaning of the sentence in a significant way.
Also, I was not able to find a couple of references that he listed. He listed AN Sona Vagga: Subhasitavaca. I find no Sona Vagga in AN. There is a Sona Vagga in Ud, but no Suhasitavaca sutta.
He uses his own translations throughout some of which are quite different from previous translations. Since he doesn't document which line he is translating it makes finding a parallel translation difficult at times.
He leaves out the category of bhikkhuni when translating an excerpt from DN 29 Pasadika in which naming all the categories of disciples of the Buddha was what the excerpt was about. So, it is a strange omission. I checked the Pali version and bhikkhuni is listed in the quote. Bhikkhuni means female monastic, so it is a significant omission.
So, all in all it is a helpful resource, but I wouldn't rely on his translation alone for understanding the discourses mentioned. I will look and see if these mistakes
are corrected in the Wisdom Publications edition. I would think that a publisher like Wisdom would not let these sorts of things slip through the editing process. I hope so at least.
I have since received the Wisdom Publications edition and the same mistakes are in it as well.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
excellent advice for daily living
By M. Coppedge
This book is the new edition of "Beautiful Living" with identical content. It tells us what advice Buddha gave to laypeople so their lives would be happy, harmonious and prosperous. It covers all areas of life: friendship, parenting, marriage, social life, business life, proper acquisition of wealth, etc. Buddha did not require laypeople to renounce life and spend many hours in meditation (as his ordained students would) but embrace life and live it to its fullest. His advice how to achieve prosperity and happiness is just as valid today as it was at his time. A wonderful book I highly recommend.
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